Diplomatic Immunity audiobook

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***Diplomatic Immunity by Brodi AshtonPublisher: Balzer + BrayPublication Date: September 6, 2016Rating: 4 starsSource: eARC from EdelweissSummary (from Goodreads):Raucous parties, privileged attitudes, underage drinking, and diplomatic immunity...it’s all part of student life on Embassy Row.Piper Baird has always dreamed of becoming a journalist. So when she scores a scholarship to exclusive Chiswick Academy in Washington, DC, she knows it’s her big opportunity. Chiswick offers the country’s most competitive prize for teen journalists—the Bennington scholarship—and winning will ensure her acceptance to one of the best schools in the country.Piper isn’t at Chiswick for two days before she witnesses the intense competition in the journalism program—and the extreme privilege of the young and wealthy elite who attend her school. And Piper knows access to these untouchable students just might give her the edge she’ll need to blow the lid off life at the school in a scathing and unforgettable exposé worthy of the Bennington.The key to the whole story lies with Rafael Amador, the son of the Spanish ambassador—and the boy at the center of the most explosive secrets and scandals on Embassy Row. Rafael is big trouble—and when he drops into her bedroom window one night, asking for help, it’s Piper’s chance to get the full scoop. But as they spend time together, Piper discovers that despite his dark streak, Rafael is smart, kind, funny, and gorgeous—and she might have real feelings for him. How can she break the story of a lifetime if it could destroy the boy she just might love?What I Liked:This book was more enjoyable than I expected! Then again, I'm not sure what I was expecting. I remember trying Ashton's debut novel and not being able to get through it. I recently read My Lady Jane (co-written with two other authors) and liked it. I wanted to give Diplomatic Immunity a chance because it looked like cute contemporary and it was a standalone. I'm glad I gave this book a chance!Piper Baird wants to be a journalist, and she's very good at being one. She has applied for a scholarship to the prestigious Chiswick Academy for the last three years. Finally, at the start of her senior year, she gets the scholarship. But Chiswick is completely different from her public high school. Chiswick is full of rich, privileged kids, children of international politicians and diplomats who have diplomatic immunity, a free pass to bad behavior. Piper really wants to win the Bennington scholarship offered by Chiswick, but the competition for the scholarship is fierce. She'll have to rite a juicy story that no one can write. But to do so, she'll have to hone in on one of the diplomatic immunity kids - Rafael Amador, the hot Spaniard who has a penchant for making mischief and trouble and being spontaneous. But there is more to Rafael than his bad boy status, and as Piper discovers this, she finds it harder and harder to publisher her scandalous story.I totally felt for Piper, from start to finish. Her family is on the low end of middle class, and eventually, they reach the point of food stamps and bankruptcy. There was a time when they were richer... but that time was years ago. The only way Piper can follow her dreams of going to Columbia next year is to get a scholarship. The Bennington is a great scholarship, but she needs to get into Chiswick first. Piper is entirely focused on the Bennington (once she gets into Chiswick), and being a cutthroat journalist is exactly how she plans on winning the Bennington.She doesn't plan on Rafael Amador though. On her first day at Chiswick, he saves her from an already embarrassing situation. Piper recognizes his insane hotness, but she also recognizes the massive amount of privilege he has. Diplomatic immunity covers his butt for everything - and Rafael takes advantage. There is nothing bad that he won't do - like climbing national monuments, or setting off the school's fire alarm to get out.I personally thought Piper was justified in her disdain for all the rich, privileged students at the school. She definitely had some resentment for them at first, which I could relate to. But as she got to know more of them (especially Rafael), her attitude changed. She mostly hung out with other scholarship kids at Chiswick, but you could see her gradual change in attitude towards the diplomatic immunity kids.Rafael... what a swoony dreamboat. Honestly he seemed a little too perfect, a little too bad-boy bad, but I really liked him. I've always liked Spaniard hotties, and it wasn't hard to fall for this particular one. He liked hearing Piper's opinion on the students at Chiswick, and how privileged he was. Rafael is totally unconcerned with rules and laws - or so it seems. But there is more to him, and I liked seeing behind the walls. The romance in this book is fairly slow-burn, and all of the musy-gushy crush feelings come first. It's cute, watching Piper fall for Rafael. At first I thought Rafael was hanging around Piper because she was a challenge, but it became clear that he really liked her. I love slow-burn romances, and a love a good girl/bad boy romance, so the combination was fantastic. The only thing that would have made it better was a slow-burn, good girl/bad boy, hate-to-love romance. A trifecta of romance awesomeness!But still, the romance was cute. During half the book, Piper is in denial about her feelings for Rafael. Around three-fourths in, both of them hash it out. I liked the dates and the crazy outings and the warm and fuzzies I got, during the whole book.No love triangle. Piper goes on a "date" with another boy, but literally nothing happened, and she wasn't interested in him at any point, really. It was all Rafael, physically and emotionally and such!As mentioned, Piper begins writing her big story for the Bennington scholarship on the diplomatic immunity kids, including Rafael. So you can imagine how that goes... girl starts hanging out with boy to get dirt on him, but ends up falling for him... how is that going to end? I was so nervous about the ending, because Piper's story could end up ruining Rafael's life. But the ending was a happy one, if a little abrupt (see below), and I could get behind it since this is a standalone. The evolution of Piper's story was interesting, and a little heartbreaking too.Did I mention that this book is hilarious? The humor is so on point. I had several good belly laughs while reading, which is actually pretty rare for me. Somehow, books don't get too many extreme reactions from me (belly laughs, crying, etc.). The mild ones (giggling, irritation, etc.), sure.So I liked this book! It's the first solo book I've read by Ashton (I do not count Everneath), and it turned out to be great. If she keeps What I Did Not Like:The ending is a little abrupt. I wanted to see more development in the ending! Why did Rafael choose to do this? Where did Samuel go? How did Piper's parents get by? I wasn't satisfied with the ending. It felt too neat and tidy. I loved that it was a HEA, but again, too neat and tidy.Would I Recommend It:I liked this book and I would recommend it, if you like cute contemporary! The romance is cute and there isn't too much drama, until the climax. The big climax scene at the end is as painful as you expect it would be, but the ending makes up for it (mostly -- see above). But this was a great standalone and well worth the time!Rating:4 stars. I wasn't sold on Ashton's debut series, but I liked her co-written book and I liked this one. I may read more books by Ashton if they're anything like this one! Standalones are a wonderful thing. And I'm not usually a YA contemporary person, but this one was pretty great!

Official comments: I laughed. I swooned. I giggle-snorted in public. Brodi Ashton’s signature wit is perfect for this charming and romantic tale of investigative journalism, diplomatic drama, and duct-taped jeans. Don’t miss DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY.Unofficial comments: This book was FANTASTIC. I'm going to have a blurb for it very soon. But if you like Anna and the French Kiss, prepare yourself: you'll love this book.

This book is hilarious. I love Brodi's sense of humor and no one does romance like she does.

OH MY GOSH! Can I please give this book more than 5 stars?!?! It was so so so good.Before I get into this review I want to say that I have had the privilege to receive an ARC of this book. I got it at a book convention that I recently went to. That being said this review is NOT sponsored in anyway. All thoughts and comments on this book are completely my own.Now that we have that out of the way lets get to the fun stuff. . .This book is amazing. It was one of those books that sucks you in and doesn't want you to put it down. I spent the first half of the book laughing. Some of the things said are just hilarious. Then I spent the end of the book in tears just because the feels were too much. Let's just say you might not want to read this book in public, because people might think you are insane.I really liked the main character, Piper. She had some bad things happen to her, but she wasn't annoying about it like sometimes characters with similar problems are in other books. I also could connect to her because I used to be a reporter for my schools paper and was really into journalism. Like she is in the novel. I also really liked that she seemed real. Like someone you would want to hang out with. As for the other main character Rafael there are so many things I could say to describe him. I am afraid if I go into much detail I will spoil you. Now we don't want that, do we? So, I am just going to say I am in love.Overall great book. I think it was paced very well. I love books that have political themes, and are set in the D.C. area. I am from that area so I love reading books set there. This book was great. I know this review is a lot of be saying that, but when you read it you will see why my words aren't forming and thats all I can get out.This is definitely a must read so put it on your TBR's and don't forget to pick up a copy when it is released on September 16, 2016!

This review (and others) can be seen in all its properly formatted glory on my blog Beauty and the BookshelfLet's go with 3.5 stars!I picked up Diplomatic Immunity looking for a thriller that wasn't exactly a thriller. But a novel about a girl who goes undercover at her own school to create an exposé on the rich and privileged kids and ends up falling for one of them? That sounded interesting and right up my alley. (And okay, so it isn't a thriller at all. But it seemed like a lighter, fluffier version of the thriller/mystery/suspense-esque The Fixer.) What I got what was just that: a lighter novel with a bit of something else to it...plus some messiness.You know, I liked Diplomatic Immunity, and I enjoyed reading it, but I can't help critiquing some of its issues, mainly that the focus was muddled. If you're going to give me a book about a girl going undercover, give me a book about a girl going undercover, but don't hold back; go big or go home. And I guess that did happen; Piper has, like, no regrets, and she'll do things in order to get her story that give me--the reader--secondhand embarrassment. She makes you want to scream because why would you do that why? I mean, I get that reporting takes guts, but, girl, you are in high school, you're at the bottom of the food chain (she's the new girl on a scholarship at a fancy dancy school), and also, where are your morals? Where do you draw the line? Piper can be super outgoing and no nonsense, which is great, but dang. It's like watching a train before it hits the gap in the tracks: you just know a train wreck is going to happen.But the underlying issue within it all is, I think, the romance. Now, I'm a sucker for romance, but I'm not a fan of romance that isn't fully fleshed out and developed and then becomes the main point of the story and is the main resolution at the end (without everything else getting resolved). I want to feel the romance, feel the burn and the tension and ship the ever loving hell out of it. I did ship it--because, hey, romance--and I really liked Rafael and I think he and Piper could be great together, but I need all that to be really seriously shown and played out and for it to feel real and believable. Everything combined prevented Diplomatic Immunity from hitting the level that makes a book good. It's okay and it's likable, but when plot points are glossed over and things aren't detailed, the book can suffer.All that said, Diplomatic Immunity had a lot of potential--it was just missed. Utilizing that potential would've brought this book from a nice, quick, enjoyable read to something really, really good. As Piper's feelings for Rafael progressed the rest of the story digressed, and that was disappointing because I was really looking forward to the sort of "investigating" aspect I thought would be present, that thrillerish feeling that I just adore. But it was still likable, thanks to Piper, who has no problem embarrassing herself in the name of reporting, and Rafael, who's like the perfect guy wrapped in a shiny, expensive bow. (He looks good on the outside and the inside.) They're opposites in the sense that he's rich and she's lower class, but there's something about them that just clicks. And the fact that he's the subject of her diplomatic immunity exposé--people using their diplomacy to get what they want and get away with murder--is the perfect excuse for her to spend time with him. (It also makes for a nice element to the romance, weeeee.)How do I say this nicely and in a way that I don't mean to be offensive? Diplomatic Immunity is the sort of easy breezy book you pick up when you're looking for something enjoyable but essentially meaningless. It's a bit of a page turner with a compelling plot line, characters that are so totally meant to be (Piper and Rafael are actually perfect together, and there's the added bonus of banter), and that contemporary voice that just about hits the spot. You'll probably want more from the book and wish for it to go a bit further, but it's still a quick, sweet, and fun read. (And I swear I liked it more than this nit picky review suggests.)I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review Posted on Reading Lark 8/11/16: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2016/...Piper Baird has landed the scholarship of a lifetime. She will be attending the prestigious Chiswick Academy in Washington, D.C. with the elite of the political and social scene. It's not easy being a scholarship kid when your classmates have tons of money and are well connected, but Piper knows this is where she needs to be in order to win a prestigious journalism prize, the Bennington, that will make sure she gets a full ride to Columbia.Piper soon learns that the competition for the Bennington is fierce and she is going to have to write an amazing piece to knock out her competition. After an embarrassing accident puts her in the path of Rafael Amador, son of the Spanish Ambassador, Piper realizes that she may just have a subject for her story. She decides that focusing on the diplomats' kids and their behavior could be an amazing expose that will launch her right into a desk at Columbia.As with most plans in life, they don't always work out the way they are intended. Piper soon realizes that she values Rafael's friendship and she might even have a bit of a crush on him. Can she push her personal feelings aside to pursue the scoop?While I enjoyed this story and the development of the relationship between Piper and Rafael, I did find Piper a bit annoying. She felt immature and whiny at times. I had to work to like her as I felt like she was often judgmental of her classmates; it felt like she was engaging in the behavior that she abhorred. She is constantly talking about how the scholarship kids are judged based on their socioeconomic status and then she turns around and does the exact same thing to her rich peers. Piper eventually grew on me. One of my favorite things about this novel was her relationship with her family. In spite of the financial difficulties, the family managed to work together to make things as smooth as possible. I also gravitated to the relationship between Rafael and his brother.The romance certainly has a Pride and Prejudice element to it. Both Piper and Rafael have to take close looks at themselves to see that maybe they both have misjudged others. One Last Gripe: The plot was fairly predictable.Favorite Thing About This Book: Piper's relationships with her family membersFirst Sentence: In seeking truth, you have to get both sides of a story.Favorite Character: RafaelLeast Favorite Character: Ambassador Amador

3.5 stars. I liked this overall but Piper took a lot of getting used to. I cringed a lot because I knew exactly what was going to happen and she was a moron about so many things. I do still have overall positive feelings about this one! Loved the end, looooove Raf. More:I liked this one overall! When I saw the synopsis, it definitely went onto my "jazzed up for this shelf" right away. I love reading about rich kids doing bad things, and this one held a lot of promise for those kinds of shenanigans. I was picturing some of my favorite old-school nostalgia-making books like Gossip Girl or Private. This didn't exactly happen, but I think it's okay.Piper was a hard main character to get close to. I could understand her motivations in a general sense but it didn't make her any less difficult to vibe with. Her family was having money issues so she was determined to get a scholarship to cover the cost of college. She would really stop at nothing to get a good story for that reason. I definitely predicted how that plotline would go 100% so it was a little frustrating. It seriously made me cringe though because in terms of the "issue" or climax of the story, the stakes were really high for this one (compared to other contemporaries). Otherwise, Piper was kind of just weird? She blurted out whatever she was thinking most of the time and was incredibly awkward. She definitely grew on me a little bit throughout the story, but not one of my favorite main characters by any means.I was expecting a bit more of a Gossip Girl feel with parties and drugs and all sorts of things, but that was definitely understated. There was more development with her relationship(s) than with anything else. She was very journalist-like, which is good considering her character arc, but it was hard to be in her head. She totally acted without thinking most of the time. I LOVED RAF. He was such an interesting person and I was always wondering what his motivations were. He stayed mysterious for a super long time. I didn't really understand why he liked Piper though honestly (for all the reasons I said). I was on the fence about him towards the end because of some things I won't spoil, but he redeemed himself for me.The ending was really sweet and I do have positive feelings about this one overall. My review sounds ranty but this was a quick read once I got into it. I read the vast majority of the book in one night.

Rating - 4.5 Diplomatic Immunity is such a cute and fuzzy book. I loved everything in it :) . The story is about Piper , a passionate high school reporter who wants to get the Bennington scholarship so that she can get into the top journalism college. So all she has to do is get an amazing story right? And where else to get a scoop if not at Chiswick academy where the wealthy , rich and spoiled kids study? If only things were that easy.....There she meets Raf , the hottest boy in school , the son of the Spanish ambassador, who has a reckless streak , who she might have been falling for..... Pip is a girl who is willing to do anything to get the scholarship to get into her favorite college since her family's economic situation is dwindling day by day. What started as an exposé soon turns into betrayal and heartbreak. Raf is an amazing guy who cares with his whole heart. He has a reckless streak but there's a reason behind that....And yes , he doesn't understand how the rich kids stand out until Pip throws it to his face! This book is about the consequences certain actions can have even if we didn't mean to do it. It about how you might hurt the person you love so much! It's about regret and forgiveness :) I loved the ending! Raf and Pip forever!

DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY by Brodi Ashton follows high school senior and scholarship student Piper Baird as she transfers to the exclusive Chiswick Academy in Washington D.C. Piper’s goal is to win the prestigious Bennington scholarship so she can attend Columbia next fall. However, she doesn’t anticipate the obstacles (academically and romantically) that will get in her way.Piper meets Rafael Amador on her first day at her new school and the story immediately takes off from there. He’s the rich, cute son of a Spanish Ambassador—aka: trouble. She hopes to get an exclusive scoop for an exposé by getting closer to Rafael, but of course nothing is ever that easy.Ashton is a fantastic storyteller and her character development is excellent. Piper is a rich, layered character—smart, driven, and sassy. This made for an incredibly entertaining narrative. Witty banter FTW! I thought the buildup of tension between Piper and Raf was perfect. I couldn’t help but root for these two. I was in tears by the end because I was so emotionally wrapped up in their story.DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY is one of the more enjoyable YA contemporary reads I’ve picked up recently. Highly recommend!Note: I received a FREE ARC (advanced reader copy) from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

This book was sometimes hard to read because I didn't see eye-to-eye with the protagonist's view on journalism. I couldn't imagine writing with the intent of hurting someone else so publicly. But, overall, this book was so phenomenal--wonderfully written with a hook that kept me on the edge of my seat. There was a hint of predictability, but whereas I thought I knew what was coming, I was still bewildered when it was typed out before me. If you're looking for a fresh book to read--not your typical romance--I would definitely recommend giving DI a shot. Eye opening and written beautifully.

Super cute! I loved Piper's wit and humor and Raf's adorableness and sense of mischief.