Review - Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares By: Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Title: Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares
Author: Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Publisher: Mira Ink, 260 Pages (October 5th 2012)
From: Purchased at The Works bookstore
Format: Paperback
Add to: Goodreads
Order a copy: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository, Amazon UK

Synopsis: 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 favourite 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? Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

Review: 4 stars - I saw this book in work for a few weeks and having heard good things about the author’s previous collaboration Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist I decided to give Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares a read.

I will admit; I was drawn to the cover. There’s something about it I absolutely love. I’ve only realised now as I’m writing this review that the snowflakes on the cover are heart shaped. That shows what you can miss when you’re engrossed in a story.

There’s something about the story of Dash and Lily. I don’t know if I can call it naivety; but there’s an air of something I’ve not read before. I’m relatively new to the Contemporary side of YA, so it could just be something associated with that.

Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares tells of 2 teenagers who aren’t looking forward to Christmas. Although Lily loves the holiday season, her parents have left her under the care of her older brother Langston while they travel to Fiji on belated Honeymoon/25th Wedding Anniversary.

Dash is an only child whose parents are divorced. After deciding he doesn’t want to spend Christmas with either parent. Dash lies to them and tells both parents he’s staying with the other; knowing that they won’t contact each other to find out if this is true.

Dash spends his free time mostly at The Strand bookstore. Where on one day while perusing the shelves he discovers a red moleskin notebook.

“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”.

Those words intrigue Dash and so ensues a game of dares through the medium of a moleskin notebook.

With the help of family and friends; Dash and Lily send each other on dares across New York. Fighting Christmas shoppers, tourists and even a run in with Santa himself.

The book supplies the right amount of humour, romance and anticipation to keep the reader engrossed and wanting more from every page.

I love that Lily has hope for the future and a positive view of the world. That’s one thing that you don’t see in a lot of YA characters. She shows her emotions, even when she doesn’t mean to- “Shrilly” moments, and I think this only helps to make her more relatable to the reader.

Dash isn’t like Lily. He’s comes across as a bit of a cynic at times and a realist. He’s not like his friends either, and would rather spend time reading and discovering the meaning of words than playing computer games.

I love how both Dash and Lily are in Dash’s words “Bookish”. We can all relate to the feeling of walking into a bookstore; be it for the first time or the hundredth time. So you can imagine Dash’s excitement at the end of the book. To be surrounded by your most coveted item- it must be overwhelming.

I highly recommend this book, to the point I’ve bought 2 copies to give as gifts to friends!
It’s a great quick read. I think I might give it another read nearer Christmas, to help get me into the festive spirit. Definitely a book I can see myself reading more than once.

Recommended for fans of John Green and Stephanie Perkins.