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Caring Is Creepy
Fifteen-year-old Lynn Marie Sugrue is doing her best to make it through a difficult summer. Her mother works long hours as a nurse, and Lynn suspects that her mother’s pill-popping boyfriend has enlisted her in his petty criminal enterprises. Lynn finds refuge in online flirtations, eventually meeting up with a troubled young soldier, Logan Loy, and inviting him home. When he’s forced to stay over in a storage space accessible through her closet, and the Army subsequently lists him as AWOL, she realizes that he’s the one thing in her life that she can control. Meanwhile, her mother’s boyfriend is on the receiving end of a series of increasingly violent threats, which places Lynn squarely in the cross-hairs.
336 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2012
18 people are currently reading
937 people want to read
About the author
David Zimmerman
52 books31 followersDavid Zimmerman was raised in Atlanta, Georgia and attended Emerson College and the University of Alabama. He spent several years living and working in Brazil and Ethiopia. After winning the Three-Day-Novel Contest, Anvil Press published the resulting novella, Socket. His debut novel, The Sandbox, was published by Soho Press in 2010, and his newest novel, Caring is Creepy, will be released in April of 2012. He now teaches at Iowa State University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
February 10, 2013
Why this book is an Alex award confuses me. I don't find myself inclined to recommend this book to either teens or adults. Two storylines gradually entwine around each other in ultimately a dissatisfying conclusion, with characters that I can't empathize with or even understand their thought processes. It needed more depth, both in plot and characters, and something that would make it more of a stand-out read.
August 15, 2015
this book is also creepy
April 23, 2012
Caring is Creepy was a strange, dark book about bad people in worse situations. Many times while reading, I considered putting the book down and walking away from it, much like some of the characters should have done with the problems in their lives. However, just like the frustrating characters in this book, I kept going, no matter how bad it felt for me, because I wanted to see how everything would turn out.
The main character of the story, Lynn Marie, has problems. Her father left, and her mother pays little attention to her because she is too wrapped up in her boyfriends. Lynn finds refuge from the boredom of her life at her friend Dani's house. There, they play a game of making up fake personas and messing with people in internet sex chat rooms. One day, instead of playing the game, Lynn reveals her real name to somebody in the chat room, who turns out to be a 25 year old soldier on a nearby base. Although he's suffering from PTSD, Logan has been stop lossed by the military, and he is itching to get out.
Meanwhile, Lynn's mother's boyfriend has gotten into deep trouble with the local drug lords. After witnessing a horrific episode, Lynn knows that Hayes is in deep, deep enough to get killed. Lynn's mother also may or may not be involved. It turns out that Hayes' troubles will affect everybody around him, including Lynn.
There were many times when my heart seemed to stop while I was reading. This book was truly scary for me, on a deep level, because I know that so many of the terrible things that happen in this book happen in real life, and that is the scariest thing of all. Looking at Lynn and her boredom, I think back and know that if I hadn't had such good parents who were active in my life, it would have been easy to get into trouble like Lynn. That said, she's pretty crazy as well. The loss of her father hurt her deeply, so that when she has an older man who is affectionate, she locks him up and makes it so that he is her prisoner. Add to that Logan's AWOL status and the statutory rape, and he's really at Lynn's mercy.
Caring is Creepy is a totally messed up book involving drugs, neglect, and abuse. Nobody is innocent in its pages, and some will not be able to get through reading it. However, Zimmerman has written a story that had a powerful impact on me, and presents much for the reader to think about.
The main character of the story, Lynn Marie, has problems. Her father left, and her mother pays little attention to her because she is too wrapped up in her boyfriends. Lynn finds refuge from the boredom of her life at her friend Dani's house. There, they play a game of making up fake personas and messing with people in internet sex chat rooms. One day, instead of playing the game, Lynn reveals her real name to somebody in the chat room, who turns out to be a 25 year old soldier on a nearby base. Although he's suffering from PTSD, Logan has been stop lossed by the military, and he is itching to get out.
Meanwhile, Lynn's mother's boyfriend has gotten into deep trouble with the local drug lords. After witnessing a horrific episode, Lynn knows that Hayes is in deep, deep enough to get killed. Lynn's mother also may or may not be involved. It turns out that Hayes' troubles will affect everybody around him, including Lynn.
There were many times when my heart seemed to stop while I was reading. This book was truly scary for me, on a deep level, because I know that so many of the terrible things that happen in this book happen in real life, and that is the scariest thing of all. Looking at Lynn and her boredom, I think back and know that if I hadn't had such good parents who were active in my life, it would have been easy to get into trouble like Lynn. That said, she's pretty crazy as well. The loss of her father hurt her deeply, so that when she has an older man who is affectionate, she locks him up and makes it so that he is her prisoner. Add to that Logan's AWOL status and the statutory rape, and he's really at Lynn's mercy.
Caring is Creepy is a totally messed up book involving drugs, neglect, and abuse. Nobody is innocent in its pages, and some will not be able to get through reading it. However, Zimmerman has written a story that had a powerful impact on me, and presents much for the reader to think about.
May 16, 2013
The award-winning books this year are just not that great. I read this book as part of YALSA's Hub Challenge, and I'm having difficulty understanding why it won an award.
Here's the storyline: Lynn lives in the middle of nowheresville, Georgia. She's bored, so she and a friend go online and create fake identities, then they talk to people (usually guys). While doing this, they find an army boy who's stationed nearby and Lynn tells him her real name and ends up meeting him. Meanwhile, her mom's 6th loser boyfriend is stealing pills from the hospital and selling them, and when he cheats his buyers, some scary men start leaving threatening messages at Lynn's house. While this is going on, the Army guy has gone AWOL and is hiding out at Lynn's house in this secret room hidden behind her closet. She convinces him to give her his clothes so she can wash them, but then she throws them away since she figures he can't escape while he's naked. Eventually all of these things come to a head when the bad guys come to the house and fight with Lynn and her mom and the Army dude. Some people die, and Lynn gets hurt, and then the book is over.
My problems with this book:
1. In spite of this book being touted as suspenseful, it just wasn't. Not at all. I wasn't scared or nervous or wanting to turn more pages to see what happened, etc.
2. Lynn has no redeeming qualities. She lies. She smokes. She locks a naked dude in her bedroom. I just don't have any sympathy for her at all.
3. Why are the bad guys always able to break in? Lynn talks to them through the screen door. Sometimes the house is not locked. If there were scary guys coming after me, I'd be double-locking the doors.
4. The author uses "would of" instead of "would have" or "would've." I understand that this is a common mistake, especially because of the way "would've" is pronounced, but it's obnoxious to see in writing, and it isn't necessary, especially in the narration.
5. In addition to the profanity, violence, drug use, alcohol use, and sex, there are several times when characters use LGBT slurs (lezzie, fag, dyke, etc.). That really, really bothers me and strikes me as unnecessary.
Overall, this book was an unfortunate waste of my time reading. It was not remotely enjoyable, and now I have to go scrub my brain out with something with an actual plot and likeable characters.
Here's the storyline: Lynn lives in the middle of nowheresville, Georgia. She's bored, so she and a friend go online and create fake identities, then they talk to people (usually guys). While doing this, they find an army boy who's stationed nearby and Lynn tells him her real name and ends up meeting him. Meanwhile, her mom's 6th loser boyfriend is stealing pills from the hospital and selling them, and when he cheats his buyers, some scary men start leaving threatening messages at Lynn's house. While this is going on, the Army guy has gone AWOL and is hiding out at Lynn's house in this secret room hidden behind her closet. She convinces him to give her his clothes so she can wash them, but then she throws them away since she figures he can't escape while he's naked. Eventually all of these things come to a head when the bad guys come to the house and fight with Lynn and her mom and the Army dude. Some people die, and Lynn gets hurt, and then the book is over.
My problems with this book:
1. In spite of this book being touted as suspenseful, it just wasn't. Not at all. I wasn't scared or nervous or wanting to turn more pages to see what happened, etc.
2. Lynn has no redeeming qualities. She lies. She smokes. She locks a naked dude in her bedroom. I just don't have any sympathy for her at all.
3. Why are the bad guys always able to break in? Lynn talks to them through the screen door. Sometimes the house is not locked. If there were scary guys coming after me, I'd be double-locking the doors.
4. The author uses "would of" instead of "would have" or "would've." I understand that this is a common mistake, especially because of the way "would've" is pronounced, but it's obnoxious to see in writing, and it isn't necessary, especially in the narration.
5. In addition to the profanity, violence, drug use, alcohol use, and sex, there are several times when characters use LGBT slurs (lezzie, fag, dyke, etc.). That really, really bothers me and strikes me as unnecessary.
Overall, this book was an unfortunate waste of my time reading. It was not remotely enjoyable, and now I have to go scrub my brain out with something with an actual plot and likeable characters.
April 26, 2013
What the...? Even after reading the reviews, this book took me on a trip that I was not expecting. , I had no idea where this book was going to go, and it didn't go anywhere good. Every character was a conflicted, broken character. At the start of the story I thought the main character Lynn was going to be the voice of reason for her best friend Dani. Unfortunately it turned out very differently. Lynn took an unusual and very unexpected turn for the worse and morphed into this crazed and creepy character. I supposed there's a lesson there somewhere for us to read into but really? Lynn is neglected by her mother, she has no father, and the father figures she does have are short lived and not very upstanding. Her best friend is obsessed with boys and sex. And Lynn doesn't know where to turn or what to do. Enter, the internet and online dating. This is where things really get crazy. Lynn meets a young soldier stationed at the nearby base through an IMing session. Lynn goes against all the rules Dani has put into place. She tells him her real name and then she decides to meet him in person. Then she basically kidnaps him and holds him hostage through a string of lies and halftruths. What? Yes that's right, she has now turned to kidnapping. Enter the drug dealers and the hitmen. Again I say, WHAT?!?
Where is this book going and why is it going there? Far to out in left field for me to catch the point, the themes, or the moral of this story.
Where is this book going and why is it going there? Far to out in left field for me to catch the point, the themes, or the moral of this story.
May 7, 2012
It is creepy and and funny and had me on the edge of my deck chair. The one liners were positively brilliant (My mother is a nurse and my father is an asshole.) And even a week later I can't stop thinking about the book. It's part coming of age, part psychological thriller, part mystery. Zimmerman nails Lynn's voice. The writing is spot on, the pacing quick, and the teen appeal runs rampant. The chapters are short and will keep the reader turning pages to find out how the stories will unfold. I've never read anything like this.
February 5, 2013
The best word I can use for this book was "intense". The whole time you just know everything is simmering and nothing can end well. For the most part I thought the voice was good but there were some instances where it rang a bit false. Not sure who I would recommend this too, as some of the content is really dark/disturbing, and I LIKE dark/disturbing books.
April 15, 2012
One of the strangest, creepiest books I've ever read...
Caring is Creepy is spine-tingling, horrifying, and truly bizarre.
The story is that Lynn meets some soldier online (I think) and, when he runs away from the army, she decides to keep him trapped in her room. She decides that she will control him because she can't control anything else in her life. And so begins this creepy tale...
Lynn was truly off her rocker. She is INSANE. It was the creepiest thing ever. The way she manipulated Logan to keep him trapped was...bizarre.
Logan was more likable. He was really the victim of Lynn's insanity, though he wasn't blameless. The man was 25 and he was hooking up with a 15 year old insane girl. That was hard to swallow.
The entire story feels like a horror movie. The ending was really strange. But then, the entire story is. This wasn't really my kind of book. As much as I like creepy, I like to have happy in the mix. This book is completely devoid of happiness.
I would only recommend this if you like books that seem like a psychological thriller. If it isn't your kind of thing, stay far away from this because I can guarantee you won't like it.
2/5
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy.
Caring is Creepy is spine-tingling, horrifying, and truly bizarre.
The story is that Lynn meets some soldier online (I think) and, when he runs away from the army, she decides to keep him trapped in her room. She decides that she will control him because she can't control anything else in her life. And so begins this creepy tale...
Lynn was truly off her rocker. She is INSANE. It was the creepiest thing ever. The way she manipulated Logan to keep him trapped was...bizarre.
Logan was more likable. He was really the victim of Lynn's insanity, though he wasn't blameless. The man was 25 and he was hooking up with a 15 year old insane girl. That was hard to swallow.
The entire story feels like a horror movie. The ending was really strange. But then, the entire story is. This wasn't really my kind of book. As much as I like creepy, I like to have happy in the mix. This book is completely devoid of happiness.
I would only recommend this if you like books that seem like a psychological thriller. If it isn't your kind of thing, stay far away from this because I can guarantee you won't like it.
2/5
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy.
August 20, 2013
The main character, Lynn Marie, is a teenager in 2005 when she and her best friend start exploring the internet. At first they play a cruel game of messing with random people, but soon she meets Logan Loy, a young person in the military, and they become friends. Eventually they even meet and go on a date and things go great. Until he decides to leave the army without telling anyone, effectively going AWOL, and hide in the small room behind Lynn's closet. She helps hide him from her mom and her mom's boyfriend who may or may not be involved in selling and using drugs. She quickly goes from caring deeply about Logan to creepily being controlling of him and his life in her closet.
I really enjoyed this book because it was so different from most things I usually read. The characters seemed to make sense and all their actions were relatively reasonable based on the characterization of them. I actually was able to get emotional along with the book, which almost never happens for me. It only took a few days to read because I read it every moment I could. The only negative thing I have to say is that if you haven't heard the song "Caring is Creepy" a lot of times you might get lost. I did.
I really enjoyed this book because it was so different from most things I usually read. The characters seemed to make sense and all their actions were relatively reasonable based on the characterization of them. I actually was able to get emotional along with the book, which almost never happens for me. It only took a few days to read because I read it every moment I could. The only negative thing I have to say is that if you haven't heard the song "Caring is Creepy" a lot of times you might get lost. I did.
April 15, 2012
This was an interesting little psychological suspense story. It begins with some teenage girls getting into some ill-advised hijinks – emailing and playing little mind games with older men they meet online. The lure of the whole thing is to pretend to be someone you are not, except that Lynn (our main character) gives one young (older) man her real information. He’s 24, and a soldier, and the interaction with her pushes him in some way past a line; he goes AWOL from his post and begins hiding out in Lynn’s house. Oh, the things that go on after this!; the balance of power shifts in some very disturbing ways – the soldier (who is beyond question a statutory rapist) somehow loses his advantage, and is held hostage, naked, in the small, hot attic adjacent to Lynn’s bedroom.
It’s a sad little rather dreadful story, so if you like that sort of thing (and I do!), I certainly recommend.
It’s a sad little rather dreadful story, so if you like that sort of thing (and I do!), I certainly recommend.
May 28, 2012
The girl likes talking to strangers. She likes lying. She is most likely an alcoholic .she likes t meet up with a stranger she meet online in a isolated place. Then she likes to get drunk with the stranger. Locks him in her closet steals his clothes. Stranger appear at her house and she dose not bother to call the police or her mom. She actually believes her moms boyfriend sells dog tranqulizers. She I just stupid. And the back cover of the book pretty much told you 90% of the book.
couldnt-get-into
November 25, 2020badly written. I used to be able to rely on the Alex Awards for good books, but if this is their direction, I will, as I've done with the Pulitzers, ignore everything they say from now on. I bailed when nothing had happened and I was getting a headache from the bad writing.
June 23, 2019
I didn't even look into this book before I read it, I just liked the cover and the title so I went for it.
It started a little slow and I really thought I knew where it was going to go but I was oh so wrong... for that alone it gets some points! There were parts that were slow and characters and side stories I didn't much care for but overall it was a decent read and different enough that it will stand out in my mind. Definitely not the review I thought I would be giving when I started the book.
Good Read!
It started a little slow and I really thought I knew where it was going to go but I was oh so wrong... for that alone it gets some points! There were parts that were slow and characters and side stories I didn't much care for but overall it was a decent read and different enough that it will stand out in my mind. Definitely not the review I thought I would be giving when I started the book.
Good Read!
July 2, 2016
Im giving this book 3 stars because it did keep me entertained. I was reading this book about 50 pages at a time. I will say, i could not STAND Lynn at all! The fact she kept a AWOL soldier locked in her secret cellar room connected to hers for her own amusement and pleasure is ridiculous. This little girl is a teenager. Do you think any man with sense is going to let some throwed off, off the wall, naïve, stupid little girl keep him locked prisoner in her little secret hide away for days on end? First time the bitch would have tried to lock me in, i would have overpowered her and got the hell out of dodge. I dont think any young teenage girl mind works like the way her does in this book. She tried to play the adult card WAYY too much, and at times i wanted to slap the ever living shit out of her. The fact she took advantage and manipulated this grown ass man to stay in her stank cellar room beats me. I didnt like how she teased hayes. I didnt like how she acted like she was crazy, but when a big bad wolf squeezes her shoulder and backhands her, she acts like shes dying. I couldnt stand her the most. Her locking that poor guy up for her own twisted reasons pissed me off. Some little girl dictating when i can come out, use the bathroom, take a shower, ect. Lynn needs her ass beat again and again for what she did to Logan. Its her fault Logan died. He lost his mind in that cellar, and she lived to Tell the story. Bullshit. She should have died. Her mother reminded me of mine. My mama worked at the county jail, and got fired for having a relationship with an inmate. I never had a father neither. My mother is also a nurse. Yet another coinsidence. For those reasons, this book WAS creepy. I felt bad for logan. Hayes died and deserved it. Junkie ass. Hopefully butthead will come back and kill Lynn. The dogs should have ate her alive. I would have given the book a higher rating, because i love Twisted books, but i hated the character Lynn so much, that i just couldnt let myself give 4 stars. Two seperate stories intertwined into one. Marty was an asshat. Travis was an asshat. Lynns mother was an asshat. Hayes was an asshat. and Lynn was the biggest asshat of them all. The only character i liked was Logan. Poor man lost his mind in there an couldnt even take a shower without piss poor of an excuse Lynn comes to wash him with two bowls of soap and water. Absolute Ridiculousness. This book was unique. I dont read a book like this everyday, so i did like the fact it thoroughly entertained me. I just couldnt get over the beggining. Two little girls playing with fire. Dani was a little foul mouthed bitch too, and i didnt like her either. 3 stars for the entertainment, 0 stars for the characters. Would i recommend? Only to the right person who likes twisted shit like i do.
July 25, 2013
This is quite a creepy book. Some reviewers list is as young adult, but I don't think it is. Not at all. Some pages made my skin crawl.
Fifteen-year-old Lynn Marie is going though a difficult summer. Her mother is almost never around because she works long hours as a nurse; her mother's boyfriends seems involved in some drug-dealing business; and her best friend just got an Internet connection. Together, the two girls build different fake personas to chat with men and "mess with their heads". Until, one day, Lynn tells her real name to a guy named Logan.
Logan is a 25-year-old soldier serving at a nearby base. He has been in Afghanistan and suffers from PTSD, although we learn it only later. He and Lynn arrange to meet. Then he decides to run away from the army and hide in Lynn's closet. Things just go downhill from there. Soon, Lynn is holding Logan prisoner. Plus, the local drug lords are targeting Lynn and her mother.
This is a very creepy book, and the plot developed in a way I would've never imagined. As soon as Logan was introduced, my brain started to scream, "Statutory rape!", but between Logan and Lynn I'd say Lynn has the upper hand. And not only because he's delirious and hiding naked in a closet. As soon as Lynn made the Summer of My German Soldier reference, I knew things weren't going to end well for Logan. I can't remember the book very well, but I do recall there is no happy ending.
Still, I'd have to argue on Lynn's sanity. Is she crazy? Meeting a strange man for the first time in a hidden place, and going with him on a ride on his car? Taking him into his house? Keeping him prisoner? And yeah, when a strange man with bad intentions comes to her house, why doesn't she call the police immediately? Or even her mum?
I don't know if I enjoyed this book. I'm not sure. Half of the time I felt my skin crawling. If you like that and want to be surprised, this book is for you.
Cover attraction: I like it. It's creepy, like the book. Job well done.
Fifteen-year-old Lynn Marie is going though a difficult summer. Her mother is almost never around because she works long hours as a nurse; her mother's boyfriends seems involved in some drug-dealing business; and her best friend just got an Internet connection. Together, the two girls build different fake personas to chat with men and "mess with their heads". Until, one day, Lynn tells her real name to a guy named Logan.
Logan is a 25-year-old soldier serving at a nearby base. He has been in Afghanistan and suffers from PTSD, although we learn it only later. He and Lynn arrange to meet. Then he decides to run away from the army and hide in Lynn's closet. Things just go downhill from there. Soon, Lynn is holding Logan prisoner. Plus, the local drug lords are targeting Lynn and her mother.
This is a very creepy book, and the plot developed in a way I would've never imagined. As soon as Logan was introduced, my brain started to scream, "Statutory rape!", but between Logan and Lynn I'd say Lynn has the upper hand. And not only because he's delirious and hiding naked in a closet. As soon as Lynn made the Summer of My German Soldier reference, I knew things weren't going to end well for Logan. I can't remember the book very well, but I do recall there is no happy ending.
Still, I'd have to argue on Lynn's sanity. Is she crazy? Meeting a strange man for the first time in a hidden place, and going with him on a ride on his car? Taking him into his house? Keeping him prisoner? And yeah, when a strange man with bad intentions comes to her house, why doesn't she call the police immediately? Or even her mum?
I don't know if I enjoyed this book. I'm not sure. Half of the time I felt my skin crawling. If you like that and want to be surprised, this book is for you.
Cover attraction: I like it. It's creepy, like the book. Job well done.
January 28, 2013
This was an interesting book. It's a strong, gritty portrait of the life of one girl who has few friends, no father and an absent mother who dates all the wrong men. It's set in a small town, and the strong voice and setting Zimmerman develops really made me feel like I was there, too, and I wanted out. I liked how steeped I felt into the main character's mind (I can only remember her being called "Flipper"), not that it was an especially pretty or enlightened place. It felt real. I also like the creeping sense of menace that starts pretty much from the get-go. I was less interested in the story of than I was about the story of the girl and her "soldier". Every character is flawed, and it's interesting and horrifying to see how the main character's "caring" really does become quite creepy, as well as the slow twisting of the relationships between most of the characters.
Pacing gradual build of suspense
Characterization colorful, well-developed, well-drawn
Frame small-town, contemporary, realistic
story line open and closed ending
tone menacing, gritty
writing style conversational
red flags language, underage sex somewhat graphically described, LGBT slurs (not portrayed admirably), violence, murder, drugs, underage smoking and drinking.
Pacing gradual build of suspense
Characterization colorful, well-developed, well-drawn
Frame small-town, contemporary, realistic
story line open and closed ending
tone menacing, gritty
writing style conversational
red flags language, underage sex somewhat graphically described, LGBT slurs (not portrayed admirably), violence, murder, drugs, underage smoking and drinking.
August 20, 2013
Caring is Creepy is a first person reflective narrative of a teenage girl, Lynn. Lynn is a high schooler living in a small town in Georgia in the early 2000s. Her best friend gets a computer for her birthday and they begin to play games by chatting up strangers. Lynn gets close to Logan, a boy in his twenties staying at a nearby army base. The plot follows Lynn's delusional love with Logan and messy family issues. A major theme in the book is manipulation. Lynn continuously manipulates Logan throughout the book to keep him in her care. She also manipulated her own perspective, constantly convincing herself that what she is in some light, just.
I thought the difficulty level of this book wasn't very high. It was a fast read and didn't take much analytic thinking to comprehend the character motives. I personally didn't enjoy the plot development because it felt as if everything crashed too hard towards the end of the book. I also just don't like Lynn as a character. Zimmerman did a good job portraying a teenage girl with emotional and psychological problems, however the character herself was not likable. The book was nothing like I expected but not in a good way. It did make me think more about how the online world connects people and therefore produce a positive affect of making me aware of a new issue that has risen because of the internet. However, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, adult or teenager.
I thought the difficulty level of this book wasn't very high. It was a fast read and didn't take much analytic thinking to comprehend the character motives. I personally didn't enjoy the plot development because it felt as if everything crashed too hard towards the end of the book. I also just don't like Lynn as a character. Zimmerman did a good job portraying a teenage girl with emotional and psychological problems, however the character herself was not likable. The book was nothing like I expected but not in a good way. It did make me think more about how the online world connects people and therefore produce a positive affect of making me aware of a new issue that has risen because of the internet. However, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, adult or teenager.
January 23, 2019
“Meh,” is a good summary for this one. And I must admit when I picked it up from the library I was deliberately looking for lighter reading after finishing Ali Smith. But this old brain of mine just kept ticking over how Zimmerman could portray his female lead so two-dimensionally.
First of all, Lyn (a 15 year old girl) ain’t scared of anything. She isn’t scared of her (largely absent and horrible-at-parenting, I mean seriously, there’s even a chapter entitled “Shitty Mothers” and yet, little to no criticism of the absent father?) mother’s drug-fuelled boyfriend (Hayes). Nor is she scared to host a 25-year old Iraq vet in the back of her closet. This is where I’m like, hold up. So this 25 year old ends up statutorily raping her, but the (male) author completely framed it as though Lyn (the 15 year old girl) is psychologically torturing him and has close to complete control of the entire situation (think, Hard Candy, except we are asked to sympathise with the rapist because he’s hiding naked in a dirty closet and suffers from PTSD?). I think we’re supposed to see Lyn as naive and stupid in these moments while simultaneously holding her accountable for being taken advantage of.
Now, without saying the obvious, this is a huge insult to the female psyche. And it made me remember why I mainly stick to female authors these days.
The action is pretty intense in the final chapters of this book. So there’s its one compliment.
First of all, Lyn (a 15 year old girl) ain’t scared of anything. She isn’t scared of her (largely absent and horrible-at-parenting, I mean seriously, there’s even a chapter entitled “Shitty Mothers” and yet, little to no criticism of the absent father?) mother’s drug-fuelled boyfriend (Hayes). Nor is she scared to host a 25-year old Iraq vet in the back of her closet. This is where I’m like, hold up. So this 25 year old ends up statutorily raping her, but the (male) author completely framed it as though Lyn (the 15 year old girl) is psychologically torturing him and has close to complete control of the entire situation (think, Hard Candy, except we are asked to sympathise with the rapist because he’s hiding naked in a dirty closet and suffers from PTSD?). I think we’re supposed to see Lyn as naive and stupid in these moments while simultaneously holding her accountable for being taken advantage of.
Now, without saying the obvious, this is a huge insult to the female psyche. And it made me remember why I mainly stick to female authors these days.
The action is pretty intense in the final chapters of this book. So there’s its one compliment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2012
I was tossing and turning trying to finish this book, It was so real and honestly scary that I felt it got into my brain! Really that is pry a sign of a very good author. But all I could feel reading this book was sadness. I started out with sadness for the relationship Lynn had with her mother, then the add in of the druggy boyfriend of her mothers. The uncertainty of her mothers role in the current issues! When Lynn met Logan I felt like I'd soon be reading a fairy tale ending. How far from that thought was I? OH Man! The character of Logan was an interesting one and the ways that Lynn interacted and in a sense controlled him were not what I was expecting but I found them interesting to read. Dani as Lynn's good friend I thought was sort of dropped from the story but for one or two small tie ins. I would have appreciated to see more of her and more of that relationship. I am not a true fan of bombs that drop at the tail end of a book, so I think that may have made me frustrated with the ending. All in all it was a interesting read and for someone who loves a little mystery it is pry a top notch book. I am glad I stuck it out and finished the book, while a bit out of my comfort level it was a good story and one that could be happening right next door to you!
September 8, 2013
This book is creepy! Lynn Marie and her friend Dani start playing "the Game", where they pretend to be someone else online and see what reactions they get. One day when Dani is out of the room, Lynn Marie breaks the rules of the game and uses her real name to communicate with a guy they meet online. Lynn Marie and Logan start talking on the phone, and as things progress 25 year old Logan proposes to come meet 15 year old Lynn Marie so that they can get to know each other. It turns out that while Logan seems like he might have poor judgement, Lynn Marie is really the creepy one. Complications include Lynn Marie's mother's involvement with a drug addict who is getting into big trouble with some local dealers. The chapters are short and tantalizing. The action, while cumulatively far-fetched, is riveting. The story is written as almost stream of consciousness 15 year old girl, so is authentic and well done. The one thing that bothered me, and this I assume was a stylistic choice to go with the local dialect, was the use of the word "of" rather than "have", e.g. he would of gone, she would of said that, etc. Overall, a well done very creepy story. Gr. 8+ Drugs, sex, alchohol abuse.
July 11, 2014
I like strange, bizarre, creepy tales but this book just didn't do it for me. From the first chapter, I just didn't like Lynn. Something seemed off about her and boy was there ever something off about her. Lynn is not a likable character at all and when she basically locks Logan in her closet for days, I just couldn't believe it. First of all he's 25 and she's 15, how can she trap him anyway. Really? It was just too unrealistic. And he's going bat-shit crazy and yet at the conclusion he acts almost perfectly normal. It just didn't jive.
The two story lines - Lynn/Logan and her mother's boyfriend Hayes whole drug deal gone bad - eventually come together but with a wholly unsatisfying conclusion. Again just unrealistic and too far fetched.
The only suspense was whether Lynn's mother was going to find Logan in her closet. So not suspenseful at all. This is not an author I would read again.
The two story lines - Lynn/Logan and her mother's boyfriend Hayes whole drug deal gone bad - eventually come together but with a wholly unsatisfying conclusion. Again just unrealistic and too far fetched.
The only suspense was whether Lynn's mother was going to find Logan in her closet. So not suspenseful at all. This is not an author I would read again.
October 19, 2013
I don't know what to make of this book. It was odd, for sure. Lynne is a strange 15 year old. She describes how she's feeling but, seems devoid of emotion. A lot of the things in the book were unrealistic. So, Lynne and her friend Dani go to online dating sites to "mess with people" (really to mess with men, obviously). Her friend Dani was annoying and dramatic. Then she meets Logan. He's a 25 year old soldier stationed nearby. Logan goes AWOL right around the time Lynne's mothers boyfriend Hayes gets in a lot of trouble trying to double cross some associates. As the violence escalates, Logan (who is being held captive by Lynn in a small, hot, crawlspace) starts to go slowly crazy. The fact that statutory rape was involved... Or rather the fact that statutory rape was involved and no one seemed concerned bothered me too. The ending was crazy. Depending on what you are looking for, I wouldn't say avoid it. Just be prepared to suspend disbelief at certain points.
February 28, 2013
2013 Alex Award Winner!
This is book is creepy on so many levels. It's not a joy to read--you'll be glad when it's over!
Lynn and Dani are two teen girls with too much time on their hands. They are poster children for child molesters--spend unsupervised time online, have access to webcams, drink underage, and are just surrounded by people who don't care too much about them. When Lynn meets a 25-year-old man online, they two agree to meet, and, of course, get along. I kept waiting for him to molest/steal/rape her, but it didn't happen. I can't exactly tell you what happens, but let's just say it's twisted and leave it at that. Seriously twisted.
I totally understand why this won an Alex Award--loads of teen appeal, a paperback original, and teen characters who need help. Give this to fans of Gail Giles and other twisted dark realistic tales.
This is book is creepy on so many levels. It's not a joy to read--you'll be glad when it's over!
Lynn and Dani are two teen girls with too much time on their hands. They are poster children for child molesters--spend unsupervised time online, have access to webcams, drink underage, and are just surrounded by people who don't care too much about them. When Lynn meets a 25-year-old man online, they two agree to meet, and, of course, get along. I kept waiting for him to molest/steal/rape her, but it didn't happen. I can't exactly tell you what happens, but let's just say it's twisted and leave it at that. Seriously twisted.
I totally understand why this won an Alex Award--loads of teen appeal, a paperback original, and teen characters who need help. Give this to fans of Gail Giles and other twisted dark realistic tales.
March 9, 2013
Creepy is the right word for this book. When you meet the two teen girls and learn what they are doing, you are expect the story to be a moral tale of "don't meet strangers from the internet", but the author takes the story in a completely different - and creepy - direction. Dysfunctional families, drugs, teen girls and their curiosity, stranger danger (but who's the real stranger here?!), and villains who mean business. You will wonder what makes the characters do what they do long after you finish this story.
June 12, 2012
The main teen character Lynn was pretty unbelievable at times, thus dragging the rating down to a 2 star ranking. She did some things I just didn't truly believe "fit" with the way her character was drawn. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to anyone to read. It got a good review in Booklist, so I'd figured it was worth a shot.
March 10, 2013
2 bored teen girls w too much time on their hands, some stolen beer and a new computer. They never imagined that "The Game" they play online could ever end the way it does. Intense and wacked, this story makes you cringe and shutter.
May 7, 2013
What an odd story. It starts out simply enough, then it morphs into a suspenseful, and very violent story that has a very strange ending. I don't know if I liked it, but it was certainly intriguing.
February 2, 2016
“What a fabulously creepy novel. It moved along quickly right from the beginning with two stories that you just knew were going to end up intertwining. Stark imagery and nicely placed (albeit very bloody) touches of gruesomeness throughout.
December 4, 2023
I would say this book is best suitable for people who like suspense and, fairly intense (but confusing) stories. When you think you understand the character and infer, you disappoint yourself when you see Lynn does another, you even feel sympathy and sorriness for some of the characters. I thought this book was a new genre for me to explore, and it was quite the book. I know I learned lots from this, but based on your point of view it could change. Most reviews I looked at didn't like the book and thought it was very creepy, though, if you are up for a creepy perspective, go ahead, don't blame me if you feel sorry.
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12/3/2023
all i remember from this book was that there was a f*cked up main character who probably needed a visit to a mental health professional. she was way too young to mess with random guys on the internet and once she did meet that guy in person, she still didn't realize that she was def heading down the WRONG path and proceeded to use him for her own needs. she hid this poor guy in her closet-basement and hid things from her mom and best friend, who honestly didnt seem to care abt her very much. her mother and her stupid boyfriend cause some thugs to keep visiting their house and its pretty f*cked up that this teenage girl thinks trapping a guy in her house is some romantic fantasy. honestly not sure why i gave this a 4 star review when i read it but i pretty much did that to everything at the time so not surprised. as long as ur not stupid or crazy, this book will just be a very...interesting read. it was, just like the title, very creepy. plan to reread this sometime and see if i remember it to be as baffling as it was.
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12/3/2023
all i remember from this book was that there was a f*cked up main character who probably needed a visit to a mental health professional. she was way too young to mess with random guys on the internet and once she did meet that guy in person, she still didn't realize that she was def heading down the WRONG path and proceeded to use him for her own needs. she hid this poor guy in her closet-basement and hid things from her mom and best friend, who honestly didnt seem to care abt her very much. her mother and her stupid boyfriend cause some thugs to keep visiting their house and its pretty f*cked up that this teenage girl thinks trapping a guy in her house is some romantic fantasy. honestly not sure why i gave this a 4 star review when i read it but i pretty much did that to everything at the time so not surprised. as long as ur not stupid or crazy, this book will just be a very...interesting read. it was, just like the title, very creepy. plan to reread this sometime and see if i remember it to be as baffling as it was.
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