The Party by Natasha Preston opens with Bessie and her boarding school friends preparing to sneak out for Spring Break to throw a huge party in a rundown castle. Things start to go awry when a huge storm hits and keeps them secluded in the remote castle and the friends begin to be killed. Who is doing this and why?

A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Party for free in exchange for my honest review. I was excited to be approved for this book because I enjoyed The Island, at least until the ending, and thought The Dare was just okay, and I wanted to be able to compare her latest novel to the ones I had already read.

Preston did a fantastic job of having a lot of diverse characters. Despite there being quite a few characters, it wasn't too hard keeping them straight. However, I did have trouble remembering who Raif was at one point because he hadn't been mentioned in a while. Additionally, the characters weren't very developed, but that's to be expected with a Young Adult (YA) Horror novel. Surprisingly, there were quite a few likable characters. The only one I didn't really care for was Allegra. But again, I did end up changing my mind on a couple of the characters by the end of the story.

There were plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing, but I did figure out the identity of the killers and wasn't surprised in the least bit by their motive. However, The Party ended just as abruptly as The Island did. I don't care for abrupt endings and wanted a proper ending. It makes me wonder if the author had trouble wrapping up the ending.

All in all, I did enjoy the novel as it reminded me of the Point Horror Books from the 1980's and 1990's. It made me want to go back and reread some of my favorites from my childhood. If you have a tween or teen who likes horror, then they should enjoy The Party by Natasha Preston. And, if you're an adult like me and want something similar to read to the books they grew up with, you should enjoy it as well. The expected publication date is December 3, 2024 in the United States. Four out of five stars.

I really didn't like this. There were a lot of issues with pacing, continuity, character development, etc. This needed another round of editing, for sure, and I just think that the payoff of the story is not worth the running around in an under-described castle and being wet for 80% of the book.

I started out liking this (I was excited to see where the story went, until I hit about the 20% mark), but I am left feeling truly exasperated by this experience, lol. I will caveat my entire review and say, though, that if I was 13/14/maybe 15 I am positive I would have enjoyed this. As a young adult, though, there were just too many...weird plot holes/pacing issues/character issues/other things for me to truly enjoy this.

This book didn't pull me in like some of her other books but would still recommend for younger readers or those that like YA. I really like this author and have physical copies of all her other books!

Another Fantastic read by Natasha Preston! Such good turns and twist in this book. This book had my nerves going and my heart racing. I literally couldn’t wait to finish it cause I wanted to know what happened. 10000% would recommend this book!!!

First I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House Children’s for the ARC of this novel.

This book definitely felt like a YA novel to me. Although it was a fun mystery but it did feel a little young for me. I think my teen daughter would really enjoy this book.

I think this book suffered from too many characters and too many POVs. But I would still recommend it to any teen who enjoys a good murder/mystery book.

3/5 stars

I have received eARCs for Natasha Preston’s last two books, and I think that’s it for me. I requested both of them because one of my kids is a huge fan, and heaven knows we parents of teenagers need cool points desperately. However, the writing is just not there. It reads like it was written by an *actual* teenager. There are plot holes all over the place, and characters do things that don’t make any sense, over and over. The ending was extremely abrupt, to the point where I was shocked the book was over.

Even so, I’m *glad* that it’s over. My hat’s off to Ms. Preston—she’s clearly found a niche, and she’s very successful at reaching her target audience. I’m just not a member of it.

My thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for gifting me an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Enjoyed this thriller/ mystery about a group of teenagers who plan a party at a remote castle during a break from their private school. The teens are semi still rattled by an accident a year ago that involved three of the students and one never returned to school. Once at the castle a storm rolls in leaving the students stranded and when one of them dies the first night things started getting strange. Strange noises are heard, their cell phones all disappear and the cars won’t start. This book was keeping me on the edge of my toes throughout and I could wait to see what happened at the end of the book.

Natasha Preston never fails to Impress and remains one of my favorite authors. You can pick up any of her books and find an enjoyable thrill.

Stop playing with me! That was the end!!! Ok so if you want a book that will keep you up all night guessing, this is the one. I suspected literally every person possible multiple times. I was still wrong in a way. The high school rich kid drama 😭😭

DNF @ 53%.

I really wanted to like this book. I thought there were too many characters. I loved the plot of the book and was definitely a fun thriller. I think the book dragged on in some parts.

Fewer characters and multiple POVs would make this a 5 star read for me.

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.

A quick, easy read but without much character development it kind of felt flat. I wasn't particularly engaged with any of the characters, and the "twists" just kept getting more and more absurd until the final twist just left me shaking my head. Recommended as a quick, locked room mystery for people who don't mind suspending belief for a bit.

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an advanced reader copy.

I feel like every Natasha Preston book is just such a fun easy read. I really enjoy her YA writing style. Thank you Random House Children's | Delacorte Press and Netgalley

This was a fast-paced and action-packed book. It was entertaining and although there was so much action that there wasn’t a lot of room for character growth or development, it ends with a shocking twist. This is a good read if you want to be on the edge of your seat and wondering “who dunnit.”

Warning, don’t read this with the lights off! Sneaking off to an abandoned castle for a weekend to party while a storm rages and moats flood is simply a recipe for disaster. As these friends try to have fun, stay calm and figure out what is happening in the castle around them, nefarious things are going bump in the night.
The plot is entertaining enough to keep you involved in the story and the various characters’ roles. I found myself running different scenarios through my brain to try to come up with the resolution before it occurred. A great read especially near Halloween!

I loved this book! Kept me guessing and interested the whole time. Thank you netgalley for this ARC!

Thanks to Netgalley & Random House Children's for the E-ARC! I really enjoyed this. Really dark & creepy & great plot twists. Very interesting characters too. Will definitely read more from the author.

This was actually my first book by this author that I’ve read. I was hooked the entire time. I loved it so much, I went and bought all her other books at once! I highly recommend this book and this author.

Another page-turner from Natasha Preston. A group of rich teenagers sneak into an abandoned castle to throw the party to end all parties. Surrounded by a moat, they are isolated during a violent storm. One by one, they die or disappear. Apparently not ever having seen an episode of Scooby Doo, they split up and lose track of each other. Is there someone else there or is one of them doing something very, very bad? Yes, they make the worst possible decision at every turn but, as mad as I was at them, I was terrified and rooting for them. Every character has a redeeming quality that made me not want them to be the baddie. Bessie, the narrator, was very likable. Being teenagers, their mistakes seem understandable (seriously people, get a weapon, any weapon!). Unlike other Preston books, this one takes a little while to get going (about 30%) but, once you get past the dialogues about getting away from boarding school and who has a crush on whom, the action is non-stop. The castle is very creepy, and it’s described in a much better way than YA books usually do. I had no idea who was behind it all, so the ending was really a shocker. Popcorn fiction at its best.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Random House Children's | Delacorte Press.

This book was amazing and keeps you wondering. If you think you’ve figured it out, you truly haven’t 🤣

A group of students plan a long weekend getaway in an abandoned castle.Unbeknownst to them, this may be their last party. A must read that will keep you guessing who will survive and who is behind it all!

The Party releases in December and I can’t wait for it to be accessible to everyone.

The Party is a thrilling ride that had me hooked from the first page! 🎉 Set in a remote castle in the English countryside, Bessie and her friends gather for what promises to be an unforgettable spring break. But when one of them turns up dead, the festivities take a dark and chilling turn. 💀

As the body count rises and a fierce storm traps them inside, paranoia sets in. Bessie and her friends must navigate not only the external danger but also the internal suspicions that threaten to tear them apart. Preston masterfully builds tension against the eerie backdrop of the sprawling estate, making every twist and turn feel unpredictable. 🔪

With its mix of suspense, friendship, and psychological intrigue, The Party is perfect for fans of locked-room mysteries and thrillers that keep you guessing. A must-read for anyone looking for an edge-of-your-seat experience! 📚✨