Sarah Darer Littman

This book was terrifying. I decided to start reading it before I had to head off to work and it was nearly impossible to pry myself away from it when it was time to go. I needed to know how Abby’s story ended.

Though I did feel some sympathy for her, I must say that I was more than a little put off by Abby at the beginning. It was frustrating to see her so down about every little thing. Yes, at her age everything seems to be the end of the world, but nothing seemed to be that horrible to show more me. Was it really surprising to her that her parents would be disappointed by her bad grades? Some of the pressure from them was unnecessary, sure, but really now. It was easier to empathize with her growing distance from her best friend, Faith, as well as her transition into high school. It became obvious that she wasn’t one for change and, as most of us know, high school can really shake things up a bit.

I can understand that Abby found a semblance of normalcy and stability with Luke but, for someone who apparently knew all about the dangers of internet predators, I thought she fell into his trap a bit quickly. I’m probably way too harsh on her because I obviously knew what she was getting herself into, but I really can’t wrap my head around how she was okay with some of his behavior, knowing that he was significantly older than her. How could she not put the pieces together?! Littman very much surprised me by not holding back in this novel. Some of Luke and Abby’s interactions were explicit and, as much as they made me want to throw up, they also made this reading experience very real.

I started using the internet when I was a little younger than Abby and this book made me SO grateful that I never got myself into a situation like hers. I can’t even imagine getting to that point and I really hope this book opens the eyes for some readers about their online activities and the people they interact with. This is a definite must-read. show less

Honestly, I think this book was good, not enjoyable per se, but necessary and gripping. It's a book for teens that shows just how easy it can be to surround yourself with the wrong people. When Declan breaks his arm after doing a stupid stunt his baseball career is all but over. He is beyond devastated and angry. Baseball was his everything. He starts lashing out at his twin sister, his parents, and his friend Jake. He wants to blame everyone but himself. He starts alienating his friends and show more family and holes himself up in his room playing video games. When he gets an invite to play an exclusive crusades style game by some new online friends, he is stoked. These guys seem to "get" him. Slowly he starts to think and act like his new online friends and then finds out that some of his co-workers at the grocery store think the same way. Soon he is totally immersed with these "friends." The guys he hangs out with believe that globalists are out to take over the world and that white people need to take back what is theirs. It gets dark quick. The story is told through two alternating perspectives: Declan and his best friend Jake who just happens to be Jewish. Eye opening. For fans of Heroine by Mindy McGinnis. show less

Prepare to be gripped from the very first page. Backlash plunges you into the raw, unfiltered reality of a teenage girl caught in the merciless web of bullying, both online and in real life. Littman doesn’t just tell a story; she immerses you in the emotional chaos, the suffocating loneliness, and the desperate search for hope when everything feels broken.

What sets Backlash apart is its brutal honesty. The portrayal of cyberbullying and the devastating impact it can have on a young life is show more unflinching and real. But this isn’t just a tale of darkness; it’s a beacon of resilience, showing how one girl fights to reclaim her voice and future after a shattering overdose.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the noise of the world or powerless in the face of cruelty, Backlash will speak to you. It’s not just a book, it’s an urgent, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful call to recognize the power of empathy, courage, and second chances.

You won’t be able to put it down. And once you finish, you’ll carry its message with you long after the last page is turned. show less

A tad juvenile feeling, but a quick read.

I've been wanting to read this for a long time because I love books about real-life issues. And also books like this always make me really happy that I didn't have to deal with social media when I was "growing up". I can only imagine all the stupid stuff that teenagers do to each other over the internet just because it's easy.

My heart breaks for all the kids out there going through online bullying and having to see the mean things that people write. show more If you're one of those people, just know that people suck, and Facebook makes it easier for sucky people to show off their suckage. They would never say it to your face, they're just cowards w/ a keyboard. (I know that doesn't make it any better, but I wish there were words that could!!).

As far as books go, I wouldn't put this up with my favorites. It had a good story: girl with a history of depression gets dumped publicly on social media, peers jump in and "like" the post, girl ends up in the hospital over it... and other spoilery stuff I can't mention. It was a book I read really fast and wanted to keep reading and reading, but there was a lot I didn't like about it also. The characters weren't my favorite. I like a flawed character, but all the characters in this book were mega-selfish and had MAJOR brat moments, even the adults. It's like each character was trying to yell louder than the other character to be able to be heard. And they all got super pissed if anyone else was getting the attention. I can take 1 or 2 people like that, but everyone? It was super difficult.

Beyond the brat-attack moments, the book also felt a little juvenile. I read almost exclusively YA, and most of them don't feel this young. I don't know if it was because the characters were less developed or what, but I definitely would recommend this to younger readers. Also, the cautionary, after-school specialness of it would be for the younger reader.

The ending frustrated me a little because I wanted people to feel bad, and not just for themselves. There are things that happen in this book that deserve many apologies and very few of those apologies went around. Yes, many (all) of the characters were self-centered, but I wanted them to GROW and they didn't. It was all about ME ME ME in the beginning and it was the same in the end. I did like that some things were left up in the air. Problems weren't just magically fixed, but more character growth would have been nice.

OVERALL: I liked it, not anywhere near loved. I'm glad I read it, and even enjoyed reading it, but it wasn't without it's flaws. The characters got on my nerves, and there was a frustrating lack of character growth, but it was an issue that I'm glad a book was written about. I'd say it's worth a try, but get it from the library.

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