Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares
by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Release Date: October 26, 2010
Publisher: Knopf Books
Book #1 in the Dash & Lily series
Number of Pages: 274
Kindle edition
Source: MCL
YA Romance M/F
Rating: PG-13
Read 1/26/20 to 1/29/20
“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.” So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions? Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.
I really enjoyed reading this story. It had a lot of emotions and issues these older teens are dealing with, real-life problems that a lot of kids today have to deal with. But it was interspersed with fun and wit to keep the book from getting too heavy.
The way this story starts off really drew me into the narrative. Dash is wise beyond his years, but still has that child-like hope that things can be better. He hasn’t had it easy, but it seems he has a kind of “it is what it is” mentality. Yet I could still see that underlying hope…that his dad would pay attention, that real love is a thing, that his friends won’t disappoint him.
While I also found Lily to be very wise in many ways, she was also extremely naïve from being sheltered. She’s the baby in her family, it seems in every sense of the word. Not only to her parents and her brother, but all extended family also treat Lily as a young girl instead of a young lady. I found this touching and sweet at times, but also saw how it held her back in many ways.
There was a bit in the middle that seemed to lag a bit for me, but I found the beginning and ending to be absolutely engaging. I wanted to both Dash and Lily to find some kind of HFN. They’re both great kids (young adults) and deserve happiness. Whether or not that’s as friends or more, it didn’t matter to me. I just wanted them to be able to talk to and rely on someone who was like minded so they could have the comfort of being understood by someone in this world.
I was surprised to learn there is another story about these two. I only hope it’s as good as this story and that it doesn’t ruin the natural ending of Dash & Lily’s story in this book.
All In Good Time 