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

The Twelve Days of Dash and Lily (Dash & Lily, #2)

by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

'After reading this I wanted to read it all over again' - Zoe Sugg aka Zoella.

This glorious new collaboration from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist was personally selected by Zoella for the Zoella Book Club. A teen romance set against the magical backdrop of New York City in December. It is the ultimate Christmas book.

Dash and Lily have been dating for nearly a year, but when Lily’s beloved grandfather falls ill, the repercussions take their toll on everyone. Even though they are still together, somehow the magic has gone out of their relationship and it’s clear that Lily has fallen out of love with life.

Action must be taken! Dash teams up with Lily’s brother and a host of their friends, who have just twelve days to get Lily’s groove back in time for Christmas.

A warm, wintry read that is guaranteed to be a favourite Christmas book for many years to come.

Look out for David and Rachel’s other young adult novels:  Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List.

Also by David Levithan, Every Day, Another Day, Marly's Ghost, Two Boys Kissing, How They Met and Other Stories.

David is the New York Times best-selling author of Boy Meets Boy and Marly’s Ghost. While among his many collaborations are Will Grayson, Will Grayson with Fault in Our Stars author John Green, and Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist with Rachel Cohn, which became a major film. Tiny Cooper from Will Grayson, Will Grayson, now has his own novel: Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story. David is also a highly respected children’s book editor, whose list includes many luminaries of children’s literature, including Garth Nix, Libba Bray and Suzanne Collins. He lives and works in New York.

Rachel Cohn was born in Maryland, but later moved to New York. Her first novel, Gingerbread, was published in 2002. Since then she has gone on to write many other successful young adult and children's books, several in collaboration with David Levithan. She now lives and writes in Los Angeles, assisted by two very cool cats.

Reviewed by Joséphine on

2 of 5 stars

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Initial thoughts: This book does not live up to the preceding Dash & Lily's Book of Dares. The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily is neither quirky nor charming. Taking place around Christmas about a year after they met each other, readers are thrown right into the downs of Dash and Lily's relationship.

While I appreciate the bid not to make out their romance to be perfect and full of roses, that's not exactly what I had signed up for. If there had been more depth, particularly in exploring Lily's state of mind, I wouldn't be so hung up about it. Instead, I felt that the treatment of their characters was rather superficial. Plot-wise, events were hit-or-miss. Some were thoughtful (eg. Lily's grandfather), some were fun (eg. Lily's escapades) and others were out of place (eg. Dash's father).

The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily is one of the rare books I like precisely because it's cute (without being overbearing about it). Sadly, I can't say that of the duology as whole.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 14 December, 2016: Finished reading
  • 14 December, 2016: Reviewed