Tag: life drama

YA

Review: Dare You To by Katie McGarry

Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Series: Pushing the Limits #2

dare you to -katie mcgarryRyan lowers his lips to my ear. “Dance with me, Beth.”

“No.” I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again….

“I dare you…”

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk’s home life, they’d send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom’s freedom and her own happiness. That’s how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn’t want her and going to a school that doesn’t understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn’t get her, but does….

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can’t tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn’t be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won’t let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all….

5 Drink Me Potions

Dare You To truly surpassed its predecessor, Pushing the Limits. I started the book with one thought: Biker Chick Beth is the protagonist and I have to be in her head now?? As a secondary character in Pushing the Limits, she wasn’t my favourite character at all. So, with that thought in mind, I was 100% dubious of what this reading experience would be like.

With that being said, I would like to TAKE THAT ALL BACK. Katie McGarry is truly one amazing author. I was taken into Beth and Ryan’s story. Beth is all sass and attitude, not afraid to dish it out to the guys. Ryan is the golden boy or Prince Charming stereotype of many YA novels; the kind of gentleman character that was missing in McGarry’s previous story. I must say, I do like sweet guys a little more than bad boys so you can see why I was drawn into this story more than Pushing the Limits.

McGarry continues with her amazing story telling and characterizations. Ryan feels like a real guy you may have met or known back in high school. Yes, he’s been raised to be a gentleman, but of course he still thinks like a guy and acts like one. As for Beth, she’s just as hard-edged as she was before but the development of her character throughout the story was beautifully done. Not only was it realistic in the way that she slowly tore down her walls for Ryan, but falling for each other wasn’t done in a way that made no sense. It was well-paced throughout the story, not rushing into their romantic feelings for each other until they started trusting each other more.

With both protagonists fighting their particular emotional battles, readers won’t be able to put down the book. I swear. I sure couldn’t. I think the ROMANCE here was a lot more entrancing, like a spell was cast over the story. Beth’s insecurities that a guy like Ryan would never fall for a girl like her was endearing, especially seeing how Ryan goes to great lengths to prove her wrong.

Overall Recommendations:
Beth and Ryan are both well-thought characters with emotional baggage that needs to be resolved. Although they may seem like opposites initially, as McGarry put it, they’re the perfect match for each other. Dare You To will NOT disappoint, with many heart-touching moments between the 2 protagonists as they slowly fall for each other (against their will initially, I must say) and learn to trust one another with their secrets. ROMANCE lovers, this is for YOU!
This is the “Prince Charming falling for the girl no one thought he should” kind of story. The 5 stars are well-deserved. If you enjoy cute love stories, give this is a shot and you won’t regret it.

YA

Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Series: Pushing the Limits #1

pushing the limits -katie mcgarrySo wrong for each other …and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with “freaky” scars on her arms. Even Echo can’t remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.

But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo’s world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she’ll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

3 Drink Me Potions

I’ve been putting off this book for the longest time, for no particular reason really. However, diving into Echo and Noah’s lives, I realized that Katie McGarry is a genius when it comes to character building. Having never experienced anything remarkably similar to what our two protagonists have gone through, it’s an amazing feat to really feel what they do and understand (with patience, sometimes) their reactions.

For example, my heart tore for Echo when it came to her family. Feeling always second to her stepmother-slash-nanny and having an extremely controlling father, it’s no wonder she feels like a mess for most of the book, besides her scars, of course. As for Noah, he has a mouth of a sailor and a mischievously dirty mind, but it adds to his realistic personality. Not every story has the golden boy or Prince Charming featured as the male protagonist. I liked that he was who he was, molded by his experiences, but still able to change from love.

Their characters are so real, with moments that would make you laugh at how they would respond or think about a certain situation. For example, in a situation with her controlling father, in Echo’s POV:

“Are you ready to take the ACT on Saturday?” my father asked.
Did chickens enjoy being put on trucks labelled KFC? “Sure.”

And Noah can be so endearing. For a bad boy with a reputation that walks out the door before him, it makes his moments falling for Echo that much more enjoyable. Plus, what girl doesn’t love being the one and only that makes a player become a faithfully attached guy?

“Not sure how I felt about Antonio and Echo, I linked my fingers with hers. Antonio cocked a surprised eyebrow. Damn straight, bro. I did just mark my territory.”

With his backstory, a previous golden boy that fell into the foster care system after his parents died, he was constantly fighting to get his 2 younger brothers back. Seeing his pain and knowing at the end of his story that he could release it for the first time was heartbreaking in itself. Of course, it’s still a little humorous the way McGarry puts it.

“…I tried hard to shove down the pressure building on my chest. Men don’t cry. My parents. Men don’t cry. Fuck. Men don’t cry. I wiped my eyes. I missed my parents.”

Let’s just say, this is a book to try. I’m not saying it’s for everyone, as there are heavy things the characters deal with. But it’s most definitely worth a shot!

Overall Recommendation:
Pushing the Limits was an emotional story that takes you on a ride with our two strong protagonists, Echo and Noah. With beautifully crafted personalities and amazing secondary characters, Katie McGarry draws you into their world and the problems they have to deal with. I recommend it for mature readers who want to read the heavier stuff sometimes and not just the fluffy, chick-lit sort of romance. Give it a shot! It may just be the best book ever.

YA

Review: Crossing the Line by Katie McGarry

Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Series: Pushing the Limits #1.1

crossing the line -katie mcgarryKatie McGarry captivated readers with her “riveting, emotional”* Young Adult debut, Pushing the Limits. In this gripping novella, she tells the story of Lila and Lincoln, who discover that sometimes it’s worth crossing the line for love…

Lila McCormick, Echo’s best friend from Pushing the Limits, first met Lincoln Turner when tragedy struck both their lives. But she never expected their surprise encounter would lead to two years of exchanging letters—or that she’d fall for the boy she’s only seen once. Their relationship is a secret, but Lila feels closer to Lincoln than anyone else. Until she finds out that he lied to her about the one thing she depended on him for the most.

Hurting Lila is the last thing Lincoln wanted. For two years, her letters have been the only thing getting him through the day. Admitting his feelings would cross a line he’s never dared breach before. But Lincoln will do whatever it takes to fix his mistakes, earn Lila’s forgiveness—and finally win a chance to be with the girl he loves.

4 Drink Me Potions

Crossing the Line was a beautiful novella. I liked Lila even as a secondary character in Pushing the Limits. She has a heart of gold. I loved how she and her best friend, Echo, were a package deal. That’s the kind of friendship that should exist.

In Crossing the Line, we get to see a short story of Lila and her secret guy she’s been writing to in letters. First of all, that’s just so sweet. I love a story where our protagonists fall for each other through letter writing. It has this old-time traditional feeling to it that means so much more than just sending a quick email. Anyway, Lincoln was a guy she met for only a moment, but their connection clearly impacted each other greatly. There were many cute moments that did happen in this book so it’s still satisfying. Plus, Lincoln greatly outmatches that idiot Stephen she was dating previously.

My only regret with this book was that it was only a novella. I seriously thought that their story could’ve gone through a little more, but it was still amazing for what was there. I also wished their moment together from when they first met could’ve been written out too. Ah well, I understand a novella can’t quite be that long. Either way, this is a must-read for any fans of Lila from Pushing the Limits.

Overall Recommendation:
Fans of Pushing the Limits will not be disappointed with Lila’s own short story. Lovers of cute moments and of course, hot guys like Lincoln, would most definitely drool over Crossing the Line. Katie McGarry never disappoints in this novella and her character building. A definite MUST-READ for the series!