Blog Tour: Crash Into You by Katie McGarry {Review+Giveaway}
Welcome to my stop on the Crash into You blog tour hosted by YABound Book Tours!
Today I am excited to share my review and a giveaway with you all!
To see the full tour schedule click HERE.
Crash Into You (Pushing the Limits #3)
by: Katie McGarryPublication Date: Nov. 26, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin TEEN
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC and physical ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 474 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Book Depository | Audible
My Rating: 5/5 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.
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.
My Review:
Everyone who has read Crash into You has stated that Isaiah is their favorite McGarry boy. Sure, I was so excited when I found out he was getting his own story, because that boy needed a HEA like a desert needed rain! Out of all the McGarry boys Ryan has been my favorite. It's safe to say that he and Isaiah are now tied for first place. I didn't expect to love him as much as I did, but my goodness. Very few books make me tear up and cry and this one SO did. I did not see that final twist coming and oh my heart STILL hurts!
Katie is one of my favorite contemporary authors. I love how real her characters are. They are far from perfect and they have their share of problems that they must deal with and overcome. Some of her characters are really hard-edged and not easy to love. However, most of her characters have experienced hardships that they should never have had to endure. They have been forced to grow up at an early age and they were not blessed with lives of comfort and stability.
Isaiah is one prime example of this. He has been in the foster care system since he was young and he had to learn early on that it was dog eat dog world. Showing weakness was NOT an option and he learned that he had to toughen up so that others would not be able to crush him. My heart just ached for Isaiah. The only girl he ever loved, his best friend, never felt the same way about him and now the only person he has to depend on is his other best friend, Noah. However, Noah has his own life- he is attending college and he is in a committed relationship with his girlfriend Echo. Isaiah always seems to be the one left out and the one who gets left behind. Meeting Rachel completely changes everything for him. She has such an innocence and a purity about her. She believes in people and sees the beauty and good in them. She looks at Isaiah and doesn't see what others do- the tatted up, pierced guy who could take you out with his pinkie. She sees through his tough exterior and sees the vulnerable boy underneath who has a gentle, loving soul. A boy who protects his own and would rather put himself in the crossfire than have someone else hurt. Isaiah sees Rachel for who SHE is. She respects that and admires him for that so much. I felt bad for him when he would say that he wasn't good enough for her or that a girl like her could never really want a future with someone like him. Isaiah constantly sells himself short, and that is why Rachel is such a positive force in his life. She believes in him and believes in a future with him.
"I can't give you the world, Rachel, but I'll give you all I got."
I really liked Rachel. My heart ached for her too. Rachel has lived in her elder sister's shadow for years. After having lost her older sister to cancer, Rachel's family has never been the same. Having 4 brothers (one being her twin), Rachel was born and seen by her mother as her sister's replacement. Everyone wants her mother to be happy, but they don't realize the toll her happiness takes on Rachel. Rachel has always strived to appease her family and be the daughter her mother once lost. However, in doing so, Rachel is compromising her own self and well-being. I, for the most part, liked Rachel's brothers even though they were way too overprotective of her. I understand that they all crave their mother's happiness, but at what cost? While their intentions were good, they didn't realize just how detrimental their actions and words could be to Rachel. I have a big problem with Rachel's parents. I have issues with her Dad for one specific incident, which of course, I won't spoil, but I also take issue with her mother for hurting her and not seeing her daughter for who she really was. Rachel loves cars. She's not into the girly stuff like shopping, etc. Give her a Mustang over Prada any day! Rachel also has self-doubt, just like Isaiah does. She doesn't understand how he could feel the way he does about her. She puts on a façade for so many, but what she neglects to remember is that she doesn't do that with Isaiah. With him, she finds peace and comfort. She doesn't have to try and be someone she's not. He loves that she's so into cars and he finds that incredibly sexy about her.
We met a lot of new characters in this story. Ethan, is Rachel's twin and has been her best friend forever. It's funny how they invoke twin amnesty whenever the other needs covering. However, Rachel finds herself drifting apart from her twin because she hasn't been completely honest with him and that separation really hurts her. West is another of Rachel's brothers, but is only a year older than her. West is rough around the edges also. He finds his release in fighting and while he did something that really pissed me off, I was able to forgive him and I am really excited for his story next. I am very eager to meet the girl that will tame his temper! Abby is another favorite. She has known Isaiah since they were little and have always had a friendship. Abby is definitely a quirky character, but the relationship she forms with Rachel was really special. Neither had ever really had a girlfriend before, and they just kind of took to one another. Rachel never batted an eye when it came out what Abby did, and that was huge for their friendship. Abby has not lived an easy life either and factors out of her control are the driving force behind what she does and it's really heartbreaking. Finally, we get to see more of Logan, Ryan (Beth's Ryan)'s best friend. It was unexpected that he and Isaiah would form a friendship considering that fact, but they did. Yes, folks- we do get a tiny bit of Beth and Ryan in this story! I liked Logan though.
Beth is the only girl Isaiah ever loved (or thought he loved). Her not reciprocating his feelings really shattered Isaiah and then having her leave to fall for someone else really took a toll on him emotionally. Tension is very high between these two, but I feel they were able to work out their kinks a bit in this story. Poor Rachel. She encountered Beth a few times and I hated that she felt like she couldn't compare to her. Beth has always had a tough exterior, like Isaiah, but on the inside Beth withdraws and runs away from her problems, rather than facing them head-on. Rachel comments that she could never be strong or fierce like Beth, but that's where she's wrong. Rachel is strong in her own right and that quiet strength is what made me really like her.
Overall, Katie has written another emotional, but fulfilling story about two people who come from very different backgrounds, but are united by their love for cars and later, each other. This story was a tearjerker for me- when Isaiah and Rachel were hurting, I found myself sharing their agony and pain. When they were happy and filled with joy, my heart was too. When you have such an attachment to a books' characters like that- you know the author has really succeeded in bringing their characters to life and McGarry does it for me. Every. Single. Time.
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.
Giveaway:
Other Books in the Pushing the Limits Series:
20 comments
LOVE your review of this, Jessica! This is my favourite McGarry book so far, and I loved Isaiah so much in this <3
ReplyDeleteI thought Abby was awesome too and I do hope she gets her own book sometime ;)
Aww thanks Richa! I've been having trouble writing reviews lately, so this seriously made my day. I loved Isaiah so much more than I ever planned to! He definitely worked his way into my heart! And I would love for Abby to get her own book too!
DeleteExcuse me... Noah is my favorite and will always be my favorite haha. But Isaiah was a close second for me, but I loved Ryan too! *sigh* I just want them all! I had some serious issues with Rachel's family as well. In some ways her situation was even worse than Isaiah's I thought. Her parents really angered me... like a lot... and her brothers too! Oh gosh I'm getting all worked up over this again lol. Fantastic review Jessica!
ReplyDeleteLOL. I do love Noah, don't get me wrong! He was wonderful too! I love them all too! Yes- Rachel's family made me see red. I was like, Seriously? Are you people for real right now!?!
DeleteI cannot wait to read this book! I have loved all her books - the boys are so swoon worthy. The girls are okay, too. lol I felt so bad for Isaiah at the end of Dare You To, so I was thrilled when I found out that he was getting his happy ending!
ReplyDeleteSo jealous you've already read it :P
Haha! Yeah, her girls are okay, but the BOYS! LOL!! I did feel horrible for Isaiah. I'm glad Beth found happiness but I was like, okay- I need Isaiah's!
DeleteIsaiah is perfect. All of McGarry's boys are amazing, Noah is my favorite. I'm so glad you loved this!
ReplyDeleteI love Katie's books! She is amazing! And like you said- she has such a way with words!
DeleteSo far, I like Noah. He's got a good heart and he's so sweet around his brothers. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, there was one scene with Noah and his brothers that made me tear up! And I don't get overly emotional in books!
DeleteAwesome review girl! I had all the same feels. I never expected to love Isaiah the way I did and I was shocked that he actually beat out Noah for me. I mean I freaking adored Noah. I also really liked Rachel and loved her relationship with Isaiah. The twist at the end shocked me too and I totally cried. I am excited for West's story because I wasn't too fond of her brothers but I'm sure Katie will steal my heart with him :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Chelsea! I loved Noah and Isaiah, but Ryan still does it for me. (It's probably because I dated a guy similar to him in HS and was just a good guy) I was SO mad at that twist! I was like, why Katie, WHY! I liked West, so I am definitely curious to see how she will spin his story!
DeleteAll around big fat YESSSS!! Loved this review!! And I felt everything that Rachel and Isaiah went through, too. Definitely a great emotional read! I'm in draw, I adore both Noah and Isaiah so much, I can't pick which one I love more!! Gosh, loved this review sooo much!! :D
ReplyDeleteThis was such an emotional read! I had a feeling it would be, especially after Isaiah had his heart broken in DYT. I am so glad he met Rachel.
DeleteI never really expected to like Isaiah, especially since he really pissed me off in Dare You To. But, he grew on me and is my favorite too! So glad you loved this one :) Great review
ReplyDeleteHe did make me mad in DYT also! But, yes- he totally rocked this one!!!
DeleteGreat review!! I loved Isaiah and this book!!! Katie is the best story teller and I also teared up in this one! I love her books so much! I can't say which is my fave... I mean I adoredddd Noah and Ryan and Isaiah. I want them all! Haha
ReplyDeleteWoooo! I want them all too! All of the McGarry boys!
DeleteWonderful review. I just love Isaiah so much. I am really looking forward to West's story to. I agree with you about Rachel's parents though.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ellen! I can't wait to read about West and see who will tame his temper!
DeleteLeave me some comment love! And I will get around to commenting back!
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