Book Review: The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss

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The Escape Game  by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss  opens on the set of a reality television show called "The Escape Room" where one of the season four contestants, Alicia Angelos, is found in a coffin on set ... dead. Fast forward to season five where Sierra Angelos, the murder victim's younger sister and suspected killer, has been brought back to the show and paired up with Beck, Adi, and Carter. Sierra wants to find justice for her sister, but when Sierra and her teammates start uncovering clues about the true killer, they must figure out how to survive the game. A huge thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for approving my request and providing me with a digital copy of The Escape Game  for free in exchange for my honest review. I was immediately drawn to the title and cover of the young adult novel. Throw in the plot being about an escape room, and I was completely sold on the story before even reading it. The story is told from the perspective of fou...
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Book Review: The Dare by Natasha Preston

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Book Cover of The Dare by Natasha Preston
The Dare by Natasha Preston is a young adult horror novel centered on Marley and her friends Atlas, Lucia, and Jesse, all seniors in high school. What begins as harmless, lighthearted senior pranks quickly takes a dark turn when Rhett starts assigning dares that are far more serious and dangerous. As the stakes rise, the question becomes whether Marley and her friends will survive the consequences of playing along.

A huge thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced readers copy of The Dare by Natasha Preston. The last book I read by this author was well written and engaging, so I was excited to dive into her latest young adult horror story.

From the start, the novel feels reminiscent of R.L. Stine’s Fear Street series, which instantly brought back a wave of childhood nostalgia. Unfortunately, that initial excitement didn’t last. Before long, the plot shifts into territory that felt eerily similar to the movie I Know What You Did Last Summer. At that point, my interest started to wane, and I nearly stopped reading. There were also elements that reminded me of The Secret Diaries by Janice Harrell. Because of these similarities, The Dare ultimately didn’t feel very original as a YA horror novel.

The relationships between the characters also left me confused. The dynamic between Marley and Rhett, the student orchestrating the dares, felt strange and underdeveloped, and their connection didn’t make much sense. Marley's friendships with Atlas, Lucia, and Jesse were equally puzzling. Several interactions and events between them seemed to come out of nowhere, making it difficult to fully connect with the characters or understand their motivations.

Overall, I was disappointed in The Dare by Natasha Preston. While it had moments that hinted at the classic teen horror vibe I usually enjoy, the lack of originality and confusing character relationships held it back. I ultimately gave this young adult horror book three out of five stars.

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