Crash Into You
Author: Katie McGarry
Series: Pushing the Limits #3
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Release Date: November 26, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Summary:
The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life – that’s who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy family…and she’s just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker – a guy she has no business even talking to. But after the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can’t get him out of her mind.
The last thing Isaiah needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks. But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, Isaiah and Rachel will have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they’ll go to save each other.
First Sentence: Eleven years, two months, seven days.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
My Review:
First and foremost, I have to say this: I absolutely love Katie McGarry’s books. I really loved Pushing the Limits even though I felt a certain unnameable something was missing from it. I could re-read Pushing the Limits over and over again. I also completely loved Dare You To – it made me laugh, cry, and swoon. When I heard that Katie McGarry’s latest book, Crash Into You, was going to be released this November, I completely freaked out. I wanted to get my hands on it asap and I just knew, without a doubt, that I would absolutely love it. Imagine my surprise and disappointment when that didn’t exactly happen…
Crash Into You tells us Isaiah’s long-awaited story. To be honest, in Pushing the Limits and Dare You To, I didn’t really notice him. Yeah, I know what part Isaiah plays in both books, but at the same time, I didn’t consider him as a major character in the books. I felt more like he was in the sidelines of both books, saying a word here and there and following other people’s orders. When I heard that Crash Into You was focused on Isaiah and his story, I was glad because I wanted to know more about him. In the end, I got what I wanted; I learned more about Isaiah, but on the other hand, Isaiah still remains a mystery to me in a way.
I’ve tried to make nice and it’s not enough. Just like with Beth, nothing I do will be enough. (ARC 222)
Just like Pushing the Limits and Dare You To, the two main characters in Crash Into You face some personal problems of their own. Rachel suffers under her dead older sister’s image. Rachel is expected to be a like her older sister and she was born only to be her dead older sister’s replacement. Isaiah, meanwhile, suffers from seeing his mother again, the same mother that had abandoned him and left him in the foster care system that made him who he is. Either way, both Isaiah and Rachel have problems with their family and suffers from them. You do not know how many times I was cursing their families in my mind while reading the Crash Into You. I wanted Isaiah and Rachel to get their own happy ending like how Echo, Noah, Beth, and Ryan did.
The biggest problem I had with Crash Into You was that Isaiah and Rachel fell in like/love a little too fast for my taste. In fact, their whole relationship felt like insta-love, especially when you compare it Echo and Noah’s story in Pushing the Limits and Beth and Ryan’s story in Dare You To. Where as Echo, Noah, Beth, and Ryan hated each other at first and then got to know each other better before falling in love, Rachel and Isaiah fell deeply in like the moment they first met each other. I felt like there was hardly any time at all for both Rachel and Isaiah to get to know one another; instead, they both fell quickly in love.
Rachel was supposed to be a memory burned into my brain. The girl that I kissed, the girl that left me wanting more. But she’s delved deeper than physical, become embedded, and I don’t know how to dig her out. (ARC 221)
Crash Into You was also missing that special rush feeling I got when I was reading Pushing the Limits and Dare You To. I only get that special special rush feeling from a few select books I readand it feels exactly like I am high…on books. (Don’t worry, I don’t do drugs guys.) I kept waiting and waiting for that feeling to come when I was reading Crash Into You, only to never get it. The closest feeling I got to that high was when I read the last forty or so pages. That was when the real excitement starts to happen in my opinion.
What was really disappointing about Crash Into You was that it didn’t make me cry. Yeah, I know I sound absolutely crazy right now, but I love it when books made me feel so much that I rage, yell out loud, or even sob and tear up like crazy. I didn’t get any of that with Crash Into You unlike Pushing the Limits and Dare You To, which made me sob non-stop. I mean yeah, there are tons of cute moments between Isaiah and Rachel in Crash Into You, but the difference was that I wasn’t really feeling it, if that makes any sense. During those cute moments between Isaiah and Rachel, I knew I was supposed to go all “ohh” and “aww” over it, but I didn’t.
“Hey, Rachel?” Isaiah says.
I spin around and in the distance I can spot him leaning against his car again. “Yes?”
“I called.” (ARC 238)
Overall, I have to sadly say that Crash Into You is my least favorite of Katie McGarry’s books so far. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t that good either. Crash Into You just wasn’t up to par with Pushing the Limits and Dare You To. Maybe it’s because the release date for Dare You To and Crash Into You are so close together. I don’t know what went wrong, but one thing is for sure: I’ll definitely be checking out the next book in the series, Take Me On. In fact, I’m dying to see the gorgeous cover for it.
I’m sad to hear thet Crash into You was your least favourite by McGarry. Personally, I loved it!
Yeah, I wanted to love this one even more than the others because I’ve seen so many people constantly raving about it, but alas, that didn’t happen. ):
I’m happy you loved it! :D<3
Kelly recently posted…Let’s Speculate: Do You Have The Time To Re-Read Books?
I quite enjoyed this one – albeit, reluctantly. But I understand your gripes about it.
I hope your next read will be better. :)
Joy (Joyousreads) recently posted…Hoarders, Books Edition: Episode 93
I’m glad you enjoyed this one better than I did Joy! :D
Yeah, it’s just that I can’t forget about the problems I have with Crash Into You. >___< Thanks! ;D Kelly recently posted…Let’s Speculate: Do You Have The Time To Re-Read Books?
Haha I actually find Crashing into You to be my favorite out of the series. I really liked Pushing Into You but it was kind of dark, especially Echo’s mom, and I really didn’t like Dare You To. I like Crash Into You because it was a little dark, but I could handle it. I totally get your issues, because I noticed them too, but I think I liked it, it made the story lighter and digestible.
Aly @ My Heart Hearts Books recently posted…The Beginning of Everything (Review)
Ha ha, we all have different opinions Aly. ;D
Pushing the Limits was dark, but it was also gripping and REAL, which was what drew me in into the book.
Dare You To is actually my favorite out of the three, which is kind of an unpopular opinion. :P
I felt like Crash Into You was also dark with the whole debt situation, but not as dark as Pushing the Limits.
Kelly recently posted…Let’s Speculate: Do You Have The Time To Re-Read Books?
Ahhh ): I actually loved this one! For me Dare You To was my lest favorite but everyone seemed to LOVE that one xD Eh. Oh well. Better luck next time :D And, I can’t WAIT to see the next cover :3
Happy reading
Jackie
http://nobentspines.blogspot.com/
Jackie recently posted…ARC Review: Crash into You by Katie McGarry
Ha ha, I’m one of those people who loved Dare You To the best, which I thought was the unpopular opinion. :P
Yes, I’m sure that the cover for Take Me On would be stunning! :D
Kelly recently posted…Let’s Speculate: Do You Have The Time To Re-Read Books?
This wouldn’t normally be a series I would pick up but I’ve heard so many reviewers gushing about them that I’m tempted!
YES, you need to pick up this series Susan! :D<3
I guarantee you that you will absolutely love it!
Kelly recently posted…Let’s Speculate: Do You Have The Time To Re-Read Books?
This was the first one I read from McGarry, so I’m speaking entirely from my experience with CIY. First of all, that last quote made me smile even just reading this review. It was just so damn cute I just can’t even deal with myself I get the bubble heart going and just completely melt.
I actually didn’t mind the insta-love, since I’ve started to expect that from contemporary books. I figure, expect the worst, and grudgingly admit that I like it, and then be pleasantly surprised when an organic relationship appears out of the woods.
Kayla @ The Thousand Lives recently posted…Weekly Update 3 (11/03/13 – 11/09/13)
Ha ha, I wanted to make that quote longer, but it would be a huge spoiler and I don’t want to ruin that cute moment for others. ;D
But yeah, during that moment, I knew that was a totally cute moment I should swoon over, but at the same time, I didn’t feel anything for it. :l
Nearly all the contemporaries I read don’t have insta-love. In fact, Katie McGarry’s other two contemporary books, Pushing the Limits and Dare You To, don’t have insta-love. o:
Kelly recently posted…Let’s Speculate: Do You Have The Time To Re-Read Books?
I readPushing the Limits and enjoyed it, but it didn’t blow me away in the same way it has for other readers. I see absolutely nothing but stellar reviews for Katie McGarry’s books so I will definitely be checking her out again with Crash Into You. I’m sorry that Crash Into You was your least favorite, but it seems everyone has a different pick on their favorite in this series so I’m hoping this one could be one I’ll fall in love with.
I gave Pushing the Limits 3.5 stars because I felt the same way – I enjoyed it and it made me cry like crazy, but at the same time, I felt that something was missing from it.
Lots of other people LOVED Crash Into You and it’s their favorite Katie McGarry book, so maybe that will happen to you too! (:
Kelly recently posted…I’m Turning Old + A Birthday Giveaway
I’m so jealous you got an ARC of this whilst the rest of us had to wait! I will admit I wasn’t sure about a book from Isiah’s point of view, but I loved Beth’s and I love Katie McGarry so its bound to be AMAZING!
Great review, makes me even more excited to read it! Unfortunately I’m on my lunch hour at work at the moment though, so will have to wait until I get home! :( Thanks!
Hannah recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Things I am Thankful For
Ha ha, don’t worry Hannah, Crash Into You is in stores right now. Today is its book birthday! :D
Dare You To is AWESOME, isn’t it? ;D
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Bookish Things I Am Thankful For
It too bad you didn’t enjoy this book as much. I have read quite a few reviews that felt similar. Something about the way Katie writes just endears me to all of her characters. Hopefully Isaiah’s story will appeal to you more.
I’ve been seeing this book everywhere on the net. Some people raved it. I’m a bit curious. Should I read the first book first?
The premise sounds promising.
Thanks for the review.
Yuska Vonita recently posted…[Book Review] Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom @Gramedia