Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

Title; Pushing The Limits

Author; Katie McGarry

Publisher; Mira Ink

Publication Date; August 3rd 2012

Series; Pushing The Limits Book One (This book does conclude, the next story is for a different character in the series!)

Description; "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.

Do I recommend it? Yes

Who would I recommend it to? All of you, it's a book worth reading

Goodreads Average Rating; 4.25/5

My Rating; 4.5/5

Review; I'm going to give this book 4.5*s. I did enjoy, quite a lot actually, and usually I would give a book like this, that I stayed up to read and did not put down a full 5 stars, but I did have a few problems with this book.
Now, the book wasn't preachy. Not at all. But as an agnostic person I felt that God was mentioned to much for a book that involved no religion. It's like it was just thrown in sometimes. Just for the sake of it. There was one time when one of the characters asked another if they believed in God. That's a normal question, sure. But it felt like a thrown in question, because I don't feel it amounted or related to anything in that particular part of the book. Now, don't get me wrong. It wasn't preachy, and there was some points when the characters mentioned how they felt that God had given up on them. That was fine. That was relevant. I felt like sometimes God being mentioned wasn't relevant to the story.
Now don't go on to me about how people can express their religion and all that. I understand that, I am fine with people expressing their religion, either in person, or writing. That doesn't bother me. But it feels thrown in my face when it's not necessary.
Another problem for me was that we knew the problems were there, and we went into these problems slightly, but maybe not enough. You never really knew entirely what the characters were feeling. You had to guess things sometimes. I feel there could have been more to the world of the story, and more to the feelings and description of those feeling maybe. Because of this the problems seemed so over dramatic.

Now. What did I like about this book so much that despite my problems with it I still gave it a solid 4.5*s?

Well. There's also a lot to like about this book. The fact that the problems were based on something real. I think all of us would be damaged in some way if we went through what either of them went through, especially what Echo went through. It wasn't "my boyfriend broke up with me, I'm sad so I have to see a therapist," like it can be sometimes with books and authors who don't do research. No, this book was about damaged people who actually problems to be damaged about!
Most of the characters. Of course there is the exception of characters you're not supposed to like. I think Mrs Collins was my favourite character. She just seemed like the kind of person I'd like. Fast paced and an organised mess.
Echo was over dramatic with some things and a lot of the story seemed to revolve around her, but still I could help but like, and feel for her character.
Noah, he was so selfless! For his brothers, for Echo. And yet he could be slightly selfish at times. And sometimes like he just wanted to hold onto a childhood that was no longer there for him. My heard really went out to him.
Echo and Noah's relationship seem real. They had problems, things they had to work for. And things they had to work through. And I felt they were perfect for each other because it seemed like they needed each other.

Overall I felt that this book was worth the read. It is a book I could reread. And I would recommend it, but I'm warning you there are some things that might annoy you. But you never know, maybe I'm just being picky!

Wellesley Wives by Suzy Duffy Blog Tour! Review and Giveaway!

The Giveaway is at the bottom of the page!
Title; Wellesley Wives

Author; Suzy Duffy

Publisher; The Writer's Coffee Shop

Publication Date; September 27th 2012

Series; The New England Trilogy Book One

Description; Popsy Power - a Boston society-wife and her best friend, Sandra seem to have it all with billionaire husbands and beautiful daughters. But things change.

From Bollinger to basic-wage, it's a roller coaster for the ladies who lunch. When the daughters land in a heap of trouble too, it's hardly surprising that their mother should worry about the next generation of Wellesley Wives.

Life can't always be fun in the sun, but that's why there's fur!
Sit back, relax and enjoy the wonderful world of the Wellesley Wives.

Star Rating; 5 Stars

Would I read anything else by this author? Yes

Would I recommend this book? Yes

Who would I recommend it to? Those who like Chick-lit and some humour with that chick-lit

Review; Sometimes the stories in woman's fiction and books that are classed as chick-lit are rushed. This was not the case with Wellesley Wives! The stories and lives of the characters were slowly introduced!
This is the kind of book you can get emotionally attached to. You laugh with the characters. You cry with the characters. You root for certain characters. You just can't help but be pulled into their lives. Even though this book alternates POVs, you can still easily get attached to the characters. Which can be hard with alternating POVs occasionally.
What I loved is that even though the characters live the rich lifestyle, they were still human. They had flaws, they had problems! When do you ever get a book set in the rich world with real characters? Now, finally!
As each individual woman goes through their hardships you can't help but feel for them! And root for them! You just hope they'll pull through. But most of the time we are all stronger than we first think.
This book was written just right! It really shows you that you should always persevere when life take a bad turn, and it also shows us that money isn't everything. What's most important are the people that are there.
I can't wait to see what Suzy gives us next!
This is definitely a book I would recommend, I hope you pick up your copy soon!

About The Author; Suzy Duffy is an international and #1 best-selling author. A former national radio DJ and TV presenter in her native Ireland, she moved to Boston with her husband, five children and one dog in 2009 in light of Europe’s economic downturn. Duffy’s colourful background has taken her from working in the United Nations’ Geneva headquarters to being a water-ski instructor in Greece to labouring as a corn cutter in the south of France.
Wellesley Wives, Duffy’s début U.S. book release, is the first in a New England based trilogy of novels. She is currently working on the second instalment, Newton Neighbours.
Wellesley Wives is currently available for pre-order via The Writer’s Coffee Shop Publishing House, and will be available via all major online retailers as of September 27, 2012.
Find Suzy Duffy on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest, her website and on The Writer’s Coffee Shop Publishing House site.

About The Giveaway;

This giveaway is for two e-book copies of Suzy Duffy's Wellesley Wives. If you win you will be emailed by Sarah Miniaci from The Writer's Coffee Shop. She will email you a copy of the e-book if you win!
The winners will be chosen randomly!
To enter simply use the RaffleCopter below!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Title; Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

Author; Morgan Matson

Publisher; Simon and Schuster

Publication Date; 2010

Description; Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she's coming to terms with her father's death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road--diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

Star Rating; 5 Stars

Would I read anything else by this author? Yes

Would I recommend this book? Yes

Who would I recommend it to? Everyone, but mainly those who like road trip novels and realistic, contemporary ya fiction.

Review; One of the (many) things I love about this book is that Amy suffers from anxiety, and you can tell that. She's not one of those characters that is "socially awkward" and made out to be an anxious person. No, you can see that she has actually symptoms of anxiety, and that the awkwardness is an added effect of the anxiety. As someone who suffers from anxiety, I appreciate the more true portrait.
The character development was great. We learned more and more about Amy and Roger as the book went on, and in the end I had a picture in my mind of who Amy and Roger were/are.
All of the characters were great. I fell in love with even the small characters. Because every single one of them was human. Every single one of them had flaws. But every single one of them also had a personality that you couldn't help but love. Except for maybe one character. *cough* Hadley *cough*
You know, I'm not entirely sure there was anything I disliked about this book. Sure, it has flaws, what book doesn't? But I didn't seem to notice any. Well, maybe the way Amy changed so fast. She went from Anxiety Girl to Almost Confident Girl seemingly overnight! Or maybe that the book is only set over about a week. And that there wasn't more Andrew and Derek! I liked both of their characters instantly, but they are only in the book for a few pages!
But overall this book is an amazing, slightly emotional read, that has romance, and a back story! I'd recommend it!

The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson

Title; The Bermudez Triangle

Author; Maureen Johnson

Publisher; Razorbill - Penguin

Publication Date; October 7th 2004

Description; What happens when your two best friends fall in love...with each other?

"Their friendship went so far back, it bordered on the Biblical -- in the beginning, there was Nina and Avery and Mel." So says high school senior Nina Bermudez about herself and her two best friends, nicknamed "The Bermudez Triangle" by a jealous wannabe back on Nina's eleventh birthday. But the threesome faces their first separation when Nina goes away the summer before their senior year. And in ten short weeks, everything changes.

Nina returns home bursting with stories about Steve, the quirky yet adorable eco-warrior she fell for hard while away. But when she asks her best friends about their summer romances, an awkward silence follows.

Nina soon learns the shocking truth when she sees Mel and Avery...kissing. Their friendship is rocked by what feels like the ultimate challenge. But it's only the beginning of a sometimes painful, sometimes funny, always gripping journey as three girls discover who they are and what they really want.

Star Rating; 4 Stars

Will I ever read anything else by this author? I would like to try another book by Maureen Johnson, yes.

Would I recommend it? Yes

Who would I recommend it to? Everybody who likes YA and realistic romance fiction.

Review; I'm half happy with this book. There were things I enjoyed. But I was only half happy with the ending. Nina was stupid. That's all I can say.
This book made me laugh out loud in parts, but honestly I was expecting more, I wanted more romance, more friendship, more everything. Maybe this was because of the way it was narrated. It needed to be narrated by 3 people, but I don't think the POV changes were done in a good enough way.
This is a book I could read again. There were some quite good parts, but it's not going on my favourites list.
Overall an okay book that I would still recommend.

City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3) by Cassandra Clare

This review will most likely contain spoilers for the first and second books!

Title; City of Glass

Author; Cassandra Clare

Series; The Mortal Instruments Book Three

Can it stand alone? Nope, the series should be read in order!

Publisher; Margaret K. McElderry Books

Publication Date; March 24th 2009

Description; To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters - never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City - whatever the cost?

Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the final installment of the New York Times bestselling trilogy The Mortal Instruments.

Star Rating; 5 stars!

Would I read anything else by this author? Yes

Would I recommend this book? Yes

Who would I recommend it to? Those who liked the first two books in the series, and those who didn't.

Review; This was supposed to be the last book, but there are at least three more books after it now! So ignore the last bit of the description (I got it from Goodreads as always!) 

This book does draw to a conclusion, but I still can't wait to see what Cassandra Clare will throw at me next. I'm wondering where the series could possibly go...

This, by far, is my favourite book in the series so far! There was more to it, more action, more stuff going on. 

Jace wasn't being as  much of douche. And there was so much going on with other characters too! I laughed at times, and I cried at times. 

I wish I owned book four right now, but I don't. The end does conclude, but I love this series so much, that I want more from it. I can't wait for the movie next year either!

This series, so far, is great. It will make you feel for the characters. Which is what a good book is supposed to do! I recommend this series. All of it, including the book I haven't read yet!

City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare

This review will contain spoilers for the first book. Don't read this review if you haven't read City of Bones!

Title; City of Ashes

Author; Cassandra Clare

Series; The Mortal Instruments Book Two

Can it stand alone? No

Publisher; Margaret K. McElderry Books

Publication Date; March 25th 2008

Description; Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.

Star Rating; 4.75 stars

Would I read anything else by this author? Yes

Would I recommend this book? Yes

Who would I recommend it to? Fans of the first book

Review; I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did the first. I'm not entirely sure why that is. Maybe because of the ending of the last book. Jace and Clary have so much chemistry. Why did they have to be brother and sister? Ugh!
I'm beginning to hate Valentine even more. If that's possible. Why can't he die already? He puts a damper on everyone's mood. Including mine!
Jace was a bit (a lot) of a jerk in this book. I guess you can sort of understand why, but he didn't have to be that much of a jerk off. But even though he was a jerk I still felt bad for him.
In this book there are changes in the point of view where as last time it was all in Clary's. We don't really get to know the characters that much better. But I think it is needed for some parts of the book. It does help us get the bigger picture.
Overall I did enjoy this book, but I couldn't get into it as much as the first. It is still worth the read if you have read the first one though. Now on to City of Glass!

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare

Title; City of Bones

Author; Cassandra Clare

Series; The Mortal Instruments Book One

Can it stand alone? I'm not entirely sure, but I want to read on. (My sister thinks it could stand alone...)

Publisher; Margaret K. McElderry Books

Publication Date; March 27th 2007

Description; When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

Star Rating; 5 Stars

Would I read anything else by this author? Yes, I would

Would I recommend this book? Yes

Who would I recommend it to? Probably fans of Young Adult novels, and fantasy fans. (There are lots of fantasy creatures in the book.)

Review; So. Many. Feels. There are no words for the amount of feelings this book and its events cause so I will just call them feels. Major Feels.
Let's start with the characters. The characters personalities made them slightly more real to me. Which made me like them and the book slightly more.
I liked Clary the most. Probably because she stood up for herself slightly. She didn't make whatever boys liked her wait on her, hand and foot.
The ending seemed conclusive, but it was not. I still have so many questions! (Which is why I'm glad I own the second and third book!)
There are still a lot of questions to be answered. I won't put any of them here because it will give away bit of the story and we don't want that!
Honestly this book is a bit hard to review right now because I've already started reading the sequel, but it is a good book. Well I enjoyed it anyway. (It's a good fandom to be a part of on Tumblr too!)
All in all I think this book is quite good. A series you can get attached to and feel a part of.
I'd recommend it to all my followers and anybody else who happens to read this post.