Let me start by saying this is not my first Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz collaboration, having read Sanctuary Bay back in 2016 for this blog. It’s safe to say I am a fan and went in with high expectations. They were met and another high speed, YA thriller will have a place on my bookshelf.

Memphis ‘M’ Engel is not your average 18 year old. Raised by scholars, versed in ancient languages and often the smartest person in the room, she is anything but ordinary. Her mom died several years ago and her father recently followed, leaving her in the care of friends she hardly knows in Boston, the “hometown” that she had previously only spent months at a time in. Enter Ashwin Sood, or Ash as he likes to be called, a student claiming her father isn’t dead but only being held for what he knows. Finding her father is entangled in an ancient Egyptian cult of Horus followers called the Eye and its war for the fate of humanity with the opposing cult of Set.

"But all myths--"

"--are true," he cut in. "And all myths are false.

As M and Ash traversed the world in search of answers, I was literally at the edge of my seat. What a wild ride!

I definitely recommend this one, grab it for a cozy autumn weekend read…if you aren’t in East Africa like me where it’s 5 trillion degrees 365 days a year. It’s out today!

4 stars.

I Do Not Trust You is a book that, from the title alone, delivers layers of mystery. M’s whole journey is about trust. On multiple layers, M has to discern what the truth is and what people’s motivations are about. On other layers, she has to realize that she can’t really ‘trust’ the signs to point to what they should. There’s different interpretations and twists abound.

Throughout the book, M has to figure out who she can trust and, even, what feelings she can trust. But while all of these issues and questions are being played out thematically, M has to solve all these puzzles that span civilizations and mythologies. It’s truly captivating.

steeped in ancient mythology, i do not trust you finds memphis "m" engel paired up with ashwin "ash" sood on a search for pieces of a statue that could cause the end of the world. traveling to sacred sites all over the world, ash and m find themselves at odds over the plan, what to do with the pieces, even their next step.

but when they do start working together, it's the secrets they haven't shared that can tear them apart. and being on opposite sides could mean the actual apocalypse is upon us. i really began enjoying this story when m and ash really begin to click as partners. while it made sense for m to be mistrustful, she is almost too smart to be likable? this trait becomes endearing over time, so the back half of the book flows in a way the front half didn't.

i don't want to reveal much more of the plot, because there is enjoyment to be found in the twists and turns of this story.

**i do not trust you will publish on september 11, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/st. martin's press (wednesday books) in exchange for my honest review.

Intrigue! Mythology! Distrust!

Laura Croft move over and make some room for Memphis! This book was filled with mystery, intrigue, mythology, Magic, and travels, and it was a lot of fun! This book takes you all over the world from the US to Norway to Paris to Egypt.... this book is a little step out of my usual reading but I’m glad I read it! I think I would classify this more as a mystery rather than adventure?

Memphis was a witty, Independent, and intriguing young lady. With a propensity for languages and a skill for the martial arts... grieving the death of her father Memphis is dealing with day-to-day teenage life until...Ash.... Ash is smart, good looking with abs of steel and a heart of gold.... well maybe not a heart of gold, but apparently he’s got those abs! He also has some information for Memphis... Memphis’s father is not dead, he is being held by a cult... in order to save her father and armed with an ancient map, Memphis and Ash travel near and far to find the “key“ to it all.... but is Ash friend or foe? Can he be trusted or not?

Loved the relationship between Memphis and Ash, loved watching them trying to figure out if the other was trustworthy or not... also I really enjoyed all the mythology and the supernatural elements.... The book started pretty ramped up but then it fell into a more steady pace, admittedly it almost stalled at a point, but fortunately it picked up again....

This was a fun read that I recommend if you enjoy mythology, intrigue, teenage angst, the supernatural, and exciting travels!

*** many thanks to Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s Press for my copy of this book ***

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for including me on a #blogtour for #IDoNotTrustYou by Laura Burns and Melinda Metz, in exchange for my honest review. This YA title releases September 11.

Memphis, is still mourning her father’s death when she is followed one night by a mysterious man, Ash, who claims that her father is still alive. Memphis is bewildered by this revelation and skeptical as Ash claims that her father is actually being held captive by a Cult involving Ancient Cultures, whom Ash is also a member of.

Ash has been sent to retrieve a map from Memphis, which holds the secret to finding the missing pieces of the Cult’s worshipped God. Once pieces are found, Memphis’ father will be released from captivity. And so begins the Indiana Jones-like crusade between Ash and Memphis. Will they find the missing pieces and will her father be released??? You will have to pick this one up to find out!

Initially I was enjoying the action-packed adventure of Ash and Memphis’ crusade but will admit the pace slowed a bit for me about ¾ through the book as there wasn’t enough a suspense and thrill or “wow” moments for me. I was really hoping this one would keep me at the edge of my seat, and don’t get me wrong, initially it did.

I still enjoyed the story line as it delved into the importance of trust between people especially during times of desperation. The chapters were short, which I’m always a fan of, and I enjoyed the author’s easy flowing writing style. I just wish there was more thrill.

I would recommend this one to YA readers but warn hardcore suspense thrill seekers that this one may not have as much thrill as they are used to. A quick and engaging enough read for the weekend or on your next vacation, I would still recommend it.

Having had my interest piqued by the synopsis, when I was offered a copy of 'I Do Not Trust You' I decided to take the plunge, but I must admit it was a bit of a mixed bag for me. For starters, the book is marketed as a young adult (YA) thriller, but in reality this is more of YA Fantasy, with a particular focus on mythology. This is quite a unique book, but I can't help but feel that the author missed a trick in terms of the poor execution. It certainly had a tinge of Indiana Jones about it, and I was intrigued by the plot. However, it quickly became a struggle to maintain interest and I quite frankly have no idea how I managed to complete it!

This has just about everything I like in a novel, mythology, history, a feisty and strong female lead character, and intrigue aplenty. Unfortunately, I felt myself wishing that main character Memphis 'M' Engel had been developed more sufficiently, as she is really the central concept of the book and deserved more attention than she got. There was also a lack of background information so understanding the characters and how they arrived at the destination they are currently at was very difficult. It is the sort of story that requires a backstory in order for the reader to not feel completely lost and isolated. If i'm truthfully honest, I had a feeling of deja vu over and over again as it appeared that Ash and M jet off to a certain place, do a couple of things, sprinkle a little mythology in there for good measure, and repeat.

If you are looking for a YA thriller, you better look elsewhere. This is an adventure novel filled with ancient mythology, humour and a smart and sassy heroine. If you enjoy mythology and folklore, I feel you will particularly appreciate this as it is clear that the authors have meticulously researched their topic. The differing locations that are visited are also beautifully described. Give it a go!

Many thanks to Wednesday Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I am a huge fan of YA and Fantasy. This book, however, was not for me. I felt like a lot was left up to the reader to guess what the backstory was. The characters were bland and I just didn't like the story.

“Memphis is a searingly intelligent and endearingly gutsy female protagonist, and the evolution of her relationship with Ash unravels both artfully and believably…{an} entertaining novel” — Kirkus Reviews

This book gave me so many Tomb Raider/Indiana Jones Vibes! You get to travel into the caves of Egypt, the catecombs below Paris, and back to the French Quarter of New Orleans in this fun YA Historical Fantasy.

M is a young girl whose lost both her parents and now lives with two people she’s never met or heard of. She’s been forced to stay put in New York when she’s been so used to a lifetime of travelling with her archaeologist father. It’s not until one day when she finds herself being followed that she learns what she’s been told about her father’s death may not be what it seems. M is such a fun character with her bow staff and knowledge of ancient languages. I really enjoyed her personality as a sassy take no flack personality and when she meets Ash her trust in others is tested. She is intelligent, kick ass, and will make you fall in love with the history of the gods. It was so fun see her loyalty to saving the people she loves and learning that it’s ok not to trust those around you if you don’t feel their intentions are in the right place. She kind of makes you want to be her she’s so cool!

Ash. He’s sent on the job of having to collect a map from M in order to keep the bad guys from getting the artifacts that could very well destroy the world if they are put back together. Along the way you’ll find Ash has more secrets than he’s lead M to believe and now he’s forced to play both sides. He learns that what he’s been told may not be the truth and his partnership with M shows him that he may be willing to sacrifice all he knows based on what he’s learning from M. His loyalties are tested as he ventures into dangerous territory with M and at the end of this book he will have the ultimate test. His character is definitely the more rigid, rule following, of the two but towards the end he starts to get invested in helping M find each artifact and finds that her love for her family is something he can still have.

This YA Historical Fantasy was so much fun. I wanted to go on all the adventures with M and Ash. I wish there were more because I’m sure there are lots of quests they will be going on in the future!

What a fun, adventure based, mythology + religion themed YA novel! I Do Not Trust You is a fast novel with an engaging heroine and a good mix of characters-of-color. The mix of adventure and mythology seems a bit distant from the generic title/cover combination, but is sure to please fans of YA, Indiana Jones and Lara Croft!

This is the second YA book I’ve read recently that doesn’t have that YA vibe. You know the one where “you let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding” kind. Not that I hate those YA books because I will still read them but it’s refreshing to see YA going in a new direction. •
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The story is about Memphis who lost her dad in a plane crash and she is just trying to navigate her life without him. Then comes Ash and turns her life upside down by telling her that her father is actually alive!! But... there’s a problem. This is where the story gets supernatural and Indiana Jones on you. I know I’m biased with this story because I love Indiana Jones and all the puzzles and adventures that come with it. Her dad is being held captive by followers of an evil cult. In order to get her dad back, Memphis must help Ash, who is part of a “good”!cult, decipher an ancient map that leads to pieces of an “evil” artifact. They each have their goals: Memphis is trying to save her dad and Ash is trying to prevent the destruction of the world. Along the way they must trust each other in order to do this but they both have their reservations about the other. •
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I liked that the female protagonist in this was assertive, intelligent and multi-talented yet not in your face about it. There wasn’t a lot of romance either which was another thing I liked. I enjoyed focusing solely on the adventure aspect and attempting to figure out the clues along with them.
•

I Do Not Trust You has a very Lara Croft vibe, which is why I was quite excited to get a chance to read it.

The plot follows Memphis and Ashwin as they try to track down an ancient artifact with the power to destroy the world. The hunt takes them all over the globe through countries like Egypt, France, Norway, India and so on. I really did love the amount of detail given about each of the sites they visit. It lended the book a great sense of authenticity that I loved. The little tidbits of history sprinkled through the book were fascinating.

My favorite part of the book was Memphis or M. M is such a witty, funny and independent character and I quite enjoyed her little quips. Ash as a character fell a little flat for me but I did like all his banter with M.

Until about the 80% mark, the book was a 4 star read for me. However, the ending wasn't my favorite. It was quite predictable and kind of a disappointment. I also didn't appreciate the unnecessary romance in the book. While there was nothing wrong with it per se, it just wasn't required for a story line that was working beautifully on its own.

I recommend I Do Not Trust You for anyone with an interest in Mythology. Given the YA element, it's quite a great read for fans of Rick Riordan's books.

After reading Sanctuary Bay, co-written by Laura J. Burns & Melinda Metz a little while ago, and loving it so, very much, I was excited to to hear there would be another book by these two fantastic authors and immediately added it to my TBR. Similar in a way because of its thriller-like qualities, I Do Not Trust You focused yet more on Egyptian mythology and a twist of magic, taking us in a travelling frenzy I absolutely loved.

ADVENTURE & MYSTERY
💭
I feel like I should start this review by stating this: do you know the Benjamin Gates movies? I think it’s called, National Treasure and I am such a huge fan of that movies, I have seen it way too many times to count. I know what you’re thinking: why is that related, in any way, to a book review? Well.. reading I Do Not Trust You reminded me of watching that movie. That’s a huge compliment for me, since I love that movie, obviously. If you’re not familiar with it at all though, let me make this a little clearer.

Adventure. Mystery. Fast-paced. Enigmas. Mythology. History.

These are some of the key-words I would use to define I Do Not Trust You. Heading into this story was like getting into an adventure and a worldwide one, too. Cave-diving in Italy, visiting the catacombs in Paris, massive legendary trees in Norway, but also seeing Egypt, India…. In the matter of a couple hundred pages, this book took me on a fast-paced trip all around the world, in a very entertaining and fun quest to save the main character’s dad. I flew through the book really quickly, because of the way it’s written and of the adventurous part of it all.

That being said, I do feel like, with all of these settings, I should have felt the wanderlust feeling a little more. The book really being focused on the “everything is moving quickly from place to place”, focused on the intrigue and action, one clue leading to another and so on, I feel like the magical settings allowing us to travel were not explored to their full potential, at times.



INTERESTING & DIVERSE CHARACTERS
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I Do Not Trust You is certainly, for me, carried by its fast-moving plot and adventure, but it does serve us with some really interesting characters to follow.

Our main character, M. (short for Memphis), is certainly one badass character I rooted for. Driven by the need to find and save her dad, she is carrying the story and mystery overall. Smart, fiercely independant, snarky at times and definitely one to kick your ass, M. was a great character to follow and I appreciated her attachement to her family so much. Moreover, I appreciated the diversity here: M. is a half-American/Malaysian main character.

The main character’s sidekick in this story was really interesting just as well. British with hindi origins, Ash made the story all the more compelling. We slowly discover who he really is thanks to the dual POV narrative instaured quickly in the story and I appreciated his point of view and internal struggles as he gets on the trips with M. to save her dad, too. I loved how he grew as the story went on.

The relationship between Ash and M. was one of my favorite parts of the story: I really loved how it grew as the story went on, from enemies to friendship. I loved following their dialogue and witty banter as the mystery went on around them.

OVERALL
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If you’re looking for a really action-focused kind of story, are a fan of mythology, exploring the world and don’t mind a twist of magic, I’d definitely recommend I Do Not Trust You. Filled with fun characters and a fast-paced mystery, it was a quick and entertaining read for sure.

Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 1/2
I went into this book almost blind. It was my first time reading anything from Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns (not unless you count watching Roswell), so I didn’t know exactly what to expect. But this one surprised me in a good way.

I Do Not Trust You is what you will get if you throw Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider into a blender and add in a dash of The Mummy (the original one, okay, the one with Brendan Fraser). With an intriguing plot filled with adventure, danger, mysterious groups and vengeful ancient gods, this book will reel in readers from the first page up to its last.

The two main characters – Memphis, or simply “M” and Ash – both bring different things into the story. M, having grown up in various archeological digs with her archeologist dad and doctor mom, have acquired an extraordinary knowledge of ancient history and dead languages. She’s awesome in a fight, too. Ash, meanwhile, brings in a bit more mystery into the story. A part of a cult worshipping the ancient Egyptian god Horus, he bankrolls their adventure and uses what he knows about the mythical god and his nemesis, Set.
It was interesting to read how M and Ash work together. They want different things with M wanting to rescue the father she thought had died in a plane crash and Ash being tasked by his group to retrieve an ancient map which points out where pieces of a mystical statue of Set are hidden. They start out forging an uneasy alliance out of necessity, but, by the end of the book, the two have earned each other’s trust.

The globe-trotting M and Ash’s duo undertook to retrieve the Set pieces was another aspect of the story that I loved. Oh! All those places! It was, essentially, a fun scavenger hunt. Still, the authors were able to incorporate bits of history and culture into the story’s narrative in a way that flowed well. It was just awesome!

The book had a couple of flaws, though. The way Memphis quickly puzzles together the clues they find is sometimes unbelievable. I get it, she grew up with an archeologist father and she does know her stuff. Still, I just find it too easy of a way out for both characters, though it does move the story. Also, that abrupt ending! I’m sure I won’t be alone in this opinion. It was sort of open-ended and it left me hanging.

Overall, I Do Not Trust You is an entertaining read. Readers will find adventure within the pages of this book by the truckload. I’d recommend this to YA fantasy and mythology fans.

Beautiful cover, engaging and snarky lead characters, mythology, magic and religion all rolled into one with some fantastic questions and then of course the adventures make this a fun and fast read. Well written and very vivid language has us experiencing the travels and stop posts with the characters.

I do wish there was more action/adventure rather than just the two characters for the majority of the story with a few scenes with the other sect has players thrown in. Mainly because I love details and had so many about what that sect believed, did they have a god channeler, etc. with that being said, I loved M and Ash together. It was great seeing their relationship form and progress. The storyline and use of family love and loyalty and questions of betrayal were well constructed and used with perfect timing.

Overall a fun read that had me wondering how certain characters relationships would play out. I think if you like YA stories with strong female characters, mythology and adventure you should check this story out!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the chance to read this story and share my opinions.

“I Do Not Trust You” takes the form of Young Adult and shapes it into something unique. Fighting ancient gods and curses, cults and their own demons, Ash and Memphis take on the daunting task of saving the world. Most of this novel is centered around collecting the Set pieces and racing to find them before the evil cult that worships the God of the Underworld. Memphis is our adventurous and worldly protagonist. Definitely smarter than anyone her age, or above, she does most of the heavy lifting on the journey. Ash is a handsome and mysterious man whose enlightenment rest in Horus, another Egyptian god. With these two, the authors created characters which have little to no romantic chemistry and forces upon them a mutual attraction that the novel did not need. Interestingly enough, the premise of this novel was the lack of trust between the two characters. This continues for the whole novel until the very end, but it does not really impede the journey, quest, or amicableness between the two. Suffice to say, trust was the least of their worries. M had been upfront about what she was doing, and Ash even figured out that she had to look for clues in order to find the Set pieces. Ash had more to withhold but for good reason. Though they had laid it all to bare before M traveled to Guatemala, she still lost her trust in Ash when he disappeared. Side note, to mention the plot hole with the worker at the voodoo shop - nothing was really explained about her motives. The novel starts and ends strongly, but the middle part could do with a lot of organizing and getting rid of the unnecessary things. The conclusion gives the idea that a sequel could be coming along, and I just might be inclined to looking forward to that as well.

Review coming on September 10th, 2018

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the free e-book and the chance to participate in this blog tour!


I Do Not Trust You was a book I knew I had to read as soon as I read the summary. A teenage girl who has a lot of knowledge about history and artifacts, and is now traveling the world following a map that hardly anyone knows how to translate. Sign me up because that sounds a lot like Indian Jones who I love. Plus I have been waiting a very long time for a female version of him.







In I Do Not Trust You we get to see things from both M's point of view and Ash's point of view.



Memphis who goes by 'M' is a character I really liked. She is feisty and knows how to hold her own in multiple ways of life, while also being extremely unsure about other things. She has recently become an orphan and because of that is now feeling rather isolated because of who she is now living with. She cannot wait until she is done with high school and can move away to college where she will be with people who knew her parents better.



Ashwin who goes by 'Ash' is a character I was really unsure of at first. I really felt like M does for most of the book and even towards the end, I didn't fully trust him. I did find him fascinating though, and I loved his parts of the story. I think having his point of view really does help make it easier to understand what is happening and how these things are happening. He is in a cult so that added a different element to the story, and was fascinating to me to learn about.



We do get to see a lot of different places from the rainforest, to bigger cities like New Orleans, a convent and so many more places. We get to see Ash and M follow the secret map as the look for pieces of an 'ancient mythical being'. Throughout this journey, we get to learn more about both of their childhoods and what has given them the abilities to interpret the map and the hieroglyphics.

This was the part I really liked learning about Ash as he has had very specific training in the past few years through his cult which was really rather intense and a bit much at times like all cults are. While with M she grew up around it because of her parents so she has a lot of connections, but also had a storyline we are more used to seeing (Indiana Jones).



Overall I really liked this book. The history and adventure part of it were great. Seeing all the different places and how they were able to decipher the hieroglyphics they found in all the places was truly an adventure. From the two different cult's we get to see and learn about, to the little side stories of both the characters I couldn't get enough honestly. I truly enjoyed this book so much and I really hope we get to continue on with these characters!


P.S. I would love to see this get made into a movie or web series or something like that. It would be a great way for so many people to learn things about different cultures.

This book is about M, and she is left a unique map from her father after is death. This map holds all the secrets to locations of magical artifacts that cults really want. A stranger named Ashwin shows up to tell M some things (spoilers I’m not telling) and bam they’re on this crazy journey. M doesn’t know if she can trust Ashwin. Watch them travel through catacombs and all over the world searching for pieces included in this map. I think this book is great for fans of Colleen Houck!

(3.5 stars)

I'd like to thank Wednesday Books for allowing me to be a part of this blog tour in exchange for an honest review!

I haven't heard too much about this book, but when Macmillan approached me for the blog tour, I was curious. For one thing, the title tells you one thing, but the synopsis doesn't really match up. That part definitely made me curious, so I was definitely interested in checking it out.

Memphis, going by M, is living in a home that used to be familiar to her. Ever since her father passed away, she has been living with her guardians in the same house. Her life has never been the same as she continues her father's passion of lost languages and history. Her life takes a turn when a man named Ash claims that her father is alive, taking them on an adventure to uncover a hidden secret in order to rescue her father.

I liked M, but she seemed kind of typical when it came to female characters. A little bit too typical. She is very smart and knows how to kick ass. But, I feel like I have read her personality in books many times before. Maybe I'm just being picky, but I wasn't entirely attracted to her character. I just didn't get that strong draw.

Ash was different for me. He is basically in this "cult", which has altered his viewpoint when it comes to the truth and history and such. He is very secretive about his past, naturally, I suppose. His story did capture me a bit, more so than M. Maybe it was the whole "cult" thing. You don't get that very often.

Their adventures start out almost immediately. I was hooked because I just wanted them to survive these crazy adventures, which by the way, I can understand why people are saying it reminded them of Indiana Jones. It's definitely adventurous. However, it kind of went on and on. Like, the adventures were great but then they just kind of felt like filler scenes. Nothing really happened that was exciting.

I think this is one of those books that sounds like it would live up to the synopsis, but it unfortunately left me feeling unsatisfied. I didn't get what I was expecting, but I did enjoy what I did like reading. I just think there could have been more umph.

Many thanks to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the chance to read and review this book.

Unfortunately, I Do Not Trust You completely missed the mark for me as a reader. I think due to the book being marketed to bloggers as a YA Thriller, we were slightly set up for failure from the get-go. Luckily, the book's genre is labeled more accurately on Goodreads, classifying it as YA Fantasy/Mythology. I'm not someone who normally enjoys Fantasy novels, but I thought I'd give this book a chance because the blurb sounded compelling enough. Despite my lack of love for the genre, I do enjoy a good adventure story, and once I was able to clear my mind and read, I was intrigued. The story seemed like an interesting mix of Indiana Jones and National Treasure, with lots of history and mythology added in. I was interested and excited to see how things would play out with a strong female lead taking the reins. Then things slowly started to unravel and all hope was lost in gaining my interest back. It became exhausting to slog through a novel with such potential.

There were many issues with this story, but the main problem, in my opinion, was the lack of depth in the characters. More history was necessary for understanding both the characters' educations and what lead them to the point readers were introduced to them. They felt flat and there were so many missing pieces essential to gaining a better understanding of them as people. As Ash and Memphis joined forces, it felt as if the authors came up with an idea for the next plot point out of thin air and scribbled it down. The characters would get to a place, do a few things, immediately get what they came for without much struggle, and jet off to a new location with every bit of information coming easily to them. Again, we are missing substance! The same process repeated over and over, with random bits of mythology thrown in. It felt as if the authors' over-researched and didn't know how to organize the mountains of information into a cohesive story. Random is truly the best word to describe this perplexing novel.

Another issue was the lack of a realism. Fantasy is one thing, but a teenage girl having in-depth knowledge of numerous forgotten languages and hieroglyphs without the help of books? Come on. I didn't believe this for a second and it really took away from the story as I continued to read. The more clues Memphis quickly pieced together, the more I wanted to roll my eyes. The knowledge she supposedly had would take a normal person decades of study and education to acquire.

Overall, this book was a mess. I think young Fantasy lovers might be able to overlook many of the issues I found and enjoy the story, but my practical mind could not see past the numerous problems. I wish the authors and Wednesday books the best of luck with their release! If you're a fan of this genre, pick up your copy of this book on Sept. 11.

The story of I Do Not Trust You is built around the old Egyptian myth of Horus and Set. In Egyptian mythology, Set is portrayed as a usurper and Horus is the god of kingship. In I Do Not Trust You, a sacred statue of Set is shattered among different countries. If someone would bring the pieces together, the myth says Set will be brought back to life.

The cult of Set is trying to bring the pieces of the statue back together. The cult of Horus, the Eye, is doing the best they can to prevent the followers of Set in succeeding.

The book starts out with Memphis, or M. M is a girl who has been taught multiple (ancient) languages and martial arts by her parents. She can read hieroglyphs and she has explored ancient ruins with her mom and dad. But after both her parents have died, she now lives with her guardians who are trying to make her live a normal teenage life. But M isn’t an average girl with an average childhood. She is intelligent, confident and brave.

One night she is approached by a stranger, named Ashwin Sood. Ash is a rich, good-looking guy and follower Horus who tells M her father isn’t dead, but that he is being held hostage by the followers of Set. They have a copy of an ancient map with on it hieroglyphs that can lead them to the places where the statue pieces are hidden. Ash tries to convince M that she can find and safe her father if she gives him the original map. M isn’t willing to give up the one thing that can lead her to her father and she convinces Ash to go on a scavenger hunt for the lost artefacts.

M and Ash are in this together and they have to learn how to trust each other. They travel to different destinations – France, Norway and Egypt to name a few – and they slowly unravel and discover more about the Set and Horus mythology and about each other. Sadly, the destinations aren’t described and they all feel somewhat the same.

This is a fast-paced adventure novel, but it didn’t keep me on the edge of my seat. I expected more thrilling and mysterious scenes and the twists weren’t really unexpected. But I did enjoy reading about Egyptian mythology in a YA novel. It was a fun read!

3.5 out of 5 stars.