UK Blog Tour for Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry ; Review & Character Interview with Echo

Posted by Jess

Release Date: August 3rd, 2012

Finished Date: March 31st, 2012

Publishers: Mira Ink

Source: ARC, For Review

Format: Paperback 

Pages: 392
Buy : Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

"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.


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.

The Review: "Luke used to give me butterflies. Noah spawned mutant pterodactyls." -Echo


What an absolutely amazing book. I remember when both Donna and I received this from Mira Ink at their blogger party, we were so excited to read it. This book didn't disappoint one single bit. It was phenomenal, I honestly couldn't put it down I read it in one day and it was completely fantastic.
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The story was very well done, the writing was brilliant and it just got better with each chapter. Both Noah and Echo are broken shells of their former selves and it was them coming together and learning from each other that they formed a bond where they were no longer alone, no longer outsiders because they had each other. They're relationship grew and grew, first from resent to friendship and then to a love that blossomed.  With the narratives switching between Echo and Noah you really got a sense of their feelings about themselves, about each other, about their struggles and their obstacles then eventually their growing feelings toward each other.
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Our secondary characters I loved. They all played a big part in the Echo and Noah story. Isaiah and Beth were just constant rocks to Noah and really helped him  through his struggles with his younger brothers and his feelings towards Echo that eventually showed on the outside. Lila was there for Echo, doing exactly the same thing. I love it when two broken characters still manage to make it through their days because they have a strong support system from friends. 
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The characters were developed and well written. The story was consistent and had you reeling from the end of ever chapter, I was just completely blown away. Katie McGarry has done a completely brilliant job and writing what will be timeless classic and what I believe will shape more authors wanting to write similar stories and turn those into classics of the 21st Century.
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Pushing the Limits became one of my top reads of 2012, it's just so incredibly powerful and brilliantly written that it will be left with you for days to come. I plan on reading this again very soon and buying the book so that I have the beautiful cover. 
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If you haven't already picked this book up then you really really should, you won't regret it. Trust me.

Character Interview with Echo:

1) Hi Echo. What an emotional journey you've gone through. How are you feeling now?  

Fantastic and no that’s not just my external answer. I really am doing great. I’m still in therapy and there are a lot of things I have to work out, but at least I feel like I’m moving forward now instead of backwards.

2) Your relationship with your father was a rocky one, has it improved much now? 

We have our good days….and our bad days. Overall, we do a much better job talking to each other, but there are days that we both slide back into our old roles. Mrs. Collins says it’s normal. I mean, we spent eighteen years treating each other like this. We aren’t going to change everything in a day.

What’s amazing is that he sometimes comes to therapy with me. That means a lot to me. It means he wants to try to work on things.

3) How is your relationship with Noah? 

Terrific! We travelled together for a month after graduation and we saw snow capped mountains!  By the way, Noah has a thing with ledges. It totally freaks me out and he knows it. He can walk right up to the edge of mountain and look straight down. No fear at all. It made the blood drain from my face every time he did it.

Noah is the one thing in my life now that is easy. He makes me laugh and his kisses still make my toes curl. Sometimes he can just look at me and I get all flustered. When he puts his arms around me, I feel safe and like I’ve found home.

4) Can you tell us how you felt the first time you kissed him? 

Oh my God, I was a panicked mess. When he took me to the fountain and I saw the look in his eyes when I saw his parent’s names, I knew what a huge moment it was. I knew we were going to kiss and all I could think was, I’m going to kiss Noah Hutchins.

Noah Hutchins.

And when we did, all the panic slipped away. The cold disappeared and all there was in the world was me and Noah. His warm hands on me. My fingers touching him. And then our lips met. For the first time in years I felt alive and loved.

5) What you are both doing now? Are you at college? 

We’re both going to the University of Louisville. I live in the dorms. Noah lives in a small apartment with Isaiah. He still works at the Malt and Burger. I’m focused on my painting and I’m able to sell a few pieces at times. Noah and I see each other as much as we possibly can.

6) If you could go back and change one moment in your life, what would it be and why?

It’s not one moment, but a span of moments. I’d spend more time with Aires. Hug him tighter. Laugh harder. Listen intently to his every word. I miss my brother.