Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits, #1) in Addicted to YA

Aug 15, 2013 Danielle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2013, read-in-august-2013, ya-books, ya-books-read-in-2013

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I really, really liked and enjoyed this book so much. I've so heard so many good things about this book, and I am glad to here that all the good buzz surrounding this book is very much true. It was just a great love story between two people who deserve to have love in their life and have been lucky to have found each other, and fitting to each other so well while complimenting one another. They need each other in their lives not only to love one another, but to heal and help one another get over I really, really liked and enjoyed this book so much. I've so heard so many good things about this book, and I am glad to here that all the good buzz surrounding this book is very much true. It was just a great love story between two people who deserve to have love in their life and have been lucky to have found each other, and fitting to each other so well while complimenting one another. They need each other in their lives not only to love one another, but to heal and help one another get over their painful past and wounds that they need to deal with. And these two were stronger together and were exactly what the other needed.

I really like Echo, and really felt for her an all that she went through in her young life. She had this traumatic event happen to her that left her with scars both emotional and physically, and she doesn't remember what happened. No one would tell her a thing, only try to help her remember by helping her coming out of her mental block. She had nightmares to deal with causing her not to be able to sleep. She isolated herself from her friends, keeping to herself, and while hiding her scars on her arms from everyone by wearing long sleeve shirts all the time because she doesn't want anyone to see or see the disgust on their faces when they seem them and then possibly recoil from her. So she just chose to remain as aloof as possible, living in her own hell. And on top of all that she was dealing with issues at home between her stepmother, who tried not to step on her toes around her and was very kind to her though sometimes stuck her foot in her mouth, but she tried, who Echo believed was the reason her father left her unstable mother and ruined her family. Echo also believed her father didn't love her at all, and only loved and cared about Ashley, the stepmother, for years, but that didn't stop Echo from trying please him, trying to earn his love. So, she was going through a lot and dealing with so many issues in her head and just really wanting to find out what happened to her, yet while hiding true self from others. So I really felt for the girl and my heart broke for her so much. I even cried a little bit for her especially at the end when all revelations were revealed and just having her to take that in and absorb what she learned without having a mental break down. She had a tough life, and felt utterly alone, which sad.

Well it was sad until Noah came into her life, who had his own issue he was dealing with. And let me tell you I loved Noah so so much. Yeah, he was a bad boy with rough edges to him, player type, but in reality he was a sweetheart with a heart of gold. He missed his parents who were killed in a fire three years ago leaving him and his brothers orphaned. Noah was separated from his brothers and put into the foster care system where it was not picnic for him, having many hardships there which earned him his rough exterior. But in reality all he wanted was his brothers back and reunite them as a family, but he saw that the family that wanted to adopt them as threat and would do anything to earn custody himself and not have to deal with the supervised visits with his brothers, which he couldn't stand. But he wasn't exactly an angel and had to toughen up in the system. He did drugs, drink, slept with girls, having one nights stands with them and not caring about them at until Echo that was. But he was still a good guy and very swoon worthy in so many ways and he was Echo's perfect fit.

He was so sweet and caring towards her once he got to know her, and really genuinely wanted to help her and be there for her, earning her trust along the way. Never caring about her scars even a little bit. And Echo felt like she could let her guard down with him and not feeling like he was judging, though it took a lit bit of time for her to open up and be herself, which was because Noah proved himself as this trustworthy, honorable guy for her. I loved how Noah didn't care on hoot about her scars and never recoiled from her once, though he was sorry for what she went through and even vowed to help her recover her memories that left her that way. I just thought it was the sweetest moments between the two when he would touch her scars, and even liked touching them because he saw it as just touching her and not the scars, and she let him while in the past before meeting him she probably wouldn't have. I thought those were the greatest moments in the book for me, and he saw her as a woman not a scarred woman, but just a woman who deserved to be loved and cared for like everyone else. And this was the first time for him that he allowed himself to care about someone other than his brothers, and he fell for her hard.

The first half of the book definitely had a lot of sexual tension going on, but it totally worked and made me root for them and tell them to "go on get together already or kiss her already" because it was so present through most of the book, and it was what added to the appeal of the book, and I loved every second of it, and finally when they did share their first kiss I cheered and said finally. I just loved the relationship between the two and the romantic moments that they shared all while dealing with their issues yet turning to one another for comfort. It was just great to see, and see how much that they truly loved and cared about each other. I just loved them as a couple, and thought they deserved their happily ever after more than ever and finally be happy. Though they did have to deal with some heartbreaking moments as well and their relationship wasn't always easy, but they still seemed to find their way back to one another, which was great.

Overall, I really did like this book and enjoyed both characters. Through all the pain that they went through making them stronger as people and stronger in their love, they came out of it together, having one another in the end. While their issue did affect their relationship as well as outside forces, they came out of it together. Their relationship was strong, and what really made this book shine and pop. And just the love story between the two was touching and loving and just really well written and something I fell in love with like the character fell in love with one another. I couldn't have been happier with the ending, and I can't wait to read more books by this author, hoping she has wrote more inspiring, sweet, loving and deserving couple like Noah and Echo were.

PS: Also liked the scene at the end with Echo and her father that was a really touching moment that did make me cry a bit with them finally coming to an understanding and making up for the past. Though in truth her father did everything in his power to help his daughter and do what he thought was best for her even if Echo didn't see it that way in the beginning. So, the scene at the end of the book between the two after so much tension between them throughout was really nice to see, and I am glad that was how that was resolved. ...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Renuka rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, romance, realistic, e-book, owned, reviewed, fav-couples, livebrary, mean-girls

Ahhhh oh my god. It’s unusual for me to read realistic fiction. I’m more of a fantasy, dystopia, sci-fi, omg magic kind of junkie. But this turned out to be one of the most heart-wrenching beautiful books I have ever read. Seriously. By Katie McGarry.

The Plot: So much is going on. Both Echo and Noah are incredibly damaged teenagers. Both find it hard to trust adults and have multiple issues in their personal lives. One day Echo is popular and untouchable, the next she is gossiped about because o Ahhhh oh my god. It’s unusual for me to read realistic fiction. I’m more of a fantasy, dystopia, sci-fi, omg magic kind of junkie. But this turned out to be one of the most heart-wrenching beautiful books I have ever read. Seriously. By Katie McGarry.

The Plot: So much is going on. Both Echo and Noah are incredibly damaged teenagers. Both find it hard to trust adults and have multiple issues in their personal lives. One day Echo is popular and untouchable, the next she is gossiped about because of the mysterious scars she can’t remember getting on the day she almost died. She wants to know, but she can’t. Her broken mind has suppressed the memories. Not only that, her mother has a restraining order and her controlling father has remarried with her previous babysitter. Yes problems. Noah’s parents died in a fire and ever since then he has struggled through multiple brutal foster homes. Labeled a bad boy, he has turned to drugs and using girls. He has one goal, to get his beloved younger brothers (my god they were adorable) out of the system that hurt him so badly. Both are brought together by a school guidance social worker named Mrs. Collins (a.k.a. The best adult in this whole dang book, I want to meet her) and start to fall for each other as they struggle to solve their problems.

The Characters:

Echo: Brave, brave, Echo. She struggles to remember what happened to her on the dark night she almost died (yes she eventually remembers what happened) and it’s terrible. No person should ever have to go through that. Not to mention how she has to deal with her overbearing, pressuring, so controlling father. Honestly, it’s amazing how she doesn’t just break and go stark-raving mad. She is just so heroic and fierce no matter what she goes through.

And then came Noah….

Noah: Asdfghjkl. Can’t describe him. Ahhhhhh so gorgeous, with a wounded soul. So perfect and daring and brave and omg his love for his brothers. One thing I thought was stupid was dude, really? Drugs? How are you going to get custody over them if you do drugs? He drops them though, so I was ok. Anyway, of course being a struggling, single dad-like older brother is not a great plan but hey, all he wanted to do was spare them his own experiences. He is so protective really, it just broke my heart into pieces, over, and over, and over again.

Mrs. Collins: I loved this woman. Every single bit. Omg the bad driving, the random rapid-fire questions, the supportiveness, how she lives up to her word, everything. Especially the bad driving. I couldn’t stop laughing. Anyway, she is a freaking genius and I am so glad I have adults similar to her in my life. She is god-sent to Echo’s and Noah’s lives and I love, love, love how she blackmails Noah into being a good, little boy haha. If she wasn’t in the story, it wouldn’t have been half as good. Or it wouldn’t have even taken place, because honestly, she is the best thing that happens to Noah and Echo (other than each other).

The Friends: Lila, Isaiah and Beth. I’ll start with Lila – even though she is popular, she is genuinely a friend to Echo. She really cares about her, is there for her, and doesn’t drop her just because Echo has weird scars and a crazy mother. She is another really supportive character who I loved. Isaiah and Beth. Hmm…also drug addicts (I hate drugs so not cool with me) but the love they kept denying between them was so cute. I felt so horrible for Beth with what she has to go through with her mother and her mother’s deranged boyfriends. When Noah and Isaiah went to defend her I almost cried (I did cry a lot throughout the book)but I was so happy. However, the trouble she gave Echo was not okay with me. She was just annoying at times. Isaiah was just adorable, with his obsession with Beth and cars. They were Noah’s family in a way and they also made the book special.

The Romance: Noah and Echo were perfect for each other. The end. Just kidding but seriously they were so beautiful and adorable. I couldn’t stop smiling, or laughing, or crying. Ahhhh gods. When they admitted they loved each other (Noah, why the heck did it take you so long you were making me NERVOUS!) it was just so flawless. Their love was pure and untainted by their pasts and it was delicate and vulnerable yet strong and unbreakable. Does that make sense? Probably not, but it was magnificent all the same.

Overall: This book is a mad crazy, wild rollercoaster ride. If you can’t stomach incredible emotions just coursing through you with no control over them, then don’t read this book (if you are this person you are a ninny and a wimp with no feelings). Otherwise, get ready for tears and laughter and OMG WHAT JUST HAPPENED and OMG PLEASE NO and I LOVE YOU SO MUCH I’M GOING TO BALL UP AND CRY. Cause that’s how absurdly good this book was.
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Jul 29, 2013 Kim rated it really liked it

Shelves: teen-romance, romance, realistic-fiction, contemporary, kleenex-worthy

This was a good romance. Teenage high school romance but I felt there were a lot of well developed relationships. I liked how it wasn't just "oh, he's hot, I must love him." I really enjoyed all the other relationships too. Like Noah and his brothers and Echo and her family. You watched the characters grow and develop while finding each other. And of course they find each other, problems arise, they can't be together, they figure it out. There was a small part in probably the last third of the b ...more

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May 07, 2013 Courtney rated it really liked it

Shelves: teens

Former popular girl, Echo Emerson, returned to school her junior year a different person and suddenly always wearing long sleeves. Something happened to her that she can't remember. Suffering from night terrors and disfiguring scars running up and down her arms, all Echo wants is "normal" again. When the school's social worker offers her a job opportunity to raise money for fixing her dead brother's prized car, Echo jumps at the opportunity. She is set up to tutor bad boy Noah Hutchins. Noah is ...more

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