Book Review: Pushing the Limits

Title:  Pushing the Limits
Author:  Katie McGarry
Where I got it:  From NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review

Amazon 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.

My Thoughts:
For starters – I kid you not, I couldn’t put this book down.  Seriously, it was awesome and enthralling and emotional… and just AWESOME.

However, I think I am the only person on the face of the planet who is not particularly fond of this cover.  But, if you fall into my camp on that one, please do NOT judge this book by the cover, because did I mention, it’s awesome?  Oh, and if you like the cover, please proceed with the judging.  :-)

Pushing the Limits follows two troubled teens as they work through their emotional issues, and build a relationship with each and those around them. 

Echo was horribly scarred by her mother, and can’t remember what happened or why.  And after the loss of her brother, and the challenges of having a new step mother, she’s not really a fan of interacting with people.

Noah has been screwed over by the system, even for doing things that would normally be considered honorable.  And as a result, has lost most of his contact with his brothers, who are also in foster care.  He doesn’t trust the system, and is determined to get custody of them as soon as he graduates, no matter what he has to do to make that happen.

Told in alternating points of view between Echo and Noah, we get to see the both sides of both of these incredibly emotional and complex stories.  After getting to know these characters, I felt completely invested in their lives and the outcome of their new relationship.  From the reader’s perspective, you truly experience the difficulty of doing the right thing, even when it’s hard, and coming to terms with the horrible things that sometimes happen in life.  I loved every page of this book, and I would have been even happier if it went on for longer so that I got to spend more time with Echo and Noah.  *sigh*  I miss them.