Time to announce the August Sizzling Book Club selection! This month's pick is Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry.
The summary: 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.
This book has been receiving a ton of early favorable reviews, and let me tell you, they are all right. I have some majorly sensitive hype-allergens, but I sincerely think this book is worth your time.
Pushing the Limits is powerful, emotional, and incredibly well done. And if I describe it to people, outlining the plot and the conflict, invariably they say, “This sounds like the most bleak and miserable book ever.” The characters, Echo and Noah, have lived through some truly awful experiences, but there is such joy and resilient hope in how they discover one another that helps to balance the pain and sadness they both feel. This is not an easy book, but it is worth experiencing both as a YA novel, as a romance, and as an example of truly skilled writing.
The rebate is on now, so if you buy at ARe, you'll get 50% back in eBook Bucks if you use code SBTBARE at checkout. This book is $14.99, so 50% rebate is a good thing. Plus, if you have coupons to use, load 'em up, because Harlequin is all good with coupon usage. You can also find this book in print at all the places where print books are sold, including Goodreads | Amazon | BN.
I'm still working on setting up the Book Club Chat, so stay tuned for that announcement.
However! I do have some digital and print copies to giveaway!
Leave me a comment and tell me the best YA novel you've ever read (and your preference of print or digital) and I'll pick five winners who will receive a print copy, and five who will receive a digital copy. I am serious about passing this book along – so bring on your “Oh my gosh this rocked my world” YA book recommendations. (I'm secretly hoping that once you read this book, it'll also be among your favorites).
Standard disclaimers apply. I'm not being compensated for this giveaway. Void where prohibited. Must be over 18 and wearing a Corinthian leather jacket to win. Call before you dig. Objects in mirror may be closer than they appear. Failure to adhere to these disclaimers may cause one strangely long hair to grow out of your forehead. No guarantees on hair color. Comments will be open for 48 hours. Good luck!
I really hope you'll try this book and join us for the chat – we will have a LOT to talk about.
Margaret Mahy’s ‘The Changeover’, closely followed by K.M. Peyton’s finale in the Flambards quartet, ‘Flambards Divided’. I still love the final paragraph of that book so much – Christina speeding her horse towards the hedge before the sun goes down, and then jumping into darkness, which to me sums up the whole magnificent gamble which we all make when we pledge hearts and lives to another person. (And I had such a terrible weakness for Mark – between Mark and Mahy’s Sorensen Carlisle, I got a very warped ideal of the perfect boy…)
There’s a lot of good YA novels out there but my favorite has to be the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld!
If I win I would love a print copy please!
This book looks really great- I can’t wait to read it. I’d love a print copy.
My favorite YA read in recent months has been Isle of Night by Veronica Wolff. It’s got a smart, strong heroine, and it’s packed with action and just a hint of romance. I’ve read both books in this “Watcher” series, and I can’t wait for the release of the third one this month.
For me, it’s no question, The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. I even bought extra copies of that book to give away to friends or to pass along and lend to them. Amazing story, beloved characters, just … wow. Thank you for the chance to win Pushing the Limits, and my preference would be in print form. Thank you!
This book is everywhere : ) I would love a digital copy. My favorite YA book is probably Dash and Lilly’s Book of Dares by Cohn & Leviathan. Thanks.
Wow, favorite? I’m so torn – I love love love some of the awesome YA out there. But I’ll go with Shannon Hale’s GOOSE GIRL. (But ask me again in an hour – I might switch to E Lockhart’s THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU-BANKS.)
Digital for me!
I’m kinda new to the genre, but one of the best YA books I’ve ever read is Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. That novel held me entranced and I finished it in one day.
(Print)
As much as I love Harry Potter, I think my all time favorite YA books are The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. I still remember the first time I read them, years ago (not gonna admit how many, lol), and I had to purchase new copies to replace my old ones as they fell apart. They’re fabulous books that inspired years of romance and fantasy reading. I recommend them all the time to young adults and grown ups alike.
Best YA? I never know what falls into that category or not. Like other commenters have mentioned, when I fell into that Age group we did not seem to have same wealth of books. One that always sticks out in my mind is the Popularity Plan, in the Sweet Valley High book series. I need to find my copy of that some day (probably in my parent’s basement somewhere). Always liked the idea of coming up with identifying a goal and coming up with a plan to make that goal.
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak had me in tears at the end – not something I expected. A brilliant and moving story set in Germany during WWII.
wow, that’s hard. i used to be a YA librarian, so i was reading 10-12 YA novels a month in my off time, not to say all i read for work. i think i was so into YA because my parents didn’t get me books or take me to the library; when i was finally able to get myself to the library, you know, after learning to drive, i jumped right in to adult genre fiction.
ahem. best ya. Nation, by Terry Pratchett.
Rats Saw God by Rob Thomas convinced me to go on a YA reading binge in the late 90’s much as Tammara Webber’s Easy has done this year.
Digital is preferred format for me.
I just had SUCH a hard time narrowing down my favourite YA books to a top 10 in order to vote on the NPR list. And now you’re asking me to pick just one! Torture!
I think I’ll go with something that didn’t make the NPR list and that I reread constantly when I was a YA myself: The Third Magic by Welwyn Wilton Katz. It takes place both in modern day England with some Canadians tourists, and in another world where magic reigns. In this, and then fact that it’s an alternate retelling of the Arthurian myths, it’s very like another of my favourite books of all time, The Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay.
I prefer print editions!
Jellicoe Road was pretty great. I asked a friend to read it and he did so on a long bus ride. The result is the awesome visual of him crying in a bus station in Vegas on halloween at midnight.
Digital, please.
I want to mention an author that my mother pointed me to when I was 14: “My Antonia” by Willa Cather.
It was not my usual fare, but I was desperate enough to take what she offered.
About 8 years ago, my own younger brother gave my daughter a Willa Cather book as a Christmas present(not sure if it was My Antonia or O Pioneers!). She reads a lots of fantasy, so it was a change for her – but a happy one.
I probably should add that my mom was a HS English teacher, and my brother is a college English prof. I send my brother Chris columns about the artificial distinction between high and low literature, my attendance at the IASPR conferences, and try to keep his mind open to romance. (He got married last year at age 44, so he certainly believes in the real thing, even if he does not read it by that genre name.)
I love YA books—and this sounds awesome! I will have to look it up!
For YA romance, I highly recommend If I Stay (#1) and Where She Went (#2) by Gayle Forman. Her novels don’t seem to be as widely known among adult romance readers as Anna and the French Kiss (#1) and Lola and the Boy Next Door (#2) by Stephanie Perkins. Echoing Renee K’s comment above, if you enjoy Gayle Forman, you may also like Jandy Nelson’s The Sky is Everywhere. I also love Chime by Franny Billingsley, which is a romantic fantasy novel tinged with mystery.
“I have some majorly sensitive hype-allergens” <—I am adopting this into my personal lingo! With appropriate attribution to SBTB, of course.
I forgot to say that either print or digital is fine by me.
For me, it would for sure have to be The Magician’s Apprentice by Patricia Wrede, although that one is the sequel to Mairelon the Magician. Wonderful humor and mystery, and one of the greatest, swoon-worthy “oh my god you both love each other so much but don’t know it yet!” moments I can think of.
And I prefer print!
Currently obsessing about Cinder by Marissa Meyer but I’m not sure if it will replace my favorites – Protector of the Small quartet and Trickster duo (both by Tamora Pierce) and the Study series by Maria V Snyder.
Print!
I haven’t read much YA but I would say the first Harry Potter which came out when my kids were young. I would prefer the print.
I haven’t read many YA, but I’d choose Perfect Chemistry is the best (yet). I love the plot and the way Simone Elkeles wrote it. I love when a book is too real just like when I’m watching a movie or series. 😉
My favorite YA series is the poison studies series by Maria V. Snyder (the first was the best), although I like the frost series by Jennifer Estep that this blog introduced me to. I would prefer ebook because I’m finally going to be visiting home soon & I want a book I can easily take on the plane with me.
Best YA read apart from the obvious Harry Potter series would be The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Absolutely amazing!!! The point of view is quite different and you will be left thinking about it long after you have finished it.
I prefer to read print copies. Thanks!
I loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.
I would love a digital copy. Thanks so much!
I can still remember reading Diana Wynn Jones’ Fire and Hemlock, The Homeward Bounders and Howl’s Moving Castle over and over and over. When she passed away earlier this year, I just about cried because she was such a part of my youth reading.
(I was also sad to see that Margaret Mahy also passed away this week – her books are all excellent.)
The Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay. I’ve lost count of the times that I’ve read and re-read them.
Since “Beauty” (Robin McKinley), “Little Women” (Louisa May Alcott), and “The Outsiders” (S.E. Hinton) have already been mentioned, I will say one that hasn’t been mentioned. My favorite books when I was the age to be reading YA books were the Deryni series by Katherine Kurtz.
If I were the age to be reading YA today (and I am, because you’re never too old to be reading YA!), I would be loving Kristen Britain’s Green Rider series. (Although like most fantasy, they are not classified as YA.) However, if I started reading them today as a young adult, I would still be reading them long into adulthood, because each new book takes 4-5 years to publish. (Just so you know. I don’t want you to get hooked without knowing what you’re in for. But they’re worth it.)
*preference = print.
Hexwood and Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynen Jones
The Changeling Sea by Patricia McKillip
Sorcery and Cecilia by Wrede and Stevemer
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
There’s too many!
Digital please!