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Unlocked: A Love Story Audiobook
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(4.00) - 4,070 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Bestselling author Karen Kingsbury reminds us that before you take a stand, you’ve got to take a chance.
Despite his quiet ways and quirky behaviors, Holden Harris is very happy and socially engaged—on the inside, in a private world all his own. But Holden is an eighteen-year-old with autism. Every day he is bullied at school by kids who only see that he is very different.
Ella Reynolds is part of the in-crowd. A cheerleader and star of the high school drama production, her life seems perfect. When she catches Holden listening to her rehearse for the school play, she is drawn to him . . . the way he is drawn to the music. Then Ella makes a dramatic discovery—she and Holden were best friends as children. Frustrated by the way Holden is bullied and horrified at the indifference of her peers, Ella decides to take a stand against the most privileged and popular kids at school. Including her boyfriend, Jake.
Ella believes miracles can happen in the most unlikely places and that just maybe an entire community might celebrate from the sidelines. But will Holden’s praying mother, Ella, and a cast of theater kids be enough to unlock the prison that contains Holden? This time friendship, faith, and the power of a song must be strong enough to open the doors to the miracle Holden needs.
This contemporary, inspirational read is a standalone novel. Book length: approximately 80,000 words. Includes a reading group guide and a letter to readers from the author.
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"Sadly this book portrays what happens in high school today. I just have to talk to my youngest daughter, Kristian, who is a Senior and works with the special needs students to know how they are picked on. She hates it! Having two family members with Autism, and a friend whose son has it I have a very tender heart for those dealing with this. I found myself riding a roller coaster of emotions reading this book. Karen has a way of making you feel right a long with the characters. I was very pleased that Karen included a letter to the reader stating that there were different types of Autism and no reason for why a child would get the disorder. I really appreciated that, as all the hub-bub over immunizations really has had me upset as my daughter just gave birth and was told not to get her daughter immunized because of the "mercury" in the vaccines. I just looked that up and it's not the mercury it is Thimerosal and while it is a mercury containing preservative it has been in vaccines since the 1930's. So, if it was the cause of Autism, we'd all have it. It was removed largely from infant vaccines by the summer of 2001, some vaccines continue to contain non-trace amounts of thiomersal, mainly in multi-dose vaccines targeted against influenza and tetanus. I highly recommend this book, and if you know someone who is dealing with a child with Autism I would give them this book for encouragement! This book is one of my tops for 2010."
— Andi (5 out of 5 stars)
Unlocked Listener Reviews
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Sharon Robinson, 11/4/2014
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" One of my favorite Karen Kingsbury books EVER! I went to her house for a school event, and they were giving away these books (for free!) to the students. I was excited, and certainly planned on reading it, but when I started it and realized how good the story was, I was ecstatic to have gotten this. One of my favorite books of all time, hands down! "
— Lindsey, 2/17/2014 -
" This book has become a favorite of mine. I love the romance to the book and they way it was written. The emotions in the book gave me chills and cry at times. Im so glad i found this book. Holden is a kid with autism who meets a girl and she is the bigger person and reaches out to try and connect with Holden in some way. All I can say is that I would highly recommend this book. "
— Randapanda, 1/15/2014 -
" I really liked the book, would recommend to others. "
— Tracy, 1/7/2014 -
" amazing, life affirmiing, beautiful story of love, memory, hope, and the real us inside. and with an amazing view into the world of autism. could hardly put it down, and when I did, the story never left my thoughts. "
— Joanne, 1/4/2014 -
" A beautifully touching story that raises awareness of Autism, it's possible causes, and ways to minister to those who have to struggle with it. "
— Sara, 12/11/2013 -
" very good book. I read it quickly. I cried alot. It was real thought provoking. "
— Janette, 12/9/2013 -
" Autism is something that doesn't get enough attention and the author does a good job in trying to bring the subject matter to the forefront. "
— Jan, 11/27/2013 -
" An Excellent Book. This was not your usual book on autism. Reading about Holden's situation from different points of view was enlightening. I especially liked hearing from his point of view. He had a beautiful acceptance of people and we could all learn from him. "
— Sandra, 11/26/2013 -
" I LOVED this book! It has taught me that miracles happen! Also I have learned that I want to step away form the teen section and head on over to the chirstian side of barnesandnoble!:) "
— Katie, 11/19/2013 -
" This was such an inspirational story! I often like Karen Kingsbury's books but some of them are just amazing and this would be one of them! "
— Liz, 6/8/2013 -
" This should be a must read in every high school in America. "
— Lyn, 4/24/2013 -
" I'm not a Karen Kingsbury fan, but I liked this story ok. It took me a while to get into it, but found it inspirational in the end. "
— Lori, 9/29/2012 -
" Really a great read. Be ready for some tears! "
— Betty, 8/24/2012 -
" Awesome book, couldn't put it down! "
— Rhonda, 8/12/2012 -
" i absolutley LOVED this book...it is so inspiring...Ella was able to see Holden how he used to be before the autism took affect in his life...this book has my total approval and recommendation :D "
— Emily, 8/3/2012 -
" This book was heartwarming and wrenching at the same time. I know some will say it is a formula type of story, but hey it works. It made me cry and smile. It also made me take stock of some of my actions. "
— Kaotickitten, 3/28/2012 -
" Loved this message. After having mildly autistic children mainstreamed in my classroom, I could really relate to this story. Well done n "
— Susan, 1/31/2012 -
" As a mother of an autistic child, I was amazed at how Ms Kingsbury was able to capture emotions and even show how close friendships changed once the diagnosis came. This is by far one of my ,most favorite books it shows you how having faith can help you through any situation. "
— Bj, 10/15/2011 -
" Excellent story by a superb author. Very touching story of a child with autism breaking out of the chains that bind him. "
— Dianne, 9/20/2011 -
" This is a beautiful story about a boy with autism, and a girl that wants to help him. Sweet story that almost made me cry at the ending. "
— Esther, 5/24/2011 -
" There isn't anything Karen Kingsbury writes, has written, or will write that I won't/don't enjoy. She is down-to-earth, and you can really live in the stories she crafts. "
— Doris, 5/22/2011 -
" It was a feel-good book and easy to read. I couldn't put it down. "
— Jill, 5/22/2011 -
" I enjoyed this book a lot, knowing full well that it's not a reality for most kids with autism, but it does happen occasionally. I tend to enjoy books that give me hope and Unlocked did just that. I would recommend this book to people who are looking for an uplifting story with a happy ending. "
— Kara, 5/21/2011 -
" Very disappointed in this book. It was not Karen's best. The characters were either too perfect or just characters. There was no connection with them. The story felt disjointed and unreal. "
— Tammy, 5/20/2011 -
" Loved this book...kept me turning the page to find out what would happen next "
— Heidi, 5/16/2011 -
" This was my first Karen Kingsbury book. It was good, a bit sad and her descriptions are sometimes a little over the top. But, I did enjoy the book. "
— Jodi, 5/11/2011 -
" As the mother of an Aspergers young man, I found myself crying repeatedly at the gains that Holden made throughout the story. "
— April, 5/6/2011 -
" After reading the first few pages I was afraid this book would be too depressing being about a boy with autism. However, I continued reading it and then couldn't put it down. I became so engrossed in it. Really good book! "
— Jeannie, 4/14/2011 -
" This book is amazing...I would love families from the NLS area to read this...it touches on children with autisim, bullying and suicide... A must read. It will not take a lot of your time, but I think you will enjoy it. "
— Angie, 4/10/2011 -
" A wonderful story about overcoming the pitfalls of life. "
— Theresa, 4/9/2011 -
" This was a very inspiring book, reminding me to not give up on a kid. "
— Ashleigh, 4/8/2011 -
" This was truly a great story of love and compassion. Raising awareness of autism and bullying. "
— Pen, 4/6/2011 -
" a great explanation of how a child with Autism feels. It made me realize how lucky I was that we figured out what my son's trigger was to help him unlock and made me thankfull that he didn't get that bad "
— Tanna, 4/4/2011 -
" Really a great read. Be ready for some tears! "
— Betty, 4/3/2011
About Karen Kingsbury
Karen Kingsbury, a New York Times bestselling novelist, is an inspirational storyteller with more than twenty-five million copies of her award-winning books in print. Her last dozen titles have topped bestseller lists, and many of her novels are under development as major motion pictures. Her Baxter Family books were developed into a television and series. She is an adjunct professor of writing at Liberty University.
About Roxanne Hernandez
Roxanne Hernandez is an audio narrator and a top narrator choice for young adult, adult drama, and Latin American/Chicano literature. She was a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for best narration in 2011.