Book Review: Echoes Between Us by Katie McGarry

Echoes Between Us
By: Katie McGarry
Release Date: January 14, 2020
Publisher: Tor Teen
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Source: eARC from the publisher in exchange for a honest review

Book Synopsis:

Echoes Between Us is bestselling author Katie McGarry’s breakout teen contemporary novel about a girl with everything to lose and the boy who will do anything to save her. 

Veronica sees ghosts. More specifically, her mother's ghost. The afterimages of blinding migraines caused by the brain tumor that keeps her on the fringes and consumes her whole life haunt her, even as she wonders if it's something more... 

Golden boy Sawyer is handsome and popular, a state champion swimmer, but his adrenaline addiction draws him to Veronica. 

A girl with nothing to live for and a boy with everything to lose--can they conquer their demons together?

 

My Thoughts:

Echoes Between Us is a raw, riveting, and beautiful story.  It broke my heart and put it back together again by offering bright rays of hope. I went through a lot of tissues, as Veronica and Sawyer's journey felt authentic, was relatable, and extremely moving. Even as Katie McGarry is one of my favorite authors, this story exceeded my expectations.  

It was multilayered, and had so many elements that I enjoy in a favorite read.  Echoes Between Us had such a rich and colorful cast of characters, serious topics that kept me engaged, a plot that held my attention and kept me guessing how everything would end, and a story so rich in friendship and unconditional love.

Veronica was a character with a lot of heart.  She marched to the beat of her own drum, and was courageous when it came to being true to herself, even though it made her an outcast among her peers.  

She had a wonderful tribe of friends, and I loved how dedicated, loyal, and caring they were towards one another.  Even though this story is a standalone, I was excited to recognize beloved characters Jesse, Scarlett, and Glory from Only a Breath Apart.  I hope Nazareth gets his own story next, because he was one of my favorite characters.

From outside appearances Sawyer had an easy life.  He was popular, and an accomplished swimmer.  Both Veronica and Sawyer were hurting and going through their own private struggles.  We get the dual perspectives of Veronica and Sawyer, as well as snippets of a diary from a girl that had Tuberculosis in the 1900's; which tied in to an important life lesson. 

There were paranormal elements in the story that touched on ghosts and hauntings, which I loved.  There was an air of mystery throughout the story as I tried to figure out certain things, and I loved how the story kept me guessing.

The ending of the story was spectacular and really touched my heart.  In less you can't tell, I loved this story and highly recommend it.  If you are looking for a multi-layered story that is unique, has an amazing cast of characters, and will both break your heart, and mend it, check out Echoes Between Us!

Purchase At:

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About the Author:

KATIE MCGARRY was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. 

Katie would love to hear from her readers. Contact her via her website, katielmcgarry.com, follow her on Twitter @KatieMcGarry, or become a fan on Facebook and Goodreads.

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Waiting on Wednesday (96)

https://www.wishfulendings.com

Echoes Between Us

By: Katie McGarry

Release Date: January 14, 2020

Publisher: Tor Teen

Add to Goodreads

Echoes Between Us is bestselling author Katie McGarry’s breakout teen contemporary novel about a girl with everything to lose and the boy who will do anything to save her. 

Veronica sees ghosts. More specifically, her mother's ghost. The afterimages of blinding migraines caused by the brain tumor that keeps her on the fringes and consumes her whole life haunt her, even as she wonders if it's something more... 

Golden boy Sawyer is handsome and popular, a state champion swimmer, but his adrenaline addiction draws him to Veronica. 

A girl with nothing to live for and a boy with everything to lose--can they conquer their demons together?

Why I'm Eagerly Waiting:

Katie McGarry is one of my all time favorite authors!  I don't care what she writes-I'll read it!  She writes characters that are real, imperfect, and makes me fall in love with them in every single one of her stories!!!  I can't even begin to express how excited I am for this book to come out!

What Are You Waiting On?

Book Review: Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry

Only a Breath Apart

By: 
Katie McGarry

Published:
Jan. 22, 2019

Publisher:
Tor Teen

Add to: Goodreads

Source: Purchased

Book Synopsis:

Bestselling author Katie McGarry’s trademark wrong-side-of-the-tracks romance is given a new twist in the gritty YA contemporary novel, Only a Breath Apart. 

Jesse Lachlin is cursed. 

So the town folklore says, but while Jesse’s had his fair share of tragedy, the only curse he believes is in his grandmother’s will: in order to inherit his family farm he must win the approval of his childhood best friend, the girl he froze out his freshman year, Scarlett Copeland. 

Scarlett Copeland is psychic. 

Glory Gardner tells Scarlett she has hidden psychic abilities, but Scarlett thinks Glory is delusional. What is real is Scarlett’s father’s irrational fears, controlling attitude, and the dark secrets at home. Scarlett may have a way to escape, but there’s a hitch: she’ll have to rely on the one person she used to trust, the same boy who broke her heart, Jesse Lachlin. 

Each midnight meeting pushes Jesse and Scarlett to confront their secrets and their feelings for each other. But as love blooms, the curse rears its ugly head…

My Thoughts:

Only a Breath Apart is a tender and angst filled love story about two broken teenagers.  Both of them have secrets, and don't let people in.  Jesse has a past that he doesn't talk about, and Scarlett comes from a broken home with an abusive and controlling father.  Growing up, they were childhood best friends, and the single most important person in each other's lives.  Jesse ended their friendship abruptly without explanation, and Scarlett was devastated.

After Jesse's grandmother dies, circumstances lead Scarlett and Jesse back in to one another's lives.  Jesse believes his family is cursed, and the only way to keep the curse at bay is to stay on his family's land; the land that has been in his family for generations.  Scarlett is desperate to lead her own life and escape the controlling clutches of her domineering father.  Together they will support each other, and fall in love along the way.  Will their love story have a happy ending, or is the Laclan Curse real?

I loved reading Only a Breath Apart. It was such a page turner.  This love story really tugged on my emotions and melted my heart.  The characterization of Jesse and Scarlett was excellent.  Both characters came to life and jumped right off of the page with the talented Ms. McGarry's storytelling.  I enjoyed the secondary characters as well.  My favorite was Glory, Jesse's distant cousin.  She was a psychic fortuneteller, with a quirky personality, who was devoted to helping both Jesse and Scarlett.  

Only a Breath Apart was an intense story filled with angst, and the very real and heartbreaking cycle of abuse.  It wasn't sugarcoated, and there were no easy solutions.  I appreciated the raw emotions that it provoked in me, because it meant that the author was really able to connect me to the story and its characters.  I love that she also offered a message of hope; but it was a realistic message that also delivered encouragement and strength to readers who might be going through similar situations.   

Purchase At:

Amazon|B&N|iBooks|Google Play

Kobo|IndieBound 

About Katie McGarry:

KATIE MCGARRY was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. Katie would love to hear from her readers. Contact her via her website, katielmcgarry.com, follow her on Twitter @KatieMcGarry, or become a fan on Facebook and Goodreads.

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Review & Excerpt Tour : Long Way Home (Thunder Road, #3) by Katie McGarry

Long Way Home
Thunder Road, #3
by Katie McGarry 

Release Date:
January 31st, 2017 

Genres:
Young Adult 
Contemporary Romance 

Publisher:
Harlequin Teen

Source: 
Harlequin Teen

eARC in exchange of honest review. 

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Violet has always been expected to sit back and let the boys do all the saving. 

It’s the code her father, a member of the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, raised her to live by. Yet when her dad is killed carrying out Terror business, Violet knows it’s up to her to do the saving. To protect herself, and her vulnerable younger brother, she needs to cut all ties with the club—including Chevy, the boy she’s known and loved her whole life.

But when a rival club comes after Violet, exposing old secrets and making new threats, she’s forced to question what she thought she knew about her father, the Reign of Terror, and what she thinks she wants. Which means re-evaluating everything: love, family, friends . . . and forgiveness.

Caught in the crosshairs between loyalty and freedom, Violet must decide whether old friends can be trusted—and if she’s strong enough to be the one person to save them all.

LONG WAY HOME Pre-Order Links:

Amazon | Kobo | BAM | B&N | iBooks | IndieBound

   

"An intoxicating and unforgettable story that kept me glued to the page."

—Kami Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling author, on Walk the Edge

 

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

      

Don’t Miss the First Two Titles in the Thunder Road Series! And WALK THE EDGE is just $1.99 in eBook for a limited time only! Grab your copies today!

NOWHERE BUT HERE

WALK THE EDGE

   

  

Pre-order LONG WAY HOME by Katie McGarry, and fill out THIS FORM, to receive three previously unreleased bonus scenes featuring important “firsts” in the lives of your favorite characters from the world of Katie McGarry! Complete the form to register your pre-order at https://wyng.com/campaign/820152.

 Excerpt:

VIOLET

“You can do this.” I take Brandon’s hand in mine and give a reassuring squeeze. “I know you can.” 

Brandon swallows hard, but nods. A combination of nervous energy and pride rushes through my veins as he grasps my hand in return and fists the cash in his other hand. He’s going to face his fears. The lift of my lips is genuine now. My brother believes in himself, and I believe in him and maybe we’re both going to be okay. 

Right as Brandon takes a courageous step forward, two black leather vests slip in front of us and staring back at me is a half skull with fire blazing out of its eye sockets. 

The world surrounding me turns red, and my blood begins to boil. “There’s a line and you just cut.” 

Eli, one of my father’s once best friends, glances over his shoulder and winks at us as he pulls out his wallet. Like always, he has dark hair cut close to his head, plugs in his ears and a huge grin like we should be glad to see him. “I got you covered.” 

Fabulous. Here comes the Reign of Terror Motorcycle Club riding in on their black Harleys determined to save the day of people who really need to learn how to save themselves. 

“No really, we got this,” I insist. 

I try to muscle my way past to pay, but Eli’s right hand man, Pigpen, plants himself in front of me like the towering sack of testosterone and annoyance that he is. Then he’s on the move and I somehow find myself away from the ticket booth. 

“Surprised to see you here, Violet.” Pigpen is in his late twenties and thinks he’s all handsome with his blond hair and big muscles. Because he was a Navy SEAL or Army Ranger or something outrageous like that, he also thinks he’s awesome, but he doesn’t impress me. “Surprised you’re here, but happy to see you. You haven’t been at a game all year.” 

“I’ve been busy,” I say. 

“Is that what you call avoiding anyone from the Terror? Busy?” 

“Works for me.” 

“Hi, Pigpen!” Brandon is lit up like a firefly who was convinced the rest of his species was extinct. Eli, of course, enjoying the role of savior, has his arm around Brandon’s shoulder as they join us. 

“Hey, Stone.” Pigpen calls my brother by the stupid nickname the club created for him. “How’s it going?” 

“Good. They bought our tickets, Vi!” 

“Yep, they sure did, because little ol’ me couldn’t’ handle the big ol’ ticket booth on my own.” Heavy on the sarcasm and then a hard glare at Eli. “Brandon was going to buy his own ticket.” 

Eli rolls his neck like he’s the one who owns the right to be annoyed. “Most people say thank you.” 

“You’re missing the point.” 

Eli pats my brother’s back. “Why don’t you head in with Pigpen? I’d like to catch up with Violet.” 

Brandon bounces like a damn puppy dog given a treat and then rushes off into the stadium, leaving me with Thing Two. And to think my brother called me Vi. The little traitor. 

“Pigpen,” I call out. “Don’t leave him.” 

I forced my brother to tattle today and while the football game will make him smile, I’m also taking a calculated risk that the people he told on won’t be here. If they are here, I’m betting they won’t mess with Brandon as long as I’m around. 

“You worry too much,” Pigpen answers without glancing back. 

When it comes to my brother, they don’t worry enough about the right problems. 

Eli watches as Brandon and Pigpen go into the stadium. Instead of taking a left for the bleachers, they go right for the concession stand, and I’m contemplating how to stab Pigpen in the jugular. Concession food brings my brother into a near state of euphoria, and because of the crappy day my brother and I had, I wanted to be the one that made him happy with a hot dog, nachos and a slushy. 

Motorcycle men around the world, as far as I’m concerned, can just plain suck it.

 My Thoughts:

I fell in love with Katie McGarry's writing when I read her Pushing the Limits Series.  Reading the Thunder Road Series has reminded me why I love her books so much, and cemented her into being a part of my top favorite young adult authors list!  Ms. McGarry brings readers the "feels," every time, along with breathtaking romance, a pinch of angst, drama, and suspense. 

Out of all of the books in the Thunder Road Series, I have been looking forward to reading Violet and Chevy's book the most.  It was obvious from the beginning of this series how much these two loved one another and were meant to be together.  They grew up from a young age being the best of friends, right alongside Oz and Razor.  They were each other's first and only loves.  However, the murder of Violet's father, Frat, tore them apart.  Violet blamed the Reign of Terror MC for his death, and feared Chevy being a part of an MC that could put their lives at risk.

Chevy has been placed in a tug-of-war.  He loves Violet and his mother dearly, but both do not want him to be involved with the Reign of Terror.  Yet, The Reign is his family.  His grandfather, Cyrus, is the club president, and his uncle Eli holds a prominent and highly respected place in the club.  Cyrus and Eli mean the world to Chevy.  They were very involved in raising him.  Chevy fears losing Violet, Cyrus, and Eli.  Therefore, by not making a choice, Violet decided to make the choice for him, and broke it off, leaving him feeling like he was missing a piece of himself.

Chevy and Violet find themselves together at the hands of The Riot.  This changes the course of both of their lives and their relationship.  It sparks Chevy to have questions about his deceased father, James, his father's secret life, and whether he was loyal to The Reign of Terror.  It puts Violet in a position to either betray a close member of The Reign of Terror or put her family in danger of The Riot MC's wrath.   Chevy and Violet have been given the choice of two road's, which road are they going to travel?

I loved Violet's character.  She was a strong, feisty, independent, and determined lead.  Her mother was very co-dependent, and Violet was adamant to be the opposite of her mother in every way.  Violet had an edge to her, was very stubborn and resilient.  She had a younger brother, Brandon,  who suffered many challenges.  From the character profile, I would guess that he had high functioning Autism, or Aspergers.  My guess is based off of my familiarity with Autism, as my daughter has it, and I was able to recognize the signs and symptoms. Violet was very protective, loving, and patient with him. I loved that Ms. McGarry brought awareness to this condition, as not everyone is familiar with the challenges and fears of seemingly easy everyday tasks that these individuals go through.  I adored everything about Violet, and enjoyed reading from her point of view.

Chevy was a gentleman, a great friend, devoted son, and loving boyfriend.  He would sacrifice anything for the people in his life, and always put everyone else before himself.  This got him into trouble when he couldn't make a decision about joining the club, because he didn't want to hurt anyone that he loved.  Violet made him realize that he needed to make a decision based on what was best for him. I loved how dedicated, protective, caring and compassionate Chevy was.  He was one of a kind, and his actions throughout the story, made me swoon multiple times!

My Rating: 

I am not ready for the Thunder Road Series to end!  I am  hoping that Addison and Pigpen & Ms. Whitlock get their own stories.  I love all of these characters, and feel like I am a part of The Reign of Terror family!  I give, Long Way Home, by Katie McGarry, 4.5 Tough Choices, Gravitational Force, True Love, Swoony Romance, Passionate Angst-Filled Stars!!!    

Giveaway:
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About the Author:

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. 

Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON,  BREAKING THE RULES, NOWHERE BUT HERE and WALK THE EDGE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine's 2012 Reviewer's Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.   

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