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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
I enjoyed this, though it took a little while to get going and the ending wasn't my favorite. But, the world-building was really well done. I also liked the writing style, I see a lot of potential even if the characters felt a bit flat at time. There were a lot of stereotypes and tropes, but the romance grew on me and the banter was great. I will keep an eye out for the sequel.
I got this as an arc for free through BookSirens!
I got this as an arc for free through BookSirens!
Jacklyn Madison is a simple girl who likes geeky things and runs fast. She gets attacked by monsters, meets her former best friend who she doesn't remember, finds out she has powers and that her parents were part of a secret Order that helps keep the monsters at bay all in one day.
It's not safe to stay at home anymore so Jacks, her mother and her sister relocate to the Order's headquarters and officially begin training for their destined roles.
Jacks is a Key and her sister a Guardian. They're not very happy with the arrangement but prove to be good at controlling their abilities.
It's when Jacks starts questioning the Order's leader that things start going wrong. How many people are willing to take a stand with her? And what will it cost them?
This book hurt me with certain deaths, excuse me while I try to find a reason why both characters I liked the most had to die. Sigh.
I was only attached to three characters and the third was barely in it (but they'll play an important role in book two, I'm sure).
I will say that my judgement was wrong for a few of the characters. For example I didn't like Gana at first and I liked the Order leader at the beginning but both of those changed later in the book.
And Kyp? He was the most annoying, not sure what Jacks saw in him. As a friend yeah he could be cool but romantically ehhhh. Speaking of, they did say "I love you" a bit too fast.
The plot was okay, could've been better. We saw so little of Jacklyn's life before the attack that the transition to a completely different life wasn't very impactful (aside from no cell service and by extension no tumblr). And all the pop culture references... I usually don't mind, I even like it, but it was excessive.
The world building was interesting, kind of a shame that most of the book happens in one place.
As for the ending, it was nice. I'm glad it's character number three (for spoiler sake) and not anyone else who's with her. But she did greet them rather coldly, I wasn't expecting that after all the dreams/memories. I thought she'd be happy.
*Thank you to BookSirens for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
It's not safe to stay at home anymore so Jacks, her mother and her sister relocate to the Order's headquarters and officially begin training for their destined roles.
Jacks is a Key and her sister a Guardian. They're not very happy with the arrangement but prove to be good at controlling their abilities.
It's when Jacks starts questioning the Order's leader that things start going wrong. How many people are willing to take a stand with her? And what will it cost them?
This book hurt me with certain deaths, excuse me while I try to find a reason why both characters I liked the most had to die. Sigh.
I was only attached to three characters and the third was barely in it (but they'll play an important role in book two, I'm sure).
I will say that my judgement was wrong for a few of the characters. For example I didn't like Gana at first and I liked the Order leader at the beginning but both of those changed later in the book.
And Kyp? He was the most annoying, not sure what Jacks saw in him. As a friend yeah he could be cool but romantically ehhhh. Speaking of, they did say "I love you" a bit too fast.
The plot was okay, could've been better. We saw so little of Jacklyn's life before the attack that the transition to a completely different life wasn't very impactful (aside from no cell service and by extension no tumblr). And all the pop culture references... I usually don't mind, I even like it, but it was excessive.
The world building was interesting, kind of a shame that most of the book happens in one place.
As for the ending, it was nice. I'm glad it's character number three (for spoiler sake) and not anyone else who's with her. But she did greet them rather coldly, I wasn't expecting that after all the dreams/memories. I thought she'd be happy.
*Thank you to BookSirens for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book is something good to gift a young reader who likes urban fantasy adventure stories.
Personally, I felt like I've read this book before. The plot has been done, but there's a reason for that. The special girl who finds out she's actually more special than ever imagined and part of a secret order is a trope I love to read. The superhero component was charming and made the protagonist relatable. Overall, I give this book 3.6 out of 5 stars. I don't regret reading it, but I would only read it once.0
This book is something good to gift a young reader who likes urban fantasy adventure stories.
Personally, I felt like I've read this book before. The plot has been done, but there's a reason for that. The special girl who finds out she's actually more special than ever imagined and part of a secret order is a trope I love to read. The superhero component was charming and made the protagonist relatable. Overall, I give this book 3.6 out of 5 stars. I don't regret reading it, but I would only read it once.0
Jaclyn AKA Queen geekdom just turned 18 and her birthday present appeared in the form of a freaking Gorvhan monster out to destroy her. She is thrust into the strange, but familiar world, of “The Order of the Key” who battles interdimensional creatures using their Guardian and Key soldiers. Jackie soon finds herself struggling to find her place as the daughter of a rebellious traitor. She soon learns maybe she may be a rebel at heart as well.
While her character was a sassy, sarcastic delight and I loved her witty humor, my favorite character was by far her little sister Gana with her feisty, tell it as it is, badass attitude who challenges everything without fear.
The story had a Cassandra Clare- The Mortal Instruments vibe and while there were some great highlights I felt like it was a bit cliche “boy saves girl, girl learns about the new world, boy has a fancy sports car, forbidden love relationship etc etc.” I truly wanted to connect with Jackie and the characters of the order but the story seemed to have been rushed and I didn’t necessarily relate to some of her decisions.
I believe this book has the potential to be extraordinary but some fine-tuning on the flow of the story and more so how the characters were written and the justification for their decisions needs to be reviewed.
Huge thank you to the author as I received an advance review copy for free from Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This review can also be found on my blog: https://jessicareadsit.wordpress.com/
While her character was a sassy, sarcastic delight and I loved her witty humor, my favorite character was by far her little sister Gana with her feisty, tell it as it is, badass attitude who challenges everything without fear.
The story had a Cassandra Clare- The Mortal Instruments vibe and while there were some great highlights I felt like it was a bit cliche “boy saves girl, girl learns about the new world, boy has a fancy sports car, forbidden love relationship etc etc.” I truly wanted to connect with Jackie and the characters of the order but the story seemed to have been rushed and I didn’t necessarily relate to some of her decisions.
I believe this book has the potential to be extraordinary but some fine-tuning on the flow of the story and more so how the characters were written and the justification for their decisions needs to be reviewed.
Huge thank you to the author as I received an advance review copy for free from Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This review can also be found on my blog: https://jessicareadsit.wordpress.com/
Read the full review: https://jillsbookshelf.weebly.com/reviews/the-order-of-the-key
I'd like to give a big thanks to BookSirens for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Overall this wasn't a bad book. The plot was predictable and the pacing was a bit weird, but, in my opinion, it was still a very fun book. The characters, particularly Jacklyn's family, felt so real. Whenever they would banter with each other I was reminded of my own family. And the undying loyalty some of them had to each other broke my heart.
The writing did an extremely good job helping me feel close to the main character. It's told from her perspective and the commentary she has on the events that take place are so realistic and, in some cases, hysterical. There's just enough sarcasm to keep you grinning.
So, yes some of the characters are frustrating and the plot isn't the most original, but that doesn't mean it can't be an enthralling adventure and keep you engaged.
I'd like to give a big thanks to BookSirens for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Overall this wasn't a bad book. The plot was predictable and the pacing was a bit weird, but, in my opinion, it was still a very fun book. The characters, particularly Jacklyn's family, felt so real. Whenever they would banter with each other I was reminded of my own family. And the undying loyalty some of them had to each other broke my heart.
The writing did an extremely good job helping me feel close to the main character. It's told from her perspective and the commentary she has on the events that take place are so realistic and, in some cases, hysterical. There's just enough sarcasm to keep you grinning.
So, yes some of the characters are frustrating and the plot isn't the most original, but that doesn't mean it can't be an enthralling adventure and keep you engaged.
This was a quick and fun read, only about 220 ish pages. I really liked the plot and the characters. The story was great and I really like the pace it was being told at. But the end seemed really sped up and abrupt, and I wish it had the same pace as the beginning of the book, even if it would have made it longer! Actually maybe more so, because it would have made the book longer!
*Thank you to Book Sirens for providing a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
There were definitely things I enjoyed about this book, but I didn't love it. I appreciated seeing a geeky heroine, and her voice was clear throughout the story. Sometimes the dialogue was really fresh and funny. I also found the romance plot compelling.
However, I noticed typos and awkward wording at several points in the story. The world felt a bit cobbled together, and I still didn't really understand the magic system by the end. The villain was also fairly one dimensional and cartoonish.
So unfortunately, I can't give this book a glowing recommendation, but I did enjoy it.
There were definitely things I enjoyed about this book, but I didn't love it. I appreciated seeing a geeky heroine, and her voice was clear throughout the story. Sometimes the dialogue was really fresh and funny. I also found the romance plot compelling.
However, I noticed typos and awkward wording at several points in the story. The world felt a bit cobbled together, and I still didn't really understand the magic system by the end. The villain was also fairly one dimensional and cartoonish.
So unfortunately, I can't give this book a glowing recommendation, but I did enjoy it.
I loved this book! At first it reminded me of Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter Universe, with demon-like creatures and a hidden society that defeats and kills the creatures, but then it turned into its own universe, that I ended up falling in love with. The storyline is just the right amount of everything and I love Jacklyn and Kyp’s relationship! The author left the ending with just enough that I want to read the next one! Thankyou so much BookSirens for letting me review it!
I was very intrigued by this book with the mention of a secret order who fights inter dimensional beings, and of a girl discovering her destiny, but I didn’t really get what I expected to get. I felt this book could have been longer to hash out some ideas and add world-building, especially in the areas relating to the history of the Order (the society in which our main character, Jacklyn, joins). I wanted to know more about what am Aegis was, what the history of the Order was, and what these inter dimensional creatures were.
The personalities of the characters were often confusing to me, especially the dynamic between Jacklyn and Kyp. All of the characters (aside from Gana) would be friends with someone for one minute only to hate them the next. I think I partially felt this way because it felt like I was missing dialogue.
I did really like to see the character growth from Jacklyn, and I would have liked to see some this development a little more obviously in other characters.
This book was such a whirlwind. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I just didn’t feel super connected with what I was reading. I think that some people would really enjoy this book, I just don’t think it was for me.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and in exchange am giving this a review.
The personalities of the characters were often confusing to me, especially the dynamic between Jacklyn and Kyp. All of the characters (aside from Gana) would be friends with someone for one minute only to hate them the next. I think I partially felt this way because it felt like I was missing dialogue.
I did really like to see the character growth from Jacklyn, and I would have liked to see some this development a little more obviously in other characters.
This book was such a whirlwind. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I just didn’t feel super connected with what I was reading. I think that some people would really enjoy this book, I just don’t think it was for me.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and in exchange am giving this a review.
The Order of the Key is about a girl called Jacklyn Madison who was an ordinary girl living in Bronx, until one day she comes home and gets attacked by monsters. Her life changes and she finds out her percents were apart of The Order of the Key.
I enjoyed this book. The plot was very engaging while being fast paced. I also enjoyed having the little romance thrown in there. The characters were very relatable and realistic. Justine Manzano did a great job making you care for the characters in short amount of pages. I felt like the ending was rushed, and maybe if the book had been a bit longer that would have helped.
I was given an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to BookSirens, the publishers and Justine Manzano for approving me a copy.
I enjoyed this book. The plot was very engaging while being fast paced. I also enjoyed having the little romance thrown in there. The characters were very relatable and realistic. Justine Manzano did a great job making you care for the characters in short amount of pages. I felt like the ending was rushed, and maybe if the book had been a bit longer that would have helped.
I was given an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to BookSirens, the publishers and Justine Manzano for approving me a copy.