JEWEL of DECEMBER 2013 is "Crash Into You" by Katie McGarry

Happy New Year to all my readers!

I'm sorry I haven't posted much during the holidays (or not really LOL) but I was having a relaxing time with family and friends and I wasn't feeling much like turning on the computer if you know what I mean.

With that said, I need to pick up where I left off and choose a winner to my monthly JEWEL rating. 


I've decided to start this monthly 'ritual' shall I say, of choosing the ONE book that impressed me the most out of all books I've read in that month. I think it's a pretty good idea, given all the bads, okays, goods, and brilliants out there. ONE book worth my time. ONE book worth my emotions. You can join in if you want to, or not. Leave a comment to warm my heart :)
 

This month's winner is Katie McGarry's CRASH INTO YOU. Now to be honest, there were several books that were fighting for December's JEWEL title. Unleashing Mr. Darcy by Teri Wilson or Impostor by Susanne Winnacker are just a couple of those novels that could've taken the #1 place.

They didn't though. Because Katie McGarry is among my most favorite authors of all times. Her books are fresh, emotional, tearing and heart-breaking. It is no wonder that Crash Into You took the prize for book of the month of December! It's sweet and tense and I just loved it!

Links:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17679547-crash-into-you
Amazon: www.amazon.com


A link to MY REVIEW: Crash Into You review

Here's the 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.

Book Review: Crash into You by Katie McGarry

NOTE: I received the eARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Oh my goodness! Katie McGarry is one of my favorite YA contemporary authors, and no wonder! All her books so far have left me drained of emotions, or overflowing with them, or simply stunned beyond belief. It's rare to stumble upon such incredible stories - well told, well written, with amazing realistic characters - and I'm glad I was given the chance to review them. The tough romance gives me a high I don't find every day. The background stories make everything more realistic, and the secondary characters compliment the action to perfection.

All that said, I want to gush out my feelings. Starting with Pushing the Limits, I've fallen in love with every single character pair that Katie introduced. I was amazed at how those imperfect characters were matched to fit each other perfectly. How their stories entwined their lives in the most suitable way. I'm sure Echo wouldn't have survived the madness in her life had not Noah given her a reason to. Nor would have Beth given her trust over to Ryan if he hadn't shown her his love.

But I was a little unsure of Isaiah. I truly wondered how this tattooed bad boy would ever find someone to trust him enough. To love him enough. To give him everything. To push him to do better without changing him. Because Isaiah was only tough on the outside, and was mush on the inside. He suffered a lot when Beth turned him down and I didn't want to see him suffer because of someone else again.

At first I was suspicious of Rachel. I didn't know her, had never met her. But it was soon that I realized she was a toughie too. Just the right kind of girl for a boy like Isaiah. She talked cars as much as he did, and he was pleasantly surprised. I knew from the beginning that something was wrong with her, but I didn't exactly know what. I knew nothing was perfect in her life. Everyone wanted something from her, giving nothing back. I knew everybody expected her to be someone else, who she clearly wasn't. Rachel was selfless, caring and loving but it took too much from her. And being the toughie she was, she didn't share her weaknesses with anyone.

The ending almost broke my heart, I was crushed and tearful. I won't say more, but you must know that this is an emotional roller coaster that you would want to experience.

My rating is

I was dared, what about you?

NOTE: I received this eARC from Netgalley.

This is one fantastic book! I loved it from cover to cover, and will be sure to re-read it.

I can't think of a strong enough word to describe the story in this novel. Perhaps phenomenal, or brilliant? I don't know but it was both of those and so much more!

After reading Pushing the Limits, I was expecting something grand from Katie McGarry in this one, and Alas! I'm not disappointed at all.

There was supertastic passion, there was hot-bordering-on-mad romance, there was real friendship and true loyalty. There was also a terrifying drug addiction, domestic violence and problems that could make your head spin and your heart beat hard in your chest. No wonder I enjoyed every second of it.

I think it's safe to say that Dare You To was better and even more satisfying than Pushing the Limits.

Full review is available here.

Waiting on Wednesday # 49

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.
My pick this week is:

Title: Crossing the Line

Series: Pushing the Limits, Book 1.5

Author: Katie McGarry

Release date: April 1st, 2013, by Harlequin Teen

Summary:

Katie McGarry captivated readers with her “riveting, emotional”* Young Adult debut, Pushing the Limits. In this gripping novella, she tells the story of Lila and Lincoln, who discover that sometimes it’s worth crossing the line for love…

Lila McCormick, Echo's best friend from Pushing the Limits, first met Lincoln Turner when tragedy struck both their lives. But she never expected their surprise encounter would lead to two years of exchanging letters—or that she’d fall for the boy she’s only seen once. Their relationship is a secret, but Lila feels closer to Lincoln than anyone else. Until she finds out that he lied to her about the one thing she depended on him for the most.

Hurting Lila is the last thing Lincoln wanted. For two years, her letters have been the only thing getting him through the day. Admitting his feelings would cross a line he’s never dared breach before. But Lincoln will do whatever it takes to fix his mistakes, earn Lila’s forgiveness—and finally win a chance to be with the girl he loves.

 Why I want to read it:

1) This is Katie McGarry we're talking about, so obviously I'd want to read it;
2) It's a contemporary story, so ... it's a definite one
3) I'm in love with letter stories!!! :)))

So how about you? What amazing book are you waiting on this week?  

Waiting on Wednesday #48

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.
My pick this week is:

Title: Dare You To

Series: Pushing the Limits, Book 2

Author: Katie McGarry

Release date: May 28th, by Harlequin Teen

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....

 Why I want to read it:

Ohmigosh! Omigosh! OMIGOSH! I can't wait for this book to come out! I've been waiting for it ever since I read PtL!!!!! I want to read another Katie McGarry book so bad!!!

So how about you? What amazing book are you waiting on this week?  

FYI: I have a giveaway going on of an e-copy of All the Broken Pieces by Cindy Madsen. If you're interested, visit my Current Giveaways page. Thanks and good luck!

In her shoes ~ 21 ~

Every Tuesday I will pick a character I've read about recently, perhaps even the week before, and try putting myself in her shoes. What things would I do differently? What have I learned from her behavior? That kind of thing. You are welcome to participate if you want, just please link back, so we could build a nice community of followers. Thanks!!! :)

This week I'd love to share with you one special girl. She will always remain in my heart as a fighter. Not a military style fighter, but a fighter against the odds. Her name is Echo Emerson. And she's starring Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry.

Echo Emerson was the lost girl. She needed confidence, she needed strength, but most of all she needed her memory back. But, of course that came with a price - gaining her memory could cost her her sanity. And still, she was brave enough to risk it, because what is a person with no memory? Especially when that memory holds the key to one's peaceful night sleep... I loved the way Echo changed, evolved and grew during the span of this novel. She started out as a shy, insecure, scared girl, who needed not only moral support. And then a certain boy's influence, along with her own fighting personality, lifted her up to an entirely new level. Her insecurities were forgotten, her selfishness and stubbornness as well, and she found a way to find the truth, to forgive and forget. I was completely blown away by Echo's mature way of thinking.

Because of who she was, and who she turned out to be in the end, I wouldn't change one single bit of Echo's character. I'm glad I could share a tiny bit of her fictional life :)

How about you? Whose shoes would you like to step into today?

Book review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

NOTE: Thanks to Mira Ink (Harlequin UK) and Netgalley for providing me with the ARC of this book.

Oh My Goodness! Pushing the Limits was such an emotional roller coaster! There were highs and lows and passion and broken hearts! It was all that a reader would want from a great novel!

The writing style was perfectly constructed grammar and semantics wise. It was nicely edited, and even I (being the grammar error hound) couldn't find anything out of place. Which, believe me, says a lot. I loved that both POV's were unique. There are books where the POV's sound exactly the same - here they were different. We have two main characters, and they're more than happy to talk for themselves. And for each other.

(To see full review, please click here)

Waiting on Wednesday #29

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.
My pick this week is:

Title: Pushing The Limits

Series:  none

Author: Katie McGarry

Release date: July 31st, 2012

Summary:

"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.



Why I want to read it:

First, the cover is cute. Then, the summary has sparked up my curiosity to a whole new level. And last, I'm a sucker for bad boys with secrets. Good thing I got the ARC to review it :) I"m so happy! I hope to get to it soon! :)

So how about you? What amazing book are you waiting on this week? 

GIVEAWAY REMINDER:

Guys, I have this giveaway of 1 e-copy and 1 signed copy of "Fractured Light" by Rachel McClellan going on till next week. It's a pretty good book. I also have published an excerpt and a short interview with Rachel. Check it out and sign up for the giveaway here

In My Mailbox, sort of

Hey guys!!!
Those of you who have been following my posts know that I'd been approved to get an ARC of Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent. And you know what?

It arrived on Friday!!! Yay!!!! Sure, I got the UK cover, but who cares? The story inside is what counts.

So, I'm dying to read it, but I promised two of my GReeps that I'd buddy read it with them, so I'm gonna have to wait a little while longer.

Oh, and guess what other books I got over the weekend from Netgalley!!!

Awesome, no??? I think I can count myself blessed with good fortune! :)