Name: Friend Me
Rating: 4 (2 reviews)
ISBN: 9781338618099

Sheila M. Averbuch

Roisin turns to Hailey, her online friend, to escape the constant abuse from a school bully, but Roisin begins to suspect Hailey isn't who she claims she is.

Friend Me

SHEILA. AVERBUCH

What happens when an online friend becomes a real-life nightmare? Roisin hasn't made a single friend since moving from Ireland to Massachusetts. In fact, she is falling apart under constant abuse from a school bully, Zara. Zara torments Roisin in person and on social media. She makes Roisin the laughingstock of the whole school. Roisin feels utterly alone... until she bonds with Haley online. Finally there's someone who gets her. Haley is smart, strong, and shares anti-mean-girl memes that make Roisin laugh. Together, they are able to imagine what life could look like without Zara. Haley quickly becomes Roisin's lifeline. Then Zara has a painful accident, police investigate, and Roisin panics. Could her chats with Haley look incriminating? Roisin wants Haley to delete her copies of their messages, but when she tries to meet Haley in person, she can't find her anywhere. What's going on? Her best friend would never have lied to her, right? Or is Haley not who she says she is... With twists, turns, and lightning-fast pacing, this is a middle-grade thriller about bullying, revenge, and tech that young readers won't be able to put down.

Lynn Braden

Roisin is having trouble dealing with her new American school in Massachusetts. Customs are so much different from Ireland, especially in school where she is being bullied by another student named Zara. Instead of telling any of her teachers or her family, she confides in her new online friend named Haley. Haley couldn't be more sympathetic and makes Roisin feel better when she talks about being bullied herself. They begin to joke about what they would do to Zara if they could, some of which turns violent, but when Zara is actually in an accident, Roisin begins to question her relationship with Haley. After Roisin is invited by a friend to visit the same place where Haley lives, she decides that it is time to meet Haley face to face and straighten out a few things, but Haley is nowhere to be found.

Friend Me is a cautionary tale about misunderstandings, bullying, and technology. Roisin's experiences mirror those of many other middle school students in this country. However, in trying to combine themes, the plot becomes a mish-mash of ideas that never really gel. It is an interesting concept for a mystery and the ending is satisfying, but overall, it could have been executed in a much better way.

Friend Me

Reviews

Highlights