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The 12 Dares of Christa
“Inspiring, cozy, and full of heart!” —Lisa Greenwald, author of 11 Before 12 and the Pink & Green series
A thirteen-year-old girl spends her first holiday away from home completing a scavenger hunt that takes her across Europe in 12 Dares of Christa, the first contemporary novel from Marissa Burt, author of Storybound.
Christa is a holiday junkie. What’s not to love? There’s decorations! Gifts! Caroling with friends! But thanks to her parents’ recent separation, Christa’s favorite time of year is now filled with heartache. And when her mom announces that she’s taking her on a mother-daughter trip to Europe over winter vacation, Christa knows she should be excited. She just can’t imagine spending the yuletide season without her dad.
However, waiting at her hotel in Italy is a special package from her father: the first of twelve dares that take Christa to landmarks in three beautiful countries and introduce her to people who will show her that hope is alive in the strangest of places.
Funny, genuine, and feel-good to the core, The 12 Dares of Christa is one fa-la-la-filled adventure that fans of Wendy Mass and Lisa Greenwald will love.
A thirteen-year-old girl spends her first holiday away from home completing a scavenger hunt that takes her across Europe in 12 Dares of Christa, the first contemporary novel from Marissa Burt, author of Storybound.
Christa is a holiday junkie. What’s not to love? There’s decorations! Gifts! Caroling with friends! But thanks to her parents’ recent separation, Christa’s favorite time of year is now filled with heartache. And when her mom announces that she’s taking her on a mother-daughter trip to Europe over winter vacation, Christa knows she should be excited. She just can’t imagine spending the yuletide season without her dad.
However, waiting at her hotel in Italy is a special package from her father: the first of twelve dares that take Christa to landmarks in three beautiful countries and introduce her to people who will show her that hope is alive in the strangest of places.
Funny, genuine, and feel-good to the core, The 12 Dares of Christa is one fa-la-la-filled adventure that fans of Wendy Mass and Lisa Greenwald will love.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 26, 2017
26 people are currently reading
1123 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
May 15, 2019
At some parts in the book I got bored, and it was almost painful to try to keep reading it. Although at other parts I didn’t want to put it down. This book does a good job of illustrating the characters in your mind and giving you a good description about how they feel and what they’re going through.
December 26, 2025
EVERY CHRISTMAS PEOPLE…YEA I READ THOS BOOK EVERY CHRISTMAS. and tbh each year I see it in a different way.
edit 2025: idc if it’s well written or horribly written, the NOSTALGIA UGH IT HITS EVERY YEAR
edit 2024: I don’t know if u have a book u read every year on the same day, but this is mine. I’ve been reading it every year for three years now, and it changes my thinking every year!
edit 2025: idc if it’s well written or horribly written, the NOSTALGIA UGH IT HITS EVERY YEAR
edit 2024: I don’t know if u have a book u read every year on the same day, but this is mine. I’ve been reading it every year for three years now, and it changes my thinking every year!
April 22, 2017
Heartfelt and humorous, this book is amazing. I had the pleasure of reading an early draft of this, and I plan to read it again. Europe, the holidays, and a scavenger hunt, it's the perfect book for snuggling up with a cup of hot chocolate!
January 3, 2024
Okay so this was a library book to fill out for my realistic fiction section and lemme just tell ya, it was boring some parts then interesting the next. There would be chapters at a time I would just be droning on and on for a good part and it would finally come. I feel like the book shows Chris’s emotions well and that it can help people in the same situation as her family. The lil romance she has was cute but I kinda wish there was less fighting cause that would be brought up every paragraph and I wanted more of her hanging out with her new friends. And I wish there was just a lil more to the ending. Butttt I really don’t trust library books anymore cause it’s easy they aren’t the best books but now that I’m done with this one I can read what I want😃😃
December 19, 2019
What a sweet middle grade Christmas read! I loved Christa’s Christmas spirit, and the descriptions of London, Paris and Florence all decked out for the holidays made me want to go there! This read is also pretty deep as it deals with Christa coping with her parents’ divorce and all the changes that come with that. I really liked all the secondary characters, from the Harry Potter obsessed Owen, to the super sweet Colby, to the high energy Kylie. A great cast of characters, compelling European settings, and plenty of Christmas spirit made this a really fun holiday read.
February 28, 2020
I loved this book, it was full of mixed emotions and it has a mind blowing ending. I fully recommend this book.
March 11, 2025
I have to give this one five stars, definitely!
13-year-old Christa’s life has been turned upside down. For someone with anxiety issues, it’s devastating. Now she’s expected to travel in Europe with her Mom, but not Dad, over the Christmas holidays. Normally it’s her favorite time of year, but all of these changes and new experiences are making her feel like the Grinch. An extremely nervous, lonely Grinch…
This book reminded me a lot of another favorite, “Wanderlost”, by Jen Malone!
13-year-old Christa’s life has been turned upside down. For someone with anxiety issues, it’s devastating. Now she’s expected to travel in Europe with her Mom, but not Dad, over the Christmas holidays. Normally it’s her favorite time of year, but all of these changes and new experiences are making her feel like the Grinch. An extremely nervous, lonely Grinch…
This book reminded me a lot of another favorite, “Wanderlost”, by Jen Malone!
August 29, 2018
2nd read-
This book has grown on me!!! It is SO GOOD!!! Will definitely be reading this again:)
1st read: This book was not at all what I expected. I LOVEEE Marissa Burt’s Storybound series soooo much!!! This book was good, but had quite a few things that weren’t my favorite. There were several questionable words that I didn’t love, Christa (the main character) has terrible anger issues towards her mom, and I literally can’t relate to Christa at all. She’s picky and paranoid; I love trying new things😂
It made me SO SAD that Christa missed ALL of her mom’s performances. She missed her dad too and was mad at her mom the whole entire book.
I liked the fact that Christa is a HUGEEE Christmas nerd and that the book was based during Christmas.
I love that Mrs Burt’s ending comment...
“And to the Lord, the giver of all good gifts, including the Greatest Christmas Gift, Jesus Himself: I love you so much. You are everything to me. Thank you.” Amen!
This book has grown on me!!! It is SO GOOD!!! Will definitely be reading this again:)
1st read: This book was not at all what I expected. I LOVEEE Marissa Burt’s Storybound series soooo much!!! This book was good, but had quite a few things that weren’t my favorite. There were several questionable words that I didn’t love, Christa (the main character) has terrible anger issues towards her mom, and I literally can’t relate to Christa at all. She’s picky and paranoid; I love trying new things😂
It made me SO SAD that Christa missed ALL of her mom’s performances. She missed her dad too and was mad at her mom the whole entire book.
I liked the fact that Christa is a HUGEEE Christmas nerd and that the book was based during Christmas.
I love that Mrs Burt’s ending comment...
“And to the Lord, the giver of all good gifts, including the Greatest Christmas Gift, Jesus Himself: I love you so much. You are everything to me. Thank you.” Amen!
December 23, 2017
I will admit this holiday book was just not my favorite. I really did not love the main character and felt was she was not well-developed and was rather annoyed me throughout most of the novel. But the concept of this novel made me love it. I enjoyed all the dares and also all the international settings. I read it rather fast. But I did not love the main character. It was cute holiday novel but it did not wow me!
December 12, 2024
This was a cute tween story about a 13 year old girl named Christa, whose parents get divorced right before the holidays and the impact it has on her. Her and her mother go on a trip to Europe for her mother's play tour, and Christa does 12 dares for their annual scavenger hunt that her father sets up for her along the way. He is in Chicago and wants her to have a piece of home with her for Christmas. I liked the adventures she went on and the friendships that she built with the other theater kids. Her misunderstanding with her mother over something that she saw causes tension and awkwardness between them, but in the end, everything worked out. Christa did some growing up throughout the book, but she was also a bit childish over things, but I expected that. She's 13, after all. I like how the author wrote about all the beautiful sights, sounds, and foods of Florence, Paris, and London. I felt like I was there. This book is very Christmassy and I especially liked that.
November 7, 2017
I love the cover; it's so cute. Like the story, which I enjoyed. Although, I was hoping for a slightly different ending. I liked the dares. They were silly and fun. It took place at Christmas, which is what I liked best about this story. I liked the cities (Florence, Paris, and London), too. They were quite festive. Also, the food sounded delicious.
May 24, 2019
At first I thought it would be boring but as I got farther into the book it got really interesting. It's about a girl named Christa who goes through hard times with the help of her friends and family on her Christmas trip to Europe.
August 7, 2017
4.5. I LOVE this book! this is a perfect middle grade holiday book, and a good choice for the preteen ages of 11-14!
December 17, 2017
An easy, cute holiday story. Love the cover and the story idea, it was a bit too young for me (Christa is 13) but I liked the style of the book and reading about Europe.
February 27, 2019
her parents get a diverse and her mom planed a special vacation to Europe and gets these 12 packages from her dad witch are dares to do cool and amazing things
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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November 4, 2019I thought the book was amazing. I would love to do scavenger hunts before Christmas time.
December 2, 2020
A cute European travel middle grade Christmas novel. So sweet and I loved "traveling" in the time of corona.
October 30, 2023
This book is definitely one of my new favorite books! The ending was a little bit unexpected since Christa was afraid of change. 10/10 would recommend!
May 10, 2017
The 12 Dares of Christa is a lovely juvenile story depicting divorce, parental relationships, friendship, and first love. Christa and her parents usually prepare a multitude of plans for the Best Christmas Ever once November 1st arrives. Everything goes according to plan until her parents drop a bombshell. They are getting divorced and instead of a family two-week trip to Europe during Christmastime, it will just be Christa and her mom. Christa is swept up in a vortex of emotions as she deals with the news while having to spend her first Christmas away from her dad. Fortunately for her, her dad has kept up the tradition of the yearly scavenger hunt for Christa to complete all over Europe. She makes new friends and deals with the ups and downs of parental divorce, including seeing her mother with someone else.
The story was entertaining, alternating between juvenile and young-adult levels. Every problem that arises is shown a solution by the end of the story so nothing is left unanswered for the reader to decipher. Christa evolves as a character with the help of her friends and mentors while accepting that she can’t change or fix everything. The descriptions of Europe were whimsical, letting me picture the structures even though I haven’t been there myself.
This is a must read for those who love travel and the holidays.
I received an ARC of The 12 Dares of Christa through Edelweiss.
The story was entertaining, alternating between juvenile and young-adult levels. Every problem that arises is shown a solution by the end of the story so nothing is left unanswered for the reader to decipher. Christa evolves as a character with the help of her friends and mentors while accepting that she can’t change or fix everything. The descriptions of Europe were whimsical, letting me picture the structures even though I haven’t been there myself.
This is a must read for those who love travel and the holidays.
I received an ARC of The 12 Dares of Christa through Edelweiss.
December 5, 2017
Pretty cute middle grade that reads a lot like a contemporary YA with a younger protagonist (she's 13).
March 17, 2021
Christa is all happy it's nearly Christmas she and her mom and dad are at home they have plans to spend Christmas at home . When one night her parents tell her their getting a divorce . Christa is shocked . So instead of spending Christmas at home with her dad .She is spending it in Europe with her mom. So they are very busy clearing out her mom stuff and moving her into her new house . So they fly to Europe . Christa is a bit cautious about food like her mom gets her a hot chocolate with cream and something like cinnamon she gets worried that she might have allergic reaction. She meets other kids whose parents are divorced. They tour round Florence she meets Owen,Logan ,Kylie,and Colby she immediately takes a liking to Colby . Logan likes Kylie but just doesn't know how to tell her.Owen is Harry potter fan like really crazy he absolutely loves it . So they tour around her dad sets her 12 dares to complete. Kylie is a bit well just eccentric. Christa had met Kylie before on a camp . Christa's mom is playing a role in a play same as kylie's dad called Todd . One night christa sees her mom and Todd kissing it is a terrible shock her mom just divorced from her dad . She decides to keep quiet and avoid her mom . So they continue touring Europe moving to London and continuing with the dares her dad sets her.One of the dares is to go on a train under thousands of litres of water Called the chunnel. She panics and She yells at Todd and now her mom knows She saw Todd and her kissing and holding hands. She also yells at her mom . Her mom tells her they need to talk .
She gets panicked and Colby helps Her . Her and Colby's relationship grows . Logan likes Kylie and asks christa to help him figure out how to tell Kylie . Christa starts thinking Colby likes Kylie to and is a bit jealous . They go to a kitchen to help cook and then they get to sit wherever they want with any of the people . Christa sits with an old called granny Doris she's a lovely old lady and still faces the world with a positive attitude even though she's had a tough life and all the other old ladies have too one was kicked out of Her home . Christa learns that to be positive . She's still avoiding her mom . She goes on the London eye on the last day in Europe. They set Logan and Kylie up for a romantic picnic on it.So it starts up and Logan and Kylie are enjoying a romantic picnic. While Christa and Colby share their first kiss it's an exciting moment for christa whose never been kissed before They share another kiss apparently to practice.But then the London eye stops and a voice says it needs repairs they are stuck up thousands of meters above ground . Colby helps Her cope . They finally finish the repairs and head for the ground. Where they find their parent waiting for them Christa finds her mom and apparently her mom had been so worried . They go to a restraunt for dinner and that's the end
She gets panicked and Colby helps Her . Her and Colby's relationship grows . Logan likes Kylie and asks christa to help him figure out how to tell Kylie . Christa starts thinking Colby likes Kylie to and is a bit jealous . They go to a kitchen to help cook and then they get to sit wherever they want with any of the people . Christa sits with an old called granny Doris she's a lovely old lady and still faces the world with a positive attitude even though she's had a tough life and all the other old ladies have too one was kicked out of Her home . Christa learns that to be positive . She's still avoiding her mom . She goes on the London eye on the last day in Europe. They set Logan and Kylie up for a romantic picnic on it.So it starts up and Logan and Kylie are enjoying a romantic picnic. While Christa and Colby share their first kiss it's an exciting moment for christa whose never been kissed before They share another kiss apparently to practice.But then the London eye stops and a voice says it needs repairs they are stuck up thousands of meters above ground . Colby helps Her cope . They finally finish the repairs and head for the ground. Where they find their parent waiting for them Christa finds her mom and apparently her mom had been so worried . They go to a restraunt for dinner and that's the end
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2018
This is the first review of the new year (YAY!) and while I had planned to have this be the last book of 2017 that just didn't end up happening, but that's okay cause I still get to tell you what I thought about it.
Christa is our main character that has just been told that her parents are getting a divorces. And that this year Christmas will be spent with her mother/theater group while they are on tour through Europe. Christa was one's adventurist but since the horrific news about her parents has turned to only "safe" things or traditional things. From here the story comes about how her father has set up a seasonal scavenger hunt to help her break out of the protective shell that she has built for herself.
This is a cute book and the glimpse of Florence, Paris and London set around the holiday season is interesting . But I'm sorry to report that this book didn't hold my attention for every long. I would have moments were I would put the book down and walk over to my work space, see the plans that I was coming up with for next year and get excited. This is a good thing that I have some fun bookish ideas planned but I found myself doing this as well as other things instead of wanting to finish reading. Normally when a book does this I would dnf it or at least try some of my other tricks to get me to start reading again. But none of them were really working like they typical do. The key reason for this is how the story progressed.
Each day Christa would walk up and get a dare from her father then go out with her tour group and find away to complete it. While there was tension between her and her mother it didn't really build enough for me to care. After just a few chapters of this set up I got tired, I new what was going to happen and then seeing it unfold was just a conformation of what we had already come to know. Could this have been changed yes, but do any ideas some to mine nope.
It's a fun holiday read but don't expect anything life changing to come out of it. Something to open the season with but not a good choice for a closer.
Christa is our main character that has just been told that her parents are getting a divorces. And that this year Christmas will be spent with her mother/theater group while they are on tour through Europe. Christa was one's adventurist but since the horrific news about her parents has turned to only "safe" things or traditional things. From here the story comes about how her father has set up a seasonal scavenger hunt to help her break out of the protective shell that she has built for herself.
This is a cute book and the glimpse of Florence, Paris and London set around the holiday season is interesting . But I'm sorry to report that this book didn't hold my attention for every long. I would have moments were I would put the book down and walk over to my work space, see the plans that I was coming up with for next year and get excited. This is a good thing that I have some fun bookish ideas planned but I found myself doing this as well as other things instead of wanting to finish reading. Normally when a book does this I would dnf it or at least try some of my other tricks to get me to start reading again. But none of them were really working like they typical do. The key reason for this is how the story progressed.
Each day Christa would walk up and get a dare from her father then go out with her tour group and find away to complete it. While there was tension between her and her mother it didn't really build enough for me to care. After just a few chapters of this set up I got tired, I new what was going to happen and then seeing it unfold was just a conformation of what we had already come to know. Could this have been changed yes, but do any ideas some to mine nope.
It's a fun holiday read but don't expect anything life changing to come out of it. Something to open the season with but not a good choice for a closer.
August 16, 2017
'The 12 Dares of Christa' by Marissa Burt is a sweet story of friendship, determination, strength, and forgiveness. Main character Christa is taken aback when, as she starts with her yearly Christmas preparations, she finds that her parents are throwing her a pretty large curveball - they're divorcing, and Christa's holiday plans are changing for the worse. Now she is forced to travel to Europe for her mother's play performances without her dad. She blames her mom for the divorce, and this is made all the more of an issue when Christa sees her mother kissing one of her co-stars on the trip.
Christa takes little solace in the fact that she's in Europe. However, life starts to change a bit for the better when her father takes it upon himself to continue one of the Christmas traditions Christa loves most - their annual scavenger hunt. Since he's a travel agent and has planned out the itinerary for the kids' tour during the trip, Christa finds herself smack in the middle of tons of action as she joins forces with friends and frenemies alike, realizing that surprises come in each scavenger hunt package. She starts to see the world more as her father would like her to - as a place capable of providing wonder and happiness, rather than the anger and upset she feels she is warranted to have due to her parents' divorce.
Friends like Kylie, Colby, Sasha, and others create a truly memorable experience for Christa as she discovers what it means to be herself, despite everyone seemingly throwing their own opinions into the mix. Marissa Burt has crafted a cute and engaging story that showcases some beautiful European sites as well as the courage of a young girl trying to make sense of the world around her when everything seems thrown off its axis.
*Review originally posted on YABooksCentral.com*
Beth Rodgers, Author of 'Freshman Fourteen' and 'Sweet Fifteen,' Young Adult Novels
Christa takes little solace in the fact that she's in Europe. However, life starts to change a bit for the better when her father takes it upon himself to continue one of the Christmas traditions Christa loves most - their annual scavenger hunt. Since he's a travel agent and has planned out the itinerary for the kids' tour during the trip, Christa finds herself smack in the middle of tons of action as she joins forces with friends and frenemies alike, realizing that surprises come in each scavenger hunt package. She starts to see the world more as her father would like her to - as a place capable of providing wonder and happiness, rather than the anger and upset she feels she is warranted to have due to her parents' divorce.
Friends like Kylie, Colby, Sasha, and others create a truly memorable experience for Christa as she discovers what it means to be herself, despite everyone seemingly throwing their own opinions into the mix. Marissa Burt has crafted a cute and engaging story that showcases some beautiful European sites as well as the courage of a young girl trying to make sense of the world around her when everything seems thrown off its axis.
*Review originally posted on YABooksCentral.com*
Beth Rodgers, Author of 'Freshman Fourteen' and 'Sweet Fifteen,' Young Adult Novels
January 20, 2018
Rating: 4.5
This book hit me hard. Not for the same reasons, but I related to Christa so much in this novel, and it was hard yet important going through this journey with her.
I loved the characters, I love the friendship between Christa and the other kids on her Europe trip, her relationship with her parents wasn’t always perfect, but it was realistic. And while most people found Christa to be annoying and bratty, I could understand. I feel like Christas’ attitude to the situation she was in was justified. It was truthful, and while not always the most positive character to read about- it was realistic.
Also I love Colby as a character, he brightened up the whole novel, and really showed Christa how to make the best of situations.
I was also very happy with the character development in Christa, even if it comes super late in the novel. I think they could have showed her growing throughout the novel more, because it does seem a bit instant towards the end.
It didn’t really matter that I read this after Christmas. The holiday wasn’t in the foreground of this novel- that was the characters. It was a nice little edition that I’m sure would have been perfect to read at that time of year, but unlike some holiday books- it wasn’t necessary.
I haven’t read a “list” type of book before, and this was done super nicely with all the “Dares” and was easy to follow since they came one at a time, not all at once. I’m excited to pick up more “List” books, now.
I can definitely understand why people didn’t enjoy this. But this was one of those books that just came at the right time for me - and was exactly what I needed. Or else I would probably have the same opinions of most people who read this.
A good middle grade novel, that I think anyone of any age could get at least something out of.
This book hit me hard. Not for the same reasons, but I related to Christa so much in this novel, and it was hard yet important going through this journey with her.
I loved the characters, I love the friendship between Christa and the other kids on her Europe trip, her relationship with her parents wasn’t always perfect, but it was realistic. And while most people found Christa to be annoying and bratty, I could understand. I feel like Christas’ attitude to the situation she was in was justified. It was truthful, and while not always the most positive character to read about- it was realistic.
Also I love Colby as a character, he brightened up the whole novel, and really showed Christa how to make the best of situations.
I was also very happy with the character development in Christa, even if it comes super late in the novel. I think they could have showed her growing throughout the novel more, because it does seem a bit instant towards the end.
It didn’t really matter that I read this after Christmas. The holiday wasn’t in the foreground of this novel- that was the characters. It was a nice little edition that I’m sure would have been perfect to read at that time of year, but unlike some holiday books- it wasn’t necessary.
I haven’t read a “list” type of book before, and this was done super nicely with all the “Dares” and was easy to follow since they came one at a time, not all at once. I’m excited to pick up more “List” books, now.
I can definitely understand why people didn’t enjoy this. But this was one of those books that just came at the right time for me - and was exactly what I needed. Or else I would probably have the same opinions of most people who read this.
A good middle grade novel, that I think anyone of any age could get at least something out of.
January 6, 2019
The realistic fiction novel, The 12 Dares of Christa, by Marissa Burt, centers around a girl named Christa. Christa’s usual Christmas is filled with eggnog, tree decorating, giving, and family time. In the first part of the book, Christa’s parents divorce, spoiling their tradition for her. Instead of having their amazing Christmas at home, her mom is taking her to Europe, where her mom will perform a play with her theater group, the first time she will be without her dad during the holiday season. Even though their family’s Christmas will be completely different, there is one tradition that will not change-the 12 dares Christa gets during the season from her father. One character I particularly disliked was Christa’s mother. Right after the divorce, Christa discovered that her mother likes another guy, Todd, who is in the theater group her mom is in. This made me annoyed because it seemed that she divorced Christa’s father just so she could be with Todd and doesn’t understand and realize how it would make Christa feel. An example of this is when Christa is arguing with her mother, “‘You know all about ruining things, don’t you?’... ‘You’re the one who’s done enough, Mom. If it wasn’t for you, we’d be home in Chicago-not at your apartment-but with Dad. All of us. Together.’... ‘You may think I’m grumpy or whatever, but I’m not the one who tore our family apart. You’ve done that. You’re the one who’s done enough.’” (246). This proves that Christa’s feelings are being ignored about the divorce and her mom isn’t noticing how much she is hurt by it. Also, she is spending more time with Todd than Christa, ignoring the fact that their family just went through a divorce. I rated this book 5 stars because it was so good that I would read it when I was bored instead of watching television.
May 30, 2020
Thirteen year old Christa loves Christmas and has a whole plan of activities for her family to do. When her parents shock her by announcing their divorce, Christa is devastated. To make things worse, her father will not be joining them on their trip to Europe this Christmas. They travel to Florence, Paris & London. Her mother is an actress in a play and Christa spends a lot of time touring with a group of young teens whose parents are also in the play.
To try and make up for things, her father arranges 12 dares for her to complete while she is in Europe. Each morning she receives a gift with a dare for her to complete sometime during the day. To be honest this is what drew me to this book. I loved the idea of Christa going on a scavenger hunt through European cities to complete these dares. But overall I thought the dares were kind of lame and not very exciting. It would have been better if it was a scavenger hunt, that had her looking for clues and visiting more famous landmarks rather than these silly dares to complete.
The other problem I had with the book was Christa. Unfortunately, I found her to be very annoying and whiny. She was so mean to her mother and didn't even go to see her in any of her performances. She had all these weird hang ups about food, was overly dramatic and unlikable. I have a 13 year old daughter, and honestly I can't picture her ever acting the way Christa did. I also think some of the things that these kids were allowed to do was very unrealistic for kids their age. This book would have been better if Christa and her friends were 16 or 17 years old, rather than 13.
I struggled to get through it because I honestly hoped that it would get better but it really never did. It was very repetitive and in my opinion Christ was just as unlikable at the end of the book as she was in the beginning!
To try and make up for things, her father arranges 12 dares for her to complete while she is in Europe. Each morning she receives a gift with a dare for her to complete sometime during the day. To be honest this is what drew me to this book. I loved the idea of Christa going on a scavenger hunt through European cities to complete these dares. But overall I thought the dares were kind of lame and not very exciting. It would have been better if it was a scavenger hunt, that had her looking for clues and visiting more famous landmarks rather than these silly dares to complete.
The other problem I had with the book was Christa. Unfortunately, I found her to be very annoying and whiny. She was so mean to her mother and didn't even go to see her in any of her performances. She had all these weird hang ups about food, was overly dramatic and unlikable. I have a 13 year old daughter, and honestly I can't picture her ever acting the way Christa did. I also think some of the things that these kids were allowed to do was very unrealistic for kids their age. This book would have been better if Christa and her friends were 16 or 17 years old, rather than 13.
I struggled to get through it because I honestly hoped that it would get better but it really never did. It was very repetitive and in my opinion Christ was just as unlikable at the end of the book as she was in the beginning!
November 13, 2017
Review based on ARC received at the 2017 Yallfest.
In defense of The 12 Dares of Christa, I do not think I am the target audience. I am 32 years old and definitely do not fall within the recommended age range (8-12).
But that's part of the issue I have with this novel --- it doesn't know what its target audience is. There are huge chunks of this novel that seem geared towards a younger audience and so I can forgive those parts for being what I think is immature and childish. However, in between those chunks, there are parts that seem totally out of place for a protagonist that is 13 years old. For example, what two thirteen year olds think it's 100% okay to just roam around Florence by themselves? And why the hell aren't the "adults" in this book more upset that they do that? Also, maybe this shows my age, but what thirteen year old wears mascara on a daily basis?
The other big issue I had with this novel is wording. There are words in this novel that no thirteen year old would know and/or say. Hell --- I'm 32 years old and I didn't even know what some of those words meant. The ones that stood out were 'epicurean' (which I know), vid tournament (I doubt that's what the kids called it), and 'wassail' (no clue what that means/I had to google it).
Minor issues --- Christa's friend, Dani, comes off as either completely clueless or a complete jerk. Christa's mom is completely unlikable in my opinion and Christa comes off as more mature than she does.
Ultimately, this novel wasn't my cup of tea, which is a shame because the concept sounded interesting (my two favorites -- scavenger hunts and Europe).
In defense of The 12 Dares of Christa, I do not think I am the target audience. I am 32 years old and definitely do not fall within the recommended age range (8-12).
But that's part of the issue I have with this novel --- it doesn't know what its target audience is. There are huge chunks of this novel that seem geared towards a younger audience and so I can forgive those parts for being what I think is immature and childish. However, in between those chunks, there are parts that seem totally out of place for a protagonist that is 13 years old. For example, what two thirteen year olds think it's 100% okay to just roam around Florence by themselves? And why the hell aren't the "adults" in this book more upset that they do that? Also, maybe this shows my age, but what thirteen year old wears mascara on a daily basis?
The other big issue I had with this novel is wording. There are words in this novel that no thirteen year old would know and/or say. Hell --- I'm 32 years old and I didn't even know what some of those words meant. The ones that stood out were 'epicurean' (which I know), vid tournament (I doubt that's what the kids called it), and 'wassail' (no clue what that means/I had to google it).
Minor issues --- Christa's friend, Dani, comes off as either completely clueless or a complete jerk. Christa's mom is completely unlikable in my opinion and Christa comes off as more mature than she does.
Ultimately, this novel wasn't my cup of tea, which is a shame because the concept sounded interesting (my two favorites -- scavenger hunts and Europe).
April 22, 2018
I adored the author's Storybound Series, and liked the Sliver of Stardust series. This was was OK (and I'd rate 2.5 stars) and honestly I struggled to make myself finish it.
It was a cute story, and taking place during the Christmas season (and in Europe) meant a great setting with snippets about customs, decorations, and historical sites. I had some issues with Christa and her parents, though. They've announced they're divorcing, but apparently the three of them didn't do a very good job talking this through. Christa has a LOT of anger toward her mom in particular, and misconceptions about how everything went down between her parents. SO MUCH DRAMA could have been avoided if her mom had simply forced her to sit down and have a talk -- or maybe a family counselor? I just don't understand her parents' decision to "let's ignore it and hope it gets better" as she's obviously had a noticeable change in behavior, particularly in her attitude about food.
And well, all the drama of 13YOs with the "Ooh, I like him. I wonder if he likes me?!?" realm. One thing I've appreciated about Burt's other novels was that they show friendships between girls and boys without getting into giggly drama, so honestly I was a bit disappointed. Howzabout young teens just focus on their own families and working through their own issues, because seriously, a 13YO should not be worrying about romantic relationships (I know that their brains are are starting to process such possibilities, but dating? Nope.)
It was a cute story, and taking place during the Christmas season (and in Europe) meant a great setting with snippets about customs, decorations, and historical sites. I had some issues with Christa and her parents, though. They've announced they're divorcing, but apparently the three of them didn't do a very good job talking this through. Christa has a LOT of anger toward her mom in particular, and misconceptions about how everything went down between her parents. SO MUCH DRAMA could have been avoided if her mom had simply forced her to sit down and have a talk -- or maybe a family counselor? I just don't understand her parents' decision to "let's ignore it and hope it gets better" as she's obviously had a noticeable change in behavior, particularly in her attitude about food.
And well, all the drama of 13YOs with the "Ooh, I like him. I wonder if he likes me?!?" realm. One thing I've appreciated about Burt's other novels was that they show friendships between girls and boys without getting into giggly drama, so honestly I was a bit disappointed. Howzabout young teens just focus on their own families and working through their own issues, because seriously, a 13YO should not be worrying about romantic relationships (I know that their brains are are starting to process such possibilities, but dating? Nope.)
September 20, 2017
I loved this novel, with its sweet holiday story and genuine emotions. Although I was given this book to preview, this is one I would easily see myself picking up at a book store to add to my personal collection. I would definitely recommend this to my middle school friends. I found this novel more relatable than many other realistic fiction books I had read recently, which allowed me to truly invest in these characters. The author had a way of describing details that perfectly matched the way I've thought of them. These were small, quirky behaviors (like always unwrapping gifts by peeling off the tape and unfolding the paper), or quotes that were stated exactly as I've said before (such as when Owen was talking about his favorite Harry Potter book, The Order of the Phoenix, he described his rationale in the same way I have to my friends). This book also covers issues like fears and anxieties that are very real to many young teens. It's a much needed book in the teen space, since many of them that cover these topics are very overwhelming and stressful, while this provides a more optimistic view on life that is still realistic.
December 5, 2017
Burt, Melissa The 12 Dares of Christa, 294 pages. Katherine Tegen (HarperCollins), 2017. $17. Content: G.
This was supposed to be the best Christmas vacation ever! Christa had her trip to Europe with her Mom and Dad all planned out. Now, however, Mom and Dad are getting divorced, and Christa is headed off with just her Mom who is performing in a traveling play all over the continent. And Christa is stuck with two chaperones and a bunch of other actors’ children whom she doesn’t really know. Maybe all is not lost – on the first night she is presented with the first of 12 dares from her father – things to stretch Christa in new ways and hopefully help her be again the vibrant, fun girl she used to be.
Burt paints a gamut of emotions during her foray into Christa’s story. While it would be easy to mistakes this for 13 Little Blue Envelopes, they are at their hearts very different and each good in their own way. I especially like the authentic dynamic between Christa and her mother.
MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...
This was supposed to be the best Christmas vacation ever! Christa had her trip to Europe with her Mom and Dad all planned out. Now, however, Mom and Dad are getting divorced, and Christa is headed off with just her Mom who is performing in a traveling play all over the continent. And Christa is stuck with two chaperones and a bunch of other actors’ children whom she doesn’t really know. Maybe all is not lost – on the first night she is presented with the first of 12 dares from her father – things to stretch Christa in new ways and hopefully help her be again the vibrant, fun girl she used to be.
Burt paints a gamut of emotions during her foray into Christa’s story. While it would be easy to mistakes this for 13 Little Blue Envelopes, they are at their hearts very different and each good in their own way. I especially like the authentic dynamic between Christa and her mother.
MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...
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