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Kinth
It is the most important day of young Frederick’s life. Like a large number of children his age, Frederick is plagued by crippling anxiety brought on by a recent pandemic. He interviews for full time admittance into Kinth, a world renowned institute that is considered to be the only hope left for children like Frederick to live a normal life. Despite an apparent hallucination and a panic attack mid interview, Frederick is elated to find he has been accepted into Kinth. However, Frederick quickly learns that his admittance is conditional. He, along with 19 other accepted applicants, will undergo “further testing” to determine whether or not they are “truly Kinth material.” Additionally, Frederick is informed that the applicants are discouraged from using their real names to avoid forming personal attachments, and will instead be called simply by their applicant numbers. Frederick, now Twenty, becomes fast friends with the picture perfect One, the ornery Seven and Thirteen, and the soft spoken Nineteen. The odd nature of Kinth’s testing convinces Frederick and his new friends that there is far more going on in Kinth than any of them first expected. Their suspicions are confirmed as they sneak from their dormitories to investigate the building and stumble across a dark room containing a shadowy beast that none of them remember seeing before, but have all had recurring nightmares of since childhood. Deeply shaken but equally determined, The group decides that the only way to remain at Kinth and uncover its secrets is to pass the unusual and rigorous testing. They strive to pass the tests and discover the truth that Kinth is so intent on hiding—a truth that will change their lives forever.
- GenresFictionYoung Adult
424 pages, Paperback
Published April 30, 2024
12 people are currently reading
7723 people want to read
About the author
Timothy C. Finley
1 book52 followersA life-long storyteller and story lover, Timothy Finley writes books that tackle difficult life themes like anxiety, finding purpose, and belonging. Timothy, a self-described anxious person, cares deeply about purpose and belonging, and his passions are often reflected in the dynamic characters he brings to life. His primary goal in life is to fill every inch of his house with books, including a few of
his own along the way! Kinith: Book 1 is his debut novel.
his own along the way! Kinith: Book 1 is his debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 1, 2024
A stunning debut YA novel, that encapsulates everything good in found family. I read an early copy of this book and it was truly one of my favorite band of characters I have ever had the pleasure of coming across. I became attached to these characters in a way I was not prepared for and won't soon forget. If you enjoy adventure, found family, and wonderful representation of mental illness, keep an eye out for Kinth.
July 2, 2024
not my usual genre, (sci-fi, YA) but enjoyed this one... and eagerly await a sequel! Left story on a cliff-hanger!
May 29, 2024
Won a copy from a Goodreads giveaway and it arrived with a note and signed by the author, so cool, thank you so much!
Loved the story. I said, "that's it?!" when it was done, but some other reviewers mentioned a Part 2, so I'm hoping the story continues. The camaraderie between the characters was heartwarming while also having action and adventure in the story. I think this book would make a great movie.
We never heard One's background story, so if there isn't a second part, that's one part that's missing from the book that I was waiting for.
Loved the story. I said, "that's it?!" when it was done, but some other reviewers mentioned a Part 2, so I'm hoping the story continues. The camaraderie between the characters was heartwarming while also having action and adventure in the story. I think this book would make a great movie.
We never heard One's background story, so if there isn't a second part, that's one part that's missing from the book that I was waiting for.
September 26, 2024
Kinth!!! I just knew this would be a five star read and I was correct. I loved every bit of this book. My heart is warmed.
July 1, 2025
An extremely impressive debut novel. Kept me interested the whole time. Very lovable characters. Wasn’t obsessed with the world building, but feel like the friendships between characters made up for it.
Worth the read for sure!
Worth the read for sure!
July 13, 2024
Okay, I know it took me a little longer to read this book than I normally have taken. That’s only because I only had the physical copy and not an ebook!
That being said, Mr. Finley, bravo! What an awesome entry into your writing career!
This book was awesome from start to finish. There were twists I couldn’t predict, and the characters were all written very well. This book also tackled anxiety in a very relatable way, so kudos to the author on that.
THERE BETTER BE A SECOND BOOK!
This book ends right where it seems it’s really about to pick up. You will get so invested, and flip to the last page and just ask, how can this be the end????
I think this is a great young adult novel. There’s action, emotion, and it is honestly a great found family novel. You root for these characters the entire time! I really thought I knew what was going to happen, and I definitely have my theories for the sequel!
Congrats on your debut novel Timothy!
Can’t wait to read Kinth: Book Two!
That being said, Mr. Finley, bravo! What an awesome entry into your writing career!
This book was awesome from start to finish. There were twists I couldn’t predict, and the characters were all written very well. This book also tackled anxiety in a very relatable way, so kudos to the author on that.
THERE BETTER BE A SECOND BOOK!
This book ends right where it seems it’s really about to pick up. You will get so invested, and flip to the last page and just ask, how can this be the end????
I think this is a great young adult novel. There’s action, emotion, and it is honestly a great found family novel. You root for these characters the entire time! I really thought I knew what was going to happen, and I definitely have my theories for the sequel!
Congrats on your debut novel Timothy!
Can’t wait to read Kinth: Book Two!
October 1, 2025
This was an excellent first book in what I HOPE will be a series. It ends on a cliffhanger, so I will be bereft if there’s no follow up.
May 9, 2024
As soon as I started Kinth, I wanted to learn everything I could about the world created within it. Not only is the story one that is creative and intriguing, but the characters are the type that draw you in and keep you there. As someone who has struggled with anxiety and depression from a young age, this story helped me feel understood and like I was a part of something—all I could think is how much I needed this kind of story when I was a teenager (and still do now). Kinth is a story that has something for everyone and something I know I will be coming back to.
May 24, 2024
Truly an incredible read. What an introduction to a curious parallel world. Characters that are incredibly easy to root for as they develop. Tense moments that pull the reader in. Even small lore drops that begin to build a world that is different than our own. Seven is my favorite character though... death by pudding indeed.
November 23, 2024
Kinth has every great tried and true feature of a good YA fantasy, sans romance - sign me up! Most of all I enjoyed the characterization, particularly how well differentiated the characters were from the very start despite not having names (most of the characters are numbered), AND not being overly described physically. This was actually very refreshing and not something so easy to find in the flashing onyx eyes and bouncing brown tresses of today's YA offerings. The friends truly felt like friends, and their training and teamwork was a fun journey. I was along for the ride with the storyline and enjoyed all the generous foreshadowing about later revelations in the story (But the most intriguing One of all, yet to be revealed?).
All of the things I could nitpick about are much more superficial and can be boiled down to one thing: this book needed a more critical editor. I found nearly every scene overwritten, following each character's every action and describing every subtle expression that told the extremely observant Frederick how they were feeling at any given moment. Someone was always leading someone else through endless hallways that didn't need explaining past the first time. Someone was always walking over to someone else or cocking an eyebrow at an odd comment. Thankfully this subsided somewhat during later critical scenes in the book. While I struggled to persevere at some points, I couldn't put the book down for the last 25%.
Overall I'm really impressed with this debut novel and looking forward to more (whether it's about Kinth or something else entirely).
All of the things I could nitpick about are much more superficial and can be boiled down to one thing: this book needed a more critical editor. I found nearly every scene overwritten, following each character's every action and describing every subtle expression that told the extremely observant Frederick how they were feeling at any given moment. Someone was always leading someone else through endless hallways that didn't need explaining past the first time. Someone was always walking over to someone else or cocking an eyebrow at an odd comment. Thankfully this subsided somewhat during later critical scenes in the book. While I struggled to persevere at some points, I couldn't put the book down for the last 25%.
Overall I'm really impressed with this debut novel and looking forward to more (whether it's about Kinth or something else entirely).
February 1, 2025
The Good:
-Really fun read with a good amount of action.
-World is conceptualized and explained in a manor that is succinct and doesn't feel like the author is just telling you.
-Most of the characters have a consistent and believable personality.
-Keeps you interested, there were a couple of nights I stayed up a bit later than I should because I wanted to know what happens next.
-The emotions of the main character are really well developed.
-Everyone is somewhat likeable, except for those who are supposed to be unlikeable.
-Cool wolf like monsters.
The Not As Good:
-The training segment of the book could have been a 10-page montage, but instead goes on for about 120 pages. It was very much a rinse and repeat segment with little added to the story.
-Gender stereotypes, the male characters are all outspoken, somewhat confident, and protectors. The female characters are reserved, introspective, and physically weaker despite being in a world with superhuman abilities.
-While most of the characters are believable, "Eight" borders on a caricature, and the two female characters are nearly indistinguishable at times and very undeveloped.
-More than an average amount of editing issues. I would say probably around 20-25, most of them are in "Part 2" so it becomes more noticeable since they are condensed.
The Bad:
-The ending... there isn't one. I wouldn't even call it a cliffhanger, it was just incomplete. This book alone is not a complete story and there was no natural break point.
All said, I would recommend this book. However, it does have a lot of opportunity for improvement.
-Really fun read with a good amount of action.
-World is conceptualized and explained in a manor that is succinct and doesn't feel like the author is just telling you.
-Most of the characters have a consistent and believable personality.
-Keeps you interested, there were a couple of nights I stayed up a bit later than I should because I wanted to know what happens next.
-The emotions of the main character are really well developed.
-Everyone is somewhat likeable, except for those who are supposed to be unlikeable.
-Cool wolf like monsters.
The Not As Good:
-The training segment of the book could have been a 10-page montage, but instead goes on for about 120 pages. It was very much a rinse and repeat segment with little added to the story.
-Gender stereotypes, the male characters are all outspoken, somewhat confident, and protectors. The female characters are reserved, introspective, and physically weaker despite being in a world with superhuman abilities.
-While most of the characters are believable, "Eight" borders on a caricature, and the two female characters are nearly indistinguishable at times and very undeveloped.
-More than an average amount of editing issues. I would say probably around 20-25, most of them are in "Part 2" so it becomes more noticeable since they are condensed.
The Bad:
-The ending... there isn't one. I wouldn't even call it a cliffhanger, it was just incomplete. This book alone is not a complete story and there was no natural break point.
All said, I would recommend this book. However, it does have a lot of opportunity for improvement.
August 17, 2024
KINTH by Timothy C. Finley has a great first half. About a number of children accepted into an Institute to cure their anxiety, the beginning introduces us to characters who are referred to by the number they were accepted: One, Seven, and our hero/protagonist, Frederick (20). The Institute is, of course, mysterious and bizarre and the adolescents bond over a series of tests to prove they can remain. I loved meeting them and hearing some of their individual stories.
The second half, alas, is another series of tests training the Institute students skills that will... wait for it... save the world. They encounter spiders with glowing eyes and wolves called "Bristles." But the tests grow wearisome, especially when they drive the narrative. One test bleeds into another and Finley mostly describes the tactics they use to survive. The book obviously will necessitate a sequel, so no satisfying conclusion. The second half was so tedious that it reduced my ratings to a 2. Finley is a good writer, but he forgets to individualize the characters or provide a satisfying conclusion.
The second half, alas, is another series of tests training the Institute students skills that will... wait for it... save the world. They encounter spiders with glowing eyes and wolves called "Bristles." But the tests grow wearisome, especially when they drive the narrative. One test bleeds into another and Finley mostly describes the tactics they use to survive. The book obviously will necessitate a sequel, so no satisfying conclusion. The second half was so tedious that it reduced my ratings to a 2. Finley is a good writer, but he forgets to individualize the characters or provide a satisfying conclusion.
August 14, 2024
A splendid young adult novel and a refreshing update on the dystopian themes of the past 15 years or so.
Dystopian without the despair.
A group of unique teenagers band together, but even as they compete against others, the others are portrayed not as sinister but merely as, well, competitors. Likewise, the adults in this novel are sometimes mysterious, but surprisingly not sinister. Meanwhile, the main characters discover that they are more powerful than they realize, and that the anxiety with which they’ve all struggled is actually part of a bigger story.
This was close to a five-star read for the genre, but to me, it was about 10% too long, and a couple of the main characters blended together.
All in all though, beautifully written and fun to read. I’m looking forward to the sequel!
Dystopian without the despair.
A group of unique teenagers band together, but even as they compete against others, the others are portrayed not as sinister but merely as, well, competitors. Likewise, the adults in this novel are sometimes mysterious, but surprisingly not sinister. Meanwhile, the main characters discover that they are more powerful than they realize, and that the anxiety with which they’ve all struggled is actually part of a bigger story.
This was close to a five-star read for the genre, but to me, it was about 10% too long, and a couple of the main characters blended together.
All in all though, beautifully written and fun to read. I’m looking forward to the sequel!
May 8, 2024
I consume a lot of books, but "Kinth" was one that distinguished itself early on from the rest. From page one, I found myself relating to one character or another. I felt the joys as the characters experienced them as well as the struggles they endured. I was enthralled in the story and hung on every word from the beginning to the very end. Timothy wrote the book "Kinth" in a way that the story naturally progresses and continually leaves you wanting more. Thankfully, there are more books to come in this series and from Timothy!
I encourage you to read this book and share it with friends. You won't be disappointed in the time you spend reading about Frederick's journey!
I encourage you to read this book and share it with friends. You won't be disappointed in the time you spend reading about Frederick's journey!
February 2, 2025
Overall, an enjoyable read. Interesting world and promising future.
The middle really could have been cut by 100 pages and you wouldn’t have missed it. We get it, they trained, then trained again, then again. Would have been more interesting to get a bit of insight to how the place works- how it’s able to rearrange so quickly. Tell me more about Arthur and less about the obstacles again.
Month- would have been great to spend more time there. Also- maybe write an ending? As one reviewer wrote- not even a cliff hanger, just an abrupt hard stop.
Promising, but not one I’m rushing back to.
The middle really could have been cut by 100 pages and you wouldn’t have missed it. We get it, they trained, then trained again, then again. Would have been more interesting to get a bit of insight to how the place works- how it’s able to rearrange so quickly. Tell me more about Arthur and less about the obstacles again.
Month- would have been great to spend more time there. Also- maybe write an ending? As one reviewer wrote- not even a cliff hanger, just an abrupt hard stop.
Promising, but not one I’m rushing back to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2025
This book was a thoroughly enjoyable read. It vaguely reminded me of the Mysterious Benedict Society, which I loved as a teenager. When I first started reading, I wasn’t quite sure how I was feeling about it, because I read as an escape from real life not as a commentary on it. But as the book progressed I got wrapped up in the world building and couldn’t put it down. The found family, the magical realism, the personal discovery… I loved it all. I was left with some questions at the end that I’m excited to discover answers to in book 2!
January 24, 2025
i just finished Kinth, and I am hooked.
I delayed starting this book based on the description as well as needing to finish a few others on my stack. I finally jumped in, and now I am anxiously awaiting the sequel. Once I got past the character-establishing beginning, which is an important but sometimes tedious part of every good novel, I lost sleep because I didn’t want to put it down. What a brilliant debut!
I delayed starting this book based on the description as well as needing to finish a few others on my stack. I finally jumped in, and now I am anxiously awaiting the sequel. Once I got past the character-establishing beginning, which is an important but sometimes tedious part of every good novel, I lost sleep because I didn’t want to put it down. What a brilliant debut!
May 10, 2024
This debut novel delivers more than expected. I read very little in this genre but was captivated by the first few sentences of the Prologue. The author writes masterfully about the institution that is Kinth and even more impressively about the characters within. At every turn there is suspense, intrigue, and drama. I highly recommend this work of fiction.
May 17, 2024
Once I entered the world of Kinth, I did not want to leave. The characters are lovable and the narrative pacing is great. The book’s concept is timely in this post-pandemic world, as many of us are searching for meaning in a world of heightened anxiety. Kinth’s mysteries unfold like a revelation, reminding us about the deep importance of purpose and friendship in our own journeys.
May 23, 2024
Exciting and captivating read
The first word to come to my mind after finishing Kinth is simply "wow." I was intrigued through the first few chapters, and then I went from intrigued to absolutely hooked.
The mystery and action was engaging, but the characters growth and personalities is what compelled me.
10/10 would recommend.
The first word to come to my mind after finishing Kinth is simply "wow." I was intrigued through the first few chapters, and then I went from intrigued to absolutely hooked.
The mystery and action was engaging, but the characters growth and personalities is what compelled me.
10/10 would recommend.
June 25, 2024
As a debut novel, I thought this was wonderful! The band of friends were so endearing to me and I found myself enraptured by their care for one another. The story and concept was really creative, and had me thinking of C.S Lewis saying “If I find in myself desires nothing in this world can satisfy, I can only conclude that I was not made for here”. I hope there’s a sequel coming!
January 24, 2025
I found the first half of this book to be dull and hard to get into. I became a bit more interested in the second half and warmed up to the characters and the story. The group of quirky, intelligent but troubled teenagers never quite resonated with me. I would be curious to know what others thought about this book.
May 9, 2024
I LOVED Kinth! It had everything I want in a book -- character development, suspense, friendship, mystery, and a healthy dose of banter. I didn't want to put this book down, and can't wait for part 2! I highly recommend, and encourage anyone to support this new author!
May 14, 2024
This is the Authors first book. He did a fantastic job. The characters are relatable and real. The story is engaging and keeps you wanting more. It is a quick, fun read. You'll be through it in no time because you won't want to put it down. Looking forward to Part 2!
May 22, 2024
This book kept my interest from beginning to end. I felt it was more of a metaphysical work and it was presented in an organized manner. The development of the characters was well done as the novel moved forward. Of course many can relate to the topic that hovers over the novel throughout.
July 18, 2025
Kinth pulls you in from page one. Frederick’s journey from scared teen to truth-seeker is intense, and the friendships formed along the way are the heart of the story. The mystery is creepy, the twists hit hard, and the ending sticks with you. A quick, powerful read that lingers.
March 18, 2024
🥀 SO EXCITED TO READ THIS!!!
This is a placeholder review so that I can Update as I read when it releases on Amazon on April 30th!! (Though I’m sure the 5⭐️ will stay)
This is a placeholder review so that I can Update as I read when it releases on Amazon on April 30th!! (Though I’m sure the 5⭐️ will stay)
May 5, 2024
A fantastic debut novel. Heartwarming characters AND exciting narrative. It’s a must-read!
May 28, 2024
Such an exciting debut novel! I'm just getting started on it and am captivated, but am expecting more good things and will update with a full review when I'm finished.
June 7, 2024
Incredible book. Loved every moment of it! Full of life, challenges, friendships, and adventure.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews