Ari Bookzilla

I would give The Legacy of the Key a 3.5. As far as debut novels go, it was pretty good. It's a weird combo of contemporary but historical at the same time (you'll see) and sci-fi, if that makes any sense, and it actually works.I loved the world building in this. The author creates an alternate dimension called Pemdas and I really liked the way she makes it come alive with vivid, detailed descriptions, I could almost see it before my eyes. Great imagination.Reece was a good heroine. She's smart and she can hold her own, she doesn't let anyone put her down. I was waiting for her to become a weak damsel in distress, but it never really happens, she doesn't need saving and she pretty much deals with everything thrown her way. I liked the way she handled the girls in the palace. At the same time, she's a typical girl, swooning over pretty boys, loving big bathrooms, grooming products and big closets.Levi (love that name!) was a good hero - none of that possessive, controlling stuff we so often see in romance these days. He also had that air of nobility about him, but it definitely doesn't define him and he's just a normal, good guy. I must say that I really liked him, he was just the right amount of cocky, even though at times he was too sappy for my liking.I thought Reece had better chemistry with Harrison than Levi. It's not really a love triangle although I expected it to be, the blurb definitely implies it. Yes, the romance is very sweet, but maybe a little too perfect and a tad cheesy. It's a slow build up to them admitting to their feelings, and I liked how subtle it was.While I generally liked the writing, I'd say it still reads like a debut novel - the author barely ever uses contractions, even in dialogue, which just seemed completely unnatural. At first I thought maybe it's just the Pemdai that talk like that, but no, the heroine does as well. And there is an abundance of improper use of commas (punctuation in general, but commas especially) - it messes up the flow of the story. I was constantly making pauses in my head wherever a comma was even though I knew I shouldn't, and it took me longer than it normally would to read a book this long.That being said, I loved the characters and the plot. I must admit, I was really surprised at where the story went. I didn't expect it. All the people in the palace - the spiteful trio (I always think that if I want to slap someone from a book, it's a good character), and the lovely Elisabeth, the Emperor and Empress, Jasmeen and my favorite, Harrison, they were great and they all add something to the story. It was a little slow at times, but seeing as the author took her time to introduce you to Pemdas and all the back story it made sense. It was really interesting so I wasn't bored.It's a very clean read, for those who care about those things.Overall, if you want to read a light story set in a different dimension with a sweet love story and a bit of a thrill at the right times, I definitely recommend it. It's a good escapist read because it takes you to a whole different world and makes you want to visit Pemdas yourself. The story ties up nicely in the end, but at the same time the author creates a good introduction for the sequel. Will I read the next book? I think I probably will. I kind of want to know what else is out there, you know?I am proud to be a guest reviewer at ❤ Coffee, Books & Lipgloss Book Review Blog ❤!