Tag: Jennifer Echols

Throwback Thursday Review: Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols

Posted June 4, 2020 by Rowena in Reviews | 5 Comments

Throwback Thursday Review: Endless Summer by Jennifer EcholsReviewer: Rowena
Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: April 19, 2011
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: First
Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
Genres: Young Adult
Pages: 626
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four-stars

Two irresistible boys. One unforgettable summer.

Lori can’t wait for her summer at the lake. She loves wakeboarding and hanging with her friends—including the two hotties next door. With the Vader brothers, she's always been just one of the guys. Now that she’s turning sixteen, she wants to be seen as one of the girls, especially in the eyes of Sean, the older brother. But that’s not going to happen—not if the younger brother, Adam, can help it.

Lori plans to make Sean jealous by spending time with Adam. Adam has plans of his own for Lori. As the air heats up, so does this love triangle. Will Lori’s romantic summer melt into one hot mess?

*** Every Thursday, we’ll be posting throwback reviews of our favorite and not-so-favorite books. Enjoy! ***

This review was originally posted on June 4, 2010.

The Boys Next Door: This book follows Lori as she grows balls to finally go after the boy that she’s always wanted, Sean Vader. She grew up with Sean but he’s two years older than she is and doesn’t see her the way that she wants him to but she’s determined to change that. He sees her as her older brother’s little sister and she goes through this transformation in order to get Sean to notice her and when that doesn’t work, she concocts a plan to make him notice her. She also enlists the help of Sean’s younger brother and one of her best friend’s, Adam.

So the plan is to use Adam to make Sean jealous. You could just imagine the kind of drama that caused. I mean, Lori’s in love with Sean. Adam’s in love with Lori. Sean is just well, Sean. He’s a pain in the ass and I could not for the life of me understand why Lori liked Sean. From the very beginning, it was all about Adam for me. It was Adam that I wanted Lori to end up with. Never once did I want Lori to get with Sean and after something pretty big happens at the very first Vader boys summer party, I could not understand why Lori didn’t stop her whole plan to snare Sean because after that happened, I didn’t even like Sean.

He commits a cardinal sin and it took me a very long time to forgive him for it. Over the course of this story, Lori proceeds to drive me absolutely insane. She made one boneheaded mistake after another and I just could not for the life of me figure out how she thought any of her stupid plans would work.

By the time Endless Summer begins, Lori has finally ended up with the guy she’s supposed to end up with and on the night that they make it official, they get grounded. Their parents are livid with them and they’re not allowed to see each other anymore. It’s kind of hard because they live next door to each other and they work together but their parents mean what they say and date, Lori could not.

In the first story, we get to learn a whole lot about the kind of girl Lori is. She’s strong minded, she’s fearless and she does what she needs to do to get what she wants. In some ways, it was good. She didn’t back down from going after Sean when that’s what she thought she wanted and then with Adam, she went after trying to solve their problems by being this no-it-all pain in the ass that got on my hot damn nerves.

In Endless Summer, we get to know Adam more. Adam saved this whole book for me because I adored him. I felt and saw the changes and the growing that Adam went through in this story and it felt sincere and it felt real. In the beginning, Adam is immature and he lets his ADHD rule his life. In the Endless Summer, Adam does some growing up because if he wants that future with Lori, he needs to man up and be the kind of boy that Lori’s father would be okay with dating his daughter.

All throughout the book, we see everyone cracking jokes or picking on Adam for his ADHD. Sean teased him mercilessly about it and never once were any of Sean’s jokes funny. Adam had a lot to overcome between his brothers always picking on him, his parents never believing a word that came out of his mouth and Adam just kind of taking it. More than once, I was livid with Adam’s parents for being won over by Sean. He’s nursing this crush that he’s had on Lori for years and when he finally gets her, he can’t be with her because he’s once again messed things up.

Watching the growth in Adam Vader is what made this book for me. It’s the one thing that at the end of the book, had me closing the book with a smile on my face because I knew that Adam was going to be okay. I was happy for Adam.

I can’t say the same for Lori because at the end of the book, I was still pissed off at her for all of her stupid ideas. It really pissed me off that everyone, including Lori didn’t have enough faith in Adam to do the right thing. I didn’t doubt that Lori loved Adam but for me, she didn’t deserve him. Yeah, he was immature and he was hot headed but he was also so intensely sweet and so passionately in love with Lori and I adored it. I felt like Adam was short changed but because I knew that he was happy because he ultimately got what he wanted in the end, I was happy for him.

This book reminded me of when I read Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer. I was fiercely addicted to that series and when Eclipse finally came out, I couldn’t read it fast enough and while I was reading it, I kept wanting to throw the book at the wall because both Bella and Jacob were getting on my nerves. Edward too but in this book, it was Lori and Sean that got on my nerves. Too bad in Eclipse, there wasn’t anyone in Eclipse that could save that story for me. In this story, Adam saved the book for me.

This book brought out all of the emotions in me. It made me smile, it made me laugh, it made me mad, annoyed and livid at times but it did entertain me as well. It’s also made me very anxious for more Jennifer Echols because I ate this book up, this book is weighs more than my nephew Luke but I inhaled this book in a day.

Kudos, Jennifer Echols for writing a complex character that I will remember for always…Adam Vader.

Grade: 4 out of 5

four-stars

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Review: Most Likely to Succeed by Jennifer Echols

Posted July 8, 2015 by Rowena in Reviews | 1 Comment

most likely to succeed
Rowena’s review of Most Likely to Succeed (Superlatives #3) by Jennifer Echols.

In this sexy conclusion to The Superlatives trilogy from Endless Summer author Jennifer Echols, Sawyer and Kaye might just be perfect for each other—if only they could admit it.

As vice president of Student Council, Kaye knows the importance of keeping order. Not only in school, but in her personal life. Which is why she and her boyfriend, Aidan, already have their lives mapped out: attend Columbia University together, pursue banking careers, and eventually get married. Everything Kaye has accomplished in high school—student government, cheerleading, stellar grades—has been in preparation for that future.

To his entire class, Sawyer is an irreverent bad boy. His antics on the field as school mascot and his love of partying have earned him total slacker status. But while he and Kaye appear to be opposites on every level, fate—and their friends—keep conspiring to throw them together. Perhaps the seniors see the simmering attraction Kaye and Sawyer are unwilling to acknowledge to themselves…

As the year unfolds, Kaye begins to realize her ideal life is not what she thought. And Sawyer decides it’s finally time to let down the facade and show everyone who he really is. Is a relationship between them most likely to succeed—or will it be their favorite mistake?

Book 3 in the Superlatives series and it was a book that I was looking forward to reading because we were finally getting Sawyer’s book. Sawyer was the class screw up when we first meet him but over the course of the series, you see him change his ways. He goes from smoking pot, partying and going through girls every weekend to getting his shit together. I loved Sawyer. I thought he was the very best part of this book. Even when he was being a bonehead, I loved him.

Kaye on the other hand drove me crazy for a good portion of the book. Every time she would push and pull and play with Sawyer’s emotions, I wanted to smack her. But in the end, she gets it together and I ended up liking her. She wasn’t my favorite girl of the bunch but I could see why Sawyer liked her. I also understood why Kaye thought and acted the way that she did. I don’t know how she lived to be 17 without killing her mother. Her Mom was such a bitch.

My main gripes with the story were Aidan and Kaye’s Mom. Every time Sawyer had to pay for Aidan’s jealousy and his stupidity, I wanted to kick Aidan in the nuts. Every time Kaye talked down to and about Sawyer, I wanted to claw her eyes out. She’s a grown ass adult and the way she treated others made me want to smack the shit out of her. She thoroughly pissed me off over and over again. Her actions and the way she treated her daughter and Sawyer also made me mad at Kaye’s Dad. He’s supposed to be cool parent but you don’t let your wife talk to your kids like that. You don’t let your daughter go through that kind of shit. That’s not tough love. That’s bullshit. In the end, where the Mom apologizes and makes nice, I still wanted to beat the every loving shit out of her.

Aidan was no better. He was such a weak character. So focused on getting to the top that he didn’t care who he trampled on and hurt to get there. The way that he treated Kaye and the shit he put Sawyer through made me hate him so much that there was no prayer of redemption for him. Fuck him. I was so glad when Kaye finally put him out of her life for good. She deserved so much more than he ever gave her and I was so freaking happy when she left Aidan behind for good and jumped on the Sawyer train.

Getting to know Sawyer more throughout this story made me love him even more than I did in the previous books. My heart hurt for him and I wanted to hug him close and take care of him, I liked him so much. Every time that Kaye would make him happy, only to hurt him made me think that maybe he deserved better than her but then seeing Kaye come around, I changed my mind. Kaye was Sawyer’s person. She was the one that he wanted in his corner and I liked seeing Kaye come to the realization that Sawyer was her person too. When they finally decide to get their shit together and just be together, I loved seeing the lengths that they went to, to be together. To be happy. I loved that they didn’t care about what anyone thought (including Kaye’s parents). They liked each other and they were going to be there for each other through thick and thin.

Jennifer Echols did a great job of pulling every emotion out of me with this book. There were times when I laughed, times when I teared up and then times when I was so rip roaring pissed off that I wanted to throw this book but it wasn’t a boring book. There were a few times that I thought I was going to DNF this one but I’m glad that I stuck with it. I enjoyed seeing the couples from previous books and I thought Echols handled their addition to the story well. They weren’t completely corny and lovey dovey, and I appreciated that. Nothing drives me crazier than recurring characters that are couples that come back and are nauseating in their love for each other. That wasn’t the case with Brody, Harper, Will and Tia. I loved that even though they loved Kaye, they were still there for Sawyer.

The romance between Kaye and Sawyer was cute and enjoyable. I was happy with the way that this book ended but I’m not going to lie, it was a bumpy road getting there.

Grade: 3 out of 5

This book is available from Simon Pulse. You can purchase it here or here in e-format. This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Perfect Couple by Jennifer Echols

Posted January 19, 2015 by Rowena in Reviews | 1 Comment

perfect couple
Rowena’s review of Perfect Couple (Superlatives #2) by Jennifer Echols.

Perfect Couple is #2 in the Superlatives series about seniors at a Florida high school who are selected for their class’s superlative categories in the yearbook, and how the labels change the way they view themselves and alter the course of their lives.

Can your heart be put to a popular vote?

As yearbook photographer, Harper is responsible for capturing those candid moments that make high school memorable. But her own life is anything but picture perfect. Her parents’ bitter divorce has left her wondering what a loving relationship would look like. And ever since the senior class voted her and star quarterback Brody the “Perfect Couple That Never Was,” her friends have been on her case to ask Brody out.

Brody doesn’t lack in female admirers, but Harper can’t see herself with him. He seems confused about why they were matched together, too. They’re total opposites—the last people in the world who would ever be compatible, let alone the “perfect couple.” Yet ever since the class paired the two of them, they’ve found themselves drawn together–first by curiosity, then by an undeniable bond.

The trouble is, though they’re very attracted to each other and both of them admit this, they have a hard time getting along or even communicating clearly. If they’re the perfect couple, this shouldn’t be so difficult! Soon it becomes clear their class was wrong, and they throw in the towel. But after they walk away, both of them feel so changed from making the effort that they can’t forget each other. What if that means this match made in hell is the perfect couple after all?

This is the second book in the Superlatives series. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read the book or not but requested it, just in case I did. It took me a while but I finally got this one read and all I can say is that I’m glad I did because it was such a super cute read and the perfect read to pick up after being knee deep in paranormal romances.

Harper is Tia’s (from Book 1) friend and Brody Larson is the starting Quarterback for their school football team. The senior class voted Harper and Brody, the Perfect Couple that Never Was. Harper is shocked since she has absolutely nothing in common with him. He’s sociable and an athlete and she’s a photographer who would rather spend her time alone but none of that matters when she’s by herself with her huge crush on him. He doesn’t see her like that because he’s with the beautiful and blonde Grace but when the more they talk, the more interested they are in each other.

This was a quick read about two high school seniors that weren’t meant to be together until they were together. I thought it was such a cute story and if I had a complaint about the book it would have been I wish we had gotten inside Brody’s head. We only get Harper’s POV and I think the story would have benefited more from dual perspectives. Oh, well.

The book was still cute. Harper was a great heroine who acted the way a normal teenager would act. She was strong and when she decides that she’s had enough with letting others dictate her life, she becomes even more awesome. I loved the person that she was with Brody. She starts off really shy around him and Echols did a great job of showcasing the growth of their relationship. They didn’t jump into a relationship right after it was announced that they were the perfect couple that never was. Their relationship grew over time and it was genuine and real. I ate it all up.

Brody was a great love interest. I loved that when things got hard, he didn’t let Harper off the hook. He didn’t let her walk all over him. He made her make a decision and I liked that. I liked that Harper didn’t let up on herself as well. She knew when she made mistakes and she apologized when she was being an idiot. You certainly see the growth that both characters go through with this book and really, I just had fun with this whole book.

I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series. I hope Kaye gets that giant stick out of her butt where Sawyer is concerned and I hope that he finally mans up and goes after what he really wants. I liked them as characters and am pretty anxious for their story. It was good to see the gang back together again and to see Tia and Will doing well together. I liked their book and really enjoyed this book as well. I have every faith that I’m going to enjoy the heck out of Most Likely to Succeed. I think fans of Jennifer Echols will find this new addition to her back list a delight. I definitely recommend.

Grade: 4 out of 5

This book is available from Simon Pulse. You can purchase it here or here in e-format. This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Biggest Flirts by Jennifer Echols

Posted August 4, 2014 by Rowena in Reviews | 0 Comments

Rowena’s review of Biggest Flirts (Superlatives #1) by Jennifer Echols.

Tia and Will’s lives get flipped upside down when they’re voted Yearbook’s Biggest Flirts in this sassy novel from the author of Endless Summer and The One That I Want.

Tia just wants to have fun. She’s worked hard to earn her reputation as the life of the party, and she’s ready for a carefree senior year of hanging out with friends and hooking up with cute boys. And her first order of business? New guy Will. She can’t get enough of his Midwestern accent and laidback swagger.

As the sparks start to fly, Will wants to get serious. Tia’s seen how caring too much has left her sisters heartbroken, and she isn’t interested in commitment. But pushing Will away drives him into the arms of another girl. Tia tells herself it’s no big deal…until the yearbook elections are announced. Getting voted Biggest Flirts with Will is, well, awkward. They may just be friends, but their chemistry is beginning to jeopardize Will’s new relationship—and causing Tia to reconsider her true feelings. What started as a lighthearted fling is about to get very complicated…

Jennifer Echols is hit or miss with me. I have really loved some of her books but I have really hated some of her books as well. I’m happy to say that this book was a total hit for me.

Biggest Flirts is the first book in the Superlatives series and it follows Tia and Will as they fumble their way to that happily for now.  It’s a YA contemporary novel that was cute, fun and funny. The characters are wonderfully flawed and the story moves at a great pace and it wasn’t hard to fall into this story at all. Tia is a big time flirt, the resident party girl and when she meets new boy Will, he wants to be in a relationship with her. Tia’s not a relationship girl though. She’s a hit it and quit it kind of girl and that works for her. But there’s something about Will that is getting under her skin.

Will moved from Minnesota to Florida for his senior year and he’s not exactly happy about it but when he meets Tia at a party, he’s mighty interested. Both Tia and Will are on the drumline in their school band and they stand right next to each other and during practice, they spend a whole lot of time getting yelled at for flirting.

Watching these two get closer and closer is a lot of fun.  Echols does a great job of making Tia connectable with readers and Will was a great love interest. They’re both flawed and do really stupid things but it was still an enjoyable ride to be apart of.  I really liked getting to know both Tia and Will and meeting the other characters in the series was pretty great too.

I’m super excited to read the next book in this series and I’m crossing my fingers that I will enjoy it just as much as I did this one.

Grade: 3.5 out of 5

This book is available from Simon Pulse. You can purchase it here or here in e-format. This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols.

Posted September 9, 2013 by Rowena in Reviews | 1 Comment

Dirty Little SecretRowena’s review of Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols.

Hero: Sam
Heroine: Bailey

From the author of the “real page-turner” (Seventeen) Such a Rush comes an unforgettable new drama that follows friends-turned-lovers as they navigate the passions, heartbreaks, and intrigue of country music fame.

Bailey wasn’t always a wild child and the black sheep of her family. She used to play fiddle and tour the music circuit with her sister, Julie, who sang and played guitar. That ended when country music execs swooped in and signed Julie to a solo deal. Never mind that Julie and Bailey were a duet, or that Bailey was their songwriter. The music scouts wanted only Julie, and their parents were content to sit by and let her fulfill her dreams while Bailey’s were hushed away.

Bailey has tried to numb the pain and disappointment over what could have been. And as Julie’s debut album is set to hit the charts, her parents get fed up with Bailey’s antics and ship her off to granddad’s house in Nashville. Playing fiddle in washed-up tribute groups at the mall, Bailey meets Sam, a handsome and oh-so-persuasive guitarist with his own band. He knows Bailey’s fiddle playing is just the thing his band needs to break into the industry. But this life has broken Bailey’s heart once before. She isn’t sure she’s ready to let Sam take her there again…

Jennifer Echols made me a fan of hers when I read Going too Far and while I haven’t enjoyed every single book by hers that I’ve read, I still gobble her books up whenever they come out. Dirty Little Secret was another winner for me and I’m still smiling over how much I liked this book.

Bailey’s having a bad year. For as long as she can remember, she’d been playing her fiddle with her sister all over the place and when a record label wants to sign her sister, without her, Bailey is kicked to the curb while her sister goes off and gets famous. Suddenly, left without a band to play in, Bailey hides her disappointment and hurt with her parents by acting out. Now she’s moved in with her grandfather while her parents are out on the road with her sister and she can’t do a damn thing on her own. She can’t make trouble, she can’t tell anyone her last name because the record label people don’t want a scandal that will taint the progress that they’re making with Julie’s career.

I really liked this book. I loved the Nashville setting, the country music scene and the romance that blossomed between Sam and Bailey and I really liked when Bailey finally spoke up for herself. It’s really disappointing for me as a parent to see parents portrayed so selfishly and displaying favoritism toward their kids. I’m not perfect but my daughter’s happiness is important to me and I try to make her as happy as I can be and it’s sad to me that not too many parents are portrayed as good parents in the books that I’ve been reading lately. Bailey’s parents fall into this selfish category and they pissed me off in this book.

So Bailey joins Sam’s band and the band really takes off. There’s a lot of drama between the bands because Sam used to date the drummer and she hasn’t gotten over him but he’s trying to keep the peace even though he really likes Bailey. So that was interesting and I really liked that they played songs that I actually know and like. It’s not very often that I know the songs that are mentioned in the books that I’m reading but I love me some Zac Brown Band and I loved Sam and Bailey’s band because they covered their songs.

What I really liked about this book is that the story came alive through the words on each page. I was so wrapped up in the story that I felt like I was a part of the book and not just reading it. I think Echols excels at this and when I closed the book, I had a goofy smile on my face because the book ended just the way that I wanted it to and I felt the resolutions in the book were dealt with in a realistic way and I really liked that.

There were times when I wanted to strangle both Sam and Bailey because they fought so much and usually they found about things that in the grand scheme of things were just not important. But you can see the growth between not just them but each character in the book and I really liked that.

I definitely recommend this book.

Grade: 4 out of 5

This book is available from Harper Teen. You can buy it here or here in e-format. This book was provided by the publisher for an honest review.

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