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Seraphine's Chosen #1
The Thirteenth Key
The chaotic crew of heisting misfits in Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows meets the familiar yet fantastical, modern landscape found in Robert Jackson Bennett's City of Stairs.
“The thirteen emblems given to the original rulers weren’t just symbols. They’re keys to the Vault—one that no one’s ever opened.”
Noa has lived her life as an unsuspecting, ID-burning, face in the crowd that disposes of “problems” for her miscellaneous, secretive employers. So, when Noa’s surrogate father—a Seer—hands her a long-lost emblem, telling her with his dying breath that it's her responsibility to reignite magic, she laughs at the idea that the fate of their world rests on the shoulders of a killer. Instead, she uses his words and the key he gave her as an excuse to go on one final suicide mission to seek out the power supposedly waiting for her to annihilate his murderer.
Prince Glacier Caelius has lived his life trapped inside a gilded cage, pushed down by the ever-present threat of death as the bastard son of Amarais’s late king. But when the rebels attack during a nationalist party, Glacier’s rescued by none other than Noa and her merry band of thieves, who are scrambling to salvage a failed attempt at stealing his country’s emblem: the Soul of Amarais. When the dust settles, he’s the only person left alive to unlock the palace vault and give the Soul to Noa in exchange for saving his life.
Well, once they’re able to formulate a plan to take the palace back.
Struggling with their tentative, newfound freedom, Noa and Glacier must learn to work together to survive the urban landscape of Avaria’s greatest cities fortified by technology in the wake of dwindling magic. The goal: steal as many keys as they can before their pasts catch up. But the further they go, the more they realize that something worse may be lurking on the horizon, and they may very well be the only ones able to stop it.
“The thirteen emblems given to the original rulers weren’t just symbols. They’re keys to the Vault—one that no one’s ever opened.”
Noa has lived her life as an unsuspecting, ID-burning, face in the crowd that disposes of “problems” for her miscellaneous, secretive employers. So, when Noa’s surrogate father—a Seer—hands her a long-lost emblem, telling her with his dying breath that it's her responsibility to reignite magic, she laughs at the idea that the fate of their world rests on the shoulders of a killer. Instead, she uses his words and the key he gave her as an excuse to go on one final suicide mission to seek out the power supposedly waiting for her to annihilate his murderer.
Prince Glacier Caelius has lived his life trapped inside a gilded cage, pushed down by the ever-present threat of death as the bastard son of Amarais’s late king. But when the rebels attack during a nationalist party, Glacier’s rescued by none other than Noa and her merry band of thieves, who are scrambling to salvage a failed attempt at stealing his country’s emblem: the Soul of Amarais. When the dust settles, he’s the only person left alive to unlock the palace vault and give the Soul to Noa in exchange for saving his life.
Well, once they’re able to formulate a plan to take the palace back.
Struggling with their tentative, newfound freedom, Noa and Glacier must learn to work together to survive the urban landscape of Avaria’s greatest cities fortified by technology in the wake of dwindling magic. The goal: steal as many keys as they can before their pasts catch up. But the further they go, the more they realize that something worse may be lurking on the horizon, and they may very well be the only ones able to stop it.
419 pages, Paperback
First published March 21, 2023
3 people are currently reading
230 people want to read
About the author
Cara Nox
8 books26 followersCara Nox is an urban and science fantasy writer, combining their love of magically-inclined chaotic idiots and modern/futuristic tech. They also love mysteries, thrillers, and anything that draws inspiration from stars. Cara works as a web developer by day, holds BA in Japanese Language and Literature they occasionally use to read video game announcements, and resides in Ohio with their younger sister and two black cats.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 27, 2023
My takes, story tropes/elements, and content warnings
I'm going to be that guy and rate my own book because I spent a lot of time on this sucker. I both love and hate it, but it will always hold a special place in my heart as the spark that finally kicked me into finishing that book I kept saying I'd write. It forced me to learn a lot, and I know it'll never be perfect, but I can at least rest with the knowledge that this first step has been taken. That's enough for me.
Also note that if you are looking for spice, I doubt you'll find it in my books. I cater more toward soft, sweet, caring scenes and relationships over hot and steamy ones. Just a heads up if that's what you're looking for!
So, if you're interested in...
- chaotic chosen one(s)
- sweet ace boy x spicy bi girl
- hurt / comfort
- humor as a coping mechanism
- second world fantasy / "futuristic" fantasy / science fantasy
- traveling heist adventure
- found family
- multi-pov
please give this book a shot!
This story contains: blood, childhood trauma, death, depression, discrimination, mention of drug use, emotional abuse, gore, grief, loss, manipulation, murder, parental neglect, physical abuse, suicidal thoughts, violence, and mention/implication of vomiting.
I'm going to be that guy and rate my own book because I spent a lot of time on this sucker. I both love and hate it, but it will always hold a special place in my heart as the spark that finally kicked me into finishing that book I kept saying I'd write. It forced me to learn a lot, and I know it'll never be perfect, but I can at least rest with the knowledge that this first step has been taken. That's enough for me.
Also note that if you are looking for spice, I doubt you'll find it in my books. I cater more toward soft, sweet, caring scenes and relationships over hot and steamy ones. Just a heads up if that's what you're looking for!
So, if you're interested in...
- chaotic chosen one(s)
- sweet ace boy x spicy bi girl
- hurt / comfort
- humor as a coping mechanism
- second world fantasy / "futuristic" fantasy / science fantasy
- traveling heist adventure
- found family
- multi-pov
please give this book a shot!
This story contains: blood, childhood trauma, death, depression, discrimination, mention of drug use, emotional abuse, gore, grief, loss, manipulation, murder, parental neglect, physical abuse, suicidal thoughts, violence, and mention/implication of vomiting.
March 25, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.75
Thank you to the author for providing me with an arc in exchange for a review and promotions!
Noa and her gang of misfits are pulling out heists all over as they try and acquire all thirteen keys which are the ‘key’ (wink) to unlocking magic and perhaps securing peace in a turbulent and fraught time to assassinations and political factions vying for power and genocide.
This was so fun! The characters bounced off each other and were extremely entertaining. They showed real emotions and didn’t feel like forced, flat, perfect heroes. They got jealous, grieved, froze in fear, joked, failed, and swore.
The plot did start feeling slightly repetitive towards the end, which is foreseeable considering thee are thirteen keys to obtain but Nox keeps you engaged with new secrets and revelations. Another minor struggle for me was the amount of names thrown at you with not much page importance. This made it confusing to track the key players and unravel the mystery alongside the gang, especially as a lot of it was guess work for the characters themselves in gathering their information. Finally, I didn’t understand the ending. I know it was setting it up for the next book, but I had to reread the last 5% thinking I had missed something.
On the other hand, the characters are diverse and at odds with themselves, each other, and the world, yet there is always an underlying sense of belonging and acceptance amongst themselves.
There’s representation of sexuality, cultural identity and more which is prevalent in the characters’ motivations, thoughts and fears.
I would recommend this for fans of Six of Crows and the Gilded Wolves.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an arc in exchange for a review and promotions!
”So here we are a car full of killers, thieves, and royalty. What a combination!"
Noa and her gang of misfits are pulling out heists all over as they try and acquire all thirteen keys which are the ‘key’ (wink) to unlocking magic and perhaps securing peace in a turbulent and fraught time to assassinations and political factions vying for power and genocide.
This was so fun! The characters bounced off each other and were extremely entertaining. They showed real emotions and didn’t feel like forced, flat, perfect heroes. They got jealous, grieved, froze in fear, joked, failed, and swore.
The plot did start feeling slightly repetitive towards the end, which is foreseeable considering thee are thirteen keys to obtain but Nox keeps you engaged with new secrets and revelations. Another minor struggle for me was the amount of names thrown at you with not much page importance. This made it confusing to track the key players and unravel the mystery alongside the gang, especially as a lot of it was guess work for the characters themselves in gathering their information. Finally, I didn’t understand the ending. I know it was setting it up for the next book, but I had to reread the last 5% thinking I had missed something.
On the other hand, the characters are diverse and at odds with themselves, each other, and the world, yet there is always an underlying sense of belonging and acceptance amongst themselves.
There’s representation of sexuality, cultural identity and more which is prevalent in the characters’ motivations, thoughts and fears.
I would recommend this for fans of Six of Crows and the Gilded Wolves.
January 17, 2023
I had the great privilege to beta read this book.
THE THIRTEENTH KEY is like if a heist movie had a mostly-queer cast of lovable disasters in a richly detailed science-fantasy world. It starts off fast, but then slows down to show you why you should care deeply about these characters. There's wonderful bantering and bickering, quiet moments and some heartbreaking moments. And heists!! And the ending! I cant wait to read the follow up!
THE THIRTEENTH KEY is like if a heist movie had a mostly-queer cast of lovable disasters in a richly detailed science-fantasy world. It starts off fast, but then slows down to show you why you should care deeply about these characters. There's wonderful bantering and bickering, quiet moments and some heartbreaking moments. And heists!! And the ending! I cant wait to read the follow up!
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February 25, 2025I'm removing my past ratings and reviews from my author account, which will only serve its purpose of listing my works. Only reviews of recent purchases and ARCs will be reposted on the new account.
You can find my rating and review of this book, and other books I've reviewed before January 2024, on other platforms such as Amazon and Storygraph.
You can find my rating and review of this book, and other books I've reviewed before January 2024, on other platforms such as Amazon and Storygraph.
January 14, 2023
If you like heists, action, and hilarious group dynamics, this book is absolutely for you!
With multiple POVs (and multiple ships 😉) from a diverse cast of characters, The Thirteenth Key by Cara Nox has a little something for everybody. Whether you like your characters sweet and shy, loud and flirty, or wicked smart, you'll find yourself rooting for the whole gang as they navigate the dangers of this super immersive-thechy world!
No spoilers, but this book is the perfect set-up for what might be lurking in the shadows and will DEFINITELY leave you needing to know what happens in the sequel!
An overall impressive Urban/Sci-Fantasy (lite enough on the Sci for Science Fiction noobies to still very much enjoy)!
With multiple POVs (and multiple ships 😉) from a diverse cast of characters, The Thirteenth Key by Cara Nox has a little something for everybody. Whether you like your characters sweet and shy, loud and flirty, or wicked smart, you'll find yourself rooting for the whole gang as they navigate the dangers of this super immersive-thechy world!
No spoilers, but this book is the perfect set-up for what might be lurking in the shadows and will DEFINITELY leave you needing to know what happens in the sequel!
An overall impressive Urban/Sci-Fantasy (lite enough on the Sci for Science Fiction noobies to still very much enjoy)!
February 27, 2023
I was given an ARC of The Thirteenth Key by Cara Nox. Firstly, let me say that this book, the first in the Seraphine's Chosen series, was a lot of fun. The characters were well developed and had interesting backstories. The dynamics between Rune and Crow and between Glacier and Noa were both particularly enjoyable. The plot was also very interesting and had me genuinely curious about what was going to happen next.
The book is structured in such a way that we’re thrown into the middle of a heist-gone-wrong, in the middle of this (really, very cool) modern fantasy world that reminded me vaguely of a less-grungy Shadowrun, and as the reader, we’re figuring out the mystery alongside some of the characters. I will admit that I struggled with that last part a little bit, because I tend to enjoy being clued in a little bit more at the beginning (especially when some of the POV characters do know what’s going on, as was the case here), but I think this is personal preference. Once I had an understanding of what was happening, I was engaged with the story and wanted to know how things were going to play out for our heroes.
The story is vast and complex, with many characters both inside and outside our main group of heroes who all have their own hopes, fears, and motivations. Nox weaves all of this together into a compelling, epic adventure. I cared about what happened in the story and I cared about the band of heroes—all six of them!
One area I found a little challenging was the number of POVs in the story. Nox does a great job identifying whose POV we’re in at any given point in the story, so I was never confused, and the characters all had fairly distinct voices, which was great. I liked that everyone in the main group got POVs, however, there were also some characters outside the group, especially toward the end, that got one or two scenes in their POV. The scenes from these outside characters provided important information about what was happening elsewhere in the world that was certain to have an impact on the heroes. While that information was both interesting and useful to the reader, I found it jarring each time we got a POV chapter from a new character I’d never heard of before. I strongly suspect (and I hope it’s the case!) that these scenes were setup for future books and that these characters will have important roles later in the series, but I think I would have preferred hearing about these characters a bit before jumping into their POVs.
Without any spoilers, I also want to mention that the ending has the type of twist that had me saying, “I should have seen that coming, but I didn’t!” which is exactly what you want in a plot twist. It made a ton of other pieces fall into place and got me excited for the next book.
All told, this was an excellent debut novel and Nox tells a fantastic, truly epic story.
The book is structured in such a way that we’re thrown into the middle of a heist-gone-wrong, in the middle of this (really, very cool) modern fantasy world that reminded me vaguely of a less-grungy Shadowrun, and as the reader, we’re figuring out the mystery alongside some of the characters. I will admit that I struggled with that last part a little bit, because I tend to enjoy being clued in a little bit more at the beginning (especially when some of the POV characters do know what’s going on, as was the case here), but I think this is personal preference. Once I had an understanding of what was happening, I was engaged with the story and wanted to know how things were going to play out for our heroes.
The story is vast and complex, with many characters both inside and outside our main group of heroes who all have their own hopes, fears, and motivations. Nox weaves all of this together into a compelling, epic adventure. I cared about what happened in the story and I cared about the band of heroes—all six of them!
One area I found a little challenging was the number of POVs in the story. Nox does a great job identifying whose POV we’re in at any given point in the story, so I was never confused, and the characters all had fairly distinct voices, which was great. I liked that everyone in the main group got POVs, however, there were also some characters outside the group, especially toward the end, that got one or two scenes in their POV. The scenes from these outside characters provided important information about what was happening elsewhere in the world that was certain to have an impact on the heroes. While that information was both interesting and useful to the reader, I found it jarring each time we got a POV chapter from a new character I’d never heard of before. I strongly suspect (and I hope it’s the case!) that these scenes were setup for future books and that these characters will have important roles later in the series, but I think I would have preferred hearing about these characters a bit before jumping into their POVs.
Without any spoilers, I also want to mention that the ending has the type of twist that had me saying, “I should have seen that coming, but I didn’t!” which is exactly what you want in a plot twist. It made a ton of other pieces fall into place and got me excited for the next book.
All told, this was an excellent debut novel and Nox tells a fantastic, truly epic story.
April 1, 2023
A unique mix of tech and magic
The 13th Key is a story unlike any I have ever read. It walks the line between fantasy and scifi in a graceful way. It doesn't boast the sort of fast-paced action you find in most of the books on these genres nowadays, but that's, in fact, one of its biggest strengths. The vast and vivid world works as a backdrop for a more intimate story about a dysfunctional group of misfits on a dangerous, overambitious mission, and although on the surface the banter and the reluctant camaraderie keeps this group fun to read, the story darkens as we dive progressively deeper into each of their psyches and pasts.
Noa and Glacier play perfectly off each other. This is a slow dance where every careful step brings them closer together, both wary of each other, both weaving trust by inches, but by the end of the book (which is only part one of what feels like a far-reaching story) you can already feel the solidity of their connection. Well earned in every sense.
The ending has a twist that's foreshadowed towards the last few chapters of the book, but which is no less of a bomb for it. Can't wait to dive into the next instalment!
The 13th Key is a story unlike any I have ever read. It walks the line between fantasy and scifi in a graceful way. It doesn't boast the sort of fast-paced action you find in most of the books on these genres nowadays, but that's, in fact, one of its biggest strengths. The vast and vivid world works as a backdrop for a more intimate story about a dysfunctional group of misfits on a dangerous, overambitious mission, and although on the surface the banter and the reluctant camaraderie keeps this group fun to read, the story darkens as we dive progressively deeper into each of their psyches and pasts.
Noa and Glacier play perfectly off each other. This is a slow dance where every careful step brings them closer together, both wary of each other, both weaving trust by inches, but by the end of the book (which is only part one of what feels like a far-reaching story) you can already feel the solidity of their connection. Well earned in every sense.
The ending has a twist that's foreshadowed towards the last few chapters of the book, but which is no less of a bomb for it. Can't wait to dive into the next instalment!
February 15, 2023
This book was a kind of experiment for me. I was really branching out of my comfort zone, and man, am I glad I did! While a lot to take in (again, new to sci-fi/fantasy), it was a fantastic time. I love all the characters to bits, and the storyline itself is really compelling. I would 1000/10 recommend this to my friends, and I can't wait for what else is to come from this author.
October 9, 2024
This book was great in many ways. It begins with high impact giving way to the heist plot right away. It took me a second to adapt to the third person narration and jumping around to different characters. The premise was interesting until I found myself lacking motivation to finish the book, which for me is normally and indicator that the plot has lost drive and focus. I also finished the book with almost less understanding because significant things were not revealed in a fully fleshed out way.
December 3, 2024
The Thirteenth Key is a wonderful story about found family, people who are broken and scared but still work toward a better world, and for some, an immense character growth.
I loved Rune from the beginning. He's a big softie and sweetheart. Then there's Noa, very determined and not talking about feelings much. Same with Glacier, in a different way - he's hiding away, too scared to pose the right questions.
The different POVs, especially from minor characters, were a little confusing at first, but they all served a purpose. To understand the story fully, they were needed and implemented well.
I loved the world! It's rich and diverse, every city/country has their own distinct feeling. It was easy to get lost in the story and characters, their travels and heists.
Overall, a wonderful book, with an amazing cliffhanger - you'll want to read the second want immediately.
I loved Rune from the beginning. He's a big softie and sweetheart. Then there's Noa, very determined and not talking about feelings much. Same with Glacier, in a different way - he's hiding away, too scared to pose the right questions.
The different POVs, especially from minor characters, were a little confusing at first, but they all served a purpose. To understand the story fully, they were needed and implemented well.
I loved the world! It's rich and diverse, every city/country has their own distinct feeling. It was easy to get lost in the story and characters, their travels and heists.
Overall, a wonderful book, with an amazing cliffhanger - you'll want to read the second want immediately.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews