Review: Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry

Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry

Publisher-Harlequin TEEN

Released- March 29th 2016

Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N

One moment of recklessness will change their worlds
Smart. Responsible. That's seventeen-year-old Breanna's role in her large family, and heaven forbid she put a toe out of line. Until one night of shockingly un-Breanna-like behavior puts her into a vicious cyber-bully's line of fire—and brings fellow senior Thomas "Razor" Turner into her life.
Razor lives for the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, and good girls like Breanna just don't belong. But when he learns she's being blackmailed over a compromising picture of the two of them—a picture that turns one unexpected and beautiful moment into ugliness—he knows it's time to step outside the rules.
And so they make a pact: he'll help her track down her blackmailer, and in return she'll help him seek answers to the mystery that's haunted him—one that not even his club brothers have been willing to discuss. But the more time they spend together, the more their feelings grow. And suddenly they're both walking the edge of discovering who they really are, what they want, and where they're going from here.

My Thoughts: 

Katie McGarry's edgy contemporary series, Thunder Road, continues to do stupid things to my heart. I loved her Pushing the Limits series, but I think I love these books even more. They have an intensity to it that combines sizzling romance and a stronger sense of loyalty and dedication that goes above and beyond and I freaken love that!

I'm not sure I remember Razor all that much in the first book, Nowhere but Here, but then again I may have been distracted by the Oz & Emily- love, but no worries, I know exactly who Razor is now! Still torn up from his mother death, Razor is having a hard time dealing and it doesn't help that a detective is opening up fresh wounds by claiming that his mothers death may not have been an accident after all, but murder and Razor thinks that the Terror's are keeping secrets or worse, have something to do with it. Razor doesn't know what to believe but he's going to get answers and find help in the last place he ever thought to look.

Determined to start her senior year with a new look and attitude Breanna Miller wants to let loose and be remembered for something other then her vast intelligence and killer memory, but when a guy from school asks Breanna to help him cheat in English class and she refuses, Breanna becomes a victim to blackmail and cyber-bullying. Breanna is in need of a bodyguard and bad-boy-biker Thomas Turner (aka Razor) is just the Terror that will have her back. Whether she likes it or not.

Yup, I'm totally in love with this series! I mean dame!! McGarry has one helluva gift when drawing out the perfect amount of chemistry and heat that she gives to her characters and a really knack for writing edgy, bold and an addicting plot that has me completely consumed from start to finish Razor is my kind of bad boy. He has cool, confident and cunning down cold, but really there are so many levels to this guy which I loved since he felt more realistic and raw. He's loyal but confused with the Reign of Terror and the brotherhood. Mourning and messed up from his mothers death and rattled by his own feeling for a girl who doesn't live in his world, but through it all Razor's passion and strength was really the heart of this amazing story. So, if Razor is the heart, then Breanna is the definitely the soul. Being the 5th child out of 9, Breanna Miller has more then her share of responsibly but her family tends to overlook her and her siblings aren't always kind, but she sees something in Razor that goes beyond the club and the rumours and the stereotypical image. I really loved Breanna and thought she was the prefect girl to tame someone like Razor, someone who can bring him back to life and love him for him. I loved her feisty attitude, her amazing intelligence and her remarkable courage. As for the romance? It was absolutely delicious in all the right places. It's not exactly a forbidden love story, but it does cross the lines, throws you over that edge and it's thrilling, exciting and sexy as hell. I also really loved all the other characters but it was wonderful to see that Olivia is still making an impact. She was such a force in the first book and it's great to see that her memory is still very much alive.

Bottom line, Walk the Edge is a sensational installment in the Thunder Road series. I'm still a little surprised that I find these books so dame entertaining since I'm not a huge fan of biker-type books, but this definitely works for me and I'm having a blast with these Terror's and the women that steal their hearts. Gimme More!! 

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                                 5 Snowflakes

Review: Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

Publisher- Harlequin Teen

Released- May 26th 2015

Purchase- Amazon / B & N

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.

My Thoughts:

I've been a huge fan of Katie McGarry's, Pushing the Limits books so I couldn't wait to see what her newest release would bring. As I expected, she didn't disappoint! Nowhere But Here, was an edgy contemporary that combines badass bikers, family ties and first love. It's has everything I want in an escape. Intensity, gripping suspense, funny moments and sexy times. I couldn't get enough!

Ok, so I wasn't exactly sold on the idea of a story about a Motorcycle dudes, but ya know, this worked, or well, McGarry made it work. I like the concept of the Reign of terror as a legit club who works a clean business but still have to deal with their rivals, The Riots. I enjoyed the brotherhood and the expressive theme of loyalty that ran throughout the entire book. Their world is dangerous and extreme but at the same time it has enormous amount of respect, admiration and heart. There is a deep history here that I found fascinating and all the secrets seemed to only fuel my curiosity as everything unfolded. I loved that we don't know the whole story right away and while I usually like my reads drama free, this was the exception, it was always intriguing, moving and entertaining and all these characters made me want to keep reading till it's gasping conclusion.

There are a lot of characters that really made an impression and felt so very important to the story and really, I loved them all.

Told in both Oz and Emily's point of view, we see both sides to the coin as its being tossed in the air. Emily is a good girl who has a great life in Florida with her biological mother and step dad who adopted her when she was four years old. But when her real father Eli, sends the family an invite to his mother funereal in Snowflake Kentucky, Emily isn't very happy that she has to go see the family that abandoned her and her mom. What she didn't expect was all hell breaking loss and Emily stuck in the middle between two rivalry motorcycle clubs and a long ago buried secret that comes out to haunt her and her family.

Poor Emily. This girl really went through a lot in this book and I felt badly how she was thrown into a dangerous world she knew nothing about. But what I loved about her the most was, as intimidated as she may have been, she proved that she could more then handle her own. Oz stole the entire show for me, this guy was amazingly put together. He's strong and protective and kind and even though he can be a jerk sometimes, I loved the way he loves. I loved the way he is with special-needs children and how he loves Olivia and respects his family. He holds himself up with confidence and heart. The romance was really well done. It sizzled with both intense chemistry and hug-worthy swoon that only left me wanting more. I also really enjoyed all the other characters, they all have such unique personality that I found infectious and they brought a certain spark to the storyline, but it was Eli, Olivia and Jeff I loved the most.

Bottom line, this book was made of awesome! Nowhere but Here is exactly the kind of escape I crave in my edgy contemporary reads. It had some darker moments, sure, but it's still  funny and sweet and sad and has such an unexpected warmth I never expected to find, and I simply can't wait to see where McGarry takes this world next. An instant favorite!

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                                  5 Snowflakes

Review: Crash into You by Katie McGarry

Crash into You by Katie McGarry
Publisher- Harlequin Teen
Released- Nov 26th 2013
Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N

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.

My Thoughts:
Katie McGarry books just keep getting better and better! Every time I pick up one of her books it feels like I’m running reds. Once I start, I just can’t stop.

Crash into You is yet another must read for McGarry fans. This is the much anticipated story that a lot of us have been waiting for. Isaiah’s book, and I gotta tell ya, it doesn't disappoint! McGarry has gotz some mad skills when writing realistic contemporary. Her stories are filled with gritty raw emotions that are pushed to the ultimate limits. Her writing always seems to have this edge to it that skims the lines of dangerous, adventurous and the feeling of falling. Her characters aren't all sunshine and daisies, they’re real and flawed and I can’t seem to ever get enough.

Rachel Young has a good life. She’s beautiful, wealthy and sweet but lives a very sheltered life. Having a twin brother and three older brothers who are crazy over protected is one thing, but she also has the added responsibility of competing with a ghost,  her deceased sister who her mom can’t seem to stop mourning and compares Rachel to at every turn of her life. It’s no wonder Rachel feels like the weak link in her family and why she feels the need to keep secrets to protect them. But there is one place that feels like home. Her Mustang. There is nothing quite like the rumble, speed and power that her car can give her, it’s the only place she goes for escape, the one place she feels like she belong. But her passion has led her down the wrong road and soon Rachel is in more trouble then she knows what to do with.

Isaiah has never had an easy life. He’s had to struggle since the day his mom left him when he was a little boy. Shuffling through the system and trying to escape his past, the only place he calls home is with his best friend Noah and the girl that makes him smile, Echo. They’re the only family he has. But something changed one faithful night looking for some cash in the last place Isaiah wanted to go. He saved an angel that night…or maybe it was the other way around.

The Pushing the Limits series is by far one of my favorite all time contemps, there is just so much heart and soul in these books with flesh and blood characters that have me completely absorbed in all their angst and drama from minute one.

I have a confession. After reading the second book, I was sort of bent that Isaiah wasn't the one for Beth and as much as I enjoyed that book, apart of me still wished it went a different way. But after reading this book, I totally take that back. I see now that McGarry knows exactly what she’s doing with her fictional children and like a good mom knows exactly what they need. Looking at Noah and Echo, Beth and Ryan and Isaiah and Rachel, everything is right with the world again.

With an already stunningly realistic cast of characters from the previous books, I found myself wonderfully surprised that McGarry can still bring in more to this party and make it even better, adding to my growing list of favorites.   

Rachel is a very likable character with a lot of different layers that makes her complicated.

On the outside Rachel can play the ever perfect daughter and sister quite well. She’s shy, awkward and very naive when it comes to the real world. She’s lost and angry and hurt that her family doesn't really see her. But inside she has a roaring passion when it comes to cars. She has this need to be wild and free and I love that she isn't intimated by Isaiah and is oddly brave with him, like a kitten who thinks it can bark.

Isaiah has always been one of my favorite characters since the first book. He’s one of those guys who looks all wrong but underneath you just can’t get any better. He may be a badass and may have the tats and attitude to prove it, but Isaiah is all heart and a bleeding one at that. He’s had a hard go of it for so long now that my heart was breaking for him after Beth. So it was really great to see a completely different side to him. I’ve always known that he’s protective and loyal, but seeing the gentler and kinder Isaiah did stupid things to my heart.

I've always been a sucker for brother/sister relationships in books, and this one has four overly protective ones that I kinda wanted to smack around a few times, but they do what brothers are suppose to do, which is nice to see. Ethan and West were my favorites. Loved the twin thing, Ethan is loyal and he always has Rachel’s back. West is the kind of  trouble that I love in my fictional boys. I can tell already that we’re going to have a lot of fun with him in the next book.

Abby was a surprise I never saw coming, I didn't expect to like her, but she really made a difference in this book and I like what she brought to the story.

Pushing the Limit fans will also be happy to know that we see a lot more of Noah and Echo then we did in the last book and we even have a bit of Beth and Ryan as well, which I thought was great since it reminded me of why I fell in love with these books in the first place…not that I needed the reminder;)

The romance in this book is the kind that I want to bear-hug. It’s wasn't all insta’-love but it was insta’-attraction, which isn't the same thing. They have such an adorable way with each other. It feels all shinny and bubbly and gives you that grin from ear to ear feeling. And if you remember Isaiah from previous books, you know that’s saying a lot. Isaiah and Rachel are total opposites and twins in the same breath. She’s rich and lives in a mansion while he lives in a shoe-box and has to scrap money off the streets to survive. But they do have a love for cars and speed in common and understand each other in ways others don’t. They may be like night and day but when ever they’re together, they light up the whole dame room and make you believe that anything is possible.

All in all, I couldn't have loved this book more. The writing is as always pitch perfect. The story line eats at your emotions and demands you to feel and these characters will jump straight to your heart leaving a lasting impression. I can’t wait to see what happens next in Take Me on. I swear, I never want these books to end. A brilliant read!

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website                                 5 Snowflakes 

Review: Dare You To by Katie McGarry

Dare You To by Katie McGarry
Publisher-Harlequin Teen
Released- May 28th 2013
Pre-Order- Amazon / B & N

Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."

"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again...."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.

My Thoughts:

Dare You To is the much anticipated companion to one of my favorite stories ever, Pushing the Limits. This is Beth's story and I have to admit, I was a little worried  to officially meet her since we only saw her through Noah's eyes. Even then I knew she was going to be an intimidating but interesting character and I couldn't wait to know what her story was about.

Beth Risk has always did everything in her power to protect her mother, but one night she went  a little to far when she took the rap involving her mom's scum boyfriend, a bat and jail. But it doesn't matter, Beth would rather be the punching bag if it meant her mother was safe. So when her long lost uncle, Scott Risk, comes back to save her from this horrific lifestyle, she doesn't  go down without a fight, but it's either play nice and follow the rules or be responsible for sending her own mother to jail.

Ryan Stone's two favorite things in this world is baseball and dares. He loves the rush they both can provide and he loves the fact that he doesn't lose. That is, till Skater Girl from hell walked into his life, changing it forever. 

What started out as a dare slowly becomes the real deal as Ryan and Beth push each other in all the wrong and right places, challenging and daring each other to believe in the possibilities of love and ultimately trust.

Katie McGarry is rapidly becoming one of my favorite edgy contemporary authors. I love the ways this women can write! She has this very sharp skilled way with writing messy, flawed and complicated characters with intense issues but still finds a way to add humor and romance to the story line. This isn't always easy to convey since you want to be sensitive with the problems that they're dealing with, but at the same time, not be overly serious so it wont be dragged down or depressing. Katie does wonders with all the colors of human emotions laced throughout this entire book, making it feel more realistic and consuming us with flesh and blood characters with a lot of heart and soul.

The word 'push' seems like a running theme in McGarry's novels. In one way or another these characters are pushed in the right direction to make their situation better, that is, till they stop pushing back long enough to give it a chance.

~Beth Risk doesn't make it easy my friends. With her ninja-throwing-star attitude and extracted claws that likes to come out and play, Beth is all bite and bark. But underneath it all, there is a sweet little girl who loved ribbons and dresses just dying to come out and be loved. Beth is a scared and vulnerable little thing hiding in tight ripped clothing and black dyed hair. Most of the time she doesn't know which way to go, who to trust or who to be. It's easy to lose your heart to her and sympathize with what she has to go through, but apart of me also wanted to shake her stubbornness and doubting straight. She made it difficult to say the least. I understand the why's, but it was still hard none the less.

~Ryan Stone isn't your typical jock. He has his fair share of family related issues, but for the most part he's a real sweetheart with good manners and morals and understands Beth in ways that even surprised him. At first I wasn't sure what to think about this whole dare thing and thought it was kinda selfish of him and his over-confidence was starting to get a little thick for my taste. But as the story plays out I got to understand him more and liked the fact that he stands up for what he believes in and tries to protect Beth, even if it's from herself.

~Now I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't a little surprised with the whole romance. In Pushing the Limit and even in this book I always thought Isaiah and Beth were meant to be. There was a part of me that was sad that it wasn't so, but I'm also happy to say it didn't take long to warm up to the idea of Ryan.

~Ryan and Beth have some really good chemistry and moments that really matter. It's a far cry from insta-romance, which I loved. They're like night and day mind you, but opposites do attract, making it some how stronger then something predictable and safe could ever give.

~I also loved all the secondary characters and what they brought into the story. Lacy, Chris and Logan as well as Scott, but I didn't care for his wife. It was also really good to see Isaiah, Noah and Echo again, even if it was for a short while. They made me smile.

All in all, I thought this was an amazing companion. The writing is honest, raw and emotional. The characters are snarky but sweet and while we got a clean ending, there were still things left unsaid which makes the next installment that much more of a must have! Dare You To is a sexy, smart and edgy young adult contemporary that will have you daring to believe in new beginnings, happily ever after and "Can"!

Next please! 

Find the author:

Goodreads / Website

                                                                  4.5 Snowflakes

Review: Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

Publisher-Harlequin Teen
Release Date- July 31st 2012
Pre-Order- Amazon / Barnes and Noble

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 Thoughts:

"There is nothing you can do wrong when just breathing makes everything right."

*sigh* Don't you just love that quote?

Pushing the Limits is my kind of writing and my kind of characters. This is an intense, raw and passionate story about two people who need something that the other can give. Trust, acceptance and unconditional love. 

I love the title to this book and think it's perfect since this book really is about pushing the limits. Pushing that person just enough to ignite a spark, but it's not just Echo and Noah pushing. It's also Mrs. Collins and even Cindy and Joe. It's about people who are willing to put themselves out there to help others that need it, even if they don't want to believe that goodness does exist in a world that can feel black and blue.

All Echo's wanted is to go back to a normal life which is hard since she can't get pass the scars on her arms and the night she can't remember. Noah hides behind his tough-guy-attitude and stoner buddies but underneath it all he's a smart guy, but his family is shattered and all he wants his brothers back.These two get thrown together. An unlikely friendship. An unlikely pair, but once they get to know the real version of the other they find an understanding, companionship and even compassion that they've always longed for. A new normal.

I absolutely fell in love with these two characters. They have some of the greatest chemistry that you just want to wrap your arms around but it's not just about the swoon, it's the way they look out for one another that really got to me.Noah is just my kind of guy. He comes off like a jerk but when you see him care about his brothers the way he does it's hard not to fall in love with him. Plus, he just has this sexy way about him when ever he moves or talks. It's calculating but at the same time vulnerable and unsure, like he's afraid to want something this much just in case he loses it, but can't resist the pull and falls anyways.Echo is a damaged little thing, her family did a real number on her, but I was so proud to see her beat down her demons and take a chance on someone loving her for her. Being with the right person really does help you heal physically and emotionally and I thought this was a beautiful example of just that. I also really loved what Mrs. Collins brought into this story. The world needs more people like that in it. Someone who genuinely cares and makes it count.

All in all, I just love this book. The writing is so confident and flows beautifully. A remarkable debut.These characters will grab you by your heart strings and wont let go till long after the story is over. This my friends is just such a sweet, edgy love story between a boy and a girl finding love where they least expect it but it's also about family and friendship and precious moments that your gonna want to be apart of.

I can't wait to get my hands on a finished copy of this book to add to my collection and I'm looking forward to reading Beth's story next.

A sensational read!!

                                                                                                                                        
                                                          5 Snowflakes

                

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