Nerve

Sep 21, 2012 Sam rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, realistic-or-contemporary, other, mystery, thriller

When a premise such as that for Jeanne Ryan’s debut novel floats to attention – a premise both unique and exciting – it’s near impossible not to let expectations reach unreasonably high levels. This, as has been the unfortunate case several times before, is where I went wrong with this book. To a certain extent, Nerve disappointed, failing to deliver on those high expectations and proving to be a somewhat different book to what I had been anticipating. Yet, at the same time, I didn’t not enjoy t...more When a premise such as that for Jeanne Ryan’s debut novel floats to attention – a premise both unique and exciting – it’s near impossible not to let expectations reach unreasonably high levels. This, as has been the unfortunate case several times before, is where I went wrong with this book. To a certain extent, Nerve disappointed, failing to deliver on those high expectations and proving to be a somewhat different book to what I had been anticipating. Yet, at the same time, I didn’t not enjoy this book. While it certainly failed to blow me away, I did appreciate the direction this story took in the end and think others will enjoy it too.

For our main character, Vee, life is a careful act of existing in her best friend’s shadow and winning back her parents’ trust. Working hard and playing little is what she knows best, yet when the opportunity to take part in an online game show arises, she decides to grasp it with both hands. NERVE offers her sought-after prizes from her ThisIsMe page to encourage her to keep going, and at each stage the dares she has to complete increase in difficultly. To her utter surprise, NERVE finds her to be a suitable candidate for the live rounds and she is directed to a secret location with her dare partner, Ian.

The prospect of a game show centred on deadly dares drew to mind life-threatening situations with knives, fires, snake pits, the lot. Unfortunately for me, it was nothing like that. The exhilarating moments I had dreamt of weren’t present until the live rounds, which didn’t take place for quite some time. To start, Vee has to dump a cup of water on her head in front of the customers of a coffee shop. That, I suppose, was reasonable. It would have to start off small, right? With that vein of thought, it wasn’t too disappointing… Only it didn’t get much better any time soon and my patience began to wear thin. The next few dares were equally as trivial. One of them entailed having to pretend to be a prostitute. Out of every scenario that the author could have thought up, why something like that? It was cringe-worthy to say the least, but also very insensitively handled. If you’re going to tread around a topic like that, at least do it properly.

Thankfully, this book turned around at the live rounds stage (which is maybe a little too late for some). The suspense slowly started to leak in and this book morphed into the adrenaline-filled story I initially hoped I would get. I wish a greater portion of the book had been dedicated to the live rounds as it was, without a doubt, a mile better than the rest of it. It was also the stage at which I finally began to warm to Vee. It’s difficult to appreciate a character who will pretend to be a prostitute or ask strangers for condoms in exchange for a new phone or shiny new shoes. She starts to think logically and with more maturity once it becomes apparent that NERVE isn’t the innocent game most people believe it to be.

What I appreciated most about this book was the mystery surrounding NERVE. Where a story like this is concerned, it’s always more thrilling to be left with unanswered questions, and this is reiterated with the brilliant ending. It’s safe to say that I enjoyed the second half significantly more than the first. Nerve was a good read overall, I only wish it hadn’t taken half the book to get there.

(This review also appears on my blog)(less)

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Sep 23, 2012 Giselle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook, science-fiction, mystery-thriller

When the synopsis for Jeanne Ryan's Nerve was first brought to light, it instantly became a novel I had very high hopes for. Talk of high stakes dares broadcasted online by a game that seems to personally know its players - this screams intensity, excitement, and a heck of a lot of entertainment. While it does deliver on the entertainment front, it leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to its promise of exhilarating suspense.

Does it turn deadly? Sure. But this doesn't happen until near the en...more When the synopsis for Jeanne Ryan's Nerve was first brought to light, it instantly became a novel I had very high hopes for. Talk of high stakes dares broadcasted online by a game that seems to personally know its players - this screams intensity, excitement, and a heck of a lot of entertainment. While it does deliver on the entertainment front, it leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to its promise of exhilarating suspense.

Does it turn deadly? Sure. But this doesn't happen until near the end, saving it all for the climax. What was I expecting? More blood, that's for sure; more danger, more horrifying situations, more serious consequences. Definitely something a lot more sinister than singing in a cafe, or asking people for condoms. When dare after dare ended up being as trivial as the last, I resigned myself to the fact that this simply was not going to be as suspenseful as I had previously imagined. Nonetheless, I can't say I didn't secretly take pleasure from the antics the characters were put through. It was entertaining, just not exactly thrilling. Once we get to the finale and things start to get darker, I finally got a glimpse of what I had hoped this whole novel would be: The stakes are sky high, and the level of anxiety rises tremendously. It also brings about a lot of new questions regarding the integrity of this whole game. This "anonymous" organization does have quite an ominous vibe, I just wish it was introduced much sooner.

Like your usual action film, Nerve is highly plot-driven and suffers from a lack in characterization as well as true depth. While I can't say I particularly cared for our main characters in any strong sense, I can't even begin to distinguish the numerous supporting roles that all seem to blend together; like a big cast of extras. The absence of character development combined with insta-love also causes the romance to feel a bit stale. Aside from the characters, the plot itself doesn't have very much substance when you look under the surface either. History of past games would have given the idea more credibility, and how the games are actually constructed without raising very obvious red flags for the parents or better yet, the law, would have helped mend some very questionable logical flaws that arise when you put some thought into it.

There is a hidden message inside this novel that I found quite thought provoking, on how consumerism has such control over us. We easily succumb to material things and the promise of money. I was surprised by the amount of truth there was in the plot. We're in a culture where consumerism can turn around and destroy us, turning us into unthinking automatons. How far would YOU go to get what you want the most, especially when it's being dangled right in front of you?

Where this book failed to engage me at first, it made up for a lot of it during the last part. When it all comes to an end we're left with intriguing hints on where it will go from here; not to mention a gazillion questions regarding this mysterious entity called Nerve. It's a fun novel, and great if you're looking for a fast paced read with tons of mystery and action.

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An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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May 31, 2013 Bern marked it as to-read

Why must you authors do me like this? STOP WRITING POTENTIALLY AWESOME BOOKS, YOU HARASSERS.

I HAVE PILES OF BOOKS I ALREADY OWN AND THIS HAS TO STOP OK

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Jan 13, 2013 Lisbeth Avery {Assorted Insanity} rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: could-have-been-better, better-than-i-thought-it-would-be, creepy-0_0, finally-some-character-development, i-love-you, jerk-love-interest, low-expectations, made-me-smile, mary-sues-everywhere, shouldn-t-like-but-did, violent-violence, reviewed

For some reason, I never expected much from NERVE. The cover looks amazing and the synopsis is intriguing so I really have no idea why I felt that NERVE was going to be an absolutely horrible book. I've come to realize that every reviewer has these feelings, premonitions about a book.

Usually, they are right thus I have named them "The Reviewer Instincts" (original and catchy, I know). Over the ~~years~~ months, my "reviewer instincts" have become my best friend. Then...

They turn on me. I was so sure...more

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Sep 22, 2012 Shirley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-releases, arcs, read-in-2012, for-review

Do you remember those days as pre-teens, or teenagers when the game Truth or Dare seemed like the most exciting and most-played game at parties? Well... imagine, instead of the dares being hugging the nearest boy or confessing to your crush, you're dared to do something illegal, something out of your comfort zone, something that involves embarrassing yourself a million times over in exchange for a large sum of money or something valuable you've lusted after for a long time? Would you accept the...more Do you remember those days as pre-teens, or teenagers when the game Truth or Dare seemed like the most exciting and most-played game at parties? Well... imagine, instead of the dares being hugging the nearest boy or confessing to your crush, you're dared to do something illegal, something out of your comfort zone, something that involves embarrassing yourself a million times over in exchange for a large sum of money or something valuable you've lusted after for a long time? Would you accept the dare? Would you resist the temptation?

Nerve offered an insight into the commercially driven society that we live in today. It was thought-provoking and filled with mystery from beginning to end! It was so exciting to see what new dare Nerve had in store for Vee (I've always loved truth or dare so I was bubbling with excitement every time Vee had to perform a new dare!) Nerve was fast-paced and at times incredibly thrilling-you'll be at the edge of your seat wondering what the hell was going to happen next!

While I enjoyed the plot, I had problems with the characterisation and romance between Vee and Ian. Not one single character was memorable nor interesting in any way. There was also very little information (say, very basic) about any of the character's lives, so it was extremely difficult for me to connect with any of them. I guess the author focused too much on the plot and mystery rather than creating a cast of brilliant, memorable characters.

The romance most unfortunately felt forced; almost as if it was written just because it seems every YA book MUST have romance (especially between a 'hot' guy and not-so-noticeable girl). I wouldn't say there was insta-love BUT Vee and Ian's relationship progressed awfully fast...literally jumping from semi-strangers to lovers. There was no spark, no chemistry- it was more 'oh hey I only met you 3hours ago, but let's make-out!' Yeahh...not cool. I still think Vee and Ian would've been better off as allies in the game.

The best way to describe Nerve would be fun and enjoyable. It was flawed and I had hoped some of the dares could've been more....daring and intense BUT I was still impressed with what Nerve offered. :) Fast-paced and exhilarating, fans of action-packed thrillers should definitely give this a go! :)(less)

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Jan 22, 2013 Brea Mapes rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read the book “Nerve” by Jeanne Ryan, and this was the most addicting book I have ever read. I could not put this book down, it was amazing. Vee signs up to take part in a game called Nerve which allows her to win an amazing prize if she takes a dare. The dares she has to do change Vee and all the people around her. She risks her life for a chance to win a scholarship to a fashion school, which she finds out later on that it’s definitely not worth her risking her life. At the end of every chap...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Renae M. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013, debut-2012, published-2012, thriller

First off, I need to have a chat with the people on Goodreads who shelved this as “Dystopia,” because that’s the only reason I didn’t read Nerve sooner. Yeesh. I thought it was going to be something similar to The Hunger Games in a reality-tv-where-kids-fight-for-their-lives kind of way. Guess who was wrong? This girl.

In a world that’s probably only about 5 or 10 years ahead of our own, Vee is a sweet, quiet girl who’s tired of standing backstage and waiting in the shadows. When she gets the cha...more First off, I need to have a chat with the people on Goodreads who shelved this as “Dystopia,” because that’s the only reason I didn’t read Nerve sooner. Yeesh. I thought it was going to be something similar to The Hunger Games in a reality-tv-where-kids-fight-for-their-lives kind of way. Guess who was wrong? This girl.

In a world that’s probably only about 5 or 10 years ahead of our own, Vee is a sweet, quiet girl who’s tired of standing backstage and waiting in the shadows. When she gets the chance to compete on NERVE, an Internet game based off of dares, she jumps at the chance. Over the course of one crazy night, she faces embarrassing things, scary things, and downright deadly things, all in the name of winning prizes and standing in the sun.

Throughout this novel, Jeanne Ryan did a fantastic job of keeping the suspense and thrill to an absolute maximum. I was on the absolute edge of my seat during a lot of the dares that NERVE came up with. For those who enjoy intense thrill rides, Nerve surely won’t disappoint; this book was non-stop action for over 80% of the time, and Ryan did a great job riding the waves of emotional highs and lows as the dares Vee completed became serious or silly or serious again.

Vee, I think, wasn’t the most fully developed character ever, but when you consider that we’re only inside her head for about 12 hours, I think I’d be willing to let that slide. I do have to complain about her love interest, Ian, though—12 hours is a short time to get to know someone, but the author managed to convey his relationship with Vee realistically, and this book certainly wasn’t a case of instalove. However, because the people behind NERVE are so focused on psyching Vee and the other players out, she wasn’t sure if Ian was trustworthy, and neither was I. It was difficult to transition from view him with approval even as I doubted his motives.

On that note, though, I did love how well Ryan achieved the elements of a psychological thriller in Nerve. The uncertainty and adrenaline rushes that Vee had while playing the game were translated very well onto the page, and the twists NERVE threw at her always caught me by surprise. As a reader I was always in doubt as to how save Vee really was—if NERVE was just messing with her or if she really was in danger.

The end, also, was absolutely fantastic. The last few paragraphs were so perfectly creepy and had a great “gotcha” factor. I seriously hope that there isn’t a sequel in the works, because in my opinion, adding on to things after that final sentence would literally ruin everything Ryan achieved with this book.

Altogether, Nerve was an edgy, edge-of-your-seat ride that grabbed me and didn’t let me go until the very last page. The premise and execution of this novel were brilliant, and I think Ryan has a lot of creative talent to have pulled this off. I look forward to her future novels (even if one of them happens to be a sequel to Nerve).

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Sep 16, 2012 Anjana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Oh my God, Nerve was SO good!

Vee makes an impulsive decision to participate in a popular online game called Nerve that gives its participants real live dares to do, in order to progress to the next round(s) and win some tempting prizes along the way. The weird thing about this game is that, it knows the participants, way too intimately than it should.

Most times when you read a book, you watch it play like a movie in your head but some books actually feel like a movie from start to finish - the...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Pinkie Pie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library

GUIZE. GUIZE. This was so good.

I want to start with the cover. I know we're supposed to reserve our judgment for covers until we've gotten to the meat of a book, but holy effin crap. You think that image up there is intense? The real live in-person cover has a linear RAINBOW holo on it. It's freaking gorgeous and even if I didn't enjoy the story, I'd want my own copy to hold and sit on my shelves and love.

But the fact is that NERVE absolutely lived up to my expectations. Not only the standard s...more GUIZE. GUIZE. This was so good.

I want to start with the cover. I know we're supposed to reserve our judgment for covers until we've gotten to the meat of a book, but holy effin crap. You think that image up there is intense? The real live in-person cover has a linear RAINBOW holo on it. It's freaking gorgeous and even if I didn't enjoy the story, I'd want my own copy to hold and sit on my shelves and love.

But the fact is that NERVE absolutely lived up to my expectations. Not only the standard set by the pretty, but also my own standards regarding the suspense, tension, and "un-putdownability." The story starts quickly enough and as soon as Vee took her first dare, I was hooked. On the edge of my seat, biting my nails hooked.

Vee was a fantastic protagonist. In the early stages of the book, I had some character issues, though. It seemed to me that Vee was stuck in that cycle perpetuated by many YA authors, of hating her best friends. We've all seen the trope before: the heroine is ugly and twisted with jealousy of her so-called friend, the friend is uber-bitch-queen, and we're all left wondering why they're pretending to be friends in the first place. I was really angry at NERVE for incorporating this woman on woman hateful stereotype. But the growth of character Vee experiences is beyond exponential, veers into tangible, and is so evident that it made me love her even more. Vee is not without faults, but you can tell that she is compassionate and thoughtful.

Syd, Vee's best friend who I was sure I was going to hate, grew on me as well. At first, because of Vee venomous attitude, I had painted Syd in that same unflattering light of stereotypical mean girl. She is pretty, and talented, and steals the show - quite literally. But beneath the veneer of queen bee is a truly loyal and loving friend. She sacrifices a great deal to stand by Vee no matter what. It warmed my heart to see a real friendship like this in a YA book, where so many YA relationships are more like frienemies than anything else.

The other side characters, namely Tommy and Ian, are wonderfully drawn, too. They each have their own motivations to join in on the daring game, Nerve. It was refreshing to experience such deep characters with rich stories of their own.

My favorite aspect of NERVE was the paranoia and tension. With the limited perspective of first-person, we only know what Vee knows (and even then, not always. Vee has her own secrets she's hiding.) We are constantly second-guessing each revelation, and along with Vee, I had no idea what was real, what was manufactured, and who I could trust. NERVE really did have me guessing the whole way through.

NERVE, while mysterious and tense and nerve-wracking, is also host to loveable characters, and heart-warming friendships. With an open ending, there is room for a sequel, but it is also tied up well enough to be left alone. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire ride, and I highly recommend this book to... everyone. Those who love action, those who love suspense, those who want their characters to be like close friends. NERVE has something for everyone.(less)

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Apr 19, 2013 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Book Review (Nerve) Michael Yogar

Most if not all people want to try something new. They can either try a new sport, or maybe try to adapt to a new hobby; there’s a first for everything. Out of the thousands of new things Vee could have experimented with; she decided to play the online game “Nerve”. I’ve never read a book with such a good plot up until this point. Nerve is the type of book you want to read all at once.

Nerve is an online game that challenges people to do the most humiliating da...more Book Review (Nerve) Michael Yogar

Most if not all people want to try something new. They can either try a new sport, or maybe try to adapt to a new hobby; there’s a first for everything. Out of the thousands of new things Vee could have experimented with; she decided to play the online game “Nerve”. I’ve never read a book with such a good plot up until this point. Nerve is the type of book you want to read all at once.

Nerve is an online game that challenges people to do the most humiliating dares. These dares can range from singing in the middle of a coffee shop to doing the most dreadful things in the most dangerous places. Ultimately, these dares won’t go unrewarded. Every dare gives you amazing prize that are relevant to your likings. Each dare gets harder and harder as you progress but the prizes get better and better. Because of this feature, the game becomes addicting and once you’re in it, you can’t get out.

This book is the type of book you want to read all at once. The way Jeanne Ryan sets up such a constant flow makes the book fly by. Every chapter has enough information to satisfy the reader to a solid point yet it still wants to you to keep reading. Every chapter has a twist because of how strange the dares are. You never know what’s going to happen. The worst part is when you violate the integrity of the game: “INTEGRITY VIOLATION! AIM YOUR GUNS AT ANOTHER PLAYER NOW OR EVERYONE LOSES THEIR PRIZES” (Ryan 260). At the climax of the book, I found myself glued to the bed and I couldn’t stop reading.

The character development in this book is golden. The reason you get so engaged into the book is because you already get the sense of who the character is. Because of this, you become more and more curious of what will happen. You have a sense of being engaged with the characters and how they're feeling. A lot of the examples are relevant to our own lives too just because of the fact that this is written from the perspective of a teenager. The choices the protagonist, Vee, made could be something we can all relate to.

At the end of the day, this book is really good. Just like the online game Nerve, the book becomes addicting and if you want a good read, this is it.
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Apr 19, 2013 Candy C rated it 3 of 5 stars

Hearing my librarian’s recommendation for this book, it led me to choose this book to read for an assignment in my English class. I hadn’t really read a book in the thriller/sci-fi sort of genre so I thought it would be quite interesting to give it a try. Sadly, I was left rather disappointed at the end.

Vee is “the girl behind the curtain” in the literal sense since she works backstage in make-up and costumes for a play, while her best friend Sydney is the star of the show. She joins a game call...more Hearing my librarian’s recommendation for this book, it led me to choose this book to read for an assignment in my English class. I hadn’t really read a book in the thriller/sci-fi sort of genre so I thought it would be quite interesting to give it a try. Sadly, I was left rather disappointed at the end.

Vee is “the girl behind the curtain” in the literal sense since she works backstage in make-up and costumes for a play, while her best friend Sydney is the star of the show. She joins a game called NERVE where you have to complete dares to get prizes because a boy that she has a crush on suggested her to be a “little” more darling. The dares posted online for “watchers” to vote on whether or not they liked your performance. Each dare slowly becomes more difficult as the prizes grow more expensive and desired by the player until they are pushed into the most extreme conditions.

Reading this book was fairly enticing, the story was built in such a way that you could feel sense of urgency to turn the page heighten as you reached the climax. The author foreshadowed a bit too much and gave away a lot of information from the very beginning, making the rest of the plot seem predictable and sometimes frustrating when it lingered on one thing for too long. The ending was probably the worst part, as it seemed like the story was a car that drove itself off a cliff and landed in quicksand. You see, the car was lucky enough to fall somewhat into safety but it is unable to move forward or backward and is just slowly sinking in until it disappears. That is exactly the way the last chapter came off as; the story just suddenly resolves itself and fades away from the reader’s mind after they read the last page. The plot was actually quite enjoyable up to that point until it just seemed too “sunshine and daisies” with a mild attempt at a twist ending.

I found myself relating to Vee early in the book but as the story progressed, her character just seemed to change so quickly and drastically that I found it rather unnatural and one dimensional. She goes from a kind girl who cared about everyone to a self-destructive, materialistic, naïve girl experiencing “true love” for the first time. Her continuous suspicions towards NERVE being able to find out all this information about her became unsurprising because she realized just how powerful they were and how reckless she was for signing up to play this dangerous game. They were capable of finding out what kind of shoes she liked and what college she wanted to be accepted to through her “ThisIsMe” page, which is their equivalent to Facebook. Anyone can simply go to your profile page and extract a lot of information about you without even needing to meet you in person. The security flaws and lack of personal privacy can leave you vulnerable and have the information be used against you.

Awareness of safety in personal privacy should be a priority to teenagers as they are often the targets of people who like to take that information and use it against you. The book really emphasizes on the dangers of posting content online by adding a heart-racing plot that leaves readers with a conscious about how anyone has the ability to access any information that you post about yourself in the vast cyberspace.
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Mar 27, 2013 Thoughts of a Book Addict rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: thriller, young-adult, tessie, 3-of-5

Plot:
There’s a popular online game that everyone is talking about. It’s about making dares that might be very embarrassing or dangerous and you get prizes if you complete them. Vee decides to try out for the contest with other people, and she succeeds. The game seems to know her and knows what she wants. She gets teamed up with the hot and mysterious guy Ian and together they move forward in the competition, but everything is not as it seems.

Review:
I think I had too high expectations on this boo...more Plot:
There’s a popular online game that everyone is talking about. It’s about making dares that might be very embarrassing or dangerous and you get prizes if you complete them. Vee decides to try out for the contest with other people, and she succeeds. The game seems to know her and knows what she wants. She gets teamed up with the hot and mysterious guy Ian and together they move forward in the competition, but everything is not as it seems.

Review:
I think I had too high expectations on this book so I feel a bit disappointed now that I’ve finished it. I was ready to have my mind blown away but I got stuck with a headache instead. Though I’m not sure if it’s entirely the book’s fault, but I think it might have caused a part of it. This book was so promising and had a great concept, it was only the writing that bothered me. Usually when I read a good book it sticks with me for a very long time, but Nerve is almost out of my system now and I finished it three minutes ago.

The characters weren’t so interesting. Vee is a makeup artist and her best friend is the star of every show. She’s always in the shadows and is just… there. She’s fine with that until she wants to prove to her crush that she can be venturous if she wants to and decides to show him that by filming a dare for the popular online game. I really felt sorry for her when it all backfired and it turned to an embarrassing event. But I admit that I was laughing.

The dares in the game was easy, but could easily become dangerous. I didn’t really liked that her teammate Ian was so perfect and that it was love at first sight. They didn’t even know each other, was it only about looks that they fell for each other? When I read a description about a boy in a book, they are always super hot, cute, gorgeous. There are so many words. And they are always perfect and nice.

I could see why he wanted freedom, but his prizes for the dares were pretty much the same. Vee got different prizes every time which made it more interesting, even though it was very superficial in the beginning. To be honest, nothing really captured me, but it feels like it would have been more interesting if it were from one of the others’ point of view instead of Vee’s. I mean everyone at the finale disliked her, except for Ian of course.

It wasn’t all bad though, I actually enjoyed reading it even though it had many flaws. Though it will unfortunately not be my new favorite book, and I probably won’t read it again, I still had fun while reading it and that’s the important thing. The ending was a bit messed up too, like the author tried to create a thriller mood and failed. But this book earned three hearts out of five.

3/5: ♥♥♥/♥♥♥♥♥

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Jan 05, 2013 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Vee is a really cool character. She is surprising by what she is willing to do. There were some situations in the book where I was thinking, umm no not going to happen. I like how the story got bigger and bigger with the way the pranks started and how it correlated with the rest of the book. It was fun. I loved the way the connection to the title was so right on with the book was about.
Vee was pretty cool she transforms from shy and timid to daring. I loved that transformation. Maybe because I...more

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Dec 13, 2012 The Twins Read rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: purchased, michelle-s-shelf

Original Rating: 2.5/5

This review can be originally be found at The Twins Read .

With the overabundance of reality shows where people basically bare all - pun not intended - in front of the camera in order to satisfy millions of viewers who have unknowingly ventured and reveled in capitalist voyeurism, the first thing that Ryan's Nerve throws in the reader's face is: When will NERVE become a reality?

NERVE is a game where people complete dares, capture the footage on video, and upload them online...more Original Rating: 2.5/5

This review can be originally be found at The Twins Read .

With the overabundance of reality shows where people basically bare all - pun not intended - in front of the camera in order to satisfy millions of viewers who have unknowingly ventured and reveled in capitalist voyeurism, the first thing that Ryan's Nerve throws in the reader's face is: When will NERVE become a reality?

NERVE is a game where people complete dares, capture the footage on video, and upload them online for all to see. These dares are issued by an anonymous group who trade your completed dares for all your heart could possibly desire. The more popular and trending you are, the better the prizes get, and the more dangerous and risky the dares eventually become. Vee, our female protagonist, is sick of playing second-fiddle to her attention-loving best friend, Sydney. Feeling particularly bold, she then chooses the same night she gets her heart broken by the sleaziest guy ever (who, of course, wants in on her best friend's pants) to claim her share of a little limelight. When her unintentionally risque video becomes viral, NERVE begins to slowly hook her in with promises of limited edition shoes, makeovers, and a full ride to fashion school. Vee's descent into the eventual mantra of addicts worldwide ("What's one more hit/drink/shoe?") is then inevitable. Throw in the cliched "hottest guy everrr" as her partner, and you've got a heroine who's basically throwing her dignity ~~and life and friends and sense and family~~ away to get the material things she wants, and get some time with the aforementioned guy.

I have genuinely mixed feelings about this book. While I did not particularly care for the characters at all (ego-centric, whiny heroines who have a sense of entitlement paired with male love interests who aside from having absolutely no character and depth are not my thing), I couldn't help but think if this was Ryan's intended outcome in the first place. Ryan puts together characters who are intent on giving up their individual piece of humanity to stake a claim that they are real, they are alive, and that they exist. Isn't that how reality TV operates anyway? Nerve hits a raw spot in today's society. How often have we watched brutality at its finest in the form of reality TV, and applauded each other for the worst comments we could ever think of? How many times has society climbed all over each other just to gnaw at the juicy dangling piece of flesh? Isn't it striking how humanity has succumbed to such low extents, by behaving like cretins, in order to claim the golden apple that would enable one to flaunt one's superiority over others?

However, I am still quite disappointed that this isn't the book I thought it would be. I thought the dares would be really exhilarating and interesting, but all the readers get would be sleazy dares masquerading as "thrilling". This book introduced me to different kinds of irritating. Ian was just plain annoying. A "perfect guy" like that has got to have skeletons in the closet, and there were enough hints in the book to point toward that direction. But does Ryan expound on his story? Nope. All I read about Ian are comments about his being eye candy. And who wants to be that guy who's only good for his looks? Uh, no thanks. Vee, on the other hand, is wring-her-skinny-little-neck irritating. So she's looking for some excitement in her life, and some little attention. But does that mean that she has to go far as to sacrifice her moral values, AND have to keep whining about it? And just like any run-of-the-mill heroine, all guys - old, young, rich, poor - just have to salivate over her when she's obviously always throwing a pity party for herself. Then she starts to complain that the guys who are drooling over her are total creeps. News flash, girl. When you parade yourself as a streetwalker, you are bound to encounter creeps. When you do this in front of the camera, well, you can only expect that the dividing line between what is real and what is staged can be blurred.

Altogether, Nerve is both frustrating, and thought-provoking - I seriously pondered on what kind of low-level intelligence, bloodthirsty creatures we were slowly turning into - I found that the selling point of Nerve isn't the base storyline itself, but the actual concept that we are already shelling out money to act / look like the people we see in the media, who in turn, want to become the people who are already thrust in the spotlight. Pick this up if you're angry at the media, capitalists, and whatnot, but if you're looking for more with regards to the actual storyline, well, you might be left a little peeved.
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Nov 04, 2012 Sequoia rated it 3 of 5 stars

So.

I'm a tiny bit disappointed in this book. I was able to read through it very quickly because of its fast-paced writing and chapters. I liked the character but they were a bit two-dimensional. I like the idea of the story but I was hoping for something else. I was thinking of it as a video game that people would play and would enter it, sort of like the Hunger Games, and have to do crazy shit to stay alive. It turns out it is about a girl who is usually on the sidelines and ends up auditioning...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Sonali rated it 3 of 5 stars

Please note this book comes out 09/13/12.

There is a lot to like about "Nerve" and I'm excited to see what first-time-author Jeanne Ryan does next but the author made some choices that make it hard to really love.

Vee surprises her friends (and herself) when, in a spontaneous moment, she uploads a video of herself doing a dare to a game show website. Her video gets tons of hits and next thing she knows she's a contestant on NERVE, an anonymous online show kindof like "Fear Factor". Vee is a total...more

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Jun 10, 2012 L.B. Schulman rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. The main character, Vee, signs on for a reality TV show called Nerve, even though she is typically the shy, reasonable type and not the bold, courageous person usually drawn to attempt the dares that will either eliminate her from show or allow her to progress to the next level. The dares are bizarre and often cruel and sometimes violent, but each one comes with an enticing reward if she completes what seems to be an easy task at first glance. She joins up with a partner also...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Jesslivraddict rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Je viens de terminer Addict et je vous avoue que je ne sais pas quoi en penser. L'auteur lance un message fort avec la dérive des jeux de télé-réalité et à ce que les gens sont prêts à faire pour amasser un peu d'argent mais aussi à nous, simples téléspectateurs, qui nous délectons devant nos téléviseurs de voir des gens se disputer pour notre simple divertissement. Mais qui si la violence allait au-delà des mots, serions-nous toujours devant notre télé à regarder sans agir ?
Ceci dit, j'ai trouv...more

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May 05, 2013 Ivy Read rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Tout d’abord, je me suis longuement demandé à quoi servait franchement le prologue ? Surtout si on n’entend quasiment plus parler de son héroïne, Abigail, durant le roman… En cherchant un peu, on peut y voir le comportement du commun des mortels face aux gagnants du jeu de télé réalité mais on le voit aussi dans le roman lui même… La seule chose qui m’est restée de ce prologue est qu’à la fin on sait enfin ce qui s’est passé à la fin de celui-ci.

Dans le premier chapitre, on rencontre Vee, qui...more

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May 04, 2013 Inessa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller, young-adult, mystery

My English review: http://www.betweendandr.com/2013/05/0...

Mon avis en français : http://www.betweendandr.com/2013/05/0...

Quand j'ai lu le résumé de ce roman, j'avoue que j'ai tout de suite été très intriguée. Un livre qui traite des dérives de la télé réalité et du Net ? Le sujet m'a semblé très intéressant et j'étais curieuse de voir comment l'auteure allait l'aborder. Malheureusement à ce niveau-là, je dois dire que j'ai été un peu déçue car je m'attendais à ce que le thème soit traité avec a...more My English review: http://www.betweendandr.com/2013/05/0...

Mon avis en français : http://www.betweendandr.com/2013/05/0...

Quand j'ai lu le résumé de ce roman, j'avoue que j'ai tout de suite été très intriguée. Un livre qui traite des dérives de la télé réalité et du Net ? Le sujet m'a semblé très intéressant et j'étais curieuse de voir comment l'auteure allait l'aborder. Malheureusement à ce niveau-là, je dois dire que j'ai été un peu déçue car je m'attendais à ce que le thème soit traité avec avec davantage de profondeur. Le prologue était pourtant assez prometteur et laissait à penser qu'on aurait affaire à une histoire captivante et pleine de suspense mais mon enthousiasme est retombé comme un soufflé dès le chapitre 1 lorsqu'on fait connaissance avec l'héroïne.

Vee est donc une adolescente qui malgré le fait qu'elle soit entourée d'amis, est assez mal dans sa peau. Depuis son « accident », survenu quelques mois auparavant et qui lui a valu une hospitalisation, ses parents lui interdisent toute sortie, sauf lorsqu'il s'agit d'aller maquiller ses camarades pour la pièce de théâtre du lycée. Qui plus est, Vee en a plus qu'assez de vivre constamment dans l'ombre de sa meilleure amie Sydney. Et les choses ne font qu'empirer lorsque Matthew, le garçon pour qui elle en pince depuis un certain temps, semble davantage s'intéresser à sa meilleure amie qu'à elle. Elle s'inscrit sur ADDICT, un nouveau jeu en ligne à la mode, pour lui en mettre plein la vue. Au début, les défis semblent réalisables, bien que complètement stupides, mais petit à petit elle va être entraînée dans une spirale à n'en plus finir.

J'ai eu du mal à accrocher avec Vee. C'est une adolescente égoïste, superficielle et matérialiste. ADDICT n'a aucun mal à l'appâter avec des cadeaux tous aussi futiles les uns que les autres et elle tombe à chaque fois dans le panneau. Sous prétexte qu'elle en a assez de vivre dans « les coulisses », elle n'a rien trouvé de mieux pour se faire remarquer que de relever des défis débiles et humiliants, tout ça pour gagner des cadeaux insignifiants. Progressivement le jeu ADDICT l'éloigne de ses parents, de son entourage et malgré les remarques de ses amis qui lui conseillent de tout arrêter, elle persiste à vouloir continuer.

C'est terrible de la voir s'enfoncer ainsi. Le moins qu'on puisse dire est que ce livre porte bien son titre car l'héroïne devient en très peu de temps complètement accro à ce jeu. Elle enchaîne défis sur défis sans même se soucier de ceux qui s'inquiètent pour elle. Heureusement dans toute cette histoire, elle fait la connaissance de Ian. Ce dernier a tout du beau gosse, il est aussi « addict » à ce jeu que Vee et prend donc ses défis avec beaucoup de sérieux. Il va se révéler être pour Vee un allié inestimable. Qu'on n'aime ou qu'on n'aime pas, il faut admettre qu'ils forment tous les deux une bonne équipe. Mais est-il vraiment digne de confiance ? On ne peut s'empêcher de se poser la question tout au long du roman. J'ai trouvé cependant dommage que l'auteure ne s'attarde pas un peu plus sur lui. Bien sûr, on apprend pas mal de choses à son sujet au fur et à mesure que l'on avance dans la lecture mais Jeanne Ryan ne fait que survoler. Il en est de même d'ailleurs pour Sydney et Tommy, l'auteure préférant se focaliser sur Vee et ses défis.

Autre point qui m'a aussi un peu gênée : le manque d'informations concernant ADDICT. J'aurais aimé en savoir plus sur les organisateurs de ce jeu, ceux qui tirent les ficelles. Dans le dernier chapitre, tout s'accélère et on n'obtient pas vraiment des réponses, ce qui est assez frustrant. Ceci dit cela reste tout même assez prenant. L'ambiance oppressante et le côté glauque et malsain du jeu ont réussi à rendre cette histoire très palpitante.

Une roman qui certes peut paraître agaçant par certains côtés mais qui reste tout de même assez intéressant, d'autant plus que cela donne à réfléchir sur un problème d'actualité. L'auteure a voulu ici faire passer un message et on peut dire que c'est plutôt réussi. C'est donc un roman qui s'adresse essentiellement aux jeunes et aux personnes fragiles ou facilement influençables.(less)

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Sep 18, 2012 Crystal rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, arc, for-review

Rating 3.5 stars

Nerve is a high adrenaline based novel where I was kept on the edge of my seat waiting to see what the next dare would be and if the prize would make it worth the contestants while. As part of a game I have to wonder how far is too far for both the players and the gamekeepers.

Vee has always been in the shadows of her best friend. This never really bothered her until a kiss between her best friend, the lead in a play, and her current crush goes on a little too long while on stage....more Rating 3.5 stars

Nerve is a high adrenaline based novel where I was kept on the edge of my seat waiting to see what the next dare would be and if the prize would make it worth the contestants while. As part of a game I have to wonder how far is too far for both the players and the gamekeepers.

Vee has always been in the shadows of her best friend. This never really bothered her until a kiss between her best friend, the lead in a play, and her current crush goes on a little too long while on stage. This event sends her over the edge to prove that she is not the girl behind the curtains. She does what everyone thinks she isn't capable of, she enters into a contestant called Nerve. This basically is a game to get you into extremely uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous situations to see how brave you really are. Her first few dares, while embarrassing are not that dangerous and the prizes that are given for completing are just too enticing. She continues on with the game with help of a hot guy who is also playing with her and soon they find themselves at in grand finale. As you can guess the stakes are high, but when the game turns deadly all bets are off and Vee realizes that being that girl behind the curtain may not have been that bad.

I loved the beginning of this book. It was like I said above very intense and my adrenaline was out of control. I wanted to know the next dare and I couldn't wait to see if Vee and Ian could accomplish it and win the awesome prize. The dares weren't that bad as far as physically but what they have to go through emotionally was totally heartbreaking. I felt bad for so many of things they had to do in the later dares but then I found myself saying "They can quit if they want to so it is their choice". I also had the thought that if everyone was so into this game wouldn't they know that the things Vee did were l=only because of a dare? Even with that though I thought the beginning was great. I love the characters and all the twists and turns that were thrown in. The dares that Vee completed were hilarious up until she had to go to the bowling alley. I can't spoil it but that one event was kinda the turning point in the book for me. What follows is uncomfortable, dangerous, and just not where I thought the book would go especially the ending. It all felt like a really weird "Saw" movie spinoff for YA, but without any real scare behind it. I know it is all psychological but I wasn't scared at the end. I am not sure what would have happened in those last few minutes and I am sure being in that situation would have been terrifying but for me as a reader I didn't buy it. I wanted more information on the previous games so that I could really see how sinister the gamekeepers actually could be and that might have given me a basis for what they were actually capable of. I also had a hard time with the way the characters ended up. I am proud of one, baffled by another, and I need way more information to believe the other. I think too much was kept from me so I can't really buy into the whole thing.

Okay I know that all sounds bad, but please believe me that this wasn't a bad book at all. The beginning grabbed me and my heart didn't slow down until the final pages. I am still very curious about the ending and I am dying to know if there will be a sequel. The last few lines of the book totally pulled me back in so you can definitely say I am hooked. I am hoping if there is a sequel we will get to see more of the behind the scenes stuff. I will also say that with all our social networking sites I can totally see this happening in real life and that is beyond terrifying.(less)

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Oct 17, 2012 Gillysegal rated it 4 of 5 stars

This one deserves so much more than the brief blurb I’m about to write, but I’m playing catch up here. I simply loved this book. It was an AMAZING exploration of what people are willing to do for fame and prizes – it’s like Fear Factor, but REAL. This book scared the bejeesus out of me, kept me up at night thinking and wondering. I didn’t always connect with the main character’s poor-me-my-friend-gets-all-the-attention but it certainly provided motivation for her actions in the novel. And there...more

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Oct 10, 2012 McKenna rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm really not a huge fan of this cover. I can't really determine a connection between the cover art and the book unless it is Nerve's logo. Even then I am very meh about the cover. It is very monochromatic and boring to the eye, in my opinion.

The beginning of the story showed promise, which was really what kept me reading. I liked the theatre aspect of the story and the fact that Vee was just a normal teenager. But, once we got past the initial introduction the story went downhill..fast.

The cha...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Zippazap rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who wants a new read

Every teen has their guilty pleasure thing to do; Facebook games, TV shows, movies, iphone apps. Vee's has become Nerve, an online dare game that rewards you for each success. That pair of shoes you stalked on foot locker's website? Yeah, you can have those. And that brand new cell phone with all the latest features; that'll be yours too. But you have to play the game.

Each text message is a dare. Vee just has to complete it to earn a prize. Then she can get a new one; and maybe even make it to t...more

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Aug 09, 2012 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Now this is an enthralling and excited book! I adored the plot and how different it was.

What I enjoyed most about this book is the plot. Do you have nerve to walk into a store, and cluck like chicken for $50? How about telling your best friend what really happen at the party for $500? This is what makes it so exciting to read. The pranks start off small and harmless. Then they become dangerous as well as personal. Each time the prank got bigger I held my breath. I kept shaking my head thinking,...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Summer rated it 4 of 5 stars

HOLY CRAP. This book was nerve-racking. The beginning made it clear that NERVE was not all fun and games. And the deeper that Vee and Ian got into the game, the more intense it became. I couldn't put it down for too long because I needed to know what was going to happen next. My adrenaline was pumping during the "Grand Prize" Dares.

(view spoiler)...more

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Sep 15, 2012 Shieka( Doctor's Notes) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have to say the author knows how to start off a book. She had me hooked from the first few pages. I couldn't put this book down it was just that good. We start this book by meeting Vee who is just your average teen until she decides to become a player in Nerve. Nerve is like nothing out there in that you have to do all these crazy dares to move on in the game and win big prizes. I liked the character of Vee. She was just your average teen who was tired of being a wall flower. She decides she i...more I have to say the author knows how to start off a book. She had me hooked from the first few pages. I couldn't put this book down it was just that good. We start this book by meeting Vee who is just your average teen until she decides to become a player in Nerve. Nerve is like nothing out there in that you have to do all these crazy dares to move on in the game and win big prizes. I liked the character of Vee. She was just your average teen who was tired of being a wall flower. She decides she is going to do one little test just to finally be doing something out of the norm. It is funny how that one thing will change everything for her.

Vee gets her friend Tommy to videotape her performing the first dare and she is caught up in the game from there. I liked that Vee wanted to do something different to break out of her shell and what better way to do it than with having others watch you do it. Vee's first stunt goes well and she is given another one to do. This is where she meets Ian and I feel in love. Ian was just the type of guy that Vee needed. He had that bad boy image but he also had a soft side and he was slightly vulnerable also. He had his own demons he was dealing with and oh did I mention how hot he was. I loved that Vee and him got paired together for more challenges. The time they spent together was pure magic. They just gelled so well with each other.

The challenges become more dangerous as they go on and Vee starts to question what she got herself into. i have to say that as things got worse I liked how Vee's best friends Syndey stepped up. I didn't care for her at first but they way she defends Vee made me like her mom. She was so fiercely protective of her it was so cute to see. Vee has to decide just how many risks she is willing to take and how far she is willing to go to have all the things she has wanted in life. The author really wrote a great book and I love books that make readers think about what they would do. I found myself so torn between if I would have been able to stop playing the game or if I would have stuck it out for all the amazing once in a lifetime prizes that Vee had coming her way.

Overall this book has something for everyone from the romance, friendships, and nonstop action. This book was so fast paced that I was shocked when I finished it so quickly. It sucked me in from beginning to end and I didn't want to put it down. The author wrote great characters that were well developed and a great concept that had me hooked. I loved everything about this book and truly enjoyed every minute of it. I was so sad when it ended but love the way she kept us wanting more. I highly recommend this book to others.
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Nov 16, 2012 Bookworm rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed

Meh. Not as exciting as I thought it would be. There was a lot more romance than I hoped there would be, but hey, this is YA. I have read about one young adult/middle grade book with absolutely no romance in it this whole year. But whatever.
The point is that I was expecting a thriller. This was not a thriller. The dares were pretty embarassing, but did not head to downright dangerous territory until much later.
And I did not like the characters. Well, Vee was okay, I did like that she became s...more

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Sep 13, 2012 Kale rated it 4 of 5 stars

Vee isn't exactly the daring type. Her life is a mixture of teenage parolee/PA as the object of overly protective parental restrain and demure second fiddle to her exuberant best friend. So for Vee the shoes are a little something extra compared to rebelling against her usual norm and trying out for Nerve.

The hook is simple, do a dare win a prize. Having a bit of a thrill and some new trinkets are an enticing combination but as Vee is finding the increasingly better incentives come with higher r...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Janel rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Reality" shows? I hate them! I did love this story, but once I finished this book, I thought about how easily "reality" shows could become horror shows. The premise of this book is this, you start doing "dares" sent to you by an anonymous source in exchange for prizes. People can sign up to be watchers, either online or in real time, following your escapades. Finish one dare, get another. You don't have to do it, but would you? As the dares progress, the prizes get bigger, but so do the dares....more

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