Book Review- Dare You To

I just finished reading Dare You To (Pushing the Limits #2) by Katie McGarry.

From Goodreads: 

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....

I enjoyed this next book in the Pushing the Limits series.  I liked Beth a lot better in this book than I did in the first one (yeah, I know that's the point).  But I did have a few small issues with it.

One, I found a conflict in how Ryan was acting to Beth in the beginning and how he came across in the chapters told by him.  He acted like a complete cocky jerk to her.  I didn't see any soft side (like I did with Noah in the first one).  Yet when I read the chapter about him, I didn't see any cockiness at all.  He seemed like a nice, polite guy.  I know that characters act differently around other characters than they do alone, but usually some niceness/softness seeps through even if that other character doesn't see it.  I really, really liked the real Ryan and I wanted to see that side of him with Beth.   Luckily, he redeemed himself and I liked how he was with her about halfway through.

My other issue was with Beth and Isaiah.  In the first book, they seemed like they were one of those in-love couples that just haven't figured it out yet.  And then in this book, Beth is all about them only being friends.  It just didn't seem to flow.  And if I were Ryan, I wouldn't trust the two of them together!

But none of those issues stopped me from enjoying the book.  I'm surprised at how much I'm enjoying seeing the other side of these characters that I normally would find too wild and not interested in.  I can't wait to read about Isaiah's story in Crash into You as soon as I get the chance!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

*FTC Disclosure: I received this book from a friend.

The Sunday Salon- February 16, 2014

The Sunday Salon
So I got my MRI results back.  No stress fracture but I do have a bone oedema and some long word that means injury to bone covering.  The injury is about 10cm long and no running for 8 more weeks. BUUUUTTT I have 4 races in 4 weekends coming up.  The doc said that my leg won't snap off if I run, it'll just be painful and take longer to heal.  So I'll run what I can and then start my 8 weeks off.  Not smart, I know.

And I got a new car!  Going from a tiny Scion tC to a bigger Nissan Rogue is scary!  But I'm loving it!  (I did NOT love the negotiating process.  Ugh!)

I finished and reviewed the following books last week:

Crossing the Line (Pushing the Limits #1.5) by Katie McGarry












I am currently reading Dare You To (Pushing the Limits #2) by Katie McGarry and up next is  Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge.

Book Review- Crossing the Line

I finished Crossing the Line (Pushing the Limits #1.5) by Katie McGarry tonight.

From Goodreads:

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.

I knew I liked Lila in Pushing the Limits but this book made me realize just how much.  First of all, she's going to be going to the University of Florida.  I am a die-hard Gator gal so anyone else that is going there, real or fiction, is good in my book!  I also liked that she was a perfectionist and really smart!

I also liked Lincoln.  I loved how open he was with Lila (well, except for that one thing which he does confess to.)  But a guy who writes a girl he's only met once letters twice a week?  Yeah, that's a good guy.

This was just a sweet story and I hope maybe we get to read more about them somewhere else in the upcoming novels!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

FTC Disclosure: I bought this copy of the book.

The Sunday Salon- February 9, 2014

The Sunday Salon
Today I did a bunch of stairs at work--the first time I've done anything high impact since the marathon.  And my ankle and spot on my leg is bugging me again. Sigh.  I had my MRI on Friday and I'll get the result on Thursday.  But my next set of races starts again in 2 weeks!!

I finished and reviewed the following books last week:

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry











I am currently reading Crossing the Line by Katie McGarry and up next is Asunder by Jodi Meadows.

Book Review- Pushing the Limits

I just finished reading Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry.

From Goodreads:


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.

I have to be honest--I wasn't too sure I was going to like this book.  The cover looked a little too rebel-ish for me.   The bad boy seemed a little too bad for me.  I don't get into the whole drugs thing.  And I wasn't sure the good girl was going to be enough to pull me in.  But I was pleasantly surprised.

It took me awhile to read this book but I really enjoyed it.  Noah has a way deeper side than he lets on.  And I loved that he let Echo see that side of him.  And Echo grew on me.  I liked her artsy side.  I enjoyed getting to know each of their backgrounds and life stories.  And how well they fit together, no matter how random the relationship might have seen from the outside.  They were both so good for each other.

As for the mystery of what happened to Echo--I didn't figure it out in advance.  I mean, I had a couple of different theories, but none of them were right. 


I'm glad I have the next novella and the next two books in the series to read!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

*FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from a friend.

Contest Winner- The Art of Falling

According to Rafflecopter,

Michelle Lee

  has won a copy of The Art of Falling by Kathryn Craft! Please email your address to me at belle2211 (at) yahoo (dot) com by Friday at 11 pm and I'll have your book mailed out to you!

In My Mailbox- February 3, 2014

In My Mailbox: Here's what I got in my mailbox last week

FRIDAY

Better Off Friends- Elizabeth Eulberg--from publisher for review

Fire & Flood- Victoria Scott--from publisher for review

The Sunday Salon- February 2, 2014

The Sunday Salon

It's Superbowl Sunday!  Hubby's team is the Broncos so he's especially excited!  We're headed over to a friend's house for a party in a little bit.  Here's hoping Denver win!

I finished and reviewed the following books last week:

Boundless (Unearthly #3) by Cynthia Hand











I am currently reading Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry and up next (if I don't receive a tour book) is Crossing the Line (Pushing the Limits #1.5).