If you love clue the board game, haunted house stories and diverse characters, this is the book for you. With the thought of never getting to go to Windsor college because her parents spent her tuition money, arden decides to throw a party with her two best friends at the deinhart haunted Mansion. Everyone thinks they know how the deinharts died, but no one knows for certain. All was well until the house wouldn't let anyone leave. This was creepy and kept me hooked from beginning to end. I enjoyed the characters and loved the representation with plus size characters, lgtbq+ and poc characters. It was interesting and thrilling and all the things I love in a good thriller.

Wow... This was a freaking rollercoaster. I really enjoyed the storyline, and most of the characters. Theres always that one... that just tries to ruin it for everybody else. Fun read, very... highly recommend.

Arden’s parents took her college fund and bought the creepy Dreinhart Manor on the hill over her town. Long abandoned with rumors of ghosts and with anger at her parents, Arden and her three friends decide to throw a graduation party to pay for her first semester of college.

After most of their classmates join the party, Dreinhart Manor locks them inside and things get horrific from there. From people being sucked into the walls and ghosts coming out of nowhere, the gothic mansion was out to get everyone.

I liked the synopsis of this one but the execution was just okay. While there were parts that were creepy, overall it was lacking in character development and I didn’t like the characters all that much.

I did learn why Haint blue was popular for porch ceilings, door and window frames: according to Gullah folklore, it’s believed to trick spirits from crossing into the house because it looks like water. I thought that was a cool fact.

Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for this eARC.

The pacing was off, with too much focus on details that didn’t add much to the tension or horror. That’s frustrating, especially when you're looking for a quick buildup and suspenseful moments. And when characters feel one-dimensional or hard to connect with. Arden, the main character, was particularly grating, which didn’t help matters. It’s a shame that the story didn’t make the most of its unique premise.

Abandoned house full of drunk teenagers, how else would you write a hit?! lol

This one was fun, I liked it alot, but not super memorable for me.

I want to thank NetGalley for having given me an early copy of this. I did read this book way before it was published but I sadly did not get a review out in time. Still, I'm reviewing now, half a year later.

I haven't actually read any horror books in a very long time. Couldn't tell you what I last read as an adult that was horror, but I know I read plenty as a child and teen. So I thought this was a nice one to get back into the genre.

We have your classic kids throwing a party in an abandoned house that's believed to be haunted. Nearly every chapter has a local kid giving their own rendition of what had happened to the family that lived in the house a few generations ago. I think it was a great mechanic to showcase the town's lore, and how rumors come to be.

The story mostly follows Arden, daughter of divorcing real estate agents who's just found out her life is turned upside down and decides to not be the good daughter and student for once, and rebel. By having a graduation party in her parents' fixer upper investment. The Deinhart Manor, rumored to be haunted by the doomed family that lived there ages ago.

With the help of her best friends, they manage to make it quite a spectacular party. Until strange happenings begin, liek forced dancing, bleeding walls, and kids dying. It's up to her, her friends, and her ex to try and figure it out before they're stuck in a house party that never ends.

Overall, I did like this story. Arden was likeable, though her personality and the writing around her and her family and friends stuck out to me. As a born and raised Cali & Bay Area girl, I could immediately tell this author had to be from the bay. And I checked Lily's site out and I was right! I don't know if it's a good thing or bad that I could tell from the writing, as it did make me stop a lot in the first handful of chapters. Not sure why, but yeah.

The dynamics between the friends were good, and even with the ex, they had a nice and typical banter going between them as they tried to survive the night. It definitely felt like just graduated teens. We also have a diversity of friends, from different backgrounds, ethnicities and identities. It wasn't really the point of the book, which I liked, though enough there that you couldn't pretend this was a cast of straight white people. Also, Arden is fat, and she's proud of it, and she wants to become a doctor to stop other kids from killing themselves in trying to get thin. There were a lot of great lines from her and her friends.

Also, I vaguely remember during the height of the horror, when the friends were arguing about how much Arden had distanced herself and was complaining about her future, that they just kinda disliked her for it. It was both understandable and frustrating. Though I related, because my family and I couldn't afford to go away to college, so had to stay home and consider options.

Now, for the horror factor of this book? It wasn't too bad. I never got freaked out or worried too hard for the main protagonists, mostly. Some creepy aspects and unique takes on a haunted house with the spirits within trying to keep people. But I grew up on horror movies with my father, so it does take a lot to get me actually creeped out or freaked out. The descriptions could've been more evocative. Kids did die, and it was certainly a tragedy to see, cause even when they had small spots of narrative, they were still unique and had personality. It wasn't just slaughter for slaughter's sake.

For the supernatural mystery aspect, I remember not quite understanding the point of the house being haunted? Like what happened and why it stuck that way. Even as the kids figured it out, I was a little lost. It had a satisfactory enough ending, but I think I remembered I wanted a little more at the time.

The cover with the red solo cup overfilling with blood was great. I also love the detail of the green wallpaper behind it, the design hinting at the age of the haunted house. It's a simple yet effective cover. I do wish, that considering we had a fat mixed race female protagonist, that she could've been featured with her friends on the cover.

Overall, if you want to get into some horror lite stories with a classic theme and plot? Definitely check this one.

I really wanted to love this because i LOVE YA Thriller/Horror....but the only thing this was, was horrible. how is this not labeled sci-fi? the writing was terrible. the characters were cringeworthy. it was a complete miss for me.

Killer house party was a fun ride that asked the question: what if instead of avoiding the creepy haunted house, we threw a party in it?! I found the protagonist to be super grating, but the other characters were entertaining and I was invested in everyone surviving.

Thank you so much Holt and Co!

Killer House Party was a different kind of read full of intriguing twists. I felt bad for Arden and I commend her for her entrepreneurial spirit. The party started like a standard part and escalated quickly. I did find much of the details a little silly but not enough to stop reading. Instead, I felt the need to know how it all ended.

While I am not the target audience, I enjoyed the story nevertheless. I'd be interested in reading more from this author.

This book is being voluntarily reviewed after receiving a free copy courtesy of NetGalley, the Publisher, and Lily Anderson.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Killer House Party by Lily Anderson in exchange for an honest review. A house party in a haunted house, what could go wrong. This book was okay, I would have really enjoyed it 20 years ago.

Killer House Party is a fun, fast-paced YA mystery with humor, suspense, and a great cast of characters. Anderson’s writing is sharp and engaging, making it a perfect read for fans of whodunits.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review.

I was so excited when my Thrills and Chills Book Club chose this book for our November meeting. While it was a pretty solid book, it didn't quite live up to the hype I'd given it in my head.

One of my biggest complaints is that it felt too "woke." I'm pretty liberal, so I'm in favor of natural diversity and widespread representation, which this book had in spades...and wouldn't let us forget it. And that was the problem. The characters couldn't turn around without reminding us that Arden is a big girl, like she seriously obsessed over it in a way that felt very unnatural to me.

A major pro for the book was the final showdown to escape the house. One of the characters elected to not do the thing that worked for the other characters, because it wasn't genuinely true for them, and in spite of that emotionally hurting another character. It would have been easy for them to follow the same path, but instead they forged their own because that was more authentic.

Overall I give Killer House Party 3.8694 out of 5 stars.

1⭐️

DNF: 5%

Nothing upsets me more than having to DNF a book after the first chapter. I love YA novels. My heart swells 10 times too big when it’s a murder mystery with a spooky atmosphere. But, when an author writes a story that features parents taking money away from their child or children, especially a college fund, I IMMEDIATELY lose my mind. I am so over authors, especially YA authors, writing books about bad parenting. Yes. I am aware that most books are a work of fiction and sometimes a work of fiction features real life events (to an extent). But, OOHMGEE!!! Can we please write books that feature parents being the smart ones for a change??? Can we please write books where a child or children don’t HAVE to ALWAYS be the adult in the room or have their future completely ruined by a DUMB decision created by their parents??? The point of reading books is to take a BREAK from reality. Awful parents and their toxic parenting behavior exists in reality which why READERS NEED A TASTE OF SOMETHING DIFFERENT!!! Please and Thank you!!! Apologies for sounding so annoyed. This marks my first book by Lily Anderson (which I was looking forward to) and the second book of 2025 where YA novels parents are just being dumb. Nope. I will not subject myself to any forms of abusive parental behavior!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt and Company for making this available under the “Read Now” tab for readers in exchange for their honest and personal opinion!!!

I love a good sentient house story, but I felt this one fell a bit flat in the telling of these high school graduates throwing a party in a “haunted house”. While I was invested in how the book turned out, I felt the stakes were not high enough, or that the main characters did not portray how high the stakes were. People were dying and I felt sometimes too many jokes were happening. Really good representation though (queer, bipoc, fat normative) I would likely still try another book by this author to see if this was a one off of middle of the road. I did really like the interjection of everyone’s own version of what happened to the family throughout the book. But as a ya horror , the scary parts didn’t feel so scary.

Quick synopsis: After her parents empty her college funds, Arden throws a party at a haunted house to get the money back.

Thoughts: I loved this book. The creepy atmosphere, the humor amidst the horrifying circumstances, the characters! I especially loved Arden's personality and her relationship with her friends Remi and Maddy May, as well as her dynamic with Nathaniel. (Could we get a book just for him, please?). My favorite bits were the “As Told By” tales of the Deinhart Manor and anytime the house reacted. I think you’ll enjoy this if… you enjoy sentient haunted houses, ensemble cast, slashers, and digs at theater kids.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

Unfortunately, this book was a DNF for me. It was just not very well written and I really did not like the main character.

I hope others love this one.

YA horror is one of my favorite genres, and there are some parts this genre that might seem typecast but that is what is fun about it. However, this book did not work for me. The dialogue was flat and the story got repetitive. I liked the main character and the personality but overall not a memorable story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Maybe it's because I just devoured three thrillers in a row but this was probably the weakest of the three. I struggled to be emotionally invested in any of the characters. I did like that it basically all did take place in one night but because of that it did feel slightly rushed.

The haunted house setting and backstory of the previous owners were pluses for me - very atmospheric. The effects - people disappearing into floors and walls, etc - were well done and added to the overall tension. I enjoyed supporting characters Nathaniel (loved his nerdiness), Remi, and Hannah, but Arden ruined the story for me. She was a killjoy in what could have been a fun popcorn-type horror novel. I was excited to see a plus-size MC, but she focused far too much on her weight, and it became repetitious. She also judged her friends' (who really put up with a lot from her) dreams without taking into account what might be best for them. With bodies dropping and partygoers being trapped in the house, I also thought it was strange some characters were more concerned about making out instead of escaping.

While this novel didn't work for me, it won't prevent me from reading future releases from this author.

I love the whole premise behind this book! The characters are well developed and the plot hooked me from the beginning. It was hard to put down because I HAD TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING YO HAPPEN NEXT! Will absolutely recommend to my students.