I used to really enjoy a bad Natasha Preston book. I could spend any disbelief and read them with a lot of enjoyment, but I think even this is too much. It was all over the place even though I think it only took place over two weeks? The dares never were clarified. Why did the MC and her friends get put up to do the more dangerous stuff ? Was it just because Rhett was a jerk? Do teenagers really not know what oxy is? I knew what Oxy was by that age. Apple AirTags alert people that they’re being followed by an unknown device , including if you have an android, so I’m not sure how the Mc Did that with no one knowing? Why did it matter that dna was in this guy’s truck if they were all friends? Why wouldn’t it be there. What would have mattered is if Arthur had DNA THERE. Is Rhett going to jail and now everyone else is free? Homegirl is just going to go be with George?? None of this makes sense.

Thank you for this ARC!

The description had me intrigued but I struggled to get into it once I started. When I reached about 60%, it got better but still felt a bit redundant. The writing style made it a little difficult to read. The tasks being dared were quite unrealistic.

The premise is interesting but the execution could’ve been better.

3.5 ⭐️

The Dare by Natasha Preston really did have me in a constant state of anxiety the entire time I was reading. This book was so fast paced and I could barely put it down.

Our main character Marley and her friends are given a dare that will change their lives forever. I’ve never read about someone in a position like Marley’s before and it was definitely an interesting perspective. This is a story about trust, betrayal, guilt, and secrets. Marley’s journey to overcome the trials she faces definitely kept me on edge until the very end. I will say though that it was a little hard for me to root for a main character who did such a bad thing. Overall I did mostly enjoy the story and Natasha Preston’s writing.

Senior year and graduation is approaching. Seniors are filling their days with fun activities such as prom, graduation practice and most importantly senior traditions such as pranks in the school and sometimes an unsuspecting principal's office! One senior tradition that started with a Wilder brother is the game 'Truth or Dare', where seniors must participate in or face a Wilder consequence! When Marley and her friends are given a dare, their life will never be the same after that. And senior year cannot end fast enough.

As I felt myself going into a reading slump, I was approved to read an advance copy of one of my favorite authors - Natasha Preston, "The Dare" and POOF my reading slump was over. I was enjoying the main character and her POV, although some of the stuff she did made me want to scream, like THAT ENDING! Natasha's endings almost always makes me scream but this one, I did not suspect at all.

Thank you to Random House Childrens for allowing me to read the ARC! Now i cant wait for Natasha's next book - THE PARTY!

This has to be one of Natasha Preston's best novels yet! I always tend to find the ends of her books infuriating, and leave me wanting more but I loved the ending of this one. I flew through this book and did not want to put it down, even to go to sleep! I was NOT expecting that ending. Natasha Preston books always promise an amazing twist and this one surely showed that. If you want a book that will keep you turning the pages while you are on the edge of your seat, jaw on the floor then this novel is for you!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book hooked me in from the first chapter. I loved the character development and how the story progressed.

3.5⭐️

Do you want a book with a bunch of plot twists that you will not see coming? Then read The Dare by Natasha Preston! Readers who love Freida McFadden’s writing style would enjoy this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and all the plot twists and turns. I did not see the end coming! I gave it 3.5 stars because initially getting into it, I wasn’t sure with the high school drama aspect. I am a young adult (24) and find it hard to read high school love/drama books; those days are behind me 😂! But once the twists started to pick up, I enjoyed this book!

ADDICTIVE! This book is a PAGE TURNER It makes you want to keep reading . im a fan of high school books ! I didn't expect this book to captivate me this way . 4/5

This is the first book I have read from Natasha and her writing is so good!! It immediately hooks you in and you want to know what is going to happen. I honestly had no idea what was going to happen in this book until the last 3 pages. My jaw was in the floor by the ending!! It kept me on my toes the entire time. If you want a psychological thriller that you will absolutely not want to put down this is the book for you!!

Okay, at first I wasn't expecting much. But the more you read, the more twists that happen. I loved the main character. I was SHOCKED by the things that happened throughout the last 10-15%. Some things I expected. Majority of it made me gasp as I did NOT see it coming. Truly amazing. Thrilling, shocking and so many twists to keep you on the edge of your seat! Such a wonderful read!

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Random House to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

I’ve been in the biggest reading slump for months now and I don’t want to jinx myself but this book may have gotten me back on track!

The end was a bit disappointing for me personally but I’m still giving it 4.5 stars because I really enjoyed reading this one. I’ve read one other book by this author and I’m so glad I gave her another chance! Overall I’m very happy with my experience with this book i can’t wait to buy the physical copy 🤌🏻

This was a fun YA thriller that I think my teen would really enjoy. As senior year is coming to a close, the main character Marley, her boyfriend Atlas and two of her other close friends are partaking in the annual dares handed out by the rich kid in their class. Marley is very likable. Her small circle is trying to keep a secret but it turns into one disaster after another and she isn’t sure who she can trust. The end was a surprise, but can’t say I loved it—as an adult, but I think it would be well accepted by a younger crowd. It all came to an end pretty quickly.

Thank you @NatashaPreston @RandomHouseChildrens @DelacortePress and @NetGalley for a free e-ARC. The opinions are mine alone and not biased in any way.

I will preface my review with saying I think my students would really enjoy this book and say it kept them guessing. For me, I struggled to complete this book because the characters were unlikable and they weren’t reallly developed. This book is a classic case of tell, don’t show. Unfortunately as a reader with more mature tastes, I would not read this again. However, my students will very much enjoy this book!

4.5/5

What the heck?! Such a good book. Took a bit to get interested in. There were so many twists and turns.

What a ride! I could feel the main characters emotions and it gave me anxiety while reading from how tense things got lol. Loved it, would definitely recommend.

I’ve enjoyed Preston’s novels before, so I had high hopes for this one. After a prank goes wrong, Marley and her friends find themselves stuck in the plot of “I know what you did last summer.” Now I realize that I’m not the target audience for this YA novel, but The Island was really so good that I was a little disappointed with this one. It started out wonderfully but the dialogues were repetitive, the characters radically changed from one chapter to another and the plot felt too forced. I really loved the ending but it didn’t feel earned. I didn’t hate the book, and I’m sure that young readers will love it, it was just not for me.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Random House Children's | Delacorte Press.

I love YA thrillers like this that can be read in one sitting and just enjoyed quickly and then shelved. It’s fun to see more YA novels getting recognition more and more now.

I can’t wait for more books from this author

Thank you so much to Random House Childrens, Delacorte Press @Delacortepress and Netgalley @Netgalley for this e-arc! All thoughts are my own.


All the high school seniors get pranks, and Jessica is nervous for hers. So when she learns that she has to drive danger alley, a windy dark stretch of road, with no headlights, she is scared.

As Jessica predicted, things take a turn for the worse. Now, she and her four friends are tied together forever by a dark secret. Will one of them tell? Or will this secret stay with them?


This was a fun YA thriller that kept me guessing until the last minute. I absolutely loved the ending. It just seemed like the perfect way to end things. So don’t give up, the ending is amazing. For me I knocked this up a half star and am rounding up my rating just based on it alone. I did struggle to get into this one, there were a lot of characters. This was a plot-based book, with little character development. I think that a little more time could have been given to getting to know who was who, especially for the main characters, but it still worked. I loved that the entire book seemed dark and moody, it matched the image of the cover perfectly. I do think for a YA Thriller this one was really farfetched. For me it is hard to believe that something like this would happen. While yes, it is fiction, I like to be able to relate in any way to a book, and this book was a struggle. I also found the characters a little annoying at times, but I quickly remembered that they are teenagers and that is normal.

Overall, this book was fun and kept me guessing and I would recommend it to those who enjoy farfetched YA Thrillers.

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for my latest eARC!

The Dare by Natasha Preston brings back fond memories of the end of senior year for most, but for Marley and her friends the stakes are high when a dare goes wrong. I thought the tension in this book was definitely palpable and that was enough to keep me engaged, although at the end of the day it felt like a pretty middle-of-the-road thriller for me. I think one drawback for me was Marley's narration style which felt a little immature but was ultimately something I could live with. I think the concept of this book is entertaining and will pique the curiosity of YA readers, particularly as it will be published towards the end of the school year.

This book was a very solid three stars for me! The twists and turns absolutely kept me engaged and I'd be happy to recommend, although I don't think this book will make it in my top favorites of 2024 or anything.

I was losing interest In the beginning I felt a little lost I think do to all the different characters at first but by the fourth chapter I was all caught up and was invested in the story once I got the characters down and got to know them. It started off very slow for me but ended up picking up after half way through. I felt like it dragged on a bit but the plot at the end was good! I love me some revenge!!