Curse of the Specter Queen by Jenny Elder Moke

Summary From Goodreads:

Samantha Knox put away her childish fantasies of archaeological adventure the day her father didn't return home from the Great War, retreating to the safety of the antique bookshop where she works. But when a mysterious package arrives with a damaged diary inside, Sam's peaceful life is obliterated. Ruthless men intent on reclaiming the diary are after Sam, setting her and her best friend, along with her childhood crush, on a high-stakes adventure that lands them in the green hills outside Dublin, Ireland. Here they discover an ancient order with a dark purpose - to perform an occult ritual that will raise the Specter Queen, the Celtic goddess of vengeance and death, to bring about a war unlike any the world has ever seen. To stop them, Sam must solve a deviously complex cipher - one that will lead her on a treasure hunt to discover the ancient relic at the heart of the ritual: a bowl carved from the tree of life. Will she find the bowl and stop the curse of the Specter Queen, or will the ancient order bring about the end of the world?

Indiana Jones gets a refresh with this female-driven mystery adventure, set in the 1920s, full of ciphers, ancient relics, and heart-stopping action - the first in a brand-new series!

Review:

This was my favorite YA books in a long time. I couldn’t put it down. A female driven Indiana Jones type story in the 1920s? I knew I was going to like it. But, it’s one of those books with little to no hype…I think maybe it’s because of the super lame cover? If it had a gorgeous girl in a flapper dress, or maybe 2 girls driving a car down the Irish countryside…..dressed to the nines….then more people might be talking about it.

Anyway, it starts with a sarcastic, intelligent main character, running a bookshop. From there, it’s  fancy parties,  secret ciphers, thieves, fires, international travels, romance, mystery, secret societies, evil creatures, kidnappings, close friendships, and plenty of banter in between. There is never a good place to pause your reading. Each chapter ends with you needing to know more. The book goes from one mystery to another.

Also, the setting is spectacular. From the Titanic-like boat ride to the Irish country estates, I felt like I was there. This book will make you want to travel and go on your own adventures. Then, there’s the characters. We have the reunited best friends who have some things to work through. There’s also the childhood crush storyline. There’s new crushes, new friends along the way, and of course learning to figure out who you can trust is always an issue.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I read it quickly. I was sucked into the fast paced plot. But, it was the adventurous setting and witty characters that kept my interest. I wish more people knew about this one. Truly, I blame it on the cover. I give it a 9/10.