"Pushing the Limits" by Katie McGarry Review

Date To-be Published: July 31, 2012

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Number of Pages: 384

Publisher: Harlequin

First Thoughts:

I had heard a lot of great things about this book, so I thought I’d go and see what all of the hype was about. And I’m glad I did because I really did enjoy this book; it was a fast read, it had great character development and it had no paranormal/supernatural elements whatsoever! Now don’t get me wrong I do love me some paranormals but its good to take a break from them now and again…to read books that you can really relate to and take major things from them. Though this book had a few moments that I didn’t quite enjoy the overall impact and view of the story is great and I would totally recommend this to young teens.

Plot:

So it deals with some real life situations and therefore can be an emotional read for some readers. I for one had a few moments in a few scenes when the characters hearts were really exposed. And the deep-lining issues in this book deal with repressed memories, foster-care, abuse, drugs…I mean I could go on and on but essentially this book has a lot to offer to its readers. And it also deals with coming to terms of who you are and what your made of…I really like the meaning behind this book and would definitely encourage those of you can really need that connection; to really experience pain and loss. As for how the book was time-lined; I found it to have everything it needed to be considered complete. By the end of the book all loose ends were tied and the ending was satisfying in the way that you’re not left wondering…you can actually picture the rest without the story actually being written. And I actually enjoyed this book being stand-alone you don’t get many books like that nowadays, this story was just completed in one storytelling and it got a powerful message across, what more could a reader want? But of course there were a few scenes that kind of just took away from the book, I was both disappointed on the route that it took the story and how it made me view that character…I don’t know it just seemed like the two stories (Echo’s and Noah’s) seemed to get overwhelming at times…but it was an overall fun plot. And as for the pace it was really fast, there weren’t a lot of moments that slowed you down, there was always something happening. So overall I did enjoy this aspect of the book.

Romance:

Sigh, yes there was romance and it was at times frustrating and at times juvenile. But at others the romance was really realistic and cute and fun to read…I guess I really had mixed feelings with this aspect, yes it added an interesting twist to the story but in the end it’s what the romance brings to the story itself that matters. So though it was at times really fun to read it did have it’s downfall. I guess I’ll leave it up to you on whether this added or subtracted from the book.

Characters:

I really enjoyed the characters though Echo was a bit annoying at times, some of the decisions she made were just right out dumb and kind of threw me off. I had this picture already painted of her and then she would do something to make me question it. But Noah and Beth and the others really brought texture to this book, they brought clasing personalities and conflict; I loved it. And there were some pretty comical moments in this book, definitely brought some much needed comic relief. And as for the minor characters they did their job and that’s about it…they were good for the book but that was about it; nothing too exciting. So overall this was a good aspect to the story.

Transformation of the Character:

So I loved Echo’s transformation, you could really see it bloom and change from the very first page to the end; I loved it. Most transformations aren’t that easily noticeable (Part of the problem being the transformation being spread throughout a series) but in this book it was very easy to see and it was beautiful. I guess that’s one of the great things about this book, you’re getting to see something transform from one form to another. But as far as the other characters, Noah had a small transformation and some of the other characters did too, so this really added a lot to the book.

Description:

So this book was really good when it came to the description through emotions. We really got to see “pure” description when it came to getting inside the head and hearts of the characters. To actually be able to connect and relate to these characters was amazing and most of it was done through description itself. And as for the description of the actual scenery it was good at times and better at others; kind of mixed. But the description of the scenery wasn’t always what was important in the scene; it was how the character was feeling that was. But there were a few scenes like especially the basement description that really added texture to the book and really allowed the reader to connect to the world and what is happening at that moment. And as for the dialogue it really did add character to the book, you could tell what character was talking just by the words they spoke. So overall this was a good aspect to the story.

Style:

This was written in two POV’s and in first person which allowed the book to be both open and intimate at the same time. We got to see the two stories of Echo and Noah come to life and better explained. You could really get a feel of how the character was feeling and what they were thinking. And as for the author’s writing, it was fun and very easy to read, I really didn’t find any problems with it, it didn’t seem immature or dysfunctional in any way. So overall the style was a great asset to this book.

Quote of the Book:

“A strange uneasiness clawed at my heart and everything within me twisted and dropped. A single word tore at my heart…betrayal.”

Goodreads Summary:

"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.

So wrong for each other...and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

Last Thoughts:

I would recommend this to YA readers and anyone who is willing to read a book that has rough edges but a smooth center. There were a few mature scenes in this book but given the situation and issues they almost go hand in hand but I thought I’d just warn future readers of these scenes. But overall I enjoyed reading this book and exploring this new author, I hope to read more books by her and explore her writing even more.

My Rating: