When Bessie's privileged friend Allegra plans the party of the year at her family's CASTLE, you know things are about to get wild. Bessie's friend group has been a little strained since an accident last year, so she is looking forward to this party. No one even bats an eye when they have to cross a MOAT to get to the castle, or even when the townspeople are not happy about the development of the castle. Unfortunately, most of the guests never make it to the party due to wild storm that strands them in the castle. By the next morning, someone is dead, and there are a lot of questions about if it was an accident or not...

I agree with other reviews that the characters are super stuck up and unlikeable. Allegra and Ferg fighting over who gets the literal castle is both hilarious and sad.

That being said, I did really enjoy this story. While the characters were unlikeable, I did find it easy to get sucked into their world and their drama. I did kind of guess one aspect to the ending, and I didn't love another aspect. But the vibe of a creepy castle in a storm gave me literal goosebumps more than once.

Easily becoming a Preston auto read fan!

I really enjoyed getting back to read a thriller from Natasha Preston. I had enjoyed the Twin a lot and was glad I was able to read this concept and the party going wrong in this story. It had that suspenseful element that I wanted and glad it was everything that I wanted.

Natasha Preston consistently writes novels that keep you guessing and engaged. This book was an easy read. Typically I do not guess what is going to happen at the end, but this book I had pegged from the beginning. I will recommend students purchase this book. Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

This book follows Bessie and her friends as they head to an abandoned castle for a weekend long party… but the fun stops when the group is trapped in the castle by a vicious storm and begin to die one by one.

I’ve been a fan of Natasha Preston’s books in the past- They aren’t necessarily going to be rife with character, development and depth, but they’re usually a really good time! Unfortunately, this one fell pretty flat for me. The book falls into some repetitive cycles, the red herrings feel a bit forced, and I was able to pretty easily predict the twists. There are some fun moments, and I absolutely recommend that readers check out some of Preston’s writing if they enjoy a fast paced YA thriller- Unfortunately, this one wasn’t for me.

I loved the premise of this, and the setting was great. Although I was completely intrigued and felt like I needed to keep reading, I didn’t really connect with any characters like I wanted to. Overall, it was a good, fast paced thriller!

A quick fast paced thriller. The story starts out with a group of teenagers gathering at an abandoned castle for a party. Soon someone starts killing the guests. The rest of the teenagers then have to find out who the killer is. I didn’t necessarily love any of the characters but was engrossed throughout the entire book. Overall would definitely recommend if you want a quick read!

I really wish NetGalley would let you give a 3.5 because that’s really what I want to give. This book is a variation on the Agatha Christie classic And Then There Were None. A group of friends go to an abandoned castle to have a big secret party but then people start dying and the murderer maybe among them. I loved the premise but the red herring (the grassroots group) was not convincing enough and in general the whole book was just too long. My students always love this author because she writes great shorter length books, I hope we can go back to that in the next one

I was not a huge fan of this book.
1)It took awhile to get into it. It was both boring and confusing at the beginning. Confusing because none of the teens had their own personalities or characteristics to distinguish them from one another.
2) It started to get good...and then they all started acting like complete and utter morons who were actively trying to be unalive.
3)That ending...WTEH?

Preston writes a messed up book but I can admit I’m thoroughly hooked until the very end. This one had a little more blood and gore than I prefer, but that didn’t take away from the thrill of the story!

I use to love reading Preston's book, but the last few have been so boring.

The subject matter really interesting and even the cover gave me bad vibes, which is all great.

IHowever, as I started to rrad, the writing felt off for me. Too many details and conversations and too many characters. I am ussually good at following lcharacters that are varied, but this writing just made me wish it was a way better book.

This author is very popular at our library though, so we will purchase it.

This book is so slow and talks in circles. The story is not very well developed and the characters had no depth. Even for YA, this book was a dud.

This one keeps you guessing. What could possibly go wrong. A group of kids, just wanting to have a little fun after finals. A remote castle with no adults. Impending weather and little to no electricity. The party is going to be the best ever, until it is not. Who can you trust? Who will survive the weekend.

Initially I was hooked because of the premise and the castle setting but it dragged on and on. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks NetGalley and Random House for this ARC.

This is the second YA retelling of And Then There Were None I’ve read an ARC of this year. Of the 2, I didn’t like this one as well.

I loved the setting and liked the overall story, but I struggled not to be frustrated by the characters’ decisions. It was so obvious if they split up, someone would die. They needed to stay together, which they even discussed. All of them together at all times would have kept them alive, and yet every chance they got, they just had to separate for one reason or another. Over and over again. Obviously the author needed this to happen for the plot, but it felt like too convenient a way to pull it off.

I also had a hard time believing the motive for most of the deaths in the end. I guess if you’re willing to murder, your motives can be ridiculously unhinged, but the motive for Bess was the only one I truly bought.

This was my first Natasha Preston read, and I’ll definitely read more. I just didn’t love this as much as I’d hoped. Alexa Donne does it better in The Bitter End.

When I, despite bouts of self-doubt and recrimination related to why I was reading it in the first place, finished the last line of this book, I looked to the sky and threw my hands to the multitudes, willing the book review forces that be to help me funnel my consuming fury into something which could potentially help future readers avoid the patronizing shit-storm I just endured.

It didn't work. I'm too peeved at anyone who believes their readership to be this fucking stupid to form phrases that accurately convey my abject disdain.

Natasha Preston does it again!! Loved this read with all the anxiety of what happened and how – they was just right there moment! Totally worth the read. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC #TheParty #NatashaPreston #NetGalley

I loved this thriller! Preston has a way that takes twists and turns and, despite being a bit easy to figthrough. out, make them difficult to discern the entire way through.

Natasha Preston always delivers the goods with her young adult novels (adults can and will enjoy them, too). "The Party" is a quick, great book for sure.

I would not recommend this book to teens at my library. The writing fell short and the story wasn’t as tight as a lot of YA thrillers that our teens enjoy. I also thought it was very violent for a YA book.

Another great thriller from Preston. I always think I have it figured out, then the twist appears and throws me for a loop. I have read all her books and this one did not disappoint!