ARC Review: Crash into You by Katie McGarry

*Received from NetGalley*

Crash into You
(Book #3 in the Pushing the Limits series)
Amazon | Goodreads | BN
Author: Katie Mcgarry

Publisher: Harlequin Teen (November 26, 2013)
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, 496 pages
ISBN-10:  037321099X
ISBN-13: 978-0373210992
ASIN: B00DPAN5H2
My Copy: ARC eBook

SUMMARY:

The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life-that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers...and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind.

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks-no matter how angelic she might look.

But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.

MY REVIEW:

Boy meets girl...at a drag race no less. Need-for-speed junkies Isaiah and Rachel meet at an illegal drag race, and when shit hits the fan, Isaiah takes Rachel for a ride. A ride that will have their lives entwining with emotions and fast cars. 

EEK. YES! After the first few pages of Crash into You, I was completely hooked! I love almost everything about this book. I was kinda crushed when in Dare You To (Book #2 in the Pushing the Limits series), Isaiah wasn't "the one" that ended up with Beth. I was crushed, CRUSHED I tell you! But after all my squealing and jumping around had settled down, I finally gained the courage to start this book. The problems that these characters go through are a bit unrealistic to me, but KMcGarry does a great job of pulling all the feels out of you and onto the page. ALL THE FEELS.

Reeling you in and making, YES, MAKING, you fall in love with her characters.  And by the time you're done reading the book all you can do is stare at the last word, of the last sentence, of the last paragraph, of the last page, of the last chapter and think to yourself: why? why is it over? I'm not over exaggerating here people. It's that damned good. The characters are all well developed and have these personalities that either you hate or you love, but regardless of your feelings towards said characters, they were made to make you feel that way. And in this case, I absolutely loved Rachel and I loved Rachel with Isaiah even more. 

If you can recall, I stated in the previous paragraph that I loved ALMOST everything. And I say almost because some of it was a bit irritating. And by irritating, I mean that I wish the characters would have handled things a bit differently. But that's just me.  Other than that, I thought this was great book.

Raised in foster care, Isaiah has the mental attitude of someone working against the world. Or, rather, the world is working against him. Trusts no one and has the "big bad" label that no one messes with. YEEEAAAAH, who wouldn't love this? Tattoos, charming smile (when he smiles), and a heart of gold! You know damned well under all that rough bad boy exterior lies a heart of gold just waiting to swoon you off your feet and into bed... ahem.. I mean, yeaaah. lol. I absolutely loved Isaiah from the very first book: Pushing the Limits. So you can be damned sure that I was reeling with excitement when he finally got his own book and a damned good book at that. 

Rachel and Isaiah make a great pair in this YA novel, although, Ana and Isaiah sounds a bit better. HAHA. *sigh* I know, I can keep dreaming. I would definitely recommend Crash into You. If you're looking for a Young Adult novel to sweep you off your feet and will have you glued to your book until the very last page, then you should stop reading this review and pick up your copy NOW!

Click HERE for my review of PUSHING THE LIMITS (Book #1 in the Pushing the Limits series)
Click HERE for my review of DARE YOU TO (Book #2 in the Pushing the Limits series)

MY RATING:

 

ARC Review: Dare You To by Katie McGarry

*Received from NetGalley*

Dare You To
(Book #2 in the Pushing the Limits series)
Amazon | Goodreads | BN
Author: Katie McGarry
Publisher: Harlequin Teen (May 28, 2013)
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, 470 pages
ISBN-10: 03732106391
ISBN-13: 978-0373210633
ASIN: B00BED2UE6
My Copy: ARC eBook

SUMMARY:

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....

MY REVIEW:

Daring games taken to a whole new level. ROMANCE level that is. *swooning* Why...oh, why. Can I just kick Beth to the curb and take Ryan for myself?

I absolutely LOVED this book. The way Ryan doesn't give up on Beth and tries his damndest to make her feel loved and open her up, not just to him, but to herself as well is so damned cute! *sigh* where's my Ryan Stone? Baseball player? HELLO?!? HAWT! I will admit one of the things I wasn't hot about, was the fact that it took Beth forever to finally understand, but, hey, character building right? I guess I just wanted a fast HEA. But, then again, I'm a very impatient person.

The little cutsie things that Ryan would do for Beth just had my heart MELTING!

(yes, I would totally over dramatize myself swooning like this)

ME! ME, ME, ME! Yeah, I totally replaced Beth in those, it's-so-fluffy-I-could-DIE moments, while reading this book. KMcGarry definitely knows how to put a big ol' cheesy grin on your face. You know, those grins where you get an unexpected text/call from your boo thang/honey bee/role playing master and you just can't help but smile. Yepp, those. And not just those either. KMcGarry also has you wiping tears from your eyes with the heartbreaking moments in this book as well. WOW. Talk about an emotional roller-coaster. Not in the wow-fuck-me-this-book-was-horrendous, but in the omfg-that-roller-coaster-was-the-BOMB-I'm-getting-on-it-again. Or in this case, totally reading it again ;)

I kinda liked the fact that although Beth had her major issues, so did Ryan. With his ever perfect parents wanting him to do what they want him to do, and him going against the grain and pushing them to their limits had me enjoying the book that much more. I felt sorry for both characters, yeah, Beth has it bad, with her drug addict mom who is stuck with an abusive boyfriend, but in Ryan's world, his problems are big too. What he wants to do with his life and who he wants in his life is his decision not his parents.

From Pushing the Limits to Dare You To, KMcGarry definitely knows what she's doing. Delivering a book that will keep you up well past dawn, hooked on the boiling romance that is building between Beth and Ryan. Katie McGarry gives you another full blown teen drama, filled with indecision, hurt, acceptance and love. If you're into new adult novels, then definitely pick up Dare You To and if you haven't read this series before, go ahead and pick up the first book in the series: Pushing the Limits. 

Click HERE for my review of PUSHING THE LIMITS (Book #1 in the Pushing the Limits series)

MY RATING:

Cover Reveal - Dare You To by Katie McGarry

Dare You To 
Amazon | GoodReads | B&N
Author: Katie McGarry
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Expected Publication Date: May 21, 2013
Genre: YA, Contemporary Romance, 304 Pages
ISBN-10: 0373210639
ISBN-13: 978-0373210633

SUMMARY:

"I dare you..."

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....

Eeeeek! I like it... ^_^ All up in the rain. Waaaam bam thank you ma'am! xD If you loved Echo & Noah's story in Pushing the Limits, then you most definitely, like me, can't wait for Beth's story! I loved Beth in PtL and am sooooo excited. Why does the publication date have to be so far away *sobs hysterically* Nonetheless, I'm sure Beth's story will be just as awesome ^_^ Click HERE to check out my review for Pushing the Limits.

Random Ramblings: Currently Reading #3

Random Ramblings: Currently Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Neyra @ Darkest Addictions Book Reviews every Monday. It's where you talk about the book(s) you are currently reading for the week and whether or not you're enjoying it, how you heard of it, and who recommended it to you.

I'm currently reading One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf

One Breath Away: I am about 45% through this book and I absolutely love it. To be completely honest, I loved this book right from the start! The very first chapter. *sigh* Unfortunately, I'm not able to finish this book all in one sitting. Don't get me wrong, it's a great book & I highly recommend it, but it's so sad. I can't help but get goosebumps or start tearing up every other chapter. Which then causes me to sit the book down and pick up another so that I'm not in total meltdown mode just crying my eyes out. Seriously.. this is me every other chapter ....

                       
Too, too, too, TOO much... Which is why I have been reading this book for over a week now. I'll finish it eventually. Just at a really slow pace.

Okay, I know this isn't part of this post... but I just had to share it with you! Any Pushing the Limits fans out there? Come on.. I know you are!! Soooo.. I was on Twitter (yeah.. big whoop, I'm always on Twitter) and guess who was tweeting away?? Have you guessed? Do you give up? Okay.. okay.. here's who was tweeting away!!

Tell me you're fangirling? cause I know I am ^_^ I will unravel him.... very slowly ;)

haha.. I just had to throw this tweet up there too.. xD

ARC Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

*Received Through NetGalley*

Pushing the Limits

Amazon | GoodReads | B&N

Author: Katie McGarry

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publish Date: July 31, 2012

Genre: YA, Contemporary Romance, 416 pages
ISBN-10: 0373210493
ISBN-13: 978-0373210497

*This book is part of my NetGalley/Edelweiss KO Challenge for Aug.*
                        

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 REVIEW:

Having been through a traumatic event in her life, Echo finds herself wanting to know what happened that night she ended up in the hospital, fighting for her life. What she wants? To be normal again. And she isn't finding normal going back to her douche ex boyfriend, nope, not that dumb jock. But bad-boy Noah Hutchins, leather jacket wearing, weed smoking, butterfly pterodactyls making boy whom Echo finds total and utter peace with. But Echo isn't the only one with problems, no siree. Noah Hutchins used to be that all star kid with popularity running through his veins, up until losing both his parents in a fire and placed into foster care. Noah finds himself jumping from foster home to foster home, losing himself with each passing day. The only thing making him try? His brothers... and Echo.

I absolutely loved this book. It kept me turning the page in anticipation. Gahh. If Noah Hutchins was real... and a bit older, I would be all over that and STAT! Noah Hutchins is a bad boy with a heart of gold. Slacker ways but the most beautiful brown eyes that show the most caring you'll ever need! *sigh* I'm telling you.. sigh now, and prepare to do a lot more sighing when you read this book! Noah Hutchins will pull at your heartstrings ladies! We're first introduced to Echo in the beginning of the book, talking with her counselor/therapist/psycho driver and afterwards runs into Noah, whom exudes badass with ease. I found Echo to be really weak. I understand she's been through some shit and has lost nearly everything in her life, but my gaaawd! Grow a back bone! She practically let herself be talked into certain situations where a simple "no" would have sufficed. But, no. Because she's the victim and will forever play the victim, she'll lay down and play dead when you tell her to. Her friends? What friends? Don't even wanna walk down that alley. I loved this book, but the characters drove me nuts! Which then made me love the book even more. But seriously? The adults in this book needed some major smacking around a time or two. 

What I liked about this book was that it was really easy to read. Aside from the heart-wrenching moments and the sighing (YES, MORE SIGHING!!), Ms. McGarry really knew how to draw you in AND keep you in. Yeah, I disliked the adults with a passion. Yeah, I wanted to throw a fit and smack some sense into some of the characters. BUT, I wouldn't change a thing about this book. The character speak to you, the words practically pop out and paint a vivid image for you, making you want to reach in and do a lot of cooing and cuddling to ease the pain going on. What I didn't like... well, this should be obvious. THE ADULTS. Seriously, not adults at all. I'm not even going to go into more detail with that one. 

I would definitely recommend this book. It's heart-wrenching and totally throws some perspective in your eyes. If you don't mind a few of your heartstrings being plucked at, or keeping a box of tissues by you, then by all means, go out and get this book! You wont regret it.

MY RATING:

What's In My Beach Bag #5

What's In My Beach Bag will be a weekly post about all the books & other goodies that I've bought, borrowed or won :)

Hey :) This week was pretty eventful for me. I did get a few books as well as eBooks for review. Here goes...

What I Bought:

 

♥Betrayed, Queen of Babble in the Big City and Circus of the Damned I got from The Dollar Book Store for $3.00

When I bought Betrayed, I didn't know if I already had it on my bookshelf... & when I got home... low and behold, there it was on my shelf >.< So, this one might be up for grabs. :)

Received For Review: 

Review Soon To Come

♥Thanks to HarlequinTEEN Publishing over at NetGalley for Pushing the Limits

Free From Amazon:

*CLICK ON IMAGES TO TAKE YOU TO AMAZON*

That's it for this week.. What did you get?