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Alex Kimmell
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the Key to everything Kindle Edition

by alex kimmell (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
2.9 out of 5 stars 153 ratings
Cracked and weathered binding, hiding mysteries on pages tied closed by a bloodstained string. A happy young family enchanted by dreams and possibilities. A barren, empty room. A boy with no friends obsessively drawing angles, edges and diagrams.
In his debut novel, Alex Kimmell captures a vivid and startling tale of fear. Auden’s journey begins when he discovers a curious leather-bound book whose contents will soon endanger his entire family. The pages of this book draw him into a prison that cannot be breached, a place that can only be unlocked with a very special key.
In The Key to Everything, fear is explored and heightened through jarring imagery and a terrifying, unique menace, ratcheting up the tension until the novel’s gripping climax.
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  1. Print length
    277 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    June 8, 2016
  5. Reading age
    14 - 18 years
  6. File size
    5.4 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

From the Author

similar to most humans, alex kimmellis made from a high percentage of dihydrogen
monoxide. he inhales oxygen and exhales carbon dioxide.
to provide energy for survival, he consumes necessary resources.
with his wife and two male offspring, he resides in the smallest american state.
their two short legged canines keep the squirrels at bay.
he has nightmares...
visit him at alexkimmell.com

About the Author

similarto most humans, alex kimmellis made from a high percentage ofdihydrogen
monoxide.he inhales oxygen and exhales carbon dioxide.
toprovide energy for survival, he consumes necessary resources.
withhis wife and two male offspring, he resides in the smallest american state.
theirtwo short legged canines keep the squirrels at bay.
hehas nightmares...
visithim at alexkimmell.com
 
 

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01GU4WWT6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Shadow Work Publishing
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 8, 2016
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Second
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5.4 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 277 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 - 18 years
  • Customer Reviews:
    2.9 out of 5 stars 153 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Alex Kimmell

Alex Kimmell

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

similar to most humans, alex kimmell is made from a high percentage of dihydrogen monoxide.

he inhales oxygen and exhales carbon dioxide.

to provide energy for survival, he consumes necessary resources.

with his spouse, he has two male offspring.

they reside together in the smallest american state.

his family’s two short legged canines keep the squirrels at bay.

he has nightmares…

visit him at alexkimmell.com

Customer reviews

2.9 out of 5 stars
153 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the book's rich visual imagery and bold stylistic choices. The storyline receives mixed reactions, with some finding it a tensely smart horror tale while others describe it as convoluted. Customers find the book confusing at times, though some consider it an awesome read regardless. The character variety receives negative feedback, with customers noting that the characters are all over the place.

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10 customers mention "Imagery quality"10 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's vivid visual imagery and bold stylistic choices, with one customer noting its unique theme of keys and locks.

"...pages like a a red string all the way through and had some unique stylistic choices and some genuinely frightening imagery, but I was left wondering..." Read more

"...Kimmell shows a ridiculous amount of imagination, and his descriptions of strange and physics-defying events is sharp and crisp; even though what's..." Read more

"...I loved the unique theme of keys and locks that ran throughout the story, and was intrigued to find out the mystery behind the key and the book -..." Read more

"...the reader, as any good horror writer should, but the sheer richness in visual imagery made it like watching a movie...." Read more

44 customers mention "Storyline"28 positive16 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the storyline of the book, with some praising it as a tensely smart horror tale with lots of suspense, while others find it convoluted and lacking a clear plot.

"...I've been reading Stephen King books since I was 12 and LOVE a great scary/creepy story...this book is so much better than the King that I've read..." Read more

"...This impressionism was initially refreshing and interesting, however towards the end I felt it heavy-handed and evasive...." Read more

"This book started off as a promising haunted house tale but quickly devolved into a confusing mishmash of squirrels, keys, and people being..." Read more

"I could not finish this book, it was that bad. No real plot that I could see. It jumped around between story lines so much I totally lost interest...." Read more

31 customers mention "Readability"19 positive12 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's readability, with some finding it an awesome and promising read, while others describe it as unsatisfactory and stupid.

"...night I decided to stay up and keep reading, because I was really enjoying this book...." Read more

"I could not finish this book, it was that bad. No real plot that I could see. It jumped around between story lines so much I totally lost interest...." Read more

"...to come together...mostly with the neighbor guy...but all in all worth the read, especially if you like weird books like I do!..." Read more

"...Which makes the reading experience that much more enjoyable...." Read more

17 customers mention "Creepiness"11 positive6 negative

Customers have mixed reactions to the book's creepy elements, with some finding them interesting and strange, while others describe them as weird.

"...I gave it one star because it had some pretty interesting creepy elements and showed some potential at the start...." Read more

"...spoilers away, so I will just say that it was disturbing, weirdly interesting but unfinished at the very end?..." Read more

"...Strange, impossible things, not making any sense, left me with a what the Heck did I read this dumb thing for Feeling...." Read more

"...Overall, this was an interesting read - I liked the concept and creepiness, and the different viewpoints...." Read more

34 customers mention "Difficulty to understand"5 positive29 negative

Customers find the book difficult to understand, describing it as confusing and hard to follow.

"I could not finish this book, it was that bad. No real plot that I could see. It jumped around between story lines so much I totally lost interest...." Read more

"...it. At certain points, mostly fast paced scenes, the writing slips into a blunt, violent, and at times poetic descriptiveness...." Read more

"...many random characters and scenes all mushed together and it's never really explained how each of the different situations is related...." Read more

"...just say that it was disturbing, weirdly interesting but unfinished at the very end?..." Read more

5 customers mention "Character variety"0 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the character variety in the book, with some finding them all over the place, while one customer mentions difficulty becoming emotionally invested in them.

"...There are so many random characters and scenes all mushed together and it's never really explained how each of the different situations is related...." Read more

"An interesting story, but it was initially difficult to become emotionally invested in the characters due to a lot of jumping around between..." Read more

"...Though, at first, it seems to incorporate too many characters, it pulls together, to make sense. I could see this as a movie." Read more

"...So many different characters introduced, and somehow all linked together by an inexplicable force, that I couldn't keep up...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • cavalier mom
    1.0 out of 5 stars it was that bad. No real plot that I could see
    Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I could not finish this book, it was that bad. No real plot that I could see. It jumped around between story lines so much I totally lost interest. I gave it one star because it had some pretty interesting creepy elements and showed some potential at the start. I probably should of stuck with it to see where it was going, if anywhere, but there are so many other good reads out there and so little time to read.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Stephanie Fuller
    5.0 out of 5 stars Creepy just got creepier...and I loved it!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Do you like to read? Do you like to creepy stuff? Do you like squirrels? Do you have a phobia of keys? If you answered yes to at least one of these questions, then you need to grab yourself a copy of Alex Kimmell's "The Key to Everything".

    After a few recommendations from friends, I started reading it on a weekend trip to my in-laws (as if that isn't scary enough, right? If you are my in-laws reading this, you know I'm just kidding...I love you guys!) who live on the outskirts of town in mid-Michigan. Nice wooded area. Some wildlife. Not a lot of outdoor lighting. One night I decided to stay up and keep reading, because I was really enjoying this book. Well, I hit about the 50% point of the book and decided I was a little more creeped out than I wanted. I was a little concerned about falling asleep without having weird squirrel nightmares. And sitting in the living room all by myself. A single light on in the kitchen, which I had to walk through to get to the guest bedroom...and lots of windows. Windows where the squirrels could be watching me. Staring me down like they do in the book. *shudder* I was a little more than creeped out!!! I may or may not have walked as quickly as possible through said kitchen and avoided eye contact with anything but the floor. I'm a little more than embarrassed to admit that, but it is true. Maybe. ;-)

    I've been reading Stephen King books since I was 12 and LOVE a great scary/creepy story...this book is so much better than the King that I've read in the last few years. So, so much better!!! So much so that I read the whole second half of the book on our drive back home that weekend. 6 hours of straight reading! I was apparently making weird squeaking noises or something while I was reading because my husband, who was driving, kept asking what was wrong...ha!

    Anyway, what's my point? Get yourself a copy of this book and prepared to love it! And never look at squirrels or keys the same ever again...promise.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars A Slippery Story, for Better or Worse
    Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This was a very interesting read, but it was hard to grasp at times. It was slippery, although I still can't decide if this was stylistic intention on the part of the author or flaws in the story, nor can I decide if this was beneficial or detrimental to the story.
    The book consists of a lot of moving parts, like a complex lock, full of sliding movements of characters, voices, and settings. However, sometimes these pieces seemed to not fit together as well as such a mechanism should have. When a sudden shift in the viewpoint occurred I was sometimes left confused and waiting for a resolution and explanation that never happened.
    The writing style was hard to follow as well. The second person voice is not everyone's cup of tea, and I found it off-putting. Feeling forced into the "You" of the characters did not help me to envision myself in the story, but rather kept me divorced from it.
    At certain points, mostly fast paced scenes, the writing slips into a blunt, violent, and at times poetic descriptiveness. This impressionism was initially refreshing and interesting, however towards the end I felt it heavy-handed and evasive. Some of these were pivotal points, but I became lost trying to sift through what felt like random words.
    This book kept me tied to the pages like a a red string all the way through and had some unique stylistic choices and some genuinely frightening imagery, but I was left wondering what I just read. In that aspect I would liken it to No Country For Old Me. It will stay stuck in your mind and you will have to read it again to get a good grip on it, otherwise it may slip through your fingers.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • CJ
    2.0 out of 5 stars I was extremely disappointed when I finished this book
    Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I was extremely disappointed when I finished this book. There are so many random characters and scenes all mushed together and it's never really explained how each of the different situations is related. I kept reading thinking maybe it would be further explained and it never was. The ending was absolutely terrible. One simple line (that wasn't even well written) and it wrapped the book up. Not happy with how much time I wasted reading this.
    Helpful
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  • JGeorge
    4.0 out of 5 stars Creepy weirdness!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I am not sure how to explain this book without giving spoilers away, so I will just say that it was disturbing, weirdly interesting but unfinished at the very end? I couldn't sleep or go to work until I finished it but I felt like I missed something at the late-middle/early-end when things were starting to come together...mostly with the neighbor guy...but all in all worth the read, especially if you like weird books like I do! Would make an interesting movie...
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  • Sarapencil
    1.0 out of 5 stars incoherent mess
    Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This book started off as a promising haunted house tale but quickly devolved into a confusing mishmash of squirrels, keys, and people being swallowed by books. It felt like the author had three story kernels but could not flesh them out and so decided to force them all into one story. The author offers no explanation of how the events relayed are tied together. Events that appear to be clues are never revisited. Confusing, incoherent, and ultimately dissatisfying.
    8 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Amazon reviewer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Creeptastic!
    Reviewed in Canada on October 1, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This is a very weird and creepy book. Strangely enough, it is about a weird and creepy book! I don't get freaked out easily but this was legitimately scary! The writing style is very visual and in the truly creeptastic parts I felt like I was watching a horror movie. Close to the end things got a little too abstract and confusing for me. The explanation for what was going on didn't entirely make sense, but I don't think it was supposed to. If you are looking for a straightforward story that makes sense then move along, but if you just want a good scare then pick it up!
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    1.0 out of 5 stars Lots of potential but oddly written in 2nd person format...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 19, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Having read the summary and great reviews over on Amazon.com I had high hopes for this book. I love a good haunted house tale but unfortunately I couldn't get over the fact its written in 2nd person, for example "You're queasy. It's difficult to focus your eyes on anything..."

    I just couldn't get to grips with the narrator (a 30 something US father of two) referred to as me (a 30 something UK based child-free female). I found reading about myself doing or saying things I would never do, and mentions of "my" male genitalia, just really bizarre and constantly jarring. It completely got in the way my enjoyment of the story. Others might not find this a problem but it just didn't work for me and I sadly gave up at around 18% - hence the 1 star.

    Shame really as what I did read was engaging and the characters, dialogue and plot seemed good.

    I look forward to other things by this author, hopefully written in another tense.
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  • Miri
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 19, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This is the first of Mr Kimmell's books I have read. Having read his blogs you would think I'd know what to expect but I was wrong.
    I don't want to spoil this book for those that are planning to read it so all I'll say is be prepared for a whirlwind of emotion while reading it......oh, keep the lights on too!
    Highly recommended
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  • missthingsplace
    1.0 out of 5 stars I wanted to love this book ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 3, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    But alas I couldn't get on with the tense in which it was written, which distracted me from the story. I made it about a third through but then gave up. I shall give another go sometime perhaps, I still have it on my kindle but it maybe a while.
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  • pammie
    5.0 out of 5 stars A good read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Easy reading material
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