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

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Released: October 11, 2011
Publisher: Ember
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 272 pages
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: 3/5
Author Site: Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

“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?

This was a fun relaxed read. A brief break from my vampies and weres. My biggest regret is not reading it around Christmas but oh well it has collected dust on my shelf long enough!

I must say I don't think I have ever read anything quite like this and the idea of leaving a notebook of challenges back n forth between any two people intrigues me kinda like a scavenger hunt in some ways. With that said although it was a fun read and I loved the premise I just can't see two teenagers talking or carrying on in this way. It just feels like something more that college kids or folks a bit older would do.

The characters played well against each other with Lily being so naive and reckless to Dash's bah humbug attitude but surprisingly the only thing I could find likable about Lily was she loved books and Christmas! As a main character she just was not stand outish enough and it took the background charcters like her gay brother and her medling aunt to even make her visable for me.

All in all it was a quick, light young adult romance that would be a terrific read anytime but especially a super holiday read!

Review - Fallen by Lauren Kate

Fallen by Lauren Kate
Released: September 28, 2010
Publisher: Ember
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 496 pages
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: 3/5
Author Site: Lauren Kate

There's something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

It has taken me a while to complete reading Fallen. I kept picking it up and putting it back down from lack of interest. I feel so bad because it has gotten so many wonderful reviews but even after I was in over 200 pages I still was really not into it. Everytime I thought "this" is the moment it is going to take off it just would fizzle back out. The characters were meh but I never really connected with any of them not even Luce. It's obvious she and Daniel is supposed to have this huge love for each other yet he treats her really bad and it seems that the worse he treats her the more intrigued she is with him. The story just drags and drags and only in about the last quarter redeems itself and peaks my attention. I will continue on with the series and hope Torment is better.