This review was first posted on http://www.rubysreads.com. 
 I've been in something of a reading slump for a while now, though that hasn't stopped me from acquiring zillions of books at a steady rate. However, the more I acquire, the less I seem to want to read. This is becoming a problem, I daresay, because I have some pretty good books on my shelf. I've come to the conclusion, however, that what I need is a little genre break. For the past year or so, I've been reading mostly Paranormal stuff, with a healthy dose of Dystopian. It's hard to get away from these, as they're all the rage. And don't get me wrong--I love them and I'm not about to give them up--but I also think it would be good for me to try something different for a bit. 
 This theory--which I'm also pairing with a break from reading review books all the gosh-dang time--is based on the fact that I went from starting five books only to put them down again to swallowing The Fine Art of Truth or Dare in less than 24 hours. Truth or Dare is Romantic Comedy fare. It has certain elements of depth, but for me, its greatest appeal is its formulaic nature. The story is familiar--unpopular girl-falls-for-wealthy boy--with very few twists. 
 By way of explaining, I should explain that, mostly, I share the books that I read with my dad. He borrows them and makes fun of himself for reading teen fiction, but we both like paranormal stuff. When I finished The Fine Art of Truth or Dare, I passed it on to my mom. I knew she'd like it because of Ella's family, in particular. She goes crazy for anything with a multicultural spin. My Big Fat Greek Wedding is one of her favorite movies, and Ella's extended, restaurant-owning Italian family is right up her alley. 
 There was a lot to like in this book. Ella is sweet, shy, and lacks self-confidence because of a disfiguring scar from her childhood. She escapes real-life by delving into art, to the point that she holds imaginary conversations with one of the founders of her school. Ella's friends are also a highlight, and I appreciated that Jensen didn't take her gay friend, Frankie's, dislike of Alex in the obvious direction. On the other hand, I wanted to see more of Frankie's twin, Daniel, and felt that his storyline was truncated to the point that I felt cheated. I wonder, however, if Jensen has a companion novel planned. I wouldn't be surprised. 
 If this book had a downside, it was Alex, and therefore the romance. I never felt like I really got to know him. He reminded me of the hero from Sixteen Candles. His main interest in Ella seemed to come from a boredom with his too-perfect life. He's popular, he's wealthy, his parents are wildly successful, and his girlfriend is the hottest girl in school. I kind of doubted that his attraction to Ella would last once the novelty was over for him. 
 To hear me say that the romance was the weakest part of this book probably makes you wonder what made me like this book so much. I think I enjoyed it for just about everything else. It's definitely made me crave more Contemporary YA. And, on that note, I'd love any suggestions you have!