Top Ten Favorite 2015 Reads (So Far)

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Faovirte 2015 Reads (So Far).

1. Confess by Colleen Hoover
2. 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker
3. A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire, # 5) by George R R Martin
4. The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines, # 6) by Richelle Mead
5. Red Rising (Red Rising Trilogy, # 1) by Pierce Brown
6. Catching Jordan (Hundred Oaks, # 1) by Miranda Kenneally
7. Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, # 1) by Susan Ee
8. Breathe, Annie, Breathe (Hundred Oaks, # 5) by Miranda Kenneally
9. Nowhere But Here (Thunder Road, # 1) by Katie McGarry
10. Never Never Part 1 (Never Never, # 1) by Colleen Hoover & Tarryn Fisher

As always, it's so hard for me to narrow these down. Honestly, I've read a lot of mediocre books this year and not a ton of brilliant ones. These are the ones that stand out from the pack so far. Which books have been your favorite reads of 2015 so far? Let me know!

Nowhere But Here - Review

Nowhere But Here (Thunder Road, # 1)

By: Katie McGarry

Expected Publication: May 26th 2015 by Harlequin Teen

400 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!) (Also pre-ordered a kindle edition for my personal library)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible.

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both.

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down.

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

I’ve really enjoyed every single Katie McGarry book that I’ve read. And now that she’s swapped series to something very different, I feel 100% confident adding her to my auto-buy list. I was really intrigued with the idea of a young adult series based around a motorcycle club. Personally, I’ve not been exposed to that culture very much throughout my life (aside from what you see on TV). And Katie McGarry didn’t do me wrong. I was hooked quickly and pretty much read until I finished.

As the description says, Emily grew up not having anything to do with her biologically father. Her mother gets married when she’s young and her would-be-new-stepfather decides to make it official and adopt Emily as well. Emily’s still curious about her biological father (Eli) and after asking questions about him, her mother agrees to let him come visit once a year. Even though Emily knows who he is, she doesn’t really know him except that he’s in a motorcycle club that her mother fears and he is covered in tattoos. When Emily’s parents are notified that Eli’s mother has passed away, Emily is forced into going to Kentucky to visit Eli’s hometown. Only things aren’t as they appear. Olivia (Eli’s mother) is still alive, although losing her battle with cancer. Emily learns that Eli and her mother both have been keeping secrets from her, and she’s determined to find out what those secrets are. Plus this motorcycle club isn’t the gang that Emily’s built up in her mind or what her mother has led her to believe. Emily doesn’t really want to be there, but she has to learn about this side of her life.

The description hits the nail on the head when it says that all Oz wants is to be accepted into the club, Reign of Terror. He’s grown up being around the club his whole life. His father is a member, and Eli and Cyrus (Eli’s father) are just as much family to him as anyone he’s blood related to. He’s so close to getting prospected that he can taste it. But while Emily is in town, his one job is essentially to babysit her. He’s supposed to make sure that no one harms her plus keep her as far away from those secrets Eli’s been keeping from her as possible. Part of the trouble is, Oz isn’t even sure what the whole truth is himself.

Emily and Oz have an immediate attraction to each other, but they also have one of those antagonistic relationships that I love so much. All Oz can see is that Emily’s presence is upsetting those he cares about most. So as far as he’s concerned, she can go right back where she came from. Emily can feel Oz’s resentment and she responds accordingly. But the two are thrown together for an extended period of time and even though there’s an antagonism about the relationship, Emily trusts Oz—more than pretty much everyone else around her during this time. So defenses start to soften and attraction begins to win over.

I was worried that the big secret between Eli and Rachel (Emily’s mother) would turn out to be something small that they could have just explained to Emily from the beginning and prevented a bunch of suspense and drama. But I was pleasantly surprised with what Katie McGarry decided to do with this aspect of the story. I didn’t predict everything, and I had that sense of needing to go back and reread to see if I missed anything. I do think that had Eli and Rachel been upfront with Emily from the beginning, that would have been easier on everyone, but I could see why they chose not to be.

The side characters all felt very alive. Chevy, Razor (who I can’t wait to read about next), Stone, and Violet were all easily likeable and characters that I want to know more about. Even the adult crowd felt flushed out and alive: Eli, Olivia, Cyrus, Oz’s parents.

Favorite quotes:

-“Isn’t it always the things that you can’t see that hurt you?”

-“I’m scared of a ton of things and all of them have to do with losing the people I love.”

-“Trust me to chase your monsters away.”

Nowhere But Here does have some language and some mild sexual scenes—nothing too graphic. But I really want to applaud Katie McGarry for having another book where the couple doesn’t go all the way in a genre where it is increasingly popular for the characters to cross those lines.

Overall, I really adored this book. The characters were alive. And I loved the love/hate relationship between Emily and Oz. They were an easy couple to root for in my opinion. The secondary characters were all just as alive, and I can’t wait to learn more about them throughout the other books in the series. I think the big secret was handled in a way that I could get behind. And I just love Katie McGarry’s writing. Nowhere But Here gets 4.5 Stars from me. Have you read Nowhere But Here? What did you think? Let me know!

Waiting on Nowhere But Here

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Nowhere But Here (Thunder Road, # 1)

By: Katie McGarry

Expected Publication: May 26th 2015 by Harlequin Teen

400 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible.

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both.

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down.

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

I absolutely love Katie McGarry's writing. She pulls me in and the one word I keep repeating in all of my reviews of her books is "hook"...she hooks me every time! Since Breaking the Rules had a chapter from Nowhere But Here at the end, I'm already hooked into Nowhere But Here. I can't wait to pick up this book! What are you waiting on this week? Let me know!

Take Me On - Review

Take Me On (Pushing the Limits, # 4)

By: Katie McGarry

Expected Publication: May 20th 2014 by Harlequin TEEN

304 pages

Genre: YA, Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | Booksamillion.com )

*Note: The above links to Amazon, Book Depository, and Booksamillion.com are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Acclaimed author Katie McGarry returns with the knockout new story of two high school seniors who are about to learn what winning really means

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it's his fault his family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.

What to say? What to say? I found myself both enjoying and impressed with Take Me On as well as frustrated and annoyed. I’m kind of torn on this one you guys.

West almost runs Hayley over with his car one night, right? And it just so happens that in so doing he interrupts her from being jumped on the street by two guys. Unfortunately, Hayley runs off and ends up getting jumped anyway. West jumps into the fight trying to protect this girl and in hopes of doing something right. He’s been floundering a bit since Rachel, his younger sister, had a car accident that was indirectly his fault—at least he played a part in why she ended up where she was when the accident happened. And so he’s seeking redemption. Little did he know, Hayley can pretty much take care of herself. As the description states, Hayley has been a champion kickboxer, but she doesn’t fight anymore.

West and his father have a very strained relationship. It was almost difficult for me to understand. The gist of it seemed to be that they’re too much alike. But it’s hard for me to understand how his father can know and understand that but continue to treat West the way that he does. West has a knack for getting into fights due to letting his temper get the better of him, and he ends up getting kicked out of his fancy private high school. His father enrolls him into public school, and he is thrown into daily interaction with Hayley.

But Hayley has her own problems. Her father was laidoff and her family had to move in with her uncle who is a class-A, royal jerk. And on top of that one of the guys who jumped her happens to be the little brother of her ex-boyfriend, and trained MMA fighter, Matt. Matt lives by street rules and anyone that messes with his little brother messes with him. Hayley’s brother and cousin feel the same way. And Hayley’s caught in the middle trying to keep the circle from going around and around with who’s getting beat up next. Hayley is doing her best to ensure that whoever it is isn’t Kaden or Jax.

And so West steps in. He and Matt schedule a fight—lucky for West it’s a refereed fight in an actual cage. West has to start training with Hayley so that he doesn’t get his rear handed to him. Through all of this West and Hayley develop feelings for each other. They learn to see each other for who they each are. And they learn that fighting for each other is worth it.

However, I found myself getting frustrated with the predictability. Take Me On hit that 70% mark that I hate so much and the characters started making the stupidest decisions. Other characters offer a deal that they just can’t refuse but that requires forfeiting the relationship for the betterment of the other character. And even though we aren’t forced to remain in that situation for too long, it just annoyed me that it came up at all. I think this conflict is overused and beyond annoying. The only redeeming quality about this particular conflict was that it did seem to fit these characters more than the same conflict applied to a different set of characters that perhaps have different backgrounds—if that makes sense.

I was terrified at one point that my characters, West and Hayley, weren’t going to have their happy ending. And I was struggling with wanting to throw the book across the room. I won’t tell you where or how things end. But you can just know that this wasn’t my favorite in the Pushing the Limits series. I’m still dying for the series to continue. I’m not 100% stoked about returning to Noah and Echo with book 5, Breaking the Rules because returning to them means more hard times and conflict to come that will at least temporarily interrupt their happy ending. But I do look forward to the series continuing. I know Katie McGarry has said that she intends to leave the Pushing the Limits series after book 5 to work on her new series, but that she hopes to return to the Pushing the Limits series in the future. And I really hope she does as with each book that’s released I find a new character or two that I’d love to read more about (Logan, Abby, Jax).

Also before I wrap this up, let me say that I did enjoy the timing of this book. It fits in before the ending of Crash Into You where Rachel walks again for the first time. For a large portion of this book, Rachel is still in the ER. And it just felt right to me for West’s story to pick up before Rachel’s really finishes.

Favorite quotes:

-I’m awesome at lying to everyone else but have yet to perfect lying to myself.

-I’ve also failed to find a way to thank God for the bounty that is squirrel.

-…being hit until you break causes courage to disappear.

-”I don’t lie to Rachel. But yeah, you can assume anything that comes out of my mouth to anyone but her or Isaiah is a different rendition of the truth. Maybe also to Isaiah’s friend Logan. I like Logan. He reminds me of hot queso and I like queso.”

-Hell I can deal with; crying I can’t.

-”We have an agreement.”
West chuckles. “You said something. I disagreed. Later, we’ll come to an agreement.”

-Our worlds didn’t just collide; they merged as paint spilled on a sidewalk and it’s like neither one of us will be the right color again.

-…because when you’re going through something so horrible, it’s too difficult to cry for yourself. Sometimes I wonder if the agony inside would disappear if someone would shed the tears for me. I’m not sure I could survive expressing all the pain.

-I’ve never desired anything more than for my father to tell me I’m worth saving, that I’m worth being stood up for.

-Silence seems longer in darkness. I think it’s because it’s harder to lie when the lights are off. There’s a rawness that only belongs to the night and the truth can’t help but be set free.

-My grip on him loosens and West clings tighter. A constant seesaw between us of holding on and letting go.

-”Who are you? None of this—“ and she motions around the room “—fits what I know.”
“Maybe because what you’ve seen isn’t the real me.”
"I’ve seen you. I know I have…”

-”Falling happens. Jumping you choose.”

-”Is it a medical condition that causes you to talk in riddles?”

-I either tap out or fight.

-”Are you tapping out on me?”

-At this point, it has nothing to do with strength, but everything to do with heart.

In the end Take Me On gets 4 Stars. I enjoyed it. I had a few frustrations, but overall the writing was solid. I was pulled in. And I loved the characters. I can’t wait for more from Katie McGarry whether in the Pushing the Limits series or in her upcoming series. Have you read Take Me On? What did you think? Let me know!