Mini Review Monday #2

I have decided to start doing some mini reviews to allow me to tell you what I thought of a book, without the full review depth. The reason why I have decided to do this is because some books have been out of a while and there are plenty of reviews on Goodreads if anyone wants further details already, and the other is that some of the books I've read are actually novellas and I wouldn't be able to write full reviews on something that is generally under 100 or so pages. 
I'm not sure if this will be a weekly, fortnightly or monthly thing. More than likely it will be just when I need to so a short review. I do have a few to do, but I'll space them out of the next few weeks and then take it from there. =)

Title: Crossing The Line

Author: Katie McGarry
Series: Pushing The Limits, #1.5
Published: April 1, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Free for Kindle promo by Harlequin Teen Australia

Katie McGarry captivated readers with her “riveting, emotional”* Young Adult debut, Pushing the Limits. In this gripping novella, she tells the story of Lila and Lincoln, who discover that sometimes it’s worth crossing the line for love…

Lila McCormick, Echo's best friend from Pushing the Limits, first met Lincoln Turner when tragedy struck both their lives. But she never expected their surprise encounter would lead to two years of exchanging letters—or that she’d fall for the boy she’s only seen once. Their relationship is a secret, but Lila feels closer to Lincoln than anyone else. Until she finds out that he lied to her about the one thing she depended on him for the most.

Hurting Lila is the last thing Lincoln wanted. For two years, her letters have been the only thing getting him through the day. Admitting his feelings would cross a line he’s never dared breach before. But Lincoln will do whatever it takes to fix his mistakes, earn Lila’s forgiveness—and finally win a chance to be with the girl he loves.

My Thoughts

This was a lovely little (it's 67 pages!) novella about Lila. If you read Pushing The Limits, she was Echo's friend who in the end was the only one to stand by her. 

Lila's relationship with Lincoln is built up through letters, and as with Katie McGarry's stories, both have issues within their lives but have each other to depend on. 

You don't need to have read Pushing the Limits before this one. It's would read fine as a stand alone if you wanted. 

Even though it is a very short story, Katie McGarry managers to make fantastic characters and an emotional read. 

★★★★ Really Liked It

eARC Review: Dare You To by Katie McGarry

Title: Dare You To

Author: Katie McGarry

Series: Pushing The Limits, #2

Publication Date: May 28, 2013

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

Description

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all...

Review

It took me awhile to get into this book. I don't believe it was the book itself, I think it was just the formatting of the copy I had. The chapters weren't separated other than a few words in capitals and I found it extremely difficult to read as the jump between POV's wasn't clear. I was originally reading it on my mobile, but then I swapped to the kindle for a bigger screen, thinking that might help - and it did. Though I still didn't get the "I can't put this down" feeling I had with Pushing The Limits until I was about 30 - 40% into it. Then I fell in love with the story. 

I felt for Beth. I really liked her even though there were points where I thought "you stupid girl". I still liked her, and I could empathise with her, even in those moments, and understand why she did what she did. 
I wasn't instantly drawn to Ryan, but he grew on me as the story went on. I thought he was good for Beth which is where some of my frustration came from with her. haha.
I liked Isaiah in Pushing the Limits and I liked him even more in this. He is such a great character and I'm dying to read his story in Crash Into You, but I digress. 

Katie McGarry is amazing at writing characters with a troubled background. She makes the story emotional, believeable, and heartbreaking. You connect with the characters, feel for them, and want everything to be better for them. You want the story to have a positive ending, no necessarily a happy ending, just something positive to come out of it for the characters involved. I didn't think it was possible to write a better story then Pushing The Limits, but Dare You To is just was wonderful, if not a little better. 

Dare You To could be read as a stand alone. Pushing The Limits will give you a wider view into some of the characters as well as the connections, but it isn't totally necessary. 

★★★★★ 

It Was Amazing

Book Trailer

Review: Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

Title: Pushing The Limits

Author: Katie McGarry

Series: Pushing The Limits, #1

Publication Date: July 31, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary

Source: Bought

Description

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

A while ago Harlequinn Teen offered a sneak peek at Pushing The Limits, the first 2 chapters I believe. I wasn't sure this was going to be for me so I read those 2 chapters. I was instantly draw to the story and purchased the book. It took me a little while to get to read it (and even longer to write the review! o_o  Shame on me) but I definitely loved this story. 

Firstly there is Noah who has lost both parents and is wanting custody of his younger brothers, who are currently with a lovely couple. Unfortunately Noah doesn't believe they are nor does he realise they are the best thing for his brothers. 

Then there is Echo, who has her own tragedies  With the death of her older brother, and scars that she hides from everyone along with the lost memory of how they occurred that night at her mothers place. 

The novel alternates between Noah and Echo's point of views throughout the novel and is engaging this way.   

Both are seeing the school counselor, Mrs Collins, who is actually trying to help them and is a major factor in Noah and Echo getting together, pairing them for Echo to tutor Noah. 

Through their contact they grow and develop into better versions of themselves. 

I loved this book as it is written in a way that you can empathize with them; see and feel them grow and feel their pain, sadness, joy and happiness. I loved both Noah and Echo, and Noah's friends Beth and Isaiah. This is an emotional read with surprising depth and feeling. Another to add to the TBR if you haven't already. 

Also Beth has her story in Dare You To (released May 28 2013), and Isaiah in Crash Into You (expected release November 26 2013). 

★★★★★ 
It Was Amazing

Author Bio

Source

KATIE MCGARRY was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie would love to hear from her readers. 

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