I'd like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an unbiased opinion.

Neighborhood drama!!! Sign me up. It goes to show that you don't really know your neighbors and sometimes those you live with. This was a great mystery that kept me guessing all the way through the book.

I don't read as many thrillers as I used to, but this book was marketed with comparisons to other authors in the genre that I enjoy (like Melanie Golding, Megan Goldin, Rachel Hawkins) so I decided to give it a try.
I used the Goodreads standard of three stars being marked as "I liked it"- it was okay, but it wasn't the kind of thriller that kept me guessing or would be worth a re-read. The story follows Alex and Lettie, mother and daughter, in a story leading up to a murder that happened in the first chapter. The Block Party is an annual party in a well-to-do neighborhood. Each character has a secret backstory, and the secrets lead up to the murder/resolution. I didn't find any of the characters likeable- I don't think you're supposed to-- but in most books that I end up rating 4 stars +, there is something that I can relate to in a character that makes it memorable. I just didn't find that in this story.

Overall, a fun, short read with a few twists and turns. It took me a while to get through some slower parts of the story, but I didn't guess the ending (always a plus!). Thank you Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the e-arc copy of this book. I've fallen behind on my arc reads for the year- this book was published in July 2023 and is available to read on kindle unlimited! I recommend this book for people who are interested in the nosy-neighbor/rich people secrets type mysteries :)

Perfect neighborhood where everyone is perfect until it's not, even with the emails or message board posts sprinkled in. Way too many of this same type of book lately, very similar to What the Neighbors Saw by Melissa Adelman, but I thought Adelman's effort was better. The Block Party really has nothing new to add to the genre, but if you like slow burn domestic suspense, it's not a bad book, just way too similar to other books right now.

A fun and easy read! An upper class neighborhood drama that kept me guessing. Perfect beach read or weekend read.

“The Block Party” by Jamie Day is a fun read. Everyone has secrets and this neighborhood is full of them.

The story is told from multiple POVs and in multiple timelines which enhances the mystery.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can’t wait to read whatever comes next from Jamie Day.

Thank you NetGalley, Jamie Day, and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.

I was into the Desperate Housewives-vibe but I couldn't get into the characters or know who I was supposed to root for, which I'm sure was the point. It was a little too realistic to be completely enjoyed, but that is my own issue. lol

2.75 ⭐️Ooof I wanted to like this more than I did. Check TW! It’s mostly a bunch of neighborhood drama and I didn’t find it true ly interesting until there was an hour and a half left in the book. None of the reveals felt truly shocking. I felt there were too many POV characters and not enough of the thrill I get when I guess a plot of a mystery. Just not my cup of tea

Awesome Summer read. A neighborhood, lots of drama and some twists and turns that were surprising! I enjoyed it.

I am behind on my reading, so I apologize for the delay in this review.

Thank you St. Martin's for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review.

I am thrilled I had an opportunity to read this book. I enjoyed the different characters and their sub-stories. There was a cast of unlikeable characters throughout. I started thinking everyone had their own secret, backstabbing agenda.

The book had a fair number of twists to it; there were a few I was surprised about, some I figured out, and more importantly, I enjoyed the distraction of reading about a group of neighbors who are friends and get together for drinks and dinner with an annual block party.

I enjoyed this book and would read another book by Jamie anytime.

After reading this you will think - One just never really knows your neighbor. There are many characters in this and we get to know them quite well, how awful they can be, and all the twists that occur in their lives. I really loved the community chat group and how envious they were about not going to the party. Just when you think you’ve solved the murder, you find out that you were wrong.

3.75 stars! I have been on such a domestic thriller kick and was excited to read this domestic drama next!

🎧I paired the audio with the print book and had such a fun reading experience, and thought the narration was great.

WHAT TO EXPECT
-Murder and drama at a Memorial Day neighborhood party
-twists
-great pacing!

*many thanks to St Martins Press, Macmillan Audio and
Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

The writing style was a bit hard to get used to. The story start off interesting and so did the drama. But I don’t think this book was for me

I was so excited to get this ARC for “The Block Party" from the fabulous Jamie Day. I highly recommend this book - I was such a fan!

I wasn’t able to get through this one.

Even though the plot seemed intriguing to start off with.

the Block Party was such a fun book! A bit crazy (in the best way) and so many jaw dropping moments that I just couldn't put it down!

The book starts out and it’s Memorial Day, present time. It’s the annual block party on Alton Road and everyone is enjoying themselves until someone gets murdered.
We then go back one year to the last block party and meet the neighbors and learn all about betrayal, rivalries and lies leading up to the murder.
Alex, Nick and Lettie are the Foxes and they host the block party. Emily and Ken are the Adairs and they have two boys, one of which is Dylan. Emily is Alex’s sister. Willow and Evan are the Thompsons and they have a daughter Riley. Riley and Lettie were best friends when they were younger but are no longer friends. Dylan is dating Riley.
Brooke Bailey is a widow who may or may not have pushed her husband off a cruise ship.
The new neighbors are Samir, Mandy and Jay Kumar. Samir appears to be very controlling on Mandy and doesn’t encourage interaction with the neighbors.
The story is told by Alex and Lettie. While there are a lot of characters, it is easy to keep track of them all.

This was definitely a you had me at hello cover and when I saw the title??? Well, when it comes to neighborhood shenanigans I'm always down to clown. I don’t care if the neighborhood story is of the Hallmark Romance variety or a Lifetime Stabby Stabs for Women option. I’m in. I don’t even care if it’s a plot that’s been done a trillion times before as the case was here. I still want to read it.

The Block Party starts with . . . a block party (thank you, Captain Obvious) that literally ended with a bang and then we timehop back to the previous year to find out exactly what went down and who was going to end up in a body bag. Like most of these, Big Little Lies is the most obvious comparison and like most of these, this one was going to pale in comparison. Because it was soooooooo boring! You’d think with drunks and druggies and stalkers and affairs this would have been a page turner, but that was most certainly not the case. And speaking of drunks? By the 18,000th time Alex talked about how much she liked swilling wine . . . ugh.

The worst part of the entire experience? I literally made a note in my Kindle guessing what the superbadawful was that broke the camel’s back . . . . but I had put this one aside so many times to numb my brain with garbage television instead of reading by the time I got to the end I didn’t even care enough to remember what the characters names were so I somehow still surprised myself.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

In Jamie Day's domestic drama/thriller, 'Block Party,' readers are thrust into the glamorous yet twisted world of a high-end cul-de-sac, where secrets are as abundant as the manicured lawns. As a reader, I found myself engrossed in the whirlwind of lying, cheating, murder, & scandalous neighbors that filled the pages, making for an entertaining read.

What sets 'Block Party' apart is its multifaceted narrative structure. Day skillfully weaves together multiple points of view, immersing readers in the lives of the diverse characters during the annual neighborhood block party. While the abundance of characters adds depth to the story, it occasionally led to confusion, making it a challenging task to keep up with the various perspectives.

However, Day's writing prowess shines through, guiding the reader through the maze of characters & plotlines. Despite the initial confusion, the author masterfully ties all the threads together in a satisfying conclusion, leaving no loose ends. The narrative's complexity, though occasionally perplexing, ultimately enhances the overall reading experience.

The novel's strength lies in its ability to evoke a myriad of emotions. From shock to empathy, readers are taken on a roller-coaster ride, mirroring the highs & lows of the characters' lives. The themes of betrayal, deceit, and the facade of suburban bliss are explored with depth, adding layers to the story.

I am looking forward to Jamie Day's future works, hoping to witness more of the author's gripping storytelling and character development. Thank you to #NetGalley, #stmartinspress, & Jamie Day for providing me with an advance copy of this compelling tale. This review is a voluntary expression of my honest thoughts, & I recommend 'Block Party' to readers seeking a thrilling domestic drama filled with suspense, intrigue, and all the feels.

THE BLOCK PARTY
Jamie Day

You are invited to the annual Memorial Day block party held in the exclusive Meadowbrook community.

Are you going to RSVP?

A cast of characters all gather to attend the annual Memorial Day block party. Everyone wants to attend this exclusive party but only a few are invited. By the end of the night, someone ends up dead, someone else is a suspect and everyone wishes they hadn’t attended the party.

I really could’ve done without this interpretation of a neighborhood thriller. Everything felt very basic. Motives were conventional, habits were stereotypical and when you add in dual timelines and a handful of perspectives, it all feels written according to a template and all for not.

There wasn’t anything that the author did wrong, and I wasn’t offended. I also wasn’t intrigued or inspired. It was a mediocre experience with few emotions one way or the other.

Thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copies!

THE BLOCK PARTY…⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just ok for me

This book, told in dual perspectives, highlights how neighborhoods can hold secrets all their own. Alex and Lettie, mother and daughter, each have their own vision of how "it" happened that night, and the year leading up to it. There are a lot of characters introduced, and we get drawn into a Desperate Housewives operating model.

Unfortunately there are several trigger topics included in the book that might turn readers away. I hope the finished copy includes warnings. For me, this book was just ok and didn't live up to the hype.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.