THE HOUSE PARTY by Rita Cameron revolves around the very poor choices that unformed teenage minds make at times. Several high school students break into a new construction house and hold a party with drugs and booze and then some engage in sexual assault and ultimately cause over a hundred-thousand dollars damage when they wreck the house. That new home was a kind of last hope for Maja and Ted Jensen, transplants from New York who have not been successful at getting pregnant and struggle with their relationship. These are not minor crimes, but who gets blamed by local authorities? The kids with working class parents, with less privilege and less clout. Cameron does an excellent job of evoking emotion – the dread and fear, the embarrassment, the jealousy, the entitlement that lurks in this suburban Philadelphia community. Therefore, this novel was quite uncomfortable to read at times and it was difficult to empathize with the well-drawn, but basically selfish characters. THE HOUSE PARTY received starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly ("Cameron does a stellar job at demonstrating how easily stereotyping and wealth can influence outcomes").

This is a book about a house party that goes terribly wrong. Teenagers, bad decisions and circumstances that spiral out of control combine to make this book “unputdownable.” This book is really good. From the very beginning, I found the story compelling….but SO STRESSFUL. My blood pressure and anxiety were off the charts because I just needed the stressful situations to stop! Thank you NetGalley for the Arc!

The House Party by Rita Cameron is a story of a town, the neighbors with their secrets and the housing crash of 2008. One night, one party causes so much grief and disaster from a new house destroyed to teenagers having fun that turns into mistakes they will never forget. We get to witness what happens when you have money and influence in a town that will protect your kids but will also hurt them. A bit slow but thought provoking novel that was hard to put down.

Very fast read. I think this is a great representation of what is currently happening as teens are raised today. Rather than kids having to pay the consequences for their actions, they are being coddled and catered to. Kids need boundaries!

3 1/2 stars

Graduation is approaching at New Falls High School in New Falls, New York. The kids are eager to celebrate, so when they start to receive texts inviting them to a party at a house under construction along the river, they’re all too eager to partake. Once there though, things quickly get out of hand.

This was an okay read. The writing was good, but I could never completely buy into the story, and I couldn’t sympathize with any of the characters. It wasn’t their entitlement, but the fact that they all thought that they were the only ones that mattered. No matter that there’s underage drinking, drug use, criminal property damage, and sexual assault, the parents were always convinced that their kids didn’t do any of it. Worse, the ending left me wanting more explanation of how the party came about. Who really planned it? I’m pretty sure that the kid taking the fall for it wasn’t the one. Too many questions were left unanswered for my taste. While I could see the police wanting to close the case, I didn’t buy into just how brazen they were to blame kids from lower socio-economic families while letting all the wealthier kids off with a slap on the wrist. Also, the way the district attorney went after his assistant DA without allowing for explanation or investigation of what happened with him seemed over the top. Was he really that concerned that the ADA might take over his job? Hardly likely.

There are some secrets in this book. Some get answered, others do not. I just wanted more from this book than I received.

I read an advanced reader copy of this book, so maybe once it went through final editing, sme of these problems might have been rectified. I’d definitely give this author another chance. Not my favorite book of the year, but it was readable and, for the most part, kept me involved.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley. I thank all involved for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reaction to reading this book.

Set in 2008, The House Party tells the story of the young residents of a wealthy New Jersey suburb destroying an under construction home following their night of partying. The story touches on the wealth created by the subprime mortgage industry. Each family impacted by the destructive party has a different take on the party, the resulting police activity, and the legal issues that do or don't arise. It is an interesting look at how class and money become the lenses through which everything is seen.

This isn’t a thriller
If you take it that way you will be disappointed. It starts with a group og “good”, privileged kids throwing a party with disastrous results. The book explores how privilege, wealth, etc. Impact the outcome of bad decisions. Very thought provoking.

This was another book that really hit home on how easily a simple action can effect your entire life. As a parent these type of books scare me to death! It was very well written and I enjoyed it.

House Party by Rita Cameron. Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the e -Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Jensens are building their dream house in a suburban town new to them. When the town’s teenagers throw a party at their home while it’s under construction, the home is ruined.

After reading the synopsis I thought there had to be more to it than that; just a party and the aftermath? But that’s exactly what it is. I kept waiting for something to happen. I was still able to appreciate it for what it was and I did enjoy it; it’s just not a thriller.. really. It’s more a commentary about privilege in small towns.

I feel like the synopsis overpromised a little too much: a thriller (nope), a social commentary on privilege (also no. Just white kids really not exactly a sweeping social commentary) I did still enjoy it though

It's 2008, the Jensens are building their dream home from off-site and trying to get pregnant, but their plans for a bright future are quickly dashed when a group of high schoolers decide to throw a party and completely trash the place. Amongst the mortgage bubble crisis the story details the fallout from the party, the police investigation, and provides a bit of social commentary on the privileged affluent kids vs the have nots.

The book was a quick enough read, but I never really got invested in anyone's journey. From the cover I thought it would be a bit more suspenseful. A tad predictable. I kept waiting for something else to happen to up the drama, but that something never came.

Rating 3 stars

Thank you to William Morrow for providing an e-ARC of The House Party for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

This was a fast-paced, exciting story about the fallout from suburban house party that threatens to tear a community apart. Told from various viewpoints, the author deftly explores “affluenza” and class divides between middle class and wealthy families.

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC

This was an interesting story, I guess I would call it domestic suspense. It was good but not great - I wouldn't go out of my way to read it. Maja and Ted weren't particularly well developed or likeable, so it made it hard to sympathize with them. The students were overly entitled and didn't seem to suffer many consequences in the end. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

When a group if teenagers chose to party in a new multimillion house build, things start to go horribly wrong. A terse and evocative look at both small town politics, family dynamics, and the social atmosphere of a high school. A wonderful and propulsive read.

The cover of The House Party by Rita Cameron throws off some major thriller vibes, but that isn’t the case at all, in my opinion. In the goodreads description, it’s even listed as a thriller in the genre section, but I’d have to disagree. I dunno. Maybe it’s just me, but I wouldn’t call this one a thriller. It’s so much more than that. It has depth, grit, and importance. I’d describe it as a juicy neighborhood drama centered around privilege, class, wealth, responsibility, and social standing. It’s not your typical house party, or the house party that you’re expecting. A fun night out for a bunch of teenagers gets a little out of hand, goes terribly wrong, and then results in some major consequences. The blame game begins, fingers are pointed, and a suburban town’s sense of comfort and community are shattered. This book really gets into how we view others living around us, and who we’d describe as a “good” kid or a “bad” one. With the teenage years quickly approaching for my own children, this novel really gave me something to think about, and stew over. I highly recommend going the audiobook route with this one if you can. Karissa Vacker narrates, and she’s quickly becoming a favorite of mine. She’s right up there with Julia Whelan for me. Also, be sure to read the author’s note at the end for some additional perspective regarding the novel’s time period. I found it quite helpful.

So, there is this really fancy riverfront house under construction in rural/suburban PA that a NYC couple is building. In my minds eye, I can see all the sharp, modern angles and glass.

Local kids get into the house, have a party and trash it. Trash as in break the appliances, tear down drywall, break glass and throw a toilet out of the window.

Will, a high school senior on his way to Princeton, apparently starts the mele when he breaks a glass door because he sees Maddie (his gf?) about to get sexually assaulted. (It’s unclear what actually happened and the handling of the assault and its aftermath isn’t very developed.). Maddie and her friends Rosie and Jade all took ecstasy with Hunter, the rich kid who is Will’s best friend. Will’s parents work on a farm, so he can only go to Princeton if his scholarship from the Union Club stays in place.

The whole book is about the police investigation into the vandalism and how the couple building the house (trying for a child) handle the crime.

I was bored and struggled to push through. None of the characters felt real and the book was just way to long. The ending made me roll my eyes.

⭐️⭐️ (only because I finished it).

The House Party didn't meet my expectations but that's not necessarily a bad thing. As the end of the school year comes to a close, a group of teenagers throw a party in an unoccupied, newly constructed, neighborhood house. Things get out of hand and now the town and the owners of the house want answers as to what happened that night. Told in alternating point of views, the reader gets to view the story from all angles and the impact of the events have on all parties involved.

I went into this novel expecting a fast paced thriller but it read like a domestic drama with a slow burn feel. A well thought out plot, the author did a great job of keeping my attention and although the pov does switch often, I stayed within the story. A commentary on poverty, wealth and privilege, it occasionally came across as preachy, and a dire warning of what happens when teenagers make not so good choices. Overall I was entertained and recommend to fans of Celeste Ng or Liane Moriarty.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review honestly an advanced digital copy.

Diving straight in, this book opens with a group of highschoolers throwing a house party. Except the house, which is almost completed, doesn't belong to any of them, and this party gets completely out of control. With drugs and alcohol involved, this group of privileged teens absolutely destroys this house.

What follows is the unraveling of every character involved - the homeowners, the students, the investigators, the parents. While I went into this book assuming this would be more of a thriller, this book ended up being a slow burn domestic drama/contemporary fiction. Despite that this book really held me until the very end.

I loved the multiple POVs in this book. Every character had depth to them and I ended up feeling for all of them - I even felt anxiety for the highschoolers.

Overall this was a really well done book that made me think as well as kept me captivated.

Approaching the end of high school, a bunch of seniors head out for a party outside and in an isolated home construction site. What starts as a fun, reckless night ends with destruction and damage far beyond physical.

In a town of haves and have-nots, as police connect destruction to the party and try to figure out what happened, they realize holding the teens accountable will have long lasting impacts for the future.

Told from a myriad of perspectives, this was a compelling read that kept me engaged to the end.

Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for the ARC.

#TheHouseParty #NetGalley

House Party takes a hard look at suburbia America where the rural meets the wealthy. This is a compulsive read with ALL the college bound characters. I literally wanted to stop reading afraid what lay ahead for Will who had worked so hard to make his brother and parents proud.

These "good kids" break into a construction site and party in the house. All HELL breaks loose, and the next thing they know the police are involved, charges filed and lives are forever changed. House Party tackles some tough topics - sexual assault, violence, drugs and privilege. Yes these types of stories about kids today are scary but real. It is exactly the thought-provoking read we need today.

Thank you William Morrow for the advance reader copy.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC e-read. An easy read about teenagers living a very privileged life where they feel they are untouchable. When these teenagers decide to have a party in and completely destroy a partially built new home, the town officials struggle between making them pay for their actions or keeping the peace with their townspeople who support them financially. The owners of the new home will not stop until justice is served. Good story about privilege and what lengths parents will do to try to protect their children from consequences. One major issue with this book is that it takes place in Pennsylvania, in real towns, in a real area but the author chose to say it is in Hart County. There is no Hart County in PA. This part made no sense to me. I didn’t understand painting a picture of a real area of PA, then making up the name of the county.