Off the Rim

By Sonya Spreen Bates

Dylan’s wish comes true when Coach Scott names him to the starting lineup for the Mountview High Hunters’ first game of the playoffs. But just when he should be concentrating on basketball, Dylan becomes the target of some off-court aggression. As he’s driving his girlfriend, Jenna, home one night, a black pickup truck tries to run them off the road. The police call it an accident. But even as Dylan tries to put it behind him, he has a sense of impending danger that he can’t shake. When Jenna starts receiving threats from an anonymous cyberbully telling her to “keep quiet,” Dylan becomes seriously concerned about her safety. Jenna has no idea what the cyberbully thinks she knows. But Dylan will have to help her figure it out fast if they’re ever going to feel safe again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
• Release date: Apr 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781459808898

Sonya Spreen Bates

Sonya Spreen Bates is a Canadian writer living in South Australia. She grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, where she obtained a degree in linguistics from the University of Victoria. She then studied speech-language pathology at Dalhousie University and has spent many years working with children with communication disorders. Sonya writes for children and adults and has been published in Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Reviews for Off the Rim

[bucketofrhymes · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Off the Rim by Sonya Bates is a thoroughly enjoyable read. The characters are great, for starters, and Dylan was easy to root for as a protagonist. I have to say, though, that Jenna was my favourite, and I'm holding out hope that maybe the author will write another book featuring her as the point-of-view character.I was impressed by the basketball scenes as well. As someone who knows pretty much the bare minimum about playing basketball, I expected to get a little lost or feel my eyes glaze over a little during the game scenes. But Sonya Bates describes the plays well, they're easy to understand, and the scenes go along at an exciting clip.I also love the addition of the cyberbullying subplot -- I can't say I've read too many books that touch on that topic. And finally, the general pacing of Off the Rim was great. There's a lot of plot that happens, and the book is pretty short, but it never feels rushed or superficial.Looking forward to checking out more by this author.

[alienwierdos · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"Off the Rim" is a book about basketball and cyber bullying. When Dylan and his team make the basketball playoffs, he just wants to concentrate on winning. Then, his girlfriend Jenna reveals she has been receiving threatening messages on her phone and they are run off the road by a mysterious driver. The messages become more frequent and threatening, and they have to figure out what they mean before it's too late. You don't have to know anything about basketball to enjoy this book because it is described in a fairly simple way. This book would be good for any young sports fans who are reluctant to read because the parts about basketball will keep their interest and the plot line will catch their attention to keep them reading. Also, if you like to read mystery books, you will probably enjoy this one.

[sheilacornelisse · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A great mixture of high school basketball action, suspense, and mystery. I was pleasantly surprised by this book since it is outside of the sort of book I usually read. The two story lines, Dylan's shot at making the starting line-up for basketball playoffs and the cyber threats being received by Dylan's girlfriend Jenna, are intertwined well. Recommended for reluctant readers and those who are looking for a quick enjoyable novel.

[lavermeer · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

OFF THE RIM by Sonya Spreen Bates is a fast-moving basketball-oriented thriller for YA readers. Dylan's team is going to the playoffs, but when he and his girlfriend Jenna go out to celebrate, they are mysteriously forced off the road by an aggressive driver. Despite that the playoffs are going well, things for Dylan and Jenna are getting more and more frightening. Dylan wants to solve the puzzle, and time is running out.This novel is a volume in the Orca Sports series, intended for readers who enjoy an accessible, plot-driven story. As with many books that depend on a strong plot line, the characterization is shallow and the story arc is predictable. Still, there's plenty of tension to lead a reader through the text, and the familiar storyline provides its own reading pleasure. This novel would make a good addition to classroom libraries from grades four to nine. For any reader who loves sports or action, OFF THE RIM is a good pick.

[lauraenos · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a fast read and had a nice combination of both sports and mystery/suspense in the novel. I think many times it felt like the story was written by a teenager. It wasn't mind-blowing writing, but a quick story that I think many of my reluctant readers or basketball enthusiasts might pick up and read. Personally, it took until Page 126 for the plot to really pick up the pace and since it's only 157 pages, I thought that was unfortunate. I think it took on too much for the short length of the book so concluding the basketball thread AND concluding the stalker/threatening texts thread was quite rushed and underdeveloped. I wasn't really invested in any of the characters, but again, I think my reluctant readers who like basketball would enjoy the book.