Waiting On Wednesday (76): Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine in which bloggers talk about the books they are most eager for!

This Week's Pick: Nowhere But Here (Thunder Road #1) by Katie McGarry

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: May 26th, 2015

An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible.

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both.

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down.

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home. (Summary from Goodreads)

When I first picked up Pushing the Limits, I didn't expect to find an author I would love obsessively. But, that's exactly what I found. I've read all the books in the series and loved every one of them. And I'm not usually a huge romance fan! I'm really excited to read a new Katie McGarry series, and fall in love all over again.

(Also, have you seen this cover? Cause this cover is gorgeous)

What are you waiting on this week?

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

The Best of 2013

Hi all!

It's the beginning of 2014 and I decided to start it by taking a look back at the books I loved in 2013. I didn't get to read a ton of YA this year, I found. A lot of my reading was focused on school (at least for the latter half of the year) and YA sadly had to take a back seat. I did read some phenomenal books though, so many that, really, it's impossible for me to choose which book I loved best. So! I'm going to put them in the order I read them in! 

Without further ado, here are my favourite books of 2013 in order of when I read them!

1. Just One Day (Just One Day #1) by Gayle Forman

What a way to start off the year, Gayle Forman! Seriously, Just One Day is probably one of my favourite books ever. I connected with it so completely, and Gayle's writing is simply beautiful. There was nothing I didn't love about this book (well, except maybe that ending....)

2. 17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma

I hosted 17 & Gone week on my blog because this book stole my heart. Nova Ren Suma is an incredible writer. Her words are lyrical and magical, and this story was haunting and moving. If you haven't read it yet, go pick up 17 & Gone.
 

3. Asunder (Incarnate #2) by Jodi Meadows

I read Incarnate a couple of months after it came out and I was blown away. This series is one of my absolute favourites, and Asunder was probably the best sequel I've ever read. Period. It was everything I wanted and more and I will be so heartbroken this month when I have to say goodbye to my precious Sam and Ana. Jodi Meadows is a phenomenal storyteller.
 

4. Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi

Goodness gracious, Tahereh tells one heck of a story. I had been waiting AGES to finally read Unravel Me and it did not disappoint! It was a can't-put-down-stay-up-all-night kind of read and I loved every little bit of it. 
 

5. Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

After a lot of poking and prodding, I was finally convinced to read the Lux series. And I loved it. I couldn't stop reading it/thinking about it/wanting more/swooning over Damon. Onyx was my favourite of the set and I'm really excited to see how it'll all come to an end in August!
 

6. The Program (The Program #1) by Suzanne Young

This book really took me by surprise. I received an ARC of it from the publisher, and was a bit wary at first. I always am with books dealing with mental health but my oh my did I adore The Program! It had me so emotional I could barely take it! What a book!
 

7. Perfect Scoundrels (Heist Society #3) by Ally Carter

It was The Book of Hale, and by golly was it glorious. Ally Carter became one of my favourite authors last year when I finally, after YEARS of planning to read her books (seriously, I was in grade 9 when I first heard about them), sat down and picked up Heist Society. She is so witty and clever! I just want to jump right into her books!
 

8. Sweet Peril (Sweet Evil #2) by Wendy Higgins

#ISighForKai, let me just start off my saying that. I am such a HUGE fan of this series, and Sweet Peril was such a great addition to the story. If you want a book that will having you swooning and having major fits of THE FEELS, you need to read the Sweet Evil series!

9. The Dream Thieves (The Raven Boys #2) by Maggie Stiefvater

There really aren't words to express how much this series means to me. I've honestly started crying just thinking about it. It's inspiring. Magical. Moving. It's what I have been hoping and dreaming for in a book. And, I was so scared I would pick up The Dream Thieves and it would tell me that all the hype I had in my head was wrong. But it didn't. It stunned me, shocked me, once again. It made me fall right back in love with this world. 

10. Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

This is another one of those books that hits so close to home. That honestly rocked my world. There was one scene where I started crying, and then I began to laugh. I was so overwhelmed with emotion I didn't know what to do with myself. This book is beautiful in every way possible. Melina Marchetta is one of the best authors out there, and if you haven't read her yet: do it.

11. The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

This was a debut book that took me by surprise. I honestly thought it was just going to be one of those light, fluffy, fun books that would get me to smile. But it was so much more than that. It was a coming-of-age story with witty, heartbreak and everything in between. I read it twice in 2013 and I plan on reading it again and again for years to come.

12. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

I had this book on my radar since its release but it took me until September to finally pick it up. I wish I had sooner because it was just SO. GOOD. It was dark and gritty at points but also so heart-warming and caring. I bawled my eyes out (in the middle of the hallway in my university) when it was over because I didn't want it to end. I will be reading every book Rainbow Rowell writes from now on because, wow. She is incredible.

13. The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4) by Richelle Mead

SYDRIAN FEELS. This book was a roller-coaster of emotions and an addicting installment in this series. I simply love these books. They are just so good. I love the world, I love the characters, I love the stories, I love every single thing and I loved The Fiery Heart.

14. Perfect Lies (Mind Games #2) by Kiersten White

Perfect Lies, also know as The Book That Utterly Destroyed Ciara in 2013. I actually can't even tell you want this book did to me but I was an emotional wreck for days. I didn't know what to do with myself. I still don't, when I think about this book. All I know is this: Fia, you are incredible and Kiersten White, you are a talent.
 

15. Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan

After the heartbreak of Perfect Lies, I needed a pick me up. I needed a funny, lovable book and I heart Unspoken was just that. It was also EVIL (at least, at the end) and EXTRAORDINARY (in the whole book) and HILARIOUS (I mean, laugh-out-loud-til-your-mouth-hurts-funny). This book was just so great, guys. So so great. Hats off to you, Sarah Rees Brennan.
 

16. Dare You To (Pushing the Limits #2) by Katie McGarry

I read Pushing the Limits earlier in the year and I realllllly liked it. So when I finally got a copy of Dare You To I was looking forward to reading more about these intriguing characters. I didn't really realize how freakin emotional I would be reading this book. It was amazing! I was so invested in this story and I couldn't stop reading! Every time I had to put it down, I was upset that I had to let these characters go. It was such an awesome book.

Well, looking back I read a lot of sequels this year! What were your favourite books of the year?

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight) 

Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Title: Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits #1)

Author: Katie McGarry

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: July 31st, 2012

Source: Borrowed

My Rating: 4/5

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.

Pushing the Limits was one of those books that I've been meaning to read since its release. I knew I was going to adore it, but I never felt like it was the right time to read it. Finally, in the midst of a contemporary kick, I picked it up and devoured it. Pushing the Limits held my heart in its hand and demanded I not stop reading until I had read every last bit of it. It was a fantastic contemporary, and one that had me doing a lot of thinking.

As an only child, I am constantly fascinated by sibling relationships. It's something I've never experienced and am always curious as to how they work. Some of my favorite scenes were with Noah and his two younger brothers. It was heart-wrenching watching this separated family, and Noah's desperation to be in their lives ripped me to bits. I liked seeing the softer side to this bad boy, and it gave depth to what could have been a typical character.

Echo was not your standard protagonist. She was an introvert, haunted by past events she cannot remember. I really liked watching her grow and become a stronger person throughout the novel. I enjoyed her narration and her relationship with Noah. The two of them had me wanting to hug the book. They were sweet together. They made each other better. They were there for each other. They were a realistic, and heart-melting couple that I absolutely loved. 

Forgiveness was a central theme in this novel. It's a theme I always have trouble with, because I am one of those people that find it hard to forgive. In novels where I only have 300 plus pages in order to forgive these people, I find it nearly impossible. I think Katie McGarry really did well with this theme though. She showed the power of forgiveness through Echo and her family, and learning to compromise through Noah. Pushing the Limits was a lot about growing up, about accepting yourself, and forgiving the people who have wronged you. It broke my heart in two, and patched it up again. It made for a fantastic storyline, and one heck of a book.

The only real issue I had with this book was the way mental health was portrayed. I'm pretty nit-picky about it and I had a hard time swallowing some of the things that were said. For me, the way Echo and Noah reacted to her label of "depressed" could almost be described as disdainful. Like it was the worst thing for her to be thought as mentally ill. I think it could have been a jumping off point to talk about removing the stigma of mental illness, about seeking help for those suffering, but instead it was hush-hushed a bit too much for me. I don't think that was the intention, but I'm pretty particular about that topic. Again, I will emphasize that I'm very sensitive about how it is portrayed so my opinion may not be the reality.

I think my other issue with it were Echo's friends. They were horrible. I know, it's kind of supposed to be that way, but even her supposed "best friend" wasn't there for her, in my opinion, when she needed it the most. They kept pushing her to fit into this box. They were so concerned with status and the social hierarchy it was maddening. I wanted to shake some sense, some compassion into them. On the other hand, I adored Noah's friends. Beth and Isaiah were both completely messed up characters (which we all know I love) but they were still solid friends. They cared about each other, and about Noah, and wanted what was best. I liked getting to see all the different dynamics, and watching the friendships evolve. It was an interesting, although at times aggravating, part of the novel.

Overall, I adored Pushing the Limits. It was a great, original contemporary with powerful characters and a plot line that will stay with me for a long while. I cannot wait to read more from Katie McGarry! If you're looking for a great book, pick up Pushing the Limits.

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

Find This Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo | Goodreads | Katie McGarry's Website