REVIEW - Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Title: Pushing the Limits 
Author: Katie McGarry
Series: Pushing the Limits #1
Publisher: Mira Ink
Published: August 3rd 2012
Genre: YA Contemporary
Link: Goodreads / Amazon
Source: NetGalley

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.
**Contains strong language and drug use**

4/5

I don't know why it took me so long to get around to reading this book. It was a brilliant read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

This book packed quite an emotional punch. It is told in dual POV between Echo and Noah. We are taken on a journey through these people's lives and learn about the struggles and harsh realities they have faced. They have both been through so much it was heart-breaking to read about it all. Echo was a very likable character. She was very strong even when she saw herself as weak and pathetic. I did question some things she did though, especially when it came to her friend Grace (more on that later). Echo is determined to find out what happened to her that night, even if it means she will lose her mind. I was glued to my book trying to find out what happened and how it was all gonna end for Echo. I was emotionally invested in her story and I rooted for her to pull through it all in one piece. Noah I adored. Even though he comes across as a jerk he is a total sweety at heart. He is such a devoted brother, he will do anything for his two little brothers. His story broke my heart. But my god he was so stubborn. And there was one thing he did that I was like "Dude! Seriously? Just. No." I absolutely loved the chemistry between these two. They just clicked. They were made for each other. The characters in this book make the story what it is. From Noah's friends Beth and Isaiah, Echo's friend Lila, their counselor Mrs. Collins, Echo's infuriating as hell father, Noah's little brothers, Echo's crazy-ass mother. They all have their parts to play and they all contributed to the story in their own ways. McGarry did a great job of making the story realistic, raw and tragic yet gave you a feeling of hope. But not without making you cry. Loads. So bring tissues!

Ok so you're probably asking why I only gave it 4 stars and not 5. One of the reasons is the "friendship" between Grace and Echo. I say that with quotes because to me this wasn't a friendship at all. Grace was, to put it bluntly, a bitch. She wouldn't hang out with Echo in school because she didn't want to ruin her reputation and damage her popularity. Seriously? What kind of friend are you? Echo should have told the girl to feck off instead of silently holding out hope that they would be BFFs again. If I was Echo I wouldn't have wasted my time on Grace. She was just a girl looking out for herself and only thinking about her own gains. I also didn't like how Echo let her father boss her around the whole time. Grow a back bone woman! Another thing that annoyed me was how much popularity and cliques played a part. Seeing as I'm not American I could never understand this. We don't have anything like this is Ireland (that I've seen anyway). Here we are just friends with whoever we want to be friends with. In school I had an eclectic group of friends ranging from nerdy, to "goth", to "popular". We sat with whoever we wanted to at lunch and talked to who we wanted to. I know that cliques play a big part in American schools after having read so many books featuring it but I just felt there was too much emphasis in this book. Maybe that was the point but for me I didn't like it.

Overall this is a riveting and heartbreaking read that will make you laugh, cry, love and leave you emotionally drained. A must read! I'm gonna dive straight into book #2, Dare You To. Looking forward to Beth's story. Now where my tissues at cause I have a feeling I'm gonna need em!

*I received an ecopy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*