4.5/5

"Treasures of Egypt" by Amr Saleh is like stepping into a time machine set to ancient Egypt, filled with treasure hunts, mysterious tombs, and modern-day excitement. If you've ever dreamt of exploring the wonders of the pyramids or unearthing hidden secrets beneath the desert sands, this book is your golden ticket to adventure!

Picture yourself alongside the protagonist, racing through bustling markets in Cairo, deciphering ancient hieroglyphics in forgotten temples, and facing down cunning villains in a quest for untold riches. Saleh's vivid descriptions make every scene come alive, immersing you in the sights, sounds, and smells of this magical land.

But it's not just about the action – the characters in "Treasures of Egypt" feel like friends you'd want by your side on any adventure. From the fearless archaeologist to the clever villain, each one is as real and relatable as the people you know in your own life. Their journey is full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end.

So, if you're ready to embark on the ultimate treasure hunt and experience the thrill of uncovering ancient mysteries, "Treasures of Egypt" is the book for you. Get ready to lose yourself in a world where history meets adventure, and the only limit is your imagination!

4.5 ✯

This book is a beautiful combination of Magic and Mythology. Every chapter was enticing, each with new challenges and new characters.

As someone who loves learning about ancient Egypt and its mythology, I immediately had to read this. Saleh perfectly introduces the gods and high officials so that it’s not overwhelming for the reader to take in. Everything is very well explained, we are told who each god is, how they relate to each other and some of their actions that have gotten them to where they are. All the gods and goddesses were portrayed perfectly, I loved meeting each one throughout the journey of the book.

Neferi’s and Khafset’s friendship dynamic was very complicated. Khafset is Hyksos and Neferi is Egyptian, automatically making them enemies, however their love for each other grows throughout their journey challenging their feelings towards each other and their thoughts on both Egyptians and Hyksos. I loved that despite Neferi being the Grand Vizier’s apprentice, Khafset (who the Egyptians looked down on for being a Hyksos) had so much more knowledge of the gods, fighting and the Duat. Khafset was an amazing character, he was smart, brave, and resourceful.

I loved Neferi’s loyalty for those she loved and her fights using her newly attained magic, but I had hoped her character would have been mentally stronger by the end of her journey.

My favourite character was Hatshepsut, although I wish we had seen more of her. I hope we will get to see her again if there is a second book.

When Nefiri agrees to help a thief break into a temple to steal the sacred spear belonging to the God Set in exchange for medicin that should save her brother’s life, she sets off a prophecy that will release the God of Destruction and lead to the downfall of Egypt. Now Nefiri and Khafset must travel through the realms of the underworld, battling demons and gods, in a race to stop Set before everyone and everything they know is destroyed.

Nefiri was an amazing POV character. Unlike most “Chosen Ones” she denies her fate at every turn, yet continues on to save Khaf—arguably her enemy—and even accepts and acknowledges her mistakes, which helps her to realize that everything she has ever known about her history and her enmity with Khaf’s people are wrong. And then she not only accepts that her assumptions were wrong and rather racist, but she grows from these mistakes and becomes a better person (arguably a lot of the “hero protagonists” remain rather stagnant as characters and rarely have any growth or maturity unless through loss). Nefiri not only overcomes her loss and a surprising amount of betrayal, but refuses to give up when the odds and everyone else are against her.

Her romance with Khaf was the perfect amount of enemies to lovers, with the gradual acceptance of the other as a person with valid feelings, to friends, and eventually to lovers. Their banter was playful and their arguments fierce, but their shared experiences bound them together in life and death until they could forge their happy ending.

The notion that Nefiri was Chosen because she was Set’s daughter, a forbidden demigod, was the perfect red herring so that when the actual demigod was revealed I remained surprised—although looking back now the foreshadowing of Khaf’s mighty powers and healing abilities was rather obvious. The betrayal too was something I saw coming, although I figured he had to come around again in the end.

Mostly I was quite impressed with the introduction to Egyptian mythology. The way it was expressed was so organic, as we the readers encountered the gods as the plot progressed. Many times I find such information to just be dumped at the begining or explained to us early on by one of the characters—which when the pantheon is so complex and the myths so detailed it can become overwhelming very quickly. I loved how the gods hid themselves throughout the story, helping from behind the scenes and empowering Nefiri and Khaf to become the heroes they were meant to be.

Overall a wonderful adventure filled with magic and romance that will please not only YA readers but older ones as well, and a wonderful glimpse into a time period in history that we are all fascinated by even into adulthood.

I really enjoyed this read! It had me constantly guessing what would happen next! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a book that will keep you on your toes!