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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
4.5
I liked this even more than Pushing the Limits! It's maudlin, melodramatic, and soap opera-y to the max, but hey, it fun and swoony and funny. Can't complain.
My review of Pushing the Limits
The cover: Hate. Ryan looks so OLD. And despite the whole rain-soaked, entangled-limbs thing, that almost kiss looks oddly tepid. And stringy wet hair ew.
The story: I was surprised by how much I enjoyed McGarry's debut, Pushing the Limits, and I'm pleased to say I enjoyed Dare You To even more. I was totally wary after the two opening chapters, because Ryan is pretty douchey and Beth is... well, Beth, but I'll just say that first chapter is very out of character for sweet, loveable Ryan, and Beth improves in leaps and bounds. Get past the beginning, guys, because then it gets good.
Like Pushing the Limits, Dare You To is told in alternating first person points of view between Beth, the spiky, tough girl we met in PTL and Ryan, baseball star and all around good guy. They meet for the first time because Ryan, perpetual winner and hater of losing, is dared by his friends to get Beth's number. Beth, 115 pounds of sass and bitchiness, shuts him down. BUT RYAN DOESN'T LOSE A BET, YOU GUYS. SO HAVE HER, HE MUST!
 |
| It's like this movie but also so not like this movie but LOOK PRETTY BOYS |
After that, we learn so much about these two characters that it's pretty remarkable. I severely disliked Beth in Pushing the Limits for being so cruel to Echo, but being inside her head and learning about all the horrible things that have happened to her made me understand her. And watching her grow, open up, and learn to do what's best for her made me love her. Also, she's funny, sharp, and bitchy. I love the bitches. Beth is a compelling mix of confidence and self-loathing, and toughness and vulnerability.
 |
| Beth has a way with f words. |
Beth's mom is a drug-using alcoholic, has an abusive boyfriend, and is an all around terrible parent. Beth will do anything to protect her mother, even get arrested in her stead when Mom of the Year beats in her abusive boyfriend's windshield. Oh, Beth. I understand the sentiment, but you is not that smart. Because of this, Beth goes to live with the rich uncle who abandoned her as a kid as his heinous wife who despises her. The one thing Beth is not a Skater Girl. Why does Ryan keep calling her that? She does not skate. She is a girl, though, so you're at least somewhat close.
Whatever. I'll let it go, Ryan, because you are Adorable with a capital A. Ryan is under tremendous pressure from his parents to be perfect, to be the best baseball player there ever was, to go pro, and to keep all his real emotions buried deeeep inside him. His brother recently came out as gay and their jerkhole father basically told him to never darken their doorstep again, which the brother then does not. Ryan misguidedly interprets this as his brother abandoning him, but don't worry. Ryan's not at all homophobic. He just has a lot of FEELINGS and doesn't know what to do with them... at least until he starts writing. Yes. Our sweet little Ryan is a budding fiction writer, and it gave him so many LAYERS and a source of conflict with his overbearing papa: writing or baseball?
He and Beth go through intense internal journeys both together and indivudually. Walls come down, truths are revealed (in Beth's case, truly over the top, melodramatic truths that are almost silly but still brutal). They have a lot of work to go through before they can be together, especially Beth. She's got her walls really high and her claws out. They both have to deal with hideous parents, tricky social situations, and of course all the feeeeelings between them. And they need to realize just how right for each other they are.
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| But it's still worth doing. BETH WILL LEARN. |
This is a really healthy couple that end up bringing the best out in each other. AND SWOON. SWOOOON. That scene in the barn? Ribbons? A bottle of rain??? TRUST ME, YOU WILL SWOON OVER THAT BOTTLE OF RAIN. Even more swoons than Pushing the Limits, altogether more likeable and compelling leads, tons of feels, soap opera-y shenanigans, and a brilliantly executed love story. Yes. Except I loved them even more than Noah and Echo. They were cute, hot, and sweet. Definitely a romance to root for. ALSO, THERE WERE NO PET NAMES, THANK THE LORD. *side eyes Noah*
We also get to see some old friends from Pushing the Limits: Noah, Isaiah, and, briefly, Echo. Sigh. Oh, Isaiah. I don't even know. You were not my favorite in this book. I hope you can redeem yourself in Crash Into You, which I've just started. Fingers crossed for you, Izzy!
I shouldn't like these books. They include a lot of things I don't usually like: cliches, melodrama, predictability. But McGarry writes and executes them so well, and creates such fully rounded, sympathetic characters, that I'm totally swept away.
This book was way longer than I initially anticipated it to be. I’ve had mixed feelings throughout reading it, but in the end, I was glad that I stuck with it.
Dare You To is the sequel to Pushing The Limits and follows the story of Beth (who we previously met) and Ryan. Beth’s home life is a private and troubling matter that she is not willing to share with anyone. In attempts to protect her mother from going to jail, Beth finds herself in an unfortunate predicament that leaves her with no other option than to move in with her uncle. Beth now has to combat a new aunt, a new school, and new classmates, specifically golden-baseball-star, Ryan Stone. These two characters have their worlds collide and they are forced to deal with each other, all the while trying to find who they really are underneath their concrete facades.
In comparison to the first book, I found this book to be a little forced (and frustrating). It should be well known that I am not one to typically fangirl over sequels (hush, I’ll make as many exceptions as I please) so that might be contributing to my initial hesitancy towards this book.
The characters took some time to accept whereas I felt an immediate likeness towards Echo (and Noah) in Pushing the Limits. Maybe that partially because we’ve had a previous glimpse at Beth’s character, but for some reason I found it hard to latch onto the story and lose myself in it.
I did eventually become engrossed in the story and found myself cheering the two dorks on and gushing like a little girl (though it was accompanied by many eye rolls and exasperated sighs - yes, Ryan is slightly too cheesy). This book was enjoyable to read, don’t get me wrong, but I felt that it was too drawn out.
I was super happy that we got little cameos of Noah and Echo *squeals* albeit they could have been longer and more frequent, but I was happy to see the little babies again (even if they were being gross).
I have to say, I quite enjoyed the character development in this book. Seeing Beth mature, open up, and build a wonderful bond with her uncle was very touching.
I’m pretty sure I am not yet done with this series. So stay tuned.
There are times when you stand on the cusp of moments so huge, you know you’ll remember them forever.
3.5 stars!!
When I started reading this book, I remembered why I loved [b:Pushing the Limits|10194514|Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits, #1)|Katie McGarry|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1322770025s/10194514.jpg|15093690] so much. Katie's writing is just beyond amazing. I mean, it's not that special or complicated, it's just accurate. The way she's able to switch the POV without the reader being confused is great.
When I got a little further I thought it was very slowpaced. It took too long for Beth and Ryan to actually meet and cross each other's lifes for real. Tbh, it was quite boring :/ It left me feeling sad, because my expectations for this book were high - very high.
I went on reading and I'm so glad I did. What a rollercoaster ride this book was! I didn't cry, but I couldv'e easily done so. It filled me with laughter, joy, hope, sadness, doubt and so on. I think I felt each and every emotion throughout this book.
The characters were so well described and I found myself wondering from time to time, who the bad one was. Was it Beth? Or was it Ryan? Now, I know who it was supposed to be, but honestly I think both maincharacters had that "bad" side to them which I liked. There were a few references to Noah and Echo and I liked how we got to know (a little of) what happened to them after [b:Pushing the Limits|10194514|Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits, #1)|Katie McGarry|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1322770025s/10194514.jpg|15093690] ended.
Beth's best friend Isaiah was my favorite character throughout the book. I really had a hard time keeping my tears inside whenever I read something about him. Fortunately, the next book in this series will be about Isaiah and I cannot wait.
The reason this book gets 4/5 stars, is because of the slow start and the ending, which I wasn't quite fond of.
When I got a little further I thought it was very slowpaced. It took too long for Beth and Ryan to actually meet and cross each other's lifes for real. Tbh, it was quite boring :/ It left me feeling sad, because my expectations for this book were high - very high.
I went on reading and I'm so glad I did. What a rollercoaster ride this book was! I didn't cry, but I couldv'e easily done so. It filled me with laughter, joy, hope, sadness, doubt and so on. I think I felt each and every emotion throughout this book.
The characters were so well described and I found myself wondering from time to time, who the bad one was. Was it Beth? Or was it Ryan? Now, I know who it was supposed to be, but honestly I think both maincharacters had that "bad" side to them which I liked. There were a few references to Noah and Echo and I liked how we got to know (a little of) what happened to them after [b:Pushing the Limits|10194514|Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits, #1)|Katie McGarry|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1322770025s/10194514.jpg|15093690] ended.
Beth's best friend Isaiah was my favorite character throughout the book. I really had a hard time keeping my tears inside whenever I read something about him. Fortunately, the next book in this series will be about Isaiah and I cannot wait.
The reason this book gets 4/5 stars, is because of the slow start and the ending, which I wasn't quite fond of.
Dare You To
Song I played while reading: Litost by X Ambassadors
Pushing the Limitswas, no, IS such a good book, but Dare You To was heart-wrenching and tear jerking!
SUMMARY
Dare You To by Katie McGarry is the sequel to the first book (Pushing The Limits). But, now it is in the perspectives of Ryan Stone and Elisabeth "Beth" Risk. It all starts with a dare. Ryan, who takes dares seriously along with his friends, are at a taco-joint. There, Ryan was dared to ask Biker chick, Beth, for her phone number...unsuccessfully.
"I'll tell you what." She flashes a smile that drips with a mixture of allure and wickedness. "If you can walk me to my car and open the doors for me, I'll give you my number."
Can.
Seconds later...
"Victory doesn't last long. I freeze midstep
on the sidewalk. Before she can prance past the yellow lines confining an old rusty car, two menacing guys climb out and neither appears happy."
...In no hurry to go inside and explain to my friends how I lost, I stay on the sidewalk. The car slowly drives by and Beth presses her palm against the passenger window. Written in black marker is the word signaling my defeat: can't.
(I'D SAY THAT WAS A PWN.) xD And then the two went from there. *__*
Later, 17 year old Beth is forced to live with her uncle in Groveton from Louisville, legendary Yankees player, Scott, after Beth is arrested for busting out her mom's boyfriend's car windows Which isn't true. Beth's mom took out the windows, but Beth took the fall for it since her mom was still on probation and Beth didn't want her to go to jail.
Ryan is a varsity pitcher who is heavily dedicated to baseball. People expects him and his family to be "perfect," until Ryan's older brother who's in college, Mark, told them he was gay and was soon permanently kicked out of the house. Now, Ryan's parents can't stand each other, his dad pretends Mark doesn't exist anymore, and his dad expects Ryan to skip college and play pro baseball. Simply put, Ryan's parents are selfish bastards who only care about appearances and they are basically controlling his choices and decisions.
This book earned 5 stars because not only was it obviously SO romantic, but it was also sad and funny too!
Favorite quote: "Jocks usually aren't smart. Their muscles feast on their brains." -Beth
Mrs. Katie McGarry, you've outdone yourself once again! I expect Crash Into You (3rd book of Pushing The Limits series) to be kick-ass! *__* Crash Into You> will now have Isaiah and Rachel take the readers away with drag races and CARS!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for readers who are die-hard YA romantics who loves dares...
Song I played while reading: Litost by X Ambassadors
Pushing the Limits
SUMMARY
Dare You To by Katie McGarry is the sequel to the first book (Pushing The Limits). But, now it is in the perspectives of Ryan Stone and Elisabeth "Beth" Risk. It all starts with a dare. Ryan, who takes dares seriously along with his friends, are at a taco-joint. There, Ryan was dared to ask Biker chick, Beth, for her phone number...unsuccessfully.
"I'll tell you what." She flashes a smile that drips with a mixture of allure and wickedness. "If you can walk me to my car and open the doors for me, I'll give you my number."
Can.
Seconds later...
"Victory doesn't last long. I freeze midstep
on the sidewalk. Before she can prance past the yellow lines confining an old rusty car, two menacing guys climb out and neither appears happy."
...In no hurry to go inside and explain to my friends how I lost, I stay on the sidewalk. The car slowly drives by and Beth presses her palm against the passenger window. Written in black marker is the word signaling my defeat: can't.
(I'D SAY THAT WAS A PWN.) xD And then the two went from there. *__*
Later, 17 year old Beth is forced to live with her uncle in Groveton from Louisville, legendary Yankees player, Scott, after Beth is arrested for busting out her mom's boyfriend's car windows
Ryan is a varsity pitcher who is heavily dedicated to baseball. People expects him and his family to be "perfect," until Ryan's older brother who's in college, Mark, told them he was gay and was soon permanently kicked out of the house. Now, Ryan's parents can't stand each other, his dad pretends Mark doesn't exist anymore, and his dad expects Ryan to skip college and play pro baseball. Simply put, Ryan's parents are selfish bastards who only care about appearances and they are basically controlling his choices and decisions.
This book earned 5 stars because not only was it obviously SO romantic, but it was also sad and funny too!
Favorite quote: "Jocks usually aren't smart. Their muscles feast on their brains." -Beth
Mrs. Katie McGarry, you've outdone yourself once again! I expect Crash Into You (3rd book of Pushing The Limits series) to be kick-ass! *__* Crash Into You> will now have Isaiah and Rachel take the readers away with drag races and CARS!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for readers who are die-hard YA romantics who loves dares...
I liked it somewhat less than PTL so... 2.5
Ugh. I don't know. I like the writing, I devoured Beth's POV, had a few "Aaaaw" moments, but Ryan said and thought some stuff that bothered me.
First book sting of the year. *insert faux cheer here*
Ugh. I don't know. I like the writing, I devoured Beth's POV, had a few "Aaaaw" moments, but Ryan said and thought some stuff that bothered me.
First book sting of the year. *insert faux cheer here*
*A copy was received for review purposes. Many thanks to NetGalley*
OK. I think I've developed an intense love for anything written by Katie McGarry. She has the ability to put so much raw emotion behind her writing that I can't help but want to outright fall into the crazy, heart-wrenching, and bittersweet worlds she creates and not come back out. I've read her first novel, Pushing the Limits, and was astounded, and now she's done it again with her spin-off novel. The thing I love most about McGarry's novels is that they bring in the dangerous reality of many other teens out in the world and don't sugarcoat it. Her characters have the little problems and the big problems and readers can definitely relate to them, especially young adult readers. And that's another thing, the fact that she does so well in capturing her targeted audience shows talent. Putting aside the characters, we have the romance. It's so hard to make a complicated romance and create one with enough emotion that even the readers have tears in their eyes and a rapid beat in their hearts. The love that McGarry creates is so heart-warming and real that you hope to find one like it for yourself in your life. I absolutely adore this woman's novels and hope that she keeps em' coming.
We read about the character Beth in Pushing the Limits, and are briefly introduced to the troubles in her family/home life. In this book, our main focus is on Beth and her struggle to fix her family as well as create a new life for herself with which she will finally be happy. Beth's a very hard-headed and tempered girl with more problems than she should have to deal with at her age. She is constantly taking care of her mother, instead of the other way around, and even has to deal with harsh abuse from her mother's boyfriend. She dreams of being able to escape with her mother from the tortured life she currently lives. When a life-changing incident occurs, she is taken away from her mother and placed in the custody of her Uncle Scott, a retired famous baseball player. She is given the choice of starting over and trying to behave in the new town or risk having her mother put in jail. At her new school, she meets old friends and new and even finds true love in the town's golden boy Ryan Stone. Eventually, their love together saves them both from the heart-breaking and terrible lives they have to live, and helps them become stronger, gain hope, and finally find joy in life.
I loved both the main characters and secondary characters that Katie McGarry has created. Beth's story was one that really broke my heart because of how she dealt with so much at such a young age. We think we have problems in our lives, yet we fail to realize that somewhere out in the world, there are people who have it much worse, like Beth. I truly admired the courage and determination she had when she kept on looking out for her mother through the thick and thin even though she didn't have to. And even when she moves to a new town to live with her posh uncle and go to some posh school, she doesn't lose her true self or forget about the life she left behind.
The reason why I likes Ryan's character so much is because he had problems that I could relate with on a personal level. He is constantly pressured by his parents to do well in school, well in sports, and have the best reputation he can in his town. A bad choice from him means a stain on his family's name, and his family can't have that. Ever since Ryan's brother Mark had left the family, his dad pushes him non-stop when it comes to baseball. Ryan loves baseball, but he also has other interests such as writing, and he wants to be able to make the best decisions for himself. The constant stress and pressure that is put on him by his parents and society is relatable.
The romance that is shared between Ryan and Beth is one that cannot fully be expressed with words. In each other, they found the strength and love needed to not give up their hopes and dreams and to fight for what they need. Although very complicated and sometimes heart-breaking, they pushed through the worse of it all, and came out victorious. To put it in simple terms, they make me swoon with delight.
All in all, Dare You To was an extremely addicting novel and I found wanting to know more about the lives of Beth and Ryan beyond this book. Everything was written to perfection; the characters, the emotions, the romance, the troubles, the plot...this book had it all. The only thing I can do now is die in anticipation of her next novel Crash Into You, which will be Isaiah's story. Can't wait!
OK. I think I've developed an intense love for anything written by Katie McGarry. She has the ability to put so much raw emotion behind her writing that I can't help but want to outright fall into the crazy, heart-wrenching, and bittersweet worlds she creates and not come back out. I've read her first novel, Pushing the Limits, and was astounded, and now she's done it again with her spin-off novel. The thing I love most about McGarry's novels is that they bring in the dangerous reality of many other teens out in the world and don't sugarcoat it. Her characters have the little problems and the big problems and readers can definitely relate to them, especially young adult readers. And that's another thing, the fact that she does so well in capturing her targeted audience shows talent. Putting aside the characters, we have the romance. It's so hard to make a complicated romance and create one with enough emotion that even the readers have tears in their eyes and a rapid beat in their hearts. The love that McGarry creates is so heart-warming and real that you hope to find one like it for yourself in your life. I absolutely adore this woman's novels and hope that she keeps em' coming.
We read about the character Beth in Pushing the Limits, and are briefly introduced to the troubles in her family/home life. In this book, our main focus is on Beth and her struggle to fix her family as well as create a new life for herself with which she will finally be happy. Beth's a very hard-headed and tempered girl with more problems than she should have to deal with at her age. She is constantly taking care of her mother, instead of the other way around, and even has to deal with harsh abuse from her mother's boyfriend. She dreams of being able to escape with her mother from the tortured life she currently lives. When a life-changing incident occurs, she is taken away from her mother and placed in the custody of her Uncle Scott, a retired famous baseball player. She is given the choice of starting over and trying to behave in the new town or risk having her mother put in jail. At her new school, she meets old friends and new and even finds true love in the town's golden boy Ryan Stone. Eventually, their love together saves them both from the heart-breaking and terrible lives they have to live, and helps them become stronger, gain hope, and finally find joy in life.
I loved both the main characters and secondary characters that Katie McGarry has created. Beth's story was one that really broke my heart because of how she dealt with so much at such a young age. We think we have problems in our lives, yet we fail to realize that somewhere out in the world, there are people who have it much worse, like Beth. I truly admired the courage and determination she had when she kept on looking out for her mother through the thick and thin even though she didn't have to. And even when she moves to a new town to live with her posh uncle and go to some posh school, she doesn't lose her true self or forget about the life she left behind.
The reason why I likes Ryan's character so much is because he had problems that I could relate with on a personal level. He is constantly pressured by his parents to do well in school, well in sports, and have the best reputation he can in his town. A bad choice from him means a stain on his family's name, and his family can't have that. Ever since Ryan's brother Mark had left the family, his dad pushes him non-stop when it comes to baseball. Ryan loves baseball, but he also has other interests such as writing, and he wants to be able to make the best decisions for himself. The constant stress and pressure that is put on him by his parents and society is relatable.
The romance that is shared between Ryan and Beth is one that cannot fully be expressed with words. In each other, they found the strength and love needed to not give up their hopes and dreams and to fight for what they need. Although very complicated and sometimes heart-breaking, they pushed through the worse of it all, and came out victorious. To put it in simple terms, they make me swoon with delight.
All in all, Dare You To was an extremely addicting novel and I found wanting to know more about the lives of Beth and Ryan beyond this book. Everything was written to perfection; the characters, the emotions, the romance, the troubles, the plot...this book had it all. The only thing I can do now is die in anticipation of her next novel Crash Into You, which will be Isaiah's story. Can't wait!
Beth. I saw such a different side of her character in this book. I watched her grow from someone who helped the people she loved until it destroyed her into a person who realized that it’s okay to help yourself first every now and then.
Beth is fighting a war no one else can see. A war with herself to never let her mother down. No matter how many of her boyfriends take to beating them. No matter how many times her mother throws her under the bus in favour of men and alcohol. Beth refuses to abandon her. So when her uncle returns and blackmails her into leaving the only family she’s ever known to go live with him and his so called picket fence.
Beth doesn’t go down without a fight, she tries everything she can think of to hold onto her old life and make sure she keeps her mother safe. But when she makes an unexpected connection with a boy at her new school, Beth begins to question why she was so against with starting over.
Could it possibly be this easy? With the constant doubt and fear of making the wrong choice in her mind, Beth guards herself like a fortress. Refusing to let anyone break the walls except for Ryan. The only boy that seems to be able to melt her heart as it turns to ice.
I loved this story. Beth is a character I wanted to know more about from the beginning and I was so happy when Katie McGarry decided to write a book with Beth as the MC. The banter, the drama, the heart-break, the low-lifes and the caring. This book had so many emotions and my stomach would not stop fluttering until the very end. I was just so invested in Beth and Ryan. They are so cute and it’s about time that Beth caught a break and got her happily ever after. I was rooting for her from the very beginning.
I’ve decided to rate this book four stars. As it kept me gripped to my seat the entire time keeping me entranced and really invested in the outcome of the story. But after I turned the last page, I didn’t have that swirly feeling in my stomach about what happened in the book. It didn’t give me a book hangover, is basically what I’m trying to say. I love this series, and I will definitely be continuing it’s story in the near future.
Beth is fighting a war no one else can see. A war with herself to never let her mother down. No matter how many of her boyfriends take to beating them. No matter how many times her mother throws her under the bus in favour of men and alcohol. Beth refuses to abandon her. So when her uncle returns and blackmails her into leaving the only family she’s ever known to go live with him and his so called picket fence.
Beth doesn’t go down without a fight, she tries everything she can think of to hold onto her old life and make sure she keeps her mother safe. But when she makes an unexpected connection with a boy at her new school, Beth begins to question why she was so against with starting over.
Could it possibly be this easy? With the constant doubt and fear of making the wrong choice in her mind, Beth guards herself like a fortress. Refusing to let anyone break the walls except for Ryan. The only boy that seems to be able to melt her heart as it turns to ice.
I loved this story. Beth is a character I wanted to know more about from the beginning and I was so happy when Katie McGarry decided to write a book with Beth as the MC. The banter, the drama, the heart-break, the low-lifes and the caring. This book had so many emotions and my stomach would not stop fluttering until the very end. I was just so invested in Beth and Ryan. They are so cute and it’s about time that Beth caught a break and got her happily ever after. I was rooting for her from the very beginning.
I’ve decided to rate this book four stars. As it kept me gripped to my seat the entire time keeping me entranced and really invested in the outcome of the story. But after I turned the last page, I didn’t have that swirly feeling in my stomach about what happened in the book. It didn’t give me a book hangover, is basically what I’m trying to say. I love this series, and I will definitely be continuing it’s story in the near future.
I loved Pushing the Limits so I had to give it a try because I knew that even though I wasn't a huge fan of Beth in it, that most authors make you love a character when it's their story.