Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen (4/5)

Writer Sarah Dessen conveys a powerful lesson on the importance of family, love and life. A wonderful book discussing topics that include family, grief, and maturity. Lock and Key (423 pages) by Sarah Dessen tells the story through a seventeen-year-old perspective Ruby, who experiences an unexpected loss during a very important time of her life. As she experiences this loss, she tries to navigate her new life in her new town. In doing this, she faces her ups and downs, but she learns a very important lesson throughout. She learns that experiencing loss is a part of life, and the “perfect life” does not exist. Ruby then decides to make the most of her new life and treat it as if nothing happened, living life to its fullest. Furthermore, this novel teaches readers of all ages the importance of family and friends, and why it is important to reach out to trusted adults when in need. Personally, I really enjoyed this book and the lessons it teaches. It applies to adults and teenagers, and I would definitely recommend teenagers to read this book, as it explores drug abuse and violence during high school. It also teaches teenagers to make the right choices. Especially during this generation, young adults need a book like this to understand the greater meaning of life, and the importance of grieving and coping in a healthy way. Overall, this novel is excellent and I would definitely read it again. It does deal with sensitive topics that could be triggering to some teens, but other than that it is worth the read.