Katie's Book Blog!!

2012 is turning out to be the year for awesome contemporary books. Pushing The Limits, Katie McGarry’s debut novel, is one of the best contemporary books I have read. I can already tell that this is one author I will completely adore. I’m already super stoked for her next book, a companion to Pushing The Limits!Echo is one severely damaged girl. Something traumatic happened to her one night close to the end of her sophomore year. She has scars on both her arms but she doesn’t remember anything about how she got them. That night changed everything for her and she has never been the same girl since. Now it’s her senior year and she’s finally trying to get back her life. She is scared, confused, lonely, and a lot of the time angry. Life has gone on without her and everyone is trying to shove her back into her old life and she just doesn’t fit. She’s such an easy character to like and connect with. She’s very raw and real and she’s very sarcastic inside her head (and sometimes out of it.) She may be damaged but she still has a great sense of humor and it’s clear that she’s a very smart girl. She’s a well-rounded, supremely awesome main character.Then there is Noah. What is it about guys named Noah? So far every one that I have read about, I have loved and this Noah is no exception. He’s the quintessential bad boy but there is so much more to him. The book is told in alternating point-of-views so you get a glimpse inside Noah’s head and he’s a wonderful guy no matter how he acts on the outside. Sure I liked Echo but I was so invested in everything that happened with Noah. I have to say that his story may have been more interesting to me. Everything that happened to him broke my heart and I found myself sobbing by the end of the book, both about what happened to Echo and what happened to Noah. They are both very broken people but together they are so perfect. Also, Noah’s friends, Isaiah and Beth help make this book so awesome. They are hilarious and they really are like family to Noah. Beth’s story is the next book and I have very high hopes.The romance in Pushing the Limits is some of the hottest I have read. Simone Elkeles blurbed this book and that kind of gave me a clue but I was still surprised by how sexy and steamy it was. I would honestly have to compare this one to a Simone Elkeles book, both with the romance and with how much I loved it. The story is addicting and I dare you to put this one down once you’ve started it. It’s damn near impossible.Overall, Pushing The Limits is a must-read for every YA reader out there. Heck, even if you aren’t a YA reader (if you aren’t, why are you on my blog?) you must check this one out. Katie McGarry is an author to watch!