"Killer House Party" by Lily Anderson is a thrilling rollercoaster of a read that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The eerie setting of Deinhart Manor and the escalating horrors within make for a perfect backdrop to this intense survival story. Anderson brilliantly balances the excitement of a graduation party with the sheer terror of the supernatural elements, making the transition from fun to fright seamless and gripping. The characters are relatable, and their varied motivations add depth to the story, though at times, the horror tropes felt a bit predictable. Still, the suspense and adrenaline rush more than made up for it. This book left me feeling exhilarated, like I'd just survived a real-life horror movie. If you're into YA horror with a dash of high school drama, this one's for you! 🎉🏚️🔪

I absolutely love this author and everything she writes. This book....I devoured like all of her others. Thank you so much for the ARC!

Hmmmmmm…it was super intriguing to imagine this house. This thing that had been a mystery and an item of fascination for their whole lives is so much more than a house. Very interesting premise. I dug the way the “party” unfolded and learning all of the different motivations of the partiers. And I could relate to Arden just a little TOO much, frankly. I mean, I’m white, but pretty much everything else about her was ME in high school: driven student, great grades, huge plans, and fat. And short. And insecure about all of that. Sigh. A fun read. 💜📚

This book was so much fun! It was a fantastic queer thriller experience. I really enjoyed reading it. The characters were fun and fresh, the plot moved quickly but not frenetically, and the story was well done. I highly recommend this story! It’s a must for any queer reader!

🩸🩸Book Review🩸🩸
#killerhouseparty by @mslilyanderson

This was a #killer story! Graduation Party Time! Arden wants to be a doctor and go to college at Windsor 💯 College dream fails when Arden’s parents divorce and use Arden’s college fund to buy the local #hauntedhouse! Arden is so mad so she grabs her besties, buys party provisions and they throws a house party at the Deinhart Mansion! Only rich kids invited because the door charge is what will be paying Ardens college tuition.
Party is successful until all the windows are boarded up and the doors won’t open. Everyone is trapped inside with the haunted past of all the murders that occurred in the Deinhart mansion! Good luck getting out!!!

Thank you, Lily Anderson and NetGalley, for the ARC. I leave this review voluntarily and happily. Also, thank you publishers for your hard work!

This was a great read, and it's definitely different from any haunted house book I've read so far. Of course, there's death and ghosts, but there is just so much more to it than that. I truly enjoyed the characters and the evil entities in this book. Reading through this it will definitely have you hoping they make it out safely and in time. Not only is this a haunted house book, but a party held within it!

Being newly graduated, of course, you'd want to throw a killer party. But, what if that party was thrown in a supposed haunted house? What if all those stories told about it were true? And what of this was the last night of your life? Read to find out what happens at this party.

Reading this, there are definitely tense moments, moments where you'll wince, and you'll definitely be spooked. Of course, you will be wanting nothing more than the main characters to escape and, of course, make it out alive. I certainly enjoyed this all the way to the very end.

What do you do when your parents squash your dreams by squandering your college tuition? You throw a Killer House Party to get back at them!

Only, the house, an abandoned, murder-house mansion up on a hill, decides to take matters into its own hands. The death toll mounts as Arden, her ex, and her 2 BFFs try to save the rest of their graduating class.

Highly recommend for high school library acquisition. Body positivity, queer F/F representation

Think, Monster House meets The Amityville Horror and throw in some characters of color and queer representation. It’s a fun and quick read that definitely makes me glad I never threw (or attended a house party) because with my luck, it would have turned out just like this one.

For the most part, I enjoyed reading this book. I found the beginning to be a bit slow and some parts to be predictable, but it’s a YA haunted house horror, so we are bound to get a bit of predictability. here were quite a few instances that I was surprised and anxious to see what would happen next and if our main characters would indeed make it out alive… If you want to know the answer to that, you’ll have to read to find out.

*Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, NetGalley, and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

Ok, when I say I judged a book by its cover with this book, I absolutely did, because the cover is so well done, not too much going on but really drew me in. I don’t think I would have chosen this book had I read the synopsis pre-download lol, horror/paranormal is not generally my thing. But OMG, I am SO glad I did, because this book was everything. Not in the whodunit sense like your typical thriller, but I really just wanted to find out if anyone was going to survive and/or how they die. I couldn’t put it down, I loved the main character, Arden, she was smart and witty, and not your typical senior girl. I think people will LOVE this book for a Halloween read, perfect that the pub date is Oct 1.

Without giving too much away…

Arden is going to be a Doctor! Or at least she thought, until her parents make a decision for her and leave her scrambling to come up with some tuition money. Her best friend, Maddy, suggests throwing a graduation party at the allegedly haunted Deinhart Mansion, because who doesn’t love a good ghost story? Everything is going great until it isn’t. Maddy is missing, cold chills, visions, and other strange things going on when Arden finds a body of a fellow classmate and party goer, but that’s not even the weirdest part! Gotta pay to get in, but will you get to leave?

Thank you NetGalley, Henry Holt and Co. Publishing and Lily Anderson for the ARC of Killer House Party in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and words are my own.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

i struggled getting into this book. i had to push through to continue. at around the halfway, it got somewhat better.

this is your typical YA horror. reminds me of whatever movie came out recently for some reason. it was predictable at some parts, but some parts did surprise me.

Thank you to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I think Killer House Party had potential. The idea was good but it didn't execute well for me. I know it's a YA but I felt the characters' dialog more like early teens, not teenagers that just graduated. I didn't like the ending

This was a fun read. It definitely took a turn I didn't see coming that was pretty unique. I'm still not sure how I feel about that though.

Arden (love this name), Maddy May, and Remi are best friends that just graduated. Arden's plan was always to be a doctor. But she found out that her parents spent her college money on buying an old haunted mansion in town. They are also now getting divorced. Arden is upset and doesn't want to be stuck in her town. Maddy May and Remi talk about how kids are paying $100 each to get into a no alcohol party the school is throwing. They figure Arden can do the same, but with alcohol. Arden's never been to a party, but she has something no one else has. A house with a very haunted/murder history. They don't really believe it's haunted, but it is old and in need of a lot of work. It definitely gives the creepy feels. Lots of kids show up and then weird things start to happen. The door and windows won't open. There is blood and ghostly hands coming out of the walls. Arden realizes that ghosts are real and they won't let anyone leave the house now that they are there.

The book has some neat parts with the stories different people have told about the house and family over the years. I liked that Arden has body positive about her size. More of that is needed in books. And life in general. There were times that she annoyed me though. I really liked both Maddy May and Remi. Remi's crush on Hannah was super cute. Arden's sort of ex was also annoying, but I did like what he added to the story.

Overall, this was fun and hard to put down. The ending was what made me give this 4 stars instead of 5.

Thank you to Netgalley for my earc.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

This was a cute YA Mystery/Thriller. It was a little slow at first but picked up quickly. A house party in a haunted house was compelling and reminiscent to 1990s Fear Street. The cover is also spectacular!

Book:
KILLER HOUSE PARTY by Lily Anderson
Thank you Henry Holt &Co and Netgalley for the Arc (Oct 1)

Review:
3.5⭐
I struggled with this book when I first started it, but once I got into it, I couldn't stop. I would describe this as a page-turner full of edge-of-your-seat anticipation just for the soul purpose of wanting to know who, if anyone, survives.
KILLER HOUSE PARTY was a thrilling tale of horrors. Honestly, it was quite creepy, but like not in a this is so scary. It was moreso the way the deaths happened, possession, etc.
KILLER HOUSE PARTY follows Arden and her friends as they throw a party at Deinhart Manor (known as a haunted house bc no one knows what happened to them). Everything seems fine until...something sinister happens.
This book had me rooting for the characters, it had me saying "don't do it, don't go in there", and it had me wondering if a house really could control people.

What I Liked About It:
*the hauntings
*the mystery
*the overall meaning
*the fat girl rep

Once I got into this book, it turned into a one sitting read. It will be a perfect October read when it’s published. It is unique, witty, and darkly funny with great one liners and a different twist on your typical haunted house story. Arden and her best friends throw a graduation party at the local haunted manor in an attempt to collect enough tuition for Arden to go away to school in the fall. Things quickly devolve when blood starts flooding the foyer and as Arden, her ex, and her friends have to fight their way out, Arden also has to come to terms with what her future may look like. I particularly liked the way the stories about the house are interspersed throughout the book. The characters and representation are so good. Arden, Remi, and Maddy May have distinct personalities and their friendship feels very real.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

This felt like a typical YA horror book. The premise was unique and entertaining. I really enjoyed a smart, clever main character that was comfortable in her own skin and promoted a positive body image.

The banter fell flat at some points throughout the book and it got a bit repetitive as the story progressed. I didn’t think the life lesson at the end of the book was necessary but I didn’t mind it.

A good read if you want a quick, interesting horror book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Children’s Publishing Group for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6604824561

Honestly I didn't really enjoy this one but I cannot pinpoint what about it exactly kept me from enjoying it. I never really connected with any of the characters and continued reading it to just get through it rather than caring about what happened. I do think though if it sounds interesting to you that you should give it a shot because my opinion may not be yours.

The book had a great premise! I liked the idea. There were several moments that kept me in the book. When the ghosts first started to try and get Arden, when the group was dancing beyond their control. I felt like there were a few plot pinpricks (not large enough to be holes at all). Leaving Claire in the foyer felt like she was leftmost of the book. Overall, the book had the theme of hope, and was interesting to read. I enjoyed it.

The cover is definitely want initially drew me to the book. A senior has a house party except the house is haunted and all chaos ensues. I would say the book had a good storyline and character development.

Thank you NetGallery for the e-ARC of this book

It was a good read, wasn't what I was expecting! Thinking happy thoughts to escape was a little juvenile to me. Not exactly what I would think recent high school grads would do more like middle school kids.