Review & Excerpt: Long Way Home by Katie McGarry

Author: Katie McGarry
Series: Thunder Road #3
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Number of Pages: 448
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Synopsis:

"Seventeen-year-old Violet has always been expected to sit back and let the boys do all the saving.
It’s the code her father, a member of the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, raised her to live by. Yet when her dad is killed carrying out Terror business, Violet knows it’s up to her to do the saving. To protect herself, and her vulnerable younger brother, she needs to cut all ties with the club—including Chevy, the boy she’s known and loved her whole life.
But when a rival club comes after Violet, exposing old secrets and making new threats, she’s forced to question what she thought she knew about her father, the Reign of Terror, and what she thinks she wants. Which means re-evaluating everything: love, family, friends . . . and forgiveness.
Caught in the crosshairs between loyalty and freedom, Violet must decide whether old friends can be trusted—and if she’s strong enough to be the one person to save them all."

I don't think it's possible for me to not like one of Katie McGarry's books. I had been waiting for this book ever since I read Walk the Edge, and I was worried that I had overhyped the book for myself, but it completely met all my expectations.

I had already known both of the main characters from the previous two books, so I knew I was going to love them. Chevy is sweet and caring, and while Violet is the same way it is specifically geared toward her close family, not the Terror. Violet has to be one of my all time favorite characters now because not only is she a badass, but she doesn't need a man by her side to prove it. Her entire mentality is that she can keep her family safe and running without the Terror because she wants to be independent. She is the pure definition of a strong heroine.

The plot was different from the rest of the series because we had already known the characters' from the first two books, so there wasn't as much background, but that allowed more room for the plot. There was definitely a lot of suspense in the book, as well as some amazing surprises, that I loved.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book, and this series, to everyone who likes the YA contemporary genre. Katie McGarry always writes more serious contemporaries with realistic but unique issues, and I think that's what draws me to her books. I mean, who else has written such good books about teens surrounded by a motorcycle gang? I love it.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

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VIOLET

                “Your car’s broke.” Chevy glances in my direction again, and there’s a softness in his eyes that I hate and love. It’s the same unguarded look as when we whispered our most intimate thoughts into each other’s ears.

                I hold his gaze for as long as he can handle. “Thanks for the update, Captain Obvious.”

                Chevy mimics tipping a hat that isn’t on his head. “My pleasure.”

                The right side of my mouth edges up. Damn him for being so charming.

                “Stone,” Chevy says. “Have you made big plans for tomorrow?”

                “Tomorrow?”

                “Violet turns eighteen.”

                Chevy and I had so many plans for eighteen. Spent too many nights in each other’s arms planning out how we were going to celebrate this year. Dinner out of Snowflake. Prom. Laughter with friends. Midnight and dancing on a blanket in our field.

                “Mom’s mad at Violet and she said we might not do anything because of Violet’s attitude,” Brandon blurts out and he scratches his chin twice. “Violet cut class and the school called Mom to tell her. Mom’s really angry. She yelled. A lot. And Violet wouldn’t yell back. Violet always yells back, but not this time.”

                Chevy’s adorable smile falls into a frown and it’s really a shame. Brandon looks over at me for confirmation that I’m not mad at him for spilling about my fight with Mom, because I’ve reminded him several times that personal conversations should stay personal, and I step toward him then briefly squeeze my fingers around his wrist.

                My brother isn’t trying to tattle, he’s nervous being out in the dark and upset over the fight Mom and I had before we left for the game. He has a problem with letting negative emotions go. They circle his brain like vultures do with roadkill.

                Headlights shine in the distance, and my shoulders relax. Last thing I want to do is get into a discussion with Chevy as to why I didn’t tell Mom that I handed Chevy my note. This has been an awful day, and I’m ready to pull the covers over my head and stay in bed for days, maybe weeks.

                I step out onto the road, and using the flashlight cell, wave to signal Mom. This isn’t the first time Dad’s car has broken down, and unfortunately, it won’t be the last. Mom has passed us before. Though I’m not convinced those times were a mistake as much as Mom attempting to teach me another lesson of how unsafe I am in the world.

                Footsteps against the rocks and Chevy eases beside me. The car weaves in and out of the center lane, and my arm hesitates in the air as unease tiptoes through me.

                Chevy places his hand on my bicep and forces it down. “That’s not your mom’s car.”

                It’s not. Mom would never drive like that and those aren’t the headlights of a minivan. Those belong to something with some muscle. A scary sixth sense creeps along my skin.

                Growling engines, then three single beams appear. Motorcycles. Those motorcycles aren’t chasing the car, they’re following. My stomach lurches as I stumble back. Chevy steps forward and he draws his knife out of the sheath.

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. 

Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON,  BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine's 2012 Reviewer's Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.

    

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ARC Review: The Tattered Gloves by JL Berg

Author: J.L. Berg

Number of Pages: 280

Release Date: January 24, 2017

Goodreads 

Synopsis:

"Head down.Don’t look up.Never make eye contact.
Those were the words I lived by growing up, the words that protected me in an unsafe home. But words are only letters and eventually even they couldn’t keep his hands off me.
Hoping to leave behind the shattered life of my past, I find myself in a boring, small town, with an aunt I’ve never met and at a school I loathe.
But soon I learn, not everything in this world is as black and white as I’ve determined. Sometimes those we are so quick to judge often need a second, third or even fourth time to make a first impression.
And often, there are friendships and even love waiting just around the corner, if we are brave enough to take the first step.
Am I brave?
Or will I hide behind these tattered gloves of mine forever?"

I was so excited when I received an ARC for this book, and I really liked it. I finished it in a little over a day because the plot was so interesting. After reading the synopsis I couldn't wait till I got my hands on this book, but there were a few things that I didn't love. 

The plot of this book is what really kept me reading because I needed to know what happened in the end. The ending was really predictable, but I didn't necessarily find that to be a bad thing because I didn't know how the ending would come about. There were a lot of things that happened throughout the book that made me question how it was going to get to the ending, so it never really got boring. Although there were a lot of things that happened really abruptly, and I think that if the book was a little longer I would have liked it a bit more.

Also, I think if the book was longer I would have had more of a chance to connect with the characters. Willow was a very troubled character, but I feel like I never really got to know her because everything felt a bit rushed. Again, the end was really predictable, so it seemed like the author was only trying to get there. So, in that trying to get there the characters almost got lost. So, I didn't really care about the romance aspect of the book either because I was too focused on trying to understand Willow.

Overall, I really did enjoy this book, but I wish it was longer. I wanted to love this book, and I would have if there was only more of it. I wanted to embrace the characters more, and I wanted more of the plot. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars!

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My normally quiet nature seemed to take a backseat when it came to this guy. He made me angry, flustered, and… something else I couldn’t put my finger on.

Annoyed maybe?

No, that wasn’t it.

“What is your problem?” I blurted out, chasing behind him.

“My problem?” he asked, spinning around to face me.

Suddenly, he was too close. I could feel his breath on my face, his presence looming over me.

I took a step back.

He seemed to notice the unease settle around me, and a bit of the edge he carried chipped away.

His next words were said with a slightly softer quality. “Look, maybe we got off on the wrong foot. I didn’t mean to sound so harsh, but if the store doesn’t do well, it’s on me. My dad thinks it’s a waste of time.”

“And you don’t?”

I didn’t know what a rich, popular kid wanted with an old bookstore, but I kept my mouth shut.

He shrugged. “We have nothing in this crummy town, not even a movie theater. Last month, I wanted to see the new Marvel movie, and my friends and I had to drive thirty minutes away just to see it.”

“Haven’t you ever heard of Netflix?” I asked.

“It’s not the same as seeing it on the big screen.”

“I wouldn’t know,” I replied.

“What?” He grinned. “You’ve never been to a movie?”

The way he said it was meant as a joke, but all laughter died when I shook my head.

“Seriously?”

“I mean, I’ve watched several on TV but never at a theater,” I answered, not able to meet his stare.

“I thought you were from the city.”

My eyes flew up to his.

“Oh, so you really did think you were invisible. That doesn’t work around here, Mittens.”

My brows furrowed as I tried to figure out what he meant until he pointed to my gloves.

Mittens.

Cute.

“My name is Willow,” I corrected.

Sam just kept smiling.

“Word of advice, Mittens. The less you try to be invisible, the less interested people will be.”

I let out a heavy sigh, snatching the remainder of the books from the counter.

As he’d reminded me earlier, I wasn’t being paid to mess around.

And I sure as hell didn’t need life lessons from an over privileged daddy’s boy.

I hated this place.

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J.L. Berg is the USA Today bestselling author of the Ready Series, The Walls Duet, and the Lost & Found Duet. She is a California native living in the beautiful state of historic Virginia. Married to her high school sweetheart, they have two beautiful girls that drive them batty on a daily basis. When she's not writing, you will find her with her nose stuck in a romance novel, in a yoga studio or devouring anything chocolate. J.L. Berg is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, LLC.

   

Stacking the Shelves #32

Stacking The Shelves 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! Visit Tynga's Reviews to learn more about this weekly meme.

Yesterday we were in the city, so we decided to take a trip to the library down there. We went a little crazy.

  

   

  

 

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Excerpt Reveal: The Tattered Gloves by JL Berg

Author: J.L. Berg

Number of Pages: 280

Release Date: January 24, 2017

Goodreads 

Synopsis:

"Head down.Don’t look up.
Never make eye contact.
Those were the words I lived by growing up, the words that protected me in an unsafe home. But words are only letters and eventually even they couldn’t keep his hands off me.
Hoping to leave behind the shattered life of my past, I find myself in a boring, small town, with an aunt I’ve never met and at a school I loathe.
But soon I learn, not everything in this world is as black and white as I’ve determined. Sometimes those we are so quick to judge often need a second, third or even fourth time to make a first impression.
And often, there are friendships and even love waiting just around the corner, if we are brave enough to take the first step.
Am I brave?
Or will I hide behind these tattered gloves of mine forever?"

Pre-order your copy!

Kobo I Google Play I iBooks

Sign up for J.L. Berg's newsletter to get notified when it goes live on Amazon!

Head down.

Don’t look up.

Never make eye contact.

These were the rules I’d learned to live by while growing up in a house where men frequented but did not stay. When I was very little, I’d always assumed my mother had a lot of friends. Big, strong, manly friends who protected us since I didn’t have a daddy.

How naive I had been.

The men who had visited only wanted one thing, and my mother was happy to give it — for a price.

She’d never made any desperate attempts to shadow this particular part of her life or protect me from it.

The most I’d gotten was a flippant warning when I started showing signs of puberty.

“Willow, you might want to keep out of sight more now,” she’d said.

Thanks, Mom.

And then, when I’d garnered more than a glance or two, she’d say, “Stay in your room at night. Don’t come out.”

But, even with all the rules and warnings, I couldn’t keep them all away.

I couldn’t keep him away.

He’d managed to snuff out every bit of me in a matter of minutes.

Whatever remnants of innocence I’d had from my childhood was gone like a puff of smoke.

But, in our darkest hours, sometimes, even the weak could find the light.

I did, and this… this was my story.

J.L. Berg is the USA Today bestselling author of the Ready Series, The Walls Duet, and the Lost & Found Duet. She is a California native living in the beautiful state of historic Virginia. Married to her high school sweetheart, they have two beautiful girls that drive them batty on a daily basis. When she's not writing, you will find her with her nose stuck in a romance novel, in a yoga studio or devouring anything chocolate. J.L. Berg is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, LLC.