I devoured this one in only a few sittings! It’s the kind of dystopian that introduces us to a world that is thriving, but also recovering from terrible plagues of the past. In the present, touching is forbidden and everyone is controlled (down to what the wear, where they work, who they marry) by The Key. Books are banned. Free will is robbed bit by bit until you don’t realise you’ve lost it. Our two main characters are Aiden and Elodie, and I loved them both! Elodie is a secret book nerd, quite soft and anxious, and very empathetic. Aiden is quite chill, quite unmotivated, looking for something more than the meagre life The Key has allotted him. There’s also government conspiracies, villain POVs, rule breaking, and lies uncovered. Definitely pick it up if you’re a fan of warped and toxic dystopians, compelling characters, and a twisty plot.

“Behind every strong woman was a sea of strong women, not behind every strong woman was a sea of yes-minded drones.”
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The world has been touched by a terrible pandemic that has decimated Earth’s population and 50 years later the Government has established strict rules, and the most important one is that nobody can touch anyone. Does this sound familiar? I definitely hope we will not have to come to these extreme methods, but the actual situation does make me think and this book is so current. Elodie doesn’t want to defy the system, she is a good girl who follows the rules.. except when it comes to her little guilty pleasure: reading romantic and adventure books. No one would really think she is doing something bad, it’s just reading, right?!.. it’s not real. But the protagonist of her book is so fierce and passionate and when Elodie meets a boy, Aidan, that makes her feel butterflies in her stomach she cannot resist, she wants to be brave like her characters and she wants to feel something real, she wants to be loved. I really cannot imagine how terrible it would be not to be touched ever, not to be hugged or cuddled when you just need it. Not only it has been proved by science that hugs can have a benefit to the neural system but it’s the most natural way to express affection. And Aidan knows it, he will not put aside his emotions and his feelings and he will not believe to the lies told by the Government. Because it is easier to control people using fear: of stranger or of diseases.. it’s the best way to keep them quite. I really appreciated this dystopian world and I loved the fact that literature can have such a great impact on how people live, that it can make them feel better, braver and stronger. I have received this book through netgalley for a blog tour and I am very happy to have read it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Ah, where to start with this one? As soon as I saw the cover, then the title, I was intrigued. But once I saw the author? I was sold!

I’ve never read anything by her, but I recognized her because my cousin used to love her other books with P.C Cast. So I knew she had to be worth reading.

I was NOT disappointed! I will definitely be getting this book for my cousin when it comes out because I think she’d love it too.

First off, I'm a huge fan of the House of Night series (who isn't, am I right?) so I was thrilled to see a new book in a new world coming from Kristin Cast!

This book was one that shook me a bit, as with the current pandemic happening around the world, it was very easy to believe that we could one day live in a world where touch is forbidden. That being said, Cast blends clever world-building while exploring themes of resistance and perseverance. I can't wait to find out what happens next... that ending just about killed me, but knowing Cast, the next book won't disappoint!

The premise was timely, but the execution wasn't anything special (and I say this as someone who still loves a good dystopia despite the complete saturation of the YA dystopian genre in the past decade). Rounding up to 3 stars because the writing was adequate, but the pacing was too slow and overall I felt like this book didn't stand out the way it would need to in order for me to recommend it for purchase except to round out completist dystopian collections.

No touching today for a healthy tomorrow.

These are the words that the inhabitants of this futuristic world live by. After a pandemic wipes out most of the world’s population, touch is no longer allowed. Babies are conceived using science, not by love. There is no touching, no kissing, no hugging, no anything. Spouses are basically chosen for you by the Key, the government.

This dystopian, post-apocalyptic world created by Kristin Cast was definitely an eerie look into a possible future, especially after we’re still reeling from 2020 and the coronavirus. The Key to Fear is 2020 x 1000 on steroids.

The world building and future tech was amazing and I loved reading about it. I wasn’t that enamored with Elodie and Aiden and wasn’t thrilled about the insta-love. I did, however, want to know what was going to happen next so kept being pulled back into this book.

The book ended on a cliffhanger so I do need to see how Elodie and Aiden fare on their next major adventure.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advance copy!*

I received an advanced copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

First, the novel seems SO applicable currently with the crazy pandemic going on! This novel is a futuristic novel where a virus has wiped out most of the human population and now so many safety precautions are in place. The biggest is all these rules that The Key corporation has in place that are safety measures to keep the population safe and healthy...right? Elodie has always followed the rules because the rules are meant to keep everyone safe, but is that all the rules are doing? And then Elodie meets Aiden. Aiden and his laissez-faire attitude, Aiden who doesn't seem to follow the rules, Aiden who Elodie wonders about...

I was quite excited for this novel and then overall story and concept was enjoyable, my biggest complaint (and reason for 3 stars) was it was wwwwwaaaaaaaayyyyyyy tttoooooooooo S L O W for most of the novel! Then it sped way up and finished with some bombshells! Mind you, the extremely slow pace wasn't enough to make me want to toss the novel aside, however, I would give that warning to others. I will definitely pick up the next novel and I sure hope it isn't the reverse where it's now going to be TOO busy and fast-paced. The story was neat and interesting, I just wish I had been given more substance throughout the novel instead of just the slow burn romance.

The last 20% of the book was definitely the best, full of action, drama, angst, surprises, twists, action and a cliff hanger ending. It just took a really long drawn out time to get to that ending. I was moderately confused and not really engaged for most of the book, trying to make sense as multiple random character perspectives switched around and little snippets of story played out, being left for me like bread crumbs that I needed to collect to make my way through the plot. Well, some of the crumbs I don't think I picked up and others were a neon-lit full piece of bread I saw from a mile away, which at times made the story feel very disjointed and confusing.

This is the start to what could be a very interesting dystopian series now that most of the slow pacing of the world building seems to be out of the way. I am interested enough to pick up the next book to see what will be coming. The Key To Fear is perfect for anyone looking for a very real feeling dystopian about a virus that destroyed society, teens who are trying to do the right things, inconvenient feelings, science fiction like virtual reality and medical advances as well as an epic conspiracy.

Reading a book about a pandemic wiping out most of the human race may not be everyone's cup of tea right now, but the blurb hooked me right away.

What would the world look like if touching was forbidden?  The world-building is impressive, and it's obvious the author put a lot of time into creating it.  Everything from personal pods to procreation techniques is covered.  Citizens don't date - they're matched by The Key based on compatible genetics and given jobs determined by assessment tests.  Everything is sterile and impersonal - free choice is practically nonexistent.  What I missed was more information on how the pandemic came about and when and how The Key came into power.  A little more backstory would have filled in some blanks.

I liked that conformist Elodie and rebellious Aiden are polar opposities - the rule follower and the rule challenger.  Early on, it's clear that Elodie doesn't exactly obey all the rules, and I liked that about her.  It didn't come as such a shock when she began questioning things.  The insta-love between them really wasn't necessary for the plot - I think the story would have worked fine without it, but that's just my opinion.

Pacing was an issue for me as not a lot happens in the first half of the story.  Around the 80% mark, things take off to the point that the ending feels rushed, but it's a good place for the next book to begin.

If you're in the mood for a dystopian set post-pandemic, The Key to Fear is a timely read with well-developed characters.   

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and were not affected by the free copy.

Elodie is perfect: she follows all the rules, she always does what is expected of her, she never speaks her mind, and she believes in and trusts The Key, the corporation that saved humanity from Cerebus, a plague that swept the nation (sound familiar?). By chance, she meets Aidan: he never follows the rules, never does what is expected, speaks his mind, and truly believes that the Key is keeping him from what he was meant to be-free.

Sometimes when I read a dystopian or horror book, I get a chill because it feels too real. This is one of those books. With a pandemic sweeping the world, this was relevant. There is no-touching; ever. No one holds hands, no hugs, all doors open automatically so one doesn't have to touch the same handle as someone else, and all babies are grown in bots. One kiss might release the plague on everyone again.

I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't a huge fan of the insta-love Elodie and Aidan had, but when you see just how miserable she really is, I kind of get. But only kind of.

I'm definitely looking forward to the next book.

I received this book free for review from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had to have this book when I saw it was by one of my favourite authors Kristin Cast! I love the house of night series. Plus how could I not read a book that is my favourite genre dystopian and the main character works in a hospital (I am a nurse). I really liked the characters and the story and the little bit of a twist. I can’t wait to continue on in the series (only bad park about ARCs are you have to wait even longer for the next book haha).

I would absolutely recommend this book to everyone!

The story in this one was pretty good but I just couldn’t connect with the characters! However, the writing was quite good!

A very chilling look at what our future could look like in 50 years. This novel is so relevant to current events it’s almost frightening. A well written story everyone should be reading right now. Thank Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I got about eight chapters in and just gave up. Couldn't connect with any of the characters enough to want to continue. Not for me.

This book was almost scary in today’s health situation. I loved how far the author took certain situations to show how truly dire the virus was instead of being vague and sweeping over details. Though there is romance- the story was very plot driven and I adored every second of it.

No touching today for a healthy tomorrow.

Meet Elodie, good student, trainee nurse and stickler for the rules. She lives a nice life in a nice town with a nice friend and a nice boyfriend. But that's just it. It's all nice. Nothing more. No one touches, no one holds hands, couples never kiss and reproduction is a process which takes place in a lab. Elodie questions none of it until the day she walks into the door. Enter Aidan. Rebellious, curious and struggling to keep a hold of his emotions. A recipe for love or disaster?

This is a fantastic offering from Kristin Cast. The story has a good pace and just enough detail to keep things flowing. The characters are likeable and the world believable. There are a couple twists and turns along the way including a large helping of betrayal. Perfect for fans of YA dystopian novels, adults and teens alike. Kristen write well, her writing has pace and just enough imagery. I can't wait for the next installment. This so far is screaming trilogy, so I hope we don't have to wait too long for the next installment. A fresh new voice to the genre. Well worth a read.

The Key To Fear is a chillingly spectacular read, full of characters that make you feel for them, It's a story with it's "no touching" rule, feels particularly relevant to society today with the global pandemic.