Lock and Key

It's a lot easier to be lost than found. It's the reason we're always searching and rarely discovered - so many locks not enough keys.

Lock and Key, a new adult (NA) novel by Sarah Dessen, invites you to follow the story of Ruby Cooper, a seventeen-year-old high school student, who is abandoned by her mother and brought to live with her sister and brother-in-law. From a broken and damaged household, Ruby finds herself living with two new warm-hearted and optimistic family members.

While beginning this novel, during the first hundred pages, I considered quitting several times. I found the story a flunk. The protagonist seemed hopeless, doubting everything and anything, and still somehow acted superior and cocky (Un)suprisingly, the "hottest" male student of the school (the captain and volunteer of practically every club... yada yada) takes notice of the new quiet girl. The beginning really didn't appeal to my taste in novels.

HOWEVER, after the first 100 pages of endless clichés and sad backstories, the story began to take interesting twists and turns, and I found myself invested in the characters and the plot. I saw lots of character development (hooray, finally!) and was introduced to several new dynamic and static characters. Becoming intrigued with Ruby's story, I read the remaining 100 pages in one sitting. 

To conclude, this novel is worth reading if you're looking for a romantic escapist novel without too much depth. I believe with some alterations, especially in the first 100 pages, this novel could have been a hit. With that said, it wasn't all bad, in fact the novel included humour, relatable events of young adulthood, and admirable character development. 

All in all, I enjoyed reading the novel, but ... just be ready for a slow start if you plan to read this! ;)