There are books that
stay with you days, months and sometimes the rest of your life. I am a
vivacious reader and find that most times I remember the gist of a book, but
not always the minute details found within the numerous pages. With this being
said, I must say that NEED written by Joelle Charbonneau has seeped into the
very soul of my being. I will no longer consider the Internet a friendly
environment for anyone I even remotely care about. It is a scary void of
unknowns and can creep into the most innocent of lives.
A social media site has
entered into the lives of Wisconsin's Nottawa High School students. It is a
place where members invite members and NEEDs are obtained. It is a simple
website. It merely asks you what do you NEED? It defines needs versus wants. It
has clearly stated rules and regulations---this is the fine print with a large
box you check with your mouse before even reading the details because you just
want to move on to the next screen. We've all done it. Who reads the terms? Who
actually scrolls through all the legal jargon? No one--especially when you can
get a new Iphone, a laptop, or even a kidney. This is what Kaylee Dunham needs
for her brother to live--a new kidney.
This is Kaylee's story,
but is told from the perspective of multiple NHS students as they explain their
requirement and the justification behind what they are doing in order to get what they NEED. The uncomplicated NEED website spirals out of
control as the membership starts to decline, the NEEDs rise and the demands are
met. The website is clear in stating it is the decision of the person to accept
the fulfillment request--nothing is given for free. When Kaylee turns to the
authorities for guidance the site is conveniently down making her look the part
of the fool.
As innocent as this
website looks, the death toll starts to rise. Innocent lives are lost due to
the denial of the self proclaimed innocents. Over one winter break the lives of
the NHS students are shattered because of social media. The question Kaylee
must discover is who is behind NEED and what must she do in order to take it
down before it destroys more lives.
Full review can be seen at Booksandwhatnot.com
ISBN: 9780544416697
For Sale: Nov. 3, 2015
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