Title: Nerve (based on the novel by Jeanne Ryan)
Rating: 7/10 Stars
IMDB Summary: A high school senior finds herself immersed in an online game of truth or dare, where her every move starts to become manipulated by an anonymous community of "watchers."
Review: *This review contains a lot of book/movie comparisons and therefore minor spoilers are frequent throughout it*

Welcome to Nerve; an online real-life dare game where you compete dares for points and prizes. Vee Delmonico would never have dreamed of playing Nerve, but when her friends say she doesn't take risks, she decides to make a point. Along with her partner Ian, they get into heaps of trouble whilst playing Nerve. The question is, how far will Vee go before she decides the stakes are too high?

This movie has been recommended to me by many people I know, and I later found out that it's based off a book, one which I've frequently seen in bookstores. So I read the book (review here) and watched the movie. I conclude that Nerve is a great movie - if you haven't read the book.

The differences kept coming, an endless stream. For me, Vee's full name not being revealed until late into the book is a small but important part. In the movie her name is revealed early on which annoyed me because it wasn't relevant at all the discovery didn't contribute anything. The basic storyline e.g. dares and character interests are changed, leaving us with blonde Vee and brunette Sydney which I never got used to. One of the main dares from the book stays the same while all the others change and I think if it hadn't I would've well and truly hated this movie after the completely different ending.

Other than the fact that Nerve started as a book, the movie is pretty good. I didn't like the text/dare layout as I thought it wasn't very visually appealing, but the characters and plot are enticing, the movie is filled with action, adventure and of course the high stakes dares which Vee and Ian partake in. It was a lot harder for me to enjoy the movie after reading the book, but I tried and eventually succeeded.
IMDB Page
Favourite Acts: 
Machine Gun Kelly as Ty
Dave Franco as Ian

Nerve by Jeanne Ryan
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's UK
Goodreads Summary: 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?
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Review: Nerve is an addicting game. Real life truth or dare, without the truth part. When the game knows all your secrets and what you want the most in life, how can you refuse? But the stakes get higher with every level, and Vee will have to decide if the prizes are worth risking her life for.

Vee is often in the shadow of her best friend, the dazzling golden-haired Sydney. Working backstage while her friend takes centre stage in their school production, NERVE offers Vee everything she's ever dreamed of. What starts out as a silly joke to impress a guy turns into a full on, dangerous game with no limits.

Vee's character arc takes some brilliant turns which help readers to sympathise with her rather than hate her. Matthew, on the other hand, is little more than a side character but his personality describes that of many teenage guys. He is one of many underlying messages for the teenage community hidden throughout this book. Sydney and Vee's friendship is something special, I'm happy it doesn't end nastily.

I loved reading this book because the storyline, although abnormal could easily describe any other troubled girl in a difficult place and time. Switch NERVE with drugs, alcohol or any of the various other modern issues, the same story could be produced but with a much sadder ending. Nerve brings technology and reality together in a powerful novel which contains messages about many everyday problems conveyed in a subtler way. A must read for all fans of Sci-fi and YA Contemporary.
Purchase Location: Borrowed From Library
Edition: Paperback
Buy the book: Book Depository
Recommended for: Fans of sci-fi and middle grade.