3.5 rounded up

This gave me I Know What You Did Last Summer vibes! Senior year is all about the pranks that the Wilder brothers pull and the dares they make you do; impossible to say no to because of all the secrets they know about everyone. Rhett Wilder is the brother in charge this year and he has it out for Marley and her friends; Jesse, Lucia, and Atlas. When a dangerous dare results in a murder what will these four friends do to cover it up? Always a fast paced read flipping through pages at rapid speed, so many twists you didn’t see coming. Most things didn’t quite make sense to me for teenagers and the last bit at the ending was kind of a low blow which didn’t sit right with me but overall I always enjoy a Natasha Preston read!

I get excited everytime I see a new Natasha Preston release.

Having read most of her works, I always wonder just how different and how gripping the latest one will be, and if things turn out different from her previous novels.

The Dare was slightly similar to the style of The Haunting which came out last year, and I enjoyed the high school clique vibe of it though I didn't really at attention to the event date style which seemed out of place.

There are not that many characters to begin with so once the crime has been committed and fear sets in, you're only left with a handful of suspects and motives. This time round though I found that the story had plenty of unexpected twists and deviations from what you would think might happen.

I was especially happy that this book didn't end with her classic cliffhanger ending but left it pretty clear and obvious with a "happily ever after" resolution - or as HEA as you can get in a thriller novel 😁.

What I would love to see in future books is a continuation of characters from previous stories getting into more crazy situations, like Scream and How To Get Away With Murder. Only because I always find myself so attached to her characters (those who manage to live) and wonder what happens to them in the after.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Children's for the ARC.

Natasha Preston is one of my favorite authors and she did not disappoint with this book. It was so good! I loved the characters and the storyline. Great wise twist at the end! Definitely recommend this book!

Natasha Preston has confused me and left me feeling like the main plot line. She did a great job of leaving readers thinking that they are one step ahead of her and know what's coming next without actually letting them know. I felt whiplashed and confused as I thought I knew who was behind everything, but low and behold, this book's readers truly are in the back seat of the car. Do yourself a favor and spend a weekend at home, blasting through this fun, quick-paced story.

This is the first book that I have read by this Author. The writing seems a bit juvenile but overall the book kept my attention. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the story in general but I wouldn’t hesitate to try some of her other books. I think this just wasn’t the one for me.

With high school graduation approaching, the tradition of senior pranks begin for Marley and her friends. Participation is not optional, and the pranks range from harmless fun to deadly.

Right off the bat, the main conflict for this book is going to feel familiar because it’s been ripped right out of my favorite movie. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t mind this one bit. As soon as the plot got going, I was invested, and while the initial premise is very similar to something that’s been done before, Preston launches into her own unique story that left me zipping through pages because I needed to know what was going to happen.

The main character of Marley is (for the most part) a smart and resourceful character, so it’s easy to root for her and feel like you’re going through this horrible situation right along side her. Another notable character was Rhett, the games master, so to speak. He is in charge of orchestrating the pranks and I instantly was intrigued by him. I was slightly disappointed that there were some aspects of his character we didn’t get to explore, but whenever he and Marley shared the page, it was a delight. The rest of the characters are pretty one dimensional, making their rather extreme actions as the book progresses a little unprecedented. I wish we’d gotten to know Marley’s core group of friends (Atlas, Luce and Jesse) better before the main conflict hit so that we could better understand their motivations.

The writing in this book is fast paced and holds your attention, but it could have benefited from one final read through from the editor. There is one point the author refers to the character of Jesse, when I’m 99% sure she meant to say Rhett. She also drops in a new character and plot point 85% of the way through the book and references it in a way that we should know who this person is and how he relates to the story. These are just little things, and did not detract from my overall enjoyment of this book.

I would give The Dare a 3.5/5. I had a lot of fun reading this book and Preston clearly had a lot of fun writing it. My rating probably would have been closer to a 4 or 4.5 if it weren’t for the last 5 pages. I understood what Preston was trying to do, and I think a lot of people will appreciate the twist. For me, it just didn’t work. This book was a fun way to kill an afternoon, and is for sure worth a read.

What a wild ride! The Dare was a fun and surprisingly twisty YA thriller. I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough.

We follow Marley and her three friends as their senior year comes to an end. What starts as harmless senior pranks slowly turn into deadly dares. And now Marley and her friends are in the middle of something that threatens their futures.

Overall, this was a fun and quick thriller that was full of suspense that had me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. And that ending? I’m sure some people won’t like it, but I personally loved it!

Thank you so much NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and Random House Children’s for providing me with an arc for my honest review. Right off the bat I loved the concept for The Dare. The concept seemed less menacing than Natasha Preston’s other works, but definitely just as intriguing. I loved how this book felt the most relatable and plausible. Most High Schools have some sort of Senior night where teens think they’re invincible and limits are tested, and what’s to stop a simple dare or competition from getting out of control the way it did in this book?

The Dare had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I devoured this book last night because I needed to know what was going to happen next. I always try to make predictions, especially a Natasha Preston thriller. This time I was not correct with any of my predictions. Throughout the story I could feel the direction that we were going in, but I definitely did not expect it to end the way it did! I felt like The Dare was the most closed ended that we’ve ever got from a Natasha Preston book, and that itself was the final surprise to me. There is usually a cliffhanger or open ending in her books, but the anticipation I felt towards waiting to see what the cliffhanger was going to be, was just as impactful and suspenseful as the cliffhanger itself. I loved the way The Dare ended; not at all how I thought it would, but it definitely felt perfect.

Marley ended up being a very surprising character. As far as the “insane” (for lack of a better word) or “manipulative” character goes, we usually expect it to be one of the side characters, or a mystery character that gets introduced. And while Jesse definitely gave the insanity, I was pleasantly surprised that Marley ended up out maneuvering them all.

The Dare definitely was not as grim as the other Natasha Preston books, but what it lacked in gore, it made up with in betrayal and manipulation. While we had our conclusive ending, I was still left with a couple of questions, but I think that’s okay with a thriller. The Dare is definitely one of my new favorite thrillers. I’m very much looking forward to Natasha’s next book!

This is my first time reading Natasha Preston and I absolutely love her writing style. This immediately gave me “I know what you did last summer” vibes. Don’t be mistaken even though it gives off those vibes it is COMPLETELY different. This was a quick read, mostly because once I started reading I couldn’t put it down. It kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat. I would think I had it figured out and there would be another twist thrown in. If you like psychological thrillers/mysteries this is perfect!! I will definitely be downloading more of Natasha’s books. The writing has a great flow, you’ll be 200 pages in before you know it.

5/5⭐️

<i>Thank you <b>NetGalley </b> and <b>Random House Children’s Books</b> for a copy of <b>The Dare by Natasha Preston</b> in exchange for a honest review!</i>

Marley and her friends are just finishing high school, ready to start their new lives in college. Senior pranks are starting up, Marley and her boyfriend are excited to live in CA together, and things are great! Until Marley and her friends get a dangerous dare, one they can’t refuse, and suddenly all Marley can think about is what happened that night.

I’ve read quite a few of Preston’s other novels and didn’t really enjoy many of them. I always went back to her, however, because I have many friends that absolutely adore her work. Every time I’d finish one of her books and rated it low, my friends would say “You just need to find <i>the one</i>”, but every time I finished one, I’d sit and think about what a waste of time it was. The truth is, though I think Preston's writing is poor and the characters and plot are annoying, I do enjoy her books a teensy bit because it’s just fun seeing how ridiculous it may get!

<b>The negatives:</b>

The plot wasn’t very realistic or original. Part of the book is about a rich kid who gives dangerous dares to students and threatens to spill their secrets if they refuse to do the dare. Firstly, I can’t imagine that many 18-year-olds would do these dangerous and stupid dares. I can’t think of many secrets I’d protect by doing these crazy things. The whole dare thing sounds like something I’ve heard before anyway. I can’t remember, but it feels familiar; maybe the movie ‘Truth or Dare’? A whole other big part of the book is sort of completely ripped off from another popular thriller (one I won’t name because it’ll immediately give away the plot).

All of the characters were annoying. The main character narrated a lot of stupid things that just made me want put the book down. The other characters also said dumb stuff or acted weirdly for no apparent reason. Honestly, there wasn’t one character I was rooting for, which is an important part of story-telling. If I don’t care about any of the characters, why does it matter if any of them get hurt?

I also didn’t enjoy Preston’s writing style. It was <i>so</i> repetitive. In one chapter, it would give you the same information over and over and over, and this usually happens every chapter. Not sure if I could count every time Marley told me about her hateful feelings toward Rhett and how he was such an idiot. This same sort of thing applies to a bunch of points in the book. Also, a lot of lines just felt sort of ‘cringe’, as if the author wanted them to be cute and romantic or creepy stuff that people would repost on Pinterest.

I found a few lines/points confusing as well. Some stuff didn’t make total sense, and the character’s logic was odd.

<b>The positives:</b>

The pacing wasn’t too bad. There was usually a twist or turn that was slightly entertaining every few chapters.

The last 40% of the book was a lot better than the rest. The tropes used in it were a lot more interesting than the ones before!

All in all, if you want a light-hearted (there are dark topics, but the book doesn’t delve into them that deeply) thriller that maybe isn’t written the best but <i>will</i> entertain you, then you may love this book! It is a bit goofy and repetitive, but it’s something fast that will give you a chuckle or a <i>‘what even is this?’</i> look on your face.

4.7 out of 5 for this one!
We are following Marley during the last few weeks of her senior year of High School. At her school, they take senior pranks to the next level. As the pranks (or dares) begin, things get serious REAL quick. Everyone has secrets, and they all will go to extremes to keep their secrets hidden.

Overall I really liked the premise of this one and once things got going they kept going for the whole book. my Jaw was on the floor during the last few chapters and I DID NOT see the ending coming. Even though this is a YA book, the main character was a total bad ass by the end and there weren't many parts that had me rolling my eyes.

This was my second book by this author, and I really enjoyed it! The Dare was like high schoolers meet I Know what You Did Last Summer! It kept me wanting to read page after page to find out what was going on, and the twists were really good and unexpected. Thank you Netgalley for letting me ARC read this, and highly recommend this for teens and adults, great YA thriller, who done it mystery.

Overall, this book is well written and thought out. I would give it four stars, just because it's a bit slow to get moving. By the last third of the book, you can't turn the pages fast enough. I liked it and would recommend, just wish it had been consistent throughout instead of twists right at the end of the book. I would have liked to see it play out a bit more.

Another fantastic read by Natasha Preston! Sometimes I wonder if I should worry that I'm a grown adult reading stories about high schoolers... but I love these books so much. I read this one in a day, couldn't put it down. Natasha always keeps you guessing and will often piss you off. But she's the best!

I am giving this five stars because Natasha is one of my favorite authors and I couldn’t give her any less. But there was something about this book that I couldn’t get into and I have not been able to finish it yet.
Will review again whenever I can make myself finish it.

A fantastic, addictive, unputdownable psychological thriller. The premise had me glued to the pages trying to figure it out. I've read several books by the author. Her writing hooks you from the first page. The build-up of suspense and the subtle clues made it a very enjoyable read. Excellent twist and turns, and the ending was brilliant.

Small Business BookTok ARC Reviews: “The Dare” by Natasha Preston

Note: This ARC was given to me for free by the author and I am reviewing this book voluntarily.

It’s senior year, and Marley, Atlas, Lucia, and Jesse want to end the year,with a series of exciting class pranks and dares! It’s all fun and games until one dare leads to a deadly situation! Will these four friends be able to keep their horrific secret to themselves or will their guilt start to consume them and tear their friendship apart? I dare you to..turn the page!

From the author that brought you Wattpad classics “The Cellar”, “The Cabin”, “The Lake”, and many more, New York Times bestselling YA Thriller author Natasha Preston is at it again with her latest novel! “The Dare” is an exciting Thriller that effectively delivers a Coming-of-Age drama that’s loosely reminiscent of the Summer Horror classic “I Know What You Did Last Summer”. Through the storytelling and characters, Natasha Preston does an excellent job of incorporating commentary on the decline of friendships and the fearful scenarios of a sense of drastic change that comes with being a senior in high school in a gradually cryptic fashion! And the twists and turns? Fasten your seat belts! If you’re looking for the perfect Summer read filled with intense drama and suspenseful intrigue, then don’t miss out on this book when it hits in-store and online shelves on May 7, 2024!

Rating: 5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

-Tropes to Expect: High School Narrative, Coming-of-Age, Pranks Gone Wrong, YA Thriller, Secrets and Lies, and the “Can’t Trust Anyone” Narrative.

-Trigger Warnings: Brief Discussions of Death of Family Members, Discussions of Broken Friendships, Hit-and-Run, Trauma, Mentions of Hospitalization, and Toxic Relationships.

Wow! This book was amazing. Four friends take on a dare during their senior year that changes their lives forever. Driven by guilt Marley begins to fall apart and the other three friends see it. With so much at stake concerning their futures each has to make a decision on how to keep the secret that they all know. This is the first book that I have read by this author, and I love her meticulously laid out plot. Holly Jackson fans will love this book and author.

Natasha Preston always keeps my attention even though her endings usually leave me annoyed. The Dare didn’t leave me unsatisfied at the end! The story was engaging, the twists kept me guessing, and the ending felt final instead of a cliff hanger.

📚 PRE-PUBLICATION BOOK REVIEW 📚

The Dare
By Natasha Preston
Publication Date: May 7, 2024

📚MY RATING:

⭐⭐⭐⭐

📚THE SYNOPSIS:

Would you accept the dare?

In Marley’s town, seniors are given a prank as a rite of passage…a dare, if you will. The dares start out simple…egging houses, balloons filled with glitter, chickens running loose in the halls.

But this is no child’s play.

Accepting a dare means you could be expelled, arrested, or worse. No one wants to back down from a dare. But saying yes has consequences, too…

📚MY REVIEW:

Reading this book was like a time warp -- it took me right back to my teenage days of reading Christopher Pike novels! 😉

When I requested this book from Net Galley, I saw that it was in the Mystery/Thriller genre...I missed that it was also in the Teen/YA genre. But just a few pages in, something seemed a bit off compared to the typical thrillers I read. The characters were all in high school and the language just seemed geared towards a younger audience. When I realized it was intended for readers between the ages of 12-17 (according to Amazon), I knew I had to shift my perspective in order to give an honest review.

Reading it through the lens of a teenager or young adult, I know I would have LOVED this book when I was that age. It not only provided a plotline of suspense that was entertaining and kept me guessing, but it discussed teenage relationships, betrayals of friends, the tribulations of high school, making plans for what to do after high school, and ugh - parents. 🙄 And there were even a couple plot twists at the end that surprised me.

The 4-star rating is primarily because I felt like there were a couple storylines that didn't quite wrap-up at the end and left me asking questions, and there were some parts of the storyline that felt just a little far-fetched. With that said, I'm obviously not in high school now and I know there's a whole new realm of pressures and stresses because of the presence of social media, so maybe I would feel differently if I was living in it now. Overall though, this was a great read and absolutely one I would recommend for those who love teen and young adult books!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's - Delacorte Press for this copy in exchange for my honest review!