Publisher: Flux (February 8th, 2012)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Paperback: 228 pages
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
I never meant for anyone to get hurt. All I wanted to do that night was make a play for Carter Wellesley. His heartless rejection was mortifying, but people got the wrong idea when they saw me leaving his bedroom, crying. That's how rumors of rape started.
Now girls at school are pouring out their sympathy to me. Guys too. But not everyone's on my side. The school has become a war zone and the threats are getting scary. What began as poetic justice has morphed into something bigger--forcing me to make a terrible choice.
Review: Amanda Grace (aka Amanda Hubbard) really knows how to put a spin on contemporary themes. This is a quick read but as with Amanda's previous book But I Love Him, it is highly emotional and significant for teens.
Sam seemed like a typical teenage girl. She wasn't super popular, great with the guys, or someone people noticed often. She does have a fabulous best friend, Nick. She likes Nick and just wanted him to notice her as more than a friend. She takes a chance by going after a popular guy, Carter. She takes her chance at Carter's party and is horribly embarrassed when he not only turns her down, but says some mean comments as well. Since she's drunk she falls down, rips her shirt, looks a mess, and runs out of his room crying. A girl sees her and makes some assumptions for what went on in the bedroom. This one event causes a string of events that change a lot of lives.
I liked that Sam was relatable but I do think she made some bad decisions when it came to setting the record straight. She had some times early on where it seemed it would have been easier to tell the truth than to put up with what was going on around her. Plus, she wasn't exactly shy. She wasn't afraid to tell people off most of the time. If she would have been really shy I might have believed her more when she just seemed too afraid to tell the truth.
I loved how this story comes from a completely different perspective on a situation that, sadly, happens a lot. Usually the girl may be trying desperately to get people to believe her. Now, we see a group of teens that turn on a guy for the wrong reasons. Sam had all the support she could ever want from her peers.
One of her biggest supporters was Nick. Nick was wonderful. You could tell he had a deep love for Sam and that showed a lot with his actions. Sam didn't have a lot of affection at home and her dad was pretty much a jerk so I think Sam turned to Nick a lot to just feel the love she craved.
In Too Deep is a book with an important message for how rumors can get out of control. It is a great book for teens who may not feel the truth is worth telling. Rumors can drastically change lives and it may be impossible to get out of the cycle.
Recommended: Great book for teens and contemporary lovers. Quick read with a great message.
This sounds like a really good book. I have seen it around, but haven't really read any reviews of it.
ReplyDeleteThis does sound great! I've really wanted to read one of her books, and I am glad she has a few good ones. Great review :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a cute read! When I read your review of Sam's character, the more I pondered it, it sounds like her actions are more human that someone would think. I think that most people would think. Her type of actions probably would have bugged me, and I probably would have been one to sit on the sidelines and tell her what to do. But if you really think about it, from a human prospective, just because you are not shy doesn't mean that you are also open about ALL of your feelings. I loved your review.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a really good book/ so happy to read it soon
ReplyDeleteI am glad you enjoyed this book because I have had my eye on it since I finished But I Love Him and RIPPLE. Mandy Hubbard seems to be getting better and better - and I envy her creative brain more often than not! In Too Deep definitely sounds like it twists the usual story and makes one stop to think about consequences, especially when a serious lie is involved.
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait to read this book! I love that it's a different take on a situation I see trending in YA contemporary fiction. It's not an easy subject, but the implications of her choice not to tell the truth sounds pretty significant. I'm in need of a good contemporary read as I'm stuck in the world of dystopias right now.... love your review!
ReplyDeleteThanks for review.
ReplyDeleteBrandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog