Take the Key and Lock Her Up ending

The royal bloodline ended the night the castle was besieged, a family slain and an interim King reigning over the citizens of Adria. Grace's mother believed in children's fairytales, the night the royal family had perished, a samaritan protecting baby princess Amelia from the brutal revolution, the royal bloodline surviving.

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Is there romance in Take the Key and Lock Her Up?
Does Grace end up with Alexei?
Is take the key and lock her up a series?

My Thoughts

Take The Key and Lock Her Up begins mere moments after the revelations of See How They Run, Jamie is injured, Alexei a fugitive and Grace is determined to carry her mother's legacy, finding evidence of the lost princess.

Grace Blakely is a descendant of baby Amelia, a centuries old mystery that the government and Society of Ardia are determined to protect. Since moving into the embassy to live with her grandfather, Grace has been embroiled in controversy. Grace is relentless in her search to uncover her mother's findings, needing evidence as leverage against Adria and the royal family who occupy the throne. I admire Grace's tenacity as a character and enjoyed her relationship with her brother and love interest Alexei, who are now fleeing Adria with the assistance of Dominic.

While in previous installments, the murder mystery aspect added drama and intrigue, the focus is now placed upon on Grace, while the narration of friends and embassy residents were left unresolved. Grace is a character who has struggled with her mental health, placed within a health facility leaving her distressed. Her anguish and post traumatic stress disorder is now absent, apart from the occasional inner monologue reminiscing the death of her mother. Unfortunately, the storyline felt entirely repetitive. One aspect I found fascinating about the series were the ancient and secretive society of women, political puppeteers that seemed a convenient device of justification for the lawless Embassy Row, where adults in authoritarian positions maim and murder. Unfortunately it wasn't fully explored.

Suspension of disbelief was virtually impossible. Although entertaining, I wasn't immersed or as engaged as I've been with the previous installments but was surprised by the ending and a little disheartened by the vigilante justice imposed. The Embassy Row series has been wonderfully entertaining, secrecy and intrigue creating a narrative that will enthrall and delight readers but unfortunately the finale left me feeling disappointed.

Comment: Used - Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact, but shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may but the dust cover may be missing. This could possibly be an ex-library book. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting, but the text cannot be obscured or unreadable. It is possible that this is an ex-library book.

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Grace Blakely is a princess on the run, hiding from her enemies to save her life. But Grace is also a sister. And if giving herself up means that her brother is safe, she’ll do it, even if it means working with people she can’t trust. However, Grace isn’t just going to do what everyone wants her to. She has her own plans.

Someone wanted Grace’s mother dead all those years ago. And they want Grace dead now. Grace has unravel the past, discover the secrets, and outwit her foes, all while trying to not die.

Take the Key and Lock Her Up is just like its predecessors: fast-paced, suspenseful, and filled with intrigue.

There are some places outside of Adria and well as some places not previously explored in Adria in Take the Key and Lock Her Up, so it was fun to see those new places.

There are also some new characters in this book. Even though he didn’t get much page time, I liked the king of Adria. I’d say more… but spoilers.

I loved the way that Carter tied the nursery rhyme into the plot, as well as into the series’s titles. It add a fun layer.

There are some twists in Take the Key and Lock Her Up that will make the reader look back on the past books and see some past events in a new light. The stories build on each other nicely.

Centuries ago, the royal family of Adria was killed . . . or so everyone thought. Now Grace Blakely knows the truth:

There was one survivor, and that survivor’s blood runs through her veins. This simple fact could cause a revolution — which is why some people will stop at nothing to keep it from coming to light.

There is only one way for Grace to save herself, save her family, and save the boy she loves. She must outmaneuver her foes, cut through the web of lies that has surrounded her for years, and go back to the source of all her troubles, despite the risk.

Is there romance in Take the Key and Lock Her Up?

I got all the romantic scenes between the couple that I so desperately wanted. Ally Carter knows what she's doing. If the middle of the series feels like a dud, just wait for the finale.

Does Grace end up with Alexei?

He is best friends with the grandson of the American ambassador aka Grace's older brother, Jamie. He is also in love with Grace, and becomes her boyfriend in the final book.