"I Love Sarah Dessen" Blog Tour ~ Lock and Key Review

I'm so happy today to be a part of the "I Love Sarah Dessen" Blog Tour.  Thank you to Joli at Actin' Up with Books for including me in the tour.  I have read quite a few of Sarah's books but it has been a long time.  So, I raided my teenage daughter's bookshelf  to find one I hadn't read yet for the tour. After looking through the ones I had yet to read, I decided on Lock and Key and wasn't disappointed.  Without further ado, here is my review of Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen.

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.

Characters and Relationships

I really enjoyed Ruby's story and how she came to know her neighbor Nate and with each other, they are able to help work out their different issues.  She had to learn to trust her sister Cora once again and also learn to love and accept her brother in law, that she didn't even know existed, Jamie.  If I had to pick a favorite character I think it would be Jamie.  He was such an accepting person of everyone. He was genuine in the things he did and the love he showed so unconditionally to Ruby and Cora.  

Is This A Kissing Book?
There is a little bit of kissing going on in this book, but just a little.  Sarah's books are geared toward the teenage group and I think she does a fantastic job of keeping everything appropriate.

Don't Leave Me Hanging
This is definitely a stand along novel which is nice and refreshing!

The Best Gems

• Building a Pond
• Picking Fish
• Family Photos
• Cupcakes
• Rides to School
• Tudoring
• Key Necklaces
• The Definition of Family
• Acceptance of Everyone

The Sum Up
This book was very enjoyable.  I love Sarah Dessen's writing.  She is a beautiful storyteller and knows how to create characters you can relate to even if you have never been in their situation.  The underlying theme of this book is the importance of families and relationships.  My family is the most important thing in my life and outside of that, the relationships that I have with my close friends would be next important. Reading Ruby's journey of struggling to find the definition of what family truly is, whether it be an actual blood relative or those around that care about and want to help her was very fulfilling.  I would happily recommend this book to anyone in their teenage years and up. There is so many lessons to be learned from this book that I think everyone would be able to find something to interesting them in reading Lock and Key.

Follow the other stops on the tour and enter the giveaway for a Sarah Dessen book of your choice.

- Heather, The Turning Pages - Meeting Sarah 
- Joli, Actin' Up with Books - Someone Like You, How to Deal movie tie-in
- Heather, The Turning Pages - Saint Anything Review
June 8 - Kristalyn, The Sarcastic Palmtree - Lock and Key review
June 11 - Stephanie, Ohana Reads - a review

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