Book: The Keeper
Author: Kim Chance
Publisher: Flux Books/North Star Editions
Publication Date: Jan 30, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Format: Paperback
Pages: 408
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N |
Book Depository | IndieBound | Books-a-Million |
About The Book:
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.
About The Author:
Kim Chance is a high school English teacher and Alabama native who currently resides in Michigan with her husband and three children. Kim is also a YouTuber who has a passion for helping other writers. She posts weekly writing videos on her channel: www.youtube.com/kimchance1. When Kim is not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and two crazy dogs, binge-watching shows on Netflix, fangirling over books, and making death-by-cheese casseroles.
CONNECT WITH KIM CHANCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
WEBSITE | BLOG | YOUTUBE | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS
My Review:
The Keeper was an interesting and entertaining story with an abundance of comic book references and supernatural beings, with the main heroine Lainey being a witch, particularly a Keeper. In the beginning of the story, Lainey has an encounter with a 200-year-old witch called Josephine, whose parallel storyline from the past is gradually revealed to Lainey through visions. While Lainey's story is told in a first-person POV, most of Josephine's past is told in a third-person POV in her own chapters, until the two storylines eventually blend together. Lainey finds out that Josephine is related to her dead mother, and thus to her, through a special item that is revealed in the story. She discovers that she, like her ancestors, is a Keeper, a witch who has the power to unlock a powerful spell book called the Grimoire, and thus tries to protect it. There is an important reason why Josephine keeps popping up in Lainey's life, and it's because Lainey is now of age to try to steal back the Grimoire from the villain in the story, the Master, who wants to use the spell book for his own dark purposes.
Lainey's best friend is Maggie and she is definitely one of my favorite characters in the story. She has a fun vibe to her, is full of spunk, and is so animated it feels contagious! She loves comic books and tries to help Lainey out any way she can. Lainey also has a crush on a street fighter named Ty, but the romance in this novel doesn't play a huge part, as the supernatural aspect takes precedence in the story. So I wish there was a bit more romance. Lainey lives with her uncle Gareth and his girlfriend Serena, who is a psychic. They play a more prominent role towards the end of the book. Josephine was also another character I adored. I really loved reading about Josephine and her past, since it was so interesting to unravel the history behind the story. The historical aspect to The Keepers was really well done and it really tied everything together.
The main storyline was also intriguing. Unlike some fantasy stories that are set in imaginary lands, this one is set in modern day Georgia. This made the story feel relatable. I liked how the heroine showed a lot of humanistic qualities and wasn't the ready-to-go witch, with already polished powers. Lainey develops identity issues and has trouble adjusting to now having superpowers as a witch, which she has no idea how to use. So there is definitely a learning curve factor. This made the story interesting, because you don't know how the ending will turn out. Will she defeat the Master or not? Will she steal the Grimoire back or not? All while having to deal with additional outside factors that try to falter her plan. It definitely made me want to root for Lainey, as she struggles with self doubt for the daunting task, while also showing courage.
While the beginning half of the story runs a bit slow to get to the part where Lainey discovers she is a witch, it picks up in the second half with a lot more suspense and action, which I loved. There is also usage of magic in the story, but I wish there was a lot more of it. But this is alleviated by the fact that there will be a sequel, which will most likely contain more magic at the heart of the story, as Lainey begins to better understand how to use it. There is also a twist at the end that will surprise you. So the ending was interesting.
Overall, The Keeper is an enjoyable fantasy debut by Kim Chance with something for everyone, as it covers a variety of supernatural beings, not just witches. It is also heavy on the comic book culture, which will appeal to those people who love it. The history of The Keepers and the Grimoire was a fascinating part of the storyline. Also, magic is always fun to read about!
Set as a duology, we are in for an action-packed sequel, full of magic, as Lainey's powers will only begin to amaze us all as she masters them! She will definitely be a force to be reckoned with as the stakes will be greater and I can't wait to see how the story unfolds!
My Rating: 4 STARS