Christmas in July! Someone gives you a gift card for two
books (whatever that costs). What two books will you buy?
This has been a fantastic year for YA and there are so many books that I want! I would buy Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore and For Darkness Shows the Starts by Diana Peterfeund.
How about you?
Don't forget to enter mi current giveaways! See the links to your left ;)
“I won't tell
anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so
long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins?
His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did
you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared.
They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.
So wrong for each other...and yet so right.
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
Pushing the Limits is an astounding debut for author
Katie McGarry. I have to warn you
though, that this book is indented for older teens as there is some strong
language and sexual and drug references.
Echo and Noah are one- of- a- kind characters. They have gone through so much; people that
were supposed to take care of them betrayed them, and left them damaged. Each one of them devised their own coping
mechanisms, even if it was the wrong approach.
Echo and Noah were, in essence, two parts of a whole.
Echo is a brilliant student and artist, that tries to
seek acceptance by never saying ‘no’.
She tries to be the best daughter, the best student, the best friend,
but in turn forgets what makes her really happy. Noah is lost, and has technically given up on
the world and his only goal is to get his family back together. This unlikely pair meets and almost instantly
connects with each other. What ensues is
one of the most beautiful and real love stories I’ve had the privilege of reading.
What makes this story amazing are the characters. Besides Echo and Noah, we meet Isaiah, Noah’s
friend and foster brother. Beth is not a
likable character, but we have to admire her spunk and most of all her loyalty
to her friends. Lila is a really loyal
friend, Grace is not. Luke is a
creep. I adored Ms. Collins; it was
about time that someone was really
willing to help Noah and Echo. The
selfishness of Echo’s mom, the impotence and dejection of her dad; it all makes
an amazing story.
The story line reminded me of Perfect Chemistry, down to the alternating point of views, and also
the fact that there is a ‘bad boy’ and ‘good girl’ falling for each other. However, the story is unique in its own way, and
as I mentioned before, the characterization is incredible. The writing is amazing. Ms. McGarry has the gift of now not creating
amazing characters, but infusing them with reality. In her words, we can feel the pain, the
angst, the hope, and most of all, the love.
I cannot not say enough good things about Pushing the Limits, but I encourage you to read it as soon as it
comes out (I’m serious, pre-order it right now!).
Ms. McGarry’s next book, Dare You To, is Beth’s story and it will be published next
year. I’m not too crazy about Beth, but
I will give it a chance for two reasons: one – I will read anything Ms. McGarry
writes, and second – I hope that Noah and Echo make an appearance in Beth’s
story.
About the cover: This is very appropriate cover. We see Echo (red curly hair) and Noah (talk,
dark and handsome), almost kissing. We
can see the setting is a school hallway and I love the shadows and that the
light seems to only illuminate Echo. The
title is actually silver and shiny.
About the author:Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and
boy bands and she remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She
is a lover of music, happy endings and reality television, and is a secret
University of Kentucky basketball fan.
Writing has given Katie an excuse to pursue her passions.
Research for her books has provided her with the amazing opportunity to train
with baseball players, ride along in a drag car at ninety-six miles per hour and experience boxing and mixed martial arts.
Katie loves to visit schools and talk to teenagers about her research, writing
and the truth that no dream is out of reach.
Now for the giveaway! A lucky winner will receive a copy of Pushing the Limits. This giveaway is limited to US and Canada only. Please enter the form below and good luck!
The greatest warrior in all of the Seven Kingdoms... is a
girl with yellow eyes.
Kira’s the only female in the king’s army, and the prince’s
bodyguard. She’s a demon slayer and an outcast, hated by nearly everyone in her
home city of Hansong. And, she’s their only hope...
Murdered kings and discovered traitors point to a demon
invasion, sending Kira on the run with the young prince. He may be the savior
predicted in the Dragon King Prophecy, but the missing treasure of myth may be
the true key. With only the guidance of the cryptic prophecy, Kira must battle
demon soldiers, evil shaman, and the Demon Lord himself to find what was once
lost and raise a prince into a king.
Intrigue and mystery, ancient lore and action-packed fantasy
come together in this heart-stopping first book in a trilogy.
Why I want to read it: This book sounds like a great fantasy and for some reason the description reminds me a little about Graceling, which I adore. A butt-kicking, demon-slayer girl is up my alley!
What are you waiting for this Wednesday?
Remember to enter my Follower Appreciation Giveaway –Here
You would think after
helping save her boyfriend from an eternity in Hell that things would go back
to normal. Well, as normal as life can be when you can see souls and your
boyfriend is Death. But for Pagan Moore, things are just getting weirder.
The high school
quarterback and reigning heartthrob, Leif Montgomery, is missing. While the
town is in a frenzy of worry, Pagan is a nervous wreck for other reasons.
Apparently good ‘ol Leif isn’t your average teenage boy. He isn’t even human.
According to Death, Leif doesn’t have a soul. The quarterback may have skipped
town but he’s still showing up in Pagan’s dreams... uninvited.
Dank has known from
the beginning Leif wasn’t human. But he hadn’t worried about a simple soulless
creature. Now, he realizes he made a grave mistake. Pagan’s soul has been
marked since birth as a restitution, to a spirit so dark not even Death walks
near it. Dank knows saving Pagan’s soul won’t be easy but Pagan is his. And
he’s already proven he’ll defy Heaven to keep her. If Hell wants a piece of him
too, then bring it on.
My Review
I really enjoyed Existence
(review here) and was eagerly waiting for Predestined, I have to say it did not
disappoint.
The book starts about two months after the end of
Existence. Dank and Pagan are doing
great together, but then we learn that Leif has been present throughout Pagan’s
life, taking care of her and making sure she was safe. It seems like an impossible situation, and
this book contains a lot of background information about Pagan’s childhood. I feel sad for Leif, because although he is a
bit misguided, he does care for Pagan. I have to say that I don't know anything about Voodoo and I felt a little uncomfortable by it.
Dank and Pagan’s relationship keeps growing and, as you
might know, I’m a sucker for romance. I love each of their scenes together, and
their total surrender of each other.
Some unanticipated events took place in this installment, some were
really sad (I’m not trying to be cryptic, just spoiler free).
The plot was original and unexpected, but with a happy
outcome (or so I hope). The writing is
easy to read, and with a good pace.
Overall, I enjoyed Predestined
and I will definitely read book #3, Ceaseless,
due to be published in September of this year.
Have you read this series? Would you be able to fall in love with 'Death'?
Kate and Vincent
have overcome the odds and at last they are together in Paris, the city of
lights and love.
As their romance
deepens there’s one question they can’t ignore: How are they supposed to be
together if Vincent can’t resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although
Vincent promises that he’ll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with
Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising
enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake—and that
Vincent’s immortality is in jeopardy.
In Die for Me, Amy
Plum created a captivating paranormal mythology with immortal revenants and a
lush Paris setting. Until I Die is poised to thrill readers with more
heart-pounding suspense, spellbinding romance, and a cliff-hanger ending that
will leave them desperate for the third and final novel in the series.
My Review
Just wow. I simply
adored Die For Meand I was eager to visit with Vincent and Kate again in Until I Die. This book was poignantly
beautiful.
One of the main reasons I love this series is the
characters. Ms. Plum knows how to make
each one of her characters into an individual that we learn to love or
hate. I really enjoy Jules (hint *can we
get a happy ending for Jules?*), Georgia and Ambrose the most, although, as I
said each one of these characters feels distinctive and alive.
I will not go on and on about Kate and Vincent, because
we know them from the first book. Let me
just say this: I love you Vincent! Now
that that’s been said, we meet a few new characters in this installment, which
I was very ambivalent about; I couldn’t bring myself to trust neither Violette
nor Arthur.
The setting again plays a big role in the story. I mean,
what could be more romantic than Paris?
The story and the mythology of the revenants and the numa is very
original and in Until I Die we get a
lot more details that we didn’t know.
The plot was well crafted, but the pace was slower than the first
book. The writing is beautiful, it takes
real talent to communicate really deep feelings, like the ones between Vincent
and Kate, their sense of desperation and urgency to be together.
I still cannot believe the ending and I am hoping for a
miracle, because I refuse to believe it!
That cannot have
happened. Needless to say, I cannot wait
for If I Should Die, due to be
published on May of next year.
About the cover: This over is also beautiful. I like the swirls, and the font. The colors are appropriately darker in this
book.
