The Pushing The Limits Read-A-Long is hosted by Candace's Book Blog, Dazzling Reads, Page Turners, The Book Swarm, and Bewitched Bookworms. It is from July 31st - August 28th and is packed full of reading, chatting, discussing, and giveaways =D.
Schedule:
July 24th - Intro Post for the Read-A-Long - Linky for Participation!July 31st - Bewitched Bookworms Pages 7-84 ends with a Noah Chapter- Aug 7th - The Page Turners Pages 85-162 ends with a Noah Chapter
- Aug 14th - Candace's Book Blog Pages 163-239 ends with a Noah Chapter
- Aug 21st - Dazzling Reads Pages 240-316 ends with an Echo Chapter
- Aug 28th - The Book Swarm Pages 317-392
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1. Noah and Echo create a plan to read their files. What do you think of this plan? Would you read your friends files first knowing you might not have time to read your own? Would you want to read your own file?
I think they are INSANE!! I am not big on rule breaking or confrontation for that matter so I would not be going along with this plan at all. lol I would be too paranoid. If I did go along with the plan, though, I would read my friends first, because it would be selfish not to. What if I only have time to read one and I read mine and then I go back out to my friend and say "oh sorry I only had time to read mine... but listen to what I found out!" They would be happy for me, but super depressed. It would feel much better for them to be happy instead of yourself. I would of course want to know what was in my file, but I wouldn't want to read it until after I remembered for myself. It would suck and definitely be tempting to look, but I would resist.
2. Mrs. Collins starts the earn Noah's trust by taking him to see his brother win a writing contest. What do you think of how she's handling Noah? How would you feel if you were in Noah's position, hearing that your brother sees you as his hero?
I think she is handling him perfectly. Since he didn't show up BOTH times that he was supposed to the day before, which was probably when she was going to surprise him and tell him where they were going the next day, she could have totally just say forget it and not taken him as punishment for him skipping their appointment. Instead, she took him anyway to show him that if he listens to her she can get him in places where he can see his brothers and that if he messes up again he won't. Since I do have a little brother I can totally relate to Noah. If I heard I was a hero in his eyes I would be so proud and loving and I would do everything I could to not break his fantasy.
3. Echo is starting to draw and paint again. She's starting to express the feelings and what she's seeing as she's starting to remember what happened that day. Art therapy seems to be a popular way for people to deal with their feelings, why do you think Echo's dad didn't want her to continue with art since it was such a big part of her and is part of so many people's therapy in dealing with similar issues?
I definitely don't think that he was trying to hurt her. I honestly think that he just wanted her to be as far away from anything that would remind her of her mom. I think he figured that once she remembered she would hate her mom for what she tried to do and would want nothing to do with it anyways, and that he was just trying to protect (and maybe himself) from pain. Now that I think about it it might also be why Ashley painted over the constellation mural in Echo's room. They were trying to take away as much pain as they could not knowing that it would hurt her.
4. We see how crazy Beth's home life is and we start to understand why she is not as keen to be trusting with people in her life. At the same time, we get to see how fiercely loyal Noah is. What do you think of the way Noah reacted to Beth being beaten by her mother's boyfriend? Do you think it's showing bad behavior that could get Noah in more trouble or the act of a true friend?
I think he reacted perfectly normal. Just like in his first foster home violence against the weaker is not ok. His first reaction wasn't violence, it was call the police. He wants the right thing to be done, but when it isn't the right thing for those involved he then turn to the only other way he knows and that is payback. I don't think it is showing bad behavior, I think it is showing true friendship, because when him and Isaiah were going to go over Beth's house I think they would have just threatened them, but when the guy showed up ready to cause violence they had no choice.
5. Echo has an unusual name. What do you think of the story behind it? Is there a Greek Myth or other story that would inspire you to name a child after a character?
I think it is kind of ridiculous to name your child after that myth, because it wasn't a happy story and it wasn't based on a person who had a remarkable character trait like truthfulness, strength, loyalty, etc.,
Since I don't remember any good Greek Myth's (lol whoops) I will have to go with novel character names and those would be Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Katniss from Hunger Games, and Finley Jayne from The Girl in the Steel Corset. I love all these names. Belle because the name is beautiful, but also the character was beautiful, smart and caring. Katniss is super independent and brave so I would love if when I have a daughter she has those traits. Finally, Finley Jayne, because I LOVE that name and she is also very strong and not your typical "lady" from that time era.
6. Echo's big thing is trying to find "normal" again. She doesn't want to be the scared girl or the girl who can't remember what happened to her, she just want to be normal. This goal impacts her relationships with her family, friends, Noah and her ex Luke. But at the end of this section, Echo is starting to figure out that there's no going back to old normal and she's going to have to find a new normal. How big of a step is it for Echo when she realizes that she's not "in" love with Luke and figures out that she does need to find a new normal?
Echo thinks that since she is considered a "freak" now that the only way to get away from that perception is to try and make things go back to how they were before the incident. She thinks if she hangs out with the same people and dates the same guy that things will fall into place, but I think it is a GINORMOUS step when she realizes that she isn't in love with Luke anymore and that yes things aren't good now, but they weren't much better then either. She realizes that she doesn't have to do everything she used to. That she is a new person through this whole experience and now she has a backbone and can go after the real things she wants, because before she was scared of losing everything, but now that she has lost everything and knows she can still survive she isn't scared to express what she wants now. She doesn't have to date the most popular boy in school and that is ok.
I think they are INSANE!! I am not big on rule breaking or confrontation for that matter so I would not be going along with this plan at all. lol I would be too paranoid. If I did go along with the plan, though, I would read my friends first, because it would be selfish not to. What if I only have time to read one and I read mine and then I go back out to my friend and say "oh sorry I only had time to read mine... but listen to what I found out!" They would be happy for me, but super depressed. It would feel much better for them to be happy instead of yourself. I would of course want to know what was in my file, but I wouldn't want to read it until after I remembered for myself. It would suck and definitely be tempting to look, but I would resist.
2. Mrs. Collins starts the earn Noah's trust by taking him to see his brother win a writing contest. What do you think of how she's handling Noah? How would you feel if you were in Noah's position, hearing that your brother sees you as his hero?
I think she is handling him perfectly. Since he didn't show up BOTH times that he was supposed to the day before, which was probably when she was going to surprise him and tell him where they were going the next day, she could have totally just say forget it and not taken him as punishment for him skipping their appointment. Instead, she took him anyway to show him that if he listens to her she can get him in places where he can see his brothers and that if he messes up again he won't. Since I do have a little brother I can totally relate to Noah. If I heard I was a hero in his eyes I would be so proud and loving and I would do everything I could to not break his fantasy.
3. Echo is starting to draw and paint again. She's starting to express the feelings and what she's seeing as she's starting to remember what happened that day. Art therapy seems to be a popular way for people to deal with their feelings, why do you think Echo's dad didn't want her to continue with art since it was such a big part of her and is part of so many people's therapy in dealing with similar issues?
I definitely don't think that he was trying to hurt her. I honestly think that he just wanted her to be as far away from anything that would remind her of her mom. I think he figured that once she remembered she would hate her mom for what she tried to do and would want nothing to do with it anyways, and that he was just trying to protect (and maybe himself) from pain. Now that I think about it it might also be why Ashley painted over the constellation mural in Echo's room. They were trying to take away as much pain as they could not knowing that it would hurt her.
4. We see how crazy Beth's home life is and we start to understand why she is not as keen to be trusting with people in her life. At the same time, we get to see how fiercely loyal Noah is. What do you think of the way Noah reacted to Beth being beaten by her mother's boyfriend? Do you think it's showing bad behavior that could get Noah in more trouble or the act of a true friend?
I think he reacted perfectly normal. Just like in his first foster home violence against the weaker is not ok. His first reaction wasn't violence, it was call the police. He wants the right thing to be done, but when it isn't the right thing for those involved he then turn to the only other way he knows and that is payback. I don't think it is showing bad behavior, I think it is showing true friendship, because when him and Isaiah were going to go over Beth's house I think they would have just threatened them, but when the guy showed up ready to cause violence they had no choice.
5. Echo has an unusual name. What do you think of the story behind it? Is there a Greek Myth or other story that would inspire you to name a child after a character?
I think it is kind of ridiculous to name your child after that myth, because it wasn't a happy story and it wasn't based on a person who had a remarkable character trait like truthfulness, strength, loyalty, etc.,
Since I don't remember any good Greek Myth's (lol whoops) I will have to go with novel character names and those would be Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Katniss from Hunger Games, and Finley Jayne from The Girl in the Steel Corset. I love all these names. Belle because the name is beautiful, but also the character was beautiful, smart and caring. Katniss is super independent and brave so I would love if when I have a daughter she has those traits. Finally, Finley Jayne, because I LOVE that name and she is also very strong and not your typical "lady" from that time era.
6. Echo's big thing is trying to find "normal" again. She doesn't want to be the scared girl or the girl who can't remember what happened to her, she just want to be normal. This goal impacts her relationships with her family, friends, Noah and her ex Luke. But at the end of this section, Echo is starting to figure out that there's no going back to old normal and she's going to have to find a new normal. How big of a step is it for Echo when she realizes that she's not "in" love with Luke and figures out that she does need to find a new normal?
Echo thinks that since she is considered a "freak" now that the only way to get away from that perception is to try and make things go back to how they were before the incident. She thinks if she hangs out with the same people and dates the same guy that things will fall into place, but I think it is a GINORMOUS step when she realizes that she isn't in love with Luke anymore and that yes things aren't good now, but they weren't much better then either. She realizes that she doesn't have to do everything she used to. That she is a new person through this whole experience and now she has a backbone and can go after the real things she wants, because before she was scared of losing everything, but now that she has lost everything and knows she can still survive she isn't scared to express what she wants now. She doesn't have to date the most popular boy in school and that is ok.
