Review LEVITATING LAS VEGAS by JENNIFER ECHOLS @JenniferEchols @Pocket_Books @simonschuster

From the award-winning, wildly popular author of Such a Rush and Going Too Far comes a fun and sexy new adult romantic comedy with a paranormal twist, available exclusively as an eBook.Twenty-one-year-old showgirl Holly Starr is sick and tired of assisting her dad, a celebrity magician, in his Las Vegas casino magic show. As soon as he keeps his promise to her and shares the secrets to his tricks, she can break out on her own. But can she really make it? For years Holly has taken medication to stave off crazy hallucinations that she can levitate objects. Just when she thinks she’s ready to make a career and a life for herself, her medicine—and her luck—run out.

Elijah Brown suffers from a similar delusion—he thinks he can read minds—and he’s out of medicine too. Determined to save himself and his old flame Holly, he kidnaps her and takes her to a town high in the Rockies where their medicine is made. What they discover there leads them to suspect their powers are not imaginary after all...and neither is the intense attraction they feel for each other.

They make a pact to stick together as they return to Vegas to confront the people who kept them in the dark for so long. But soon they’re pitting their powers against each other in a dangerous world where the nightlife is seductive, domination is addictive, the sex is beyond belief...and falling in love can lead to murder.

Jennifer Echols was born in Atlanta and grew up in a small town on a beautiful lake in Alabama--a setting that has inspired many of her books. Her nine romantic novels for young adults have been published in seven languages and have won the National Readers' Choice Award, the Aspen Gold Readers' Choice Award, the Write Touch Readers' Award, the Beacon, and the Booksellers' Best Award. Her novel GOING TOO FAR was a finalist in the RITA and was nominated by the American Library Association as a Best Book for Young Adults. Simon & Schuster will debut her adult romance novels in 2013, with many more of her teen novels scheduled for the next few years. She lives in Birmingham with her husband and her son.

SOURCE: PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

Elijah and Holly and separated by their parents before they can date in ninth grade.  They are also told they have MAD -  Mental Adolescent Dysfunction - a mental disorder with noted feelings of being able to read minds or think they can fly, which can lead to hallucinations and looking crazy.  Drugged for the last seven  years and hiding their devastating disease, they both try to assume normal adult lives.  Holly is finished with college and is her father's assistant in his chart topping magic show in Las Vegas.  Elijah is a carpenter at the same casino and lives with two roommates.  When the two cross paths again, the spark they had as fourteen-year-olds is still there. So now Elijah is reaching out to Holly to get his hands on some of her medication since the pharmacy can't get the drug to him.

The pair soon figure out that a conspiracy against them has taken place and the their "hallucinations" are not that at all.  Holly has the power to levitate and move objects with her mind, while Elijah can actually read minds.  To say they are upset with the parents is an understatement.  Holly's roommate, Kaylee is also in charge of the casino security and as a mind changer, she is pretty much on top of everything.  She has also escaped from the Rez, a group of malevolent young teens and adults, bent on destruction and living a sort of Lord of Flies existence. Kaylee knows that the pair are a high target for the group to use and take over the casino, given a chance.


I adore the almost spit personality of Holly, she can be super sweet and docile but has a backbone when riled up.  The zen-like calmness of Elijah is a perfect balance to keep her literally grounded.  Yes, literally makes complete sense in this case since Holly can pretty much walk on air.  I know fans of Echols' young adult novels will probably have some cross words for this book, but I love it when authors try new things.  I give her tons of credit for taking the chance and writing a darn good paranormal romance with lots of humor.  I was a bit shocked when I was laughing instead of crying while reading this since her books usually wring the emotion out of me.  This is a perfect summer read when something light is just what you need.  Parents:  there are some adult situations since this is a New Adult novel.

Review STAR CROSSED by JENNIFER ECHOLS @JenniferEchols @Pocket_Books @simonschuster

Book DescriptionRelease date: February 26, 2013 | Series: StargazerHe said . . . She said.
Publicist Wendy Mann has always competed hotly with her rival Daniel Blackstone, but this time they’re headed for a collision. Wendy’s job is on the line if she doesn’t save the image of a spoiled young starlet who’s posting provocative pictures of herself all over the Internet in a snarky attempt at revenge on her former boyfriend. Daniel is representing the ex, a onetime teen heartthrob who never grew up. With the feuding Hollywood pair scheduled to appear on the same Las Vegas awards show, Daniel and Wendy are determined to do whatever it takes to defend their own clients.
Unfortunately, the chemistry between Wendy and Daniel is even more explosive than that of their Hollywood stars. L-O-V-E was always a four-letter word for these two ultra-competitors; they never counted on the scorching heat that erupts between them. But Wendy’s high-gloss exterior hides a dark past—one that’s lurking behind the bright Vegas lights. Their careers are on the line, and so is Wendy’s life. . . .

 About the Author

Jennifer Echols was born in Atlanta and grew up in a small town on a beautiful lake in Alabama—a setting that has inspired many of her books. Her nine romantic novels for young adults have been published in seven languages and have won the National Readers’ Choice Award, the Aspen Gold Readers’ Choice Award, the Write Touch Readers’ Award, the Beacon, and the Booksellers’ Best Award. Her novel Going Too Far was a finalist in the RITA and was nominated by the American Library Association as a Best Book for Young Adults. Simon & Schuster will debut her adult and new adult romance novels in 2013, with many more of her teen novels scheduled for the next few years. She lives in Birmingham with her husband and her son. Visit her on the web at Jennifer-Echols.com.

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT


Wendy is almost fired after one of her PR clients commits suicide after battling drugs.  As the go-to girl for difficult stars that are going off the rails and rehab their reputations as well as get them cleaned up.  The rival firm in New York has been stealing their clients and Wendy has a special dislike for Daniel, who runs the firm.  They have been almost arch-enemies since college when Daniel stole a prestigious award right out from under her.  Of course, the two have chemistry and then some.

In Wendy's attempt to save her career, she takes on a hard-to-handle singer known for tweeting pics of her unmentionables.  While Daniel is repping her boyfriend, and actor known for his partying and temper.  The two have a memorable meet in Las Vegas where stars are to host an MTV-like awards show where they concoct a plan to publicly reunite the stars and save everyone's careers.  It almost goes according to plan, except the fake wedding Daniel and Wendy propose actually ends up with them getting married.

I adore anything Jennifer Echols writes and her new adult series is the perfect essence of chick lit populated by somewhat darker characters than is typical of the genre.  There is plenty of humor involved as well.  I really wanted to SWOON when Wendy and Daniel finally had that AH-HA where they realized they were in love and lust.  I really can't wait until Playing Dirty is released in October, 2013 to get the scoop on Sarah.

REVIEW: Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

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

High school senior Leah Jones loves nothing more than flying. While she’s in the air, it’s easy to forget life with her absentee mother at the low-rent end of a South Carolina beach town. When her flight instructor, Mr. Hall, hires her to fly for his banner advertising business, she sees it as her ticket out of the trailer park. And when he dies suddenly, she’s afraid her flying career is gone forever.     

But Mr. Hall’s teenage sons, golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson, are 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.


About the Author
Jennifer Echols was born in Atlanta and grew up in a small town on a beautiful lake in Alabama—a setting that has inspired many of her books. She has written eight romantic novels for young adults, including the comedy MAJOR CRUSH, which won the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the drama GOING TOO FAR, which was a finalist in the RITA, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Book Buyer’s Best, and was nominated by the American Library Association as a Best Book for Young Adults. Her next two teen dramas, including SUCH A RUSH, will appear in 2012 and 2013, with her adult romance novels debuting in 2013, all published by Simon & Schuster. She lives in Birmingham with her husband and her son. Please visit her online at http://www.jennifer-echols.com.

SOURCE:  AROUND THE WORLD ARC TOURS

MY THOUGHT 

ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

All I can say is WOW.  This story tackles some difficult subjects like bullies, teen pregnancy and living with little or no means.  It is just amazing! 

Leah has grown up in a somewhat abusive childhood.  Her single mother is kicked out of the family home when she discovers she is pregnant at sixteen.  Barely surviving, the pair move continuously when her mother can't pay rent or can't find a boyfriend to support her.  She learns that the only one she can depend on is herself and so when they move to a trailer park at the end of a small airport, Leah finds a way to support herself working in the small office.  She also discovers that she wants to learn how to fly.  She saves her money, demands lessons from a pilot, forges her mother's signature and takes off, both literally and figuratively.  

She also finds a family, something she has never really had.  When Mr. Hall dies and leaves his twins control of his banner flying company, Leah is thrown off course.  Her mother has little to do with her and she likes it that way.  Fiercely independent, she makes herself bigger than she really is to protect herself from the bullies at school who treat her like trailer trash.  All except Molly, who at times treats her like her own charity case. The two develop a friendship that Leah comes to depend on, although she doesn't tell Molly the depth of her despair and exactly how bad her home life is.  The twins are another story:  Grayson is more dominate and believes that Leah was sleeping with his father to get her pilot's license while Alec just seems a bit lost. 

There are a lot of manipulating factors around Leah, while she just tries to keep her head down and survive.  I connected with all of  the characters in the story, especially Leah.  At times, her story was just heartbreaking and then she would come back and fight.  You could feel her highs and lows. The dialogue just flowed so naturally through out the whole thing.  I loved Echols previous work but this one is just spectacular for it's depth and emotion.  There are mentions of sexual situations, alcohol use and some language.  This is best suited for older teens.  So obviously, I am not going into real depth here, this is a story that everyone should read. 

REVIEW: Love Story by Jennifer Echols

Description

SHE’S WRITING ABOUT HIM. HE’S WRITING ABOUT HER. AND EVERYBODY IS READING BETWEEN THE LINES. For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions—it’s her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family’s racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin’s college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a local coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?
Then, on the day she’s sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He’s joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin’s heart with longing. Now she’s not just imagining what might have been. She’s writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

About the Author

Jennifer Echols is the author of romantic dramas for MTV and romantic comedies for Pulse. She currently lives in Birmingham. Visit her on the web at www.jennifer-echols.com.

Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: MTV; Original edition (July 19, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439178321
• ISBN-13: 978-1439178324

SOURCE:  AROUND THE WORLD ARC TOURS

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

***spoiler alert - don't read the last paragraph!***

Oh how I wish I had read the blurb before I read the book.  I must have skipped the first page or something since I was really confused and didn't think this book was for me since it seemed like a generic romance novel.   Princess Bookie told me to stick with and you know she was right.  I continued to read, smiled a bunch, laughed a bit and cried some.  I still can't put my finger on why this book hit me so emotionally, but it really did touch a nerve. I really think that it is Jennifer Echols style of writing that gets her point across without forcing it--it just flows naturally.  I last read Forget You and although that was my favorite book by this author, I think that this more grown up book has now taken my top spot.

Now to make this as spoiler free as possible since this review is way before the release date. Erin has lost her inheritance after sticking to her principles and studying writing instead of business as her grandmother wishes.  She stands to lose her family's horse farm as well as the money which is the only life she has ever known.  The twist here is that Hunter, her crush from junior high, has taken her place and is given her inheritance.Fast forward to a university in New York where Erin is working as a barrista  and living in a closet to to supplement her scholarship.  She is happily making a new life for herself without wealth and is doing fine until Hunter shows up in her advanced writing class.

Pay attention to those first pages of the story since they set the stage for the rest of the book. I had to go back and reread them. There are some really priceless passages and interactions between Hunter and Erin.  If you are looking for some drama, this book has it all, including a few swoon worthy moments.  Hunter is keeping secrets from Erin and those secrets come back to bite him.  Of course there are a few twists and turns to the happy ending (ok, I spoiled it now).  This is perfect summer reading!

BLOG TOUR: Forget You by Jennifer Echols (Book Review 2010-130)

Product Description

WHY CAN’T YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU FORGET . . .  AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER?  There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon.  But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people— suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug. 

About the Author

Jennifer Echols is the author of several Romantic Comedies, as well as many other young adult novels. She currently lives in Birmingham. Visit her on the web at www.jennifer-echols.com.

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: MTV; Original edition (July 20, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439178232
• ISBN-13: 978-1439178232

SOURCE;  PUBLISHER

 LOVED IT

****SLIGHT SPOILERS*****

This is the first book I have read by Jennifer Nichols and it was a wonderful experience.  I read this one straight through with no breaks and it definitely kept my interest.  There are always certain parts of a book where you have to suspend reality in order for the plot to work and there were only one or two sticking points in this story.  The plot sees typical teenage behavior but when Zoey "forgets" the night she has a head on accident and things get strange.  She is an overachiever and tries tirelessly to be perfect so her dad will appreciate her.  Of course, she never gets far since her dad is wrapped up in his own world and her mom is overcome with mental illness.  Zoey falls apart after the accident both physically and mentally. 

Zoey thinks she is in a relationship with Brandon, but really spends all of her time with Doug.  For someone so together and smart, she messes up quite a bit.  This is probably due to her family life falling apart around her.  The accident just spurs things along. The characters really seem true to life and believable.  If you are looking for a good teenage romance, this will be a quick summer read for you.  I think this is best suited for older teens since there is alcohol, drug use and sexual situations.