Unlocked (Keeper of the Lost Cities, #8.5) in KOTLC

Nov 17, 2020 personreading_ rated it it was amazing

I finished this book in one day. And that’s not just because I absolutely loved it, but also because the actual book itself- the part where it leaves off from Legacy- is not long AT ALL.

When I first heard this book was coming out with special illustrations and other stuff, I figured it’d be in the back of the book and maybe only ten pages. But I’m here to tell you that this part of the book takes up a majority of the page count (503 pages to be exact) and only around 241 pages are left for the a ...more

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Nov 23, 2020 Aҽɾιαʅ Dყɳαɱιƈ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book definitely goes up to the top among my favorites (even though I rate all my kotlc books 5 stars) The only thing I didn't like was how short the novella was XD

I don't know if it saved my update reviews for the book, but I also wrote a lot on those, mostly ranting about how much I LOVE the pictures!!! XD Like, seriously, they are AMAZING!!!!! (Thank you, Laura Hollingsworth!!!) My favorites are probably the one with Sophie and her family, The Flight, The Leap, The Twin, and The Thing (I This book definitely goes up to the top among my favorites (even though I rate all my kotlc books 5 stars) The only thing I didn't like was how short the novella was XD

I don't know if it saved my update reviews for the book, but I also wrote a lot on those, mostly ranting about how much I LOVE the pictures!!! XD Like, seriously, they are AMAZING!!!!! (Thank you, Laura Hollingsworth!!!) My favorites are probably the one with Sophie and her family, The Flight, The Leap, The Twin, and The Thing (I showed all of them to my sister except for the last one 'cause she hasn't read Legacy yet, and that picture is Major Spoilers!)

And Keefe's commentary on his memories!!! I'm not one who cries while reading books (at least not a lot) but I came close while reading those (and you know, from reading the novella, but I'll get to that later) and OF COURSE Keefe managed to hack into his registry files and change all the words XD honestly how could I suspect otherwise.

Now for the moment I've been waiting for: The Novella!! I managed to read all the bonus stuff all in one (and a bit) sitting, but when it came to the actual novella I started having a panic attack and had to set the book down for a few hours. I had this happen while I was reading Legacy, but not as drastic. I think it was because of how much shorter Unlocked is than Legacy, and therefore how much sooner I will finish it. But every time I picked up the book to start reading the novella, all I would want to do is everything BUT read it!! And every time I was away from the book, it was all I could think about. So I was in this weird stage of stress, panic, and absolute terror. I finally managed to read the preface, but then I had to stop again because of how...I don't even know the word to describe the emotion that I was feeling while reading it, but it was that feeling like my throat closed off and I stopped breathing for a few seconds while making weird panic-y noises, so of course I had to put the book down again after that.

It happened again after the first chapter. "Keefe's awake." This was the moment that I've been waiting for since I finished Legacy more than a year ago. More than a year of absolute terror and anticipation for the next book to come out, and the moment has finally arrived. I didn't want to rush that precious moment. I didn't want to rush any of them.

However, after taking a break after finishing the first chapter, I read the rest of the book in one sitting. I knew that I had school the next day, and didn't want to juggle reading the book with participating in school and trying to do homework, I knew I wouldn't be able to focus on anything else. So I stayed up til past midnight finishing it.

And BOY am I an absolute WRECK after doing so! I've heard several theories on what Keefe's new ability would be (everyone knew that Keefe would gain an ability after that endeavor) but SERIOUSLY I DID NOT EXPECT IT TO BE LIKE THAT!!!!!! It's actually kinda hilarious because I did a Keeper roleplay on here about a year ago, with my character not wanting to talk after a traumatic experience of beguiling someone into killing them self. Well, can't use that character ever again.

Just the fact that half the story is told in Keefe's perspective, it made the novella SO much better than if it was just in Sophie's. Here's this boy that has gone through so much belittling and hurt in his life, that all that helps him keep going is this wall he builds around himself. A wall of telling jokes, deflecting questions, and humor. But every once in a while, something comes along and smashes that wall to pieces, leaving only that scared boy underneath. Once his wall is down, this boy turns to one alternative: Run. He ran away from his father, ran away from his friends, and to the Neverseen, and the only thing stopping him from running away even more, was Sophie. Sophie was the one who stopped him from running off to Ravagog by himself, and who knows how many disasters that would have come from that. Sophie's the one who helps that scared, lost boy feel cared for and found. The only thing that would bring that boy back, is to get rid of Sophie, and that's what Shannon did. She gave him this ability that made him unable to put his walls back up, and feeling unable to turn to anyone. All that's left for him is to run. So that's what he did.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand that's where Unlocked ended. That's what we're left with for another year. ...more

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Jun 05, 2022 maryam |✿| rated it liked it

i only read this for the novella, which maybe 3.5 ✨ because well KEEFE'S POV.

its what i wanted and also... not. like damn my heart is breaking, my poor bby keefe.

after that stupid cliffhanger, im going to be really upset if we dont get much of him or his jokes in the next book or the black swan finally getting an upper hand on the Neverseen. or any substance lol.

ALSO IF SO-KEEFE ISNT ENDGAME IM THROWING MY BOOKS OFF A CLIFF. i already have all the lowkey cringey dialogue, petty teen drama, repe ...more

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