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

Posted 14 August, 2012 by Danny in Blog, Danny, Discussion, Discussion, Heather, Pushy / 2 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 Candace Book Blog 

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Questions!

1. In the beginning of this section Noah decides to ignore Echo because he’s angry and hurt. What did you think of this? Have you ever experienced a friendship that went awry and they started ignoring you?

Danny: Yes and it hurts. I had a very close friend and suddenly he drew completely back and didn’t talk to me anymore. I had no idea what went wrong because I couldn’t remember what I did so damn wrong. Later, I realized he was an ass and a jerk who bascially just used me and when he was over “using” me he ignored me. Yes, we all go through these kind of horrible relationships!

Back to Echo and Noah. Of course Noah withdraws himself from Echo, he wanted to go a step ahead and Echo threw all those things on him. Basically, she judged him the same way all the other see Noah and he thought/hoped Echo would realize he is different…

Heather: I think everyone has had a friend start to ignore them at one time or another, whether it’s because you grew apart or had a disagreement. Sure it hurts, but it’s a natural part of a lot of adolescent friendships. It’s also a very effective way of trying to protect oneself from further hurt, just as Noah is trying to do when it comes to dealing with Echo.

Pushy:  Yes and it hurts like a bitch.  God my heart is aching for these two at this point.  It so hard to have them become so close, and know how much that closeness means for both of them and then watch it get all messed up.  Been there myself, but never at a point of such emotional vulnerability as these two kids.  *sadness*


2. Noah has a bit of a false reputation. Everyone thinks he’s a big druggie and a guy that just randomly hooks up with girls. While some of it is true to a certain extent, we see it’s not really him. Have you ever had a false reputation where people draw their own conclusions? Do you think Noah should do something to make people not think that about him?

Danny: I remember a phase when my parents thought I would do drugs. Well, I didn’t and I never even tried so I was kind of annoyed that they would think such a thing about me. I think Noah kind of likes that people think off him as the bad boy and that he kind of scares people that way. Noah doesn’t want people close, so his reputation is perfect for him to keep his facade of being unapproachable.

Heather: Since I was the girl  who was into heavy metal, had big hair, and went to concerts in the late 80s — early 90s, that held a certain connotation back in the day–even though I had great grades, didn’t drink or do drugs, was in band and chorus in school, basketball and softball, scholastic bowl, etc. I was certainly more squeaky clean than the popular kids in my small high school, but because of the music I liked, I was looked at a certain way sometimes. Noah doesn’t want to do a thing to dispel his reputation because it keeps people at arms length, and no one can get close enough to see how truly messed up he really is.

Pushy:  You guys hit the nail on the head with Noah!  He’s definitely done everything he could to cultivate his reputation, with full awareness of what it gives him.  He definitely seems to walk that thin line between using his reputation and succumbing to it.

As for me, I never felt people thought things about me that weren’t true.  Of course, I wasn’t always thrilled at what was true, but I always felt life was meant to be lived and I’ve DEFINITELY lived.  🙂  Haters are going to hate.  But no one can take your good times away from you!

3. Ashley finds out she’s having a boy and informs Echo she will have a brother ‘again’. Echo took this very personally and was extremely upset. Do you think Echo overreacted? Do you think Ashley meant that the new brother would replace her brother?

Danny: This is a very tricky question. I do think it’s hard for people to relate what it means to loose such an important person, like your brother. Ashley has no idea how it feels and what is going on in Echo’s head. I know that people mean well, but tempt to say exactly something that ticks you off and is just out of line. Just, the people mostly do not no better, they have no idea how this could possibly hurt you. I had my fair share of these kind of situations, so I know what’s going on in Echo’s head and I do completely understand why’ she’s so upset and hurt. But I do also understand that Ashley meant no harm – she just doesn’t know better…

Heather: Ashley certainly didn’t mean to imply that she was having a son that would replace Echo’s brother, but she’s young herself and has problems communicating effectively with the oftentimes combative Echo. And of course Echo is going to see the new baby that her father and step-mom are having as not only a way of replacing her brother, but also a way to push Echo out of their lives. She’s young, depressed, struggling with very heavy issues, and she’s going to jump to the worst case scenario automatically.

Pushy:  I agree that it wasn’t intentional but Ashley certainly has foot in mouth disease, doesn’t she?  As for overreacting, I’m not sure Echo did.  I think she had a normal reaction to an idiotic comment that came way to close to the anniversary of her brother’s death.


4. Echo doesn’t remember what happened with her mother and for this reason she has troubles seeing her the way everyone else does. She can’t seem to not miss her and still wants to talk to her. Do you think she should pursue finding her mom? Do you think it will help her or do you think she would be in danger?

Danny: There is a reason why everyone wants to keep Echo away from her mom. But, Echo wouldn’t believe anyone else, so she has to see it with her own eyes. She has to meet her mother and maybe this is when she realizes everyone else just wanted to protect her.

Heather: Since Echo doesn’t know why she can’t see her mother, it’s going to eat at her until she has some kind of communication with her or she remembers that fateful day. For better or for worse, she has to reach out in some way or another…

Pushy:  Agreed!  This is one of those primal things that will bother Echo until she knows the truth, whatever that may be.


5. Noah doesn’t trust the people who have his brothers because of his own past situations. He decides to seek out a lawyer himself and try to get custody. Do you think this is his best move? Do you think there are some other options he should consider? 

Danny: Oh my heart breaks for Noah, because all he wants is to be with his brothers and take care of them. Of course, he doesn’t trust foster parents. Poor Noah had to endure so much he wouldn’t believe there is also some of them who are good for the kids. Before however, judging those people he should try to learn for himself how they are really like because going to take a lawyer. But. he’s desperate and wants to be with his brothers I can understand him there very well!

Heather: All Noah wants is to be a family with his brothers again, and he thinks that he is what’s best for them. After his less than stellar foster family experiences, Noah doesn’t think that there could be a good family out there for his brothers, so he’s preparing to fight tooth and nail for them. But what Noah isn’t quite understanding is that he’s just a kid himself, and he’s probably not ready to jump right into the adulthood ring and struggle day to day to take care of his brothers and make ends meet.

Pushy:  The reality of the situation is that the odds are even a mediocre foster family would be better than a stressed out, teen parent.  However, I side with Noah on an emotional level.  Family is sacred.  I would never want anyone else caring for my siblings, not if it was in my power to protect them.  And if I had Noah’s baggage thrown in on top.  No WAY I would sit by and let my kid brothers spend a second longer in the system than it was in my power to prevent.


6. Echo finds out that Noah and his parents built houses for Habitat for Humanity. Have you ever volunteered for something like that? What is a cause that you feel strongly about?

Danny: Ok I am a bad person, but no, I never volunteered for something like this. I do however have the highest respect for people who try to do something like this and make a change for the better!

Heather: I wish I had the time to donate to such an organization, but I do donate money to such causes…

Pushy:  I’m definitely a volunteer-er.  I was politically active in high school and I’m a total bleeding heart kind of person so I’m always doing something, especially since my kids are in school now and there’s so many opportunities to help out and make the world reflect my hopes for it.  My absolute favorite causes these days are 1) my local food pantry and 2) donating blood.  Two things I would never want to have to go without, you know?  Pay it forward!  🙂

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Please visit this week’s host, Candace Book Blog, and next week’s host, Dazzling Reads, 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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2 Responses to “Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry Read-A-Long Week 3”

  1. Great questions this week, huh? Noah’s such an intricate and interesting character–I think he enjoys the rep he has, even if it’s really not him. And I can’t see him as a parent at this stage of his life and, like Pushy says, even a mediocre foster family would be better than a stressed teen “dad”. This book just reminds me how hard the teen years really were and can be.
    Mary @ Book Swarm recently posted..PUSHING THE LIMITS Read-A-Long: Week 3My Profile

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  2. Heather, YES! I had a reputation because of who I hung out with and how I dressed. And since I hung out with people who often *did* drugs everyone assumed I did too. I hated that! I guess I didn’t care so much with fellow students, but the adults, that’s what I didn’t like cause I was judged unfairly with every mistake I made, whether it was bad grades or being late. Minor things turned into big things cause that’s all they had on me.
    I agree that Noah seems to like the rep cause it sort of keeps people away.
    Awesome answers ladies!
    Candace recently posted..Pushing the Limits Read-Along Week ThreeMy Profile

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