Dare You To

By: Katie McGarry

Narrated by: Brittany Pressley, Christopher Gebauer

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and 17-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock - with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams - and his life - for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....

©2013 Katie McGarry (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Onr of my Faves

I've read the book itself multiple times, along with all the other books in the series, and while it may not be my favorite one of the series it's still a great read. the only issue I had with the audio version, and it really didn't bother me to bad, was the narrator for Ryan: he was just not at all what I imagined Ryan to sound like, and his female voices always reminded me of how a drag queen sounds when she is trying to imitate a woman's voice.

Easy for me to relate to and real!

What made the experience of listening to Dare You To the most enjoyable?

I liked the rawness of Beth's character. She's a character more real to life than most characters tend to be, but then again, McGarry's last book was the same way. Well done!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Beth, because she's so innocent event though she thinks she's a badass and loser, and she's ignorant to what life's possibilities are which I believe a lot of youth in her situation would view life too. She's guarded with good cause, but she's also smart and witty and compassionate and it makes for a very compelling/complex character. This is a gritty story, not sugar coated at all, it's real to life and I like that. Even Ryan's life is far from perfect beneath his all-star, boy-next-door exterior.

Have you listened to any of Brittany Pressley and Christopher Gebauer ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No I never have before. I thought Brittany was a perfect fit for Beth, but Christopher was only okay. It's nothing against his narrating because he's great, but I can't picture the character the way he's described when I'm listening to Christopher. He sounds too nice, maybe even too young. I'm not sure.

Any additional comments?

I love this author and I'll definitely be listening to the next book.

Dare You To not enjoy this book...

If you could sum up Dare You To in three words, what would they be?

1. Non-stop.
2. Emotive.
3. Perfect.

What other book might you compare Dare You To to and why?

Katie McGarry's books are all set in the same universe--characters that are connected, etc. I love them all! Such drama, such incredible character building. Amazing! Read them all, loved them all.

What about Brittany Pressley and Christopher Gebauer ’s performance did you like?

They both do a good job bringing across not only their main characters, but the different personalities of the supportings as well.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Hmm... There are so many parts of this book that seriously had my heart racing and cursing the end of my commute--I just wanted to keep listening! Beth was frustrating because I wanted so much better for her and she was self-destructive. I felt for her!

Any additional comments?

Amazing. Never regret using credits for Katie McGarry's books!

The bad girl gets the good boy for a change!

What made the experience of listening to Dare You To the most enjoyable?

Great book! Highly recommend the audio and absolutely fell in love with Beth and Ryan. Happy that the second book in the series was as amazing as the first. Basics: HEA, his/her point of view, steamy make out scenes, no cheating, main characters evolve while staying true to character, story has an ending--no cliffhanger, cool glimpse of high school, stereotypes thrown out the Window, and three dimensional main characters who make me not only believe they could be real, but I liked them. A lot.**spoilers**Beth isn't really "bad" it's just circumstances that have made her have to be tough, though she has done some things she shouldn't (a little pot use to escape her horrible life). Beth is continuously trying to save her hopeless drug-using mom from her abusive boyfriend. The relationship between Beth and her mom Skye is severely dysfunctional and doomed to failure. Until Beth accepts that, she can't really start to live her life the way a 17 year-old should. Ironically, it's while trying to save her mom one last time that starts the chain of events leading to a new life for her in small town Groveton. High school baseball hero Ryan shows Beth not only a new life, but he gives her the unconditional love she desperately needs. Trust is a huge element in the book and Beth lacks the ability to trust anyone, even her uncle. She has horrible abandonment issues as well. Ryan has so many walls to break down, but he does. Gently. The author made a great choice in building Ryan's character. He isn't a stereotypical alpha male. He's sensitive, a gentleman, a caring, kind young man that any mom would love her daughter to bring home. He's easy going, but never falters from his care--turned love for Beth. He is exactly what she needs. I find it ironic and completely appropriate that Ryan is a popular jock just like Luke from the first book, but that's where the similarities end. Ryan is a sensitive man who loves her--skater girl and homecoming queen.This book and Pushing the Limits can be stand alone books. but I recommend PTL first so as to see Beth as she was before.

Full of Emotion and Adrenaline

I read Pushing the Limits, the first book in this series, over a year ago, but it didn’t take me long to get reacquainted with the series. I think it actually worked to my advantage to start fresh since I didn’t miss the characters as much from the first book. I quite liked Dare You To, I daresay even more than Pushing the Limits, and read straight on through to Crash into You afterwards.

Dare You To is from the POV of Beth, a side character from Pushing the Limits, as well as a new character named Ryan. Beth has had it rough, taking care of her drug addict mother and trying to fend off the guys her mother brings home. She’s taken on much more than she should and things are at a breaking point. But, she loves her mom and wants to do everything she can to protect her.

Ryan, on the other hand, seems to have had a much easier time of things. He’s a star baseball player but his dad is really micro managing him, and he’s not just about baseball, you know? From the outside, Ryan’s family is keeping up appearances, but from the inside it’s all falling apart. I kind of love that he falls for “bad girl” Beth, and they have a lot to offer each other. Ryan and his friends are into dares, and Beth is his biggest challenge, and surprise, yet.

Beth is prickly and hard to get to know, and when circumstances lead to her moving to a new town to live with her uncle (and former Yankee player) Scott, she’s really out of her comfort zone. Taking care of her mom was such a big load that she doesn’t know how to let go. I felt for Beth, and admired her courageousness, and her strong will. I enjoyed seeing her character develop over the book, as her icy exterior starts to melt away.

It was easy for me to get behind Ryan and Beth as a couple, since I didn’t have Pushing the Limits‘ Beth and Isaiah fresh in my mind. I definitely was ready for Isaiah’s story though, after this book.

There are strong supporting characters in the book, like Beth’s childhood friend that she reconnects with, Lacy. Ryan’s brother Mark is estranged from the family, and he adds an interesting element to the story also.

I listened to the audiobook, performed by Brittany Pressley and Christopher Gebauer. The pair is well suited to play Beth and Ryan, with Ryan sounding like the golden boy, and Beth sounding a little rough around the edges. They were believable in their parts, and with the secondary characters as well. I felt emotionally connected to the story through their performance, and this was an audiobook I didn’t want to stop listening to. Since I enjoyed it, I picked up the next book on audio as well, even though there are different narrators.

Katie McGarry writes a gripping series full of emotion and adrenaline, and she has a knack for writing authentic well-rounded characters. There are several characters I can’t wait for her to explore in future books. I like that she writes about tough issues, and does not shy away from the angst, but at the same time you know she’s going to fix everything she breaks. It took me some time to catch up with this series, but I’m fully on board now.

Country boy meets big city girl - worlds collide

This is not your typical YA romance book. For example, there are no "good girl falls for the bad boy" moments in this one. In fact it's just the opposite. Ryan is an all-American good guy and Beth is a chain-smoking, foul-mouthed party girl. They love each other deeply but have many emotional and physical challenges to over come. I loved listening to their journey. This book reminded me alot of "The Sea of Tranquility", however, it wasn't quite as good as that one.
This was an enjoyable listen that was well worth my credit!

Really Good

Where does Dare You To rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I'd rank Dare You To in my top 5.

What other book might you compare Dare You To to and why?

I'd compare Pushing the Limits or Falling Into Us to Dare just because of the issues that happen throughout this story and the YA feel of it.

Which character – as performed by Brittany Pressley and Christopher Gebauer – was your favorite?

I liked the way Brittany performed Beth's character.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was able to hold back any tears but I did laugh a couple of times. I was also a bit angry a couple of times.

Good story

I enjoyed this storyline and I enjoyed the narrators.
Can’t wait to see more from this author.

Well written story of first love

This was a good book. I have two complaints. I wish the story had focused more on the high school drama and less on the mother and her drug problem. Also, the male narrator’s voice I didn’t like, but I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Well worth a credit.

Wow

At first I wasn't too sure if I'd like it because it sounded too melodramatic but honestly...

It was awesome I was so engrossed in the story I could stop listening.

Worth listening to.