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

AUTHOR: Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

PUBLISHER: Knopf (imprint of Random House Children)
PAGES: 260
SERIES/STANDALONE: Stand alone
SOURCE: Bought
OUTLINE:
“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.”

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?

MY THOUGHTS:

I can't believe I've waited so long to read this book. I mean I've seen tons of reviews saying how it's adorable and funny and everything else that can make a book good. I now can say that I agree 100% with those reviews. It's written by two well known authors Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. So if this book is any indication on how they write separately then I will definitely have to check out some of their other works.

A picture of the bookstore

It has the humor, romance (not the insta-love though), imagery, adventure (although it's just in the New York area), and so much more. I've never been to New York (it's one of those places I'd like to visit while I still can.) so being able to have somewhat of a visual was nice. Oh the bookstore it starts off in The Strand is now on my list to see if I ever go.  The setting as I mentioned takes place in New York during the Christmas Holiday which I can only imagine is beautiful. The lights just everything about it  and from Lily's POV that's exactly how she makes it seem. I won't bother with Dash's POV on New York. He honestly sounded like he could care less. (I won't hold that against him though.)

It starts off a few days before Christmas. (I totally recommend it as a Christmas read) Dash goes into this bookstore and finds a red notebook between some other books that he was looking at and the cover of the red notebook has masking tape with the words DO YOU DARE? written in black sharpie what's he do..he opens the notebook of course. He finds a note on the first page. "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." From then on it was awesome. The books that he had to find were hysterical. I mean a teenage boy looking for these books. Priceless. It then tells him to leave an email address and return the book where he found it. Do you think he does that? Please! He keeps it and decides two can play the game. This action leads to some crazy dares. I think my favorite was the Santa Claus scene where Dash had to sit on Santas lap. :)

You know how there's usually (not always) characters you dislike. I'm not sure I really disliked any of the ones in this book. Dash's best friend was a "blonde girl" only he was a boy. He was kind of stupid but in a funny way. Then you had Lily's brother. His boyfriend and him were the ones who came up with the idea for Lily to do a notebook. They were in book through out different scenes. Is it me or do guys always seem help-less when their sick? Sorry not much of a character analysis with this book.

Anyway, through out the book I'm wanting them to find each other, meet in person, and have the happily ever after.
Question is do they ever?

 I could keep on about the book, but my reviews always turn out to be rather long so I'm going to try and keep this shorter than most.

QUOTES: