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Keeper Duology #1
Keeper
When a 200-year-old witch attacks her, sixteen-year-old bookworm Lainey Styles is determined to find a logical explanation. Even with the impossible staring her in the face, Lainey refuses to believe it—until she finds a photograph linking the witch to her dead mother.
After consulting a psychic, Lainey discovers that she, like her mother, is a Keeper: a witch with the exclusive ability to unlock and wield the Grimoire, a dangerous but powerful spell book. But there’s a problem. The Grimoire has been stolen by a malevolent warlock who is desperate for a spell locked inside it—a spell that would allow him to siphon away the world’s magic.
With the help of her comic-book-loving best friend and an enigmatic but admittedly handsome street fighter, Lainey must leave her life of college prep and studying behind to prepare for the biggest test of all: stealing back the book.
After consulting a psychic, Lainey discovers that she, like her mother, is a Keeper: a witch with the exclusive ability to unlock and wield the Grimoire, a dangerous but powerful spell book. But there’s a problem. The Grimoire has been stolen by a malevolent warlock who is desperate for a spell locked inside it—a spell that would allow him to siphon away the world’s magic.
With the help of her comic-book-loving best friend and an enigmatic but admittedly handsome street fighter, Lainey must leave her life of college prep and studying behind to prepare for the biggest test of all: stealing back the book.
408 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 2018
About the author
Kim Chance
3 books675 followersKim Chance is an English teacher from Alabama, currently residing in Michigan with her husband and three children. When not writing, Kim enjoys spending time with her family and two crazy dogs, binge-watching Netflix, fangirling over books, and making death-by-cheese casseroles.
Connect with Kim on:
Twitter: @kimwritesbooks
Instagram: @kimwritesbooks,
Facebook: @kimwritesbooks
Website: www.kimchance.com
Connect with Kim on:
Twitter: @kimwritesbooks
Instagram: @kimwritesbooks,
Facebook: @kimwritesbooks
Website: www.kimchance.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 381 reviews
December 2, 2017
Holy guacamole - those ending plot twists!
This was a fun book - and wow that last 30% was a wild ride! But before I get into all that, I just wanted to give a shoutout to the author!
First of all, thank you, Kim, for the opportunity to read the ARC! For those of you who don't know, Kim has a writing channel on youtube full of awesome writing & craft advice - and I highly recommend checking it out of you're an aspiring author! Click here to visit!
So basically we have Lainey, a quirky, small-town girl who's goal is literally just to pass her exams. Except, her life suddenly takes a strange turn and she starts to hallucinate visions of a girl named Josephine. With no explanation, Lainey starts to search for answers with her best friend Maggie and a cute street fighter, and ends up unveiling a hoard of secrets about her heritage & past.
I don't want to spoil anything because each revelation was exciting and I say just dive in. Its a quick and easy read!
But to hold you over, here's a list of highlights (and reasons to read the book!)
-Really fun twists. Just when you think you know everything, you're going to get hit over the head. And you'll love it. Literally until the end.
-Strong female best-friendship that passes the Bechdel test! (Also Maggie is a riot!)
-Lots of superhero references!
-Josephine POV - those were my favorite!
-Smol street fighter
-The last 30% was explosive!
-lots of cool creatures like faeries/etc
-I lowkey loved the villain dynamic with the Master - I even wish we had more time with him! (Future novel, maybe?)
-I keep saying it but the end was awesome!
Basically, we really need a sequel. This book could stand on its own but there are too many interesting dynamics left open. Agh I can't say anything specific but certain characters that are introduced at the very end - I am REALLY eager to get to know them - and a certain *thing* about a certain prevalent someone they left behind *ahem* I need to see how that plays out because I loved that.
My Blog ~ Instagram ~ Twitter ~ Etsy
This was a fun book - and wow that last 30% was a wild ride! But before I get into all that, I just wanted to give a shoutout to the author!
First of all, thank you, Kim, for the opportunity to read the ARC! For those of you who don't know, Kim has a writing channel on youtube full of awesome writing & craft advice - and I highly recommend checking it out of you're an aspiring author! Click here to visit!
So basically we have Lainey, a quirky, small-town girl who's goal is literally just to pass her exams. Except, her life suddenly takes a strange turn and she starts to hallucinate visions of a girl named Josephine. With no explanation, Lainey starts to search for answers with her best friend Maggie and a cute street fighter, and ends up unveiling a hoard of secrets about her heritage & past.
I don't want to spoil anything because each revelation was exciting and I say just dive in. Its a quick and easy read!
But to hold you over, here's a list of highlights (and reasons to read the book!)
-Really fun twists. Just when you think you know everything, you're going to get hit over the head. And you'll love it. Literally until the end.
-Strong female best-friendship that passes the Bechdel test! (Also Maggie is a riot!)
-Lots of superhero references!
-Josephine POV - those were my favorite!
-Smol street fighter
-The last 30% was explosive!
-lots of cool creatures like faeries/etc
-I lowkey loved the villain dynamic with the Master - I even wish we had more time with him! (Future novel, maybe?)
-I keep saying it but the end was awesome!
Basically, we really need a sequel. This book could stand on its own but there are too many interesting dynamics left open. Agh I can't say anything specific but certain characters that are introduced at the very end - I am REALLY eager to get to know them - and a certain *thing* about a certain prevalent someone they left behind *ahem* I need to see how that plays out because I loved that.
My Blog ~ Instagram ~ Twitter ~ Etsy
Read
January 29, 2018KEEPER will officially be out in the world on January 30th, 2018!
I am so beyond excited to share this book with all of you! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Lainey, Maggie, and Ty are so near and dear to my heart and may they be as good a friend to you as they always are to me!
Happy Reading and remember...Magic always leaves a mark!
I am so beyond excited to share this book with all of you! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Lainey, Maggie, and Ty are so near and dear to my heart and may they be as good a friend to you as they always are to me!
Happy Reading and remember...Magic always leaves a mark!
![Profile Image for Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1646942374i/66224803._UX200_CR0,46,200,200_.jpg)
November 28, 2017
I’m a little bit disappointed. I thought this would be an amazing-book-explosion💥, but it was just a spark✨.
Maybe I’m too old for this book. 🤷🏻♀️
„You’re a witch, Lainey.“ 🧙🏻♀️ (did this line really appear in this book? 🤷🏻♀️😉)
Story ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Being rescued by a hot guy in a comic shop? Really cool. 😍
Being attacked by a girl covered in blood looking like yourself? Not cool. Absolutely not cool.😱
Changing time because you slept a little too much? Awesome. 😆
Having flashbacks and nightmares about the girl who attacked you? No, no absolutely not cool. 😨
Lets say this book is full of strange decisions, (not always surprising) disclosures and weird teeny love.
Characters ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lainey is a smart, fact-driven girl, whose curious and still careful. I liked that she was really close to her best friend and to her family (which consist of her uncle and his seer girlfriend).
But I’m a little conflicted with her. She says she never cries, but then she cries a lot. She says she is smart, but sometimes makes really stupid decisions (like going to a dark part of a cemetery - alone). 😒😩
The rest of the characters were a little plain, next to Lainey (but she is the main character after all).
Ah, I totally forgot Ty. Just joking. Let’s see...
✅ strong
✅ handsome
✅ knows how to fight
✅ mystery background
✅ always appearing everywhere Lainey is
✅ wants to protect her
Yeah, we have a cliche here. 👏🏻
World ⭐️⭐️⭐️
There are powerful Witches fighting against a Master, which seeks for power since centuries.
Even though I like witches and all books involving witches I was a little bit disappointed from this world.
It was strange. Not in a good way.
I mean one time she used magic by saying “I’m a witch” over and over again.
Sorry, how stupid is that?
But the rest was okay, I guess.
Relationships ⭐️⭐️⭐️
How to fall for a guy really fast:
1. See hot guy 🧑🏻
2. Fall in love 😍🤤
But I loved Maggie’s and Laineys friendship.
👩🏻👩🏻❤️
Writing style ⭐️⭐️⭐️
It was nice, sometimes funny which made it a little bit more enjoyable.
Maybe I’m too old for this book. 🤷🏻♀️
„You’re a witch, Lainey.“ 🧙🏻♀️ (did this line really appear in this book? 🤷🏻♀️😉)
Story ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Being rescued by a hot guy in a comic shop? Really cool. 😍
Being attacked by a girl covered in blood looking like yourself? Not cool. Absolutely not cool.😱
Changing time because you slept a little too much? Awesome. 😆
Having flashbacks and nightmares about the girl who attacked you? No, no absolutely not cool. 😨
Lets say this book is full of strange decisions, (not always surprising) disclosures and weird teeny love.
Characters ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lainey is a smart, fact-driven girl, whose curious and still careful. I liked that she was really close to her best friend and to her family (which consist of her uncle and his seer girlfriend).
But I’m a little conflicted with her. She says she never cries, but then she cries a lot. She says she is smart, but sometimes makes really stupid decisions (like going to a dark part of a cemetery - alone). 😒😩
The rest of the characters were a little plain, next to Lainey (but she is the main character after all).
Ah, I totally forgot Ty. Just joking. Let’s see...
✅ strong
✅ handsome
✅ knows how to fight
✅ mystery background
✅ always appearing everywhere Lainey is
✅ wants to protect her
Yeah, we have a cliche here. 👏🏻
World ⭐️⭐️⭐️
There are powerful Witches fighting against a Master, which seeks for power since centuries.
Even though I like witches and all books involving witches I was a little bit disappointed from this world.
It was strange. Not in a good way.
I mean one time she used magic by saying “I’m a witch” over and over again.
Sorry, how stupid is that?
But the rest was okay, I guess.
Relationships ⭐️⭐️⭐️
How to fall for a guy really fast:
1. See hot guy 🧑🏻
2. Fall in love 😍🤤
But I loved Maggie’s and Laineys friendship.
👩🏻👩🏻❤️
Writing style ⭐️⭐️⭐️
It was nice, sometimes funny which made it a little bit more enjoyable.
September 17, 2020
This reminds me a lot of Cassandra Clare’s first books. The story is very interesting and something that is unique and will draw you in, but the writing is young and the characters are a little weak. Her writing was aimed for young adults but the way it was written seemed to be towards a younger audience. With that said, I have high hopes for Kim Chance because Cassandra Clare has become such an amazing author and weaver of stories and has become one of my favorite authors to obsess over.
There are a lot of pop-culture references in this book. I’m talking comic book stories, television shows, and literally anything else you can nerd-out about. I’m a professional nerd, so it was easy to breeze through for me; but for some people, it might be confusing.
We have a teenage girl who has unexpected things happen to her and a past she wasn’t aware of. We have a mysterious boy who seems to be a street fighter and somehow involved in all of it. We have a quirky best friend who is willing to do anything and everything to help the main heroine. And we have The Master, who is the big bad and someone you do not want to mess with.
There are a lot of supernatural creatures and humanoids in this, and it was really fun to see how all of that was woven into the story. I really did enjoy this book, but it might have been too young for someone in their mid-twenties. I’ll probably pick up the next book because I see Chance as someone who is just now growing into the writer she is going to be. Plus, if this story is any indicator of the story-teller she is, then I am eager to see what else her brain is holding!
---
ARC, 12% | This has a lot of pop-references. Like comic books, superheroes, Lord of the Rings and Supernatural... thankfully, I got an “A” in nerd and I’m following along smoothly.
There are a lot of pop-culture references in this book. I’m talking comic book stories, television shows, and literally anything else you can nerd-out about. I’m a professional nerd, so it was easy to breeze through for me; but for some people, it might be confusing.
We have a teenage girl who has unexpected things happen to her and a past she wasn’t aware of. We have a mysterious boy who seems to be a street fighter and somehow involved in all of it. We have a quirky best friend who is willing to do anything and everything to help the main heroine. And we have The Master, who is the big bad and someone you do not want to mess with.
There are a lot of supernatural creatures and humanoids in this, and it was really fun to see how all of that was woven into the story. I really did enjoy this book, but it might have been too young for someone in their mid-twenties. I’ll probably pick up the next book because I see Chance as someone who is just now growing into the writer she is going to be. Plus, if this story is any indicator of the story-teller she is, then I am eager to see what else her brain is holding!
---
ARC, 12% | This has a lot of pop-references. Like comic books, superheroes, Lord of the Rings and Supernatural... thankfully, I got an “A” in nerd and I’m following along smoothly.
December 11, 2017
Thanks to netgalley for providing me with this arc
Am actually suprised but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a fascinating and intriguing read, despite the fact that there's nothing specifically special about this book.
There were lots of tropes used by the author that is usually found in other YA books/ movies such as;
A. Her not knowing she had powers
B. Her parents are dead
C. She's a bookworm
D. The fact that she got her powers at seventeen(and yes am still sore that I got no powers on my birthday, it's so unfair that she did).
These may seem like some factors found in a disney movie or a 90’s urban fantasy/paranormal tv show which it is but I have to admit, the author used these tropes in a very refreshing way, which made the book seem even more original. It is often said that using tropes in a book in not the problem but rather the way an author uses it.
From the cover, the book does seem like a book set in the 1800’s. Imagine my suprise when I discovered that it was an urban fantasy/paranormal book but this fact did not ruin my reading experience in any way.
The characters created by the author were unique in a way. I was so happy when the “guy” was not a total jerk, I would've have been annoyed if he was.
Maggie’s character is one I loved very much, she was different and weird and very entertaining.
Lainey came off as whiny sometimes, but am so glad her character became more developed, even if wasn’t that much. I feel like authors use the whole bookworm trope to make the character more relatable but in this case I didn't find her that much relatable.
And I actually really liked Ty
If you're one that loves YA or looking for something entertaining/a fast read then this book is for you.
Am actually suprised but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a fascinating and intriguing read, despite the fact that there's nothing specifically special about this book.
There were lots of tropes used by the author that is usually found in other YA books/ movies such as;
A. Her not knowing she had powers
B. Her parents are dead
C. She's a bookworm
D. The fact that she got her powers at seventeen(and yes am still sore that I got no powers on my birthday, it's so unfair that she did).
These may seem like some factors found in a disney movie or a 90’s urban fantasy/paranormal tv show which it is but I have to admit, the author used these tropes in a very refreshing way, which made the book seem even more original. It is often said that using tropes in a book in not the problem but rather the way an author uses it.
From the cover, the book does seem like a book set in the 1800’s. Imagine my suprise when I discovered that it was an urban fantasy/paranormal book but this fact did not ruin my reading experience in any way.
The characters created by the author were unique in a way. I was so happy when the “guy” was not a total jerk, I would've have been annoyed if he was.
Maggie’s character is one I loved very much, she was different and weird and very entertaining.
Lainey came off as whiny sometimes, but am so glad her character became more developed, even if wasn’t that much. I feel like authors use the whole bookworm trope to make the character more relatable but in this case I didn't find her that much relatable.
And I actually really liked Ty
If you're one that loves YA or looking for something entertaining/a fast read then this book is for you.
January 3, 2018
I received this copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’m not saying that I didn’t enjoy, but I felt that something is missing.
The story line is not bad but at the same time its not excellent either.
I love Maggie better than Lainey and their friendship is beyond my imagination where Maggie would do anything for her best-friend. She is also a huge fan of comic books and always tries to relate the situation for a comic book characters.
I was little annoyed when Lianey kept saying “I’m a witch”, “I’m a witch” over and over again to make sure she was familiar with what she was now.
I like Ty too. He is a street fighter and was able to draw Lainey’s attention towards him and his action at the end of the story made me feel sorry for Lainey.
And I think Josephine should have told Lainey everything about her family history instead of just appearing randomly and saying lainey’s name continuously.
I would like to recommend this book who would love supernatural and fantasy.
And I hope there will be at least another book to end this story properly.
I’m not saying that I didn’t enjoy, but I felt that something is missing.
The story line is not bad but at the same time its not excellent either.
I love Maggie better than Lainey and their friendship is beyond my imagination where Maggie would do anything for her best-friend. She is also a huge fan of comic books and always tries to relate the situation for a comic book characters.
I was little annoyed when Lianey kept saying “I’m a witch”, “I’m a witch” over and over again to make sure she was familiar with what she was now.
I like Ty too. He is a street fighter and was able to draw Lainey’s attention towards him and his action at the end of the story made me feel sorry for Lainey.
And I think Josephine should have told Lainey everything about her family history instead of just appearing randomly and saying lainey’s name continuously.
I would like to recommend this book who would love supernatural and fantasy.
And I hope there will be at least another book to end this story properly.
March 4, 2018
This book was FANTASTIC, and seeing as it’s Kim’s debut only makes it more so! Fast-paced and charming, I found myself flipping the pages, yearning for more of this world. I loved the pop culture references (seeing as I’m a superhero fan and nerd myself), and found myself laughing along with the characters during some of the dialogue - another one of the many aspects I loved about this novel! There were a couple of plot twists I did not see coming AT ALL, and made the book that much more enjoyable to read. Stunning debut with relatable characters and action-packed chapters - what’s not to love?!
Read
June 3, 2017Houston, we have lift off! Roger that...
RELEASE DATE: 01/30/2018
RELEASE DATE: 01/30/2018
May 22, 2019
First read: 11/2017
Second read: 05/2019
Re-read this before picking up book #2... The review, however, still holds:
Despite this book having a very young adult feel to it, mainly due to the writing and the dialogues, I was positively surprised by how much I ended up enjoying it.
Things that really worked for me:
• Those great, lovable characters
• That adorable and precious friendship between the protagonist and her BFF
• The intriguing plot and world building
• The action sequences
• The tragedies
• The ending
Things I didn't love:
• Sometimes drawn-out writing
• The flashbacks (though that's just me - I don't like flashbacks, no matter how important they are for the storyline)
This was exciting and original. Can't wait to get my hands on the sequel.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 24, 2017
3.5 stars
I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange of an honest review
This was actually pretty good.
I mean I went into this with EXTREMELY low expectations, but it was actually really good???
I am glad I requested this book tbh.
I’m glad I gave Kim Chance
a
chance.
I’m sorry I’ll show myself out now
I honestly don’t even know how to write this review without any spoilers lmao.
Now. Firstly.
That synopsis does not do this book any justice.
I mean when I read it for the first time, I presumed it was cliche, because “Even with the impossible staring her in the face, Lainey refuses to believe it” was a line in it, and honestly I hate that situation in a book where the MC is so naive as to not believe what is literally in front of her.
But thankfully that didn’t actually happen, instead Lainey believed it pretty quickly.
Secondly.
Dont focus on my rating.
I know, i know I almost never love books I give 3 stars to, and my 3 star review mostly consists of a single “eh”, but I only gave this book 3 stars because the beginning was not that good, I mean that IS partially the reason why it took me a million years to continue this,
but
really
this book is REALLY good
Which brings me to the topic that the beginning wasn’t all that good.
The bad or slightly bad, I dont know
o The mind-mouth filter thing in the first chapter pissed me off, also it came off as kind of cliche. It felt like the story wasn’t flowing smoothly and instead was a little all over the place.
And the moment when her uncle says
it felt like the author was trying too hard. I mean that kind of thing never happens, no kid asks for encyclopedias on their birthday,
unless they’re the spawn of the devil
then I dont know what they do
o Also their was a factor that pissed me off A LOT, which was that Maggie says swear words like "Holy Crapkittens” or “Holy shitkittens”
I mean
I’m no expert or anything
but I’m pretty sure no 17 year old uses that
also Lainey used “Holy Gravy” and I’m pretty sure the only teenager who ever said that was hannah montana.
It would be way better if the word “kittens” was just? not? involved? in a swear word?like, “Holy crap” is enough in itself.
o Another reason for me giving it less stars was that the romance didn’t develop and a part in the ending involving the pairing I’m trying so hard not to give spoilers, im sweating felt a bit off.
I mean if you’ve read it you’ll understand what I mean
y’know that thing that happens in the last chapters.
I’m so bad at this
o I think that the world development might need a little more work since there were parts that were certainly a bit off
like if there is one thing I dont understand, it is that why does Lainey not inquire about the world of the supernaturals, I mean i know the author told us about the council and all, and the master and all, but if I were Lainey, I personally would ask more questions.
o Other than that, the writing didn’t feel as compelling in certain parts as it did in others.
I think thats about the only bad parts in this book
The Good
Overall, I love this book so much, like sure I didnt cry in moments that were meant to make me cry, but I mean it would help if I wasnt an emotionless robot, but I still loved the plot line.
Admittedly the plot line isn’t something I haven’t seen before either, but the execution was A+++. that is what mainly made me like this book.
Also Maggie’s character is the first accurate description I’ve seen of a person in a fandom when they face a situation like this as the supporting character.
And how she reacts to the….stuff….. in the ending about……stuff….. is how I would react 1000000% I hate not giving spoilers
ALSO I LOVED THAT PART WHERE UM (i hope this isnt a spoiler) LAINEY SEES LIKE ISH FROM THE PREVIOUS KEEPERS, LIKE MY HEART COULDN’T HANDLE THAT PART.
The writing style was good for a debut novel, I mean I personally like more descriptive books, but for the majority of the population this can be a fun, light and quick read, that can still manage to bring out some emotions from their emotionless hearts.
I mean, i personally almost never like “light and quick” reads, but y’all know that I liked this.
The characters were all very loveable and I don’t think I hated anyone in this (yes not even the master) there were plot twists that made me scream at the book at times because I liked them even though I saw through all of them.
So i’d say overall this book was really enjoyable and I cant wait to read the next book.
I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange of an honest review
This was actually pretty good.
I mean I went into this with EXTREMELY low expectations, but it was actually really good???
I am glad I requested this book tbh.
I’m glad I gave Kim Chance
a
chance.
I honestly don’t even know how to write this review without any spoilers lmao.
Now. Firstly.
That synopsis does not do this book any justice.
I mean when I read it for the first time, I presumed it was cliche, because “Even with the impossible staring her in the face, Lainey refuses to believe it” was a line in it, and honestly I hate that situation in a book where the MC is so naive as to not believe what is literally in front of her.
But thankfully that didn’t actually happen, instead Lainey believed it pretty quickly.
Secondly.
Dont focus on my rating.
I know, i know I almost never love books I give 3 stars to, and my 3 star review mostly consists of a single “eh”, but I only gave this book 3 stars because the beginning was not that good, I mean that IS partially the reason why it took me a million years to continue this,
but
really
this book is REALLY good
Which brings me to the topic that the beginning wasn’t all that good.
The bad
o The mind-mouth filter thing in the first chapter pissed me off, also it came off as kind of cliche. It felt like the story wasn’t flowing smoothly and instead was a little all over the place.
And the moment when her uncle says
" You asked for a dictionary and a set of encyclopedias for your eighth birthday. I’m pretty sure you’re gonna kill it.
it felt like the author was trying too hard. I mean that kind of thing never happens, no kid asks for encyclopedias on their birthday,
then I dont know what they do
o Also their was a factor that pissed me off A LOT, which was that Maggie says swear words like "Holy Crapkittens” or “Holy shitkittens”
I mean
I’m no expert or anything
but I’m pretty sure no 17 year old uses that
also Lainey used “Holy Gravy” and I’m pretty sure the only teenager who ever said that was hannah montana.
It would be way better if the word “kittens” was just? not? involved? in a swear word?like, “Holy crap” is enough in itself.
o Another reason for me giving it less stars was that the romance didn’t develop and a part in the ending involving the pairing
I mean if you’ve read it you’ll understand what I mean
y’know that thing that happens in the last chapters.
o I think that the world development might need a little more work since there were parts that were certainly a bit off
like if there is one thing I dont understand, it is that why does Lainey not inquire about the world of the supernaturals, I mean i know the author told us about the council and all, and the master and all, but if I were Lainey, I personally would ask more questions.
o Other than that, the writing didn’t feel as compelling in certain parts as it did in others.
I think thats about the only bad parts in this book
The Good
Overall, I love this book so much, like sure I didnt cry in moments that were meant to make me cry,
Admittedly the plot line isn’t something I haven’t seen before either, but the execution was A+++. that is what mainly made me like this book.
Also Maggie’s character is the first accurate description I’ve seen of a person in a fandom when they face a situation like this as the supporting character.
And how she reacts to the….stuff….. in the ending about……stuff….. is how I would react 1000000%
ALSO I LOVED THAT PART WHERE UM (i hope this isnt a spoiler) LAINEY SEES LIKE ISH FROM THE PREVIOUS KEEPERS, LIKE MY HEART COULDN’T HANDLE THAT PART.
The writing style was good for a debut novel, I mean I personally like more descriptive books, but for the majority of the population this can be a fun, light and quick read, that can still manage to bring out some emotions from their emotionless hearts.
I mean, i personally almost never like “light and quick” reads, but y’all know that I liked this.
The characters were all very loveable and I don’t think I hated anyone in this (yes not even the master) there were plot twists that made me scream at the book at times because I liked them even though I saw through all of them.
So i’d say overall this book was really enjoyable and I cant wait to read the next book.
October 16, 2017
ARC received in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.
Actual rating: 4.5
While I found the blurb interesting enough to request an ARC I didn't expect to enjoy Keeper as much as I did. Generally I find it hard to connect with young adult characters (I guess I'm too old for it) so what I really wanted was to see how the story would be told.
What I got instead was a set of very likeable and surprisingly relatable characters. Lainey reminds me so much of myself when I was her age with her dreams of being a scientist and her desire for the escape that a science career can provide. She's mostly logical and doesn't have the usual for teen characters TSTL moments. When I say mostly I don't mean it as a critique because no one acts totally logical all the time and if that was the case it would have been off putting. She acts like a real teenagaer, not some stereotype of one. That alone was reason enough for me to give a high rating. Add to it the adorable comic-reading sidekick Maggie (I loved every single geek comment!) and I was hooked! It was Maggie that made me feel like I'm just hanging out with my own RL friends and it helped me get emotionally involved in the story.
The story itself is engaging and decently told, though I managed to figure out most of the plotlines from the start, including the plot twist at the end. I even have some theories on what really happened and as a result I'm looking forward to the sequel (yes, yes I know this book isn't even published yet and I'm blabbing on for the second instalment but hey you can't blame me the story did get it's hooks into me!). With books like this one, when a lot of the plot is obvious from early on, the way the story is told becomes the most important part and I really enjoyed Kim Chance storytelling.
If you enjoy YA I would recommend you give Keeper a try but do not expect a light read, nor brainless characters. Don't expect something brilliant either. If you generally dislike YA it's a toss whether you'll like this book or not. I guess it would depend on your general mood and what you've read just prior to picking the Keeper ( I read a couple of books with one of the most TSTL characters ever so the bar was really low). Still if you want to remember what it was like to be a teen but with a paranormal twist do give it a try.
Actual rating: 4.5
While I found the blurb interesting enough to request an ARC I didn't expect to enjoy Keeper as much as I did. Generally I find it hard to connect with young adult characters (I guess I'm too old for it) so what I really wanted was to see how the story would be told.
What I got instead was a set of very likeable and surprisingly relatable characters. Lainey reminds me so much of myself when I was her age with her dreams of being a scientist and her desire for the escape that a science career can provide. She's mostly logical and doesn't have the usual for teen characters TSTL moments. When I say mostly I don't mean it as a critique because no one acts totally logical all the time and if that was the case it would have been off putting. She acts like a real teenagaer, not some stereotype of one. That alone was reason enough for me to give a high rating. Add to it the adorable comic-reading sidekick Maggie (I loved every single geek comment!) and I was hooked! It was Maggie that made me feel like I'm just hanging out with my own RL friends and it helped me get emotionally involved in the story.
The story itself is engaging and decently told, though I managed to figure out most of the plotlines from the start, including the plot twist at the end. I even have some theories on what really happened and as a result I'm looking forward to the sequel (yes, yes I know this book isn't even published yet and I'm blabbing on for the second instalment but hey you can't blame me the story did get it's hooks into me!). With books like this one, when a lot of the plot is obvious from early on, the way the story is told becomes the most important part and I really enjoyed Kim Chance storytelling.
If you enjoy YA I would recommend you give Keeper a try but do not expect a light read, nor brainless characters. Don't expect something brilliant either. If you generally dislike YA it's a toss whether you'll like this book or not. I guess it would depend on your general mood and what you've read just prior to picking the Keeper ( I read a couple of books with one of the most TSTL characters ever so the bar was really low). Still if you want to remember what it was like to be a teen but with a paranormal twist do give it a try.
October 8, 2017
I devoured Keeper in one sitting, letting go of any reservation that this was a paranormal story which was mostly what I read in 201, and instead of thinking 'oh no, this is exactly like this book' I let myself be transported to when I first discovered YA and read romances like 'Hush, Hush', 'Fallen' and 'Beautiful Creatures.'
Keeper is a nostalgic YA mash-up. It feels a little odd to be reading it in 2017 because my reading tastes have changed so much, but you all know I'm a sucker for witches, I love Kim's YouTube channel and I wanted to support the book. It's a little trope-y but the secondary characters leap of the page and the ending definitely has me invested in a potential sequel. Thinking too critically would definitely spoil my enjoyment of it, so I tried to ignore the romance entirely and focus on the 'discovering new worlds' element, which was incredibly well-paced to begin with , but I think things got a little out of control by the end.
If you too are feeling like you want to re-experience your old reading tastes without having to re-read and potentially change your opinion on an old favourite, then Keeper is perfect for you. Alternatively, if you're new to the supernatural genre, then Keeper could be your new favourite!
Keeper is a nostalgic YA mash-up. It feels a little odd to be reading it in 2017 because my reading tastes have changed so much, but you all know I'm a sucker for witches, I love Kim's YouTube channel and I wanted to support the book. It's a little trope-y but the secondary characters leap of the page and the ending definitely has me invested in a potential sequel. Thinking too critically would definitely spoil my enjoyment of it, so I tried to ignore the romance entirely and focus on the 'discovering new worlds' element, which was incredibly well-paced to begin with , but I think things got a little out of control by the end.
If you too are feeling like you want to re-experience your old reading tastes without having to re-read and potentially change your opinion on an old favourite, then Keeper is perfect for you. Alternatively, if you're new to the supernatural genre, then Keeper could be your new favourite!
October 21, 2017
I received this Arc from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
'Magic always leaves a mark'
A witch, a street fighter, a comic book loving best friend, and a Lord Voldemort like Villian, YESSS! As soon as I read the synopsis for Keeper, I knew I had to request it right away and thankfully I got approved for it. Although this novel won't be released until 30th Jan 2018, I'm glad I got a chance to review it for you guys. Being Kim Chance's debut novel I was a little skeptical, only because I have read so many supernatural types books that I wasn't sure if it was going to be too YA clique and predictable for me, even if the synopsis alone did draw me in. I'll tell you now, I loved it! and the cover is to die for! I am already waiting anxiously for the next book, although it probably won't be out till 2019 I'm guessing.
Lainey Style is your typical 16-year-old girl, hangs out with her best friend Maggie, trying to work out her future and studying hard to pass her SATs. It's not until Lainey is attacked by an oddly dressed woman covered in blood, that only she can see, does her life change forever. Turning to a psychic to find out about the women she has been seeing does Lainey discover the truth about who she is- A descendant of the DuCarmont bloodline, a powerful witch, who like her mother before her is known as a Keeper: a witch with the ability to unlock and wield the Grimoire, a dangerous but powerful spell book. The only problem is the DuCarmont's Grimoire has been stolen by a dark, almost immortal warlock known to his followers as 'The Master', who wants the power of the Grimoire to steal the worlds magic and make himself more powerful. Lainey being the key to wield the Grimoire now has a target on her back, no being able to control her powers will draw 'the Master' followers to her. With the help of her best friend and a gorgeous charming street fighter, Lainey must find a way to get the Grimoire back, while protecting those she loves and keeping out of reach of 'the Master'.
The writing was well done for a debut novel, it wasn't overly descriptive, but at times it was beautiful and painted a clear image in your head.
Besides the Supernatural aspect, the twists and turns along the way are what made me love this world, as well as the tons of pop culture references provided to us through the comic book loving friend Maggie. The secrets revealed, and the flashes of what 'the Master' has done also really drew me in. Plus hello, magic!
The characters themselves were well written and most importantly I connected with them.
My favorite character would have to be Maggie, she was full of sass and exactly what a best friend should be- encouraging, loyal, strong and smart. Although she is human, she won me over with her pop culture references especially when she mentioned 'Supernatural' and 'Harry Potter'.
Lainey was also a well-thought-out character, although at times she has some anxiety and struggles to adapt to what her life becomes, I mean who wouldn't, she is determined, caring and full of heart. Her character development really shows in the novel, and I can definitely see her changing more as the next book is released.
"What? I’ve been marathoning Supernatural. There was this one episode where Sam and Dean—"
"Wait. Supernatural? Seriously, Mags?"
"God, Styles, if you get your Hogwarts letter before me, I'm gonna be so pissed!"
The Supernaturals, we have Lycans, Fae, Elementals, Witches, Shifters, Seers, Skippers (can teleport), Praeotrian (guardians).
We also have Scavengers, who are from all the different species who hunt in exchange for money, for 'the Master'. They are considered traitors and they hunt those who use large amounts of magic, alerting 'the Master' who sends the Guard.
The Guard are people you don't want to mess with, they are violent and cruel, and will do anything to bring magic users to the Master. Noone can be more powerful than him, and anyone who shows that they might pose a threat is quickly taken care of.
Then there is the Hetaeria, a group of supernatural representatives from each faction who keep the balance. They were formed after a bloody war and were sworn never to let anything like that happen again, they set laws to ensure no faction had more power than another but were overthrown by 'The Master' or Emmett Masterson as he was called then.
In all this world isn't exactly unique but the different aspects of the world are. The different factions, the Guard, the Scavengers, the Hetaeria, as well as the characters- they added what the story needed for it to be unique and its own. The characters are lovable and easy to connect with, and the twists will leave you speechless at times, especially as more and more are revealed. I don't have anything negative to say about this book, I think for a first book and one that will obviously continue by that ending, I think it made a strong start and I cannot wait to see where the story and the characters go.
Kim Chance did a wonder here, as I struggle at times to enjoy supernatural based books, mainly because there are just so many out there now. I think this is a little gem that many will love!
My rating is based on the fact I have no negative points, it was overall an awesome reading experience and it will be going into my 'favorites' list.
"History is full of people like the Master, people determined to destroy and dominate for no real reason"
Recommended for lovers of : Fantasy/ YA/Supernatural
May 4, 2017
I read a pre-published draft of KEEPER and this book is everything you could want in a contemporary fantasy with Southern Gothic and historical undertones. I absolutely loved the way the author blended the past with the present and KEEPER has so much to swoon over—from its hauntingly beautiful setting, to the world-building, the magic, the female friendship, the elusive love interest, and the intense struggle the main character faces when her carefully planned life runs smack into a new reality—all the hooks are there. I have no doubts KEEPER is going to be a huge, and well-deserved, hit!
January 12, 2018
You can also find this review on my blog here.
Release date: January 30th, 2018
This is a book i went into with few expectations but nothing too dramatic as it is a debut novel and i haven’t read a book about witches in a very long time. I feel kind of on the edge about my overall fondness of the book because I’m left with a lot of questions. The main one being, how it ends in a way that makes you think there should be another but as far as i know it’s a stand alone. Strange, however, I’m going to view it as a stand-alone.
Kim Chance is a very direct kind of writer. This makes for a very clear and easy read, that overall only took me about 4 hours to finish. I like that it was so quick but it also felt like there was just so much skipped over to get to the “big reveal” at the halfway mark, and i really just wanted more. The writing itself is very capturing but there just wasn’t enough of it!
Many chapters end with our main character, Lainey going somewhere and then the next chapter starts up days or hours later and you miss out on a lot of scenes. For instance, when Lainey is about to go for a walk with this guy – chapter ends, next one begins – now they’re somewhere else and the whole walk was skipped over. Like i wanted to know what they talked about, come on!!
The characters were well executed and i tended to like everyone that was in the book, even some that you’re not exactly supposed to like. We have Maggie, the nerdy, comic book girl who is extremely lovable and an amazing friend. Ty, the dark mysterious new guy that you just want to know more about. Gareth and Serena, are Lainey’s parental guardians. And then we have Lainey, our main character.
Lainey is a character who i instantly loved. She was smart, into science and a bit of a coward but it added to her character. We get to see her through a lot of life struggles and teenage problems that she’s trying to work through and I totally connected with her. Basically, she also has to find logic and reason in things, so when the illogical starts to happen and she cant find a way to explain things, she freaks out and ends up crying… a lot (which didn’t really bother me too much because again, that’s who her character is). However, as the book comes to about the halfway point and she decides to accept the illogical as fact, that she is a witch, she does a 180 and turns into this strong, badass who is willing to put her life on the line for her loved ones, and comes up with a plan that is so incredibly stupid (not at all what the girl at the beginning of the book would have done) and she just ended up falling out of favour with me. I really don’t like it when characters change to “fit” the storyline and don’t stick to their original personality traits. It’s not even like months went by and she had training and time to get a grasp on this new reality and then changed. No, it was literally about 3 days.
So, this is where my biggest disappointment with the book lies. Because it was a fascinating story with great characters facing some pretty heavy shit. I really did enjoy it, and unfortunately, it ended up not turning out the way I’d have liked it too.
I am however giving this book a three-star rating because the first 50% was really cool, and i liked that story. If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t care very much about the main character development in a book then this is a really good book, but if you’re like me and the main character plays a big role in your overall enjoyment, then it may not be for you.
Thank you to Flux Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Release date: January 30th, 2018
This is a book i went into with few expectations but nothing too dramatic as it is a debut novel and i haven’t read a book about witches in a very long time. I feel kind of on the edge about my overall fondness of the book because I’m left with a lot of questions. The main one being, how it ends in a way that makes you think there should be another but as far as i know it’s a stand alone. Strange, however, I’m going to view it as a stand-alone.
Kim Chance is a very direct kind of writer. This makes for a very clear and easy read, that overall only took me about 4 hours to finish. I like that it was so quick but it also felt like there was just so much skipped over to get to the “big reveal” at the halfway mark, and i really just wanted more. The writing itself is very capturing but there just wasn’t enough of it!
Many chapters end with our main character, Lainey going somewhere and then the next chapter starts up days or hours later and you miss out on a lot of scenes. For instance, when Lainey is about to go for a walk with this guy – chapter ends, next one begins – now they’re somewhere else and the whole walk was skipped over. Like i wanted to know what they talked about, come on!!
The characters were well executed and i tended to like everyone that was in the book, even some that you’re not exactly supposed to like. We have Maggie, the nerdy, comic book girl who is extremely lovable and an amazing friend. Ty, the dark mysterious new guy that you just want to know more about. Gareth and Serena, are Lainey’s parental guardians. And then we have Lainey, our main character.
Lainey is a character who i instantly loved. She was smart, into science and a bit of a coward but it added to her character. We get to see her through a lot of life struggles and teenage problems that she’s trying to work through and I totally connected with her. Basically, she also has to find logic and reason in things, so when the illogical starts to happen and she cant find a way to explain things, she freaks out and ends up crying… a lot (which didn’t really bother me too much because again, that’s who her character is). However, as the book comes to about the halfway point and she decides to accept the illogical as fact, that she is a witch, she does a 180 and turns into this strong, badass who is willing to put her life on the line for her loved ones, and comes up with a plan that is so incredibly stupid (not at all what the girl at the beginning of the book would have done) and she just ended up falling out of favour with me. I really don’t like it when characters change to “fit” the storyline and don’t stick to their original personality traits. It’s not even like months went by and she had training and time to get a grasp on this new reality and then changed. No, it was literally about 3 days.
So, this is where my biggest disappointment with the book lies. Because it was a fascinating story with great characters facing some pretty heavy shit. I really did enjoy it, and unfortunately, it ended up not turning out the way I’d have liked it too.
I am however giving this book a three-star rating because the first 50% was really cool, and i liked that story. If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t care very much about the main character development in a book then this is a really good book, but if you’re like me and the main character plays a big role in your overall enjoyment, then it may not be for you.
Thank you to Flux Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 12, 2018
First off I want to start by saying the author of this book is so super sweet and I love being in her street team, and my thoughts toward this book obviously are nothing against her personally! I will continue to help spread the word about this book because even though it wasn’t my cup of tea, I think that there are people who will enjoy it!
Things I liked
- the way the romance played out.
- I liked that the friendship between Maggie and Lainey played a significant role
- The idea of the plot
Things I didn’t like
- tons of cliche kids/ teen book stuff thrown in randomly to make one story, the sensei at the bottom of the hidden room behind the secret passageway bookshelf, and oh my gosh, Lainey’s uncle is a fairy, and Lainey you ARE the grimoire.
- I liked the idea of the plot, but I felt like the writing was very juvenile and was aimed more toward a preteen audience or older kids instead of young adult.
- Maggie’s character annoyed me; I thought she acted like she was 12 rather than 17-18 years old. I also did not like how many pop culture references Maggie made...a few are okay, but basically, every scene Maggie was talking had one shoved in there.
- I felt like the ending was rushed or like you were supposed to feel like Lainey made this big sacrifice for the grimoire by killing the already dead uncle, but that had little to do with her escaping with the grimoire.
Overall Feelings
- I felt like if I was new to the reading world and hadn’t been exposed to a lot of top-notch writers and writing styles I might have liked this book more. Overall I thought the writing was hard to read (it took me three months to read this) but I think a younger audience would enjoy this book more or someone who just doesn’t read as much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2022
I really liked the ghost witch's pov, but that's it. I struggled with the other parts.
Also, it's not this book's fault, it's just something I realized while I was reading it.
I don't mind when contemporary books mention fantasy stories, since it's reality vs. fantasy, but when fantasy books mention other fantasy books/movies like those are not real, but the one I am reading is... it just annoys the fuck out of me.
Also, it's not this book's fault, it's just something I realized while I was reading it.
I don't mind when contemporary books mention fantasy stories, since it's reality vs. fantasy, but when fantasy books mention other fantasy books/movies like those are not real, but the one I am reading is... it just annoys the fuck out of me.
Want to read
September 5, 2017Just got approved for an arc of Keeper!!!
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Yay! Keeper has a cover now :D I can't wait to have this book in my hands.
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Yay! Keeper has a cover now :D I can't wait to have this book in my hands.
September 4, 2017
I received an arc of this novel in exchange for a honest review. Thank you, Netgalley and Flux, for the opportunity!
If that’s not enough to sell you on Kim Chance’s debut novel Keeper, then I don’t know what is.
Keeper is about the sixteen-year-old Lainey, a super ambitious girl with a nerdy best friend who just wants to do good on her SATs. But fate has other plans for her, and she soon discovers that she’s a not-so-normal-girl but a witch… a secret which her uncle has kept from her for the last sixteen years. (If you want to know more about the book, consider reading the official synopsis—it gives away a lot more.)
I’ve been a fan of Kim for over a year, her youtube channel being a constant source of inspiration and optimism for me. It made me all the more excited to receive an arc of her debut novel.
Long story short: I adored Keeper. From the very first page the story pulled me in; I could barely stop reading. Lainey is such a kind and sensitive yet ambitious and witty protagonist and I adored her from the beginning. She seems wise beyond her age sometimes, and I loved seeing her conquer her fears and overcome all the burdens she was confronted with. Her narration of the story was nothing but beautiful, Kim’s writing style being simple yet elegant.
If possible, I loved her best friend Maggie even more! Oftentimes in YA, the best friend is reduced to a one-dimensional sidekick, but that’s not at all the case in Keeper. Maggie is not only present throughout the novel—she accompanies Lainey in both her good and bad times and is the most amazing support system a teenager could wish for. Seriously. I’d like to have a Maggie myself, thank you very much.
The same goes for Ty, the new boy at school who’s all mysterious at the beginning, yet develops to someone far more than the usual love interest. The romance was adorable—but I loved the friendship developing between him and Lainey even more. Kim proves that there’s more to a love interest than a snarky, overly protective guy, and for that I loved her and Keeper even more.
I already mentioned that I practically flew through the book, but holy crapkittens (as Maggie would say), the last chapters were absolutely breathtaking! I literally could not put it down, and every time I thought it couldn’t possibly get any more complicated, Lainey proved me so wrong. (You have no idea!)
The book isn’t flawless—sometimes I felt like the story didn’t quite provide enough answers to the questions asked, that the world building could become even stronger—but friends, for a debut, Keeper is brilliant, far ahead of so many other debuts I’ve read.
There IS a downside, though… the book doesn’t come out until January 2018. I know, I know. I can reassure you, though: I have to wait even longer for the sequel than you do. (And I really, really, REALLY want a sequel right now. That ending!!) And it’s already up for pre-order. So go pre-order, you’ll thank me later.
All in all, Keeper is a touching story about a girl who has to come to terms with the fact that life doesn’t always go as planned; a story about family and friendship and fate that is executed beautifully. I cannot wait for you all to read this.
"What? I’ve been marathoning Supernatural. There was this one episode where Sam and Dean—"
"Wait. Supernatural? Seriously, Mags?"
If that’s not enough to sell you on Kim Chance’s debut novel Keeper, then I don’t know what is.
Keeper is about the sixteen-year-old Lainey, a super ambitious girl with a nerdy best friend who just wants to do good on her SATs. But fate has other plans for her, and she soon discovers that she’s a not-so-normal-girl but a witch… a secret which her uncle has kept from her for the last sixteen years. (If you want to know more about the book, consider reading the official synopsis—it gives away a lot more.)
I’ve been a fan of Kim for over a year, her youtube channel being a constant source of inspiration and optimism for me. It made me all the more excited to receive an arc of her debut novel.
Long story short: I adored Keeper. From the very first page the story pulled me in; I could barely stop reading. Lainey is such a kind and sensitive yet ambitious and witty protagonist and I adored her from the beginning. She seems wise beyond her age sometimes, and I loved seeing her conquer her fears and overcome all the burdens she was confronted with. Her narration of the story was nothing but beautiful, Kim’s writing style being simple yet elegant.
If possible, I loved her best friend Maggie even more! Oftentimes in YA, the best friend is reduced to a one-dimensional sidekick, but that’s not at all the case in Keeper. Maggie is not only present throughout the novel—she accompanies Lainey in both her good and bad times and is the most amazing support system a teenager could wish for. Seriously. I’d like to have a Maggie myself, thank you very much.
The same goes for Ty, the new boy at school who’s all mysterious at the beginning, yet develops to someone far more than the usual love interest. The romance was adorable—but I loved the friendship developing between him and Lainey even more. Kim proves that there’s more to a love interest than a snarky, overly protective guy, and for that I loved her and Keeper even more.
I already mentioned that I practically flew through the book, but holy crapkittens (as Maggie would say), the last chapters were absolutely breathtaking! I literally could not put it down, and every time I thought it couldn’t possibly get any more complicated, Lainey proved me so wrong. (You have no idea!)
The book isn’t flawless—sometimes I felt like the story didn’t quite provide enough answers to the questions asked, that the world building could become even stronger—but friends, for a debut, Keeper is brilliant, far ahead of so many other debuts I’ve read.
There IS a downside, though… the book doesn’t come out until January 2018. I know, I know. I can reassure you, though: I have to wait even longer for the sequel than you do. (And I really, really, REALLY want a sequel right now. That ending!!) And it’s already up for pre-order. So go pre-order, you’ll thank me later.
All in all, Keeper is a touching story about a girl who has to come to terms with the fact that life doesn’t always go as planned; a story about family and friendship and fate that is executed beautifully. I cannot wait for you all to read this.
"A person’s destiny isn’t a concrete certainty. There a people who live their entire lives and never fulfill their true purpose. Free will and choice, you see, are powerful tools of alteration. A simple choice can change everything."
December 12, 2017
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.
3,5 stars
What a fun ride! An enjoyable debut novel with lovable characters and an interesting plot. I really liked our main protagonist Lainey, she is smart and precious. I LOVED her friendship with Maggie, Maggie is such a hoot and also a comic geek!
The secondary characters pale in comparison to Lainey, though, I hope that in a possible future sequel they will be more developed. The insta love also bugged me in this book, I'm just so not a fan of that.
But that ending! GAAHHHH, I need more!
3,5 stars
What a fun ride! An enjoyable debut novel with lovable characters and an interesting plot. I really liked our main protagonist Lainey, she is smart and precious. I LOVED her friendship with Maggie, Maggie is such a hoot and also a comic geek!
The secondary characters pale in comparison to Lainey, though, I hope that in a possible future sequel they will be more developed. The insta love also bugged me in this book, I'm just so not a fan of that.
But that ending! GAAHHHH, I need more!
January 1, 2018
Okay, so this is not the optimal way to start off the New Year, but unfortunately 'Keeper' is a DNF for me. I try not to quit on books, especially ARCs, as it makes me feel guilty, but my resolution this year is to give a fair go and then bail if I'm not enjoying myself. I made it to 57%, so I put a fair amount of effort into trying to invest in the story and characters, but it was such a relief to decide I was done with it.
There are some positives I will point out in the interest of fairness - the requisite love interest was kind and caring, which I appreciate in a genre oversaturated with Bad Boy jackasses who confuse mockery and insults for flirting. Ty did play into the Mysterious Newcomer trope at the beginning, but showed himself to be a compassionate and protective character, which is a nice change.
On the downside, Ty is a little heavy on the wish-fulfillment checklist, for eg. reading classic literature to Lainey during lunch period! We find out later that there is a reason he takes interest in her and makes an effort to cultivate a relationship even though Lainey is so awkward around him, but he just seemed too much of a cliche, right down to his leather jacket and crooked smile (why are girls always swooning over these, I'll never know).
Female friendship is something I always look out for and the author provided that in spades with Maggie, a best friend who doesn't just pay lip service to the role but actually comes through with sympathy, support and understanding when Lainey needs a shoulder to lean on, and consistently shows that their friendship is important to her. I love the scene introducing her at the start where she excitedly tells Lainey about a cute boy asking her out at a party and how she of course told him she'd take a raincheck:
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"I promised I'd quiz you on your words if you came with me. What kind of best friend would I be if I bailed on you like that?"
"And what kind of friend would I be if I didn't let you off the hook. You should go."
"Are you sure? Because you, Lainey Styles, are the true love of my life, and you come first."
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However, Maggie soon got on my nerves with her constant pop culture quips, and I mean CONSTANT, as in, every second line of dialogue out of her mouth contained a reference to some comic book, tv show or movie. It became irritating very quickly and reduced her to a one-trick pony with such limited characterization since it appears as though she can't process any new situation or conversation without relating it to pop culture in some way.
You may notice that I haven't yet mentioned any highlights about our protagonist...that would be the problem. I found positives in both the love interest and best friend, but Lainey just frustrated me. She's ostensibly a book-smart character with tons of ambition and dedicated to excelling at academics...but she sets her alarm for 7:15am on the morning of the SATs and keeps hitting snooze for half an hour as she forgot the test was on? Yeah, NO, that doesn't ring true to me at all - a student who's half-assing school and doesn't care what college they get into may behave like this, but not someone whose entire life was building up to taking the SAT, that's not something that just slips your mind!
Aside from this, we're also shown how strongly Lainey feels about her studies as she mentally rehearses the definitions of new vocabulary words every spare moment she has, especially in moments of stress. Along with her insistence on finding a logical explanation for the paranormal phenomena that plague her, disbelieving her own eyes and searching for scientific data to rationalize it away, this suggests a character who is very methodical, represses emotions when she feels overwhelmed and finds refuge in denial. But that all goes out the window once the truth is revealed about her family lineage and her own witchy abilities, as Lainey turns into a stroppy, whiny teenager who continually throws tantrums and runs off in a huff. She also shows zero instincts for self-preservation such as returning to the cemetery where she was nearly killed to mope around or standing on train tracks in front of an oncoming train, because of course in her angst, she must become Too-Stupid-To-Live.
Even before this turn for the exasperating, I found myself rolling my eyes at Lainey's choices, like picking up Ty's jacket from the dirt (the text specifically mentions her wiping dirt off his jacket) and then sleeping with the jacket and wearing it out because it's comforting to her...She had no connection to Ty at this point aside from meeting him at a party once and seeing him in a fight, but somehow his dirty spearmint-scented jacket is a comforting talisman to her when she awakes from nightmares, hmm. I let it go because I guess it is realistic how cute guys can scramble an impressionable teenage girl's head, but once she became reminiscent of Bella in New Moon after Edward left her with the addition of the sullen brattiness of Harry Potter in The Half-Blood Prince after Sirius died and he was pining after Ginny (see how annoying constant name-drops are?), I couldn't keep going.
The author's writing style is very easy to read, although I think it's pitched more towards the tweens as opposed to older teens, as it came off a tad juvenile. The younger crowd may find this more enjoyable and engaging, but alas, it wasn't for me.
Disclaimer: I received a digital ARC free from Flux/North Star Editions via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There are some positives I will point out in the interest of fairness - the requisite love interest was kind and caring, which I appreciate in a genre oversaturated with Bad Boy jackasses who confuse mockery and insults for flirting. Ty did play into the Mysterious Newcomer trope at the beginning, but showed himself to be a compassionate and protective character, which is a nice change.
On the downside, Ty is a little heavy on the wish-fulfillment checklist, for eg. reading classic literature to Lainey during lunch period! We find out later that there is a reason he takes interest in her and makes an effort to cultivate a relationship even though Lainey is so awkward around him, but he just seemed too much of a cliche, right down to his leather jacket and crooked smile (why are girls always swooning over these, I'll never know).
Female friendship is something I always look out for and the author provided that in spades with Maggie, a best friend who doesn't just pay lip service to the role but actually comes through with sympathy, support and understanding when Lainey needs a shoulder to lean on, and consistently shows that their friendship is important to her. I love the scene introducing her at the start where she excitedly tells Lainey about a cute boy asking her out at a party and how she of course told him she'd take a raincheck:
---
"I promised I'd quiz you on your words if you came with me. What kind of best friend would I be if I bailed on you like that?"
"And what kind of friend would I be if I didn't let you off the hook. You should go."
"Are you sure? Because you, Lainey Styles, are the true love of my life, and you come first."
---
However, Maggie soon got on my nerves with her constant pop culture quips, and I mean CONSTANT, as in, every second line of dialogue out of her mouth contained a reference to some comic book, tv show or movie. It became irritating very quickly and reduced her to a one-trick pony with such limited characterization since it appears as though she can't process any new situation or conversation without relating it to pop culture in some way.
You may notice that I haven't yet mentioned any highlights about our protagonist...that would be the problem. I found positives in both the love interest and best friend, but Lainey just frustrated me. She's ostensibly a book-smart character with tons of ambition and dedicated to excelling at academics...but she sets her alarm for 7:15am on the morning of the SATs and keeps hitting snooze for half an hour as she forgot the test was on? Yeah, NO, that doesn't ring true to me at all - a student who's half-assing school and doesn't care what college they get into may behave like this, but not someone whose entire life was building up to taking the SAT, that's not something that just slips your mind!
Aside from this, we're also shown how strongly Lainey feels about her studies as she mentally rehearses the definitions of new vocabulary words every spare moment she has, especially in moments of stress. Along with her insistence on finding a logical explanation for the paranormal phenomena that plague her, disbelieving her own eyes and searching for scientific data to rationalize it away, this suggests a character who is very methodical, represses emotions when she feels overwhelmed and finds refuge in denial. But that all goes out the window once the truth is revealed about her family lineage and her own witchy abilities, as Lainey turns into a stroppy, whiny teenager who continually throws tantrums and runs off in a huff. She also shows zero instincts for self-preservation such as returning to the cemetery where she was nearly killed to mope around or standing on train tracks in front of an oncoming train, because of course in her angst, she must become Too-Stupid-To-Live.
Even before this turn for the exasperating, I found myself rolling my eyes at Lainey's choices, like picking up Ty's jacket from the dirt (the text specifically mentions her wiping dirt off his jacket) and then sleeping with the jacket and wearing it out because it's comforting to her...She had no connection to Ty at this point aside from meeting him at a party once and seeing him in a fight, but somehow his dirty spearmint-scented jacket is a comforting talisman to her when she awakes from nightmares, hmm. I let it go because I guess it is realistic how cute guys can scramble an impressionable teenage girl's head, but once she became reminiscent of Bella in New Moon after Edward left her with the addition of the sullen brattiness of Harry Potter in The Half-Blood Prince after Sirius died and he was pining after Ginny (see how annoying constant name-drops are?), I couldn't keep going.
The author's writing style is very easy to read, although I think it's pitched more towards the tweens as opposed to older teens, as it came off a tad juvenile. The younger crowd may find this more enjoyable and engaging, but alas, it wasn't for me.
Disclaimer: I received a digital ARC free from Flux/North Star Editions via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 1, 2020
Finally a YA fantasy book that actually feels like YA! I loved the classic young adult feeling with characters that actually act like teenagers but having that supernatural twist to it. Full of action and fast-paced with twists and turns that kept me guessing, this had me turning the pages late into the night! If you pick this one up you'll want to make sure you have the second book on hand because I'm immediately starting Seeker to find out what happens next!
September 21, 2017
When Chapter Two of the Keeper by Kim Chance mentions my favorite show "Supernatural" with Sam and Dean I am more than hooked! Teen characters with adult hurdles to leap over will entertain both age groups. Lainey is a driven student with college on her mind and one goal "To ace the SAT Test". Her best friend Mags is a quirky, fun, optimist with a craving for anything comic book related. Being raised by her Uncle Gareth and his psychic girlfriend Serena; Lainey has spent her life moving to tons of sleepy little towns. Lainey's secret past is revealed when her long dead ancestor Josephine appears to her. Josephine DuCarmont was a powerful WITCH in her day and a Keeper of a leather bound book called the Grimoire. Action packed, romantic elements, loyalty, and deceit fill these pages with amazing characters who fight the forces of good and evil. Ending is amazing and only makes the reader anxious for future additions to it. To quote a passage "MAGIC ALWAYS LEAVES A MARK". "A copy of this book was provided by Flux via Netgalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion."
January 31, 2018
Addition 31/01/2018
I wrote this review when I had first read the novel, which was in October 2017. Rereading my review, I honestly believe I was way too friendly when it comes to my rating. I don't even know why I'd give 3,5 to a book I obviously had some big issues with. Maybe I was simply too.. friendly back then? Alas, the rating I'd give it now... is less.
2 / 5!
----------------------------------
Kim's writing enticed me. It was straight-forward, yet beautifully descriptive at times and it sucked me right in. Honestly, it was a story that I read pretty quickly and I always enjoy that!
I was out of ideas, out of clues, and very likely out of my own damn mind.
The other huge plus was Maggie, the most geeky, protective best friend you could possibly imagine! References to Harry Potter, X-Men, Supernatural and all kinds of other series, superheroes and comics are thrown everywhere and I absolutely loved that. I could really imagine one of my friends going on in exactly that way, which made me love Maggie even more.
But then... I didn't really like our MC, Lainey. She's almost seventeen, yet behaves like a child. Her feelings are all over the place and, even though that might be normal if you discover one secret after another, it was just over the top. One second she's mad, frustrated and practically screaming, while she's all forgiving the next. Then she's a whiny, crying mess and all of a sudden she's waving a sword around and wants to sacrifice herself? It simply didn't feel right and made it impossible for me to connect with her the way I wanted to.
Although that did improve by the end of the novel, so there's that.
Then we have our typical bad boy, Ty. You all know that I like my bad boys and I have to admit that I liked him as well. Of course, there's a bit of insta-love going on. Normally that wouldn't really get on my nerves, but this time was different.
Lainey's whole life is changing, falling to pieces and she still was all blushy, gushy and lovey-dovey as soon as she'd set her eyes on him.
I'm not going to say I disliked Keeper, but I didn't love it either. It was an okay-read, but that's it. I'm still not sure whether or not I'd be tempted to read the sequel...
3,5 / 5
Kathy
I received an eARC of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are entirely my own. I'm not being compensated for my review in any way.
I wrote this review when I had first read the novel, which was in October 2017. Rereading my review, I honestly believe I was way too friendly when it comes to my rating. I don't even know why I'd give 3,5 to a book I obviously had some big issues with. Maybe I was simply too.. friendly back then? Alas, the rating I'd give it now... is less.
2 / 5!
----------------------------------
Kim's writing enticed me. It was straight-forward, yet beautifully descriptive at times and it sucked me right in. Honestly, it was a story that I read pretty quickly and I always enjoy that!
I was out of ideas, out of clues, and very likely out of my own damn mind.
The other huge plus was Maggie, the most geeky, protective best friend you could possibly imagine! References to Harry Potter, X-Men, Supernatural and all kinds of other series, superheroes and comics are thrown everywhere and I absolutely loved that. I could really imagine one of my friends going on in exactly that way, which made me love Maggie even more.
"God, Styles, if you get your Hogwarts letter before me, I'm gonna be so pissed!"
But then... I didn't really like our MC, Lainey. She's almost seventeen, yet behaves like a child. Her feelings are all over the place and, even though that might be normal if you discover one secret after another, it was just over the top. One second she's mad, frustrated and practically screaming, while she's all forgiving the next. Then she's a whiny, crying mess and all of a sudden she's waving a sword around and wants to sacrifice herself? It simply didn't feel right and made it impossible for me to connect with her the way I wanted to.
Although that did improve by the end of the novel, so there's that.
What was left of her heart splintered into a thousand pieces - a thousand wounds that would never heal.
Then we have our typical bad boy, Ty. You all know that I like my bad boys and I have to admit that I liked him as well. Of course, there's a bit of insta-love going on. Normally that wouldn't really get on my nerves, but this time was different.
Lainey's whole life is changing, falling to pieces and she still was all blushy, gushy and lovey-dovey as soon as she'd set her eyes on him.
I'm not going to say I disliked Keeper, but I didn't love it either. It was an okay-read, but that's it. I'm still not sure whether or not I'd be tempted to read the sequel...
3,5 / 5
Kathy
I received an eARC of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are entirely my own. I'm not being compensated for my review in any way.
February 5, 2018
Mini review:
I received this e-arc via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a lot of fun! I especially loved Lainey and Maggie’s friendship. The comic book references were fun. I also liked Gareth and Serena. I didnt mind Ty. And would definitely like to see where his story will go in the next book.
Would recommend.
I received this e-arc via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a lot of fun! I especially loved Lainey and Maggie’s friendship. The comic book references were fun. I also liked Gareth and Serena. I didnt mind Ty. And would definitely like to see where his story will go in the next book.
Would recommend.
February 2, 2018
Do not recommend
Flat, one dimensional characters, trite and tired storyline of a "chosen Mary Sue" and all tell, not much show. This book was predictable and ridiculous. The storyline and dialogue especially felt, forced, clunky and unnatural. Only good thing it had going for it was a strong female friendship.
Flat, one dimensional characters, trite and tired storyline of a "chosen Mary Sue" and all tell, not much show. This book was predictable and ridiculous. The storyline and dialogue especially felt, forced, clunky and unnatural. Only good thing it had going for it was a strong female friendship.
September 3, 2017
SPOILER ALERT
Keeper by Kim Chance is phenomenal! And it's her first book, I expected action, magic, awesome characters, charming witchcraft etc and it delivered! From the very beginning, I knew I'd love it. Lainey Styles is a bookish practical girl whose life gets turned around when she has an encounter with an apparition (ghost sort of). Wanting to get to the bottom of it, She investigated and eventually made a disturbing connection to her late mother. As weird stuff is happening to her, she encounters a mysterious and enigmatic hot guy, Ty who literally oozes Mysterious Supernatural dude appeal. Odd things happen whenever he's around Lainey. Lainey eventually learns through memorylike visions that the ghost she's been seeing is Josephine, A girl who has magic and lived in the past. But things were still confusing as Lainey didn't know the full story. Everything blows up with a bang when Lainey gets attacked by a tree (a Dryad specifically) and has to use magic to free herself, This leads to the revelation that she is the last descendant of a long line of powerful witches. Each family has a Grimoire and a Keeper (A Keeper is the person in the family tasked with keeping the Grimoire safe). The more powerful the magic of the family, the more powerful the Grimoire is. As Lainey's family is one of the most powerful witch lines, they have been hunted throughout time by a dark being called the Master who seeks the Grimoire. They kept it safe until Lainey's mom got killed and the Grimoire was taken (It can be transfigured into an emerald amulet). Finding out that she's been lied to all her life by her Uncle (who is not actually her real uncle) who is apparently a Faerie and she has this powerful magic linked to her emotions was not easy for her to deal with but she had her best friend superhero fanatic Maggie and Ty who has a supernatural secret of his own. Her ancestors have been hunted and murdered for generations but Lainey was determined to get her life back. Since she apparently has powerful magic than the world has seen in a long time, She was going to go after the very people hunting her. They have taken what was hers and she is going get it back or she will die trying. The romance between Lainey and Ty is a nice touch to this book, Their love is beautiful, adorable and hot. It was really quite nice seeing them together and I totally ship them, HARD.
The ending was a crazy whirlwind of action, magical fights, insane twists and turns that left me excited for what's next in this series. Keeper is a really amazing book, most especially because of Lainey. She's brilliant, feisty and just simply amazing. Kim Chance has impressed me with Keeper. She is a master storyteller and her books are now a must read for me. Keeper is a superb combination of magic, romance, wit, monsters, action, supernaturals and a splendid cover. I happily recommend Keeper to all readers out there, it will definitely resonate with everyone.
March 13, 2019
Writing Style: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
Plot & Events: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
World-Building: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Originality: ⭐⭐☆☆☆
Personal Interest: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Ending: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
Average: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ 3.3 stars
First, let me start by saying what an honor it was to read this book. Kim Chance is an amazing person. I can tell from watching her YouTube videos that she is a very compassionate, kind person and I love following her journey. She is extremely compassionate about her work. I can honestly only give one good reason for putting this book off for a year. I was busy bringing in a new baby into this world. I know she would understand that. I just wanted to give the book my all... my undivided attention. Because it's special to me.
I know that I rated the book a 3.2 stars, so it may seem like I didn't like it. That's not true. I actually enjoyed it. It was a good debut novel. I have faith that Kim will continue to grow as an author and I've very excited for her sequel!
The biggest criticism I can give, and the main thing that brought the rating down, was that it wasn't very original. There were quite a few tropes that were brought me down. The characters weren't as strong as they could have been.
The story moved smoothly and the world building was great. As I said, it was a good debut novel!
Plot & Events: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
World-Building: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Originality: ⭐⭐☆☆☆
Personal Interest: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Ending: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
Average: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ 3.3 stars
First, let me start by saying what an honor it was to read this book. Kim Chance is an amazing person. I can tell from watching her YouTube videos that she is a very compassionate, kind person and I love following her journey. She is extremely compassionate about her work. I can honestly only give one good reason for putting this book off for a year. I was busy bringing in a new baby into this world. I know she would understand that. I just wanted to give the book my all... my undivided attention. Because it's special to me.
I know that I rated the book a 3.2 stars, so it may seem like I didn't like it. That's not true. I actually enjoyed it. It was a good debut novel. I have faith that Kim will continue to grow as an author and I've very excited for her sequel!
The biggest criticism I can give, and the main thing that brought the rating down, was that it wasn't very original. There were quite a few tropes that were brought me down. The characters weren't as strong as they could have been.
The story moved smoothly and the world building was great. As I said, it was a good debut novel!
May 31, 2018
Keeper made me realize how much I’ve missed reading YA fantasy. I’ve always loved fantasy, but I haven’t always loved witch stories, but Kim hit it right! Keeper has a touch of romance, comedy and touches of bad-ass. While any fantasy story can contain fight scenes, not every fantasy story has a Maggie. I think I may have highlighted every line Maggie had that referenced another fandom: Spiderman, the Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and that’s just to name my favorites. If I could choose my best friend, it would be Maggie.
I didn’t know Keeper was going to be a series, and now that I’ve read book one I cannot wait for book two! Throughout reading the book I’ve been trying to guess who the “good guys” and “bad guys” are and I have a feeling I won’t find out for sure until book two!
As a debut novel, I think it’s really great! In terms of writing, I think we’ll see Kim branch out even more in book two.
I didn’t know Keeper was going to be a series, and now that I’ve read book one I cannot wait for book two! Throughout reading the book I’ve been trying to guess who the “good guys” and “bad guys” are and I have a feeling I won’t find out for sure until book two!
As a debut novel, I think it’s really great! In terms of writing, I think we’ll see Kim branch out even more in book two.
January 4, 2018
3.5
Note: I received a digital ARC of this book in an exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley and Flux Books!
“What if your destiny is something bigger than even you imagined?”
If the popular television Stranger Things is an homage to the 80s, then Kim Chance’s Keeper is an homage to the books that made us fall in love with YA—without all the problematic tropes that also made us throw those books across the room. Keeper follows high school student Lainey, affectionately nicknamed “Styles” by her best friend Maggie, the real MVP, as a ghost who only she can see makes her question everything her science-oriented, fact-loving brain thought she knew about the world.
As someone who follows Kim Chance and her vlogs (seriously, go check out her YouTube channel if you don’t already) I was super excited to get my hands on her debut novel. Overall, even if a lot of the plot twists were predictable, this was a good, entertaining coming-of-age story about accepting your fate, but also taking your destiny into your own hands. As Albus Dumbledore once said, “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” —Maggie would appreciate the reference.
"A person’s destiny isn’t a concrete certainty. There are people who live their entire lives and never fulfill their true purpose. Free will and choice, you see, are powerful tools of alteration. A simple choice can change everything.”
Lainey was a solid, dependable main character who did not shy away from her fate. She accepted her role in the larger story without much, if any, hesitation. While it was refreshing to see a main character take their role without complaining or whining, I thought that perhaps Lainey accepted things a little too easily. With that being said though, Lainey is a strong, likable protagonist who endured a lot, and I’m excited to follow her in books to come.
“Do you have any idea how many times I dreamt of being bitten by a radioactive spider or finding a magic hammer? I’ve spent my whole life wishing to be more than just ordinary. But I’m just me, just Maggie, and that’s probably all I’ll ever be. But you, Lainey, you get to be anything but ordinary, and maybe that’s not such a bad thing.”
Same Maggie.
Lainey’s best friend Maggie was probably my favorite character in the book. Loyal, brave, and full of fandom references that flew over my head, but will be appreciated by many readers, Maggie is the best friend and MVP we all need in our lives. My only complaint is that I wish she had more depth to her other than the best friend character who supports the MC until the end, but I have no doubt Kim Chance will deliver in Keeper 2.
“I don’t want to be afraid anymore.”
Keeper is a strong debut, and fans of Kim Chance’s YouTube channel won’t disappointed. Entertaining, fast-paced, and full of likable characters, Keeper introduces us to what is sure to be the beginning of an exciting series full of adventure and drama; I’m already anticipating Keeper 2!
Thanks again NetGalley and Flux Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!
Note: I received a digital ARC of this book in an exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley and Flux Books!
“What if your destiny is something bigger than even you imagined?”
If the popular television Stranger Things is an homage to the 80s, then Kim Chance’s Keeper is an homage to the books that made us fall in love with YA—without all the problematic tropes that also made us throw those books across the room. Keeper follows high school student Lainey, affectionately nicknamed “Styles” by her best friend Maggie, the real MVP, as a ghost who only she can see makes her question everything her science-oriented, fact-loving brain thought she knew about the world.
As someone who follows Kim Chance and her vlogs (seriously, go check out her YouTube channel if you don’t already) I was super excited to get my hands on her debut novel. Overall, even if a lot of the plot twists were predictable, this was a good, entertaining coming-of-age story about accepting your fate, but also taking your destiny into your own hands. As Albus Dumbledore once said, “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” —Maggie would appreciate the reference.
"A person’s destiny isn’t a concrete certainty. There are people who live their entire lives and never fulfill their true purpose. Free will and choice, you see, are powerful tools of alteration. A simple choice can change everything.”
Lainey was a solid, dependable main character who did not shy away from her fate. She accepted her role in the larger story without much, if any, hesitation. While it was refreshing to see a main character take their role without complaining or whining, I thought that perhaps Lainey accepted things a little too easily. With that being said though, Lainey is a strong, likable protagonist who endured a lot, and I’m excited to follow her in books to come.
“Do you have any idea how many times I dreamt of being bitten by a radioactive spider or finding a magic hammer? I’ve spent my whole life wishing to be more than just ordinary. But I’m just me, just Maggie, and that’s probably all I’ll ever be. But you, Lainey, you get to be anything but ordinary, and maybe that’s not such a bad thing.”
Same Maggie.
Lainey’s best friend Maggie was probably my favorite character in the book. Loyal, brave, and full of fandom references that flew over my head, but will be appreciated by many readers, Maggie is the best friend and MVP we all need in our lives. My only complaint is that I wish she had more depth to her other than the best friend character who supports the MC until the end, but I have no doubt Kim Chance will deliver in Keeper 2.
“I don’t want to be afraid anymore.”
Keeper is a strong debut, and fans of Kim Chance’s YouTube channel won’t disappointed. Entertaining, fast-paced, and full of likable characters, Keeper introduces us to what is sure to be the beginning of an exciting series full of adventure and drama; I’m already anticipating Keeper 2!
Thanks again NetGalley and Flux Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!
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