Dear book-lovers,
Welcome to the stop on blog tour for YA historical paranormal romance mystery – Smoke and Key by Kelsey Sutton 🙂 You will find in this post details about the book and author, my review, a link for giveaway, and the tour schedule.
Book Details
Title: Smoke and Key
Author: Kelsey Sutton
Release Date: April 2019
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Synopsis:
A sound awakens her. There’s darkness all around. And then she’s falling…
She has no idea who or where she is. Or why she’s dead. The only clue to her identity hangs around her neck: a single rusted key. This is how she and the others receive their names—from whatever belongings they had when they fell out of their graves. Under is a place of dirt and secrets, and Key is determined to discover the truth of her past in order to escape it.
She needs help, but who can she trust? Ribbon seems content in Under, uninterested in finding answers. Doll’s silence hints at deep sorrow, which could be why she doesn’t utter a word. There’s Smoke, the boy with a fierceness that rivals even the living. And Journal, who stays apart from everyone else. Key’s instincts tell her there is something remarkable about each of them, even if she can’t remember why.
Add to GOODREADS
Purchasing links can be found HERE
About Author
Kelsey Sutton is a young adult and middle grade author. She lives in Minnesota, where she received a dual bachelor’s degree in English and Creative Writing from Bemidji State University. She will soon have a master’s degree from Hamline University. Her work has received an Independent Publisher Book Award, an IndieFab Award, and was selected as a Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of 2013. When not writing, Kelsey can be found watching too much Netflix, ordering a mocha at the nearest coffee shop, or browsing a bookstore. You can visit her online at www.kelseysuttonbooks.com, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter or Instagram.
Author links: WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / GOODREADS
Review
Title: Smoke and Key
Author: Kelsey Sutton
Publication Year: 2019
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy (Paranormal), Historical fiction (Victorian time), Romance, Mystery
Source: eARC via YA Bound Book Tours
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Recommendation: Recommended for YA fantasy readers
My Thoughts
Trembling, I open one eye and watch the dust settle. A thousand questions churn in my mind as I uncurl and look around.
The story begins with our MC – Key waking up in darkness, then falling and landing in the ‘Under’, where she meets Smoke, Ribbon, Journal, Doll, Handkerchief and some other inhabitants of this dark and strange place. The first murder happens after she arrives and the murder mystery starts intertwined with other puzzles. Many questions have to be answered, secrets unearthed and memories recovered.
You’re dead, darlin’. This isn’t hell, but it’s the next best thing.
I liked Smoke, he was mysterious and sweet. My feelings towards Key are a bit more complicated as I liked that she was brave and curious, she wanted to find out what was really happening and why, even if it put her in danger, she wasn’t going to give up. However, at times she a bit frustrated me.
My heart is a stallion on the moors, wild and racing. He lowers his head and our lips touch. His nose brushes my cheek. It’s such a foreign sensation, having someone else’s face so close to mine, and then it’s gone.
This was a plot driven story with few mysteries, bit of romance and magic. The world is intriguing, however, the pace at times felt slow as I wanted to discover faster some more answers. The memories came in flash backs, which I enjoyed. But I wasn’t a fan of the love triangle. Also the magic wasn’t fleshed out enough for me, the ending left me with desire for something more and a tad bit of sadness.
Don’t ever give your heart away, the anguished girl had said. But I suspect it may be too late.
Overall this was a unique, intriguing, mysterious and a bit dark young adult historical fantasy story that I enjoyed.
Giveaway
GIVEAWAY (INTERNATIONAL) – Signed copy of Smoke and Key and a key necklace or $20 gift card for INTL winner (ends April 12th) > HERE
Tour Schedule:
Betwixt the Pages – Review
4Covert2Overt A Place in the Spotlight – Excerpt
What Is That Book About – Excerpt
Movies, Shows, & Books – Excerpt
Bibliobibuli YA – Author Interview
That Transylvanian Chick Book Blog – Review
Mythical Books – Excerpt
Character Madness and Musings – Promo Post
K.L. Novitzke – Author – Promo Post
All the Ups and Downs – Promo Post
Sereadipity – Review
Christine’s Book Corner – Promo Post
Paulette’s Papers – Promo Post
Living in a Bookworld – Promo Post
Baroness’ Book Trove – Review
Hayden Quinn Writes – Review
Words I Write Crazy – Review
The Bo0ki3 – Promo Post
Journey in Bookland – Review
The Cover Contessa – Promo Post
Tiffany Arnold – Review
Chapters through life – Review
Pooled Ink – Promo Post
Hauntedbybooks – Review
BookwyrmBites – Review
Cheyenne Reads – Promo Post
Confessions of a YA Reader – Promo Post
For the Love of KidLit – Promo Post
Book Briefs – Review
Book-Keeping – Review
Loie Dunn – Review
Mind of Luxe – Review
Lisa Loves Literature – Review
ashleysgotbookcitement – Review
Rebecca’s Reviews – Review
BeachBoundBooks – Promo Post
More Books Please blog – Review
Book Butterfly in Dreamland – Review
Treestand Book Reviews – Review
Bookworm for Kids – Review
The Laughing Listener – Review
Willow’s Thoughts And Book Obsessions – Promo Post
forthenovellovers – Review
Smada’s Book Smack – Review
Thank you for visiting this stop of the blog tour and remember to check out the rest of them as well 😉
Happy reading,
Lady of Bookland
Journey in Bookland 
Wow, a YA historical paranormal romance? There aren’t enough of those! I’m going to have to give this one a shot. Thanks! 🙂
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