I am picky about the fantasy I read. The reason I read this book was simple, I had taken some writing courses from the author and always loved what she wrote online. So, I figured I would try one of her books. Ruby Key is the story of Genna and Dan who lived in the village of Highbrush. They have hatched a plan to save their mother who is sick. The only night they are allowed out is the night they make their offering to the Nightlings who leave gifts for them in return. They know to go out at night might mean their death or they could become slaves of the Nightlings. to save their mother they must go out at night and venture to the taander tree to gather its sap. While out they encounter a nightling who becomes their friend. They find out that there is a problem brewing in their village and they join forces with the Nightling to try to set things right. I loved the way it ended. It was finished nicely, yet was finished in a way that a sequel would fit nicely. The characters and plot were definitely well developed. I would expect nothing less from Holly. I will also read more of her books. I enjoyed them quite a bit ( )

I gotta say, I read a lot of these books and this was worth it. What a great story for kids of all ages (I'm 27 XD). This is getting passed on to my younger cousin. I'd recommend this book. ( )

Reviewed by Harmony for TeensReadToo.com

Due to an agreement between the humans and Nightlings, the two are never to meet. But when Genna and her younger brother, Dan, venture outside at night, when everyone is supposed to be safe inside, to get a special sap to save their mother, things begin to change. They are told by a Nightling slave the truth of what is really happening between the Nightlings and humans. The leader of the human village, Genna and Dan's "uncle," has made a deal with the Nightling king that will result in his own immortality but the downfall of every other human.

Genna and Dan must strike their own deal with the Nightling king and set out on their own journey to not only save themselves and their family but everyone in their village -- as well as the Nightlings.

Filled with adventure and striking prose, THE RUBY KEY is one of the best fantasy novels I've read in a while. The characters, even the non-human ones, were realistic, and every single one of them played an important part in the unfolding plot. The plot itself was unpredictable and filled with twists and turns you never see coming. The ending even keeps you begging for more.

Holly Lisle may be an accomplished adult author, but her name is sure to become a popular one among teen fiction, too. ( )

Overall, The Ruby Key is a fairly successful young adult novel. Smart, engaging, and unflinchingly honest in her appraisal of young children forced to grow up quickly, Holly Lisle expertly evokes a strong connection to a world suffused with magic, trickery and hidden dangers. The plot is exciting without losing its pace (with two notable exceptions described below), and Lisle manages the difficult task of invoking a genuine sense of danger and fear in terms appropriate for younger readers. Her real talent, however, becomes apparent as she fills in the larger world that surrounds the trio of protagonists: Lisle permits the reader quick but colorful glimpses into a complex and internally coherent world that comes alive as her tale progresses.

We have only one significant complaint about The Ruby Key: Despite Holly Lisle's clear ability to follow the author's rule of "show, don't tell", both the opening and closing scenes of the book feature several pages of exposition that dump a tremendous amount of information on the reader in an attempt to set up the story that follows (The Ruby Key in the opening scene and subsequent novels in the closing scene.) This is an attempt to flesh out the world Lisle has created, but it is presented without any context, and usually without any connection to anything the protagonists have discovered or encountered in the actual telling of the story. It's a startlingly ham-handed manner of describing the world, and its only real effect is to make the reader's eyes glaze over. ("Ham-handed" doesn't come close to describing it, really -- at one point a character literally drops out of the trees and proceeds to expound upon the nature of the world for four pages!)

Aside from that failing, however, The Ruby Key is certainly a worthy read for both young adults and adults interested in fantasy that turns certain traditional fantasy tropes on their heads. We'll certainly be picking up the rest of the Moon & Sun series as it's published. ( )

This book is about the struggle of the humans, and the nightlings, creatures that come out at the night, and rule the humans.

These two brothers and sisters take the risk of going out in the night, because they are losing sap. They, instead, go out in the night, where nightlings are supposed to rome, and gather night sap.

Then, they get themselves in big trouble. ( )