I think that this book gives zero time to settle before really hitting the reader on the head with tropes upon tropes.

It's hard to develop empathy for characters that we as readers know so little about.

Margot is a type of character we've seen and will continue to see again.

My problem is, from the get-go, I think Margo is too unrelatable. Her insistence on the existence of the main artifact of the book does not make sense from a realistic perspective.

There are some weird holes that seem to just be skirted around instead of answering. The protagonist is also too obsessed with Van to an uncomfortable extent.

I wish there was more done with her only knowledge of archeology being from pop culture. Margot's demeanor is reminiscent of a lot of the characters that Ashley Tisdale plays on Disney shows which should juxtapose with the dirty and dusty elements of archeology. In practice though it just ends up forcing the reader to side more with her annoyed tripmates who actually practice in the field.

That's my biggest crux with this book. Those who are knowledgeable in the field are framed as bullies and while some parts of their dialogue are- the critiques of them about her being unqualified are to an extent true! It's not like Legally Blonde where she ends up working hard to prove that she can,

The only fun bit of contention is that annoyances to lovers trope that I always find pretty funny. The Achilles heel here though is that the way these characters are written gives an uncomfortable age-gap vibe even though they are supposedly not far apart in actual years. Every time the FMC is called "kid" it shaved a month off my lifespan.

If you're looking for something adventurous and non-serious this will probably be for you.

I just finished Us in Ruins, and I has a fun time with it. The treasure-hunting adventure, with the cursed vase and magical elements, and cute romance brought back memories of watching The Mummy as a kid. The idea of Margot teaming up with Van, her crush, who comes to life after being a statue for nearly a century, was entertaining premise.

I also enjoyed the romance between Margot and Van. Their playful banter, but also some emotional depth with tension and development, set it up for a more interesting story! You could really feel their connection grow as they navigated trust issues and dangerous challenges together. And… I absolutely loved the cover. The art perfectly captures the magical and whimsical vibe of the story, and it’s what drew me in from the start! The only thing I can say is that this book was probably meant for a younger audience than myself, haha! But even so, it was a delightful, light read that reminded me of the adventure movies I loved growing up.

I requested this arc solely on the cover but my oh my this story did not disappoint! The adventure was so great! The Indiana Jones vibes were so good and the subtle romance was perfection! Such a great story from start to finish!!!!

I was never able to fulling plug-in to Us in Ruins. I love the idea, but they way the story was plotted bored me. I wanted to be able to be invested in the characters and their blossoming romance, but both felt underwhelming. There were also some elements of the story that didn't add up. I feel like waking up from being a statue for over 100 years would cause a person to have some questions. Van just sort of accepted it and I found that beyond my ability to plausibly deny. Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me, but I think there are many would find it completely delightful.

Plot - 3
Writing and Editing - 3
Character Development - 2
Personal Bias - 2
Final Score - 2.5

Thank you Rachel Moore, Harper Teen, and NetGalley for my advanced review copy. My opinions are my own.

This seemed a bit young for me, but I really enjoyed the archeology and adventure and the two main leads. Reminded me a bit of What the River Knows, except Rachel Moore made this all her own. I think this will be a hit with our YA readers so I'm very happy to procure this for our collection!

Rachel Moore’s Us in Ruins takes readers on a whimsical and exhilarating adventure set amidst the ancient ruins of Pompeii, blending archaeology, romance, and myth. The story follows Margot Rhodes, an enthusiastic yet inexperienced archaeology student, who embarks on a school dig with an ambitious goal: to uncover the mythical Vase of Venus Aurelia, last seen in 1932. Her secret weapon? The lost journal of Van Keane, a teenage explorer from a century ago, whose poetic words lead Margot closer to the vase’s shards—and into an unexpected love story.

I would like to state that I may not be the best person to review this however, I was really excited about it because I never get to read books about my professional career. I am an archaeologist. And I think this was an incredibly well written book. There are a few inconsistencies and some things that made me want to scream about how there in Ancient Ruins and they’re not using gloves and they’re not being protective or anything like that and they’re breaking things hurt my heart. I finished this book a day. A DAY. It kept me on my toes it was so interesting and really good. This is a YA fantasy with a subplot of romance I believe this was advertised as a romance but it didn’t feel like romance was the main aspect but that might be because I was so excited about all the archaeological terms because I’m an archaeologist. It was very well written and interesting.

Huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review!

“It wasn’t her fault that her heart had a megaphone and her head had anxiety.”

I was so blinded by the amazing cover and “Mummy” comp on this one that I didn’t notice it was YA, which is perfectly good but definitely a range I’ve moved out of (my bad not the books).

That being said this book is adorable. I think young adults reading a book about a girl figuring herself out, feeling her loud emotions, and being adventurer without sacrificing femininity is so crucial. Additionally, reading about a man who also feels his feelings is so rare to find that it deserves its own shout out.

Some of the book didn’t work for me. I struggled to picture the landscape the author was trying to immerse the reader in, it just never really connected with me and made imagining some scenes hard. I think love stories based on one week of knowing each other (half of which they were “enemies”) are silly and sort of ridiculous. I feel like Astrid got off easy in the end but that is just me.

To me this book felt less like “The Mummy” and more like “The Lost City” (with Sandra Bullock).

Very cute but not for me!

I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I'm surprised that the rating on this book isn't higher. I've never read anything like it. I love that it was inspired by the mummy. Nothing inspired by Brendan Fraser could be bad.

I seriously enjoyed this read. I've been in a slump and have had a hard time finishing anything, so it took me a while. But finishing this book was like eating the best, most satisfying, and nourishing meal ever. There were no yucks. Just warm fuzzies and happiness. Bonus- there is a really good romance. But this book is clean. I have a couple of teenage girls in mind to recommend it to.

This book had me absolutely spellbound from start to finish. It made for a quick read, because the pacing is phenomenal. Mostly, it's just a ton of fun! I relate to Margot on a mental level, and I'm not sure that's a great thing for her, but I enjoyed it. Van is so moody, and I guess we'll give him a pass given the circumstances.
Perfection if you like adventure stories with a little romantics chemistry sprinkled in. The adventure is the star, though. And I loved that!
Read this if you could totally see yourself on an archaeological dig, only... what do you even know about archaeology?!

First of all, thank you, thank you, thank you to the publisher and the author for granting me an advanced reader copy of this beautiful book. All opinions expressed henceforth are my own.

Next - this book was so fun, so silly, so beautiful, and so everything I wanted it to be! Main character Margot has tried seemingly every hobby and area of study to find what she loves and is good at. She is also trying to find what will impress her father, who has been distant since her mother left them. Her latest interest is a journal she found in the library of one Van Keane, who was searching for the Vase of Venus Aurelia in 1932 Pompeii. She submits a (fanfiction-esque) essay to gain a seat on the summer archaeology trip to search for the lost Vase herself but what she discovers sets Van free from a nearly century-long curse.

I was surprised that this book didn't contain much of the typical character-from-the-past-is-shocked-by-21st-century-changes. Van and Margot are very focused on their tasks collecting the shards before time runs out. And rightly so because the stakes are high. There is a lot of YA humor to Margot which I found endearing, but Van was honestly a little one-dimensional. There could have been a little more to Van, a little more bitterness to Atlas and the company that wronged him, but overall the book was so action-packed and fun it just came to life so well. I had so much fun with it I honestly can't find fault in the small things. And the cherry on top? THE COVER! SO. BEAUTIFUL. *Chef's kiss*

romance, mystery and a lot of young adult angst. this novel is fun and cozy with the right touch of magic, love and forgotten treasure

RATING: 4.5 stars

VIBES: 💎📚🏺
SONG: Invisible String by Taylor Swift
READALIKE: The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

Wow. Simply wow! I have no notes on this book! The voice shimmered with underlying humor and perfectly placed pop-culture references—not too many, don't worry! This contrasted perfectly with the historical context and popping imagery. And Margot?! I cannot get over how much I loved her! She was incredibly relatable to me; a girl who felt better placing herself in the roles of book characters than inhabiting her own body, who struggled with being "too emotional," and who was an utter delight. This was such a charming book, and I've never read anything quite like it! It's a time-travel AND an archeological AND a contemporary! It has Italy and mythology and self-love and peril! What's not to love?? The only thing keeping this from a full five-star: I couldn't quite connect with the side characters! I wanted more out of Suki and Astrid, because they seemed so dynamic, but that just never felt quite wrapped up to me. Also, the romance could've used a little more attention, I think, in order for it to develop in its entirety. They had a lot of banter but not quite enough growth! Don't listen to me, though, I'm overly cynical with these things! Still, I had a blast and a half with this book and was fully enamored!

If you love Indiana Jones, The Mummy, and wish it stared a teenager, than this book is perfect for you! I was so excited to see something set in Pompeii, but it does require the reader to suspend disbelief and go along for the vibes, not necessarily the facts. Being a teen book, it means that a lot of improbable teen like things are going on. But, it is cute and has it's moments. I still wanted to know the ending, but fully recognize that age wise, I was not the target audience. I just couldn't say no to anything inspired by the Mummy!

So SWOONY!! Tbh I almost DNFed it 30% of the way in, but switched to the audiobook and was swept up in the story immediately. 

Van is such a heartthrob and the banter is 🥰🤌 Definitely can relate with Margot and there were so many lines I highlighted. 

Knocked off a quarter of a star for the slow start and something unrealistic (and honestly quite baffling) that happened at the end. But overall an AMAZING read. I think historical/archaeological fantasy might be a new favorite subgenre.

A rich, gorgeous book. A massive fan of adventure romance, and this one is espcially cool set sometime in the future

A teen girl obsessed with finding an ancient relic that the journal of a boy who went missing in 1932 was searching for leads her to heartbreak, adventure, and finding the missing boy who was turned into stone but is now very much alive. Margot has been obsessed with archeology and trying to find the mythical Vase of Venus Aurelia, based on the journal of a teen explorer Van Keane who went missing in 1932 in search of this vase. Margot has fallen for Van, the boy who went missing and is determined to complete his quest using his journal... only she actually finds him as a statue... and now coming back alive and together they must find a way to work with one another if they are to find the vase and figure out their very complicated relationship. Real life Van is nothing like the version she made in her head and Margot is beginning to realize that the real boy in front of her isn't as perfect and that he might be out only for himself. With her heart on the line, a vase to find, and a boy who is hiding so many secrets, can she get her happy ever after? This was an extremely young YA novel and I definitely went in thinking this would be a bit older, this would have worked so much better if Margot and Van were in college. Margot acts like a 14 year old girl and honestly, it kind of seemed a bit off in this book. If I knew this was going to be much younger I think it would have tempered my expectations a bit. I just found myself feeling like this was too juvenile for me and that if it were aged up a bit more it would have been just perfect. I liked the premise of the book and how it was very much "The mummy" inspired and the romance was very light and definitely felt like what a 13-14 year old girl would act and do. So if you like younger YA romances I would say absolutely go for this.

Release Date: September 3,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Really good YA! I appreciated Margot’s character. We see her grow, and I think her particular blend of what we are led to believe is some form of neurodivergence is relevant today. She is loud and rambunctious and also glamorous and awkward. I would have found her deeply relatable as a teen. I found Van’s character a little lacking. It feels like he takes these big jumps of change, and his interest in Margot feels forced.

"Us in Ruins" by Rachel Moore is a delightful and imaginative YA adventure-romance set against the historical backdrop of Pompeii. Margot Rhodes embarks on her school's archaeological trip with a mission: to find the mythical Vase of Venus Aurelia and piece together her broken heart. Equipped with the lost journal of Van Keane, a teenage explorer who vanished in 1932, Margot is drawn into a mystery that takes unexpected turns.

What starts as an archaeological quest quickly becomes magical when Van himself is brought to life. However, the real Van is far from the poetic figure Margot imagined, and their banter-filled dynamic brings a fresh energy to the story. Together, they must face the trials of Venus and uncover secrets that have remained buried for almost a century.

Rachel Moore expertly weaves humor, mythology, and a touch of romance into this fast-paced narrative. The chemistry between Margot and Van is playful yet heartfelt, and the book’s blend of magical elements and historical adventure adds a unique twist to the rom-com genre. Fans of books like *What the River Knows* will enjoy the witty dialogue, thrilling challenges, and emotional depth that make *Us in Ruins* a charming and unforgettable read.

Be still my Indiana Jones loving heart! I loved the Library of Shadows and was so excited to jump in to Rachel Moore’s sophomore novel! I can confirm that this book was a fun adventure.



Margot Rhodes is trying to find her place in the world. As a student at Radcliffe Prep, she discovers the travel journal in the school library of the infamous Van Keane, who went missing in Pompeii. On a whim (and without her father’s permission), she joins the school study abroad trip to Italy to follow in Van’s footsteps and find the missing vase of Venus Aurelia. A not-so-authorized trip to the excavation site has Margot finding more than just the vase; she finds Van Keane (who had turned to stone). Her touch reanimates him and the two begin their quest across Italy to find the pieces of the vase, claim the treasure, and save Van from a fate worse than death.



I will be the first to admit that I am not a big historical fantasy fan, but I very much enjoyed this book! I think I’m just a huge fan of Rachel’s writing and humor! The book was fast paced and action packed, and I loved the story within a story element (from Margot’s favorite historic fantasy).



Also, let me just say that it was so refreshing to read a YA book where the characters felt like young adults (not adults disguised as teenagers). Margot’s snarkiness was hilarious and I loved the banter between her and Van. There was definitely character development and growth, particularly with Margot, but there were also a lot of discussions about family, friendships, and love that gave the story more depth.



Overall, give this book a go if you love The Mummy, Indiana Jones, and Isabel Ibanez’s “What The River Know”.



Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for the ARC!