Book 21 for the year. Another ARC thanks to NetGalley! Book will be officially released in May. This author is one of my faves. I usually have a love hate relationship with her though because the endings of her books make me crazy! This book was definitely YA and nothing risqué in it like some of her others but it was a solid read that left me on the edge of my seat and guessing right up until the very last twist. I actually enjoyed the ending too! Check this one out! 5/5.

Another Netgalley ARC to be released May 7. The Dare is about a group of high school seniors that will soon graduate. Tradition has always been the that the last year of high school is filled with pranks and dares. In the past, some of these have gotten dangerous. You can even be turned down for your scholorship if you have participated in one where someone is injured. Marley has been accepted to a college in California and doesnt want to screw up her chances, but she is forced to participate in a dare that she knows might not end well. And it doesnt. The concept of this book is good but i felt like it was geared more to YA than adult. The Dare by Natasha Preston. 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you for the author and NetGalley for this early edition. This was a great book that gave off “I know what you did last summer” vibes! I wished there was more development of the side characters and their backgrounds,Ike why did Rhett stop talking to Marley and how did the 4 friends meet, overall very good book with an ending I didn’t see coming.

I love thrillers. But this one fell short. I guess the YA thriller genre is just not for me. I didn’t feel like any of the characters had any real substance There were some parts that kept me interested, but for the majority of the book, I found my mind wandering, and I lost interest.

If you are a YA thriller fan - this is a must read! I started this and could not think about anything else until I finished it. It made me miss the days when I had the ability to read a book in one setting. This is definitely a book you won't want to put down. Haven't read a YA thriller this good in years.

The Dare employs some classic tropes (a group of friends has to keep a secret about something they did, anonymous texts), but it didn't feel formulaic or too similar to something I had read before.

I have had Natasha Preston books on my TBR for years now, and I am mad at myself for not reading her sooner if all her books are this addictive. I will be working through her back list soon!

THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND PUBLISHER FOR THIS ADVANCE REVIEW COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.

Wilder brothers are known for being rich and dangerous dares in their final year of high school. Marley and her friends are not fond of Rhett (the wilder brother in their class) as dares in the past have destroyed people's lives but they also can't say no. As Wilder brothers have dirt on everyone. So they had to accept the dangerous task assigned to them but no one knew this task would make them murderers. They can't share about it otherwise their future will be destroyed. This shared secret is making their friendship weak and Marley is witnessing rapid change in everyone's personality. They are walking on eggshells but it can't last forever.

Honestly, I wasn't expecting much from it but surprisingly I liked the concept. Although there were several loopholes and half-baked logic still I didn't lose my interest. Many of the characters were unlikeable and kinda one dimensional. Rhett's character had potential but it was wasted. The ending kept me on edge but the final twist was not my cup of tea. People might like it but for me, it was sudden and should not be that abrupt. Overall, it was a good read.

Natasha Preston does it EVERY.SINGLE.TIME!!!! This book is absolutely incredible. It is an easy read that keeps you intrigued the whole time. Dares, a murder cover up and so much more! One of my favorites by her!

I thought this book was pretty good. It was slow to start which I didn’t really like however as the story went on it definitely got a little better. I enjoyed the twist and the story line in general. The way the main character was personality wise was very intriguing and it made the ending twist that much better. Overall, this could be better in my opinion but it was a good read.

I was so excited for this book but it just wasn’t for me. I found that dialogue to be a little clunky and even the action couldn’t save that.

I enjoyed this book. It was a great young adult thriller. I kept flipping the pages waiting to see what would happen next and who would be blamed. That ending though …

Senior pranks take a dangerous turn. Who can resist a dare? This book will keep teens interested not only to see what happens next but also because there are so many things they can relate to- peer pressure, the desire to do the right thing and wanting to fit in. It will make them think about how all of these things can influence your decisions, friendships, and even your future. This is a good read for teens because it will keep their interest but it will also teach them some life lessons.

Natasha Preston is always a 5 star author in my opinion! The Drae was not an exception! I was hooked from the start! It is literally about a dare and makes you question yourself! It kept my pulse racing even after I had finished!

I absolutely loved this! I easily connected with the main character and she was very relatable, especially when it came to her fear. The plot twists were so great and unexpected right up to the very end. I love that Preston creates fabulous stories but that they are clean enough for the classroom.

Holy Plot-Twist!
I have read every single Natasha Preston book and just LOVE how great her story telling is. You can never imagine how the story will end and it just takes you on such a journey.
This book, is a little different. I had to get through the first several chapters to really get into the story because the start is just like "I Know What You Did Last Summer." It was hard trying to seperate the movie from the book, but after that section, the story starts to take so many dark twists and turns. Finished in one day. That good!

I have loved several of her books, and also hated a few. I hate when she does a cliffhanger ending (it's infuriating) but love the way she writes. She wrote a good YA book.

Onto this book.. I felt super anxious reading this (like good thriller anxiety). I felt bad for the main character bc I could see all the gas lighting and lies building up waiting to pin everything on her. Gotta applaud that devious teenage girl. 👏👏.

Also, thank goodness for an ending thta is fulfilling and wrapped up neatly like a little present.

(A little predictable, but what YA novel isn't?)

Thanks to netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Dare. How one instance can change the rest of your life. If your family has enough money and prestige you can ruin the lives of people you are jealous of

This book was so fun! I flew through it. Loved the concept and the way the characters were written. I’m excited to read more by Natasha Preston. Four stars!

I’m am heading to the store right now to buy everything this woman has wrote I’m obsessed an I need more of this writing style

Pleasantly surprised! I'm the first to admit that I think Natasha Preston sometimes suffers from M. Night Shayamalan syndrome--where closing a story is a struggle, and thus feels like the whole endeavor is a bit of a failure. Fortunately, though, this is my favorite Natasha Preston story to date.

The Wilder family uses their wealth to run the town, and 3rd son Rhett Wilder does the same at the local high school. He's put himself in charge of senior pranks, and based off poor results from his older brother's previously doing the same, the seniors are on edge. Which brings in Marley, Rhett's former bff, our MC, and a member of a tight-knit group of friends/couples.

Crimes abound. Anonymous texts are sent. The police are involved. And the pranks continue....

Great character development. Solid story line. The twist at the end was 1/2 predictable and 1/2 surprising. It was a nice neat wrap up that satisfied after a fast-paced story.

Overall: 4 stars (I really liked it)

I'll tell my students about: language, alcohol, violence/gore/murder

**Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for the free ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

Marley is excited for senior year, but not the dares that come with it. Rhett Wilder, wealthy and powerful, assigns dares to everyone in class. If the dares aren't completed, Rhett dishes all the dirt he has on you. When Marley and her friends are assigned a dare, they make it through just fine. It's the second dare that's the real killer. Marley gets caught up in a crime that they then cover up. She starts getting anonymous texts and her friends start doubting her ability to keep quiet. There's so much to worry about during senior year, and Marley just wants to make it to graduation alive. But that might be too much to ask.

As usual, Natasha Preston creates a story filled with twists and turns. Just as readers think they have things figured out, the story goes in a different direction. I did struggle to like any of the characters in the beginning, but once the plot started to unfold, it was a little easier to go along for the ride. Some parts were predictable, which made me feel like a good detective. But there was a nice balance with characters and events that surprised me. I will be ordering this for my high school library!