The premise of this novel was very enticing. An early twentieth century historical fiction with an Indiana Jones vibe centered upon two female heroines. I had high hopes for these strong female protagonists as they embarked on a nefarious journey across the Atlantic to ancient burial sites in Egypt to preserve culture. Lofty goal overall, I did feel a bit let down. The authors’ afterword did highlight some of these pitfalls and is worth listening to.

Lila and Tess live very dissimilar lives and have a starkly different relationship with their often-absent father, Dr. Warren Ford. Lila has embraced her role as the quintessential Manhattan socialite that must snatch up a wealthy husband upon her debut. Tess has snubbed her nose at gender defining roles and pretension (I quite like Tess). These differences have caused a rift in their relationship which becomes exceedingly tedious and continues throughout the story. Tess feels Lila has sold out for a bit frippery and Lila feels Tess has a flagrant disregard for responsibility.

I wish the story progressed with only the sisters and truly presented a feminist vibe. Instead, two dashingly handsome gentlemen enter the story in equal importance; one for each sister because why not. The original heroic story fragments into a sub love story and subsequent betrayal. By the end of the story Lila had become completely unlikeable, though I still rooted for Tess.

Overall, the rich history, puzzle deciphering, and some of the daring escapades raised my estimation of this novel. Some liberties were taken with place, time, original characters; but this is also addressed in the afterword.

I absolutely LOVED this book! I had no idea what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. It was a great female take on Indiana Jones. The whole plot from start to finish was fun and engaging. I really liked that there were two strong female characters that stayed that way throughout the book and were smart/funny.

The Antiquity Affair by Lee Kelly; Jennifer Thorne

This was a fun book! I enjoyed the setup and the alternating POV chapters. The story of two sisters and their archeologist father up against a group of men with nefarious intentions for a certain antiquity, the tale takes the reader around the world with plenty of action and intrigue.

Overall the book was a bit longer than necessary. Despite the length, I felt that there were some pieces of the plot and characters that were undeveloped. The pacing just wasn't quite right, with some parts dragging and others wrapping up way too quickly.

I listened to the book on audio and thought the narrator did a good job with the characters.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Harper Muse for a free copy of #TheAntiquityAffair by Lee Kelly; Jennifer Thorne. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this audiobook!
It's 1907 and you are in for a great ride!
Remember the amazing adventure stories of old? I grew up with Indiana Jones and quite imagined myself uncovering a great treasure abroad. The Antiquity Affair is all of that and more because it's female focused!
Two sisters, Lila and Tess find themselves taken separately from their home on the night of a ball.
As the two work their way back to home, we learn more about their archeologist father, the nefarious people he deals with, stories about Egypt and a look at archeology from a more evolved, less entitled (and colonialist way).
If you are looking for a grand adventure, you cannot go wrong with this book. I certainly hope there is a sequal!

If you love an adventure, romance and danger and some feminism and history sprinkled through, The Antiquity Affair is for you!
#HarperMuse
#TheAntiquityAffair
#Lee Kelly #JenniferThorne
#BrittanyPressley #HollyLinneman

If a visit to Egypt cannot be planned, I might as well read this book.

Setup in the early 1900s the story strolls through the life and adventures of 2 twin daughters of an Archaeologist. Scurried from Manhattan lives, the twins land in Cairo, Egypt. The most elite foreign powers are at play to extract an artifact that can help them gain control and rule, the wins here are stuck at its centre to play their role or die.

The book combined two genres (Historical Fiction + Mystery Thriller) to create an adventurous movie-like experience. A few that I was reminded of were the Lara Croft series. A side angle that the book kept hinting at was the assumed role of women at that point in society and the sibling dynamics of identical twins who were way different in their life choices. Overall a great book if the deserts keep calling you and you just can't venture in.

Genre: #historicalfiction #mysterythriller #adventure
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

Thankyou @netgalley @harpermusebooks and authors @leeykelly @jennmariethorne for the digital ARC

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this Indiana Jones meets Sense and Sensibility story. On the night of Lila's debutante ball in New York, where she is expected to become engaged to William Hendricks, her sister, Tess, is abducted. Lila and Tess's father, Dr. Ford, who Lila had given up hope that he would be there for her big day, jumps out of the bushes and he, Lila, and his research assistant, Alex, take off on a worldwide adventure to get her back. Dr. Ford is an esteemed archaeologist who has recently made a big discovery. Tess longs to join him on his digs in Egypt when on break from boarding school in England while he barely seems to notice her presence there. Lila has spent the last several years becoming a socialite in New York under the tutelage of her grandmother and in Lila's mind she has been the one financially upholding the family while her father wastes their money in Egypt. Lila has been ignoring her sister's letters and both sisters feel a large amount of animosity towards the other.

This is a dual point of view novel set in 1907.

This book was a lot of fun. I did get a bit sick of the sister's constant squabbling and melodrama but the exciting storyline makes up for those bits.

The narration was excellent.

The Edwardian era was the golden age for archaeology and Dr. Warren Ford is an eminent archaeologist. His two daughters, Tess and Lila have lived in his shadow. Tess longs to follow in her father’s footsteps, while Lila is a little more interested in her social life. When a secretive society wants to find the long-lost Serpent’s Crown, which is supposed to reside in the Tomb of the Five Ladies, kidnaps Tess and puts her on a ship bound for the high seas, Lila and Warren must save Tess and Keep the Crown out of the society’s grasp. What fun! A romp through the glory days of treasure hunting and derring-do

This was amazing! What a wild and exciting ride. The narrators really do sound like sisters but they are distinct enough that you can tell the difference in their voices.
The romance and adventure was spot on. I loved the historical research the author clearly did too!

This book is for those who love Indiana Jones. There are catacombs and mystery, ciphers.

The characters are wonderfully crafted. Their relationships feel just like my own. The relationships feels just like my first love or how I view my siblings, how I interact with my parents.

It's a good story. It's gripping. And the climax had me on the edge of my seat.

Eh….this is just ok. I love a good archeological adventure/mystery, but this one fell flat for me. The dialogue seemed a bit too modern and I didn’t connect with the characters. The action was a bit slap stick as well. I had a really hard time with the narrators’ voices as well.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced audio ARC. All opinions are my own.