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Curse of the Specter Queen is a Disney book by Jenny Elder Moke for teens and young adults.
Jenny Elder Moke’s Curse of the Specter Queen is a great book for teens to get lost in during the summer months.
Official Book Description for Curse of the Specter Queen
MAY THE HAZEL BRING YOU WISDOM AND THE ASPEN GUIDE AND PROTECT YOU…
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!
Who is Jenny Elder Moke?
Jenny Elder Moke writes young adult fiction in an attempt to recapture the shining infinity of youth. Her debut novel, HOOD, released in 2020 and was a JLG Selection, a Mayor’s Book Club selection, and received critical acclaim. Her new series kicks off in 2021 with CURSE OF THE SPECTER QUEEN.
When she is not writing, she’s gathering story ideas from her daily adventures with her two irredeemable rapscallions and honing her ninja skills as a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Jenny lives in Denver, CO with her husband and two children.
Target Audience for Curse of the Specter Queen
Jenny Elder Moke’s latest book is geared towards young feminist ladies who enjoy fantasy, magic, and mystery. Did you enjoy Indiana Jones or The Jungle Cruise or Harry Potter? You’ll likely enjoy this too!
Review of Curse of the Specter Queen
Curse of the Specter Queen is a fun and easy read. Readers will appreciate that the book’s plot is an international drama set in the 1920s that is quick and full of twists and archeological adventure.
Unfortunately there is not as much Celtic lore as I had hoped for but that might make the book easier to understand for younger readers who won’t get lost in the lore. But that does not mean that there are not some creepy and scary moments. Young readers and their parents should be aware that the book involves dark spells and curses and haunted locations.
This is the first in a series but could easily read as a standalone book. I can’t wait to see what comes next for our protagonist Sam and her friends.
Thank you to Disney Books and NetGalley for lending me an advanced reader’s copy. All opinions are my own.
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