I could not put this book down!!!

52 Likes by Medeia Sharif is an excellent book that deals with a very difficult subject in an honest and sensitive way. It was very challenging to read at times as it takes on rape, murder, and some serious high school bullying. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart. There is also a lot of hope and light in this dark story. You will see the main character experience big changes as she turns her life around, going from victim who doesn't always make the best choices, to a young woman who has hope for a better future!

A must read for young adults and adults as well!

I received this book from Medeia Sharif through a book giveaway in exchange for my honest review. ( )

This book is gripping and suspenseful. The plot has fantastic potential and I enjoyed the characters. But the editing needs to be better. The actual scenes are very stilted and 'fake'. This has the potential to be as good as '13 Reasons Why' and as educational for teens to make better choices. It just needs a good editor ( )

I received a KINDLE copy of this book from the author through a giveaway she had on LibraryThing and the following is my honest opinion.

What is THE MOST TERRIFYING experience any woman should ever have to face? Now image how this individual would feel if she had only been a teenager looking for an evening of fun at a party in an abandoned or vacant home and had gone to the wrong address, only to be viciously raped and nearly killed. You can image the intense impact this would have on the protagonist of this book, Valerie; can’t you. I know you can.

Being constantly bullied by her classmates had always plagued Valerie, but now, in addition, she not only had to face being taunted with nasty rumors of that fateful night; she also had no idea as to who her masked rapist was. Imagine looking at every guy passing by you and wondering if he had been the guilty culprit who had raped you.

While you would probably want to put this horrific incident of your life and the rest of the negative experiences of your life; Valerie definitely wants to. What she didn’t know when she began her quest to return her life to a sense of normalcy, had been the psychological and metaphysical hurdles she’ll have to face. The most baffling of these had been why all of the eerie photos of the past victims of her rapist/murderer had 52 LIKES under their photos, something which had to be more than mere coincidence.

The author has done a wonderful in writing about Valerie’s real life experience and feelings connecting with spirits of the culprit’s victims, especially the angst she experiences before, during and after her rape; feelings her readers should feel as well as they read this book. But when all is said and done, at the end of the day, will Valerie ultimately become an unfortunate victim of her horrific ordeal, scarred for life; or will she triumph and become a survivor. You’ll have to read the book to find out. As for me, I’m happy to give Ms. Sharif the 5 STARS it deserves. ( )

This book is a warning about what social media can do with innocent intentions and also by less than friends. Valerie found out the hard way. One night while trying to go to a party in an abandoned house, she went into the wrong one. Inside the house was a big built man who raped her, and then began to strangle her. He quit and ran off when a homeless occupant came to her aid and yelled at the rapist.

Thankfully, she had the good sense to go to a hospital, have a rape kit done, talked to the police, and was assigned a rape counselor. This is very valuable information for any girl or lady to know! Then, Valerie started noticing body parts with the rapist's hand in the picture on popular high school photo sites like instigram. Rumors were rampant in the school regarding Valerie. She had to do something, but what? And who were the two shadows she kept seeing when she was all alone?

I would, and most likely will buy this book for my daughter, my friends, and their kids. Even boys could learn about the gravity of using social media incorrectly. It should be mandatory reading in middle school. This is, besides being very informative, is also very suspenseful, exciting, and full of intrigue. It is a truly great read that will keep you on your toes at all times. You won't want to let go of this book!

Thank you to Medeia Sharif and Library Thing for giving me a free e-ARC of this book to read and give my honest review. ( )

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. This did not effect my opinion of the book, or my review itself.

The good about 52 Likes:

The idea of social media being used to solve a crime is one that fascinates me. We are currently seeing examples of this with podcasts like Serial and Missing Maura Murray, as well as online forums for solving cold cases, and even PostSecret possibly getting a clue to a murder from the murderer themself.

52 Likes explores how social media can hurt victims of crime, but also help bring their attackers to justice. Through Valerie, her protagonist, Sharif shows how, thanks to technology, one moment can haunt a person for a lifetime. But Valerie is strong, and works to turn friendship and photo sites to her own advantage.

The not-so-good about 52 Likes:

The writing style is unfortunately flat. Sharif does a lot of telling, and not a lot of showing. When metaphors are used, they read as cliched. Sharif also seems to repeat herself a lot, giving the readers the same information over and over again.

The big twist seems to come out of nowhere, and doesn't really make much sense looking back. Valerie also seems to figure it out in a sudden flash, off of very little information.

The other negative is, for me, a personal preference. This was a very dark story, with very little light. So many bad things had happened, and kept happening to Valerie, many times in graphic detail. I do read a lot of darker mysteries and thrillers, but there has to be some glimmer of hope throughout, not just in the last few pages.

I personally wouldn't read another book by this author, or recommend it to a friend. It wasn't for me. ( )