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nini

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nini is Currently Reading

nini is currently reading

United We Spy (Gallagher Girls, #6)

by Ally Carter (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in April 2024

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(55%)
— Apr 22, 2024 07:25AM

Apr 23, 2024 05:08AM

nini is currently reading

Take the Key and Lock Her Up (Embassy Row, #3)

by Ally Carter (Goodreads Author)

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Reading for the 2nd time

read in June 2017

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nini said: " For one, I happen to be a huge fan of the Embassy Row trilogy. As soon as I started All Fall Down, I knew I was going to like it. See How They Run was just more proof of how great this trilogy was going to be. Surprisingly, though, I wasn't exactly s For one, I happen to be a huge fan of the Embassy Row trilogy. As soon as I started All Fall Down, I knew I was going to like it. See How They Run was just more proof of how great this trilogy was going to be. Surprisingly, though, I wasn't exactly satisfied with Take the Key and Lock Her Up.

Plot-wise, Take the Key and Lock Her Up is a completely different vibe from the first two. It's amazing how much has changed in just a few books. Throughout the first two books, you're trying to figure out all of the secrets surrounding Adria and the Blakely family. In this one, you know most of what's up, it's just all about figuring out what to do with what's up. Now that all of the information is out on the table, you see all of the characters trying to figure out exactly what to do with it.

Speaking of which, the characters as usual were pretty great! Although, most of the development in this book is focused specifically on Grace, as expected. In all honesty, there's not really as much development to the other characters. You see bits and pieces of the rest of the Embassy Row kiddos' growth, such as with Megan (especially when it comes to her relationship with Grace) and Alexei. (Alexei especially considering some of the events that have an impact on him, but not as big as we saw it within See How They Run.)

But apart from Grace and her crew? The biggest development we see lies in the characters within the palace. More specifically, some characters in the palace that we actually get to see Grace interact with more. For me, this is what was so fascinating! A lot of these characters were briefly mentioned in the previous books or in Ann's case, played somewhat of a minor role. However, they all really come to the table in this book. That's part of what's so interesting! I loved watching Grace interact with them, and part of me wishes we could have seen more of Thomas sooner!

However, Grace got on my nerves quite a bit throughout this novel. Admittedly, I would probably be equally as angsty in this scenario, but that's sometimes what made Take the Key and Lock Her Up so difficult to read. Ultimately though, the pay off was really worth it for those moments when she really shines through as a character. I learned to appreciate Grace learning how to keep with her emotions in check while simultaneously dealing with this situation.

I think the biggest strength in this book is Carter's writing style. Ally Carter does a really great job at foreshadowing a lot of her plot lines, so much that when it finally is revealed that a character cannot be trusted, it only starts to make sense then. Throughout this whole novel, I was constantly questioning people's reliability.

Honestly, I really liked what Carter did here. I wish at the end some portions received more of an explanation, but mostly, I was incredibly fond of this book! ...more "

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— Aug 07, 2026 11:01AM

Jun 17, 2017 03:12PM · see review

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Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage

by Belle Burden

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— Aug 02, 2026 09:14AM

Jul 29, 2026 05:56AM

nini’s Quotes

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

tags: book, inspirational

12817 likes

“There are two motives for reading a book; one, that you enjoy it; the other, that you can boast about it.”
― Bertrand Russell

8044 likes

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
― Martin Luther King Jr., A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches

tags: darkness, drive-out, hate, inspirational, light, love, peace

78706 likes