Ethan and Dani appear to have the perfect life together. They live in a renovated mansion on top of the cliffs with their daughter, Charlotte. Ethan loves to entertain and has planned an elaborate 16th birthday party for his daughter, Sophie. The guest list includes many of Sophie’s friends and parents, and several of Ethan and ex-wife Kim’s friends. But Dani’s thoughts and fears get a little crazy as mysterious, unexplainable things occur. Is she hallucinating like Ethan has led her to believe or is the mansion really haunted? If it isn’t haunted, then which guest is tormenting and paralyzing her with fear?

I found myself reading this every opportunity that I could. It was difficult to put it down. We all know someone like the characters portrayed in the book, so it was entertaining to the very end. You’ll never guess the outcome of this party of liars!

I’m happy to recommend this book (five stars) and I thank St. Martin’s Press and Kelsey Cox for the ARC.
#NetGalley #PartyofLiars

This story definitely had me guessing for the majority of the book. I had so many guesses on who had been pushed over the balcony in the initial chapter and none of those guesses was making sense the more I read. Lots of different twists are revealed and there are many, many characters that will go from likable to unlikable (and sometimes back again), which makes for dynamic storytelling.

I can't say that I loved the haunted "Mother" idea that was woven through the story; however, the implication that the house was haunted added a layer of confusion to the story of whether or not Dani, a new mother, was dealing with postpartum depression and psychosis. This was crucial as the plot developed and the reader has to figure out if the weird going ons are all in her head or are being perpetrated against her.

This debut book from Kelsey Cox certainly kept be engaged! Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

This was such a fun and exciting story. Teen dramas, adult dramas, secrets, hidden identities--no one was who they seemed. Compelling and full of twists. Perfect for new years! A haunted house and a sweet sixteen for a spoiled teen--perfect mixture for an explosion.

Hells yeah! This book was so much fun! At first it was like holy characters but man it just really wove together so perfectly! WHAT a debut! I hope there’s something coming next because I will absolutely read it! I really just enjoyed all the twining together of the events and the reveals toward the end! The struggles of all the characters and how they were able to eventually overcome them. Such an awesome book and I hope everyone gives it a try and really enjoys it!!!

Just before Sophie Mathews blows out the candles on her Sweet Sixteen birthday cake, a body falls from the balcony. There are numerous guests at this black tie event who could be responsible. The family’s mansion is thought by many to be haunted so there is also a supernatural aspect to the story.

I found the story slow and predictable, and there were many, many characters to keep track of. It did pick up just past the halfway point but not enough to make it a gripping thriller.

Overall, this rates a solid 3. Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy.

The opening segment of *Party of Liars* progressed at a somewhat sluggish pace, which may have tested my patience. However, the narrative picked up momentum in the latter half, leading to a more engaging experience. Throughout the story, it proved difficult to form a genuine affinity for any of the characters, as they were often portrayed in a complex manner. The novel is structured through a series of short chapters, weaving together multiple perspectives that revolve around the events leading up to and following a mysterious death. This unique storytelling approach ultimately builds to a thrilling conclusion, filled with unexpected twists that keep the reader on their toes. Kelsey Cox has delivered an impressive debut with this well-crafted novel, and I find myself eagerly anticipating her upcoming works.

3.5 ⭐ Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC!

Each multi-perspective chapter leaves you feeling tense and uneasy at times. It is a slow burn giving you bits and pieces little at a time which makes it a great read in my opinion. I wish I could rate this higher for Kelsey but something about the story began to feel rushed or perhaps it was such a build up that I almost felt let down once all the secrets were out.

I absolutely devoured this book.

The basic plot revolves around a young woman's 16th birthday party and the intrigues within her family, leading to a sudden death. Each family member, and even a few friends, have a lot of their own personal dramas happening that could add up to a motive for murder.

It was fantastic unraveling all of the twists and turns to finally reach the stunning climax! Read it in one sitting and probably stayed up a little too late on a school night to finish it - but it was so worth it.

great novel and very catchy cover. this was a fast read and others will love to explore this young adult novel.

What a wonderful ride! Great characters, dialogue, and imagery with a plot that kept me guessing. The character perspectives give insight to their various ages and stages in life. Teens and their complicated feelings and relationships. An ex-wife who has lost everything seemingly due to her addiction. The new mother who wonders about her unhealthy thoughts. A nanny consumed with grief. These lives are woven together in this intricate tapestry that the reader gets to unravel with each turn of the page. There are revelations that made me go back to earlier chapters to see if I had missed any clues. Highly recommended to fellow thriller enthusiasts!

Sophie Matthew's sweet sixteen party at her dad's newly renovated mansion is THE event of the season. The locals believe the mansion is haunted by a tortured ghost called The Mother who tragically lost her children. Despite the speculation of a haunting, the locals are dying to get a peek inside the lavish mansion made of glass that looms on the cliffside. As the party commences, there's plenty of teen drama as well as mounting tensions amongst the adults. Not everything and everybody is as they seem and, before the night is done, someone will be dead.

I enjoyed this story. The house itself was a primary character and helped build the atmosphere and tension.
There's a large cast of characters, all with secrets and/or resentments. This is a slow burn, with the secrets unfolding slowly, which allowed for mounting tensions but also made for a tedious read at times.
The pronouncement at the end wasn't completely unexpected. After such a great build-up, I was hoping for something more shocking. I was also hoping the supernatural element would have been leaned into a bit more as well.

Overall, this is an intriguing and gripping thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Net Galley & St Martin press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 star
Read if you like:
Multiple POVs, creepy house, teen/adult drama

So, the first 75-80% was great. It had me on the edge of my seat, needing to know what was going to happen next. But once the twist were revealed it went down hill from there.

I felt a bit confused with where things were going.. unfortunately for me the story lost its excitement.
I did like the ending.

If you liked clue as a child then this book is for you, It's amazing and will keep you guessing what is going until the end!!

This wasn’t for me. I wasn’t a fan of the storyline, it was an interesting premise but just didn’t hold my attention

PARTY OF LIARS by Kelsey Cox
⭐️ rating: 8/10

read if you like:
🤷🏻‍♀️ teenage dramas
👥 multiple POV’s
👯 adult and teen storylines together

summary:
Wow this book has everything. It follows several characters preparing for a Sweet 16 — Sophie, the birthday girl, Ethan, her remarried father after a messy divorce, Kim, Sophie’s now single mother dealing with the loss of her marriage; Dani, Ethan’s new younger wife and new mom; Orlaith, the nanny, and Mikayla, Sophie’s best friend. When Ethan and Dani throw Sophie a massive sweet 16 party, the whole town comes to their palatial Texas estate, thought to be haunted, to celebrate. But when all of these guests with their own problems and agendas come together, someone is going to end up dead.

This book is fun because of the sheer number of simultaneous storylines, both for the teens and the adults. I thought it would be harder to follow, but it was pretty easy, with the chapters rotating between POV’s. Each character is distinctly different, and we get to learn about them through their own perspectives and stories, which makes for better drama. I liked the balance of YA and adult storylines, because it can appeal to those who like both — which I do. I personally loved and could relate to Mikayla — Sophie’s best friend, who is trying desperately to fit in amongst everyone growing up around her. The only storyline I didn’t love as much was Orlaiths, which felt a bit underdeveloped and too much like every other “crazy nanny” thriller. I loved though how all of the stories started to come together in the end in a natural way, and even though the end was somewhat predictable, that there were still twists I didn’t see coming.

Thanks to St Martins Press and Minotaur Books for the ARC. Everyone should check this out when it releases on July 1!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC.

Rounding down to 3.5 ⭐️
The book was an overall rollercoaster for me. The plot had some good parts and then some slow parts. I did like getting to know each character and how it all tied together. I wish the book condensed a little bit better. Overall, an enjoyable read.

In "Party of Liars" by Kelsey Cox, a sweet sixteen party takes a dark turn, resulting in an untimely death.

Sophie’s 16th birthday is the perfect time for a lavish party hosted by her father and her stepmother. It is the event of the season and the perfect opportunity to show off their newly renovated mansion, but with fractured relationships driving drama behind the scenes, nothing is going quite as planned.

The story is told from multiple perspectives, many unreliable, making it difficult to distinguish between good and bad. Cox has done an impressive job of crafting an engaging mystery filled with twists. However, while the book's first half is strong, the conclusion feels somewhat rushed and predictable.

I mean, i won't be thinking about this for months or anything, but the short chapters and character variety made it a real banger.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Party of Liars gives you the perfect mystery to try to solve when you’re not sure who exactly is dead, and of course, who did it. And while this mystery does take place at a party, you’re provided a healthy amount of memories for our main characters, the mother of the birthday girl, the step mother of the birthday girl, the birthday girl’s best friend, and the nanny of the birthday girl’s step baby sister. I enjoyed getting to know these characters, what they were struggling with, and even more so wondering if they were going to be the victim at the end of the party. Luckily there are part of the book that interrupt current and past events to tell you what’s happened after the party so you can try to figure out from that narrative what has happened.

With a perfect dash of supernatural, the victim and murderer (if there is one) are both puzzles and Party of Liars is extremely well written, allowing that puzzle to be tantalizingly out of reach to solve. While I didn’t love what I discovered through the memories of our characters, it was exactly what this story needed to explain a lot of unknowns. This would be perfect for a more mature young adult in addition to those adults who want to burrow in and become Sherlock.

Wow! This was a head spinner of a book. I was totally captivated by the whole premise of this book. From the first page to the last, I gobbled this one up. I read it in a couple days but only because I forced myself to put it down.

A Texas sweet sixteen party goes totally awry and out of control. Sophie is set to have her big party at the mansion of her father and step mother. Once thought to be haunted,the renovated cliffside home is the talk of the neighborhood and everyone is excited to attend the big bash, mainly to gander a look inside the mansion. Champagne flowing, food and dancing galore, everyone is having a great time when suddenly a body falls from the balcony stunning the crowd into silence.

Told from multiple POV'S, each character has their own secrets. Their stories give the reader a full picture of where the plot is headed. The ending was superb and not where I thought it was going. This was a real page turner and I highly recommend it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced copy