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Rush Week
An irresistible, juicy contemporary novel based on the TikTok phenomenon #BamaRushTok—about four sorority sisters brought back to the top-tier house they ruled at the University of Alabama, when secrets they’d thought long buried threaten to resurface.
Four sorority sisters. Each with dark secrets. They must stop the unexpected opening of a time capsule created as part of a sorority rush ritual that was supposed to hold their deepest secrets buried forever...
Five years after they thought they’d said goodbye forever, a group of sorority sisters find themselves back at the University of Alabama for Rush Week. Some return to rekindle their friendships, and others to keep long silent secrets from being exhumed. Unbeknownst to them at the time, the infamous “Spill Book” they wrote confessions in as a trust (hazing) exercise over the years was placed into a time capsule—now it’s been stolen, and the anonymous thief is threatening to expose them all on Bid Day.
Rush Week is a juicy, wild, drama-packed novel filled with good—and not so good—girls behaving badly, dark humor, and sexy scandals. As the sisters navigate their present and not-so-distant past, unbreakable bonds of friendship are put to the test, and regrettable mistakes threaten to change everything if exposed. But perhaps if they confess their sins to each other, they can begin to mend not only themselves, but their sisterhood— before the world finds out just how wicked they are.
11 hrs. 7 mins.
Four sorority sisters. Each with dark secrets. They must stop the unexpected opening of a time capsule created as part of a sorority rush ritual that was supposed to hold their deepest secrets buried forever...
Five years after they thought they’d said goodbye forever, a group of sorority sisters find themselves back at the University of Alabama for Rush Week. Some return to rekindle their friendships, and others to keep long silent secrets from being exhumed. Unbeknownst to them at the time, the infamous “Spill Book” they wrote confessions in as a trust (hazing) exercise over the years was placed into a time capsule—now it’s been stolen, and the anonymous thief is threatening to expose them all on Bid Day.
Rush Week is a juicy, wild, drama-packed novel filled with good—and not so good—girls behaving badly, dark humor, and sexy scandals. As the sisters navigate their present and not-so-distant past, unbreakable bonds of friendship are put to the test, and regrettable mistakes threaten to change everything if exposed. But perhaps if they confess their sins to each other, they can begin to mend not only themselves, but their sisterhood— before the world finds out just how wicked they are.
11 hrs. 7 mins.
12 pages, Audiobook
Published July 22, 2025
155 people are currently reading
7839 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Brandon
2 books33 followersMichelle Brandon is a pseudonym for Eliza Knight, an award-winning and USA Today bestselling author. A travel junkie and fan of wine, when she's not writing, she can be found lounging on the beach with a delicious book or taking a long restorative walk. Surrounded by palm trees and wild animals, she lives in the sunshine state with her husband, daughters, two slobbery doggies and a turtle named Fish.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 262 reviews
August 23, 2025
ARC for review. To be published July 22, 2025.
2 stars
Taylor, Annabelle, Brooklyn and Asana.
All incoming freshman at the University of Alabama. All rushing. All want a place at Alpha Delta Lambda…as far as they are concerned, it’s the only place to be. Follow the girls through their college years and ten years later as they reunite to try to prevent their secrets from coming out.
So, I was in a sorority (Southern girl at a Southern school so no surprise there. I was a Chi Omega, and it was a truly great experience.) so I’m a bit of a sucker for Greek life nonsense. THEN when I saw this book was “based on BamaRush TikToks,” I knew I had to read it. A whole book based on Bama rushees’ OOTDs (that’s “Outfits of the Day” for those not in the know)?!? How could this be anything other that a great big glorious mess?
And it mostly is. There’s a fairly lame plot here (you idiots want me to write down my biggest secrets and give them to you? Um, I was never that dumb, but thanks!). The women of ADL are not learning to be their best and brightest selves. There is some fairly surface level talk of The Machine (THAT is a great Alabama rabbit hole to go down if you don’t know about it and have the time. It’s pretty disheartening.) I was glad to see it wasn’t ignored. But, overall, not a great read for me.
2 stars
Taylor, Annabelle, Brooklyn and Asana.
All incoming freshman at the University of Alabama. All rushing. All want a place at Alpha Delta Lambda…as far as they are concerned, it’s the only place to be. Follow the girls through their college years and ten years later as they reunite to try to prevent their secrets from coming out.
So, I was in a sorority (Southern girl at a Southern school so no surprise there. I was a Chi Omega, and it was a truly great experience.) so I’m a bit of a sucker for Greek life nonsense. THEN when I saw this book was “based on BamaRush TikToks,” I knew I had to read it. A whole book based on Bama rushees’ OOTDs (that’s “Outfits of the Day” for those not in the know)?!? How could this be anything other that a great big glorious mess?
And it mostly is. There’s a fairly lame plot here (you idiots want me to write down my biggest secrets and give them to you? Um, I was never that dumb, but thanks!). The women of ADL are not learning to be their best and brightest selves. There is some fairly surface level talk of The Machine (THAT is a great Alabama rabbit hole to go down if you don’t know about it and have the time. It’s pretty disheartening.) I was glad to see it wasn’t ignored. But, overall, not a great read for me.
August 5, 2025
I'm mailing this to Molly when I’m done with it. SAA 4eva
You can take the girl out of the South but you can’t take the South out of the girl.
I guess a lot of you hate this. I'm ngl, I requested it as a joke, but I'm finding it pretty funny. I hate the four. I love the four. I love to hate the four? They're horrible. They're honestly horribly relatable. I'm not white. I'm not rich. I grew up comfortably. I know rich people say that, but we were solidly middle to almost upper middle class. I wanted for nothing, but I was not like the other girls I went to private high school with. A lot of them went on to rush. A lot of them are rich, white and blonde. I am none of the above, and that's okay, because this still hits.
A Spill Book, evocative of the MEAN GIRLS Burn Book, is "stolen," and the women's secrets are threatened to be revealed. These aren't your normal secrets. Or maybe they are. These women are jewelry fencers, drug dealers, sugar babies and more. Look, I'm not here to judge, especially when it amuses. And beautiful, rich, white women amuse when they create their own problems. Is that why y'all love reading domestic thrillers so much?
📖 Thank you to Goodreads and Avon a
You can take the girl out of the South but you can’t take the South out of the girl.
I guess a lot of you hate this. I'm ngl, I requested it as a joke, but I'm finding it pretty funny. I hate the four. I love the four. I love to hate the four? They're horrible. They're honestly horribly relatable. I'm not white. I'm not rich. I grew up comfortably. I know rich people say that, but we were solidly middle to almost upper middle class. I wanted for nothing, but I was not like the other girls I went to private high school with. A lot of them went on to rush. A lot of them are rich, white and blonde. I am none of the above, and that's okay, because this still hits.
A Spill Book, evocative of the MEAN GIRLS Burn Book, is "stolen," and the women's secrets are threatened to be revealed. These aren't your normal secrets. Or maybe they are. These women are jewelry fencers, drug dealers, sugar babies and more. Look, I'm not here to judge, especially when it amuses. And beautiful, rich, white women amuse when they create their own problems. Is that why y'all love reading domestic thrillers so much?
📖 Thank you to Goodreads and Avon a
May 25, 2025
Let’s start with the cover: I really didn’t like it. There were so many creative directions that could’ve better captured the tone and themes of the book, but this one just didn’t land. It felt like a cheap design choice that tried to be clever but came off as tacky.
I was initially intrigued by the premise — a group of sorority sisters returning to campus during Rush Week after being blackmailed, grappling with a resurfaced “Spill Book” and long-buried secrets. I did enjoy the drama for a bit, but it got pretty tiring about halfway through. I found myself struggling to connect with the characters. The story is told through four POVs, alternating between “then” and “now” in short chapters. While that structure had potential, the characters were poorly developed and often made frustrating decisions that didn’t make much sense. I had a hard time sympathizing with any of them. Their lack of depth made it difficult to get invested, and their behavior often came across as exaggerated or shallow — truly awful at times.
This book felt like the author just typed away without putting much effort into research, relying instead on surface-level stereotypes of Greek life. And adding The Machine storyline wasn’t all that necessary, just felt like an add on that wasn’t really well thought out even though it’s a real thing at Alabama (if you’ve ever went down that rabbit hole, you know). It read like someone who thinks they know how sororities and fraternities work because of TikTok. The writing lacked nuance and authenticity — just vibes and tropes.
The characters, supposedly in their mid-to-late 20s, either acted like they never grew out of their teen years or way too old for their age. It was inconsistent and often cringey, making it nearly impossible to engage with the story.
The pacing dragged at times, and honestly, the book could’ve been 50 to 100 pages shorter. I’d read a chapter or two, feel drained, and have to put it down. What started a promising read quickly became repetitive and exhausting. And the ending? Uneventful, anticlimactic, and totally unsatisfying. There was no real buildup or payoff — just a quiet fizzle instead of any meaningful reveal.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘮 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸 | 𝘈𝘷𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.💐ᡣ𐭩
I was initially intrigued by the premise — a group of sorority sisters returning to campus during Rush Week after being blackmailed, grappling with a resurfaced “Spill Book” and long-buried secrets. I did enjoy the drama for a bit, but it got pretty tiring about halfway through. I found myself struggling to connect with the characters. The story is told through four POVs, alternating between “then” and “now” in short chapters. While that structure had potential, the characters were poorly developed and often made frustrating decisions that didn’t make much sense. I had a hard time sympathizing with any of them. Their lack of depth made it difficult to get invested, and their behavior often came across as exaggerated or shallow — truly awful at times.
This book felt like the author just typed away without putting much effort into research, relying instead on surface-level stereotypes of Greek life. And adding The Machine storyline wasn’t all that necessary, just felt like an add on that wasn’t really well thought out even though it’s a real thing at Alabama (if you’ve ever went down that rabbit hole, you know). It read like someone who thinks they know how sororities and fraternities work because of TikTok. The writing lacked nuance and authenticity — just vibes and tropes.
The characters, supposedly in their mid-to-late 20s, either acted like they never grew out of their teen years or way too old for their age. It was inconsistent and often cringey, making it nearly impossible to engage with the story.
The pacing dragged at times, and honestly, the book could’ve been 50 to 100 pages shorter. I’d read a chapter or two, feel drained, and have to put it down. What started a promising read quickly became repetitive and exhausting. And the ending? Uneventful, anticlimactic, and totally unsatisfying. There was no real buildup or payoff — just a quiet fizzle instead of any meaningful reveal.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘮 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸 | 𝘈𝘷𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.💐ᡣ𐭩
April 10, 2025
I received a free copy of, Rush Week, by Michelle Brandon, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Annabelle, Brooklyn, Asana, and Taylor were sorority sisters, now they are back at their alma mater University of Alabama, for rush week. I could not get into this book at all.
January 18, 2025
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.
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.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
December 30, 2024So maybe I want to read this book, I am undecided.
But what idiotic cover designer decided that it should say "RUSH WSSK"?
Just because a sigma looks like an E doesn't mean that it is. What an insult to the Greek language.
But what idiotic cover designer decided that it should say "RUSH WSSK"?
Just because a sigma looks like an E doesn't mean that it is. What an insult to the Greek language.
Currently reading
January 27, 2025A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR...
Dear Reader,
When my editor approached me about writing a juicy Bama Rush book, I was immediately on board. My mind went wild with the possibilities, and almost instantly Taylor, Brooklyn, Asana and Annabelle were knocking around in my head begging to be put on the page.
The timeline of this book is purposefully ambiguous. It does not take place 9 years ago -- TikTok wasn't a thing 9 years ago. The book starts out when RushTok became popular, and follows a timeline that surpasses our current calendar. As a historical writer in my other life, I'm very familiar with timelines and research, the latter of which I did extensively, the former of which I chose not to elaborate on.
Rush is a huge trend on TikTok and other socials. Schools from across the US post their dance routines and chants, and people flock to the pages to check out the latest OOTDs (outfits of the day), jewelry trends, how to wear makeup, and let’s be honest to hear the TEA. There’s no other school more popular than the University of Alabama, so much so they ended up having a documentary created about their rushing habits. But there are dozens of other sororities and schools that share their journeys as well.
While I played in this world with Taylor, Brooklyn, Asana and Annabelle, sharing their OOTDs, social media videos, friendship dramas, and juicy secrets in their “Spill Book”, all with fun and wild abandon, I also touched on some of the more serious things that occur during rush, in the Panhellenic lifestyle, as well as college life in general. I have nothing but respect for Greek life, and the many women who’ve shared their stories.
This book is in no way to be confused with any one person or place, and all the characters and plotlines were created by me and my editorial team. I did find inspiration however in the thousands of TikTok posts, YouTube videos, discussion forums, articles, documentaries, and my own experiences in college as well as those of my friends and family members. You can get lost on the interwebs with a single search.
I hope you enjoy the wild, juicy ride! Taylor, Brooklyn, Asana and Annabelle can’t wait to invite you into their world. Who’s ready for Rush Week?
Kisses,
Michelle
Dear Reader,
When my editor approached me about writing a juicy Bama Rush book, I was immediately on board. My mind went wild with the possibilities, and almost instantly Taylor, Brooklyn, Asana and Annabelle were knocking around in my head begging to be put on the page.
The timeline of this book is purposefully ambiguous. It does not take place 9 years ago -- TikTok wasn't a thing 9 years ago. The book starts out when RushTok became popular, and follows a timeline that surpasses our current calendar. As a historical writer in my other life, I'm very familiar with timelines and research, the latter of which I did extensively, the former of which I chose not to elaborate on.
Rush is a huge trend on TikTok and other socials. Schools from across the US post their dance routines and chants, and people flock to the pages to check out the latest OOTDs (outfits of the day), jewelry trends, how to wear makeup, and let’s be honest to hear the TEA. There’s no other school more popular than the University of Alabama, so much so they ended up having a documentary created about their rushing habits. But there are dozens of other sororities and schools that share their journeys as well.
While I played in this world with Taylor, Brooklyn, Asana and Annabelle, sharing their OOTDs, social media videos, friendship dramas, and juicy secrets in their “Spill Book”, all with fun and wild abandon, I also touched on some of the more serious things that occur during rush, in the Panhellenic lifestyle, as well as college life in general. I have nothing but respect for Greek life, and the many women who’ve shared their stories.
This book is in no way to be confused with any one person or place, and all the characters and plotlines were created by me and my editorial team. I did find inspiration however in the thousands of TikTok posts, YouTube videos, discussion forums, articles, documentaries, and my own experiences in college as well as those of my friends and family members. You can get lost on the interwebs with a single search.
I hope you enjoy the wild, juicy ride! Taylor, Brooklyn, Asana and Annabelle can’t wait to invite you into their world. Who’s ready for Rush Week?
Kisses,
Michelle
January 9, 2025
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!
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC
Pub date: 7/22/25
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC
Pub date: 7/22/25
August 19, 2025
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
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
January 27, 2025
I hate when writers can’t get timelines right and they are sloppy with cultural references
July 4, 2025
2.5 rounded up
I never felt invested in these characters, and the story jumped around quite a bit. The multiple POV combined with a seemingly random then and now timeline to follow was keeping me jumbled. The chapters also seemed to end very abruptly rather than suspenseful.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy
I never felt invested in these characters, and the story jumped around quite a bit. The multiple POV combined with a seemingly random then and now timeline to follow was keeping me jumbled. The chapters also seemed to end very abruptly rather than suspenseful.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy
September 1, 2025
I was expecting more out of this book, I was honestly surprised to turn the page to see the acknowledgments. It felt like a waste of my time, almost. Would I recommend this book? No. The characters were so unlikeable sometimes, I cringed. Plus, I wanted a juicy plot twist, and all I got was nothing.
March 15, 2025
DNF after 19 pages. The characters were shallow and unlikable. The writing was clunky. WTF is OOTD? Zero explanation on that and other hashtags. And while I'm not a prude, sorry a literal orgy on chapter three put me off even more. I hate that I couldn't get into this book. I hate that I gave up, but honestly this just stank.
Thank you Avon books and Goodreads for the chance to win this book for my honest review.
Thank you Avon books and Goodreads for the chance to win this book for my honest review.
August 30, 2025
This was not it :(
Full review to come 2 ⭐️
Full review to come 2 ⭐️
February 16, 2025
Thank you, NetGalley, for this uncorrected reader's eproof ARC of 'Rush Week' by Michelle Brandon - expected release date of 07/22/2025
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I couldn't get into this book. It isn't the author's fault, I'm not her target audience. Definitely meant more for the 18-26 crowd with the storyline and slang used throughout. I'm not sure how this book will hold up down the line, given the heavy cultural references (TikTok, RushTok, #, OOTD, influencers). She totally overdid it with the constant mention of OnlyFans, feet pics and sugar daddy/baby references with Brooklyn's character too...
The 4 main female characters were unlikeable, intolerable, and unrelatable. I figured out who stole the Spill Book and was at least hoping the reason was juicy, but no. I also don't really understand why The Machine storyline was included, I think that could've been left out completely and not affected anything at all.
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I couldn't get into this book. It isn't the author's fault, I'm not her target audience. Definitely meant more for the 18-26 crowd with the storyline and slang used throughout. I'm not sure how this book will hold up down the line, given the heavy cultural references (TikTok, RushTok, #, OOTD, influencers). She totally overdid it with the constant mention of OnlyFans, feet pics and sugar daddy/baby references with Brooklyn's character too...
The 4 main female characters were unlikeable, intolerable, and unrelatable. I figured out who stole the Spill Book and was at least hoping the reason was juicy, but no. I also don't really understand why The Machine storyline was included, I think that could've been left out completely and not affected anything at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2025
read if you like:
📱 #rushtok
👯♀️ sororities
💁🏻♀️ scandals
summary:
I really wanted to love this book, but I just could not get into it. It follows four sorority sisters who decide to return to the University of Alabama for Rush Week after receiving anonymous notes that their “Spill Book” of secrets has been stolen. All four women have something to lose, and decide to come back to protect their adult lives and reputations. It cuts back and forth between all four girls and their time at college and the present day to help build the story of who they were, who they became, and most importantly, what they’re trying to keep hidden.
I have to say — all four women are incredibly unlikeable. They’re obnoxious and pretentious as adults, which makes it nearly impossible to have empathy for them as college students. They’re all deeply flawed and selfish, and I found it hard to get hooked to their journeys or even really care what happened to their reputations. Just when you start to think you’re liking one of them, something transpires that resets your opinion. The book is also a bit hard to follow as it cuts back and forth through time, and it moves a little slowly towards the middle. That being said, I did love RushTok and the traditions and hype of a rush week (as someone who went to a school without Greek life!) There are also some modern pop culture references — like OnlyFans, #OOTD, #rushtok (obviously) and Ashley Madison that make you feel like you’re living in a TV drama.
If you like the college years of Gossip Girl (you know what I’m talking about!) or are obsessed with Greek life, this is a fun book for you. Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my unbiased opinion.
📱 #rushtok
👯♀️ sororities
💁🏻♀️ scandals
summary:
I really wanted to love this book, but I just could not get into it. It follows four sorority sisters who decide to return to the University of Alabama for Rush Week after receiving anonymous notes that their “Spill Book” of secrets has been stolen. All four women have something to lose, and decide to come back to protect their adult lives and reputations. It cuts back and forth between all four girls and their time at college and the present day to help build the story of who they were, who they became, and most importantly, what they’re trying to keep hidden.
I have to say — all four women are incredibly unlikeable. They’re obnoxious and pretentious as adults, which makes it nearly impossible to have empathy for them as college students. They’re all deeply flawed and selfish, and I found it hard to get hooked to their journeys or even really care what happened to their reputations. Just when you start to think you’re liking one of them, something transpires that resets your opinion. The book is also a bit hard to follow as it cuts back and forth through time, and it moves a little slowly towards the middle. That being said, I did love RushTok and the traditions and hype of a rush week (as someone who went to a school without Greek life!) There are also some modern pop culture references — like OnlyFans, #OOTD, #rushtok (obviously) and Ashley Madison that make you feel like you’re living in a TV drama.
If you like the college years of Gossip Girl (you know what I’m talking about!) or are obsessed with Greek life, this is a fun book for you. Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my unbiased opinion.
July 17, 2025
4 stars and I know people will probably question my taste in books.
Rush Week was insane, inappropriate, and a train wreck. But I deliciously enjoyed it. I think because it was so out-there yet also makes you feel that some of it could really be believable. This was Pretty Little Liars on Panhellenic sorority girl steroids all happening at the University of Alabama...Roll Tide! With seeing and hearing different stories from today's college ages young adults and knowing what happens behind fraternity/sorority doors, made this story something I couldn't put down.
The 4 young women each horrible, yet respected and weirdly liked. Their secrets...crazy, outlandish, and yet something you somewhat think can or does happen. The Machine at Alabama...100% factual, just go watch the documentary that came out recently. This is definitely not a PG sweet, young college book for those faint of heart. I just wish there would have been a bigger punch at the end.
Thank you Avon (William Morrow) and NetGalley for this early copy of Rush Week in exchange for my honest opinion.
Rush Week
by Michelle Brandon
Avon (William Morrow)
7/22/2025
Rush Week was insane, inappropriate, and a train wreck. But I deliciously enjoyed it. I think because it was so out-there yet also makes you feel that some of it could really be believable. This was Pretty Little Liars on Panhellenic sorority girl steroids all happening at the University of Alabama...Roll Tide! With seeing and hearing different stories from today's college ages young adults and knowing what happens behind fraternity/sorority doors, made this story something I couldn't put down.
The 4 young women each horrible, yet respected and weirdly liked. Their secrets...crazy, outlandish, and yet something you somewhat think can or does happen. The Machine at Alabama...100% factual, just go watch the documentary that came out recently. This is definitely not a PG sweet, young college book for those faint of heart. I just wish there would have been a bigger punch at the end.
Thank you Avon (William Morrow) and NetGalley for this early copy of Rush Week in exchange for my honest opinion.
Rush Week
by Michelle Brandon
Avon (William Morrow)
7/22/2025
January 20, 2025
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.
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.
January 24, 2025
This was an ARC from NetGalley. The summary sounded promising, but didn't live up to the potential. There are four main characters, and consist of short chapters alternating POVs. It took a while to fully be able to tell the characters apart and follow their stories. Overall, the story was fairly lackluster, and we didn't get much character in either timeline. I didn't get invested in their story The ending was uneventful and was a letdown.
February 26, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.
Rush Week seems like a book written by someone with only stereotypical knowledge of the Fraternity and Sorority system who thinks they know how everything works thanks to TikTok. The author got so many basic facts incorrect and wrote these 26 year old women like they were in their forties. Each woman had secrets and none of them felt like they wrapped up well. I don’t think the conclusion was fleshed out well.
Rush Week seems like a book written by someone with only stereotypical knowledge of the Fraternity and Sorority system who thinks they know how everything works thanks to TikTok. The author got so many basic facts incorrect and wrote these 26 year old women like they were in their forties. Each woman had secrets and none of them felt like they wrapped up well. I don’t think the conclusion was fleshed out well.
January 25, 2025
Good idea, concept fell flat though.
One-dimensional/cliché characters, plot holes left and right (hello, TikTok wasn’t even a thing when the main characters were freshmen??), and just nothing that exciting…I’m not mad I read it but it was not that good. 2.5 rounded down.
One-dimensional/cliché characters, plot holes left and right (hello, TikTok wasn’t even a thing when the main characters were freshmen??), and just nothing that exciting…I’m not mad I read it but it was not that good. 2.5 rounded down.
July 25, 2025
Rush Week
By: Michelle Brandon
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sorority Sisters return to University of Alabama. They have come back as a time capsule that holds their secrets is about to be opened.
They kept a Spill Book where they kept their secrets and its missing.
This story is filled with deep dark secrets that were meant to be buried and never revealed.
Someone is about to spill secrets that can ruin lives.
A delicious ride.
By: Michelle Brandon
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sorority Sisters return to University of Alabama. They have come back as a time capsule that holds their secrets is about to be opened.
They kept a Spill Book where they kept their secrets and its missing.
This story is filled with deep dark secrets that were meant to be buried and never revealed.
Someone is about to spill secrets that can ruin lives.
A delicious ride.
July 25, 2025
Oh my gosh, the TTTTEEEAAAA 🤯 Gossip Girl vibes crossed with academia set in the south was bound to be a disastrous win! Such a great pool read!
April 22, 2025
I received an ARC in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thank you to the publisher and author; it’s much appreciated.
Oh dear Goddess this was so bad it was painful to finish. The four sorority alumni were spoiled, mean and judgmental. There was absolutely nothing about these characters that was relatable and I actually wanted them to fail. I have no idea whether they had any sort of real objectives or if they just had their own agendas. I really can’t recommend this to anyone.
Oh dear Goddess this was so bad it was painful to finish. The four sorority alumni were spoiled, mean and judgmental. There was absolutely nothing about these characters that was relatable and I actually wanted them to fail. I have no idea whether they had any sort of real objectives or if they just had their own agendas. I really can’t recommend this to anyone.
January 6, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing this book, with my honest review below.
Rush Week was a phenomenal read, combining suspense and women behaving badly along with the power of said women supporting each other to make a fairly unique story that captured my attention.
For any who have seen the TikTok storm of Bama Rush, or the documentary following that, this gives an inside look into that but throws in a look at what might happen to some of the more privileged of a sorority sisterhood. I loved the first hand accounts of rush and how our main characters, four women who all have out of the ordinary upbringings, grew up together and apart throughout their time in their sorority. None of these women start out especially endearing but as we dive deeper into their time in college (alternating with the present five years post graduation) they start to become more understanding and their wicked deeds, which are about to be exposed, make a little more sense.
Completely fun, this isn’t for shrinking violets as we have storylines focused on OnlyFans, Sugar Babies, a more privileged and more secretive version of Ashley Madison, and sexual assault. But if you aren’t offended by any of that, Michelle Brandon writes a most colorful and salacious tale that is a grown up look at what happens next for Alabama Sorority Sisters that, while likely not realistic, felt like the sequel we could only hope for with those TikToks.
Rush Week was a phenomenal read, combining suspense and women behaving badly along with the power of said women supporting each other to make a fairly unique story that captured my attention.
For any who have seen the TikTok storm of Bama Rush, or the documentary following that, this gives an inside look into that but throws in a look at what might happen to some of the more privileged of a sorority sisterhood. I loved the first hand accounts of rush and how our main characters, four women who all have out of the ordinary upbringings, grew up together and apart throughout their time in their sorority. None of these women start out especially endearing but as we dive deeper into their time in college (alternating with the present five years post graduation) they start to become more understanding and their wicked deeds, which are about to be exposed, make a little more sense.
Completely fun, this isn’t for shrinking violets as we have storylines focused on OnlyFans, Sugar Babies, a more privileged and more secretive version of Ashley Madison, and sexual assault. But if you aren’t offended by any of that, Michelle Brandon writes a most colorful and salacious tale that is a grown up look at what happens next for Alabama Sorority Sisters that, while likely not realistic, felt like the sequel we could only hope for with those TikToks.
January 23, 2025
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.
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.
March 18, 2025
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
2 ⭐️
The premise of “rush week” had me captured, but the book just didn’t deliver the same intrigue & wonder as the summary promised.
Rush week follows a group of young ladies who are rushing the same sorority, adl. We follow them becoming friends, parties, ootds, Greek toks, drugs, only fans, zaddies and more drama.
We then are switching back and forth between their modern day lives and their former lives. Someone is trying to blackmail them all. They are all summoned back to the university of Alabama for rush week. They are all on a mission to figure out who is blackmailing them.
We find out asana was also in a secret society that was attempting to take down the machine. This is the part the book totally lost me.
It all seemed very immature and petty. Maybe I am just not the demographic for this book.
Unfortunately, would not recommend.
2 ⭐️
The premise of “rush week” had me captured, but the book just didn’t deliver the same intrigue & wonder as the summary promised.
Rush week follows a group of young ladies who are rushing the same sorority, adl. We follow them becoming friends, parties, ootds, Greek toks, drugs, only fans, zaddies and more drama.
We then are switching back and forth between their modern day lives and their former lives. Someone is trying to blackmail them all. They are all summoned back to the university of Alabama for rush week. They are all on a mission to figure out who is blackmailing them.
We find out asana was also in a secret society that was attempting to take down the machine. This is the part the book totally lost me.
It all seemed very immature and petty. Maybe I am just not the demographic for this book.
Unfortunately, would not recommend.
March 5, 2025
Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this early on NetGalley. my honest review is: I was about to do not finish this book only because I could not get into it however I finished reading it to the end and I must say I was wrong. It was good. the description had be interested from the start but reading almost 10 chapters I just couldn’t get interested enough but I read it. What I didn’t like what the ‘then and now’ chapters, I couldn’t understand it until closer to the end of the book. 4* and 7/10 rating in my opinion.
May 8, 2025
From reading other ARC reviews this seems to be a book that either people love or hate. I have to say I loved it, just because it’s like a train wreck you can’t look away from. Bad reality show in book form.
I’m not into the Greek life, or the whole mean girl scenario, so I focused on the blackmail aspect and who was behind it. I do wish there was more writing around that.
Thank you to both the author and publisher for the ARC I received in a giveaway.
I’m not into the Greek life, or the whole mean girl scenario, so I focused on the blackmail aspect and who was behind it. I do wish there was more writing around that.
Thank you to both the author and publisher for the ARC I received in a giveaway.
April 17, 2025
Catty deliciousness--with a foundation of strong, true friendship. If reality TV did a show about sororities, Hollywood wishes it'd be this good!
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