Lock and Key

This story is beautiful. It's about family and learning to see the good, and also the bad in them. Ruby's life is far from perfect, but then she meets Nate who's life isn't the best either. And it's funny! Gervais is one of the best characters, even though he's not such a big part. He shows up again in another one of Dessen's novels! :)

A story that's so AMAZING it's hard to forget. This book will not disappoint you. It will stick in your head long after you've finished. It's the best Young Adults novels I've read in a long time.

Ruby is my all-time favorite character I really FELT for her. She isn’t like most teenage girls. She’s strong, independent, and determined. Ruby’s been on her own ever since her mother abandoned her and hoping she would return someday. But in the end, she was sent to live with her sister, Cora, along with Cora’s husband, Jamie.

I adore Ruby and wish I would be just like her. She’s been going through some hard times and is still able to manage on her own. I feel like I’m right there with Ruby, seeing how she fixes things up when they shatter all over the place. She has shown me how to live one step at a time and to put one foot in front of the other.

Nate is another character I really CARE about. He’s sweet, nice, and friendly. Everyone would be lucky to have him in their lives. Nate’s life is no different from Ruby’s. His mom left him, and his dad is totally abusive, selfish, and bossy. I do feel sorry for Nate, and by knowing more about his life, it makes my heart ache a lot more.

The story ends in an emotional, comforting way. I cried twice during this book. One when Ruby found Nate alone in the house. And second when Ruby and Nate said goodbye to each other. It’s hard to see them heading in two different directions. It makes me feel empty, alone, and heartbreaking. This book has taught me the importance of friendship and how life isn’t always straightforward. Sarah Dessen has written such a wonderful Young Adults novel about finding the perfect Lock and Key!

Reader reviewed by CQ

      The book Lock and Key is a wonderful book for teenagers. As I read the book I felt like the events could really happen to me. It was full of excitement, I couldn't put the book down. The way that the author wrote the book was perfect because it was so realistic and contemporary. I'm glad that i found a book i can relate to and actually enjoy reading. I suggest you read this book if you like adventurous, funny, romantic stories. The characters could be just like you.

Reader reviewed by Amanda(;

Hello Again, fellow reviewers and readers. Lock and Key, by the infamous(sorry, I mean FAMOUS AND AMAZING) Sarah Dessen. Is the hottest thing, next to Twilight by Stephine Meyer, which will be in my next review. (; Lock and Key opens your eyes to the real life positions of how life has 'too many locks and not enough keys'. Translation? There's too many things to go through in life, so many locked doors and you don't have all the keys. It's like that saying one door opens, another closes. You have to choose one or the other, you can't always go with both. The main character in Lock and Key has grown up in a life where she's independent, and she's the only boss. She knows right from wrong, but weather she chooses to use that knowledge is her issue. It shows a bond between sisters, a bond between friends who can also turn out to be lovers. It's a good eye opener.

Reader reviewed by Adriana

4.5 stars. I think so far this is my favorite Dessen book, although I've only read three. I could really see how the characters evolved and dealt with all of the things going on around them. Ruby finds herself reunited with her "long lost" sister Cora after their mother left one day and didn't return. Ruby and Cora are 10 years apart and now worlds apart with Cora married and living in a gorgeous new house with the love of her life Jaime, a self-made success story who founded a website similar to MySpace or Facebook, and Ruby attending a tough High School and living on her own in a pretty shabby house. At first Ruby is very hesitant to acclimate to her new situation. It was her and her mom for a long time, and she was used to that dynamic. Now she is attending a pricey, private high school and living in an area that boasts custom ponds and in-ground swimming pools. As the story progresses though Ruby comes to understand not only what she really wants out of life, but also who she is and in the process she unlocks several aspects of her family's life. The story was understated but powerful at the same time, and I think Dessen fans will not be disappointed.

Reader reviewed by trishalynn0708

I am a new reader, and fan, of Sarah Dessen's.
This is my second book I have read by her. My first book I read by her
was Along For The Ride, which I have not put the review up for. I
really enjoyed this book, but I have to say that Along For The Ride was
better. This book moved kind of slow for me, especially at the end. I
felt bad for Nate because he lived with his abusive father, and I felt
bad for Ruby, and her sister Cora, because they had no one but each
other. I have to say that Jamie, Cora's husband, and Ruby's
brother-in-law was funny in this book. He was so upbeat and joyous all
of the time. He loved the holidays so I am going to share a part of the
book that I thought was funny. This is from page 322:
"I
already knew Jamie liked holidays. There were matching blue shirts, for
one thing, not to mention the thankful lists. But even armed with this
knowledge, I still was not fully prepared for how he approached
Christmas.
"Just stand
still, okay?" Cora said, making a face as she stuffed the pillow father
up under his jacket. "Stop wriggling around."
"I can't," Jamie replied. "This long underwear is a lot itchier than I thought it would be."
"I told you to just wear your boxer shorts."
"Santa
doesn't wear boxers!" he said, his voice rising slightly as she yanked
the wife black belt of his costume tight over the pillow, holding it in
place. "If I'm going to do this, I want to be authentic about it."

This part was just so funny because Ruby and Cora didn't have a tight family so their holidays growing up were not like Jamie's.
This was a good read, even though it was not my favorite by her.

Reader reviewed by Kaycee

Ruby becomes such a great character throughout the book as her life gets back on track. Even if you have never been ditched by your mom and had to live with your long lost sister, you will feel connected to Ruby. The characters are well developed, especially Ruby. I enjoyed the developing relationship between Nate (the typical guy that tries to be perfect but has problems of his own) and Cora (the seemingly cold hearted sister who has good intentions) with Ruby. I wanted the story to continue on with Ruby and Nate possibly in college together, but your left to create your own happy ending.

Reader reviewed by mockock

when you love someone, you wanna protect them right?..that is the question that Ruby has to face when she falls in love with a guy with a secret.. but what is that secret?.. guess you will have to wait and see when you read it!..i would recommend this book to any young adult reader who loves to see the thrill and craziness of a young couple in love..lock and key is the book to read if you are looking for one!
with lots of love,,
girl with no secrets.

Reader reviewed by Iryna

"Ruby, where is your mother?"

Ruby
knows that the game is up. For the past few months, she's been on her
own in the yellow house, managing somehow, knowing that her mother will
probably never return.

That's how she comes to live with Cora,
the sister she hasn't seen in ten years, and Cora's husband Jamie,
whose down-to-earth demeanor makes it hard for Ruby to believe he
founded the most popular networking Web site around. A luxurious house,
fancy private school, a new wardrobe, the promise of college and a
future-it's a dream come true. So why is Ruby such a reluctant
Cinderella, wary and defensive? And why is Nate, the genial boy next
door with some secrets of his own, unable to accept the help that Ruby
is just learning to give?

Best-selling author Sarah Dessen
explores the heart of a gutsy, complex girl dealing with unforeseen
circumstances and learning to trust again.

Wow.
If any word could describe this book perfectly it would be "wow". Sarah
Dessen created a very real problem that I found I could relate too even
though I have not experienced it. The character development was
phenomenal. The setting was well planned out. The overall idea was
amazing. As you can see, this book is so good that it brings tears to
my eyes.

I also
really like the title of this book. It is so perfect that it makes me
jealous -- when I write, titles are always the things I have trouble
with. I have also looked at Sarah Dessen's other books and the titled
seem just as creative and intriguing. Who wouldn't want to read about a
book called "Keeping the Moon" or "The Truth About Forever"? I want to know the truth about forever!

However,
I wish that Sarah Dessen could have included prologue because their are
some loose ends I think she could have tied up. What happens to Nate?
Do Reggie and Harriet get married?

All in all, I would give this book and A.

Reader reviewed by Taylor

I have honestly never read a Sarah Dessen novel before. I know, thats
embarrassing. For some reason I almost felt intimidated by her books
because their so popular. Lock and Key is no exception when it comes to
amazing books.

The story starts quickly, which is a must for me. I HATE when I can't get into a book right from the beginning.

I
absolutely love the realism of this book. I don't know very much about
any of the problems Ruby goes through but it sounds so realistic. The
whole time I was reading I could picture the problems existing. Whether
things were going well or not, the consequences of all of the actions
were well explained. I absolutely love books that are completely
realistic. I hate when the characters in books just get everything all
pretty and perfect. I believe in the struggle.

I absolutely LOVE
Nate's character. He was so much more interesting than most boyfriend
types. He had his own problems that were so apparent right from the
start but he was so genuinely kind that he kept working to help Ruby
get over hers.

The only complaint I have about this book is how
Nate moved away. I was hoping that he would move in with Ruby or
something, not to Arizona!

This book is great and I have an ARC of Along For The Ride that I am soooo looking forward to!

4.5/5