Books4Tomorrow: REVIEW: "PUSHING THE LIMITS" (Pushing the Limits, #1)

Title: “Pushing the Limits”

Series: (Pushing the Limits, #1)

Author: Katie McGarry

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: July 31, 2012

Genre: NA / YA

Reviewed by: Books4Tomorrow

Source: Purchased

My star rating: 5/5

SUMMARY

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

Beautiful…just, beautiful! What more can I say about this emotionally-riveting book that hundreds of others haven’t said yet? Everything about this book was perfect. It took me two days to finish it because I constantly had to put it down to either get my heartbeat back to normal, my breathing back to normal, or get more tissues to wipe my tears.

If you give me half a chance I’ll just go on and on and on about this amazing read. I’ll tell you that the characters weren’t just realistic; they were so real they jumped off the page and came to life right in front of my eyes. I’ll also describe in vivid detail how sometimes the room I sat reading in felt too small as these characters crowded my senses with every detail of their personalities – right down to habits, mannerisms, insecurities, quirks, and every single raw emotion the author deliberately pushed in my face. Honestly, I was so afraid this might be a story saturated with angst, so much so I might lose interest halfway through, and that’s exactly what it was - but without the “losing interest” part. Not once did I lose interest in any part of the story. I even reread some pages to ensure that I stayed completely in-sync with every emotional scene in the book, and time and again I wanted to hug Echo and Noah and try to make it all better for them and Noah’s little brothers.

This might be the author’s debut novel, but she writes like a seasoned writer. Not only are the two main characters, Echo and Noah, fully fleshed out, but the same was done for minor characters such as Echo’s best friend, Echo’s ex-best friend, the school councillor, Echo’s parents and stepmom, and Noah’s friends Isaiah and Beth. These might all be secondary characters, but each of them plays a massive role in Echo and Noah’s lives, and the author deftly gave each of these characters their time to shine throughout the book. If it weren’t for them, the story might not have had the same impact on me it did.

Pushing the Limits is a heart-wrenching story about leaving the past behind and starting over. It is layered with character growth and underlines a clear message about not losing hope when working through the discouraging hardships life sometimes throws our way. The characters have to deal with trust-issues, accepting circumstances beyond their control, forgiving others, making selfless choices, and learning to love unconditionally. As all these things are part of daily life, it made it so much easier for me to engross myself in this tearjerker gem.

Katie McGarry, there’s a special place for your books on my bookshelf – right in front where everybody can see and admire it…but I’m sorry, they don’t get to touch it. Whatever you write needs to be treasured! Now I can’t wait to read Dare You To, so I can get to read Beth’s story and immerse myself again in the world of the characters I came to adore. Folks, if you have Pushing the Limits on your to-read list, move it right up to the top. If not, well, get yourself a copy of this unforgettable, stunning book and come join the rest of us adoring Katie McGarry fans…cause we have cookies…and Noah Hutchins!

*NOTE: This book contains YA characters with New Adult situations.