It Started With a Dare and ended with a face-palm

It Started With A Dare (ARC) by Lindsay Faith Rech

The title says it all.

My review:

Oh, wow,but not in a good way. First of all, this book says for readers twelve and up, but the words “raging orgasm” are on page two, so I would up that disclaimer. In fact, I’m nearly seventeen and I had to stop reading this book due to mind-numbing content!
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Let’s see, my buzz words for this book- profanity, immaturity, cliche and vulgar.

The book looks to be a Meg Cabot esque reality-check high school book about a “nobody” who becomes a “somebody.” Reading the back of the book I thoughts, Mean Girls, meets Meg Cabot, but when you open up the book it’s Middle School, meets Cliche.

I had two problems with this book, one being the morality. I graduated High School early to escape the rebellious sex-and-swearing mentality. I didn’t want to read about the shallow lives of dumb cliche characters. Which brings me to point number two, cliche.

In the world of YA fiction there is High School done right and there is high school done wrong. This book has forged a new path, its High School gone Middle School. I knew girls just like this in Middle School, back when talking about sex and cursing behind teachers backs was oh, so cool, but I think I stepped into high school completely changed and most of the population did as well. I’m not saying High School is a good place, no way, it’s not, see point one again if that’s what you think I am implying. But High School was more complicated and less catty. The "fun" of being bad turned into just being bad. These girls were stuck in the minds of bitchy, careless, naive teenagers.

I don’t recommend this book to anyone with brain-cells, common-sense or a moral-compass. My friend allowed me to publish his quote to prove my point. Yeah, we are the pretentious, too-smart-for-our-own-good kids who prove points with self-written quotes. We are so cool.

(Ironically he and I were closer in middle school where one of those senseless, catty girls decided I was flirting with "her man" and hated me for it. When I learned why this chick was always murdering me with her eyes I laughed so loud the cafeteria echoed. My then kind-of boyfriend was in the same class where I did all my supposed man-eating. Trust me, only the thick didn't know that we had a thing for each other. In case you were wondering, it didn't work out. Why? Because it was middle school, people, have I taught you nothing?! Another tid-bit about my friend, because I know he is reading this- we became friends after I told him off at tennis practice one afternoon, then I nearly decapitated him with a wicked hot serve. Girls, this is a lesson, stand up for yourself and the guys you want to get to know will respect you for it.)

"As teenagers, we want to be like adults. We want to drive cars, work jobs, and have sex. Yet, the most mature (adult) thing that we could do would be to realize when we aren't yet ready for those things. Especially the last one."

Notes on the Names: Good names, which made hating the book that much more disappointing. The full names were great, Cynthia, Grace, Alona and Samara, but the nicknames I really hated. CG and Sammie replaced the gorgeous Cynthia and Samara. Boo-hoo.

Thoughts on the Cover: It’s a model cover. I can’t decide if it’s suppose to be campy, or sexy, but I’m sort of iffy on it either way. I do love the font, however, the little hearts over the I’s are double cute.

Gabrielle's bookshelf: currently-reading



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