Dare

I did not expect to fall in love with ‘Dare’ as quickly I did with its predecessor ‘Trick’. Poet and Briar stole my heart completely and utterly and I really didn’t expect the magic to strike twice, no matter how amazing Natalia Jaster’s writing is.Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Not only did I fall just as hard and just as deep for Flare and Jeryn (although granted, this ‘coldhearted prince’ took awhile to win me over) this book completely enthralled me every bit as much as ‘Trick’ did before it.But I am getting away from myself again here. Lets get down to the business at hand, a review of ‘Dare’ the second book in the Foolish Kingdoms series.Flare is a mute young woman from the Kingdom of Summer who is imprisoned at a young age for being a born fool (the term given to those who suffer with madness or mental disabilities). Locked up from the age of ten, she longs for escape and a story about a mythical island captures her fancy. This is what keeps her going throughout the long years of her captivity.Jeryn is a prince from the Kingdom of Winter and outwardly is as coldhearted as that season. Winter has long been the driving force of science and medical prowess. In order to gain test subjects for medical and other scientific experimentation; he travels to the Summer Kingdom to trade fools to study.Jeryn is driven by the pursuit of knowledge and views these ‘fools’ as little more than lab rats; any sacrifice made in the greater goal of advancing medical research.Flare despises Jeryn on sight and after he selects her for one of his test subjects, she vows to finally make her escape. Jeryn finds himself drawn to Flare’s fiery spirit but wants nothing more than to dowse her flames. When Flare escapes, Jeryn determines to bring her back into the fold and follows her to the ship she has absconded with.After a storm flares up, Jeryn and Flare shipwreck on an island. One seemingly straight from the stories that Flare so loves. The two of them are forced to rely on each other for survival. Days turn into weeks which turns to months and then turns to years. Can Flare and Jeryn overcome their initial hostility of each other and will their reluctant co-operation turn to love?Well, Flare and Jeryn certainly snuck up on me and wormed their way into my heart. I loved and empathised with Flare right away. Jeryn – well he was another story! I was intrigued by him but I really didn’t like him at all at the start of the book. I didn’t see any way that he could be redeemed in my eyes yet alone how Flare could ever forgive or fall for him.However, Natalia Jaster continues to surprise me with her characterisation. Jeryn’s development and eventual redemption felt deserved and earned by the close of the novel. His romantic relationship with Flare was very different from Poet and Briar’s connection in the first book but no less swoon-worthy. Another enemies to lovers tale but their enmity had even greater hurdles to overcome. Fortunately, the island they are marooned upon allows them the chance to truly see each other. And yes, fall for each other.This is a romantic tale at heart, as well as one about overcoming past prejudices. As much as Jeryn fails to see Flare as a human being at the start of ‘Dare’ she is every bit as much prejudiced against him (though with good reason). This makes their connection feel more earned and grounded.According to the word of god; ‘Dare’ is a retelling of Blue Lagoon. I did not initially know this going into this book though looking back it does make total sense. I did have some trepidation going into this book already and knowing this ahead of time may have put me off since I was not really a fan of that movie.Reading ‘Trick’ well after the second book’s release also means I was able to move straight on to ‘Dare’ without a long wait in between. This can be a good thing but it can also be bad thing. Sometimes my love of the previous book can stifle my feelings moving on with the second; especially when the first book is so fresh in my mind. Thankfully, this did not happen with ‘Dare’.Although the pace was somewhat slower than the first book, and the romance was certainly more of a slow-burn, it was a blindingly enthralling story. It kept me absolutely gripped the whole way through.There weren’t as many side characters in this one though some old favourites do make an appearance or two! And who could forget about the valiant Little Knight? This little froggy companion is beyond adorable – and certainly stole the show in many ways!Although it was as explicit in ‘Dare’ there was still some LGBT themes.A character (not saying who!) previously has a small dalliance with a member of the same-sex and this is not treated as something to hide from or brush under the carpet. Yay for diversity!As with the first book; mental health issues are a focus. Particularly with how Jeryn develops; his growing feelings for Flare and eventual realization of his previously wrongdoings. It’s all very good stuff and makes for an amazing plot within this fantasy world, that in some ways is not too different from our own.I thoroughly enjoyed this second book and I cannot wait for more of this world (and since I’ve already read book three – it's book four which I am now desperately waiting for!) It was especially clear to me that after finishing this book, Natalia Jaster has definitely made a fan for life!

Starting this novel, coming straight from Trick, I didn't expect to lose any quality in the second book. That being said, I had no way of believing Dare could possibly beat its predecessor, not in my heart or in my reading. Who knew I was incredibly wrong? Dare is a magnificent tale on an island with a Winter prince and a Summer girl, supposedly mad, who come together to create a beautiful addition to the world of the Foolish Kingdoms series. Natalia proves again how her writing is beyond any expectation, weaving into the universe so seamlessly with her word choice and offering a great perspective on this not-fantasy fantasy world. The voice of the novel is well-versed like Trick as well, with the main conflict of the kingdoms being so well-handled and understood that you naturally root for the characters to create change. And, like Trick, the characters are magnificent. While the first book has more side characters at the helm, Dare focuses on the two leads, Flare and Jeryn, in such a way that I needed no-one else but them and their island. Both of them are immaculate characters and protagonists, like Poet and Briar, and have their own individual modes of mind that sometimes clash but inevitably bring them closer together. And the plot is such a beautifully-placed climb, that by the end, I could not contain the tears or feel such hope for the next chapter of these characters' stories and the eventual new characters coming into the next entry of the series. There are little words I could use beyond the ones I have used to describe why every reader who loves fantasy or just reading as a whole should read this series. It's poignant, thrilling, funny, heartbreaking, hopeful, moving, and all-around exciting. I cannot wait to see more from Natalia Jaster, and it was a true privilege to begin these books and have them on my shelves. I will not forget them, and they will continue to be favorite reads and the best books I've read this year...most likely, ever. Thank you, Natalia.

After reading two of her books, Natalia Jaster is now one of my favorite authors of all time. She writes in such a lyrical manner, instilling such a magical feel to her stories. Dare is a powerful love story that provides the best follow-up to Trick.Dare examines social constructs, mental illnesses, and developmental disabilities. As someone who reads YA books often, these topics are rarely tackled, and Natalia does a perfect analysis of each character and their struggles. Like Trick, it is a love story between two people who couldn't be more different from one another — Flare, who is from summer, and Jeryn, who is from winter. Flare has been imprisoned for years and is known for her fiery rage, while Jeryn is the coldhearted crown prince of winter.This is an intricate story about love against all odds, and it is beautifully written. It took me a little while to immerse myself in the book, but once I did, I enjoyed it! That being said, I did have a great time reading this book, and I cannot wait for the third book of Foolish Kingdoms, and what Natalia has in store for me next!*This is also my review on my goodreads page.

I love Natalia Jaster's writing. She has become one of my favorite authors! This book gave me a whole Blue Lagoon type feel, which I might add that I hated that movie, but this is what the movie should have been! I felt this book was probably her deepest book, and a very character driven novel. We get to be inside Jeryn and Flare's heads, and there were all types of emotions going on there. Jeryn showed a lot of growth throughout Dare, and I was constantly wanting to shake him at times in the beginning, but never quit rooting for him. My favorite couple ever made a cameo, and I think I literally screamed! Poet is perfection! The only thing I wanted more of was conversation between Flare and Jeryn because there was a lot of thinking going on in their heads... I know she can't talk, but he can read lips, so when they were conversing it was magical, and I wanted more of that! Before I forget, Little Knight almost stole the show! And I absolutely adored how the book ended!

This is a beautifully written story about love against the odds set in a magical island paradise. It deserves all the praise that it gets. So, why only 4 stars? I think the problem with this story, for me, is that I just love the last book too much. I fell in love with the characters in Trick and the characters in Dare weren't as captivating for me. I never felt emotionally attached to either main character and so I had a harder time being pulled into the story. That being said, it is still a great read and very worthy of the time it takes to finish it. I have been a fan of the author for years and will continue to be. I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next!