What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wellspring Trilogy: The Crystal Key
The sun has not shone in over a thousand years. Sixteen year old Felicity lives in a world where the Dark rules. Humanity stays to the Wellsprings, illuminated swathes of land where the light of eternal fountains keeps the skies bright all day long. But beyond that, the world is wrapped in eternal shadows, filled with monstrous Horrors who pray on the unsuspecting. When Felicity discovers that she is a Turnkey, a guardian selected to protect the Wellsprings, her life unexpectedly changes. Not only is she gifted with a magical Key with amazing abilities, but her fate soon takes her deep into the Dark, where with the help of a mysterious boy named Tobin she must survive astonishing odds. For it is soon that the Horrors begin hunting her, and a race to get home is only the beginning of her worries.
- GenresFantasyMiddle Grade
388 pages, Paperback
Published October 30, 2017
1 person is currently reading
35 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
July 12, 2018
The Crystal Key
is the first book in the
Wellspring Trilogy
written by
Robert Gronewold.
This young adult and fantasy fiction novel is about Felicity Bough, a sixteen-year-old orphan who was adopted when she was two by her mother's best friend, Lenora. Every year, her only birthday wish is to become just like her mother and Lenora, a Doorward.
A Doorward is a caster who helped protect and maintain the mirror was. On her sixteenth birthday, unexpected guests arrived on their doorstep and informed Felicity that she could be more than just a Doorward; she could be a Turnkey just like her dad. A Turnkey is an expert in combative magic who prevents Horrors from the Dark from slipping in the mirrorways.
The first eight chapters of the story tackle character development and world building. Therefore, if you are waiting for the better part, you have to wait until chapter nine because that's where the conflict begins. In the said chapter, Felicity, Harry and Margo went to the grand unveiling of the new mirrorway central hub. During the event, there was a catastrophe in the venue and Felicity was able to save Harry. However, the Horror grabbed Felicity through the Mirrorgate and then the gate was shattered, making her trapped inside.
If you are a fan of young adult and fantasy fiction, you will appreciate this kind of story even though that it's quite long. It took me a week to be able to finish this 388-page novel, but I could say that it's worth it.
A Doorward is a caster who helped protect and maintain the mirror was. On her sixteenth birthday, unexpected guests arrived on their doorstep and informed Felicity that she could be more than just a Doorward; she could be a Turnkey just like her dad. A Turnkey is an expert in combative magic who prevents Horrors from the Dark from slipping in the mirrorways.
The first eight chapters of the story tackle character development and world building. Therefore, if you are waiting for the better part, you have to wait until chapter nine because that's where the conflict begins. In the said chapter, Felicity, Harry and Margo went to the grand unveiling of the new mirrorway central hub. During the event, there was a catastrophe in the venue and Felicity was able to save Harry. However, the Horror grabbed Felicity through the Mirrorgate and then the gate was shattered, making her trapped inside.
If you are a fan of young adult and fantasy fiction, you will appreciate this kind of story even though that it's quite long. It took me a week to be able to finish this 388-page novel, but I could say that it's worth it.
February 7, 2018
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley
This wasn't necessarily awful, I just feel like it was the wrong book at the wrong time. Maybe if I was in a different mood it could have been a 3 star book, but I just couldn't get into right now. Also, and this is totally on me, I requested it thinking it was a graphic novel because the publisher that listed it has always ONLY done graphic novels as far as I know and then suddenly I had this huge 400 page book that I had to make time for.
It definitely had some interesting world building, although I think it fell into the trap that a lot of SFF books get caught in where the author makes up too many weird terms for things so that the world will seem more different than ours but it just makes the story read awkwardly in my opinion. Despite the interesting world, I never really connected with any of the characters and honestly they seemed a bit young to me. I know this is supposed to be YA and they're 16 but I feel like it would have worked better if they were aged down to 13ish and this was a middle grade novel instead.
I would have also liked to see about 100 pages cut out as well because to me it drags on forever in spots, and maybe add in a few illustrations because I really like the descriptions of the world and I absolutely love the cover so I think that would have been fun. Like I said, this would probably be enjoyable for a lot of people, but I think this is one of those YA novels that actually needs to be read only by teens [or maybe even younger] and doesn't translate well to adults.
This wasn't necessarily awful, I just feel like it was the wrong book at the wrong time. Maybe if I was in a different mood it could have been a 3 star book, but I just couldn't get into right now. Also, and this is totally on me, I requested it thinking it was a graphic novel because the publisher that listed it has always ONLY done graphic novels as far as I know and then suddenly I had this huge 400 page book that I had to make time for.
It definitely had some interesting world building, although I think it fell into the trap that a lot of SFF books get caught in where the author makes up too many weird terms for things so that the world will seem more different than ours but it just makes the story read awkwardly in my opinion. Despite the interesting world, I never really connected with any of the characters and honestly they seemed a bit young to me. I know this is supposed to be YA and they're 16 but I feel like it would have worked better if they were aged down to 13ish and this was a middle grade novel instead.
I would have also liked to see about 100 pages cut out as well because to me it drags on forever in spots, and maybe add in a few illustrations because I really like the descriptions of the world and I absolutely love the cover so I think that would have been fun. Like I said, this would probably be enjoyable for a lot of people, but I think this is one of those YA novels that actually needs to be read only by teens [or maybe even younger] and doesn't translate well to adults.
September 28, 2018
2.25
Thanks to NetGalley, Robert Gronewold, and Diamond Book Distributors for the opportunity of reading this book in exchange for an honest review. Initially, I thought it was a graphic novel (mostly because of the publisher, description, and cover), and was pretty annoyed to find it is a 400 page book that cannot be sent to my Kindle, so I had to sit and read it at my computer, meaning this took me forever to read.
Also, I just want to mention the beauty of the cover. It’s more comic-book or anime-like compared to many covers in the genre, which is one of the things that made it stand out to me. I love the simplicity of the colors and how it gives just enough detail without overshadowing my own image of the character.
In this creative (and sometimes not so creative) fantasy world, the Wellsprings give their light to the world (no sunshine here, folks). There are different types of magic users, like Doorwards and Turnkeys. And some evil Horrors lurking about. Technology and steampunk-esque robotic animals also have their place in this world
Felicity lives with her aunt, Lenora, and what happened to her parents is a bit of a vague mystery, hidden by her aunt. When some Turnkeys come knocking on the door one Sleep (night), Felicity’s sixteen-year-old existence is changed forever, and it’s about time she got to do something fun with magic. Not only does Felicity have new magical responsibilities, but she also has to juggle the trials of being a teenager–romance, friends–on top of that! And she has ti fight Horrors and return home.
So…this book
d r a g s!
It was fun for the first 60-100 pages or so, but then there is just too much explaining, telling and not showing, going on. And it’s like a completely different story. I do agree with some other reviewers that there is just too much information at times and some areas could be cut, but at the same time it’s a very light read. It just took too long and did not hold my attention well.
The world building is a combination of hit or miss. Sometimes it’s very interesting, and other times there is random German or Spanish being spoken by the enemies. So…why not make up a language with this world? I get a fantasy vibe from this. There are inferences that make this world feel like maybe it was actually Earth once, but it’s such a blend that it’s hard to figure out.
This also felt more like a middle grade novel. The character does not feel sixteen at all. Maybe eleven or twelve. I think this comes from the simplicity of the writing style. It’s too simple and boring. The writing has no draw to it. There are also more typos than I have ever seen in any proof I have read. Even if it’s just a proof, some kind of larger edit should have been done before dropping it to readers.
While this took a painstakingly long time to finish, it was okay (at best). I don’t think I’ll be following the series, but who knows. Curiosity might drive me to see if the second one is any better, but this was just a long read with no benefit to the reader.
Thanks to NetGalley, Robert Gronewold, and Diamond Book Distributors for the opportunity of reading this book in exchange for an honest review. Initially, I thought it was a graphic novel (mostly because of the publisher, description, and cover), and was pretty annoyed to find it is a 400 page book that cannot be sent to my Kindle, so I had to sit and read it at my computer, meaning this took me forever to read.
Also, I just want to mention the beauty of the cover. It’s more comic-book or anime-like compared to many covers in the genre, which is one of the things that made it stand out to me. I love the simplicity of the colors and how it gives just enough detail without overshadowing my own image of the character.
In this creative (and sometimes not so creative) fantasy world, the Wellsprings give their light to the world (no sunshine here, folks). There are different types of magic users, like Doorwards and Turnkeys. And some evil Horrors lurking about. Technology and steampunk-esque robotic animals also have their place in this world
Felicity lives with her aunt, Lenora, and what happened to her parents is a bit of a vague mystery, hidden by her aunt. When some Turnkeys come knocking on the door one Sleep (night), Felicity’s sixteen-year-old existence is changed forever, and it’s about time she got to do something fun with magic. Not only does Felicity have new magical responsibilities, but she also has to juggle the trials of being a teenager–romance, friends–on top of that! And she has ti fight Horrors and return home.
So…this book
d r a g s!
It was fun for the first 60-100 pages or so, but then there is just too much explaining, telling and not showing, going on. And it’s like a completely different story. I do agree with some other reviewers that there is just too much information at times and some areas could be cut, but at the same time it’s a very light read. It just took too long and did not hold my attention well.
The world building is a combination of hit or miss. Sometimes it’s very interesting, and other times there is random German or Spanish being spoken by the enemies. So…why not make up a language with this world? I get a fantasy vibe from this. There are inferences that make this world feel like maybe it was actually Earth once, but it’s such a blend that it’s hard to figure out.
This also felt more like a middle grade novel. The character does not feel sixteen at all. Maybe eleven or twelve. I think this comes from the simplicity of the writing style. It’s too simple and boring. The writing has no draw to it. There are also more typos than I have ever seen in any proof I have read. Even if it’s just a proof, some kind of larger edit should have been done before dropping it to readers.
While this took a painstakingly long time to finish, it was okay (at best). I don’t think I’ll be following the series, but who knows. Curiosity might drive me to see if the second one is any better, but this was just a long read with no benefit to the reader.
February 23, 2018
It was beyond a nightmare. She had run through the mirrorway, and by some horrible luck gone down one of the lost ways. A Mirrorgate, lost in the Dark, abandoned and unattended, just waiting to claim someone.
I had a hard time getting into this book at the beginning. The story moved slowly and was uninteresting, as were the characters. I was about 25% into the story before it finally took off.
When the main character, Felicity, unknowingly ends up in the Dark that is when the story comes alive. By this point I didn’t want to put it down. The Dark is a land where it is eternally dark. It is filled with monstrous Horrors that end up hunting her.
She is armed only with a magical key and a weeks worth a training. Her inexperience shows in the ways she trys to yield her power. It’ll be interesting to find out what she is capable of doing. I look forward to the next books.
*I would like to thank Diamond Book Distributors, Robert Gronewold and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.*
I had a hard time getting into this book at the beginning. The story moved slowly and was uninteresting, as were the characters. I was about 25% into the story before it finally took off.
When the main character, Felicity, unknowingly ends up in the Dark that is when the story comes alive. By this point I didn’t want to put it down. The Dark is a land where it is eternally dark. It is filled with monstrous Horrors that end up hunting her.
She is armed only with a magical key and a weeks worth a training. Her inexperience shows in the ways she trys to yield her power. It’ll be interesting to find out what she is capable of doing. I look forward to the next books.
*I would like to thank Diamond Book Distributors, Robert Gronewold and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.*
March 31, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this novel. It took me a little while to get into the story because it was a completely different world from any I have previously read. The concepts were scary and intriguing all at once. Half of the time I was not sure if I wanted to put the book down permanently because I was scared to keep reading. Ultimately, however, I could not put it down because I NEEDED to know what happens next.
The characters and the world were well developed with lots of interesting twists and turns.
This trilogy has amazing potential. I truly cannot wait until book 2 is available. Since the first book ended on a cliffhanger, I need to know what happens next. I hope the next book will be available soon.
If you have a chance to read this book, I definitely recommend it... especially if you like dark books.
Happy Reading!
I really enjoyed this novel. It took me a little while to get into the story because it was a completely different world from any I have previously read. The concepts were scary and intriguing all at once. Half of the time I was not sure if I wanted to put the book down permanently because I was scared to keep reading. Ultimately, however, I could not put it down because I NEEDED to know what happens next.
The characters and the world were well developed with lots of interesting twists and turns.
This trilogy has amazing potential. I truly cannot wait until book 2 is available. Since the first book ended on a cliffhanger, I need to know what happens next. I hope the next book will be available soon.
If you have a chance to read this book, I definitely recommend it... especially if you like dark books.
Happy Reading!
October 28, 2018
Rating: 2,5 stars
I expected a whole lot more of The Crystal Key. I realise that it sounds hard, but I really wanted to like this book! I expected a unique story laced with magic and adventure with an amazingly developed world building. What I got was a slightly cliche story with a unique setting, where everything was told and not shown. I also feel like this novel should be labeled middle grade instead of YA? The MC, Felicity doesn't seem like a sixteen year old to me, a thirteen year old maybe but definitely not sixteen - which kind of annoyed me.
There were also a few other things that annoyed me throughout the book. First, the typos/grammar mistakes I discovered while reading The Crystal Key. I mean it's not the end of the world, of course. The copy I received was after all, an ARC but, you know, I'm kind of a grammar nazi I guess.
Second, the setting of this book, as I just mentioned was neat - it was unique and cool and it intrigued me. The execution, however, didn't feel right to me. In the beginning, I got the feeling that the author was just throwing around some foreign terms to get the story started instead of introducing us to this newly created world.
Third and lastly, the novel d r a g g e d. I got a little bored after the first hundred pages or so and there are about 400 pages? I mean, when everything gets told, 400 pages are long.
I expected a whole lot more of The Crystal Key. I realise that it sounds hard, but I really wanted to like this book! I expected a unique story laced with magic and adventure with an amazingly developed world building. What I got was a slightly cliche story with a unique setting, where everything was told and not shown. I also feel like this novel should be labeled middle grade instead of YA? The MC, Felicity doesn't seem like a sixteen year old to me, a thirteen year old maybe but definitely not sixteen - which kind of annoyed me.
There were also a few other things that annoyed me throughout the book. First, the typos/grammar mistakes I discovered while reading The Crystal Key. I mean it's not the end of the world, of course. The copy I received was after all, an ARC but, you know, I'm kind of a grammar nazi I guess.
Second, the setting of this book, as I just mentioned was neat - it was unique and cool and it intrigued me. The execution, however, didn't feel right to me. In the beginning, I got the feeling that the author was just throwing around some foreign terms to get the story started instead of introducing us to this newly created world.
Third and lastly, the novel d r a g g e d. I got a little bored after the first hundred pages or so and there are about 400 pages? I mean, when everything gets told, 400 pages are long.
March 20, 2018
The story was good and I found it to be unique and well written but I wasn't aware this was a 400 page e-book and I just can't read for long periods of time on my tiny phone. I'll try to pick this book up again when my library gets it.
Rating so far: 3.5 stars
Rating so far: 3.5 stars
February 14, 2018
I really enjoyed this adventure story. The setting is so rich and the creatures so fascinating that it made up for some of the other story elements that felt a bit lacking. I felt like we don't know the main character well enough to know why she would embark on this journey, other than her professor, whom she just met, asked her to. He's been a legend in her life but it still seemed strange that she would just drop everything and go. I'm glad she does though! The adventure and some of the creatures she meets reminded me a lot of Lewis Carroll, only a bit less drug-fueled. I loved that the Dark twisted them in ways that fit who the person was before the Dark took over and made them monsters. This book was one that I couldn't put down after about 80 pages, despite some lack of character development. I do feel that it ended a bit too abruptly but, maybe somewhat because of this, I look forward to the rest of the trilogy. There were a few cuss words and a bit of violence (she is going off to fought monsters after all) so I'd say this is more for pre-teens and up, depending on the kid. Overall, I do think this is worth the read and, again, I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.
I would like to thank the publisher, author, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I would like to thank the publisher, author, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 28, 2018
I’m not normally one to be convinced to read a book by its cover alone, but the Crystal Key’s artwork really got to me. Upon reading the synopsis, I learned that the story features a young, female protagonist who wields combat magic, and I am all about that. The Crystal Key tells the story of a seemingly regular girl, Felicity, living in a magical world when she is contacted on her birthday and recruited to an order aimed at protecting the portals of their world from beasts that live in The Dark. A little into her training, Felicity finds herself stranded alone in Dark Territory and it becomes her mission to find her way back home.
If you’ve already seen the four-star rating, you will have probably guessed (correctly) that there were a lot of things I like about this book. I really did enjoy this book overall and I would probably read the sequels but there are some things that I found problematic.
For one, I felt like I spent the first 40 or so pages trying to figure out what the heck a ‘wellspring’ was, how ‘mirrorways’ related to it, and that ‘constructs’ are animal-mechanical modes of transportation. These are all really interesting elements of the world-building featured in The Crystal Key but new concepts like these should be explained as they are being introduced. Obviously, it makes sense for the reader to be a little discombobulated when you are initiated into a magical world with so many new ideas, but a little exposition goes a long way. I’m still not entirely sure what a wellspring looks like other than something that casts eternal light but I guess to enjoy the rest of the story, that’s all you really need.
I am also not a super big fan of this type of world-building and I thought it was a little bit cut-and-paste; a snip of steampunk with the magic keys and vehicular beasts, a little bit of urban fantasy with the magical world politics and portalling. Mutated creatures in the Dark are also reminiscent of an apocalyptic Toy Story and while there is nothing wrong with making a hybrid of fantasy styles in one series, it’s not really my thing. The villains in The Dark sort of botched the climax for me and I waited patiently for the characters to resolve their issue.
What I really enjoy about this story is that all of the characters are well-developed and there are bits and pieces of dialogue that intimate thought-out backstories which I hope are revealed in the later books. There are also no characters that I feel like I can’t relate to on some level, no one too evil or far-gone that I’m glad when they are no longer in the narrative. The protagonist, while also The Everygirl, still manages to have a personality and be an active decision-maker in her story (compared to some female heroines that simply have things happen to them).
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and was glad to see that this is part of an upcoming trilogy. I will be waiting patiently for the next instalments. Thank you to the publisher for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.
4/5 stars
Read if you like: Kiki’s Delivery Service
If you’ve already seen the four-star rating, you will have probably guessed (correctly) that there were a lot of things I like about this book. I really did enjoy this book overall and I would probably read the sequels but there are some things that I found problematic.
For one, I felt like I spent the first 40 or so pages trying to figure out what the heck a ‘wellspring’ was, how ‘mirrorways’ related to it, and that ‘constructs’ are animal-mechanical modes of transportation. These are all really interesting elements of the world-building featured in The Crystal Key but new concepts like these should be explained as they are being introduced. Obviously, it makes sense for the reader to be a little discombobulated when you are initiated into a magical world with so many new ideas, but a little exposition goes a long way. I’m still not entirely sure what a wellspring looks like other than something that casts eternal light but I guess to enjoy the rest of the story, that’s all you really need.
I am also not a super big fan of this type of world-building and I thought it was a little bit cut-and-paste; a snip of steampunk with the magic keys and vehicular beasts, a little bit of urban fantasy with the magical world politics and portalling. Mutated creatures in the Dark are also reminiscent of an apocalyptic Toy Story and while there is nothing wrong with making a hybrid of fantasy styles in one series, it’s not really my thing. The villains in The Dark sort of botched the climax for me and I waited patiently for the characters to resolve their issue.
What I really enjoy about this story is that all of the characters are well-developed and there are bits and pieces of dialogue that intimate thought-out backstories which I hope are revealed in the later books. There are also no characters that I feel like I can’t relate to on some level, no one too evil or far-gone that I’m glad when they are no longer in the narrative. The protagonist, while also The Everygirl, still manages to have a personality and be an active decision-maker in her story (compared to some female heroines that simply have things happen to them).
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and was glad to see that this is part of an upcoming trilogy. I will be waiting patiently for the next instalments. Thank you to the publisher for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.
4/5 stars
Read if you like: Kiki’s Delivery Service
October 22, 2018
This is a vivid illustrated experience, perfect, ripe, and ready for reading. Creative and adventurous.
March 15, 2018
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.
What drew my attention about The Crystal Key first was that gorgeous cover. I love these kind of covers and it almost looked like it was a graphic novel. But it for sure was a 400 pages novel.
The thing about The Crystal Key is that it starts out as so many other books do. We follow a main girl who has lost both her parents. She is being raised by a family friend (who is a good guardian at least) but has been keeping something from her. She has powers and her guardian is opposed to it (the reason is a bit flimsy to be honest). She starts training. That is the basic start. It is hard to move on from something like that. It tries to do this but the middle lagged and the characters couldn’t quite stand out.
World building wise I feel that it did have something very interesting and new. However it lacked very much in explanations. It felt like a very rough idea that wasn’t fully fleshed out in details in the actual story. It took me a long time to get a good grip on the wellspring, horror and turnkey bits. I just needed our main character to explain a bit more on it. It wasn’t like we were getting a huge bunch of other information or that things were that intricate. Certain things were also named differently, like the days and day and night itself were called different too. Yet I got the idea this was more so set in our world somehow? The idea of the wellsprings itself and the plot (and perhaps possible plot as I have ideas) are interesting. I’m curious in that regard to find out more.
As said, the characters couldn’t quite stand out. Don’t get me wrong, they were likeable. Felicitiy is a strong willed young girl who is willing to stand up for what she wants. She is relatively smart, but a tad impulsive on the heroics. But I still felt I was only scratching the surface with her. Like there was still a wall between us. I also have to admit that I get the feeling in parts that our characters were younger than 16, a lot and I can’t help but wonder if maybe this could have been better off as a middle grade writing wise. I just could not shake that feeling.
And yet there was a love triangle in the middle that I was best not pleased with. Don’t get me wrong, I can see her with both guys. But I initially thought that there was a cute relationship being set up there and then we get thrown this triangle with some not sharing and someone being the other person. And just no, so much no. The book did not need that.
Having said all of this however, I would like to read on with this series in the future.
What drew my attention about The Crystal Key first was that gorgeous cover. I love these kind of covers and it almost looked like it was a graphic novel. But it for sure was a 400 pages novel.
The thing about The Crystal Key is that it starts out as so many other books do. We follow a main girl who has lost both her parents. She is being raised by a family friend (who is a good guardian at least) but has been keeping something from her. She has powers and her guardian is opposed to it (the reason is a bit flimsy to be honest). She starts training. That is the basic start. It is hard to move on from something like that. It tries to do this but the middle lagged and the characters couldn’t quite stand out.
World building wise I feel that it did have something very interesting and new. However it lacked very much in explanations. It felt like a very rough idea that wasn’t fully fleshed out in details in the actual story. It took me a long time to get a good grip on the wellspring, horror and turnkey bits. I just needed our main character to explain a bit more on it. It wasn’t like we were getting a huge bunch of other information or that things were that intricate. Certain things were also named differently, like the days and day and night itself were called different too. Yet I got the idea this was more so set in our world somehow? The idea of the wellsprings itself and the plot (and perhaps possible plot as I have ideas) are interesting. I’m curious in that regard to find out more.
As said, the characters couldn’t quite stand out. Don’t get me wrong, they were likeable. Felicitiy is a strong willed young girl who is willing to stand up for what she wants. She is relatively smart, but a tad impulsive on the heroics. But I still felt I was only scratching the surface with her. Like there was still a wall between us. I also have to admit that I get the feeling in parts that our characters were younger than 16, a lot and I can’t help but wonder if maybe this could have been better off as a middle grade writing wise. I just could not shake that feeling.
And yet there was a love triangle in the middle that I was best not pleased with. Don’t get me wrong, I can see her with both guys. But I initially thought that there was a cute relationship being set up there and then we get thrown this triangle with some not sharing and someone being the other person. And just no, so much no. The book did not need that.
Having said all of this however, I would like to read on with this series in the future.
April 13, 2018
2.5 stars
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thoughts and Plot
Honestly, this book took some work for me to get into...the beginning is hard as the story was uninteresting and I found the story flat. I struggled for days to get through the almost painful beginning and to the better stuff, which was about 20-25% of the way in, so after the first 100ish page...it's 400 pages long.
This book, as a result, was not really my cup of tea. I generally like a book that grabs you and pulls you in immediately (and if it's 400 pages, 375 of those pages better be good).
To start, there is some terminology that you must become familiar with. I get that this is to better get across the point that this is not the Earth/universe as we know it, but a completely different place in time...that said, it could have been scaled down just a bit.
The characters all acted as though they were between the ages of 12 to 14 depending on the scenario. They are 16 years old...so....yeah. I also couldn't really connect to them. Felicity was nice enough, but I didn't feel that draw that makes you love a character.
I also could have done without the love triangle. Why is there always a love triangle????
What really pulled this book back from the brink of dnf was when Felicity winds up in the Dark. Once I reached this point I felt like the story significantly improved. Problem was, I had to plod through other stuff the get there and even then it had some slow parts. I bet 50 pages could be cut out of this book without significantly altering the story-line.
That said, I enjoyed the Dark because Felicity was in imminent danger with only a bit of training and a magic key to aid her. I'm a sucker for a main character facing danger.
Conclusion
The Crystal Key has a very slow start that needs some willpower put into it in order to get through it and into the good stuff. The characters act a little younger than they are supposed to be and I honestly didn't really connect to them as I would have liked too.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thoughts and Plot
Honestly, this book took some work for me to get into...the beginning is hard as the story was uninteresting and I found the story flat. I struggled for days to get through the almost painful beginning and to the better stuff, which was about 20-25% of the way in, so after the first 100ish page...it's 400 pages long.
This book, as a result, was not really my cup of tea. I generally like a book that grabs you and pulls you in immediately (and if it's 400 pages, 375 of those pages better be good).
To start, there is some terminology that you must become familiar with. I get that this is to better get across the point that this is not the Earth/universe as we know it, but a completely different place in time...that said, it could have been scaled down just a bit.
The characters all acted as though they were between the ages of 12 to 14 depending on the scenario. They are 16 years old...so....yeah. I also couldn't really connect to them. Felicity was nice enough, but I didn't feel that draw that makes you love a character.
I also could have done without the love triangle. Why is there always a love triangle????
What really pulled this book back from the brink of dnf was when Felicity winds up in the Dark. Once I reached this point I felt like the story significantly improved. Problem was, I had to plod through other stuff the get there and even then it had some slow parts. I bet 50 pages could be cut out of this book without significantly altering the story-line.
That said, I enjoyed the Dark because Felicity was in imminent danger with only a bit of training and a magic key to aid her. I'm a sucker for a main character facing danger.
Conclusion
The Crystal Key has a very slow start that needs some willpower put into it in order to get through it and into the good stuff. The characters act a little younger than they are supposed to be and I honestly didn't really connect to them as I would have liked too.
October 5, 2018
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The first thing that drew my attention was the gorgeous book cover. I know I should not judge a book by its cover, but who wouldn't want to read a book with this beautiful cover?
The Crystal Key is a young adult and fantasy book about Felicity, a sixteen-year-old girl whose only wish is to become a Doorward, a caster who protects and maintain peace to their world. The story follows a very familiar YA troupe. It is about a girl who has lost both her parents and is being raised by a good family friend. She has a power, a rare kind in their world, but somehow her guardian doesn't want her to be trained due to a reason which will be revealed later on. Despite her guardian's warnings, she starts training and faced the true dangers and horrors in their world.
To be completely honest, it took me quite a long time before the story hooked me. The beginning is quite dragging, and nothing interesting is happening. It's almost a hundred page before the good stuff begins. While I was reading this, I felt like those first few pages were unnecessary and could just be cut off.
World building wise, it has interesting elements and potential to be great. It's just that I cannot see the whole picture, and I was a little bit confused about whether the setting was in the real world or it was a different one. There are too much information and terminologies that were poorly explained.
For the characters, although they are all likable, I didn't feel connected to any of them, which was completely fine because it happens sometimes. The characters are sixteen-year-olds, but the way they speak and act make them look like eleven or twelve-year-olds. I'm not sure whether it was because of how the plot is simply written, or it's just really how I perceived them.
Overall, the book was okay. I didn't hate it nor like it. I think this would have been a good book if it has a proper editing and revisions.
I gave this book 3 stars!
The first thing that drew my attention was the gorgeous book cover. I know I should not judge a book by its cover, but who wouldn't want to read a book with this beautiful cover?
The Crystal Key is a young adult and fantasy book about Felicity, a sixteen-year-old girl whose only wish is to become a Doorward, a caster who protects and maintain peace to their world. The story follows a very familiar YA troupe. It is about a girl who has lost both her parents and is being raised by a good family friend. She has a power, a rare kind in their world, but somehow her guardian doesn't want her to be trained due to a reason which will be revealed later on. Despite her guardian's warnings, she starts training and faced the true dangers and horrors in their world.
To be completely honest, it took me quite a long time before the story hooked me. The beginning is quite dragging, and nothing interesting is happening. It's almost a hundred page before the good stuff begins. While I was reading this, I felt like those first few pages were unnecessary and could just be cut off.
World building wise, it has interesting elements and potential to be great. It's just that I cannot see the whole picture, and I was a little bit confused about whether the setting was in the real world or it was a different one. There are too much information and terminologies that were poorly explained.
For the characters, although they are all likable, I didn't feel connected to any of them, which was completely fine because it happens sometimes. The characters are sixteen-year-olds, but the way they speak and act make them look like eleven or twelve-year-olds. I'm not sure whether it was because of how the plot is simply written, or it's just really how I perceived them.
Overall, the book was okay. I didn't hate it nor like it. I think this would have been a good book if it has a proper editing and revisions.
I gave this book 3 stars!
April 23, 2018
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I should start this review by saying that I really enjoyed the book and had a great time reading.
Starting with the good parts - the world building is done really well. I started by being intrigued and trying to understand the magic and Wellsprings and then the story gets into the world of the Dark and everything is suddenly new, but somehow things start to make sense. I really enjoyed the world-building, and especially like that we did not get a history of the world turned to be what it is from the first pages of the novel. As a reader, you had to learn things about this world and I loved that.
I also really enjoyed the secondary character and found them a tad bit more interesting than our main character. It is always weird when that happens. It's not necessarily bad. My complaint about the characters in general is that they did not feel like teens. Most books turn teens into young adults too fast and that is worse, but in this novel they felt like kids or at least preteens... which made it quite weird when there was kissing involved (there isn't much of that).
It is full of action and it is quite fun, although a tad bit stressful - the suspense was killing me, which was a great thing! Overall, it is a super fun book!
I should start this review by saying that I really enjoyed the book and had a great time reading.
Starting with the good parts - the world building is done really well. I started by being intrigued and trying to understand the magic and Wellsprings and then the story gets into the world of the Dark and everything is suddenly new, but somehow things start to make sense. I really enjoyed the world-building, and especially like that we did not get a history of the world turned to be what it is from the first pages of the novel. As a reader, you had to learn things about this world and I loved that.
I also really enjoyed the secondary character and found them a tad bit more interesting than our main character. It is always weird when that happens. It's not necessarily bad. My complaint about the characters in general is that they did not feel like teens. Most books turn teens into young adults too fast and that is worse, but in this novel they felt like kids or at least preteens... which made it quite weird when there was kissing involved (there isn't much of that).
It is full of action and it is quite fun, although a tad bit stressful - the suspense was killing me, which was a great thing! Overall, it is a super fun book!
May 9, 2018
*I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an Honest Review*
I like the cover of the book really gorgeous and the description was very promising. But idk I just didn't like it or better yet it didn't really suit my age group. It feels like something I'd present to middle school kids.
And you know as much as I love fantasy this wasn't the best written. It has the occasionally long chapters that actually make you wish they'd get to the point. And there's world building, but even that isn't done as best as it can be. There were many different vocab. words of the world building, it was just too much at times. ^^"
And honestly if you had told me this was a book with only a few images throughout the book, I probably wouldn't have believed you, since from the outside it almost looks like a graphic novel.
And the 400 pgs part of it doesn't help to make it feel faster or easy to read.
In conclusion, the book was okay, it just it wasn't for me.
Recommends to:
Middle school kids since it feels like it's suppose to be aimed at their age group.
Hope you enjoyed my Review!! Thanks for Reading!!
I like the cover of the book really gorgeous and the description was very promising. But idk I just didn't like it or better yet it didn't really suit my age group. It feels like something I'd present to middle school kids.
And you know as much as I love fantasy this wasn't the best written. It has the occasionally long chapters that actually make you wish they'd get to the point. And there's world building, but even that isn't done as best as it can be. There were many different vocab. words of the world building, it was just too much at times. ^^"
And honestly if you had told me this was a book with only a few images throughout the book, I probably wouldn't have believed you, since from the outside it almost looks like a graphic novel.
And the 400 pgs part of it doesn't help to make it feel faster or easy to read.
In conclusion, the book was okay, it just it wasn't for me.
Recommends to:
Middle school kids since it feels like it's suppose to be aimed at their age group.
Hope you enjoyed my Review!! Thanks for Reading!!
September 21, 2018
My Thoughts:
This is a great book for tweens and middle schoolers who like Harry Potter without the bulk of reading Harry Potter. This first in the trilogy takes a girl with hidden talents thrust into a world she is not familiar with who must face horrors and zombies and things that go bump in the Dark. If you like magic, quests, a little romance and things that can kill you in the dark, this is the book for you.
A Few Words:
"Tobin - " she began. He looked up languidly. "You shouldn't call me that. It's not my name." "It is," Felicity insisted, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. "To me, you are Tobin. I've never known you by anything else. Besides, some people can name themselves, why not you. I like that name."
An ARC provided by Net Galley for an honest review
This is a great book for tweens and middle schoolers who like Harry Potter without the bulk of reading Harry Potter. This first in the trilogy takes a girl with hidden talents thrust into a world she is not familiar with who must face horrors and zombies and things that go bump in the Dark. If you like magic, quests, a little romance and things that can kill you in the dark, this is the book for you.
A Few Words:
"Tobin - " she began. He looked up languidly. "You shouldn't call me that. It's not my name." "It is," Felicity insisted, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. "To me, you are Tobin. I've never known you by anything else. Besides, some people can name themselves, why not you. I like that name."
An ARC provided by Net Galley for an honest review
lost-interest
December 11, 2025So, my copy of this book expired before I could finish it. I'm not even entirely sure at what percentage point I was when that happened, but I know I was at least 100+ pages in. And I guess I waited this long to review it because a part of me always thought that I'd find another copy and pick it up again, but after all this time I just feel rather meh about it. Maybe one day I will return to this, because from what I remember the ideas for the world were fascinating.
I do recall there being a lot of telling instead of showing, though, and the characters didn't really feel fully fleshed out. In all fairness, though, I probably only got through about 30% of it.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I do recall there being a lot of telling instead of showing, though, and the characters didn't really feel fully fleshed out. In all fairness, though, I probably only got through about 30% of it.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2018
*thank you to Netgalley and Diamond Book Distributors for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
3 stars.
Took a but to get into this, so I was forcing my way through it and it paid off. It started to eventually get better and more interesting. I've read a quite a few good middle grade adventure books and this holds itself up among them. It's a good fantasy story and I really like the world building. The cover for this is amazing. I did think it was a graphic novel which is why I originally requested it so was disappointed to find out it was a standard novel. I think this would be better as a graphic novel. I'd love to see it as one, but this was still worth reading.
3 stars.
Took a but to get into this, so I was forcing my way through it and it paid off. It started to eventually get better and more interesting. I've read a quite a few good middle grade adventure books and this holds itself up among them. It's a good fantasy story and I really like the world building. The cover for this is amazing. I did think it was a graphic novel which is why I originally requested it so was disappointed to find out it was a standard novel. I think this would be better as a graphic novel. I'd love to see it as one, but this was still worth reading.
July 13, 2018
/// Netgalley ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ///
In all fairness, I must first admit I only got through 100 pages of this book. I gave up on it because I could not bring myself to read 250 pages more. It is just boring and there is nothing special about the writing. That is it. I did not imagine how it could be worth such a long read.
That being said, I do not necessarily think it is a terrible book or there is something inherently wrong about it. It just was not for me. If you feel inclined to taking a look, maybe you will find what I did not and you might enjoy it.
In all fairness, I must first admit I only got through 100 pages of this book. I gave up on it because I could not bring myself to read 250 pages more. It is just boring and there is nothing special about the writing. That is it. I did not imagine how it could be worth such a long read.
That being said, I do not necessarily think it is a terrible book or there is something inherently wrong about it. It just was not for me. If you feel inclined to taking a look, maybe you will find what I did not and you might enjoy it.
January 13, 2020
I bought the book because it had unusual leafy pages. The story itself is a generic paint by number adventure. The writing is good but uninspired.
The storyline left a lot open at the end of the first book so that the second one will be able to sweep you up and carry you along faster, or that's the hope. I don't have it so I may never know.
I was a little confused. Is this earth? Or was it at one time earth? They use a lot of our words, even though a lot of things are made up.
All and all, a very strong 4.
The storyline left a lot open at the end of the first book so that the second one will be able to sweep you up and carry you along faster, or that's the hope. I don't have it so I may never know.
I was a little confused. Is this earth? Or was it at one time earth? They use a lot of our words, even though a lot of things are made up.
All and all, a very strong 4.
July 5, 2018
I received a copy of this for a fair and honest review. I found myself struggling to get into his book. It was not like the novels I am used to reading. I did not find myself connecting to the main character, but that happens sometimes. The concept of the story was a good just did not meet the potential that is could have for me. I know this is only the first book in the trilogy.
June 14, 2025
I thought it was very good just maybe for a younger audience than I am. Cute characters
July 14, 2018
I received a copy of this for a fair and honest review from NetGalley. I really found myself struggling to get into this book. It was not like the novels I am used to reading. I did not find myself connecting to the main character, but that happens sometimes. The concept of the story was a good just did not meet the potential that is could have for me. I know this is only the first book in the trilogy.
In close, the book was okay, however, it just it was not for me.
I would recommend this book for Middle School children since it feels like it's supposed to be aimed at that age group
In close, the book was okay, however, it just it was not for me.
I would recommend this book for Middle School children since it feels like it's supposed to be aimed at that age group
August 21, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of the book for review.
The reason I was drawn to this book was most certainly the beautiful cover. The soft undertones of the illustration promise magic and allure and for the most part the book delivers. My only disappointment is that the cover along with the way some of the story are written suggest that this book might be targeted towards middle grade (which I don’t believe is the case given some of the themes that are broached). However, it’s still an astonishingly good addition to the fantasy genre.
The plot starts out at a slow but steady pace, as we’re introduced to our main characters in the Wellspring of Key Island, where it is always Light and life is a combination of our current technology intermixed with a whole lot of magic. Constructs (or vehicles) are really alive. Many objects of common use are enhanced with magic to amplify their functions. The Dark is a constant threat engulfing the farther reaches of the world through the network of Mirrorgates, magical tunnels connecting cities across the globe, and the protective forces of magic are divided into two major divisions; Doorwards (who maintain the gateways) and Turnkeys (who fight the Horrors from the Dark).
The writing in this book is exceptionally good. The history well-researched. This makes up for utterly fantastic world-building. The author manages to hit a balance of both fantasy and science fiction in a book where the teenage protagonists are believable and the adults are well-rounded with faults. Once the main character, Felicity Bough, falls down the proverbial rabbit hole, so to speak, the story really hits its stride and it is nothing but one misadventure after another with the protagonist and her new friends usually coming out on top either through sheer luck or their uncanny resourcefulness. Either way, it’s impossible not to root for these characters. It’s a feeling I haven’t had since I was younger, reading The Chronicles of Narnia or Harry Potter, so this made me extremely happy.
The author does a great job of discussing the motives and backstories of most of the characters and I’m sure with the next book more of these will be explored and more questions answered. And more than likely more horrendous villains to be afraid of. I feel most excited for the next installment!
Rating: 4/5
The reason I was drawn to this book was most certainly the beautiful cover. The soft undertones of the illustration promise magic and allure and for the most part the book delivers. My only disappointment is that the cover along with the way some of the story are written suggest that this book might be targeted towards middle grade (which I don’t believe is the case given some of the themes that are broached). However, it’s still an astonishingly good addition to the fantasy genre.
The plot starts out at a slow but steady pace, as we’re introduced to our main characters in the Wellspring of Key Island, where it is always Light and life is a combination of our current technology intermixed with a whole lot of magic. Constructs (or vehicles) are really alive. Many objects of common use are enhanced with magic to amplify their functions. The Dark is a constant threat engulfing the farther reaches of the world through the network of Mirrorgates, magical tunnels connecting cities across the globe, and the protective forces of magic are divided into two major divisions; Doorwards (who maintain the gateways) and Turnkeys (who fight the Horrors from the Dark).
The writing in this book is exceptionally good. The history well-researched. This makes up for utterly fantastic world-building. The author manages to hit a balance of both fantasy and science fiction in a book where the teenage protagonists are believable and the adults are well-rounded with faults. Once the main character, Felicity Bough, falls down the proverbial rabbit hole, so to speak, the story really hits its stride and it is nothing but one misadventure after another with the protagonist and her new friends usually coming out on top either through sheer luck or their uncanny resourcefulness. Either way, it’s impossible not to root for these characters. It’s a feeling I haven’t had since I was younger, reading The Chronicles of Narnia or Harry Potter, so this made me extremely happy.
The author does a great job of discussing the motives and backstories of most of the characters and I’m sure with the next book more of these will be explored and more questions answered. And more than likely more horrendous villains to be afraid of. I feel most excited for the next installment!
Rating: 4/5
October 26, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-book to review.
I wanted to enjoy this book and really tried hard to get into it but I fear it just wasn’t for me at all. I found the world building created too much confusion at times and unsure if this is why I couldn’t keep focused or motivated with the book. I couldn’t find myself connected or empathising with the characters so sadly not for me
I wanted to enjoy this book and really tried hard to get into it but I fear it just wasn’t for me at all. I found the world building created too much confusion at times and unsure if this is why I couldn’t keep focused or motivated with the book. I couldn’t find myself connected or empathising with the characters so sadly not for me
November 25, 2018
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The cover of this book is what immediately drew me in, it's just gorgeous!
The description hooked me after the cover did:
"The sun has not shone in over a thousand years. Sixteen year old Felicity lives in a world where the Dark rules. Humanity stays to the Wellsprings, illuminated swathes of land where the light of eternal fountains keeps the skies bright all day long. But beyond that, the world is wrapped in eternal shadows, filled with monstrous Horrors who pray on the unsuspecting. When Felicity discovers that she is a Turnkey, a guardian selected to protect the Wellsprings, her life unexpectedly changes. Not only is she gifted with a magical Key with amazing abilities, but her fate soon takes her deep into the Dark, where with the help of a mysterious boy named Tobin she must survive astonishing odds. For it is soon that the Horrors begin hunting her, and a race to get home is only the beginning of her worries."
The world building is quite expansive, I loved seeing everything and would have loved to see even more.!
The characters are meant to be 16 years old but I couldn't help but perceive them as younger. Not necessarily a problem just my observations.
Overall I enjoyed it but I don't know if I would read it again.
The cover of this book is what immediately drew me in, it's just gorgeous!
The description hooked me after the cover did:
"The sun has not shone in over a thousand years. Sixteen year old Felicity lives in a world where the Dark rules. Humanity stays to the Wellsprings, illuminated swathes of land where the light of eternal fountains keeps the skies bright all day long. But beyond that, the world is wrapped in eternal shadows, filled with monstrous Horrors who pray on the unsuspecting. When Felicity discovers that she is a Turnkey, a guardian selected to protect the Wellsprings, her life unexpectedly changes. Not only is she gifted with a magical Key with amazing abilities, but her fate soon takes her deep into the Dark, where with the help of a mysterious boy named Tobin she must survive astonishing odds. For it is soon that the Horrors begin hunting her, and a race to get home is only the beginning of her worries."
The world building is quite expansive, I loved seeing everything and would have loved to see even more.!
The characters are meant to be 16 years old but I couldn't help but perceive them as younger. Not necessarily a problem just my observations.
Overall I enjoyed it but I don't know if I would read it again.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews