I had high hopes that this was going to have an Indiana Jones feel to it, sadly after getting over half way through it I was bored and DNF'd it. I gave it a solid try but it was just sadly not for me. Thank you to Netgalley for an audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

If you’re in a reading slump, this is the kind of book that’ll get you out of it. Got an audiobook ARC of The Antiquity Affair from @NetGalley last year - and just finally got around to listening to it.

Following Lila and Tess Ford, two daughters of a famous American Egyptologist during the early 20th century, The Antiquity Affair is your classic chase adventure novel that is quite fairly reminiscent of an Indiana Jones tale with 21st century social awareness sprinkled throughout. Literally finding themselves in Cairo overnight (albeit separately, but no spoilers) by way of Manhattan, the two sisters face a secret society trying to snatch up a legendary artifact said to bestow limitless power upon its finder - why them? Well… leverage (and hereditary smarts.)

I’ll give this one a solid four stars - I really did enjoy it, the narrators had me from the get-go, and it’s been a while since I’d picked up this kind of story, and it did not disappoint. While I’ll avoid spoilers, - although perhaps there isn’t much that would shock you considering the nature of the genre - what I liked most about The Antiquity Affair was the fact that although the novel is fast-paced and plot-driven, it does not sacrifice on character development one bit. I grew to really enjoy both POV characters and felt that there was indeed depth to them that had me invested. Being an Egyptian, it was quite entertaining hearing about 20th century Egyptian politics from the authors’ perspectives and I enjoyed the Arabic proverbs thrown around here and there.

Plus - the ending kind of sets up a potential sequel, and if that does end up happening, it’s definitely going on my TBR. Oh and, if you’re going on a Nile cruise any time soon, you’d do well with The Antiquity Affair as literary company.

I’ve got to say, I wasn’t sure about this novel before I started. I often find that novels with multiple authors can feel disjointed. However, that was not the case at all with this novel. From start to finish, I was fully engrossed in Lila and Tess’ changing lives and their attempts to find The Serpent’s Crown.

The book blurb includes a reference to Indiana Jones and I think that that is quite apropos. (In my head, I think of it as Indiana Joans…) It gives the feeling of Indiana Jones and The Da Vinci Code crossing over if it was set in the early twentieth century. The excitement of the search for Tess and the crown is balanced nicely by the sisters’ complex relationship.

Brittany Pressley is one of my favourite narrators, so I expected to love her work in this book. Holly Linneman’s narration was also fantastic, and paired well with Pressley’s!

The Antiquity Affair is an adventure, a thriller and a mystery in the style of Indiana Jones, but with female leads. Set in 1907, Dr. Warren Ford is an esteemed archaeologist and father of two daughters. Lila is the intellectual sister, who was unceremoniously pulled out of school and has now become a Manhattan socialite, ready for her debut. Tess is the rebellious sister, adamant that she will follow in her father's footsteps, but doesn't have the same skills as Lilah. On the night of Lila's debut, Tess is kidnapped and Lila and her father go after her. There is a sinister group that are after a relic known as the Serpent’s Crown. It is rumored to give power to it's owner and is supposed to be found in the mysterious Tomb of the Five Ladies. Dr. Ford has found a riddle that will point the way to the tomb and the group is sure that Lila is the one who will be able to solve it, but they grabbed the wrong sister.

This was a fun story that I really enjoyed. It was a book that you just sat back and enjoyed, a popcorn book if you will. There were great characters, villains and an exciting story. The sisters had to have knowledge of mythology, ancient languages and symbols as well as puzzle solving skills to find the treasure. Combining Historical Fiction, Adventure, Thrillers and Mystery this book checked a lot of boxes for me. There were times I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next, times I was angry and others where I was relieved. There are themes of family relationships and reconciliation, plus the result of keeping secrets. If you are looking for a book to enjoy, sit back and let The Antiquity Affair unfold. I did a read/listen and enjoyed the narration by Brittany Pressley and Holly Linneman. The gave voice to the sisters and various other characters. Although I enjoyed their narration, as the story unfolded quickly, I did grab the book and read as i was not a patient listener. I recommend this fun story in either format.

The Antiquity Affair
Authors; Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne
Publisher: Harper Muse
Thank you @Netgalley for this Audio Arc

Two sisters as opposites that can be goes on a journey from the East Coast to Paris to Egypt. The story takes place in the early 1900’s. Lila and Tess Ford are as different as two sisters can be. Each are expected to fullfill certain family expectations. When there estranged father, prominent archeologist Dr. Warren Ford shows up in New York chaos erupts. The girls along with their father become involved in pursuit of an ancient artifact called the Serpent’s Crown. The Serpent’s Crown is also rumored to have some brain washing power and it could also be cursed. During this pursuit Dr. Ford end up kidnapped and the girls must forge ahead on their own, find the crown and save their father. Along the way they encounter rivals, puzzles, misunderstandings, murder, romance, drama, betrayl, sacrifices and much much more.

This story is a fast paced thrilling adventure and well worth the read. I liked that the two main characters were smart educated and resourceful women who end up using this journey to heal old wounds. This historical story was a bit out of my usual reads but I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you like movies such as The Mummy, Lara Croft and the Indiana Jones Adventure’s you will enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun and exciting adventure in Egypt. I loved the characters and their quest to find the serpents crown by using their intellect. Egypt has always been fascinating to me and this book really brought it alive and reminded me so much of the movie The Mummy. I was loving the thrill and adventure.

A fun, Indiana Jones-esque adventure with the bonus nuance of having two young intelligent women as the main action heros

Lila and Tess have been raised mainly by their grandmother following the death of their mother. Their father is a talented archeologist who they both struggle to please. Lila has hidden talents, but is determined to become an important member of society, and provide for her family through a good marriage. Tess just wants to be seen by her father as a student worth their weight his excavation sites.

When the day of Lila's debutante ball rolls around, it is the first time the sisters have seen one another in some time. They get into a fight -their sister fights were always soo perfectly written btw- and split up. While Tess is skulking, she is kidnapped by a group who mistakes her for her sister. What follows is a journey that takes the family halfway across the globe where they meet scoundrels, nefarious plots, and all matter of adventure. Including some bonus romance plots!

Altogether a very fun and feel good story. In the author's notes you find out that there was a lot of research put into the story, including historical figures which is always a bonus to historical fic!

This was a really interesting book! I don't usually read this genre, but I love all things related to ancient history, so I'm glad I gave it a go. I loved the dual perspective, and both of the sisters' POVs were easy to get into. They had very distinctive voices, and it was easy to tell when the POVs switched. The side characters in both parts of the story were really interesting, and the author did a great job of not letting the side characters in both sides of the story meld into each other, or seem like mirrors to those in the opposite POV, which I find can happen a lot.

The narrator did a great job reading the story, and I would overall both recommend this book, and the audio version!

My initial thought when finishing this book was "this is like reading Indiana Jones, but with characters that are actually interesting...". Thoroughly enjoyable adventure, with a couple of love stories woven in to it. For my own taste, I didn't really need the love stories - the relationships within the family at the centre of the story are quite enough to fill out the slower paced portions of the novel. It didn't ruin it, it just made it feel a little forced.

Would absolutely recommend for anyone looking for an adventure filled novel!

Indians Jones for girls?!

That’s largely how this book is being advertised and I…mostly agree. This is a fun one, if a bit ridiculous at times, but that’s part of the entertainment value of the story.

It’s 1907 and the height of early 20th century Egyptomania, and two young women must go on an adventure that spans the globe to stop a cult of robber baron types from getting their hands on a precious artifact that has potentially dangerous consequences should it fall into the wrong hands.

The story boasts two very different but both endearing heroines, each on her own personal figurative journey in addition to the literal journey they are undertaking together. From New York to Paris to Egypt, the story is a mad dash to Kings Valley and to the Heretic King’s tomb.

Though the slightly bonkers action elements, deadly tomb puzzle traps, and slightly goofy cult are more Indiana Jones than archaeologically accurate, that’s part of what makes the book fun. And as for the actual history, the authors clearly know their stuff. The story is obviously pure fiction, but research provides the backbone of the plot.

And extra points for a fictionalized cameo of one of my Egyptomanian favorites, the largely forgotten Theodore Davis. The book makes him more of a villain than he was in real life (as acknowledged in the authors’ note) but it’s a delight to see him pop up in the story in such a role.

It's been described as a female take on Indiana Jones meets the Da Vinci code.

...it has everything a good novel should..love interests, action, suspense, adventure.... But I just couldn't engage with the story enough.
I 100% think it's a "it's not you it's me" situation as I'm a mood reader and I feel in a slump and I just haven't got my Historical fictiony head on!
While listening to it I was gazing longingly at the thrillers on my bookshelf but I pushed through as I needed to get it off my Netgalley tbr pile 🙈.
I found the narration a bit lack luster too. But I genuinely think in the right mood I could have loved this book and I can absolutely see why it's had so many glowing reviews because it has a very clever storyline.....I think for this poor book and me it was wrong time wrong place.....

Sometimes being a mood reader can be a royal pain in the ass

This was such a fun read! An exciting jaunt told from the perspective of two sisters who have grown apart over the years, but are brought back together on an dangerous antiquity adventure, thanks to their archeologist father. The comparison to Indiana Jones is fair, but it removes all of what rubs me the wrong way about those stories - white men finding the treasure, getting the girl, being 'super cool', and of course, taking indigenous items they "discovered" back to some British or American museum. Here, there's an intention to not tell the same tired story of pillaging tombs for glory, which I really appreciated. There's lots to love in this book: a bit of romance, betrayal, friendship, secret societies, powerful and intelligent women who rise above what society expects of them, courage, kidnapping, and of course, epic journeys.

Two sisters long estranged, a nutty professor of a father, and two handsome heroes make this archeological adventure tons of fun. The authors state that they were hoping for an Indiana Jones type adventure, and they certainly succeeded--lots of action, a collection of evil villains, some sweet romance, and a lost tomb in Egypt. The pace never takes a break. Here's hoping for more from these authors!

The book is a high stakes trans-Atlantic thrill ride with the page-turning excitement and romance of classic adventure novels. The book is a female-heroine take on Indiana Jones. The book is likened to Indiana Jones, and it’s an apt comparison, as both are rousing adventure stories complete with ancient mysteries, hidden tombs, harrowing mantraps and pitfalls, villains bent on world domination, and fabled relics of power. The book has a poignant story of sisterhood at its core—all the messy and beautiful truths of what it means to be family. The book is an exciting turn-of-the-century adventure.

After watching all of the Indiana Jones movies recently, The Antiquity Affair was the perfect book for a summer read. Set in 1907, the story is told in alternating chapters by sisters Lila, who is just preparing to make her debut into Manhattan society, and Tess, who typically accompanies their archaeologist father on his digs. The two sisters couldn't be more different but during all of their feuding, they often forget their own similarities. When Tess is kidnapped, Lila and her father know they must do everything they can to rescue her. And so begins the race for the legendary Serpent's Crown. The book truly reads like an Indiana Jones adventure and reminded me also of Clive Cussler's novels. It's a perfect summer escape to take you back in time on a search for a precious relic that is full of puzzles, twists and turns.

I enjoyed the audio book version and thought the narrators were spot on for the characters. I enjoyed the way they brought Tess and Lila to life.

I received this audio book version courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Global Citizens
6:12 PM (0 minutes ago)
to me

I loved this fun filled adventure that takes two sisters at loggerheads with each other from the high society of New York to the deserts of Egypt. I loved how this novel questioned the misogyny, radical and the Western world's careless plundering of the artifacts of other countries. I loved how the author has given us a novel that is a wonderful amalgamation of romance, travel and adventure all wrapped in one with many twists and turns to keep the reader hooked till the end. I loved the character development of Laila and Tess. Their journey of self discovery, learning to love each other with the flaws and all was lovely to read. I liked how this book questions everything that was accepted as normal in the yesteryears but ethically wrong. I have become a fan of the author's writing and look forward to reading more of her works. I highly recommend this amazing novel. It's a must read if you like adventure novels. This is the first time I am reading a novel that portrays women in central roles that are usually assigned to men and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. This book wouldn't have been a enjoyable listen if not for the amazing work of the narrators. They have done an incredible job of it.
Overall, it's a must read. It's light, entertaining and equally thought provoking. It's one of the best books I have read this year.

You need to read this one! Mystery, adventure, romance, family relationships and historical fiction all in one story. This book is hard to put down.

The adventure and mystery keeps you wanting to turn pages. The historical fiction is all about Egypt and greed for power and wealth. The romance is fun and does not meet expectations of the families in the story. The really intriguing part of this book is the family relationships between parents and children, grandparents and children and sisters.

The story is told by the sisters, so you get their perspective on everything including their relationship. The characters are interesting and a little hard to sort out at the beginning of the book. There are a lot of bad guys that you get introduced to early in the book. This book does not start out slow for very long. It takes off with the mystery and adventure early in the story.

𝘌𝘹𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴!

What an exciting read; two sisters, a treasure hunt, great characters and full of twists and turns.

Thank you TLC Book Tours and Harper Muse Books for this tour invite.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿 by Lee Kelly and Jenn Marie Thorne released June 6, 2023.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

I wasn't sure about this book at first but once I got into it I was totally sold! I loved hearing about the different cultures of Egypt and the archeology digs and curses. I ALSO loved that it was the women in the group that solved the mystery and kicked some ass to get themselves out of the jam they were in! And they also socked it to the misogynist bad guys, that was probably my fave part! I can't wait to read another book by Lee Kelly & Jennifer Thorne!

#TheAntiquityAffair
#NetGalley

This was a fantastic historical fiction adventure ride featuring two estranged sisters, lots of puzzles, a hunt for a priceless relic, romance, suspense and so much more! Great on audio narrated by Brittany Pressley and Holly Linneman and a perfect blend of Indiana Jones and The mummy movies. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review! I can't wait to see what's next from these authors.