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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
So this book is the first of a companion novel trilogy, similar to Simone Elkeles' Fuentes brothers trilogy. Like that series, this is an edgier YA romance that deals with characters who have a lot of personal baggage in their past.
I don't read many YA drama stories anymore, but I figured I would try this book out because 1) everyone raved about this series and 2) I've enjoyed this genre in the past, even if it's been a few years.
I'm glad I read this book, but I don't think I'll continue with the series. Perhaps I will check the other books out from a library at some point, but I don't see myself purchasing them because of some things I noticed in this book that turned me off to the trilogy.
Echo's friends were annoying. They were vapid and lacked substance or development other than being "popular" and "pretty". The drama of the story was overdone, in my opinion. I found it difficult to believe the other students hated Noah and his foster siblings primarily because they were in the foster system (followed then by the fact that they were the school "burn outs").
The guidance counselor has some very unconventional techniques, which is fine, but it never mentions anything about how the principal feels about her taking students off campus in the middle of a school day, for example. The students don't mention it and there is never a moment where it seems like the principal could have been asking some questions.
The romance builds for 200 pages only to be thrown together in a very rushed sort of way, making the rest of the relationship shaky and sloppy feeling in its role in the story.
Echo is the epitome of a frustrating character who refuses to talk things out with people and instead chooses to let things fester until she agonizes over them far more than she should. Now, this is something everyone does, but I feel like most people are better at communicating than she is.
The characters' self-growth is too quickly evolved and not believable, and the story itself ended in a rush that doesn't make it seem like the story is finished and satisfying. Rather than seeming like a good close, it felt like the drama would only continue to get worse because that's the only option after the way things ended too cleanly.
All in all, I think I would have enjoyed this book more a few years back when I read more from the genre. However, while I didn't love the book, I do think this is good for readers looking for an angsty YA book that's a fun distraction and a quick read. Sure there are better books out there in my opinion, but this wasn't bad and I wouldn't say to stay away from it.
I don't read many YA drama stories anymore, but I figured I would try this book out because 1) everyone raved about this series and 2) I've enjoyed this genre in the past, even if it's been a few years.
I'm glad I read this book, but I don't think I'll continue with the series. Perhaps I will check the other books out from a library at some point, but I don't see myself purchasing them because of some things I noticed in this book that turned me off to the trilogy.
Echo's friends were annoying. They were vapid and lacked substance or development other than being "popular" and "pretty". The drama of the story was overdone, in my opinion. I found it difficult to believe the other students hated Noah and his foster siblings primarily because they were in the foster system (followed then by the fact that they were the school "burn outs").
The guidance counselor has some very unconventional techniques, which is fine, but it never mentions anything about how the principal feels about her taking students off campus in the middle of a school day, for example. The students don't mention it and there is never a moment where it seems like the principal could have been asking some questions.
The romance builds for 200 pages only to be thrown together in a very rushed sort of way, making the rest of the relationship shaky and sloppy feeling in its role in the story.
Echo is the epitome of a frustrating character who refuses to talk things out with people and instead chooses to let things fester until she agonizes over them far more than she should. Now, this is something everyone does, but I feel like most people are better at communicating than she is.
The characters' self-growth is too quickly evolved and not believable, and the story itself ended in a rush that doesn't make it seem like the story is finished and satisfying. Rather than seeming like a good close, it felt like the drama would only continue to get worse because that's the only option after the way things ended too cleanly.
All in all, I think I would have enjoyed this book more a few years back when I read more from the genre. However, while I didn't love the book, I do think this is good for readers looking for an angsty YA book that's a fun distraction and a quick read. Sure there are better books out there in my opinion, but this wasn't bad and I wouldn't say to stay away from it.
I don’t have a whole lot to say about this book, except that I really liked it.
Both the main characters were super likable and I found their journeys over the course of the book to be really great. Echo starts out as a total pushover and scared little girl. She does exactly what her father wants, she allows her friends to treat her badly and she hides from society. However, when she meets her new therapists (who is an awesome woman) and gets to know Noah, she becomes much bolder. I enjoyed watching her grow into a confident and bolder woman who was strong enough to face her past. I particularly loved that when she discovered what happened, the blame wasn’t all placed on others instead she found out how she (Echo) could learn to be a better person from that situation. She’s able to learn how to forgive and move on which is really great!
Meanwhile Noah starts out with very little options for his future. He wants to put his family back together and that’s the only goal. Throughout the book he’s also able to learn how his actions could be selfish and how to put others needs before himself. I love how he totally supports Echo the whole time, and is an integral part to giving her the confidence she needs to face the world by fully accepting her.
In other words, I thought their romance was extremely cute and adorable.
I found the whole story to be really well written. I liked how it switched between the two point of views so I could follow each character closely. This story made me smile and lightened my heart a little to see so many happy endings. I would definitely recommend that everyone give this book a go if your looking for a cute romance with an actual story line.
Both the main characters were super likable and I found their journeys over the course of the book to be really great. Echo starts out as a total pushover and scared little girl. She does exactly what her father wants, she allows her friends to treat her badly and she hides from society. However, when she meets her new therapists (who is an awesome woman) and gets to know Noah, she becomes much bolder. I enjoyed watching her grow into a confident and bolder woman who was strong enough to face her past. I particularly loved that when she discovered what happened, the blame wasn’t all placed on others instead she found out how she (Echo) could learn to be a better person from that situation. She’s able to learn how to forgive and move on which is really great!
Meanwhile Noah starts out with very little options for his future. He wants to put his family back together and that’s the only goal. Throughout the book he’s also able to learn how his actions could be selfish and how to put others needs before himself. I love how he totally supports Echo the whole time, and is an integral part to giving her the confidence she needs to face the world by fully accepting her.
In other words, I thought their romance was extremely cute and adorable.
I found the whole story to be really well written. I liked how it switched between the two point of views so I could follow each character closely. This story made me smile and lightened my heart a little to see so many happy endings. I would definitely recommend that everyone give this book a go if your looking for a cute romance with an actual story line.
One Lost Girl. Echo was once a normal, popular teenage girl until one day her life was flipped upside down. Now she's all alone and in therapy, desperately trying to remember the event that changed her forever.
One bad boy. Noah Hutchins was once a happy outgoing boy until he lost his family, since then he's become the typical bad boy, always on the outside looking in. All he wants is to see his family back together, happy and safe.
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Both are looking for something normal and together they are able to help each other confront their pasts and decide on their futures.
Normal. She wanted normal and so did I.
I don't have a whole lot to say about this book, except that I really liked it.
Both the main characters were super likable and I found their journeys over the course of the book to be really great. Echo starts out as a total pushover and scared little girl. She does exactly what her father wants, she allows her friends to treat her badly and she hides from society. However, when she meets her new therapists (who is an awesome woman) and gets to know Noah, she becomes much bolder. I enjoyed watching her grow into a confident and bolder woman who was strong enough to face her past. I particularly loved that when she discovered what happened, the blame wasn't all placed on others instead she found out how she (Echo) could learn to be a better person from that situation. She's able to learn how to forgive and move on which is really great
Meanwhile Noah starts out with very little options for his future. He wants to put his family back together and that's the only goal. Throughout the book he's also able to learn how his actions could be selfish and how to put others needs before himself. I love how he totally supports Echo the whole time, and is an integral part to giving her the confidence she needs to face the world by fully accepting her.
In other words, I thought their romance was extremely cute and adorable.
I found the whole story to be really well written. I liked how it switched between the two point of views so I could follow each character closely. This story made me smile and lightened my heart a little to see so many happy endings. I would definitely recommend that everyone give this book a go if your looking for a cute romance with an actual story line :)
One bad boy. Noah Hutchins was once a happy outgoing boy until he lost his family, since then he's become the typical bad boy, always on the outside looking in. All he wants is to see his family back together, happy and safe.
Both are looking for something normal and together they are able to help each other confront their pasts and decide on their futures.
Normal. She wanted normal and so did I.
I don't have a whole lot to say about this book, except that I really liked it.
Both the main characters were super likable and I found their journeys over the course of the book to be really great. Echo starts out as a total pushover and scared little girl. She does exactly what her father wants, she allows her friends to treat her badly and she hides from society. However, when she meets her new therapists (who is an awesome woman) and gets to know Noah, she becomes much bolder. I enjoyed watching her grow into a confident and bolder woman who was strong enough to face her past. I particularly loved that when she discovered what happened, the blame wasn't all placed on others instead she found out how she (Echo) could learn to be a better person from that situation. She's able to learn how to forgive and move on which is really great
Meanwhile Noah starts out with very little options for his future. He wants to put his family back together and that's the only goal. Throughout the book he's also able to learn how his actions could be selfish and how to put others needs before himself. I love how he totally supports Echo the whole time, and is an integral part to giving her the confidence she needs to face the world by fully accepting her.
In other words, I thought their romance was extremely cute and adorable.
I found the whole story to be really well written. I liked how it switched between the two point of views so I could follow each character closely. This story made me smile and lightened my heart a little to see so many happy endings. I would definitely recommend that everyone give this book a go if your looking for a cute romance with an actual story line :)
Bellooooo <3 Ryan è dolcissimo come un cupcake *-*
I knew I had to read this one when I kept seeing rave reviews about it around the blogosphere. At first glance, I had originally thought it would just be another cheesy YA romance novel, but this book ended up surprising me at its depth. I loved how it was told in alternating viewpoints, switching between Echo and Noah each chapter. The last book I read that did this was Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles - another book the alternating points-of-view worked well for.
In fact, I think that giving us a glimpse at both Echo's and Noah's thoughts is what made me love this novel so much. Both were complex characters, and if their stories had been told from only one or the other's thoughts, so much would have been left out, and this book would have had less of an impact on me, and probably on its readers.
I thought Echo was actually pretty cool. Her back-story is what really kept things interesting. She hides her arms, which are covered completely in scars, and she goes to counseling so that she could try and remember how she got them. The trauma of the event that caused them had been too much for her mind to handle, and her mind blocked it from her memory. Even though it soon became pretty obvious what had happened to her, I still enjoyed reading about her discoveries. I felt that at the end of the novel, she had grown a whole lot, and gained a lot of courage and independence.
Noah's issue was that his parents died in a house fire, and he had been passed around from foster home to foster home, unable to see his two younger brothers unsupervised due to an incident in which he had punched his first foster father in the face. All Noah wanted was to get custody of his little brothers. I really liked him, but one thing that was very apparent was that Noah was written by a female author. There were some moments when I'd feel like swooning, sure, but there were also many where I was thinking to myself, "What guy thinks like this?!" I mean, he thought of Echo as his siren and his nymph, and many of the thoughts in his mind were extremely cheesy and sounded like they were written solely to appeal to the female readers. If the author could have toned down a bit in that area, I would have enjoyed reading it a whole lot more, instead, I found myself cringing in embarrassment. Not all the romance was mushy, but a good chunk of it was.
Despite Noah's cheesy romance-novel thoughts, I liked his character, and Echo's as well - they were pretty fleshed-out. Even the side characters were interesting. I felt that the story was paced well, and found myself breezing through the chapters effortlessly. The transformation of both Echo and Noah was something I enjoyed reading about, and I found myself growing a little attached. With this debut novel, McGarry has caught my attention, and I look forward to reading more of her work (which, I am excited to find, includes an upcoming novel about one of the side-characters, Beth!). If you enjoy reading novels about people overcoming their pasts, then I recommend this one. It lives up to all the good reviews about it, despite being a bit sappy with the romance. This would have been five stars if not for that.
In fact, I think that giving us a glimpse at both Echo's and Noah's thoughts is what made me love this novel so much. Both were complex characters, and if their stories had been told from only one or the other's thoughts, so much would have been left out, and this book would have had less of an impact on me, and probably on its readers.
I thought Echo was actually pretty cool. Her back-story is what really kept things interesting. She hides her arms, which are covered completely in scars, and she goes to counseling so that she could try and remember how she got them. The trauma of the event that caused them had been too much for her mind to handle, and her mind blocked it from her memory. Even though it soon became pretty obvious what had happened to her, I still enjoyed reading about her discoveries. I felt that at the end of the novel, she had grown a whole lot, and gained a lot of courage and independence.
Noah's issue was that his parents died in a house fire, and he had been passed around from foster home to foster home, unable to see his two younger brothers unsupervised due to an incident in which he had punched his first foster father in the face. All Noah wanted was to get custody of his little brothers. I really liked him, but one thing that was very apparent was that Noah was written by a female author. There were some moments when I'd feel like swooning, sure, but there were also many where I was thinking to myself, "What guy thinks like this?!" I mean, he thought of Echo as his siren and his nymph, and many of the thoughts in his mind were extremely cheesy and sounded like they were written solely to appeal to the female readers. If the author could have toned down a bit in that area, I would have enjoyed reading it a whole lot more, instead, I found myself cringing in embarrassment. Not all the romance was mushy, but a good chunk of it was.
Despite Noah's cheesy romance-novel thoughts, I liked his character, and Echo's as well - they were pretty fleshed-out. Even the side characters were interesting. I felt that the story was paced well, and found myself breezing through the chapters effortlessly. The transformation of both Echo and Noah was something I enjoyed reading about, and I found myself growing a little attached. With this debut novel, McGarry has caught my attention, and I look forward to reading more of her work (which, I am excited to find, includes an upcoming novel about one of the side-characters, Beth!). If you enjoy reading novels about people overcoming their pasts, then I recommend this one. It lives up to all the good reviews about it, despite being a bit sappy with the romance. This would have been five stars if not for that.
Two high school kids, one in foster care and the other dealing with some major family stuff, fall in love while sharing a school therapist.
What I really liked about this story was even though there was no sex, they talked about getting tested for STDs and wearing condoms before fooling around. Pop culture needs to reference that more so that young kids think it's the norm!
What I really liked about this story was even though there was no sex, they talked about getting tested for STDs and wearing condoms before fooling around. Pop culture needs to reference that more so that young kids think it's the norm!
~4.5/5
[This review, among many others, is available on my blog.]
I loved this book. Absolutely loved it. I have practically no words to describe how much I loved this book. I finished this book quite a while ago, even, and have been having a ridiculously hard time getting this review written ever since.
I’m going to tell you a little story before I really start this review, okay? Okay. I’ve had my eye on this book since about the time it came out, when the blog tour was happening and so many people were talking about it. I almost got an ARC of it at one point, too, because my bookstore had one in. But that was before the hype, and so I didn’t. It was horrible. Ever since, I just haven’t got around to it. But then Amazon/Barnes and Noble had the hardback on sale, at the same price as a normal paperback, and so I thought, “Why not?” I was even thinking of not getting the hardback, but I’m so glad I did, because the hardback is so pretty. The binding is just awesome. (Would be better if the bottom hadn’t somehow gotten bent and ripped a little bit before I received it, but whatever.) Then I got it and kind of pushed off reading it, because at that point I knew I was going to love it and wasn’t going to want it to be over. But I couldn’t resist for very long, started it, and then it was over and I was so upset that it was over and what was I going to do now? I’m still not completely over it, but that’s okay.
Storytime’s over, okay? Now onto the actual review.
So, I already said that I love this book. Um, that’s really the most important part. I loved it and would definitely recommend it. Definitely.
So Echo used to be a very popular girl, and is still friends with some of the popular kids, but mostly everyone avoids her. Because she disappeared from school for a while a couple years ago and came back with scars on her arms. Now, she’s just trying to get by until college while her friends are pushing her to get back with her old boyfriend, her mother’s been put away and her brother’s dead and her father not only doesn’t talk to her but is also married to a women Echo doesn’t like and who is also pregnant.
Noah is also an outcast, aside from his two other loner friends. Only he kind of prefers it that way. He’s been going through foster homes for years since his parents died, is working and somewhat getting through school, while trying to find a way to get his little brothers back.
Echo and Noah start noticing each other more, not particularly in a good way, and then Echo has to tutor Noah and things kind of change for them.
I like Echo. I like Noah. I also like Echo with Noah. I really enjoyed both of them, whether together or not. They were different from each other, had different voices, which helps since it’s told in alternating points-of-view. I also really liked learning about their pasts. Echo’s is very broken, and she doesn’t remember how she got the scars, and finding it out with her was very well done, very exciting. Noah is a bit broken and is aiming for a misguided notion, but it’s understandable, and I liked being with him as he found himself.
I felt that perhaps Echo and her father should have had more of a talk, but overall I liked what happened with her. I knew, at least had thought of, what was going to happen with Noah and his brothers, and I was very happy with how it turned out. Very happy.
The romance in this book is very nice. I loved how Noah and Echo got along, their sexy times were very nice, and the progression of it all worked really well, I think. I liked how they didn’t have to have sex, either, and that Noah did it all a little differently and how well that worked. Their ending was very nice, as well. These two just make me smile, and I’m having a hard time expressing how much I enjoyed them together.
Also, Noah calls Echo a pet name, and I hadn’t realize how infrequent pet names are, or at least how little I’ve seen them, in books, and it made me think that that should change. I like pet names, though, and I thought it just really worked for him and was really sweet. Although Noah is very sweet with Echo, and it’s just very swoon worthy and I love it.
Now, Echo’s ex-boyfriend and friends. I didn’t really like her ex-boyfriend from the start, and I really liked how that ended and what happened with it regarding Noah. Really liked it. I also didn’t really like Echo’s friends. Lila is her main one, the one that’s been behind her the whole time, but I didn’t really believe her. I’m not sure why, but I didn’t like her and I didn’t believe her, and I didn’t really think that she had as good of intentions as she apparently did. I know that she does have her own novella, though, and I do plan on reading it at some point, and maybe that will change my mind.
And Noah’s friends. First of all, Isaiah. I like Isaiah. I don’t think we really got to know him too well, but I did like him, and I know he gets his own story (in the third book of the series), and I’m very much looking forward to reading it. Secondly: Beth. I didn’t like Beth very much. She’s crude and rude and mean in general, but I understand that she has her reasons. And I’m also looking forward to getting to know her better, to see what’s in her head and what those reasons really are, in the second book of the series (out in May! I’m so excited!).
When I started this book, I figured it would be similar to Simone Elkeles’ books. And, in some ways it is. It’s loosely similar in the dramatics, and it’s smutty in a similar way, kind of. But these characters don’t seem to need to have sex or wait till the book is almost over to actually get together. There doesn’t seem to be such a format as Elkeles’ books. Also, it’s much more serious, with a broken past that needs healing. Whereas I do love Elkeles’ books, and always get them when they’re released, I almost feel like this one is a step up. I really hope that the next books go in the same direction, are as refreshing and good as this one was.
So, I loved this book. I loved it so much. I’m very much looking forward to reading other books by McGarry, particularly the other books in this series, and she is definitely on my author-to-watch and pre-order list.
[This review, among many others, is available on my blog.]
I loved this book. Absolutely loved it. I have practically no words to describe how much I loved this book. I finished this book quite a while ago, even, and have been having a ridiculously hard time getting this review written ever since.
I’m going to tell you a little story before I really start this review, okay? Okay. I’ve had my eye on this book since about the time it came out, when the blog tour was happening and so many people were talking about it. I almost got an ARC of it at one point, too, because my bookstore had one in. But that was before the hype, and so I didn’t. It was horrible. Ever since, I just haven’t got around to it. But then Amazon/Barnes and Noble had the hardback on sale, at the same price as a normal paperback, and so I thought, “Why not?” I was even thinking of not getting the hardback, but I’m so glad I did, because the hardback is so pretty. The binding is just awesome. (Would be better if the bottom hadn’t somehow gotten bent and ripped a little bit before I received it, but whatever.) Then I got it and kind of pushed off reading it, because at that point I knew I was going to love it and wasn’t going to want it to be over. But I couldn’t resist for very long, started it, and then it was over and I was so upset that it was over and what was I going to do now? I’m still not completely over it, but that’s okay.
Storytime’s over, okay? Now onto the actual review.
So, I already said that I love this book. Um, that’s really the most important part. I loved it and would definitely recommend it. Definitely.
So Echo used to be a very popular girl, and is still friends with some of the popular kids, but mostly everyone avoids her. Because she disappeared from school for a while a couple years ago and came back with scars on her arms. Now, she’s just trying to get by until college while her friends are pushing her to get back with her old boyfriend, her mother’s been put away and her brother’s dead and her father not only doesn’t talk to her but is also married to a women Echo doesn’t like and who is also pregnant.
Noah is also an outcast, aside from his two other loner friends. Only he kind of prefers it that way. He’s been going through foster homes for years since his parents died, is working and somewhat getting through school, while trying to find a way to get his little brothers back.
Echo and Noah start noticing each other more, not particularly in a good way, and then Echo has to tutor Noah and things kind of change for them.
I like Echo. I like Noah. I also like Echo with Noah. I really enjoyed both of them, whether together or not. They were different from each other, had different voices, which helps since it’s told in alternating points-of-view. I also really liked learning about their pasts. Echo’s is very broken, and she doesn’t remember how she got the scars, and finding it out with her was very well done, very exciting. Noah is a bit broken and is aiming for a misguided notion, but it’s understandable, and I liked being with him as he found himself.
I felt that perhaps Echo and her father should have had more of a talk, but overall I liked what happened with her. I knew, at least had thought of, what was going to happen with Noah and his brothers, and I was very happy with how it turned out. Very happy.
The romance in this book is very nice. I loved how Noah and Echo got along, their sexy times were very nice, and the progression of it all worked really well, I think. I liked how they didn’t have to have sex, either, and that Noah did it all a little differently and how well that worked. Their ending was very nice, as well. These two just make me smile, and I’m having a hard time expressing how much I enjoyed them together.
Also, Noah calls Echo a pet name, and I hadn’t realize how infrequent pet names are, or at least how little I’ve seen them, in books, and it made me think that that should change. I like pet names, though, and I thought it just really worked for him and was really sweet. Although Noah is very sweet with Echo, and it’s just very swoon worthy and I love it.
Now, Echo’s ex-boyfriend and friends. I didn’t really like her ex-boyfriend from the start, and I really liked how that ended and what happened with it regarding Noah. Really liked it. I also didn’t really like Echo’s friends. Lila is her main one, the one that’s been behind her the whole time, but I didn’t really believe her. I’m not sure why, but I didn’t like her and I didn’t believe her, and I didn’t really think that she had as good of intentions as she apparently did. I know that she does have her own novella, though, and I do plan on reading it at some point, and maybe that will change my mind.
And Noah’s friends. First of all, Isaiah. I like Isaiah. I don’t think we really got to know him too well, but I did like him, and I know he gets his own story (in the third book of the series), and I’m very much looking forward to reading it. Secondly: Beth. I didn’t like Beth very much. She’s crude and rude and mean in general, but I understand that she has her reasons. And I’m also looking forward to getting to know her better, to see what’s in her head and what those reasons really are, in the second book of the series (out in May! I’m so excited!).
When I started this book, I figured it would be similar to Simone Elkeles’ books. And, in some ways it is. It’s loosely similar in the dramatics, and it’s smutty in a similar way, kind of. But these characters don’t seem to need to have sex or wait till the book is almost over to actually get together. There doesn’t seem to be such a format as Elkeles’ books. Also, it’s much more serious, with a broken past that needs healing. Whereas I do love Elkeles’ books, and always get them when they’re released, I almost feel like this one is a step up. I really hope that the next books go in the same direction, are as refreshing and good as this one was.
So, I loved this book. I loved it so much. I’m very much looking forward to reading other books by McGarry, particularly the other books in this series, and she is definitely on my author-to-watch and pre-order list.