Katie McGarryCritiques

Amazzing! I loved finally get this story! So unique!

Such a good story! I really loved both the main characters in this book. It really captured my heart and was a fast read. I did love the girl alot and her "learning" challenges were unique. I love the presence of her big family and also the glimpse of the other thunder road characters! Excited for Violet story next!

Can not say how much i adored this story. It brought me to tears. Omg love finally learning more about abby and logan and seeing all the other characters. Such a great book... all the stars!

* I got this book for review from the publisher*

I really loved this story so much. I really enjoyed this hard hitting contemopory. I really enjoyed the duel POV and found how this book tackled various types of abuse super compelling/heartbreaking. I liked the longer time frame of this novel. I really love the blast from the past love and really enjoyed this aspect of the novel. I was equally invested in both storylines. I found the end pacing a bit wired but other then such a stand out novel. I am super excited to see who book focused on.

i really loved this book. GREAT SEEING ALL MY FAV CHARACTERS again. i love how the story really did progress and delt with both new and old issues in new ways. strong book. great characters.

Dare you to: Spoiler Review She has done it again!
I am in love with this book. I want more of these characters like now. It was the most cool bad girl and good boy story.But it was also so much more then that. It really showed how characters that seemed to have nothing in common could be the thing that the other person needs.
 
I loved learning more about Beth past in the book especially because she was side character in pushing the limits and came across as such horrible character in book one and now so much of her character has been described. It was interesting to see her with the good boy and how that effected her and how she wanted to be better.
 
I liked how long it took them to get together because with a relationship like this that was fraught with hate it took a while to get to the fact they have feelings.
 
I thought it was so cool how they played with good boy troup and how Ryan was not only a good boy who could play sports, but he was much more. I loved the added element of his own family drama and also his love of writing.
 
I always want more form this characters and maybe one day we will get
 
Check out my video review:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLL7sIOWUXY

Take me on This book was so fast paced and so much fun to read. I really loved the relationship that developed between Haley and West. You meet West in the crash into you and I loved really learning more about him in this book and how much Crash into you events really effected him. 
 
Haley home life was so hard to read about but i know that so many people in the world have similar stories to Haley. I loved the brother characters that really tried to look out for her and they became my favorite characters. 
 
I think he concept of fights and running away was so large in this book for both lead characters and eventually they each became each other home. I mean when Haley left time i was so throwing my book against the wall and could not wait to see what happen.
 
I liked learning more about Abby and i know we get to read her story soon. 
 
I think also the abuse in this book that occurred was so important for young girls to read about and see the dangerous impact it could have on somebody life.
 
I really loved this book and the story that was told.
 
Check out my video review 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx0MuBCX0iU
 
 
 

I really enjoyed this book and loved the character of O.z. It took me a long time to grow to understand Emily character and that is why it was harder for em to get through this book. I really grew to like Emily. This book was the first in a new series by this author and it was a good read. It dealt with topics like cancer and complex family relationships and what makes a family. Great read!

Pushing the Limits: Spoiler Review I really loved this book. I really loved both echo and noah as a pair and as their own characters. I loved how this book liked at characters that I don't read about often or situations. It look at the complex issues in foster care and also the simple way things are looked black and white and no shades of grey. I loved seeing noah come to see how much he could give his brothers by staying their brother and not trying to take them from the only life the knew. I think I was even torn at what I wanted it him to do in the end but the book made my invested either way. I really at the end did see a change in noah and that was good.
 
I loved the mystery aspect that we saw in echo case. I loved how everyone in her life knew the truth about what her mother did to her but she could never remember. I had so many theories and the ending still broke my heart. It is painful but gripping to watch her fall down and just hope to get back up. 
 
I really loved the scene she had with her mother cause it was so gut wrenching to watch and also my heart broke for noah in his scene with his little brothers. 
 
I also loved meeting the issiah and beth that we will learn more about in future books but I have fallen in love with her writing and i am excited to read much more by her.
 
Check out my video review:
coming soon!

Such a good story! I really loved both the main characters in this book. It really captured my heart and was a fast read. I did love the girl alot and her "learning" challenges were unique. I love the presence of her big family and also the glimpse of the other thunder road characters! Excited for Violet story next!

Amazzing! I loved finally get this story! So unique!

Can not say how much i adored this story. It brought me to tears. Omg love finally learning more about abby and logan and seeing all the other characters. Such a great book... all the stars!

* I got this book for review from the publisher*

I really loved this story so much. I really enjoyed this hard hitting contemopory. I really enjoyed the duel POV and found how this book tackled various types of abuse super compelling/heartbreaking. I liked the longer time frame of this novel. I really love the blast from the past love and really enjoyed this aspect of the novel. I was equally invested in both storylines. I found the end pacing a bit wired but other then such a stand out novel. I am super excited to see who book focused on.

i really loved this book. GREAT SEEING ALL MY FAV CHARACTERS again. i love how the story really did progress and delt with both new and old issues in new ways. strong book. great characters.

Dare you to: Spoiler Review She has done it again!
I am in love with this book. I want more of these characters like now. It was the most cool bad girl and good boy story.But it was also so much more then that. It really showed how characters that seemed to have nothing in common could be the thing that the other person needs.
 
I loved learning more about Beth past in the book especially because she was side character in pushing the limits and came across as such horrible character in book one and now so much of her character has been described. It was interesting to see her with the good boy and how that effected her and how she wanted to be better.
 
I liked how long it took them to get together because with a relationship like this that was fraught with hate it took a while to get to the fact they have feelings.
 
I thought it was so cool how they played with good boy troup and how Ryan was not only a good boy who could play sports, but he was much more. I loved the added element of his own family drama and also his love of writing.
 
I always want more form this characters and maybe one day we will get
 
Check out my video review:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLL7sIOWUXY

I really enjoyed this book and loved the character of O.z. It took me a long time to grow to understand Emily character and that is why it was harder for em to get through this book. I really grew to like Emily. This book was the first in a new series by this author and it was a good read. It dealt with topics like cancer and complex family relationships and what makes a family. Great read!

Take me on This book was so fast paced and so much fun to read. I really loved the relationship that developed between Haley and West. You meet West in the crash into you and I loved really learning more about him in this book and how much Crash into you events really effected him. 
 
Haley home life was so hard to read about but i know that so many people in the world have similar stories to Haley. I loved the brother characters that really tried to look out for her and they became my favorite characters. 
 
I think he concept of fights and running away was so large in this book for both lead characters and eventually they each became each other home. I mean when Haley left time i was so throwing my book against the wall and could not wait to see what happen.
 
I liked learning more about Abby and i know we get to read her story soon. 
 
I think also the abuse in this book that occurred was so important for young girls to read about and see the dangerous impact it could have on somebody life.
 
I really loved this book and the story that was told.
 
Check out my video review 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx0MuBCX0iU
 
 
 

Pushing the Limits: Spoiler Review I really loved this book. I really loved both echo and noah as a pair and as their own characters. I loved how this book liked at characters that I don't read about often or situations. It look at the complex issues in foster care and also the simple way things are looked black and white and no shades of grey. I loved seeing noah come to see how much he could give his brothers by staying their brother and not trying to take them from the only life the knew. I think I was even torn at what I wanted it him to do in the end but the book made my invested either way. I really at the end did see a change in noah and that was good.
 
I loved the mystery aspect that we saw in echo case. I loved how everyone in her life knew the truth about what her mother did to her but she could never remember. I had so many theories and the ending still broke my heart. It is painful but gripping to watch her fall down and just hope to get back up. 
 
I really loved the scene she had with her mother cause it was so gut wrenching to watch and also my heart broke for noah in his scene with his little brothers. 
 
I also loved meeting the issiah and beth that we will learn more about in future books but I have fallen in love with her writing and i am excited to read much more by her.
 
Check out my video review:
coming soon!

This was so amazing! I loved this one even better than the first and can't wait to read the third book.

No recuerdo la noche que cambió mi vida. La noche en que pasé de ser popular a ser un bicho raro y marginado. Y mi familia está decidida a que siga así.
Decían que la terapia me ayudaría. No se esperaban a Noah. Noah es el tipo de chico sobre el que me advertían mis padres. Pero es el único que me escucha. El único dispuesto a ayudarme a averiguar la verdad. Sé que cada beso, cada promesa y cada caricia son algo prohibido.
Pero, ¿y si encontrar tu destino significa romper todas las normas?

When Beth's home life explodes, she's forced to live with the uncle who left her so many years ago. This is not what Beth wants at all, and when Beth's not happy, you're sure as hell going to know it. Ryan's goal of pitching in the major leagues is getting closer and closer, but stuff going on at home is distracting him.
When Beth meets Ryan sparks fly, but not the kind you think. Ryan asks Beth out as a dare and she calls him on it. But when Ryan finds out that the uncle Beth is staying with is Scott Risk, former Yankee Scott Risk, he knows he's messed up big time. Beth hates that she actually likes Ryan and vows to keep him at arms length.
Despite all their intentions, the attraction between the two is explosive and can only be held back for so long.

My Thoughts:
Dare You To is the story of Beth from [b:Pushing the Limits|10194514|Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits, #1)|Katie McGarry|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1322770025s/10194514.jpg|15093690]. If you read my blog, then you probably know how much I loved that book. It was my favorite book of 2012.

In this book you have baseball star Ryan who has his dad pressuring him to get ready for the pros. Ryan is a golden boy by all appearances, but his home life is full of turmoil. His brother came out to his parents recently and his dad basically disowned him. Ryan feels completely abandoned by his brother and unsure of what he wants out of life. He knows his dad is expecting him to go pro after senior year, but his English teacher has him thinking college might be a better choice. Then you have Beth moving to this small town with her rich ex-professional baseball playing uncle. She's had a rough life and has been trying to look out for her train-wreck of a mom... but that hasn't been going so well lately. I thought this book was going to be about Beth and Isaiah being a couple, but it was pretty obvious from the beginning that wasn't going to happen (but apparently Isaiah gets his own book later, so yay!!!). Ok so you have Beth and Ryan trying to start a relationship, but having pretty much everything stacked against them.

I hate to write this right now because I love Katie McGarry and I loved Pushing the Limits so hard, but I was not 100% with this book. It was a good book and if I hadn't fell so hard for PTL, I really think I would've liked this better. The major thing that held me back from loving this book were the cringe-worthy moments. There were so many corny over-the-top "I'll die before I let you feel one ounce of hurt" moments. And those moments happened so soon in the relationship that it was a little insta-love-ish for me. I will fully admit that part of my problem was that I just wasn't in the mood for a love story. Another part is that the relationship didn't feel as real between them like it did with Echo and Noah. Probably because Beth isn't the most likeable girl. I mean logically I should love Beth. I get sick of goody-goodies in books. Beth is certainly a girl with issues and she's not that typical sugary-sweet m/c, but I just didn't like her that much. She's so adamant that she's not going let another guy into her heart and I didn't believe her for one second. It was so obvious what was going to happen. I started to feel like Beth was a poser. And I don't really like pretenders. If you're going to be a hard-ass, be a hard-ass.

Anyway. I didn't hate this book if that's what you're thinking. I loved that there was baseball and field parties and all the side issues (drugs, coming out, abuse). I loved that Ryan was this jock-guy who was really a writer inside. I just didn't fall for the romance which was basically what this book was all about. But just because I didn't love it doesn't mean you won't!! I can totally see people loving this couple.

Overall: Similar to Pushing the Limits, but not as real feeling. I really liked the idea of this book, but the Beth/Ryan romance made me cringe a little. Too sugary sweet. I definitely think this is a great book for summer and fans of super-sweet romance will love this.

This seriously may be my favorite book of 2012... I'm in love!

Something bad happened to Echo that left her arms terribly scarred... only she can't remember what that something is. She knows her bipolar mom was involved, but no one will tell her what exactly happened. (Apparently her brain won't be able to handle it?) Something bad happened to Noah and he wishes he could forget what it is. His parents were killed in a house fire leaving him and his brothers in separate foster care. Both Echo and Noah end up seeing a school social worker who gives Echo a job tutoring Noah... and then BAM! you have these two poeple damaged in completely different ways come together and it's perfection!!

I can't even describe to you how much I loved Echo and Noah as a couple. Noah was so delicious and sweet it was almost too much. But their coupling wasn't even the best part. The best part was the complexity of the story. It wasn't just a romance or an amnesia mystery or a death book. It was life!! Life in alternating viewpoints! (
Echo and Noah were so real to me, but so were the other characters in the book. I feel like I got to know about 10 people really well throughout this book and that's rare in YA. Usually I feel lucky if I get the main character(s).

Seriously if you like YA contemporary read this book!!! And apparantly there's a spin-off book about Beth coming out :) Can't wait! Katie McGarry is definitely up there on my list with Courtney Summers after this amazing book!

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3.5 Stars

3.5 Stars

3.5 Stars