Dare You To by Katie McGarry

Dare You To

Author: Katie McGarry
Published: May 28^th, 2013

Summary:

"I dare you"

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does.

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock—with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams—and his life—for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all.

Review:

Dare You To… One word: Stunning!

I didn't want to put this one down. Katie McGarry had be enthralled again and it was completely worth it. I encourage everyone to read this book. You’ll be disappointed if you don’t. I think this one is my favorite of the series so far. I love a bad boy, but I love seeing the other side of the spectrum and seeing the bad girl. We first meet Beth in Pushing The Limit. She is a nasty girl who you can tell has been given the bottom of the barrel. As much as you want to hate her you can’t, because you in a way feel bad for her. In Dare You To, we finally get to see why she is so damaged. You get to see what has gone in her life that makes her feel so bitter. We are also introduced to Ryan and his group of friends Chris, Logan, and Lacy. Ryan is the pretty boy jock that looks like he has it all but has his own problems that he fights.

Beth has been handed a shitty life. She has to take care of herself and she also has to deal with taking care of a mother. Beth does what she can to protect her but her mother is a glutton for punishment and just keeps going back for the worthless life she lives. Scott, Beth’s uncle is introduce and takes Beth away to start over. He wants her away from that life, he wants her to excel. At first Beth fights it. She wants nothing to do with that life; she just wants to protect her mom. Once she begins to follow rules and routines, she begins to flourish. She starts showing that that she has the potential to be better than she is. She’s also reacquainted with Lacy, who was once her friend. She starts letting her new life change her for the better. She has a hard time trusting people though and when the pretty boy jock Ryan starts showing interest in her she is very skeptical.

Ryan first met Beth in a Taco Bell on a dare. He never backs down from a dare, he hates losing. When the girl who made him lose his dare starts attending his school, he’s determined to win back the pride he lost. So his friends make is a dare. The friendship starts as a dare and Beth finds out. Ryan has his own demons. A father that cast his brother away, parents who fight constantly because of it and parents who try to force him to things that would be ‘best’ for him but it’s really best for them.

Beth and Ryan begin on a journey together that make both fall and fall hard. Ryan helps Beth learn to trust people. They proved to the world that just because they think they know you, they really don’t. Just because someone’s past is terrible doesn't mean they are. They pushed everyone off and went after what their hearts wanted and fought for it. They didn't let pride get in the way. They didn't let fear stop them from doing what was right for them. Sometimes all you need is a little push or just someone to dare you to.

Favorite Quotes:

“Can”

"I dare you to..."