Scan barcode
fledgling_ink's review against another edition
5.0
There is so much hype surrounding this book. Really, every blogger and reader I know has mentioned it at least once. I think I've only ever seen a five or four star review of this book. Maybe I saw a three once but that's about as bad as it got.
Personally, I don't know how this book didn't get top marks all around.
I loved everything about this book. Really, it all fit together nicely. From the plot to the characters, it was all seamlessly put together.
Noah and Echo were amazing. I thought that their differences was what really brought them together, even though they were similar in a lot of ways. This book was told from both Noah and Echo's POVs. I've never been a fan of alternating POVs but lately I've found that I enjoy the books with that element. It was exciting (as well as frustrating) experiencing the story from the eyes of both the main characters.
I thought the dual plot also thickened things. With Noah and his problems and Echo's with hers, I never felt like a piece of the plot dragged. If it had been only Echo's story being told, I think it wouldn't have been nearly as interesting, and same goes to if it was only told from Noah's perspective. Both are very interesting characters, yes, but their plots involved more internal struggles rather than external. Together, their plots complimented each other wonderfully.
I did think the mystery of what happened to Echo the night her whole life changed was interesting. Normally mysteries just get me frustrated and make me want to flip to the last page but I was so wrapped up in the story and learning new things with Echo and Noah that I didn't mind one bit!
Oh, and I absolutely adored Mrs. Collins. She was a great character and I felt like she added a lot to Noah and Echo's emotional health. It was interesting to watch her progress from dangerous enemy in the MC's eyes to friend and ally.
Overall, wonderful plot, beautifully built tension and mystery, and wicked characters. I look forward to reading anything else Katie McGarry publishes!
Personally, I don't know how this book didn't get top marks all around.
I loved everything about this book. Really, it all fit together nicely. From the plot to the characters, it was all seamlessly put together.
Noah and Echo were amazing. I thought that their differences was what really brought them together, even though they were similar in a lot of ways. This book was told from both Noah and Echo's POVs. I've never been a fan of alternating POVs but lately I've found that I enjoy the books with that element. It was exciting (as well as frustrating) experiencing the story from the eyes of both the main characters.
I thought the dual plot also thickened things. With Noah and his problems and Echo's with hers, I never felt like a piece of the plot dragged. If it had been only Echo's story being told, I think it wouldn't have been nearly as interesting, and same goes to if it was only told from Noah's perspective. Both are very interesting characters, yes, but their plots involved more internal struggles rather than external. Together, their plots complimented each other wonderfully.
I did think the mystery of what happened to Echo the night her whole life changed was interesting. Normally mysteries just get me frustrated and make me want to flip to the last page but I was so wrapped up in the story and learning new things with Echo and Noah that I didn't mind one bit!
Oh, and I absolutely adored Mrs. Collins. She was a great character and I felt like she added a lot to Noah and Echo's emotional health. It was interesting to watch her progress from dangerous enemy in the MC's eyes to friend and ally.
Overall, wonderful plot, beautifully built tension and mystery, and wicked characters. I look forward to reading anything else Katie McGarry publishes!
melhunt182's review against another edition
5.0
*4.5 stars*
This was by far the best contemporary book I've read in a long time, possibly ever. It was so good. I even cried by the end, happy tears, and I was so disappointed that it ended. I WANT MORE. I'm especially disappointed that the other books in the series don't focus on Echo and Noah, but I'm still going to give them a chance.I Loved it.
This was by far the best contemporary book I've read in a long time, possibly ever. It was so good. I even cried by the end, happy tears, and I was so disappointed that it ended. I WANT MORE. I'm especially disappointed that the other books in the series don't focus on Echo and Noah, but I'm still going to give them a chance.I Loved it.
bookgeek33's review against another edition
5.0
****spoilers****
I loved this book so much. It's a fantastic story with deep issues between each character. I have not cried at a book in a long time but this book made me cry when Noah realised that he couldn't provide the utmost best for his brothers it was so sad. I loved echo and the fact that she eventually stood up to everyone and made decisions for herself. All in all a fantastic book.
I loved this book so much. It's a fantastic story with deep issues between each character. I have not cried at a book in a long time but this book made me cry when Noah realised that he couldn't provide the utmost best for his brothers it was so sad. I loved echo and the fact that she eventually stood up to everyone and made decisions for herself. All in all a fantastic book.
aydrea's review against another edition
5.0
Okay, WOW, I don't even know what to say right now. This book is pretty much amazing - it is intense & so real, my emotions were all over the place. I could not out this one down!
Hopefully more thoughts later, I am still processing!
Hopefully more thoughts later, I am still processing!
sandralam's review against another edition
5.0
My God, I LOVED it!! I cannot even begin to describe how much I love it. A must read-it-now book! Pushing the Limits took me by surprise; I didn't expect to feel so emotionally connected to the characters. I'm not going to lie I did shed a couple of tears...
My Thoughts:
1. Considering that this book is a YA/contemporary romance, it was such a page-turner! You automatically feel a connection to Noah and Echo and you're constantly wondering what happens next.
2. McGarry did a superb job on the writing and building up the storyline. I like how it switches from Noah and Echo's POV. They were perfectly timed. It was beautifully written which made it so addicting to read!
3. The romance isn't the initial focus of the plot, I like that. You start out reading about Echo's and Noah's personal lives and when they cross paths their stories become intertwined. I like how their personal lives and issues is the central focus of the book and the romance adds to the plot. More often than not books just focus on the romance and leave all the personal struggles as a secondary storyline.
4. I instantly fell in love with Echo and Noah and their friends. Echo is hard working, kind, and loving; I enjoyed reading her come out of her shell and face her insecurities. She's a great, strong character. Noah is often misunderstood because of his social image but fearless when it comes to dealing with what he believes in. In their own way, Noah and Echo are both trying to honour their family and salvage what they have left (Noah with his brothers and Echo with her sanity). Isaiah, Beth, Lila and Ms.Collins are great friends to Noah and Echo; they always stood by their sides during the worse and never turned their backs.
5. Echo and Noah's relationship is so freakin' adorable! I love all the kissing and longing glances at one another *gushes*
6. *Tries to think of negatives* NOPE, cannot think of any. That's because there are none!
7. I highly recommend this book, it's goes beyond your typical high school romance and includes issues that we often take for granted (like family, health etc.)
8. I read the teaser for Beth's book and I'm so intrigued. She's definitely a complex character...I wonder how Isaiah will fit into her story. Cannot wait!
My Thoughts:
1. Considering that this book is a YA/contemporary romance, it was such a page-turner! You automatically feel a connection to Noah and Echo and you're constantly wondering what happens next.
2. McGarry did a superb job on the writing and building up the storyline. I like how it switches from Noah and Echo's POV. They were perfectly timed. It was beautifully written which made it so addicting to read!
3. The romance isn't the initial focus of the plot, I like that. You start out reading about Echo's and Noah's personal lives and when they cross paths their stories become intertwined. I like how their personal lives and issues is the central focus of the book and the romance adds to the plot. More often than not books just focus on the romance and leave all the personal struggles as a secondary storyline.
4. I instantly fell in love with Echo and Noah and their friends. Echo is hard working, kind, and loving; I enjoyed reading her come out of her shell and face her insecurities. She's a great, strong character. Noah is often misunderstood because of his social image but fearless when it comes to dealing with what he believes in. In their own way, Noah and Echo are both trying to honour their family and salvage what they have left (Noah with his brothers and Echo with her sanity). Isaiah, Beth, Lila and Ms.Collins are great friends to Noah and Echo; they always stood by their sides during the worse and never turned their backs.
5. Echo and Noah's relationship is so freakin' adorable! I love all the kissing and longing glances at one another *gushes*
6. *Tries to think of negatives* NOPE, cannot think of any. That's because there are none!
7. I highly recommend this book, it's goes beyond your typical high school romance and includes issues that we often take for granted (like family, health etc.)
8. I read the teaser for Beth's book and I'm so intrigued. She's definitely a complex character...I wonder how Isaiah will fit into her story. Cannot wait!
zabetd's review against another edition
5.0
This and other reviews can be found on Reading Between Classes
Cover Impressions: The cover is ok. It doesn't even come close to showing what a great book this really is. I am happy to see that Noah and Echo are pictured as described (even down to the long sleeves - though I would like to have seen her in gloves). The lighting is well done, but I'm not sure this one would stand out very well on a shelf.
The Gist: Overnight, Echo Emerson went from Miss Popularity to the High School Freak and no one knows why. The horrible scars on her arms prove to Echo that something awful happened that night, but she can't remember. Under the guidance of a new therapist, she meets Noah Hutchins, a boy who is not only dark and dangerous, but just as damaged as she is. Fighting their undeniable attraction, they set out to reveal each other's secrets. In order to do so, they must each let their guard down and let the other in.
Review: Jumping on the Awesome Book Band Wagon in 3...2...1... WEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
Confession time: were it not for the amazing reviews from other bloggers, I never would have picked up this book. I don't read a lot of contemporary fiction and I tend to steer clear of books that appear to focus mainly on a romance ESPECIALLY if they throw out the words "soul mates" or "destiny" (which the UK version does - right on the cover). But Pushing the Limits, is not one of those books. Yes, the romance is a big factor, but it loses center stage to some wonderful character development with a smattering of mystery.
McGarry has a remarkable skill in writing broken characters. Echo and Noah both had moments that forcibly grabbed me and threw me into their world. It is not often that a book can evoke such a strong emotional response in me, but this one succeeded. There were several instances where I blinked back tears or fought the urge to shake somebody (usually Echo's parents). The two main characters felt so real that I could easily picture them sitting in my classroom, trying to be invisible, while I sit behind my desk trying to think of a way to reach them. Those are the type of students that break your heart - when you can see so much potential being smothered by so much pain. As characters, Echo and Noah are always compelling, often raw and never boring. They carry the story and have the kind of chemistry that makes the reader's heart race right along with them.
I was impressed by the manner in which McGarry tackled the relationships not only between Echo and Noah but between all of the characters on the periphery, especially Noah and his brothers and Echo and her parents. It was heartbreaking to watch Echo interact with her "friends" and family as she struggled to meet their demands and win their love and to stand by while Noah spent supervised visits trying to maintain his connection to the two little boys who were his whole world. Throughout the novel, I was pleased to see a great deal of growth in both characters, but a realistic journey to it. There were struggles, there were setbacks, and, in the end, there were issues that weren't exactly solved, but where steps had been taken down the right path.
The writing in Pushing the Limits is clean (though I wish Noah would have laid off the siren and nymph comparisons) and the plot moves at a steady pace. In character driven novels such as this it is easy to let action and excitement fall by the wayside, but the truth behind Echo's scars is revealed in such as way as to keep the reader engaged. As Echo's memory returns in snatches, we begin to see the true horror and sadness behind what happened to her and how broken her family truly was. In splitting the narration between Echo and Noah, McGarry ensures that each chapter leaves the reader wanting to turn one more page, read one more line until, if you are like me, you have finished the entire book in just a few short hours.
The only mark against Pushing the Limits is that the sexual nature and vulgar language would prohibit me from recommending it to my Junior High students, though I highly recommend it for teens over 16 and adult lovers of YA novels.
Katie McGarry has earned a fan for life. I have already listed Dare You To (Beth's Story) as to-read and will count down the days until it's eventual release sometime in 2013.
Teaching/Parental Notes:
Age: 16 and up
Gender: Female
Sex: Kissing, Sexual Acts, Vulgar Sexual Language.
Violence: Fist Fight, Drugging, Attempted murder
Inappropriate Language: Varied and Often: Fuck, Tits, Dick, Ass, Shit, Bitch, Jesus Christ, Pussy, Slut, Bastard, Whore
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage drinking, Marijuana use,
Notable Quotables:
"She'd come home with me to act as my barrier for Family Friday - or as I liked to refer to it, Dinner for the Damned."
"No. I like my brain cells. I find they come in handy when I ... oh, I don't know ... think."
"Luke used to give me butterflies. Noah spawned mutant pterodactyls."
Cover Impressions: The cover is ok. It doesn't even come close to showing what a great book this really is. I am happy to see that Noah and Echo are pictured as described (even down to the long sleeves - though I would like to have seen her in gloves). The lighting is well done, but I'm not sure this one would stand out very well on a shelf.
The Gist: Overnight, Echo Emerson went from Miss Popularity to the High School Freak and no one knows why. The horrible scars on her arms prove to Echo that something awful happened that night, but she can't remember. Under the guidance of a new therapist, she meets Noah Hutchins, a boy who is not only dark and dangerous, but just as damaged as she is. Fighting their undeniable attraction, they set out to reveal each other's secrets. In order to do so, they must each let their guard down and let the other in.
Review: Jumping on the Awesome Book Band Wagon in 3...2...1... WEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
Confession time: were it not for the amazing reviews from other bloggers, I never would have picked up this book. I don't read a lot of contemporary fiction and I tend to steer clear of books that appear to focus mainly on a romance ESPECIALLY if they throw out the words "soul mates" or "destiny" (which the UK version does - right on the cover). But Pushing the Limits, is not one of those books. Yes, the romance is a big factor, but it loses center stage to some wonderful character development with a smattering of mystery.
McGarry has a remarkable skill in writing broken characters. Echo and Noah both had moments that forcibly grabbed me and threw me into their world. It is not often that a book can evoke such a strong emotional response in me, but this one succeeded. There were several instances where I blinked back tears or fought the urge to shake somebody (usually Echo's parents). The two main characters felt so real that I could easily picture them sitting in my classroom, trying to be invisible, while I sit behind my desk trying to think of a way to reach them. Those are the type of students that break your heart - when you can see so much potential being smothered by so much pain. As characters, Echo and Noah are always compelling, often raw and never boring. They carry the story and have the kind of chemistry that makes the reader's heart race right along with them.
I was impressed by the manner in which McGarry tackled the relationships not only between Echo and Noah but between all of the characters on the periphery, especially Noah and his brothers and Echo and her parents. It was heartbreaking to watch Echo interact with her "friends" and family as she struggled to meet their demands and win their love and to stand by while Noah spent supervised visits trying to maintain his connection to the two little boys who were his whole world. Throughout the novel, I was pleased to see a great deal of growth in both characters, but a realistic journey to it. There were struggles, there were setbacks, and, in the end, there were issues that weren't exactly solved, but where steps had been taken down the right path.
The writing in Pushing the Limits is clean (though I wish Noah would have laid off the siren and nymph comparisons) and the plot moves at a steady pace. In character driven novels such as this it is easy to let action and excitement fall by the wayside, but the truth behind Echo's scars is revealed in such as way as to keep the reader engaged. As Echo's memory returns in snatches, we begin to see the true horror and sadness behind what happened to her and how broken her family truly was. In splitting the narration between Echo and Noah, McGarry ensures that each chapter leaves the reader wanting to turn one more page, read one more line until, if you are like me, you have finished the entire book in just a few short hours.
The only mark against Pushing the Limits is that the sexual nature and vulgar language would prohibit me from recommending it to my Junior High students, though I highly recommend it for teens over 16 and adult lovers of YA novels.
Katie McGarry has earned a fan for life. I have already listed Dare You To (Beth's Story) as to-read and will count down the days until it's eventual release sometime in 2013.
Teaching/Parental Notes:
Age: 16 and up
Gender: Female
Sex: Kissing, Sexual Acts, Vulgar Sexual Language.
Violence: Fist Fight, Drugging, Attempted murder
Inappropriate Language: Varied and Often: Fuck, Tits, Dick, Ass, Shit, Bitch, Jesus Christ, Pussy, Slut, Bastard, Whore
Substance Use/Abuse: Underage drinking, Marijuana use,
Notable Quotables:
"She'd come home with me to act as my barrier for Family Friday - or as I liked to refer to it, Dinner for the Damned."
"No. I like my brain cells. I find they come in handy when I ... oh, I don't know ... think."
"Luke used to give me butterflies. Noah spawned mutant pterodactyls."