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Truth or Dare
How far is too far when it comes to the people you love?
Claire Casey hates being the centre of attention. But if it means getting Sef Malik to notice her, it’s a risk she’s happy to take. Sef is prepared to do anything to help his recently disabled brother. But this means putting Claire’s love – and life – on the line. Because when you're willing to risk everything, what is there left to lose?
Claire Casey hates being the centre of attention. But if it means getting Sef Malik to notice her, it’s a risk she’s happy to take. Sef is prepared to do anything to help his recently disabled brother. But this means putting Claire’s love – and life – on the line. Because when you're willing to risk everything, what is there left to lose?
383 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2017
About the author
Non Pratt
12 books252 followersNon Pratt started her career working on non-fiction activity books at Usborne, before becoming an editor at Catnip Publishing. Her debut novel TROUBLE shortlisted for the YA Book Prize and the Branford Boase Award, with rights sold to the USA, Germany and Brazil. Her second novel, REMIX came out in 2015 and a novella, UNBOXED for Barrington Stoke in 2016. Her third novel with Walker Books, TRUTH OR DARE will come out in 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
August 30, 2017
Claire Casey attends West Bridge High School, where one of the pupils, Kamran (Kam), a couple of years, above her has been brain damaged after falling from a bridge, into the river below.
As part of her Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, Claire has offered to help out in the local hospital for Neurodisability, where she will be reading to the patients. The hospital assigns her to Kam.
Kam’s brother Yousef (Sef), is struggling to come to terms with his brother’s transformation from an able bodied young man, to someone who is needing to learn how to talk, eat, and walk again, if at all he ever does get those functions back again.
Sef wants to raise money to help his brother, and comes up with a novel way of doing it, roping Claire into it too. Truth Girl and Dare Boy. The two wear silly costumes and do silly things, for which their viewers, via YouTube, pay for.
Truth or Dare is a YA book, that is quite unusual. It is split into two. You get to read Claire’s point of view, and then Sefs’ from the same story. With the two meeting in the middle, albeit upside down to one another.
The story is both amusing and heartwrenching at the same time. Claire and Sef have this bond that was basically forced upon them, by a want to help Kam. They do stupid things and enjoy one another company.
Claire is also dealing with a lad at school sexually harassing her, after a YouTube video of her bikini top coming off is circulating on line. Some kids make fun, but this lad crosses the line too many times, yet she doesn’t want to report him.
The book will be very appealing to YA readers, and is a great addition to the ever growing popular genre. It has a wonderful fast paced plot, and a great cast of characters. Such a fantastic book to sink your teeth into.
Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
As part of her Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, Claire has offered to help out in the local hospital for Neurodisability, where she will be reading to the patients. The hospital assigns her to Kam.
Kam’s brother Yousef (Sef), is struggling to come to terms with his brother’s transformation from an able bodied young man, to someone who is needing to learn how to talk, eat, and walk again, if at all he ever does get those functions back again.
Sef wants to raise money to help his brother, and comes up with a novel way of doing it, roping Claire into it too. Truth Girl and Dare Boy. The two wear silly costumes and do silly things, for which their viewers, via YouTube, pay for.
Truth or Dare is a YA book, that is quite unusual. It is split into two. You get to read Claire’s point of view, and then Sefs’ from the same story. With the two meeting in the middle, albeit upside down to one another.
The story is both amusing and heartwrenching at the same time. Claire and Sef have this bond that was basically forced upon them, by a want to help Kam. They do stupid things and enjoy one another company.
Claire is also dealing with a lad at school sexually harassing her, after a YouTube video of her bikini top coming off is circulating on line. Some kids make fun, but this lad crosses the line too many times, yet she doesn’t want to report him.
The book will be very appealing to YA readers, and is a great addition to the ever growing popular genre. It has a wonderful fast paced plot, and a great cast of characters. Such a fantastic book to sink your teeth into.
Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
July 10, 2017
Actual rating: 3.5 stars.
It feels like it's been a long time since I finished a YA book, so I'm really happy to finally make progress with my YALC TBR!
As far as my feelings towards this book go...I'm not really sure that the whole flip book thing really worked for me. It made me feel disconnected to Sef as he was the second POV, and he didn't have anything profound to add to the scenes he shared with Claire. If it had been an alternating chapters story instead, I would have been way more involved in both characters.
The representation of growing a YouTube channel was great and I really liked how genuine it all felt. In six months, two teens doing mediocre sleepover-style dares isn't going to be them one million subscribers, but getting attached to someone who does, will. One thing - how did the school/families of Sef and Claire never find out about their channel? Sef has a younger brother who's surely watching Moz's videos if his personality is anything to go by. I thought it was a little weird that discovering who they were online IRL wasn't more of a theme.
I'll talk WAY more about the asexual rep in my video review, because I thought it was really touching from an ace perspective. It villainized the right people at the right moments, and did such a great job of translating how people don't really understand what asexuality is. (Hint: not something that hetero boys can cure.) Still, there was some weirdness, but I'll make sure to link my review when it goes live.
I did like the book, and it's getting an extra star for largely good ace rep, but I didn't love it as much as I thought I would.
It feels like it's been a long time since I finished a YA book, so I'm really happy to finally make progress with my YALC TBR!
As far as my feelings towards this book go...I'm not really sure that the whole flip book thing really worked for me. It made me feel disconnected to Sef as he was the second POV, and he didn't have anything profound to add to the scenes he shared with Claire. If it had been an alternating chapters story instead, I would have been way more involved in both characters.
The representation of growing a YouTube channel was great and I really liked how genuine it all felt. In six months, two teens doing mediocre sleepover-style dares isn't going to be them one million subscribers, but getting attached to someone who does, will. One thing - how did the school/families of Sef and Claire never find out about their channel? Sef has a younger brother who's surely watching Moz's videos if his personality is anything to go by. I thought it was a little weird that discovering who they were online IRL wasn't more of a theme.
I'll talk WAY more about the asexual rep in my video review, because I thought it was really touching from an ace perspective. It villainized the right people at the right moments, and did such a great job of translating how people don't really understand what asexuality is. (Hint: not something that hetero boys can cure.) Still, there was some weirdness, but I'll make sure to link my review when it goes live.
I did like the book, and it's getting an extra star for largely good ace rep, but I didn't love it as much as I thought I would.
December 18, 2017
4.5 stars
TRUTH OR DARE has knocked my figurative socks off. I got a signed copy in my illumicrate and got round to reading it just now. The cover is interesting, the blurb too but the characters and context are so much more.
Sef and Claire are an unlikely friendship, drawn to partner in a project of their own making over Kam, Sef’s brother with a traumatic brain injury. Kam is present but subtly in the background of this story, however Kam’s experiences, the reality of his abilities/disabilities afterwards and the effect of his injury on the family, especially Sef, pack an emotional punch. There’s actually not a whole lot of Kam, mostly Sef and Claire who are awkwardly wonderful.
The realistic narrative of the gawky and graceless growing friendship between Sef and Claire is fun to read and I found myself invested in their bond, their aim and wanting more for them. There is chemistry and flirting that had subtle, believable feels. The side characters of Seren, Rich and Amir were fabulous and rich.
What is super special about this book is you read half way from Claire’s POV, reaching a painfully WHAAAAT moment, then turn over and read from opposite end of the book for Sef’s POV. Initially, Sef’s POV was less appealing but it built and built to brimming emotions.
This might be a lesser known book but it really deserves more recognition as it is the kind of YA that sings to my book soul and the fact that it felt so familiarly British was another score. Highly recommended to all my YA loving friends. I’ll definitely be reading more from Non Pratt.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.
TRUTH OR DARE has knocked my figurative socks off. I got a signed copy in my illumicrate and got round to reading it just now. The cover is interesting, the blurb too but the characters and context are so much more.
Sef and Claire are an unlikely friendship, drawn to partner in a project of their own making over Kam, Sef’s brother with a traumatic brain injury. Kam is present but subtly in the background of this story, however Kam’s experiences, the reality of his abilities/disabilities afterwards and the effect of his injury on the family, especially Sef, pack an emotional punch. There’s actually not a whole lot of Kam, mostly Sef and Claire who are awkwardly wonderful.
The realistic narrative of the gawky and graceless growing friendship between Sef and Claire is fun to read and I found myself invested in their bond, their aim and wanting more for them. There is chemistry and flirting that had subtle, believable feels. The side characters of Seren, Rich and Amir were fabulous and rich.
What is super special about this book is you read half way from Claire’s POV, reaching a painfully WHAAAAT moment, then turn over and read from opposite end of the book for Sef’s POV. Initially, Sef’s POV was less appealing but it built and built to brimming emotions.
This might be a lesser known book but it really deserves more recognition as it is the kind of YA that sings to my book soul and the fact that it felt so familiarly British was another score. Highly recommended to all my YA loving friends. I’ll definitely be reading more from Non Pratt.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.
December 10, 2017
Truth or Dare is one story told by two teenagers. Claire Casey volunteers to help Sef Malik create a YouTube channel in order to raise money for his older brother. Kam suffered a severe brain injury after falling into a river and the cost to provide support is astronomical. Sef feels emotionally powerless and fundraising is the only way he can manage the tragedy right now. Meanwhile, Claire's dealing with her own drama after a nip-slip video goes viral. Hanging out with Sef provides distraction – and so Truth Girl and Dare Boy are born!
Truth and Dare features a whole host of diverse and wonderful characters. I adored Claire's compassion for Kam, who she's dedicated to reading to whilst he's in care, and her willingness to help Sef even though he's difficult to figure out. I also appreciated the sub plot featuring Claire's BFFs Seren and Rich. I was super angry at the boys who caused Claire a lot of anxiety after she's bullied and dubbed 'Milk Tits'. As she's a strong, funny, interesting and selfless character, her point of view was my favourite. Although I adored Claire, I probably wouldn't be Sef's best friend. I struggled to understand the relationship between him and his siblings, and he's a not entirely likeable character... but I'll leave you to read his POV!
Truth or Dare shows us there are always two sides to every story, and it's not often that we take the time to discover both. It's another realistic contemporary novel from Non Pratt, tackling bullying, disability, social media, and asexuality.
Thank you to the publisher for providing this book for review!
I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.
Truth and Dare features a whole host of diverse and wonderful characters. I adored Claire's compassion for Kam, who she's dedicated to reading to whilst he's in care, and her willingness to help Sef even though he's difficult to figure out. I also appreciated the sub plot featuring Claire's BFFs Seren and Rich. I was super angry at the boys who caused Claire a lot of anxiety after she's bullied and dubbed 'Milk Tits'. As she's a strong, funny, interesting and selfless character, her point of view was my favourite. Although I adored Claire, I probably wouldn't be Sef's best friend. I struggled to understand the relationship between him and his siblings, and he's a not entirely likeable character... but I'll leave you to read his POV!
Truth or Dare shows us there are always two sides to every story, and it's not often that we take the time to discover both. It's another realistic contemporary novel from Non Pratt, tackling bullying, disability, social media, and asexuality.
Thank you to the publisher for providing this book for review!
I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.
June 19, 2024
This story isn't just for the young teenagers its for all ages. We can all learn from this fantastic tale.
Truth or Dare .
What truth must she face? One story two sides.
Part one Claire Casey
All I ever wanted was to be noticed. Now all I want is to disappear.
It's September. It's freezing in the school hall. Mr Chung stands up, clears his throat. Some of you will already know what happened over the summer when Kamran Malik fell into the Lay river. He went straight to hospital with suspected brain injury. Kam as they call him was in a coma for two weeks. He regained consciousness. The injuries he sustained as a result he will have to relearn a lot of skills that everyone takes for granted.
The school has a card for Kam and an envelope for donations to the Recreare Hospital for Neurodisability.
But Sef has ideas of his own
If any pupil wants advice about starting a channel, Claire's an expert on all things YouTube.
Sef wants to raise sixty thousand pounds for Kam by setting up a channel where people donate to watch him do dares and he needs Claire's help.
Truth or Dare
How far will he dare go? One story two sides.
Part two Sef Malik
When death stares you in the face, you confess. You're not going to like any of it. I don't.
As Sef says in one part of the book. Isn't the point of having money to make life better, even if that life isn't yours.
I won't say what happens in Sef Malik side of the story.
The characters in this book are fictional, but the problems that they face are not.
I would like to thank Walker books for sending me a copy of Truth Or Dare, it's been a pleasure to read this fantastic story. A new author that I will be keeping a lookout for in the future.
Truth or Dare .
What truth must she face? One story two sides.
Part one Claire Casey
All I ever wanted was to be noticed. Now all I want is to disappear.
It's September. It's freezing in the school hall. Mr Chung stands up, clears his throat. Some of you will already know what happened over the summer when Kamran Malik fell into the Lay river. He went straight to hospital with suspected brain injury. Kam as they call him was in a coma for two weeks. He regained consciousness. The injuries he sustained as a result he will have to relearn a lot of skills that everyone takes for granted.
The school has a card for Kam and an envelope for donations to the Recreare Hospital for Neurodisability.
But Sef has ideas of his own
If any pupil wants advice about starting a channel, Claire's an expert on all things YouTube.
Sef wants to raise sixty thousand pounds for Kam by setting up a channel where people donate to watch him do dares and he needs Claire's help.
Truth or Dare
How far will he dare go? One story two sides.
Part two Sef Malik
When death stares you in the face, you confess. You're not going to like any of it. I don't.
As Sef says in one part of the book. Isn't the point of having money to make life better, even if that life isn't yours.
I won't say what happens in Sef Malik side of the story.
The characters in this book are fictional, but the problems that they face are not.
I would like to thank Walker books for sending me a copy of Truth Or Dare, it's been a pleasure to read this fantastic story. A new author that I will be keeping a lookout for in the future.
June 24, 2017
I picked up Truth or Dare by Non Pratt because I was falling into a slump reading Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. I definitely made the right choice because i could easily get into the mood to read again with this book and managed to finish it within days. Despite some problems that I had with the book, overall i enjoyed the story and i'm rating it 4 out of 5 stars!
I liked that the first half of the book was in Claire Casey's point of view, and that you're supposed to flip the book around and read it from the back for Sef Malik's point of view. This is the first book that i've read that recaps events but from another character's perspective, and i thought it was a really clever way to reveal more about what a character is going through, rather than immediately presenting the two perspectives one after the other. It makes you realise that there's more to a person's life then what we see from only one point of view. I enjoyed seeing Sef from Claire's perspective first and then actually reading out his own perspective from the beginning, which turned out to be a lot darker and depressing. The book turned a lot more serious once we read it from Sef's point of view, and when we find out the real reason why Sef behaved the way he did.
So in this book, Claire and Sef create a YouTube channel to make truth or dare videos so that they can raise money to pay for Sef's big brother, who suffered from a terrible accident, so that he can continue to get proper care. I really enjoyed reading about the painful process of producing a successful channel, because I myself am very familiar with YouTube and the vlogging community. Seeing the characters go through the same steps of filming, editing, and struggling to attract enough viewers was quite fun and definitely relatable. The idea of making videos of confessions and dares is a little bit cringe-y because I personally wouldn't watch those kinds of videos, but i guess it works for the story and it sounds realistic enough.
My main issue for this book is its poor attempt at diversity. Even though this book is technically a POC book because Sef Malik is, if i'm not mistaken, a British-Pakistani, but him and his family seem so Westernized that I could hardly learn anything that seemed exclusive to their culture. It was implied that Sef didn't drink alcohol and he was used to getting racist and discriminating comments, so a part of me started to believe that maybe he was Muslim. But then later he and his family celebrated Christmas and I just got hella confused. Adding to the fact that his entire family had Arabic names (Yousef, Amir, Farah), I think the author had a great opportunity to take the diversity to a whole new level. Even if she wanted to portray the Malik family as liberals or just non-traditional, I wish there had been more religious or cultural discussion. It could even have worked if another character had just asked them about it. Non Pratt also attempted to introduce us to an asexual and aromantic character, which I thought was a pretty great insight to the topic but i wish we got to know more about that character's story.
Other than that, I quite enjoyed the book. I felt like the characters were realistic and relatable. Surprisingly, i could relate to Sef more than I could relate to Claire. Sef is the type of person who avoids something that is painful or hard for him. It does sound cowardly and weak, but honestly it's something very human that a lot of people probably go through. It's great to see this in a character, and to see it portrayed quite honestly. No he's not the ideal perfect character, and i definitely didn't fall in love with him, but i liked seeing how vulnerable he can get. I also really liked his relationship with his brothers. I wasn't a huge fan of the romance though, to be honest.
Overall, I would recommend this book for contemporary lovers, but not to those who expect to discover in depth about POC characters because they won't be impressed by the attempt in this one.
I liked that the first half of the book was in Claire Casey's point of view, and that you're supposed to flip the book around and read it from the back for Sef Malik's point of view. This is the first book that i've read that recaps events but from another character's perspective, and i thought it was a really clever way to reveal more about what a character is going through, rather than immediately presenting the two perspectives one after the other. It makes you realise that there's more to a person's life then what we see from only one point of view. I enjoyed seeing Sef from Claire's perspective first and then actually reading out his own perspective from the beginning, which turned out to be a lot darker and depressing. The book turned a lot more serious once we read it from Sef's point of view, and when we find out the real reason why Sef behaved the way he did.
So in this book, Claire and Sef create a YouTube channel to make truth or dare videos so that they can raise money to pay for Sef's big brother, who suffered from a terrible accident, so that he can continue to get proper care. I really enjoyed reading about the painful process of producing a successful channel, because I myself am very familiar with YouTube and the vlogging community. Seeing the characters go through the same steps of filming, editing, and struggling to attract enough viewers was quite fun and definitely relatable. The idea of making videos of confessions and dares is a little bit cringe-y because I personally wouldn't watch those kinds of videos, but i guess it works for the story and it sounds realistic enough.
My main issue for this book is its poor attempt at diversity. Even though this book is technically a POC book because Sef Malik is, if i'm not mistaken, a British-Pakistani, but him and his family seem so Westernized that I could hardly learn anything that seemed exclusive to their culture. It was implied that Sef didn't drink alcohol and he was used to getting racist and discriminating comments, so a part of me started to believe that maybe he was Muslim. But then later he and his family celebrated Christmas and I just got hella confused. Adding to the fact that his entire family had Arabic names (Yousef, Amir, Farah), I think the author had a great opportunity to take the diversity to a whole new level. Even if she wanted to portray the Malik family as liberals or just non-traditional, I wish there had been more religious or cultural discussion. It could even have worked if another character had just asked them about it. Non Pratt also attempted to introduce us to an asexual and aromantic character, which I thought was a pretty great insight to the topic but i wish we got to know more about that character's story.
Other than that, I quite enjoyed the book. I felt like the characters were realistic and relatable. Surprisingly, i could relate to Sef more than I could relate to Claire. Sef is the type of person who avoids something that is painful or hard for him. It does sound cowardly and weak, but honestly it's something very human that a lot of people probably go through. It's great to see this in a character, and to see it portrayed quite honestly. No he's not the ideal perfect character, and i definitely didn't fall in love with him, but i liked seeing how vulnerable he can get. I also really liked his relationship with his brothers. I wasn't a huge fan of the romance though, to be honest.
Overall, I would recommend this book for contemporary lovers, but not to those who expect to discover in depth about POC characters because they won't be impressed by the attempt in this one.
June 12, 2017
That moment when you grab a random book from an author that you really wanted to read without even read the plot and LOVED IT. LOVED IT. LOVED IT!
I wanted to read a Non Pratt book since months now and when I have heard 'Truth or Dare' will be released in few weeks I had to pre-order it. I didn't even bother to read the plot and the story left me without words. WOW!
Truth or Dare is about Sef and Claire, two teenagers, who decide to open a youtube channel where they will accept every kind of 'truth or dare' in order to raised money for Sef's brother who has a brain accident and he needs a huge amount of money to proceeding with the therapy that he needs.
This book is so realistic and it is also written with two point of views: Claire's POW domains the first part of the book and you need to turn the book to keep going with the story and read Sef's POW! I loved it so much.
It is so overwhelming. It is also about grief and trust.
Truth or Dare can easily categorized as a diverse book:
- disability: Kam is one of the most loved kid in the school until an injury to his brain: he can't move or talk as before.
- asexuality: Claire's BFF is asexual and there is also awareness in trying to respect her asexuality. I loved this aspect because I think ToD is my first book with an asexual character and thinking that I wasn't even aware of asexuality before started reading the Riverdale's conversation.
- POC: the male MC is not white. I don't think the author ever specified his origin but there are lines where has been specified that Sef is definitely not white.
If you are looking for a fast and heartbreaking reading, TRUTH OR DARE is the right book for you!
About daring.. Non Pratt is daring you to help her raise 2k for charity. If she will be able to reach her goal she will shave her head at YALC! click here
April 5, 2017
As I expected and hoped I adored this and found myself unable to put it down staying up long past my bedtime.
There are many reasons why I loved this book.
Firstly Non just gets teens and captures that teen voice perfectly. Her characters feel real and it is very easy to root for them from page one. I liked how it tackled ideas round the use of social media and role in has in modern society both positive and negative especially when the characters start up their youtube channel of truth and dares. I loved the relationship between the two main characters Sef and Claire and seeing how and why it developed as it did. I loved how it was funny, poignant, romantic and thoughtful all at the same time. It is also one of those books which tackles a lot of issues around things like racism, feminism and body image superbly without it ever feeling like a "issues" book.
In short it's an unputdownable read which is clever, poignant and unpredictable. I loved it.
There are many reasons why I loved this book.
Firstly Non just gets teens and captures that teen voice perfectly. Her characters feel real and it is very easy to root for them from page one. I liked how it tackled ideas round the use of social media and role in has in modern society both positive and negative especially when the characters start up their youtube channel of truth and dares. I loved the relationship between the two main characters Sef and Claire and seeing how and why it developed as it did. I loved how it was funny, poignant, romantic and thoughtful all at the same time. It is also one of those books which tackles a lot of issues around things like racism, feminism and body image superbly without it ever feeling like a "issues" book.
In short it's an unputdownable read which is clever, poignant and unpredictable. I loved it.
August 23, 2017
Being friends with authors you admire is honestly one of the biggest joys of being a writer. Ahhhh. This is one of the best books about teenagers using social media I’ve read, and has the best character development ever. I still think about the shock of the point of view switch-over.
June 24, 2018
This tells the story of Sef and Claire as they do dare on the internet to raise money for Sef's brothers treatment to get better. These fares get out of hand and they must try and control it.
How far are they willing to go?
CHARACTERS-
The Characters were cool and interesting but not very memorable and I am not really attached or when I was reading the book, I didn't really care what happened to them. They were very interesting and cool though.
ROMANCE-
The romance was very very fast paced but it isn't romantic or special, it kinda felt like a normal contemporary romance.
PLOT-
The plot was super cool and fast paced and I loved it!
ENDING-
The ending felt complete and it was a very good read but I wasn't 100% invested in the story.
Characters-8/10
Romance-8/10
Plot-9/10
Ending-9/10
Speed-9/10
How far are they willing to go?
CHARACTERS-
The Characters were cool and interesting but not very memorable and I am not really attached or when I was reading the book, I didn't really care what happened to them. They were very interesting and cool though.
ROMANCE-
The romance was very very fast paced but it isn't romantic or special, it kinda felt like a normal contemporary romance.
PLOT-
The plot was super cool and fast paced and I loved it!
ENDING-
The ending felt complete and it was a very good read but I wasn't 100% invested in the story.
Characters-8/10
Romance-8/10
Plot-9/10
Ending-9/10
Speed-9/10
January 18, 2019
Non Pratt wrote another novel!!!
It has a gimmick that throws me back to the ’90s, but it’s fully a novel of the 2010s, fuelled as it is by the spectator society of YouTube eyeballs and the intricate liminal spaces teenagers negotiate between their online and offline identities.
It also has an aromantic and asexual character. I’m probably going to talk more about this than about the main plot of the novel, because hey, you can go ahead and read reviews from allo people about that.
Truth or Dare follows Claire Casey and Sef Malik, two UK teenagers who don’t know each other very well or have much in common until authorial intent throws them in one another’s path. Claire kind of volunteers to help Sef raise money for his older brother, who needs care after a traumatic brain injury, and together they become “Truth Girl and Dare Boy”. But launching a YouTube channel is easy—turning views into donations, they discover, is very hard. With time running out, Sef pushes Claire towards more and more outrageous dares. She is falling for him, but she has to consider where she draws the line.
The first half of Truth or Dare is from Claire’s perspective. She’s a very interesting, sympathetic protagonist, in my opinion. There are so many Claires in this book, and her constant struggle to understand how she defines herself is emblematic of adolescence in general. There’s the Claire who is best friends with Seren and Rich, and who is totally blindsided by the latter’s awkward and inappropriate advances to the former, who is ace and aro (!!!). There’s the Claire who is kind and caring, as seen in her scenes with Kam. There’s “Milk Tits”—the victim of bullying after a nip-slip video goes viral within the school community. And then there’s “Truth Girl”, who if anything seems to be an attempt by Claire to create an online persona that opposes what Milk Tits stands for.
This is what I love about Pratt’s work. It’s not so much the storytelling—when you get down to it, Truth or Dare is actually kind of trite in its plot—as it is the way Pratt executes characterization like it’s going out of style. Pratt doesn’t just write teenagers: she shows us all the turning cogs of their minds, and reminds us of what it’s like to think and feel at that age, the priorities and weight of all the relationships and hormones and expectations.
Speaking of hormones, the sexytimes definitely happen here, but they are rather low-key. I like how Pratt acknowledges that it is a thing but doesn’t foreground it. There’s so much else that’s going on, and it’s nice to see a take on teenage sexuality that isn’t “ZOMG AND THEN THEY SEXED.”
Claire’s relationships with her friends are dynamic and fascinating. This is where I’m going to fanboy squee a lot about Pratt’s portrayal of Seren, Claire’s best friend:
That’s from page 32 of the book. I did a doubletake and re-read that paragraph, because it came out of the blue. It’s not a good thing, of course, that we are so starved for asexual representation that we are incredulous when it actually shows up. But there it is: on the page, acknowledging asexuality as part of the LGBTQIAP+. Moreover, the phrasing here makes it clear that Seren, at 16 or 17 years old, is aware of and confident in her asexuality: it isn’t just “a phase” and she isn’t just discovering it. She is out and proud to her friends and community.
Of course, it remained to be seen whether or not Pratt would differentiate between being asexual and aromantic (plenty of asexual people develop romantic feelings and enter into romantic relationships!).
And she does not let me down:
That’s Seren, venting her frustration and “nauseated” feelings after Rich confesses his feelings for her. So Seren is definitely aro in addition to being ace, totally uninterested in Rich, and seems to be sex-repulsed too. Pratt goes on to hang a lampshade on the fact that asexuality and aromanticism are invisible in our society while educating the reader on these terms:
Not only is this mostly accurate* and educational, but it’s also done entirely in Seren’s voice, with that little bit of acerbic humour we come to recognize in her conversations with Rich and Claire.
*I think it’s worth pointing out two things at this juncture. Firstly, I am but one aro/ace reader of this book. Other aro-spec and ace-spec readers might not be as enthusiastic as me about the representation here, and that’s totally fair. Secondly, “aromantic” isn’t actually “no interest” in romance. This accurately describes how I experience and use aromanticism as an identity. More broadly speaking, though, aromanticism is a lack of romantic attraction. One can be aromantic and still want or be in a romantic relationship, just like one can be asexual and still want or be in a sexual relationship. Generally speaking, though, I feel like Pratt makes an honest effort to represent an aro/ace character whose experience so far is not having any interest in romance, and that is definitely valid—just not universal.
So instead of your run-of-the-mill awkward-unrequited-love subplot between Claire’s two best friends, Pratt chooses to put in some aro/ace representation and create a much more interesting story as a result. While the main plot of Truth or Dare continues, we also see a gulf open up among these three. It develops very naturally and interestingly, and I enjoyed it all the way until its resolution.
I don’t want to fall all over myself with gratitude here, because this should just be normal and unremarkable. Asexual and arospec people deserve representation on page as much as any other group. But since it is remarkable, I needed to remark on it. I had no idea one of my favourite authors had this in store for me when I started Truth or Dare; reader, I swooned. One thousand and one platonic hearts. (The digital kind; there’s no way I’m actually cutting out 1001 hearts, even tiny ones, from paper. And harvesting real hearts would be … messy. And probably unwelcome. But I digress.)
There’s also a great deal of good stuff about consent in Truth or Dare. Obviously in the above side-plot there’s discussion of consent around asexuality, and the fact that Rich’s advances aren’t just awkward but inappropriate given his awareness of Seren’s orientation. Pratt also addresses the lack of consent involved in the Milk Tits video and the subsequent actions of its perpetrator. Finally, there’s a moment where Claire wants to hug the neuro-disabled Kam, but before she does, she asks him for consent. It’s easy to forget to ask for consent when hugging people, but it’s important, particularly when interacting with people who have cognitive or motor disabilities and may not be able to express their discomfort with such actions.
Jump cut to a quick review of the second half of the book!
I wish you could flip over this review like you must Truth or Dare’s hard copy version in order to continue reading … that brought back such nostalgia for some of the kids’ books I read in the 1990s.
The story continues, after quite the cliffhanger, with Sef’s perspective. We play catch-up at first, seeing some of the events Claire was not witness to leading up to the start of the main story, with flashbacks interspersed as the plot continues. To be honest, I don’t quite identify as much with Sef as I ended up identifying with Claire. I don’t think this is a problem with his characterization so much as the choice to put him as second narrator: by the time we hear his voice, the adrenaline and pacing are so high, so fast, that we don’t have the time or luxury to get to know him quite as well. Nevertheless, I appreciate that Pratt gives us this opportunity. Particularly interesting are some of the scenes we already saw from Claire’s point of view that she then retells from Sef’s.
Remix is probably still my favourite of Pratt’s novels so far. But that’s another thing I like about Non Pratt: each of her books keeps proving to be something new and unique and wonderful in a different way. Her voice and passion remain consistent and authentic; her motifs and themes are often similar; but each work has different tones and tenors that make it special. There’s a lot to love about Truth or Dare, and I can’t recommend enough all of Pratt’s books.
Full disclosure: One time I knit a scarf and hat for Non Pratt because she complained on Twitter she didn’t own any Gryffindor clothing. She does now.
It has a gimmick that throws me back to the ’90s, but it’s fully a novel of the 2010s, fuelled as it is by the spectator society of YouTube eyeballs and the intricate liminal spaces teenagers negotiate between their online and offline identities.
It also has an aromantic and asexual character. I’m probably going to talk more about this than about the main plot of the novel, because hey, you can go ahead and read reviews from allo people about that.
Truth or Dare follows Claire Casey and Sef Malik, two UK teenagers who don’t know each other very well or have much in common until authorial intent throws them in one another’s path. Claire kind of volunteers to help Sef raise money for his older brother, who needs care after a traumatic brain injury, and together they become “Truth Girl and Dare Boy”. But launching a YouTube channel is easy—turning views into donations, they discover, is very hard. With time running out, Sef pushes Claire towards more and more outrageous dares. She is falling for him, but she has to consider where she draws the line.
The first half of Truth or Dare is from Claire’s perspective. She’s a very interesting, sympathetic protagonist, in my opinion. There are so many Claires in this book, and her constant struggle to understand how she defines herself is emblematic of adolescence in general. There’s the Claire who is best friends with Seren and Rich, and who is totally blindsided by the latter’s awkward and inappropriate advances to the former, who is ace and aro (!!!). There’s the Claire who is kind and caring, as seen in her scenes with Kam. There’s “Milk Tits”—the victim of bullying after a nip-slip video goes viral within the school community. And then there’s “Truth Girl”, who if anything seems to be an attempt by Claire to create an online persona that opposes what Milk Tits stands for.
This is what I love about Pratt’s work. It’s not so much the storytelling—when you get down to it, Truth or Dare is actually kind of trite in its plot—as it is the way Pratt executes characterization like it’s going out of style. Pratt doesn’t just write teenagers: she shows us all the turning cogs of their minds, and reminds us of what it’s like to think and feel at that age, the priorities and weight of all the relationships and hormones and expectations.
Speaking of hormones, the sexytimes definitely happen here, but they are rather low-key. I like how Pratt acknowledges that it is a thing but doesn’t foreground it. There’s so much else that’s going on, and it’s nice to see a take on teenage sexuality that isn’t “ZOMG AND THEN THEY SEXED.”
Claire’s relationships with her friends are dynamic and fascinating. This is where I’m going to fanboy squee a lot about Pratt’s portrayal of Seren, Claire’s best friend:
Girls, boys, whatever, Seren just isn’t interested. She’s asexual and pretty political about it—Seren’s campaigning is a reason West Bridge has such comprehensive LGBTQ+ lessons in PSHE.
That’s from page 32 of the book. I did a doubletake and re-read that paragraph, because it came out of the blue. It’s not a good thing, of course, that we are so starved for asexual representation that we are incredulous when it actually shows up. But there it is: on the page, acknowledging asexuality as part of the LGBTQIAP+. Moreover, the phrasing here makes it clear that Seren, at 16 or 17 years old, is aware of and confident in her asexuality: it isn’t just “a phase” and she isn’t just discovering it. She is out and proud to her friends and community.
Of course, it remained to be seen whether or not Pratt would differentiate between being asexual and aromantic (plenty of asexual people develop romantic feelings and enter into romantic relationships!).
And she does not let me down:
“He knows—you both do. It’s not like that for me. I’m ace and I’m aro and … I don’t … ugh!”
That’s Seren, venting her frustration and “nauseated” feelings after Rich confesses his feelings for her. So Seren is definitely aro in addition to being ace, totally uninterested in Rich, and seems to be sex-repulsed too. Pratt goes on to hang a lampshade on the fact that asexuality and aromanticism are invisible in our society while educating the reader on these terms:
Until Seren told us she was asexual, I didn’t know you could come out as anything other than gay or bi and I’m not always up on the terms she uses. I spend a lot less time on Tumblr than Seren does.
“What does aro mean again?”
“Aromantic. No interest in romance. As in, zero interest in having a relationship beyond the platonic variety and certainly not wanting to be accosted on my own doorstep.”
Not only is this mostly accurate* and educational, but it’s also done entirely in Seren’s voice, with that little bit of acerbic humour we come to recognize in her conversations with Rich and Claire.
*I think it’s worth pointing out two things at this juncture. Firstly, I am but one aro/ace reader of this book. Other aro-spec and ace-spec readers might not be as enthusiastic as me about the representation here, and that’s totally fair. Secondly, “aromantic” isn’t actually “no interest” in romance. This accurately describes how I experience and use aromanticism as an identity. More broadly speaking, though, aromanticism is a lack of romantic attraction. One can be aromantic and still want or be in a romantic relationship, just like one can be asexual and still want or be in a sexual relationship. Generally speaking, though, I feel like Pratt makes an honest effort to represent an aro/ace character whose experience so far is not having any interest in romance, and that is definitely valid—just not universal.
So instead of your run-of-the-mill awkward-unrequited-love subplot between Claire’s two best friends, Pratt chooses to put in some aro/ace representation and create a much more interesting story as a result. While the main plot of Truth or Dare continues, we also see a gulf open up among these three. It develops very naturally and interestingly, and I enjoyed it all the way until its resolution.
I don’t want to fall all over myself with gratitude here, because this should just be normal and unremarkable. Asexual and arospec people deserve representation on page as much as any other group. But since it is remarkable, I needed to remark on it. I had no idea one of my favourite authors had this in store for me when I started Truth or Dare; reader, I swooned. One thousand and one platonic hearts. (The digital kind; there’s no way I’m actually cutting out 1001 hearts, even tiny ones, from paper. And harvesting real hearts would be … messy. And probably unwelcome. But I digress.)
There’s also a great deal of good stuff about consent in Truth or Dare. Obviously in the above side-plot there’s discussion of consent around asexuality, and the fact that Rich’s advances aren’t just awkward but inappropriate given his awareness of Seren’s orientation. Pratt also addresses the lack of consent involved in the Milk Tits video and the subsequent actions of its perpetrator. Finally, there’s a moment where Claire wants to hug the neuro-disabled Kam, but before she does, she asks him for consent. It’s easy to forget to ask for consent when hugging people, but it’s important, particularly when interacting with people who have cognitive or motor disabilities and may not be able to express their discomfort with such actions.
Jump cut to a quick review of the second half of the book!
I wish you could flip over this review like you must Truth or Dare’s hard copy version in order to continue reading … that brought back such nostalgia for some of the kids’ books I read in the 1990s.
The story continues, after quite the cliffhanger, with Sef’s perspective. We play catch-up at first, seeing some of the events Claire was not witness to leading up to the start of the main story, with flashbacks interspersed as the plot continues. To be honest, I don’t quite identify as much with Sef as I ended up identifying with Claire. I don’t think this is a problem with his characterization so much as the choice to put him as second narrator: by the time we hear his voice, the adrenaline and pacing are so high, so fast, that we don’t have the time or luxury to get to know him quite as well. Nevertheless, I appreciate that Pratt gives us this opportunity. Particularly interesting are some of the scenes we already saw from Claire’s point of view that she then retells from Sef’s.
Remix is probably still my favourite of Pratt’s novels so far. But that’s another thing I like about Non Pratt: each of her books keeps proving to be something new and unique and wonderful in a different way. Her voice and passion remain consistent and authentic; her motifs and themes are often similar; but each work has different tones and tenors that make it special. There’s a lot to love about Truth or Dare, and I can’t recommend enough all of Pratt’s books.
Full disclosure: One time I knit a scarf and hat for Non Pratt because she complained on Twitter she didn’t own any Gryffindor clothing. She does now.
September 10, 2017
Truth or Dare is a marvellous read; it is fun yet gritty, full of love yet tinged with sadness. It had me hooked from beginning to end and I read the whole thing in just two sittings.
I loved pretty much everything about this book. I loved the messages it sends out to young people especially the importance of holding people accountable for their actions and not just accepting the way you are treated. I particularly loved the way in which Sef’s grief is dealt with. Although his brother is not dead, Sef certainly feels like he has lost him and, although when first starting to read his part I felt completely and utterly betrayed by him, I soon came to understand him and his way a lot more clearly.
I really loved reading a dual narrative written this way as it really showed the importance of understanding there are two sides to every story and how our perceptions can be so different from the truth. It tackles such a range of contemporary issues such as social media, sexuality, disability, bullying, racism and friendship.
The characters are diverse and have many, many layers to them. We see friendships breaking, being made and being built back up again. I love a book where friendship isn’t always easy and Truth or Dare certainly provides that. Non Pratt certainly captures the teenage spirit and voice like no other.
With fantastic writing and a host of brilliant characters, Truth or Dare is a contemporary novel that is sure to carve itself a place in the hearts of many.
Read my full review here: https://kellysramblings.wordpress.com...
I loved pretty much everything about this book. I loved the messages it sends out to young people especially the importance of holding people accountable for their actions and not just accepting the way you are treated. I particularly loved the way in which Sef’s grief is dealt with. Although his brother is not dead, Sef certainly feels like he has lost him and, although when first starting to read his part I felt completely and utterly betrayed by him, I soon came to understand him and his way a lot more clearly.
I really loved reading a dual narrative written this way as it really showed the importance of understanding there are two sides to every story and how our perceptions can be so different from the truth. It tackles such a range of contemporary issues such as social media, sexuality, disability, bullying, racism and friendship.
The characters are diverse and have many, many layers to them. We see friendships breaking, being made and being built back up again. I love a book where friendship isn’t always easy and Truth or Dare certainly provides that. Non Pratt certainly captures the teenage spirit and voice like no other.
With fantastic writing and a host of brilliant characters, Truth or Dare is a contemporary novel that is sure to carve itself a place in the hearts of many.
Read my full review here: https://kellysramblings.wordpress.com...
July 9, 2017
My first time reading a flip book. I read it in alternating chapters of Sef's and Claire, sometimes skipping a chapter ahead so that the other pov matched up with the timing of the other pov as the two parts were in a linear narrative. And I would recommend that as sometimes one character would say something and if you were reading part one first then part 2 you might get confused on about what that character was talking about.
I just felt that reading one character's perspective and then flipping for the other's perspective of the whole events would take me out of the story as I would feel like I was rereading the book in another's recap and I'm used to dual pov's so it was just easier for me. Then I could go on to reading part three narrated by both without having to go through the whole thing again from Sef's view.
You're supposed to do part one then two but that wouldn't have worked for me, it was better and more interesting this way as I would read an event by Claire and then see how Stef saw that event differently rather then trying to remember what event it both was had I not been reading it dual.
I really enjoyed this book, though I wish Sef had more page time as Claire was just a very meh character to me but Sef I adored. I didn't like the way it ended either
I just felt that reading one character's perspective and then flipping for the other's perspective of the whole events would take me out of the story as I would feel like I was rereading the book in another's recap and I'm used to dual pov's so it was just easier for me. Then I could go on to reading part three narrated by both without having to go through the whole thing again from Sef's view.
You're supposed to do part one then two but that wouldn't have worked for me, it was better and more interesting this way as I would read an event by Claire and then see how Stef saw that event differently rather then trying to remember what event it both was had I not been reading it dual.
I really enjoyed this book, though I wish Sef had more page time as Claire was just a very meh character to me but Sef I adored. I didn't like the way it ended either
March 19, 2017
Loved it :-)
July 10, 2017
Truth or Dare was a book I have been eagerly awaiting its publication, and excited to make a start on it once it arrived in the post. But life got busy, and crazy, and stressful and I found it hard to even pick up a book, never mind open one to read. So I carried Truth or Dare with me everywhere I went, hoping I'd find some calmness to sit and read the book.
Truth or Dare is told in two points of view, with Claire's story first, before we flip the book to read Sef's. With Claire we get to know her really well, how she suffers at the hands of bullies, how a video has made the rounds of her bikini mishap, and how that has shaped her school life. Sef is a mystery at first, and we initially get to know him through Claire's eyes. We learn of the unfortunate accident that almost killed his brother Kam and leaves him with a brain injury, how his treatment at a special rehabilitation unit is expensive, and is money Sef and his family just don't have, and then we see how Sef plans to rise this money with the help of Claire, who is already invested in this family due to volunteering at the unit to read to Kam.
With a video camera, empty caravan, and disguises Claire and Sef set about creating a YouTube channel to video and share their truths and dares, and raise money by asking for donations or suggestions for a donation.
Truth or Dare was a book that really stood out for me, I loved the idea behind it, the partnership between fellow pupils, how far someone is willing to go to help someone they love, and how far can a person be pushed before they break. I really liked the idea behind the truth or dares and did actually laugh at some of them a they took place. I liked the characters and their beliefs and what they stood for, even if there may be some confusion along the way between best friends. The whole idea of dual point of view in a flip style book was a really unique way to tell the story, especially as one picks up as the other ends, but also fills in a few gaps and previous events.
This book really brings to light the struggles families can face every day to find money to support and help people they love, enabling them to get the best possible treatment available. It's a struggle for most people to survive each day, and I can't imagine how having to find so much money for a loved one can put an even bigger financial strain on a family.
Final Verdict
Truth or Dare is a heartwarming and heartfelt story, and although it took a while for me to read, as soon as my own life stuff calmed down I could not put this one down. This is a must read for fans of Non Pratt.
Truth or Dare is told in two points of view, with Claire's story first, before we flip the book to read Sef's. With Claire we get to know her really well, how she suffers at the hands of bullies, how a video has made the rounds of her bikini mishap, and how that has shaped her school life. Sef is a mystery at first, and we initially get to know him through Claire's eyes. We learn of the unfortunate accident that almost killed his brother Kam and leaves him with a brain injury, how his treatment at a special rehabilitation unit is expensive, and is money Sef and his family just don't have, and then we see how Sef plans to rise this money with the help of Claire, who is already invested in this family due to volunteering at the unit to read to Kam.
With a video camera, empty caravan, and disguises Claire and Sef set about creating a YouTube channel to video and share their truths and dares, and raise money by asking for donations or suggestions for a donation.
Truth or Dare was a book that really stood out for me, I loved the idea behind it, the partnership between fellow pupils, how far someone is willing to go to help someone they love, and how far can a person be pushed before they break. I really liked the idea behind the truth or dares and did actually laugh at some of them a they took place. I liked the characters and their beliefs and what they stood for, even if there may be some confusion along the way between best friends. The whole idea of dual point of view in a flip style book was a really unique way to tell the story, especially as one picks up as the other ends, but also fills in a few gaps and previous events.
This book really brings to light the struggles families can face every day to find money to support and help people they love, enabling them to get the best possible treatment available. It's a struggle for most people to survive each day, and I can't imagine how having to find so much money for a loved one can put an even bigger financial strain on a family.
Final Verdict
Truth or Dare is a heartwarming and heartfelt story, and although it took a while for me to read, as soon as my own life stuff calmed down I could not put this one down. This is a must read for fans of Non Pratt.
Just like her character Claire, Non has set up a fundraising page for Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, and will shave her head at YALC if she reaches her target of £2,000.
April 28, 2022
It was good until the end… wished we had a better ending!!!
June 6, 2017
Hey Readers,
I am in my car right now, coming back from a family trip, reviewing this book because I couldn't stop reading it. And now that I have read it, all I want is to talk about it.
*Spoiler free*
First of all, hats off to the author for bringing out such amazing characters through this book. And, for once, those characters from a fictional world seemed real.
The first part is from the POV of Claire aka Truth Girl. She is simple and introvert. Someone, who is real easy to relate with. Has life problems, crushes, dreams, et cetra.
The second part is from Yousef's POV aka Dare Boy. He is smart, good-looking and am I missing something..? Oh yes, daring.
This book is about two teenagers, who together start a YouTube channel doing Truths and Dares to collect funds. They want money for Yousef's brother whose brain got damaged.
Some facts about this book:
1. If you think contemporary is boring, there are 75% less chances of you getting bored after reading this book.
2. Unlike a normal contemporary book where an introvert girl falls in love with a super popular guy, this book brings out what teenagers are really like (stupid, unmindful, crazy and adorable).
3. There was 0% instant love in the book.
4. The book had the most perfect pace. There was no single point in which I got bored while reading. The story kept moving forward.
5. I didn't really anticipate much from the two sides of the story. I only expected a little repetition of the book with slightly different emotions, but the actual plot builds when you start reading the second POV.
6. What you thought about the characters during the first part of the book completely changes when you read part 2.
7. Each and every character in the book has been portrayed exceedingly well.
8. The end is something you didn't really expect it to be like.
9. The book might not have the best ending but it is a beautiful one. Something not to expect much from, but which gives hope for future.
10. I am rating this book: 5/5. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Yours Sincerely,
Reader.
xxx
I am in my car right now, coming back from a family trip, reviewing this book because I couldn't stop reading it. And now that I have read it, all I want is to talk about it.
*Spoiler free*
First of all, hats off to the author for bringing out such amazing characters through this book. And, for once, those characters from a fictional world seemed real.
The first part is from the POV of Claire aka Truth Girl. She is simple and introvert. Someone, who is real easy to relate with. Has life problems, crushes, dreams, et cetra.
The second part is from Yousef's POV aka Dare Boy. He is smart, good-looking and am I missing something..? Oh yes, daring.
This book is about two teenagers, who together start a YouTube channel doing Truths and Dares to collect funds. They want money for Yousef's brother whose brain got damaged.
Some facts about this book:
1. If you think contemporary is boring, there are 75% less chances of you getting bored after reading this book.
2. Unlike a normal contemporary book where an introvert girl falls in love with a super popular guy, this book brings out what teenagers are really like (stupid, unmindful, crazy and adorable).
3. There was 0% instant love in the book.
4. The book had the most perfect pace. There was no single point in which I got bored while reading. The story kept moving forward.
5. I didn't really anticipate much from the two sides of the story. I only expected a little repetition of the book with slightly different emotions, but the actual plot builds when you start reading the second POV.
6. What you thought about the characters during the first part of the book completely changes when you read part 2.
7. Each and every character in the book has been portrayed exceedingly well.
8. The end is something you didn't really expect it to be like.
9. The book might not have the best ending but it is a beautiful one. Something not to expect much from, but which gives hope for future.
10. I am rating this book: 5/5. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Yours Sincerely,
Reader.
xxx
June 3, 2017
You know those books where you put them down and you find yourself thinking about them? This is one of those books. I was halfway through and almost got hit in the face by a tennis ball because I was thinking about this book.
The book is one story with two sides. Literally. I loved the way that you read Claire's side first then had to flip the book over to read Sef's side. Seeing the story from the two different perspectives really helped to understand where the characters were coming from and the choices they made.
Non Pratt just has this way with words. This book may be aimed at teenagers but it it's definitely for all ages. Non managed to explore a huge range of different subjects - including social media, racisim and disability - without them becoming the main focus and still somehow making it relatable.
Claire and Sef's relationship was just beautifully written. I've read so many books recently where the relationships have been out of the blue or really quick but this wasn't anything like them. The entire relationship just felt so natural and realistic. I found myself smiling at so many points, and doing my foot wiggle that I do when I'm loving a book.
I really must insist that you all go and read this book.
This review, and others like it, at: https://tumblingintowonderlandbooks.w...
The book is one story with two sides. Literally. I loved the way that you read Claire's side first then had to flip the book over to read Sef's side. Seeing the story from the two different perspectives really helped to understand where the characters were coming from and the choices they made.
Non Pratt just has this way with words. This book may be aimed at teenagers but it it's definitely for all ages. Non managed to explore a huge range of different subjects - including social media, racisim and disability - without them becoming the main focus and still somehow making it relatable.
Claire and Sef's relationship was just beautifully written. I've read so many books recently where the relationships have been out of the blue or really quick but this wasn't anything like them. The entire relationship just felt so natural and realistic. I found myself smiling at so many points, and doing my foot wiggle that I do when I'm loving a book.
I really must insist that you all go and read this book.
This review, and others like it, at: https://tumblingintowonderlandbooks.w...
June 27, 2017
Easy to read, well written story with excellent use of two voices to reveal parts of the character that we wouldn't otherwise have seen. The suspense was handled well, particularly the end of Claire's part, though I did find Sef's part a little too repetitive when there wasn't a major difference in the way he lived the same event as Claire. I found both characters realistic, particularly Sef with his hang-ups, and the way his feelings towards Claire changed over time (God, I hated him at the beginning of part 2!). The whole story felt very credible.
June 1, 2017
I was so excited to get my hands on Truth or Dare, and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. This is a truly moving and cleverly told story of love in all its forms, and captured my heart from page one.
Non’s ability to capture the teenage voice is second to none, and it was a delight to see the same story seen from different perspectives. It really helped to understand where the characters were coming from, and why they made the choices they did. Thought provoking and emotional, Truth Or Dare is a must read for everyone.
Non’s ability to capture the teenage voice is second to none, and it was a delight to see the same story seen from different perspectives. It really helped to understand where the characters were coming from, and why they made the choices they did. Thought provoking and emotional, Truth Or Dare is a must read for everyone.
March 29, 2017
I'm so proud of my partner in crime! This is another great novel from Non, about friendship, romance, family, truth - and of course plenty of dares, all wrapped up in a story about two kids who start their own YouTube channel and realise that it's changing their lives. 14+
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
June 14, 2017
Actual Rating: 2.5
I really wanted to like this but I just couldn't get on with the characters. Claire was probably the better of the 2 main voices but I couldn't always get on board with what was happening.
I have a love/hate relationship with Non's books but at least I finished this one. (DNF Trouble but LOVED remix)
The ending helped a but as I actually felt a bit more emotion but otherwise it was just a bit too slow and all over the place for me.
I really wanted to like this but I just couldn't get on with the characters. Claire was probably the better of the 2 main voices but I couldn't always get on board with what was happening.
I have a love/hate relationship with Non's books but at least I finished this one. (DNF Trouble but LOVED remix)
The ending helped a but as I actually felt a bit more emotion but otherwise it was just a bit too slow and all over the place for me.
April 23, 2017
Moving. Important. Thrilling. Dangerous. Tense. Emotive. So many incredibly important quotes in this.
September 23, 2017
I actually rate this book 4.5☆
*contains spoilers*
This book was so refreshingly unique. My thought process was all over the place and constantly changing while reading this book. My first thought was wow they're adorable together. Then I was like OMG SEF IS AN ASS WTF. But then we learnt his own fears and the darkness that was creeping over him, fill in in every crevice of his soul. And hat really made me feel for him. Here we have a boy, breaking at the seams but desperate to hide it. My favourite part of the book is probably the parallels. Dare Boy is courageous, but he's so afraid of he truth that it drives him mad, and he nearly gets killed in all his attempts to make things right. Truth Girl is a girl who finds no problem in being open and honest, she's sweet and caring, but she's so out of her comfort zone when doing dares. These two are polar opposites, but they work so well together. The book was left open ended in a way, and I really enjoyed it. Sef getting he help he needs and finding the courage to finally visit his brother was the perfect ending. We never truly know whether Claire and Sef get back together. In my opinion, the question is should they get back together? After all they've been through, all he did to her in his desperation, I lean towards no. Yet, it seems likely that they do get back together. What happened was wrong and horrible, and try as I might, I can't find a good enough justification. But. Sef is getting the help he needs, and maybe, just maybe, Claire and him can work it out as he gets better. This book, while having a privileged main character has other diverse characters, and that gave such a good insight for me. As a minority I always look for diverse main characters. Whenever something is offensive to a minority I always think it's obvious. Claire proved me wrong. For a privileged person it isn't always obvious that what they are doing or saying is offensive- but that's what we as minorities are here for. We can help privileged people understand their privilege and learn what's offensive and what isn't (however Google is also your friend privileged peeps, please don't harass us minorities thanks). This book was intriguing from start to finish and it left me looking at the world in different ways.
*contains spoilers*
This book was so refreshingly unique. My thought process was all over the place and constantly changing while reading this book. My first thought was wow they're adorable together. Then I was like OMG SEF IS AN ASS WTF. But then we learnt his own fears and the darkness that was creeping over him, fill in in every crevice of his soul. And hat really made me feel for him. Here we have a boy, breaking at the seams but desperate to hide it. My favourite part of the book is probably the parallels. Dare Boy is courageous, but he's so afraid of he truth that it drives him mad, and he nearly gets killed in all his attempts to make things right. Truth Girl is a girl who finds no problem in being open and honest, she's sweet and caring, but she's so out of her comfort zone when doing dares. These two are polar opposites, but they work so well together. The book was left open ended in a way, and I really enjoyed it. Sef getting he help he needs and finding the courage to finally visit his brother was the perfect ending. We never truly know whether Claire and Sef get back together. In my opinion, the question is should they get back together? After all they've been through, all he did to her in his desperation, I lean towards no. Yet, it seems likely that they do get back together. What happened was wrong and horrible, and try as I might, I can't find a good enough justification. But. Sef is getting the help he needs, and maybe, just maybe, Claire and him can work it out as he gets better. This book, while having a privileged main character has other diverse characters, and that gave such a good insight for me. As a minority I always look for diverse main characters. Whenever something is offensive to a minority I always think it's obvious. Claire proved me wrong. For a privileged person it isn't always obvious that what they are doing or saying is offensive- but that's what we as minorities are here for. We can help privileged people understand their privilege and learn what's offensive and what isn't (however Google is also your friend privileged peeps, please don't harass us minorities thanks). This book was intriguing from start to finish and it left me looking at the world in different ways.
June 11, 2018
3.5 stars - I was really drawn in by the concept of this book, with the same story being told from different perspectives. I have to say that the first half of the book was easier to read that the second, and I felt that I identified more with Claire than with Saf. I felt some sympathy for Saf but that didn't stop him being quite a nasty person at the start of his chapter and therefore throughout his story. I really REALLY did not like him and think that Claire deserved better.
The story with Saf's brother was well thought out and dealt with sympathetically. It did cause some eye watering throughout. The "Truth or Dare" aspect was not really explored however, and I think that the book could have benefitted from remaining from Claire's perspective and having a longer story.
I also hated the way that the assults in the school was brushed over and was not dealt with.
Otherwise an OK read
The story with Saf's brother was well thought out and dealt with sympathetically. It did cause some eye watering throughout. The "Truth or Dare" aspect was not really explored however, and I think that the book could have benefitted from remaining from Claire's perspective and having a longer story.
I also hated the way that the assults in the school was brushed over and was not dealt with.
Otherwise an OK read
August 16, 2017
Loved it. My eyes were stinging from I shed tears at the end
September 25, 2022
i love the concept of the two sides of the story and everything although not revolutionary…
i have to admit the way claire’s part ended was clever, tricking us into thinking something very very dangerous happened beyond the prank
what i didn’t like though was how fast the events went by. it felt like there was so much the author wanted to fit in such a short time frame. the thing that displeased me the most was how Sef didn’t admit to Claire he was the one who shared the video. imo it was something to at least mention or work around or else not include at all…
i have to admit the way claire’s part ended was clever, tricking us into thinking something very very dangerous happened beyond the prank
what i didn’t like though was how fast the events went by. it felt like there was so much the author wanted to fit in such a short time frame. the thing that displeased me the most was how Sef didn’t admit to Claire he was the one who shared the video. imo it was something to at least mention or work around or else not include at all…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2017
I have read a few of Non Pratt's novels before and enjoyed them, when I found out she was releasing a new one which flips I couldn't wait to get started.
In part 1 we meet Claire, she hears about a dreadful accident over the summer, where Kamran fell into a river and have been in a coma, he has woken up, however is suspected to be brain damaged and will need thousands of pounds for treatment and care. Sef is Kam's brother and although he is grateful for the help the school is offering, he knows he needs to make money and quick, when he asks Claire to help him form a YouTube channel, she agrees. Together they form Truth Girl and Dare Boy, they create videos on different truths and dares, encouraging people to donate when they watch.
Through Claire's part we learn of the truths and dares the duos do, attempting to fundraise as much as they can. Sef realises it's not enough and that they need to do the biggest dare yet to secure funding for Kam.
On flipping the book over, we read the story through Sef's eyes and begin to understand him better. Personally I didn't particularly like Sef, the way he behaves towards others is not brilliant, but then you are constantly reminded that he is doing all of this for his brother Kam still in hospital.
This was an interesting story, which is up to date in terms of technology and social media. I think if you love Non Pratt's previous books you will love this too. If you are also looking for something a little different, this could also be for you.
I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.
In part 1 we meet Claire, she hears about a dreadful accident over the summer, where Kamran fell into a river and have been in a coma, he has woken up, however is suspected to be brain damaged and will need thousands of pounds for treatment and care. Sef is Kam's brother and although he is grateful for the help the school is offering, he knows he needs to make money and quick, when he asks Claire to help him form a YouTube channel, she agrees. Together they form Truth Girl and Dare Boy, they create videos on different truths and dares, encouraging people to donate when they watch.
Through Claire's part we learn of the truths and dares the duos do, attempting to fundraise as much as they can. Sef realises it's not enough and that they need to do the biggest dare yet to secure funding for Kam.
On flipping the book over, we read the story through Sef's eyes and begin to understand him better. Personally I didn't particularly like Sef, the way he behaves towards others is not brilliant, but then you are constantly reminded that he is doing all of this for his brother Kam still in hospital.
This was an interesting story, which is up to date in terms of technology and social media. I think if you love Non Pratt's previous books you will love this too. If you are also looking for something a little different, this could also be for you.
I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2017
When Sef Malik's brother is involved in an accident which leaves him with a brain injury, Sef will do whatever it takes to raise money for his care. An important point to remember for this book of Truth or Dare (and one or two lies). Claire Casey will do anything she can to help him, even if that means being in the spotlight which she hates, because she adores Sef from a distance usually and this puts her right in his eye line. The perfect opportunity for him to HOPEFULLY fall for her. Sef and Claire go on to develop a YouTube channel to raise the money, in which they do silly dares and tell embarrassing truths to a watching audience.
I liked that this story is a honest representation of what it can be like to know someone with a brain injury. Non Pratt captures really well the horrible balance between wanting to spend every moment with them, entirely wrapped up with them in your thoughts, whilst still wanting to be out there doing something to help. Pratt also captures how it feels to be entirely helpless against what is happening to someone you love, but handles it with a convincing teenage voice to keep the story less emotional and more forward thinking; it's very easy to become saddened by a book of this nature but the balance is just right here. Pratt does not shy away from some of the outbursts, expressions, aesthetics or behaviours someone with brain damage might have, nor do they shy away from showing the struggles people have in knowing how to react when faced with seeing this in those they love. It is brutal and honest, but is also reality for many people; an eye opening, important read.
The secondary part of the story in which Claire and Sef figure out how to up the ante for each of their videos was exciting - the dares get bigger and better and some truths come out! I think the way in which this book has been split in two, literally requiring you to flip the book upside down to read Sef's story which is really cool, is an original way of letting you see a much wider arc to the story. Sef isn't a likeable character to me because of his behavior towards others, but his desperation to help his brother is enough to make me understand why and I hope that readers will see how clever Pratt has been here by bravely creating such a character. Claire however was perhaps a bit of a disappointing character for me. She is entirely captivated by Sef. And this made it hard for me to like her. I can absolutely understand the foolish things infatuation makes us do, but I much prefer to see a character fight for their own opinions, thoughts and decisions rather than being heavily influenced by wanting to impress someone else. Despite this, she was never irritating or boring, just a hard character to connect with sometimes.
This is an interesting, original story which really is unputdownable. I love the teenage voice, the clever ideas and the way in which Pratt just gets it with this subject. It's the kind of book which contains enough brutal truths to educate but also to empower. I definitely recommend it.
ARC provided free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I liked that this story is a honest representation of what it can be like to know someone with a brain injury. Non Pratt captures really well the horrible balance between wanting to spend every moment with them, entirely wrapped up with them in your thoughts, whilst still wanting to be out there doing something to help. Pratt also captures how it feels to be entirely helpless against what is happening to someone you love, but handles it with a convincing teenage voice to keep the story less emotional and more forward thinking; it's very easy to become saddened by a book of this nature but the balance is just right here. Pratt does not shy away from some of the outbursts, expressions, aesthetics or behaviours someone with brain damage might have, nor do they shy away from showing the struggles people have in knowing how to react when faced with seeing this in those they love. It is brutal and honest, but is also reality for many people; an eye opening, important read.
The secondary part of the story in which Claire and Sef figure out how to up the ante for each of their videos was exciting - the dares get bigger and better and some truths come out! I think the way in which this book has been split in two, literally requiring you to flip the book upside down to read Sef's story which is really cool, is an original way of letting you see a much wider arc to the story. Sef isn't a likeable character to me because of his behavior towards others, but his desperation to help his brother is enough to make me understand why and I hope that readers will see how clever Pratt has been here by bravely creating such a character. Claire however was perhaps a bit of a disappointing character for me. She is entirely captivated by Sef. And this made it hard for me to like her. I can absolutely understand the foolish things infatuation makes us do, but I much prefer to see a character fight for their own opinions, thoughts and decisions rather than being heavily influenced by wanting to impress someone else. Despite this, she was never irritating or boring, just a hard character to connect with sometimes.
This is an interesting, original story which really is unputdownable. I love the teenage voice, the clever ideas and the way in which Pratt just gets it with this subject. It's the kind of book which contains enough brutal truths to educate but also to empower. I definitely recommend it.
ARC provided free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 27, 2018
Review first appeared on my blog: http://www.pagetostagereviews.com/201...
Claire and Sef are two high schoolers bonding together over making videos. Claire is a whizz with a camera and has mad editing skills, and Sef has a creative idea to start a YouTube channel, which he hopes will help raise money for the care of his brother who was left severely disabled after a car accident. Together with Claire he starts a channel where they do crazy but fun dares (and admit a few truths along the way), dramatically raising the stakes with each video in an attempt to get more and more monetary donations.
However, with money only slowly trickling in, how far is Sef willing to go to get what he wants? And, ultimately, is his brother's care more important to him than Claire's well-being?
Truth or Dare is very cleverly split into two; one part of the novel telling Claire's side of the story and one half telling Sef's. They're labelled clearly and it's up to the reader to decide whether they start with the blue cover (Claire's point of view) or flip the book around to start with the yellow half (Sef).
For all its hardships in the first part of this novel (I read Claire's POV first) I absolutely loved it and the two main characters, Claire and Sef, as they embarked on creating the Truth or Dare YouTube channel to raise funds for the care of Sef's brother Kam.
And then part two happened. [Insert mind blowing graphic here.]
Those first few pages turned a lot of my beliefs upside down and I wasn't sure whether I liked what I'd discovered about Sef. And yet I couldn't stop reading. As the pages went on, the two parts of the novel – and with it the two different perspectives on the events that were unfolding – were drawn closer together and I started to understand the characters in a different way. The journey was difficult, thought provoking, moving and enlightening all at once.
Truth or Dare is an important book in so many ways, from the way it deals with race and sexuality right down to disability. But most of all this is the story of how two very different people come together to make a difference, and the life lessons they learn along the way.
Claire and Sef are two high schoolers bonding together over making videos. Claire is a whizz with a camera and has mad editing skills, and Sef has a creative idea to start a YouTube channel, which he hopes will help raise money for the care of his brother who was left severely disabled after a car accident. Together with Claire he starts a channel where they do crazy but fun dares (and admit a few truths along the way), dramatically raising the stakes with each video in an attempt to get more and more monetary donations.
However, with money only slowly trickling in, how far is Sef willing to go to get what he wants? And, ultimately, is his brother's care more important to him than Claire's well-being?
Truth or Dare is very cleverly split into two; one part of the novel telling Claire's side of the story and one half telling Sef's. They're labelled clearly and it's up to the reader to decide whether they start with the blue cover (Claire's point of view) or flip the book around to start with the yellow half (Sef).
For all its hardships in the first part of this novel (I read Claire's POV first) I absolutely loved it and the two main characters, Claire and Sef, as they embarked on creating the Truth or Dare YouTube channel to raise funds for the care of Sef's brother Kam.
And then part two happened. [Insert mind blowing graphic here.]
Those first few pages turned a lot of my beliefs upside down and I wasn't sure whether I liked what I'd discovered about Sef. And yet I couldn't stop reading. As the pages went on, the two parts of the novel – and with it the two different perspectives on the events that were unfolding – were drawn closer together and I started to understand the characters in a different way. The journey was difficult, thought provoking, moving and enlightening all at once.
Truth or Dare is an important book in so many ways, from the way it deals with race and sexuality right down to disability. But most of all this is the story of how two very different people come together to make a difference, and the life lessons they learn along the way.
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