Ah! I finished this months ago and neglected to leave a review 🫣. I love this series! It’s full of adventure and I thought the new characters were a fantastic addition. I LOVE a witty and strong willed FMC like we got in Constance paired with an academic like Neil. I’m excited to see what artifact and adventure this crew goes on next.

I LOVE THIS BOOK AND I LOVE JACQUELINE BENSON. JACQUELINE'S BOOKS ARE AN AUTO-BUY FOR ME, AND I HOPE HER WRITING CAREER FLOURISHES AND MORE PEOPLE WILL DISCOVER HER BOOKS. Anyway, this sequel to "Empire of Shadows" was so full of adventure, romance, comedy, and the most charming cast of characters. Absolutely loved it. A rollicking, swashbuckling adventure book. So so so much fun!

Such a great continuation of Raiders of the Arcana series! While I did find the book quite dense just due to the amount of history brought into the pages, I think Jacquelyn Benson does an amazing job of bringing in factual bits of history along with the magic of the story.

The addition of Connie and Neil to the crew was PERFECT - their dynamic is hilarious and I’m obsessed with Constance. Sayyid and Zeinab were also new additions that really rounded out the group dynamics! I love the way that women are written in this series - there is such a strong focus on the strength and intelligence of women, and I love how each character pushes back against oppression and patriarchal expectations in different ways.

Ellie and Adam’s slow burn love story is killing me in the best way. While we didn’t get as much alone time with them, the tension was just delicious and I am SO excited to see where their story takes them!

After finishing the first book in this series, Empire of Shadows (5⭐️), I jumped right into the second book. This story picks up right where the other one left off. It was cute and witty, and I wish I had loved it as much as the first one. It’s a bit more focused on the love story and it just felt a bit repetitive at times. Still very glad I read this second book!

👉 I would recommend this book to
Readers looking for a fun and lighthearted adventure book.
Fans of Jungle Cruise or Indiana Jones.

I really appreciated the Mummy vibes and the discussion of the consequences of colonialism and treasure hunting. selfishly, I wish the romance had more of an adult feel with at least one spice scene. I come to expect that form books marketed as adult fantasy romances.

3.5 stars

I absolutely adored Empire of Shadows so I was SO excited to get early access to book 2!!! I compared EoS to The Mummy and Romancing the Stone (the highest of compliments) and this one continued that feel, it had action and romance, mystery and adventure! I loved that this one continued right off from the first book and we got more Ellie and Adam but we also had Constance (Ellie's BFF) and Dr. Neil (Ellie's bro and Adams's BFF) join in on the adventure this time. They added a fun dynamic to the mix and I loved that we got POV chapters from them as well. Constance is a fearless badass and Neil is a hopeless academic. I loved the Egyptian history in this one, I recently read a few historical fiction novels set in the time periods they were researching so it was really cool to understand a lot of the history they were talking about! I also loved the side characters, their names escape me at the moment, it was an Egyptian husband and wife and I loved how they were revolutionary and the care they had for their culture. I CANNOT wait for book 3, please give it to us soon!!!

I was excited to get this I really loved the first book. And to continue on with Ellie and Adam's adventures in Egypt! More fun and adventure that had me laughing and groaning as things go wrong. I great story!

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for this free & gifted ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is such a refreshing read and series in a world where sometimes it can be tricky to find something new & unique. If you love history or archaeology, you need this series in your life! If you specifically like Egyptian history or the Mummy film franchise, I think this will be right up your alley! While I personally preferred book 1 ever so slightly, this was an equally satisfying sequel & I eagerly await book 3! Ellie & Adam are a fantastic couple, each skilled & capable in their own right - I’ll protect them at all cost. What else I loved: the clear amount of knowledge/research that goes into these books by the author, the realistic dialogue & stand out side characters. There’s a great deal of growth here for some characters. My only notes are the same as book 1 - some parts are slower, some action sequences happen a tad too quickly. I longed for just a tad more action in some places, wishing there’d been some more trials or traps in some of the locations like we saw in book 1. This book also had a lot more focus on side characters & I’m clearly attached to Ellie & Adam, but I’m still glad we got to know these new characters - I just missed them a bit, that’s all. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the strong presence, impact & heroism of characters native to Egypt in a book that takes place in Egypt made my heart very happy! Our band of heroes established, I look forward to seeing where the series builds & continues to take us!

The first book in this series was fantastic. I therefore had enormous expectations before reading this novel. I liked that this book demonstrates a great deal of respect for the history and place being studied. This had a good conclusion that effectively set up the next book while concluding this section of the plot. I'll keep on with this series.

A wonderful sequel novel filled with faced paced adventure and great dialogue! Looking forward to what Jacquelyn Benson writes next as I definitely don't want to miss it.

Thank you to Crimson Fox Publishing and Jacquelyn Benson for allowing me to continue my adventure with Ellie and Adam by granting me a copy of book 2 of the Raiders of the Arcana series, Tomb of the Sun King.

Tomb of the Sun King boasts a race against time, lots of swashbuckling action as Ellie, Adam, and a cohort of new allies race all over Egypt to stop the dastardly villains from book 1 from pillaging magical, sacred historical artifacts and descreating ancient history. Jacquelyn Benson has the knack for mixing the perfect blend of historical fact with fantasy, adventure, humour, and romance to pull off a stunning caper that will keep you hooked with the mysteries and wonder of the Ancient Egyptian forgotten past. Her attention to detail is wonderful, including bringing to life the historical period's geo-political tensions and atmosphere of the time, focusing on the Egyptian struggles with British colonialism and theft of their ancient cultural heritage smuggled off to private collections and museums around the world.

What a motley bunch of fun characters get thrown into the fray in Tomb of the Sun King. Bringing new POVs to the storytelling's scope, entertainment, and chaos. Be prepared for lots of dynamic personalities, sassy banter, simmering tension, fumbling mishaps, and miscommunication. I laughed so much at the group dynamics, quirkiness, and the mad skills these wonderful weirdos brought to the mission.

The romantic relationship between Adam and Ellie is still burning hot with desire and doubt as they figure out their relationship. Ellie's battling her fear of the institution of marriage that will curtail her freedom and limit her rights. Adam craves doing the right thing to protect Ellie's reputation, but being noble backfired when he proposes, driving a wedge between them. Deep down, he wants to be at her side to love and support Ellie, whether she marries him or not. Scandal be damned.

A rip-roaring romp of a read full of exciting escapades, awesome adventure, peppering of passion, and a random, ragtag group that includes a secret group of rogue, revolutionary ladies with some mad skills. If you loved books like What The River Knows or movies like The Mummy and Indiana Jones, I think Jacquelyn Benson is a book that needs to be on your TBR. And… its not over – you will have the delights of another book in this global trotting adventure series, which continues east onto India!

This was such a great sequel! I am such a fan of the Mummy and Egyptian mythology, and this story does such a great combining them while also having amazing relationship and dialogue.

This was such a fun adventure. I loved getting to read about the history of Ancient Egypt as well as getting Hatshepsut’s reign and history in this as well.

The romance between Ellie and Adam was really cute and makes you laugh at times. I love the personally of Adam, he is the perfect MMC with a little bit of the goofiness and enough of the brute strength mentioned. I can’t wait to see where things lead with Connie and Neil. The next adventure is going to be just as awesome as the first two!

I absolutely love this series! Especially being an archaeologist, it's fun to read these adventures. I just can't get enough. I love the relationship between Ellie and Adam, I love Ellie as a character (she cracks me up), and overall these books feel like a comfort. The kind of books you just curl up with under a blanket and a cup of tea. Love it!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

EVEN BETTER THAN THE FIRST!

I could cry from how happy I was finishing this book and feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. It's the perfect adventure wrapped up with even more characters that I can't wait to see more of in the third installment. Danger, magic, laughs, romance, history... it's just perfect. I hope the series never ends!

A wonderful and exciting continuation to the series. Ellie and Adam, swoon. Needy Neil and hellion Constance are a great add. There is also an underlying larger plot of a secret agency trying to get to famous artifacts (with great power), so I see this series going around the world.

Love Egypt, love Mummy (the movie), and I do love a swashbuckling couple, this book totally met all those needs.

#netgalley #TomboftheSunKing

Empire of Shadows was one of my favorite reads this year, but this one didn't have the same magic for me. I think my biggest issues honestly were that the I just completely adored the audio version of book one, so this one fell a little more flat since I just read this on kindle. Additionally, I wanted more Adam and Ellie. The romance bits were definitely a slowwwwwwww burn in this one, but I loved when they did happen. The Egyptian aspects were incredibly well-researched and I'm just so impressed with everything that went into this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for a review.

“Running up to the doors of tyranny to bang on them with your sword is a man’s way of doing battle.” Her eyes glittered. “Women take the hinges off.”

4.5 ⭐️! I’m absolutely in love with the historical fantasy world Jacquelyn Benson is creating in her Raiders of the Arcana series. “Tomb of the Sun King” continues Adam and Ellie’s story, providing insight into Egypt’s history through fast-paced action, life-threatening situations, archaeological practices, and excavations. My inner scholar loved reading about a place and time I am unfamiliar with, while Benson brought the information to life with endearing romance, drama and an exciting chain of events. The one thing I will add here is that some of the terminology used with the historical aspect of this novel can be quite a mouthful, keeping in mind the story is about exploring Egypt’s past with pharaohs and their empires. I loved every part about it; however, it does take a bit more brain energy to keep track of events, and people from the past. This also gave the story more of an educational feel, slowing down the pace compared to its predecessor, “Empire of Shadows.”

“Tomb of the Sun King” continued to follow the theme of women stepping out of the mold of societal expectations. The women in this story were either the heroes or contributed greatly to the actions that took place to fight against the villains. The story highlighted that women have been struggling for so long against the threat men feel towards their success. Situations and dialogue challenged the polarity of the opportunities available and the behaviours accepted for men vs women, and I always love a story that shows women standing up for themselves and demanding more from their world.

“Who hasn’t heard young gentlemen being exhorted to sow their wild oats before settling down? If they are not held the same standard, why should we women be?”

“That Neferneferuaten’s name had fallen into obscurity – nearly disappearing into the cracks of history – spoke more to the enemies who had come after her than it did to the scale of her accomplishments.”

Adam is so utterly sweet trying to do right by Ellie. He’s just fumbling through, trying to respect that she doesn’t want to be subjected to the expectations of women in their society regarding relationships and their contributions; but also, not knowing what that looks like for him as he navigates going against the principles he was raised with. It was also a refreshing take on the conflict between couples. There wasn’t the miscommunication trope or a love triangle. It was a good representation of what you’re willing to do to meet in the middle with someone you love and care about.

“Giving you the kind of worship you deserve without demanding you change yourself in order to get it.”

The romance between Ellie and Adam was just as sweet in the second book as it was in the first. Their utter acceptance of one another was perfection, and the constant acknowledgement of their affection and awe of each other was so lovely to read. Even through the relationship conflict they were navigating, you never questioned how they were feeling or what they each meant to one another. They communicated well and didn’t let things stew for long before they sought each other out to clear the air. I simply ate up every interaction they had together.

“I don’t know if I’m good enough for you,” he confessed roughly.
“Don’t you dare try to decide that for me,” she declared softly.

“It’s cut right through your life line – if one were to give any credence to that sort of superstitious nonsense,” she added curtly.
“That sounds about right,” Adam replied easily.
“It does?”
“Changed my life, didn’t it?”
“What – getting your hand sliced open?” she countered crossly.
“Finding you, Princess.”

“I don’t need to see that other Adam Bates – that one your father would’ve made you into – to know that I would never have chosen him over this one that’s standing right in front of me.”

I also loved the theme of fighting for change in a world that has injustices. Even one action can cause a ripple effect, encouraging others to join the fight. You also don’t need to be directly impacted by the injustice to know it’s wrong and to participate in demanding a better world full of opportunities, fewer prejudices and more acceptance for everyone.

“The world doesn’t change. Not unless we make it – you, me, everybody. We’ve got to keep rattling the bars, even though they feel like they could never possibly break. Because maybe if enough of us do, something’ll finally give.”

“One cannot claim to be committed to right injustice and then abandon that principle when it is not a matter that impacts one personally.”

Constance was quirky, strong and adaptive and I mostly loved her character. But sometimes it was a bit too chaotic when she was in the scenes, and it took me slightly out of the story. Her individual POV chapters were excellent, and I loved seeing how confident she was in herself, knowing exactly who she was and what she was capable of.

“No, she had not been deserted here. She was a threat these men had just unwittingly carried on board – and she would not forget it.”

Overall, this was a solid sequel, and I was completely immersed in this world. I look forward to continuing with this literary journey and seeing the adventures Benson takes us on with these beloved characters. I am especially excited to see how the men in this series completely fall over backwards for the women in their lives, acknowledging everything they bring to the table and being in complete awe of what (their) women can do.

“You know perfectly well how dangerous it’s going to be. You’re just…choosing to be courageous, over and over again, even when the whole world rises up against you.”

Thank you to Netgalley and Jacquelyn Benson for the ARC!

This is the first book by this author that I have read. It is the second book in the series and though I haven’t read the first one this one can be read as a standalone. I found it complex and well written with a lot of history adventure, romance and fantasy. The characters where interesting and the setting wonderful. If you enjoyed watching Raiders of the Lost Ark, you will enjoy this. I received this as an ARC from Netgalley and freely give my review.

I was so so excited to receive this ARC after reading the first book in this series! As a history lover, I have so much appreciation for the amount of history in this story and how the plot really ties fiction and reality together. This book (and series so far) is full of adventure and action; I felt like I was watching a movie. I am forever impressed and in awe of Jacquelyn's writing style and level of detail.

The only thing I wanted more from this book was the romance. Ellie and Adam had such a connection in the first book but then it felt like it was on the back burner in this one and they took a step back, I'm glad they sorted everything out in the end so the next book we can see them develop! Connie and Neil were a lot of fun to watch set up, but I also felt like it was obvious in the beginning they would be together and then it backtracked so it wouldn't happen until the next book.

I adored the characters and loved how much was set up for the rest of the series, but this definitely felt like a filler book.