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Dare Me
When Ben Candido and his friends, Ricky and John, decide to post a YouTube video of themselves surfing on top of a car, they finally feel like the somebodies they are meant to be instead of the social nobodies that they are. Overnight, the video becomes the talk of the school, and the boys are sure that their self-appointed senior year of dares will live in infamy. Every dare brings an increased risk of bodily harm, but Ben cannot deny the thrill and sense of swagger that come with it. The stakes become even more complex when a mysterious donor bankrolls their dares in exchange for a cut in the online revenue the videos generate. But at what point do the risk and the reward come at too high of a price? What does it take to stay true to one’s self in the face of relentless pressure.
336 pages, Paperback
First published October 8, 2013
14 people are currently reading
1317 people want to read
About the author
Eric Devine
6 books175 followersAuthor of fearless fiction: One in Ten (4/21/20), Look Past, Press Play, Dare Me, Tap Out.
English teacher, husband, and father of two girls.
English teacher, husband, and father of two girls.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
August 22, 2013
I’ve been sitting here waffling on what rating to ultimately give this book. Because there’s some good things that Devine does here, specifically with the main trio of boys he follows for the course of the story and their motivations and reactions. However, there’s also massively glaring problems with this book that ultimately dragged it down for me, and one in particular that does not make me want to recommend this book.
I like it when teenagers in books are portrayed as more average teenagers—they’re not particularly intelligent or wordy or snarky, they just are, and sometimes that includes writing dumb teens doing stupid shit. It’s probably more evident due to the rise of YouTube and social media, as how many news stories in the past few years are centered around teenagers getting caught in the midst of criminal acts because of uploading them to social media sites? And it’s the central focus for Devine here, as the author acknowledges that this is a commentary on that sort of behavior. (Although I would argue more that what Ben and his friends do are more of a product of the post-Jackass imitators rather than the recent challenges.) I liked that there’s an exploration and an acknowledgment on Ben’s part that he does get an adrenaline rush from completing the stunts and the thought of doing the next one on the list. I even buy Ricky’s whole speech about wanting lasting high school glory and leaving their mark before graduation.
There’s a few big snarls with this premise, though. First, I’m kind of disappointed that there’s no real escalation or discussion on how dangerous the stunts performed actually are. The only boy who suffers a deliberating injury is John, and even though the impact of him breaking his arm is discussed and essential to his character arc, there’s no continuing escalation of the danger. Which isn’t to say that Ben gets away physically okay, as the book ends with him losing sight in one eye and his love interest impaled on a corn stalk. (I have problems with the climax, more on that below.) I wanted to see more of the bruises and cuts, but aside from the one Christmas stunt, there’s no real acknowledgment of the less serious injuries. Mainly because most of the adult characters buy the boys’ explanations of how they got injured in the first place, and it’s a detail that’s especially egregious when you take Alexia’s story into this.
Secondly—and this is a huge problem that I have with this book—is the identity of the boys’ benefactor and the lack of explanation of why a wealthy businessman would even think to provide these boys with the provisions to potentially injure themselves. Mainly because there’s NO RESOLUTION TO THIS. Oh, sure, the boys get caught and all is revealed but…why. I had a dozen explanations going through my head the entire time that I was reading this, and when I got to the reveal, I wanted to scream bullshit at the book. It doesn’t make sense. (It feels like there's an epilogue that got cut out for whatever reason that deals with the fallout of Alexia's injuries, the revelation of the boys' activities, and what the hell was going on the entire time. I would have liked to have read that thanks so much.)
And it’s partially because Devine decides that there needed to be a “rich versus poor” narrative in this book. There’s several ways he could have gone about this, but having O.P. being wealthy is such a hard left field reveal makes the financial aspect ridiculous and nonsensical. There’s already a strand going on with Ben and Jesse’s rivalry over Alexia, and this just feels...stupid. Which is a shame, because Ben’s family’s financial situation is one of the parts that I did like about the book. I did get why Ben was so desperate to put himself through this physical torture to get money, to make his parents happy and maybe even get their old house back. It made sense with John, as he fucked up his other source of college funds by breaking his arm. And even though Ricky’s situation wasn’t completely explored, you can see why he would have been pulled in by the ad listing he finds in the first place. It actually works well, and again, given that teenagers generally don’t make the best decisions ever, it does make sense in the thinking “Dude, we get to be legends and make a shit-ton of cash!”
The other major issue I have with this book is the treatment of women. I will not completely excuse Ben’s objectification of Chantel, but I also don’t fault him for it. I will fault Devine for writing Chantel and Alexia as respectively the slut and the damsel with no other character arc or definition beyond that. Making Chantel related to O.P. is a stupid plot excuse to even try to add depth to her character, and it makes me angry that that’s the only reason she’s a supporting character. Alexia’s story makes me angry. Alexia only exists as a trophy between Jesse and Ben, with the added bonus that Jesse abuses Alexia. The only reason Alexia exists as a love interest is for Ben to rescue her, literally and wishfully. The abusive relationship makes me angrier, because it feels like a flimsy excuse for Ben to rescue Alexia and never fully explores the ramifications and realities of being in an abusive relationship. And the line that Ben has about Alexia being strong feels like a cop-out, especially given what happens to her at the end of the book. And that ending is the main reason why I won’t recommend this. The escalation between Ben and Jesse not only takes away from the main mystery and conflict between the trio and O.P., but again, it only sets up Alexia as a prop. She has no purpose in the story aside from being the trophy and for all of Ben’s talk of how much he respects her and would treat her right, I have a really hard time believing it.
Also, a very special mention to Ben’s sister Ginny, who becomes Ben’s confidante and hides the fact that her brother and his friends are harming themselves because she needs data for a research paper. Given the ramifications of what Ben and his friends were doing and police involvement throughout, I’m shocked that Ginny wasn’t arrested for endangering a minor. That, and I never got that Ginny or Ben actually cared for each other. I understand that they’re not close, but nothing about Ginny’s actions suggested that she was worried for Ben’s safety.
Devine had a strong idea and concept, but ultimately fails in his writing and characterization. As an exploration of male friendships and the limits one is willing to go for to achieve personal fame and glory, he does succeed, but the lack of reasons and motivations of other characters, plus Ben’s relationships with Chantel and Alexia really killed this book for me. Which is a shame, because I was really looking forward to reading this when I got it at work. Ultimately, I really can’t recommend it on that basis.
I like it when teenagers in books are portrayed as more average teenagers—they’re not particularly intelligent or wordy or snarky, they just are, and sometimes that includes writing dumb teens doing stupid shit. It’s probably more evident due to the rise of YouTube and social media, as how many news stories in the past few years are centered around teenagers getting caught in the midst of criminal acts because of uploading them to social media sites? And it’s the central focus for Devine here, as the author acknowledges that this is a commentary on that sort of behavior. (Although I would argue more that what Ben and his friends do are more of a product of the post-Jackass imitators rather than the recent challenges.) I liked that there’s an exploration and an acknowledgment on Ben’s part that he does get an adrenaline rush from completing the stunts and the thought of doing the next one on the list. I even buy Ricky’s whole speech about wanting lasting high school glory and leaving their mark before graduation.
There’s a few big snarls with this premise, though. First, I’m kind of disappointed that there’s no real escalation or discussion on how dangerous the stunts performed actually are. The only boy who suffers a deliberating injury is John, and even though the impact of him breaking his arm is discussed and essential to his character arc, there’s no continuing escalation of the danger. Which isn’t to say that Ben gets away physically okay, as the book ends with him losing sight in one eye and his love interest impaled on a corn stalk. (I have problems with the climax, more on that below.) I wanted to see more of the bruises and cuts, but aside from the one Christmas stunt, there’s no real acknowledgment of the less serious injuries. Mainly because most of the adult characters buy the boys’ explanations of how they got injured in the first place, and it’s a detail that’s especially egregious when you take Alexia’s story into this.
Secondly—and this is a huge problem that I have with this book—is the identity of the boys’ benefactor and the lack of explanation of why a wealthy businessman would even think to provide these boys with the provisions to potentially injure themselves. Mainly because there’s NO RESOLUTION TO THIS. Oh, sure, the boys get caught and all is revealed but…why. I had a dozen explanations going through my head the entire time that I was reading this, and when I got to the reveal, I wanted to scream bullshit at the book. It doesn’t make sense. (It feels like there's an epilogue that got cut out for whatever reason that deals with the fallout of Alexia's injuries, the revelation of the boys' activities, and what the hell was going on the entire time. I would have liked to have read that thanks so much.)
And it’s partially because Devine decides that there needed to be a “rich versus poor” narrative in this book. There’s several ways he could have gone about this, but having O.P. being wealthy is such a hard left field reveal makes the financial aspect ridiculous and nonsensical. There’s already a strand going on with Ben and Jesse’s rivalry over Alexia, and this just feels...stupid. Which is a shame, because Ben’s family’s financial situation is one of the parts that I did like about the book. I did get why Ben was so desperate to put himself through this physical torture to get money, to make his parents happy and maybe even get their old house back. It made sense with John, as he fucked up his other source of college funds by breaking his arm. And even though Ricky’s situation wasn’t completely explored, you can see why he would have been pulled in by the ad listing he finds in the first place. It actually works well, and again, given that teenagers generally don’t make the best decisions ever, it does make sense in the thinking “Dude, we get to be legends and make a shit-ton of cash!”
The other major issue I have with this book is the treatment of women. I will not completely excuse Ben’s objectification of Chantel, but I also don’t fault him for it. I will fault Devine for writing Chantel and Alexia as respectively the slut and the damsel with no other character arc or definition beyond that. Making Chantel related to O.P. is a stupid plot excuse to even try to add depth to her character, and it makes me angry that that’s the only reason she’s a supporting character. Alexia’s story makes me angry. Alexia only exists as a trophy between Jesse and Ben, with the added bonus that Jesse abuses Alexia. The only reason Alexia exists as a love interest is for Ben to rescue her, literally and wishfully. The abusive relationship makes me angrier, because it feels like a flimsy excuse for Ben to rescue Alexia and never fully explores the ramifications and realities of being in an abusive relationship. And the line that Ben has about Alexia being strong feels like a cop-out, especially given what happens to her at the end of the book. And that ending is the main reason why I won’t recommend this. The escalation between Ben and Jesse not only takes away from the main mystery and conflict between the trio and O.P., but again, it only sets up Alexia as a prop. She has no purpose in the story aside from being the trophy and for all of Ben’s talk of how much he respects her and would treat her right, I have a really hard time believing it.
Also, a very special mention to Ben’s sister Ginny, who becomes Ben’s confidante and hides the fact that her brother and his friends are harming themselves because she needs data for a research paper. Given the ramifications of what Ben and his friends were doing and police involvement throughout, I’m shocked that Ginny wasn’t arrested for endangering a minor. That, and I never got that Ginny or Ben actually cared for each other. I understand that they’re not close, but nothing about Ginny’s actions suggested that she was worried for Ben’s safety.
Devine had a strong idea and concept, but ultimately fails in his writing and characterization. As an exploration of male friendships and the limits one is willing to go for to achieve personal fame and glory, he does succeed, but the lack of reasons and motivations of other characters, plus Ben’s relationships with Chantel and Alexia really killed this book for me. Which is a shame, because I was really looking forward to reading this when I got it at work. Ultimately, I really can’t recommend it on that basis.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2018
Dare Me by Eric Devine was a great book. Anyone who enjoys a suspenseful, thrilling book would enjoy this book. The book is about Ben and his two friends, Ricky and John, who start to post unknown videos online for money from sponsors, during their senior year. These could result in great injury or even death. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time. The authors writing choice is very well thought out, using lots of suspense. It is a great read and I would very much recommend it.
June 13, 2014
For me, the cover was what drew me in. I saw this book in chapters and there was so much simplicity in the image but so much complexity to draw you in when you see a figure standing at the edge of a ledge over a drop of an unknown height that I just wanted to read it and find out WHY, WHATS HAPPENING. The cover was a great reflection on what the book was like. There was so much simplicity when you look at it face-value, but also some complexity when you really give it some thought.
The book deals with a cool concept; wanting to be seen and remembered, how we'll go out of our way to make an impression of ourselves on people and yet so often, we let this need to impress people lead to impulsive actions that just get out of hand. The plot of the story revolves around these boy's daring each other to complete stunts that would gather so much hype that they would almost become someone else through the fame they would achieve. I thought that this book's premise was such a cool idea and the author's exploration on dealing with people wanting to be famous and leave an impression on others, well it was a great idea however, i feel like the idea had so much more potential for it that wasn't realized in this book.
I had such high hopes for this book because I've read a similar book where the kids pull pranks and it was one of my favourites and honestly, if you wanted to read a story with a premise like this book's premise but which went beyond just the pranks and the fame, "[sic]" by Scott Kelly is the better version to read, no offence to Eric. I just felt like this book had a shallow handle on the concepts it was trying to portray. It had a great message, but the characters even if they had some depth weren't exactly dynamic and the plot didn't move very fast so that i kept getting bored of the book and so as much as i can appreciate the message Eric Devine was portraying through his book, this book just didn't do it for me.
The book deals with a cool concept; wanting to be seen and remembered, how we'll go out of our way to make an impression of ourselves on people and yet so often, we let this need to impress people lead to impulsive actions that just get out of hand. The plot of the story revolves around these boy's daring each other to complete stunts that would gather so much hype that they would almost become someone else through the fame they would achieve. I thought that this book's premise was such a cool idea and the author's exploration on dealing with people wanting to be famous and leave an impression on others, well it was a great idea however, i feel like the idea had so much more potential for it that wasn't realized in this book.
I had such high hopes for this book because I've read a similar book where the kids pull pranks and it was one of my favourites and honestly, if you wanted to read a story with a premise like this book's premise but which went beyond just the pranks and the fame, "[sic]" by Scott Kelly is the better version to read, no offence to Eric. I just felt like this book had a shallow handle on the concepts it was trying to portray. It had a great message, but the characters even if they had some depth weren't exactly dynamic and the plot didn't move very fast so that i kept getting bored of the book and so as much as i can appreciate the message Eric Devine was portraying through his book, this book just didn't do it for me.
October 29, 2013
Ben and his two friends, Ricky and John are planning to make the best of their senior year. They have it all planned out. They will do ten extreme dares and video record them and upload them on the internet. The is two problems...one no one knows it is them as they have hidden their faces and two the dares are so extreme that they just might not survive them.
While I was not particularly that excited about the characters or what was happening to them, I was interested in how far Ben, Ricky, and John would take their dares. I agree with Ben and John that the dares were getting more dangerous but yet none of them ever took a strong stand and said I don't want to do this anymore. I guess I know the answer to this question "If your friends all jumped off a cliff would you do it to?"
After a while I did grow old of Ben, Ricky, and John and skipped a section to get to the end faster. Which I have to say that for all that the guys went through the ending was just alright.
While I was not particularly that excited about the characters or what was happening to them, I was interested in how far Ben, Ricky, and John would take their dares. I agree with Ben and John that the dares were getting more dangerous but yet none of them ever took a strong stand and said I don't want to do this anymore. I guess I know the answer to this question "If your friends all jumped off a cliff would you do it to?"
After a while I did grow old of Ben, Ricky, and John and skipped a section to get to the end faster. Which I have to say that for all that the guys went through the ending was just alright.
September 8, 2013
This book is signature Devine: Intense. Gripping. Honest.
Loved this!
Loved this!
April 2, 2017
I chose the book "Dare Me", by Eric Devine because of the louring description it has on the back. This book is perfect for teenagers that love thrilling things. This book uses a good source of Imagery throughout the whole book, engaging readers to be excited to read more. This book is about a group of kids who want to complete ten dares to achieve greatness. These kids videos have gone viral throughout the school. Sooner or later these dares become way too dangerous but he insists to keep going on. Each chapter keeps the reader wanting to read on. I decided to read this book because my freshman year I went to a comic con type thing with Mrs Mullins class. We got to see many different authors and got to talk to them ourselves. This author stood out to me because of this one book. Eric Devine is a high school English teacher and an educational consultant. He is also the author of the book "Tap out" and "The Side of Normal". He lives in Waterford NY, with his family. The reason that this book stood out to me was because of the way he expresses the thrilling events that happen throughout. The use of imagery just pulls the reader into the book even more than they already are. Here are some examples of good Imagery that Eric Devine uses, “We do and I’m pressed into her now, the effervescence of the champagne fizzing beneath my lips and her staring into my eyes. I could give in to this. She is beautiful and this is undoubtedly the most romantic thing I have ever done.” The way Eric Devine uses imagery just pulls the reader into the book more than they already are. Explaining the characters romance using imagery helps the reader engage more. Another good use of imagery in found here, “It’s snowing. The flakes are fat and stick to the ground like bater on a grill. We haven’t had a real storm yet, but this white mess is moving like we’re just getting started. I head into the condo and shake off. Ginny’s by the fireplace, reading a textbook, highlighting away. She looks up when I come in and right back to her book.” The rest of the lights blink off, and the only illumination that remains comes from the little booth where Jesse has a register and a small heater. He’s counting the cash as our booths crunch over the snow. He looks up when Ricky taps on the window, and for a second, he stares. That second is all it takes for Ricky and John to pull him out of the booth and send him pawling into the snow.” The way that Eric Devine uses imagery is actually really cool. He makes the reader feel as if they are actually there in that moment. He makes the reader see what is happening by the use of his words. I highly recommend reading all of Eric Devine's books because he is a very appealing author to all types of people.
December 3, 2015
Newton's First Law: An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
Wow, wow, wow.
Absolutely exhilarating!
Here's the deal:
Ben Candido and his two other friends, John, and Ricky must complete ten dares during their senior year. They will film them, and hopefully gain views, and just might begin to feel like they're special and awesome for once.
But these aren't your typical dares. It's not, some dumb milk challenge, or some idle thing like sticking their tongues on a frozen pole.
No, their first dare is to go car surfing!
They're lucky that stunt didn't get them killed! But boy, did the video explode on Youtube. The guys didn't think they'd get that many views so quick. With their faces covered, nobody knows that it's Ben, Ricky, and John that's behind the dare. And there's more dares to come, much far more dangerous than car surfing.
As the dares earn overwhelming tons of attention online, one of the guys finds a mysterious man who is willing to fund and pay the boys for their dares, with more money for every view and follow. But the demands get higher and higher. As things begin to spiral out of control, with them breaking the law, breaking bones, and breaking hearts.
Ben realizes that this is much more complicated than he thinks.
While this is all going on, Ben's father lost his job, and they're forced to sell their house. His family doesn't know about the dares, and he's letting his grades slip from the stress.
People begin to get suspicious. Friends start to turn against each other. And Ben is stuck in deep trouble if he gets caught. He's in too deep to fix everything. This could affect the rest of his life if he doesn't do something about all of this. If only somebody could dare him to cut it out.
Newton's Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
I loved Dare Me too much. It was a combination of everything I needed. I hadn't read a book in a month, and my mind was slowly turning to mush. Picking up Dare Me, I soon found myself lost in a place of risks, secrets, and action. The plot kept me glued to the pages. I physically could not put the book down. What a perfect book to read after my lack of reading! Perfect!
I emphasized with Ben. He was such a strong character. Naïve, but lovable. I liked how he always tried to make things right with everybody, even though he didn't have that kind of power.
Though I wish he just would've punched Ricky in the face!!!!
I was waiting for it. For Ben to just pop Ricky in the nose. Ricky was a complete ass and everybody knew it. But yet, they let him push them around. That's not fair.
The dares all made me hold my breath. They made my chest clench while reading them. I couldn't stand the pressure, if one of them were to get hurt. But I wish the videos described in the story were actual videos that I could watch. They sound so cool, with the dares and camera affects described. I wish I could've seen the Christmas one —that video sounded like it would've been hilarious!
As for the ending, I felt like it just wasn't fair. Ben truly proved Newton's Third Law to be true, even if he always zoned out in class. I wish the ending would've been longer. There were some questions left unanswered, and I wanted to read more. Still, I really enjoyed this book.
Psst!
Hey!
I dare you to read this book!
"I sigh and shake my head. I can't fix Chuck. I can't produce some daredevils for McNeil. I have only a notion of what's up with Alexia, and my home and dad's job are on shaky ground. Which, in turn, makes my college plans and the future quite unstable. That and the fact that I'm terrible at school this year.
So how do I make sense of any of this? What would Newton do? From the pictures I've seen, probably go and curl his hair."
Wow, wow, wow.
Absolutely exhilarating!
Here's the deal:
Ben Candido and his two other friends, John, and Ricky must complete ten dares during their senior year. They will film them, and hopefully gain views, and just might begin to feel like they're special and awesome for once.
But these aren't your typical dares. It's not, some dumb milk challenge, or some idle thing like sticking their tongues on a frozen pole.
No, their first dare is to go car surfing!
They're lucky that stunt didn't get them killed! But boy, did the video explode on Youtube. The guys didn't think they'd get that many views so quick. With their faces covered, nobody knows that it's Ben, Ricky, and John that's behind the dare. And there's more dares to come, much far more dangerous than car surfing.
As the dares earn overwhelming tons of attention online, one of the guys finds a mysterious man who is willing to fund and pay the boys for their dares, with more money for every view and follow. But the demands get higher and higher. As things begin to spiral out of control, with them breaking the law, breaking bones, and breaking hearts.
Ben realizes that this is much more complicated than he thinks.
While this is all going on, Ben's father lost his job, and they're forced to sell their house. His family doesn't know about the dares, and he's letting his grades slip from the stress.
People begin to get suspicious. Friends start to turn against each other. And Ben is stuck in deep trouble if he gets caught. He's in too deep to fix everything. This could affect the rest of his life if he doesn't do something about all of this. If only somebody could dare him to cut it out.
Newton's Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
I loved Dare Me too much. It was a combination of everything I needed. I hadn't read a book in a month, and my mind was slowly turning to mush. Picking up Dare Me, I soon found myself lost in a place of risks, secrets, and action. The plot kept me glued to the pages. I physically could not put the book down. What a perfect book to read after my lack of reading! Perfect!
I emphasized with Ben. He was such a strong character. Naïve, but lovable. I liked how he always tried to make things right with everybody, even though he didn't have that kind of power.
Though I wish he just would've punched Ricky in the face!!!!
I was waiting for it. For Ben to just pop Ricky in the nose. Ricky was a complete ass and everybody knew it. But yet, they let him push them around. That's not fair.
The dares all made me hold my breath. They made my chest clench while reading them. I couldn't stand the pressure, if one of them were to get hurt. But I wish the videos described in the story were actual videos that I could watch. They sound so cool, with the dares and camera affects described. I wish I could've seen the Christmas one —that video sounded like it would've been hilarious!
As for the ending, I felt like it just wasn't fair. Ben truly proved Newton's Third Law to be true, even if he always zoned out in class. I wish the ending would've been longer. There were some questions left unanswered, and I wanted to read more. Still, I really enjoyed this book.
Psst!
Hey!
I dare you to read this book!
"I sigh and shake my head. I can't fix Chuck. I can't produce some daredevils for McNeil. I have only a notion of what's up with Alexia, and my home and dad's job are on shaky ground. Which, in turn, makes my college plans and the future quite unstable. That and the fact that I'm terrible at school this year.
So how do I make sense of any of this? What would Newton do? From the pictures I've seen, probably go and curl his hair."
June 7, 2016
Ben and his friends wanted their last year of highschool to be a year everyone remembers, so they do whatever to make that happen. It all started when they posted a youtube video of them car surfing, from there the views came flying in. Once they got the attention they wanted they started to feel like somebodies, but things quickly changed. Many people disagreed with the actions of the boys, many saw it as dangerous and self harming. Soon enough, they started affecting others close to them. Ben soon needed to decide whether his family and friends were more important or the fifteen minutes of fame.
I loved how the plot made me want to see what happens and made me want to read more.
The book moved at an easy pace, a lot of the things in the book lets you picture scenes in your head which I love.
To be honest I loved everything, I have no complaints.
The book was very interesting! It tells a little bit about Ben’s family situation and others’ as well, you get caught in the drama.
My favorite characters were Ben and Alexa. Ben is to himself, doesn’t really say much and hasn’t really lived life. He’s the type of friends to be more cautious but then reckless at the same time. He reminds me of some of my friends because a lot of my friends always tell me, “Arielle no stop don’t do it” but then end up doing what I do. I’m kind of like ben because although i can be reckless sometimes, i’m not as reckless as my friends. I’m more of like the mom in our clique. I can also sort of relate with Ben when it comes to his home life situation.
There were many themes in this book. Friendship, revenge, and forgiveness, love.
Friendship= Ben and his three friends had to stay as a team in order for their youtube secret life to work. They had to make sure they were always on the same page and keep secrets. When one of Ben’s friends Ricky included someone, they had to discuss it as a team. When they faced challenges, they did it as a team and found a solution.
Revenge= When the boys blame a group of guys so they would be suspected as the stunt guys, but it backfires. One of the guys came to the conclusion that it was Ben and his friends who were the real stunt guys so they got back at him.
Love= Ben fell in love with Alexa and because of her he does whatever to make sure she’s safe, even if it hurts him. He protects her and makes sure she knows she can go to him.
Forgiveness= After a lot of horrible and frightening things happened, people were forgiven and continued on with life. Everyone realized their mistakes and apologized.
Teenagers should read this because I feel like they can relate more to why the boys do what they do, especially teenage boys. Anyone who likes a sort of drama and suspense book with a little bit of romance then you’ll like this book!
I loved how the plot made me want to see what happens and made me want to read more.
The book moved at an easy pace, a lot of the things in the book lets you picture scenes in your head which I love.
To be honest I loved everything, I have no complaints.
The book was very interesting! It tells a little bit about Ben’s family situation and others’ as well, you get caught in the drama.
My favorite characters were Ben and Alexa. Ben is to himself, doesn’t really say much and hasn’t really lived life. He’s the type of friends to be more cautious but then reckless at the same time. He reminds me of some of my friends because a lot of my friends always tell me, “Arielle no stop don’t do it” but then end up doing what I do. I’m kind of like ben because although i can be reckless sometimes, i’m not as reckless as my friends. I’m more of like the mom in our clique. I can also sort of relate with Ben when it comes to his home life situation.
There were many themes in this book. Friendship, revenge, and forgiveness, love.
Friendship= Ben and his three friends had to stay as a team in order for their youtube secret life to work. They had to make sure they were always on the same page and keep secrets. When one of Ben’s friends Ricky included someone, they had to discuss it as a team. When they faced challenges, they did it as a team and found a solution.
Revenge= When the boys blame a group of guys so they would be suspected as the stunt guys, but it backfires. One of the guys came to the conclusion that it was Ben and his friends who were the real stunt guys so they got back at him.
Love= Ben fell in love with Alexa and because of her he does whatever to make sure she’s safe, even if it hurts him. He protects her and makes sure she knows she can go to him.
Forgiveness= After a lot of horrible and frightening things happened, people were forgiven and continued on with life. Everyone realized their mistakes and apologized.
Teenagers should read this because I feel like they can relate more to why the boys do what they do, especially teenage boys. Anyone who likes a sort of drama and suspense book with a little bit of romance then you’ll like this book!
March 29, 2015
Ben Candido has known enough about trouble and his former best friend Ricky to stay away for more than three years. But when their senior year of high school finally arrives, Ben can’t help it. Ricky has a great plan for finishing 10 dares--one per month--and posting them on YouTube. He convinces Ben as well as their friend and basketball star, John, that they will graduate as school legends.
From the beginning the dares are super dangerous. The guys could easily get hurt and possibly be killed. They need to keep their daredevil stunts a secret, remain anonymous. But as the number of viewing hits on their videos skyrocket, they are pressured to take on more and more risks. They have a shady sponsor, and their contract with him locks them into a terrifying reality. They have to take on another classmate who appears to have figured out their secret and could get them arrested. But now, in addition to the hope of becoming legends, a lot of money is involved. With Ben’s dad’s job in jeopardy, he has all the more reason to risk himself.
Ben has more than one love interest, but the girl of his true heart is Alexia. He’s known her since they were childhood friends. For some reason, she can’t seem to escape her abusive relationship with Jesse. Could Ben’s new courage and daring help him to help her?
High school housekeeping: This is a fun book for just about any high school student, but it has particular guy appeal. I recommend it to all my guy reluctant readers who are looking for more action in their novels.One flaw in the novel is that the motivation of Ben, Ricky, and John’s secret sponsor is unclear. But on the whole, you’ll be pulled through the story by one dare and then the next, wondering how the guys can ever get out of this, and if all three of them will manage to live. The end is quite the white-knuckler. Wild and unexpected, it’s a satisfying conclusion to a fast-paced thrill ride.
November 24, 2020
(2.5) It wasn't a bad book, just didn't stick with me. The plot seemed to lag along and the ending was kind of pointless in a way? Didn't really explain O.P's reasoning at all and that kind of bothered me. To me it feels like there was just a bunch of plot holes that could've been delved into more, but other than that, it was an entertaining book.
September 9, 2016
Actual rating 1.5 stars.
Wow! What happened? I had high expectations for this book. In fact, just by reading the first few pages, I was hooked and thought it had the potentail for five stars. But again, what happened? There are three reasons why it only got 1.5 stars.
1.The swearing. I can tolerate a little swearing, but "Dare Me" had some on every page. You'de be hard pressed to find even one page that contains less than two swear words. That's just way too much for one book. I understand that Ben and his friends are going through tough times. But, were so many eff bombs necessary? No, and it didn't move the plot forward in any posotive way.
2.Casual drinking/casual getting drunk. I know that high school parties will have lots of drinking. It even gives the wrong influence that getting drunk is totally okay and fun even. But I don't want to read about it, especailly because it moves to and encourages the third reason.
3.Sex. I know that it's going to be in practiacally every book nowadays. But again, I DON'T want to read about it. And did it have to go into so much detail? I mostly just skim over these parts but I still get the general idea. This also gives the impression that it's okay to get drunk then have sex even if you might regret it later.
Wow! What happened? I had high expectations for this book. In fact, just by reading the first few pages, I was hooked and thought it had the potentail for five stars. But again, what happened? There are three reasons why it only got 1.5 stars.
1.The swearing. I can tolerate a little swearing, but "Dare Me" had some on every page. You'de be hard pressed to find even one page that contains less than two swear words. That's just way too much for one book. I understand that Ben and his friends are going through tough times. But, were so many eff bombs necessary? No, and it didn't move the plot forward in any posotive way.
2.Casual drinking/casual getting drunk. I know that high school parties will have lots of drinking. It even gives the wrong influence that getting drunk is totally okay and fun even. But I don't want to read about it, especailly because it moves to and encourages the third reason.
3.Sex. I know that it's going to be in practiacally every book nowadays. But again, I DON'T want to read about it. And did it have to go into so much detail? I mostly just skim over these parts but I still get the general idea. This also gives the impression that it's okay to get drunk then have sex even if you might regret it later.
January 18, 2014
Eric Devine's DARE ME is a terrific mix of adrenaline-fueled action, emotional struggle and harsh dramatic consequence. Ben Candido and his friends, Ricky and John, are compelling, well-drawn characters, and the story's escalating stakes kept me eagerly turning pages. Devine pulls no punches in regard to language and content, and this gives the book a strong sense of authentic teen voice. The Candido family is believably complicated, and the author avoids a too-neat resolution. Like Ben, readers of all ages will come away from Devine's book feeling a lasting impact. Equal parts thrill ride and cautionary tale, DARE ME is a read I highly recommend for adults and older teens.
January 29, 2014
I love books that make you think and I love YA that is applicable to youth. DARE ME is a both of those great reads. With topics that are very serious (bullying, family dynamic issues and abuse) and a coming of age story that captures what it is to be a young man, Dare Me is worth the read. It will make you think because it is very thought provoking read, staying with you long after you finish reading. It is tough to read, at times, because I think it is honest, which makes it quite memorable. 4 stars
September 4, 2013
I loved this book! I'm not going to say anymore because I don't want to spoil the book for other people.
September 6, 2017
One of the best books I've ever read
March 20, 2024
I used to love reading books in grade school as a kid. I am now in highschool, and to be honest, i haven't read a book that wasn't assigned for class in years. When my English teacher gave me the option to pick my own book to read It definitely piqued my interest. I went into my school library and eventually settled on a book called “Dare Me”
The book was published in 2013 by Eric Devine and he takes us into the mind of Ben, a student in high school. The Plot is pretty simple to understand, Ben and his friends completing ten dares in ten months. His friends, Ricky and John uploading them completing dares onto youtube leads to them going viral beyond the walls of school. And an unknown person who is funding these dares makes increasingly dangerous demands as more and more dares are completed. Jumping off cliffs, getting shot, being electrocuted… Ben begins to wonder if all of this is worth the infamy, he has to make moral dilemmas on how to go about things with peer pressure, family issues, and even relationship problems being in the way. He has to go through all of these troubles at the same time he and his friends have to remain anonymous about these videos.
One of the elements I enjoyed in the book was the overall storyline, and the aspect of making the reader think a little further about Ben's psychology. And I saw myself putting myself in Ben's shoes thinking about what I would've done if I were in Ben's situation. I liked the plot on how everyone was in highschool and it was something I could relate to which is important in a book. The uniqueness of the plot of high schoolers completing life threatening dares was definitely an interesting aspect of the story that made me pick it up and finish all of it. One of the elements in the book that I didn't really enjoy is how the book at times got confusing. By this I mean the character's relationship with other characters. At times it was difficult for me to understand the characters' relationship with each other. For example I had trouble differentiating who knew about the videos and who didn't. The book's main purpose was them completing dares. I found myself getting really bored with reading when the book wasn't talking about them completing the dares. Most of the book is just character relationships with one another and how they develop over time. This aspect of the story made me sometimes disinterested and I was tempted to stop reading. If someone likes seeing characters develop and see how relationships between characters form in the book it would be a great book but for me i didn't really enjoy that aspect forcing me to rate this book a comfortable 3 stars.
I personally found this book alright. Not the greatest but also not the worst. This book is great on emphasizing peer pressure, family problems, and relationship issues. I recommended this book for teenagers who are also in high school because it is easier to relate to the characters in the book.
The book was published in 2013 by Eric Devine and he takes us into the mind of Ben, a student in high school. The Plot is pretty simple to understand, Ben and his friends completing ten dares in ten months. His friends, Ricky and John uploading them completing dares onto youtube leads to them going viral beyond the walls of school. And an unknown person who is funding these dares makes increasingly dangerous demands as more and more dares are completed. Jumping off cliffs, getting shot, being electrocuted… Ben begins to wonder if all of this is worth the infamy, he has to make moral dilemmas on how to go about things with peer pressure, family issues, and even relationship problems being in the way. He has to go through all of these troubles at the same time he and his friends have to remain anonymous about these videos.
One of the elements I enjoyed in the book was the overall storyline, and the aspect of making the reader think a little further about Ben's psychology. And I saw myself putting myself in Ben's shoes thinking about what I would've done if I were in Ben's situation. I liked the plot on how everyone was in highschool and it was something I could relate to which is important in a book. The uniqueness of the plot of high schoolers completing life threatening dares was definitely an interesting aspect of the story that made me pick it up and finish all of it. One of the elements in the book that I didn't really enjoy is how the book at times got confusing. By this I mean the character's relationship with other characters. At times it was difficult for me to understand the characters' relationship with each other. For example I had trouble differentiating who knew about the videos and who didn't. The book's main purpose was them completing dares. I found myself getting really bored with reading when the book wasn't talking about them completing the dares. Most of the book is just character relationships with one another and how they develop over time. This aspect of the story made me sometimes disinterested and I was tempted to stop reading. If someone likes seeing characters develop and see how relationships between characters form in the book it would be a great book but for me i didn't really enjoy that aspect forcing me to rate this book a comfortable 3 stars.
I personally found this book alright. Not the greatest but also not the worst. This book is great on emphasizing peer pressure, family problems, and relationship issues. I recommended this book for teenagers who are also in high school because it is easier to relate to the characters in the book.
January 10, 2020
I have just finished the book “Dare Me” by Eric Devine, the book starts with us in a small town with not much there but some jobs and a school. The 4 friends, John, Ricky, Trevor, and our main character Ben start out on an adventure that takes them far and beyond what they ever thought they could be. I found this book just by going through the library and the title just caught my eye.
The book starts with the first dare that the friends have started to do for the “legacy”. Two of the friends, Ricky and Ben, don't like each other but they are still friends and it makes a lot of trouble in the book. During the dares Ben get a “girlfriend” and she becomes quite important throughout the novel but in the end he goes for his actual crush. The plot is crazy and it's very intriguing to me how well all of the characters develop with it.
I'm not sure if I like how the book ended but I do like what was said. I really would like a few more pages so we could get another moment with Alexia (Bens crush), instead of her not being able to respond to him letting his heart out. I just wanted their relationship to grow and shine and be able to witness it but sadly we didn't get too much of that. Even with that said it was still a really good book to read and the ending did close off a lot of questions I had.
I really liked the book and right away it hooked me in and I kept ongoing. Every aspect of the book was very well said and I was always thinking about what could be next. With this book, it would be very easy to make it thousands of pages long and still have it be interesting. Eric Devine made quite the work of art here and I love it. If you are looking for suspense and action with a bit of romance sprinkled in, you've found the perfect book for yourself and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did. I have never read a book quite like this one.
The book starts with the first dare that the friends have started to do for the “legacy”. Two of the friends, Ricky and Ben, don't like each other but they are still friends and it makes a lot of trouble in the book. During the dares Ben get a “girlfriend” and she becomes quite important throughout the novel but in the end he goes for his actual crush. The plot is crazy and it's very intriguing to me how well all of the characters develop with it.
I'm not sure if I like how the book ended but I do like what was said. I really would like a few more pages so we could get another moment with Alexia (Bens crush), instead of her not being able to respond to him letting his heart out. I just wanted their relationship to grow and shine and be able to witness it but sadly we didn't get too much of that. Even with that said it was still a really good book to read and the ending did close off a lot of questions I had.
I really liked the book and right away it hooked me in and I kept ongoing. Every aspect of the book was very well said and I was always thinking about what could be next. With this book, it would be very easy to make it thousands of pages long and still have it be interesting. Eric Devine made quite the work of art here and I love it. If you are looking for suspense and action with a bit of romance sprinkled in, you've found the perfect book for yourself and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did. I have never read a book quite like this one.
February 24, 2022
On the plus side, I did keep reading because I wanted to know the next "dare" and the next and the next and how it all turned out.
On the minus side, this is a tale with a pretty grim ending that isn't supported by any kind of logic.
Read on at the risk of spoilers.
I didn't get the final dare, although it was described as not just pushing the envelope, but setting the envelope on fire. It was to start a sort of dirty-dancing flash mob at a school dance. Then, locking the doors so no one could get out. Then dumping straw in the lobby and bringing in a mechanical bull that each daredevil would ride in turn. So what? It's not like Carrie where a fire breaks out and there's a stampede to get out. Anyone wanting to leave and finding themselves locked in would pull out a ubiquitous cell phone and call someone to come un-stick the doors. Big deal.
I also didn't get the bit about throwing a girl on the roof of a car and forcing her to car-surf. All she has to do is roll off when the big, bad bully gets behind the wheel. You know...before the car even starts. It just didn't make any sense.
The other thing I truly disliked was the current of misogyny throughout. Girls and women are nearly always teary and weepy and helpless when they're not sluts. Great message to send to the YA audience, Devine. Really great. *sarcasm, in case you can't grasp it*
I'm not going to seek out any more of this writer's work. If I run across it, fine. But I don't feel compelled to look for it. He seems to be perpetuating more problems and unsavory attitudes than anything else.
On the minus side, this is a tale with a pretty grim ending that isn't supported by any kind of logic.
Read on at the risk of spoilers.
I didn't get the final dare, although it was described as not just pushing the envelope, but setting the envelope on fire. It was to start a sort of dirty-dancing flash mob at a school dance. Then, locking the doors so no one could get out. Then dumping straw in the lobby and bringing in a mechanical bull that each daredevil would ride in turn. So what? It's not like Carrie where a fire breaks out and there's a stampede to get out. Anyone wanting to leave and finding themselves locked in would pull out a ubiquitous cell phone and call someone to come un-stick the doors. Big deal.
I also didn't get the bit about throwing a girl on the roof of a car and forcing her to car-surf. All she has to do is roll off when the big, bad bully gets behind the wheel. You know...before the car even starts. It just didn't make any sense.
The other thing I truly disliked was the current of misogyny throughout. Girls and women are nearly always teary and weepy and helpless when they're not sluts. Great message to send to the YA audience, Devine. Really great. *sarcasm, in case you can't grasp it*
I'm not going to seek out any more of this writer's work. If I run across it, fine. But I don't feel compelled to look for it. He seems to be perpetuating more problems and unsavory attitudes than anything else.
May 12, 2020
Dare ME is a great book to read at any time in my opinion. I had plenty reactions in this book that made me read more and more. Ben and his group of senior friends in high school make dares after school or in the weekends. All of the three boys face many tough situations at home just like Ben's father who losses his job and they end up losing many expenses. John is setting up for basketball scholarship in college. And at last Ricky's parents let him figure thing out on his own most of the time. These group of kids go through the most dangerous dares and end up uploading them on "YouTube" and get hundreds of views and go viral. This book is actually interesting and chill to read I would highly recommend this book for all 15 year old an up.
April 29, 2021
Someone told me years ago to read this, and it's been sitting on my “to be read” stack ever since. I finally got to it this week. Maybe I'm getting old, but I don't like the way teenagers are portrayed in the book. It's unrealistic. There are also too many plot holes left unsolved and excessive violence for 17- and 18-year-olds. Glad it's finally done because now I can donate it and leave room for a new book.
June 23, 2023
Found this book inside one of those community book shelves! Very easy and fast read, the author does a good job of making me feel like I’m in the friend group as an eye witness to everything they get into. Also, does a great job establishing the characters personalities and emotions throughout the entire book. I don’t love the ending but the author knew how and why to end the book for their purposes.
May 15, 2019
I loved everything but the very end. My favorite books are coming of age novels and this certainly qualifies right down to the main character suffering consequences of varying degrees during different parts of the book. My suggestion? Just don't read the last 3 pages and the rest is awesome!
October 8, 2019
I LOVED this book. I really like the suspenseful page-turners on every page. I enjoy books that can carry a story long enough but not too long to the point where it gets repetitive. This book had that, they had a long story plot but they didn't keep repeating things, every page was something new.
April 12, 2020
I did not enjoy this book at all, characters, story line, or writing. The whole premise is ridiculous, the characters aren't interesting or relatable or likable, various story threads are left hanging at the end, etc.
November 30, 2016
Really did not like this book. Characters are flat and the plot is tedious until the third act and then it ramps up to preposterous.
June 9, 2018
I'm calling this one at page 101. I am not in place where I want to read about teenage boys doing self-destructive things for fun.
September 24, 2018
Another awesome Eric Devine book. Good read. Definitely for older YA fans. I would not let someone under 14 read it because there is a little bit of sex stuff.
January 27, 2019
I liked the concept and idea, but I didn’t really like any of the main characters.
May 6, 2019
I thought this book was okay. It wasn't really a whole lot of what I was expecting. I guess I just had a hard time reading it after a little while. It wasn't my favorite.
November 7, 2023
Very anti-semitic themes.
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