Review: Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

Genre

YA Contemporary Romance

Publication Date

July 24th, 2012

Publisher

Harlequin Teen

Available At
Amazon
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Formats 

Hardcover
Ebook

So 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.


Review
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars!


Two characters striving to re-find a normal that doesn't exist anymore which forces them to find a new normal. 

I'm a huge fan of split perspectives, and Katie McGarry did not disappoint in that aspect. There was a vast difference between Noah's voice and Echo's voice that was hugely appreciated by this reader. Echo is more refined where Noah is more gruff, it was perfect. Also, since I'm a details person, I loved the little tells that McGarry threw into the mix, it was a successful way to connect the reader in a broader way. 

"Luke use to give me butterflies. Noah spawned mutant pterodactyls"

                                                                                              - Echo

Noah drinks, smokes pot, has sex, skips school and curses. You can label him the quentessential 'bad boy', but to me he was just a troubled teenager that was letting his past shape his present. I like, no love, when authors put in the not so pretty aspects of high school, or life in general. I don't know about you, but I was surrounded by Noah-type and Echo-type people throughout high school, may have been a little of both. As much as some parents don't want to admit it, this stuff really happens in high school, so why should authors not write about it? I was more than grateful that Katie McGarry put real-life instances into Pushing The Limits.

"Depth perception and beer obviously weren't related"

                                                                     - Echo

Another great thing? The character growth wasn't dependent on the romance. Echo and Noah grew together just as much as they grew separetely, which is pretty realistic, because some things you just have to learn or do on your own. They also gained insight from their friends which helped their individual or couple growth. All in all, there wasn't a single aspect of Pushing The Limits I didn't like. I found it realistic, with awesome characters and many deeper meanings buried within the story. 

If you love YA Contemporary Romance then make sure to read Pushing The Limits. If you are looking to dive into the YA Contemporary genre, there is no better place to start than Pushing The Limits. If you've read this book. . . I want your thoughts :)


PS, Katie McGarry is writing her next book about a supporting character in Pushing The Limits. Can. Not. Wait!

*Received my copy of the book from NetGalley*

Review: One Moment by Kristina McBride

Genre

YA Contemporary

Publication Date

June 26th, 2012

Publisher

Egmont USA

Available At

Amazon

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Formats

Hardcover

Ebook

This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget.

Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below—dead?


As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?


The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.


Review
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars


One word. Intense. One Moment had me in a constant anticipation mode, but not the eager anticipation, the nervous anticipation. I was stuck with a perpetual free-falling feeling. You know the one, jittery nerves, rapid heartbeat, stomach jammed up into your throat while you wait for it to drop out from beneath you. Like I said, intense. You want to know what happened, you want to know the secrets that were being kept, but you just know that they will be devastating, especially because Joey is so damn likable. 


Thick in mystery, Kristina McBride leads us on an adventure that will throw suspicions all over the place. I loved that we got information as Maggie got information, it allowed me to connect to her and feel with her. The writing also added to Maggie's character because it was almost desperate, depressed, and a little bit hopeless until that little flicker of light reveals itself to help lead Maggie out of the dark. To say I was captivated is an understatement. I was eager to finish, but also reluctant because I fell in love with so many of the characters. There is no way possible for you to read this and NOT feel the powerful emotions behind this story. They were sometimes suffocating, but only because Kristina McBride successfully portrays each emotion and character to the T. She has amazing talent that has made me a fan for life.


If you want real characters, an intense plot and completely entrancing writing then check out One Moment. Just make sure you have tissues near-by and are prepared to read until the end because this book was simply unputdownable.

*Received my copy of this book from NetGalley*

Review: Tyler Falls by Lori Clark

Genre

YA Contemporary

Publication Date

May 26th, 2012

Publisher

Self-Published

Available At

Amazon

Format

Ebook

By the time seventeen-year-old Tyler Falls meets Emma, his "Thirty-Days-Left-to-Live" plan is already in place -- and falling in love isn't part of that plan.


Tyler has suffered from manic depression for as long as he can remember. Through medication and therapy, he manages to keep his life together. But when his parents are murdered, he decides he's had enough of living as a broken person with a broken life. So, in thirty days, he plans to stick the barrel of his Ruger SP101 into his mouth and pull the trigger.


Emma Perez's brother, Ethan Giovanni, sits in a mental institution for the murder of Dr. and Mrs. Falls. Deemed mentally incompetent and unfit to stand trial, Ethan has one weekly visitor -- Emma. She doesn't deny his guilt, he's her brother and she loves him spite of the fact he's paranoid schizophrenic.


They say when you cross paths with someone more than once, it's fate -- you're destined to meet. Tyler doesn't know Emma is Ethan's sister, and Emma doesn't know Tyler's story either. When Tyler learns who Emma's brother is, the world he's rebuilt around her begins to crumble all over again and it leaves both of them wondering why fate has such a cruel sense of humor.


Review
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars


Tyler Falls is a really sweet romance, but for a story about a 17 year-old guy with plans to commit suicide and that unknowingly falls in love with the sister of the guy that changed his life forever, it shouldn't have been sweet. It should have been a gut-wrenching love story that rips the emotions from you as you read.


The struggles of the characters just didn't come across as plausible, they were too light for the depth that was trying to surface. There should have been many layers to peel back as we read, but I found the story too simple and straight forward to successfully pull me in. Especially with Tyler's tormented past and "Thirty-Days-Left-To-Live" plan. There should have been a monumental struggle with Tyler and how his plan was changing, but there wasn't. He just simply accepted the change in his life and the change of his feelings without any difficulties. The story revolved around a romance when I think it should have been more focused on two individuals that found the power to heal with each other. Which can be classified as the same thing, but it's not.


The story alternated with chapters from Tyler's perspective and Emma's perspective and while in most cases I revel in being able to get inside each characters minds, I was a little put off by the redundancy. Each scene that involved both Emma and Tyler were told from both perspectives with scenes of the same dialogue. There were some added scenes that took place prior or after, but sometimes the wording was different from the scene in the others perspective. 


My favorite aspect was the relationship between Tyler and his Uncle Kyle. That was the one thing that was the most natural and the most endearing. I also greatly appreciated that the characters were portrayed in a more natural light. Meaning: they cursed, drank a little and so on. Tyler Falls is a book that needed that 'uncleanliness' to show the roughness of the characters.


I did enjoy reading Tyler Falls, I just wish that the story wasn't so light considering the heavy-hitting premise. I can say, though, that I'm very intrigued to see what other stories Lori Clark will produce.

*Received to review via the author through Making Connections YA Edition*

Review: Reflection by Jessica Roberts

Thank you to Shut Up & Read(Goodreads) along with the author for the opportunity to read this book

Genre

YA Contemporary Romance

Publication Date

February 17th, 2012

Publisher

S/P

Available At

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

Format

Ebook

Bright, spunky Heather Robbins has escaped her small hometown and is anxiously beginning her freshman year of college. Rising above her rocky childhood, she’s found a place where good things are finally starting to happen: her own private apartment, refreshing college classes, and an intense attachment to a mysterious and rugged classmate, Nick Richards.


But when her dreamy college life turns out to be nothing more than a wonderful dream while resting in a coma, questions threaten. 


Now, Heather must press forward to unlock the real past, and find the answers buried deep in her mind. What she unlocks instead is a roller coaster ride through flashbacks, embellished memories, and a whirlwind romance.


And when it’s all over and she comes face to face with the truth, will she lose everything she’s fallen in love with?


Review
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars!


Reflection is an incredibly rich story that takes you on a tender adventure of a deep resonating love. An original concept that's purely addictive with characters that stick with you past the last page.


Wrapped in an emotional situation, you are eager yet hesitant to figure out what is real and what is embellished imagination. Heather has become one of my all-time favorite female protagonists. As we travel through her memories right along with her, it's easy to form a connection. It's easy to experience the range of emotions that she experiences. She's just as described as above in the blurb, bright and spunky. She's silly, she's heart-felt, she's cautious, she's many, many things that all roll together to produce an extremely well-developed, jump-out-of-the-page character. 


Nick Richards is that mysterious, gorgeous guy that will amaze you with the depth that Jessica Roberts layered within his character. He's not just a pretty face, he's smart and in school for a reason. I was constantly entranced with his character, but more so by Heather and Nick together. After all, this is a love story, but one that could be purely fictitious inside Heather's mind. 


Jessica Roberts expertly transports the reader within the pages of Reflection with her seamless prose, captivating, realistic characters, and heart-tugging story. This is a story that you are going to want to get lost in. I was beyond transfixed, easily devouring the savory details. 

"Though I enjoyed the energy of morning, the spice of daytime, and the sense of accomplishment that came with evening, there was nothing that pumped me more than the dark blue vigor of nighttime"

Reflection is the type of book, for me, that my mind will always return to. A book that will stay in the forefront of my mind even after I get swept away by another great book. I cannot shake these characters or the story, and quite frankly, I don't want to. They can happily reside in my mind because Reflection is a book that warrants many re-reads just to experience the mind-tickling happiness, heart-stopping sadness and the vibrating eagerness that Reaction(the second book) will be out in Fall of 2012. And believe me, you are going to wish with all your might that the next book was already out.


Highly, highly recommended to all. A book that is soon going to be on A LOT of to-read lists, if it isn't already!

Review: What I Didn't Say by Keary Taylor

I was fortunate enough to receive a copy from NetGalley

Genre

YA Contemporary Romance

Publication Date

May 11th, 2012

Publisher

Self-Published

Available At
Amazon

Format

Paperback
Ebook

Getting drunk homecoming night your senior year is never a good idea, but Jake Hayes never expected it all to end with a car crash and a t-post embedded in his throat. 

His biggest regret about it all? What he never said to Samantha Shay. He's been in love with her for years and never had the guts to tell her. Now it's too late. Because after that night, Jake will never be able to talk again.


When Jake returns to his small island home, population 5,000, he'll have to learn how to deal with being mute. He also finds that his family isn't limited to his six brothers and sisters, that sometimes an entire island is watching out for you. And when he gets the chance to spend more time with Samantha, she'll help him learn that not being able to talk isn’t the worst thing that could ever happen to you. Maybe, if she'll let him, Jake will finally tell her what he didn't say before, even if he can't actually say it.


Review
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars!

Jake Hayes is a stand-out character. His voice is injected with a raw honesty, his words are genuine in a way that is often hard to bring forth, but Keary Taylor does this with such perfection in a writing style that reveals the true voice of this character as it reads as if it comes from Jakes very own mind. 

" . . .came back with a stack of fifteen notebooks, a rainbow of colored covers.

I just shook my head when she set them down.

My paper voice."

The characters in What I Didn't Say are real. Real characters with little details that make them that much more real. The anti-tourist attitude of the populating teens, the way they start some sentences with 'k', the blunt honesty of Jakes little brother, the red notebook that is solely Sam's and Jake's. Those little things make a story complete, they are necessary, but often over-looked. I relish those little details that turn a story of words into a story of people, even if they are fictous.

"I'm okay, Mom, I wrote. You don't have to stay.

'No sweetie,' she said. 'You're not okay. And I'm not going anywhere.'"

What I Didn't Say is powerful, tear-jerking, thought-provoking, and eye-opening. It's emotional and intense, yes. But it's done in a way that doesn't focus on the tragedies, it's about overcoming those tragedies that life can and will throw at you, some of your own doing and others completely out of your control. The story is about the decision of choosing what are you going to let prevail. The clawing darkness or the lifting light. That's why What I Didn't Say is brilliantly awesome. There's hope. A tiny sliver of light that keeps growing as the pages grow fewer and fewer.

"My screwed up little life felt pretty perfect"

This is a story that will be going into my favorites pile. A must read for teens, a must read for ALL readers, regardless of gender. A beautifully captivating story that not only needed to be told, but NEEDS to be read. Keary Taylor bravely shares a little piece of her life that she was hesitant to share in her at the end in her Author's Note. I commend her for her bravery and will share a statement that will always stick with me.

"So when life seems impossible, when it seems so bad that you can't go on, just stop for a second to take a look at all the things that you do have. I bet the list will grow pretty fast. And even if it doesn't you have the power to decide if you're going to let the bad or the good take control of your life."

Review: Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

I was fortunate to get a copy of Breaking Beautiful from Netgalley!

Publication Date

April 24th, 2012

Publisher

Bloomsbury Children's Books

~ Walker Books for Young Readers ~

Available At

Amazon

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Formats

Hardcover

Ebook

Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.

Review
Genre: YA Contemporary/Realistic Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars


A haunting tale of re-discovering courage, overcoming fear, and finding hope.


Sometimes, reviews are really difficult to write. I'm stuck in what to sat about Breaking Beautiful, not because I didn't like it, but because I LOVED it and it's going to be hard to convey the proper emotions that were wrung from me as I read this book.


Allie induces pure compassion as I tried to piece together a shaky past. She's beyond damaged, but I was still able to see a little flicker of hope as the story continued on. The undeniable pain that Allie experiences drips out of the pages, wrapping cold, invisible hands around your heart. The characters are all flawed in their own ways, not from any lack of the author, but because they were supposed to be flawed. Nobody was perfect. They were all brought to life in an extremely life-like manner, reaching beyond the pages to convey a story that was focused on one individual, but wide enough to show the many facets, good and bad, of a population encompassed by a serious issue.  As I got to know each character I discovered that each of them represented a different side of our societies. I'm not going to go into specifics and to keep it short I'll say this, present in this novel are characters that do or don't have courage, characters that can or won't make a difference, characters that react or turn a blind eye, there are characters that are oblivious and characters that refuse to look further. They are all there in Breaking Beautiful, they all have something to add to the story and an array of emotions to evoke. These aren't flat, barely-there characters, these are characters that could quite literally get up and walk right out of your book.


The plot line is set-up in such a way that it allowed me to get a sense of things to come, but still kept the future twists to be a surprise. The flashbacks are integrated into the present time story adding a goosebump generating aspect that can't be ignored. I was propelled to different levels of suspicion that never went away until all was revealed. Jennifer Shaw Wolf writes with extreme perfection, capturing each minute detail, never skipping over the ugly. Any author that ensnares me into a story, has every single one of my emotions flying in such a way that my chest is vibrating, has exceeded their job. This is an author that has gone above and beyond to bring something so consequentially infecting to readers.


I wholeheartedly recommend Breaking Beautiful to every reader. This is a book that needs to be sitting on your shelf, ready to enjoy whenever you get the urge to revisit Allie and her courageous battle. An impactful read that will definitely touch the heart of many.

Review: Hoodie by Brendon Lancaster

Note: I received a copy of Hoodie from the author through the group Making Connections on Goodreads

From the moment Ben Chapman ('Hoodie' to the other Shady Boys) crashes out of school, determined never to return, and, incidentally, seeking his revenge on the school's drug dealer by stealing and concealing his stash in his trousers on the way out, you know that this is a boy to whom caution and reticence are alien concepts. Outwardly, he maintains that all he wants is a job, his own money and to follow his heart towards the girl of his dreams, Isabelle. But, underneath that concealing hoodie, Ben has a rich inner life, fed by dope, wine and the belief that he is someone special. During his 'summer of love', we follow his attempts to engage with the real world with frustration and compassion. His adventures cause him to question today's competitive, consumer-based values, eventually challenging his perception of reality and prompting him to reflect upon who and what his purpose in life is before finding himself faced with the definitive test of resolve and bravery. Hoodie's blend of up-to-date realism, dream-like escapism, fast-paced, hard-hitting action, wistful musings, humour and tragedy, all while the story navigates its way on a magical mystery tour of Ben's mind, ensures an enjoyable read. It provides the perfect antidote to alarmist Daily Mail reporting of youth issues, exploring the problems facing modern day Britain from the perspective of a disempowered, disaffected teenager. On a deeper level, there is a moral/spiritual sub-text, fed by Ben's belief that he has a secret weapon; the simian lines(fused head ans heart lines) on the palms of his hands. These are extremely rare and noted as being a genetic abnormality shared by drug addicts, mass murderers, scientific researchers and religious fanatics(and, by sheer coincidence, Tony Blair). Could these lines hold the key to his future?

Review

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I honestly don't even know where to begin. There are so many aspects of Hoodie that I could talk about, but I really, really don't want to give a single detail away because it will ultimately subtract from the readers experience.

"Long, wispy brushstrokes of clouds hung motionless in a sky tinged with pink, sweeping gentle waves over the skyline created by the Hallfield Estate" 

So, what can I say? Well, for one, Hoodie is a book that I found highly enjoyable. There are so many different things occurring that it's hard to point out just one tiny detail to focus on. We get to delve into Ben's inner psyche which is often philosophical, borderline looney, but completely insightful.  Ben aka Hoodie is a lost sixteen year old boy who quite honestly has no idea what he wants from life or what to expect. He believes that he is ready to grow up and become his own man, but in reality, he is so not ready. His maturity fluctuates, he is intouch with his emotions, and he's lonely(even when he surrounds himself with the Shady Boys). I loved Ben as a character, he is the type of character that will constantly surprise and is surprisingly deep. I felt that Ben was adequately portrayed as a sixteen year old, his language, mannerisms and his deemed "superiority". 

I found Hoodie to be profoundly realistic with issues that everyone, one time or another, experiences in their lives. Some issues are hard to ignore and others are more subtle, requiring a deeper look. Brendon Lancaster doesn't down-play any of them, as most are in your face demanding attention. As Ben's mind whirls around, the readers will as well.

"Hash - the drug which can turn unconsciousness into consciousness. Whereas this lot were more interested in taking advantage of being served endless rounds of alcohol - the government-regulated drug of choice which turns the conscious into unconscious - through never-ending happy hours"

Brendon Lancaster's writing had an easy flow that captivated my mind and attention. I felt completely immersed in London culture as the scenery was described with crystal clear precision and riddled with slang that may throw some American readers through a loop, but it adds to the authenticity, to the overall feel of the book. The sub-plots all entwine evenly with the main, adding more juicy meat to be dissected. The perspective is third-person, but for a brief stint it slips into first-person. I found this to transfer without a hitch, not disrupting the flow, but adding an insight that both perspective's had to offer. I found that Brendon Lancaster's writing allowed me to become impartial yet still invested.

Hoodie will not appeal to everyone, but that shouldn't stop you from reading it. If my kids were in their teens I would pass Hoodie along to them, but since they aren't I will simply recommend it to readers of all ages and both genders. Hoodie might appeal more to males because of Ben's character, but females will find some aspect to relate to because the issues are not gender specific. I don't think that my simple words could ever do justice to this book, so I urge you to pick it up and read it yourself.  

"A few shared swigs from a bottle after school every day acted as commas; four cupfuls or more on a Friday acted as a full stop, signifying the end of the week; a cupful or two to ponder a dilemma with one of the others acted as a good question mark; and getting shit-faced on at least a monthly basis was always remembered as an exclamation mark"

Hoodie is currently available at Amazon, Smashwords and Barnes & Noble