Book Review: Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

Book Series: Pushing the Limits, Book #3
Author: Katie McGarry
Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Format: Audiobook (Audible)
Narrator: Vikas Adam & Alicia Harding
Length: 13 hrs and 24 min

Book Club(s): Never Too Old for Y.A. or N.A. Books
Reading Challenge(s): Birthstone Color Parade & Series Challenge


My Ranking:

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.

Beth is a fool. Everything about Isaiah made me melt: his dark confidence; the way he interacted with Rachel; the way he felt about Beth; and even simpler, to the depth that he felt thet. Oh my gosh, did my heart break for him each time he interacted with his mother. Isaiah is definitely my favorite male character of this series. I really felt for him. For me, he’s had it the roughest out of all of the male characters and I he really deserved a happy ending.

Rachel was interesting. I dug the fact that she was so hardcore about cars. It’s always refreshing to meet characters who have a real personality. I loved that she and Isaiah bonded over cars. I like girls who aren’t into girly things for the simple fact that it’s not what does it for them. On the same note - everything else about her was lacking depth. This isn’t something I’ve encountered much with McGarry. Usually there’s more to a character…

However, when I thought more about Rachel’s lack of depth, I realized that when you consider the role that Rachel has been born to play she doesn’t really need depth. She’s literally living filler. A girl to replace a dead girl, and nothing more. Which is actually absolutely horrifying when you look at it that way. All that was required of her was to be is a female that makes her mom happy. It’s all she’s expected to do and all she’s needed to be. She has minimal contact with her parents and her brothers. I remember there being a night where she’d be the only one in the home all evening - and it was expected of her. Her entire life all she was supposed to do was be and be perfect … poor thing.

Also, what bugged me was her complete misunderstanding of Isaiah's protective motives. Yes, I get that the last thing she'd want was someone telling her what to do. But considering how much was at stake, you'd think she'd realize that all he was doing was protecting her, but from actual danger unlike her brothers. I didn't like how she kept thinking everything he did was a reaction to her "weakness." He never treated her like that, and she jumped to conclusions a lot.

Moving on, I thought the premise of this one was really odd. It was like an emotional version of the Fast and Furious. Which frankly is as ridiculous of a plot as you can get. It didn’t really read that way, however, I enjoyed it. Not as much as Echo and Noah’s story, though. That was just perfection. But I did enjoy this one more than the last. I just don’t like Beth… never have and never will. I especially didn’t like her scenes in this book.

I really enjoyed how this story brought together a lot of the characters that have been floating around in the background. I really hope Logan gets a story, or Abby. They were great minor characters and I think they each deserve a shot at true happiness. Both are hiding behind crazy personalities and I think more is definitely there.

One thing I didn’t like was the unresolved issue of Rachel’s health. Why were her panic attacks so severe to the point of vomiting blood? Did she ever get help? Did her final speech (which was epic, by the way) cure her of her fears? Did they ever stop?

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. There’s no question as to will I be continuing this series - most definitely.

Vikas Adam was absolutely brilliant as Isaiah. I think he captured his quiet intensity perfectly as well as his anger and his sadness. I was on the verge of tears through most of the book, and definitely shed some during his first visit with his mom. I really like his narration style and I will absolutely be checking out more audiobooks featuring him. 

Alicia Harding did a great job as well as Rachel. Considering I didn't like the character much, I don't have loads to say about it. Had nothing to do with her narration, though. I'd be open to reading more from her. 

Book Review: The Candidates by Inara Scott

Book Series: Delcroix Academy, Book #1
Author: Inara Scott
Genres: YA, Paranormal, Magic Boarding School
Format: eBook

Book Club(s): Never Too Old for Y.A. or N.A. Books
Reading Challenge(s): Birthstone Color Parade & Series Challenge


My Ranking:

 

Dancia Lewis has a secret problem: whenever she sees someone threaten a person she cares about, it's a disaster.""Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt. So Dancia does all she can to avoid getting close to anyone, hoping to suppress her powers and stay under the radar. But when recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy offer her a scholarship, she accepts. After all, it's a school for diplomats' kids and prodigies, not B students with uncontrollable telekinetic tendencies. Or is it?

This captivating debut, the first in a series, puts a paranormal twist on private school.

This is an interesting book to review, because I really don’t know how I feel about it. After finishing this book, my prevailing thought was, “it was over before it began.” Because the actual plot didn’t get going until about 75% through. My biggest questions were the main ones: why were these kids chosen for the school. What is Delaquiox really? I rolled my eyes as I reached Chapter 14 and I still hadn't gotten any kind of an answer. But that's not to say I wasn't enjoying the read. I love the snarkiness of writing (or Dancia's personality) and the mysterious powers that Dancia possesses were intriguing.

My main issue with the story is was that the level of detail is lacking. I didn't get a good enough sense of the school - what the classrooms were like, what the atmosphere was like, and how Dancia fit in. For this to be more of a successful mystery, for me, detail is necessary and was missed.

What I liked most about the story, however, was Dancia. She was a good lead. A bit socially awkward, but hey at least it’ was for an actual reason. I did like that we got to see her change as she interacted with the other students. But even so, I felt a bit short changed. I didn’t feel like I had enough to connect with everyone else in the story. There was not enough altercation with her bitchy roommate, Christine; her friendships with Esther & Hennie were barely visited; and her crush, Cam, was just a blip. Everything felt to superficial in the “on the surface” sense. There was a lot about the boy who got under her skin, Jack, which I enjoyed. But, overall I felt like the writing was more “tell and less “show”.

Why I kept reading the book and what I was most intrigued by was the actual source of her powers. The fact that the reasoning leaned more toward being science-based and less paranormal has me very curious. But I have to say that I was really bummed about the lack of "magic" at the school. I get that the school is supposed to be a front for the gifted Level Three and Fours, but come one. No one really did anything “special” inside the school. There were plenty of people in opposition of Dancia who could have done something, but nothing happened. And what really irked me - and is a spoiler - is when Dancia got her hands one two very special somethings and she didn’t even share what she learned. I threw my hands up in the air like, come on, give us the goods. But alas, she did not.

 The last thing I’m going to comment on is her choice of boys - Cam or Jack. Why Cam ... why? Cam is just so ... obvious. A cute and charming people pleaser. That was all he brought to the table…. boring! Jack is the better choice. I like the edge of Jack. The trust, the emotion, and his the opening up to only her. It seems like their relationship could be more special that way. Maybe that's something Dancia will realize later on.

I still have a lot of questions, which is why I’m going to give it another go and continue with the series. I just hope this one has more meat. I need more!