The Keepers #2: The Harp and the Ravenvine audiobook

4/16/21: aajlksJFEIOFUNSKi might be just dumb and have a weird sense of humor but this book has no right to be so randomly funny (note to self: page 465)(Also I accidentally stayed up until 3:30 last night reading bc I lost track of time and I'm pretty sure that's doubly ironic because the literal protagonist of this book has perfect time and then there's me)I broke my fast reading record with this one - 650 pages in 2 1/2 flippin' hours!It was hard not to read so fast though - this book is about 10x better than the first one.

Even better than the first one, and the first one was already great.My favorite thing about this series is the characters. Brian, Isabel, and April are new, but they integrate really well into the story. April is quiet, but delivers deadpan lines that are s o unintentionally funny. Brian is an interesting character with an interesting power, and I can’t wait to learn more about him. I don’t trust or like Isabel, but I also feel bad for her, but I also feel worse for Chloe, and this character complexity is so damn satisfying. And the dynamics?? Chloe and Brian have, without fail, the funniest interactions ever. The chaos that is the grouping of Horace, Chloe, April, and Brian. Family dinner with Horace, Jessica, Chloe, Isabel, and Joshua which was a nightmare and ergo, highly entertaining. Neptune, Chloe, and Horace just trying to have a conversation while their brains were basically fried. Chloe’s torment over Isabel and her intentions. April wanting to be friends with Chloe and Chloe reluctantly doing so 🥺🥰. And through it all, the rock solid relationship between Horace and Chloe that worked so well in the first book.All the plot twists that the book throws land perfectly. I also want to appreciate the climax. Chloe’s solo moment highlighted her bravery so well and was one of my favorite scenes from both books. Then later, she (view spoiler)[kills the auditor (hide spoiler)] and has to deal with the consequences of it, really showing the nuance of the situation. Horace getting his solo moment later and successfully bluffing Dr. Jericho? The whole thing is just *chef’s kiss*.Finally I want to say that we respect Chloe 24/7 out here. The fact that she’s still able to drop the coldest lines around (i.e. “We already have a bird. Her name is Neptune.”) while struggling through the 300 problems she had this book just proves how iconic she is.

The Harp and the Ravenvine is a worthy sequel to the first book of the "Keepers" series, the Box and the Dragonfly. It has a familiar sound to it, that reminds you of the previous book, but also contains some unfamiliar elements and new characters, such as April and Isabel, and expands upon lightly introduced characters like Brian. These new characters not only add to the story and contribute to the plot in a new and great way, but they also expand the world. They add a whole new depth to this story's reality, and answer some previously dodged questions, like Chloe's background and the history of the tan'ji, and how they're made. The effective writing explains the plot thoroughly while leaving room for humor and action-packed fighting scenes. However, some of the limitations of April's broken tan'ji seem to be sporadic, like they don't always apply, and sometimes things seem easy for her, but in other situations, they are inexplicably harder to do. I will continue to read the series, for as many books as there are, because this amazing novel has captured my imagination and continues to hold me in its grasp. I think all other readers will appreciate it the way I do, because it is made very well, and has a very thoroughly developed plot that is inescapably intricate and beautifully written. The story begs you to come back for more, hooking you even more with every line written, and for that I think you, and anyone else, like me, will continue to read it and be glad that you are doing so.

Still a Fantastic book, every side character is developing at a wonderful rate. Isabel is the best one of them all.

i loved it you are able to read the second book without reading the first book. even after i finished reading it i cant stop reading it!

I absolutely LOVEDDDDD this book, maybe even more than the first one. It gives you more action sequences than the first, and so MUCH more character development and insight. I found myself actually chuckling aloud during some of the dialogue or the actions of the characters. I LOVEEEDDDD the end of the book so much and the cliffhanger it was left on, which I see is how all the books will probably end until the last book. This book answered many questions from the first book while weaving in new characters and their Tanji, and then posed more questions. I love Horace and Chloe's friendship so much and Chloe's relationship with Horace's mom and how cool and understanding Horace's mom is. I loved April's introduction and her introduction with her Tanji and what she can do with it! I also loved and hated Isabel's character but I suppose that is par for the course when reading about her and her mistakes and behavior throughout the book and what transpired in her past. I absolutely loved that the chapters went back and forth between narratives and did it so well! This series is quickly making its way to some of my most favorite books I have ever read. I cannot wait to start the next one and then the last one although I am already feeling bittersweet about it ending and I am not that close yet. lol.

Both more and less than I expected from the sequel to The Box and the Dragonfly.The Harp and the Ravenvine begins with an introduction to a new character and from this new character's point of view. This was a bit off putting for me. I know and adore Horace and Chloe. After the astonishing ending of the second book I wanted to check in on them. Not meet some new character that I don't really know or care about.And sadly, April never really does grow on me. She has her own distinct personality. She's nothing like Horace or Chloe, but her personality doesn't really lend itself well to the story. She's more of an animal person than a people person, reserved at times and quiet, and overall with characters as strong as Horace and Chloe and even Isabel, April just sort of fades into the background. Almost unnecessary except for as a plot device.The Harp and the Ravenvine is full of suspense and some unexpected twists and turns and revelations. Some I could guess at, but some were totally new information completely out of left field. Overall, however, I didn't find this book as thrilling as its predecessor. Alas, therein lies the rub with many a sequel.The writing is lively and detailed as always, there are some really great scenes and plot twists, and I do quite enjoy the series as a whole. For that more than anything else I give this novel 4 stars.

I am pretty sure that I enjoyed this book more than the first one, but it is hard to compare. It seems so different, with three different perspectives and many new characters and threats to the main characters, and a lot of new information. At first, I really liked April, and she started to become one of my favorite characters, although after reading further and further, Chloe remained my favorite. I am super excited to read the next book, where Joshua gets a perspective too, although I'm also starting to be sad because I'm more than halfway through the series, having finished the longest book.When I started to get nearer to the end of the book, I thought that the climax was going to be disappointing in comparison to the climax of the first book, but it wasn't. It was a lot more surprising than I thought.

This series just gets better and better. In this second book Horace and Chloe are back, but now they are dealing with greater dangers than Dr. Jericho and the Riven. A girl is being called by the missing piece of her talisman of power--her Tan-ji. A young boy accompanies her. The adult they're with has her own agenda with the Keepers. There will be magical battles, new uses for old talismans, and new characters introduced. This is a fabulous series that every fantasy lover should try. The complex threads weaving its tapestry are too myriad to examine in depth in a review. You just have to read it yourself...in order. I'm shocked I hadn't stumbled on the series before. Book three is waiting for me on my tablet. Hurrah!

I found this book at a library and thought it sounded interesting, and yes I read this book series completely out of order, first this book, then the last book, and finally the first book. This book series grabs my attention and like almost every book series I’ve read, left me looking at the world differently and having dreams about it for a month. You feel as if your battling along with the Keepers and had me wondering what my Tan’ji is, and recently for some reason I’ve been thinking about this book series a lot that’s also because I never truly finished it.

** spoiler alert ** Reading this to my eldest but I love it as much as she does. It’s such a brilliant book - better than the first story (maybe by now we know what most of the strange words are!!). New characters in the form of April and Isabel expand the story and we liked the way it veers between these and our regular characters. Our library doesn’t have the next one in and there’s a wait in Amazon of between 1-3 months argh!!!

Complex characters and secret society that's deeper and more developed each chapter--this series is even better than I expected. Too often young adult authors equate teenage themes with simple stories. But this book is a brilliant example that coming of age can be set in a deep world with characters that aren't motivated by only one thing. Plus, the story is truly creative and exciting.

A pretty fabulous read with interesting characters and a great plot. It feels like there is so much depth in this world of Keepers and their objects that give them special powers. The villains are scary; bad things happen to good people and there are lots of secrets coming out all the time. Can't wait for book 3!

Pleasantly surprised with this 2nd book on the series. It had a bit more excitement and intrigue. At some parts a bit spooky. I am going to hold off on the 3rd book for a little while though as I don’t like getting sucked into long series of books.

Excellent continuation. Sanders got plenty of new developments and ideas, and rounded out the bulk of the worldbuilding in this book. Excellent story, well written. Excitement and intellectualism both done very well.