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Unlocked
17-year-old Hannah is losing her grip on reality, which is affecting not only her but her friends and family too. She wrecked the car when bugs crawled over her hands, but were the creepy things even real? Now someone is moving Hannah’s possessions around in her room, or is she imagining that also? Why does she feel like she isn’t in control of her own brain anymore? Hannah is terrified she’s headed for a horrible life in and out of the mental institution, just like her dad.
When her friends bail, Hannah is left floundering. Her boyfriend, Manny, doesn’t believe her wild stories, and new girl Chelsea is practically replacing her at school. Only artsy outsider and self-proclaimed occult expert, Plug, agrees to help Hannah discover the truth, but even he can't help Hannah reclaim her mind from whatever is taking over. She'll have to do that on her own, especially if she wants to save her friends, her mom, and herself.
When her friends bail, Hannah is left floundering. Her boyfriend, Manny, doesn’t believe her wild stories, and new girl Chelsea is practically replacing her at school. Only artsy outsider and self-proclaimed occult expert, Plug, agrees to help Hannah discover the truth, but even he can't help Hannah reclaim her mind from whatever is taking over. She'll have to do that on her own, especially if she wants to save her friends, her mom, and herself.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2016
5 people are currently reading
1965 people want to read
About the author
Margo Kelly
2 books148 followersMargo Kelly loves to be scared … when she’s reading a good book, watching a good movie, or suffering from the hiccups. She enjoys writing mysteries and thrillers for young adults and hopes her stories give readers the goose bumps or the itchies or the desire to rethink everyday things. Margo is a native of the Northwest and currently resides in Idaho. Her award-winning debut, Who R U Really?, and her second novel, Unlocked, are both available through Simon Pulse (an imprint of Simon & Schuster). Margo welcomes opportunities to speak to youth groups, library groups, and book clubs. For more information visit: www.margokelly.net
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
June 25, 2017
I was lucky enough to win this from the author from Spring 2017 YASH!
Ever since Hannah went to the hypnotist's show at the fair with her friends, she's been losing her grip on reality and she is terrified. She doesn't know what's real anymore. Has she somehow inherited her father's schizophrenia, or did that hypnotist really do something to her that she can't shake. I haven't read many books featuring hypnosis, but this one is definitely worth trying. It absolutely sucked me in and hooked me right from the beginning. It's very a very intense thriller. The author really makes you question Hannah's world - she's definitely what you would call an unreliable narrator. Plug, aka Eugene, is also very interesting and he's interested in helping Hannah figure out what's going on whether it's the occult or someone gaslighting her. If you like a twisty, turning mystery that has you questioning everything, Unlocked by Margo Kelly is right for you. I will definitely be looking into this author's other work.
Ever since Hannah went to the hypnotist's show at the fair with her friends, she's been losing her grip on reality and she is terrified. She doesn't know what's real anymore. Has she somehow inherited her father's schizophrenia, or did that hypnotist really do something to her that she can't shake. I haven't read many books featuring hypnosis, but this one is definitely worth trying. It absolutely sucked me in and hooked me right from the beginning. It's very a very intense thriller. The author really makes you question Hannah's world - she's definitely what you would call an unreliable narrator. Plug, aka Eugene, is also very interesting and he's interested in helping Hannah figure out what's going on whether it's the occult or someone gaslighting her. If you like a twisty, turning mystery that has you questioning everything, Unlocked by Margo Kelly is right for you. I will definitely be looking into this author's other work.
December 20, 2016
Hannah and her friends love the fair. There's great food, they like goofing around and of course it's the perfect opportunity for love to blossom. The first thing they do is going to a show and afterwards strange things start to happen to Hannah. She sees ants crawling over her hands while she's driving, which causes a car accident. When she gets home from the hospital the situation is only getting worse. Things appear in her room all of a sudden while she has no idea how they got there and Hannah loses large periods of time. Afterwards she can't remember what she was doing and who she was with. Hannah doesn't feel like herself any longer, she's losing it. What is happening to her and how can she make it stop?
Unlocked is a fantastic gripping story. Hannah is a sweet girl. She's doing well at school, she has a nice group of friends and the boy of her dreams seems to like her as much as she likes him. This all changes in a very short time. Hannah needs help, but her friends aren't there for her. Fortunately she isn't completely alone. What is happening to her is spooky and Hannah has no idea if her mind is playing tricks on her. I was curious to find out what caused this and couldn't put this book down. I read it in one sitting and sometimes I even forgot to breathe because of all the tension.
Margo Kelly has written an amazing adrenaline-packed story. I was impressed by the way she builds her suspense, I loved not knowing what was going on with Hannah. Unlocked is a fast-paced story with plenty of surprising twists and turns. I was spellbound from the start, the story dazzled and captivated me. Margo Kelly's writing flows easily. She's writing about terrible things and my heart was constantly in my throat. It isn't clear if Hannah's problems are being caused by something inside of her or by something on the outside and not knowing this kept me on the edge of my seat.
Unlocked is a story about craziness, friendship, love and support. I enjoyed the scary scenes as much as the calm and more intimate ones. Unlocked is a story that has many different sides and I loved that. I was genuinely spooked and am always very happy when an author manages to give me that feeling. I was even more pleased when I read the ending of the story, it's both thrilling and fitting and it was quite spectacular. Unlocked is a terrific versatile story and I highly recommend this brilliant book.
Unlocked is a fantastic gripping story. Hannah is a sweet girl. She's doing well at school, she has a nice group of friends and the boy of her dreams seems to like her as much as she likes him. This all changes in a very short time. Hannah needs help, but her friends aren't there for her. Fortunately she isn't completely alone. What is happening to her is spooky and Hannah has no idea if her mind is playing tricks on her. I was curious to find out what caused this and couldn't put this book down. I read it in one sitting and sometimes I even forgot to breathe because of all the tension.
Margo Kelly has written an amazing adrenaline-packed story. I was impressed by the way she builds her suspense, I loved not knowing what was going on with Hannah. Unlocked is a fast-paced story with plenty of surprising twists and turns. I was spellbound from the start, the story dazzled and captivated me. Margo Kelly's writing flows easily. She's writing about terrible things and my heart was constantly in my throat. It isn't clear if Hannah's problems are being caused by something inside of her or by something on the outside and not knowing this kept me on the edge of my seat.
Unlocked is a story about craziness, friendship, love and support. I enjoyed the scary scenes as much as the calm and more intimate ones. Unlocked is a story that has many different sides and I loved that. I was genuinely spooked and am always very happy when an author manages to give me that feeling. I was even more pleased when I read the ending of the story, it's both thrilling and fitting and it was quite spectacular. Unlocked is a terrific versatile story and I highly recommend this brilliant book.
February 8, 2017
*First I want to apologize for the late posting. Due to Hurricane Matthew, I was unable to post this review last week, during the blog tour.
Unlocked is a thriller involving hypnosis, mystery, love,
and friendship! When seventeen year-year old Hannah undergoes hypnosis during a fair, her life soon spirals out of control. She soon believes that she is suffering from schizophrenia. The disease that took her father's life.
What I Loved
Unlocked is an interesting take on YA paranormal. Throughout the story, Hannah, is convinced she is going crazy. She sees dark shadows, hallucinations, and apparitions.
Though Hannah was once popular, she begins to lose friends, not care about appearance, and do poorly in school. This all lends to an air of mystery and suspense throughout the novel. The element of hypnosis added a bit of nuance to the story. The author was not afraid to make the scenes gritting and scary.
I did love the character of plug, I think he was complex and interesting. His character grew and changed throughout the book. I also liked the character of Kyla. Her personality was sweet and friendly while her appearance is described as avant-garde (with shocking hair colors). I loved to hate, Chelsea. She was the typical high school mean girl.
The subplot of Hannah dealing with her father and friend's deaths added depth to the story and made Hannah's character more realistic for me.
Finally, the cover is amazing. Retro and mysteries at the same time.
What Left Me Wanting More
Although I did like the premise of the book and the general story lines, I do think there were a few things that I struggled with. The pacing of the story was somewhat off for me. Toward the middle of the novel, if felt like the incidents Hannah was experiencing were just repeated over and over. I was also confused by the story part of the time. I couldn't figure out which parts were real and which parts were products of Hanna's imagination ( I know this was the author's intention but left me confused to what was happening). The characters of Manny and Manny's mother were also a little flat and, I felt, a little unrealistic. For example, Manny's mother kept calling Hannah child seemed strange. Manny and his mother also had personalities that varied from scene to scene.
My Final Take
'Unlocked' is a complex paranormal young adult thriller. It mixes the paranormal, hypnosis, and romance. This is a great book for anyone looking for a YA book with a unique twist. This is a good fit for paranormal lovers.
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SaveThis review was originally posted on The Book return...
Unlocked is a thriller involving hypnosis, mystery, love,
and friendship! When seventeen year-year old Hannah undergoes hypnosis during a fair, her life soon spirals out of control. She soon believes that she is suffering from schizophrenia. The disease that took her father's life.
What I Loved
Unlocked is an interesting take on YA paranormal. Throughout the story, Hannah, is convinced she is going crazy. She sees dark shadows, hallucinations, and apparitions.
Though Hannah was once popular, she begins to lose friends, not care about appearance, and do poorly in school. This all lends to an air of mystery and suspense throughout the novel. The element of hypnosis added a bit of nuance to the story. The author was not afraid to make the scenes gritting and scary.
I did love the character of plug, I think he was complex and interesting. His character grew and changed throughout the book. I also liked the character of Kyla. Her personality was sweet and friendly while her appearance is described as avant-garde (with shocking hair colors). I loved to hate, Chelsea. She was the typical high school mean girl.
The subplot of Hannah dealing with her father and friend's deaths added depth to the story and made Hannah's character more realistic for me.
Finally, the cover is amazing. Retro and mysteries at the same time.
What Left Me Wanting More
Although I did like the premise of the book and the general story lines, I do think there were a few things that I struggled with. The pacing of the story was somewhat off for me. Toward the middle of the novel, if felt like the incidents Hannah was experiencing were just repeated over and over. I was also confused by the story part of the time. I couldn't figure out which parts were real and which parts were products of Hanna's imagination ( I know this was the author's intention but left me confused to what was happening). The characters of Manny and Manny's mother were also a little flat and, I felt, a little unrealistic. For example, Manny's mother kept calling Hannah child seemed strange. Manny and his mother also had personalities that varied from scene to scene.
My Final Take
'Unlocked' is a complex paranormal young adult thriller. It mixes the paranormal, hypnosis, and romance. This is a great book for anyone looking for a YA book with a unique twist. This is a good fit for paranormal lovers.
GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Save
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SaveThis review was originally posted on The Book return...
April 2, 2018
Can we just take a moment to appreciate that cover? For some reason, this is one that really appeals to me.
I read this book to fulfill the prompt of “ Your favorite prompt from the 2015, 2016, or 2017 POPSUGAR Reading Challenges” (2015 - A book by an author you've never read before) for the 2018 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge.
I received a signed copy of this book from the author via a Goodreads giveaway, which in no way affects my review.
Hannah is just about to begin her senior year of high school, is at the beginning stages of romance with her best friend of several years, and has her eyes set on attending an Ivy League university. Despite the fact that her father died when she was younger, Hannah seems to have everything just within her grasp.
Then everything changes in an instant. After an outing with her friends at a fair, Hannah begins to see things that may or may not be real, One major distraction later, and Hannah wrecks the vehicle she’s driving, claiming the life of one of her friends.
Unlocked leads you through some interesting genre-bending territory as Hannah and those around her struggle to figure out exactly what’s happening to her. Family secrets come to life that suggest Hannah may be suffering a hereditary mental illness, while a group of new friends are open to exploring explanations that are more supernatural.
While it’s not a perfect book (there are a couple things I felt weren’t explored/explained well, but revealing those would be venturing into spoiler territory), it’s still a good read. The mishmash of genres brings vintage Dean Koontz to mind, and that’s not shabby company at all.
Overall, I enjoyed my first taste of Margo Kelly’s work, and would like to read more in future.
4 out of 5 stars.
I read this book to fulfill the prompt of “ Your favorite prompt from the 2015, 2016, or 2017 POPSUGAR Reading Challenges” (2015 - A book by an author you've never read before) for the 2018 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge.
I received a signed copy of this book from the author via a Goodreads giveaway, which in no way affects my review.
Hannah is just about to begin her senior year of high school, is at the beginning stages of romance with her best friend of several years, and has her eyes set on attending an Ivy League university. Despite the fact that her father died when she was younger, Hannah seems to have everything just within her grasp.
Then everything changes in an instant. After an outing with her friends at a fair, Hannah begins to see things that may or may not be real, One major distraction later, and Hannah wrecks the vehicle she’s driving, claiming the life of one of her friends.
Unlocked leads you through some interesting genre-bending territory as Hannah and those around her struggle to figure out exactly what’s happening to her. Family secrets come to life that suggest Hannah may be suffering a hereditary mental illness, while a group of new friends are open to exploring explanations that are more supernatural.
While it’s not a perfect book (there are a couple things I felt weren’t explored/explained well, but revealing those would be venturing into spoiler territory), it’s still a good read. The mishmash of genres brings vintage Dean Koontz to mind, and that’s not shabby company at all.
Overall, I enjoyed my first taste of Margo Kelly’s work, and would like to read more in future.
4 out of 5 stars.
July 28, 2016
Aside from having one of the coolest covers I've seen in months, UNLOCKED also stood out in the arena of themes and trials faced by its characters. In a world of young adult books where the reader is forced to watch kids make bad choices, UNLOCKED is different. Hannah's troubles arise from the fact that she doesn't always make a choice in what she does, because she doesn't always know she's deciding to do something. Or she doesn't know if she's actually making a choice at all.
It all starts with a hypnotist at the county fair, but the events that follow lead Hannah on a wild chase to determine whether she's suffering from schizophrenia–like her psychiatrist insists–or whether there's something much darker going on. Unable to trust even her own perceptions, Hannah must trust her new friend Eugene, a guy she wouldn't have even spoken to before any of this happened. But allies come in unique forms, and enemies arise where you least expect them. It'll take both Eugene and Hannah to get to the bottom of what's happening to Hannah, if the two of them can survive long enough.
Well paced, and filled with vivid descriptions, and characters that perfectly embody their personas, UNLOCKED is a roller coster ride that will leave you hanging on until the car finally pulls into the station.
It all starts with a hypnotist at the county fair, but the events that follow lead Hannah on a wild chase to determine whether she's suffering from schizophrenia–like her psychiatrist insists–or whether there's something much darker going on. Unable to trust even her own perceptions, Hannah must trust her new friend Eugene, a guy she wouldn't have even spoken to before any of this happened. But allies come in unique forms, and enemies arise where you least expect them. It'll take both Eugene and Hannah to get to the bottom of what's happening to Hannah, if the two of them can survive long enough.
Well paced, and filled with vivid descriptions, and characters that perfectly embody their personas, UNLOCKED is a roller coster ride that will leave you hanging on until the car finally pulls into the station.
September 5, 2016
First, I love the cover. It's kind of spooky and retro at the same time, and it could pass as an adult novel so no one should feel embarrassed about reading it in public (as I did, on airplanes across America!). Boys can read it, too.
In this, Kelly's refreshingly original sophomore effort, main character Hannah has a bright future ahead of her. Pretty and popular, she's bound for Princeton, and is embarking on a romantic relationship with Manny, one of her oldest friends. Things change when they go to a carnival with another couple, Lily and Jordan. After a few rides, Lily convinces her friends to join a hypnotist on stage. Hannah, believing herself impervious to suggestion, fakes her way through the show, but then she starts seeing ants everywhere, and hearing voices. She crashes her car, which results in tragedy, and her life starts to fall apart. Is she going crazy like her father, or is something else going on? Enter Plug, so nicknamed because of his ear plugs, an art student with an interest in the occult -- and Hannah. Plug helps her figure out what's happening, when no one else will listen.
Kelly keeps readers guessing up until the end of this briskly paced thriller with cinematic potential.
In this, Kelly's refreshingly original sophomore effort, main character Hannah has a bright future ahead of her. Pretty and popular, she's bound for Princeton, and is embarking on a romantic relationship with Manny, one of her oldest friends. Things change when they go to a carnival with another couple, Lily and Jordan. After a few rides, Lily convinces her friends to join a hypnotist on stage. Hannah, believing herself impervious to suggestion, fakes her way through the show, but then she starts seeing ants everywhere, and hearing voices. She crashes her car, which results in tragedy, and her life starts to fall apart. Is she going crazy like her father, or is something else going on? Enter Plug, so nicknamed because of his ear plugs, an art student with an interest in the occult -- and Hannah. Plug helps her figure out what's happening, when no one else will listen.
Kelly keeps readers guessing up until the end of this briskly paced thriller with cinematic potential.
October 21, 2016
Hannah was a preppy high school girl on her way to Princeton, on her way to loving and being with Manny, her long-time boyfriend. And then she went to the fair with her friends and her life shifted into chaos.
She stops being the girl everyone admires and becomes the pariah of her school and her best friends. But why? Is she a schizophrenic like her father who committed suicide? Is she a good girl gone suddenly bad? And how could she live with herself after all that she's done?
An amazing fast-paced story that you can't put down. The best things are that you love Hannah and you can't imagine her torment. You want her to take charge of her life. All of the characters are interesting, multifaceted and unique. The truths are revealed to you as the reader at the same time they're reveal to the characters in the story.
I was so pleased to win this book on a Goodreads Giveaway. It's one of the best YA's I've read in a long time.
She stops being the girl everyone admires and becomes the pariah of her school and her best friends. But why? Is she a schizophrenic like her father who committed suicide? Is she a good girl gone suddenly bad? And how could she live with herself after all that she's done?
An amazing fast-paced story that you can't put down. The best things are that you love Hannah and you can't imagine her torment. You want her to take charge of her life. All of the characters are interesting, multifaceted and unique. The truths are revealed to you as the reader at the same time they're reveal to the characters in the story.
I was so pleased to win this book on a Goodreads Giveaway. It's one of the best YA's I've read in a long time.
May 4, 2020
Wow!! I really didn’t think I’d like this book as much as I did. It was a random pick and the synopsis sounded promising and it didn’t disappoint. From the first page it grabbed my attention and kept it. I devoured it! It was a mystery with supernatural elements and romance. Also trust issues and heartache but it was all tied together really well and had me saying stfu when it all pieced together.
October 6, 2016
*This review also appears here on A Leisure Moment*
**I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review**
What did I just read? Seriously, I barely even know how to define this book! Unlocked presented itself as contemporary fiction, and then it spun on its axis and completed changed course within the first chapter. I didn’t know what to expect from one page to the next and only put it down because some of the scenes started to frighten me, not even going to lie. This book was intense.
First, Unlocked was broken into four books. I didn’t see the importance of it at first but got the idea by the second book. Next, even though the first “chapter”—though it’s really just sectioned into dates in each book—seemed kind of long and drawn out, but it was so necessary to the story. That first chapter molded the entire book. There were a few scenes that dragged, but they all tied together in the end, bumping this book up in my mind.
The MC, Hannah O’Leary, had it all. She was popular, secretary of the student council, and she had finally snatched up her best friend, Manny. All of that changes one night after leaving the fair and getting into a deadly car crash, one in which she’s the driver. I felt her pain and got caught up in her self-doubt. She truly didn’t know if she was mentally ill or if something else controlled her. I even thought Eugene Polaski, also known as Plug, was a little off kilter. Having the story told in Hannah’s point of view made it exciting, a thrilling adventure from one page to the next, and I didn’t see half of the story coming. I didn’t even expect half of the story to be in the same ballpark! Hannah tells this story wonderfully, with just enough mystic and self-doubt slipped between the lines.
I’ll admit, I did sort of like Manny at the beginning. He was the stereotypical good-boy, following all the rules and seeing the world as black and white. Then again, Manny had tunnel vision. He only saw one path, and that path led in the opposite direction of Hannah. More than anything I felt sorry for him, while at the same time I kind of thought he deserved some of the backlash of his actions. Plug—or, if you so desire, Eugene—had my vote. He screamed trouble, but when I got to know him, I didn’t see him as the same character that I had met at the fair that told Hannah she should get Indian bread instead of a funnel cake. He believed in Hannah when no one else did, not even her mother, and wanted to help her come to terms with whatever it was that plagued her. He had some alternate ways of looking at things but added a much-needed dynamic to the story.
This is the perfect book for the month of October. Conspiracies, spirits, and the angel of death—Unlocked is wrapped in a contemporary packaging with a paranormal twist.
**I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review**
What did I just read? Seriously, I barely even know how to define this book! Unlocked presented itself as contemporary fiction, and then it spun on its axis and completed changed course within the first chapter. I didn’t know what to expect from one page to the next and only put it down because some of the scenes started to frighten me, not even going to lie. This book was intense.
First, Unlocked was broken into four books. I didn’t see the importance of it at first but got the idea by the second book. Next, even though the first “chapter”—though it’s really just sectioned into dates in each book—seemed kind of long and drawn out, but it was so necessary to the story. That first chapter molded the entire book. There were a few scenes that dragged, but they all tied together in the end, bumping this book up in my mind.
The MC, Hannah O’Leary, had it all. She was popular, secretary of the student council, and she had finally snatched up her best friend, Manny. All of that changes one night after leaving the fair and getting into a deadly car crash, one in which she’s the driver. I felt her pain and got caught up in her self-doubt. She truly didn’t know if she was mentally ill or if something else controlled her. I even thought Eugene Polaski, also known as Plug, was a little off kilter. Having the story told in Hannah’s point of view made it exciting, a thrilling adventure from one page to the next, and I didn’t see half of the story coming. I didn’t even expect half of the story to be in the same ballpark! Hannah tells this story wonderfully, with just enough mystic and self-doubt slipped between the lines.
I’ll admit, I did sort of like Manny at the beginning. He was the stereotypical good-boy, following all the rules and seeing the world as black and white. Then again, Manny had tunnel vision. He only saw one path, and that path led in the opposite direction of Hannah. More than anything I felt sorry for him, while at the same time I kind of thought he deserved some of the backlash of his actions. Plug—or, if you so desire, Eugene—had my vote. He screamed trouble, but when I got to know him, I didn’t see him as the same character that I had met at the fair that told Hannah she should get Indian bread instead of a funnel cake. He believed in Hannah when no one else did, not even her mother, and wanted to help her come to terms with whatever it was that plagued her. He had some alternate ways of looking at things but added a much-needed dynamic to the story.
This is the perfect book for the month of October. Conspiracies, spirits, and the angel of death—Unlocked is wrapped in a contemporary packaging with a paranormal twist.
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February 20, 2019
Omg, this is fantastic! I had so many emotions swell up while I was reading this book, Hannah's trip through psychosis and darkness was fascinating and had me wanting to read as much as possible so I would know how everything was going to wrap up! It was so visceral that I felt a little unhinged myself while I was reading it. Which was super fun. This is definitely a ride, and I loved every page.
March 8, 2017
I haven't had a book that i read through my sleep for a long time. and This book make me want to know what is gonna happen next. i just can't put it down. It was really good.
April 17, 2019
Yes! This was wild! I absolutely adored the atmosphere in this. It’s fun and creepy and dark, and I felt so connected to Hannah and her world and what was happening to her. I love anything magician-related and got so many vibes from the hypnotist show at the very beginning. It was very realistic and super sketchy. I loved all the little details thrown in throughout, and how everything unraveled from the stage show to the end.
Outside of Hannah, Plug was my favorite person, and he made a great ally for her. I wanted to see him all the time! The book overall was super vivid. The car accident scene was horrifying, and all the characters really popped for me. I could see the wrecked car. I could see Hannah’s boyfriend and the inside of their house. I could see the hallucinations she was having! This is beautifully haunting and is a new favorite book of mine. 10/10 will be reading again.
Outside of Hannah, Plug was my favorite person, and he made a great ally for her. I wanted to see him all the time! The book overall was super vivid. The car accident scene was horrifying, and all the characters really popped for me. I could see the wrecked car. I could see Hannah’s boyfriend and the inside of their house. I could see the hallucinations she was having! This is beautifully haunting and is a new favorite book of mine. 10/10 will be reading again.
January 31, 2024
Spannend geschrieben, aber voller Platitüden und mit der übelsten Stigmatisierung von Schizophrenie, die mir seit langem in einem Buch untergekommen ist.
Meine komplette Rezension - die Spoiler über den für mich sehr ärgerlichen Ausgang des Buches enthält - befindet sich unter Bibliophilis.de.
Meine komplette Rezension - die Spoiler über den für mich sehr ärgerlichen Ausgang des Buches enthält - befindet sich unter Bibliophilis.de.
August 16, 2016
17-year-old Hannah is losing her grip on reality, which is affecting not only her but her friends and family too. She wrecked the car when bugs crawled over her hands, but were the creepy things even real? Now someone is moving Hannah’s possessions around in her room, or is she imagining that also? Why does she feel like she isn’t in control of her own brain anymore? Hannah is terrified she’s headed for a horrible life in and out of the mental institution, just like her dad.
When her friends bail, Hannah is left floundering. Her boyfriend, Manny, doesn’t believe her wild stories, and new girl Chelsea is practically replacing her at school. Only artsy outsider and self-proclaimed occult expert, Plug, agrees to help Hannah discover the truth, but even he can't help Hannah reclaim her mind from whatever is taking over. She'll have to do that on her own, especially if she wants to save her friends, her mom, and herself.
Rating: 3.5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: TONS of mystery and drama; this book kept me guessing; unique premise; creeptastic villain; great use of character regression and growth; I didn't really "connect" with the characters (except Plug! PLUG IS BAE!)
HUGE thank you to Margo Kelly, Merit Press Publishing, Edelweiss, and Sara @ YA Bound Book Tours for sending me a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.
Plug had said, Caricatures are a ridiculously inappropriate exaggeration of reality. My life had become exactly that--an inappropriate exaggeration.
Let me just start by saying, this book was...weird. Of course, I don't mean that in a bad way! The plot, at least in my opinion, takes an unexpected and unique twist--I haven't read another book with QUITE the same premise (except perhaps False Memory, by Dean Koontz... but again, not QUITE the same). There were so many sudden twists and red herring moments in this book, I was kept guessing until the very end!
I felt like the writing was just a bit lackluster, though. There was a lot more "tell" than "show" happening, and I didn't really get a feel for most of the characters. A majority of them felt stiff and a bit awkward to me--they played their roles, but it felt just a smidge rehearsed. This made connecting with them on an emotional level, as a reader, difficult. Of course, Hannah goes through SO many changes throughout this book, it was hard to connect with her--and in her case, it was MEANT to be, I think. Still, the only character I felt a semblance of anything for was Plug, who pretty much stole my heart immediately.
I think the most successful part of this read was Hannah's journey. Margo Kelly did SUCH a beautiful job crafting the plot around the regression--and then regrowth--of Hannah and her world. There was a ton of thought put into this story line, and it worked SO well in the end. I was confused from the very beginning, which is a good thing--it meant there was no chance for me to put the pieces together and figure out the "twist" too early. I promise, penguins, these pieces get stitched together coherently in the end--you just need to find the patience to roll on with the confusion.
"Hang in there, Hannah."
"We just fled the scene of a crime," I said in between sobs. "What does that make us?"
"Determined."
Overall, this was a super quick, beautifully confusing, and unique read--and I had SO much fun being taken on the journey. Hannah's story, in particular, was entertaining and character-driven, though the writing felt a bit lackluster. And Plug? Plug is the newest book bae in my world; I adored him so hard. I recommend this to lovers of thriller/mysteries, paranormal contemporaries, and creatively twisted plots. This book is wild from beginning to end--and SO great, if you're willing to look past the confusion and stick it out. I can't wait to see what Margo Kelly does next!
October 6, 2016
What did I just read? Seriously, I barely even know how to define this book! Unlocked presented itself as contemporary fiction, and then it spun on its axis and completed changed course within the first chapter. I didn’t know what to expect from one page to the next and only put it down because some of the scenes started to frighten me, not even going to lie. This book was intense.
Read the rest of the review!
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September 26, 2016
Unlocked by Margo Kelly is a young adult mystery with supernatural elements.
For their last outing before their senior year begins, Hannah O'Leary, her boyfriend Manny and her friends enjoy a night at a local fair. At the urging of best friend Lily Sloane, the teens not only attend but participate in a hypnotist's demonstration. Almost immediately afterward, Hannah begins experiencing strange visions, auditory hallucinations and creepy sensations that no one else seems to see or hear. On the way home from the fair, she crashes her car which leaves one of the teens dead and two others seriously injured. When school begins, Hannah is ostracized by her friends but she befriended by a group of misfit teens who help her get to the bottom of her increasingly bizarre behavior.
Hannah is one of the most popular kids in her class with a bright future ahead of her. All of that changes after the car accident and as she begins acting completely out of character, she becomes more and more isolated and frightened by the eerie things she is seeing and hearing. Finding unexpected allies in classmates Eugene, Nick and Kyla, she tries to maintain her relationship with Manny, but he is not very understanding of her inexplicable behavior. In the aftermath of another horrifying incident, Hannah can only count on her new friends to assist her as she tries to uncover the truth about what is happening to her.
Due to her family history, Hannah's mom believes her daughter is suffering from schizophrenia. Hannah is initially uncertain what to believe but as her life continues to spiral out of control, she begins to think the diagnosis might be correct. On the other hand, Eugene is convinced there is a much more malevolent reason for what is happening to her and their research into the occult offers a plausible explanation for some of her experiences. However, Hannah and her friends soon discover there is much more going on than they previously imagined and she is in serious danger. Will Hannah escape from this nightmare before it is too late?
With a well-rounded cast of characters and an imaginative storyline, Unlocked is a fast-paced and engaging young adult novel. Expect the unexpected as Margo Kelly incorporates both horror and supernatural elements into this thrilling mystery that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the pulse-pounding and suspenseful conclusion.
For their last outing before their senior year begins, Hannah O'Leary, her boyfriend Manny and her friends enjoy a night at a local fair. At the urging of best friend Lily Sloane, the teens not only attend but participate in a hypnotist's demonstration. Almost immediately afterward, Hannah begins experiencing strange visions, auditory hallucinations and creepy sensations that no one else seems to see or hear. On the way home from the fair, she crashes her car which leaves one of the teens dead and two others seriously injured. When school begins, Hannah is ostracized by her friends but she befriended by a group of misfit teens who help her get to the bottom of her increasingly bizarre behavior.
Hannah is one of the most popular kids in her class with a bright future ahead of her. All of that changes after the car accident and as she begins acting completely out of character, she becomes more and more isolated and frightened by the eerie things she is seeing and hearing. Finding unexpected allies in classmates Eugene, Nick and Kyla, she tries to maintain her relationship with Manny, but he is not very understanding of her inexplicable behavior. In the aftermath of another horrifying incident, Hannah can only count on her new friends to assist her as she tries to uncover the truth about what is happening to her.
Due to her family history, Hannah's mom believes her daughter is suffering from schizophrenia. Hannah is initially uncertain what to believe but as her life continues to spiral out of control, she begins to think the diagnosis might be correct. On the other hand, Eugene is convinced there is a much more malevolent reason for what is happening to her and their research into the occult offers a plausible explanation for some of her experiences. However, Hannah and her friends soon discover there is much more going on than they previously imagined and she is in serious danger. Will Hannah escape from this nightmare before it is too late?
With a well-rounded cast of characters and an imaginative storyline, Unlocked is a fast-paced and engaging young adult novel. Expect the unexpected as Margo Kelly incorporates both horror and supernatural elements into this thrilling mystery that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the pulse-pounding and suspenseful conclusion.
January 1, 2017
After letting herself be hypnotized at a county fair, Hannah at first thinks it was unsuccessful. But soon, she finds herself hallucinating and doubting her own thoughts. When she learns that her father had a history of mental illness, she becomes frightened that she could end up like him.
As she struggles to discover what exactly is happening to her, the people she thought were her friends treat her like a pariah and she is forced to find new friends. Fortunately her new friend Eugene believes that there is something going on other than mental illness and he alone is willing to help her find herself and discover what exactly happened at that fair.
YA isn't my usual genre, but occasionally I find YA books that capture my attention. Unlocked didn't just capture my attention, it demanded it. This was one book that I couldn't put down. The suspense, the wonderment at what was happening to Hannah and why, the friendship conflicts, everything just captivated me.
As she showed us in her debut novel Who R U Really, Margo Kelly has a solid grasp of what it's like to be a teenage girl. I don't anymore and I have a house of boys. But, Hannah's frustrations with friends and her mother and the situation read as real and believable. Her fear of losing control of her own mind was palpable.
The supernatural elements helped move the story along smoothly with enough twists that I did not anticipate everything that Hannah went through to find her answers, and the story kept me enthralled until the end.
As she struggles to discover what exactly is happening to her, the people she thought were her friends treat her like a pariah and she is forced to find new friends. Fortunately her new friend Eugene believes that there is something going on other than mental illness and he alone is willing to help her find herself and discover what exactly happened at that fair.
YA isn't my usual genre, but occasionally I find YA books that capture my attention. Unlocked didn't just capture my attention, it demanded it. This was one book that I couldn't put down. The suspense, the wonderment at what was happening to Hannah and why, the friendship conflicts, everything just captivated me.
As she showed us in her debut novel Who R U Really, Margo Kelly has a solid grasp of what it's like to be a teenage girl. I don't anymore and I have a house of boys. But, Hannah's frustrations with friends and her mother and the situation read as real and believable. Her fear of losing control of her own mind was palpable.
The supernatural elements helped move the story along smoothly with enough twists that I did not anticipate everything that Hannah went through to find her answers, and the story kept me enthralled until the end.
December 15, 2016
{My thoughts} – Imagine your about to begin your senior year in High School. Imagine that you and your best friends have planned your whole year together, including your class schedules.
Now imagine its the week before school starts. You all go to the local fair and there is a hypnotist doing a show. Imagine going on that stage and taking part in the show. Imagine being hypnotized but not remembering what actually occurred. Can you imagine it?
Hannah is a sweet girl that has had her ups and downs in her life. When she was ten her dad died and her mom moved them across the country. Now she’s one of the top girls in the popular crowd at her high school. She has a great set of friends and a loving boyfriend that she just recently started dating.
The night at the fair changes everything. It changes her relationship with her mother and all her friends. Everything changed in her life the moment she got on that stage and took part in the show.
Could you imagine being hypnotized? Could you imagine surrendering your free will to another individual? One that may not have your best interests at heart? I honestly couldn’t, but Hannah did. Hannah gave up her free will and by doing so she ultimately gave up her right to a happy life.
This book helps to show that things aren’t always as they seem. That people aren’t always as they seem. That even though you think you have your friends on you side that at the flip of a coin they can leave and turn on you. It shows that sometimes your plans in life change but it’s how you let the change that happens affect you that counts.
Now imagine its the week before school starts. You all go to the local fair and there is a hypnotist doing a show. Imagine going on that stage and taking part in the show. Imagine being hypnotized but not remembering what actually occurred. Can you imagine it?
Hannah is a sweet girl that has had her ups and downs in her life. When she was ten her dad died and her mom moved them across the country. Now she’s one of the top girls in the popular crowd at her high school. She has a great set of friends and a loving boyfriend that she just recently started dating.
The night at the fair changes everything. It changes her relationship with her mother and all her friends. Everything changed in her life the moment she got on that stage and took part in the show.
Could you imagine being hypnotized? Could you imagine surrendering your free will to another individual? One that may not have your best interests at heart? I honestly couldn’t, but Hannah did. Hannah gave up her free will and by doing so she ultimately gave up her right to a happy life.
This book helps to show that things aren’t always as they seem. That people aren’t always as they seem. That even though you think you have your friends on you side that at the flip of a coin they can leave and turn on you. It shows that sometimes your plans in life change but it’s how you let the change that happens affect you that counts.
October 3, 2016
I won my copy of Unlocked by Margo Kelly through GoodReads FirstReads and I really liked it! It's about a girl named Hannah who goes to a fair with her friends and they all decide to go to a hypnotist show. Hannah and her friends volunteer to go up on stage and be hypnotized, but Hannah is the only one of her group who gets to stay on stage and participate, and the creepy hypnotist pays her special attention for some reason and even knows her name. After the show ends hannah begins seeing bugs and smoke-like clouds around the fair, her friends don't. Hannah then drives her friends home only to lose control of the car after seeing bugs crawling on her hands and crashing the car killing one of her friends. Wracked with guilt and fearing she is going insane like her dad did Hannah tries to figure out what happened. With the help of some new friends Hannah discovers some terrifying truths and ultimately what is happening to her. I really liked the mystery of the story, and the characters too. But I'm never getting freaking hypnotized, EVER. So creepy to think something like what happened to Hannah, could actually happen. I'm so glad the author didn't make her teen characters potty mouthed brats to make it more "authentic", which it doesn't. So get ready for a psychological rollercoaster when you read Unlocked! Enjoy!!
October 7, 2016
Full Review at http://kendralovesbooks.blogspot.com/...
This book starts off with Hannah and her friends going to the fair and them going to a hypnotist show. Her and her friends participate in being hypnotized. Hannah believes she was never hypnotized only faking it to make it look real. On her way home she was driving her boyfriend Manny, best friend Lily and her best friends boyfriend Jordan home. She started seeing ants run across her hands and she freaks out and wrecks her car and ends up killing Jordan and putting Manny and Lily in the hospital.
She feels super guilty about everything. Then when she goes to school another girl, Chelsea starts blaming her and making fun of her. Hannah then goes through times where she does something but she doesn't remember every doing it. Throughout the rest of the book you figure out what is happening to her.
I really enjoyed this book and it kept me guessing till the end. Throughout the book it was making me crazy trying to figure out what was actually going on and I loved it. This book has a lot of good twists in it. And I loved the ending, such a great mystery all the way to the end!
I received a copy from Merit Press Publishing for an honest review.
This book starts off with Hannah and her friends going to the fair and them going to a hypnotist show. Her and her friends participate in being hypnotized. Hannah believes she was never hypnotized only faking it to make it look real. On her way home she was driving her boyfriend Manny, best friend Lily and her best friends boyfriend Jordan home. She started seeing ants run across her hands and she freaks out and wrecks her car and ends up killing Jordan and putting Manny and Lily in the hospital.
She feels super guilty about everything. Then when she goes to school another girl, Chelsea starts blaming her and making fun of her. Hannah then goes through times where she does something but she doesn't remember every doing it. Throughout the rest of the book you figure out what is happening to her.
I really enjoyed this book and it kept me guessing till the end. Throughout the book it was making me crazy trying to figure out what was actually going on and I loved it. This book has a lot of good twists in it. And I loved the ending, such a great mystery all the way to the end!
I received a copy from Merit Press Publishing for an honest review.
September 9, 2016
From the moment Hannah meets a strange hypnotist at a carnival, Unlocked takes you on an unsettling thrill ride that makes you uneasy as you keep turning the pages. What happens next turns Hannah’s whole world upside down and leaves her struggling to know what is real and what is not as her life quite literally implodes and everything she knows comes into question.
Is she going crazy? Are evil spirits attacking her? Are treacherous friends gaslighting her to make her think she is insane, or is something even more sinister going on? Margo Kelly does a fantastic job of keeping Hannah and the reader perpetually off balance to the point where I could feel how terrifying it must be to suffer from mental illness and truly not know what is real and what is not. Lucky for Hannah she has a few real friends including the lovable and unusual Plug who has an affinity for the occult. But is he really her friend? In the fun-house mirror world of Unlocked Hannah really can't be sure of anything. Teens and adults who are teens at heart will enjoy this twisty thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end.
Is she going crazy? Are evil spirits attacking her? Are treacherous friends gaslighting her to make her think she is insane, or is something even more sinister going on? Margo Kelly does a fantastic job of keeping Hannah and the reader perpetually off balance to the point where I could feel how terrifying it must be to suffer from mental illness and truly not know what is real and what is not. Lucky for Hannah she has a few real friends including the lovable and unusual Plug who has an affinity for the occult. But is he really her friend? In the fun-house mirror world of Unlocked Hannah really can't be sure of anything. Teens and adults who are teens at heart will enjoy this twisty thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end.
October 15, 2016
Three Pieces of Advice if You’re Thinking about Reading “Unlocked”...
Advice 1: Don’t start this book unless you have a big chunk of time at your disposal because you won’t be able to put it down.
Advice 2: Don’t read this book, then – as I did – go to the gym and notice an ant crawling across the floor while you’re doing your stretching, and wonder how in the world it got up to the second floor, and why a few seconds later an ant (the same or another) is crawling on your hand.
Advice 3: Don’t read this book unless you like heroines who may or may not be crazy, and may or may not be persecuted by supernatural forces, but who definitely do in the end take charge of their own lives and solve their own problems, without wimping out and relying on boyfriend, or mom, or the authorities.
Advice 1: Don’t start this book unless you have a big chunk of time at your disposal because you won’t be able to put it down.
Advice 2: Don’t read this book, then – as I did – go to the gym and notice an ant crawling across the floor while you’re doing your stretching, and wonder how in the world it got up to the second floor, and why a few seconds later an ant (the same or another) is crawling on your hand.
Advice 3: Don’t read this book unless you like heroines who may or may not be crazy, and may or may not be persecuted by supernatural forces, but who definitely do in the end take charge of their own lives and solve their own problems, without wimping out and relying on boyfriend, or mom, or the authorities.
November 18, 2016
Is there anything creepier than having someone/something else controlling your thoughts and actions? It's a terrifying idea. In Unlocked we travel with Hannah on a roller coaster of trying to figure out who or what is to blame for the sudden twists and turns in her life... or is it all just in her head? This book was a unique story, and a fast-paced page turner.
November 22, 2016
Unique tale filled with twists that keep you guessing. I didn't know much about hypnotism and how it works, but boy, this surely made the concept frightening. A great read for those who like a suspenseful story that keeps you reading long into the night!
May 18, 2017
*SPOILERS!!* I loved this book so much I couldn't put it down all night and day I loved everything about it! Just like I did with Margo Kelly's other book "Who are you really?" I was pretty surprised with how she ended up with Plug (Eugene) in the end and I was yelling at the book to go with Manny instead haha! I really thought that it was all going to be part of the hypnotism, that Jordan was alive and Chelsea was still Chelsea and not actually Sarah! But, still, AMAZING BOOK and SO ADDICTIVE!! AWESOME!! Margo Kelly
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2019
Well, well, well. While paranormal isn’t really my cup of tea, this may be the most thrilling piece I’ve read since July. And Plug/Eugene was just...no heroine deserves him. But he chose Hannah so okay.
September 18, 2017
3.75 stars
July 15, 2018
Riveting page-turner. UNLOCKED is a paranormal, suspense, Romance. Author Margo Kelly had me guessing until the end.
October 27, 2017
I really enjoyed this. I almost kind of wish it WAS schizophrenia, since I’m learning about it..
But it was a perfectly creepy story, just in time for Halloween!
But it was a perfectly creepy story, just in time for Halloween!
March 16, 2017
Beautiful cover, magnetic plot, just the right amount of supernatural suspense and truly realistic relationships. When I read the words "..you stopped believing in me when I needed you most," I applauded.
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