I dare you to read Dash & Lily's Book of Dares

This book is as awesome as Christmas.

Either I'm lucky or just really easy to please when it comes to Christmas-themed stories because I'm happy with the very few I've read. Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn was the most recent one and I think it's the best one I've read so far.

Here are 9 reasons why I love Dash & Lily's Book of Dares:

1. A romance that started in a bookstore? Count me in! That's probably every booknerd's ideal love story. And Strand is a very popular bookstore in New York (home to 18 miles of books!) so that's a major plus.



2. Dash. Let me borrow Lily's aunt's description of Dash: "I find young Dashiell to be not contemptible, for a specimen of teenage male. His persnicketiness is not nearly as delightful as he'd have one believe, but he has his own charm nonetheless. Articulate to a fault, perhaps -- but a forgivable and, dare I say, an admirable misdemeanor."
Dash loves words. Written words. He uses words like arcane, esoteric and rabblerouser. And he loves yogurt. So yeah, I'm in love.

3. Lily. She's a weirdo and an introvert but not insecure. I love how she changed throughout the book, how she became braver and more open about things.



4. Dash's friends are funny and chill. Boomer is so excitable, he's like a dog trying to be human that you just can't help but like him.

5. Lily's family. Can a family be more comforting? Lily has a gazillion relatives and they are the type you're always glad to have. They felt so real to me. You know how some relatives are so annoying but also very close to you? That's how it seemed to me.

6. Despite the short amount of time that Dash and Lily spent writing to each other, the romance did not feel hurried. It was lovely. Of course, I have my biases because my own love story started with letters that were passed around and left at hidden corners so there.

7. It made me laugh in the middle of the night. Humor is underrated. But it's important for me that a book evokes emotions and while I love a book that makes me cry tons, I highly appreciate a book that makes me cry tears of laughter. This book did that.

"Well," I said, "a few of my friends have actually met Lily, and I like to think they would've mentioned if she were eighty."

"Eighty!" The old woman feigned shock. "I'll have you know I'm not a year over forty-three."

"With all due respect," I said, "if you're forty-three, then I'm a fetus."

8. Max Brenner's chocolate pizza. Enough said.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="523"] [Source][/caption]9. The quotable quotes. They are so, so beautiful.

"Too much. Too soon. Too fast. I put down the notebook, paced around the apartment."

"But whether or not you are here, you are here -- because these words are for you, and they wouldn't exist if you weren't here in some way. This notebook is a strange instrument -- the player doesn't know the music until it's being played."

"Sometimes, Dash, you take the fun out of fun," Boomer said with a sigh. "And you know what's left then? Nothing."

"You really think love needs to have a future?"

I hope that expresses just how much I love this book. Whether you're the type who's crazy about Christmas (like me) or the Grinch, I think you need Dash & Lily's Book of Dares in your life.

Only 21 days before Christmas! :D

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