I love this series, it is perfect for fans of The Veronica Speedwell and Emily Wilde! It is cosy, mysterious and the slow burn is the best!

I am obsessed with The Mummy and this delivered on all of the The Mummy vibes whilst still managing to feel fresh and exciting. I loved the characters and really enjoyed following their adventures across Egypt. It was a really fun read, and I will definitely be going back to read the first book in this series (and be coming back to read the next).

This was brilliant! I loved every second of listening to it, and found the entire reading experience delightful. It was *everything* I want in a Indiana Jones-style story, with all the wit and banter and danger and narrow escapes and discovery and magic... while *also* being very anti-British-Empire and being very clear about architectural discoveries needing to stay in the countries they are found in and belong to the people who live there, not the invading colonizers.

I wasn't sure how suddenly introducing a second romantic storyline would work but it did. I liked how Benson chose to split the party and sent each pair of potential lovers in different directions facing different perils. It let them have plenty of banter and attraction without being overwhelming.

All of the characters were wonderful and I became very attached to the whole party. They all also played vital roles in the discoveries and escapes so that was nice.

These books are longer than the typical romances I read but that works because they pack in so much plot (and banter) that I never wanted to stop reading.

I loved the first book and I loved this one and I cannot wait to devour the third.

The audiobook was brilliantly performed as well. All of the characters' voices and accents were easily recognizable and believable and it's hard to believe they all were voiced by one person. It was a joy to listen to.

*Thanks to Crimson Fox Publishing and Vaughan Woods Publishing for providing an early copy for review.

Tomb of the Sun King is book 2 in the Raiders of the Arcana series. I loved book one and its historical fantasy romance vibes. The setting is super fun and feels like watching The Mummy. This book continues Adam and Ellie's story which is full of magic, romance, and adventure. I can't wait for more books in this series!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a review!

Once again Jacquelyn wrote and engaging and fund adventure that left me turning the pages late into the night.
I loved watching the relationship with Adam and Ellie grow in a way that felt completely natural to the story and the time they lived in.
I can not wait for the next installment!

I absolutely adored this book! Raiders of the Arcana 1 was good, but this one blows it away! The storyline is well paced, and you are along for an exciting ride. I originally read about the idea of Nefertiti being Neferneferauten in Kara Cooney’s When Women Ruled the World, and loved watching the characters in this book figure out that same theory.

I thought that both Ellie and Adam had some strong character development in this book, both separately and in their relationship. I also adored the introduced dynamic between Neil and Constance. I can’t wait to watch the group’s travels to India in book 3!

I looooooove love this book. It was so much fun, and it was everything I wanted after reading the first novel in the series. I love how our MMC prioritizes the feelings and values of the FMC, navigating their relationship in a way that honors her perspective. I absolutely love a romance where the MMC is mentally heslthy, thoughtful, and considerate, and that’s exactly what we have here. Thank you thank you thank you, NetGalley, for gifting me with an ARC!

I adored the first book with it's 1999 Mummy vibes, delicious duo and action packed plot. My only criticism of that one, was it got a bit clumpy at times due to the historical dumps that would occur.
Book Two is a brilliant continuation of this series, our lovable duo are back and this time they've got friends which was a great addition, everyone loves a group dynamic. The slow burn tension that I loved is still at its best and the story was action packed in a swashbuckling adventure full of romance, comedy and magic.
Once again the only thing I personally struggle with is history info dumps as this pulls me out of the story but I still loved it and can't wait for more from this series.

Such an incredible 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 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!

A lovely continuation of the series! I appreciate that this book really tackles colonialism and the British field of egyptology. A lot of historical romance books tend to gloss over these issues but not here. Looking forward to the next.

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.