Cover Image: The Block Party

The Block Party

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Member Reviews

Told from the POV of the mother Alex (nosy neighbor with a lot of time on her hands and a drinking problem) and the daughter Lettie (angsty high school senior passionate about global warming). Story takes place in an exclusive cul-de-sac inhabited by wealthy neighbors. They all have their own secrets and each of their lives are somehow intertwined with one another.

My big gripe was that I found both of the narrators to be unlikeable. Alex was constantly talking about how she was going to stop drinking but then was drinking 5 seconds later. She was very nosy and always in people’s business. And Lettie was angsty in a way that was just over the top. The fact that she was counting her words during interactions with her parents was excessive.

I did like that each character had their own backstory and situation going on. Kept the story interesting enough to push through. But just didn’t love it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

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Jamie Day’s The Block Party is a mystery where there has been a murder at a neighborhood block party. Full of twists and turns, you will not be able to put this book down! I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this well-written book about murder, secrets, lies, and betrayal that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end.

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I was honestly here for the drama. This book felt a tad bit long but I overall enjoyed it. It definitely gave Big Little Lies vibes and I was here for it.
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.*

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REVIEW

The Block Party by Jamie Day

2.5/5

I wish I could say I liked this one. I had it on my NetGalley a shelf for about a year and I finally got to reading it.

What I hope would be Desperate Housewives was really just blah. The story really dragged on without getting anywhere. You didn’t find out the victim or the murderer until the very end. I truthfully wasn’t even curious who it was. The characters weren’t likeable and I felt myself wanting to pick up my phone instead of my book.

According the the Goodreads rating-people liked it more than I did-so you might like it more than I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced e-copy of The Block Party in exchange for my honest review.

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You know...for a debut novel...this book has got it going on! This is not only salacious, but it's juicy and cunning, all wrapped up in one! Jamie Day is one author that you should keep tabs on, because she's got what it takes to become literary' s next greatest! If she can do what she did with her first book, just imagine how good they will get over time! Gosh...I have goosebumps!

This book was a quick read that you can easily devour in one sitting! And the neighborhood is one that everyone knows exactly what you're talking about...there's one in every town! But someone in town is a murderer, and there are plenty of people that could or should be suspects!

The characters to the story, to the secrets, to the twists all offer the perfect combination of a summer blockbuster hit! I could totally see this being turned into a movie!

Overall, I am incredibly impressed with the likes of Jamie Day and The Block Party! You can't go wrong when choosing this for your next read!

I'd like to thank Jamie Day, St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for providing me a copy of The Block Party which allowed me to contribute this honest and unbiased review!

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Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of The Block Party by Jamie Day in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I absolutely loved this book as it reminded me of Big Little Lies and had so many secrets in the neighborhood. This is a quick read that will draw you in right away and keep you hooked until the very end.

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Thank you to Netgalley for this eARC

I haven’t read too many thrillers/mysteries recently and I wasn’t sure how it would go but I adored this book.

I loved the two POVs. Was interesting to get the mom/daughter perspective. At first it caught me off guard, but then I realized it gave an in to the different generations on the street.

More importantly WHO HURT THIS POOR AUTHOR!?!? All the layers of messed up drama was so twisted.

The breaks for the online gossipers was pretty funny but found it a bit superfluous when I just wanted to get back into the story.

Kept me guessing and was enjoyable to read.

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This book definitely kept my interest. There was a lot going on so it took some time to remember which character had what going on. I don’t think I’d like to live on Alton Road.

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I enjoyed this one. I liked having Alex and Lettie’s POV throughout so I could see different angles and perspectives of what was going on. It was full of gossip and drama and had very “real housewives” vibes for me. I was guessing the entire time reading and wondering what exactly happened for the police to show up- and was very surprised with what was uncovered/what actually happened. The group community chat was nice to include as well! Overall, a good book that will keep you wondering and interested.

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#TheBlockParty #NetGalley
The residents of the exclusive cul-de-sac on Alton Road are entangled in a web of secrets and scandal utterly unknown to the outside world, and even to each other.
On the night of the annual Summer block party, there has been a murder.
But, who did it and why takes readers back one year earlier, as rivalries and betrayals unfold―discovering that the real danger lies within their own block and nothing―and no one―is ever as it seems.
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for giving me an advance copy.

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I loved the cover on this book. It took me awhile to finish. In this compelling narrative, the author deftly explores themes of love, loss, and redemption against a backdrop of vividly rendered settings. The characters leap off the page, their struggles and triumphs resonating with readers on a deeply emotional level. With a masterful blend of suspense and introspection, this book keeps readers eagerly turning pages until the very end. A testament to the power of storytelling, this is a book that lingers in the mind long after it's been read, inviting reflection and sparking conversation.

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This book reminded me of the show Desperate Housewives with a lot of teenage drama added to the mix. I found it entertaining and continued reading as I had to know about the murder. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my review.

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Nope just no. This was slow and draggy and just not for me. The description leads you to believe one thing and it is not that.

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“𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞… 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫.”

I tend to gravitate towards domestic suspense novels, especially when they involve rich people behaving badly. The Block Party looked like it would be my kind of read.

I had a hard time getting into this one; Jamie Day’s writing has a good flow, but I found all the characters were unlikeable (especially the men) and their problems (at first) to be not very interesting. However, once I leaned into the ways that the book reminded me of Desperate Housewives, I did start to enjoy it more: Alton Lane is full of households and neighbors that have secrets they are both keeping and sharing with each other; main narrators Alex and Lettie, reminded me of Susan and Julie Mayer (and Alex’s husband Nick had a Tom Scavo and Mike Delfino vibe); the final few chapters at the Memorial Day block party was like a high-octane mid-season finale that Housewives was known for, with all the characters interacting in different ways, leading to explosive events that would change the lives of those on Alton Lane (or Wisteria Lane - the supermarket hostage or the twister episodes anyone?!). I also liked that we didn’t know who died, but rather the build-up was through the Meadowbrook Online Community Page, filled with local gossip. I wish there had been a bit more editing done (the number of times Alex has a drink and talks about how it calms her is wild, and Lettie does a lot of telling in her point of view rather than showing) to tighten up the narrative and keep things moving at a brisker pace.

The Block Party is a story of neighbors, shame, taking revenge, and owning up to hard truths. Day’s writing shows promise, and although there were elements of this that didn’t work for me, I think there is enough that could be adapted into an interesting mini-series that could amp up the drama. It also would make for a good poolside summer read. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

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Many thanks to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for my #gifted copy.

It's the annual Memorial Day block party! Something bad has happened, but we are not sure what quite yet. We flash back to last years bock party. Everyone is harboring secrets. As the story unfolds and we get back to present time, the truths are coming out. I did enjoy this book. There were a lot of characters in it, so pay close attention.

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The title of this book first pulled me in, as we had recently moved into a new, small neighborhood. While I won't say that this book is relatable, it was a joy to read. I'm a sucker for a good murder mystery. Add in a twist of not knowing who is murdered until the end and *chef's kiss*.

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This is a great thriller for anyone who enjoys neighborhood drama. It kept me interested throughout but I wish some of the characters had been developed a little more. After reading I had a hard time recalling who was who.

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Duel timeline book with lots of twists! This one had me guessing all the way through it! Lots of characters who have their own issues that are pointing fingers at their neighbors! I really liked all the drama of crazy characters in this one! Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

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There was SO MUCH DRAMA in this book, and I was HERE FOR IT. I grew up in a small town and was directly related to the biggest gossips in town, so this was like reliving my childhood. However the actual mystery was kind of underwhelming. 3 stars.

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I am so sorry, I truly thought I left a review for this excellent book.

A real page-turner!

Excellent character develop and lots of red herrings and easter eggs.
Fun to read and try to solve.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher.

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