Nerve by Jeanne Ryan
Hardcover, 1st Edition, 304 pages
Published September 13th 2012 by Dial Books (Penguin)
A high-stakes online game of dares turns deadly
When Vee is picked to be a player in NERVE, an anonymous game of dares broadcast live online, she discovers that the game knows her. They tempt her with prizes taken from her ThisIsMe page and team her up with the perfect boy, sizzling-hot Ian. At first it's exhilarating--Vee and Ian's fans cheer them on to riskier dares with higher stakes. But the game takes a twisted turn when they're directed to a secret location with five other players for the Grand Prize round. Suddenly they're playing all or nothing, with their lives on the line. Just how far will Vee go before she loses NERVE?
Debut author Jeanne Ryan delivers an un-putdownable suspense thriller.
Excerpt #6 (From chapter four, when good makeup girls go bad.)
Matthew leads me over to a small closet at the end of the corridor that doubles as a
dressing room in a pinch. It’s empty. Before I realize what he’s doing, he picks me up by the
waist and spins me around like a sugarplum fairy.
dressing room in a pinch. It’s empty. Before I realize what he’s doing, he picks me up by the
waist and spins me around like a sugarplum fairy.
I laugh, feeling all floaty.
He sets me down and taps my nose. Suddenly, we’re back in our delicious zone, where
we’ve been dancing for the past few weeks. I didn’t imagine it. Maybe I misjudged the stage
kiss between him and Sydney. They were in character, after all.
we’ve been dancing for the past few weeks. I didn’t imagine it. Maybe I misjudged the stage
kiss between him and Sydney. They were in character, after all.
My heart thumps rapidly. “You did a great job tonight.”
“Thanks to you and the rest of the crew.” His arm slides around my shoulders and he
leads me to the mirror. “You were like a little angel, flitting around, helping us get into costume.
And the food you brought looks amazing.”
leads me to the mirror. “You were like a little angel, flitting around, helping us get into costume.
And the food you brought looks amazing.”
I sit on the counter as he sinks into the chair. Will he pull me into his lap? The thought
makes my knees tremble.
makes my knees tremble.
He takes my hands. “Could I ask for one more little favor?”
“Sure.” Wish I’d put on fresh lip gloss.
He points to his cheek. “I accidentally messed up my makeup. Could you redo it? Syd
says it makes me look rugged, and I think it’ll be cool for the party.”
says it makes me look rugged, and I think it’ll be cool for the party.”
My shoulders droop. He wants a touch-up? To stay in character because Sydney thinks it
ups his macho factor? I sit there staring at him.
ups his macho factor? I sit there staring at him.
He points to my makeup box, which he must have brought in here before he found me.
Since when has he ever been so prepared? He taps my knees like bongo drums. “Just the basics,
you don’t need to go into a lot of detail.”
Since when has he ever been so prepared? He taps my knees like bongo drums. “Just the basics,
you don’t need to go into a lot of detail.”
I take a breath and stand, trying to calm the rising flush of disappointment. “Sure.”
I whip open the box, grab a pencil and some contouring powder. As soon as I start, he
takes his hands away from my legs. I sharpen his jaw line and nose, and then get to work with
the eyeliner. It isn’t until I’m halfway done with his eyes that I let the hard questions seep into
my brain. Has Matthew ever really liked me? The way I like him? Or am I just a way to get closer
to Sydney?
takes his hands away from my legs. I sharpen his jaw line and nose, and then get to work with
the eyeliner. It isn’t until I’m halfway done with his eyes that I let the hard questions seep into
my brain. Has Matthew ever really liked me? The way I like him? Or am I just a way to get closer
to Sydney?
I dig my pencil into his eyebrow, which makes him flinch.
“Sorry,” I say. The slash mark gives me an idea. I’m tempted to give his new makeup a
subtle shift. There’s a fine line between looking ruggedly intense and psychotic. I can make it so
the other girls at the cast party feel a shade of anxiety when they gaze into his face. My hand
begins to draw the brows just a little closer together.
subtle shift. There’s a fine line between looking ruggedly intense and psychotic. I can make it so
the other girls at the cast party feel a shade of anxiety when they gaze into his face. My hand
begins to draw the brows just a little closer together.
(1) Signed Hard copy of NERVE. Open to US/Canada addresses.
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