Reviews

This was so good! I loved it! It was very Bogart’s African Queen meets Indiana Jones meets Jungle Cruise. It was so good. I can’t wait for the next one.

bwoodser's review

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adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.5

3.5 stars

Very light Mummy like South American adventure. I pieces I loved the most were the history/lore and I wish we got more of it. Our FMC also really grated my nerves in some sections, especially when *spoiler* she threw Adam’s lucky rock overboard when he had done nothing but help her out at that point. Just WTF.

Otherwise if you don’t take it too seriously it’s a nice read.

cj_lovesbooks's review against another edition

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5.0

Does this story hit all the archeology/tomb raiding stereotypes? Yes, and I ate them all up. I had so much fun with it.
The book is dense, but that didn’t bother me in the slightest. I loved the style of the dialogue and it really had me laughing at some points.
I can’t speak for the accuracy of the history information, but it felt really well researched. I love a bit of history & learning as I read, so I felt this book was almost written for me specifically.
I have been in a dark academia/historical fiction mood, so this book definitely hit at the perfect time. I’m going to look into the sequel right now.

thereadingnut's review

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

ekeelym's review

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

alexa_oslowski's review

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adventurous challenging hopeful informative inspiring mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

I've been super into these "Mummy inspired" stories where our main characters are going after a fabled city or artifact that no one really knows it it exists or not, and this story absolutely did not disappoint. I really loved Ellie as an FMC and really loved her strength, sense of justice, and her need to preserve everything she finds and how that influences her journey. I really enjoyed her and Adam's banter and relationship from the moment they met. The plot moved at a great pace and I loved how much history and culture was embedded into the story. I am SO excited to see where Adam and Ellie go next, I need book 2!!!

Thank you to NetGalley & the publishers who sent me this ARC to read & review!

foraging_pages's review

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3.0

3.5 stars. The extra .5 for the ending action and setup for the next book but still only three stars due to the many little things in the beginning that annoyed me.
_________

The stela was clear evidence for the existence of a previously unknown Mesoamerican culture…and Ellie had the map to the heart of it tucked into her corset.

A few weeks ago I was in a mood where I was craving treasure-hunting, adventure-seeking, humorous stories where history meets quirky character shenanigans.

I watched Jungle Cruise and The Librarian, reminisced on the perfection of The Mummy, contemplated a rewatch of Indiana Jones, and remembered the laughs provided by Jumanji and The Lost City.

But I needed more. I needed ADVENTURE ACADEMIA in book form.

And I found it! I was scrolling @netgalley as I tend to do when the cover for Empire of Shadows caught my eye. I then read the synopsis and it sounded like What the River Knows (which I found enjoyable but not as good as it could have been). I wondered if it could be better…

And it…wasn’t.

bibliovino's review

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adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

So much more than an adventurous romp and romance, this book pits its intrepid heroine and her steamy partner against magic and mayhem in unforgettable ways. Ellie and Adam are dogged and intelligent, navigating supernatural obstacles and matters of the heart with humor and warmth.

I think you’ll love the Indiana Jones vibes and The Mummy inspired wit and romance. This adventure becomes nonstop pandemonium while keeping its feet. I loved it!

Thank you to the author for my copy. These opinions are my own.

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