theladygonzalez's review
4.0
The Locket by Stacey Jay has a very interesting and unique premise. With the help of a magical locket, Katie travels back in time hoping to change her biggest mistake - the night she cheated on her boyfriend of three years, Isaac. Isaac is the only boyfriend Katie has ever had and she feels they are supposed to be together forever. They often talk about getting married - that is what they have always envisioned. All of this is put in jeopardy, when Katie - disappointed and hurt by Isaac blowing her off, kisses their mutual best friend, Mitch. So, when Katie is given the opportunity to go back and change history, she thinks it's her very own miracle.
However, she soon discovers that things in this new version of the world are slightly different. Some of her friends are slightly different, the local coffee shop's logo has changed and the boys and girls dressing room locations are changed in the theater. At first she tries to not let these things get to her, but as time goes on and she notices more and more changes, she begins to get scared.
The whole concept of things changing in her life was a little odd to me. I would understand if she was traveling to alternative version of her world, but she is just going back in time. Sure, future aspects of her life would change - based on the new decisions she makes - but I don't think that things from her past would change. I was hoping that this would be explained somewhere along the line, but it really isn't.
The other part of the story that I didn't particularly enjoy was how obsessive Katie was with Isaac. Yes, she loves him and she is upset about cheating on him, but I felt like she was a little over the top. It felt like every couple of pages she was talking about their "perfect future" together - which they have already picked out kids names. I don't mentioning this once or even a few times, but it got to the point where it was rather tedious and redundant.
However, besides her slightly unhealthy obsession with her future as Isaac's baby’s-mama, I adored Katie. You don't get to read about many southern girls (She lives in Tennessee) in Young Adult lit and I thought Katie was adorable. She is big on manners and politeness, and of course, she says "ya'll". She is a good friend and tries to be there for everyone and help solve everybody's problems.
Katie was also a very rounded character. She definitely had her fair share of flaws and weaknesses. She doesn't think too highly of herself - she often says that she is the "less interesting half" of the Isaac/Katie relationship. She can also be too nice - she is somewhat of a doormat and lets people walk all over her.
My other favorite character (besides Katie) was Mitch. Mitch grew up next door to Katie and they consider each other best friends. He is also good friends with Katie's boyfriend, Isaac - the three of them were inseparable from a young age. Mitch is totally my type. He is tall and lanky, sarcastic yet considerate and oh, yeah he is in a band. At the beginning of the book (before Katie has time traveled) Mitch and Katie haven't really spoken in a few weeks - not since the incident. When she goes back in time, they are friends again and end up spending a lot of time together.
As they spend more and more time together, Katie begins to feel something between them. At first she decides its simply aftershocks from kissing him (which now, never happened), but at time goes on, she finds it harder and harder to deny or mask her feelings. This comes as a shock to her, because she has always been Isaac's girlfriend, and has always loved him. Jay creates a wonderful dilemma for Katie; does she stay with Isaac - who she as always thought of as her first and only love - or does discover where a relationship with Mitch could go?
I thought the Locket was a fun read, with a great premise and message. Everyone makes mistakes - but what would happen if we could go back and change them? While the idea was topnotch and the characters were interesting, I was really bothered with how Katie's world kept changing. I wish that it was explained in the book, because it really did not make sense to me. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it!
However, she soon discovers that things in this new version of the world are slightly different. Some of her friends are slightly different, the local coffee shop's logo has changed and the boys and girls dressing room locations are changed in the theater. At first she tries to not let these things get to her, but as time goes on and she notices more and more changes, she begins to get scared.
The whole concept of things changing in her life was a little odd to me. I would understand if she was traveling to alternative version of her world, but she is just going back in time. Sure, future aspects of her life would change - based on the new decisions she makes - but I don't think that things from her past would change. I was hoping that this would be explained somewhere along the line, but it really isn't.
The other part of the story that I didn't particularly enjoy was how obsessive Katie was with Isaac. Yes, she loves him and she is upset about cheating on him, but I felt like she was a little over the top. It felt like every couple of pages she was talking about their "perfect future" together - which they have already picked out kids names. I don't mentioning this once or even a few times, but it got to the point where it was rather tedious and redundant.
However, besides her slightly unhealthy obsession with her future as Isaac's baby’s-mama, I adored Katie. You don't get to read about many southern girls (She lives in Tennessee) in Young Adult lit and I thought Katie was adorable. She is big on manners and politeness, and of course, she says "ya'll". She is a good friend and tries to be there for everyone and help solve everybody's problems.
Katie was also a very rounded character. She definitely had her fair share of flaws and weaknesses. She doesn't think too highly of herself - she often says that she is the "less interesting half" of the Isaac/Katie relationship. She can also be too nice - she is somewhat of a doormat and lets people walk all over her.
My other favorite character (besides Katie) was Mitch. Mitch grew up next door to Katie and they consider each other best friends. He is also good friends with Katie's boyfriend, Isaac - the three of them were inseparable from a young age. Mitch is totally my type. He is tall and lanky, sarcastic yet considerate and oh, yeah he is in a band. At the beginning of the book (before Katie has time traveled) Mitch and Katie haven't really spoken in a few weeks - not since the incident. When she goes back in time, they are friends again and end up spending a lot of time together.
As they spend more and more time together, Katie begins to feel something between them. At first she decides its simply aftershocks from kissing him (which now, never happened), but at time goes on, she finds it harder and harder to deny or mask her feelings. This comes as a shock to her, because she has always been Isaac's girlfriend, and has always loved him. Jay creates a wonderful dilemma for Katie; does she stay with Isaac - who she as always thought of as her first and only love - or does discover where a relationship with Mitch could go?
I thought the Locket was a fun read, with a great premise and message. Everyone makes mistakes - but what would happen if we could go back and change them? While the idea was topnotch and the characters were interesting, I was really bothered with how Katie's world kept changing. I wish that it was explained in the book, because it really did not make sense to me. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it!
renpuspita's review against another edition
2.0
Katie is so immature. Just 17 years and already think about marriage and children? Oi, I just think about it when I'm in my twenties, and when my boyfriend try to propose me 2-3 years ago (and tak about kids), I'm freak out, lol!
The idea actually is unique. Alas, the teenage drama and angst, also how I want to smack Katie over and over and brand "STUPID" word in her forehead make me can't enjoy it as I do.
Duh, if Isaac want to break up with you, let him do it, Katie! There's so many hot guys outside there, and she just still 17 years old. Beside, not everyone are lucky enough to have perfect boyfriend but also a friend who love her for all the time.
The idea actually is unique. Alas, the teenage drama and angst, also how I want to smack Katie over and over and brand "STUPID" word in her forehead make me can't enjoy it as I do.
Duh, if Isaac want to break up with you, let him do it, Katie! There's so many hot guys outside there, and she just still 17 years old. Beside, not everyone are lucky enough to have perfect boyfriend but also a friend who love her for all the time.
steph01924's review
4.0
I enjoyed this book. The plot is nothing revolutionary--what if you could do some part of your life over and some random magic artifact let you?--but I liked the finished product. The writing was smart and the characters felt fleshed out.
I liked Katie. She grew on me, especially since the initial open of her primping for her date made me rear back for a second and think, "Is this an airhead book?" But we quickly got to see more of her personality.
Sometimes I sit back from a book and think, hey, what if I were in so-and-so's position, what would I do? How would I feel? Is that close to how this character is reacting? For some books with plots like this, the answer is no. The character doesn't think about how cuckoo the situation is until way late in the book when everything's majorly messing up. So I liked that while Katie was happy she had a re-do, she was also creeped out about it happening right off, about all the little changes to the world and that she couldn't get the necklace off. I felt her freak-out.
I started to get a little annoyed with her insistence that she and Isaac were 'it', but because I liked her so much I tried to look at it objectively. Katie's seventeen. She's never known anything but Isaac. She's obviously got a confidence issue, which she figures out later. So as much as she may want Mitch, she is going to cling desperately to the one thing she knows for certain, especially in this nutty new world. So...I can forgive her for that (and possibly skim some repetitive paragraphs). Especially with the way the book ends!
I really liked Mitch as the 'love interest'. He was his own complete character, and Jay took us through the reasons Katie would fall in love with him (Show, don't tell!). They had some nice banter, some sexually charged moments, some sweetly emotional ones, and it felt like I was witnessing her fall in love with him for the first time. And there were REASONS for her to do so! (Take note Twilight knock-offs.)
I would've liked a little more explanation about the locket. Why was it in her grandmother's things? Does it just magically go to whomever it wants? Did her grandmother use it or ever really own it? (Katie has a interesting thought when she sees her picture and Mitch's inside, like the locket shows its last victims before it moves on. I would've liked to have found out if that was true.)
Despite my questions, I still feel that it was a strong read, and enjoyable nonetheless.
I liked Katie. She grew on me, especially since the initial open of her primping for her date made me rear back for a second and think, "Is this an airhead book?" But we quickly got to see more of her personality.
Sometimes I sit back from a book and think, hey, what if I were in so-and-so's position, what would I do? How would I feel? Is that close to how this character is reacting? For some books with plots like this, the answer is no. The character doesn't think about how cuckoo the situation is until way late in the book when everything's majorly messing up. So I liked that while Katie was happy she had a re-do, she was also creeped out about it happening right off, about all the little changes to the world and that she couldn't get the necklace off. I felt her freak-out.
I started to get a little annoyed with her insistence that she and Isaac were 'it', but because I liked her so much I tried to look at it objectively. Katie's seventeen. She's never known anything but Isaac. She's obviously got a confidence issue, which she figures out later. So as much as she may want Mitch, she is going to cling desperately to the one thing she knows for certain, especially in this nutty new world. So...I can forgive her for that (and possibly skim some repetitive paragraphs). Especially with the way the book ends!
I really liked Mitch as the 'love interest'. He was his own complete character, and Jay took us through the reasons Katie would fall in love with him (Show, don't tell!). They had some nice banter, some sexually charged moments, some sweetly emotional ones, and it felt like I was witnessing her fall in love with him for the first time. And there were REASONS for her to do so! (Take note Twilight knock-offs.)
I would've liked a little more explanation about the locket. Why was it in her grandmother's things? Does it just magically go to whomever it wants? Did her grandmother use it or ever really own it? (Katie has a interesting thought when she sees her picture and Mitch's inside, like the locket shows its last victims before it moves on. I would've liked to have found out if that was true.)
Despite my questions, I still feel that it was a strong read, and enjoyable nonetheless.
books_plan_create's review against another edition
4.0
I am going to start by saying the only reason I decided to read this book is because Stacey Jay wrote it. So far I've loved everything she's published! After just the first 20 pages, I was hooked! Katie finds a locket in her grandmother's jewelry box and wears it the night of her birthday and anniversary with her boyfriend. It is that night that Isaac (the boyfriend) finds out that Katie and their mutual best friend, Mitch, kissed each other.
The power of the locket takes Katie back in time to fix the mistake. Strange at first, Katie gets used to it and enjoys the change to do it over. But such is the case, the butterfly effect takes place and things gets changed...some not for the better.
This is rare for me to say, but I thought the ending was fabulous! I would not have changed a single thing about it. And I am glad to say that it sounds like it will be a stand alone book. (I'm beginning to miss single books.)
The power of the locket takes Katie back in time to fix the mistake. Strange at first, Katie gets used to it and enjoys the change to do it over. But such is the case, the butterfly effect takes place and things gets changed...some not for the better.
This is rare for me to say, but I thought the ending was fabulous! I would not have changed a single thing about it. And I am glad to say that it sounds like it will be a stand alone book. (I'm beginning to miss single books.)
philyra91's review against another edition
3.0
To be really honest, The Locket was pretty much a disappointment. It really had potential and I did have high hopes for it, but unfortunately, it fell a little flat for me.
On her seventeenth birthday, Katie discovers a locket and decides to wear it for good luck. But when her boyfriend Isaac finds out she cheated on him— with their mutual best friend Mitch, no less—he dumps her, leaving her devastated. And then a miracle happens. The locket burns on Katie's chest and she feels herself going back two weeks in time, to the night she cheated with Mitch. At first, Kate is delighted to be a better girlfriend to Isaac this time around. But as other aspects of her life become inexplicably altered, she realizes that changing the past may have had a dangerous effect on her present.
What I don’t really understand about this book is how it kept going on about how every time the necklace works, something changes but it never gets explained. For example, something heinous happens, she wishes for the necklace to work and it DOES, but then something like a tree house gets built on a higher limb on a tree. I totally understand chaos theory = how a butterfly flapping its wing can cause a hurricane, but it would have been nice if the necklace’s machinations were explained.
In addition, Katie’s character seems very one-dimensional. The entire novel has her pining over her boyfriend Issac and her love for him. Yes, I get that she loves him and will do anything to be back with him, but really, an entire novel is too much. I know nothing about Katie outside her love life and her two best friends, funnily enough Issac and Mitch. I know nothing of her family, her friends and with the exception of her social life, mostly because it involves Issac in a way, I really don’t know anything about her.
The novel does have its moments, which is pretty much only the reason why I’m giving this book 3 stars instead of 2. The ending was something I sort of guessed correctly but it might not be as see through for others so really, it might surprise you. There were twists and turns which doesn’t make the novel that bad, so if you do have the time, do give the novel a try. You might like it better than I did.
On her seventeenth birthday, Katie discovers a locket and decides to wear it for good luck. But when her boyfriend Isaac finds out she cheated on him— with their mutual best friend Mitch, no less—he dumps her, leaving her devastated. And then a miracle happens. The locket burns on Katie's chest and she feels herself going back two weeks in time, to the night she cheated with Mitch. At first, Kate is delighted to be a better girlfriend to Isaac this time around. But as other aspects of her life become inexplicably altered, she realizes that changing the past may have had a dangerous effect on her present.
What I don’t really understand about this book is how it kept going on about how every time the necklace works, something changes but it never gets explained. For example, something heinous happens, she wishes for the necklace to work and it DOES, but then something like a tree house gets built on a higher limb on a tree. I totally understand chaos theory = how a butterfly flapping its wing can cause a hurricane, but it would have been nice if the necklace’s machinations were explained.
In addition, Katie’s character seems very one-dimensional. The entire novel has her pining over her boyfriend Issac and her love for him. Yes, I get that she loves him and will do anything to be back with him, but really, an entire novel is too much. I know nothing about Katie outside her love life and her two best friends, funnily enough Issac and Mitch. I know nothing of her family, her friends and with the exception of her social life, mostly because it involves Issac in a way, I really don’t know anything about her.
The novel does have its moments, which is pretty much only the reason why I’m giving this book 3 stars instead of 2. The ending was something I sort of guessed correctly but it might not be as see through for others so really, it might surprise you. There were twists and turns which doesn’t make the novel that bad, so if you do have the time, do give the novel a try. You might like it better than I did.
nightlock's review against another edition
1.0
This might be a contender for one of the worst books I've read in 2014. Katie is an idiot. I didn't care for her at all, and Isaac is a jerk. The whole "I've loved this person my whole life" thing was nauseating. 0/10 would NOT recommend.
hspaulds's review against another edition
5.0
Again, this rating reflects more how I feel about it than any view on the quality. It was amazingly relatable to me, and gets shockingly dark? Which is apparently my favorite genre, haha. I don't know if I'd recommend it to everyone, but I loved it.
zainabsheikh's review against another edition
5.0
CONTAINS SPOILERS!!
Okay, so this is ONE OF MY FAVOURITE BOOKS so far.
Time-travel, sometimes, really annoy me but the author wrote it so beautifully and with so much suspense that I couldn't get my hands and eyes off it.
I really liked it especially the character of Mitch. I was really shocked when I read his death. I was reading the line, where his death was annouced, again and again because I couldn't believe he died. He didn't deserve it and I was more than happy when he was alive again. He's very good and caring unlike Isaac who is self-absorbed and self-obsessed. Huh. But the book was very very good and fantastic so you should definitely give it a try. :)
For more, Click Here.
Okay, so this is ONE OF MY FAVOURITE BOOKS so far.
Time-travel, sometimes, really annoy me but the author wrote it so beautifully and with so much suspense that I couldn't get my hands and eyes off it.
I really liked it especially the character of Mitch. I was really shocked when I read his death. I was reading the line, where his death was annouced, again and again because I couldn't believe he died. He didn't deserve it and I was more than happy when he was alive again. He's very good and caring unlike Isaac who is self-absorbed and self-obsessed. Huh. But the book was very very good and fantastic so you should definitely give it a try. :)
For more, Click Here.
pegahe's review against another edition
3.0
The Locket was the story of Katie using a locket to go back two weeks in time so she wouldn't repeat a mistake. Of course going back in time isn't without its consequences and Katie will learn the significance of choices and their impact on the world.
Romantic tension all the way through between Katie and Isaac, her boyfriend who cares a bit more about basketball than her, and Mitch, her best friend that may want to be more. I had a good idea of what would happen in the end and so I wasn't surprised with the conclusion. I just wanted to yell at Katie that she would hurry up and make the right choice already. It was a pretty clear choice to everyone except Katie, it seemed.
Katie irritated me a lot. She was so scared of a bunch of things and that lead her to not stand up for herself. She let people treat her wrong and I guess it would be a hard habit to get rid of after a lifetime of it, but I didn't like it. Katie's character did grow in the end though. She wasn't all bad. She was funny, wanted other people to succeed and didn't care for the spotlight. She was supportive and nice but never struck me as special.
The locket part of the story was written in a way where it was important but not that important. I mean that there wasn't an overwhelming magic part to the story. I'd think of this book as contemporary with a bit of time travel. That locket created so many problems and it was very creepy. Things worked out for the best though.
I liked the story but the book didn't hook me in completely. It was a cute story and I enjoyed it. 3 stars,
***
Check out my blog, Tantalizing Illusions, for reviews, and more bookish fun. :)
Romantic tension all the way through between Katie and Isaac, her boyfriend who cares a bit more about basketball than her, and Mitch, her best friend that may want to be more. I had a good idea of what would happen in the end and so I wasn't surprised with the conclusion. I just wanted to yell at Katie that she would hurry up and make the right choice already. It was a pretty clear choice to everyone except Katie, it seemed.
Katie irritated me a lot. She was so scared of a bunch of things and that lead her to not stand up for herself. She let people treat her wrong and I guess it would be a hard habit to get rid of after a lifetime of it, but I didn't like it. Katie's character did grow in the end though. She wasn't all bad. She was funny, wanted other people to succeed and didn't care for the spotlight. She was supportive and nice but never struck me as special.
The locket part of the story was written in a way where it was important but not that important. I mean that there wasn't an overwhelming magic part to the story. I'd think of this book as contemporary with a bit of time travel. That locket created so many problems and it was very creepy. Things worked out for the best though.
I liked the story but the book didn't hook me in completely. It was a cute story and I enjoyed it. 3 stars,
***
Check out my blog, Tantalizing Illusions, for reviews, and more bookish fun. :)
lpcoolgirl's review against another edition
5.0
Really good book, and I wish there could've been a make up or something so that they could all be friends while she was dating Mitch, but yeah, really enjoyed this book!