Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
This book actually almost made me cry and for that it gets a lot of stars.
emotional
hopeful
informative
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Too angst for me. Heroine was too busy worrying about herself that she didn’t see any hero’s issues. Their love was quickly established after the first meeting which didn’t leave much else to happen.
I cried waaaay too much with this book but its really good and heartfelt :)
I had heard a lot of great reviews for this book which made me want to find out what the fuss was about so a big thank you goes out to the Mira Ink publishers for giving me the oppertunity to review a brilliant book.
It was the American cover that I first saw with this book which I liked but I think this one could well be my favourite as I love the colours used which makes it stand out. I would say that it fits in well with the story as the story is about these two nothing else is needed.
This is Katie McGarry's debut novel but what a powerful start to what I (and many other am sure) think will be brilliant career. The writing in this book was just stunning with so much angst I felt like I was there rather than reading it.
It was such a roller coaster ride of emotions and found myself in tears in a lot of parts of this book. It was a very addicting book that had me from the moment it started right until it ended. There was some very strong issues that was addressed in this book and I'm so glad that they where addressed in a careful but beautiful manner. The only bad thing about this book was that it had to end!
As for the characters I loved the two main ones (Echo and Noah) I would go as far as saying they are two of my favourite characters ever. They both had so much to go through that just made them even more likable as it showed a soft side to their characters. The relationship between these two main characters was nice to see grow. There was some other side characters that wasn't always the best of people and then there was some just as good as Noah and Echo. Beth was one and I think we are going to find out more from in McGarry's next book but I am hoping we will get to see some more from Noah and Echo.
Overall this isn't just about love it's also about life and the way that it doesn't always go the way you want. A beautiful novel and I for one can't wait to read more from the hugely talented McGarry.
It was the American cover that I first saw with this book which I liked but I think this one could well be my favourite as I love the colours used which makes it stand out. I would say that it fits in well with the story as the story is about these two nothing else is needed.
This is Katie McGarry's debut novel but what a powerful start to what I (and many other am sure) think will be brilliant career. The writing in this book was just stunning with so much angst I felt like I was there rather than reading it.
It was such a roller coaster ride of emotions and found myself in tears in a lot of parts of this book. It was a very addicting book that had me from the moment it started right until it ended. There was some very strong issues that was addressed in this book and I'm so glad that they where addressed in a careful but beautiful manner. The only bad thing about this book was that it had to end!
As for the characters I loved the two main ones (Echo and Noah) I would go as far as saying they are two of my favourite characters ever. They both had so much to go through that just made them even more likable as it showed a soft side to their characters. The relationship between these two main characters was nice to see grow. There was some other side characters that wasn't always the best of people and then there was some just as good as Noah and Echo. Beth was one and I think we are going to find out more from in McGarry's next book but I am hoping we will get to see some more from Noah and Echo.
Overall this isn't just about love it's also about life and the way that it doesn't always go the way you want. A beautiful novel and I for one can't wait to read more from the hugely talented McGarry.
I feel a bit like the Grinch these days. I started changing some ratings and then a friend reminded me that she had to change this book's rating. *that's you Cla, feel free to feel guilty about it*
So many people loved this book and when it came out it was so hyped up I still remember all the enthusiastic reviews. I read Pushing the limits because...it was for free on ITunes like, two or three years ago. Yeah, that's how high my expectations were. #sarcasm
At the same time though I did not expect to find such a ridiculous book. Some people cried and loved it and I respect their opinion, but I laughed my ass off all the time. Pushing the limits is so full of stereotypes and ridiculously written that I couldn't help myself. I can appreciate that the author tried to talk about some deep and difficult topics, such as mental illness, but in my opinion she failed. She failed because she ruined everything with the characters. Noah is just a bad boy that becomes a reformed bad boy the minute he sees Echo. Guys don't go around saying things like "my precious cinnamon roll" or "my beautiful siren sang to me". Bullshit. I don't think even the best, sweetest teenager could say or think this without feeling ridiculous. And please, if there's a condom in a scene call it with its fucking name and not "magic orange square" or something like that. Echo was not a coherent character at all and reading from her pov made me cringe.
I liked Noah's little brothers and Aries, Echo's dead brother more than anything. Isaiah was pretty cute, Beth's an asshole. The cinnamon roll thing-y scarred me for life.
So many people loved this book and when it came out it was so hyped up I still remember all the enthusiastic reviews. I read Pushing the limits because...it was for free on ITunes like, two or three years ago. Yeah, that's how high my expectations were. #sarcasm
At the same time though I did not expect to find such a ridiculous book. Some people cried and loved it and I respect their opinion, but I laughed my ass off all the time. Pushing the limits is so full of stereotypes and ridiculously written that I couldn't help myself. I can appreciate that the author tried to talk about some deep and difficult topics, such as mental illness, but in my opinion she failed. She failed because she ruined everything with the characters. Noah is just a bad boy that becomes a reformed bad boy the minute he sees Echo. Guys don't go around saying things like "my precious cinnamon roll" or "my beautiful siren sang to me". Bullshit. I don't think even the best, sweetest teenager could say or think this without feeling ridiculous. And please, if there's a condom in a scene call it with its fucking name and not "magic orange square" or something like that. Echo was not a coherent character at all and reading from her pov made me cringe.
I liked Noah's little brothers and Aries, Echo's dead brother more than anything. Isaiah was pretty cute, Beth's an asshole. The cinnamon roll thing-y scarred me for life.
2nd read: Loved it just as much as the first time!
---
I really loved this story!! It is such a beautiful coming of age/teen romance story. I think both characters (Echo and Noah) were very, very well done and I think they definitely grew up a lot in the space of the book. I think they both acted accordingly in each scene and I wouldn't have changed anything. I absolutely love that it was told in both characters points of view and I think if it wasn't that the story would have lost a lot because of it. Overall really amazingly done and I am a new HUGE fan of Katie McGarry's. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves YA whether you are usually into contemporary or not, because you will fall in love with it. Believe the hype!
---
I really loved this story!! It is such a beautiful coming of age/teen romance story. I think both characters (Echo and Noah) were very, very well done and I think they definitely grew up a lot in the space of the book. I think they both acted accordingly in each scene and I wouldn't have changed anything. I absolutely love that it was told in both characters points of view and I think if it wasn't that the story would have lost a lot because of it. Overall really amazingly done and I am a new HUGE fan of Katie McGarry's. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves YA whether you are usually into contemporary or not, because you will fall in love with it. Believe the hype!
4.5 stars. Oh my God, the feels. I spent at least 10% of this book with tears streaming down my face because it just gave me so many freaking sibling feels.
I picked this up because the good folk at Penguin Teen Australia spruiked it as one of their favourite underrated series. From memory, they billed it as new adult, and I guess it's kind of on the cusp. I'd tend to classify a book as new adult if it's set after high school. This is set in their senior year of high school, but they're both dealing with so much real life shit that it's pretty heavy going for a YA audience.
Basically, it's the story of a girl who's covered in scars and doesn't remember how she got them who falls in love with a boy who's in foster care following the death of his parents. Her older brother died in Afghanistan, he just wants to get custody of his younger brothers so that they can be a family again. She wants to know what happened to her and why there's a restraining order against her mother, he's living in a basement and lugging around a major secret. When the school therapist/social worker gives her a job tutoring him, they decide to team up to get hold of their therapy files and find out the information they need once and for all.
Both Echo and Noah have a tendency to see situations and individuals - especially adults - in black and white. Over the course of the book, they come to realise that what they see as cut and dried is anything but. Real world situations and a lot of feels.
I picked this up because the good folk at Penguin Teen Australia spruiked it as one of their favourite underrated series. From memory, they billed it as new adult, and I guess it's kind of on the cusp. I'd tend to classify a book as new adult if it's set after high school. This is set in their senior year of high school, but they're both dealing with so much real life shit that it's pretty heavy going for a YA audience.
Basically, it's the story of a girl who's covered in scars and doesn't remember how she got them who falls in love with a boy who's in foster care following the death of his parents. Her older brother died in Afghanistan, he just wants to get custody of his younger brothers so that they can be a family again. She wants to know what happened to her and why there's a restraining order against her mother, he's living in a basement and lugging around a major secret. When the school therapist/social worker gives her a job tutoring him, they decide to team up to get hold of their therapy files and find out the information they need once and for all.
Both Echo and Noah have a tendency to see situations and individuals - especially adults - in black and white. Over the course of the book, they come to realise that what they see as cut and dried is anything but. Real world situations and a lot of feels.
I've seen this book across blogs and book sites and then I saw it as an ARC on NetGalley. I couldn't resist. I couldn't be more right with book! WOOOOOOOOOOW! I'm loved this heart-breaking, soul searching novel for normalcy. This left me in a flood of tears throughout the whole book.
Seventeen year-old Echo Everson was a popular teenager, until two years ago when everything took a turn for the worst... Her babysitter invaded her family, her parents divorced, and her brother Aires died in the Marines. One a night, two years ago she woke in the hospital screaming from the untold cuts and scars and having no memory of recollection of the events of that night. Since then she has been to a number of physicist to help remember but that only leads to episodes, being swallowed into a black hole... Now her newest social therapist at her local school Mrs. Collin's. But her threpist sessions are soon disturbed by Noah Hutchins; bad-boy stoner for a reputation for one night stands.
Noah Hutchins has some problems of his own. One night, two and half years ago, a fire occurred at his home, his brothers; Jacob and Tyler survived but his parents didn't... He was then involved with social workers and soon into the foster care system, but his emotions got the better of him and he punched his step-father for inappropriate behaviour to another child. The repercussions of sent off the Foster care and permanently spilt from his brothers, which tore him up. Being appointed by therapist; with Mrs. Collins was wasn't he wanted, with only limited visitations, he wants to make a life for his brothers by applying for custody of legal custody of his brothers. What he didn't expect to find was a Echo Emerson.
Echo and Noah, is a torn and heart-breaking love that will leave in floods. Both being from different backgrounds, yet troubling pasts, they aren't so different. All they want is normality. In order to find normality. Mrs Collins pairs them for tutoring; Echo to raise money to fix Aires car, to repair his memory, and Noah to get the best grades he can to achieve custody of his brothers. But their connections deepens with each passing day. Noah becomes fascinated with her "siren smile" and Echo becomes compelled by his nature and the normalcy that surrounds them both. What makes this a beautiful relationship is the delicacy he has with her scars, he makes her become the person she was! She exposes her scars and becomes this new person, not a freak! When their worlds collide there is no turning back!
“If you’re scared, tell me. If you need to cry and scream, then do it. And you sure as hell don’t walk away from us because you think it would be better for me. Here’s the reality, Echo: I want to be by your side. If you want to go to the mall stark naked so you can show the world your scars, then let me hold your hand. If you want to see your mom, then tell me that too. I may not always understand, but damn, baby, I’ll try.”
What I found INFURIATING was her father, Owen and Ashley. They made me so ANGRY by their attitudes and the secrecy of the that one night. Now Ashley, wow, she is even worse, her baby woes and her insolence of her step-daughters scars irritate her because Echo is not normal. Echo has always said that she loved her as a baby-sitter yet she despises her as a step-mother because she took away her real mother and stole the love of her father from her into her unborn child. You can tell how irritated I am! Believe me after read this book, you want to punch her father or shake him, to return to reality.
Katie McGarry has a fresh and enchanting way of writing such a beautiful and delicate debut novel. How can Katie write such an emotional and stunning novel. I applaud Katie McGarry for her genius and creative writing of this book. This is by a far my favourite contemporary YA novel of this year. I hope there will be sequel.
I want to tell you everything, but its too many spoilers for you all. All I can say.... It will leave you feeling fresh and free yet your tears will tell you a different story.
Seventeen year-old Echo Everson was a popular teenager, until two years ago when everything took a turn for the worst... Her babysitter invaded her family, her parents divorced, and her brother Aires died in the Marines. One a night, two years ago she woke in the hospital screaming from the untold cuts and scars and having no memory of recollection of the events of that night. Since then she has been to a number of physicist to help remember but that only leads to episodes, being swallowed into a black hole... Now her newest social therapist at her local school Mrs. Collin's. But her threpist sessions are soon disturbed by Noah Hutchins; bad-boy stoner for a reputation for one night stands.
Noah Hutchins has some problems of his own. One night, two and half years ago, a fire occurred at his home, his brothers; Jacob and Tyler survived but his parents didn't... He was then involved with social workers and soon into the foster care system, but his emotions got the better of him and he punched his step-father for inappropriate behaviour to another child. The repercussions of sent off the Foster care and permanently spilt from his brothers, which tore him up. Being appointed by therapist; with Mrs. Collins was wasn't he wanted, with only limited visitations, he wants to make a life for his brothers by applying for custody of legal custody of his brothers. What he didn't expect to find was a Echo Emerson.
Echo and Noah, is a torn and heart-breaking love that will leave in floods. Both being from different backgrounds, yet troubling pasts, they aren't so different. All they want is normality. In order to find normality. Mrs Collins pairs them for tutoring; Echo to raise money to fix Aires car, to repair his memory, and Noah to get the best grades he can to achieve custody of his brothers. But their connections deepens with each passing day. Noah becomes fascinated with her "siren smile" and Echo becomes compelled by his nature and the normalcy that surrounds them both. What makes this a beautiful relationship is the delicacy he has with her scars, he makes her become the person she was! She exposes her scars and becomes this new person, not a freak! When their worlds collide there is no turning back!
“If you’re scared, tell me. If you need to cry and scream, then do it. And you sure as hell don’t walk away from us because you think it would be better for me. Here’s the reality, Echo: I want to be by your side. If you want to go to the mall stark naked so you can show the world your scars, then let me hold your hand. If you want to see your mom, then tell me that too. I may not always understand, but damn, baby, I’ll try.”
What I found INFURIATING was her father, Owen and Ashley. They made me so ANGRY by their attitudes and the secrecy of the that one night. Now Ashley, wow, she is even worse, her baby woes and her insolence of her step-daughters scars irritate her because Echo is not normal. Echo has always said that she loved her as a baby-sitter yet she despises her as a step-mother because she took away her real mother and stole the love of her father from her into her unborn child. You can tell how irritated I am! Believe me after read this book, you want to punch her father or shake him, to return to reality.
Katie McGarry has a fresh and enchanting way of writing such a beautiful and delicate debut novel. How can Katie write such an emotional and stunning novel. I applaud Katie McGarry for her genius and creative writing of this book. This is by a far my favourite contemporary YA novel of this year. I hope there will be sequel.
I want to tell you everything, but its too many spoilers for you all. All I can say.... It will leave you feeling fresh and free yet your tears will tell you a different story.
Really liked it, but had higher expectation for this book.