The Pharaoh's Secret by Marissa Moss

Talibah, and her little brother, Adom, come to Egypt with their father to explore the land of their ancestors. While their father is doing academic research, Talibah and Adom go see the sites of ancient Egypt. But strange things start occurring to Talibah. Strangers give her odd gifts for no reason. She sees visions of the past. Unexplainable accidents happen while visiting several temple and burial sites. From these experiences, Talibah realizes that the "ka" or departed spirits of pharaohs and priests are calling for her to finally resolve several ancient mysteries. However, an old family friend threatens to stop Talibah's investigation by any means necessary.

Moss creates an enthralling story where the present and past come to life in a fast-paced Egyptian adventure. Talibah is the only one who can connect these ancient clues to help rewrite the history of a forgotten female pharaoh. But this story has a greater depth of feeling than most middle-grade books because of Talibah's grief in recently losing her mother. Her feelings are still raw and fresh. Then when the "ka" connect with Talibah, wonders about her own mother come immediately to mind. The only criticism with the story is that it is repetitive at times. However, the strong characters help push this book to be a worthwhile read. Fans of such series as The Red Pyramid or Theodosia Throckmorten will enjoy Moss's book.