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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
I had high hopes the reviews for this thing were pretty high and I'm not saying that this book is complete trash but there is a reason I stopped reading. I think for me sometimes it did feel cringy like most ya but it had this undertone of brokenness which I liked but maybe I didn't read the whole story to feel what happened. I stopped reading because it made me feel gross. Like the male character keeps thinking of here like sexual and it makes me uncomfortably on many levels. The scene where they're in the basement is very weird and makes consent and virginity weird which is why I stopped reading. The author should handle it more correctly and maybe i would have read through it, but overall a good premise and i just can’t read past he sexuality issues.
So, this book had ALL THE FEELS! Jenna kept on me about reading it, and I have no idea why I put it off for so long. She was right, I freaking devoured this book. I’m talking staying up until 1 or 2, and having to get up the next day for work tired as hell.
Echo and Noah are seriously damaged people. That’s what makes them so easy to relate to. Echo has real trust issues, not that I blame her at all. What happened to her was seriously jacked up. She has to struggle to remember that night. Noah used to be a great student, but now he doesn’t even care.
I was an emotional wreck throughout this book. Echo wants to be normal, and her friends think if she picks up life how it was then everything will be great. A lot of the time I wanted to slap the mess out of her friends. She only had one true friend out of the whole ordeal. The others only care about their popularity status. Noah has some of the best friends a person could ask for. They are rough around the edges, but completely loyal. I can’t imagine going through anything these kids have gone through. They have a lot of strength just to get by daily. High school is a hard place to get through, especially when you have problems.
Throughout the course of this book, I was cheering both Noah and Echo on, and other times I wanted to knock some sense into them. For two people that are so smart, they could be really dumb at times. They face many ups and downs together. They show just how much you can get through if you allow yourself time to heal, and focus on the future. I hope we see more of these two as the series continues.
Echo and Noah are seriously damaged people. That’s what makes them so easy to relate to. Echo has real trust issues, not that I blame her at all. What happened to her was seriously jacked up. She has to struggle to remember that night. Noah used to be a great student, but now he doesn’t even care.
I was an emotional wreck throughout this book. Echo wants to be normal, and her friends think if she picks up life how it was then everything will be great. A lot of the time I wanted to slap the mess out of her friends. She only had one true friend out of the whole ordeal. The others only care about their popularity status. Noah has some of the best friends a person could ask for. They are rough around the edges, but completely loyal. I can’t imagine going through anything these kids have gone through. They have a lot of strength just to get by daily. High school is a hard place to get through, especially when you have problems.
Throughout the course of this book, I was cheering both Noah and Echo on, and other times I wanted to knock some sense into them. For two people that are so smart, they could be really dumb at times. They face many ups and downs together. They show just how much you can get through if you allow yourself time to heal, and focus on the future. I hope we see more of these two as the series continues.
Oh god, this book. This book gave me all the FEELS. I knew this book would be dealing with some serious stuff but I didn’t expect to feel such a wide range of emotions. I laughed, I bawled my eyes out, and even got angry. So many feelings that I wasn’t expecting.
Pushing the Limits was so much more than a romance story. While the romance was smoking hot, I have to say I enjoy learning more about Noah and Echo as characters and seeing them overcome their struggles more than the romance. Both Echo and Noah are very trouble characters and have dark secrets they have kept buried inside. Katie McGarry was not afraid of tackling the nitty gritty and serious issues, which I really liked. She was able to capture the emotional struggles Echo and Noah were facing so well that I was in tears for these poor, poor characters.
Normally I am not a fan of alternating points of view, one of the characters always seem to come off as weaker or it just does nothing for the plot, but in the case of Pushing the Limits the alternating point of view worked perfectly. I loved getting into both Echo and Noah’s head. The writing helped create these characters who you come to care about and get emotionally attached to. Katie McGarry wrote these fabulous characters and as a reader you were truly was able to get into each of their heads. When a chapter ended and switched characters it didn’t feel awkward, the story flowed and it didn’t feel like head jumping (thankfully!).
Now Noah and Echo, man, I just wanted to give them a hug. And boy, do they need one. Noah is the boy everyone warns their daughters against, but he’s so much more. While he has the tough, bad boy exterior, Noah is one of the most caring, motivated, strong teenagers I’ve seen. Despite all the struggles he’s had to face, like losing his parents and growing up in foster care, he’s extremely dedicated to his two brothers who have been separated from him. Noah’s devotion to his younger brothers, oh god. It was the sweetest thing. The scenes with Noah and his brothers made me tear up so much, I’m not afraid to say it. He loves them so much and will do anything for them. Noah gives everything to those he loves and will do anything to protect those he loves, such an admirable trait. I loved that aspect of his personality so much. I loved how he grew as a character over book.
And then there is Echo. That poor poor girl. She definitely has it rough. Her father is overprotective and overbearing, she is not allowed to see her mother because of an event Echo cannot remember but left her with horrible scars over her arms. Despite everything, Echo still wants to remember the horrible event that almost killed her and still cares for her mother. Her struggle to learn the truth about that night was hard to read. All she wanted was to know. When she finally learns the truth, I was in tears with her. Like Noah, she grew so much over the story. She was willing to come to terms with what happen and open up to those around her, thanks to Noah. While they might be the two messed up character ever, they were so adorable and perfect together.
The romance in this book was electric. Noah and Echo’s chemistry jumped off the page and you couldn’t help but want them to be together. They needed to be together for each other. But the romance did not define this book. Yes, it might be how they market it, what with the cover and all but it was so much more. The emotional struggles in the book are what really made me love it. The romance was a nice bonus.
If you read one book this year, it definitely should be Pushing the Limits. Its such a great read that captivates you with its amazing characters and draws you in with their struggles. I’m super excited to see what Katie McGarry writes next because she has me next. A companion book staring a secondary character for this book is being published so I’m super excited for that! Hands down, Pushing the Limit is a must read.
P.S. I think these lines from the Broadway show Next to Normal define what Noah and Echo both are ultimately working toward in their struggles: “I don't need a life that's normal—/ That's way too far away, / But something...next to normal / Would be okay. / Yeah, something next to normal— /That's the thing I'd like to try. /Close enough to normal / To get by...”
Pushing the Limits was so much more than a romance story. While the romance was smoking hot, I have to say I enjoy learning more about Noah and Echo as characters and seeing them overcome their struggles more than the romance. Both Echo and Noah are very trouble characters and have dark secrets they have kept buried inside. Katie McGarry was not afraid of tackling the nitty gritty and serious issues, which I really liked. She was able to capture the emotional struggles Echo and Noah were facing so well that I was in tears for these poor, poor characters.
Normally I am not a fan of alternating points of view, one of the characters always seem to come off as weaker or it just does nothing for the plot, but in the case of Pushing the Limits the alternating point of view worked perfectly. I loved getting into both Echo and Noah’s head. The writing helped create these characters who you come to care about and get emotionally attached to. Katie McGarry wrote these fabulous characters and as a reader you were truly was able to get into each of their heads. When a chapter ended and switched characters it didn’t feel awkward, the story flowed and it didn’t feel like head jumping (thankfully!).
Now Noah and Echo, man, I just wanted to give them a hug. And boy, do they need one. Noah is the boy everyone warns their daughters against, but he’s so much more. While he has the tough, bad boy exterior, Noah is one of the most caring, motivated, strong teenagers I’ve seen. Despite all the struggles he’s had to face, like losing his parents and growing up in foster care, he’s extremely dedicated to his two brothers who have been separated from him. Noah’s devotion to his younger brothers, oh god. It was the sweetest thing. The scenes with Noah and his brothers made me tear up so much, I’m not afraid to say it. He loves them so much and will do anything for them. Noah gives everything to those he loves and will do anything to protect those he loves, such an admirable trait. I loved that aspect of his personality so much. I loved how he grew as a character over book.
And then there is Echo. That poor poor girl. She definitely has it rough. Her father is overprotective and overbearing, she is not allowed to see her mother because of an event Echo cannot remember but left her with horrible scars over her arms. Despite everything, Echo still wants to remember the horrible event that almost killed her and still cares for her mother. Her struggle to learn the truth about that night was hard to read. All she wanted was to know. When she finally learns the truth, I was in tears with her. Like Noah, she grew so much over the story. She was willing to come to terms with what happen and open up to those around her, thanks to Noah. While they might be the two messed up character ever, they were so adorable and perfect together.
The romance in this book was electric. Noah and Echo’s chemistry jumped off the page and you couldn’t help but want them to be together. They needed to be together for each other. But the romance did not define this book. Yes, it might be how they market it, what with the cover and all but it was so much more. The emotional struggles in the book are what really made me love it. The romance was a nice bonus.
If you read one book this year, it definitely should be Pushing the Limits. Its such a great read that captivates you with its amazing characters and draws you in with their struggles. I’m super excited to see what Katie McGarry writes next because she has me next. A companion book staring a secondary character for this book is being published so I’m super excited for that! Hands down, Pushing the Limit is a must read.
P.S. I think these lines from the Broadway show Next to Normal define what Noah and Echo both are ultimately working toward in their struggles: “I don't need a life that's normal—/ That's way too far away, / But something...next to normal / Would be okay. / Yeah, something next to normal— /That's the thing I'd like to try. /Close enough to normal / To get by...”
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My two main problems were these:
1.) This was one of those books that I think the author could have worked more on. I think a LOT of stuff could have been cut to make a shorter book, because not all of it seemed absolutely crucial to the plot.
2.) Noah always calling her "baby." Seriously, that's what knocked this from 3 stars to 2 stars for me. It made the dialogue super unrealistic and made Noah seem like a cheese ball. Definitely scraped off a lot of realisticness in the story for me.
I did like the plot. The story was a very good one, I just don't love how it was executed.
Ages 14 & up. No sex, not even a fade-out, but a lot of talk of it and a few close-ish encounters. A lot of cussing from certain characters.
I did like the ending though! Echo realized all the right things and I really admired the characters' changes of heart.
1.) This was one of those books that I think the author could have worked more on. I think a LOT of stuff could have been cut to make a shorter book, because not all of it seemed absolutely crucial to the plot.
2.) Noah always calling her "baby." Seriously, that's what knocked this from 3 stars to 2 stars for me. It made the dialogue super unrealistic and made Noah seem like a cheese ball. Definitely scraped off a lot of realisticness in the story for me.
I did like the plot. The story was a very good one, I just don't love how it was executed.
Ages 14 & up. No sex, not even a fade-out, but a lot of talk of it and a few close-ish encounters. A lot of cussing from certain characters.
I did like the ending though! Echo realized all the right things and I really admired the characters' changes of heart.
Azért tetszett nagyon, mert mentes volt minden sablontól, attól, hogy nagyon fiataloknak szóljon és nem olyanok voltak a főszereplők, akiknek a gondjai csak mondvacsináltak, hanem teljesen reális problémák és megoldások születtek: ezekből a helyzetekből nem lehet rózsaszín boldogságbuborékban búcsúzni, de Echo és Noah is megtalálja a maga lelki békéjét, de a fenntartásáért továbbra is meg kell dolgozniuk. Katie McGarry nagyon jó első regényt tett le az asztalra és előre bocsátom, hogy a második is jól sikerült s legszívesebben azonnal vetettem volna magam a következőre, Isaiah történetére, de arra még egy évet várni kell. Szóval ha a NA vagy a komolyabb YA ilyen könyveket produkál, akkor semmi kifogásom a mondvacsinált címkézés ellen. Amúgy ha jól tudom, a Könyvmolyképzőnél vannak a jogok, csak ki kell várni, hogy megjelenjen magyarul.
Részletesen: http://olvasonaplo.net/olvasonaplo/2013/04/16/katie-mcgarry-pushing-limits/
Részletesen: http://olvasonaplo.net/olvasonaplo/2013/04/16/katie-mcgarry-pushing-limits/
Echo and Noah definitely win the prize for couple with the crappiest backstory. By crappiest, I don't mean worst written or least developed, I mean, had the crappiest things happen to them. Echo's parents went through a messy divorce, her brother was killed in Afghanistan, and something happened with her mom that caused massive scars up and down her arms, psychological trauma, night terrors, and massive memory loss. Noah's parents died in a house fire, which he managed to save his little brothers from , but was eventually separated from his brothers in foster care, and ended up in a string of bad homes, which resulted in him being labelled a "troublemaker" for trying to protect another kid from his abusive father.
Yeah. Great lives.
So, despite the fact that Echo is known as a former-popular-girl-turned-weirdo who still hovers on the fringes, and Noah is known as a troublemaker-playboy-stoner, it turns out these two have a lot in common. Oh, they are also both unbelievably hot, without really realizing it themselves. When they meet, they have instant chemistry and are inexplicably drawn to one another, despite the perceived differences in their social standings. Eventually, they get together, despite what each of their friend groups thinks, and with each other's help, they deal with their issues, sometimes making bad choices, but ultimately, making good ones. They learn to look towards the future instead of into the past. Life is far from perfect. No one instantaneously recovers from their issues, so I'm glad that Echo and Noah didn't either. It's enough to see them together, looking forward to the future.
Probably the only thing I wasn't so fond of in this story is how quickly Echo and Noah got together and were so much in love. It seemed a little cliche and too romance-novelly at times for my personal taste, but if given a choice, I'd rather have too much romance than no romance at all.
There are a lot of crappy adults in this book, from Echo's crazy mom to Noah's first foster dad to Beth's mom's boyfriend. For the most part, though, most of them fall into a grey area, where they're not perfect, but they're trying their hardest: Echo's dad and stepmom, Noah's most recent foster parents, Noah's little brothers' foster parents. And then you have the awesome adults, most notable Ms. Collins, the kids' no-nonsense, puppy-dog, caring, giving, thoughtful therapist/counsellor. She spent the whole book trying to convince them that after all the stupid adults they'd been around, they could trust her to be on their side, and in the end, they finally did.
I enjoyed the side characters for the most part, smart parts though they had, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series about Beth. The only sad part is it appears her "true love" is not Isaac. Poor kid!
Spoiler
If you've read the book, you know that Echo's bipolar mom, in a depressed state, attempted to kill her with sleeping pills, and the drowsy Echo crashed into a pane of stained glass, nearly bleeding to death.Spoiler
and which was accidentally set by one of those little brothersYeah. Great lives.
So, despite the fact that Echo is known as a former-popular-girl-turned-weirdo who still hovers on the fringes, and Noah is known as a troublemaker-playboy-stoner, it turns out these two have a lot in common. Oh, they are also both unbelievably hot, without really realizing it themselves. When they meet, they have instant chemistry and are inexplicably drawn to one another, despite the perceived differences in their social standings. Eventually, they get together, despite what each of their friend groups thinks, and with each other's help, they deal with their issues, sometimes making bad choices, but ultimately, making good ones. They learn to look towards the future instead of into the past. Life is far from perfect. No one instantaneously recovers from their issues, so I'm glad that Echo and Noah didn't either. It's enough to see them together, looking forward to the future.
Probably the only thing I wasn't so fond of in this story is how quickly Echo and Noah got together and were so much in love. It seemed a little cliche and too romance-novelly at times for my personal taste, but if given a choice, I'd rather have too much romance than no romance at all.
There are a lot of crappy adults in this book, from Echo's crazy mom to Noah's first foster dad to Beth's mom's boyfriend. For the most part, though, most of them fall into a grey area, where they're not perfect, but they're trying their hardest: Echo's dad and stepmom, Noah's most recent foster parents, Noah's little brothers' foster parents. And then you have the awesome adults, most notable Ms. Collins, the kids' no-nonsense, puppy-dog, caring, giving, thoughtful therapist/counsellor. She spent the whole book trying to convince them that after all the stupid adults they'd been around, they could trust her to be on their side, and in the end, they finally did.
I enjoyed the side characters for the most part, smart parts though they had, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series about Beth. The only sad part is it appears her "true love" is not Isaac. Poor kid!
This has been a very beautiful book with many feelings and although it is a book of romance, which I liked, is more inclined to the family side is what I loved most about this story.
Echo and problems with his mother and father have broken my heart she is very strong and in the end I think it has grown so much during the book. Personally I think it Aires would be proud ♥
Noah did not really stop loving as he loves his brothers and all that gives meaning the family is wonderful as you change something in when he falls for Echo and struggle for balance in your life is great !. The adoptive family of his brothers must say they are lovely people I am so happy for that to continue with his life while his brothers are in good hands ♥.
Thousands of feelings ... adore this story ♥
Echo and problems with his mother and father have broken my heart she is very strong and in the end I think it has grown so much during the book. Personally I think it Aires would be proud ♥
Noah did not really stop loving as he loves his brothers and all that gives meaning the family is wonderful as you change something in when he falls for Echo and struggle for balance in your life is great !. The adoptive family of his brothers must say they are lovely people I am so happy for that to continue with his life while his brothers are in good hands ♥.
Thousands of feelings ... adore this story ♥
4.5/5 stars really
Damn this book was intense. If I've learnt nothing else, it's that the American child protective services and foster system is dreadful. Noah and his situation just broke my heart, far more so than Echo's.
Great writing - couldn't put this book down! Even read it despite suffering severe motion sickness while on the bus because I just couldn't stop reading! The characters are extremely well crafted and the development of these characters and their complicated relationships is what elevated this book above some of the other contemporary YA books I've read.
This isn't really my genre of choice but I'm a sucker for bad boys with scars and tattoos so I had to read this book and I'm so glad I did. The only thing that prevented me from giving this book 5/5 is that the ending seemed a little too good to be true. I'm not a fan of unrealistically happy endings and this all just seemed to tie up a little too neatly considering how raw the rest of the story had been. Still, definitely worth reading!
Damn this book was intense. If I've learnt nothing else, it's that the American child protective services and foster system is dreadful. Noah and his situation just broke my heart, far more so than Echo's.
Great writing - couldn't put this book down! Even read it despite suffering severe motion sickness while on the bus because I just couldn't stop reading! The characters are extremely well crafted and the development of these characters and their complicated relationships is what elevated this book above some of the other contemporary YA books I've read.
This isn't really my genre of choice but I'm a sucker for bad boys with scars and tattoos so I had to read this book and I'm so glad I did. The only thing that prevented me from giving this book 5/5 is that the ending seemed a little too good to be true. I'm not a fan of unrealistically happy endings and this all just seemed to tie up a little too neatly considering how raw the rest of the story had been. Still, definitely worth reading!
Amazing book. Loved it. Echo and Noah and their stories broke my heart one minute and made me rejoice in their strength and love the next. I was so invested in their story that I couldn't put it down and what an emotional ride. Wonderful book that lived up to my expectations.