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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
West Young has inspired me to make a new shelf entirely dedicated to those really hot but unfortunately annoying guys that you evidently want to do bodily harm. Don't get me wrong he was a pretty good male lead, but his inability to think before acting or listen at all was at best annoying and at worst madding. I was on the verge of going bald because it was almost impossible for me to not want to pull my hair out in fraustration.
Haley on the other hand was inspiring for a completely different reason. She was strong in all the ways that counted and it was because of that that I liked her so much. It wasn't just the fact that she was a national kick boxing champion, it was also her emotional and mental strength to get through what she got through with that much grace. There was so much surrounding her but she managed to come out a fighter, and to still come out on top.
Regardless I have to say that I really did enjoy Take Me On (okay fine, I liked it a lot especially because we got to see snippets of Isaiah). I'm pretty sure that the fact that it was so very fraustrating made the book even more captivating. Because I was annoyed but I wanted to know what was going to happen anyway.
I have to hand it to Katie McGarry, she has written a pretty good story once again. It was extremely fast paced and it seems that no matter how many stories I read from her they always seem to suck me in. I'm almost certain that my favourite character from this series just might be Abby, which means she definitely needs her own book.
Haley on the other hand was inspiring for a completely different reason. She was strong in all the ways that counted and it was because of that that I liked her so much. It wasn't just the fact that she was a national kick boxing champion, it was also her emotional and mental strength to get through what she got through with that much grace. There was so much surrounding her but she managed to come out a fighter, and to still come out on top.
Regardless I have to say that I really did enjoy Take Me On (okay fine, I liked it a lot especially because we got to see snippets of Isaiah). I'm pretty sure that the fact that it was so very fraustrating made the book even more captivating. Because I was annoyed but I wanted to know what was going to happen anyway.
I have to hand it to Katie McGarry, she has written a pretty good story once again. It was extremely fast paced and it seems that no matter how many stories I read from her they always seem to suck me in. I'm almost certain that my favourite character from this series just might be Abby, which means she definitely needs her own book.
Review Originally Posted on Quinn's Book Nook
I love Katie McGarry’s books. Her previous three books, Pushing the Limits, Dare You To, and Crash Into You, are some of my favorite books, and she’s one of the rare auto-buy authors that I have. So my expectations were pretty darn high for Take Me On, McGarry’s fourth book. And, for the most part they were met . . . but I can’t say I loved Take Me On as much as her others. I would probably give Take Me On a 3.75 rating, but since it’s McGarry, and the reasons I wasn’t madly in love are mostly personal preferences, I bumped it up to four stars.
West is one of Rachel’s brothers from Crash Into You, and I really didn’t like him all that much in Crash Into You. He was a jerk in some ways, and he wasn’t always looking out for Rachel, and he’s sort of paying the price for it in Take Me On. West is not dealing well with the events at the end of Crash Into You, and he’s sort of lost. But when he meets Haley, someone whose circumstances are much different from his own, things change. Haley is very poor, and, along with her parents and siblings, lives with her uncle who’s pretty much an asshat. He’s like the king of verbal abuse. Haley’s dealing with some stuff too, and West and Haley really connect and find comfort in each other.
As with McGarry’s other stories, I was sucked in pretty early on, and I was very much invested in Haley and West’s lives. I wanted them to be together, I wanted them to be happy, and I also wanted to smack all the grownups who were causing so many problems. However, I never was as connected with West or Haley or their relationship as I had with the other characters in McGarry’s other books. I don’t think this is a writing issue. McGarry is a fantastic writer, and everything is written well in Take Me On. I just couldn’t connect to them as much as I have with other characters, probably because of personal preferences.
There is so much talk about fighting (as a sport), which isn’t something that I am really interested in. I didn’t really care about a kick series, or a one-two series, or whatever they were called, and I felt like, for me personally, there was too much of that in Take Me On. It really isn’t ovewhelming, but when I have such a small tolerance for that stuff to begin with, well, it doesn’t take much for my eyes to glaze over. Again, there really isn’t fault with the amount of detail that McGarry put in Take Me On, this is just my personal preference. I love that McGarry does her research, and knows what she’s talking about. However, because I struggled a bit with all the fighting terminology, it made it a little difficult to connect to West and Haley, because fighting was such a big part of their lives.
Still, I really think that McGarry totally kicks behind with Take Me On. It delivers exactly what fans would expect – a great romance, troubled teens from different incomes falling for each other, and lots of feels. I absolutely love Katie McGarry, and although Take Me On isn’t my favorite, I still stayed up way too late reading, something that is tradition when I’m reading a McGarry book.
I love Katie McGarry’s books. Her previous three books, Pushing the Limits, Dare You To, and Crash Into You, are some of my favorite books, and she’s one of the rare auto-buy authors that I have. So my expectations were pretty darn high for Take Me On, McGarry’s fourth book. And, for the most part they were met . . . but I can’t say I loved Take Me On as much as her others. I would probably give Take Me On a 3.75 rating, but since it’s McGarry, and the reasons I wasn’t madly in love are mostly personal preferences, I bumped it up to four stars.
West is one of Rachel’s brothers from Crash Into You, and I really didn’t like him all that much in Crash Into You. He was a jerk in some ways, and he wasn’t always looking out for Rachel, and he’s sort of paying the price for it in Take Me On. West is not dealing well with the events at the end of Crash Into You, and he’s sort of lost. But when he meets Haley, someone whose circumstances are much different from his own, things change. Haley is very poor, and, along with her parents and siblings, lives with her uncle who’s pretty much an asshat. He’s like the king of verbal abuse. Haley’s dealing with some stuff too, and West and Haley really connect and find comfort in each other.
As with McGarry’s other stories, I was sucked in pretty early on, and I was very much invested in Haley and West’s lives. I wanted them to be together, I wanted them to be happy, and I also wanted to smack all the grownups who were causing so many problems. However, I never was as connected with West or Haley or their relationship as I had with the other characters in McGarry’s other books. I don’t think this is a writing issue. McGarry is a fantastic writer, and everything is written well in Take Me On. I just couldn’t connect to them as much as I have with other characters, probably because of personal preferences.
There is so much talk about fighting (as a sport), which isn’t something that I am really interested in. I didn’t really care about a kick series, or a one-two series, or whatever they were called, and I felt like, for me personally, there was too much of that in Take Me On. It really isn’t ovewhelming, but when I have such a small tolerance for that stuff to begin with, well, it doesn’t take much for my eyes to glaze over. Again, there really isn’t fault with the amount of detail that McGarry put in Take Me On, this is just my personal preference. I love that McGarry does her research, and knows what she’s talking about. However, because I struggled a bit with all the fighting terminology, it made it a little difficult to connect to West and Haley, because fighting was such a big part of their lives.
Still, I really think that McGarry totally kicks behind with Take Me On. It delivers exactly what fans would expect – a great romance, troubled teens from different incomes falling for each other, and lots of feels. I absolutely love Katie McGarry, and although Take Me On isn’t my favorite, I still stayed up way too late reading, something that is tradition when I’m reading a McGarry book.
*5 Stars*
I've really loved this series. This book was amazing. McGarry does it again.
We previously met West Young in Crash into You, and to be honest, I really didn't like him. This book totally changed my opinion of him.
West nearly runs Haley over with his car when when she's on her way home to get her Dad's medication to him - she then gets jumped by her ex boyfriends brother. West tries to stand up for her and fight him and so begins their story.
Haley Williams come from a family thats really struggling with life after her Dad was laid off at the factory he worked at. She herself, along with her brother and cousin are also MMA fighters and they all live with her cousin Jax and his a-hole of a father, Haleys uncle.
Haley has previously given up fighting though (for reasons which I won't divulge), yet because of West trying to protect her, and the fact that it was her ex's brother - he ends up agreeing to a fight in the cage.
Haley is now drawn back into this world and ends up training West. Meanwhile, West has been kicked out of home by his shit head of a father and is living in his car and working at a local bar.
Abby is a frequent secondary character in this book and I still really like her unusual ways. She's the only really consistent character in this one from the previous books and I'm really really keen to read her story in the next book.
Now of course, West and Haley inevitably fall for each other, and with all the struggles of Haleys family, West and his family issues and Haleys crazy ex boyfriend, we're treated to one hell of a ride.
West is so damned charming and sweet in this book and for me he was the main highlight and main character of the novel. You see a totally different side to him and understand his thoughts and actions a hell of a lot more that just seeing the cocky asshole we saw previously.
He and Haley work really well together and I loved watching this one play out. There's a few surprises along the way and a hell of a lot of heart.
I highly recommend this is you're a Katie McGarry fan and if not, you need to jump on the bandwagon!
I've really loved this series. This book was amazing. McGarry does it again.
We previously met West Young in Crash into You, and to be honest, I really didn't like him. This book totally changed my opinion of him.
West nearly runs Haley over with his car when when she's on her way home to get her Dad's medication to him - she then gets jumped by her ex boyfriends brother. West tries to stand up for her and fight him and so begins their story.
Haley Williams come from a family thats really struggling with life after her Dad was laid off at the factory he worked at. She herself, along with her brother and cousin are also MMA fighters and they all live with her cousin Jax and his a-hole of a father, Haleys uncle.
Haley has previously given up fighting though (for reasons which I won't divulge), yet because of West trying to protect her, and the fact that it was her ex's brother - he ends up agreeing to a fight in the cage.
Haley is now drawn back into this world and ends up training West. Meanwhile, West has been kicked out of home by his shit head of a father and is living in his car and working at a local bar.
Abby is a frequent secondary character in this book and I still really like her unusual ways. She's the only really consistent character in this one from the previous books and I'm really really keen to read her story in the next book.
Now of course, West and Haley inevitably fall for each other, and with all the struggles of Haleys family, West and his family issues and Haleys crazy ex boyfriend, we're treated to one hell of a ride.
West is so damned charming and sweet in this book and for me he was the main highlight and main character of the novel. You see a totally different side to him and understand his thoughts and actions a hell of a lot more that just seeing the cocky asshole we saw previously.
He and Haley work really well together and I loved watching this one play out. There's a few surprises along the way and a hell of a lot of heart.
I highly recommend this is you're a Katie McGarry fan and if not, you need to jump on the bandwagon!
So good, deinitely a close second to Dare You To which is my favorite in the series
I think I've gotten to the point where I think Katie McGarry can do no wrong. I just flat-out love her books. There hasn't been a single one that I didn't really enjoy. They may not be the most thought provoking books, but they are sexy, well-written, dramatic and incredibly funny. I am a strong believer that books don't have to be pretentious and critically acclaimed to be magnificent. And Take Me On is just another example of that fact.
Take Me On is a dual narrative story, like all Katie McGarry books, that follows the intersecting lives of Haley and West. Haley is a high school senior, barely surviving. Her father lost his job a year ago, and after they lost their home and just about everything else, Haley and her family are now living in their verbally abusive uncle's house. Not only that, but Haley has given up kickboxing for good, the one thing she truly loved doing.
And then there is West. Trouble making, deeply flawed and incredibly self-hating West Young, of the famously wealthy Young family. When he gets into a fight, the final straw, and is expelled from Worthington, his father kicks him out on the street. There he runs, almost literally, into Haley.
He needs something to wrangle in his emotions and Haley needs something to kick start hers. They meet. They clash. They fall in love.
Take Me On just reinforced my love of contemporary romances by Katie McGarry. I keep on expecting one of her books to be a disappointment, but none of them have been yet. To write four books that are all good and give me nothing to complain about--that's pretty rare.
I enjoyed the slow burn of West and Haley's relationship, and I also love that the author doesn't always make the female the virgin. She makes the guy the virgin. It's refreshing. It seems like almost every young adult contemporary novel focuses on a female character falling in love for the first time and losing her virginity. But Katie McGarry understands that that isn't always the case, and there's nothing wrong with a guy waiting for the right person to have sex with.
Take Me On was a solid continuation of the Pushing the Limits series, which I will be so very sad when it comes to an end.
Take Me On is a dual narrative story, like all Katie McGarry books, that follows the intersecting lives of Haley and West. Haley is a high school senior, barely surviving. Her father lost his job a year ago, and after they lost their home and just about everything else, Haley and her family are now living in their verbally abusive uncle's house. Not only that, but Haley has given up kickboxing for good, the one thing she truly loved doing.
And then there is West. Trouble making, deeply flawed and incredibly self-hating West Young, of the famously wealthy Young family. When he gets into a fight, the final straw, and is expelled from Worthington, his father kicks him out on the street. There he runs, almost literally, into Haley.
He needs something to wrangle in his emotions and Haley needs something to kick start hers. They meet. They clash. They fall in love.
Take Me On just reinforced my love of contemporary romances by Katie McGarry. I keep on expecting one of her books to be a disappointment, but none of them have been yet. To write four books that are all good and give me nothing to complain about--that's pretty rare.
I enjoyed the slow burn of West and Haley's relationship, and I also love that the author doesn't always make the female the virgin. She makes the guy the virgin. It's refreshing. It seems like almost every young adult contemporary novel focuses on a female character falling in love for the first time and losing her virginity. But Katie McGarry understands that that isn't always the case, and there's nothing wrong with a guy waiting for the right person to have sex with.
Take Me On was a solid continuation of the Pushing the Limits series, which I will be so very sad when it comes to an end.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I wasn't that much excited to read this but somehow something about this series really pulls me in. For those that got the hardcover, the front and back of the book is a bonus poster like a shot that is different from the actual cover. I discovered this in Crash Into You. I haven't been a fan of the entire series but I enjoyed Pushing the Limits so much.
I think what is very attractive about the series is the excitement and the situations the couples are in. Their lives and passions. Sadly, the love story is typical. The guy gushes about the girl so much, it is unbelieavable. Honestly, which girl doesn't want her guy to think these thoughts and feel what West feels when he sees Haley? It is very attractive because of the attention.
However, the finding yourself journey of Haley and West isn't typical. I found myself enjoying reading about their individual journeys. They have to be the most crazy couple in the whole series. West just loves a fight and Haley is trapped with her demons. I think the fact that Haley is a boxer was cool. It is not often women characters are featured having such passions for sports that are male dominated. Or defined as macho and masculine.
I love the play of relationships between the characters. Especially having Rachel and Isaiah. I didn't know Rachel's injuries were so serious. At first, I did not see why the author put West as the MC for this book but as I read about his struggle and guilt with blaming himself for Rachel's accident. I felt for him. Being in his mind can give you a headache. He keeps seeing himself as a failure to everything. He is more than the party boy everyone thought he to be in the previous book.
The plot was definitely not predictable. There are secrets surrounding West's father and mother.It is a long story.
The accepting a fight in Haley's honour is certainly romantic in a medieval way. I liked that Haley could defend herself but she internalizes too much. Another good point was the author exposes the reader to what it feels like to be in an abusive relationship and what is not right. The author also shows many different types of relationships and how complicated they can be. Like West's mother and father's.
The situation of Haley's family living with her uncle was really heart wrenching. She also describes how it feels like to live in a shelter. I find it hard to imagine how difficult it must feel like to not have a home. Somewhere you can land in safe. When you have nearly nothing, you treasure the small stuff. I am sure reading about this and West's homeless situation will make readers feel grateful for their families and homes.
I like that the author highlights many difficult situations and topics. These are probably quite common in the US but until you read it, you don't really know. The story shines a light on what life can throw at you but it is up to you on how you react. Resilence is so important even in the face of adversity. As for the fight scenes and training. It was interesting as I certainly haven't read about books that focus on boxing.
However, I gave this only 3 stars because it is a romance and it was predictable.
If you got the hard cover edition than you would have read Crossing The Line, which is Lila and Lincoln's story. They have not crossed my mind since the first book. I give their story...
3 stars.
It is short and sweet for a quick read. Should appeal to the romantics and no it isn't a must to read this. Lila seemed irritaing what with her fear of going to college. She sounded so immature and her ex was just another childish guy. She should have just told him to leave her alone straight up. Lincoln was very simple and gentlemanly, reminding me of Ryan from Dare You To. I liked that he wasn't so smothering like West. Lila seemed so different from the usual girl MCs for this series. Her voice was naive, it was to be expected. The girl MCs from the previous books had issues as well. But the short story was enjoyable. I love that the author makes playlist for her characters and different solutions.
The next book is back to Echo and Noah. It seems to be moving backwards because the timeline is after Pushing the Limits and before Dare You To. I am excited!
I think what is very attractive about the series is the excitement and the situations the couples are in. Their lives and passions. Sadly, the love story is typical. The guy gushes about the girl so much, it is unbelieavable. Honestly, which girl doesn't want her guy to think these thoughts and feel what West feels when he sees Haley? It is very attractive because of the attention.
However, the finding yourself journey of Haley and West isn't typical. I found myself enjoying reading about their individual journeys. They have to be the most crazy couple in the whole series. West just loves a fight and Haley is trapped with her demons. I think the fact that Haley is a boxer was cool. It is not often women characters are featured having such passions for sports that are male dominated. Or defined as macho and masculine.
I love the play of relationships between the characters. Especially having Rachel and Isaiah. I didn't know Rachel's injuries were so serious. At first, I did not see why the author put West as the MC for this book but as I read about his struggle and guilt with blaming himself for Rachel's accident. I felt for him. Being in his mind can give you a headache. He keeps seeing himself as a failure to everything. He is more than the party boy everyone thought he to be in the previous book.
The plot was definitely not predictable. There are secrets surrounding West's father and mother.
Spoiler
I cannot believe West isn't the biological son of the one he calls "Dad" and his mother had an affair with her ex boyfriend. Lots of revelations that stun and the final straw is when his father made Haley's family homeless. Not deliberately.The accepting a fight in Haley's honour is certainly romantic in a medieval way. I liked that Haley could defend herself but she internalizes too much. Another good point was the author exposes the reader to what it feels like to be in an abusive relationship and what is not right. The author also shows many different types of relationships and how complicated they can be. Like West's mother and father's.
The situation of Haley's family living with her uncle was really heart wrenching. She also describes how it feels like to live in a shelter. I find it hard to imagine how difficult it must feel like to not have a home. Somewhere you can land in safe. When you have nearly nothing, you treasure the small stuff. I am sure reading about this and West's homeless situation will make readers feel grateful for their families and homes.
I like that the author highlights many difficult situations and topics. These are probably quite common in the US but until you read it, you don't really know. The story shines a light on what life can throw at you but it is up to you on how you react. Resilence is so important even in the face of adversity. As for the fight scenes and training. It was interesting as I certainly haven't read about books that focus on boxing.
However, I gave this only 3 stars because it is a romance and it was predictable.
Spoiler
What really surprised me was that West is a virgin. With his partying and wild ways, you would think that he hooks up and sleeps around. It is very unusual to have a MC guy who is a virgin in YA fiction. I applaud him for not having sex because he didn't have protection. This is being responsible and realistic.If you got the hard cover edition than you would have read Crossing The Line, which is Lila and Lincoln's story. They have not crossed my mind since the first book. I give their story...
3 stars.
It is short and sweet for a quick read. Should appeal to the romantics and no it isn't a must to read this. Lila seemed irritaing what with her fear of going to college. She sounded so immature and her ex was just another childish guy. She should have just told him to leave her alone straight up. Lincoln was very simple and gentlemanly, reminding me of Ryan from Dare You To. I liked that he wasn't so smothering like West. Lila seemed so different from the usual girl MCs for this series. Her voice was naive, it was to be expected. The girl MCs from the previous books had issues as well. But the short story was enjoyable. I love that the author makes playlist for her characters and different solutions.
The next book is back to Echo and Noah. It seems to be moving backwards because the timeline is after Pushing the Limits and before Dare You To. I am excited!