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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
3.5 stars.
Yes I finished it in one sitting.
No it wasn't *that* good.
The one sitting speaks more to my boredom than quality of the book.
It was decent.
Yes I finished it in one sitting.
No it wasn't *that* good.
The one sitting speaks more to my boredom than quality of the book.
It was decent.
It always takes me by surprise how the description of the book fails to show how great and well written a book really is but Pushing the Limits is one of those books. I loved how the characters grew from ordinary (well, sort of ordinary) teenagers to adults over the course of the book. Noah and Echo were both damaged by their pasts and still dealing with the pain but they come together to find the truth about each of their pasts, and by working together, slowly fall in love. This is a wonderful story that I recommend whole-heartedly! You need to read this book!!
This has been on my TBR for a while now! I was not disappointed at all.
Pushing the Limits follows two teens, Echo and Noah, who are both very troubled. Echo was in an accident and has no memory of what happened. Noah is an orphan who wants to keep his family together. The two are thrown together and at first, do not get along but start to form an incredible bond. Echo used to be the "it" girl, but after showing up with scars on her arms and becoming reclusive, she has been outcasted. Noah used to have it all, until his parents were killed. After hitting his former foster father, he became separated from his two brothers. He wants nothing more than to be with his brothers, but he will have to earn his way back to them.
I loved both characters. I thought they both had great storylines. This was a great story!
Pushing the Limits follows two teens, Echo and Noah, who are both very troubled. Echo was in an accident and has no memory of what happened. Noah is an orphan who wants to keep his family together. The two are thrown together and at first, do not get along but start to form an incredible bond. Echo used to be the "it" girl, but after showing up with scars on her arms and becoming reclusive, she has been outcasted. Noah used to have it all, until his parents were killed. After hitting his former foster father, he became separated from his two brothers. He wants nothing more than to be with his brothers, but he will have to earn his way back to them.
I loved both characters. I thought they both had great storylines. This was a great story!
Originally posted on SIK Book Reviews
Pushing the Limits was an enjoyable book, filled with emotion, family drama, and romance. I thought that the story was good and enjoyable. The storyline wasn't very creative or unique: a good girl causing a bad boy to turn good for her and a what-should-have-been cute little love story being ruined by bad/dramatic home lives. The main ideas in this story have been done before for sure, but that doesn't mean that this book wasn't enjoyable. It was. I thought that McGarry did a very good job and her writing was great as well.
The story is told in alternating POVs between Echo and Noah. I actually preferred Noah's narrations better for some reason. This is weird for me, because I typically prefer reading from a female's perspective rather than a male's (since I am a female). Noah is an endearing young man. He has home-life issues that have ultimately turned him into a girl-using, non-caring, stoner -- at least, on the outside. Throughout the book, we discover the real Noah and how caring he actually is, especially when it comes to his love for his brothers. Echo is similar in some ways. There was an incident in her past that caused her to lose her popularity at school and to become more of a loner herself. But, she still manages to keep up her grades and be an all-around good girl. Therefore, in many ways, these two are meant for each other, as they both are understanding about having not-so-perfect home lives.
I would recommend this book to all you romance lovers out there, as there is plenty of lovey-dovey content. It is also more than just a simple love story, though, as you will see once you pick the book up and begin to delve into the lives of Noah and Echo. I enjoyed it and think that you would too! Although I really liked this novel, it's not one of those books that will leave me missing and yearning for the characters; I can leave Noah and Echo in my past without screaming out for more.
Pushing the Limits was an enjoyable book, filled with emotion, family drama, and romance. I thought that the story was good and enjoyable. The storyline wasn't very creative or unique: a good girl causing a bad boy to turn good for her and a what-should-have-been cute little love story being ruined by bad/dramatic home lives. The main ideas in this story have been done before for sure, but that doesn't mean that this book wasn't enjoyable. It was. I thought that McGarry did a very good job and her writing was great as well.
The story is told in alternating POVs between Echo and Noah. I actually preferred Noah's narrations better for some reason. This is weird for me, because I typically prefer reading from a female's perspective rather than a male's (since I am a female). Noah is an endearing young man. He has home-life issues that have ultimately turned him into a girl-using, non-caring, stoner -- at least, on the outside. Throughout the book, we discover the real Noah and how caring he actually is, especially when it comes to his love for his brothers. Echo is similar in some ways. There was an incident in her past that caused her to lose her popularity at school and to become more of a loner herself. But, she still manages to keep up her grades and be an all-around good girl. Therefore, in many ways, these two are meant for each other, as they both are understanding about having not-so-perfect home lives.
I would recommend this book to all you romance lovers out there, as there is plenty of lovey-dovey content. It is also more than just a simple love story, though, as you will see once you pick the book up and begin to delve into the lives of Noah and Echo. I enjoyed it and think that you would too! Although I really liked this novel, it's not one of those books that will leave me missing and yearning for the characters; I can leave Noah and Echo in my past without screaming out for more.
For some reason, when I picked up this I thought it was about boxing. So, needless to say I went into this blind. And I absolutely loved it. I thought it was a four star book, but at the end, I was like, I cried so much how could this be anything but five stars???
Can't wait to read more from this author
Can't wait to read more from this author
4.5
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a romance with mystery which I really liked. I just had a few problems with Noah's pet names for Echo and the fact that Echo's friend Lila sort of left the story for a good chunk after she got together with Noah. Other than that, this was exactly what I felt like reading.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a romance with mystery which I really liked. I just had a few problems with Noah's pet names for Echo and the fact that Echo's friend Lila sort of left the story for a good chunk after she got together with Noah. Other than that, this was exactly what I felt like reading.
HOLY Freaking TEAR JERKER Batman!!!! When I read this description I wasn't all that excited about it because I figured it was another predictable story about a bad boy teenager who hates the world and he meets a girl that changes his dirty ways blah blah blah, I've read it a million times.. But this surprisingly was totally different from what I expected and when it comes to books, I love to be proven wrong!!
Echo is a girl who had something awful happen to her but she can't remember the details of what happened to her because she repressed it (total Psychology major student book boner) with the help of her counselor she is trying to regain her memory of what happened that night. The details that she reveals throughout the book are heart breaking and when she finally remembers what happens to her, you will feel a sense of sympathy and anguish because it is just too horrible to even imagine. She hides herself from the people around her, she hides her scars with long sleeves and gloves and doesn't let anyone close to her besides her best friend.
Noah on the other hand is a total badass hot guy who is a foster child with a shitty past couple of years. He lost his parents, brothers, and sense of self in a short amount of time. He has only one concern and that is being reconnected to his little brothers, they are in foster care like he is but they had to be separated because the "system" felt like Noah was a danger to everyone around him- *Eye Roll*.. Ok well he did punch someone out but the dude deserved it...
It just so happens that the counselor that is working with Echo is also working with Noah to help him have more time with his brothers. Echo and Noah's story begins when Echo is tasked to tutor Noah and when Noah blows her off he accidentally sees her scars on her arms and is horrified at what he sees. Echo freaks out and thinks Noah will tell the whole school, when he doesn't Echo becomes curious of this bad boy and starts to actually see Noah for what he really is. Noah thinks Echo is hot and he feels sorry for her but he also wants to help her but doesn't want to get close to her... This book is great I would recommend it to anyone, no matter what genre you like to read!!
Here is a little teaser from the book:
" The worst type of crying wasn't the kind everyone could see-the wailing on the street corners, the tearing at clothes. No, the worst kind happened when your soul wept and no matter what you did there was no way to comfort it. A section withered and became a scar on the part of your soul that survived. For people like me and Echo, our souls contained more scar tissue than life. " page 278
Echo is a girl who had something awful happen to her but she can't remember the details of what happened to her because she repressed it (total Psychology major student book boner) with the help of her counselor she is trying to regain her memory of what happened that night. The details that she reveals throughout the book are heart breaking and when she finally remembers what happens to her, you will feel a sense of sympathy and anguish because it is just too horrible to even imagine. She hides herself from the people around her, she hides her scars with long sleeves and gloves and doesn't let anyone close to her besides her best friend.
Noah on the other hand is a total badass hot guy who is a foster child with a shitty past couple of years. He lost his parents, brothers, and sense of self in a short amount of time. He has only one concern and that is being reconnected to his little brothers, they are in foster care like he is but they had to be separated because the "system" felt like Noah was a danger to everyone around him- *Eye Roll*.. Ok well he did punch someone out but the dude deserved it...
It just so happens that the counselor that is working with Echo is also working with Noah to help him have more time with his brothers. Echo and Noah's story begins when Echo is tasked to tutor Noah and when Noah blows her off he accidentally sees her scars on her arms and is horrified at what he sees. Echo freaks out and thinks Noah will tell the whole school, when he doesn't Echo becomes curious of this bad boy and starts to actually see Noah for what he really is. Noah thinks Echo is hot and he feels sorry for her but he also wants to help her but doesn't want to get close to her... This book is great I would recommend it to anyone, no matter what genre you like to read!!
Here is a little teaser from the book:
" The worst type of crying wasn't the kind everyone could see-the wailing on the street corners, the tearing at clothes. No, the worst kind happened when your soul wept and no matter what you did there was no way to comfort it. A section withered and became a scar on the part of your soul that survived. For people like me and Echo, our souls contained more scar tissue than life. " page 278
Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars
There are some books that are just so, so amazing and that affect you so, so much that you can’t put it into words. The book is just that good. Pushing the Limits is one of those books.
If I had to talk about the number one best thing in this book, hands down, it’s the characters. I fell in love with both Echo and Noah, although it did take me some time to warm up to Echo. But seriously, these characters have such unique and real situations. I felt like I could go to school and actually meet them. Both Echo and Noah had this raw quality to them that I fell in love with. They still had their flaws, and they each accepted those. They weren’t perfect, yet both still tried to make things work. It was just amazing.
The romance was also wonderful. Trust me when I say that I’m not a romance person at all. But I seriously loved the romance in Pushing the Limits. The thing that made the most happy was that it wasn’t insta-love. So many contemporary books, and just novels in general have insta-love which annoys me to absolutely no end. This was not the case here at all. Echo and Noah first barely acknowledge each other, and they really distrust one another. Then, they slowly begin to warm up, and the progression that they make is just beautiful to watch. And their relationship isn’t perfect, either. But they’re willing to make sacrifices for each other, which I thought was just… awesome.
Putting together Echo’s mystery was also really intriguing for me. I love a good mystery, and we got a really great one in this book. I predicted Noah’s situation and what would happen right at the beginning, but I was kept guessing with Echo. It was so fantastic to be there right along with her as she uncovered each memory. Overall, the book had this really addicting quality. I mean, I wanted to keep reading and reading, and never stop. Unfortunately, this couldn’t happen, because, well, my Kindle was pretty much taken away from me…
Although I could go on and on with praise for Pushing the Limits, there were a few minor things that I kind of disliked, but they’re kind of spoilerish, so I won’t say anything. Like I said though, they were only minor, and it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story much at all.
A gorgeous, raw, and wonderful read, Pushing the Limits is a fantastic contemporary read filled with realistic characters, a heart-warming romance, and a totally addicting mystery. I would whole-heartedly recommend this book to anyone and everyone who wants a really great contemporary read!
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley who allowed me a copy of this book in exchange for my completely honest thoughts.
Find this review, and more at my blog My Not So Real Life!
There are some books that are just so, so amazing and that affect you so, so much that you can’t put it into words. The book is just that good. Pushing the Limits is one of those books.
If I had to talk about the number one best thing in this book, hands down, it’s the characters. I fell in love with both Echo and Noah, although it did take me some time to warm up to Echo. But seriously, these characters have such unique and real situations. I felt like I could go to school and actually meet them. Both Echo and Noah had this raw quality to them that I fell in love with. They still had their flaws, and they each accepted those. They weren’t perfect, yet both still tried to make things work. It was just amazing.
The romance was also wonderful. Trust me when I say that I’m not a romance person at all. But I seriously loved the romance in Pushing the Limits. The thing that made the most happy was that it wasn’t insta-love. So many contemporary books, and just novels in general have insta-love which annoys me to absolutely no end. This was not the case here at all. Echo and Noah first barely acknowledge each other, and they really distrust one another. Then, they slowly begin to warm up, and the progression that they make is just beautiful to watch. And their relationship isn’t perfect, either. But they’re willing to make sacrifices for each other, which I thought was just… awesome.
Putting together Echo’s mystery was also really intriguing for me. I love a good mystery, and we got a really great one in this book. I predicted Noah’s situation and what would happen right at the beginning, but I was kept guessing with Echo. It was so fantastic to be there right along with her as she uncovered each memory. Overall, the book had this really addicting quality. I mean, I wanted to keep reading and reading, and never stop. Unfortunately, this couldn’t happen, because, well, my Kindle was pretty much taken away from me…
Although I could go on and on with praise for Pushing the Limits, there were a few minor things that I kind of disliked, but they’re kind of spoilerish, so I won’t say anything. Like I said though, they were only minor, and it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story much at all.
A gorgeous, raw, and wonderful read, Pushing the Limits is a fantastic contemporary read filled with realistic characters, a heart-warming romance, and a totally addicting mystery. I would whole-heartedly recommend this book to anyone and everyone who wants a really great contemporary read!
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley who allowed me a copy of this book in exchange for my completely honest thoughts.
Find this review, and more at my blog My Not So Real Life!
Wow. This is the second book I've read from McGarry (and from what I've understand, the first book she's written) and its clear she has a true talent for creating emotional stories that pull you in and tug at your very soul, which leaves its footprint long after you put the book down. It wasnt exactly what i had expected, as based on the previous reviews, i had thought it would be something more along the lines of [b:Perfect Chemistry|4268157|Perfect Chemistry (Perfect Chemistry, #1)|Simone Elkeles|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1439792475l/4268157._SX50_.jpg|4315675]. Other than having two seemingly opposite people forced together falling in love, the two stories are nothing alike.
Both Echo and Noah come from tragic pasts, a past of which adversely affects the present and shapes their reputations in distorted ways. They come together, and try to amend for those pasts in hopes for a better future.
I felt so much pain for both Echo and Noah. They had each suffered a massive loss. Echo has a lot of resentment and rage toward her stepmother, and sees her having a new baby as a way of her father trying to forget their old family, his estranged ex-wife, and his deceased son Aires, who is also a fallen soldier. Noah struggles his way into his younger brothers' lives, fearing that their foster parents will make them forget him and their real parents. His plight is complicated by a wrongly placed stigma from having struck his own first foster father, an evident that was misunderstood.
These two, broken lost souls come together to mend the pieces of their lives that had shattered, and gradually fall for one another in the process.
As Noah and Echo learn more about their problems and self discovery in this journey each go through incredible changes that are nothing short of heart-wrenching. Echo learns what it is to face certain hard truths about herself and her past while forgiving and opening her hear to new possibilities, while Noah opens his eyes to what really matters for him and what he would want for his future as well as what's really best for his brothers even if its not a plan that he would have envisioned. This results in Echo and Noah finding a new path to each other as well as true healing from their scars. One of the most gripping, emotional stories I have ever read about reconciling with one's past and letting go, giving me a sense of gratitude after it was over.
Both Echo and Noah come from tragic pasts, a past of which adversely affects the present and shapes their reputations in distorted ways. They come together, and try to amend for those pasts in hopes for a better future.
I felt so much pain for both Echo and Noah. They had each suffered a massive loss. Echo has a lot of resentment and rage toward her stepmother, and sees her having a new baby as a way of her father trying to forget their old family, his estranged ex-wife, and his deceased son Aires, who is also a fallen soldier. Noah struggles his way into his younger brothers' lives, fearing that their foster parents will make them forget him and their real parents. His plight is complicated by a wrongly placed stigma from having struck his own first foster father, an evident that was misunderstood.
These two, broken lost souls come together to mend the pieces of their lives that had shattered, and gradually fall for one another in the process.
As Noah and Echo learn more about their problems and self discovery in this journey each go through incredible changes that are nothing short of heart-wrenching. Echo learns what it is to face certain hard truths about herself and her past while forgiving and opening her hear to new possibilities, while Noah opens his eyes to what really matters for him and what he would want for his future as well as what's really best for his brothers even if its not a plan that he would have envisioned. This results in Echo and Noah finding a new path to each other as well as true healing from their scars. One of the most gripping, emotional stories I have ever read about reconciling with one's past and letting go, giving me a sense of gratitude after it was over.