Short story so it was easy to read even during a work day. Made me laugh, made me cry, and made me think of all the love in life. Tear jerker and a page Turner. Beautifully written. Highly recommended. And, it was free!!
Couldn't put this book down .the beginning was a little difficult with the abuse...but the happy ending made it so worth while .it's been a long time a book gripped me to tears ....awesome book . I would give it six stars
I know the story was fiction. I wanted to hug the little unhappy hurting child. My own father was not perfect but he was gentle and kind. I have known many female friends in my lifetime who had fathers who where abuse and mother's who simply ignored what was happening. It is a story which will make you cry. And make you smile.
This is a very moving book. They writing made me feel like I was there and wanted to rescue young Julia from her abusing father and school tormentors. Her writings are amazingly descriptive. The author brings out strong emotions in every event in Julia's life. This is a fantastic first book. I hope to read more by this author and highly recommend this book.
Starting out I wasn't sure I wanted to continue reading this book but I'm really glad I did. It was sad a lot but also happy. Very well written and had me crying before the end.
A hard read. I almost did not finish it. I was a victim of rape as a teenager. Any abuse is hard and takes a long time to heal. Bless all the little children!
Emily Nelson does a fantastic job of capturing the essense of child abuse. While very difficult to read, it is an important subject that we should all be aware. Beautifully written, this novel gives us a very real reminder of how we can make a positive difference in someone else's life.
I would have to say that I really had high hopes for this book. It begins with a very difficult tale of abuse, that made my heart go out to Julia, who is victimized by her mother and her father, and by a "friend" later in life. I wanted so much for Julia. I wanted justice for her. What I got was ... two halves of two different stories
The Locket had promise. It could have been a powerful story but unfortunately it fell very short. I'm not sure why the author switched gears mid story to a completely different love story, passing over the love story she began with, with Julia.
While I did see the love she portrayed with her caregivers and saviors it just wasn't enough. She may have TWO great books here but she will definitely have to separate the two and complete them. At this time I can only give this book 2 1/2 stars.
The beginning of this novel was a bit difficult to get through - it was excellently written but the child abuse scenes were hard to get through since they were so descriptive. The story continued on and was becoming quite enjoyable until three quarters of the way through. After that it became laughable. The romance was arguably even more cheesy than a Nicholas Sparks novel, appeared out of nowhere and turned this once stomach-wrenching novel into a full blown joke. If it hadn't been for this sad turn I would have rated this three stars but after that it is a stretch giving it two.
Loved this book - reminds me of a Nicholas Sparks' title. Tough to read at first as it deals with the emotional subject of domestic abuse and child sexual abuse but love triumphs in the end. Several storylines intertwined including friendship, betrayal, heartbreak and death - the Angel Oak tree near Charleston, SC plays prominently in the storyline.
Keep a hanky nearby as you will definitely need it!
This quick read begins with accounts of horrific child abuse and ends with undeveloped fairy-tale romance. While heartfelt, the love-story was unbelievable and the characters somewhat one dimensional. I didn't appreciate the religious sentiment that everything is part of "God's providence," which was a common sentiment expressed throughout the novel. Whether a person is religious or not, I think anyone would agree that child abuse is not something that is ever meant to happen.
The first part of the story is horrific but so truthful. It draws you in and you want to protect the protagonist of the story. Then you read on to discover how her life unfolds. Cheering and crying both. I was sobbing at the end but never wanted the story to end. This author is one to keep your eye on