Daredevils by Joy Lynn Goddard

Title: Daredevils
Author: Joy Lynn Goddard
Publisher: Chestnut Publishing
Publication Date: October 1, 2004
Number of Pages: 178

Lizzie loves playing hockey, despite being stuck on a boys’ team with teammates who treat her like dirt. When Trevor and Sean hide her equipment before a big game, she’s forced to sit on the bench, and her dream of winning the Most Valuable Goalie award seems way out of reach.
Added to her troubles is Tara, a creepy teenager with blue nails and “skunk” hair who is about to become Lizzie’s stepsister. Lizzie is supposed to make her feel like one of the family, although Tara makes Lizzie feel miserable every chance she gets.

Alex, a weird kid from the team, helps Lizzie plot against her enemies, dreaming up a plan that makes Trevor look like a jerk in front of all his friends. But Alex never imagines the disastrous outcome – it begins with a dare and ends when Alex plunges into the Niagara Gorge. Does he survive?
Faced with the roaring falls, the billowing mist, and the darkness that fills the gorge, the rescue team almost gives up on Alex. But Lizzie doesn’t. Remembering the tunnels running under the falls, she risks everything to save him – even her life.

I'm going to be honest with you up front - this isn't my favourite Joy Lynn Goddard book. In fact, this probably my least favourite book. I absolutely adore all of Joy's other books but I just don't really like "Daredevils". Don't get me wrong, you should totally check out some of this author's books from the library, but it's up to you to decide if you should read "Daredevils."

This novel has a pretty good start and I thought the idea of Alex falling in the gorge was excellent. I noticed right away that Joy Lynn Goddard does a really good job of showing, not telling, but I felt like I really didn't know the characters that well. I also personally think that the excerpt on the back of the book gave away a bit too much. However, considering the fact that this is the author's first book, I think she did a great job. My first book would probably be much, much worse.

I also loved the ending. It was a little predictable but Joy wrote it so that I forgot about my prediction and simply enjoyed the story.

Even though the main characters in this book are a little younger then in most YA novels, I'm sure that anyone can enjoy this story so I'm giving it a B.