Release Day Review: Dare You To by Katie McGarry

Dare You To
by Katie McGarry
Series: Pushing the Limit #2
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication date: May 28, 2013
Genre: YA Contemporary
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
Source: ARC provided in exchange for unbiased review
*purchases made through buy links support this blog
My review of book one: Pushing the Limits 

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 adored Pushing the Limits with Noah and Echo and was excited to read Dare You To by Katie McGarry. I found it to be a raw, brutally honest portrayal of a dysfunctional family and the depiction of the main character, her emotions and struggles felt breathtakingly real. I quickly consumed this and look forward to the third book Crash Into You. Three word review: raw, emotional, realistic.

In this second book we get up close and personal with Beth Risk and the drama she faces on a daily basis as she tries to take care of her mother. When the cops are called, Beth takes the heat and is whisked away to her Uncle’s home. A new school, the loss of her friends, an Aunt who doesn't want her and the need to protect her Mom have Beth looking to escape. She meets Ryan Stone; high school athlete, and dropped dead gorgeous. He’s able to get under her skin and begins to peck away at the carefully constructed wall she has built around herself. The tale that unfolds was bittersweet as Beth learns she is not her mother’s keeper.

Beth is angry, loud, fouled mouthed, and broken. Despite being annoying at times, I couldn't help but love her. She loves her friends Noah and Isaiah and works so hard to take care of her mother. She has been abused, and taken advantage of. She dresses in black, even dyes her golden tresses black. She smokes pot and drinks just to escape and dull the pain. I knew someone very much like her in high school.  Her emotions, fears and reactions rang so true.  Her self-esteem is a mess, she is snarky and attacks when her emotions threaten to surface. Isaiah and Noah are present in some scenes but this is really Beth's story. They realize she needs to be separated from her mother. Her interaction with Isaiah are emotional and felt very surreal. Ryan is a guy who looks like he has the world in his pocket. He is a good kid trying to please everyone. Athletic, with a killer smile you cannot help but like him. He has family secrets and the perfect nuclear family you see isn't the one that reveals itself within the walls of their home. The romance was slow to build and I enjoyed watching it unfold. I felt all of the characters were fleshed-out and the secondary characters in school are the classic ones that seem to creep into every story. We get the mean girl, who does catty things, the well meaning friends and the classic sidekicks.

While the romance takes a lot of stage time, there is a lot more to McGarry’s story. She addresses some really big issues, like homosexuality, drug abuse, physical abuse and the effects these play on children and families. The tale focuses on Beth and her issues and this was well done. Beth is broken, has abandonment issues as well as trust issues. I loved seeing her grow, and trust. There are some raw tender moments throughout the novel and not just between the couple. The romance developed slowly and there is some heat, but it was discreet. The interaction between Beth and her Uncle touched me, as did a few other events. Overall, I think McGarry delivered and while it isn’t always easy to get all warm and fuzzy about Beth you have to appreciate what a realistic character the author created.

If you loved Pushing the Limits then Dare You To is a must read. While the two books are connected Dare You To would work well as a standalone too. These novels push the YA envelope and I would recommend this for more mature young adults. The next book Crash Into You will be published November  26, 2013 and share Isaiah’s story.

Four cups of coffee out of five

Coffee Pot Reviews: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry and Blood & Smoke and Mirrors by Robyn Bachar

 
Welcome to Coffee Pot Reviews! These are short and sweet reviews done in the length of time it takes my coffee pot to brew! I have two amazing books to share with you today..enjoy and stick around for some crumb cake and hazelnut coffee! 

Adult/New Adult books contain mature content and are not intended for readers under 18 years of age.  

Pushing the Limits
by Katie McGarry
Series: Pushing the Limit #1
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication date: July 21, 2012
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchase through buy links supports this blog

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.

Wow! Just Wow...I literally just finished reading this and sit here with a stuffy nose and red eyes..*nods head* I loved Pushing the Limit! The tale literally grabbed me from page one and the dual POV between Noah and Echo really worked in adding depth and understanding to the characters. McGarry took me on an emotional roller coaster ride through the characters struggles, issues and needs as she expertly laid bare their emotions..gah! I laughed and I cried but more than anything I slipped away from reality and became a part of the tale. The suspense of Echo's memory loss and Noah's struggle to save his brothers was an intense and solid storyline. The romance growing between Noah and Echo felt genuine as McGarry weaved it into the tale creating a couple you want to need to root for and adore. Some of the secondary characters captured my heart, especially Mrs. Collins *don't ever get in a car with her; trust me on this!* Beth, Issac and Lily all had unique voices and I am looking forward to their stories. The parents were present and a few pages into the story I wanted to rip a hole into Echo's Dad and his wife but besides showing us their flaws, McGarry also showed us the good in them. It was all quite touching *sniffles* The ending was nicely done and didn't feel rushed. The tale delivers an ageless message about never judging a book by its cover and I think it will resonate with readers. Dare to You is the next book scheduled to be released June 7 and will feature Beth and Ryan's story. 

Five cups of Greek coffee out of five

Blood, Smoke and Mirrors
by Robyn Bachar
Series: Bad Witch #1
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Published: May 11, 2010
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
*purchase through buy links supports this blog

Even a bad witch deserves a second chance. Wrongly accused of using her magic to harm, the closest Catherine Baker comes to helping others is serving their coffee. Life as an outcast is nothing new, thanks to her father’s reputation, but the injustice stings. Especially since the man she loved turned her in. Now the man has the gall to show up and suggest she become the next Titania? She’d rather wipe that charming grin off his face with a pot of hot java to the groin. Alexander Duquesne has never faltered in his duties as a guardian -- until now. The lingering guilt over Cat’s exile and the recent death of his best friend have shaken his dedication. With the murder of the old Titania, the faerie realm teeters on the brink of chaos. His new orders: keep Cat alive at all costs. Hunted by a powerful stranger intent on drawing her into an evil web, Cat reluctantly accepts Lex’s protection and the resurrected desire that comes along with it. Lex faces the fight of his life to keep her safe...and win her back. If they both survive.

Blood, Smoke and Mirrors was witchy fun with interesting and snarky characters. Filled with Fae, vampires, shapeshifters and witches living in our world and the Fae have their own council, guards and rules. I quickly became wrapped up in the world and it's developments. The author does a great job of building it, and I loved the quests Kitty had to face. The villains were the nasty kind you love to hate.  We do get a nice romance with some hotness and it felt genuine. The banter between Catherine "Kitty" and Alexander "Lex" was fun. A meddling, handsome vampire named Zachary causes some trouble and will be a key player in the series. I loved the faeries and Bachar's description of them. Kitty was both awesome and annoying as a character but ultimately I liked who she was and what she stood for. Lex was yummy, noble, strong and stupid when it comes to explaining himself. We get a lot of history, as Kitty faces challenges to become the next Titania and I appreciated that. There are some great actions scenes, some cool spell casting and kick-ass moments. The ending felt a little rushed, but overall this was an awesome start. Interesting threads were woven in regarding the overall series ARC and I will continue the series. Bewitched, Blooded and Bewildered is book two and Fire in the Blood book three, both are available. 

Three and half cups of coffee out of five