Tolog Review: Lock and Key

Lock and Key
by Sarah Dessen

reviewed by Miranda Spears, class of 2015

The book, Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen, is one of m
y new favorite books. This story follows a teenage girl, Ruby, and her complicated relationships with family/friends/boyfriend life as she is abandoned by her mother and forced to live with her older sister, who she hasn't seen or connected with ( or so she thought) in years. After being abandoned by her mom, Ruby lives by her self for several months until the landlords realize what is happening. She is then taking in by social services, and put to live with her older sister Cora, and her loving husband Jamie. Ruby prefers to be alone, and has always struggled with her families problems. At first things are awkward, as Ruby has always supported her mothers alcoholic, teenage-like behavior, while Cora does not want a single thing to do with their mom. Ruby is put into a private, classy high school where she feels she can not connect with anyone. She feels like nothing is in order, she goes throw moments when she returns back to drugs and alcohol and her old friends, who have very negative impacts on her BUT in the end, she ends up falling in the love with the super cute, preppy, intelligent, athletic neighbor Nate ( who is also in her grade at school) and makes some sincere relationships with people she did not think she would. Throughout this novel Ruby struggles with her past, and learns to open up and trust people, after being "alone:, and having to act like parent for her own mother for almost 16/17 years.

If you like romance/individual soul searching/a little mystery novels, with a main female character who is very strong,independent, and does not like to be told what to do from other people, then you will enjoy this book. Sarah Dessen is a great author, who always had something new and unexpected happening throughout the novel, which is something that kept me interested. Some parts are relatable, while others are interesting to view from someone else's' perspective.