The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think it’s safe to say that I absolutely loved Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares so I was really, really excited to get my hands on this, the sequel. Dash and Lily made such a cute couple and I loved the funny adventures they had as they raced around New York carrying out a series of tasks and meeting the most eccentric cast of characters along the way.

The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily had a lot to live up to, possibly too much, but while it doesn’t quite reach the dizzying heights of the first book it’s still a really good read. It takes place a year later and is a very different type of book. Dash and Lily have both grown up a bit and are now in a steady long term relationship. Lily in particular, has had some shocks which have shaken her up and left her without her usual joy and Christmas spirit. It’s up to Dash, with some help from Lily’s brother Langston and their friends, to help Lily find her happy again but is it too late.

Given the depression that Lily seems to have fallen into at the beginning of this story it’s unsurprising that the book is missing a lot of the fun and laughs from Book of Dares. There’s not much in the way of holiday cheer despite the best efforts of Dash and I think that’s why I didn’t love it as much as I hoped. There is the odd moment which made me laugh but a lot of it left me feeling a little bit down. It doesn’t help that Dash and Lily seem to be having problems in their relationship. They’ve lost the spark and a series of misunderstandings and lack of communication is making it look like they may not have a future.

While there is quite a bit of angst in this story there is still the odd funny moment. Dash’s best friend Boomer steals pretty much every scene he’s in and the arguments between Dash and Lily’s brother Langston were a definite highlight.

The writing, as you would expect, remains brilliant and the characters are very real. While most of the story is not that happy, it’s probably more believable than the first book. Bad things do happen, people don’t always cope well and relationships hit rocky patches.

If you’re looking for a book that will fill you with happiness and holiday cheer this may not be for you but if you’re looking for something real I’d definitely recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy. As always all views are my own.

The Blurb (from GoodReads)

Dash and Lily have had a tough year since they first fell in love among the shelves of their favorite bookstore. Lily’s beloved grandfather suffered a heart attack, and his difficult road to recovery has taken a major toll on her typically sunny disposition.

With only twelve days left until Christmas—Lily’s favorite time of the year—Dash, Lily’s brother Langston, and their closest friends must take Manhattan by storm to help Lily recapture the unique holiday magic of a glittering, snow-covered New York City in December.