Title: Pushing the Limits
Author: Katie McGarry
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Format: Hardcover, 384 pages
Publication Date: July 31, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Rating: 5/5





Goodreads Synopsis
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 Thoughts
I really don't know where to start with this book. I loved so much about it that I just want to talk about all of it at the same time. The main reason why I think I liked it so much was its realism and the emotions that played out throughout the book. Pushing the Limits was the first book I've read in a long time that hasn't included something paranormal or sci-fi/fantasy, and I have to say it was a lovely change of pace.

The book was told in two narrative voices, Noah and Echo, and that aspect gave an already emotional story and gave it another dimension. Noah and Echo are two very different characters, yet their lives seem to intertwine in a way that neither thought possible. They brought the best, and worst, out of each other. I loved that both main characters had believable and real issues that made me feel for them and hurt for them. Noah's family situation was heartbreaking at some points, and I always wished that he would calm his emotions so he could see the whole picture.

I very much admire Katie McGarry's technique of writing Noah's character, he is flawed in many ways, but the more time he spent with Echo, the more amazing he became. Noah is a typical teenage boy, obsessed with Echos body parts and the way she moved, and told us exactly how he felt and what he wanted to do. This was a very interesting way of showing a characters personality and I especially liked that Noah grew as a man throughout the book and eventually realized his potential.

Echo on the other hand had a whole other set of worries on top of her very interesting and frustrating family situation. Her so called "Deformity" was something I actually loved about Echos character. It separated her from her friends and showcased her real personality. Throughout the book I found it very frustrating that Echo continued to hang out with her old friends, because they never accepted her for who she became after the accident, and it hurt me to see that she didn't see it sooner. I just wanted her to love herself the way Noah did.

I also loved the secondary characters, I thought they played a huge role in this book. They were extremely well developed and added a lot of depth to an already complex story. Noah's friends were always in direct comparison to Echo's friends and it was through this comparison that we see different sides of Noah and Echo. Out of all the secondary characters I have to say that my favorite would have to be Beth because even though her home life is nothing short of horrific, she still has the copacity for love and friendship, whch was a very big redemable quality in her character.

Overall this book blew me away, it encompassed everything I love about Contemporary YA Fiction. Drama, Romance, and a whole lot of amazing characters. This book is worth reading immediately, it will reinforce your view on love and its healing powers. Go read it now! Amazing read!