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Lock & West
Note to Just don't be weird. Lock is awkward. He can't make eye contact, counts when he's nervous, and has to remind himself several times a day how "normal" teens behave. Homeschooled most of his life, he's resigned himself to a friendless existence at his new Atlanta high school. Until he meets West.List of reasons why my life is a How much time do you have? West has everything. Looks. Talent. Money. And secrets...so many secrets. Beneath the surface of West's perfect existence is a pain he's buried so deep a million therapists couldn't unearth it, and he's determined to keep it that way. He's an actor. He can act normal. But then there's Lock.Sometimes two wrongs can be right. They don't fit. Their lives are equal but opposite disasters, and the universe just keeps throwing obstacles in their path. Every time they are together, they find it harder to say goodbye, harder to keep their secrets, harder not to lean on each other. But for this relationship to have a fighting chance, the two must stop trying to rewrite the past and start figuring out how to build a future...together. Contains mature themes.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 8, 2019
330 people are currently reading
3664 people want to read
About the author
Alexander C. Eberhart
9 books253 followersA Metro Atlanta area native, Alexander has had a passion for writing from a young age. As he grew into his Queer identity, so did his works, and he is dedicated to bringing Queer stories to life in new and imaginative ways.
Alexander has penned over half a dozen titles, from Young Adult works exploring topics of Faith and Queer identities, to an Adult Urban Fantasy series, packed with magic and just the right amount of spice.
When not crafting quality Queer fiction, Alexander works for a local service company. He still lives outside of Atlanta with his husband and their children (dogs).
Alexander has penned over half a dozen titles, from Young Adult works exploring topics of Faith and Queer identities, to an Adult Urban Fantasy series, packed with magic and just the right amount of spice.
When not crafting quality Queer fiction, Alexander works for a local service company. He still lives outside of Atlanta with his husband and their children (dogs).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews
September 27, 2019
i'm sick of gay suffering and how inescapable it is, how people seem to believe we're unable to exist without out, how it's the only defining thing of our existence. i'm sick of how we're tortured even in fiction. i'm sick of not being able to experience something warm and sweet without being gutted beforehand. every story is the same, ripping us to shreds like we can't be relatable without it. i just want One story without the heartache and the pain and the assault and the hatred. i just want one story where we can be okay, but it seems even our own community can't give us that, so i guess we're just fucking doomed
February 5, 2019
Just when I tell myself I’m never going to read another book about teenagers ever again, I find just the right emo high school tale that sucks me right in. These kids have troubles, but they’re also real - they drink and smoke weed and have extracurricular sex. Their families are fucked up and as much as Lock and West like each other, they have to work through their respective problems before they get to have their happy ending.
Anyway, I liked this a lot. I woulda liked this a lot when I was in high school too.
Never say never, kids.
Anyway, I liked this a lot. I woulda liked this a lot when I was in high school too.
Never say never, kids.
September 16, 2021
not me thinking i was about to dive into my next A Surplus of Light like book and have the same all consuming love for it and end up being terribly wrong😭💔
September 2, 2021
As if I have already not learned my lesson in life for being a fickle-minded person, here comes another one.
Don't start reading a book again after you DNF it. What I got was more family drama, miscommunication and loads of self-loathing. All the cliches of books based on LGBT themes plus, messed up adults giving life lessons to teenagers because of course 'Love is the virus'.😒😒
Then why the 3 stars???
Because I the boys, their friendship and, everything else they did together.
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Dnf-50%
No, I don't hate angst but 16-year-old teenagers suffering constantly due to nasty adults and their careless behaviour is something I don't want to continue reading about.
I love these boys, I mean love them. West is so bright and shiny and Lock is adorable even when he is suffering from severe anxiety and OCD. If I had continued, this would have been probably a four-star read for me.
But, anxiety, PTSD, eating disorders, past sexual abuse, terrible family, alcoholic parents, OCD are too many issues for me to be handled in a single book that deals with teenagers. This is too close to home and I am just not in the mood for this, I better go back to reading Dragons brutally killing elves and vice versa in the imaginary world. I am in a better mood to handle Ariana Nash than seeing these boys suffer. Maybe I will come back someday.
Don't start reading a book again after you DNF it. What I got was more family drama, miscommunication and loads of self-loathing. All the cliches of books based on LGBT themes plus, messed up adults giving life lessons to teenagers because of course 'Love is the virus'.😒😒
Then why the 3 stars???
Because I the boys, their friendship and, everything else they did together.
----------------------------------------------
Dnf-50%
No, I don't hate angst but 16-year-old teenagers suffering constantly due to nasty adults and their careless behaviour is something I don't want to continue reading about.
I love these boys, I mean love them. West is so bright and shiny and Lock is adorable even when he is suffering from severe anxiety and OCD. If I had continued, this would have been probably a four-star read for me.
But, anxiety, PTSD, eating disorders, past sexual abuse, terrible family, alcoholic parents, OCD are too many issues for me to be handled in a single book that deals with teenagers. This is too close to home and I am just not in the mood for this, I better go back to reading Dragons brutally killing elves and vice versa in the imaginary world. I am in a better mood to handle Ariana Nash than seeing these boys suffer. Maybe I will come back someday.
Read
May 30, 2019That got angsty. Still, very good YA read. Easy flow, good voice. LOVED the lists and notes opening the chapters. Funny AND emotional.
<3
<3
April 17, 2021
super sad and super perfect. i was up till 4 am last night reading this book and i do not regret it. it took me around 3 and a half hour-ish to complete the book and i cried every second from the start to the finish. thinking about it makes me want to cry again so please do not expect a proper review for this one on my part. just read it. go in blind with a large tub of ice cream and chocolate and oreos and a huge box of tissues.
but i still hated it and in most cases i would've stopped reading there and then and would've written a huge ass rant-y review giving zero stars to the book, but this was definitely an exception.
again, i will say go read the book. it will make you cry a lot (i cried throughout the book and even after for hours) but its so worth it.
but i still hated it and in most cases i would've stopped reading there and then and would've written a huge ass rant-y review giving zero stars to the book, but this was definitely an exception.
again, i will say go read the book. it will make you cry a lot (i cried throughout the book and even after for hours) but its so worth it.
April 28, 2021
(No spoilers)
Ok gird your loins because I feel like ranting.
Let’s start with the positives to get them out of the way. I enjoyed the first 20-30%. It was a solid 3/5 until then, maybe 3.5 with the potential later on to go higher. I liked the small lists in the beginning of West’s chapters because they helped immensely with his character development. Lock was also a nice character, a loving brother and awkward as hell. Speaking of, his little brother Jack might be one of the few children in books that I found absolutely adorable and a fantastic addition to the story instead of a nuisance. Last but certainly NOT least, Lock’s aunt Jill is the coolest. I want to take her out for drinks.
But oh my god, this book had so much drama.
So much was going on! It felt like the author made a list of everything he could possibly include that would show that the two boys have problems and just threw them in there without ever taking a moment to think that hey, they ALL come off as if they are in there for shock value.
Suicide attempt? Rape? Parental neglect for basically everyone? Lgbtq/closet/identity crisis? Eating disorders? Physical violence? Bullying? Cheating? Death? Dangerous home environment? Sex for the first time? Coming of age? Older kid being the parent? Family secrets and adoption and physical disability and so many more!
All that was added in a 350 page-book which I know is enough for some authors to explore things properly but in this one everything was happening at the same time, nothing got even half the attention that should have and it honestly felt like a big mess. If you are going to include issues like these and especially if you are including all of them then you should give them the right attention.
Maybe just focusing specifically in some would have been better. That way you don’t gloss over anything important AND you get to focus on the relationship development which in my opinion was nonexistent. Their feelings for each other lacked substance.
It’s a pity because the character development individually was fantastic and the writing style is engaging. Lock and West have very distinct personalities and I absolutely loved that. But you say that someone relapsed and then the next morning he was fine again like it was the easiest think in the world? Yeah, no.
Also: Miscommunication trope. Yikes.
All in all I was disappointed. There are merits to the story but I can’t in good conscience give this a higher rating
Ok gird your loins because I feel like ranting.
Let’s start with the positives to get them out of the way. I enjoyed the first 20-30%. It was a solid 3/5 until then, maybe 3.5 with the potential later on to go higher. I liked the small lists in the beginning of West’s chapters because they helped immensely with his character development. Lock was also a nice character, a loving brother and awkward as hell. Speaking of, his little brother Jack might be one of the few children in books that I found absolutely adorable and a fantastic addition to the story instead of a nuisance. Last but certainly NOT least, Lock’s aunt Jill is the coolest. I want to take her out for drinks.
But oh my god, this book had so much drama.
So much was going on! It felt like the author made a list of everything he could possibly include that would show that the two boys have problems and just threw them in there without ever taking a moment to think that hey, they ALL come off as if they are in there for shock value.
Suicide attempt? Rape? Parental neglect for basically everyone? Lgbtq/closet/identity crisis? Eating disorders? Physical violence? Bullying? Cheating? Death? Dangerous home environment? Sex for the first time? Coming of age? Older kid being the parent? Family secrets and adoption and physical disability and so many more!
All that was added in a 350 page-book which I know is enough for some authors to explore things properly but in this one everything was happening at the same time, nothing got even half the attention that should have and it honestly felt like a big mess. If you are going to include issues like these and especially if you are including all of them then you should give them the right attention.
Maybe just focusing specifically in some would have been better. That way you don’t gloss over anything important AND you get to focus on the relationship development which in my opinion was nonexistent. Their feelings for each other lacked substance.
It’s a pity because the character development individually was fantastic and the writing style is engaging. Lock and West have very distinct personalities and I absolutely loved that. But you say that someone relapsed and then the next morning he was fine again like it was the easiest think in the world? Yeah, no.
Also: Miscommunication trope. Yikes.
All in all I was disappointed. There are merits to the story but I can’t in good conscience give this a higher rating
March 27, 2019
4.5 Stars
It’s obvious Alexander C. Eberhart did not set out to write a fluffy teen romance when he penned Lock & West. He absolutely succeeded in not doing that. The characters who’ve lent their name to the title of this Young Adult novel carry some baggage that should cause you to heed the warning in the blurb. The instances of sexual abuse mentioned include rape (off-page), attempted rape (on-page), with ongoing physical intimidation and assault that readers witness firsthand. There is also an instance of attempted suicide and discussions of past attempted suicide that affect Lock directly and indirectly, so again, don’t treat this as Young Adult lite, if you should choose to read it.
All that said, this is some impactful YA fiction that treats its characters and the issues they face with a brutal honesty and unflinching respect, and I was deeply moved by them and their story. The teenagers are not cookie-cutter imitations of high schoolers; they act their age rather than like kids mimicking adults, which is a pet peeve of mine, so I appreciated that. They do face some tough issues, however, that would make me question my own strength and courage.
The adults in the story are neither all good nor all bad. West’s parents are garbage, though I did end up giving his sister, Claire, a mental fist bump after one pivotal scene and liked her through to the end. Lock’s family situation is entirely complicated as well, but we get some positive reinforcements from West’s best friend Chels’s parents, and from Lock’s Aunt Jill—though she’s got her own secrets which held consequences for his family.
The secrets both Lock and West hold close to the chest, whether they are family-related or of a more personal nature, are the architects of burden. The weight of their struggles presents differently, but the demands on them beg equally for some type of order in the chaos and justice for their sorrows. For Lock that order comes with the need to enumerate things when he’s anxious, while for West the toll is much greater, presenting through an eating disorder that allows him the illusion of having control over his body. There were some insightful analogous moments through the story, in the way Lock’s and West’s lives are so divergent and yet run so many parallels, but none is so poignant or pointed as the tragi-comedy mask that West wears and tries desperately to cling to before everything begins to unravel.
This novel is no doubt angsty, but I would not say that the angst is at all gratuitous. This is a book that someone, anyone, could pick up and see themselves in, if not directly, at least in part, because Eberhart draws on the deep well of the human condition to craft a story with heart, soul, and resonance.
It’s obvious Alexander C. Eberhart did not set out to write a fluffy teen romance when he penned Lock & West. He absolutely succeeded in not doing that. The characters who’ve lent their name to the title of this Young Adult novel carry some baggage that should cause you to heed the warning in the blurb. The instances of sexual abuse mentioned include rape (off-page), attempted rape (on-page), with ongoing physical intimidation and assault that readers witness firsthand. There is also an instance of attempted suicide and discussions of past attempted suicide that affect Lock directly and indirectly, so again, don’t treat this as Young Adult lite, if you should choose to read it.
All that said, this is some impactful YA fiction that treats its characters and the issues they face with a brutal honesty and unflinching respect, and I was deeply moved by them and their story. The teenagers are not cookie-cutter imitations of high schoolers; they act their age rather than like kids mimicking adults, which is a pet peeve of mine, so I appreciated that. They do face some tough issues, however, that would make me question my own strength and courage.
The adults in the story are neither all good nor all bad. West’s parents are garbage, though I did end up giving his sister, Claire, a mental fist bump after one pivotal scene and liked her through to the end. Lock’s family situation is entirely complicated as well, but we get some positive reinforcements from West’s best friend Chels’s parents, and from Lock’s Aunt Jill—though she’s got her own secrets which held consequences for his family.
The secrets both Lock and West hold close to the chest, whether they are family-related or of a more personal nature, are the architects of burden. The weight of their struggles presents differently, but the demands on them beg equally for some type of order in the chaos and justice for their sorrows. For Lock that order comes with the need to enumerate things when he’s anxious, while for West the toll is much greater, presenting through an eating disorder that allows him the illusion of having control over his body. There were some insightful analogous moments through the story, in the way Lock’s and West’s lives are so divergent and yet run so many parallels, but none is so poignant or pointed as the tragi-comedy mask that West wears and tries desperately to cling to before everything begins to unravel.
This novel is no doubt angsty, but I would not say that the angst is at all gratuitous. This is a book that someone, anyone, could pick up and see themselves in, if not directly, at least in part, because Eberhart draws on the deep well of the human condition to craft a story with heart, soul, and resonance.
November 30, 2020
take glee, degrassi, and any generic soap opera, mix them together, and you get lock & west.
this book tried to be Everything At Once and it did not do pretty much any of it well. hot topics include: overworked abusive parent who attempts suicide, rich neglectful parents who don't care about their son, a rapist for a brother in law, an eating disorder, a dead parent who also left his kids AND cheated AND was gay, a cheating/lying friend with benefits, a sexuality crisis, and a drunken first time. throw in a teen pregnancy and we've probably got some kind of bingo.
one of these, or even a few of these, put together may not have been awful. but everything just felt thrown in for shock value/the drama, and very little of it was handled with the care it warranted. for example (trigger warners for rape/sexual assault and ED): why is west completely fine after blake tries to rape him a second time? And for that matter, why do we rarely see any impact from the time blake did rape him? it doesn't make sense to me that having drunken sex with lock - that he doesn't even remember - would somehow not be triggering in any way. especially once he found out that it was lock's first time??? similarly, his eating disorder is vaguely talked about, but he's never shown to be healing from his relapse. he's just doing terribly, a few people notice and confront him about it, and then he's not anymore.
I don't know if the author did any research at all (I would guess not considering the lack of care that went into the issues he wrote), but the hospital scene with lock's mother was singlehandledly the most absurd thing I've ever read. for one thing, you don't just put someone in violent restraints because they're suicidal. and if for some reason you were put in voilent restraints, a family member would not be able to just. take them off. they have locks on them than require a key to release. and because putting someone in violent restraints is so restrictive, and a last resort meant only for people who are a severe threat to themselves and others, they would never ever be left alone without some kind of healthcare personnel (namely a sitter) with them at all times. and they'd be released of the restraints the second they had calmed down. and on that note of inaccuracy, (tw self harm) um, cutting your wrists would not put you in a coma for two weeks...... but anyway
I could keep going about all my issues with this but I'm gonna keep it brief bc I'm tired. the dialogue was far too scripted and unlike anything people would say in real life, I didn't really see any chemistry between the two leads, I thought lock's characterization was completely inconsistent, and the further along I got the more I was just dying for it to be over. on the plus side, uh. uhhh. this is book 50 for me for the year, and my original goal was 24, so there's that.
this book tried to be Everything At Once and it did not do pretty much any of it well. hot topics include: overworked abusive parent who attempts suicide, rich neglectful parents who don't care about their son, a rapist for a brother in law, an eating disorder, a dead parent who also left his kids AND cheated AND was gay, a cheating/lying friend with benefits, a sexuality crisis, and a drunken first time. throw in a teen pregnancy and we've probably got some kind of bingo.
one of these, or even a few of these, put together may not have been awful. but everything just felt thrown in for shock value/the drama, and very little of it was handled with the care it warranted. for example (trigger warners for rape/sexual assault and ED): why is west completely fine after blake tries to rape him a second time? And for that matter, why do we rarely see any impact from the time blake did rape him? it doesn't make sense to me that having drunken sex with lock - that he doesn't even remember - would somehow not be triggering in any way. especially once he found out that it was lock's first time??? similarly, his eating disorder is vaguely talked about, but he's never shown to be healing from his relapse. he's just doing terribly, a few people notice and confront him about it, and then he's not anymore.
I don't know if the author did any research at all (I would guess not considering the lack of care that went into the issues he wrote), but the hospital scene with lock's mother was singlehandledly the most absurd thing I've ever read. for one thing, you don't just put someone in violent restraints because they're suicidal. and if for some reason you were put in voilent restraints, a family member would not be able to just. take them off. they have locks on them than require a key to release. and because putting someone in violent restraints is so restrictive, and a last resort meant only for people who are a severe threat to themselves and others, they would never ever be left alone without some kind of healthcare personnel (namely a sitter) with them at all times. and they'd be released of the restraints the second they had calmed down. and on that note of inaccuracy, (tw self harm) um, cutting your wrists would not put you in a coma for two weeks...... but anyway
I could keep going about all my issues with this but I'm gonna keep it brief bc I'm tired. the dialogue was far too scripted and unlike anything people would say in real life, I didn't really see any chemistry between the two leads, I thought lock's characterization was completely inconsistent, and the further along I got the more I was just dying for it to be over. on the plus side, uh. uhhh. this is book 50 for me for the year, and my original goal was 24, so there's that.
May 13, 2019
Fiv☆ing excellent. Likable and believable characters deal with some dark shit, but without becoming depressing.
I'm not going to try write a coherent or reasoned review. This is much more like The Art of Starving or Last Seen Leaving than Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, which it seems is how I prefer my gay YA content, because I really loved this one too.
The main couple's parents are not the perfect accepting fantasy parents that show up in a lot of YA. I am usually not here for family conflict or coming-out rejection, and there's some pretty brutal mother-son stuff on one side, but it didn't dominate the story or make me too uncomfortable.
Warnings for: rape, cheating, eating and other mental health issues, family-conflict, and suicide.
Things that did kind of nag at me a bit: Lock definitely comes off as non-neurotypical, but this isn't really addressed in the text. Which I guess you could take as either a good or a bad thing. I'm undecided. Also Lock is POC, but apart from one single mention of his skin tone, and a maybe 3 sentence exchange where someone asks him directly, I don't think I'd have figured that out had I not been aware of it going in.
Anyhow, it's awesome and it's going on the favorites shelf. :)
I'm not going to try write a coherent or reasoned review. This is much more like The Art of Starving or Last Seen Leaving than Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, which it seems is how I prefer my gay YA content, because I really loved this one too.
The main couple's parents are not the perfect accepting fantasy parents that show up in a lot of YA. I am usually not here for family conflict or coming-out rejection, and there's some pretty brutal mother-son stuff on one side, but it didn't dominate the story or make me too uncomfortable.
Warnings for: rape, cheating, eating and other mental health issues, family-conflict, and suicide.
Things that did kind of nag at me a bit: Lock definitely comes off as non-neurotypical, but this isn't really addressed in the text. Which I guess you could take as either a good or a bad thing. I'm undecided. Also Lock is POC, but apart from one single mention of his skin tone, and a maybe 3 sentence exchange where someone asks him directly, I don't think I'd have figured that out had I not been aware of it going in.
Anyhow, it's awesome and it's going on the favorites shelf. :)
April 24, 2023
This was a lot. I probably should have checked the summary before reading, but I already had this book for quite a while, and I liked all the other books of Alexander C. Eberhart I've read before, and I'm also not a fan of trigger warnings, because to me they're just spoilers. So this is entirely on me.
I expected some grumpy-meets-sunhine with some mental health issues. Which it is, kind of. Lock is the new kid, shy, introverted, with anxiety and possibly OCD. West is the extroverted fun guy. Well, at the beginning and only from the outside. Both boys have to deal with a lot of bad things happening to them. At some point it feels like they swapped places in the grumpy-and-sunshine-dynamics.
I loved how fast paced the book is. It's the only thing that makes all those terrible things that are happening bearable. This is one thing I love about Alexander C. Eberhart's writing. No lingering or stalling. That doesn't mean there's quick solution to everything. Some problems are there throughout the whole story, but they change and do not just drag on forever.
The story starts brightly but gradually gets darker and darker. It of course gets better towards the end again. It all reminded me a bit of Adam Silvera's books. And I says this as a big Adam Silvera fan.
This book was very much. But despite its heavy topics it's still quite an easy read, which is due to the writing, as above mentioned. I really love this book and Alexander C. Eberhart has become one of my favorite authors by now.
I expected some grumpy-meets-sunhine with some mental health issues. Which it is, kind of. Lock is the new kid, shy, introverted, with anxiety and possibly OCD. West is the extroverted fun guy. Well, at the beginning and only from the outside. Both boys have to deal with a lot of bad things happening to them. At some point it feels like they swapped places in the grumpy-and-sunshine-dynamics.
I loved how fast paced the book is. It's the only thing that makes all those terrible things that are happening bearable. This is one thing I love about Alexander C. Eberhart's writing. No lingering or stalling. That doesn't mean there's quick solution to everything. Some problems are there throughout the whole story, but they change and do not just drag on forever.
The story starts brightly but gradually gets darker and darker. It of course gets better towards the end again. It all reminded me a bit of Adam Silvera's books. And I says this as a big Adam Silvera fan.
This book was very much. But despite its heavy topics it's still quite an easy read, which is due to the writing, as above mentioned. I really love this book and Alexander C. Eberhart has become one of my favorite authors by now.
January 24, 2019
I rarely if ever write book reviews but for this one I just had to because it is really exceptional and close to home for me. There are a lot of heavy subjects in this book, but it never seems forced, because the characters have depth and you get real insights about how they feel. Some parts might be kind of hard to read, which just goes to show what a great job he did writing this book. Especially noteworthy is the fact how the topic of eating disorders is handled. Alexander really captures the fact how eating disorders are often intertwined with other problems and how it is not just about "being thin" but about getting control of your life. This book is going to stay with me quite some time, I already now that I will be re-reading it often. I already liked "There goes sunday school" but with this book you can really see the progression as an author. I'm excited to to read whatever comes next!
August 25, 2019
This book is nothing but perfect. Fell in love with the characters from the very first two chapters until the end.
This book is so much more than just a gay love story. It'll definitely make you laugh a thousand times (all the characters are hilarious) but it'll make you cry too.
Lock and West both have a messed-up life but they fit perfectly together.
This book is so much more than just a gay love story. It'll definitely make you laugh a thousand times (all the characters are hilarious) but it'll make you cry too.
Lock and West both have a messed-up life but they fit perfectly together.
Read
July 31, 2024*Trigger Warnings - This book and review contain sensitive topics. Mentions of eating disorders, sexual assault, and suicide are included. Please read at your own discretion.
I'm a sucker for emotional stories. I love when a story can make me feel a thousand things all at once. When a story can make me laugh and cry in the same page, have me on the edge of my chair (metaphorically of course, because in the middle of a mid-west winter, I'm reading from the comfort of my bed) wanting more, when a story hits me with something raw and real and I feel a connection unlike any other with a character.
I love those types of stories. This was one for me.
When I saw the promotional teasers (the quote above), I knew that I'd love this book. It was kind of like love at first sight, but one sided because books don't feel things, they just make you feel things. I immediately connected with both Lock and West, but mostly Lock and his social anxiety and lack of crazy life experiences. Not to say his life hasn't been crazy, but I'll let you read and find out more about that for yourself.
I started reading at about 2pm today, and finished it at almost 7pm. I took 1 break to grab a snack, promptly realized that this book would have me on a roller coaster similar to that of the one I was on when I read The Fault in Our Stars (laugh one line, cry the next, back to laughing and maybe spitting out your snack) and decided against the snack. It'd slow me down anyways.
Throughout the story there are both subtle and not so subtle references to Donald Trump, Twilight, and even Demi Lovato. The pop culture and political statements were perfectly entwined, and not only did they remind me that I was reading something set in the real world (I'm usually a fantasy/paranormal fan), but they shed some light on the author's stances on things, and I loved getting to see bits and pieces tossed in.
One of my favorite things were the little hints of inside looks at the publishing process. Throughout the book you see comments from a few different characters about editing, formatting, and writing. One of the 2 main characters has a passion for storytelling, and we get to see this in the way he views the world and weaves it into a work in progress.
There are some super intense moments in this book. Bombs were dropped. One of them I definitely saw coming, but the other 2 caught me completely by surprise. This is where the trigger warnings come in, and while the mentions of suicide weren't intensely graphic, they were still written in detail, and you knew exactly what was going on.
On the other hand, the mentions of sexual assault were more than just mentions, and yes there is a disclaimer from the publisher to warn on the potential triggers, but I'll say right now despite the fact that there are a few more "graphic" scenes, I personally wasn't affected by them. Which means that again, the author did something right. I was able to read it and feel what the character felt, but it didn't send me into a panic, or trigger me personally.
Lastly, the mention of an eating disorder is brought up a few times, as it affects one of our characters and honestly *minor spoiler here* it was a much needed element because a lot of times in YA literature we don't see eating disorders in male characters. The truth of the matter is that in the United States, at least 10 million males are affected by some type of eating disorder at some point in their lives (https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.o...) and this representation in the book is good.
Overall, this is a beautifully written novel with wonderful LGBT representation, painfully accurate portrayal of various mental health and social issues, and it made me feel so many things, it was hard to know where to begin. Lock & West collided during the messiest times in their lives, and they have to come to terms with things they didn't want to come to terms with. It's hard, its painful, and it's raw. Eberhart's ability to make me feel everything they were feeling, while they felt it and even after the book was over, was magical.
You can also view my review on grandgalaxyreviews.wordpress.com
I'm a sucker for emotional stories. I love when a story can make me feel a thousand things all at once. When a story can make me laugh and cry in the same page, have me on the edge of my chair (metaphorically of course, because in the middle of a mid-west winter, I'm reading from the comfort of my bed) wanting more, when a story hits me with something raw and real and I feel a connection unlike any other with a character.
I love those types of stories. This was one for me.
When I saw the promotional teasers (the quote above), I knew that I'd love this book. It was kind of like love at first sight, but one sided because books don't feel things, they just make you feel things. I immediately connected with both Lock and West, but mostly Lock and his social anxiety and lack of crazy life experiences. Not to say his life hasn't been crazy, but I'll let you read and find out more about that for yourself.
I started reading at about 2pm today, and finished it at almost 7pm. I took 1 break to grab a snack, promptly realized that this book would have me on a roller coaster similar to that of the one I was on when I read The Fault in Our Stars (laugh one line, cry the next, back to laughing and maybe spitting out your snack) and decided against the snack. It'd slow me down anyways.
Throughout the story there are both subtle and not so subtle references to Donald Trump, Twilight, and even Demi Lovato. The pop culture and political statements were perfectly entwined, and not only did they remind me that I was reading something set in the real world (I'm usually a fantasy/paranormal fan), but they shed some light on the author's stances on things, and I loved getting to see bits and pieces tossed in.
One of my favorite things were the little hints of inside looks at the publishing process. Throughout the book you see comments from a few different characters about editing, formatting, and writing. One of the 2 main characters has a passion for storytelling, and we get to see this in the way he views the world and weaves it into a work in progress.
There are some super intense moments in this book. Bombs were dropped. One of them I definitely saw coming, but the other 2 caught me completely by surprise. This is where the trigger warnings come in, and while the mentions of suicide weren't intensely graphic, they were still written in detail, and you knew exactly what was going on.
On the other hand, the mentions of sexual assault were more than just mentions, and yes there is a disclaimer from the publisher to warn on the potential triggers, but I'll say right now despite the fact that there are a few more "graphic" scenes, I personally wasn't affected by them. Which means that again, the author did something right. I was able to read it and feel what the character felt, but it didn't send me into a panic, or trigger me personally.
Lastly, the mention of an eating disorder is brought up a few times, as it affects one of our characters and honestly *minor spoiler here* it was a much needed element because a lot of times in YA literature we don't see eating disorders in male characters. The truth of the matter is that in the United States, at least 10 million males are affected by some type of eating disorder at some point in their lives (https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.o...) and this representation in the book is good.
Overall, this is a beautifully written novel with wonderful LGBT representation, painfully accurate portrayal of various mental health and social issues, and it made me feel so many things, it was hard to know where to begin. Lock & West collided during the messiest times in their lives, and they have to come to terms with things they didn't want to come to terms with. It's hard, its painful, and it's raw. Eberhart's ability to make me feel everything they were feeling, while they felt it and even after the book was over, was magical.
You can also view my review on grandgalaxyreviews.wordpress.com
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2020
Lachlan & Westley
3.25 stars
This book has been sitting on my kindle for a long time. Finally, got to it. The story was not so much about a relationship but more about the boys themselves and the twist and turn life throws at them. Yes, there was a bit of romance but it took a backseat to all their personal drama.
Overall, an okay read.
3.25 stars
This book has been sitting on my kindle for a long time. Finally, got to it. The story was not so much about a relationship but more about the boys themselves and the twist and turn life throws at them. Yes, there was a bit of romance but it took a backseat to all their personal drama.
Overall, an okay read.
October 1, 2020
i ate this story up within a few hours
July 15, 2021
4.5*
This is one of the best YA novels I've read lately.
The story of Lock and West really touched me. It was sad, aggravating, sweet, funny and heartwarming.
Both boys are lonely and struggling, but have complete different backgrounds and support systems and coping mechanisms. West seems surrounded by many friends and detached of what other people think of him. Only to be uncertain and afraid to show his real self and problems, because of his parents emotional neglect over the years. His life is just a masquerade and he blames himself for everything that goes wrong. Lock is the awkward introverted kid without friends, who counts things to calm his nerves, hides whenever he can and tries to placate his mom because of the father who left.
Together the learn how to trust, lean on others, the meaning of true friendship and how to really fall in love...
This is one of the best YA novels I've read lately.
The story of Lock and West really touched me. It was sad, aggravating, sweet, funny and heartwarming.
Both boys are lonely and struggling, but have complete different backgrounds and support systems and coping mechanisms. West seems surrounded by many friends and detached of what other people think of him. Only to be uncertain and afraid to show his real self and problems, because of his parents emotional neglect over the years. His life is just a masquerade and he blames himself for everything that goes wrong. Lock is the awkward introverted kid without friends, who counts things to calm his nerves, hides whenever he can and tries to placate his mom because of the father who left.
Together the learn how to trust, lean on others, the meaning of true friendship and how to really fall in love...
March 5, 2020
It's 2.5* for the characters, not the plot
When I was telling someone about the over-the-top ridiculousness of this book, they voiced something I had been thinking too: this story seems like a cynical author wrote it on a dare, trying to fit in as many hot-button issues as possible. I'm sure that isn't the case at all, but maybe it's notable my friend and I both questioned it.
This story includes, in no particular order: . That's just what I remember off the top of my head. Any one or two of those is enough for an entire book, but none of them is dealt with here in anything like a thorough or realistic fashion. Here and there, the protagonists have a brief conversation with some third person or each other, and that's apparently all the therapy or support they need. There is also some curative kissing. It's superficial.
It's too bad, because this is an engagingly-written story with likable characters. The main boys and their friends are lively, clever, interesting creations with distinct personalities. On the strength of the characters, I would, in theory, recommend the book to others, but the non-resolution or sub-par resolution of every important topic brought up means that I won't.
Personally, I don't even need or want a story to have any Big Issues in it, but if they're there, then they should be addressed seriously. There are simply too many things happening in this book, and the fixes and resolutions are just glossed over.
I kept waiting/hoping for there to be a phrase along the lines of, "Then we all began participation in individual and group therapy for our many traumas," just to sort of blanket address the insane psychological stresses of these fictional lives.
It definitely doesn't suck, but it disappointed me. However, if you like an over-the-top story with great characters, and you don't expect to get any life lessons out of reading it, you might well enjoy this book.
When I was telling someone about the over-the-top ridiculousness of this book, they voiced something I had been thinking too: this story seems like a cynical author wrote it on a dare, trying to fit in as many hot-button issues as possible. I'm sure that isn't the case at all, but maybe it's notable my friend and I both questioned it.
This story includes, in no particular order: . That's just what I remember off the top of my head. Any one or two of those is enough for an entire book, but none of them is dealt with here in anything like a thorough or realistic fashion. Here and there, the protagonists have a brief conversation with some third person or each other, and that's apparently all the therapy or support they need. There is also some curative kissing. It's superficial.
It's too bad, because this is an engagingly-written story with likable characters. The main boys and their friends are lively, clever, interesting creations with distinct personalities. On the strength of the characters, I would, in theory, recommend the book to others, but the non-resolution or sub-par resolution of every important topic brought up means that I won't.
Personally, I don't even need or want a story to have any Big Issues in it, but if they're there, then they should be addressed seriously. There are simply too many things happening in this book, and the fixes and resolutions are just glossed over.
I kept waiting/hoping for there to be a phrase along the lines of, "Then we all began participation in individual and group therapy for our many traumas," just to sort of blanket address the insane psychological stresses of these fictional lives.
It definitely doesn't suck, but it disappointed me. However, if you like an over-the-top story with great characters, and you don't expect to get any life lessons out of reading it, you might well enjoy this book.
March 21, 2019
First of all, don't let the length of this novel deter you. This is the shortest 500+ page read you'll cruise through.
The drama ---and there's loads of it--- in Lock's life AND in West's, is enough to fill three novels. This turns out to be a good thing as it keeps you reading these short chapters, told in their alternating voices.
Buffering the angst are some amazing friends and family members in both of the main characters' lives. And the hope for a true relationship between Lock and West looms on the horizon as an antidote to all the turmoil in their Hotatlanta.
There is a folksiness to the novels of Alexander C. Eberhart. That tone creates a safety net for the tightropes that each of these young men must walk, a promise of sweetness in the sawdust. And while lack of trust prevents Lock and West from asking for help for loooooooong stretches, and can be off-putting, it is believable.
Eberhart has become a must-read for me.
The drama ---and there's loads of it--- in Lock's life AND in West's, is enough to fill three novels. This turns out to be a good thing as it keeps you reading these short chapters, told in their alternating voices.
Buffering the angst are some amazing friends and family members in both of the main characters' lives. And the hope for a true relationship between Lock and West looms on the horizon as an antidote to all the turmoil in their Hotatlanta.
There is a folksiness to the novels of Alexander C. Eberhart. That tone creates a safety net for the tightropes that each of these young men must walk, a promise of sweetness in the sawdust. And while lack of trust prevents Lock and West from asking for help for loooooooong stretches, and can be off-putting, it is believable.
Eberhart has become a must-read for me.
February 25, 2024
A book best for an audience that have seen a few things. Makes me want to spend a day with my family in the mall. Just because the days may slip away into adulthood. Yet not everyone makes it to that stage. 'Here's looking at you kid!'
April 19, 2020
Both a cute and a very hard read. Two boys who have to accept and love themselves. Two boys who fall in love but don’t want to give in. Two boys who deserve each other’s love. I love Lock & West.
May 20, 2021
3.75 darker than I expected
April 5, 2020
TW: eating disorders, rape, suicide, child abuse, absent parents.
Note to self:
Phone calls aren't scary. They're conversations sans eye-contact.
What more could you ask for?
Um. Well.
This is a hard one to review because for the first 20% I really enjoyed it, for that first bit I really liked the two main characters!
I just sort of wish these poor boys weren't put through ALL the stuff they went through (as seen in TW's), because wow was it a lot. It didn't feel like any of these serious topics got the careful attention and spotlight they deserve and were used instead as plot devices without being fully addressed.
Plus to then have the classic miscommunication angst..
Things I did like:
- West's lists in the beginning of his chapters
- Lock in his awkward glory
- Adorable Jack
- Aunt Jill
Note to self:
Phone calls aren't scary. They're conversations sans eye-contact.
What more could you ask for?
Um. Well.
This is a hard one to review because for the first 20% I really enjoyed it, for that first bit I really liked the two main characters!
I just sort of wish these poor boys weren't put through ALL the stuff they went through (as seen in TW's), because wow was it a lot. It didn't feel like any of these serious topics got the careful attention and spotlight they deserve and were used instead as plot devices without being fully addressed.
Plus to then have the classic miscommunication angst..
Things I did like:
- West's lists in the beginning of his chapters
- Lock in his awkward glory
- Adorable Jack
- Aunt Jill
September 9, 2019
Sometimes things get messed up.
Sometimes things go right. Most things happen without a plan. The best things happen at night. But if you are a mess and avoid the limelight, You will fit right in with Lock and West, their friends, and families. They are different. They are the same. They deal with problems, but love remains. Drama or play, comedy and reality, the plays the thing to catch the conscious of the boyfriend
Sometimes things go right. Most things happen without a plan. The best things happen at night. But if you are a mess and avoid the limelight, You will fit right in with Lock and West, their friends, and families. They are different. They are the same. They deal with problems, but love remains. Drama or play, comedy and reality, the plays the thing to catch the conscious of the boyfriend
June 1, 2019
Emotional, funny and angsty YA which kept me reading till the wee hours because "damn it are the kids going to be ok" is all I could think of and just could not put it down.
This author is new to me and I will be interested to see where he goes from here.
This author is new to me and I will be interested to see where he goes from here.
May 21, 2023
An HFN plucked out of a hot mess of All the Things.
CW for sexual assault, abusive parents, eating disorders, emotionally absent parents, dead parents, homophobia, cheating (pre-book) by a non-PoV character.
So, just everything, really. I don't want to downplay the difficulty or importance of any of these painful troubles, but when ALL of them are thrown into the mix and when the ending sort of just waves them off in a page or two, it's hard to feel that the author is taking them seriously.
The voices of Lock & West are sympathetic, but a better book would have narrowed its focus and persuaded me that the author really cared about their problems.
CW for sexual assault, abusive parents, eating disorders, emotionally absent parents, dead parents, homophobia, cheating (pre-book) by a non-PoV character.
So, just everything, really. I don't want to downplay the difficulty or importance of any of these painful troubles, but when ALL of them are thrown into the mix and when the ending sort of just waves them off in a page or two, it's hard to feel that the author is taking them seriously.
The voices of Lock & West are sympathetic, but a better book would have narrowed its focus and persuaded me that the author really cared about their problems.
August 20, 2019
Rep: mixed race (black, white) gay mc with anxiety, gay mc with PTSD & eating disorder, paraplegic side character, side character with post-traumatic bipolar disorder
CWs: eating disorder, purging, past sexual assault (flashbacks, description), brief sexual assault scene (forcing a kiss), groping, attempted rape scene, homophobic language, child abuse (one scene), attempted suicide (side character)
* this is gonna make it sound like i didn't like this book but i did! i rly liked it. however,
* the monologues where the truth came out seemed kind of clunky, as though the author had gone for what sounds good and/or poetic rather than what sounds like what someone would actually say, but that's the only point where i thought the writing let the book down
* there is a lot of angst introduced and it feels a bit like individual parts of it don't get the time and effort they should merit, not to say they get dropped by the wayside, but they don't tie together as well as they might, and some of the resolutions feel a little underdone (that is, they are resolved, but they're not resolved satisfactorily)
* for example, west's eating disorder comes to a head when he collapses, but doesn't beyond that seem to get much attention paid to it (bar claire asking if he's eaten) and then subsequently seems to disappear (similarly with how lock's mother hits him once, and that then becomes something associated with her mental illness and never mentioned again)
* ultimately, i think all the above might stem from trying to do too much in terms of angst
* there were definitely a few lines where i was like "uhhh" like chels and the bet on what ethnicity lock is (and then saying something like a mix of "chocolate and milk"), which west can then call out, or west saying lock is "a little OCD" because he counts things, like, it feels as though the intent is there, but perhaps the way its gone about is not ideal
* the ending felt rushed and actually i think that also ties into point two
CWs: eating disorder, purging, past sexual assault (flashbacks, description), brief sexual assault scene (forcing a kiss), groping, attempted rape scene, homophobic language, child abuse (one scene), attempted suicide (side character)
* this is gonna make it sound like i didn't like this book but i did! i rly liked it. however,
* the monologues where the truth came out seemed kind of clunky, as though the author had gone for what sounds good and/or poetic rather than what sounds like what someone would actually say, but that's the only point where i thought the writing let the book down
* there is a lot of angst introduced and it feels a bit like individual parts of it don't get the time and effort they should merit, not to say they get dropped by the wayside, but they don't tie together as well as they might, and some of the resolutions feel a little underdone (that is, they are resolved, but they're not resolved satisfactorily)
* for example, west's eating disorder comes to a head when he collapses, but doesn't beyond that seem to get much attention paid to it (bar claire asking if he's eaten) and then subsequently seems to disappear (similarly with how lock's mother hits him once, and that then becomes something associated with her mental illness and never mentioned again)
* ultimately, i think all the above might stem from trying to do too much in terms of angst
* there were definitely a few lines where i was like "uhhh" like chels and the bet on what ethnicity lock is (and then saying something like a mix of "chocolate and milk"), which west can then call out, or west saying lock is "a little OCD" because he counts things, like, it feels as though the intent is there, but perhaps the way its gone about is not ideal
* the ending felt rushed and actually i think that also ties into point two
February 9, 2020
First book I read and finished this year, and it left me with mixed feelings.
I liked it, and I liked Lock and West (and Chels, Jill and Jack) and, even though I felt like my heart couldn't handle what was happening, I kept on reading hoping these boys would get the happiness they deserved. But this was angsty. Like REALLY ANGSTY. I wasn't expecting that degree of suffering. And I hated that this book tackled some heavy topics that weren't even properly addressed by the end.
I liked it, and I liked Lock and West (and Chels, Jill and Jack) and, even though I felt like my heart couldn't handle what was happening, I kept on reading hoping these boys would get the happiness they deserved. But this was angsty. Like REALLY ANGSTY. I wasn't expecting that degree of suffering. And I hated that this book tackled some heavy topics that weren't even properly addressed by the end.
November 5, 2022
This book just had too much going on! If the author had picked an issue or two each, really fleshed them out, given some real satisfying backstory and actually been resolved this book could have been awesome. As it were, the author picked every issue you can imagine….. seriously, half assed every single one of them and then completely forget to give the characters any relationship development.
I seriously have so many thoughts….. but this is all I’m going to say 1.5 stars.
I seriously have so many thoughts….. but this is all I’m going to say 1.5 stars.
July 3, 2023
Jesus Christ.
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