Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Buys

by Kate Brian

When she was nine, Megan Meade met a group of terrible, mean, Popsicle-goo-covered boys, the sons of her father's friend -- the McGowan boys. Now, seven years later, Megan's army doctor parents are shipping off to Korea and Megan is being sent to live with the little monsters, who are older now and quite different than she remembered them. Living in a house with seven boy When she was nine, Megan Meade met a group of terrible, mean, Popsicle-goo-covered boys, the sons of her father's friend -- the McGowan boys. Now, seven years later, Megan's army doctor parents are shipping off to Korea and Megan is being sent to live with the little monsters, who are older now and quite different than she remembered them. Living in a house with seven boys will give Megan, who has never even been kissed, the perfect opportunity to learn everything there is to know about boys. And she'll send all her notes to her best friend, Tracy, in...
                                     Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

Observation #1: Being an army brat sucks. Except that this is definitely a better alternative to moving to Korea. Observation #2: Forget evil, laughing, little monsters. These guys have been touched by the Abercrombie gods. They are a blur of toned, suntanned perfection.
Observation #3: I need a lock on my door. STAT.
Observation #4: Three words: six-pack abs.
Observation #5: Do not even get me started on the state of the bathroom. I'm thinking of calling in a hazmat team. Seriously.
Observation #6: These boys know how to make enemies. Big time.

 Megan Meade will have to juggle a new school, a new family, a new crush -- on the boy next door, as in next bedroom door -- and a new life. Will she survive the McGowan boys?

REVIEW:

I picked up this book as soon as I saw its title. I mean it seemed so funny, girly, light and swoon worthy.
But alas, the world is not a wish granting factory :(
Don't get me wrong. The book is sweet but it doesn't offer anything new. It is cute but cliquey.

Megan Meade, the novel's only saving grace, is an army brat who never got to stay in a place for long. Every time she came even close to settling down, her parents got transferred. However, this one time, she draws the line and refuses to go to another army base in Korea.So, her parents leave her with their family friends, the McGowans, who happen to have 7 children, ALL BOYS.

A single 'never been kissed' girl moves into testosterone heaven.

Her first day at McGowan house was really funny. Unfortunately, the plot just went downhill from there. Mainly because the novel wasn't focused on ALL McGowan boys (it should have included the father too, if you ask me). And it also didn't seem as if Megan was actually living, like living, with so many guys.

McGowan #1 or McSpicy (I really didn't bother with their real names) is school's most popular guy with an annoying girlfriend.

McGowan #2 is the nice guy.

McGowan #3 is the punk.

McGowan #4 is different. I liked him.

There are 3 more but they are just there.

 

The plot also did not offer anything new. It was the same old new girl in town story who abra-ca-dabra becomes popular. Also, the end seemed really incomplete. This book had potential however, it disappointed.

 

RATING:  2/5 Stars

                               

 

Dare You To

by Katie McGarry

Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."

"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."

"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all...

 

REVIEW:

 

Reading Katie McGarry's books have started giving me the feels that watching One Tree Hill did. Even stronger maybe.

 

What I love about them is that they show what true love actually means.(It is standard raising love really!) Love is about getting to know a person and not going by just first impressions. It is about finding both their admirable qualities and deepest secrets. It is about opening up to that person. It is about making the other person see what's good about them. It is about making them strong and feeling stronger in the process.  Nothing sums love better than this quotes from When Harry Met Sally.

 

 

Okay, I think I got carried away a little.

Sorr~ay!

 

For some reason every person and scene in this book reminded me of a song and honestly naming those songs here can be a non spoilery way to review this book.

 

1) The beginning- Demons by Imagine Dragons

2) Beth- Heart Attack by Demi Lovato. My first impression of her in Pushing the Limits was wrong.

3) Ryan- The Man who can't be Moved by the Script and I won't give up by Jason Mraz. He was the most un-jockish jock slash Shakespeare. I wish I get to read his essay on George and Olivia because it seemed cool.

4) Scott Risk- Count on Me by Bruno Mars.

5) Isiah- Just the line " Where do broken hearts go?"

6) The end- Good Life by One Republic.

 

This book is as moving as the first one. I dare you to read Pushing the Limits because if you do THAT, you will do this voluntarily.

 

RATING:   4/5 stars