REVIEW: In Too Deep

In Too Deep

Amanda Grace

Synopsis: I never meant for anyone to get hurt. All I wanted to do that night was make a play for Carter Davis. His heartless rejection was mortifying, but people got the wrong idea when they saw me leaving his bedroom, crying. That’s how rumors of rape started.

Now girls at school are pouring out their sympathy to me. Guys too. But not everyone’s on my side. The school has become a war zone and the threats are getting scary. What began as poetic justice has morphed into something bigger-forcing me to make a terrible choice.

My thoughts:
In Too Deep sucked me right in from the first few pages.  It is very intense and emotional, and it really dug deep for me.  Sam wants to make her best friend notice her, so she goes after Carter, who she knows flirts with absolutely everyone.  Except this time, Carter turns her down.  Sam leaves his bedroom feeling humiliated and appearing pretty terrible as well, and that is where the rumor of rape started. 

Even though she was humiliated, Sam went back to school that next Monday.  Everyone was asking how she was doing, and whether "that" really happened.  Sam, assuming they all know what Carter said to her, tells them yes.  It isn't until later that Sam finds out that everyone thinks she's been raped....and she has unknowingly confirmed it.  She knows she has to fix this, but that means Sam will have to admit what really happened at the party.  She isn't ready to do that, but once Carter and his friends start threatening her, Sam knows she has to fix it.  But Sam has pressure coming from all sides, and becomes unsure about what to do once again.  It isn't until Sam begins focusing on the two people involved, and not everyone else around them, that she can come up with a solution.

I was torn back and forth throughout this whole book.  I wanted to scream at Sam to get her to tell the truth.  But then when others would support her, or even threaten her, I would change my mind and have some understanding as to why it was so hard for her to just tell the truth.  I completely understood her confusion, and even shock.  She was very relatable.  And I liked that she had to learn the hard way that taking the easy route can have consequences.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book.  Sam was a character I could really relate to, and it brought me back to my high school years.