Rating: 
Summary: Two Wrongs Do NOT Make a Right
Review: Anyone even remotely considering the purchase of this volume should first visit the www.Katie.com website. After having done so, they might wish to also visit www.KatieT.com (the author's REAL, legally-registered DNS) also; this latter site has the text of the first 2 chapters of this work (as well as "information" about its upcoming sequel). I think that anyone doing so will be able to determine whom the REAL victim in this fiasco is.
Rating: 
Summary: A true account of danger on the Internet.
Review: I liked this book. Yes, I think Katie lives in a privileged world, but I also think that many of the emotions and questions Katie had as a 13 year old are the same questions other 13 year olds are having. As the mother of a 13-year-old and a librarian at a school for ages 10-13 I felt that it was important to read Katie's story. I wish it didn't contain the two or three paragraphs of sexually explicit talk, but I think young girls are talking about these sexual situations anyway. I did at 13 and 14 and that was 30 years ago. I am now wondering if I should include it in the school's library collection or if it would be better in a high school collection. There is a lesson about being careful and protecting yourself in this story.
Rating: 
Summary: Katie.com
Review: Katie's description of her being contacted, befriended and seduced via the Internet is extremely believable because it is occuring every day to children throughout the world. I know, because for twenty-two years I investigated just this type of crime. I am aware that pedophiles will use affection and attention, either in person, through correspondence and now via the Internet to build a repport with a child. They gain the child's trust, will frequently lower the child's inhibitions through the use of pornography or even alcohol or drugs then sexually abuse the child. Both boys and girls are being victimized by the pedophile and the majority never reports this abuse.Katie was very descriptive about her mother being a workaholic and not giving her the attention that every child seeks and needs. If a parent does not have time for their child, a pedophile does. Parents should become aware how pedophiles operate and take steps to teach their child about the pedophile and ways to avoid becoming a victim. We tell children not to talk to strangers. Then we give them Internet access and allow strangers to come into the house. Bill Dworin BNCD1@aol.com
Rating:
Summary: Are you all just heartless and mean?
Review: Wow, the people have written reviews on this book with 1 star are scary. This is a book about a 13 year old who got raped by an adult and they say it is a sob story and she needs to take responsibility. Yes she did stupid things. 13 year olds do dtupid things all the time. Yes she came from a life of privledge, she mentions that to prove it can happen to anyone. Do you have any clue how painful it must have been to write this book? This is not great prose but what do you expect?
Rating:
Summary: Naive but well-meaning
Review: From her affluent if somewhat dysfunctional home, Katie finds herself swept up in a Internet romance with a man she agrees to meet which at a swim competition. Needless to say, he was not what she expected and the second part of the book details her attempt to reconstruct her life and rebuilt her relationships. Although it is a little difficult to sympathize with her, Tarbox has a refreshing writing style very representative of her young years, accurately portraying typical teenage self-centeredness and the simplicity with which one naive girl can become a victim.
Rating:
Summary: Good and bad points to the story, but a good message.
Review: This is a good book to read for teens who might just be getting started on the internet since it was written by a real teen with a real story. It illustrates possible dangers you might find in an unfamiliar chat room environment, and even more so for private chat. I still remember some of my teen years, and its a very awkward time...you're ready to believe just about anything that will make you feel good when you are feeling down. While all I could say was "oh please!" when I was reading Katie's rantings about her oh-so-deprived life (NOT), it was easy to understand why she fell into the trap...its impossible not to have feelings for someone who gives you real attention when you're not finding it anywhere else. Actually going down to meet this man, though, in the middle of the night and sneaking out of her hotel room...that was just plain STUPID...I couldn't have any sympathy there...but at least she had the half a wit of good sense to tell her friend exactly where she was going at the time, otherwise this book would probably never have been published. Still, a good writing effort on her part...and something I could definitely recommend for a high school class on internet safety, if any exist out there....and I'm sure they do.
Rating:
Summary: Sad experience that is nothing more than a 180page sob story
Review: At a glance, it is easy to sympathize with Katie Tarbox: a young, lonely teen who finds an online friend, but is betrayed by his facade and with sexual molestation. She is definitely brave, since of those who are unfortunate to be rapped or molested, only a fraction comes out to tell about their traumatizing experiences. But with Katie's book, Katie.com, this is where the sympathy ends. With the first glance at the title, it's clear that Katie wants to make important points about meeting people online (which was what led to her unfortunate meeting with "Mark"), but she fails with nothing more of a poorly written sob story. She spends too much time trying to communicate her emotional distress while little attention is paid to the single most important factor that led to her encounter: at 13, she was lonely and naive when she realized how flawed society was, she let that get the best of her when she met "Mark" online and failed to stop her teenaged vulnerabilities from ruling over common sense. Her story could have been more unique, despite the quality of her writing, if she lived up to the promise of telling the lessons learned from her online/offline experiences as an insecure teen, so others could be properly warned. With her web site, katiet.com, it's insulting that she even gives the impression that she is blaming the Internet for her experiences. It is analogous to being raped while walking down a street, then blaming that street for that shocking event. In short, Katie.com is the result of emotional fallout expressed in dry writing that does not convey itself effectively. It would have been much wiser for Katie if she had waited several more years before starting on this book. But instead, she shows herself as if she is still that exact same girl she describes herself as at the start of her book.
Rating:
Summary: Bad Book
Review: I agree with the other people who have had bad comments about this book. It is poorly written and not enjoyable. She seems to be begging for sympathy. She made a dumb mistake and has little common sense. Skip this book
Rating:
Summary: One star - for lack of a lower rating
Review: This book is, as an understatement, a disgrace to the average human being. Katie has no concept of decent writing and her story should not have been published. As a student of Katie's age, I can honestly say that she doesn't know what suffering is. Living in privilage is all that Katie has ever, or will ever know. Her pathetic attempt to win sympathy in the public eye casts a shadow of contemptablility on all SPS students. Although, in a different context, her message could be useful, her blatant bid for pity disgusts me. As a 14 year old, Katie should have known what responsibility meant when she started using the internet. Being clueless on the web is more than stupid. She was asking for it. Not that it should ever happen, but you can not be careless! EVERY 14 year old knows that! Everyone, obviously, except for her. SAVE YOURSELVES! RUN!
Rating:
Summary: Where was common sense?
Review: She was smart enough to know about capitalism but couldn't figure out that this wasn't a 23 year old guy? I mean c'mon! I've been duped by men on the net for years, and I found a website or two that truly deal with this subject on real levels that people can relate to. I dunno, maybe Dutton was just desperate for something, anything dealing with the internet when the internet was "hot" but this? It almost encourages teens go to and get themselves into dangerous situations so they can make money off of it as well. If you want the real skinny on interent dating, and meeting people on the net, go to http://www.saferdating.com or http:;//www.wildangel.com - the real deal! Another (yawn) book by a verbose teen who did something stupid and managed to live through it. Commend her courage? I should think admonishing the workaholic mother who left the computer to babysit and gave her 13 year old unlimited access would be more like it!
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