4 stars out of 5.

What a wild ride! This book had so much drama and had me hooked from the beginning. The characters were all awful but I think that really added to the story. While some of the drama and events were really far fetched, I still enjoyed reading this. I liked the multiple point of views and the switch from past to present but thought it was a bit choppy. I found myself confused a few times on where I was in the storyline. Overall, if you are looking for a book full of drama with some suspense mixed in, this one is for you!

In Rush Week, we meet 4 sorority sisters from ADL. They have been out of school for 5 years, each gone their separate ways. They are brought back to Bama for rush week because they are all being blackmailed. Before they left college ADL buried a time capsule and everyone put something inside to be opened 100 years later. It turns out it was opened only 5 years later and one of the girls put "the spill book" inside it. It was a book where all the sisters wrote their deepest darkest secrets and it turns out the book is now in the wrong hands. They need to work together to figure out who took it and why they are being blackmailed.

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

No rush for me. Sigh.

What I ordered: #BamaRushTok! But make it a juicy mystery! A stolen time capsule, an anonymous blackmailer, and deep, dirty secrets—basically Pretty Little Liars meets the 90s cult classic The Skulls.

What I got: A chaotic, unfocused tree killer drowning in half-baked ideas and overactive libidos. Each sorority sister flaunts a “dark past,” but the characters never rise above their tired archetypes: the queen bee hiding a scandal, the repentant party girl, the aloof rich girl, and the one inexplicably forgiven for everything.

This wasn’t so much a mystery as a GRWM soap opera spritzed in Sol de Janerio. It’s more subpar than supreme, sigh instead of slay, and drama without direction. I could go on.

Skip the book. Pour yourself some sweet tea, stream the HBO doc, and let this sisterhood rush by without you.

*Thank you to Net Galley and Avon for an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my always honest reviews*

Final Grade: D, Not worth pledging

Oh wow get ready for a fun ride with this book! The characters were so fun to follow on their journey. I loved the ending! Very well done

This drama-packed book was perfectly written for all the lovers of #booktok and #rushtok. Brandon successfully dramatized all of the things that leave us guessing every August when Alabama comes back around with a new crop of PNMs. As a former member of Greek life at another Southern school, I thought it was interesting to read a book about “#rushtok”, an interesting development in the recruitment process that didn’t exist when I rushed myself. The similarities to my real life kept me hooked, and I read almost all of it in one sitting. I also loved the exploration of the ever-elusive “Machine”, and I’m curious to see what the response may be if this book gets into the hands of Alabama students.

However, the focus on TikTok is what led to some parts of the book that felt unrealistic to me. At least now, there is no way that girls who posted about recruitment on TikTok would end up in the top house on campus due to the liabilities that come with it. Also, in the TikTok-related realm, songs and dances were mentioned which threw off the timeline of the book. Songs that came out in 2021 were mentioned in the “then” period, but movies that came out in 2023 were treated like recent releases in the “now” period, 9 years later. Beyond these small discrepancies, I quite enjoyed the book; it’ll be devoured by anyone considering Greek life, currently in or recently an alumni of Greek life, and those who always wished they joined.

This book was everything I dreamed it would be and more!! The tik tok phenomena of Alabama had me always wondering what rushing there would be like. Following the journey of BATA painted that picture of sisterhood and more. I loved the switching of the protagonists but also enjoyed the then and now touch! It definitely added depth to the story and had me saying just one more chapter! I was grateful for a snow day as I finished this book in a day and a half. I can not wait until it comes out, as I will be adding it to my shelf. Thank you netgalley and publisher for the advanced copy. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars!!

As a former sorority girl, Michelle Brandon hit this one out of the park. Tracking a set of girls as adults and flashing back and forth to rush week, someone is spilling the tea...

Who has the spill book? How did they get it? Why are they revealing this information now? 5 years after graduation the sisters are back, and this time they'll find what they need to know before their lives are ruined.

I loved the characters, the web of lies built, and reading how each one grew throughout the story. I was shocked at the ending (who had the book) and how things went. This was an excellent read!

Rush Week by Michelle Brandon is a drama-packed story of secrets, scandals, and sisterhood. The premise is juicy: Four sorority sisters with dark pasts reunite to face the fallout of their buried confessions in a stolen time capsule. The book has all the ingredients for a wild, suspenseful ride, but while it delivers the drama, it doesn’t dig as deep as I hoped it would.

The setting and atmosphere are spot on. The sorority culture, the tension of Rush Week, and the looming threat of exposure all add a layer of intrigue. The dark humor and sexy scandals keep the pages turning, and the blend of past and present secrets creates some genuinely tense moments.

That said, the characters felt a little underdeveloped. While each sister had a unique backstory, their motivations and relationships often felt surface-level, making it hard to connect with them on a deeper emotional level. The narrative leaned heavily on the drama, but it could have used more time unpacking the consequences of their secrets and the complexity of their bond.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced, drama-filled escape, Rush Week is an entertaining read. It’s light on depth but heavy on scandal, making it perfect for fans of soapy thrillers. Just don’t expect it to leave a lasting impression once Bid Day is over.

I thought this was a super entertaining read but that was all it was. I really enjoy thriller books with a plot twist but I fully guessed the twist of this book from the beginning. The constant switching of the characters’s POVs as well as the switching between the past and present timelines made for a confusing read (even though it gave the story a lot of backstory and helped to flesh out the plot). Additionally, I felt that it was hard to care about the any of the characters and despite the attempt to make them interesting, they still fell flat. Lastly, this is such a random and minor thing to be annoyed about but I really did not like the slang/references used to make the book seem “hip”?? They felt so forced and kept throwing me out of the story bc I could not stop cringing.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This title definitely lived up to it’’s hype. It had all the drama of sorority life. It started off immediately with a suspenseful twist that followed through the book. I always enjoy when a book gets you hooked quickly!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for granting me early access to this book in exchange for my honest review! "Rush Week" transported me back to my sorority days, incorporating a modern twist with a Bama Rush theme and social media elements. While my sorority experience wasn't as wild or dramatic, I enjoyed reading a story that captured all the various elements—and then some!

The story centers on four sorority sisters, each with their own quirks, who return to the University of Alabama during Rush Week. When a time capsule filled with their confessions is opened, chaos ensues.

This book is a fun mix of humor and drama, making it a great pick, especially if you've been part of a sorority and can relate to the experiences and dynamics. Definitely worth a look if you are looking for a laugh.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!

What a good book! I really enjoyed this book and had such a hard time putting it down. I enjoyed the writing style. The characters worked so well together and the plot was great.

I wanted to love this. I really, really did. The concept was so interesting. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat for me.

What I liked - the drama. So. Much. Drama. It reminded me of the nighttime soap operas from the 80s. Unfortunately, most of the plot, the characters’ backstories in particular, were completely far fetched and unbelievable (to me, anyway). The characters were all truly awful and it made it difficult for me to care about what happened to them in the end.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Not sure what I was expecting… I did learn a lot. I love the suspense. I love that we got to see the different lives of the women and how they were went they went to school. I’m not familiar with rush week so this was interesting!

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow Books for the arc!

I'm from Alabama, so I am very familiar with Bama Rush and all the insanity involved. I loved reading about these girls #ootd and their Tiktok videos. However, I loved reading about their secrets even more. This was such a a wild ride!

Delicious ! Michelle Brandon brings the tea in this perfectly executed story of sisters returning to their beloved sorority to save their secrets.

It's five years after Asana, Taylor, Brooklyn and Annabelle have left their beloved University of Alabama for the real world. The young woman has spread far and wide and no longer keep in touch. But when they hear that their infamous “Spill Book” containing all of their very personal secrest is being used for blackmail, they reluctantly return to try and mitigate the damage. Brandon keeps the tension as she flashes back and reveals each girl's secret and why it's so important to them to keep it that way. Shocking, quickly moving, Rush Week is soapy Mean Girls with lot of Real House Wives. I loved the twists and turns and all of the secrets and. you will too!
#williammorrow #rushweek #bamarush. #michellebrandon

It’s Rush Week at The University of Alabama, but for four former alumni and sisters of Alpha Delta Lambda, bid day could spell disaster. Five years ago, sorority sisters and besties Taylor, Asana, Brittany and Annabelle ruled the house. Strong willed, competitive chapter president Taylor had started the Spill Book, a diary that each active member was required to record her deepest, darkest secrets and desires. Though it was placed in a hundred year time capsule during their graduation year, current leadership was forced to dig it up and someone has stolen the book and is threatening to air the past. These four women will do anything to stop that from happening.

This was a quick and easy thriller for me. Told from the points of view of the four central characters and set in changing timelines between five years ago and today. I was sometimes confused about which secret went with which character because the story was brimming with them. Not an outstanding thriller, but a reliable story with an almost a YA element. 3 and a quarter stars

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

It’s clear the author put work into this novel, but it didn’t work for me for several reasons:
1. It ages itself very poorly. TikTok didn’t exist 5 years ago and as of Monday, won’t exist anymore.
2. While I recognize things are different at Alabama, in no world would alumni be invited for all of recruitment.
3. The whole concept of the “spill book” was too silly to be the main premise of this book. In no world would people sign their names on these quippy little riddles, even if the intention was it would be buried and never seen.
4. I don’t think adding The Machine storyline was necessary; it could’ve been the main story here and been infinitely more appealing, but the small bits we get about it just feel like an add on. Plus, I’m supposed to believe a 21 year old brought the entire thing down (though it barely seems she made a dent)? Whether it exists or not, even the made up version in this book makes that seem highly unbelievable.
5. The fact an alumna, regardless of who she was, stole the spill book and the reason given was so idiotic and made absolutely no sense given what we knew about the character.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The "then" and "now" was a bit confusing but I really enjoyed this book! The secrets at the start of each chapter was truly delightful and kind of scandalous. I loved seeing how BATA's friendship changed during the course of rush week both when they girls were rushees and alumni. I would NOT have pegged the wicked web that was spun and who actually was the culprit behind the threats. Truly a dastardly tale of intrigue, scandal, and sisterhood to make your head spin!

This was so juicy and I loved it! I liked that we got four different characters and while they were not pleasant I loved their stories, secrets and betrayals. I devoured every bit of this book. The writing and thought that went into this story was phenomenal.

I loved every page of this book! What an absolute guilty pleasure. Mean Girls meets Greek meets Deaperate Housewives. Loved the different POVs. Loved all the betrayal and secrets. Just loved, loved, loved. It was such a great time!