Unlocked

by Margo Kelly

Overview

Hannah is losing it. Everything. Her friends, her life, and probably her mind. Bugs crawling over her hands made her wreck the car and cause her friend's death, but...were the bugs even real? Is someone moving Hannah's things around, or is she imagining it? Why does her brain feels as though she's not controlling it? She's probably headed for a useless life in and out of the locked ward, like her dad. In desperation, she reaches out when the school's self-proclaimed "occult" expert offers to help, and, through this supposedly weird kid, Hannah discovers shocking news that could mean she really is going crazy, or that someone misusing a terrible power.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440593598
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date:	10/01/2016
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.10(d)
Lexile:	HL610L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Margo Kelly is the author of Who R U Really?, a Simon & Schuster book.

Editorial Reviews

Unlocked by Margo Kelly reminded me of why I love to read Young Adult novels that center on youths dealing with mental health. Unlocked by Margo Kelly is a novel that had me thinking about hypnotism in a new light and how to handle conflicts, especially when you feel as if you’re backed against a wall. If you’re into novels with dark or spooky themes then this book might just be your cup of tea.

The Young Folks

Compelling, edge-of-your-seat thriller that grabbed me from the start. ... The plot is filled with clever twists that build suspense and keep the pages turning as the characters hurtle towards an unexpected conclusion.

Youth Services Book Reviews

"An engaging mystery with hints of supernatural and romance." —Kirkus Reviews

"The psychological elements and mystery bring...real tension. The book's final third barrels to a dramatic finale." —School Library Journal

"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. The element of hypnosis added a bit of nuance to the story. The author was not afraid to make the scenes gritting and scary. Finally, the cover is amazing. Retro and mysterious at the same time." —Young Adult Books Central

From the Publisher

Steeped in supernatural horror and gothic suspense tropes ... a dark, paranoid tale.

International Thriller Writers

Highly recommended for its taut storytelling, chilling horror elements, strong characters, and realistic representation of high school life.

Joshua David Bellin

The use of an unreliable narrator really made this story pop ... I also liked how realistic this book was in ... the diverse characters ... accurate portrayals of Native Americans and people of Latin American descent. It's also a helpful book for dealing with the stigma that often comes with mental illness ... a complex story with an interesting twist at the end.

Karen McCoy

Margo Kelly is a bold, sensitive, writer whose inventive stories surprise and beguile teen readers. Look for more to come.

Jacquelyn Mitchard

09/01/2016
Gr 9 Up—A trip with friends to an Idaho state fair places Hannah O'Leary in the hot seat during a hypnotist's act and later puts her in the hospital following a car accident in which her friend is killed. That night, Hannah is the sole witness to a strange mist and insects overrunning her steering wheel. Are these hallucinations? Or is something sinister and supernatural to blame? Plagued by unexplained events, worried she'll be diagnosed schizophrenic like her father, and vilified at school, Hannah falls in with endearing classmate (and potential love interest) Eugene "Plug." Along with his art class crew, Plug tries to help the protagonist slowly piece together the true cause of her hallucinations before she loses more than her mind. Kelly's premise of mixing hypnotism and the occult is promising. Unfortunately, the malevolent spirit aspect doesn't gel and seems unnecessary and tacked on. The psychological elements and mystery bring the real tension. The book's final third barrels to a dramatic finale. Characters can be clichéd but, in some cases, likable regardless. Hannah fluctuates between sympathetic and exasperating. The work contains violence, sexual situations, and an allusion to molestation. VERDICT An additional purchase for libraries where psychological thrillers and mysteries are popular.—Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJ

School Library Journal

2016-07-20
Hannah’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic and frightening following a session with a hypnotist.When the white teen’s hallucinations cause her to crash her car, injuring two friends and killing another, her mother fears that the family history of mental illness is to blame. Her deteriorating behavior alienates her from her friends and her boyfriend and forces her to seek new companionship with the school’s oddballs. While her psychiatrist believes she is suffering from schizophrenia, her new friends offer alternate theories, including demon possession, mind control, and simple harassment. But a camera set up in her room captures a stranger leading her into deeper hypnosis and directing her to do unspeakable things. While the mystery that’s thus set up should be engaging, it is all but destroyed by too-detailed descriptions, wooden dialogue, and a plethora of plot holes. Her mother’s negligence in the face of her daughter’s obvious distress is inexplicable. Further, Hannah’s behavior is only partially explained by the trauma. She alternates between extreme emotional outbursts and adamant refusal to be her own advocate. One bright spot is her new crush, much-pierced Eugene (with hinted-at but entirely unexplored Native American heritage). His quirky independence and willingness to accept Hannah, flaws and all, are endearing. An engaging mystery with hints of supernatural and romance is marred by mediocre writing. (Supernatural thriller. 12-16)

Kirkus Reviews