Who R U Really?
by Margo Kelly
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.
Praise for the book
“Based on actual events, the story should be required reading for all teens.” –VOYA Magazine
My Review
I really enjoyed this book! I read it in only a few hours. My cousin had asked me to spend the day at the hospital with her while her husband had surgery. It was during that time that I read this book, and I didn’t read the whole time lol. I did talk to her 🙂
Who R U Really is a scary book in that it is based on real events. Internet stalking happens more than we’d like to think it does. It can begin very innocently. Your child or teen may ask to make a profile to play a game online. They make a friend or several friends, and then they start giving out some seemingly innocent information.
Teens might tell their internet friends that they’ve got a basketball game that night, or they are going to see a certain movie at a certain time. While talking about the weather, they might mention that it is raining/snowing/storming. All of these things give the stalker clues to where your child lives. And all of these clues add up to the stalker finding them. They might “fall in love” online. The stalker knows exactly what to say to pull at your child’s heartstrings. They will tell them that no one understands them like your child does. They’ll tell them no one has ever made them feel that way.
All of those things happen to Thea when Kit starts talking to her online during their favorite game. Thea is based on a real girl. These things really happen! This is a must read for teens and parents alike. Parents, be sure you know what your child is doing online or on their game systems. Be sure they know that these people might not be who they say they are. If a person says they are 13, they might actually be 53 or 45 or whatever age. Sure, they might really be 13, but you don’t know. Make sure your child knows to never give any sort of personal information to anyone online. You never know who you’re really talking to.
Who R U Really delves into the minds of stalkers and their victims. It is a quick read because you really want to know what happens next. I highly recommend this book!
Guide to Family Safety
I was sent this guide to family safety site a few days ago, so I am updating this post with it. I think it fits really well with internet safety! Definitely check out the site to see what they recommend.
About 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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