Dare Me

Ben and his friends hope to make their senior year one to remember—and maybe even become “weblebrities”—by filming a series of dare videos with an escalating level of danger. Besides not dying while car surfing or jumping from a bridge into a quarry lake, their goal is to get more and more hits online and keep their identities a secret. Thanks to a little ingenuity and a mysterious corporate sponsor, the boys are suddenly all anyone can talk about, and the stakes start to involve a lot of money. In a culture where online audiences are always ready for the must-see link of the moment and corporations are eager to capitalize on user-generated content, Devine’s (Tap Out) story takes on a chilling reality. Between dares, Ben faces an unwelcome family move, has his first sexual experience, and grows closer to his pizza-shop coworker Alexia, who’s fascinated by daredevil boys but involved in an abusive relationship. An adrenaline-inducing read about teens getting in over their heads as they try to make something of themselves. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kate McKean, Howard Morhaim Literary Agency. (Oct.)