Watched

October 1, 2014
After suffering unthinkable trauma at the hands of an online criminal mastermind, two teens join forces to fight back. Jesse leads a life dictated by King, a stranger who watches his every move and forces him to commit unspeakable acts for his wealthy online clientele. King is a "capper," capturing other people's explicit online media and using it as blackmail. After the disappearance of Jesse's father years ago, Jesse and his family have lived with his uncle. But soon, Jesse's uncle began abusing him, quickly dragging him into the sordid online underworld ruled by King. Now King insists that Jesse recruit young boys to put on shows for clients, "or else": He'll murder Jesse's little sister. As his already suffocating world closes in on him, Jesse receives a package from Miranda, another teen caught in King's web, who claims she wants to help. The two of them join forces and begin searching for the man behind the screen that's destroyed their lives. Lyons sets a bleak stage riddled with perversion and violence. Though it's a cinematic thriller, the focus on the timely issues of online harassment, abuse and suicide set it apart. Unfortunately, the ending rushes in with none of the emotional resolution readers will want so badly for Jesse and Miranda. A high-speed thriller elevated by its unflinching focus on the harrowing effects of online bullying. (Thriller. 14-18)

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October 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-Sixteen-year-old Jesse has been a virtual prisoner for four years. Monitored and watched through his phone and computer, he has been blackmailed into performing horrible acts by the man he knows as King. Jesse has also been taken advantage of by his own uncle, the town hero and firefighter. Finally, King asks the unthinkable and Jesse has nowhere to turn and no reason for hope until an envelope arrives with a simple note saying "I can help." Fourteen-year-old Miranda, her own life destroyed by King and suffering from crippling agoraphobia, has made it her mission to bring the evil man down and she has three days to do it before he sets his sights on her again. Jesse and Miranda's only chance to regain control of their lives is to work together and conquer their emotional and real-life demons. Because what King puts these kids through is truly despicable, Watched is not always an easy read. The kids find themselves in a world that would debilitate even the strongest adult much less two terrified teenagers. Their desperation for each other's help is the heartbeat of this story. It is also gratifying to see this tale told realistically, it would have been unfair to Jesse and Miranda's ordeal if the consequences of their situations were soft-pedalled. Lyons also handles the parental relationships in this story extremely well. The teen's behavior has a definite impact on the parent's lives, which was portrayed honestly with fear and confusion as well as love and patience. While a difficult and somewhat depressing novel at times, this is an excellent book and well worth the emotional investment.-Erik Knapp, Davis Library, Plano, TX

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2014
Grades 9-12 Sexually abused by his uncle, Jesse is also being blackmailed by a hacker known as King. King hacked into Jesse's computer and captured videos that Jesse needs to keep private, so he does what King tells him, including live sessions online with King's clients (child predators). Jesse can never escape King, who has eyes and ears everywhere and is twisted enough to ruin not just Jesse's life but his family's, too. When Jesse is contacted by another cyber victim, Miranda, who claims she can bring down the villain, he agrees to work with her. Cyberbullying is a timely and important topic for teens, and Lyons smartly shows its devastating effect through Jesse's accessible voice, which is full of despair, rage, and fear. While Jesse and Miranda do fight back, the involvement of parents and law enforcement is key to their success. This is a tautly plotted thriller; a too-neat ending helps relieve the stress of the graphic sexual abuse. A list of websites to go to for help is included.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)