{Review} Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

Title: Such a Rush
Author: Jennifer Echols
Format: Paperback
Publisher: MTV Books
Release date: December 18, 2012
Date Read: February 1, 2013
Rating: ✭✭✭

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

When I was fourteen, I made a decision. If I was doomed to live in a trailer park next to an airport, I could complain about the smell of the jet fuel like my mom, I could drink myself to death over the noise like everybody else, or I could learn to fly.

For Leah Jones, reality is life in a rundown trailer park with an irresponsible mother. But there’s one escape. With an after-school job at the local airstrip, she manages to afford cut-rate flight lessons. At the controls of a small plane, she leaves the trailer park far below, swooping out over the sea in the ultimate rush.

By her senior year of high school, Leah’s dreams come true: she snags a job flying for an aerial banner-advertising business. Then the owner dies suddenly, leaving everything in the hands of his teenage sons: golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson. Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she tries to stay clear of the apparently doomed business—until Grayson digs up her most damning secret. Holding it over Leah’s head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. She’s been drawn into a battle between brothers—and the consequences could be deadly.

2.5

I am sorely disappointed.

Contemporary and realistic-fiction novels have never really been my thing, but some of my favorite books (STOLEN: A LETTER TO MY CAPTOR and THE FAULT IN OUR STARS) are contemporary, so I decided to branch out from my usual paranormal reads. I had high hopes for SUCH A RUSH, despite the mixed reactions from my friends.

2013 has been the year for total disappointments, hasn't it?

SUCH A RUSH has an incredibly original plot for a contemporary novel - I mean, when was the last time you read about a teen romance with blackmail and flying planes? Yet, it could have been so much better. The actual reason for Grayson blackmailing Leah was such a letdown and soured the story.

Having never read anything by Jennifer Echols before, I have heard that her writing is absolutely fantastic. But I failed to experience it here with SUCH A RUSH, because it was so average. There really wasn't anything to say about it, especially since it's the kind of writing that you read a billion times with a lot of young adult.

Leah left me with seriously conflicted feelings. She's an intelligent badass for sure, and her home-life situation has hardened her. Even though people treated Leah like crap and she let them, I kind of understood her. She was a very absorbing character and I enjoyed being in her head, because she DID SHIT. She had personality! I adored her, but half the time I also wanted to slap her in the face, because she really was such a bitch to everyone. Leah's been called a slut, a whore, a skank - and she hates it. But she has no problem stereotyping and bashing every other female character in the book, either. oh and I wanted to throttle her friend Molly, too.

SO. MUCH. SLUT. SHAMING.

Grayson was a complete - I don't even have words for him. If he didn't assume Leah was an uncontrollable hump-bunny and if he didn't blackmail her it would've been possible to like him. Because Grayson was actually kind of sweet when he wasn't being a TOTAL ASSHOLE. I can't even comprehend how Leah didn't bash his head in with a shovel because I wanted to throw the book across the wall whenever he acted like a douchebag.

HOW DID YOU KEEP YOUR SHIT TOGETHER AROUND HIM, LEAH. HOW.

Alec, the golden-boy of the novel and Grayson's twin brother, with whom Leah is blackmailed into dating - he's so lifeless. Talk about no personality. He didn't have enough parts in the book, even though he was supposed to be one of the main characters.

In the end, I suggest checking out this book at a library instead of spending money on it. It's worth reading, but probably not worth spending over ten dollars on.

And the cover is way uglier in person, by the way. The girl's nose looks really strange and the hair along her neck looks seriously dry and photoshopped.

Oceana is a French-blooded teenager who enjoys stalking British boys and asking them to marry her. She was diagnosed with severe fangirl disorder in 2011. Able to curse like a sailor with an angelic voice.