Customer Reviews

Rob&Sara.com

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was really addicted to this book, until the last two months. It was so interesting and creative until that point and I felt really let down by the ending, it was too quick, too much left unsaid and the whole accident sequence was rushed and out of place. This was a fun read, but I would feel weird recommending though, aside from plot issues, some of the messages of this book were unsettling and not in a provocative manner. I guess my biggest problem was how after reading this young people might feel like they can trust strangers on the internet. As much as I enjoyed this book I would prefer for teens to come across this title on their own and not with my help, just incase.

This story lets you peek into a regular teen's life. It is honest and interesting. I enjoyed this book all the way through. I would reccomend it to young adults of course!

Sara is an army brat, a high achiever who just wants to stay at one high school and be a normal kid for a while. Rob is a loner, a resident of Pine Creek Academy for troubled kids. His dad is distant, and his mom is an alcoholic. Rob and Sara are separated by hundreds of miles. These two seem to have nothing in common except their love for poetry, an appreciation that brings them to a website for teen poets --- and to each other.

When Sara posts a poem she has written, Rob e-mails her his comments, and the two begin a yearlong correspondence via e-mail. Along the way, the two learn lessons about independence, trust, friendship and love, as they "reach out into the cyberfog and grab hands." In addition to learning more about each other, these teens also learn more about themselves, as they gain additional responsibilities during an important year in both of their lives.

ROB&SARA.COM was written in actual e-mails between its authors, P. J. Petersen and Ivy Ruckman. The two took on the personas of their characters and exchanged e-mails for a whole year. The result is two very distinctive voices and two well-developed characters. Although there are points in the novel where the action drags, readers will enjoy seeing Rob and Sara's relationship develop through the course of their online correspondence.

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

Hopefully, you won't consider this statement to be a spoiler. Neither Rob nor Sara is an online predator. This story falls outside the media frenzy which warns of the dangers of talking to strangers on the internet. Wouldn't it be nice to be valued by someone without concern for looks, fashion or finances? Rob has dealt with the circumstances of his life by running away - often resulting in harm to others - and now finds himself in a boot camp for troubled teens. If he doesn't stay put at "Camp Feelgood" his next stop will be prison. Sara, an army brat, has lived all over the world but has no place to call home. Just when she gets comfortable, her father is transferred and she has to move again. Worst of all, high school friends don't travel well. Rob, Sara and others meet in an online poetry chat room to critique each other's poems. Rob and Sara connect when they find things in common other than writing poetry. Their friendship flourishes through online letters. With Sara as his confidant Rob resists the urge to flee and in so doing discovers `the real Rob'. Sara finds in Rob an anchor and confidant. Together they take on the challenges and angst of teen life.

Rob&sara.com kept me up until the wee hours. I just couldn't put it down! With plenty of surprises along the way, this book is a satisfying and enjoyable read.

I received this book as a Christmas gift. My name is Sara and my husband's name is Rob. Perfect. I finished it in two days. Not a hard read at all. But I kept turning the pages to see what happens, especially to Rob. A fun read!