Dare Me

By: Megan Abbott
Location: FIC ABB
Genre: Coming of age, Lord of the Flies for chicks maybe!

Sometimes I skim a book and go "nah", just cant relate to it,  this is one of those. It is dark, hopeless, valueless and really paints girls as stupid bimbo's that are incapable of doing what is honourable or right.
 But I know that some of you will enjoy it.  A Goodreads reviewer describes it this way

This is a thriller/murder mystery tucked into a more interesting story about what happens when a group of young girls falls under the spell of a charismatic leader, in this case, their new cheer leading coach. it is about competition and burgeoning sensuality and the long long memories of teenage girls. Another reviewer called Kari puts into words what I felt about this book
Sad,ugly characters doing sad,ugly things to one another. This is supposed to be what is in the heart and mind of the all-American girl? I'm not buying that.
This is how Addy sees herself: p. 258 "You see these glitters and sparkledust and magicks? It's war paint, it's feathers and claws, it's blood sacrifice."
Who the heck is she at war with? Herself? Who are any of them at war with? Why are all of them so angry? There is no character that you have hopes for or care for or even like, other than perhaps the victim, but even there, what that person was doing was wrong. Who in this whole book actually does right? There is tons of teen drinking, drugging, drinking and driving, drinking while driving, with no mention at all that anyone is at all aware that these things aren't right.
Parents seem to not exist in this world.
Bottom line. One word. Ugly.
 It is not often I bag a book, but I don't want any of our amazing students at this school having any of these characters as role models, and from where I sit there are not many girls who would connect with this world- but there is a YET, and it is this, I skimmed it till the end, it held me, it had a story line that compelled even though it was ugly. So let me know what you think!