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Author: Jacqueline Green
Series: Truth or Dare, book #1
Publisher: Poppy/Little, Brown BFYR
Publication Date: May 14, 2013
Source: finished copy courtesy of Paper Lantern Lit
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
When a simple round of truth or dare spins out of control, three girls find it’s no longer a party game. It’s do or die.
It all started on a whim: the game was a way for Tenley Reed to reclaim her popularity, a chance for perfect Caitlin “Angel” Thomas to prove she’s more than her Harvard application. Loner Sydney Morgan wasn’t even there; she was hiding behind her camera like usual. But when all three start receiving mysterious dares long after the party has ended, they’re forced to play along—or risk exposing their darkest secrets.
How far will Tenley, Caitlin and Sydney go to keep the truth from surfacing? And who’s behind this twisted game?
Set against the backdrop of Echo Bay, an isolated beach town haunted by misfortune, Truth or Dare is a highly charged debut that will keep readers in suspense from beginning to end.
It all started on a whim: the game was a way for Tenley Reed to reclaim her popularity, a chance for perfect Caitlin “Angel” Thomas to prove she’s more than her Harvard application. Loner Sydney Morgan wasn’t even there; she was hiding behind her camera like usual. But when all three start receiving mysterious dares long after the party has ended, they’re forced to play along—or risk exposing their darkest secrets.
How far will Tenley, Caitlin and Sydney go to keep the truth from surfacing? And who’s behind this twisted game?
Set against the backdrop of Echo Bay, an isolated beach town haunted by misfortune, Truth or Dare is a highly charged debut that will keep readers in suspense from beginning to end.
I always dreaded the game of Truth or Dare when I was younger. It never ended well for me. And the same is true for the girls in this book. But we'll get to that in a moment.
I like mysteries and thrillers and revenge stories. It's one of the reasons I'm still watching Pretty Little Liars. I didn't read the books, though. I read the first book in The Lying Game series by the same author, and I vowed no more. Those books just weren't on my level. Obviously, the story is interesting enough or I wouldn't still be watching the show. But I'm constantly screaming at all those pretty girls to just go tell someone in a position of authority what the heck is going on. And it's one of those mysteries that just gets more mysterious and complex as it goes.
The same could be said of Truth or Dare. It's an intricately woven story, full of secrets and deceptions, and it definitely kept me guessing. No dirty laundry remained un-aired. No skeleton remained in its closet. And no stone was left unturned as the girls tried to discover who was behind the dares. I'm usually really good at guessing who the culprit is early on and enjoy watching as the characters search for clues, but this time around, I was just as stumped as them until something happened and I just knew. The writing was clear and concise and the book read more mature than that series I mentioned earlier, and that just aided in keeping me in the dark for so long.
I generally like to know more than the characters do. So, when a character knows something that I don't and then takes it to the grave, it leaves me feeling a bit agitated. Especially when said character was on the verge of revealing this information, only to meet their untimely death. I call foul. What kind of ploy is this and why must you make me suffer so?
The suspense wasn't the only thing I liked about the story. The setting was the secluded town of Echo Bay, during it's Fall Festival. A festival which had previously been cancelled due to the mysterious deaths of three girls, dubbed the Lost Girls. If that doesn't set the mood for an eerie story, I don't know what would. The deaths weren't technically linked to the festival, but I usually attempt to avoid activities that lead to mentions of a curse and the like. But, hey, who am I to judge? Not the judgey people of Echo Bay, that's who.
I think I would have rather this book been a stand-alone. The story was just dark and intense enough to keep me reading, but that ending kind of rubbed me the wrong way. I mean, you get your answers and you move on. Though the ending wasn't what I would call a cliffhanger, it did leave a lot more questions. Maybe I don't like mysteries as much as I thought? Because the questions and the not-knowing are seriously bothering me right now. I guess that's the sign of a well-written mystery? Like I said, I liked the writing, and I'd like to read more from this author. Just maybe not a mystery because she's infuriatingly good at it.
Be sure to check out my stop on the Truth AND Dare Blog Tour and see how I fared at playing a round of Truth or Dare!
Rating:
1/2
About the author:
Jacqueline Green received her BA from Cornell University and her MFA in writing for children from The New School. She grew up in Wynnewood, PA, and now lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband and their tiny dog (who sometimes moonlights as her writing companion). Truth or Dare, the first novel in a trilogy, is her young adult debut. Jacqueline Green is a pen name of Jacqueline Resnick.
Find Jacqueline:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Find Jacqueline:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Great review Jen! I also love those lying shows like The Lying Game and books similar to it. OOh and cliffhangers?
ReplyDeleteHappy Reading!
Patrick @ The Bookshelves
Ahhh. It's sad when it seems like a book is being stretched out for the sole purpose of a series. Truth or Dare was also a terrible game for me (actually, most sleepover type of games, though I can't say I'd ever have been involved in the kind of stories that the teens of PLL or this may be.)
ReplyDeleteAlso: "Maybe I don't like mysteries as much as I thought? Because the questions and the not-knowing are seriously bothering me right now. I guess that's the sign of a well-written mystery?"
I'd say sometimes that questions are good, but sometimes it rides the line of being too much, you know? Like a book never felt quite complete because of that.
Ooh, the plot sounds really good! Truth or Dare. It brought out my anxiety. Ha! I'm always yelling at characters to go to authority as well. Stop bottling it inside and being "brave" or like a matyr. TELL SOMEONE. I also hate it when authors drag out something for the sake of series. But I'd be in the same position as you, wondering if the book is bad because it's leaving me with so many questions or if it's good because it leaves me wondering. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI always dreaded truth or dare too and basically only chose truth the few times I did play. I do like the sounds of this book!
ReplyDelete