Katie McGarry

Review: Long Way Home by Katie McGarry

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01lon There’s something about a Katie McGarry book that makes me wanna buy 10 copies and pass them out to all the teens I know. She is the queen of the ‘coming of age’ genre. I hope my daughter will start to like romance so I can pass all of these along to her.

Ever since Violet’s dad died, she’s wanted to leave the MC world and move on in peace, but she’s stuck. Her mom won’t leave, so she’s has to stay and try and protect her brother, and her heart, from the world that stole her dad from them.

Chevy has loved Violet for as long as he can remember but this life isn’t what she wants. Heck, this life stole his dad from him also, so he’s not sure if this is the life him either. When he’s 18 he needs to make a formal decision, but he’s not sure what to do. But when he and Violet get threatened, he must make a choice, even if it changes everything. His life will never be the same, no matter what. He loves her so much, but if she needs to walk away, he has to let her, even if it kills him.

Violet has always been my best friend, but it’s more than that. She’s always been a piece of me, and without her the world was cold, a bitter freeze that cut to the bone.

I loved Violet. She was willing to give up the boy she loved, in order to not have him choose. But when the past catches up with her, she must make some very hard decision about this “family” of hers, in order to protect them. She stood up to the men who, in her eyes, got her dad killed, and that had to be terrifying for her. But she was done and I commend her. She didn’t take crap from any of them, even if it scared her to death.

I love seeing Chevy, Violet, Oz and Razor together. They grew up together and they may not be blood but they’re family. I love these characters. They’re not perfect, but, to each other, they are.

Violet and Chevy must look inside themselves to find the right path. The decision will not be easy, and will make them question everything they thought they knew about who their family is and why things happened the way they did. So many new revelations that I didn’t see coming. But in the end they both have to make tough calls in the name of love and hope they make the right ones.

~Melpomene

Release date Jan 31, 2017
Preorder Long Way Home HERE

Review: Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry

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01 aa This is another book that I can’t wait til my daughter can read it. This story is filled with a very real problem, cyber bullying. It’s a real issue and it happens more than we know. I swear to you, I never read the blurb, so I had nothing to go on. So when I realized what was happening, I was just sick. In my head, I kept trying to figure out a way to help her. I realize this story is fiction, but to many, it isn’t.

SYNOPSIS
One moment of recklessness will change their worlds

Smart. Responsible. That’s seventeen-year-old Breanna’s role in her large family, and heaven forbid she put a toe out of line. Until one night of shockingly un-Breanna-like behavior puts her into a vicious cyber-bully’s line of fire—and brings fellow senior Thomas “Razor” Turner into her life.

Razor lives for the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, and good girls like Breanna just don’t belong. But when he learns she’s being blackmailed over a compromising picture of the two of them—a picture that turns one unexpected and beautiful moment into ugliness—he knows it’s time to step outside the rules.

And so they make a pact: he’ll help her track down her blackmailer, and in return she’ll help him seek answers to the mystery that’s haunted him—one that not even his club brothers have been willing to discuss. But the more time they spend together, the more their feelings grow. And suddenly they’re both walking the edge of discovering who they really are, what they want, and where they’re going from here.

Razor!!! Oh, how I really like him. I had no idea this boy, we met in Nowhere But Here, had so much going on in his head. He’s been floundering for a few years. Struggling to come to terms with something that happened in his past. But it all changes when he meets Breanna. Something clicks. And now he knows what he wants, and he knows how he’s going to get it, even if it costs him his family.

I must admit, my stomach was twisting all over the place, with Breanna. My heart broke for her. She has been struggling with who she is as a person, a daughter, a sister and a friend. No one understands her. She is wired differently than most. Sad to say, but people don’t seem to accept differences, especially teens. The tipping point, for her, is now dealing with a bully. She wants help but she doesn’t know who to ask or how to ask.

It’s so hard being a teenager in this world. On a personal note, I’ve had to deal with this as a teenager and I will say, it SUCKED. You’re afraid to tell anyone, at the risk of making it worse. But cyber-bullying is a whole new thing. It’s 10 times worse.

This is another fabulous installment of Thunder Road series that dealt with real life problems. This book had me on the edge of my seat quite a few times. My heart was hammering in my chest and my nerves were wrecked. Razor and Breanna both had serious issues that required help from others, but neither wanted to go and ask. They thought they could do it alone but you need family to help sometimes. And this book is all about family.

~Melpomene

Buy Walk the Edge (Thunder Road)

Meet Razor and all the gang in Nowhere but Here (Thunder Road)

Review: Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

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01 nowhere “The only way to break free is to understand the past so you don’t continue to follow in their footsteps.”

Oh my gosh!! Katie McGarry has done it again! I love MC series and Katie’s books. So when you combine them, this is a match in my book nerd heaven.

SYNPOSIS
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.

This is a story about being proud of where you come from. It’s about love and forgiveness and being true to yourself. Emily has been told ties all her life, but she never knew it, until she came back and was thrust into her biological father’s world. Now she is slowly unraveling the lies and falling more in love this life and these people who she’s been told to fear.

Oz made a mistake and has been put a babysitting duty, of the leader’s daughter. He knows she’s bad news and wants her to go home as soon as possible. But the longer he stays near her, she brings out feelings that he has no right to feel. But no matter how hard he tries, he can’t deny that this MC princess is going to be his downfall, if he doesn’t get a hold of himself.

In true Katie McGarry form, this book is perfect for mid teens. There is no over the top sexiness. There was a fair amount of tension, but nothing explicit. Oz and Emily try and fight their attraction, but sometimes the heart doesn’t work with what we want.

“I thought your job was to prevent me from learning the truth…”

“No. My job is to love you.”

This book was full of excitement and had an emotional story line that will tug at your heartstrings a bit. I found myself even tearing up a bit at the end. You fall in love with these characters and don’t want any harm to befall them. But sometimes life isn’t perfect. So if you find people who love you, except their love and hold on tight.

~Melpomene

BuyNowhere but Here (Thunder Road)

Melpomene’s Top 25 of 2014

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What a year!!!! Seriously!!! I have read so many great books, that trying to pick only 25 nearly gave me an ulcer. Stressful. While many of these weren’t released in 2014, I didn’t read them until this year. But here it is:

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1. Flat-Out Celeste by Jessica Park
2. Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan
3. Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover
4. The Collectors’ Society by Heather Lyons
5. Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
6. The Deep End of the Sea by Heather Lyons
7. Bright Side by Kim Holden
8. The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon
9. Elicit by Rachel Van Dyken
10. The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons

The rest are in no particular order
11. Even the Moon has Scars by Steph Campbell
12. Becoming Calder and Finding Eden by Mia Sheridan Those two go together. They’re a combo pack.
13. Jacked by Tina Reber
14. Hope at Dawn by Stacy Henrie
15. Red at Night by Katie McGarry
16. The King by JR Ward
17. Vain by Fisher Amelie
18. Greed by Fisher Amelie
19. Maybe Not by Colleen Hoover
20. Until the End by Abbi Glines
21. Burying Water by KA Tucker
22. Infinity + One by Amy Harmon
23. Until We Fly by Courtney Cole
24. Hate: A Love Story by Laurel Ulen Curtis
25. Letting Go by Molly McAdams

What are some of yours??

Review: Take Me On, by Katie McGarry

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“I can’t convince you to tap out on me?” “No tapping out.”

Would you think I’m silly if I told you I didn’t know what this book was about? I saw the cover and assumed it was about fighters, but I never read a single teaser or blurb. I’m so glad I didn’t. I get all the feels, when I go in blind.

Haley has been beaten down. This poor girl has been through so much, my heart hurt. She used to live a in nice home with her parents and siblings. But after her dad lost his job they had to move in with an uncle, who’s words, towards her, cause more damage than fists would. She used to be a champion kickboxer, until a disastrous night made he decide to never step foot in a gym and swear off fighting. She’s just trying to get by and graduate. She’s trying not to cause any trouble. She takes all the hits, since no one will tap in for her.

West is privileged. He has everything he could ever needs. While his sister is in the hospital, after an accident that almost took her life, he constantly makes one wrong decision after another and soon loses everything he thought he couldn’t live without. He is thrust into a lifestyle of want and then realizes that he was one of the lucky ones.

While we watching West fall apart, we see Haley barely hold herself together.

“Sometimes I wonder if the agony inside myself would disappear if someone would shed the tears for me.”

I just couldn’t believe the things this poor girl had to endure. No one was fighting for her. No one tapped in to fight for her. That is until West came into her life. He steps up and accepts a challenge, on her behalf. But he is in no way prepared for it. So Haley is forced to help him train and let someone help her for a change.

While they agree to help each other out, they want to keep in strictly in the ring. But you know how well that always works. Soon they realize that their bond is more than just about fighting.

I was so angry with some of the characters in this story. I wanted to hit a few people myself. The way Haley was treated made me sick. These people were supposed to be there for her and protect her, but they weren’t doing anything. But I was super excited to see Abby come into the story. I know there’s a secret about her. I’m crossing my fingers for her and Haley’s cousin, Jax’s, story.

~Melpomene

Buy Take Me On (Pushing the Limits)

Review: Red at Night, by Katie McGarry

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0001 red WOW. Plain and simple. I was NOT expecting to feel like this, after reading this short story. I’ve read all of Katie’s books and I’ve loved each of them, but this book is so much more.

This story is about life and how life isn’t always what it seems. It’s about people and how the littlest things turn into the biggest things. It’s about death and how we’re never ready for it, but we need to be. And last, it’s about shoes and the magical power they hold.

I will start out be saying, besides wanting to read the book, because Katie wrote it, I wanted to read it cuz the girl has purple hair. I’m silly that way. Since I saw the cover and she has the same color as my hair, I just had to read it. Who knew this short story would be such an impact on my life.

“Hope is a deadly snake with fangs of poison.”

Stella has lived such a hard life, my heart hurts when I think of it. She has been shuffled through life, knocked down, and bullied at school and basically wants to get through her senior year and get out. Being alone, with no one to catch you when you fall, has made having hope the only thing keeping her together.

Jonah has everything he possibly needs, but he is empty. After a deadly car accident, he is no longer happy in this life. He wants to live his life right, but he’s not sure how to do that.

After a chance meeting, at a cemetery, they discover that having each other, is the change they both need.

I know I cry in most books I read, but I was shocked into tears. Big crocodile tears, falling down my face. I had no idea how this message of hope would touch my heart and soul like it did.

~Melpomene

Download Red at Night (Harlequin More Than Words)

Sneak Peek Review: Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

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17233800 I have loved this series from the beginning – I gave the first book 5 stars, and the second 4 stars (as I wasn’t a big Beth fan). This is Isaiah’s story and he intrigued me from the first time we saw him in Pushing the Limits. I can’t help it, I like guys with tattoos. Guys with tattoos AND feelings? That’s not even playing fair in my opinion!

Isaiah has a crappy life, has been in foster care has a crappy Mom who was in prison but is now out. But he has a few things going for him and he knows it – Noah, his best friend being the most important. They’ve been through hell together and when Noah got out of the foster system he promised to take Isaiah with him and he hasn’t let him down yet. The other thing he has is his mechanical abilities – Isaiah knows he’s talented in that area and he uses it the best he can to make any money he can. He had a third thing – Beth his other best friend, but she disappeared into a better life.

Rachel, however, has a perfect life. She has wealthy parents and brothers who love and protect her…and no friends, crippling anxiety and too many secrets to count. The only thing that makes her happy is taking off in her Mustang. One night she ends up in a street race and when Isaiah saves her from Eric, a street thug who mean business, neither can figure out what just happened.

They have 6 weeks to get Eric the money he thinks they owe him or they are both completely screwed. Meanwhile, Rachel is drawn to Isaiah in ways she didn’t think she could be and Isaiah wonders what exactly she could see in him as messed up as he is.

What I love about Katie McGarry’s writing is that she really gets the details of every little thing. Every aspect of the book felt very fleshed out. From the minor background characters at the street races to the major characters like Rachel’s brothers. I really appreciated finding out in book 2 that Beth did not end up with Isaiah but what I appreciated even more in this book was that the romance did not falter at all. Obviously they had their ups and downs and big obstacles to overcome but there wasn’t hot and cold when it came to the emotions of the main characters. I felt that Rachel balanced Isaiah out much better than Beth ever could have.

I really, really disliked Rachel’s family and there is a scene in the book I all but stood up and cheered. Everyone but Isaiah took her for granted and no one appreciated her. It seemed like she was how many girls feel to the extreme.

Just a small taste of what I liked about the romance –

I don’t want to be without you. I like who I am with you, and I don’t want to go back to who I was before. I love you, Rachel. So this will work. No matter what or who stands in our way.

Overall this book had just about everything I could ask for in a young adult/new adult book: romance, action, family drama, guys with tattoos. OOH – also for fans of this series I just about died when I got to the end and found out that IT’S NOT DONE! She’s writing MORE! The next one will continue on with one of Rachel’s brothers. Who I really despise right now so I will hold out on judging it at the moment. But I love this author’s writing so YAY!

I received this ARC via the Publisher in return for an honest review from both NetGalley and Edelweiss.

5 Stars

Links for all 3 books below because all 3 are great!!

~Clio

Buy it Now (Book #3 ) Crash into You (Harlequin Teen)

Book #1 Pushing the Limits (Harlequin Teen)

Book #2 Dare You To