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

GOODREADS

My Review

Author: Katie McGarry
Date of Publication: May 26, 2015
Pages: 496
Source: Library

Saying that I really wanted to like this book is an understatement. Or maybe, it isn't because I couldn't make myself finish it.

Katie McGarry and I have a 2:1, love:dislike ratio. Not bad. And everything in Nowhere But Here's premise, cover and early reviews pointed to an updated 3:1 ratio. Obviously, something went sour.

From the very beginning this books was weak. Emily is obnoxious, inconsistent and annoying for lack of a better word. She is introduced as this perfect good girl who is so high and mighty that she doesn't give her biological dad the light of day when he comes to visit every year. Such a chore. When suddenly thrust into his crowd she doesn't waste time to a) slut shame b) grandma shame "grandma's don't swear" and c) look down on Oz and then mentally undress him. There were also several moments when she would talk about her courage at looking these wild people in the eyes and the next second she'll be barfing her guts up on someones shoes. No, she didn't impress me.

Next is Oz, swoony not Oz...  His chapters weren't as disagreeable. The little that I read about the motorcycle club was interesting. But there was nothing about Oz that really captured my attention enough to make me want to stay. His frequent sexual comments about Emily's appearance weren't very enjoyable to read about either.

I could go on and write about my thoughts on the writing, plot, and such but I only got to about 30% of the book. McGarry is a great writer but this book's issue, in my opinion, was the story. Not much interesting had happened in the first 30% and for a book this size 30% is a lot of pages for me to make a decision. Definitely not for me.

-MARI

Whenever I go for a vacation, books are a travelling necessity. Often I take both physical and electronic copies to keep me company. How would I be a complete book nerd if I didn't? Kidding.

This year I'm going to the United States for my vacation. Visiting New York, Connecticut and Atlantic City. Basically city to small town to beach resort so it's really hard to do a theme read which I'm not a fan of either way. Instead I'm going to compile a list of books that I'm dying to read and will probably dig into on the ride there.

Gilded Ashes - Rosamund Hodge

I got this one from the library so I have to read it soon or the ebook will expire. I think this is a good starter read as it will be light and quick. Also, I adored Cruel Beauty! Update: I actually read and loved this one, review to come.

Crash Into You - Katie McGarry

Another follow up for a book I loved. I actually read Pushing the Limits, Dare You To, skipped this one and read Take Me On. Now I want to give this one a go.

Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin

I've been slowly reading this one for year. I'm almost done the latest season but have yet to build up the courage and make up my mind to finish this.

Looking For Alaska - John Green

(MID-VACATION ADDITION)

I actually bought this one a few days ago and am dying to have a John Green book under my reading belt!

I have my Kobo Ereader with me for the vacation so I might find something else to read if my mood asks for it. Generally, I don't read a lot on vacation because I like to be doing a lot of stuff but I'll try to read through some of these.

What's on or was on your vacation tbr?

While you tell me about your vacation lists, why don't you also help me out. All four look amazing but which to you guys recommend I read first? Leave a comment and vote on the poll. Thanks you!

Which do you recommend?

Gilded Ashes

Game of Thrones

Crash Into You

Looking For Alaska

pollcode.com free polls

-MARI

Author: Katie McGarry
Date of Publication: May 2, 2014
Pages: 544
Source: Library

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it's his fault his family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.

GOODREADS

Review:
I wasn’t too impressed with McGarry’s Dare You To and so it took me a lot longer than it should have to pick this one up. As you might soon be able to tell not just by the 5 stars but the gushy review to come, I LOVED THIS BOOK PEOPLE!

It’s a rare talent to be able to build a world, give each of the characters in it a life and at the same time incorporate previous characters inconspicuously so that they don’t superimpose themselves and their story on the new one. Take Me On is closely related to Crash Into You and Isaiah’s story and as a result, Isaiah plays the role of a supporting character in this novel. Fans of the previous book got a nice little look into the lives of their favourite characters from the previous novel while also coming to know and falling in love with two incredible new characters, Haley and West. 

Speaking of West and Haley, I adored them from the beginning. They are both troubled and flawed but they are strong people who will go through hell to protect the ones they love and I thought they were very noble, even if some of the things they did were kind of stupid. But hey, we all make mistakes and their mistakes made them human. I couldn’t always relate with them at a personal level because the difficulties they were facing were out of my range of experience like, physical and emotional abuse, severe depression and the impact these illnesses have on a person’s self worth. Nevertheless, McGarry managed to spin a realistic story from which one can learn.

I love it when the characters have a hobby because we all do. In this case it was Mixed Martial Arts (MMA); a fascinating subject. From art, to baseball to drag racing and now to MMA, Katy McGarry has guts! She is obviously trying to bring something new to the table with each book and I love that. 

Though MMA was a motif in the story it wasn’t all Haley and West did, in fact it wasn’t even close. I loved and hated this fact. I’m glad that McGarry didn’t focus so much on the sport to neglect the story but on the other hand I wouldn’t have minded some more depth to allow me to visualize what was happening in the cage.

Something else that steals the spotlight was the use of MMA jargon. There is nothing that makes a reader feel like they are immersed in a new world than the use of relevant vocabulary. Things like “he/she has heart” and “don’t tap out on me” are glued into my memory.  

This is definitely one of my favourite works by Katy McGarry, it’s so real and intense. I was always itching to read it and when it came to an end I felt a sweet feeling of accomplishment and pleasure; wanting more but realizing that there was no more to tell. What a great book to start the summer with. 

-MARI

Author: Katie McGarry
Date of Publication: May 28 2013
Pages: 456
Series: Pushing the Limits #2
Source: Library ebook

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....

Review:

I enjoyed Dare You To even more than I enjoyed Pushing the Limits. It's a completely personal thing: I just felt like I could connect with Ryan and Beth better than with Noah and Echo.

Ryan is absolute perfection. No seriously. He is adorable in ever way. I love his desire to win. I love how he pushes himself to succeed. I love that he is also a decent guy. He respects women, he is big on communicating, and he's sexy as hell too. His character just came alive and I think without a doubt he is one of my favourite book boyfriends, if not the favourite. He's that incredible.

I also connected with Beth. She was so guilty and felt so trapped. She couldn't believe that she was getting something good. She was so guarded it was heartbreaking, but I loved watching her grow.

I love how all the characters had backgrounds and back stories. Their lives were difficult, especially when it came to family, but the story remained hopeful. The relationships were well fleshed out, and there were many of them. I loved when Ryan hung out with Chris and Logan. Lacy was a fantastic character. Isaiah was given the short end of the stick, but honestly I agreed with the author. In the end, Beth got exactly what she needed.

Dare You To is a romance, and it did its job extremely well. There was so much chemistry between Beth and Ryan, and their relationship developed very well. It took time, and I love how it started with interest, then grew to like and love. I'm not usually into romance, but this one stuck with me.

In conclusion, Dare You To is awesome and this review should be longer but I can't do it because I'm still swooning over Ryan Stone.

-P.E.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

Crash Into You

  November 26, 2013

From acclaimed author Katie McGarry comes an explosive new tale of a good girl with a reckless streak, a street-smart guy with nothing to lose, and a romance forged in the fast lane 
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.

 

Goodreads

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles is one of my all time favourite contemporaries and I love anything similar to it. I got into Pushing the Limits thinking it's another good guy/bad boy type read that I enjoy but I came out of it really loving the book for so much more.

Isaiah has been one of my favourite characters since book one, so I'm really excited to read about him and see him get his happy ending (fingers crossed). I wasn't very happy with the way he was treated in Dare You To, but I have high hopes for this one! Can't wait.

What Are You Waiting On?

-MARI

Author: Katie McGarry

Date of Publication: May 28, 2013

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 462
Source: Personal copy

 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....

AMAZON / GOODREADS 

Review:
I really like reading books about social classes and how people adjust to changing levels in society's hierarchy.  So when I heard that Katie McGarry was coming out with another book featuring exactly this theme, I was sold. Also, the fact that she is the author of Pushing the Limits and this book is a continuation of that series might have been a contributing factor.

In Pushing the Limits we met Beth Risk, the bad girl. In Dare You To, we get to see more of Beth; who she is and why she is the way she is.

After an incident involving her mother's brute of a boyfriend, Beth is plucked out of her old life and stuck into one of infinite possibilities all courtesy of her long absent uncle, Scott Risk, a now retired MLB player. Starting over in a new school, Beth is forced to face her past and present demons without the help of her friends Noah and Isaiah while at the same time being pestered by the hot and upcoming MLB prospect, Ryan Stone.

Going into this one, I had some really high expectation as Pushing the Limits was amazing! After reading it, I would say that my high expectations were probably among the reasons that kept me from loving this book.

Beth wasn't the tough girl she was made out to be, which many can relate to as we all have put up different personas for the world to see. But, I just couldn't get myself to like her for any long period of time. I found her to be clingy and needy. She basically had two thoughts running through her mind: "I need to leave this amazing life offered to me by Scott" and "Ryan can't love me!" It got to a point where she realized that things could be different and then she shut down the next moment and decided no it really can't. This is probably my biggest problem with the book, she guessed and second guessed herself to a point where it was getting repetitive. 

I also had problems with how Isaiah was treated in this book. From what I read of Isaiah and Beth in Pushing the Limits, I was pretty sure they were a done deal. Saying this, I am fine with him not being the male love interest. Yet, I feel that Isaiah was pushed aside by the author to make room for Ryan. Same can be said for Scott. We got little glimpses of Scott and Beth's relationship in the past and I really wanted to see that develop more.

Despite all the negatives, I did enjoy the book for the most part. I enjoyed reading about Beth's past. The suspense literally had me at the edge of my seat. I liked seeing Beth's dedication to her mom, given the situation. Also, I have to give credit where it's due; I love Isaiah and always shall, but Ryan was a great character too. He and Beth fit, and I understand why she chose him. Ryan shed some light into Beth's dark and gloomy world and took her away from her old life.

Overall, it was a good read with some flaws but still enjoyable. It is a companion to Pushing the Limits so we get to see how Noah and Echo are doing too. Can't wait to read the third book about Isaiah.

-Mari