Handpicked by Dani Oden Pages: 216
Published by Createspace Independent Pub on August 5, 2014
Series: Pledged Series #1
Genres: contemporary, Love & Romance, New Adult
Source: ecopy from Author
College freshman Jill Holloway takes one look at the stuck-up girls going through sorority rush and nearly returns her borrowed dress and heels. Against her best judgment, she ends up falling for the prestige and parties, and snagging a bid from a top house. After moving in, she quickly grows skeptical of her too-perfect sorority sisters. She tries to ask questions, though no one will take time from their busy social calendar to give her any real answers.
Jill wastes no time digging for everything she’s not supposed to find, and soon comes face-to-face with a big and bloody secret hidden in her sorority’s basement. She knows she’s in over her head, but taking off so soon would raise the perfectly-plucked eyebrows of her suspicious new sisters. She’s stuck until she can make a smooth exit.
But the closer she gets to leaving, the more it becomes clear that it won’t be as simple as she hoped. A tempting fraternity guy, a best friend who needs her, and new details about what has really been happening in the basement have her questioning what her next move should be, and whether or not it’ll be worth the risks.
HANDPICKED is a New Adult coming of age, with elements of suspense and romance.
Handpicked is the first book in the Pledged Series, which are all going to be in the New Adult age category. The college I went to had a very large greek life. I thought about rushing my freshman year, but ended up not doing it. So the rush aspect of Handpicked made me feel like I was getting an insiders view of sorority life after all. I liked that this book was written by a sorority alum (or greek life lady?? Not sure the proper terminology here) It added an air of authenticity here. But I do want to point one thing out, I have noticed a few people with low reviews of handpicked hating on the book for some of the stuff it portrayed about greek life. And I have to say, I don’t think that at all. I thought the characters were fine. I loved how close of friends Jill and Lindy were. And the “mystery” is not something that is going to happen in every sorority house, and the author wasn’t trying to make it seem that way. Take this book for what it is, a fun read with an interesting little side mystery thrown in.
Handpicked was a good read. It was not without imperfections, but the book on the whole compelled me to keep reading, and the mystery had me wondering which way it was going to go. Jill and Lindy’s friendship made me smile throughout the whole book. It was not all sunshine and roses for these girls, but I really liked the two of them. I do wish we had gotten more information about why Lindy was so unhappy at the end of rush though. I assume it was because she had wanted a different house, but it never really got addressed in the story. I can understand why, finding a secret room with an even bigger secret within its’ walls would have thrown me for a loop too. I’m not going to spoil any of the mystery for you, but let’s just say when they discovered something dubious in the house, they did what every person seems to do in horror movies- lose their good judgement. I don’t know about you, but I would be going to the freakin’ police. Or at least telling someone. Even though that doesn’t happen (I didn’t really expect it to, because it wouldn’t have been much of a story if they did that right off the bat) the story that unfolds kept me turning the pages, and left me interested in reading more.
Handpicked is good for fans of the show Greek, that want a little mystery thrown in. I am not sure if the mystery element is going to stick around for the whole series or not, but it was a cool little twist. I really liked the characters, and I thought the romance with the “rose guy” was pretty cute. I liked the peek into some of the brothers at the frat house and the house itself. That was a pretty dead on depiction, I thought. Handpicked is a fun read that still manages to feel light even with the mystery going on. Great to escape into for a couple of hours.
Have you Entered these awesome giveaways yet?
Click on the banners to enter
>
kindlemom1
I love that even though this wasn’t perfect it still compelled you to read it. I have no idea what being a sorority is like either but I have always found them fascinating. I think I would like this one as well.