Natalie is one of those lucky teens that is really good friends with her sister Claire. In fact, they and their friends have been spending the summer before her junior year relaxing and doing an awful lot of swimming. That is even more so for Nat, who works as a lifeguard at the YMCA.

One night, Claire is off to a party, and everyone's lives change when she is hit by a car. She is rushed to the hospital with severe head trauma. After the surgery, it quickly becomes clear that Claire will never be the same again. Over the next week, Nat and her parents are confronted with the expected emotions (worry, anger, loss). The intensity of the situation grows as the family learns more about the severity of Claire's injuries.

The book is filled with poignant, realistic moments that tear at the heart, likely bringing a tear to the eye. Unfortunately, these richly written scenes are offset by others that present Nat and many of the other teens awkwardly and with a cruel, shallow self-centeredness that seems unnecessary in a book this short. It is these latter examples that make it difficult for the reader to connect fully with some of the character's pain since they sometimes take place during scenes full of grief. It just seems inconsistent with what is happening.

The title of the novel comes from the name of a game that Nat and her friends often play. In a way, it is not much different from Truth or Dare. The participants have to choose which option they would rather take from two equally horrific choices.