well this book was really intense and left me with a need to want to know more. It also dealt with some VERY VERY heavy topics.
I really liked both Noah and Echo and how the story really delved into what they were going through even more than the romance. I think I also really liked seeing a main character in a foster care situation that wasn't the best because I know so many kids that have been in situations that are just as bad as the one Noah was in and I also just talked to someone about how they want to adopt their sibling as soon as they can.
The romance was also pretty great but the backstories is really what made this story dynamic.

I can't resist a story told in alternating points of view. I tend to speed through them because I'm always wondering what the other character is thinking or how they interpreted a situation. Echo and Noah had distinct voices and both felt genuine. However, sometimes, Noah was a little cheesy in the way he referred to Echo, so I wasn't quite as swoony over him as other readers have been. Overall, though, I enjoyed this story and recommend it to those who like reading about characters overcoming tragedy. Fans of Simone Elkeles will most likely enjoy this one, too.

I love Noah. I love Echo. I loved them together. I love how both of them are screwed up each in their own way, and I love how they work it out.
I love all the tension and passion that pours out of this novel.

Oh, also, have I mentioned I looove Noah? :)

Nope. Nope. Nope. This book is not for me.

3.5 although I couldn't bring myself to give it 3 stars instead of 4.

I liked the story line and the characters. I also liked the crude humor. I just got a little sick of Noah calling Echo baby and constantly reading about how hot the other person is. It was a nicely thought out story that really showed how the main characters changed and grew and was wrapped up nicely at the end.

Oh man, so so so good! When I first opened this book I never expected it to have such a strong storyline. Everything about this book is absolutely beautiful and I'm so glad that this isn't just a story about a girl falling in love with the badboy, it's so so so much more.
My hands are itching to pick up the next one.

My original review can be found here on The Book Hookup.

**Note** An eBook copy of this title was provided by Net Galley, but did not influence this review in any way.


The Low-Down: Pushing the Limits is told in first person point-of-view alternating between our heroine, Echo Emerson, and our hero, Noah Hutchins. Echo used to be one of the “it” girls; she had it all: popularity, jock boyfriend, and good looks. Literally overnight, everything changes for her. She’s now on the outside looking in, and the worst part is she doesn’t even have the memory to go with the evening that turned her life upside down, only horrendous scars on her arms that become the purpose of everyone’s gossip and label her a “freak.” Somewhere in the dark recesses of her mind is the secret to what happened that night, and Echo will do anything to uncover the mystery.

As an observer, Noah Hutchins appears to be your stereotypical girl-using badboy who partakes in alcohol and drugs to cover up the truths he wants to bury himself in. However, in actuality, he’s the good guy that makes bad decisions based on the hard path he’s been set on. His parents were killed in a fire that he feels partly responsible for and that led to him being placed in the foster care system. Knowing firsthand that the system used to protect you isn’t safe at all, he’ll stop at nothing to get his two younger brothers back into his custody after graduation.

Our two main characters know of each other, but they don’t really know one another at all. Being that they were never a part of the same social circle, they both had preconceived notions about the other, but it doesn’t take long for them to form new ideas. Now with them both seeing the same counselor at school, they’re pushed together in every way possible, making it hard to ignore the growing attraction between them. In the end though, they’re both driven by their ultimate goals and hatch a plan to aid each other in obtaining the information they need most to get their lives back on course.

Author Ego-Booster: Personally, I believe Katie McGarry delivered a masterful tale of former popular chick meets brooding, girl-using bad boy. There were so many opportunities for the author to give in to this clichéd, overused and often predictable plot device, but it seemed almost reinvented in this novel. She allowed each of the characters to speak for themselves, interweaving the dual POV’s flawlessly, and allowing us to enter the head-space of these emotionally driven teenagers. Not only did she do this seamlessly, but each character and their narration felt authentic. Echo was presented as this broken girl just searching for a sense of normal in a sea of uncertainty. Like most teenagers, she wanted the acceptance of her peers, but most importantly, the love of her father. Noah often came across as crude, but to me, I felt like I was reading exactly how a real guy would think, not how a girl- the author- thinks a guy would think. This made his character more believable, and I appreciated that aspect. But it was the layers that you discovered in each character along the way that made them so multi-faceted for me. Being able to experience their growth throughout the story as they transformed into young adults made this an even better read.
Though the relationship seemed to progress relatively quick, how they interacted with one another never came across as contrived.

Plus, their chemistry was amazing, and I savored each delicious scene they had together. The closer they got to one another, the more I rooted for them and crossed my fingers for steamier scenes because… well, yummmm….

In a lightning-fast move, he placed both of his hands on the brick wall, caging me with his body. He leaned toward me and my heart shifted into a gear I didn’t know existed. His warm breath caressed my neck, melting my frozen skin. I tilted my head, waiting for the solid warmth of his body on mine. I could see his eyes again and those dark orbs screamed hunger.
“I heard a rumor.”
“What’s that?” I struggled to get out.
“It’s your birthday.”
Terrified speaking would break the spell, I licked my suddenly dry lips and nodded.
“Happy birthday.” Noah drew his lips closer to mine; that sweet musky smell overwhelmed my senses. I could almost taste his lips when he unexpectedly took a step back, inhaling deeply. The cold air slapped me into the land of sober.

McGarry has an undeniable way of drawing you in to this heart-wrenching tale, and I experienced the full range of emotions throughout this roller coaster ride of a book because of the extremely raw and grittiness of the story-line. It deals with several deep issues that broke my heart while infusing it with hope all at once. With every page, she managed to pull me further and further into this world and held me captive with her realistic- and often tough- approach to the struggles and harsh realities presented throughout, making my heart ache with each painful dip. The pacing of the story flowed easily and the secrets were revealed at all the right times. In the end, all the pieces clicked together like the perfect puzzle and you truly grasped why every character had behaved the way he/she did.

The Drawbacks: The only true source of frustration in the book for me was the overusing of certain descriptors. Several times, Noah referred to Echo as his siren, his nymph, his drug, and stated she smelled like cinnamon rolls. It’s not anything I couldn’t gloss over, but it was the only flaw I found in his narrative that reminded me that it was a lady writing for the thoughts of a guy because it seemed a little flowery.

Special Notes: Although I’ve sprinkled hints about this throughout my review, I’d like to state that there is mention of abuse, drugs, underage alcohol consumption, sexual content, and mental illnesses in this story. If you have problems with reading about any of these, you may want to steer clear.

Verdict: I think everyone should read this story. Even though it deals with harsher topics, it’s doesn’t dwell on them. And make no mistake about it, this is definitely a kissing book. Lots of really, really great kissing in here. There was several times that I laughed out loud, and all the secondary characters are great all on their own. Well, actually, I take that back. Most are great, her dad, step-mom, and former best friend are horrible, infuriating people.

♥A very special thanks to HarlequinTEEN and Net Galley for allowing me to preview this title. It’ll be available on Tuesday, July 24th. Be sure to snag you a copy and then come back and tell me what you think about the kissing! Please, because I want to relive the first-time-reading of Pushing the Limits vicariously through you.♥

I'm not really sure why I read YA romances anymore. They are startlingly similar, and this one was no exception. Aside from a few intrigues, I didn't care much for this book.

Lecture agréable. Il me semble qu'il y a une suite ?! Pas certaine de la lire, je ne me suis pas assez attachée aux personnages...