There is a lot happening in this book. It’s historical, it’s adventure, it’s romance, it’s saying something important about society. It makes for a rather long listen, but it’s all so interwoven and well written that it doesn't seem too much.
As a museum worker and scholar, I can appreciate the criticism of colonialism and historical collection practices.
I found myself very invested in the story. This book was well researched and well written. In addition, the audio reader is fantastic. I could listen to her voice all day, she does an excellent job separating the characters and their different personalities and voices. I am very excited for the next in the series.

I got this as an audiobook arc on Netgalley and it has since come out. Very pleasant narration! Really fantastic adventure of a book! I loved the mc and the main love interest. Can't wait until the second book comes out.

“Books were like breathing for her. An extension of her being. She hardly had to think about the fact that she was reading when she did it.”
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If you’re looking for a book that gives Indiana Jones & The Mummy vibes with the MC’s that have a Rick & Evie dynamic then this book is for you!
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The narrator does such a great job at bringing the story & characters to life. Definitely recommend listening if you’re an audiobook fan!
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I loved this book so much! It’s a fun adventure with high stakes and a slow burn romance filled with angst, tension and banter.
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It’s set in the 19th century & our MC, Ellie, is a suffragette who is fired from her archivist job. When she finds an ancient map leading to a hidden city she is desperate to find it & that’s where she meets Adam, who is a surveyor. Of course, chaos ensues as she is chased by a criminal who wants the hidden treasure for himself.
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I loved Ellie so much, bookish, smart & passionate she wants to build a life for herself and see the world but all anyone sees is a young woman who should be getting married. There are some great discussions on misogyny, patriarchy & a “woman’s role.”
Adam is charming & fun but also sweet & kind. He loves teasing Ellie & they have great chemistry.
I loved seeing them both open up to each other & show their vulnerabilities to each other.
The slow burn between them is filled with lots of tension & angst & had me screaming!
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It also has some important discussions on colonisation, theft of resources & artefacts from indigenous people and how the British felt it was “their right” to take whatever they wanted and destroy sacred places in the process.
We see how both try to preserve the land & be respectful of the cultures & traditions of the indigenous people. They also check each other if they overstep. It was refreshing to see.
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While there is plenty of plot including a quest, it is also quite a character driven story which I really liked.
The ending with hints to what the sequel may hold has me so excited to read more of Ellie & Adam’s adventures!

I absolutely love this story!
If you like the 1999 cinematic masterpiece "The Mummy" starring Brenden Fraiser and Rachael Weiss, you will devour this book!
A hot-pace adventure with plenty of hilarity and inner-thought emotional turmoil!
Elenore "Ellie" Mallory is a spirited Cambridge graduate and suffragette who has only ever wanted to go on adventures to uncharted places to uncover the secrets of ancient civilizations.
When she stumbles onto an artifact and map to an undiscovered Central American city, she jumps head-first into trouble!
Enlisting the help of Adam Bates, a burly surveyor and adventurer, together they embark on an expedition that will test their mettle, their ethics, and their hearts <3
Cannot recommend this story enough! Alex Picard narrates the audiobook and does a SUPERB job. A+++++

What a thrilling and enjoyable ride!! Others are not lying when they say this was an extremely fun story that's giving all the Indiana Jones and The Mummy vibes. Adventure = check! Danger = check! Humor = check! Banter = check!

Ellie is our female protagonist. At the height of the Victorian era, Ellie is a social enigma. She has no desire for the acceptable life a woman should have and yearns for a career in her passion, history! She aligns herself with the women's suffrage movement and loses her job in the process. After finding a rare and curious historical artifact, as well as landing herself in the crosshairs of a dangerous villain, Ellie sets out on the wonderful adventure she always dreamed of.

Her adventure does not go as planned however! She finds herself in the company of Mr. Adam bates, an American working in the British Honduras, and her unintended tour guide. The banter between the pair had me giggling! The gentle romantic chemistry was beautiful and not forced, nor did it take over the story.

The descriptions throughout this book really stood apart! You can clearly see the author's dedication in the engrained enthusiasm for history and anthropology. Ellie's excited was palpable! Mixed with Adam's dry humor, it was the perfect balance for me.

The narrator did a fantastic job in the audiobook format. She handled the dual POV beautifully and also covered a wide range of accents/dialects. I was never confused about who was speaking or pulled out of the storyline.

I am eager to get my hands on book 2 because this was just an extremely FUN listen!

Empire of Shadows is the thrilling academic archeological treasure hunt with a map that shows directions straight to my top books list.

Ellie Mallory, an ambitious woman with dreams of archaeological acclaim, faces a society that underestimates her due to her gender. When she comes into possession of a map to a legendary Pre-Colombian city, she seizes the opportunity to prove women can make important archeological discoveries. In her journey, she falls into the very capable hands of Adam Bates, a local snake-wrangling, rugged surveyor. Ellie races against a ruthless villain to reach the ruins first, with a map that only gives vague descriptions of undiscovered landmarks.

Likes:
Engaging Protagonist: Ellie Mallory is a formidable heroine. She's a feminist who challenges societal norms. She knows her worth. And she fights for it with her intelligence and determination.
Dynamic Relationship: This is exactly the type of relationship in the Mummy that I adored so much. The British intellect genteel woman who thinks she can do anything, and the hardened strong brash American who tries to keep her safe. I about swooned through the whole book.
Riveting Plot: The mix of historical fantasy, action-packed adventure, and archaeological intrigue kept me listening. I didn't want to put the audiobook down.

Dislikes:
None?

Narration
Alex Picard’s narration was great! Very expressive. Really brought the book to life.

Overall Impressions:
I recommend this book to everyone, but if you have a love for The Mummy, then I recommend you buy this book yesterday.

Thanks to the NetGally and Vaughan Woods Publishing for the free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This Review will be posted on
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6815647928
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review will be posted on 9/3/2024

"Thank you NetGalley for this ARC of the audiobook.

Characters: Had great depth to them. They had distinctive personalities and I cared about them. I thought they were well developed and no scenario or growth point was rushed.

Audio: The narrator did a fabulous job. When it is a dual POV, but there’s only one narrator, it can be a bummer, but Alex Picard did a fabulous job with every POV and voice character. I would definitely recommend listening to the audio.

World building: The story did a great job putting you right into the early 1900’s. It really did feel as described on the back cover, a good mix of Romancing the Stone and the Mummy with South American influences.

Writing: I really enjoyed the writing style. It flowed well, wasn’t overly descriptive, but was beautiful and really helped you stay in the moment.

Romance: A good slow burn. The development was well done and believable. The characters spend most of the book together and interacting which creates and shows a real bond.

Ending: I personally enjoy more of a punchy cliff hanger than what was given. Book one was wrapped up nicely enough to make you feel good but left a little unsolved that’ll carry you into wanting to read book two.

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars for me. I enjoyed everything, some moments dragged a little for me but I felt immersed in the story and always found myself wanting to see what would happened next. I will most certainly be checking out book two!

More information:
Our main characters are 24 & 27. There is some swearing but mild and infrequent. One chapter with passionate kissing and innuendos with some brief, short kisses after. Some violence but not very descriptive. Some drinking is mentioned and there is a scene where the main characters are drunk. One of the main characters smokes a cigarette a couple of times."

This book is so good. Any Indiana Jones or The Mummy fans need to read this. I loved the banter between the main characters. The setting is well written and the adventure consistently had me wanting to read "one more chapter". I'm really excited to see what happens in the next book!

I’ve read this book in ebook form but couldn’t resist listening to the audiobook version. The audiobook is so much fun and adds to the story. There are distinct character voices and the book came to life with this narrator. The story is an adventure into the world of the Mayan empire but is similar to the movie, The Mummy. An intelligent but young woman who goes on a journey to see if she can’t find something remarkable that will help her stake her claim in her academic field (archeology) and show her former colleagues that women are more than capable.

The male main character definitely has a Brendan Frazier / Rick O’Connell vibe. He gets frustrated with our FMC but risks his own life several times to save hers. It is clear from the beginning that he is a “good guy,” that won’t take advantage of her or harm her. This book does discuss the suffragette movement and there are several times where they compare how different and more difficult the FMC’s life has been in comparison to her male counterpoints. The MMC is sympathetic to these issues. Overall, a lot of fun and I can’t wait to read the next one.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy.

I loved this fun little story! Ellie and Adam’s banter was the best! This is perfect for fans of Indiana Jones or the Mummy!
I loved how the two find themselves falling for one another over this wild little jaunt into the bush to find a lost city, but that they still remain not fond of the ideas of societal norms. However, the fact that Adam was willing to save Ellie from society looking down her and allow her to remain true to herself stole my heart. I look forward to reading the next one!

'Empire of Shadows' is an archaeological fantasy romp set in Belize in late Victorian times. Think Indiana Jones, set fifty years earlier and with a female archaeologist instead of Harrison Ford in a hat. Ellie Mallory is a well qualified archaeologist but unable to put her knowledge into practice due to her gender. Instead she has a job as an archivist, which she loses at the start of the book after being arrested during a suffragette protest. Then a mysterious map comes into her possession, apparently showing the way to a lost city deep in the central American jungle. She sets off to Belize (British Honduras as it was called back then), hotly pursued by a very dangerous man who is desperate to get his hands on the map. On arrival, she meets American map-maker Adam Bates, whom she finds utterly infuriating - so no prizes for guessing how that will turn out. Ellie and Adam set off to find the lost city and its legendary artefacts, before the bad guys do.

There are plenty of cliches here, but the sense of place is evoked very well, and whilst the romance between Ellie and Adam is not original, it's quite well written. There's plenty of action and adventure, and it zips along at a good pace, particularly once they head off into the jungle in search of the lost city. Ellie and Adam also grew on me as characters, after initially seeming like stereotypes, they gradually came alive and I came to like them. The structure probably suffers somewhat for being first in a series and needing to spend time getting everything set up. It will be interesting to see how the second instalment pans out. Despite being part of a series though, it does have its own story arc and a conclusive ending. There is nothing really extraordinary about the novel, but it's a solid effort.

I was able to follow the story easily enough as an audiobook as it has a linear narrative, but I didn't like the narrator which spoiled my enjoyment. She chose to narrate the sections from Ellie's viewpoint in an English accent, and those from Adam's in an American accent. Her English accent wasn't bad, but then she pronounced every word where there is an alternate US/British pronunciation, the American way. It was so annoying. Why go to all the trouble of doing a passable British accent if you're then going to completely undermine it by saying 'sem-eye' and 'erbs'? It might be sufficient to convince a non-Brit, but for those who are used to British accents and pronunciation, it is jarring. I never even realised how many words have a fundamentally different pronunciation in American English until I listened to this and barely got through a paragraph without hearing yet another incongruous word. Also the narrators Scottish accent was unconvincing and mangled sounding.

If you like fantasy adventures, or even just adventures - as the fantasy element is quite light here - this is a decent book that provides a bit of escapism. It's not good enough to recommend to those who only read a couple from this genre. It would also be a good choice for anyone visiting central America and looking for an easy, fun novel set in the region.

Empire of Shadows
by Jacqueline Benson

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: none 💕

An enthralling blend of historical romance and adventure, Empire of Shadows is set against the lush backdrop of British Honduras. The story follows Ellie, a determined suffragette and archivist, who stumbles upon a mysterious artifact and a map hinting at a lost Mesoamerican civilization. However, she's not the only one on this treasure hunt—ruthless villains are hot on her trail, each vying for the same prize. To survive the treacherous jungles and outsmart her pursuers, Ellie teams up with Adam, a rugged, outspoken surveyor whose machete skills are as sharp as his temper.

Benson's world-building is a highlight of the novel, transporting readers to an alternate universe where arcane artifacts of legend are real and imbued with power. The vivid descriptions and the careful integration of cultural details enrich the narrative, making the setting as compelling as the plot. The author’s ability to create a believable yet fantastical world is complemented beautifully by Alex Picard’s narration. Picard’s accent work is particularly mind-bogglingly good, adding a whole extra dimension of immersion to the audiobook experience, and bringing the Victorian era and the diverse cast of characters to life in a way that feels both authentic and captivating.

The romance between Ellie and Adam is a slow burn, evolving naturally from initial friction to deep connection. Their partnership, which begins with mutual annoyance, blossoms into something tender and genuine, adding warmth to the novel's adventurous spirit.

Empire of Shadows recalls the excitement of beloved adventure tales like "Indiana Jones" or "The Mummy", but with a refreshing twist: a protagonist who seeks to preserve history rather than plunder it. Besides the wonderfully developed romantic tension and great characters, this anti-colonialist and feminist spirit is what makes the novel a true stand-out for me.
Fans of the "Storm and Silence" series by Robert Thier (one of my all-time most beloved series) will find a new series to love here, making this novel a must-read. It's a delightful mix of danger, discovery, and romance that I highly recommend, and it’s a series I’m eager to revisit.

This was absolutely delightful
The story: A+
The narration: A++

This had a very familiar storyline but I ate it up. Like others have mentioned, I noticed a lot of The Mummy vibes as well as Jungle Cruise feelings, too. But that didn’t detract from the story at all, I adore slightly paranormal adventure stories and I was still on the edge of my seat with many of the turns the story took.

I hate dumb FMC’s and Ellie is very far from stupid. The banter between her and Adam was so good, so many laugh out loud moments. I adored the slow burn between them, as well.

I feel a good deal of the glow this story had for me was due to the narrator. She was fantastic! And as much as I love physical books, I think I will be listening to the sequel instead. I felt like I could see the entire movie in my head while I listened.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I had so much fun reading Empire of Shadows by Jacquelyn Benson and I will definitely be continuing this series. Empire of Shadows follows Elllie when she stumbles upon an artifact that could lead to even greater historical discovery. On her journey, she meets and banters with Adam as he helps guide her on their dangerous expedition. Ellie is such a fully developed character and the historical context is interesting without being overwhelming. I enjoyed the building of the relationship and how it was secondary to the main plot line of the story. I found the character development to be well balanced by the action and I looked forward to continuing the story each time I picked it back up. There were a few places where I questioned Ellie's actions or found myself a little confused and had to reread. I also listened to the audiobook version and sometimes the accents where a little difficult to understand (I was listening at 1.75 speed). It didn't take away from my enjoyment but I did wish I had a physical or ebook copy that I could go back to and reread. I am looking forward to adding a physical copy to my library so I can do a reread before book 2!

If you are looking for an adventurous story that brings back the feeling of watching the Mummy but stands on its own, I can't recommend Empire of Shadows enough!

Review based on the audiobook version from Netgalley.

This was such a fun book. If you love the Mummy movie from the 90's, this is the book for you. The tension, the banter! It was so good. I also really enjoyed that it took place outside of Egypt, it was refreshing and interesting to learn about a new culture. The audio narrator was absolutely fantastic and brought the characters and settings to life. I was deeply immersed and could not stop listening. I can't wait to read the next book in the series! Thank you to NetGalley for an Audio ARC of this book!

I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Oh. My. God. This was *perfection*

Adam and Ellie are my new favorite couple.

Aaahhhh.

Okay. This was like the banter and vibes from the Mummy meets Indiana Jones in South America. THIS BOOK. The plot was fast paced and totally had me hanging onto the edge of my seat. There was action, there was adventure, there was romance... literally everything in a book that I need.

I loved the lost civilization aspect of the book, the use of mythology, the crazy artifact. I'm having such a hard time trying to separate my thoughts to write this because it was so so good that I'm just absolutely obsessed.

I very highly recommend this book, and the audiobook was amazing and really brought this to life.

I was initially drawn to this book by the character art, then read the description and knew it was for me. It is such a fun action/adventure story. It gives all the fun of Indiana Jones, but with an independent and intelligent FMC. The banter and relationship development kept me invested, and the world is vividly described and allows the reader to see exactly what is going on. I can't wait for book 2!

I usually prefer more than one narrator, but the narrator of this did such a good job at making the character voices distinct that I didn't mind at all!

Thanks to NetGalley and Jacquelyn for an ALC of this book for honest review!

This book is for all the fans of archeological adventures with a side of romance! Set in 1898 it follows a suffragette scholar and a roguish surveyor as they deal with an ancient map, dangerous terrains, villains, magical artifacts, and more! The story was action packed while being balanced out with plenty of banter and heart.

The narrator did an amazing job on the audio and captured a variety of different genders, accents, and personalities so well! I have really enjoyed contemporary romance narrated by her before so it was so fun to see how much versatility she has.

When Ellie discovers a map to a lost city, she intends to prove to the world that women can be archaeologists too. Only, there are much darker forces after the city than just capitalists.

I’ve been seeing this compared to The Mummy, Indiana Jones, The Road to El Dorado, and all those similar treasure hunt stories. And it is all of these and more. With an intelligent, rage filled protagonist, her heartthrob expert mapmaker sidekick, this story takes us on a wonderful adventure, that also takes the time to examine historical archaeology and its roots in colonialism, imperialism, and racism.

The scene setting was really well done. I felt like I could easily picture the the gray and dismal streets of London, to the wild jungle our plucky adventurers moved through.

One of the things I feel I need to rave about the strongest is the romance. I’m not usually one for romances in my adventure stories, because it takes a lot for me to remain invested in romance when there are historical treasures to be discovered. But Benson did an excellent job getting me invested in Ellie and Adam as individuals, as well as building up the relationship that had me rooting for them the whole time.

And I cannot praise enough the narrator! She did a fabulous job differentiating between Ellie and Adam’s POVs. Even beyond the accents, the tones fit their characters wonderfully. And the side characters all also sounded unique. I am absolutely going to be seeking out more of Picard’s narration.

I’ve bought a copy of this book already, and out a hold on the first in Benson’s Charismatics series at the library. And I can’t wait for the second book in Raiders of the Arcana!

Many thanks to both NetGalley and Vaughan Woods Publishing for this audio arc.

Jacquelyn Benson's Empire of Shadows is a captivating historical fantasy that delivers on adventure, intrigue, and a touch of romance. Narrated impeccably by Alex Picard, the audiobook immerses listeners in a world of daring exploration and perilous quests.

The story follows Ellie Mallory, a determined archaeologist who finds herself caught in a race against time to discover a legendary lost city. With a ruthless villain hot on her heels, Ellie must rely on the help of the enigmatic Adam Bates to navigate treacherous terrain and uncover ancient secrets.

Benson's writing is both witty and engaging, creating a richly detailed world filled with vibrant characters and thrilling escapades. Picard's narration brings the story to life, capturing the nuances of each character and delivering a dynamic performance.

While the plot may be somewhat predictable, the author's ability to balance action, humor, and character development makes the journey thoroughly enjoyable. Fans of historical fantasy and adventure will find Empire of Shadows a must-listen.

4.5 stars