Long Way Home by Katie McGarry ~ Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

   

The highly anticipated third book in Katie McGarry’s Thunder Road Series is finally here! LONG WAY HOME is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance being published by Harlequin Teen! Order your copy of the next book in this emotionally charged series, and don’t miss Violet and Chevy’s story! Check out all of the stops on this awesome tour and be sure to grab your copy today!

   

LONG WAY HOME 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.

LONG WAY HOME Order Links:

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"An intoxicating and unforgettable story that kept me glued to the page."

—Kami Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling author, on Walk the Edge

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

       

Excerpt

VIOLET

                “You can do this.” I take Brandon’s hand in mine and give a reassuring squeeze. “I know you can.”

                Brandon swallows hard, but nods. A combination of nervous energy and pride rushes through my veins as he grasps my hand in return and fists the cash in his other hand. He’s going to face his fears. The lift of my lips is genuine now. My brother believes in himself, and I believe in him and maybe we’re both going to be okay.

                Right as Brandon takes a courageous step forward, two black leather vests slip in front of us and staring back at me is a half skull with fire blazing out of its eye sockets.

                The world surrounding me turns red, and my blood begins to boil. “There’s a line and you just cut.”

                Eli, one of my father’s once best friends, glances over his shoulder and winks at us as he pulls out his wallet. Like always, he has dark hair cut close to his head, plugs in his ears and a huge grin like we should be glad to see him. “I got you covered.”

                Fabulous. Here comes the Reign of Terror Motorcycle Club riding in on their black Harleys determined to save the day of people who really need to learn how to save themselves.

                “No really, we got this,” I insist.

                I try to muscle my way past to pay, but Eli’s right hand man, Pigpen, plants himself in front of me like the towering sack of testosterone and annoyance that he is. Then he’s on the move and I somehow find myself away from the ticket booth.

                “Surprised to see you here, Violet.” Pigpen is in his late twenties and thinks he’s all handsome with his blond hair and big muscles. Because he was a Navy SEAL or Army Ranger or something outrageous like that, he also thinks he’s awesome, but he doesn’t impress me. “Surprised you’re here, but happy to see you. You haven’t been at a game all year.”

                “I’ve been busy,” I say.

                “Is that what you call avoiding anyone from the Terror? Busy?”

                “Works for me.”

                “Hi, Pigpen!” Brandon is lit up like a firefly who was convinced the rest of his species was extinct. Eli, of course, enjoying the role of savior, has his arm around Brandon’s shoulder as they join us.

                “Hey, Stone.” Pigpen calls my brother by the stupid nickname the club created for him. “How’s it going?”

                “Good. They bought our tickets, Vi!”

                “Yep, they sure did, because little ol’ me couldn’t’ handle the big ol’ ticket booth on my own.” Heavy on the sarcasm and then a hard glare at Eli. “Brandon was going to buy his own ticket.”

                Eli rolls his neck like  he’s the one who owns the right to be annoyed. “Most people say thank you.”

                “You’re missing the point.”

                Eli pats my brother’s back. “Why don’t you head in with Pigpen? I’d like to catch up with Violet.”

                Brandon bounces like a damn puppy dog given a treat and then rushes off into the stadium, leaving me with Thing Two. And to think my brother called me Vi. The little traitor.

                “Pigpen,” I call out. “Don’t leave him.”

                I forced my brother to tattle today and while the football game will make him smile, I’m also taking a calculated risk that the people he told on won’t be here. If they are here, I’m betting they won’t mess with Brandon as long as I’m around.

                “You worry too much,” Pigpen answers without glancing back.

                When it comes to my brother, they don’t worry enough about the right problems.

                Eli watches as Brandon and Pigpen go into the stadium. Instead of taking a left for the bleachers, they go right for the concession stand, and I’m contemplating how to stab Pigpen in the jugular. Concession food brings my brother into a near state of euphoria, and because of the crappy day my brother and I had, I wanted to be the one that made him happy with a hot dog, nachos and a slushy.

                Motorcycle men around the world, as far as I’m concerned, can just plain suck it.

I remember starting this series and falling for Oz.  Then I wondered if I would love Razor as much as I did Oz.  But I did love him as much.  And then there's Chevy.  How can a book series, a YA book series about a motorcycle club , hold my interest for 3 books?  It happens when this author crafts the books.  Of course I loved Chevy just as much.  I'm always impressed when the series is one five star read after another - and this one is definitely worthily of 5 stars.

How do you hold the interest of readers after they think they know everything that's going on?  You add some twists and turns that were well hidden and surprise even the most serious reader.  I love to find the clues and pride myself on figuring things out before they are revealed.  This book bested me.  I wasn't expecting THAT.

I'll admit that I was worried about Chevy and Violet.  Through two books, these two have been at odds.  Once everything to each other, the club had come between them.  I saw both sides.  I hurt for both of them.  How could they find a path that would lead them to each other, peace and happiness.  It wasn't there, not anywhere.  But these characters find some personal growth as they deal with things no eighteen year old's should have to face.  They learn themselves and they learn each other.  Even more, they learn their family, their friends - who they love and who they trust.  And it all melts together to make an exciting and ingenious coming of age meets second chance romance.  The path's they hide on and the ones they forge are all coupled with growing up and figuring out what you want, who you are.  BUT, it's not your average coming of age story.  NO.  It's embedded in a motorcycle club.  Not normal yet it is - a big family that you try to be part of while being who you are.  It's the perfect way to demonstrate the struggle that is growing up.  I loved every moment of it.

The characters are complex and real.  The issues harsh and polarizing.  The choices impossible and emotional.  It's a perfect storm for the growth of a teen to an adult.

The plot goes from sweet and fun to scary and emotional. Overall, it's a perfect characterization of what it feels like to be a teen.

I loved the writing.  The whole story can only be seen with the changing POVs of Chevy and Violet.  This style is definitely one of my favorites.

It just made me happy seeing Oz and Razor again.  Their pain and struggle to help their friends was emotional and welcome.  And some things that effected all four of them were resolved in this book.  I loved how things ended.  It feels finished.

This book may be my favorite of the three.  It's hard when it's been a while since I read the other two but I remember wanting things to have that finished feel in those books.  Now things do.

A book, a series that holds you captive, convinces you there is no hope and then finds a way to make things right.  Loved it.  Don't miss it.

                                          

I've loved this whole series!

5 stars all around!

Don’t Miss the First Two Titles in the Thunder Road Series! Grab your copies today!

NOWHERE BUT HERE

WALK THE EDGE

     

Katie McGarry’s LONG WAY HOME – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:

January 23^rd

Aaly and The Books – Review & Excerpt

Angel Reads – Review

Books,Dreams,Life – Excerpt

Feed Your Fiction Addiction – Review & Excerpt

Girl Plus Books – Review & Excerpt

Letter Shelves Blog – Review & Excerpt

The Book Hammock – Review & Excerpt

January 24^th

Book Boyfriend Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Ficwishes – Review

Lovin' Los Libros – Review

MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Nose Stuck in a Book – Excerpt

Whatever You Can Still Betray – Excerpt

Zach's YA Reviews – Review & Excerpt

January 25^th

Always YA at Heart – Review & Excerpt

Bridget's Book Bungalow – Review & Excerpt

Friends Till The End Book Blog – Excerpt

Mythical Books – Excerpt

Resch Reads and Reviews – Review

Swoony Boys Podcast – Review & Excerpt

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Book Boyfriends – Review & Excerpt

January 26^th

A Bookish Escape – Review & Excerpt

Book Sojourner – Review & Excerpt

Crazii Bitches Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Dark Faerie Tales – Review & Excerpt

Guilty Indulgence Book Club – Review

SnoopyDoo's Book Reviews – Excerpt

January 27^th

Bookshelf Adventures – Review & Excerpt

Little Read Riding Hood – Review & Excerpt

Nerdy Soul – Review & Excerpt

Random Book Muses – Review & Excerpt

The Silver Dagger Scriptorium – Excerpt

Writing My Own Fairy Tale – Review & Excerpt

January 28^th

Abibliophobia Anonymous Book Reviews – Excerpt

Zili in the Sky – Review & Excerpt

Greyland Reviews – Excerpt

Chasing Faerytales – Review

Brittany's Book Blog – Excerpt

Dog-Eared Daydreams – Review

Movies, Shows, & Books – Excerpt

January 29^th

Book Angel Booktopia – Review & Excerpt

BookWorm221 – Review & Excerpt

Confessions of 2 Book Lovers – Review & Excerpt

It's All About the Romance – Excerpt

Milky Way of Books – Review & Excerpt

Waiting For Wentworth – Excerpt

January 30^th

Collector of book boyfriends – Review

Latte Nights Reviews – Review

Margie's Must Reads – Review & Excerpt

Oh My Growing TBR – Review & Excerpt

Readers Live A Thousand Lives – Review & Excerpt

So Bookalicious – Review & Excerpt

January 31^st

A crazy vermonters book reviews – Review

Desert Divas Book Addiction – Review & Excerpt

Little Bookworm Reviews – Review & Excerpt

What Is That Book About – Excerpt

With Love for Books – Review & Excerpt

The Cover Contessa – Review & Excerpt

February 1^st

A Leisure Moment – Review

Book Bite Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Never Judge a Book by its Cover – Review & Excerpt

Pages to Explore – Excerpt

Red Hot + Blue Reads – review & Excerpt

Stuck In Books – Review & Excerpt

February 2^nd

Actin' Up with Books – Review & Excerpt

2 girls who love books – Excerpt

Books, Coffee & Passion – Excerpt

Contagious Reads – Review & Excerpt

Go Read A Book – Review

The Book Maven – Review & Excerpt

The Heart of a Book Blogger – Review

February 3^rd

A Gingerly Review – Review & Excerpt

Bookish Hollow – Review & Excerpt

G & T's Indie Café – Excerpt

Lovely Reads Publishing – Review & Excerpt

Mary Had a Little Book Blog – Excerpt

Vera is Reading – Excerpt

I Heart YA Books – Review & Excerpt

   

   

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Katie McGarry Bio: 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, NOWHERE BUT HERE and WALK THE EDGE 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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