Review: Who R U Really? by Margo Kelly

Title: Who R U Really?

Author: Margo Kelly

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publishing Date: September 18th, 2014

Pages: 240
Audio Length: 6 Hours and 39 Minutes

Genre: YA Contemporary Thriller

Series: Standalone

Source: Audio

 

Thea's overprotective parents are driving her insane. They invade her privacy, ask too many questions, and restrict her online time so severely that Thea feels she has no life at all. When she discovers a new role-playing game online, Thea breaks the rules by staying up late to play. She's living a double life: on one hand, the obedient daughter; on the other, a girl slipping deeper into darkness. In the world of the game, Thea falls under the spell of Kit, an older boy whose smarts and savvy can't defeat his loneliness and near-suicidal despair. As Kit draws soft-hearted Thea into his drama, she creates a full plate of cover stories for her parents and then even her friends.
Soon, Thea is all alone in the dark world with Kit, who worries her more and more, but also seems to be the only person who really "gets" her. Is he frightening, the way he seems sometimes, or only terribly sad? Should Thea fear Kit, or pity him? And now, Kit wants to come out of the screen and bring Thea into his real-life world. As much as she suspects that this is wrong, Thea is powerless to resist Kit's allure, and hurtles toward the same dark fate her parents feared most. Ripped from a true-life story of Internet stalking, Who R U Really? will excite you and scare you, as Thea's life spins out of control

What made me pick this book up: 

I actually hadn't heard of this book until Jenn mentioned it, so not really able to answer this one.

What did I like about the cover: 

I think it looks like a creepy poster you'd see for a movie in the 90's. Which is a good thing. It definitely shows how creepy the book is and I think it fits the book well.

What made me read this book: 

It was for a task for the challenge, we needed a book that had a ! or a ? in the title and this one fit.

What did I like the most: 

The story is a really good one. I think a lot of teenagers and parents should read this book. 

Any teenager can go online and start talking to people and really start to like them, that's the thing about online you can be completely honest and yourself without judgement. Because of that it's so easy to form connections and relationships.

And because of that it's so easy to fall for the wrong person. 

Because you're online you can also do the opposite and be someone you're not at all. Including a 40 something year old man acting 18 to lure in innocent kids. 

I'm going to let y'all in on something that I'm really ashamed and embarrassed of, but I think it helped me appreciate and understand this book so much more...

When I was 14/15 I started talking to someone online, on a game called Runescape (Please don't judge! Lol) and he was cool, we started talking a lot and calling and it ended up that he was a 47 year old pervert and was trying to get me to do... things with him.

It was disgusting and I was so stupid for it. Anyway!

From my view point, after going through that I can see the book differently than a lot of people probably can. Thea didn't go into the game thinking she'd make friends or want to talk to people. She was young and naive and liked the attention. She didn't realize the evils in the world, and it is so easy to fall for that.

So I love how that brings attention to how easy it is, maybe if a teenager reads this they can realize how easy it is and be careful.

But also from a parents stand point. Now that I'm a parent it's terrifying how easy it is. Especially now, with facebook, snapchat, kik, online games, tumblr, this and that it's so easy for predators. But it's also good because then a parent can see and understand from Thea's point of view how easy it is, and maybe not think so much less of their child if it happens to them.

Okay enough about that!

Let me talk about the characters. Thea wasn't bad. She was kind of annoying and whiny much like any 14 year old is. She didn't realize how bad the bad guy was until the end. And that started to make me mad. It's realistic, but I couldn't help sitting here thinking hey stupid! 

I know bad on me, because like I said, I was there. 

The other characters aren't bad. I really liked her guy friend (I can't remember his name now. Eek) and how he was there for her when no one else was. 

The book has other issues too, like anorexia. Which is good but I feel like it was kind of just thrown in there as an after thought.

I'll talk about that down below though.

What didn't I like: 

There was a few things I didn't like...

One was her parents. They were over the top. I understand being protective, but at the same time if you are that overprotective you will push the kids away even more. It's a hard situation, the one they're thrown into. But if Thea had felt like she could confide in her parents more then maybe it wouldn't have progressed this much.

Another thing was that I figured out the "who" waaaaay before it was revealed. And I feel like if it was hidden better then it would have been a big WHAT!? as soon as it happened. Instead it was a meh I saw this coming. 

I also really didn't like how the investigator police guy kept saying you cannot make friends online how online people aren't friends. And I think that's more personal because most of my best friends I've met online and I love them to death.

The difference is I'm an adult and more careful so I can see where he was coming from, but at the same time it kinda made me mad. Oops.

As far as the anorexia goes, it's great they included it, but it felt like it was... just thrown in to add more issues in. Like oh teens suffer from this, this will make my book better if I add this in.

Would I read the rest of the series/more from this author?
I think so.

Great story to open up parents and teens eyes about online predators.

"I longed for a boyfriend who would confide in me and need me. I wanted him to say the three most beautiful words in the world to me: I love you. A slow sigh escaped my lips, and I rested my chin on my hands." 
- Margo Kelly, Who R U Really?

Margo 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