Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Title: Pushing the Limits [Goodreads][Amazon]
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: eARC
Release Date: July 31, 2012
In My Opinion: Must. Read. Now!
One Line: A fantastic page-turner you’ll want to read again and again.

“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.

“An edgy romance that pulls you in and never lets go. I was hooked!”-Gena Showalter, New York Times bestselling author of the Intertwined series

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.

OMG! Where do I even begin to express my love for this book?! Epically awesome, brillant writing, intriguing characters, and a unique plot – Katie McGarry shines in this debut novel. I swear, after I finished reading this, I immediately wanted to re-read it right away, and that almost NEVER happens! I was hooked from the very first page and couldn’t put this down until I was done. Pushing the Limits might just be the best book I’ve read this year so far.

Things start off very normal, two teens in high school who are forced to cross paths and share lives, although it also begins with a mystery that piques your interest and drives the whole story until the very end. Still you don’t think it’s going to be as deep and emotional as it is until you start reading more and you see just how intense this story is. Echo’s story is definitely unique and tragic, and I love that Katie made her forget most of it, having to figure out what happened to her throughout this book, because it connects the reader to the character, as if they’re both experiencing this for the first time.

And the characters?! I loved them all, even the ones I hated! Echo is such an amazing character, confused and troubled, yet strong and determined. She’s had to deal with some pretty crazy stuff in her life and those scars on her arms – I don’t know how I would be able to handle it. Plus, I love how unique her name is! Oh, and Noah?! Oh boy, don’t even get me started on how much I swooned for that boy. He’s a bad boy alright – ridiculously handsome, charming, and definitely knows all the right moves. He’s also sweet and caring, and has a crazy past of his own that is so touching, you can’t help but want to hug the guy! Besides them, my favorite character would have to be Mrs. Collins, their guidance counselor/psychiatrist. She is so hilarious, especially with a car, and is such a genuinely a nice person.

There was seriously never a dull moment in this book and I read and devoured every line, every word in this book. Completely mesmerizing and unforgettable! If there’s one book you’ll want to read this year, it’s Pushing the Limits.