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Lock the Doors
Tom's family has moved into their dream home. But pretty soon he starts to notice that something is very wrong - there are strange messages written on the wall and locks on the bedroom doors. On the OUTSIDE.
The previous owners have moved just across the road and they seem like the perfect family. Their daughter Amy is beautiful and enigmatic but Tom is sure she's got something to hide. And he isn't going to stop until he finds the truth behind those locked doors. . .
Will their dream home become a nightmare?
The previous owners have moved just across the road and they seem like the perfect family. Their daughter Amy is beautiful and enigmatic but Tom is sure she's got something to hide. And he isn't going to stop until he finds the truth behind those locked doors. . .
Will their dream home become a nightmare?
400 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2022
About the author
Vincent Ralph
10 books532 followersVincent Ralph is the bestselling author of YA thrillers 14 Ways to Die, Lock the Doors and Secrets Never Die. All three novels are New York Times bestsellers and Lock the Doors is also a USA Today bestseller, an Edgar Award nominee, and the winner of the Southern Schools Book Award. His fourth book - One House Left - is out in August 2024, as is his first story for younger readers - A Boy Called Book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 962 reviews
July 30, 2024
I enjoyed Ralph's previous book, 14 Ways to Die, but this one was just so tedious and repetitive. The core story was actually decent, but it just took forever to get there. The writing seemed choppy and very juvenile.
Tom and his family have just moved into a new home. After years of enduring abusive relationships, Tom's mom has found a great guy and they have purchased a home. Tom discovers that his door has holes on the outside, like there was a lock installed there to lock someone in. Then he meets Amy, the previous resident of the house and she acts very strangely when he asks her about it. What happened in the house before he moved in?
This is a very basic YA novel. Bizarre things that could never happen in real life, bizarre things that aren't even faintly plausible. The chapters are very short, but it didn't propel me to keep reading, in this instance it just made the book seem so much longer.
Overall I just can't recommend this one. It was a chore to get through and not worth it for the payoff in the end.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Tom and his family have just moved into a new home. After years of enduring abusive relationships, Tom's mom has found a great guy and they have purchased a home. Tom discovers that his door has holes on the outside, like there was a lock installed there to lock someone in. Then he meets Amy, the previous resident of the house and she acts very strangely when he asks her about it. What happened in the house before he moved in?
This is a very basic YA novel. Bizarre things that could never happen in real life, bizarre things that aren't even faintly plausible. The chapters are very short, but it didn't propel me to keep reading, in this instance it just made the book seem so much longer.
Overall I just can't recommend this one. It was a chore to get through and not worth it for the payoff in the end.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
March 7, 2022
This should be called Throw it Out the Door. The writing is messy and basic. After three chapters, I was bored. I gave it 1 star because I like the cover.
March 5, 2021
Tom's mother has remarried and now their new family are moving into a new home together. It seems like the perfect fresh start for everyone, especially after the horrors Tom and his mother have had to endure. He doesn't want to spoil her hard-won peace but something about their current surroundings is off-putting, for Tom. It begins with the discovery of small holes drilled into the bedroom doors, that signal locks previously placed on the outside of them. It ends with far more shocking discoveries, that lead to the lives of more than just his own family put at stake. Tom will do anything to protect the ones he cares about, and this is about to be put to the ultimate test.
This was such an intense read, with chilling discoveries consistently made. These ensured the reader remained both engaged in the proceedings and unable to decipher the next alteration in the twisted path to the just as twisted conclusion. Even when, about half-way through the novel, the major mystery seemed to have been solved, more followed that further proved the unguessable nature of what evolved here.
Despite the shocks delivered, this was also an emotional novel, focusing on mental illness, OCD, PTSD, the long-lasting effects of grief, domestic abuse, and a whole host of other topics that I thought were sensitively handled and well-delivered.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Vincent Ralph, and the publisher, Penguin, for this opportunity.
This was such an intense read, with chilling discoveries consistently made. These ensured the reader remained both engaged in the proceedings and unable to decipher the next alteration in the twisted path to the just as twisted conclusion. Even when, about half-way through the novel, the major mystery seemed to have been solved, more followed that further proved the unguessable nature of what evolved here.
Despite the shocks delivered, this was also an emotional novel, focusing on mental illness, OCD, PTSD, the long-lasting effects of grief, domestic abuse, and a whole host of other topics that I thought were sensitively handled and well-delivered.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Vincent Ralph, and the publisher, Penguin, for this opportunity.
April 4, 2024
Actual Rating 4.5
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thomas has faced so much domestic abuse after his father left him and his mother. All the boyfriends of her mother turned out to a monsters until she met Jay. Her mother has found her dream house where they’ve moved with Jay and Nia, their new blended family. Everything seems to get better until Tom finds holes in the bedroom door.
Amy is a new student at Tom’s school and turned out she is the former resident of Tom’s new house. Amy and her family have moved to the corner house on the same street. Amy is strange and Tom can’t stop thinking that she is hiding something. Is it Tom’s paranoia from his past life or there is something really strange going on?
I am a sucker for YA Mystery and I am glad, I found this one. I really enjoyed the story from a teenage boy’s perspective. The way the writer handles Tom’s OCD is so realistic, I also have had OCD for like 12 years so It was great to read the realistic representation. The author didn’t forget about Tom’s OCD when everything was getting too much, I loved the way he highlighted the OCD cycle and the way his family has accepted it and supported Tom.
I really love the family dynamics of a blended family, step-siblings relation. The way everyone tries to bond with each other without forcing anything. The friendship between Zach and Tom is also refreshing and portrayed beautifully.
The pace was perfect and the story kept me hooked throughout the book. I didn’t see that twist coming so it was perfect. Though I felt that the history of Amy’s family could be better like there could be one or two chapters from other perspectives still I liked the format of the book and The ending was also realistic.
I’ll recommend this book to everyone🖤
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thomas has faced so much domestic abuse after his father left him and his mother. All the boyfriends of her mother turned out to a monsters until she met Jay. Her mother has found her dream house where they’ve moved with Jay and Nia, their new blended family. Everything seems to get better until Tom finds holes in the bedroom door.
Amy is a new student at Tom’s school and turned out she is the former resident of Tom’s new house. Amy and her family have moved to the corner house on the same street. Amy is strange and Tom can’t stop thinking that she is hiding something. Is it Tom’s paranoia from his past life or there is something really strange going on?
I am a sucker for YA Mystery and I am glad, I found this one. I really enjoyed the story from a teenage boy’s perspective. The way the writer handles Tom’s OCD is so realistic, I also have had OCD for like 12 years so It was great to read the realistic representation. The author didn’t forget about Tom’s OCD when everything was getting too much, I loved the way he highlighted the OCD cycle and the way his family has accepted it and supported Tom.
I really love the family dynamics of a blended family, step-siblings relation. The way everyone tries to bond with each other without forcing anything. The friendship between Zach and Tom is also refreshing and portrayed beautifully.
The pace was perfect and the story kept me hooked throughout the book. I didn’t see that twist coming so it was perfect. Though I felt that the history of Amy’s family could be better like there could be one or two chapters from other perspectives still I liked the format of the book and The ending was also realistic.
I’ll recommend this book to everyone🖤
July 8, 2024
Not sure why this book gets so much hate. I personally enjoyed it. I thought the twist itself was very original.
February 28, 2022
Rating 3.5 🐻
Author: Vincent Ralph
Publication Date: 3/1/2022
This book had me from the title, cover, and the synopsis. I instantly wanted to read and find out what was truly going on. I had trouble connecting to the main character and their voice. I wasn’t really able to get in their headspace and honestly, if their name wasn’t Tom and referred to as a “son” I wouldn’t have known the backstory/identity of the character. I actually had to reread the synopsis again to make sure I was picturing the right thing in my head because nothing was really described for the reader at least not right away. One thing I did love and appreciated about Tom’s character was that he had OCD. I feel like we don’t see enough books where this is represented. My fiance has OCD and struggles with many of the same things Tom does. He has to ask multiple questions even if he already knows the answer and he will check everything several times before bed. Luckily, we have been able to get it under control but when he is stressed it definitely worsens. So thank you so much Vincent Ralph for writing a character like Tom.
While this book did keep me interested in my opinion, it was just way too long. I liked that the second part of the story followed the perspective of Amy but still it almost wasn’t enough to keep me going. I don’t even think this book is long page wise but when a book has almost 100 chapters the reader really feels like it won’t end. Especially when some of those chapters are only 2-3 pages. I didn’t see a point in the short chapters because as soon as it started it would be over and nothing would be explained or developed deeper.
Overall, this was a good mystery/thriller about family secrets and not knowing who you should trust. I would recommend this one and hope you enjoy it if you read it!
**Thank you so much @sourcebooksfire for the #gifted copy on #NetGalley in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **
Author: Vincent Ralph
Publication Date: 3/1/2022
This book had me from the title, cover, and the synopsis. I instantly wanted to read and find out what was truly going on. I had trouble connecting to the main character and their voice. I wasn’t really able to get in their headspace and honestly, if their name wasn’t Tom and referred to as a “son” I wouldn’t have known the backstory/identity of the character. I actually had to reread the synopsis again to make sure I was picturing the right thing in my head because nothing was really described for the reader at least not right away. One thing I did love and appreciated about Tom’s character was that he had OCD. I feel like we don’t see enough books where this is represented. My fiance has OCD and struggles with many of the same things Tom does. He has to ask multiple questions even if he already knows the answer and he will check everything several times before bed. Luckily, we have been able to get it under control but when he is stressed it definitely worsens. So thank you so much Vincent Ralph for writing a character like Tom.
While this book did keep me interested in my opinion, it was just way too long. I liked that the second part of the story followed the perspective of Amy but still it almost wasn’t enough to keep me going. I don’t even think this book is long page wise but when a book has almost 100 chapters the reader really feels like it won’t end. Especially when some of those chapters are only 2-3 pages. I didn’t see a point in the short chapters because as soon as it started it would be over and nothing would be explained or developed deeper.
Overall, this was a good mystery/thriller about family secrets and not knowing who you should trust. I would recommend this one and hope you enjoy it if you read it!
**Thank you so much @sourcebooksfire for the #gifted copy on #NetGalley in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **
February 22, 2022
3.5⭐
This is one creepy read that will have you wondering wtf is going on. The chapters (there are 98 of them!) are super short so I easily breezed through it.
I enjoyed the buildup and sense of foreboding. The story also gave me gothic horror vibes and kept me guessing. Everyone seemed sinister and shady, which is another plus in my book. I also liked how the author intertwined the protagonist's backstory with the main plot.
The book was lacking a bit of the emotional punch and wow factor that I tend to look for, but was a fun and enjoyable read overall.
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an ARC of this book.
This is one creepy read that will have you wondering wtf is going on. The chapters (there are 98 of them!) are super short so I easily breezed through it.
I enjoyed the buildup and sense of foreboding. The story also gave me gothic horror vibes and kept me guessing. Everyone seemed sinister and shady, which is another plus in my book. I also liked how the author intertwined the protagonist's backstory with the main plot.
The book was lacking a bit of the emotional punch and wow factor that I tend to look for, but was a fun and enjoyable read overall.
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an ARC of this book.
February 20, 2023
I felt like this book was longer than it should have been. But I did like that the chapters are short and this book had a interesting concept. I didn't expect the couple of plot twists. Overall, this was a decent read.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this ebook for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this ebook for an honest review.
January 6, 2024
4.5⭐️ that was one of the biggest mind f*ck’s ever… jae dropped the entire second half… AMAZING BOOK DID NOT SEE ANY OF THAT COMING
August 15, 2023
➳ 3 stars ✰
caleigh reading another ya thriller? everyone act like you’ve never seen this before! but unfortunately this one fell pretty flat for me.
summary
tom and his family have just moved into their “dream house.” but he notices some things are off - holes in the doors? drawing on the walls? the family who lived here before them moved just down the street. but why? and could digging into the history get tom into trouble?
so the synopsis of this was really interesting. but the execution was a little underwhelming to me. i didn’t see the twists coming, per se, but i also wasn’t shocked by them. it was like, 20 pages before they happened, i had them figured out.
the writing also didn’t do it for me. it felt very juvenile, even for a ya book, and so choppy. there’s also so much repetition that just isn’t needed. it got old.
i did like how fast paced this was though. after reading vicious + vengeful, i really wanted an easy read and that’s exactly what this gave me. short chapters, simple writing, u get the idea.
this wasn’t bad by any means, it was just very average. very forgettable. but also very quick and easy, if that’s what you’re looking for.
caleigh reading another ya thriller? everyone act like you’ve never seen this before! but unfortunately this one fell pretty flat for me.
summary
tom and his family have just moved into their “dream house.” but he notices some things are off - holes in the doors? drawing on the walls? the family who lived here before them moved just down the street. but why? and could digging into the history get tom into trouble?
so the synopsis of this was really interesting. but the execution was a little underwhelming to me. i didn’t see the twists coming, per se, but i also wasn’t shocked by them. it was like, 20 pages before they happened, i had them figured out.
the writing also didn’t do it for me. it felt very juvenile, even for a ya book, and so choppy. there’s also so much repetition that just isn’t needed. it got old.
i did like how fast paced this was though. after reading vicious + vengeful, i really wanted an easy read and that’s exactly what this gave me. short chapters, simple writing, u get the idea.
this wasn’t bad by any means, it was just very average. very forgettable. but also very quick and easy, if that’s what you’re looking for.
January 29, 2021
My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for a review copy of this exciting YA suspense mystery/thriller.
Lock the Doors is told in first person, opening with Tom/Thomas Cavanagh who is just moving in to a new house with his mother, stepdad Jay and stepsister Nia. The house is his mother’s dream home, and here he hopes they will finally find some happiness for they have had their share of trials in the past. After Tom’s parents separated, his mother made some poor choices in men and as a result they have faced domestic abuse, the scars of which remain. But Jay is a really good man and with him they are making a fresh start. But in his new room Tom notices something strange—there are holes in the door indicating that there had been a lock to lock someone in but who? Meanwhile at school he meets Amy Pearce, whose family lived in Tom’s house before him. Amy seems lost in thought and sad at times while she is friendly at others showing an interest in him. Tom tries to find out if the mystery of the holes was anything to do with Amy but she tries to assure him that all is well with her, even inviting him home to dinner. But Tom begins to find more strange things like writing on the walls in his room which increases his suspicion, while Amy’s family moves across the road from Tom’s family. Tom tries to speak to his family and friends about his suspicions and while they don’t exactly disbelieve him, they are also worried that he might be getting unnecessarily suspicious because of his experiences in the past. Is this really the case? Is it just Tom’s imagination or is there really something suspicious about Amy and her family?
This was certainly a very gripping read in which the author manages to keep up the suspense really well and keeps us readers glued to the edge of our seats. Honestly, at the start the story was feeling to me a little like the Goosebumps film where the new neighbour meets RL Stine’s ‘daughter’ and is suspicious of what she is going through, but in the book as our story moves on Tom uncovers more and more clues or rather suspicious circumstances and we soon become convinced that there is indeed something the matter, but have no idea what this could possibly be. And then we start getting some clues….
Alongside the suspense the author has also created some pretty creepy situations and frightening characters who aren’t your typical ‘villains’ but at the same time turn out to be far more frightening and dangerous. There are also the contrasts that keep standing out between Tom’s unhappy past, his present when things seem to be normalising even though this has its obstacles as well, and then again the mystery that the house is throwing up, unsettling things for him again.
Fast paced and exciting, I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
The book releases on 4th February 2021!
This review is also on my blog at: https://wordpress.com/post/potpourri2...
Lock the Doors is told in first person, opening with Tom/Thomas Cavanagh who is just moving in to a new house with his mother, stepdad Jay and stepsister Nia. The house is his mother’s dream home, and here he hopes they will finally find some happiness for they have had their share of trials in the past. After Tom’s parents separated, his mother made some poor choices in men and as a result they have faced domestic abuse, the scars of which remain. But Jay is a really good man and with him they are making a fresh start. But in his new room Tom notices something strange—there are holes in the door indicating that there had been a lock to lock someone in but who? Meanwhile at school he meets Amy Pearce, whose family lived in Tom’s house before him. Amy seems lost in thought and sad at times while she is friendly at others showing an interest in him. Tom tries to find out if the mystery of the holes was anything to do with Amy but she tries to assure him that all is well with her, even inviting him home to dinner. But Tom begins to find more strange things like writing on the walls in his room which increases his suspicion, while Amy’s family moves across the road from Tom’s family. Tom tries to speak to his family and friends about his suspicions and while they don’t exactly disbelieve him, they are also worried that he might be getting unnecessarily suspicious because of his experiences in the past. Is this really the case? Is it just Tom’s imagination or is there really something suspicious about Amy and her family?
This was certainly a very gripping read in which the author manages to keep up the suspense really well and keeps us readers glued to the edge of our seats. Honestly, at the start the story was feeling to me a little like the Goosebumps film where the new neighbour meets RL Stine’s ‘daughter’ and is suspicious of what she is going through, but in the book as our story moves on Tom uncovers more and more clues or rather suspicious circumstances and we soon become convinced that there is indeed something the matter, but have no idea what this could possibly be. And then we start getting some clues….
Alongside the suspense the author has also created some pretty creepy situations and frightening characters who aren’t your typical ‘villains’ but at the same time turn out to be far more frightening and dangerous. There are also the contrasts that keep standing out between Tom’s unhappy past, his present when things seem to be normalising even though this has its obstacles as well, and then again the mystery that the house is throwing up, unsettling things for him again.
Fast paced and exciting, I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
The book releases on 4th February 2021!
This review is also on my blog at: https://wordpress.com/post/potpourri2...
February 24, 2022
Thank you so much to Vincent Ralph and Sourcebooks Fire for my copy of Lock the Doors. The book was about Tom, a teen whose family just moved into a new house. Tom has always been different, but when he finds marks on the door it shoots him to a whole new level. Especially because the lock is on the outside, locking whoever it was in. The previous owners moved just across the street and seem like a totally normal family, but Tom is sure they are hiding something and won’t stop until he’s discovered what it is.
Thoughts: This was a typical YA mystery for me. There was a fun and outlandish plot. There was unrequited teen romance. There was a quirky main character and some drama to go with him. It was a fun plot because I haven’t really seen it before, but quickly realized it’s very similar to other teen dramas.
I did like Tom as a main character, but the story was extremely implausible and coincidental. I hate when things just so happen to work out, and this book was full of those types of things. It had great representation with the character of Tom, but just wasn’t as tense as I wish it was. I read it in a few hours and it was a fun way to pass the time. 3-stars.
Thoughts: This was a typical YA mystery for me. There was a fun and outlandish plot. There was unrequited teen romance. There was a quirky main character and some drama to go with him. It was a fun plot because I haven’t really seen it before, but quickly realized it’s very similar to other teen dramas.
I did like Tom as a main character, but the story was extremely implausible and coincidental. I hate when things just so happen to work out, and this book was full of those types of things. It had great representation with the character of Tom, but just wasn’t as tense as I wish it was. I read it in a few hours and it was a fun way to pass the time. 3-stars.
November 26, 2021
Generally YA is not for me but I loved this book. Tom and his mother have had quite a rough life but when she meets a new partner and things have been going well for quite a while they move to a new house. Little do they know what they are walking into. Tom will make friends with a girl named Amy who has connections to the house and all hell will break loose in Tom's life. Great support characters and the pace of the book kept me totally engaged. I read this book in one sitting and will now definitely put this author on my list. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
January 30, 2023
O M G
like this book is way too good and you expected it to be one thing. but nOoOo u thought wrong :(
the only thing I wasn't a fan about was that it didn't really like explain how they looked yk? like it just said their names and you were forced to make an image in your mind when you knew nothing about what they looked like. but wtv
like this book is way too good and you expected it to be one thing. but nOoOo u thought wrong :(
the only thing I wasn't a fan about was that it didn't really like explain how they looked yk? like it just said their names and you were forced to make an image in your mind when you knew nothing about what they looked like. but wtv
January 17, 2023
An excellent read! Will definitely be checking out more books by this author. Love his writing style!
September 14, 2024
This was an interesting book. I don't know how to feel about Jane. As a mother, I get how hard such a thing could be, but I think it drove her a bit insane, poor Amy though. I don't often come across mental health issues in books so having an OCD MC was very interesting.
January 28, 2024
3.5 stars! Super fast paced and interesting but I liked Amy's perspective a lot more than Tom's.
February 26, 2022
LOCK THE DOORS - VINCENT RALPH
⭐⭐⭐.5/5
Thank you @netgalley, @sourcebooksfire & @vincentralphwriter for the ARC of this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and blitzed through it especially from the second half - I couldn't put it down.
"Tom's family have moved into their dream home. But pretty soon he starts to notice that something is very wrong - there are strange messages written on the wall and locks on the bedroom doors. On the OUTSIDE" (source netgallery)
I loved the pace in this book and felt there wasn't a dull moment. The chapters were short which kept things interesting.
Having the book written in both Tom and Amy's (who lived in Tom's house previously) POV meant that the readers got to enjoy the journey of solving the mystery through Tom's eyes but also the experience of hearing the true story through Amy's perspective.
A good YA Thriller with twists for those that want a quick and entertaining read.
⭐⭐⭐.5/5
Thank you @netgalley, @sourcebooksfire & @vincentralphwriter for the ARC of this book.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and blitzed through it especially from the second half - I couldn't put it down.
"Tom's family have moved into their dream home. But pretty soon he starts to notice that something is very wrong - there are strange messages written on the wall and locks on the bedroom doors. On the OUTSIDE" (source netgallery)
I loved the pace in this book and felt there wasn't a dull moment. The chapters were short which kept things interesting.
Having the book written in both Tom and Amy's (who lived in Tom's house previously) POV meant that the readers got to enjoy the journey of solving the mystery through Tom's eyes but also the experience of hearing the true story through Amy's perspective.
A good YA Thriller with twists for those that want a quick and entertaining read.
Read
August 30, 2023My friend’s daughter read this in like two to three days. And now I know why.
September 6, 2023
My daughter loved this book so I had to read it too. 4 stars because I thought it had too much language for a YA book.
February 26, 2021
See more book reviews and thoughts on my YouTube channel
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
I love a good YA thriller, but Lock the Doors didn't quite hit the mark for me. This all comes down to taste and how particular you are about the ins and outs of the story, as well as the characters. For me, I just didn't get on with the plot of this book or find some of the character actions believable (no spoilers here!). This could be down to the fact that I don't often get on with teenage boy protagonists, but ultimately it just didn't click with me.
I did, however, appreciate the representation the author included in this book. I can't speak to the accuracy of the OCD rep, however seeing Tom's actions and thoughts as a result of his OCD did add a great layer to his character. This book doesn't shy away from the difficulties and traumas that families face. I'd recommend checking this one out if you're looking for a raw YA thriller.
CW: Death, domestic abuse, PTSD
2.5 out of 5 stars
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review is spoiler-free.
I love a good YA thriller, but Lock the Doors didn't quite hit the mark for me. This all comes down to taste and how particular you are about the ins and outs of the story, as well as the characters. For me, I just didn't get on with the plot of this book or find some of the character actions believable (no spoilers here!). This could be down to the fact that I don't often get on with teenage boy protagonists, but ultimately it just didn't click with me.
I did, however, appreciate the representation the author included in this book. I can't speak to the accuracy of the OCD rep, however seeing Tom's actions and thoughts as a result of his OCD did add a great layer to his character. This book doesn't shy away from the difficulties and traumas that families face. I'd recommend checking this one out if you're looking for a raw YA thriller.
CW: Death, domestic abuse, PTSD
2.5 out of 5 stars
July 2, 2023
what in the motherfucking HELL man. this story was so intense and sad, it’s one of those books where i’m moved to the point this feeling of sadness will hang over me for awhile. i liked it, but some beginning parts were confusing and repetitive. my heart absolutely aches omfg. once you get to the halfway point you will NOT be able to put it down.
July 17, 2022
Tom's blended family has just moved into their dream home, and Tom is still adjusting to...everything. Jay, his stepdad, seems like a genuinely nice guy, but his mom was in enough abusive relationships prior to him that part of Tom still expects things to fall apart if he gets too invested. He struggles with anxiety and OCD, and when he notices the odd little holes outside his and his stepsister's doors, everyone else dismisses his worries as probably nothing. But he swears they look like drill holes for locks. But they're on the outsides of the doors, so who were they meant to lock in? What happened in this house before Tom and his family moved in?
He gets a chance to start answering his questions when he meets Amy, a new classmate of his and a member of the family that just moved in across the street. Amazingly, Amy and her family were the ones who lived in Tom's house prior to them moving in - who moves out of a place only to move into another one right across the street? Granted, it's a bigger house, but Tom can't stop himself from digging for info, and it doesn't hurt that something in Amy reminds him of himself, sad and kind of broken. However, Amy keeps telling him that she's fine and that nothing happened in the house. Could he be seeing shadows that only exist in his own mind?
Despite the author's efforts to put doubts in reader's minds about whether Tom's own trauma was leading him to see monsters where none existed, I almost never expected anything other than the revelation of a giant secret on the part of Amy and/or her family. It was more of a question of what was being hidden, and each detail that was revealed ruined my past theories. I finally ended up with a reasonably decent idea that almost fit all of the clues - it turns out that I was partly right, but things were more messed up than even I guessed.
I really enjoyed the way the author built up the unsettling atmosphere and gradually revealed clues. For those who find themselves getting impatient, don't worry, you don't have to wait until the end of the book before finding out what's going on - the truth gets revealed in Part 3, starting on page 215. That might seem early, but there's more to this than just figuring out what's going on.
This is marketed as a YA thriller, but the thought occurred to me that it didn't read like it was written as a YA thriller, although I think teens could definitely still enjoy it. Despite the teen protagonists, it struck me as being more of a thriller aimed at adults. Everything it seemed like the author was trying to say between the lines was meant for adults - the responsibility that adults have in supporting and protecting kids and teens, keeping an eye out for cries for help that kids and teens might not have the words or power to verbalize, etc.
I wouldn't say the anxiety and OCD rep was necessarily bad, but to me it read more like a device designed to put doubt in reader's minds rather than good and nuanced mental illness representation.
Overall, I really enjoyed this, and I highly recommend that, when you get to Part 3, you make sure you have a large enough block of time set aside to read the rest of the book in one go. I couldn't put it down once I got to that point. That said, some of the stuff at the end is a little farfetched. It's kind of amazing that the characters let things get so bad before even attempting to turn things around, and one character's inaction in particular bothered me a lot.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
He gets a chance to start answering his questions when he meets Amy, a new classmate of his and a member of the family that just moved in across the street. Amazingly, Amy and her family were the ones who lived in Tom's house prior to them moving in - who moves out of a place only to move into another one right across the street? Granted, it's a bigger house, but Tom can't stop himself from digging for info, and it doesn't hurt that something in Amy reminds him of himself, sad and kind of broken. However, Amy keeps telling him that she's fine and that nothing happened in the house. Could he be seeing shadows that only exist in his own mind?
Despite the author's efforts to put doubts in reader's minds about whether Tom's own trauma was leading him to see monsters where none existed, I almost never expected anything other than the revelation of a giant secret on the part of Amy and/or her family. It was more of a question of what was being hidden, and each detail that was revealed ruined my past theories. I finally ended up with a reasonably decent idea that almost fit all of the clues - it turns out that I was partly right, but things were more messed up than even I guessed.
I really enjoyed the way the author built up the unsettling atmosphere and gradually revealed clues. For those who find themselves getting impatient, don't worry, you don't have to wait until the end of the book before finding out what's going on - the truth gets revealed in Part 3, starting on page 215. That might seem early, but there's more to this than just figuring out what's going on.
This is marketed as a YA thriller, but the thought occurred to me that it didn't read like it was written as a YA thriller, although I think teens could definitely still enjoy it. Despite the teen protagonists, it struck me as being more of a thriller aimed at adults. Everything it seemed like the author was trying to say between the lines was meant for adults - the responsibility that adults have in supporting and protecting kids and teens, keeping an eye out for cries for help that kids and teens might not have the words or power to verbalize, etc.
I wouldn't say the anxiety and OCD rep was necessarily bad, but to me it read more like a device designed to put doubt in reader's minds rather than good and nuanced mental illness representation.
Overall, I really enjoyed this, and I highly recommend that, when you get to Part 3, you make sure you have a large enough block of time set aside to read the rest of the book in one go. I couldn't put it down once I got to that point. That said, some of the stuff at the end is a little farfetched. It's kind of amazing that the characters let things get so bad before even attempting to turn things around, and one character's inaction in particular bothered me a lot.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
February 18, 2022
Lock the Doors by Vincent Ralph
@VincentRalphWriter
Pub date: March 1, 2022
YA thriller
4 stars
TW: Domestic Abuse, Child Abuse/Neglect
"Mum says most memories are Post-its on the fridge door of your life. But a few, she says, are tattoos on your soul."
Tom has just moved into a new house with his mother, step-father and step-siblings. It’s his mothers’ dream house and after all they’ve been through, she deserves this new start and a little bit of peace. Thing is, Tom has OCD and he notices little things that others might not. When Tom sees signs that there were previously locks on the outside of the bedroom doors, it sets Tom off on a quest for answers. This just leads him to more clues around his new home. When he meets Amy at school, she is mysterious and kind and has a history with the house where he now lives. As Tom discovers more strange things about the house, his suspicions are ignored by his family but he can’t shake the feeling that something is really wrong not only with the house but with the people that used to live here.
I liked a lot of things about this book but the pacing and atmosphere are perfection! I read this in one sitting and the twists are perfectly twisty and the villains not who you’d think. I love when an author can take an inanimate object like a house and turn it into a character that is able to evoke a certain amount of emotions from both the characters and myself!
Suspenseful, atmospheric and chilling! My thanks to @SourceBooksFire for this gifted copy to review!
@VincentRalphWriter
Pub date: March 1, 2022
YA thriller
4 stars
TW: Domestic Abuse, Child Abuse/Neglect
"Mum says most memories are Post-its on the fridge door of your life. But a few, she says, are tattoos on your soul."
Tom has just moved into a new house with his mother, step-father and step-siblings. It’s his mothers’ dream house and after all they’ve been through, she deserves this new start and a little bit of peace. Thing is, Tom has OCD and he notices little things that others might not. When Tom sees signs that there were previously locks on the outside of the bedroom doors, it sets Tom off on a quest for answers. This just leads him to more clues around his new home. When he meets Amy at school, she is mysterious and kind and has a history with the house where he now lives. As Tom discovers more strange things about the house, his suspicions are ignored by his family but he can’t shake the feeling that something is really wrong not only with the house but with the people that used to live here.
I liked a lot of things about this book but the pacing and atmosphere are perfection! I read this in one sitting and the twists are perfectly twisty and the villains not who you’d think. I love when an author can take an inanimate object like a house and turn it into a character that is able to evoke a certain amount of emotions from both the characters and myself!
Suspenseful, atmospheric and chilling! My thanks to @SourceBooksFire for this gifted copy to review!
January 18, 2021
I really enjoyed this, a lot more than I thought I would. I struggle with YA in general, so a younger thriller didn't bode too well, but I was willing to give it a try since the premise was highly intriguing. Truth be told, this was a genuinely great thriller. Definitely on the younger side, but that worked very much in the book's favour. It helped bring a sense of innocence, a vulnerability to the character who was out to solve the mystery, which was different from the usual thick-skinned isolated small town detective with a dark past. The family dynamic was great in this, as were the friendships forged. I appreciated the OCD and anxiety representation, I thought that was done really well. I didn't see the twist coming, which is always a good sign for me with thrillers as I often find them predictable. I can genuinely recommend this to people who want a fast-paced mystery thriller alongside somewhat of a coming-of-age narrative.
Trigger warnings: domestic abuse, child neglect, kidnapping, death of a child, divorce.
Thank you to Penguin and Vincent Ralph for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Trigger warnings: domestic abuse, child neglect, kidnapping, death of a child, divorce.
Thank you to Penguin and Vincent Ralph for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
October 7, 2022
Honestly I really enjoyed this book. Some people say it was boring but I honestly felt it was so interesting, and really suspenseful
Also to the people who like short chapters, there are 98 chapters in this book each one being like literally 3 pages. It makes it seem like you're reading so fast
Also to the people who like short chapters, there are 98 chapters in this book each one being like literally 3 pages. It makes it seem like you're reading so fast
April 4, 2024
The book itself was good. It was a bit tedious in some parts and it took while to get to the actual plot but I enjoyed the story. I found the twist interesting and it left me wanting to continue reading. It wasn't what I expected but it was still a good read and ended on a softer note.
May 21, 2024
I was pretty set on a 1 star review, when a plot twist that I absolutely should have seen coming swept me off of my feet. This was my very first audiobook experience, and boy, could I have done better. Maybe it was bc the pace of the narrator, but it seemed to drag. It also could have been the fact that the story was beaten within an inch of it's life by the time they finally resolved anything. I may attempt other books by this author in the future, but I probably will not. 🫣
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