Thursday, April 9, 2015

Push Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway

 Today, I'm happy to be one of the review stops on the PUSH Blog Tour!

Push (Push #1) 
by Claire Wallis 
Now Available!!!
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA

Source: E-book courtesy of Xpresso Book Tours
Genres: New Adult, Romance
This is a new adult romance with mature content for readers 17 and up.
Add Push to your to-read list here. Synopsis:
I feel like I am wrapped in a cyclone. Everything is whirling around me, drawing the air out of my lungs and filling me with the best kind of turmoil. Every time his tongue slides against mine, a prickle in my gut tells me how right we are together. How much I need David. How much I need us.
I hope the cyclone never stops.
Emma Searfoss has spent a lifetime trying to escape her abusive stepfather. It’s why she moved far away from home. It’s why she’s kept no ties with her remaining family. And it’s why she’s got a major rage problem. When her neighbor shows up to fix the kitchen in her new apartment, his enigmatic charm calms the fire in her. David is cool and collected, and he makes Emma feel safe for the first time ever. But David has his own chilling past—his six previous girlfriends have all disappeared without a trace. Emma’s walking a dangerous line, but David’s pull is intoxicating. And impossible to resist…

Purchase your own copy: Amazon | B & N | iTunes Kobo

My Thoughts:
Wow, this book is unlike any other New Adult I've ever read! Warning!!! Not for the faint of heart!

I went through Push with many complex feelings- towards the plot, but especially towards the characters. I actually went through this book considering Emma and David to be anti-heroine and heroes, if only because they're not the conventional couples I'm so used to reading in the New Adult genre.

With the exception of the Prologue and Epilogue, Push is narrated completely from Emma's first-person point-of-view, however, David's six ex-girlfriends each get a snippet of a chapter to tell their story (which I thought was awesome).

But back to our narrator, Emma, she is in no way a delicate flower, no this girl has had a very disturbing and unhealthy upbringing, and as a result, she has put up a lot of invisible walls around herself, letting no one in. She blames her step-father for much of her misfortunes, but I actually thought she was a little to easy-going on her mother's push-over ways, not that I think Michael is a likeable character in any way, but I think her mother should have shouldered a lot of the blame since it was her choice to expose her children to such a man. Although, with this said I did like that Emma had such a soft spot for her mother, because it showcased a lighter-side to her demeanour, made her a bit more vulnerable. We can see from chapter one that Emma is a very anxious character when it comes to trusting people, she constantly questions her actions and the actions (and motivations) of others. She's had rage issues since she was a child, and has a very short fuse.

And no one likes to PUSH her buttons quite like our anti-hero, David. I enjoyed the fact that on the first meeting Emma didn't fall madly in love with David and describe him as an Adonis, not that he's not good-looking. The witty banter between these two felt very real and enjoyed their progression (even if I was a bit surprised by the speed of it haha). I was impressed with David's renovation skills, I mean he built a new kitchen in like three days! - He's giving Jonathan from The Property Brothers a run for his money! haha! My feelings towards David were so conflicted throughout the book, especially after reading each of his ex-girlfriends' chapters. There's definitely a dark side to him, but it seems no one can bring the smile and laughter out of him quite like Emma and vice versa.

To be honest, I'm not sure if these two are perfect for each other or perfectly toxic for each other. I feel like each one needs A LOT of therapy to work out their crippling issues, but at the same time, without sounding too cliche, they compliment each other as well in their acceptance of their imperfections.

The Prologues and epilogues of this book may be my favourite as bad as that might seem (you have to read the book to understand why ;)). But I really love the beginning and ending in the sequence with the chapters narrated with David's ex's, there was a certain continuity between these portions that just flowed so well and it was an added procedural bonus that you just don't read in New Adult much, and I really appreciated that.

But my favourite thing of all is the title PUSH, so perfect for so many reasons, some that I have pointed out in this review and one major reason that I can't explain but if you read the book you will completely understand. Be warned this book does have a cliffhanger but take comfort in the fact that it's sequel, PULL, is now available!!!

If your looking for a darker, unconventional, New Adult read, with a bit of mystery and intense romance, than give Push a read! If your looking for a sweet HEA, this may not be for you.

Happy Reading!!!

About Claire:

Claire Wallis has penned hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles over the last ten years, with science playing the lead role in almost all of them. Though non-fiction writing will forever be her first love, fiction has unexpectedly swooped in, hooked her by the soul, and become her true love. As a result of this coup d’état, Claire’s writing career has made a complete U-turn, and instead of rocks, plants, insects, and microbes, she is now putting human characters in the lead.

Claire’s previous jobs include working at a limestone quarry, hawking vegetables at a farmer’s market, clerking at the dollar store, and convincing new mothers that they need to renew their subscription to that parenting magazine in order for their child to survive. She lives in Pennsylvania with her amazingly awesome husband and son.

Connect with Claire: Author website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway Time!!! To enter, fill out the rafflecopter below!
Good luck to all who enter!!!



Special thanks to Claire and Xpresso Book Tours for allowing me to participate in this tour!!!

2 comments:

  1. The relationship in this sounds actually realistic and fun! And I love a good Prologues that can set the perfect mood for the rest of the book! It can really make a big difference I find. Great review, Hayley!

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