It took me a little while to read this. I'm used to Jay's wry humor in her Megan Berry books (You are so Undead to Me and Undead Much?) or her satirical humor in My So-Called Death. So in other words I'm used to her Zombie humor. The Locket is a completely different horse. Jay's wit is evident--Katie is nothing if not a quick thinker--but it just didn't grab me the same way.

Everybody has mistakes they wish they could undo, so when Katie gets the ability to she jumps at the chance. Who thinks of consequences right? Whatever went wrong, fixing that mistake, things must end better right? These are the sort of questions Katie grapples with. She goes back, makes things right...but nothing ends how she likes it. I'm the sort of person who obsesses over how if I had gone left instead of right, or hung out with this friend instead of that one, would that have changed things?

This was a fairly easy book to figure out, there wasn't any tension or gripping surprises. I wouldn't necessarily say that it was completely predictable--some of the ripples from Katie's alteration to the time line surprised me certainly--but the end result was what I thought it would be. Look at it this way, she kissed Mitch for a reason. Undoing that doesn't mean that the underlying reason went away.

Jay does raise the question of whether just because you can change something, does it mean you should? Slipping back and forth in time isn't a piece of cake for Katie--the Locket kind of just drags her around in that regard--so there are times when Katie can make a decision to change something, but doesn't. Or her new decision is even worse then the old one.

Regardless this was an enjoyable and quick read, Jay's writing style appeals to me because its light and witty, not angst-ridden and prosy. Her books also highlight teenagers who aren't perfect, but who try to improve themselves and be a better person. By anyone's reckoning I think that's a win for Young Adult novels. ( )

The Locket by Stacey Jay is a YA time travel story. Katie wants a way to fix things after her long time boyfriend breaks up with her on her birthday. He accuses her of cheating on him with a mutual friend. In her moment of despair, her Grandmother's locket begins to burn and hurdles her back in time, giving her a chance to change things.

Beware of wishes that are too easily granted. The locket is a cursed object (as the author discusses in her interview on The Hate-Mongering Tart blog). Every decision Katie makes in the past has consequences.

The time travel mechanics of The Locket are well thought out. The timelines work and there's enough drama and action to keep the pages turning.

Characterization, though, left me wanting more. Katie is too self obsessed. I get that she's a teenager but listening to her whine about how everything has to be perfect got old fast. Likewise, Isaac is too demanding, in a scary and potentially abusive way — making (at least to me) Katie's indiscretion at the start of the novel logical. Finally, Mitch, is a bit of a Marty Stu. ( )

This book is very intense and very fast paced. The reader is able to get into the book fast cause of the great story line. The story line of this book is just filled with non-action, drama, secrets, and betrayals. All the things I love to see in books. As the story lines flows, the reader get more into the story of the locket and what is really does. I like it when a character can time travel and changes things. But I also like how Ms. Jay interpreted the consequence of changing the past. That element I was not expecting and I love it.

The characters themselves were well developed. I knew right from the start that there was something fishy Issac. He just rubbed me the wrong way. Mitch I knew there was something there but could not put my finger on it. I like how Katie is forced to make a desicions. To see a characters have an epiphany right before your eyes is awesome. It shows the characters growth but also their flaws. It made her see her love for him. Love that she hadn't realized is there.

Overall, this is quick and fast book, that I easily dive into and liked. Ms. Jay's writing is fantastic at describing every detail in the book down the to core of the characters emotions. Characters learn secrets, create and lose friendships and discover lost love.
*few curse words* ( )

THE LOCKET, by Stacey Jay, is a well-crafted story about the dangerous effects that time-travel poses. Everyone has regrets, but changing them for selfish reasons can lead to more and possibly worse regrets.

I am always a bit wary when I come across a "time-travel" story, but I was pleasantly surprised with this one. Although this story was based more on the relationships than the element of time travel, I think Jay really did it right. The subtle differences in environment became more prominent as Katie experienced her new "present". Familiar places looked different, and whole lives were changed in this new reality. I liked how changing a small element in time completely tilted the new reality.

One thing that didn't really feel right with me was the relationship between Katie and Issac. I felt it was too forced and they weren't even a great match. The relationship between Katie and Mitch was more believable. Issac was very self-centered and the people he surrounded himself with were really not great people and relaxed. Katie tried to fit in with the senior popular girls to no avail, but I think she was blinded by the idea of forever with Issac than anything. Mitch was definitely my top choice!

Overall this was a great book. I loved the way Jay portrayed the reality change and the friendship between Katie and Mitch was really sweet. I was definitely surprised at the horrible turn of events that this new reality brought, but I was pleased with how Jay ultimately formed this book into something really spectacular. ( )

I have read each one of Stacey Jay's previous books and have adored all of them! The Locket is no exception and although I love her Undead series, I have to say that this is my favorite book of hers to date. The whole idea of being able to fix mistakes that seriously ruined your life is something that i'm sure we all would love. I have had my few share of slip-ups or boo-boo's that I made and I felt horrible afterward. Katie feels exactly the same way when she ruins her seemingly perfect life plans when she kisses her best friend Mitch. Now, this wouldn't be such a bad thing if Katie didn't already have a boyfriend and she didn't plan on marrying and having babies with said boyfriend. When she is given the chance to take back the mistake from the mysterious locket of her grandmother's that she finds, she is ecstatic. Everything would be perfect if it weren't for the fact that the locket seems to have changed a few things when it took Katie back in time.

Katie is a very sweet and caring girl who just wants her life back to the way it was before he made a huge mistake. When the locket gives her a second chance, Katie takes it readily. She loves her boyfriend Isaac so much and would do anything to make sure that night with Mitch never happened. She feels that her future would be perfect with Isaac and refuses to settle for anything else. Problems arise though when she starts to suspect that something is up with Isaac. If that weren't enough, the more time she spends with Mitch the more guilty and conflicted she feels. Katie is in for a heck of a ride in The Locket!

Mitch is such a sweetheart and super cute! My favorite part about him is that he is in a band and I really go for guys like him in books! You can tell that he has some serious feelings for Katie and that he would do absolutely anything for her. Mitch supports her with anything and loves Katie just the way she is. I don't know how anyone could not love Mitch.

Isaac confused me. He did some things that made me really upset but it was almost as if he couldn't help it, if that makes any sense. His main priority is basketball and anything else comes second, including Katie. I felt for Katie because she has done so much for Isaac and just wanted him to see what a great person Katie was.

The Locket is a fantastic story about second chances and really makes you reflect on life. Questions arise like: Should there be second chances? Didn't your mistake happen for a reason? This is another awesome story from Stacey Jay that I really recommend picking up. I have never read a book from Stacey Jay that I didn't love and I can't wait for her upcoming books to be released later this year. ( )