Monday, March 27, 2017

#Monday Review - 100 Hours by Rachel Vincent (#YA, #Contemporary, #Thriller)

Series: 100 Hours # 1
Format: E-Galley, 368 pages
Release Date: March 28, 2017
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Genre: YA, Thriller, Contemporary

In this sexy, pulse-pounding new duology by New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent, a decadent spring break beach getaway becomes a terrifying survival story when six Miami teens are kidnapped.
Maddie is beyond done with her cousin Genesis’s entitled and shallow entourage. Genesis is so over Miami’s predictable social scene with its velvet ropes, petty power plays, and backstabbing boyfriends. 
While Maddie craves family time for spring break, Genesis seeks novelty—like a last-minute getaway to an untouched beach in Colombia. And when Genesis wants something, it happens. 
But paradise has its price. Dragged from their tents under the cover of dark, Genesis, Maddie, and their friends are kidnapped and held for ransom deep inside the jungle—with no diva left behind. It all feels so random to everyone except Genesis. She knows they were targeted for a reason. And that reason is her.
Now, as the hours count down, only one thing’s for certain: If the Miami hostages can’t thwart their captors’ plan, no one will make it out alive.
Tapping into our darkest fears while exploring issues of injustice, loss, and the courage to fight for what matters most, this thrilling read is perfect for fans of Nova Ren Suma, Becca Fitzpatrick, and Jennifer L. Armentrout.



100 Hours is the first installment in author Rachel Vincent's 100 Hours trilogy. This is definitely something new from Vincent who is known for series such as Soul Screamers, Shifters, Menagerie, & Wild Cats100 Hours is Vincent's debut into the contemporary arenaThe story is about a group of Miami teenagers (Maddie, Genesis, Neda, Holden, Ryan, & Penelope) who travel to Columbia for Spring Break and end up being kidnapped by a group of terrorists. Vincent's story alternatives between cousins Maddie and Genesis who is heir to a shipping empire.

One could say that Genesis is a Mafia Princessa, while Maddie is the poor relation who, along with her brother Ryan, end up being dragged to hell and back thanks to an unwarranted and unnecessary diversion from one locale to another. One could, if they choose to, compare this book to Jersey Shore, but set in Columbia where you have to be a complete moron to believe that if you are rich, that people won't try to kidnap you, or use you for ransom. Have you people not heard of (FARC), or (ELN), or the Medellin Cartel? Sorry, got off topic for a moment. 

Genesis has been warned off of visiting Columbia for any reason by her father. So, instead of taking her friends to the Bahamas where they are supposed to go, she ignores all the warnings, and just waddles into a situation that will leave everyone's lives forever changed. Thanks for that Genesis! So, here we are traveling down a road where the friends jump feet first into underage drinking, cheating on each other, drugs, sex with whomever is next in line, and then, because things couldn't get any worse, they wander off to places where nobody has visited just because they can.

100 Hours is told not only in alternating narratives, but also in a countdown mode that starts from 100 hours to the final head to desk numerous times cliffhanger ending. While I actually prefer Maddie over Genesis, neither character could be considered stalwarts of society. They each have so many issues that at times, it wears the reader, me, down. It doesn't help that Genesis is arrogance personified, while Maddie carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. One could say that 15-year old Luke Hazelwood, geek, gamer, and puppy dog where Maddie is concerned, saves the story from being drowned in too much over compensation.

In a weird way, I am almost eager to read the next book in the series. Why, you ask? Because the final 1/3 of this book really explores the characters to a greater length and you get a better sense of what the author is trying to put forward. Yes, there are some shenanigans. You can't expect not to when you have a group of spoiled teenagers as your case. Yes, there are some interesting twists. Especially when it comes to Genesis. But, what makes me want to learn more, is what happens to the characters at the end of this book that needs further explanation. So, see you when book # comes out! 




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