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Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits, #1)

Katie McGarry

Start date: September 1, 2012

Finish date: October 1, 2012

Discussion: Book Of The Month

Discussion leader: Zee

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What Members Thought

Aug 15, 2012 Terri ♥ (aka Mrs. Christian Grey) rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio

Quick review:

Cover: Fitting
Rating: R
Steaminess: It’s getting hot in here
Thumbs Up: 4
Overall: When things got going, I couldn’t peel myself away.
Characters: Excellent
Plot: Two damaged paths cross and begin to rebuild
Page Turner: Absolutely
Series Cont.? Absolutely
Recommend: Absolutely
Book Boyfriend: Noah

SUMMARY (50 words or less)

The beginning of the book lacked originality. However, the premise was well done in such a way that captivates. I couldn’t’ hardly put down. If not for an ending t ...more

13 likes · Like · see review

Mar 03, 2013 Becky rated it really liked it

Shelves: awesome-protagonist

Contemporary romance—especially YA contemporary romance—isn't really my thing, so I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It has its flaws, but the author manages to avoid cliches and keeps the characters interesting.

So, what does this book do well?

Firstly, in a land of insta-love YA novels, the romance here is surprisingly well-developed. Granted, our main characters are teenagers, so there's a certain amount of attraction from the get-go. Even so, both characters are cautious about jumping Contemporary romance—especially YA contemporary romance—isn't really my thing, so I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It has its flaws, but the author manages to avoid cliches and keeps the characters interesting.

So, what does this book do well?

Firstly, in a land of insta-love YA novels, the romance here is surprisingly well-developed. Granted, our main characters are teenagers, so there's a certain amount of attraction from the get-go. Even so, both characters are cautious about jumping into anything, and spend plenty of time getting to know each other.

Secondly, our female protagonist, Echo, doesn't let any boy bully or pressure her into anything she doesn't want to do (sexual or otherwise), a pleasant change from the date-rapey love stories running rampant in YA right now. Since I just recently finished Kresley Cole's Poison Princess, a novel in which our main character is willing to sleep with her boyfriend to keep him from dumping her, I appreciated Echo's backbone here. I don't really care whether my YA characters have sex or not (I know some readers do), but hey, rape culture gets under my skin anywhere I read it.

Thirdly, the characters are complicated and well developed. It usually seems like one character is the flawed one in these types of stories, while the other one is the perfect person who shows us what true love really is. Here, both characters are pretty messed up. And sometimes, their outside issues take precedence over their relationship, which was realistic. Mostly, though, Echo and Noah are stronger together than they are apart, which was a positive take on things.

Unfortunately, the complex characters sometimes are a little too messed up, to the point where it pulled me out of the story. Not only is Echo's brother killed in Afghanistan, she was attacked by her mother, AND her father is a neglectful asshole. Not only were Noah's parents killed in a horrific fire, his foster families are abusive assholes, AND he does drugs. At times, it can get a little soap opera-y, making Noah and Echo feel more like characters on a page than real, actual people.

That being said, both Echo and Noah grow and change by the end of the novel, and although Ms. McGarry tackles a lot of issues in one novel, there's more hits than misses. ...more

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Aug 23, 2012 Alana ~ The Book Pimp rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audiobooks, audibleonebook, 2013-reading-challenge, ebooks, owned-books, young-adult, vanilla-romance

Bawled my freaking eyes out. Sweet, not raunchy, emotional. Feel like I just got off some bipolar roller coaster, but what a great ride.

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Aug 20, 2012 Emy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

I got this story from NetGalley, and was mainly reading it for suitability for students at work. I was pleasantly surprised - this is a good story for adults as well. A lot of Young Adult fiction gets bogged down with it's lesson or message, and relegates it's story to second place. This one doesn't, yet it still has a point behind it, just hidden unless you are looking for it. I would be happy to recommend this to the teenagers and adults at work because it's not preachy, it doesn't pretend tha ...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Yousra Ouahabi rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own, favourites, net-galley

WOW, just WOW!!!!! Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry is now officially one of my top favorite contemporary books!! <3 <3 <3 Seriously, that books is just one big piece of awesomeness. Loved the topic, loved the characters, loved the writing style and every little detail about it. Like I said, one big piece of awesomeness ;)

First, let's start with the plot. Obviously, that was quite a tricky topic to choose. Abuse/murder-suicide or whatever you want to name it. Loved the way Katie handled the i WOW, just WOW!!!!! Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry is now officially one of my top favorite contemporary books!! <3 <3 <3 Seriously, that books is just one big piece of awesomeness. Loved the topic, loved the characters, loved the writing style and every little detail about it. Like I said, one big piece of awesomeness ;)

First, let's start with the plot. Obviously, that was quite a tricky topic to choose. Abuse/murder-suicide or whatever you want to name it. Loved the way Katie handled the issue, because let's face it. It happens in real life, no matter how we want to ignore it. Loved the way Katie made us get sucked into the story and live every moment of it and feel every emotion felt by the characters. I cried, laughed, got pissed off until I wanted to smack somebody, or just want to get in there and have a group hug XD

Then comes the characters, and trust me when I say there's all kinds of characters in this book.

Noah Hutchins: Ok, first of all, HANDS OFF GIRLS! He's mine! Mwahahaha. Ok now that that's out of the way, let me tell you a bit about this hot-steamy characters. Good-looking with dark eyes, shaggy brown hair and loooots of muscles . Definitely a train I would love to ride ;) But looks aside, he's definitely one of those fine characters, because behind that druggy bad-boy facade, there's a caring misunderstood boy whose only goal is to get his family back together.

Echo Emersons: Well, aside from the fact that I'm sooo jealous of her for getting Noah instead of me, I gotta say that girl deserves a lot of respect. Such a strong character, I could never imagine going through all that she had undergone and still have will to keep on living. Or at least I would spend all my time curled up in a corner rocking back and forth, but no Echo went to school and aced her exams and hell her SAT and ACT too and just kept trying. Definitely loved how her character developed throughout the book.

Mrs Collins: Miss clinical social worker. Man, that woman is relentless. But truly a great woman, hope the world had more people like her. So caring, and trying to do anything in her power to help our leads, and I gotta admit a bit freaky, I mean how the hell does she end up wherever Noah is when he's about to dig for trouble??? I'm telling you, freaky.

Aires: Ok ok, I know. He's a dead character, never showed up in the books. But trust me when I say that you won't feel that way when you read the book. But Katie -freaking amazing- McGarry makes you feel like you knew him your whole life. Makes you wish you had a big brother like him.

And there’s lots and lots of awesome characters to tell you about but if I start I won’t stop LOL

So guys, be sure to read this book. Because believe me, you’re missing one of the best reads you could get your hands on.
...more

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