Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Pushing The Limits

By: Katie McGarry

Pub. Date: July 31, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 384

Source: Netgalley

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.

 I don't even know where to start with this review. I guess I should start by saying that Pushing the Limits was amazing! I loved every single thing about it. It totally pulled at my heart strings and made me laugh, smile and cry. Pushing the Limits is everything I could want in a read and it is easily one of my favorite books of 2012.

Pushing the Limits is written in the POV of both Noah and Echo. I loved this! You really get a much better understanding of what is going on with these two characters. I don't think Noah and Echo could have been written any better. Both characters are going through so much and my heart just broke for the two of them. Echo is the good girl with no confidence. Her brother died in Afghanistan, her father married her old babysitter and her mother might have tried to kill her (she blocked the memory out but has scars up and down her arms from the incident). Noah became an orphan three years ago and he is part of a foster care system that has failed him over and over again. He drinks and smokes up and refuses to get close to anyone. The only thing he can think about is turning 18 and gaining custody of his two younger brothers so they can be a family again. These two characters were so realistic and I felt connected to them the moment I met them. I also loved the connection the two of them had for each other. They were there for each other in a way that nobody else ever had and they helped each other heal.

I could not put this book down because it was such a fantastic contemporary read. The writing was perfect and the story was fast paced. Usually with contemporaries, I end up getting bored because I feel like nothing is happening, but I did not feel that way one bit with Pushing the Limits. I thought the ending was beautiful and it left me with a huge smile on my face.

Katie McGarry did an amazing job with her debut novel. Her next novel, Dare You To is about Beth, a character we meet in Pushing the Limits and just from the little excerpt I read, I know I am going to love it as much as Pushing the Limits! This is a story that is not to be missed and I highly recommend it!

Check out this sample from Angela Mcgarry, who after finishing Pushing the Limits was inspired to write this song. The song gives me chills! You can get yourself a copy at iTunes!

Check out the Pushing The Limits trailer: