***The Starry-Eyed Revue***: sisters

Title: Lock and Key
Author: Sarah Dessen
Narrator: Rebecca Soler
Series: n/a
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Publication Date: January 9th, 2009
Source: purchased audio
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

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.

Oh my gosh, Lock and Key was good. *End Review*

If only it was that easy right? I’d be caught up and scheduled ahead for months, but I guess I’ll tell you a little about it. Just Listen was the first Dessen book I’ve listened to in Audio, and I loved it, so I had to stick with the theme and listen to another. I decided to go with Lock and Key, and I’m so glad I did.

Books like these, kids coming from bad homes, they grab at me. I think its because things weren’t perfect for me growing up. I like to read stories about kids getting a second chance, being pulled from these situations and living a better life.

Ruby has pretty much been abandoned by her piece of shit mother. But she’s 17 and quickly approaching adulthood so she does her best to survive on her own. She's failing fast, and fortunately the landlords figure it all out.

This brings us to Cora, Ruby’s older sister who steps in to take custody. They haven’t seen each other for 10 years. There is so much between these two, and the tears were flowing, let me tell you. Not necessarily sad tears, a lot of them were happy, but their relationship was complicated, and listening to them sort through it all was just.. *sigh* So many feelings.

Cora does well for herself, so Ruby is thrust into a life of luxury you could say. At least when compared to what Ruby is used too. She now has a nice room, goes to a nice school, lives in a beautiful house and has options for a future she never pictured having. It’s an adjustment for sure.

Ahh, then there is Nate, the boy next door. I loved him and I liked the relationship that grows between the two. He has his own issues to deal with, but their growing romance was sweet. It was no where near the main focus though and much of Lock and Key is about the family. I loved that. I was so wrapped up in Ruby and Cora's relationship that I cared about little else.

It’s just such a great book and the Audio was good to. It took me a bit to get used to the narrators voice, but once I did, I was sucked right in!

About the author:

Sarah Dessen grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and attended UNC-Chapel Hill, graduating with highest honors in Creative Writing. She is the author of several novels, including Someone Like You, Just Listen and Along for the Ride. A motion picture based on her first two books, entitled How to Deal, was released in 2003. Her eleventh novel, The Moon and More, will be published in June 2013. She lives in North Carolina.

Find Sarah:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Labels: contemporary, lock and key, penguin audio, reviews, sarah dessen, sisters

Title: To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Author: Jenny Han
Series: To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: April 15th, 2014
Source: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

I’m a huge fan of Jenny Han and I turned Jess into one too by sending her The Summer Series to read last year. So when we found out about To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, we decided we would have to buddy read it asap when it came out. We did just that!

Ahhh it was so good! Was it as good as the Summer Series? No, at least it wasn’t to me and Jess felt the same, but really that whole story is a hard one to top. I did love it though, and it was hard to put down.

Laura Jean is our main character. She’s a middle sister, and I was pleasantly surprised that her relationships with her sisters were a big part of the story. I loved that because I only have a brother. I would have loved to grow up with a sister.

The main focus of the story are the notes. I definitely related to Laura Jean as far as all her crushes go. I was a crusher, I crushed like crazy on boys. I never wrote out letters to them though, but I can tell you I’d be mortified if I did and they ended up in the boys hands. Which is exactly what happens to poor Laura Jean. I could feel my gut twisting for her.

It’s a little more complicated than just boys finding out you had a crush on them, one of the notes is to her older sisters ex boyfriend. Talk about an awkward mess. To her defense, her crush started way before he ever dated her sister, but it sure does make for a sticky situation, which leads to even more sticky situations!

I loved how everything played out, and I cannot wait for the next book. This is part one in a dualogy.

Well, that's not what your note said!! BOOM!

This book was so fun! Get it!! It might even still be on sale for Kindle and Nook. $2.99. Not sure though, I'll check the day this goes live. :)

About the author:

Jenny Han (Han like Han Solo, not Han like hand) was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. She went to college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Go Heels!) and she went on to graduate school at the New School in New York City, where she received her MFA in Writing for Children. She lives in Brooklyn.

Find Jenny:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads