merlin_reads's review
4.0
Wow...this book really touched on some hard to read plot points.
Nets & Lies tells the story of two very different girls: Melanie Reeves and Jordan Solano. One makes a false accusation of rape against the basketball coach, the other was actually raped.
Melanie Reeves is varsity captain of her school's basketball team, and the star player. She has the perfect boyfriend (the coach's son) and pretty much the perfect life...until one day after practice, her virginity is taken from her by force from her coach.
Jordan Solano has a well-known reputation as a bad girl. She lies, she ditches school, and she's having an affair with the coach of the basketball team. But when the coach suddenly breaks off their affair, she wants to hurt him, make him suffer for the heartbreak he caused her. So she cries rape.
One lie brings out the others truth in a this story about finding your voice through the darkness. I won't lie, the rape scene was extremely hard to read for me. The idea of someone in a position of power exerting force over someone else sickens me. And his response after realizing he had taken her virginity, "I just assumed you and Will had been together. I would have taken it slower if I'd know that."
WHAT THE HELL??
Sick. It just makes me sick.
I won't lie. I was extremely frustrated with Melanie for a majority of this book because of her refusal to tell the truth of what happened. I chalk it up the writing of the author for pulling such extreme reactions out of me. I felt horrible for Melanie, but also really wanted to shake some sense into her. Her internal fight over wanting to tell the truth but not wanting to hurt her family or her boyfriend and his family was very realistic.
I agree with some of the other reviews that I've read. This book kind of read like a Lifetime movie and at times was very predictable. I could have done without some of the later plots, Jordan's perfect guy suddenly showing up when she needed it and her epiphany about how her life was going nowhere was just a little too sappy, but I admired the author for showing some very realistic responses to the situation.
While this book is a work of fiction, this kind of behavior happens all the time and not all victims come forward. A very tough subject, but a good read.
Nets & Lies tells the story of two very different girls: Melanie Reeves and Jordan Solano. One makes a false accusation of rape against the basketball coach, the other was actually raped.
Melanie Reeves is varsity captain of her school's basketball team, and the star player. She has the perfect boyfriend (the coach's son) and pretty much the perfect life...until one day after practice, her virginity is taken from her by force from her coach.
Jordan Solano has a well-known reputation as a bad girl. She lies, she ditches school, and she's having an affair with the coach of the basketball team. But when the coach suddenly breaks off their affair, she wants to hurt him, make him suffer for the heartbreak he caused her. So she cries rape.
One lie brings out the others truth in a this story about finding your voice through the darkness. I won't lie, the rape scene was extremely hard to read for me. The idea of someone in a position of power exerting force over someone else sickens me. And his response after realizing he had taken her virginity, "I just assumed you and Will had been together. I would have taken it slower if I'd know that."
WHAT THE HELL??
Sick. It just makes me sick.
I won't lie. I was extremely frustrated with Melanie for a majority of this book because of her refusal to tell the truth of what happened. I chalk it up the writing of the author for pulling such extreme reactions out of me. I felt horrible for Melanie, but also really wanted to shake some sense into her. Her internal fight over wanting to tell the truth but not wanting to hurt her family or her boyfriend and his family was very realistic.
I agree with some of the other reviews that I've read. This book kind of read like a Lifetime movie and at times was very predictable. I could have done without some of the later plots, Jordan's perfect guy suddenly showing up when she needed it and her epiphany about how her life was going nowhere was just a little too sappy, but I admired the author for showing some very realistic responses to the situation.
While this book is a work of fiction, this kind of behavior happens all the time and not all victims come forward. A very tough subject, but a good read.
heidi_boyles's review
3.0
This was a quick read. I felt like there could have been so much more to the story. I would have liked to have been more invested in the story. Overall I enjoyed it, just wish it could have been longer.
thebooktrollop's review
4.0
The only two words that I can use to describe this book is:
Emotionally Heartfelt
Melanie is a typical high school student who is a star player on her basketball team along with her boyfriend Will. Mel's life was going great until something happens that ruins everything. She becomes stuck between doing the right thing and possibly ruining everything or keeping quiet and destroying her soul.
Her only saving grace is her boyfriend and she doesn't want to ruin their relationship but will he actually leave her after he finds out the truth about what Melanie is hiding?
Jordan is one of those promiscuous females that everyone likes to slander because of the way she acts and dresses. She is also having an affair with the coach of the girls basketball team but when he ends the relationship she decides to come up with a plan to destroy his career by claiming she was raped. Of course everyone calls her a liar because of the way she acts in general but what everyone doesn't know is that she told half truths.
Both girls have secrets, they both must decide on what to do with those secrets. They are both strong, likable characters that the readers can relate to and I like how the author gave us two separate POV's because it added strength to the story.
This story is full of inappropriate relationships, lies, cover-ups, redemption, forgiveness, truth, pain, love, and every other emotion you can imagine.
The only thing about this book that I did not like was that it could have been longer and some more details could have been added to make the story better but it was still a great story in general.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good tear-jerker and good story...
Emotionally Heartfelt
Melanie is a typical high school student who is a star player on her basketball team along with her boyfriend Will. Mel's life was going great until something happens that ruins everything. She becomes stuck between doing the right thing and possibly ruining everything or keeping quiet and destroying her soul.
Her only saving grace is her boyfriend and she doesn't want to ruin their relationship but will he actually leave her after he finds out the truth about what Melanie is hiding?
Jordan is one of those promiscuous females that everyone likes to slander because of the way she acts and dresses. She is also having an affair with the coach of the girls basketball team but when he ends the relationship she decides to come up with a plan to destroy his career by claiming she was raped. Of course everyone calls her a liar because of the way she acts in general but what everyone doesn't know is that she told half truths.
Both girls have secrets, they both must decide on what to do with those secrets. They are both strong, likable characters that the readers can relate to and I like how the author gave us two separate POV's because it added strength to the story.
This story is full of inappropriate relationships, lies, cover-ups, redemption, forgiveness, truth, pain, love, and every other emotion you can imagine.
The only thing about this book that I did not like was that it could have been longer and some more details could have been added to make the story better but it was still a great story in general.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good tear-jerker and good story...
femmefatale808's review
4.0
Can I just start this review by saying that I applaud the author for capturing the emotions surrounding Melanie's rape as realistically as possible? I've read so many books recently that simply skim over the rape and the subsequent aftermath/consequences. So again, I give her a standing ovation for actually dealing with it instead of shying away from it.
I'm just going to jump right into this. Melanie is your typical, well adjusted teenager. Well, she's not really the typical teenager seeing as though she is so well adjusted. We all know that most teenagers aren't. She's almost like a pod person: she doesn't get in trouble in school, she doesn't rebel against her parents, she doesn't even engage in sex. I'm not exaggerating that aspect either; she's literally Miss Picture Perfect. She has this picture perfect life chock filled with tons of friends and a boyfriend, Will. All of that changes when she has to stay behind at school one night, when
Since rape is and always will be a touchy subject, this part of the story can be a trigger for lots of people who have had the misfortune of being raped. I was raped, but the graphic details weren't as bad I initially imagined. Still, I'm glad the warning is present. While everyone copes and deals with rape differently, I don't think Melanie reacted any differently than anyone else. Melanie doesn't tell anyone after it happens and goes on with life as if nothing occurred. I will say this though: I don't understand how Melanie could continue to interact with Will knowing his father sexually assaulted her. I would imagine the connection would be too much and she wouldn't be able to stomach being around him. Her attempt at having sex with Will fails after she realizes nothing could change what happened to her. I personally identify with that, as well.
I didn't like Jordan's character, initially. I will admit that and I'm sure I'm not alone in that aspect. She was so open and nonchalant about things that would make most people cringe. She went through quite a bit of personal growth after everything happened; I can honestly admit to being proud of her by the end of the book. I will say I don't personally hold her responsible for her beliefs and lack of morality though. That was all her mother; I hate when parents take advantage of their position and abuse it. Jordan's mother was a snake in the grass; she taught Jordan the fine art of blackmailing and seduction. Never mind the fact that Jordan is still a minor and should be concentrating on graduating high school instead of trapping men.
It's not completely Jordan's fault that she evenhandedly wrecked a 'happy' home; Coach T is to blame as well and I will touch on that. Still, Jordan didn't have any guidance or positive role models in her life so I can't be too hard on her. Her metamorphosis just goes to show that people can be in control of their life, even if they have an overbearing presence (i.e parents or other authority figures) attempting to sway them otherwise.
Now, let's acknowledge the big bad wolf that is Coach T. He's your standard well-loved coach that has the entire town backing him up in the face of Jordan's accusations. While Jordan was lying about her own rape, he was still guilty of the crime. Coach T is the biggest piece of scum on the face of the Earth; thank God he is not actually a real person. Although his character can be the equivalent of the real-life Jerry Sandusky (I know he wasn't a coach, but still ..) , it's a good thing there aren't many people out there like him. What did disgust me was the fact that the whole town refused to believe Coach T could be guilty of something like this. This is eerily realistic; everyone knows prestigious individuals (be it celebrities or sports officials and/or players) can get away with murder if you let them. This man was a functioning member of society, all the while he was cheating on his wife by preying on underage minors. How can someone stoop so low? This man had to have had some serious mental issues. I do have an issue with the fact the author didn't delve any deeper into Coach T's subsequent punishment though but it didn't take anything away from my overall opinion.
I also disliked the fact that Will got angry at Melanie because she didn't want to come to the rally in support of his father. I understand you're suppose to support your significant other in all things, but Will had to know that there's just some things a person can't fully support. I know it's his father, but he should have saw the issue from Melanie's perspective. I know he wasn't aware of Melanie's rape, but her doubt in his father's innocence should have been enough for him. He made up for it in the end by standing by her after finding out the truth. So, I'll just chalk that up to a slight error in judgment.
All in all, this was great. How the author dealt with the rape issue is what propelled my rating. She didn't shy away from it and that was very noble. She did the issues in this book and aftermath of it justice.
I'm just going to jump right into this. Melanie is your typical, well adjusted teenager. Well, she's not really the typical teenager seeing as though she is so well adjusted. We all know that most teenagers aren't. She's almost like a pod person: she doesn't get in trouble in school, she doesn't rebel against her parents, she doesn't even engage in sex. I'm not exaggerating that aspect either; she's literally Miss Picture Perfect. She has this picture perfect life chock filled with tons of friends and a boyfriend, Will. All of that changes when she has to stay behind at school one night, when
Spoiler
Coach T violently rapes her.Since rape is and always will be a touchy subject, this part of the story can be a trigger for lots of people who have had the misfortune of being raped. I was raped, but the graphic details weren't as bad I initially imagined. Still, I'm glad the warning is present. While everyone copes and deals with rape differently, I don't think Melanie reacted any differently than anyone else. Melanie doesn't tell anyone after it happens and goes on with life as if nothing occurred. I will say this though: I don't understand how Melanie could continue to interact with Will knowing his father sexually assaulted her. I would imagine the connection would be too much and she wouldn't be able to stomach being around him. Her attempt at having sex with Will fails after she realizes nothing could change what happened to her. I personally identify with that, as well.
I didn't like Jordan's character, initially. I will admit that and I'm sure I'm not alone in that aspect. She was so open and nonchalant about things that would make most people cringe. She went through quite a bit of personal growth after everything happened; I can honestly admit to being proud of her by the end of the book. I will say I don't personally hold her responsible for her beliefs and lack of morality though. That was all her mother; I hate when parents take advantage of their position and abuse it. Jordan's mother was a snake in the grass; she taught Jordan the fine art of blackmailing and seduction. Never mind the fact that Jordan is still a minor and should be concentrating on graduating high school instead of trapping men.
It's not completely Jordan's fault that she evenhandedly wrecked a 'happy' home; Coach T is to blame as well and I will touch on that. Still, Jordan didn't have any guidance or positive role models in her life so I can't be too hard on her. Her metamorphosis just goes to show that people can be in control of their life, even if they have an overbearing presence (i.e parents or other authority figures) attempting to sway them otherwise.
Now, let's acknowledge the big bad wolf that is Coach T. He's your standard well-loved coach that has the entire town backing him up in the face of Jordan's accusations. While Jordan was lying about her own rape, he was still guilty of the crime. Coach T is the biggest piece of scum on the face of the Earth; thank God he is not actually a real person. Although his character can be the equivalent of the real-life Jerry Sandusky (I know he wasn't a coach, but still ..) , it's a good thing there aren't many people out there like him. What did disgust me was the fact that the whole town refused to believe Coach T could be guilty of something like this. This is eerily realistic; everyone knows prestigious individuals (be it celebrities or sports officials and/or players) can get away with murder if you let them. This man was a functioning member of society, all the while he was cheating on his wife by preying on underage minors. How can someone stoop so low? This man had to have had some serious mental issues. I do have an issue with the fact the author didn't delve any deeper into Coach T's subsequent punishment though but it didn't take anything away from my overall opinion.
I also disliked the fact that Will got angry at Melanie because she didn't want to come to the rally in support of his father. I understand you're suppose to support your significant other in all things, but Will had to know that there's just some things a person can't fully support. I know it's his father, but he should have saw the issue from Melanie's perspective. I know he wasn't aware of Melanie's rape, but her doubt in his father's innocence should have been enough for him. He made up for it in the end by standing by her after finding out the truth. So, I'll just chalk that up to a slight error in judgment.
All in all, this was great. How the author dealt with the rape issue is what propelled my rating. She didn't shy away from it and that was very noble. She did the issues in this book and aftermath of it justice.
sgarrett27's review
5.0
Wow...
This was one of the best books I've ever read. The story behind this book is so real that it totally keeps you enthralled throughout the story.
I seriously expected Will to be an ass and was very pleasantly surprised. Jordan's story really shocked me though! This is a seriously must-read. It's not your typical romance.
This was one of the best books I've ever read. The story behind this book is so real that it totally keeps you enthralled throughout the story.
I seriously expected Will to be an ass and was very pleasantly surprised. Jordan's story really shocked me though! This is a seriously must-read. It's not your typical romance.
justenjoy's review
4.0
This was such a heartfelt story and written in such a realistic way I got chocked up a few times. I think the author did a very good job at portraying both sides of the story. I would have liked to get a little glimpse into Coach Ts sick mind, but that wouldn’t have changed the story for me. I liked how it dealt with the ups and the downs of the situation, it didn’t sugar coat anything. The fact that there is a silver lining for both of the girls (and Will) is just such a huge plus for me and even though this book deals with such a heavy subject, it was handled in a very professional manner.
simplyy's review
5.0
This has been in my "To Read..." forever and I wish I had read it sooner!!!
First of all, Mel's boyfriend Will is absolutely perfect. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.
This story is heavy and sad but the ending makes everything better!
Loved it!
First of all, Mel's boyfriend Will is absolutely perfect. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.
This story is heavy and sad but the ending makes everything better!
Loved it!
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