dievalzam's review against another edition
4.0
It was more like a 3.8
I don't know how i feel about the main character, i really like the plot, The plot was the best part of this book. Reading from the perspective of a Bully is different, and it made me look for her reasons. And just i want to add that you cannot combat bullying with bullying.
I don't know how i feel about the main character, i really like the plot, The plot was the best part of this book. Reading from the perspective of a Bully is different, and it made me look for her reasons. And just i want to add that you cannot combat bullying with bullying.
mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars.
This was a marvellous, interesting, great book, and I am glad I was able to read it.
Tori at first I liked her, but as soon as I knew what she had done, the betrayal, the mean girl attitude, I started hating her. Especially since it seems she had absolutely no clue what she did wrong. In her eyes, she was innocent and she didn't feel like she didn't have anything to do with what happened to a friend. How dumb can you be girl? Did you even see what you wrote? Did you even see how your friend reacted to those? Didn't you see him ask you to stop. I can imagine you wanted friends, popularity and more, but this isn't the way. You can't just bully someone into death, and then expect to just frolic through life like nothing happened. Sure you didn't hang the rope around his neck, you didn't throw him of the balcony, BUT you were a cause, you were one of the reason he killed himself, and you will have to see that. I also was shaking my head when the big revelation happened and Tori was totally oblivious as to what happened.
I really liked how Tori was thrown head first in a request made by a caller. To give him a reason to live. What follows is a very interesting conversation, though I had times I was just annoyed at the caller. I found him rude, mean and I was wondering why and how. Luckily the explanation at the end was good, and it made for a nice twist in the end.
I liked that we had those facebook/internet posts, were we can clearly see what happened and what Tori did.
Now that twist at the ending? I loved it. It was awesome and while I could have seen it coming, it was still a surprise.
Now the reason why this isn't a 5 star? Because of the ending, we never ever find out what happens to Tori. Did she get found guilty? Innocent? Did she ever go back to school? What happened there? So many questions, and so little answers. So -0.5 star for that.
All in all though, this book is pretty good, though you might be annoyed with Tori's attitude at times.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
This was a marvellous, interesting, great book, and I am glad I was able to read it.
Tori at first I liked her, but as soon as I knew what she had done, the betrayal, the mean girl attitude, I started hating her. Especially since it seems she had absolutely no clue what she did wrong. In her eyes, she was innocent and she didn't feel like she didn't have anything to do with what happened to a friend. How dumb can you be girl? Did you even see what you wrote? Did you even see how your friend reacted to those? Didn't you see him ask you to stop. I can imagine you wanted friends, popularity and more, but this isn't the way. You can't just bully someone into death, and then expect to just frolic through life like nothing happened. Sure you didn't hang the rope around his neck, you didn't throw him of the balcony, BUT you were a cause, you were one of the reason he killed himself, and you will have to see that. I also was shaking my head when the big revelation happened and Tori was totally oblivious as to what happened.
I really liked how Tori was thrown head first in a request made by a caller. To give him a reason to live. What follows is a very interesting conversation, though I had times I was just annoyed at the caller. I found him rude, mean and I was wondering why and how. Luckily the explanation at the end was good, and it made for a nice twist in the end.
I liked that we had those facebook/internet posts, were we can clearly see what happened and what Tori did.
Now that twist at the ending? I loved it. It was awesome and while I could have seen it coming, it was still a surprise.
Now the reason why this isn't a 5 star? Because of the ending, we never ever find out what happens to Tori. Did she get found guilty? Innocent? Did she ever go back to school? What happened there? So many questions, and so little answers. So -0.5 star for that.
All in all though, this book is pretty good, though you might be annoyed with Tori's attitude at times.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
surpriseitem's review against another edition
3.0
This was... not great. And it wasn't memorably bad either. I read it in one sitting, put it right back on the shelf, and never thought about it again. It's been collecting dust, and I'll probably donate it to the library in a few weeks. I got the chance to meet Tom Leveen, so I was really excited to read some of his work. Unfortunately, this just wasn't the book for me.
sc104906's review against another edition
4.0
Tori was your typical popular athletic girl, but now she is on trial for killing one of her classmates. This classmate committed suicide because Tori and her friends constantly bullied and cyberbullied him. Tori firmly stands by the fact that her classmate's death is in no way her fault. Until, the night before her trial, receives a phone call from a random caller. The person on the other end is contemplating suicide and Tori is the only thing between his life and death. This interaction forces Tori to take a hard look at her past actions.
This is an interesting portrayal of a bullying from the bully' viewpoint. This wasn't my favorite of the genre, but it is a pretty standard example of a bully's book. Tori is dense to the point of being ridiculous, but the other characters help.
This is an interesting portrayal of a bullying from the bully' viewpoint. This wasn't my favorite of the genre, but it is a pretty standard example of a bully's book. Tori is dense to the point of being ridiculous, but the other characters help.
adventuresbetweenpages's review against another edition
5.0
Blog review to come but a very important story to read. Specially for kids and bullies
tabatha_shipley's review against another edition
5.0
Tom Leveen has done it again. His books are emotional and raw, in a good way. This book will grab you and keep you engrossed from the first page until the last. Highly, Highly Recommended.
Note for the parents/teachers out there: This book deals with suicide, suicidal thoughts, and bullying. I'd keep this one out of elementary schools but high schools are fine. If your personal children are in middle school it's your call but I'd be ready to have some real conversations with middle school readers.
Note for the parents/teachers out there: This book deals with suicide, suicidal thoughts, and bullying. I'd keep this one out of elementary schools but high schools are fine. If your personal children are in middle school it's your call but I'd be ready to have some real conversations with middle school readers.
muniemoe's review against another edition
4.0
My thoughts about this...
The main character try to emphasize that she is not a bully. But after all the conversation and the screenshots. I believe that she created a bullying 'environment' and she is the bully herself.She did not try to stand up or stop all the bullying for a friend that she know for quite long. And what makes it more sad is, she takes everything as a jokes as her life is going well.
The author might want us to see from the main character point of view and want us to be in her shoes. The end is kind of shocking as she discovered unexpected things about everything. Still, I believe she only feel the remorse because she got caught.
This book giving a perspectives of how bullying especially cyber bullying affects some people. And how sometimes people did not realized how their actions can drive people to do unthinkable things.
The main character try to emphasize that she is not a bully. But after all the conversation and the screenshots. I believe that she created a bullying 'environment' and she is the bully herself.She did not try to stand up or stop all the bullying for a friend that she know for quite long. And what makes it more sad is, she takes everything as a jokes as her life is going well.
The author might want us to see from the main character point of view and want us to be in her shoes. The end is kind of shocking as she discovered unexpected things about everything. Still, I believe she only feel the remorse because she got caught.
This book giving a perspectives of how bullying especially cyber bullying affects some people. And how sometimes people did not realized how their actions can drive people to do unthinkable things.
nrdespain's review against another edition
3.0
Having depression and having been a victim of bullying even until recently, I appreciated the theme in this book and the message shared.
Did I like the main character? No. Did I hate her? No. She was weak and got wrapped up in the bullying. But that doesn't make her innocent. And I was glad that was discussed.
Did I like the main character? No. Did I hate her? No. She was weak and got wrapped up in the bullying. But that doesn't make her innocent. And I was glad that was discussed.
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
4.0
Finished reading: March 30th 2016
“'Because that's what being dead means,' Andy says. 'It's the zenit of 'never'. Never again, never this, never that. You don't come back from never. You can't enjoy never. You just sit there, not existing, not listening to your favorite songs or eating you favorite foods. Never.'”
Spoiler
I've read a few good books about teen suicide and (cyber)bullying in the past (including Tease, Thirteen Reasons Why and Nothing Everything Nothing), so when I first read the blurb of this novel I was immediately interested. Unfortunately cyberbullying is becoming a more urgent problem every day with the internet-focused society we are living in today. Tom Leveen did an excellent job in showing us how something seemingly 'innocent' as a few harsh Facebook comments can make someone vulnerable make the decision to end it all. The main character Tori is the perfect example of someone who didn't see the consequences of her comments, and still thinks she didn't do anything wrong. The random call and the way she is forced to think about suicide and how she might have played a role in the death of the very person that used to be her friend make this read into something truly intriguing. Random has a fast pace, is easy to read and has just enough plot twists to keep you surprised until the end. The characters might not be completely likeable, but they do feel real and show us what can happen if cyberbullying isn't taken seriously. Recommended!
Tori hasn't been herself lately ever since one of her former friends decided to end his life. Kevin and Tori used to be closer, but when Tori became friends with a bunch of popular people she started to act differently. Her new friends don't exactly treat Kevin the right way and slowly Tori starts to join them... And when her new friends start leaving harsh comments about everything Kevin writes on her Facebook page, she doesn't defend him. Feeling desperate to stay popular, she even writes a few nasty comments of her own. Now Tori's Facebook page is evidence in an upcoming trail with national coverage that wants to convict her group for cyberbullying and being the direct cause of Kevin's suicide... Tori doesn't believe she is guilty, but is forced to rethink what happened to him when she receives a random phone call. What seems to be a wrong number turns to be a guy her age that asks her for only one thing: a reason not to kill himself. Tori first thinks he is a fraud, but can she really take the risk and have another possible suicide on her conscience?
Random is a well written and fast-paced read about a subject that is becoming more and more important as the influence of the internet grows. Cyberbullying is probably more common than the 'old-fashioned' bullying known ten years ago, and it is important that the consequences are revealed to the bigger public. Tom Leveen did an excellent job by doing just that in his novel and make us think about how something simple as a few Facebook comments can have a huge impact on someone. I would definitely recommend reading this book if you are interested in the subject.
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
addyreadsitall's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to love this book, I really did. Honestly, I hated the protagonist until the last few pages. She’s a bully, but she can’t see that. She can’t see that she’s really done anything wrong until the very end of this book! Just because you didn’t hand someone the gun, buy someone the rope, or pour the pills down the throat of someone that takes their life doesn’t mean that you didn’t add to their pain. Don’t make excuses for your bullying, don’t sit idly by, don’t be like the main character in this book!