AHHHH I was so excited to get this audio arc. I got book one for my birthday last year and purposely waited for the audio to come out because I think romance books are better in audio. Obviously, personal opinion.

This book picks up right where the last one ended. Of course, we have our favorite couple but also some new characters and secondary characters from the first book that become main characters. A possible secondary romance plot? This time we're in Egypt which I love. I've always loved Egyptian mythology so this was right up my alley. I loved all of the new characters. I love how the ending set us up perfectly for book number three, which can not come quickly enough!

Our narrator did a fantastic job as always. I love her male voice for Adam. I feel like a lot of female narrators can't pull off male characters but that was not a problem. Additionally, she was very easy to follow at an increased speed.

Jacquelyn Benson, the woman that you are. I LOVE this series so much and the edition of this amazing cast of characters has made the story even more rich. This fun romp takes our characters and the stakes to the next level and I cannot WAIT for the next installment.

I am taking away a star simply because we got less of Ellie and Adam’s relationship in this book. Given that the timeline is shorter and we have more characters taking up space, it’s understandable but I feel just as touch starved for that couple as they do.

This series has been so good! My Indiana Jones/Rick O’Connell loving heart is just giddy every time I think about Adam. I did love the first book more than this one just because I felt there was more tension and page time for Adam and Ellie. The new characters were fun, but I needed all Adam!

The audio itself is a definite 5 stars. Alex does an outstanding job with the narration. I hope to see more of Adam’s and Ellie’s adventures.

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for the advanced listening copy. All opinions are my own.

The audiobooks for this series are some of my absolute favorites!! And that’s due to the combination of the captivating narration and phenomenal writing. This is historical fantasy at its best. The romance, the banter, the thrilling adventure, the feminism, the archeological discoveries. The bromance! And just enough fantasy elements to keep it intriguing but not overtake the historical plot. The detail to the historical elements is just astounding. And I appreciated the author’s explanation at the end of which elements were historically accurate and which were invented for the sake of the plot.

I also appreciated that the author showed the consequences of imperialism and British colonialism that the native people of Egypt had to face every single day. I think one of the most important moments in the book is when Neil has to face the reality of the differences in privilege between him and Sayyid, who isn’t able to research his own ancestors and history. Neil’s character arc was the most significant in this one and initially I wasn’t sure I was going to like his character. But he grew on me as he came to realize his mistakes and the white male privilege that he’d been taking for granted. His and Constance’s dynamic was highly entertaining and I cannot wait to see it play out more.

Adam and Ellie will forever remain my loves. I loved how they worked out the best way forward for them as a couple regardless of societal norms and expectations. Adam is true book boyfriend material.

Also shoutout to the female revolutionaries!! What a delightful surprise!

It’s always so much fun returning to this series and I’m left eagerly waiting for the next book. Especially since we’re going to India next!!

After recently listening to Empire of Shadows and really enjoying it, I was very pleased to receive the audio ARC of Tomb of the Sun, the second book in the Raiders of the Arcana series. Ellie and Adam continue their adventure this time in Egypt and are joined by Ellie's best friend, Constance, and her brother, Neil. I love that both female characters are very strong women and that Adam is very supportive of Ellie’s independent thinking. The villainous characters from Empire of Shadows are in this book too. This is fast paced and engaging and I highly recommend it to others especially fans of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Mummy. The narrator, Alex Picard, did a fabulous job.
Thank you NetGalley and Vaughan Woods Publishing for the arc of the audiobook.

#netgalley

Thank you to NetGalley, Jacquelyn Benson, and Vaughan Woods Publishing.

This is a great audiobook. I have enjoyed the narrator for this series. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good audiobook.

I loved Tomb of the Sun King even more than the first book! I received an audiobook for both books in the series and honestly love the narrator so much. The narrator does an amazing job and makes me love the book even more. I was so excited for the second book after the ending of the first. We are left with the perfect semi-cliff hangar and hints for what is to come. This second installment of The Raiders of the Arcana series takes place in Egypt and I couldn't be happier! First I love Egyptian lore and mythology so I always love books focusing on Egypt. Second, The Mummy is forever one of my comfort movies so I love all The Mummy vibes in this series. It's perfect!

One of my favorite things from this book has to be the four pov's. Ellie and Adam are once again so funny and their relationship continues to grow. I love their interactions. But for me Constance stole the show. We are introduced to her in the first book as Ellie's best friend who encourages Ellie to go on her adventure. Constance is fearless and honestly a hellion. I loved all of her parts in the book. Add Ellie's brother Neil to the mix and we have a hilarious group of main characters. All of their interactions were so funny and I don't know how they got anything accomplished!

Once again the storytelling was incredible and really pulled me in from the start. I love this world and the characters and can't wait to see where the next book goes. Highly recommend this series!

Thank you to Jacquelyn Benson, Victory Editing, and NetGalley for this arc!

I will be posting my review to instagram/amazon on Jan 14th (publication day).

(Disclaimer: I received the audiobook from the publisher, but this has in no way influenced my review. My thoughts are entirely unbiased and honest.)

5 Golden Fiddlesticks!

This has been my most anticipated sequel this year, and how it ended definitely met my expectations.

I’m so glad that Ellie, our heroine, finally had character development, and her feminism became more grounded in reality (hahaha). Her romance with the best guy ever, Adam Bates, also had me squealing right to my elbows.

My absolute favorite character, though, is Constance, and her few chapters were so amusing.

(I may or may not have a small crush on her.)

On a more serious note, this book is better story-wise because, while it’s still mostly character-centric with different POVs, it achieves a nice balance with the adventure backdrop.

It’s entertaining to follow, but also satisfying because the emotional journey really paid off (something the first book lacked, in my opinion).

I’m so thankful that this book had an audiobook version because the narrator really brought the prose and banter to life.

As a newbie historical nut, I can tell that the author is not only well-informed but also skilled as a fiction writer. They managed to integrate theories, debates, and speculations about Egyptian history (herstory) in an engaging way. This is a great introduction for those who aren’t as familiar with the discipline, making it both educational and entertaining.

I really enjoyed the other characters, especially the female revolutionaries with Zeinab. Herstory matters—especially for those whose pasts were stolen from them, both materially and immaterially.

I do hope that for the next book (which, by the way, will be set in India—yay!), there will be more chapters with our female protagonists, Ellie and Constance because if there’s one thing I didn't enjoy at all, it was that there were so MANY chapters from Neil's perspective. I personally don't care about him and he’s really annoying skdkdk I hope he has fewer chapters in the third book.

Overall, Tomb of the Sun King had a perfect balance of comedy, yearning, and action—so kudos to the author and editor (if they had one).

If you're still reading this review, don’t hesitate to start the entire series and join the adventure!

I absolutely loved this sequel! This may be one of my new favorite series. I loved the setting of this one in particular---Egypt is one of my favorite places to read about. The (reintroduction) introduction of Neal, Constance, Sayyid and Zeinab made for a well-rounded main cast that were all interesting and well-developed in their own right. The fast paced adventure was just as enjoyable as the first book and I look forward to what more this series has to offer. I also highly recommend the audiobook for this series. The narrator does an excellent job of doing all the distinct voices of the characters.

I received an ARC of this Audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to the publishers for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This series holds a special place in my heart, and the audiobook narration makes it even better! I think anyone could make an easy comparison between the Raiders of the Arcana and The Mummy (1999). Benson takes everything good from the film (adventure, history, swoon-worthy roguish American man and intelligent woman) but puts her own unique spin on it.

I could talk for hours about the things that Benson does well in this book, but the one that stuck out to me (and one that some similar books have failed in) is the flaws and struggles of the characters. Our four mains, Ellie, Adam, Neil, and Constance, have all live with inerrant privilege, and have to learn and grow as they navigate the complex world they are thrust into. Each had a really compelling internal struggle that they grappled with throughout the book. It was realistic and juicy and handled extremely well.

I am so excited that Book 3 is in development right now. Benson laid some hints as to what's to come (India? More encounters with Jacobs?) that have me needing the sequel ASAP.

This has quickly become one of my comfort series. Jacquelyn Benson deserves every award possible because she managed to bring back “The Mummy” nostalgia, while making this book wholly unique. She puts so much research into this series, and as an Ancient Egyptian enthusiast, she did the history such justice. Nefertiti is one of my favorite female figureheads, and Benson wrote her magnificently. The introduction of Sayyid, Zainab, Neil, and Constance were such great additions to this group. While I missed experiencing lots of banter between Adam and Ellie, I really love the new characters too. Jacobs continues to be one of my favorite, multi-faceted villains of 2024, and I am so grateful NetGalley gave me a free audiobook. It was the best Christmas present ever!!!

Ellie and Adam are at it again. Thrilling, exciting and their romance is so cute. They deeply adore and admire each that. The secondary romance was nice to read about as well. I loved the narration, it was perfect.

Cannot wait for their adventure in India next.

A second fabulous installment in Raiders of ghe Arcana. These books are exactly what I want in historical adventure - fast paced, clever, funny and romantic. Perfect for fans of The Mummy and Indiana Jones

Absolutely riveting from start to finish! I cannot get enough of this series! Archeological adventure, danger, humor, quirky characters and a dash of romance you really can’t go wrong. Perfect for fans of The Mummy and Indiana Jones. Alex Picard did a smashing job narrating all the accents are spot on! She really brought the book to life! (Now I want to go back and reread the first book in audio). Looking forward to the next adventure!

Listen, listen, listen! If you’ve listened to *Empire of Shadows* based on my recommendation, then you absolutely *must* grab the audiobook of *Tomb of the Sun King*, the sequel! Miss Benson has outdone herself, introducing even more incredible characters who are now just as—if not more—precious to me than Ellie and Adam, and that’s saying something.

In *Tomb of the Sun King*, we follow Ellie and Adam on a high-stakes race to Egypt, desperate to reach Ellie’s brother Neil and his archaeological dig before the villainous Jacob and his crew. Along the way, we’re treated to a mix of new and familiar voices, including Constance, who was an absolute delight to listen to!

While I felt the pacing in the first half was a bit uneven, the second half more than made up for it. The audiobook brilliantly brings to life the humor, chaos, and nail-biting tension, keeping me completely hooked. The banter, the relationships, and the vivid exploration of Egyptian history were so entertaining that I couldn’t stop listening.

If I had one minor critique, it’s that I would have loved a few more spicy moments between Adam and Ellie. But honestly, that’s a small thing compared to the sheer joy of this breakneck adventure. Expect a chaotic found-family dynamic, laugh-out-loud moments, and edge-of-your-seat tension. I guarantee you’ll be thoroughly entertained from start to finish—don’t wait, just listen!

Raiders of the Arcana is quickly becoming one of my favourite series. This new instalment definitely lives up to the high bar that the first book set. This time Ellie and Adam are on the way to Egypt to head off Dawson and Jacobs in a race to a new arcana. There’s a few new characters introduced and they all add such wonderful qualities to the story. The multi POV is so well done, and the descriptions and setting make you feel so immersed. I liked seeing how Ellie and Adam were able to work on and grow their relationship without any miscommunication. However the romance definitely takes a backseat to the action. This was fast paced and super fun and again Benson has done a wonderful job blending history and adventure. Also shout out to Alex Picard for another amazing job with the narration!

Thanks to Netgalley, Jacquelyn Benson and Vaughn Woods for this ALC

I can’t say enough about this book! I literally couldn’t stop listening. Empire of Shadows had been one of my favorite books of the year and this book completely picked up the momentum of the first and kept it going. I may have even enjoyed it more with the addition of Connie and Neil to the story. I finished this book and immediately 1. Went to look up when book three comes out because I CANNOT wait and 2. Gave my husband a full dissertation about what I had just read because I was so giddy about it.

This book picks up where the first left off with Adam and Ellie traveling to Egypt to warn her brother about the organization in search of an artifact at Neil’s dig. They meet up with Ellie’s best friend Connie who joins them and soon are all on the run trying to beat Jacobs and the organization to the lost burial of an ancient Pharaoh.

These books are witty and smart but with such a healthy dose of humor. I found the addition of Connie and Neil to perfectly balance Adam and Ellie. And although the romance is more of a subplot and not the main focus I think that it is an important aspect of the book as Adam is an amazing book boyfriend so you’re really cheering for them but it also is a way to highlight Ellie’s conflicted feelings about the institution of marriage and highlight the sexism of the time and in her culture. This book also had a strong focus on colonialism that is highlighted with interactions with Neil’s foreman Sayyid.

These books both feature magical realism and although the fact that these artifacts have significant power is a main theme there is not a lot of magic seen throughout the book.

I listened to this book and I think that Alex Picard does an incredible job in her narration of balancing the characters and various accents and making the listening experience completely immersive. I basically listened to this book straight for two days until I finished it because I couldn’t stop. I will definitely be looking for more books narrated by Alex.

I love that this book ended in a similar vein to the first and we know where the next adventure will be. I can not wait to see where these four character’s take us next. I think this may be my favorite series of the year!

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ALC.

Having already read the book through an earful earlier in the year, I already loved the book. But the audio version is definitely superior for me as it helps me visualise the characters more through the accents and mannerisms.
Our narrator once again does an impeccable job and I enjoyed her whole interpretation of the whole cast of characters.

This series has been a favourite this year.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5

Tomb of the Sun King is the hilarious, wildly entertaining, and brilliant sequel to Empire of Shadows that hooked me from the beginning.

I adored this book. The romance was delightful, and the characters and character development were splendid. I loved seeing new and old characters alike. The adventure and action were addictive. The pacing was fast, and the hilarious banter and interesting relationships propelled the plot beautifully. The settings and blend of history and fantasy were interesting, and the prose was lovely. I highly recommend this phenomenal series!

Alex Picard is one of my favorite narrators, and her performance of Tomb of the Sun King is one of my favorites. She captured the characters’ personalities and accents very well, making this story even more immersive and fun. I highly recommend the audiobook!

Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC!

Narrated by Alex Picard

Genre: fantasy historical adventure romance
Egypt, 1898

Fantasy adventure historical romance is a genre, right? I enjoyed book 1 of Raiders of the Arcana, set in British Honduras. But I loved this one, book 2, set in Egypt.

Tomb of the Sun King picks up the overarching plot from the series - a set of objects around the world linked to a dark magic - and follows Ellie Mallory and Adam Bates from book 1, now headed to Egypt to meet up with Ellie's stepbrother, Neil Fairfax, Oxford PhD and archeologist, and accompanied by Ellie's best friend Constance Tyrell. The object they are after may link Moses to Akhenaten and Nefertiti, in an era of Egyptian history known for its monotheism rather than more traditional polytheism.

Tomb of the Sun King takes the elements from book one that I loved: Victorian era scholarship, adventure, romance, and takes them to the next level in Egypt. While Ellie might feel a little too modern for 1898 to some readers, I think Jacquelyn Benson does a great job at justifying Ellie's choices and her stubbornness towards adventure. Issues of colonialism are really carefully addressed here in a way I admire. For example, the theft of treasures by those who fund the expeditions rather than allowing the Egyptian government to keep them has historical accuracy, as well as characters who oppose this practice and some who are blind to the practice.

Like the first book, my biggest complaint is the length. At 17.5 hours/616 pages, it has the length of epic fantasy. Luckily, it moves quickly with an adventure-packed fast-paced plot and a really easy to enjoy romance. Alex Picard's narration is excellent, and I held out reading this book until I could listen because I loved listening to the first book.