Genre: YA Thriller
Published: October 1, 2024
Pages: 303
From Printz Honor winning author Lily Anderson comes a young adult horror that follows Arden and her friends as their graduation party at an abandoned mansion turns into a bloody fight for survival.
Red Solo cups? Check. Snacks? Check. Abandoned mansion full of countless horrors that won’t let you leave? Check.
The Deinhart Manor has been a looming shadow over town for as long as anyone can remember, and it's been abandoned for even longer. When the final Deinhart descendent passes, the huge gothic manor is up for sale for the first time ever. Which means Arden can steal the keys from her mom’s real estate office . . . It’s time for a graduation party that no one will ever forget.
Arden and her friends each have different reasons for wanting to throw the party to end all parties. But when the manor doors bar everyone inside and the walls begin to bleed, all anyone wants to do is make it out alive.
Red Solo cups? Check. Snacks? Check. Abandoned mansion full of countless horrors that won’t let you leave? Check.
The Deinhart Manor has been a looming shadow over town for as long as anyone can remember, and it's been abandoned for even longer. When the final Deinhart descendent passes, the huge gothic manor is up for sale for the first time ever. Which means Arden can steal the keys from her mom’s real estate office . . . It’s time for a graduation party that no one will ever forget.
Arden and her friends each have different reasons for wanting to throw the party to end all parties. But when the manor doors bar everyone inside and the walls begin to bleed, all anyone wants to do is make it out alive.
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. - Katie
Lily Anderson is the Printz Honor-winning author of many books including SCOUT'S HONOR, UNDEAD GIRL GANG, and THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN ME IS YOU. A former school librarian, she is deeply devoted to Shakespeare, fairy tales, and podcasts. Somewhere in Northern California, she is expressing strong opinions on musical theater. Find her online at www.mslilyanderson.com
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