“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.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley, Crimson Fox Publishing, and Jacquelyn Benson for the eARC of this book!

This book is absolutely special. I spent the entire time just absolutely enraptured in the relationships, Egyptian history, and fantasy. Jacquelyn did an amazing job of keeping the story fun and interesting while also hitting us right in the feels at every turn.

This story picks up where Book 1 left off. Adam and Ellie have arrived in Egypt to stop the baddies from finding and procuring the staff of Moses. We have some new characters join the team! Most notably (imo) we have Constance, Ellie’s bestie, and Neil, Ellie’s brother. These two add the most fun banter and tension to the group! Connie is a rough and tumble bad ass, while Neil needs help breaking out of his shell.

I can’t recommend this book enough. If you liked National Treasure but wished Nicolas Cage could also perform magic and have a more interesting love connection, then this story is for you.

In the second book of Raiders of the Arcana series we are back with even more adventures and tension with Adam and Ellie, while also being introduced to new characters that I may love just as much. The new characters added even more fun, if that was even possible. I was glad we learned more about our villain and their motivation. The entire story, old and new characters alike, have me intrigued and excitedly awaiting new books in this series.

Thank you to the publisher for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was another fast paced, fun adventure from Ellie & Adam! I enjoyed this just as much as Empire of Shadows, and I’ve been recommending it to all the bookworms I know (and even the ones I don’t!).

I’m definitely addicted to this series, I look forward to more Adam & Ellie adventures!

This series is my favorite of the whole year. This book was just as much fun as the first!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this ebook.

An extremely entertaining, high-octane follow-up to Empire of Shadows!

Tomb of the Sun King takes Adam and Ellie to Egypt, where they meet Ellie's brother Neil and her friend Connie. Along with a few other friends, this group gets embroiled in a race to protect Egypt's sacred ancient sites and artifacts, and to beat the villain to a particular artifact that supposedly has the power of a God. I had so much fun with this adventure that was giving Mummy vibes, with the development of Adam and Ellie's relationship, and with the setup for something between Neil and Connie in future installments (I hope?). The humor, banter, and romance in this book were *chef's kiss*.

Jacquelyn Benson clearly researched the subject matter in this book very thoroughly, and it shows. This is SO refreshing and makes the book ten times more immersive and enjoyable because of it.

Overall, this book is incredibly unique, fun, fast-paced, and romantic. I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley, Crimson Fox Publishing, and Jacquelyn Benson for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Series Info/Source: This is the 2nd book in the Raiders of the Arcana series. I got this as an eGalley from NetGalley.

Thoughts: I loved this book even more than the first book in this series. The archaeological adventures continue with amazing historical settings, thrilling traps, high energy gun fights and explosions, wonderful characters, and a bit of romance. I am thoroughly enjoying this series and so happy to find out there will be another book in it.

Ellie and Adam are in Egypt in hopes of stopping the mysterious Jacob and crew from stealing the Staff of Moses from Ellie's brother's Egyptian dig site. We finally get to spend time with Ellie's best friend Constance, who is a force of nature and huge amount of fun (they call her the danger gnome). We also spend a lot of time with Ellie's brother, Neil Fairfax. Both of these characters were amazing additions to the story. We also get the addition of some wonderful native Egyptians who are just as bent on saving Egypt's history as Ellie is. There is some magical realism and flatout magic in here but it is fairly subtle.

This story is pure fun with fast-paced action and adventure. However, it has a lot of heart too. Neil is coming to terms with the fact he could have been more supportive of Ellie and her want to become and archaeologist. Adam and Ellie are trying to navigate their relationship. It would be easier for Adam's sense of honor if he and Ellie married, but he doesn't want to change who she is and he knows her views of marriage. Constance is under pressure to find a husband soon, and strangely Ellie's brother, who she used to terrorize as a little girl, is looking like an intriguing prospect. The crew is also realizing how horrible the English actions in Egypt really are as they befriend Egyptian archaeologists who are forced to work are foreman and watch their country's history be desecrated and shipped to England.

Meanwhile the whole group is trying to save the staff of Moses from nefarious criminals and in the process unveils both the secrets of the Tomb of Nefertiti and even more secrets around the history of religion as we know it.

It is all very exciting, very engaging, and very entertaining. The writing here is flawless and incredibly easy to read. Some of the descriptions of history and stories from the time might get a bit long for some readers, however, I love this type of stuff and ate it all up. I learned so much about Egyptian history and mythology while reading this very entertaining book.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I loved this book even more than the first book and can't wait for the series to continue. This is a truly well done series that is entertaining, thought-provoking, fast-paced, and heartwarming. I really enjoyed it a lot. If you are at all interested in a fast-paced archaeological adventure that doesn't shy away from societal issues (and has some romance) I would recommend. I am set on finding out what other series Benson has written because I would like to read those too!

Book 2 did not disappoint. It was full of the same attention to historical detail as book 1. I personally love Egyptian history and I love the focus on women impacted history. Ellie and Adam's relationship is everything and I love the tension there. I'm curious how Connie and Neil will evolve in book 3. I liked the revelations this book and how it sets you up for book 3.

The world building is beautifully done and I felt like I was there. I like the depth of the characters and felt that they were realistic. I felt that this story is adventure/questing more than romantasy. It does have magical and romantic elements, but it's not the main storyline.

It felt there were multiple POVs and I think the chapters would have benefited from labeling the POV it was in. I liked that it was multi-POV and the different perspectives gave a richness since there was many layers to the story.

Overall, I feel this story is perfect for anyone who loves Indiana Jones, Egyptian culture, strong female leads, historical fictions, and adventure/questing. There is kissing and sexual tension, but no graphic scenes. You do not need to read book 1 to enjoy this book, however, some things will make more sense if you read book 1 first. Worth reading book 1.

Excellent read. Highly Recommend.

This was a very solid, fun, intriguing story! I loved the setting, and as someone who had not read book one yet, I loved finding out more about all the characters, their relationships and their shenanigans. As someone who loved Egyptian everything as a kid, this really hit the spot! There were some interesting themes discussed in this too, regarding the ownership of artifacts, feminism, and I just really enjoyed it!! I will definitely pick up book 1 now, and book 2 and join everyone in waiting for a possible book 3!!

This is a rare case of a sequel being even better than the first book!! Book two picks up right where we left off with Ellie and Adam in Egypt. We follow them on their journey to save one of the world’s greatest treasures along with their best friends . I was so surprised when we picked up Constance and Neil along the way. As well as a couple of other characters! I had an absolute blast reading this latest adventure. It makes my childhood heart happy to be reading a fun book that has so much Egyptian history in it! If you loved learning about Ancient Egypt, this is the book for you!!! The attention to detail is just ridiculous. What a great adventure! I hope you choose to follow Princess, the American, Stuffy and Danger Gnome on the next installment of Raiders of the Arcana.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for granting me early access to this novel!

Another swashbuckling adventure in the Raiders of the Arcana series! It was great to watch Adam and Ellie's relationship develop (although I could have used more of that) and meet the new characters in Egypt.

Personally, I think the Julian reveal could have been a little more dramatic, but he did make a great evil idiot. Now I need to know Jacobs' secret...

I have a degree in Egyptology so I went into this read with some trepidation, but it's incredibly well researched - it very cleverly fills in gaps in the historical record without disrupting what we know to be true. Ancient Egypt does feel magic sometimes, and Benson's additions slipped right in.

I loved this book and would 100% recommend it - especially to history nerds and fans of Indiana Jones / The Mummy.

Thank you crimson fox publishing, Jacquelyn Benson, and Netgalley for an arc of this book. I absolutely love this series! Looking forward to reading more from this author

I adored Empire of Shadows and I’ve been so excited to continue the series with this second book. It did not fail to deliver the same Indiana Jones crossed with The Mummy vibes I loved from book 1 but with the introduction of more characters and a reveal of the wider villain story.

Constance is the epitome of a pocket rocket and her nickname of danger gnome had me laughing every time. I loved adding her personality into the mix of characters. Neil was a bit so so but he lived up to his character expectations and I hope to see him becoming less “stuffy” in the next adventure.

One thing I was really impressed with is how much actual history is in this book. It reads like a fantasy in the sense you really think the author has embellished a lot but it’s all based off of real events and knowledge, and characters were inspired by real egyptologists. Knowing this gave me a whole extra level of respect for the author as I can only imagine how much research went into this to keep it close to the truth.

Overall I gave this book 4.5⭐️, I knocked off half a star purely because I actually did the audio for EOS and it was just hard to beat it. I would have enjoyed the audio here mainly to help with the dialogue which was in Egyptian and Masri so when that is released I’ll be saving for that another time.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Worldbuilding: 🏛️🏛️🏛️ (simple but well done)
Spice: 0.25 🌶️ (doesn’t need no spice ♥️)

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a light read, with plenty of humor and action and also many historical details, all very well crafted in the narrative.

This is the 2nd book in the Raiders of the Arcana series and I would recommend reading the first one first (that one is also 🧑‍🍳 💋).
We follow Ellie & Adam, along with some other key characters, investigating a lost magical artifact in Egypt. Very compelling topic for everyone who’s been watching Indiana Jones or The Mummy when they were kids (🙋🏻‍♀️).

On a more serious note, I felt the colonization aspects (British Empire vs the people of Egypt) were superficially but somewhat fairly described with some of the injustices it brought to the Egyptian people, especially in archeology. (This is my own opinion and you may feel differently !). That was important to me. On top of this, Ellie is my hero for all things anti patriarchy ♥️

Books 1 and 2 are complete stories by themselves (no cliffhanger at the end) but the 3rd installment is coming in 2025 with a new adventure for our heroes and I will definitely be reading it!

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.

Thanks to Netgalley, Jacquelyn Benson and Crimson Fox Publishing for this e-ARC

Listen listen listen….
If you have added or read Empire of Shadows based on my review or rec, then you absolutely also have to immediately get Tomb of the Sun King , the sequel!!! Because Miss Benson has done it again and somehow added more characters that have grown equally if not more precious to me than Ellie and Adam and that's no easy feat 😌

In Tomb of the Sun King , we see Ellie and Adam racing against the clock, trying to get to Egypt and Ellie’s brother Neil before the villainous Jacob and co can get their hands on him and his archeological dig findings. On the way we meet many new characters and some old ones including Constance who was an utter delight!!!

I did have some minor issues with the pacing in the first half but the second half more than made up for it. I loved how the various relationships were explored, loved the banter and the utter chaos , it was both funny and nail biting somehow & I couldn’t get enough of the Egyptian history and in short I was 200% entertained from start to finish.

If I had a teeny tiny complaint it would be that I wish we had been given a bit more spicy scenes between Adam and Ellie. But that in no way should detract you from immediately picking this one up!!! I guarantee a breakneck(sometimes literally) adventure with an utterly chaotic found family like group that will have you in splits from laughter and tension both .

Listen listen listen….
If you have added or read Empire of Shadows based on my review or rec, then you absolutely also have to immediately get Tomb of the Sun King , the sequel!!! Because Miss Benson has done it again and somehow added more characters that have grown equally if not more precious to me than Ellie and Adam and that's no easy feat 😌

In Tomb of the Sun King , we see Ellie and Adam racing against the clock, trying to get to Egypt and Ellie’s brother Neil before the villainous Jacob and co can get their hands on him and his archeological dig findings. On the way we meet many new characters and some old ones including Constance who was an utter delight!!!

I did have some minor issues with the pacing in the first half but the second half more than made up for it. I loved how the various relationships were explored, loved the banter and the utter chaos , it was both funny and nail biting somehow & I couldn’t get enough of the Egyptian history and in short I was 200% entertained from start to finish.

If I had a teeny tiny complaint it would be that I wish we had been given a bit more spicy scenes between Adam and Ellie. But that in no way should detract you from immediately picking this one up!!! I guarantee a breakneck(sometimes literally) adventure with an utterly chaotic found family that will have you in splits from laughter and tension both .

The Tomb of the Sun King takes readers on another exhilarating ride through Egypt, with strong The Mummy vibes! This instalment not only builds on Adam and Ellie’s romance but also introduces new characters like Constance and Neil, adding depth to the story. The action is relentless, yet the characters get room to grow, especially Ellie and her friendships. Adam remains a standout favourite, but Neil's character arc was a pleasant surprise. With an intriguing villain plot brewing, I’m excited for the next adventure!