Book Reviews

Book Blurb

My name is Octavius Septimus Stalk, but my friends call me Oss. I live in the City of Keys, a town of gears, keys, locks, and wonder. Our forefathers banished magic long ago, bolted the doors and locked everything up tight to keep people out and the town’s secrets in. Four Lock Lords control what information is left, and everyone else is left struggling to survive.

Despite what Thorne, my naïve lover, thinks, I was an orphan, but not a victim. When I walked the streets at the age of twelve, I learned fast where to steal the best food, how to use my daggers, and where to hide my would-be attackers’ bodies. No one suspected me of such violence. No one knew then or now that I have magic inside me.

Now, power-hungry men intend to release the magic for their own benefit—at the expense of the rest of the city. We will stop them, even if Thorne must battle his own kin, even if I must reveal my hidden talents and the role I seem destined to play.

 

Book Review

Amber Kell has written a genuine winner with this sparkling steampunk-ish story of Octavius, a lowborn orphan with a secret in a royal-ruled city of locks. This book is the first in what I, for one, hope is a very long series. Wonderful characterization plus a darn good adventure kept me eagerly turning the pages. And whenever I had to put the book down, I got that warm fuzzy feeling of anticipation, like a delicious mouthwatering desert was awaiting my return. Oss makes for one compelling street-smart ruffian and it was a joy to enjoy this sharp-witted, steamster with a heart of gold.

I don’t want to steal any of the wonder of a story whose tantalizing onion-peel revelations are part of its spunky charm, so I’ll tell you what made this a winner for me. First would be the excellent characters. Hot lovers Oss and Thorne are terrific as the main characters in this tale, with Oss being front and center, but the supporting characters are beyond captivating. Each member of the intriguing supporting cast hold a vivid and detailed role in this book, but the enchanting quirks of their shadowy personas fascinated and made me hungry for their secrets. I can’t wait to read the next installment of this series.

The second thing that made this book a great read for me is the pacing. In my opinion, it was perfect. Great narrative and stimulating dialogue are interspersed winningly with action scenes of both the lovemaking and stealth-and-fight variety. Page-turner and fast-paced are appropriate praise phrases for Keys and add to its outstanding whole.

And the third thing that warmed my heart about this tale is what I’m calling the Oss Brotherhood. I’m talking about the lovely bromance Oss has with his circle of street-smart misfits. While the alliance between Oss and his brothers is only bound by a wordless oath, the loyalty, support, and love between this “unband” was tangible and made me cheer, “Bravo” and “Encore” to this lovely fledgling series. Steam, spunk, and adventure… I highly recommend this book for everyone.

Thank you, Amber Kell, for penning one out of the ballpark… may everyone catch it!

“Steamy, Snappy, Spark… Marvelous!”

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Dramspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook, print and audio
Length	Novel, 200 pages/60772 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	30-September-2015
Price	$6.99 ebook, $14.99 paperback, $14.99 bundle, $19.95 audiobook
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/keys-by-amber-kell-2698-b