Lock and Key

Reader reviewed by katie

I was a little weary about reading this, after reading the back. This by far has to be one of Dessen's best books. In this book Dessen tells the story from the point of view of a 17 teen year old abandoned by her mother. When she is found by her landlords she is shipped off the live with her sister Cora, who she hasn't seen in ten years and is now married to a wealthy family guy. This book reveals relationships, and bonds of sisters struggling to make up for the time they have missed. This book also has a shocking surprise about a secret her mother has kept from her for years

Reader reviewed by lia

This is wonderful book I loved it. This is the story of Ruby who 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 futureit'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?

This is an awesome book to read you wont want to stop reading!

Reader reviewed by hpatel

I think that Lock and Key, Sarah Dessen's most recent novel, is a great book about trying to cope with change in your life. Even though Ruby finally has a nice house to live in and a great sister and brother-in-law to take care of her, she cannot let go of that old house--if that's what you want to call it--where she and her mother once lived. That is why she always wears a key to the lock of the old house around her neck. As she makes a new friend, Nate, she starts seeing many similarities between his life and hers as she digs deeper. This book is about friendship, trust, and overcoming the scary factors that come into play when change occurs. Hopefully, everyone else likes this book too, because I reccommend it to everyone.

Reader reviewed by tricia

Though Lock and Key is a good book, its not my favorite Sarah Dessen novel.


The story is about Rudy who is sent to live with her sister who she hasn't seen in years, after her mom abandons her.Rudy and her sister Cora dont seem to understand each other, and living together proves a little difficult.

After getting to know her neighbor Nate, the popular boy next door, Rudy finds out that compared to others her life isn't so bad.

Reader reviewed by Sarah D

This is the first Sarah Dessen novel I have read. I enjoyed it so much, I can't wait to pick up another. In this novel, Ruby is forced to go live with her estranged sister and her husband after her mother abandons her. Throughout the book Ruby struggles with wanting control over her own life and letting other people care about and love her. The characters and their relationships are well developed. Ruby's struggles are very relatable and there is satisfaction at the end of the story. The novel moves along at a nice pace and leaves you craving a sequel at the end.

Reader reviewed by Stephanie

Living on her own for a few weeks after her mother abandons her, seventeen-year-old Ruby is turned in to social services by her nosy landlords. They place her in the care of her sister Cora, ten years her senior, and her husband Jamie, both intrepid young entrepreneurs living the American dream in a wonderhouse. To Ruby, of course, whos always strived to be self-sufficient, this is no dream come true. She just wants to get through her last year in high school, and then get a job. Now shes being put into Perkins Day, an elite private school in town, and her sister and brother-in-law are encouraging her to think about college the next year.

Ruby means to get through senior year the way she has always done--by staying invisible and not making any connections--but its hard to ignore the friendliness of her next-door neighbor and carpool driver, Nate, one of the most popular guys in school, who has family secrets of his own. Before she knows it, Nate and her are friends, and then maybe more, and more and more she begins to settle into this life as if she had been born into it. But her greatest challenge doesnt come from her own adjustment: its applying what she has learned about the okay-ness of being helped by others to the most important people in her life.

Sarah Dessens novels never lack character development, and LOCK AND KEY is no exception. Once again Lakeview is a world where readers will want to live.

Reader reviewed by the book muncher

Ruby is having a hard time adjusting to her new life. Shes not used to not having to worry about the bare necessities such as food and clothing. Shes not accustomed to all the money. Shes not used to living with her family.

It wasnt too long ago that Rubys mother left her for good. No one besides Ruby knew, and she was planning to keep it that way until she turned eighteen and was legally an adult. But someone found out, and now Ruby has to live with her sister and brother-in-law. But Ruby doesnt know how to deal with this new lifestyle, or with her overly friendly neighbor Nate. Ruby doesnt like depending on anyone or letting anyone really get to know her. But Nate might be more like her than she thinks.

Sarah Dessen is one of my favorite authors of all time, and she does not disappoint with Lock and Key. I really love how Sarah Dessen can really capture the emotions people like Ruby feel, the stubborn independence and loneliness. She weaves a beautiful story of the healing of a girl and the healing she returns. Like all of Sarah Dessens novels, Lock and Key is truly amazing.

There is a lot of symbolism in this novel, mostly stemming from the title, and this is what makes the story so brilliant. On one hand, there is Ruby who is reluctant to unlock her past to anyone but ends up letting Nate into her heart. On the other, Nate refuses to let Ruby unlock him. The struggles of both Ruby and Nate are so similar to some of the struggles many teens face today, although in different perspectives, and I really appreciated how realistic it was.

I highly recommend Lock and Key along with all of Sarah Dessens other novels, including The Truth about Forever, This Lullaby, and Just Listen. Fans of Deb Caletti will also enjoy this novel, as well as teens everywhere.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com

Reader reviewed by Rin

Lock and Key (coming out on April 22) is the latest book from Sarah Dessen. I've been a Sarah Dessen fan for years, Just Listen's one of my favorite books so I was really excited to read this one.

Ruby and her mother move around. Alot. And there are times when Ruby's mother just randomly takes off and disappears. But she always comes home to Ruby. Until the day thats he leaves and doesn't come back, leaving (an underage) Ruby alone for months.

Of course Ruby can't hide the fact that she's living by herself forever. Eventually her landlord finds out and Ruby is forced, by the state, to live with her older sister, Cora, who abandonned her when she left for college...years ago.

When Ruby goes to live with her sister, she finds Cora has altered her life, transformed it into a dream. Cora and her husband live in a great neighborhood, have great jobs and basically the opposite of what Ruby and her mother shared.

At the beginning, Ruby worries that she'll be a burden on her sister, who she thinks never wanted her. Also, Ruby doesn't want to live in Cora's world. She was perfectly content on her own. However, after one unsuccessful escape attempt, Ruby finds herself actually living with her sister, and realizes that Cora's abandonnment wasn't all that it seemed to be.

Slowly, Ruby becomes accustomed to her life with Cora. She gets a job and even starts to become friends with her good-looking neighbor Nate.

I adored this book. The characters were realistic, and relatable. Throughout the book Ruby growed and changed and each step of the way you were with her. Pick this one up ASAP!! (reposted from readerrabbit.blogspot.com)

Reader reviewed by jocelyn

Lock and Key is a fantastic book from Sarah Dessen, goddess of YA literature. Im a little embarrassed to admit that I havent read everything shes written, but what I have read, Ive really loved. This Lullaby is one of my very favorite books! Anyway, knowing how awesome Sarah Dessen is, readers would be disappointed at anything short of marvelous with her name on it, but her latest effort will not let them down.

In Lock and Key, Ruby and her mother move around a lot, and their life is rather unpredictable. Its not unusual for her mother to disappear for days at a time, but Ruby knows something is different when her mother doesnt come back for months, leaving Ruby on her own. She tries to hide the fact that shes underage and living by herself, but, eventually, her landlords find out, and the state sends Ruby to live with her older sister, Cora. Ruby and Cora havent seen each other since Cora left for college, years ago, escaping their mother and abandoning her younger sister (or so Ruby thinks).

Now, though Cora has built a life for herself: a successful career, a big house, a great husband. Shes living the American dream. Ruby has never lived a life anything like that, and she certainly doesnt want to start now, being tied down like that and being a burden on a sister who doesnt want her. Somehow, though she keeps meaning to escape, she ends up going to a fancy private school, staying with her sister and her husband, Jamie, finding a job, finding friends, maybe even something more in her neighbor, Nate.

Lock and Key is an amazing novel. Sarah Dessen tells a captivating story, demonstrating her considerable talent at really understanding people and their relationships. Shes a brilliant writer, and this story will draw in readers and leave them unable to put the book down until the very last page! This is a fresh, moving, honest book that will impress both fans of Sarah Dessens work and those new to reading it. The summary calls it funny, perceptive, and touching, which is exactly right and completely true.

Reposted from http://teenbookreview.wordpress.com