Rating: 
Summary: Whine, whine, whine, whine
Review: In this book, Katie Tarbox, a sheltered, rich, naive, and self-absorbed attempes to make us cry for her.
When she was 13 she met a person on the internet and revealed personal identifing information to him, they talked over the phone and then at a hotel she was staying at, the met up and he raped her. I really don't shed tears for Katie. It was her fault. I believe rape is a terible thing and internet stalker s are disgusting and heinous but I just cant see feeling sorry for her. If you want to read a book deserving of a good sob, read A Child Called It. (...) peace and joy
Rating: 
Summary: eh...its pretty good
Review: I picked up this book at first when I noticed the title. Yeah...I'm a big nerd and do web design and stuff so it interested me. I read the book in about 2 or 3 days. It's a pretty short read, only 120 pages I think. I think it's great she shared her story to other kids. She's willing to admit she made a HUGE mistake ever talking to him online and on the phone. I would have enjoyed it more if it had been written better. It was kind of boring but I think for parents who are paranoid about their kids being attacked by pediphiles (like my mom). All in all, its a good lesson but it could be written a ton better to make the reader a little more interested.
Rating: 
Summary: I'm so proud of Katie
Review: This is a very touching and inspiring story... And though I don't know Katie personally, I am so proud of her for sharing her story with others. She obviously went through a completely rough time and she still decided to "re-live" it by writing this compelling novel. I have also fallen for someone online, but I refuse to meet him until I'm older (I'm only 16). Anyways, by the end of this book, I was in tears, because I can somewhat relate to her low self-esteem and turning to the Internet for help... Thank you Katherine.
Rating:
Summary: Almost to close
Review: When I first picked this book up at a bookstore, my mother wouldn't let me buy it. It said on the back of the book that Katie had live in a small town in Connecitcut. As soon as my mother read that on detail, she wouldn't allow me to buy it. Later, she relented to let me buy it online. This book was scary to me because the begninng seemed like it could come from my life. I am a thirteeen year-old, and I live in a small (snobbish) town in Connecticut (quite near Katie's home town of New Caanan). I also went through a very similar expierience on the net, though not up to the point of meeting the person. I started reading this book at ten o'clock, and finished it off later that night around two AM. I simply couldn't put it down. I would definatly reccomend this book to my friends and family. My mom was horrified that things like that happened at school.
Rating: 
Summary: Scary, not whiny¿
Review: In 1995 the Internet was still considered a New and Glorious Thing for those who were not software engineers. It was just beginning to enter into people's homes and the dam had just burst wide open on a new way to communicate instantly with people as near as next door or as far away as the other side of the globe. Chat rooms were opening all over the place and thousands of people were logging on to talk with other people in what was newly termed "realtime." Katie Tarbox was a 14 year old girl, living in the posh suburbs with a typical-yet-dysfunctional family. Being intelligent and lonely, she logs onto the 'Net and soon discovers a 21 year old man named Mark. Mark is equally intelligent, likes many of the same things Katie does and provides her with the very thing Katie (and many, MANY other teens then and now) is starving for: attention. The ability to simply talk with someone and be listened to. Time marches on. Katie keeps talking with Mark until one day there arises a chance to actually MEET, face-to-face, at a hotel where Katie will be staying for a swimming competition. She goes down to his room and, as you can guess, her life changes in a hearbeat. "Mark" is an adult, in his mid-40's going under a false name and he abuses her. Katie barely escapes what would undoubtedly be rape when her mother knocks at the door. The story doesn't end here, of course. In painful, yet clear language, Katie goes on to describe how her life turns to sheer hell for the next couple of years. The relationship between her and her mother, never good to begin with, gets worse. Her own feelings of attraction and betrayal over "Mark" constantly conflict within her. Her friends dismiss her as a slut and the rumors fly. There are court dates, lie detector tests and an involvement with the FBI. "Katie.com" is not an easy book to read. Anyone who is a parent, especially a parent of a daughter, will find this book a frightening commentary on our modern life. A story similar to this one surfaces in the major media about once every two months or so, but rarely do we hear what happens AFTER the abuse; rarely do we hear how the event can destroy lives. There has been a profound amount of criticism of this book, much of which I think is unfair. Was it stupid for Katie to meet Mark alone in a hotel?? You bet. Is it a sad commentary on her life and our culture that 14 year olds must seek out friendship from strangers on the Internet?? Absolutely. Does she come from a wealthy family and community that should "know better"? Yes. Do teenagers do dumb things?? All the time. I did 'em, you did 'em (and if you're young, you'll DO 'em, guaranteed). BUT, should we blame the victim?? No. Some people think that her case is dismissable and she is a whiner simply because she was not actually harmed physically. That seems to imply that a 45 year old man kissing and fondeling a 14 year old girl is acceptable as long as he doesn't actually force her into sex. The equation seems to read: unwelcomed petting = OK, rape = not OK. I don't think there is a doubt in anyone's mind what "Mark" WOULD have done if he hadn't been interrupted. The reader needs to put themselves into Katie's shoes before they pass judgement on how a child who was nearly raped by a stranger over 30 years her senior should feel about the incident. Other complaints I must address are the comments on the author's writing style. Please do note that this is an 18 year old woman writing about an experience that happened when she was 14. Hence, she is a young writer just starting out, and therefore will not come across yet as a seasoned voice. Her text could be edited for grammar infractions, but that is missing the point: Ms. Tarbox is a very talented writer, though her talent must be honed. She is young, and what's more she is writing about something extremely personal that was perhaps the biggest mistake she is likely to make in her life. She does so without embarrassment and handwringing. While many others victims may wish to bury this part of their lives forever, Ms. Tarbox has decided to write about it to warn others who may find themselves in similar situations. While it is very easy to say, "I'd never do that...", it is even harder to say, "I DID do that, and here's why YOU shouldn't."
Rating:
Summary: It wasn't that good
Review: Katie, a 13 year old, who wants attention from her mom who is at work all the time is desporite for attentionso she goes on AOL to find someone to listen to her. The wonderful guy she meets has a history of pedophilia which she later finds out.But the story is mostly about Katie and how hard it is growing up and this "man" she talks to but nobody knows until he meets her at a motal which goes wrong for him.All and all she has to go through cops and court that takestime but the truth gets out.
Rating:
Summary: Doesn't live up to the hype
Review: i picked up this book expecting to be on the edge of my seat, quickly turning the pages to find out what an ordeal Katie had. i was extremely disappointed to find that they book was boring, and bland. i do sympathize with katie's story, but this is a rather tame example of internet crime. i hoped to read more about the incident, rather than how katie grew up. really there was far too less about the actual incident and afterwards, and far to much about her life growing up. i think that the recommendation by Cherdy was right on, and her review should be read because she is a teenager herself. to me, not worth the effort or money. skip this one.
Rating:
Summary: A true story that could freak you out!
Review: Katie.com is a true story about a girl named Katie who meets a man on the internet. He tells her that he is 23 years old and that his name is Mark. She talks to him for about 6 months and finds out almost everything about him. He knows a lot about her because she thinks he is a good listener and tells him all of her problems. Eventually, he tries to meet her. Katie doesn't want to meet him, but eventually he wills her into it. They plan to meet at her swim meet in Texas. When she is at her swim meet, he calls her and asks if he can come up to her room. She is staying with a roomate, so she can't have him come up there. She goes down to his room and when she gets in, he tries to touch her and it makes her feel uncomfortable. She tries to get away but she can't until someone comes and knocks on the door. Her whole swim team knows and they have a meeting about it. Will "Mark" get punished for this awful crime? I really enjoyed this book. I have read a lot of books this year and so far, it is one of my favorites. The details are wonderful, and Katherine Tarbox, the author, is the girlin the story, so it makes it easier to understand because you know that it's all true. This book is more like a movie because it creates a picture in your mind that is exactly what the book is telling you. If you are looking for a good book to read, this is the one. It is really a page-turner, and it is a quick read if you like it. This book has some parts for mature readers, and littler kids probably wouldn't enjoy it. This book is a great read and I would reccomend it to anyone who loves to read!
Rating: 
Summary: Far From Enlightening
Review: This memoir, written by 18-year-old Connecticut resident Katherine Tarbox, has been much hyped in the pages of various Teen publications, such as Alloy and the Teen People Book Club. I recently checked it out, only to find that the book doesn't much live up to it. First of all, I must comment that this story isn't a good introduction to the circumstances and issues behind Internet- related crimes, or even teen issues, such as the ones Tarbox faces as she begins adolescence. This book never really takes off after the first 50 pages. A quick skim through Chapters reveals that 80% of this book details Tarbox's "self-esteem" and "social" issues. Tarbox tries her hardest to convince the confused reader that her difficult Social Environment in Connecticut, and her obession with her appearance was ultimately, what caused her to converse with a "30 year old" man in an AOL Chat Room, and then meet him- alone- in a Hotel Room while on a trip with her Swim Team. While I do empathize with Tarbox's situation, it is difficult to swallow her 100+ page ramblings on everything from her privledged town's Beauty Standards ("I was able to meet the size 10 weight limit") to her relationship with an Internet pedophile ("I still had feelings for him"). In fact, Tarbox rambles on so much, that we barely know of the circumstances behind their brief relationship or the emotions that went along with their encounter. In the end, (this) seems more like a melodramatic, wannabe- social commentary than a teenage girl's thoughts on a serious issue. Avoid getting lost in this.
Rating:
Summary: A lot of fuss over nothing
Review: Firstly, let me put a few things straight that have missed, deliberately or otherwise by other reviewers. 1) She was not thirteenn when she wrote the book, she was 18, 2) she was not raped. I agree, the situation she found herslf, for a 13 year old girl might have been unconfortable, but the entire book builds up to an incident that lasts about a page. I find it rather ironic that a paedophile of 41 is somehow shocking to Miss Tarbox and yet a paedophile of 23 isn't. Like some others have said, the real victims in this story are the sexually abused children that we hear breifly about, the author's experience of a quick kiss and grope hardly seem to measure up.
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