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Off the Rim
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.
- GenresSportsYoung AdultFiction
157 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
12 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Sonya Spreen Bates
10 books14 followersSonya Spreen Bates is a Canadian writer living in South Australia. Although born in the USA, she grew up in Victoria BC Canada where she studied Linguistics and then Speech-Language Pathology. She has spent many years working with children with communication disorders, and began writing fiction soon after her daughters were born.
Sonya writes for children and adults, and has been published in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Her manuscript When Secrets Come to Light was shortlisted for the inaugural Banjo prize in 2018.
Sonya writes for children and adults, and has been published in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Her manuscript When Secrets Come to Light was shortlisted for the inaugural Banjo prize in 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 21, 2018
I really liked it because it was all about hard work on a sport like basketball.
October 7, 2022
When I first saw the cover of the book, I immediately knew basketball was going to be involved. I was right about that but little did I know, much more than basketball would take place. Off the Rim is about Dylan and Jenna, a couple in high school, both on the basketball team. Dylan’s team had just made it to the playoffs and Jenna was happy for him, but something was off. He discovered Jenna had a stalker and didn’t know what to do. Dylan decided to get one of his teammates involved because of how smart he was and this helped Jenna a lot. This book started off interesting and continued to get more and more exciting throughout the storyline. Dylan and Jenna’s relationship grew stronger throughout the process of tracking down her stalker. I really like how detailed the author gets into everything so you never get bored. Overall, this book is suspenseful so if you are looking for something action filled to read, this is the book for you!
November 4, 2021
Dylan was just getting comfortable with his position on the basketball team. He was just given the starting role when all of a sudden his focus was drawn onto something else then basketball. One day while driving his friend Jenna home from school a black F-150 hit his bumper and ran him off the road. The hunt was on to find who would want to do this to them. In the book it says the Truck was tinted which explains why they couldn't spot the driver.
Once the playoffs begin for the Mountview season no new leads had came in to finding out what happened on that mysterious night home. That's when something new came in, a facebook page messaging Jenna weird things under the name Nick Smith. This name was unfamiliar to both Jenna and Dylan, but not to someone on Dylan's basketball team. The messages Jenna recieved started getting more and more creepy, so they started investigating more. Once they found out about Jesse(Dylan's teamate who knows about Nick Smith),Dylan started treating him rougher in practice. After a big win in the state quarterfinals, the black F-150 was back behind them on the way home. Not this again Dylan was thinking. The chase began as dylan sped away from the truck. He pulled in to a neighbors backyard and turned his lights off to avoid being spotted,this however did not work as the F-150 followed them as they got out of the car and ran. Hiding behind a bush they saw their vicitim was none other than Jesse. What did Jesse want? Why was he trying to run them off the road again?
Once the playoffs begin for the Mountview season no new leads had came in to finding out what happened on that mysterious night home. That's when something new came in, a facebook page messaging Jenna weird things under the name Nick Smith. This name was unfamiliar to both Jenna and Dylan, but not to someone on Dylan's basketball team. The messages Jenna recieved started getting more and more creepy, so they started investigating more. Once they found out about Jesse(Dylan's teamate who knows about Nick Smith),Dylan started treating him rougher in practice. After a big win in the state quarterfinals, the black F-150 was back behind them on the way home. Not this again Dylan was thinking. The chase began as dylan sped away from the truck. He pulled in to a neighbors backyard and turned his lights off to avoid being spotted,this however did not work as the F-150 followed them as they got out of the car and ran. Hiding behind a bush they saw their vicitim was none other than Jesse. What did Jesse want? Why was he trying to run them off the road again?
December 20, 2017
this book was amazing a real cliffhanger if you dont read it in one sitting the book was really good for basketball players or if you really like cliffhanger books the boo starts off a good start so it is this kid Dylan lane and his girl friend Jenna and Dylan is a bench player and the starter gets injured for the season so Dylan gets to play in the playoffs and this black pickup truck tries to run them off the road and later Jenna gets threting mesages telling her to keep quiet and she does and ithout any spoilers you will have to read the book to find out what happens to Jenna and Dylan in the book off the rim thanks for reading.
November 29, 2018
This book is very creepy and captivating. Off the Rim is about a man named Dylan dating a Girl named Jenna. They were driving together and a mysterious person drives them off they road. Later on the people start to stalk Jenna and threaten her online. They are both amazing basketball players! Dylan starts to get curious and tries to help. This was all frustrating for Dylan because, he has a basketball tournament at the same time. While Jenna was sick getting stalked at her own house, and not feeling safe! My favorite part is when they reveled the stalker, who was a man on their basketball team. Read the book to see who the man is. I recommend this to people who like mysterious books!
November 24, 2017
Let me start by saying I’m not usually a fan of sports books. I mean, that much should be obvious, given the kinds of things I usually read and review. But this one was fantastic. Bates did such an amazing job describing the basketball scenes that I, who’s never seen anything beyond the student-faculty game, could follow along with the action. She had just the right amount of tension as the teams were playing that I felt like I was actually there. I caught myself rooting for them to win! Big surprise, I know.
Full review at A Writer Reads.
Full review at A Writer Reads.
October 27, 2021
Dylan’s wish come true when Coach Scott name 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 the 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 dange 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 cyber- bully thinks she know.
January 21, 2025
Though I am definitely not a sports fan and some of the terminology went over my head, I was pleasantly surprised at how engaged I got reading "Off the Rim". Dylan is on his last year of high school Basketball desperate to make the playoffs. One night a truck runs them off the road and soon after Dylan learns that his girlfriend Jenna has been getting threatening messages. Between the stress of trying to become a winning team and of trying to figure out what the guy wants of Jenna, this is a fast paced, can't put down book.
February 18, 2019
I thought this was a very exiting book, I liked how just when everything seemed to be turning the main characters way, him and his girlfriend where run off the road by a scary looking pick up truck, not only that but starting to receive creepy messages. I enjoyed this book mainly because of the suspense of not know if something terrible was going to happen right then and there at any time. I would recommend this book to a upper grade sports lover that's ready for some excitement.
December 8, 2017
The book was okay but it didn't have much action to it.
June 15, 2020
This is a good book for kids the may not want to stick with a longer story. It is fast moving, has a decent mystery and a lot of basketball!
February 6, 2017
This book was action pact and very entertaining
November 1, 2016
OFF THE RIM
By Sonya Spreen Bates
Teenager could handle any situation even the big problem. Dylan and his girlfriend, Jenna are complement and always supporting each other. They both have different characteristic. Dylan have a very ambitious feeling to win the playoffs game. This book have a powerful meaning as a sportsmanship and sociality.
Dylan’s character in this book is very ambitious and never gave up. He can control the game as a captain in the team. His girlfriend has a dual personality. She can be social and can be flirty, but there’s a serious side to her too. They are a great couple that always been supporting and completing each other
Dylan and his teammates had a serious problem, They think there is no opportunity to win the game cause some of the players got injured. But Dylan keep saying that “We will win the championships!” On the other side of Dylan is he could handle any situation, even he started to had a extra practice with his friend. He helped and taught his friend to get better
This book not just about sport. It has the powerful meaning as a sportsmanship and sociality It tell us that collaboration and teamwork would make the team become better also on the other side it tell us about the sociality and life problem. This book is enjoyable to read and doesn’t make you bored.
This teenager life could be simple but there is some social life problem going on, but they can handle and think smartly about it. All the teammates had their own personality and character. Dylan is the main character in the whole time made the story looks great. Sportsmanship and teamworks also applied in this team and made them to become a good team.
By Sonya Spreen Bates
Teenager could handle any situation even the big problem. Dylan and his girlfriend, Jenna are complement and always supporting each other. They both have different characteristic. Dylan have a very ambitious feeling to win the playoffs game. This book have a powerful meaning as a sportsmanship and sociality.
Dylan’s character in this book is very ambitious and never gave up. He can control the game as a captain in the team. His girlfriend has a dual personality. She can be social and can be flirty, but there’s a serious side to her too. They are a great couple that always been supporting and completing each other
Dylan and his teammates had a serious problem, They think there is no opportunity to win the game cause some of the players got injured. But Dylan keep saying that “We will win the championships!” On the other side of Dylan is he could handle any situation, even he started to had a extra practice with his friend. He helped and taught his friend to get better
This book not just about sport. It has the powerful meaning as a sportsmanship and sociality It tell us that collaboration and teamwork would make the team become better also on the other side it tell us about the sociality and life problem. This book is enjoyable to read and doesn’t make you bored.
This teenager life could be simple but there is some social life problem going on, but they can handle and think smartly about it. All the teammates had their own personality and character. Dylan is the main character in the whole time made the story looks great. Sportsmanship and teamworks also applied in this team and made them to become a good team.
October 22, 2015
BLOG REVIEW: http://chaibooks.blogspot.ca/2015/01/...
Off the Rim is a great Middle Grade read that I personally had a lot in common with! I live in an area that is heavily passionate about basketball, so receiving this lovely ARC that was very basketball-centered reminded me a lot of my town!
I played basketball for 6 years, so I must say that Bates captured the essence of the sport quite brilliantly. I do not read many books with sports, and the ones that do have sports tend to be off-putting or distracting from the story-line, but I think that Bates blended the feel of game with Dylan's innermost thoughts and turmoil very well.
The plot-line itself was quite predictable, but since it is a book geared towards younger readers, I feel that the simple plot was just right. Basketball aside, most of the plot had to do with Dylan and his girlfriend dealing with cyber-bullying and online harassment. Cyber-bullying is a huge topic that is addressed in this book. I'm glad to see that this younger generation is receiving books that are relevant in their lives as cyber-bullying is a super serious issue that is very prevalent in our current North-American society. It dealt with the severity of cyber-bullying without being too overly dramatic.
Overall, this was nice quick read! Off The Rim had a great sports component, as well as the cyber-bullying. Perfect for middle-grade readers, or even some young adults, as the protagonists are 17-18 years old.
Off the Rim is a great Middle Grade read that I personally had a lot in common with! I live in an area that is heavily passionate about basketball, so receiving this lovely ARC that was very basketball-centered reminded me a lot of my town!
I played basketball for 6 years, so I must say that Bates captured the essence of the sport quite brilliantly. I do not read many books with sports, and the ones that do have sports tend to be off-putting or distracting from the story-line, but I think that Bates blended the feel of game with Dylan's innermost thoughts and turmoil very well.
The plot-line itself was quite predictable, but since it is a book geared towards younger readers, I feel that the simple plot was just right. Basketball aside, most of the plot had to do with Dylan and his girlfriend dealing with cyber-bullying and online harassment. Cyber-bullying is a huge topic that is addressed in this book. I'm glad to see that this younger generation is receiving books that are relevant in their lives as cyber-bullying is a super serious issue that is very prevalent in our current North-American society. It dealt with the severity of cyber-bullying without being too overly dramatic.
Overall, this was nice quick read! Off The Rim had a great sports component, as well as the cyber-bullying. Perfect for middle-grade readers, or even some young adults, as the protagonists are 17-18 years old.
May 10, 2015
Goodreads Giveaway
Paperback copy
This book is not about only basketball. It has an element of mystery too. Even though this book is written by a woman. It gives an interesting aspect to male teenage main character. There's an nice dash of Facebook, hacking and privacy settings that any child can relate too.
Paperback copy
This book is not about only basketball. It has an element of mystery too. Even though this book is written by a woman. It gives an interesting aspect to male teenage main character. There's an nice dash of Facebook, hacking and privacy settings that any child can relate too.
March 19, 2016
this book was cute. i vaguely remember all the teammates names and i liked the ending. i like that it wasnt completely basketball, and there were other aspects too. although the characters were kinda dull, but not completely uninteresting, this book was okay. i dont know if ill remember it, but i might.
August 16, 2015
I won this book for free on Goodreads!
An enjoyable read for a young adult novel.
Just enough mystery to make it exciting and enough description about the basketball games that the authour seemed well versed in the game.
An enjoyable read for a young adult novel.
Just enough mystery to make it exciting and enough description about the basketball games that the authour seemed well versed in the game.
Read
October 5, 2016It was very good. I liked it because it was about basketball and its very detail.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2016
This book was very insprational and exciting for players or anyone really who just loves the great joyus game of basketball.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews