Lock and Key

I really love how Sarah Dessen writes. While most of young adult authors tell you about the big picture, she takes her time and writes about details, the day-by-day picture. The stories are stories that could happen to anyone, they are belivable but still you fall in love with them. Maybe thats why, because we can identify, not to a certain extent, but fully with the characters and the story.Not to mention, that Sarah doesnt write specificaly "romance novels". Of course they talk about romance, there is always romance in her books, but that is not the topic of the book. At least it is not for me. They are self-growth books. I mean, of course there is romance, and that is part of the self-growth I am talking about. But, the whole book isnt based on the fact that the guy wants her, or what the guy does, or what she feels about him. There are many other factors. It is not the center of the book. It is how SHE develops and how HER mind changes, and how maturity can be something subjective, etc. And the main character always thinks about her future first than in her boyfriend or other stuff that are not as nearly important as her future. She goes to college, she doesnt stay because "her boyfriend is there", but almost always finds a way to work it out. She doesnt settle for the easiest thing to do. That is also why I love Sara Dessen.I honestly think this is the best book Sarah Dessen has writen. I havent read them all, but I seriously doubt any other is going to top this one.Ruby, the main character, is a seventeen year old, that thinks the only way to live her life happily is being a one-woman-operation. To do all by herself, without anyone`s help, or pity. She was raised this way by her mom, who is a tormented woman that is continuously drunk and hit her and her sister when they were younger. Ruby and her mom lived "fine", moving constantly from one one-bedroom-apartment-with-putrefact-odors to the other. They evaded taxes, and she changed schools and used fake names many times. Her sister, Cora, ten years older, had escaped all this when she moved away as soon as she turned 18. Ruby never saw her again since. But now, that her mother abandoned her, she is forced to go live with her sister and her husband in a rich neighborhood and to go to a private school for "rich kid"s. Everything changes so fast that Ruby finds herself attached to her old life and doest want to start a new one. But, as everything in life, her opinion changes and you find yourself thinking with her to solve her fears, and her future, if she still has one.I absolutely adored this book, and hope it kept going. I read it in three days, couldnt put it down!! So, definitely a page-turner.Apart from all this, there is a guy in the story. Of course. I mean, what would a Sarah Dessen book be without a guy for the main character to fall in love with? Well, this guy is Nate. And he is absolutely dreamy. I adooooooooored Nate. In other of her books, such as (for example) "Along for the ride" Eli (the guy) is fabulous, I loved him, and in "This Lullaby" Dexter was like a stalker for me, Sarah didnt create a guy so good as Nate. I would have to say that Nate is almost perfect. You will know when you read it.One great book. It leaves you with a warm feeling inside, and in my own personal experience, I found the ending so heart warming that I cried. So, be sure to read this one. One fantastic book! You will absolutely love it.

"What is family? They were the people who claimed you. In good, in bad, in parts or in whole, they were the ones who showed up, who stayed there, regardless."Seventeen-year old Ruby has been living on her own for the past two months since her mother left. She has no idea where her mother went, and hasn't heard from her since. Ruby has been getting by, just barely but this is about to change when the landlords of the tiny house they've been renting, discover she's alone. They alert the authorities, and suddenly Ruby is taken in by her sister Cora. Things were different when Ruby's sister Cora still lived at home, she sort of made it her job to care for Ruby and protect her from their mother. However, Cora's been gone for ten years, left when she went off to college, and Ruby's heard little from her since. This does not make for a happy reunion because Ruby doesn't want to let anyone in, let anyone close. She certainly doesn't welcome her sister's assistance. Ruby would rather just rely on herself, that way she has no one else to let her down. So she makes a plan to just stick it out at her sister's until she turns eighteen, then she's out of there.This story progresses nicely and I was seriously hooked watching the slow transformation of Ruby, seeing her thaw gradually. Helping with this is Jamie, Cora's sweet, generous, and very welcoming husband. You can't help but love him, he takes Ruby in with no questions or judgments made, always looking for the good, first, in people. Then there is Nate *sigh*. He is just the all-around popular, nice, HOT, next-door neighbor that takes to Ruby immediately, even with her reluctance. I didn't warm up to Cora at first, but then we learn some things about her, and I couldn't help but love her too.A Sarah Dessen novel would not be complete without her collection of quirky secondary characters. She always amasses these unique individuals that just grow on you. Gervais, the twelve-year old genius who rides along with Nate and Ruby everyday to school. Quote on Gervais: "Gervais also lacked maturity, which meant he found things like burps and farts hysterical, and even funnier when they were his own. Put him in a small, enclosed space with two people every morning and there was no end to the potential for hilarity." (Yes, I was cracking up!) Olivia, a fellow student at Perkins Day, always talking on her phone in her free-time, but somehow becomes friends with Ruby. Then there's Harriet the caffeine-addict, and Reggie the vitamin seller. Even Roscoe, Cora and Jamie's dog, manages to get into Ruby's heart.While, The Truth About Forever and Just Listen, are my favorite Sarah Dessen novels, this one is very good, too. A definite recommend for any contemporary romance/YA lover.

Fantastic book

It will leave you turning page after page till it is done, I highly recommend it for teens and young adults. The main character may seem like a normal girl, but she has a story to tell.

This is not a genre I normally read, but I loved it. It's not a romance, but has a romance in it (well it is about a 17 year old girl after all), and I loved that her looks and his were barely mentioned. Ruby was from a neglectful home, and we experience her transition to a new life when she goes to live with her sister. I love how her experience was treated, focusing on how it affected her - rather than a ghoulish retelling of abuse relishing the delicious horror as some of these types of stories can be. Ruby has the experience that many of us have at one time or another - of seeing herself more clearly by seeing it on another person. Both the story and the way it was told gripped my attention thoroughly. Highly recommended for ages 14+

I've only recently started reading Sarah Dessen books and this one has to be the best by far! Its about a teenage girl called Ruby whose living in poverty until the Honeycotts suss her out. She's then transformed into a world of luxury thanks to her long lost sister and brother in law wo live in a huge house and have everything you could possibly wish for. However all Ruby wants to do is escape and go back to her old yellow house.Finally after making friends and feeling a little more settled she decides to stay and truely transforms her life for good, also discovering relationships and the importance of family.This book kept me intrigued from start to finish, I loved reading about Ruby and trust me you wont be disappointed :)Dessen hits just the right notes with this novel. Enjoy!!

I loved the main character (Ruby) in this and fully engaged with her character. I found her relationships with her family and friends believable and they didn't put you off her.I wasn't happy with the ending but I like my stories to end happily and while this wasn't unhappy it was realistic and little bitter sweet.A good YA read for a more cynical teen.