Title: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares
Authors: Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Series/Standalone: Dash and Lily (Book #1)
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 260
Publisher: Ember
Year Published: 2010
Format: Physical Copy (Own It)
First Line: "Imagine this: You're in your favorite bookstore, scanning the shelves."
"'I've left some clues for you. If you wan them, turn the page. If you don't, put the book back on the shelf, please.
Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on her favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. Dash, in a bad mood during the holidays, happens to be the first guy to pick up the notebook and rise to its challenges.
What follows is a whirlwind romance as Dash and Lily trade dares, dreams and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations all across New York City. But can their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions, or will their scavenger hunt end in a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?"
My Rating: 3/5
This is a highly raved about book for the holiday season, which is why I decided to pick it up with year around the holidays. I thought that this story would be right up my alley especially at the start with a sarcastic, nerdy character to read from at the start. Throughout the book though i found that it overall was rather blah. I should be able to get through this book in an evening or a few hours, but sadly it took me almost two weeks to work my way through it. I think that the characters were sweet and lovable but at the same time too young for me to be reading from. While I own the second book, I doubt I'll pick it up again until the next holiday season.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
This is an incrediblely popular book for this time of year. And I can see the appeal. It's very much like the hallmark Christmas movies we all love around this time of year. That being said, it read a little young for me. I really enjoyed Dash's perspective of the story as he's cynical and pessimistic which is how I feel most days. That being said, I just couldn't relate to the story, and I didn't care for the additional characters in this story. Overall, the setting is one of the only reasons that I continued to read this story and finished it. That being said, I might attempt the second book next holiday season.
Characters:
Lily: She's a very childish 16 year old girl. Which shouldn't have shocked me so much, but the more I read from her perspective the less i enjoyed her story telling. She was too optimistic for me and seemed to think that things would always just be her way, which isn't realistic, not even a little. Something I think most of us find out before we are 16 years-old.
Dash: Now Dash, Dash I like. He's pessimistic and snarky. He's not rude persay but he is able to put people off through omission and strange conversations. He didn't really seem to fit in but he was also able to speak with those around him which is something I can only hope to relate to someday. That being said, by the end of the book he just wasn't everything I hoped he would grow to be.
Boomer: He's a fun character to read from, if only for the reason that he is blatantly honest and true to those around him. He tells people what he thinks and why he thinks them, even though his perspective is a little unusual.
Langston: I liked the fact that there were diverse side characters, but I would be interested in a story about Langston and Benny. I would be interested in his first great heartbreak and love and how he got to know Benny over time.
Sofia: I think that she was ok, but she didn't really hold up to the anticipation that was held out for the reader. She wasn't so great.
Priya: I liked that she was straight forward and friendly, but I do wonder about her friendship with Dash and their other friends. How did they all get to know each other?
Moments to Remember:
Final Line: "'Wake up, Dash.'"
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
