Need

Reviewed by: Karen Sandlin Silverman - Scarborough High School / Scarborough Middle School, Scarborough, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 13, 2016

Review

CREAM Need is an excellent, thought-provoking suspense novel about social media run amok. Kaylee has had a rough year: her younger brother will die without a kidney transplant, her father has left the family and disappeared, and she is an outcast at school and on the outs with her mother for her less than ethical tactics trying to find a kidney donor. Her best friend Nate -- who now wants more than friendship -- encourages her to sign up for the hottest new social network (NEED). At first members are asked to do seemingly innocuous tasks, e.g., get 6 friends to join NEED, in exchange for having their needs (mostly wants) fulfilled. The suspense builds as the tasks network members are asked to do quickly escalate. Kaylee struggles to convince her mother and the police that something is wrong because of her past issues and that just adds to the suspense.

Overall Book Score: excellent