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Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry: Review and Giveaway (USA/CAN)!

Saturday, July 21, 2012


"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.

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.

"An edgy romance that pulls you in and never lets go. I was hooked!"-Gena Showalter, New York Times bestselling author of the Intertwined series.

Goodreads Summary


This book never stopped surprising me. Echo doesn’t remember the night her life drastically changed and her arms became sleeves of scars. Normalcy is all Echo wants. She wants her “real life” back and tries as hard as she can to be perfect. Noah doesn’t know where his life is heading. Life hasn’t been easy on Noah for years; he feels as if he should stop trying. Then Noah meets Echo and he realizes that he can’t stay away from her. The reader will here from both Noah’s and Echo’s perspectives and grow to love these characters. Noah’s rough edges may yield a caring soul and Echo’s secrets will be revealed.
McGarry’s book is one that you cannot put down. I spent a sleepless night asking myself the questions “What will happen next?” and reading almost nonstop. Pushing the Limits was a good balance of angst, drama, romance, and mystery. A reader will never be bored and will always be rooting for the characters as they continue struggling forward. Teen girls will adore this novel. Readers under the age of fourteen are too young for this book because of mature content. Any fans of Simone Elkeles will also love this novel. McGarry’s style is perfect for teen readers and shares Elkeles’s ability to write from different perspectives. I give this novel five out of five stars.


5 Stars

*Reviewed by Kristin*


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Giveaway: open to USA/CAN


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A Q&A With Katie McGarry





Q: What was your inspiration for writing Pushing the Limits?

A: I had two main inspirations: One, I knew from the beginning that I wanted to write a story in which my characters felt strong enough to leave their pasts behind and create new futures for themselves. The first scene I ever saw in my mind was Echo and Noah leaving town after graduation. Two, I wanted to write two characters who were facing over- whelming issues and who, through battling these issues, found hope at the end of their journey.



Q: How did you come up with Echo’s name?

A: Echo went through several name changes as I wrote the man- uscript. For a while, she had a very normal name, but it alwaysfelt off. It wasn’t until I looked at Echo from her mother’s point of view that I found her name. Echo’s mother loved Greek my- thology so it made perfect sense that she would name her chil- dren after the myths. I read several Greek myths and the mo- ment I found Echo’s, I fell in love. Echo, to me, was the girl who lost her voice. Thankfully, she finds it by the end.



Q: Which character is the most “like” you?

A: All of them. I gave each character a piece of me (though some have larger slices of me than others). Overall, I’d say I’m a strange combination of Echo, Lila and Beth. Echo has my need to please, Lila has my unfailing loyalty to my friends and Beth encompasses my insecurities.





Q: Did you experience friendships with Grace types when you were in high school?

A: Yes. And the more people have read this story, the more this question comes up. Grace has struck a stronger nerve in people than I ever would have imagined. It seems most of us have un- fortunately experienced a relationship where a person wants to “like” you and wants “be your friend,” but only if it serves their needs. In case anyone is wondering, that isn’t friendship.





Q: Are there any parts of the story you feel particularly close to?

A: Yes. The relationship between Noah, Isaiah and Beth. Beyond my parents and sister, my nearest family members were over fourteen hours away. My friends became my family. The peopleI grew up with were more than people I watched movies with or talked to occasionally on the phone. These were people with whom I shared life’s most devastating moments, but also my hardest laughs. These were people who I would have willing- ly died for and I know they would have done the same for me. They shared my triumphs with smiles on their faces and con- gratulatory hugs. They held me when I cried and offered to beat up whoever hurt my feelings. These were also the same people who were more than happy to get in my face if they thought I was making a wrong decision.



Q: Did anything that happens to Echo happen to you?

A: Sort of. I was bitten by a dog when I was in second grade and repressed the memory. It felt very strange to have no memory of an incident that other people knew about. It was even strang- er to have injuries and not have an inkling where they came from. In college, I finally remembered the incident when a dog lunged at me. I relived the horrible event and sort of “woke up” a few minutes later to find myself surrounded by people I loved. Even though I “remember” the incident, I still don’t remember the whole thing. I only see still frames in my mind and there is no blood in any of the memories.

This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.

58 comments:

  1. Great review and Interview! I really want to read this book.I've only see positive reviews on it so I can't wait to read it for my self! :D

  1. Reading your review makes me so excited to read this book! can't wait for it! so many good things about this book! thanks for the chance!

  1. Joanne said...:

    Thanks for the great review. This book sounds fantastic. Can't wait to t=read it to learn more about Echo and Noah.

  1. Anna said...:

    I've read this book and it was amazing and I would love to have a physical copy of this book. Thanks for the giveaway!

  1. zahra said...:

    The book seems amazing and I've read nice reviews on it.

  1. Caroline said...:

    I've heard this book is AMAZING!!!! I read the first four chapters online and I really want to finish it!

  1. Unknown said...:

    I keep hearing how good this book is and would love to read it!

  1. Alyssa Susanna said...:

    This book sounds sooooo good!!!! I'm so excited to read it, whenever I get the chance! I've heard there are a lot of GREAT scenes between Echo and Noah... and how about those names!!! I like both names. I used to dislike contemporary novels, because I love fantasy and paranormal more, BUT. After Beautiful Disaster, and Easy, and now this book!? Contemp is gaining gorund for me. Thanks for the review, interview and giveaway!!!

    Alyssa Susanna

  1. Jennifer said...:

    I've heard a bunch of people say how good the book is. Plus it sounds interesting. Thanks.

  1. I have already read and loved this one! I loved the relationship between Noah and Echo and Noah's story really touched my heart. Thanks for the giveaway! :)

  1. Unknown said...:

    It looks really good. Great review!

  1. Natasha said...:

    I would love to read this because it sounds really good!! Thanks for the chance to win!

  1. TayteH said...:

    A lot of reviews says this book is a worth while book. And I want to know Echo's secret. :D

  1. GW said...:

    i read the review and i think I'd enjoy the book
    Glorwal64@gmail.com

  1. GW said...:

    This book sounds fantastic.
    Glorwal64@gmail.com

  1. I love edgy romances and this one certainly fits the bill.

  1. I've heard so many great things about it and I love YA contemporary books! Echo and Noah sound great too :)

  1. Unknown said...:

    I've such positive things about this book. I believe it may become one of my favorite 2012 reads.

  1. Megan said...:

    I'd like to read this one because I'm trying to read more contemporary books. Plus, the idea of repressed memories is really cool!

  1. From what I read in the review it sounds great.
    Thanks for the giveaway! =)

  1. Lori Thomas said...:

    It sounds really really good. Thx 4 the chance!!

  1. I'd like to read this book b/c I like edgy romances.
    nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

  1. Christina K. said...:

    I love darker romances that involve teens with difficult pasts:)

    Thanks so much:)

  1. I'm intrigued by the synopsis and the great reviews. I'd really like to win a copy of Pushing the Limits. Thanks!

  1. Violette said...:

    I'd love to read this book because I love the premise, plus I've heard nothing but positive things.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

  1. Desiree said...:

    At first I had no interest in this book but then the reviews started rolling in and most people have awesome things to say about it. The reviewers that I trust and most agree with have all loved Pushing The Limits so now I NEED to read it! Thanks for the giveaway!

  1. Kelly said...:

    My husband had a head injury right after we got married. He has memory issues. I like to read other stories that have some of that. Plus I want to see how these two in this book work out!

  1. I have heard this book compared to other books that I have read and loved. So excited to see for myself.

  1. I love contemporary and this one reminds me of Perfect Chemistry, which I love!

    Thanks for the giveaway!

  1. claireja said...:

    Thanks for the great review and giveaway!

  1. Cyn said...:

    I'd like to read more romance.

  1. Honestly, and I am sure this is the answer others have given as well but it is the truth. I have rarely seen so many positive reviews for a book. I don't believe that I have seen one negative review, and that blows me away. I am very new to the contemporary world, and I think that this one would be a great one for my next try!

  1. Anonymous said...:

    I want to read this book because it sounds good. I am curious about the scars and how the relationship turns out.

  1. It seems edgy and chuck full of romance!

  1. Samantha R. said...:

    I love this book! Can't wait to own it.

  1. I have been hearing amazing stuff about this book from absolutely EVERY blog I follow.

  1. Unknown said...:

    The book sounds very interesting/intriguing. It has received great reviews. As a nurse, I enjoy reading stories with a "medical" element-as with this one and the head injury/scars. Thank you for the opportunity to win!

  1. Lili said...:

    I will not be entering this giveaway because I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book. And like you, I loved it. I gave it 5 stars because it kept surprising me too! I didn't expect to love it as much as I did, but I loved the emotional roller coaster that it took me on! Great review.

  1. Steph said...:

    Great review and interview! I'm glad you liked the book so much. I've been reading great things about it.

  1. I've had this one on my wishlist since I first saw the cover and read the blurb. Thanks for the giveaway!

  1. erin said...:

    thanks for a fun post and giveaway! This book has been on my wishlist b/c I've read such great reviews :)

  1. I'm dying to read this book! I've heard nothing but good things about it and this review makes me want to read it that much more. I like books that are a bit edgy and I love mysterious elements :)

  1. Unknown said...:

    Loved pushing the limits!

  1. It sounds amazing and i have heard a bajillion good things about it. :D
    plus i need to know how she got the cuts on her arm. I. NEED. TO. KNOW. D:

    http://caughtinasnyderwebb.blogspot.com/

  1. I love a good contemporary book. These characters sound really intriguing. Thanks for the giveaway and post!

  1. I have seen this book on so many blogs and it immediatly caught my eye as one that I would love to read. I love a book that is edgy and keeps you wanting to keep reading to see what will happen next and gets you invested in the charaters. From all I have read this is one of those books!

    Thanks so much!

  1. Randi M said...:

    I've heard only awesome things about this book! And I've been addicted to YA contemps this year - they've all been awesome. :)

  1. Pam said...:

    For one, I love reading romances, but I'm also intrigued by Echo's story. I want to know more. I want to know what happened to her. Plus, I've heard amazing things about the book.
    Thank you for the giveaway!

    Pam

  1. Ally said...:

    Great post! This book sounds really mysterious and Noah and Echo look like they have a fun relationship to read about. Can't wait to give it a shot!

    Thanks for the giveaway!

  1. I have heard nothing but good things about this book! It sounds like it is a really great book! I cannot wait to read it : )

  1. Wendy said...:

    The story line sounds great! I get hooked on just reading the descriptions. I can't wait to meet Noah! The name Echo is great! This sounds like it will be one of those books on my "favorites" shelf, as soon as I let everyone of my friends read it ..lol

  1. I had heard soooooooooo many great things about this book! I have to read it! Plus I LOVED the trailer!

  1. Daniel M said...:

    sounds like a fun one! - regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com

  1. I've heard so many great stuff about it!

  1. Erika said...:

    I want to read this book because it sounds so amazing. I read the synopsis a while ago and I loved it!

  1. Adriane said...:

    I have been so excited about this book for a while now!!!! I have read so many great reviews about it as well! can't wait to read it!!!!

  1. Loved the Q&A! And the review! I honestly cannot recall ever reading a single negative review for this book. It is sitting on my shelf, and I really can't wait to read it. Especially now that Dare You To is on its way.