Welcome to The Bookish Babe's stop on the Crash Into You Blog Tour!
This tour is being hosted by YA Bound Book Tours. My stop includes a review and giveaway. Follow all the tour stops at the home page.
Series: Pushing the Limits #3
Category/Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: 11/26/13
Format: eARC
Pages: 474
Source: Received from publisher for review
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: eARC
Pages: 474
Source: Received from publisher for review
Rating: 3.5 stars
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.
Like so many readers, I loved Pushing the Limits and Dare You To. Noah, Beth, and Isaiah are three of the most heart-wrenching characters I've read, and I want them to have happy, safe endings. We got there with Noah Hutchins (always my favorite), and Beth. But after the way he was left at the end of Dare You To, I really needed this for Isaiah; for him to be better than surviving. Happy.
To that point, before I go further in my review, with what I may have liked, loved, or felt "meh" about, I have to say one thing. Katie McGarry can write. She owns her words and uses each one to create stories that make readers fall in love with her characters. From my own experience, I can say that I have hurt -badly- for Noah, Beth and Isaiah. I become fully invested in their lives, and want their happy ending. So for that, I cannot say enough good things about McGarry's writing.
Overall, I liked Crash Into You - quite a lot - but that's not to say I didn't have a couple issues. In the first two books in the series, Isaiah was portrayed as a darker character. He smokes pot and drinks, is a very tough guy who's pretty much closed off to everyone but Isaiah and Beth. In Crash Into You, I didn't really see that darkness. It seems that Isaiah isn't quite who he's portrayed himself to be, it's a cover for protection. I guess I can see that, but still, I felt a bit thrown. It's not that I don't think it's possible for Isaiah to have put up that façade for Noah, but since they are brothers by bond, I don't see why. Other than that, I liked the characterization of Isaiah, and was very invested in his story, particularly his bonds with Noah and Beth. But I also enjoyed seeing this tough and closed-off boy fall in love.
Rachel, she was a bit of a challenge for me. I did like that she was a car freak. I had a friend who was so into cars in school, she even drove an old Mustang (until we wrecked it). I know my friend would have been thrilled to find a girl like Rachel in books as a teen. I also liked that Rachel was non-judgmental about Isaiah's background and tough looks. That she accepted Isaiah just as he was. What kept me from being completely Team Rachel was mostly her family. What a self-absorbed, enabling group of people they were. I'm still a bit boggled at one family that wrapped up in the past like that. And this is not to say that I don't understand why they may have been so self-absorbed and way too protective of Rachel. I do get it. I just don't get it, and that's where I struggled, because it was a bit much for me to take. I don't want to judge the story based on the dysfunctional Young family, but maybe if I didn't have to understand their motivations, Rachel's motivation to please them to the point of illness, and her constant panic attacks, it would have been a bit easier. The bright side to this dilemma? Character growth. Rachel grew immensely as a character, and I do truly appreciate that.
Crash Into You may not have been quite the story I expected, but I did enjoy it quite a lot. I loved the racing, the bond between Noah, Beth, and Isaiah, and the joy of seeing Isaiah experience true happiness. I didn't love everything about it, but I did feel so much, and at the end, that counts for a lot.
Favorite Quote:
Maybe this is what happens when you fall in love. On the outside a lighter is nothing amazing, but it holds all the ingredients that can create something wonderful. With a few pushes in the right direction, you can inspire something so brilliant that it pushes back the darkness. ~eARC, 68%
"This is who I am, Rachel. Accept it or not. The tattoos won't wash off. The earrings will never change. I am who I am and nothing more. I'm loyal to a chosen few, I always keep my word and I'll protect you with my life. I scare the hell out of most people, but you will never have anything to fear from me. Choose. Love me or don't. But tell me now." ~eARC, 74%
Pushing the Limits Series
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Great review, Andrea. I agree with everything you wrote.
ReplyDeleteI expected different story - darker - but I did enjoy it. I hope she will write Abby's story soon.
Glass @ Way Too Hot Books
This was actually my second favorite of the series (PTL will always be my favorite) but I see exactly what you mean. Rachel's family was a lot to handle and at times I really wanted to throw the book across the room. Great review Andrea!
ReplyDeleteWonderful review, Andrea. I loved the first two in the series and I've always adored Isaiah, but somehow there was too much going on for me to really fall head over heels for this one. You make a good point I didn't think about. I don't think Isaiah would've kept it hidden about his front when it came to smoking pot to Noah. Not when they were that close. It seems like this was an afterthought in terms of his character. Maybe to make him more likeable to the audience. I'm glad, because I don't like reading about a bunch of drug abuse but it didn't jive with the other two books. :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful review Andrea, sadly I have witnessed dysfunctional families like this and got it. *shivers* but like you I was so pleased we saw growth in Rachel. Book one is still my fav too, and I am hoping we learn and understand the Young family more with West's story.
ReplyDeleteYeah - I had BIG problems with Rachel's family and how it played out with the other aspects of the book. I get it - but it was such a big, all encompassing, debilitating thing that I felt it got pushed aside for the car racing/debt/school etc. All of those things were good but together were just too much for me.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're absolutely right about Isaiah. Something felt off about him in CIY and I didn't even realize what it was until your review. There wasn't' much to his side compared with Rachel. he was struggling of course but the demons and attitude he had from the first two books just weren't there.
The one thing I love about McGarry's series though is that the characters strive to do better and step up to the plate when he time comes. Noah, in particular, still makes me swoon.
Karen @ For What It's Worth
I love your thoughtful review, Andrea. I'm sorry that this wasn't exactly what you were expecting but I'm glad you enjoyed it in the end. That Ms. McGarry still made you feel so much is something. I still look forward to reading Isaiah's story, because like you, I want to see him happy and in love. :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read the second book yet, so I still need to catch up! Thanks for the review, these matter so much to me when thinning out my TBR list!
ReplyDeleteI think about all the blogs I follow religiously has read this series at one point or another, I am curious. I hope to pick up book 1 from the library. I am sorry that you struggled with the characters a bit.
ReplyDeleteWhat I like about this series the most are these kids' messed up families. It's like a 10 car pile up and it's so hard to look away.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any of these, but I love that they are companion novels so I hope to get to them soon. That's great you found this one to be emotionally engaging, even if you didn't love it all.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I couldn't exactly pin point one specific thing that didn't work for me, but I agree with what you've said 100%. I expected Isaiah to be a bit darker too. I also had some issues connecting with Rachel's character. I liked the brother's but that family was ridiculous! It was a good read though and I'm happy for Isaiah. Looking forward to West's book! WOOT
ReplyDeleteAw, I'm sad you didn't enjoy it as much as the others. I can see what you're saying about Isaiah. I hadn't thought about it. It may be that it's been long enough since I read the last one that I wasn't really considering what he used to be like. I did like him a lot in this book. Maybe I just took him as he came. I'm okay with that but I wish it had been better for you.
ReplyDeleteI'm anxious for Isaiah's story. I want him to get his HEA. I think I might understand Rachel a little. I'm not for sure, but I know what it's like to try to make my family happy even when it really doesn't make ME happy and it makes it hard to choose family or boy. I guess I'll have to read it and see how I feel.
ReplyDeleteVery thoughtful observations! I disliked Rachel's parents and it really bothered me the way that her brothers enabled her mother, and tried to control Rachel's life. As far as Isaiah's character. He did appear way darker in the first two books. I just figured with Rachel, he was finally able to be completely himself. Plus, I think sometimes we tend to show different sides of ourselves to different people. He finally learned how to be vulnerable with her. Excellent Review!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'll admit, I didn't love this as much as the first two, but I still loved it. I agree, Rachel took me a minute to like and I hated her family. I just didn't get it! But the character growth was a plus for Rachel and I adore Katie's writing. Loved Isaiah though. Great review!
ReplyDeleteVi
AKA Vi3tBabe
Deity Island
I really loved this one. I do agree that Rachel's family was a little over the top though. I think it would have been easier to believe they were wrapped up in the past that much if the family was smaller, but with all the brothers you would think at least one of them would have stepped up and said.. " yo! this is whack!" or something like that. lol.
ReplyDeleteI still could't put it down though. :)
Great review Andrea. I really enjoyed this book, but reading your review, I totally get what you're saying also. Rachel's family was a little over the top. I loved Isaiah though. I actually would like to read more about him and Rachel, and I am sure we will get a peek at them all in future books. Noah will always be my favorite to, with Isaiah second. I am looking forward to the next book about Rachel's brother West to.
ReplyDeleteEven though you didn't enjoy this one quite as much, I am glad you still enjoyed it. I am such a huge fan of Katie. You are absolutely right- she can write! I have to be honest Ryan is my favorite McGarry boy, to which I am in the minority, but I did love Isaiah. I definitely see where you're coming from about how he was darker in the first two, and not so much here. And Rachel's family? OMG. WTH! I was like, wow, you people are messed UP. LOL.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Isaiah seeming a lot different in this book than he'd previously been portrayed. It bugged me because I wanted to see that tough guy, but I guess I can see why he'd put up that front, though I don't know why he'd need to protect himself from people he called family. Great review...you're absolutely right...Katie McGarry can write! I always fall for her characters. :D
ReplyDeleteGreat review hon!! I really loved this one. I never finished Dare You To because I was really annoyed with Beth and Ryan. I do want to go back and read it now after reading Crash Into You though. I feel that I am missing a lot about Isaiah by not having read it.
ReplyDeleteIsaiah is my favorite for sure! :)
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your review! Interesting about Isaiah's character being a tad different. Rachel and her family seem like a hot mess so I'll go in prepared for it. Glad my favorite Noah got some page time too.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read Crash into you yet. Beth is my favorite character so far. I love damaged characters who have to overcome obstacles and demonstrate an inner strength that defies the odds! Thank you for the giveway!
ReplyDeletegood bobook and thank you for having it
ReplyDelete