Review: Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry

Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry

(Thunder Road #2)

March 29, 2016

384 pages

Genre: Mature YA

Contains: Strong language, sexual references

Source: eARC for Honest review and Personal Purchase

One moment of recklessness will change their worlds.

Smart. Responsible. That's seventeen-year-old Breanna's role in her large family, and heaven forbid she put a toe out of line. Until one night of shockingly un-Breanna-like behavior puts her into a vicious cyber-bully's line of fire—and brings fellow senior Thomas "Razor" Turner into her life.

Razor lives for the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, and good girls like Breanna just don't belong. But when he learns she's being blackmailed over a compromising picture of the two of them—a picture that turns one unexpected and beautiful moment into ugliness—he knows it's time to step outside the rules.

And so they make a pact: he'll help her track down her blackmailer, and in return she'll help him seek answers to the mystery that's haunted him—one that not even his club brothers have been willing to discuss. But the more time they spend together, the more their feelings grow. And suddenly they're both walking the edge of discovering who they really are, what they want, and where they're going from here.

It's been a while since I've read a book that I immediately wanted to re-read, but 'Walk the Edge' broke the cycle. I loved this book, and days after finishing it I am still thinking about Razor and Breanna. I liked 'Nowhere But Here,' which is why I wanted to continue this series. But I loved 'Walk the Edge.'

The big reason 'Walk the Edge' stood out to me so much is how much I genuinely liked the main characters. Razor and Breanna were such a great and interesting pairing. Individually they had such fascinating stories and backgrounds. I loved getting to know them. Then as a couple they really created something special and unique. I loved how these two seeming opposites were such a perfect pairing, and truly took the time and the trust to know each other and fall in love with the whole person.

I loved the quote: "The boy everyone sees but nobody knows is with the girl who everybody knows but nobody sees."

Of course, this isn't just a simple love story. Like 'Nowhere But Here,' this story is riddled with secrets and lies, and the bonus of blackmail. Our trust for the Reign of Terror motorcycle club is put to the test as Razor tries to find the truth to his past. Breanna also has her own secrets, as well as complete jerk blackmailing her. With Razor and Breanna's combined forces of brains and resources, they are determined to help each other. But is just the two of them going to be enough before everything falls apart?

I was originally going to rate this 4.5 stars, but had to raise it to 5 stars because I'm sitting here planning my next re-read. Razor and Breanna are a such a special couple, and despite some frustrations with how they handled things, I loved how everything came together in the end. I'm truly looking forward to the rest of the series.

On a side note: I know that Pigpen is not a teen, but I would love a novella or something about him. I can tell he's got quite the story to tell.

Amazon ~ Goodreads

Thunder Road series:

Nowhere But Here #1

My Review ~ Amazon ~ Goodreads

Walk the Edge #2

My Review ~ Amazon ~ Goodreads

Sunday Post: Weekly Wrap-Up (03.27)

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news, recap the past week on your blog, showcase books, share upcoming news, etc. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme. 

My Life Last Week:

This week my two youngest performed in the Shakespeare plays they have been preparing for months for. Youngest son was Feste in Twelfth Night. Middle son was Hotspur in Henry IV. They did great! My middle son even rocked a Scottish accent.

What I Read Last Week:

 
In Jack's Arms by Roxie Rivera

Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

My Review Last Week:

Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry (my 4 star review)

What I'm Listening To:

Hexed by Kevin Hearne (re-listening)

What I'm Currently Reading:

Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry

Stacking The Shelves (154)

Stacking The Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

*Book Signing* Beauty:
(My eldest son loves Brandon Mull. He attended his book signing for the 3rd time.)
Death Weavers by Brandon Mull

Hardcover Beauties:
  
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige
Yellow Brick War by Danielle Paige (signed)

Kindle Love:
  
In Jack's Arms by Roxie Rivera
Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry (my review)
Every Last Breath by Jennifer L Armentrout

Review: Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

(Thunder Road #1)

May 26, 2015

496 pages

Genre: Mature YA

Contains: Strong language, sexual references

Source: Personal purchase

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'm so glad that I enjoyed 'Nowhere But Here' as much as I did. It's difficult to follow McGarry's 'Pushing the Limits' series, so I'm relieved that this book did not disappoint, and I have another series to continue.

The story takes place with a motorcycle club. This is not to be confused with a motorcycle gang. I'm glad McGarry clarified the difference, making this aspect of the story not only interesting, but refreshing. Emily, long lost daughter of Eli, has unexpectedly returned due to a confused email, and this has thrown the entire club into turmoil. What starts as a simple visit turns into the most eye-opening and life-changing experience of Emily's life.

It's the gradual uncovering of a lifetime of secrets that binds you to this story. Now, prolonged suspense can get annoying, especially when some people in on the secrets simply don't want to share. But in this case, I really enjoyed the slow release. There is so much Emily doesn't know about her past, her mom's past, her biological dad's past. In fact, her mom has hidden so much from her that Emily has taken her mother's fears upon herself, stopping her from living a full life. So while this wasn't the way she intended to spend her time, the impromptu vacation with her biological dad's family is just the thing she needed, despite the danger she seems to be in.

Now where Emily has prejudged the motorcycle club due to her mom's fears, Oz has prejudged Emily due to his limited information that he knows about her. These mixed feelings are actually a great start to their impending relationship. Because once Oz is basically put on babysitting duty, these two have to spend a lot of time together. I liked the blossoming relationship between Emily and Oz. While the attraction was pretty quick, the deeper getting to know each other, trust each other, protect each other, and open up to each other really drew me in. Oz did come across like a jerk at times, and Emily came across as a close-minded brat. But as the walls came down, their real selves came out. And that's where the magic happened. Gotta love a protective and loving Oz!

There were also lots of colorful, intriguing characters who added lots of spark to this story. Olivia was a truly fantastic grandma and made this novel. She was the heart of the story. Eli was this misunderstood guy and I loved getting to know him. Oz's friends were interesting and I hope they all get their own stories. It was also great to see Emily's adoptive father play such an important role.

This was a big read at almost 500 pages, but I never skimmed. Not once. I enjoyed every page. I enjoyed the slow build. I was able to get frustrated with the secrets and lies, but still able to trust the process of how everything would come out, and try to put everything together myself. I admit to being near tears a few times, and I even freaked out toward the end when McGarry threw me for a loop, leaving me biting my nails. This had it all. All-in-all, I truly enjoyed this story and look forward to the rest of the series.

Amazon ~ Goodreads

New Release & Excerpt: Ginger's Heart by Katy Regnery

Ginger's Heart by Katy Regnery

Date of Publication: March 22, 2016

Genre: Contemporary Romance 18+

"I finished Ginger's Heart last night, and I am completely and utterly in love." --Mia Sheridan, NY Times bestselling author

Once upon a time there were two cousins:
one golden like the sun,
one dark like midnight,
one a protector,
one a predator,
one a Woodsman
and
one a Wolf
both owning equal,
but different,
parts of a little girl's heart.

In this modern retelling of "Little Red Riding Hood," the woodsman and the wolf are cousins, and Little Red is the girl with whom they both fall in love.

Beautiful Ginger McHuid, daughter of Kentucky's premiere horse breeder, grows up on her family farm, best friends with Cain Wolfram, the son of her father's Stallion Manager, and Cain's cousin, Josiah Woodman, son of a local banker. Throughout their happy childhood, the three are inseparable friends, but as they mature into adults, complicated feelings threaten to destroy their long history of friendship and love.

Ginger's Heart

*****

This is a standalone novel inspired by Little Red Riding Hood. New Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to profanity and very strong sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

(The next standalone a modern fairytale novel, Don't Speak, inspired by The Little Mermaid, will be released in 2017.)

Available From

Amazon (Kindle) B&N Nook Kobo iBooks Amazon (Kindle - UK) Amazon (Kindle - CA) Amazon (Kindle - AU) Google Play

---

About Katy Regnery

Katy Regnery, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author, started her writing career by enrolling in a short story class in January 2012. One year later, she signed her first contract for a winter romance entitled By Proxy.
Now a hybrid author who publishes both independently and traditionally, Katy claims authorship of the six-book Heart of Montana series, the six-book English Brothers series, and a Kindle Worlds novella entitled "Four Weddings and a Fiasco: The Wedding Date," in addition to the standalone novels, Playing for Love at Deep Haven and Amazon bestseller, The Vixen and the Vet.
The Vixen and the Vet is included in the charity anthology Hometown Heroes: Hotter Ever After, and Katy's novella "Frosted" appeared in the Jan '15 anthology, Snowy Days Steamy Nights. Additionally, Katy's short story, "The Long Way Home" appeared in the first RWA anthology (Feb '15), Premiere.
Katy lives in the relative wilds of northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, where her writing room looks out at the woods, and her husband, two young children, and two dogs create just enough cheerful chaos to remind her that the very best love stories begin at home.

Find Katy Regnery Online

Website Mailing List Goodreads Amazon Facebook Twitter Pinterest

Excerpt from Chapter 12 of Ginger's Heart, a modern fairytale, by Katy Regnery. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

An hour later they stopped by the Glenn River, eight miles downriver from Ginger's house and two from the distillery where Cain had partied last night. 

"We should water them," he said, reining in Thunder and dismounting with the ease of a lifelong horseman. 

She reined in Heath, who nickered in protest, and grinned down at Cain who reached up for her. His hands lingered for an extra moment on her hips as she slid down the front of his body. Leaning her head back, she stared up at him, daring him to pull her closer, to kiss her, to admit that this whole "friends" thing was bulls--t on fire. But, he clenched his jaw, cleared his throat and dropped his hands. 

"Thanks," she murmured, her voice husky in her ears as he stared down at her, his eyes flinty and dark. 

Taking Heath's reins with a grunt, he turned away from her, leading the horses to the river's edge and leaving her to follow behind. She leaned down to pick up a flat stone and skipped it across the slow moving water. 

"Not bad," said Cain. 

"You were always the best." 

"Nah," he said. "Woodman was better." 

"Nope," she countered, picking up another stone. "Woodman was good, but you were better. Remember that Fourth of July that you skipped eleven times? Eleven times. It was a record." 

Satisfied that the horses were calm and drinking their fill, Cain leaned down and grabbed a rock of his own, skipping it over the dark water. 

One-two-three-four-five-six-seven 

"Wow!" she said, clapping lightly. "You've still got the touch!" 

He turned to her, grinning. "You always get excited about the littlest things. What's it like gettin' a kick out of everythin', Gin?" 

"What's it like gettin' a kick out of nothin', Cain?" she asked, her voice full of sass. 

"I'm gettin' a kick out of you right now, princess." 

A charge zapped between them as the words left his mouth, and her breath hitched and held for just a moment, but she looked down and picked up another rock. She was enjoying today too much to go back to Awkwardland. 

She skipped her rock, which sunk after three measly hops 

"Remember when you saved my Cabbage Patch doll from certain doom in this river?" she asked him. 

He screwed up his face as her. "Wasn't me. Must have been Woodman." 

"It was you!" she insisted. "Not Woodman!" 

"Savin' a dolly? Please. That has Woodman written all over it. I couldn't have cared less if it drowned." 

"But I cared," she said softly. "Which is why you saved it." 

"Fine. Have it your way," he said, sitting down on a large rock near the water's edge. 

She sighed, squatting down to wash her hands in the clear water before looking back at him. "Why do you do that?" 

"Do what?" 

"Let Woodman take credit for all the good things?" 

He shrugged, looking away from her, out at the water. "I don't." 

"You just did. Twice." 

He sighed, giving her a long-suffering look. "If somethin' good happened, chances were, it was Woodman's doin'." 

"How do you figure?" 

"He's the better man, Gin," said Cain, his eyes severe, his words deliberate. 

She stood up slowly, turning her body completely to face him. "Do you really believe that?" 

He looked away. "It's the truth." 

"Cain. Cain, look at me." Her words didn't feel like enough so she beseeched him with her eyes too. "You're just as good a man as he is." 

"Ha!" scoffed Cain, standing up and moving away from her. "Not in this life, princess."

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Sunday Post: Weekly Wrap-Up (03.20)

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news, recap the past week on your blog, showcase books, share upcoming news, etc. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme. 

My Life Last Week:

Participated in the Warrior Dash yesterday, alongside my husband, father, and two oldest sons. We got muddy and exhausted, but had a blast.

What I Read Last Week:

  
The Matchmakers Playbook by Rachel Van Dyken
Alexei by Roxie Rivera
Zel by Roxie Rivera

My Review Last Week:

Written in Fire by Marcus Sakey (my 5 star review)

What I'm Listening To:

Hexed by Kevin Hearne (re-listening)

What I'm Currently Reading:

Lightning Sealed by Lila Felix

Stacking The Shelves (153)

Stacking The Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Kindle Love:

The Collectors' Society by Heather Lyons

eARC Goodness:

Ginger's Heart by Katy Regnery

Audiobook Awesomeness:

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Spring TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
For more information and a list of past and future topics, go here.

Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR

(These are the books I know I have to read, listed alphabetically by author.)


The Siren's Dance by Amber Belldene

Perfekt Balance by ST Bende

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Showmance by LH Cosway

The Player and the Pixie by LH Cosway & Penny Reid

Lightning Sealed by Lila Felix

Ginger's Heart by Katy Regnery

Grin and Beard It by Penny Reid

Dirty by Kylie Scott

The Sweetest Game by J Sterling