YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents—who frequently leave her behind.

When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and an ancient golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe.

With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her.

The Mummy meets Death on the Nile in this lush, immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt filled with adventure, a rivals-to-lovers romance, and a dangerous race.

25% (view spoiler)[This isn't doing much for me so far. I'm a little bored. But it does feel like it's just getting started, I like the introduction to the magic but I feel like it's not going to really get explained as to how/why (hide spoiler)]

32% (view spoiler)[Oohhh we have some information. She's seeing visions of Cleopatra and now her uncle seems nefarious! (hide spoiler)]

42% (view spoiler)[Still no more interesting but looking forward to getting to their excavation. Is it weird that I'm not getting evil vibes from Ricardo.. (hide spoiler)]

54% (view spoiler)[Oops I'm DNFing this one here :( It's just not interesting me and I've tried for long enough. It seems that Ricardo is the evil murderer, but I don't care (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 3 (view spoiler)[ I already hope Whit gets whatever he has coming. Why does her uncle want Inez to disappear? (hide spoiler)]

I'll be reading your updates Wish! I DNFed at 54%

Maddie wrote: "I'll be reading your updates Wish! I DNFed at 54%"

I mean, no guarantee I actually like it when we get rolling here. :D But I like Inez.

Chapter 8: (view spoiler)[ Open up the secret part of the box!!!!!!! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 12 (view spoiler)[ How long will she get away with hiding? (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 15: I’m so tired of her crush. I said it.

As You Wish wrote: "Chapter 15: I’m so tired of her crush. I said it."

Hahahaha

Chapter 27 (view spoiler)[ We’ll that was a twist—her mom is alive, but she’s a liar and a thief so I’m not sure if dad is alive or not. Tio Ricardo better start talking. (hide spoiler)]

Oohhh that's a good twist

Maddie wrote: "Oohhh that's a good twist"

Respectfully, no. It just sucker-punched me. I saw it coming but, like Inez, I didn't want it to be true.

Ah I see

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Date changed. Restarting January 26th 2024. Happy Reading ☺

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Capitulo seis
(view spoiler)[This feels like a very different book from the other books Fairyloot does, so I’m interested to see where it’ll go. I already love the mysterious vibes, Egypt is such a cool country so I can’t wait for our MC to go there. The ring is clearly not send by her father to her lmao, but who did and is it evil? The hieroglyphs and images in the book are such a cool touch as well! Ah her parents disappeared, I don’t think they’re dead for sure. Love the Indiana jones vibe.

Lmao she actually went on a boat to Egypt, by HERSELF? Damn she has balls lmao I’d be so scared 🤣 I feel bad for her aunt and cousins though. And what’s up with her mysterious uncle?? Omg how stupid is she, she just calls out and threatens every Englishman for their actions, does she want to be killed or something?

Seriously? She just lets that guy steal her ring what the fuck? She definitely is stupid, why would you trust anyone in the first place. Oh! We’re also getting Whit POVs? Damn. Why does he call her uncle employer and nothing else? I don’t think it’s really her uncle actually. I wonder whether her uncle isn’t the one who stole the ring lol since she didn’t know him, and her uncle had business at the museum? She’s trouble but I love it. I also already adore Whit. So Abdullah, the guy he mentioned, was the brains behind every operation? I definitely thought that was her parents tbh. So Abdullah is her uncles brother in law!!!

I don’t freaking trust her uncle at all omg but whit is great. I wonder whether he was searching for the ring. I’m glad she didn’t tell them about the ring though. The dinner conversation was intense, and although I don’t trust him, I do like that he fights for what he believes in and even pays his employees! I don’t really get all the politics yet because I can’t keep the names straight yet, but the murder mystery vibes are GREAT! I love the Miss Marple vibe so much, like I’m trying to figure out who dunnit🤣 (hide spoiler)]

Capitulo doce
(view spoiler)[Nooo she shouldn’t have told them about the ring damn! And now they know it was stolen :/ why is he so insistent on sending her back omg! I can’t wait for her to figure out more about the magic and how it works. Especially since she could also see Cleopatra's memories with the ring! I wonder whether only she can or anyone can.

I’m WHEEEEZING about the carriage scene I cannot, I fucking love her running away from Whit and making him go mental HAHAHAH I LOVE her and Whit. This is great so far, very different from the normal FL books but I love it. And Whit has a sister!

I loved the market too woohoo her chemistry with whit is so good I can’t. I feel like he’s a prince or something, he’s very well educated and mysterious. The trinket was so cool, it does seem like she’s the only one who can feel the magic then! The American must also be important he’s so random. The plot thickens! Whit was apparently a soldier, and left the army & his family isn’t happy with him. So many cute moments there, he likes her way too much. And her mother thought her uncle was working with criminals!

I love Inez LMAOOO. Poor Mrs Acton HAHAHAH aw but fuck that was so funny. Poor woman LMAOO. I love the little drawings and all that, I’m surprised with how much I’m enjoying it and how much I LOVE WHIT AND HIS LITTLE POV moments omg. I also like how the Dutch are mentioned so often oop. And she seemingly found another one of cleopatra’s artifacts!!! Also, she still hasn’t read her letter has she? (hide spoiler)]

Part 3
(view spoiler)[I definitely thought Kareem was conning her tbh. Surprised that he didn’t lol. She’s on the ship fuck yes!!! Whit nearly noticed but I don’t think he did. I wonder what her uncle is hiding, he’s clearly obsessed with the whole cleopatra thing and her parents didn’t want him to have it, but why? I hate that I actually have to do shit now, I'm so invested🤣

I don’t think her uncle is evil, but I also hate that he’s spending her money :/ he’s just obsessed with the treasure. I don’t trust that Isadora chick, Hayes doesn’t seem to like her at all. I also think she was watching Inez with the ‘trinket box’. And how hasn’t Whit noticed her presence yet?? Can’t wait for him to find out teehee.

The way Isadora handled a gun gives me the chills, she’s definitely evil. The water scene was great though teehee he even jumped in to protect her aaaah. Kareem is so random that I don’t really trust him? I know omg I don’t trust anyone. Wait what? I thought her mother was talking about Abdullah but he wasn’t her mother's brother of course huh. I don’t think she means that Ricardo is a killer tho. I still can’t believe Whit recognized her fucking smell omg that’s so cute. So they investigate to write down their histories and they don’t want anything to be taken and that’s what all the secrecy is about? Hm. I’m no longer sure who’s the bad guy in this. The guy who’s protecting them is definitely shady tho. What was up with the prostitute and Whit? Man I need more info. But love that he only thought of Inez while being with the prostitute eheh. (hide spoiler)]

Capitulo veintitres
(view spoiler)[The temple and the descriptions of the land are so great. Even though I can’t visualize anything, I still love the atmosphere that the author is creating. It’s quite great writing, I love it so far! I wonder why her uncle is so desperate. What if it’s Zazi’s journal omg, I do think someone killed Zazi not going to lie, and then she’d mean her brother Abdullah? I don’t know why I’m so set on him LMAOOO.

So Whit was indeed dishonarably discharged from the army aaah!! He’s so into her and he’s fighting it so hard omg I love it. Poor guy. I just loved the moment she started thinking of him as Whit, it was so subtle but great I feel like a child LMAO. I love finding out more about the magic and what the items can do, it’s all so cool! And how she feels the magic as well yay, and she thinks her father was able to feel it too!

SHE KISSED HIM HOLY SHITE!!! There’s no way he’s engaged omg, or maybe to Isadora? Otherwise I don’t believe it. Omg her mother is alive!!! Why do I not trust her mother HAHAHAHA this is getting out of hand. She didn’t know about the ring and it thus feels like her husband hid it from her, exactly because SHE is the one who was obsessed with finding cleopatra. Idk the theories are running rampant in my head. (hide spoiler)]

Part four
(view spoiler)[Yeah I definitely think her mother is evil, her uncle seems totally happy and nice. The tomb is so freaking cool, I love their discoveries but I already hate how focused on her mother she is ugh. She clearly used your father and then killed him when he didn’t want to go on - she had so many of those artifacts in their fucking home so ofc she’s the one smuggling them!!!! Dammit girl. How does she not understand that she’s now giving the statues to her mother and thus smuggling them herself? Omg I’m getting annoyed by her stupidity and it’s ruining the vibe. And what’s up with that important paper they’re all trying to find? I need to know what it is damn.

See, her mother did betray her and she’s indeed involved with the illegal trade instead of her uncle. Had a feeling she was having an affair with the guy with her, but I can’t believe she’d leave Inez. What a bitch. Whit did tell her that he’s in love with her too though omg my heart. The whole mother plot made my rating drop a bit, but I’m hoping it’ll come back up. Holy shit omg Elvira is missing? Don’t really care about her tbh but damn, I wonder what happened there. Whit is so fucking cute argh. They also finally found the sarcophagus!!! Will it really be cleopatra? I wonder if they’ll actually open it? Also wtf was up with Isadora when she was teaching Inez how to shoot? I really don’t trust her at all. (hide spoiler)]

Finished
(view spoiler)[I do wonder how on earth that post works anyway - how is it that the letters actually arrive where they are, how can people even find them while traveling? So odd. I can’t believe Elvira travelled all the way to Egypt too!!!! And she found a letter from her father, how is it possible that Inez didn’t find it herself? Damn whit shot that Peter guy alright then.

I hate that Ricardo is sending her back because of Elvira though :/ seriously, Elvira is missing and she decides to put on the dress that’s most difficult to put on? What the fuck??? I mean I liked the moment with whit but wtf???? Elvira is taken bc her mother basically sacrificed her damn. She can never show her face to her aunt if she dies omg. She actually believes her mother would put her before the treasures????? Is she DUMB?!?!? Argh her naivety is killing me.

Omg they kissed yaaaaas!! Because they thought they were dying but still yay :’) and he was dishonorably discharged because he went back to help his captain, that’s cute. Also, the scene of them being beaten was also very cute lmao, he wanted to protect her so badly aw whit :’) Ah I hope Ricardo won’t die.

Woah mr burton, the American, is indeed involved? OMG THEY KILLED ELVIRA??? Kinda shook by that holy shit. Woah so there was a spy with them on Philae; that must be Isadora then!! Or Kareem but I think Isadora, I think she’s the associate. Omg I just know I’m right, her father seems too obvious. The alchemical documents are clearly about making spells. I do love that he’s a lord lol, but ‘she’ wrote him, is that the one he’s engaged to or his sister? And he has send multiple letters to his family in the last few days what?

Wait WHAT?!?!?!? He told her to marry him but then the epilogue showed this random guy Porter (who the fuck is that? His brother?) receiving the letter that said ‘INEZ FELL FOR IT’?!?! Fell for what omg YOU CANNOT LEAVE ME WITH THIS CLIFFHANGER I’m SHOOKETH. I don’t want Inez to get hurt even more dammit Whit :( I’m so disappointed about that. He definitely means that she fell for ‘it’, the marriage proposal I’m guessing? It’s so freaking odd. DAMMIIIIIIT I NEED BOOK 2 now omg I hate reading new books 🤣🤣🤣

I love that this is based on actual historic events, that’s really cool. I enjoyed this a lot, I loved the atmosphere and the general vibe, the characters were great too, although I barely trusted any of them lmao. I’m really scared of Amarante & her aunt's reaction to Elvira’s death though damn. She does have to bring her body back home. I can’t believe her uncle will only give her money once she’s married. Is that why Whit wants to marry her, he needs money? The annotated chapter was so cool too! I’m just going to sit here and stare into space now damn, I really enjoyed this (hide spoiler)]

OK finally starting this one now!

Prologue: (view spoiler)[ Poor Inez! Imagine impatiently waiting for your parents letter to allow you to join them in Egypt but instead a solicitor shows up with a letter saying they died. I couldn't even imagine. (hide spoiler)]

Danique wrote: "Capitulo seis."

(view spoiler)[ ooh i never thought about her father not being the one who sent the ring to her but i fully believe that theres more to their disappearance than just getting loat in the desert. Esp with their room being the way it was - looking like they were packing in a hurry.

I definitely dont trust her uncle. Theres something more there that hes hiding. What part did he play in the disappearance of his sister? Or is he really trying to preptect Inez? Everyone is a suspect at this point. But one thing is for certain, how stupid was she to lose the ring? (hide spoiler)]

Part one: (view spoiler)[ okayyyyy so her uncle definitely had something to do with her fathers death (if theyre actually dead). Its all leading to cleopatra but i wonder how whit is tied up in all of this. I honestly thought she was walking into a trap when she snuck on the boat but finally something is working out for her (hide spoiler)]

Part two: (view spoiler)[ shorter section but full of information. I'm still so confused by her uncle. It seems he had something to do with her parents disappearance but yet he seems so genuine when he talks about them. But I 100% do not trust this security guy. I believe he is working for another team - esp with his secret meeting when they docked. So many people not to trust. I wish Whit would just tell her everything. (hide spoiler)]

Part three: (view spoiler)[ I had a feeling her mother was the traitor. The minute her mother showed up and asked her to steal artifacts for her I knew something was off. How horrible. To fake your own death and then use your daughter. I bet her mother killed her father. Poor Inez. (hide spoiler)]

Finished: (view spoiler)[ UMMM WHAT? What even happened? What are Whit and his brother doing? What does Whit mean "Inez fell for it"? FELL FOR WHAT? And poor Elvira, she did not deserve to die like that! I am hooked and need the next book now! (hide spoiler)]

Danique wrote: "Finished.."

(view spoiler)[ I had a feeling early on that the American they kept mentioning was going to be important and then when we found out her mother was stealing, I had a feeling they were working together. But for her to betray him thus resulting in Elvira's death was horrible!

And the note Whit sent to his brother?? I'm hoping that the marriage proposal is his way out of what he promised. I really hope he doesn't have anything to do with the stolen artifacts, her father or working with her mother. But where does Porter factor into all of this? So many questions! (hide spoiler)]