McGarry hooked me with Pushing the Limits and I've not looked back.

Echoes Between Us is a bit different than her other books. There is a bit of a supernatural element to it (ghosts) and I found quite a bit of the book to be creepy enough that I didn't want to read it right before bed. I was a bit worried about this aspect, but it was really well done. I didn't even see the one thing coming because I was so focused on what I thought things were. (Hope that makes sense, I"m not about spoilers!)

As with all of McGarry's books Veronica and Sawyer have problems and issues in their lives. Veronica's issue is inside herself, she gets migraines and has a brain tumor. Sawyer's issues are external, and quite heavy at times. I have always loved that McGarry isn't afraid to tackle issues.

Veronica and Sawyer have a very sweet relationship that has struggles of its own. His friends, her condition, his parents. They didn't always make the best decisions, but no ridiculous ones, I could absolutely see where they were coming from.

I highly recommend Echoes Between Us. McGarry weaves a heartfelt tale of two peoples lives and you won't be disappointed.

This book has so many layers that is difficult to talk about it without spoil something,so I decide do talk about what is in the book and how I felt about it.

Veronica- I really like her,she is a very strong character that have very strong believes that make her annoying sometimes,but at the same time I like to read how she fought for what she believe was right.

Saywer- I just love him, he is a truth and sweet character. Everything about him just make him so special and cute.

Addiction- the way this book handle this topic was really different but I liked it was very well put and heart wrecking.

Death- I have a problem with book that talks a lot about death so I admit that the topic made uncomfortable in some parts of the book not because it was disrespectful but just because I don’t like the topic very much.

Ghosts-it adds a different feel to book as most part of the storyline is based on it there is a very nice plot twist about that I really liked so in the end I get the ghosts part of the book.

In the end I like the book,is about two main characters their relationship and their family and friends dynamic.

I highly reccomend this book to you guys when it comes outs.

Is anyone else emotionally drained? I’m exhausted.

When I saw this book was about ghosts I was a bit leery, but I shouldn’t have been. It was so much more. My heart was fully invested and felt everything as I read.

Katie McGarry is my go-to for contemporary YA books and this will definitely be added to my rec list. This has everything I love about them. Hard topics, relationships, family drama, and of course a sweet romance.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

A refreshing contemporary with a splash of paranormal. That paranormal element plays such an important part for the overall story, and I think it ties in perfectly with both Veronica and Sawyer’s situations.

What I truly enjoyed about this book is the characters addressed their issues in the moment. A lot of times with contemporary novels, especially those with an element of romance, there is this big secret that is waiting to be revealed at about the 75% mark. And it leaves the reader anxiously flipping through the last 25% waiting to get to the resolution. While there is drama in this book, it isn’t the kind of drama that feels overly drawn-out just to keep the reader invested.

I also liked how this book dealt with a few different kinds of addiction. While the addictions are not the same, it showcases the similarities that are at the root of them.

Katie McGarry is the author that really got me back into reading. I was always a reader in school but as an “adult” (I use that term loosely) I had given up on it without even realizing it and it was her Pushing the Limits series that sucked me back in. Getting an ARC of her newest book was more than I could ever ask for, as was the story it told. Like usual, I didn’t even read what the story was about before diving it so when I realized it all connected to Only A Breath Apart I was even more excited and squealed like a child. This story brings Sawyer and Veronica together in the works of a school project and a couple other ways. Veronica is dealing with the loss of her mother in the unusual way of keeping in contact with her ghost, meanwhile Sawyer is dealing with his need for a thrill by being an adrenaline junkie and putting himself in dangerous situations. Beyond tackling those issues this book deals with health issues, alcohol issues, and family issues. Sawyer and Veronica come from opposite friend groups and throughout the story they deal with the drama that comes along with trying to please everyone while also making yourself happy. Overall, a great YA novel with a story line interesting enough that you won’t want to stop once you start.

Published to goodreads

“He’s right beside me. Patient, kind, and doesn’t once try to do it for me. He encourages, but he lets me fight on my own.”

I read this book a few weeks ago, now I’m sitting in front of my computer, closing my eyes and I’m feeling exactly the same I felt when I read the end. My heart is swollen with wonder.
I’m a huge fan of Katie McGarry’s work, and in my opinion, this story is completely different from her others. Yes, of course, we find the signature elements but, this book is more human, more realistic and scarier because there is nothing scarier than life.
The plot is unique, adding a supernatural element which gives some intrigue touch to the story.
Echoes between us tell the story of Veronica and Sawyer, and their journey to live a life against the odds, to support each other, and to break vicious circle, to help each other to be free.
The narrative is outstanding, Veronica and Sawyer’s voices are sincere and vulnerable, sometimes I just wanted to get inside the book and hug them.
As usual, the author also includes sensitive topics, and in this particular case, some issues that make the reader think a lot about life choices. Or at least it did for me.
There’s friendship too, the one that was born a first sigh, the occasional one, and the one that reborn after ashes.
Every character has its own personal touch to the story, they’re well done portrayed. I would love to read more about Scarlet and Jesse, but I understand this isn’t their story.
I love the romance. It isn’t instantaneous. At first, they don’t even like each other, it’s built slowly, piece by piece and when they realize the like each other, still they decide they need each other more as a friend.
Finally, I have to say that with every book no matter what Katie McGarry finds a special way to make us get inside the story, to live and feel like every character, to make us love and hate with so much passion and always to want more.
This book is perfect for everybody especially for those who need to learn how to trust.
100% recommended.

Note: I received an ARC from Tor/forge through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. And I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Echoes Between Us by Katie McGarry, published by Macmillan -Tor/Forge is a full length, stand alone novel.
Veronica is a 17 year old senior at highschool. She has only a few friends, is a bit shy, a bit weird-ish. The family's new tenants arew Sawyer, another senior , his little sister and his mother. Sawyer has his own limitations and issues, and he desperatedly wants to keep them a secret.
What we have are two lonely teens, both are misunderstood by society. They're needing and finding it in each other, in a gripping story, heart-wrenching and hauntingly beautiful.
I started reading and rather quick was into the story. I read the book, cover to cover in one sitting, I couldn't put it down.
Echoes Between Us is a story that stays with me. I loved the story, the ecellent writing and the characters I could easily connect with. 4,5 Stars.

Lovely and poignant as all of a McGarry’s works. Profound romance with themes of grief, alcoholism and illness plus so much more.

As a huge Katie McGarry fan, I was a little skeptical at first of this book. I somehow missed book 1 in this new series, but realized quickly it t was not necessary to have read it first. The elements of the unknown made this book different than her usual YA novels, but did not detract from what makes her books so special. Wonderful unique characters with depth and great character development. Intriguing storylines that feel true to life, roller coasters of feelings with great resolutions. Katie strikes gold once again! Oh, Andy I will be buying and reading the previous book in the series, as the characters appearances in this book greatly intrigued me.

Once again, Katie McGarry has written a book that gripped my heartstrings. I loved this book and it was a quick read because I couldn’t put it down. After reading Only A Breath Apart, I knew I wanted to read another of McGarry’s books. I didn’t even realize that this book was about one of the supporting characters from Only A Breath Apart, and I was so excited to revisit them. I loved Veronica. She is quirky, smart, unapologetic, and loyal, all while dealing with a brain tumor and the grief from her mother’s death of the same cause. Sawyer is your typical teen heart-throb who happens to be dealing with a tough home life and an addiction to cliff jumping. These two are thrown together for a school project and proceed to develop a relationship that is deeper than either of them could have anticipated. I loved their relationship and they were really well matched. I appreciated that they were individuals who balanced each other out and really supported one another in their obstacles. It was a healthy romantic relationship, which can be hard to find in YA. In addition to their love, the friendships that they each had were so lovely and important and added another level to the story. I also love the element of mysticism that is present in this book, as well as in Only A Breath Apart. It really gives this YA contemporary story an extra sparkle. By the end, I was crying in my bathtub as I concluded the story and my heart held on to these characters for a long time afterward.

This book was amazing and I am so thankful that I was given the chance to read it early. It follows the perspectives of Veronica (V) and Sawyer.
Veronica has a brain tumor, from which she suffers horrible migraines. She takes comfort in seeing her mother's ghost, after she died from a brain tumor. Veronica refuses to follow the path of her mother, spending the last of her days in a hospital, with round after round of radiation and chemo therapy. She is extremely close with her father, something that was really fun to read. She lived life to the fullest, not wanting to let her tumor define her life. She didn't let the taunting of her peers get in the way of being herself, something I admire about her.
Sawyer has been left to take care of his mother and younger sister, and copes through the rush of adrenaline of jumping off of cliffs. He knows it's dangerous and he has been injured before, but he's addicted to the rush and can't stop. He has to deal with trying to admit his own addiction and coming to terms with his mother's alcoholism. I loved watching the character developments and how both Veronica and Sawyer try to deal with the hand life dealt them, and how they try to be more open with themselves and each other. This book tore me up, which is something I can say about very few books. This book was well written and unique, and I highly recommend this book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me with a digital arc!

Imagine your mother passing away but yet you can still see and talk to her like she never left, except no one else can see her but you. This is what happens to Veronica who is suffering from a brain tumor. She meets Sawyer who is also dealing with things in his life, and together they learn how to work on them together. I really liked the relationship that these two had. I thought this book was kind of slow but very intriguing and has a lot of emotional situations that teens do suffer from. I would recommend this book to any young adult or adult.

I need to start my review by stating that I am probably not the target audience for this young adult book. I do read and enjoy a lot of young adult fiction, but I am also about 20 years past the "young adult" stage in life. So sometimes I do think that affects how much I enjoy a young adult book.

I just found myself feeling very skeptical towards this book throughout the whole story. I was skeptical about the ghost parts of this story. I was skeptical of the constant declarations of love between two teens who barely knew each other. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the plot, which did make it hard for me to enjoy the book. I have read many other glowing reviews, so this could definitely be a case of "it's not you, it's me."

I felt like the story grew very repetitive towards the end. I kept turning pages and thinking that I was on the last chapter. But then there was another chapter. And then another. And it kept going.

Overall, this book was a miss for me. However, I wouldn't rule it out completely, as I am sure that many audiences (especially teens) could find it to be a meaningful and touching story.

Echoes Between Us is an emotional Young Adult read that readers across different genres will enjoy. V, the feisty protagonist, is a whip-smart, independent and slightly eccentric teenager in Kentucky. Sawyer, the requisite popular athlete, and his young sister Lucy and single mom, move to the downstairs apartment V and her dad rent out to tenants. Not part of the same circle at the local high school, Veronica (V to her friends) and Sawyer are forced to acknowledge each other-and both are running from something. V is coming to grips with a benign tumor that impacts her daily life while Sawyer deals with an addiction to adrenaline. Add in local ghostlore and mystery, this is a coming of age love story that is sure to be a hit.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my feedback.

I hate when I don't love books that I am excited to read, but this is one of them, unfortunately. It took me forever to finish because the story was boring and the characters fell flat for me. It is possible I read it at the wrong time, or maybe it was too YA for me, but I did not love it. I appreciated the issues both teens were facing and I liked how they formed a bond, but otherwise a lot of the story felt like it dragged.

Echoes Between Us alternates perspectives between Veronica and Sawyer, two high school seniors. Veronica lives with her dad in a Victorian house where they rent out the first floor. Sawyer and his mom and sister move into the first floor while they are waiting for their house to be built. Sawyer finds a diary from the early 1900s and there are excerpts from it at the beginning of each of Sawyer’s chapters.
Veronica is considered “the weird girl” at her school, and she mostly keeps to herself. She suffers from horrible headaches, and it affects her life in a big way. Sawyer is an adrenaline junkie, and is dealing with some family issues.
At first, I really wanted to DNF this one. Not much was really happening and the characters kind of blurred together. They didn’t really have much personality. The writing and overall mystery is what kept me reading on, and I am glad that I did! This story has a slow start, but like with meeting and getting to know someone, not all of their life is going to immediately be put on the table for you to know. You learn about them over time and as trust grows. The other issue that I had was that there was no reason for there to be a paranormal aspect in this book. It could’ve just had the diary entries and some jump scares, but there was no reason for the ghosts.
Overall, this book is mysterious contemporary novel, and I am glad that I stuck with it to the end.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was everything I didn’t know I wanted.

I consider Katie McGarry one of my favorite authors, so I was really grateful I got a chance to get an advanced copy of her upcoming book, Echoes Between Us, through NetGalley.

One super popular guy, one extra quirky girl — two very complicated stories.

Sawyer is your stereotypical cool guy. Cool friends, suave attitude, star athlete. He works hard at keeping up that facade, because his life is anything but perfect.

Veronica is the carefree weirdo who everyone loves to gawk at. She and her friends stand out like a sore thumbs and they like it that way. She keeps a life-threatening secret that only those closest to her know and she worries that if it were to get out — everyone would treat her differently than they already do.

When life circumstances bring these two together, they not only learn a lot about one another, but are forced to learn a lot about themselves and make some really tough decisions regarding their futures.

This story was so different from anything I’ve read recently. I love Katie’s work and this story was a refreshing change of pace for me, while also delivering the same quality of reading I’ve come to expect from her. I mean, who else can shove ghost hunting AND tumultuous life problems into a love story and make it work! I absolutely loved Sawyer and V!

4.5⭐ - this book started off a little slow/confusing, but once it got going, it was excellent. Touched on a lot of deep and heartwrenching issues, and did it with great nuance. I loved the relationships developed in the book at all levels- familial, friendships, and romantic. This was my first book by Katie McGarry, and I definitely would like to see what else she's done!

I read (and enjoyed) Pushing the Limits a few years ago. Since then, I haven’t read anything by Kate McGarry. This book has convinced me that I’ve been missing out.

Right away I really loved the two main characters Veronica (V) and Sawyer. I thought it was really interesting that V has a benign brain tumor. She was diagnosed at age 11, and keeps it a secret except from her closest friends. I love the way she sees life. I think I fell a little in love with her right away, just from the way she views life and death. I also have a little bit of a thing for the quirky characters.

The thing I loved most about Sawyer was his dyslexia. I love how real it was and how Sawyer viewed it with a lot of frustration, but he wasn’t ashamed by it. I also found his adrenaline addiction really fascinating. I guess I never really thought that an adrenaline rush could be addicting, but the way it’s portrayed for Sawyer, it really does feel like an addiction to any other drug.

I think I realized how much I was going to love this book when we learn that V and one of her best friends, Leo, have been flirting around the idea of a relationship. V is in love with Leo, but we quickly learn that Leo won’t allow himself to love V because of his fear of her tumor one day becoming malignant. This is so beautifully messed up to me?

The ghost and supernatural parts of this story were super interesting and super well done. It had me very confused by what type of novel this was, but the ending brings everything together really well.
This book does friendships really well. Not only with V and her gang of friends, but also with Sawyer and his two best friends, Miguel and Sylvia. I liked having a little queer rep with Sylvia, though I still wish there was a tad more, but I’ll take what I can get.

I will say that I wish we could have learned a little more about Jesse, one of V’s best friends. The only thing I really can remember about him is that he’s red headed and works/lives on a farm.

Evelyn’s diary made this book a lot more interesting too. She was a TB patient in a hospital in the early 1900s. We learn in the author’s note that Evelyn’s story and diary are real and we get sources to read it and learn more about her. I love when author’s put small realities like this in novels.

The ending was perfect. It made me emotional, but happy.

This is a little of a long read, but definitely worth it.

I REALLY enjoyed this and I am looking forward to reading more by McGarry.

Echoes Between Us by Katie McGarry is a heart-wrenching story about love and loss, family and friends, and about facing your fears. It follows Veronica, who is a senior in high school and who suffers from debilitating migraines that are caused by a brain tumor. And not just a brain tumor, but the same kind of brain tumor that killed her mother. So while all of her friends are preparing for life after high school, Veronica lives knowing there’s a possibility that there may be no life after high school for her. Veronica is also a girl who marches to the beat of her own drum. She does what she wants to do, dresses however wild she wants to dress, and celebrates holidays on random days of the year and only a core group of friends appreciates Veronica and her originality. Most of her classmates, including golden boy Sawyer and his friends, think Veronica is a weirdo and have nothing to do with her. That is, until Sawyer and his family move into the apartment that Veronica’s dad rents out. Once he starts spending time with Veronica, Sawyer realizes how truly special she is and his whole outlook on life changes.

I can’t even express how much I loved both Veronica and Sawyer. Veronica captured my heart right away. I loved the way she lived her life to the fullest, even with a tumor and these horrible migraines hanging over her head at all times. She’s just this fearless dynamo who always speaks her mind and it was so admirable to watch. I also adored her close relationship with her dad. It broke my heart that she would hide that her condition was worsening from him, but I could completely understand why. It would clearly crush him to lose both his wife and his daughter this way and Veronica wanted to protect her dad from that pain for as long as she could. Sawyer was a character it took me a few pages to warm up to, but once I did, I fell hard. He may seem like the golden boy on the outside, but he is fighting demons of his own in the form of an adrenaline addiction, as well as having to deal with a less than ideal home life. As much as my heart hurt for Veronica and what she was going through, my heart hurt just as much for Sawyer. They are both in impossible situations and need each other more than either one of them ever could have thought possible. I loved watching their friendship blossom and my heart just ached for them, knowing how fragile Veronica’s health was.

I don’t want to give away anything about how Echoes Between Us ends so I’m just going to say it was one of the most moving and emotional reads I experienced in 2019. Many tears were shed, both happy and sad. If you like a story that will constantly tug at your heartstrings, pick up a copy of Katie McGarry’s Echoes Between Us. 4.5 STARS