Truth or Dare: A Capital Girls Novel

Capital Girls #3

by Ella Monroe

Jackie, Lettie, and Laura Beth barely survived the holidays . . . literally. Jackie's on lockdown while the hunt is on for her stalker, who somehow got into the White House and left her an ominous note. Laura Beth and Sol are finally back together after a scandal almost tore them apart, and Lettie, who's forced to live with Whitney and her gossip-mongering mom, has let down her guard enough to fall in love with Daniel. For the Capital Girls life is always complicated, especially when they're under 24-hour media scrutiny. But that won't stop the three friends from making their senior year the most amazing ever—even as the mystery deepens over Taylor Cane's death and First Son Andrew Price's role in it.

Genres: Young Adult, Chick Lit, Contemporary

306 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 16, 2013

About the author

Ella Monroe is the pen name of authors Maz Rauber and Amy Reingold. Maz grew up in Australia and was a New York Post reporter before turning to fiction-writing. In her previous life, Amy was a Cordon Bleu trained chef and textile artist. After leaving her Midwestern hometown, Amy moved to Chicago, London, and Hong Kong. Both of us now live in Washington D.C., where each of us raised two kids. Maz loves to garden, doodle, kayak, walk her dog Aussie, and eat Amy's desserts. Not just a baker, Amy also designs one-of-a-kind coats. She loves her family, her dog, Zoe, her talking birds, Newman and Sadie and her caffeine habit. We're both incorrigible politics junkies and are hooked on YA fiction.

Reviews

[Chelsey Wolford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have loved this series! I hope it doesn’t end with this book, but I am not going to get my hopes up that it goes any further than this so that I won’t be disappointed if this is indeed the last book. I loved being transported to the fast-paced political scene that is Washington D.C., and I loved being a part of the Capital Girls inner circle. These books would be amazing if made into a mini series, and they somewhat remind me of a mix between Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl. This is of course the third book in the series, and I will not be able to share a lot of what goes on within this novel so as not to give all the juicy drama away for readers that have not completed the entire series. This book does pick up right where the second one left off, and I would not recommend trying to read this book as a standalone.

Jackie is still my favorite character and rightly so! She proves that she is a character worth following once you get to the end of this book and finish this series. She has come through so much and has been betrayed and overlooked from book one in this series. She is easy to sympathize with, once you look past the princess act, and her character is always the one that I am dying to read about first when I open these books. I was very caught up in her love life in this book particularly because for the most part readers are unsure what direction it might go. She is a highly fascinating character just because she is highly unpredictable!

The bond of the Capital Girls is still going strong, even though in this book and the second book they started to face some trouble together. Any girl can relate to the dynamics that make up the Capital Girls and the need and want to have close friends around when you need them most. One of the best parts of this series has been the idea that these girls put their friendship before everything else!

Now for me this last book fell a little short when compared to the others. I was expecting the big finale to be more dramatic than it was. I was expecting the webs of lies to unwind and for there to be some kind of major blow up at the end, but I was left wanting a little more. I was not completely disappointed and nothing could make me dislike this series at all. Ella Monroe kept me entranced by this series the entire way through and I hope and pray that this is not all from this amazing author, or should I say authors!

***A copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at St. Martin’s Griffin in exchange for an honest review***

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truth or Dare is my favourite instalment of the Capital Girls series so far. Monroe really picked up the pace and layered out all the drama to make this a captivating and awesome but crazy read that I just could not put down.

Jackie has always been my favourite character throughout the series but I gotta admit Laura Beth shined in this book almost as bright as It girl Jackie. She showed that she too can face up to challenging situations, act maturely when necessary and carry out her expected role effortlessly whilst remaining a true friend to her girls.
Lettie has always warmed my heart with her compassion. She is the one member of the group who sees the good in everybody and anybody no matter what. She was just the right person to heal Whitney and help her through her messed up life.

I thought after the last book I could never forgive Andrew but there he was beating himself up and I knew I could.

In this third novel hearts are healed and truths emerge.. Well with the exception of one deadly secret, which if revealed threatens the very lives and careers of everyone, well everyone who Jackie cares about anyway for in her hands it lies. Will she bury it in secrecy or will she risk revealing it to a few people in the name of good. But what good can possibly come out of keeping secrets? Secrets always come out in the end don't they?.... And if she does tell everything she knows will fall apart.

This was easily the best book in the series for me as after the last book well I didn't know how much more drama and gossip there was left to reveal however the surprises just kept on coming and twists unveiling rapidly, however most importantly all the loose ends from the last book were tied up very neatly and very nicely.

Well done Ella, another fabulous read!

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review and others are posted at Read, Rinse, Repeat.

One of the things I (and most people) love about books is the ability to escape into a world one would never experience otherwise. In the case of Truth or Dare, that world is the upper echelon of the DC political elite. What I expected was high-stakes political bargaining, conspiracies, and power plays. What I got was not much different than the afternoon soap opera. There were lots of Big Issues: date rape, drugs, eating disorders, classism, infidelity, stalking, and a stabbing. And that's just the kids! Their power-hungry DC parents are just as bad. But the pièce de résistance is none other than...a secret baby. Didn't I tell you it's like a soap opera? With so much piled on, each individual tragedy or shock loses its impact, and I ended up yawning my way through this book.

The characters are split into two distinct groups: the good guys and the bad guys. It's hard to get too emotionally invested in characters who lack distinction and who are, ultimately, forgettable.

Truth or Dare features a BIG LESSON, and in case it's missed, it is spelled out for us.: "A real relationship was built on so much more than sex. At the core was genuine friendship. And that meant trusting and talking and having patience and forgiveness." OK, I can get on board with this. I just wish I didn't have to read such petty melodrama to get there.

Note - I received an ARC of this book from the publisher for review.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Truth or Dare is a brilliant addition to the Capital Girls series. Things are getting more complicated for the Capital Girls. Laura Beth’s stepdad-to-be is ramping up his political campaign and putting a wedge inbetween LB and her BFF Jackie. But Jackie has more on her mind than just politics. She’s caught in a love triangle between the First Sons not to mention her stalker still hasn’t been caught. Lettie is trying to adjust to life with her parents living in a different country and her being taken in by a celebrity blogger who is using Lettie’s White House connections to further her career.

Things just keep getting more and more entangled as the girls mourn Taylor’s death whilst at the same time trying to get to the bottom of just what happened on the night of the car accident.

I loved how this book managed to combine so many different storylines and dramas whilst at the same time successfully weaving them together. All the girls are managing to grow – all three seemed more mature than in the previous book – but still keeping their teenage sensibilities Laura Beth is learning that maybe her dreams of the spotlight aren’t what they’re cracked up to be. Jackie has a personal dilemma to sort out and doesn’t know if she should follow her heart or keep her head in the political game. And Lettie is the sweet girl who balances out her larger than life friends.

I recommend this series for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl who love Mean Girls with a political twist.

[Rashika (is tired) · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Note: I haven’t read the other books in the series because I didn’t know this was the 3rd book in a series when I requested it because I am weird. Also this makes no sense but it's all good)

This is one of those books where I’d kill to be able to give a half star rating. It took me a while to finally decide that I’d have to lower the rating to 3 instead of moving it up to 4. I know that’s not very nice of me but it isn’t really something I can rate 4. See this is why I need the .5 star rating.

Like my internal conflict suggests there are both things I really liked and things that bothered me about this book.

This book tries to portray the life of a teen whose parents are heavily involved with politics. Because I have no idea what that’s like I cannot particularly judge that aspect of the book but I think the author does a good job anyway. These characters will always have someone trying to make them look bad for the sake of their own profit. Friends will be turned against each other in this battle. There is no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ side. This is politics; everyone will play dirty to some extent.

Because of this, the book was bound to have some drama. I should have anticipated that because I don’t like drama. If I had been mentally prepared I would have been able to tolerate parts that annoyed me. I mean there were cat fights and snobby chicks etc, I cannot deal with that without wanting to bang my head on a wall.

I didn’t really have an opinion about most of the characters except Laura Beth and Jackie. Jackie was my favorite character and Laura Beth was the opposite. Laura Beth has no filter and loves attention. She says some of the meanest things without thinking twice and not realizing she is hurting her friends and doesn’t apologize IF she does realize. Jackie, even with the mini love triangle she is stuck in, is a good main character. I love her determination and the fact that she doesn’t need to involve everyone in her shit. She can think for herself and usually makes good choices. She also grows as a character throughout the book and learns a lot from her mistakes.

The friendship between Laura Beth, Lettie and Jackie comes off as fake to me. There are times I wonder if their friendship isn’t just a label. They are constantly hiding things from each other. It seems though that their real connection comes from doing crazy things together instead of actually talking to each other about things and helping each other through rough patches. This is evident from the way Jackie and Laura Beth don’t realize how hard it is for Lettie to be separated from her family and don’t offer any real comfort to her.

I didn’t enjoy the romance part of this book. There was a love triangle of sorts going on Jackie and the two brothers (Andrew and Scott), which I can understand and I don’t hate but it doesn’t mean I like it either. The romance between Laura Beth and Sol is weird. Sol is always helping Laura Beth but he seems detached, like he is doing it to get her off his back instead of actually doing it because he cares. The romance between Daniel and Lettie, well I cannot say much because there isn’t much of it but what we are shown makes me like their romance the best out of the three because it’s cute.

The plot, although there isn’t much of it, is actually not that bad. You have Jackie trying to figure out what Taylor’s secret was, the process is gradual and when we find out the whole truth, well let’s just say that was definitely not what I was expecting. Not everything is explained but some secrets are meant to die with people. The ending is great and left me satisfied. It isn’t the picture perfect HEA but as close as it gets.

This book is something to read on a rainy day when you just want to curl up and read something light and enjoyable.



This review has also been posted on my blog



After reading
You know those times when you really really would die to be able to give a book a half star rating instead of rounding up or down? That.
DILEMMA!
Review to come soon and rating too because I need to ponder and analyze and have a massive debate with myself as to why I should round up or down.

[boekverslaafde · Rating 3 out of 5]

First things first I received this book from goodreads giveaways :)
I received an advance readers copy (ARC) of Truth or Dare by Ella Monroe. I'm not sure I realized it was the 3rd book in the series when I entered to win... Maybe I did, and figured it'd be ok as a stand alone book in the series...it was okay, but that was about it (as for standing on it's own). I would definitely suggest reading the first 2 before reading this one, it would make your enjoyment in the book much better. Here's why:

there are a LOT of characters in this book, but the main characters are:
Jackie - the daughter of the presidents best friend. She calls the president 'aunt' which shows how close the families are.
Laura Beth - the daughter of a D.C. socialite, who is engaged to a senator...and the senator is running in the next presidential election.
and Lettie - a girl who goes to the privileged private school with Jackie and Laura Beth.

This is a story of these girls, their close friends, family and enemies. In this book, they are trying to get over the betrayal and death of one of their closest friends, Taylor. There is conflict, back stabbing, scandal and friends lost and found in this story. If this was a stand alone book, I would have given it a 2 star rating, mainly because you meet almost ALL of the characters (main and otherwise) in the first few chapters, and it's very hard to keep them all straight. There were a lot of times where I had to go back and reread parts of the book to figure out who was who, who was dating who, and who was related to who. There were a lot of conflicts and situations each character had to deal with, that it made the whole book feel very jumbled, and again, I'd have to go back and reread trying to figure out which conflicts went with which character as well.
Because it is the 3rd book in a series, I am giving it 3 stars, because the characters would have been easier to follow if I'd learned about them slowly from the start, I'd know the back story a lot better than the bits and pieces I had to pick up and go back and reread to piece together. I liked the book for the most part, it did keep me engaged, but because it was so busy, it did irritate me quite a bit to have to go back to the beginning of the book trying to find something I thought I read about that could help me understand the situation at had a bit better.
Since I received an ARC some of these things may change in the final publication, so I would definitely say it's worth giving it a chance. I believe it is worth the read, and I'm thinking about reading the first two, so I don't want to say don't read it, but I would have to say, again, it would definitely benefit you to read the first 2 books in the series before reading this one.

[Stephanie (the nerdy princess) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Note: I haven’t read the other books in the series because I didn’t know this was the 3rd book in a series when I requested it because I am weird. Also this makes no sense but it's all good

This is a story of these girls, their close friends, family and enemies. In this book, they are trying to get over the betrayal and death of one of their closest friends, Taylor. There is conflict, back stabbing, scandal and friends lost and found in this story. If this was a stand alone book, I would have given it a 2 star rating, mainly because you meet almost ALL of the characters (main and otherwise) in the first few chapters, and it's very hard to keep them all straight. There were a lot of times where I had to go back and reread parts of the book to figure out who was who, who was dating who, and who was related to who. There were a lot of conflicts and situations each character had to deal with, that it made the whole book feel very jumbled, and again, I'd have to go back and reread trying to figure out which conflicts went with which character as well.

Because it is the 3rd book in a series, I am giving it 3 stars, because the characters would have been easier to follow if I'd learned about them slowly from the start, I'd know the back story a lot better than the bits and pieces I had to pick up and go back and reread to piece together. I liked the book for the most part, it did keep me engaged, but because it was so busy, it did irritate me quite a bit to have to go back to the beginning of the book trying to find something I thought I read about that could help me understand the situation at had a bit better.

[Dianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Truth or Dare by Ella Monroe had my head spinning. From page one, teens growing up in the political lion's den of Washington, D. C. seem to be just like "mini politicians" and not always in a good way. There is so much conflict, angst, back-stabbing and deceit amongst the characters, I was almost frightened to think they could be the future leaders of this nation and never quite outgrow their egos and insecurities. From the White House on down, there is a dark secret that has been covered up for years that only comes to the light a year after the main character's best friend has committed suicide.

The conflict between each character was almost overpowering as everyone had to watch what they said around whom. I wanted these kids to have a chance to be kids, have fun and relax a little! That said, for the book to evoke such strong feelings in me, Ella Monroe has done her job creating a world full of intrigue, and non-stop action that twisted and spiraled in all directions with all of the subplots before coming back to an astonishing ending. Her world building was detailed and intense, her characters possessed attitudes and mannerisms far beyond their years while still only having the emotional maturity of a teen.

A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for my honest review. Publication date: April 23, 2013

[Leona J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truth or Dare, being the third installment of the compelling Capital Girls series is intriguing, brilliant, and mature.

In this novel, you continue to follow the lives of Washington D.C.'s three It Girls as they work their way through media and political rumors, boy trouble, and enemy complications. The three girls, Jackie, Lettie, and Laura Beth start to look into colleges and their futures, find new secrets, and reveal what true friendship really means.

I found Truth or Dare to be a huge leap up from the rest of the series, it had a smoothly written plot, relatable characters, and huge surprise near the end. I found Jackie & Andrew's on-and-off romance to be considerably addicting, Sam's role in Taylor Cane's death to be ramping, and all the drama to be too unreal that I was certainly hooked from the start! I would share what I disliked about the book, but sadly, or more happily, there was nothing that unimpressed me.

When my reading was coming to an end, I thought to myself, "Would there be another book to tie this series together?" I, myself, unfortunately do not know the answer to that one, but I am praying that I will soon. Even if Truth or Dare did answer and close all the BIG questions, it would be calming to know what the Capital Girls were up to next and see if all their "How's" & "Why's" would be answered.

With powerful thoughts and descriptive scenes, the duo behind Ella Monroe has done it again. If you're in search for a romance-turned-political novel, you have typed in the right book.

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[Soma Rostam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the second book in the series, a while ago, but I have never read the first book. But I don't feel left out at all. Actually, I was thrust back into Jackie, Laura Beth, and Lettie's life like I hadn't even left.
Minor spoilers if you have not read The Capital Girls (#1)
Jackie's relationship with Andrew is crumbling to pieces. But the perfect TV relationship should not break. So, they are keeping it a secret. Laura Beth hates to rival with her best friend, but she wants a ticket to the White House, too. Lettie is all but happy to have her parents go away, but she moves on. And might even find the romance she needs.
The one thing that interests me the most in this series, is the high-profile lifestyle. Jackie is always on TV, tabloids, gossip magazines, and it feels believable. I never thought I would say that a book about some teenage girls in the spotlight of politics would be believable, but it is. The characters, the three girls are strong-willed and relate-able. You can feel the energy pulsing off of them. But the other characters are not as fleshed out, which was disappointing.
The plot of this book was predictable, more predictable than the second book, which was sad, too. But it still had its moments, and it kept me satisfied and interested. So, it deserves the four stars it gets. The ending was lovely, and expected. I am not sure if there is a fourth book or not, because I want to know what happens to the girls. But even if there isn't, Ella Monroe left me perfectly satisfied and i wouldn't mind, at all.

[Liviania · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed the frothy, soapy Capital Girls series. TRUTH OR DARE is the third book and brings the first arc to a conclusion. I'm not sure if there will be another book, but TRUTH OR DARE brings all of the big questions to a close.

The series starts shortly after Taylor Cane's death and follows her three best friends: Jackie, Lettie, and Laura Beth. In TRUTH OR DARE, they finally figure out some of what was haunting Taylor and causing her destructive behavior. It definitely paints some of Taylor's actions in a better light.

At the same time the girls are moving on. Jackie is defining herself and figuring out what she wants. (Her love triangle ends brilliantly.) Lettie actually seems to have a new arc starting that might take her character in an interesting direction. And Laura Beth is having to grow up and think about people other than herself. It's a good entry in the series, which is basically GOSSIP GIRL for people who like a little politics with their over-the-top teenage shenanigans.

[Natasha Hagen · Rating 2 out of 5]

When you grow up living in and around the White House you tend to be friends with people from the same crowd. Jackie, Lettie and Laura Beth have been friends for a while. They are all under constant scrutiny from the media as their families get media coverage on a daily basis.

These three girls are just finishing high school and are preparing themselves for the real world. They are considered to be the Capital Girls. Just like any high school kid their lives are filled with drama, parent problems and boy troubles. Deep down they just like normal kids trying to grow up in the public eye.

This book is more for the younger generation of teenage girls. It's an easy read and anybody could enjoy the book, but it's mostly aimed at younger girls.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a somewhat enjoyable read, but I think it was the weakest in the series. Unfortunately, I didn't feel that the loose ends were tied or that the story was concluded very well. It would make sense if there were another book after this in the series, but I don't think there will be. LB was more annoying than ever in this book and I kept hoping the authors would decide to kill her off. The plot was furthered by some soap opera style 'revelations' and Taylor's 'big secret' was bizarre and seemed too implausible to be true. I also found that Jackie's 'stalker' was very obvious. Overall, a disappointing read as I had really enjoyed this series up until now.

[Mitsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series is all about teenagers. Book three, Truth or Dare, has almost all the answers from the first two books. Some are obvious. Also, teenagers are so predictable. I feel like I've been dealing with teenagers for years after reading these novels. Great job by Ella Monroe for an absolutely perfect portrayal of teenagers, parents, etc.

Love the Capital Girls series and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA/NA novels.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in the the Capital Girls series, Truth or Dare is a complicated young adult mystery. Political intrigue , longstanding friendships, and complicated romantic entanglements keep the reader involved in the story. This is a good read for the 13 - 18 age group. This novel was provided by GOODREADS.

[Marian]

Truth or Dare is a story of friendship, drama, and gossip. Lots of gossip! I liked how well rounded it was. You have some characters that are clearly good, other that are clearly bad, and others that fall somewhere in between. This story is definitely unique and interesting, and I think it solves a lot of the questions that readers will have from the previous two books.

[Katsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that the book was a very amazing book, the ending had a twist so i liked it i love being surprised. It's kind of a romance book in a way. I loved the ending and again it was surprising at the ending.

[. · Rating 3 out of 5]

As entertaining as the other two books in the trilogy.

[Jacquie Baker]

One, if not the best installment of the Capital Girls. The new twists and turns are a great way to end the book series

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish they would write more! It's like House of Card meets Gossip Girl meets Pretty Little Liars!!!! It needs to be a TV show!

[Erica Alyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining. The second book was the best so far but this one provided answers and I loved it too!

[Marisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book series is entertaining in a soap opera way. This one didn't disappoint, however if this is the final book then it kind of did with that ending.