Dash & Lily's Book of Dares - Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares – Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Pages: 260

Publisher: Mira Ink

Release Date: 5^th October 2012

Edition: UK paperback, review copy

Other Titles by these Authors: Nick & Norah’s Infinate Playlist, Noami & Ely’s No-Kiss List

I’ve left some clues for you.

If you want them, turn the page.

If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.

At the urge of her lucky-in-love brother, sixteen-year-old Lily has left a red notebook full of dares on her favourite bookshop shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept.

Curious, snarky Dash isn’t one to back down from a challenge – and the Book of Dares is the perfect thing to keep him occupied this Christmas.

As they send each other on a snowbound scavenger hunt across Manhattan, they’re falling for each other on paper. But finding out it their real selves share their on-page chemistry could be their biggest dare yet.

I’ve been after this book since I first heard about it in 2010 when it was first published in the US and fell in love with the premise. I’m relieved to say that Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares definitely lived up to the reviews and my expectations.

With split narration novels I often end up looking forward to reading certain character’s perspectives more than others, even if I think I like them all equally. This didn't happen in Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares at all. Dash and Lily are so different, but equally as unique and awesome and it was impossible to choose one over the other. Dash is wordy and pretentious, but snarly and sarcastic with a dry sense of humour and I pretty much fell head over heels for him really. Lily is sweet, odd and loves Christmas so much that her enthusiasm leaks through the pages. After I finished reading this book all I wanted to do was watch Christmas movies all day – don’t worry, I didn’t. Well, not yet anyway...

I really do love the story that Rachel Cohn and David Levithan created. It’s fairly rare to find something so unique and different in contemporary novels and this is something I’ve never come across before. The idea of two people falling in love via books and words is something that makes me all kinds of happy. The way they emotionally and intellectually reveal themselves via the red Moleskine is just perfect. I love it.

As you can probably tell, I adored Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares so now I need to get my hands on Cohn and Levithan’s other two novels.

For my 2012 Contemporary YA Challenge

A massive thank you to Mira Ink for providing me with a review copy.

Sophie