REVIEW: Dare You To (Pushing the Limits, #2) by Katy McGarry

Dare You To by Katie McGarry

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Screw what Mom and Dad think. Screw the rest of the town. Screw perfection. This girl is mine.

~Ryan

REACTION AFTER READING THE BOOK

Totally happy and a little bit teary-eyed.

*clap. clap. clap*

Oh and I have a playlist for this book:

Ryan to Beth: Kiss Me Slowly by Parachute

Isaiah to Beth: What I know by Parachute

For Beth: Broken Angel by Boyce Avenue

Beth to Ryan: Who Knew by Pink or Terrified by Katharine McPhee

This book wasn't perfect. There were stuff here and there that made me want to throw the book out the window but I stuck with it and is totally happy that I did.

THE GIST

Beth Risk lives a life not everyone would be able to handle.

At 17, she's been through a lot and those things made her tough. It made her strong. She knew she had to be strong to protect her mother. But something happened and she got sent off to live with her uncle who used to be her favorite person in the world that is until he left her when he promised not to.

Everyone thinks Ryan Stone was perfect. He was good-looking and hot. He was a great pitcher. He had the perfect family. He was popular. He wasn't on the top of the class but he was smart.

But if you ask him.. He'll say...

Everyone thinks his life was perfect but what they didn't know was what was happening behind closed doors. Ryan was tired of pretending.

Because of a dare, Beth and Ryan's paths crossed. Because of a dare, their lives took a 360 degree turn. But was it for the good or the bad?

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

This would have to be my first book by Katie McGarry and I am totally hooked. Honestly, I had no intention of reading this series at all even though I've read a lot of good reviews about it. I wasn't really sure why but Allen Grace's(thanks girl!! *high five*) review made me change my mind. I was so intrigued by the guy she called Taco Bell boy.

THE CHARACTERS

I think the characters are all awesome. I liked the main ones and the secondary ones. Let me start with.

Beth

Beth was one of those characters you'll hate but love at the same time. She was b*tchy most of the time. She had a dirty mouth. She drinks. She parties too much. She smokes weed. Eventhough she was pretty, she wasn't the type of girl you'd want to take home to meet your parents.

<

As you read through the book though, you'll understand why she has to be that way. You'll eventually see what her struggles are and why she has trust issues. She was the type of girl who looks tough on the outside but a real softie in the inside. What she went through in life is definitely not easy. She had to experience the harsh reality of life at a young age. She felt being unwanted by the people who should be taking care of her and not the other way around.

I kind of didn't like her at first but then who could blame her for all her insecurities and uncertainty with herself. No one was there to tell her that she was beautiful and buy her pretty dresses and give her ribbons (that she loves so much) when she was younger. Her good for nothing mother was useless. Her father was a good for nothing sperm donor who doesn't give a f*ck which was why he ran away. She has good friends though and I think they are the ones that kept her sane. That kept her moving forward. And then.. Ryan came. ^__^

Ryan aka Taco Bell boy

*note: i didn't intentionally picked this guy because he was shirtless. LOL*

Taco Bell boy was the reason I read this book and I was so not disappointed. I absolutely love him. He was far from the cliche-ish bad-boy-turned-good-boy male lead in most YA books. Actually, he was the good boy and he really owned up to it.

At first, I really thought he was perfect but he wasn't. He was far from perfect. He was dependent with his brother but he went away and left him which actually broke him. He felt alone with his parents who were too busy pretending that everything was perfect when it was not. He felt dependent on them too as to what he thinks he wants to do with his life. His father controlled him and he didn't even notice it.

What I loved most about Ryan was how serious he was when it comes to relationship. He was a real sweetheart.

"Because I love you. Beth - you're everything I want to be. You're alive and live without apology. I never would have made love to you if I thought you didn't trust me... or love me. And I never would have done it if I didn't trust and love you"

Everything with Beth started as a dare but he then called it off when he started falling for her and he wasn't scared to admit that to his friends, his schoolmates and his family *at least towards the end*.

Oh did I forget to mention that Ryan is one hell of a writer?! That even makes him more sexier. A writer with a sexy six pack abs. *I absolutely love it!*

Isaiah

*note: sorry about that. another shirtless guy here. LOL*

Isaiah. Well, I liked him really. He did nothing but do what is best for Beth but... I really think there was not enough chemistry with them as it is with Beth and Ryan. I haven't read the first book so I had no idea if they looked sweeter there or if Beth was different with Isaiah there but I really just thought of him as Beth's friend.. nothing more.

Sorry guys. I know a lot of you would have and have loved Isaiah but I don't like him for Beth. He doesn't bring out the best in her like Ryan can. But I do agree that he is a good friend. What I wouldn't give to have a friend like him. Sexy. Dependent. HOT. Cool. And a lot more. :)

I'm just so happy to hear that the next book will be about him. He does deserve a happy ending too!

Secondary Characters

I liked Noah and Echo. Although I haven't really read their story, I kind of like how supportive they are of Beth. Especially Noah.

Gwen. I hated her. She thinks she could make everything go how she wants to because she's pretty and popular. Unfortunately, that is so not true.

Uncle Scott. I liked him. He admitted he was wrong when he left and wanted to make it up to Beth. He was very admirable.

Ryan's parents. Meeh. They are crazy perfectionist it's absolutely insane.

Mark. I liked him. He wasn't afraid to go after who he really is. He didn't let his parents tell him what he is

RYAN + BETH = SWEET AND SEXY

This was the type of book that doesn't need to be smutty to be sexy.

Ryan and Beth's relationship was not insta-love. Thank goodness. They were attracted to each other physically yes but that doesn't mean they liked each other. In fact, they hated each other's guts and that is what makes their relationship work for me I guess. They got to know each other more before they fell for each other.

Makes me all dreamy about it really. LOL

I wish I had my own Ryan that would sweep me off my feet and write me poems or stories or whatever. :D

Anyways, there were scenes where they showed how much they liked and wanted to be close to each other but nothing more than that and that's kind of refreshing. I liked that.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I liked this one and will remember Ryan and Beth for a long time. It's one of those stories that will stick to your brain and will remember and smile because it was good.

I liked Beth and Ryan's love story but what I really liked the most was the way it shows how life is never as it seems. Some things you can just see above the surface. Not everything is what it seems. Like with the case of Ryan's family. You think they have everything but they don't. Inside their house, someone was gay, someone was angry, someone was disappointed and someone felt completely alone. But if you look at their perfect family facade, you never would know, unless of course, they tell you or you are a nosy next door neighbor who likes to snoop on other people's lives. Haha.

Beth's case was different. Everyone knows what she is going through but not a lot of people were willing to help. The person she was trying to save doesn't really want to be saved and that is sh*tty. She was endangering her life for someone who doesn't give a f*ck.

Books are really a good thing. It takes you to the mind of another person and see things the way they see. It's an eye opener. And Dare You To is not just a typical YA contemporary romance with a feisty heroine and a swoon-worthy hero but it was also about life and its troubles and how they overcame it.

FINAL RATING

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