Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry Read-A-Long Week 3

Posted 21 August, 2012 by Danny in Danny, Discussion, Discussion, Discussion, Heather, Pushy / 5 Comments

Welcome to the third week of the

Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry Read-A-Long!!

This fabulous event is hosted by Candace Book Blog, Natalia @ Dazzling Reads, The Page Turners, Mary @ The Book Swarm and Bewitched Bookworms.

Please check the intro post about the “Rules” and the Grand Prize (which is the cutest prize ever). If you do not have a copy yet,

Get a copy: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound |Book Depository

Find Katie McGarry:  website | Facebook | Twitter

And… for those who would rather win a copy and join the discussion later, we have a finished copy for you to win!

Now onto the Read-A-Long:

Schedule:

Special Event: Evening of August 28th – Live Twitter Chat with Author Katie McGarry!!!!

and now, let’s jump into the second week of Discussion hosted by Dazzling Reads

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Questions!

1. At a certain moment, Echo tells Noah that she feels safe with him. Echo thinks that because of this comforting feeling, she may be able to finally have a full night of peaceful sleep. Why do you think it is important for Echo to feel safe? And why no one else but Noah has been able to provide this to Echo?

Danny: I think there are a few reasons blending together here. I think Echo feels like Noah is the only one that completely understands her and does not want to change her. Everyone else wants Echo to get back to her normal self, but Noah takes her as she is right now. She can finally let go. Also … love can do this to you and Echo is totally in love with this boy !

Heather: She hasn’t had a full night’s sleep without nightmares since the incident with her mother and her brother’s death. But Echo has been able to find a kind of peace and contentment with Noah that she never thought she’d feel again. She doesn’t have to pretend that everything is fine with him, and he’s not continuously trying to tear her down like other people who claim to love her do.

Pushy:  I think the reason no one else but Noah has been able to provide this to Echo is because he’s the only on who’s interacting with her from a place where there’s no preconceived past notions.  He didn’t know Echo before the trauma in her life so he doesn’t have any of the baggage that goes with seeing a loved one suffer.  Because of this, I think he can see her for who she is in that moment more clearly and also his only desire is for her happiness.  I think no matter how much her friends and parents love her, they all have other agendas too and it shows.


2.Beth, Noah’s friend, also has a very complex life situation plus she also does drugs. However, what grabs my attention is her mean behavior towards Echo. Why do you think Beth hates/dislikes Echo so much?

Danny: First, I cannot freaking wait for Beth’s story!! Yes Beth has been really mean to Echo and initially that’s why I didn’t like her. But, for Beth family includes Noah and she just wants to protect him. She has no real idea about why those two are so drawn to each other and she’s afraid Echo only uses Noah.

Heather: Like Danny said, Beth has no idea what is really going on between Echo and Noah, and she also has no idea how horrific an ordeal that Echo has been through. Beth simply thinks that Echo is a formerly popular girl who has decided to set her sights on Noah, and now she’s bent on taking Noah away from Beth and Isaiah. In Beth’s mind, how can you simply stand by and watch your best friend and family be stolen away by someone you deem unworthy?

Pushy:  I think one telling moment happened earlier in the book when she mentioned how she had previously hated Echo for having a brother like Aries.  To Beth, perhaps, it seems that Echo has all the things Beth never had:  security, love and family.  But as Noah gets closer to Echo, Echo also in a way threatens to take one of  the only brothers she’s ever had.  That’s the sort of thing that can make the most stable person go a bit nutty.  And let’s face it…Beth’s not a model of stable.


3. At some point, we finally get to know how Noah’s parents died at the fire and how it started. Unfortunately, this is something that has happened before. What tips to avoid a fire (especially when there are kids at home) do you know about?

Danny: That.Was.So.Damn.Horrible and broke my heart all over again!!! Something we all should take care of is to never leave candles burning without you being in the room! oh and .. don’t ever smoke in bed!

Heather: Don’t leave matches and lighters anywhere they are accessible to children. No matter how young they are, they do see adults use these and can easily figure out how to spark flames themselves. And seriously? If you’re smoking in front of children you should be ashamed of yourself. *I’m looking at you hubs >(*

Pushy:  Three small kids in my house equals no matches or lighters accessible anywhere and a healthy dose of paranoia around the stove.  As heart-wrenching as it was to read what happened to Noah’s family, I honestly don’t know how I could live with myself if I didn’t protect my family from the same tragedy.  *shudder*


4. Echo finally discovers more about what really happened to her the day she got her scars at her mother’s place. Unfortunately, this also involved Echo’s father and Ashley. What do you think about them and to what point do you think it makes them responsible to what happened to Echo? 

Danny: Isn’t this a horrible story????? As hard as it is for me, I do not think that her father or Ashley truly can hold responsible. It’s easy to lay the blame on them, but I do not think that’s fair. No one had the slightest idea Echo’s mom would do such drastic things to Echo.

Heather: When I read how her father reacted when Echo had tried to call for help, my heart broke for both Echo and her father. You can really only blame Echo’s mother for being completely bereaved and unstable.

Pushy:  Okay, so I’m going to be the judgey one here.  Her father was irresponsible.  He KNEW better.  He knew his wife had issues.  It’s what broke them apart.  Did he make a mistake?  Yes.  Is he sorry?  I truly believe he is.  But do I say he’s clearly in the wrong?  You betcha.  I give Ashley more of a pass, but seriously, folks!  They ARE supposed to be the adults here. 


5. On p.303 (of ARC) Echo said to Noah: “I love you…[y]ou love your brothers more. I’m okay with that. In fact, it’s one of the things I love about you. You were right the other day. I do want to be part of a family. But I’d never forgive myself if I was the reason you didn’t get yours… I love you enough to never make you choose.”  What do you think of Echo’s decision to break up with Noah? What does it mean to you?

Danny: *wipes away some tears* This is so wonderful but also so heartbreakingly beautiful! Although stupid (who would throw away such a boy) it shows how much Echo loved Noah and how much she understands him and his desperate wish to get back his brothers. It’s a truly selfless act that makes me love Echo just a tiny bit more again… *snifles* (Gosh, I am such a cry baby!!) 

Heather: I’ll admit, this part made me tear up a little bit, and it was really painful to read the parts where they were apart. Echo was definitely the more mature one here, putting Noah’s needs before her own selfish needs. She knew that he would never become the kind of man he needed to be to get his brothers back if he held on to her. She’d just be a hindrance to him since she’s so damaged at the moment.

Pushy:  THIS IS SO SAD!!!!!!!!  I was SOBBING when I read this.  Literally, stuffy nosed, tears streaming, broken to pieces by this.  And I didn’t want her to do it.  But  I think she was right.  She had to.  *cries some more*

 

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Please visit this week’s host,Dazzling Reads, and next week’s host  The Book Swarm  for the next set of questions!

And now let’s hear your answers and link up your posts! I loved all your posts for last week – you are all truly amazing!

Much Love,



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Danny

Obsessive Reader by Night - Scientist at Day! You can also find me on goodreads. I'd love to get to know you so, don't be shy and say Hello!

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5 Responses to “Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry Read-A-Long Week 3”

  4. Candace

    Oh Danny, that’s so true! She can be herself with Noah and doesn’t have to be ‘who she was’ like everyone else wants her to be. Very good point!
    I don’t think Echo’s dad or Ashley is to blame, but I do wish that he hadn’t just brushed it under the rug, pretending it didn’t happen. I think she wouldn’t have had such a strong reaction if he had given her some idea of what happened. He should have shown her compassion and let her know that he felt somewhat responsible for what happened because he should have been there. They didn’t need to tell her everything, but a little would have helped.
    Great answers girls!
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