steph01924's review against another edition
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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!
pussreboots's review
4.0
The Locket by Stacey Jay is a YA time travel story. Katie wants a way to fix things after her long time boyfriend breaks up with her on her birthday. He accuses her of cheating on him with a mutual friend. In her moment of despair, her Grandmother's locket begins to burn and hurdles her back in time, giving her a chance to change things.
Beware of wishes that are too easily granted. The locket is a cursed object (as the author discusses in her interview on The Hate-Mongering Tart blog). Every decision Katie makes in the past has consequences.
The time travel mechanics of The Locket are well thought out. The timelines work and there's enough drama and action to keep the pages turning.
Characterization, though, left me wanting more. Katie is too self obsessed. I get that she's a teenager but listening to her whine about how everything has to be perfect got old fast. Likewise, Isaac is too demanding, in a scary and potentially abusive way — making (at least to me) Katie's indiscretion at the start of the novel logical. Finally, Mitch, is a bit of a Marty Stu.
Beware of wishes that are too easily granted. The locket is a cursed object (as the author discusses in her interview on The Hate-Mongering Tart blog). Every decision Katie makes in the past has consequences.
The time travel mechanics of The Locket are well thought out. The timelines work and there's enough drama and action to keep the pages turning.
Characterization, though, left me wanting more. Katie is too self obsessed. I get that she's a teenager but listening to her whine about how everything has to be perfect got old fast. Likewise, Isaac is too demanding, in a scary and potentially abusive way — making (at least to me) Katie's indiscretion at the start of the novel logical. Finally, Mitch, is a bit of a Marty Stu.
ashurq's review
1.0
Katie cheated on her boyfriend with their mutual best friend. It was an accident. Katie was drunk and Mitch was there for her when Isaac wasn’t. Two weeks later when Isaac finds out, everything Katie has worked for falls apart. He leaves her on the side of the road with a rainstorm brewing. As Katie wonders what to do next, she feels the locket that she’d taken earlier from her grandmothers jewelry pile start to heat up. Next thing she knows, she’s been taken back two weeks to the night of her biggest mistake. Katie’s been given a chance to redo the whole evening and keep Isaac from ever finding out what happened simply by making sure it never does.
I cannot tell you how much I wanted to like this book. I liked Princess of Thorns quite a bit and I absolutely loved Ms. Jay’s two book series Juliet Immortal and Romeo Redeemed. These three books are the reason why I finished “The Locket” but I honestly wish I hadn’t. There were so many times when I almost stopped reading, but decided to give the book just one more chance to redeem itself–it never did.
Katie is possibly the most annoying main character that I’ve ever read. She’s so whiny the whole time. All she can think about is getting back with Isaac when he doesn’t even seem like the best guy. He’s not very considerate of her and it doesn’t seem like they have very much chemistry. It’s so obvious that she should just get with Mitch and have that be it, but for some reason she’s completely focused on being with Isaac. I don’t see it. There were also a lot of times when Katie’s inner dialogue would turn to self-loathing. Just…not attractive and not fun to read.
Another thing was that every time Katie would go back in time, there would be random things different about her town or her backyard or the people she goes to school with. These changes would upset Katie so much that she’d get nauseous and throw up. I don’t get it. THIS DETAIL WAS COMPLETELY RANDOM and not necessary to the book. At all. There was no explanation as to why things would be different by her traveling back in time. If there had been an explanation then this would have been a different book and possibly a different review.
I’m sorry if this review comes off as a rant…I was just so disappointed! Her other books were so good and this was a complete dud. Don’t read unless you like poking yourself in the eyes. The other books that I mentioned, though, I would wholeheartedly recommend.
Overall Rating: 1
Violence: Moderate. Some gore, not explicit.
Sexual Content: Moderate. Mentioned but not explicit.
Language: Moderate. A couple of scenes with brief, strong language.
Smoking/Drinking: Moderate. Some scenes with teenage drinking.
I cannot tell you how much I wanted to like this book. I liked Princess of Thorns quite a bit and I absolutely loved Ms. Jay’s two book series Juliet Immortal and Romeo Redeemed. These three books are the reason why I finished “The Locket” but I honestly wish I hadn’t. There were so many times when I almost stopped reading, but decided to give the book just one more chance to redeem itself–it never did.
Katie is possibly the most annoying main character that I’ve ever read. She’s so whiny the whole time. All she can think about is getting back with Isaac when he doesn’t even seem like the best guy. He’s not very considerate of her and it doesn’t seem like they have very much chemistry. It’s so obvious that she should just get with Mitch and have that be it, but for some reason she’s completely focused on being with Isaac. I don’t see it. There were also a lot of times when Katie’s inner dialogue would turn to self-loathing. Just…not attractive and not fun to read.
Another thing was that every time Katie would go back in time, there would be random things different about her town or her backyard or the people she goes to school with. These changes would upset Katie so much that she’d get nauseous and throw up. I don’t get it. THIS DETAIL WAS COMPLETELY RANDOM and not necessary to the book. At all. There was no explanation as to why things would be different by her traveling back in time. If there had been an explanation then this would have been a different book and possibly a different review.
I’m sorry if this review comes off as a rant…I was just so disappointed! Her other books were so good and this was a complete dud. Don’t read unless you like poking yourself in the eyes. The other books that I mentioned, though, I would wholeheartedly recommend.
Overall Rating: 1
Violence: Moderate. Some gore, not explicit.
Sexual Content: Moderate. Mentioned but not explicit.
Language: Moderate. A couple of scenes with brief, strong language.
Smoking/Drinking: Moderate. Some scenes with teenage drinking.