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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
I didn't particularly want to admit to anyone I read this book, but I needed it to complete my reading challenge for 2015. Here's to reading less embarrassing books in '16.
I'm so happy I reread this and I loved it just as much this time around maybe even more
This book deserves a billion stars because five is just not enough!! This book was just brilliant, the plot was interesting, entertaining, and heartbreaking. There where many times where I found myself with a prick of tears in my eyes. I don't know who I love most in this book, Noah and Echo are just amazing and. So are Beth and isaiah. Noah made me love him because of how much he loved his brothers and just how far he would I for them. Echo made me live her because of how much she was willing to give up for the people she loves, how much she loved her brother an how she always looked for the good in her mother up until the end. In short this book was spectacular and honest, beautiful and heartbreaking all in one. It's an emotional roller coaster but it's all worth it!
This story had everything; Both of Noah and Echo's pasts' are heartbreaking and I just wanted to hug them. I love that they conquered their troubles and made each other stronger. That my friends, is a true love story.
Katie did an amazing job on this story, I have no criticism what so ever. Well except for the fact that it had to end.
All you readers need to know is that this is a book that will make you laugh and cry. You will walk away from it feeling different. It sticks with you for a long time. It's real and everyone should read it.
This is the shortest review I have ever written, mostly due to the fact that this book left me speechless. Cuddle yourselves up in a comfy chair with a blanket and a cup of cocoa, i guarantee you wont be able to put this down.
Katie did an amazing job on this story, I have no criticism what so ever. Well except for the fact that it had to end.
All you readers need to know is that this is a book that will make you laugh and cry. You will walk away from it feeling different. It sticks with you for a long time. It's real and everyone should read it.
This is the shortest review I have ever written, mostly due to the fact that this book left me speechless. Cuddle yourselves up in a comfy chair with a blanket and a cup of cocoa, i guarantee you wont be able to put this down.
This was a great book, almost gave it five stars, but it wasn't as engaging as I'd hoped. The emotion was strong and raw and well-written. I envy that ability.
I think my biggest complaint is that of the chemistry between Noah and Echo. It doesn't build very smoothly. Their fancy for each other kind of comes out of nowhere for me. But once they get going, I do like them together, I just wish there was a stronger build up. Overall, the chemistry could have been stronger. I found myself more interested in their individual storylines than in their love--which isn't a bad thing, but I wish their joined relationship was as strong as their individual storylines.
Great book! Romance was just okay for me.
I think my biggest complaint is that of the chemistry between Noah and Echo. It doesn't build very smoothly. Their fancy for each other kind of comes out of nowhere for me. But once they get going, I do like them together, I just wish there was a stronger build up. Overall, the chemistry could have been stronger. I found myself more interested in their individual storylines than in their love--which isn't a bad thing, but I wish their joined relationship was as strong as their individual storylines.
Great book! Romance was just okay for me.
McGarry’s debut novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS, is a raw and edgy contemporary work of fiction that leaps beyond the (mature) YA genre. At its base is a story about a girl and boy who audaciously search for a sense of normalcy after their respective worlds shatter around them. In that respect, this is a book that everyone can relate to, no matter their age.
High school senior and popular girl-turned-social-outcast Echo Emerson finds herself tutoring resident stoner Noah Hutchins in order to save money for a personal project she desperately wants to complete. But, the story was so much more than that. This emotionally charged novel is about (re)defining yourself and your family, a demonstration of loss and resiliency, and finding hope in a fragile situation.
If you enjoy character-driven novels, then this book is for you. Yes, there was an air of mystery that was woven throughout the book as Echo tries to figure out what happened to her two years ago that led to scars on her arms and amnesia of that night. But, the plot was secondary to the character development. Echo was a completely relatable character. She had such courage and strength, and I could not even begin to tell you how often I found myself tearing up while reading her POVs. McGarry did a graceful job in balancing Echo’s growing relationship with Noah, her struggles with her social life, and her contentious relationship with her father and nanny-turned-pregnant stepmother. Noah was such a multi-layered character that I couldn’t help but fall in love with him. Initially described as a “bad boy,” he was so much more than that, and I loved how we got to see his layers peel back through Echo’s eyes. Noah is determination personified in piecing his family back together.
The dual narrative between Noah and Echo was initially jarring, but once I got into the groove of things I felt this narrative style really helped to enhance the pacing and depth of the story. With the exception of Echo’s stepmother, the supportive characters were well-rounded and multi-dimensional. In particular, Noah’s friends lent humor in just the right places.
I have a new book boyfriend, and his name is Noah Hutchins.
This review and others can be found on my book blog: MitchiexBooks.
High school senior and popular girl-turned-social-outcast Echo Emerson finds herself tutoring resident stoner Noah Hutchins in order to save money for a personal project she desperately wants to complete. But, the story was so much more than that. This emotionally charged novel is about (re)defining yourself and your family, a demonstration of loss and resiliency, and finding hope in a fragile situation.
If you enjoy character-driven novels, then this book is for you. Yes, there was an air of mystery that was woven throughout the book as Echo tries to figure out what happened to her two years ago that led to scars on her arms and amnesia of that night. But, the plot was secondary to the character development. Echo was a completely relatable character. She had such courage and strength, and I could not even begin to tell you how often I found myself tearing up while reading her POVs. McGarry did a graceful job in balancing Echo’s growing relationship with Noah, her struggles with her social life, and her contentious relationship with her father and nanny-turned-pregnant stepmother. Noah was such a multi-layered character that I couldn’t help but fall in love with him. Initially described as a “bad boy,” he was so much more than that, and I loved how we got to see his layers peel back through Echo’s eyes. Noah is determination personified in piecing his family back together.
The dual narrative between Noah and Echo was initially jarring, but once I got into the groove of things I felt this narrative style really helped to enhance the pacing and depth of the story. With the exception of Echo’s stepmother, the supportive characters were well-rounded and multi-dimensional. In particular, Noah’s friends lent humor in just the right places.
I have a new book boyfriend, and his name is Noah Hutchins.
This review and others can be found on my book blog: MitchiexBooks.
The characters don't feel authentic. I had the hardest time staying motivated to even finish. Felt about a hundred pages too long and although the last quarter was good, it didn't make up for the rest.
Edgy, emotional and realistic, Pushing the Limits is an affecting contemporary YA debut. McGarry introduces two troubled teens, Echo and Noah. From their alternating perspectives we learn of the serious issues each teen is struggling with and their determination to redefine their lives.
Echo has had to deal with a lot of trauma in recent years. Her parents' divorce, her beloved older brother, a Marine, was killed in action, her father remarried the family's babysitter who is now pregnant and then, in an incident she doesn't remember, Echo's mother tried to kill her. Echo is desperate to know what happened, constantly reminded by the livid scars that mark her arms, but an attempt to force recall resulted in psychiatric episode. Echo is an immediately sympathetic character, bullied by her father and deserted by most of her friends, her self confidence and ability to trust is all but destroyed. Depressed and fragile, Echo has to rebuild her shattered world and the author shares each painful, yet healing, step of her journey.
Noah is on the verge of being unable to graduate when the school counselor recommends he is tutored by Echo. Separated from his adored younger brothers, and bounced between foster homes over the last few years since the death of his parents in a fire, Noah has earned a reputation as a troubled teen. His anger and frustration has resulted in some self destructive behaviours but his feelings for Echo begins to temper the worst of his impulses. Noah's devotion to his brother's is admirable and I understand his fear for their well being. He doesn't handle it at all well, but given his age and circumstance that is hardly surprising either.
The development of the relationship between Echo and Noah is emotionally powerful, these two damaged souls, with very little else in common, gain strength, support and even wisdom from each other. The intimacy between them is built as slowly as possibly within the story's time frame and though it is a little intense at times it is also sweet.
I have to admit I think the plot was a little overcrowded with dramatic 'issues' ranging from child abuse, mental illness and drug use to grief, betrayal and death. Still the drama is compelling and provokes a strong emotional response. Pushing The Limits is dark and at times disturbing, but McGarry leaves us with hope that Echo and Noah will find a way to define themselves not by what has happened to them, but by how they choose to overcome the challenges they have endured.
I'd suggest this novel is probably most suitable for the upper age bracket of it's young adult audience given its mature content but ultimately is has an affirming and heartfelt message for its readers. A poignant tale of heartbreak, loss,redemption and love, I enjoyed Pushing The Limits for its emotional intensity and gritty edge.
I've always heard so many great things about this book. Plus, with all the rave reviews, it was sure to be something that I at least had feelings on, whether they were good or bad ones. I'm pleased to say that they were pretty good ones.
The book started off so slow for me, and it really wasn't until the second half that I started to enjoy myself. The two main characters, Noah and Echo, were likable. Although I have to admit, Noah was my favorite. Echo was too weak for me at times, especially when she threw away the things she wanted in order to please someone else. She did get better by the end of the book, but it took a while for me to really like her. Noah, on the other hand, I liked right away. He was determined, loyal to a fault, and just a really good person. I was so sad for him because he was totally misunderstood by everyone. Either way, the two main characters were definitely compelling, and I always wanted to know what would happen with them, and how they would overcome all of the obstacles they faced.
The side characters were interesting. I really liked Isaiah, and am interested to see where his story goes. Beth was interesting, and a very sympathetic character as well, although she wasn't immediately likable, either. I did have real issues with Echo's family and friends wanting to hide her scars. They wanted to "get her back to normal", even though she was obviously totally different after what happened to her. I hated that part. But then, there was Mrs. Collins. She was unconventional and brilliant. I think she takes my pick for favorite side character.
The plot of the story was interesting, though very slow-paced in the beginning. It revolved around Echo's struggle to remember what happened to her, Noah's struggle to reclaim his brothers, and ultimately, the romance between these two. I liked it, especially after the second half when things started to get interesting.
Overall, this book was an interesting story. I really liked it for it's depiction of real life, and how it shows that the world isn't just black and white. I loved watching Noah and Echo get together, even if I did find Noah a bit too mushy at times. The story had lots of drama, romance, and interesting friendships. If you like YA, you should definitely give this one a try.
The book started off so slow for me, and it really wasn't until the second half that I started to enjoy myself. The two main characters, Noah and Echo, were likable. Although I have to admit, Noah was my favorite. Echo was too weak for me at times, especially when she threw away the things she wanted in order to please someone else. She did get better by the end of the book, but it took a while for me to really like her. Noah, on the other hand, I liked right away. He was determined, loyal to a fault, and just a really good person. I was so sad for him because he was totally misunderstood by everyone. Either way, the two main characters were definitely compelling, and I always wanted to know what would happen with them, and how they would overcome all of the obstacles they faced.
The side characters were interesting. I really liked Isaiah, and am interested to see where his story goes. Beth was interesting, and a very sympathetic character as well, although she wasn't immediately likable, either. I did have real issues with Echo's family and friends wanting to hide her scars. They wanted to "get her back to normal", even though she was obviously totally different after what happened to her. I hated that part. But then, there was Mrs. Collins. She was unconventional and brilliant. I think she takes my pick for favorite side character.
The plot of the story was interesting, though very slow-paced in the beginning. It revolved around Echo's struggle to remember what happened to her, Noah's struggle to reclaim his brothers, and ultimately, the romance between these two. I liked it, especially after the second half when things started to get interesting.
Overall, this book was an interesting story. I really liked it for it's depiction of real life, and how it shows that the world isn't just black and white. I loved watching Noah and Echo get together, even if I did find Noah a bit too mushy at times. The story had lots of drama, romance, and interesting friendships. If you like YA, you should definitely give this one a try.
Hidup Echo Emerson tidak pernah normal sejak kematian kakaknya. Ayahnya berselingkuh dengan pengasuhnya. Ibunya yang menderita penyakit bipolar sehingga harus mengandalkan pengaruh obat untuk membuatnya tetap sadar. Puncaknya ketika dia terbangun di rumah sakit dengan sekujur tubuh penuh luka-luka, sementara dia tidak mengingat apa yang terjadi pada malam “itu”. Yang tersisa hanyalah bekas-bekas luka parut di lengannya, dan larangan untuk menemui ibunya. Tidak ada yang tersisa. Ayahnya melarangnya untuk meneruskan bakat melukisnya (salah satu bakat yang diwariskan oleh ibunya, selain mata hijau dan rambut ikal merah). Echo menutup dirinya, dan meninggalkan sahabat serta pacarnya.
Noah Hutchins mengalami masa yang sulit dimulai ketika rumah tempat tinggalnya terbakar, dan menewaskan kedua orang tuanya. Bersama kedua adiknya, Jacob dan Tyler mereka arus hidup di bawah pengawasan orang tua asuh. Tetapi kemudian mereka dipisahkan ketika Noah melakukan pemukulan terhadap orang tua asuhnya, dan dianggap tidak mampu mengasuh adik-adiknya. Jacob dan Tyler kemudian diasuh oleh keluarga lain. Sekarang tujuan hidup Noah hanya satu, mengambil adik-adiknya dan mengasuh mereka kembali.
Keduanya kemudian dipertemukan oleh Mrs. Collins, pengawas sosial di sekolah mereka. Karena Noah tidak lulus dalam beberapa mata pelajaran, Echo diminta menjadi tutornya. Sebagai imbalannya, Echo akan mendapatkan sejumlah uang yang ingin digunakannya untuk memperbaiki mobil kakaknya. Sejak pertemuan pertama, baik Echo maupun Noah mulai tertarik satu sama lain. Hanya saja Noah yang kasar membuat Echo segera menjauh.
Konflik yang dihadapi Echo dan Noah serupa tapi tak sama. Kedua ingin hidup normal dan memiliki keluarga yang utuh. Echo menghadapi masalah dimana kakaknya dan ibunya meninggalkannya, sementara ayahnya lebh mengutamakan istri barunya. Sedangkan Noah menghadapi masalah untuk mendapatkan hak asuh kedua adiknya. Di sisi lain Echo ingin mengetahui apa yang terjadi pada dirinya pada malam “itu”, sementara Noah ingin mengetahui tentang keluarga yang saat ini mengasuh adiknya.
Awal membaca buku ini saya sedikit pesimis ceritanya biasa-biasa saja. Seorang gadis jatuh cinta pada bad boy, keluarga berantakan, masalah popularitas di sekolah. Tetapi di tengah-tengah buku ini saya mendapati bahwa konfliknya tidak sesederhana itu. Buku ini bercerita soal menentukan pilihan, termasuk ketika menghadapi persoalan di dalam keluarga. Ada egoisme, penghianatan, kejujuran yang menyakitkan, bahkan ketika harus melepaskan impian demi orang yang disayangi. Saya mendapati mata saya berkaca-kaca saat Jacob mengatakan bahwa Noah adalah pahlawannya (lebih hebat daripada Batman) atau ketika Echo mengetahui bahwa ayahnya selalu menempatkannya di posisi kedua pada saat dia benar-benar hanya mengandalkan ayahnya. Perasaan saya teraduk-aduk dan ada banyak pertanyaan “mengapa”, yang dijawab oleh Katie Mcgarry satu per satu hingga di akhir cerita.
Empat bintang untuk Pushing The Limits.
Noah Hutchins mengalami masa yang sulit dimulai ketika rumah tempat tinggalnya terbakar, dan menewaskan kedua orang tuanya. Bersama kedua adiknya, Jacob dan Tyler mereka arus hidup di bawah pengawasan orang tua asuh. Tetapi kemudian mereka dipisahkan ketika Noah melakukan pemukulan terhadap orang tua asuhnya, dan dianggap tidak mampu mengasuh adik-adiknya. Jacob dan Tyler kemudian diasuh oleh keluarga lain. Sekarang tujuan hidup Noah hanya satu, mengambil adik-adiknya dan mengasuh mereka kembali.
Keduanya kemudian dipertemukan oleh Mrs. Collins, pengawas sosial di sekolah mereka. Karena Noah tidak lulus dalam beberapa mata pelajaran, Echo diminta menjadi tutornya. Sebagai imbalannya, Echo akan mendapatkan sejumlah uang yang ingin digunakannya untuk memperbaiki mobil kakaknya. Sejak pertemuan pertama, baik Echo maupun Noah mulai tertarik satu sama lain. Hanya saja Noah yang kasar membuat Echo segera menjauh.
Konflik yang dihadapi Echo dan Noah serupa tapi tak sama. Kedua ingin hidup normal dan memiliki keluarga yang utuh. Echo menghadapi masalah dimana kakaknya dan ibunya meninggalkannya, sementara ayahnya lebh mengutamakan istri barunya. Sedangkan Noah menghadapi masalah untuk mendapatkan hak asuh kedua adiknya. Di sisi lain Echo ingin mengetahui apa yang terjadi pada dirinya pada malam “itu”, sementara Noah ingin mengetahui tentang keluarga yang saat ini mengasuh adiknya.
Awal membaca buku ini saya sedikit pesimis ceritanya biasa-biasa saja. Seorang gadis jatuh cinta pada bad boy, keluarga berantakan, masalah popularitas di sekolah. Tetapi di tengah-tengah buku ini saya mendapati bahwa konfliknya tidak sesederhana itu. Buku ini bercerita soal menentukan pilihan, termasuk ketika menghadapi persoalan di dalam keluarga. Ada egoisme, penghianatan, kejujuran yang menyakitkan, bahkan ketika harus melepaskan impian demi orang yang disayangi. Saya mendapati mata saya berkaca-kaca saat Jacob mengatakan bahwa Noah adalah pahlawannya (lebih hebat daripada Batman) atau ketika Echo mengetahui bahwa ayahnya selalu menempatkannya di posisi kedua pada saat dia benar-benar hanya mengandalkan ayahnya. Perasaan saya teraduk-aduk dan ada banyak pertanyaan “mengapa”, yang dijawab oleh Katie Mcgarry satu per satu hingga di akhir cerita.
Empat bintang untuk Pushing The Limits.