The Key (The True Reign Series)

By: Jennifer Anne Davis

Narrated by: Michelle Michaels

His father's kingdom is on the brink of upheaval and at the center of it all is an ordinary girl who could be the key to its undoing. When faced with the ultimate choice, will he choose the girl he's falling in love with or the kingdom he has sworn to protect?

An ordinary girl with an extraordinary past. All she wants is to be free. What she doesn't realize is that freedom comes with a price she can't afford to pay. She's forced to accept the proposal of a prince she despises, even though her heart belongs to someone else... his brother.

Seventeen-year-old Rema lives in a brutal kingdom where travel between regions is forbidden, people are starving, and looking at someone the wrong way can mean death. Nineteen-year-old Darmik is the king's son and Commander of the King's Army. He spends his days roving the island, doing his father's bidding and trying to maintain control over the people.

When a chance encounter throws Rema and Darmik together, they share an instantaneous connection, but any sort of relationship between them is strictly forbidden. Darmik's brother, the Crown Prince, notices Darmik's interest in Rema and, in a calculated, political move, blackmails her. Faced with an impossible choice, Rema is forced to sacrifice her heart in order to save her family.

©2013 Jennifer Anne Davis (P)2014 Reign Publishing

Critic reviews

Winner, Curvy Book Award: Best Overall Small Press

A great story!

My first story that I've listened to by author Jennifer Anne Davies but it was written extremely well. When I first started the story I stopped and you'll find out why later in m y review but I gave it another go and I was am pleased that I did. I found the storyline perfect but I really do hate cliffhangers just to throw that out there. The story is filled with action, love, suspense, and intrigue from start to finish. I'm looking forward to listening to the next story and thankfully the narrator is different.

Narrator, Michelle Michaels made me feel like there was nails going down a chalkboard when I listened to that baby cry. This is why I stopped listening to the story and I barely could find away to get past that. I could not stand to hear the cries from the baby and the narrator could've made this easier but instead the cries made me want to throw my phone, is was awful and narrating a story you don't want the listener to feel that way. You want them to feel at ease with the story, content, and bring the story to life and she just didn't do that for me. I'm sorry but I'm just being honest. I will listen to the next book because thankfully it has a different narrator. I know it's a man but anyone would be better. The narrator really killed the story, especially in the first 5-10 minutes into the story. I'm thankful that the author has chosen someone different and I hope I can enjoy the next story.

Sound effects

I couldn’t listen to this. Great voice, but do not care for sound affects at all. They should be left out. The crying baby in the prologue had me stopping this. Just please don’t.

like fairytales? You’ll enjoy this book

What made the experience of listening to The Key (The True Reign Series) the most enjoyable?

nice flowing fairytale, a few unexpected twists, major players with “baggage” to be discovered...Although the ending seems predictable, the plot thickens. Off to look for the next book in the series.

What didn’t you like about Michelle Michaels’s performance?

choppy reading and THE most annoying laugh/chuckle...seriously...

Too many sound effects.

The story is pretty good. The sound effects (laughing, crying, etc.) were just too much for me. I thought I'd get used to it but was never able to. For me, it took away more than it added. The narrator did have a pleasant voice and fair distinction was made in the voices of different roles. Some of the male voices she did were a bit grating though.

terrible Narrator Great Story

The story is great but I do wish it had a better Narrator. But I love the story probably the first book is better read.