Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Review: Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

Title: Such a Rush
Author: Jennifer Echols
Published: July 10th 2012
Publisher: MTV Books
Rating: 4 stars

A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers.

Heaven Beach, South Carolina, is anything but, if you live at the low-rent end of town. All her life, Leah Jones has been the grown-up in her family, while her mother moves from boyfriend to boyfriend, letting any available money slip out of her hands. At school, they may diss Leah as trash, but she’s the one who negotiates with the landlord when the rent’s not paid. At fourteen, she’s the one who gets a job at the nearby airstrip.

But there’s one way Leah can escape reality. Saving every penny she can, she begs quiet Mr. Hall, who runs an aerial banner-advertising business at the airstrip and also offers flight lessons, to take her up just once. Leaving the trailer park far beneath her and swooping out over the sea is a rush greater than anything she’s ever experienced, and when Mr. Hall offers to give her cut-rate flight lessons, she feels ready to touch the sky.

By the time she’s a high school senior, Leah has become a good enough pilot that Mr. Hall offers her a job flying a banner plane. It seems like a dream come true . . . but turns out to be just as fleeting as any dream. Mr. Hall dies suddenly, leaving everything he owned in the hands of his teenage sons: golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson. And they’re determined to keep the banner planes flying.

Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business—until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers—and the consequences could be deadly.
Jennifer Echols is the author that can still make me want to read more of her books even though most of it didn't really make me fall in love with them. From all the four books I've read of her Going Too Far was the only one that had successfully astounded me. But after reading Such a Rush, I'm glad to say that a new book from her has found it's way directly into my heart! Such a Rush is a complex story yet a poignant and heartwarming one that deals with issues about family and I just loved how Jennifer Echols explored it through Leah, Grayson and Alex's story.

Leah is a very endearing character. She's tough and independent yet there's something in her that makes you feel so protective of her. She is a character that is so easy to like and care about. Her determination to get a way from her current life through flying was something I really loved about her. Her passion with it was just very captivating and impressive that I myself can sometimes feel the elation she get through it with her narration. Jennifer Echols voiced her character in a very appealing way but with great realness and honesty in it.

Grayson is a complex and a very confusing character. He acted like a complete jerk but I can see that she cares for Leah a lot. He'd shown some of his caring and sweet side but still it didn't stop me from getting mad at his actions. I know there was something behind all the blackmailing but when I figured what it was all about I can't help but feel sad and sympathetic for him even if his choice of actions were wrong. He was emotionally wounded from the grief of losing Jake and his Dad. He was broken and was scared of having someone he really loved to lose again. In the end, I'm glad that he gained himself and I realized how invested I was to his character actually.

Jennifer Echols did an amazing job on exploring the importance of the relationship within a family whether you're blood related or not. I love how she showed and addressed the father-daughter like relationship Mr. Hall and Leah developed, the close relationship of the Hall boys and their father even though it was quite tainted by the past and how the loss of two of them affected the others. It was poignant, heart breaking but touching and moving. I love how the characters developed, grew and learned throughout the course of the story.

Although I find the pacing a bit slow it wasn't the kind that would make you feel bored about it. It would just make you want to know more and be eager to see what's gonna happen next. 

Such a Rush sure lived by it's title. Reading this was indeed such a rush, it was thrilling and exhilarating. Meeting these characters and seeing them grew and developed through all the obstacles was heartwarming and lifting. Being with them as they fly and feel the elation with it was like having the same experience as the had. It was wonderful and utterly captivating. This is such a beautiful novel. I recommend this.

P.S. I can't believe I didn't mention this. There are actually smexy times here that just had me really swooning and grinning like a maniac. Haha! Just adding more reason why you have to read this! XD

14 comments:

  1. Wow, your blog design! It's really lovely, Eunice. :) Love the title font and header in particular.

    And great review, my dear. I've heard such fantastic things about Jennifer Echols and Such a Rush. Plus, you said the magic words: "thrilling", "sexy", "exhilarating"! I have to read it now, don't I? ;)

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  2. Leah sounds like a character id like to read about, and grayson DOES sound like a complete jerk!! Ive heard great things about this book, maybe i should really read it!!
    - Farah @ MajiBookshelf

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  3. NEW BLOG DESIGN! LOVE IT!<3 It's beautiful, Eunice, and I adore your header! I still need to figure out how to make those...

    Anyway, I'm so glad you enjoyed this book! I'm not a huge Echols fan and this book didn't work out too well for me, simply because I couldn't connect with the characters, but I do agree that there were some REALLY smexy times in this one! ;) Awesome review, dear! :D

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  4. You had me at "smexy." :D

    I haven't read Jennifer Echols yet, but I hear such good things! And this one sounds like a fun read. Thanks for the review.

    I like the new blog design, too--clean and pretty!

    Wendy @ The Midnight Garden

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  5. Great review, hun! I am glad you enjoyed this! And Jen definitely knows how to write smexy scenes!!

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  6. Eunice, I FEEL YOU! I can't stop reading Jennifer's books even though they're not all that awesome. My favorite Echols are Forget You and Going Too Far. The others didn't astound me either but yes, smexy. Jen is really good at writing smexy scenes. I think those are what makes me read her nonstep.

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  7. Love your new look Eunice!!!! You're header is gorgeous:) I have yet to read a Jennifer Echols book, but this sounds like a story I would love. You had me at "emotionally wounded" - I live for those types of characters so I'm excited to get to know Grayson even though he's clearly a bit of an a-hole at times. Not sure what it says about me that those are the fictional men I gravitate towards:) Oh, and YAY SMEXY TIMES!

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  8. Lovely review, Eunice! I like the sound of this book and hope it will be my first Jennifer Echols read. Leah seems like a great character and Grayson sounds very interesting. I'm looking forward to meeting them! :)

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  9. I haven't read any Echols books but the more I hear the more I want to read them! Leah sounds like a wonderful protag and I'm interested to see what would push Grayson to blackmail - though, like you, I can see myself getting mad at him. Lovely review, E! :)

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  10. LOVE THE NEW LOOK!

    I'm glad that you enjoyed this book, I really liked it as well. And yeah... there was definitely some swoon worthy moments in this book... Grayson is my favorite! Fantastic review. (:

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  11. Hey, Eunice love your new blog design! I loved this one too. The smexy was definitely good and this is the first Jennifer Echols that really compared to my other favs of hers: Going to Far and Forget You. Great review my dear. :)

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  12. Thanks for sharing what you loved about the book! I don't mind slower-pacing stories when I can see character developments that are heartwarming and uplifting. Beautiful review, Eunice!

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  13. Thanks for recommending this one, sounds really amazing. And i love the cover art!!

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  14. Firstly, OHMIGOSH! I love the new design, it's so fresh and lovely <3

    And yay that you loved this book! I'm yet to pick up something by Jennifer Echols but I've heard MANY great things!

    I'm so glad you warmed to Leah and I'm very curious about Grayson... complex characters always interest me and I want to see his sweet, caring side <3 And 'smexy' times? Yes please!

    Fab review, Eunice <3

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