Into the Mystic: Who R U Really? blog tour

Welcome to my stop on the Who R U Really? Blog Tour! Read my review first and then keep scrolling for a chance to win a free copy of this book!

Book: Who R U Really?

Author: Margo Kelly

Publication Date: September 18, 2014

Publisher: Merit Press

Source: Blog tour

My rating: A

Status in my library: On order!!!

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.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

The Book Depository * Merit Press

First impression

OMG! I have to start monitoring my 16 year old on social media a LOT more! No, nix that. I need to cancel all her use of social media.

What’s the Story?

This book is a major cautionary tale that should hit it’s target group right in the gut! At times, it was a little pedantic, which is what cost it the + on the A, but as I got further into the book, I found myself so engrossed in the plot and all the red herrings about who the perpetrator was that I completely ignored that and just turned the pages as fast as possible.

As a parent, this book scared me. A lot. Because even though as an adult I could see all the times that Thea was giving out too much information, I don’t know one high school girl who couldn’t be talked into giving out this same kind of information. The 16 year old in my home thinks that EVERY SINGLE RELATIONSHIP is the real deal and has a “special, MTB connection”. She would definitely give out this kind of information. In a heartbeat.

The only thing I didn’t like about this novel is that Thea was sooooooo stupid! I just wanted to shake her and smack some sense into her, but see the paragraph above. She had to be written that way because that is the reality of a teenager now. It didn’t keep me from wanting to strangle her though. I was just so glad that she had such good friends..

When I closed this book, I felt both relieved and scared to death. We have become so used to using all forms of social media that I think we all forget just how dangerous it can be, especially when it’s being used by teenagers who have such limited experience with life and bad people. I think this is a very timely novel that could give readers just the wakeup call they need.

This book is on my book order for my library and I plan to start handing it out to kids as much as possible when it comes in.

Soundtrack: The Stalker version

Death Cab for Cutie “I Will Possess Your Heart”

Denmark + Winter “Every Breath You Take” (cover of The Police)

The Beatles “Run for Your Life”

Alpha Rev “I Will Come”

Kylie Minogue “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”

The final grade

My final grade for this book is an A. It was a real page-turner that definitely scared the crap out of me as a mom and an educator. Hopefully, it will scare the crap out of its intended audience as well.

Praise for the book:
“Kelly’s first novel is a suspenseful page-turner with multiple suspects, a little bit of romance, and a strong but not overbearing message.” –Kirkus Reviews

“Suspenseful novel that’s guaranteed to give readers goosebumps–particularly as events heat up toward the end. A good choice for families to read together.” –School Library Journal

“Who R U Really? is a fantastically creepy book that is surprisingly realistic and totally engrossing…. Once I opened it, I couldn’t close it. Who R U Really is a satisfyingly unique YA thriller that left me guessing up until almost the very last page…. This book is very realistic and I really enjoyed the writing style.” –Tempest Books

“Based on actual events, the story should be required reading for all teens.” –VOYA Magazine

Author Margo Kelly
Margo Kelly is a native of the Northwest and currently resides in Idaho. A veteran public speaker, she is now actively pursuing her love of writing. Who R U Really? is her first novel. Margo welcomes the opportunities to speak to youth groups, library groups, and book clubs.

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2 comments:

Margo KellyDecember 6, 2014 at 2:47 PM
Thank you for such a passionate review!
UnknownJanuary 4, 2020 at 6:15 AM
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Who R U Really? blog tour

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