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Pushing the Limits

Pushing the Limits - MY THOUGHTS ABSOLUTELY LOVED ITWOW! Just absolutely amazing!Echo has gone from popular to freak in one summer. After a horrible accident that leaves her with emotional and physical scars, her home life is in shambles. Her father has left her mother for her babysitter and Echo still can't remember the accident that was caused by her mother. Noah fights, drugs and sleeps his way to numbness after a fire has claimed his parents and put him and his two brothers into foster care. After stopping his foster father from hitting his offspring, Noah is blamed and deemed unsafe to be around his younger brothers. Both have been forced into therapy by the state, and it is Mrs. Collins, the therapist, pairs extremely smart Echo with Noah in order to tutor him so he can get into college. They both fight the feelings that are developing between them since neither on really seems to want any emotional connection because of the abuse each has suffered. I was crying by page 25 and then periodically throughout the book -- all in a good way. This was balanced out by some really sweet and funny moments. I normally tear through books but I found myself really taking my time with this one since I didn't want it to end. As Echo starts to overcome her post traumatic stress brought on by the accident, she starts to show her scars as well as opening up herself to feel again with Noah's help. The loss of her older brother also plays a part in her mental undoing. The story is told in alternating voices and chapters between Echo and Noah and we come to find out the truth behind Noah's reluctance to feel anything himself. Noah realizes that in order to get custody of his younger brothers, he needs to clean up his act. The horror of being a foster child is well described here. The whole thing comes together when they both realize that what they are both searching for in the end. Noah's best friends and fellow foster children help form a family that try to keep him together. Overall, this is a wonderful coming of age tale best suited for older teens. There are mentions of drug and alcohol use, language, sexual situations as well as child abuse. If you have enjoyed Jennifer Echols or Jodi Picoult, then you are going to love this one as well. This is in my top ten for the year.

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