W R U Really? Excerpt

 

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.

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  Praise for the book: "Kelly's first novel is a suspenseful page-turner with multiple suspects, a little bit of romance, and a strong but not overbearing message." --Kirkus Reviews "Suspenseful novel that's guaranteed to give readers goosebumps--particularly as events heat up toward the end. A good choice for families to read together." --School Library Journal "Who R U Really? is a fantastically creepy book that is surprisingly realistic and totally engrossing.... Once I opened it, I couldn't close it. Who R U Really is a satisfyingly unique YA thriller that left me guessing up until almost the very last page.... This book is very realistic and I really enjoyed the writing style." --Tempest Books "Based on actual events, the story should be required reading for all teens." --VOYA Magazine

Excerpt

When Tim’s eyes, bluer than an Idaho sky, met mine, my mind turned to mush. He towered

above everyone else at the bus stop, and on this cold January morning he looked cuter than ever
with his bomber hat and rosy cheeks. He shoved his sidekick, Josh, jokingly, and a cloud of
white air escaped Tim’s mouth.
My best friend, Janie, whacked me on the hip. “Omigosh, Thea. Here they come. Smile.”
Her words bounced in rhythm with her black ringlets. She adjusted her new fluffy snow white
parka, and even though it had a hood, she would never smash her perfect curls simply to stay
warm. The crisp air made the tip of her nose red, but the rest of her face remained alabaster
white. We’d been best friends for years, and at fourteen, having a friend made the ninth grade
bearable.
Janie hoped Josh and Tim would ask us to the Winter Solstice dance, but I just hoped to
speak to Tim without sounding like a complete idiot. Tim walked in our direction with Josh right
on his heels. They stopped in front of us, and everyone else hovered to watch the show.
“Thea,” Tim said. I wanted to reply, but no words came.
Josh approached Janie, and I fidgeted with my favorite fuzzy pink scarf.
“Jan-eee,” Josh said, dragging out the last syllable of her name. He eyed her up and
down. “You look like a giant fat marshmallow.”  

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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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