Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

A cul-de-sac called Alton Road in Meadowbrook, Massachusetts is home to several monied families: Alex and Nick Fox with their seventeen-year-old daughter, Lettie; Alex’s sister, Emily, and her husband, Ken Adair, with their son, Dylan, and another son, Logan, away at college; widow Brooke Bailey; Willow and Evan Thompson with their seventeen-year-old daughter, Riley; and the new family, Samir and Mandy Kumar with their twenty-year-old son, Jay.

It’s Memorial Day . . . time for the annual Alton Road block party. Alex, having set everything up for the festivities, has already enjoyed several glasses of wine. Nick is mixing drinks and Bug Man is scrounging for customers.

Then, from the Meadowbrook Community Page, comes the news that there has been a homicide on Alton Road.

Who is dead? And who is responsible?

=========

In this delightfully furtive tale, the strong sense of place anchors the narrative. Interspersed in the telling of this soapy saga are email conversations from Meadowbrook Community Page, a group of neighbors around Alton Road who are often a bit snide and tending toward meanness.

Told from two points of view . . . Alex and Lettie . . . the unfolding story is part scandal, part lies and secrets, part soap opera. Gossip . . . and wine . . . flow like tap water; everyone is good at minding everyone else’s business. Although the characters are well-developed, most of the residents of this affluent neighborhood are far from likable. And yet, each brings something unique to the telling of this tale.

After the opening chapter, the story jumps back one year to provide the backstory for the families of Alton Road, thus setting the stage for what has transpired at the Memorial Day block party as recounted in the first chapter. As the plot twists and turns, readers are kept guessing while unsuspected revelations move the story in new directions. Readers who enjoy twisty, secret-filled, scandalous tales will find much to appreciate here.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley
#TheBlockParty #NetGalley

Book: The Block Party
Author: Jamie Day
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub Date: July 18, 2023

Just okay. Nothing you haven’t read before but I will say it was very well written. I just got bored with it. The characters were somewhat relatable. I read it in two days so it was a quick read. There were lots of twists and secrets….but none you won’t see coming. I started my year off with 5 star reads so this fell just at mediocre.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this sneak peak! Publication date is July 18, 2023.

I love neighborhood gossipy thrillers, and this one didn't disappoint! While the ending didn't shock me, I didn't see it coming at all and I was super invested in all of the characters. The pacing and multiple POVs kept you guessing throughout, and I definitely stayed up way too late reading because I wanted to know what happened! I definitely recommend this for thriller fans! Thanks to the author publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the copy of The Block Party. I loved the random present day online neighborhood gossip,even though it didn’t add to the story, because it sounded authentic. The rest of the book wasn’t really for me.
There were so many characters and so many stories that it was hard to see where the story was going.This made it hard to keep the couples straight or connect to them. Some of the minor stories could have been edited out, which would have improved the pace without detracting from the main story. If you like multiple stories and twists you will love this book.

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

A block party what could possible go wrong? From murder to what really happen during and why. Seen through the eyes of the attendants as memories are not the same. The players that will out fold as things are unravel.

An interesting read of the recollections of people and life itself.

4.5 stars

This book really sucked me in and I couldn't put it down. There are a lot of characters and sometimes I got confused about who was who. Not a street I'd want to live on but an interesting one to read about.

TW: rape, attempted suicide, substance abuse.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, St. Martin's Press.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martins Press and Jamie Day for letting me read “The Block Party” in exchange for an honest review.

I was a bit skeptical about requesting this, but as St. Martins Press usually has great books, I went for it.

It’s maybe not the very best book I read by this publisher but it was juicy nevertheless. Let’s meet the Housewives of Meadowbrooks. If you’re up for a slow murder mystery with a ton of gossip and wine, that’s the novel for you!

This book was fantastic! The author's writing style was different in a way I didn't expect, but so good. The book was very much a modern day Desperate Housewives vibe which I totally loved! I had SO many theories as the book progressed. I was hooked and picked up the book any chance I could because I couldn't finish it quick enough! Although I was able to predict one or two things, it certainly didn't take away the shock value as a whole by the time I finished the story. This book also touched on a variety of traumas and emotions that so many people experience. I think the author did a phenomenal job at portraying that. I love discovering authors who I have never heard of and in this case, I am so happy I stumbled upon Jamie Day's, The Block Party. I am sure I will be recommending this book to many friends!

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc of The Block Party in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own.

It is exactly what it sounds like - a neighborhood block, full of just plain mean, self-absorbed people, but each family has their own secrets & issues to hide. Then a murder takes place at the block party and literally any of the block neighbors could have had motive and committed the crime, but who? The story dives into each family and their separate issues to ultimately figure out who the murderer is.

You kind of get a Desperate Housewives type feel. While you don't love every character (you're not supposed to), you definitely can get engrossed in their story and trying to determine if THIS is the character that "did it."

This story is so twisty & turning and once you start it, you're going to want to finish it in one sitting to get to the explosive ending!

I highly recommend giving this one a read!

Big Little Lies II. Fast paced read with multiple characters, all full of secrets and lies. What's not to like? Lettie's first person narrator was the only part that was a bit of a miss. She didn't come across like a 17/18 year old. I would recommend this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of THE BLOCK PARTY by Jamie Day in exchange for my honest review.***

Well, that was just AMAZING! I was hooked on this fast-paced, soapy saga from the opening sentence and couldn’t put it down.

<b><I>Alexandra Fox meant to have only a couple of drinks at the party. Three, tops.</b></I>

Spoiler alert: She failed to keep this resolution. (Been there, done that!)

Behind every door on Alton lane, the affluent cul-de-sac where [book:The Block Party|61884965] of the title happens each Memorial Day, there is some kind of secret. While that setup is not terribly original, what makes this a standout for me is the care that went into constructing this fictional neighborhood. There are many characters, but each is well-drawn, memorable, and sympathetic to varying degrees - even the snotty, entitled teenagers. I never had that issue where I can’t keep track and think, okay, who the hell is THAT again?

The sheer number of secrets could’ve seemed over the top, but the author kept everything from seeming Desperate-Housewives-farcical by the serious nature of what was being hidden: adultery, mental illness, drug abuse, and stalking to name a few. The intricate way the puzzle pieces all came together at the end made for a truly satisfying read. Highly recommend!

Random thoughts and spoilers

<spoiler>Although I REALLY enjoyed this book, there were a few things I had a few minor quibbles:

• The subplot about the Wookiee was unnecessary. It could’ve been really interesting if developed further, but as presented it didn’t add anything to the story.

• There are a great many voluntarily childless people in the world. I wish Brooke could have been portrayed as one of these, instead of someone who had that choice forced upon her.

• The last chapter with the girl-power, sisterhood picnic didn’t ring true to me based on the relationship these women had in the past and all the things that happened between them and their husbands. It also seemed unlikely that another block party would have been held after the double homicide the previous year! </spoiler>

I will be looking around my cul-de-sac from now on wondering what the hell is going on behind all those doors.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. Fast-paced thriller that was almost comical. Quick read. I found it a bit over the top as so many bad things can happen in one cul-de-sac but it was still worth the time and a would recommend.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. Crazy, fast-paced thriller that was a quick read. Obviously, it was somewhat far-fetched that so many “things” can happen on one small street but it was still a great book which I would recommend to others.

The Block Party is a fantastic book by new to me author, Jamie Day.
I read the description and thought I'd try it, and I'm so glad I did!
The neighbors on Alton Rd seem typical, busy moms, angry teenagers, husbands and wives bickering, nosy neighbors and such, but there is so much more going on.
I found myself wrapped up in their lives and their problems, angry at those deserve it, and crying for those who were betrayed in awful ways.
I hope the author will continue to write about these characters who made such an impact in my life.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

There are some books that you realize early on, that it will make a great summer read. The Block Party will definitely be on that list. I was given three days to read and did it in one. This party invites you in and doesn’t let go. Starts with a Memorial Day party where everyone wants to be. The in crowd the fun crowd. Near the end of the day we end up with one or more bodies to find. It then cuts to a neighborhood community page where the gossip crowd is having fun coming up with theories on what and who. This little snippet lightens the mood a little before we are pulled back in to the past. I love how it moves the story along without giving away the answers. I found the characters were so relatable and had empathy for many of them. The setting was any town USA. Jamie Day knows how to keep the story interesting and intriguing. I just hope we don’t have to wait too long for the next one.

This one wasn't for me! I didn't enjoy the writing or any of the characters. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review!

I could not put this book down! Suburbia is always drama filled, and this book had it all! It had so many delicious secrets and twists that kept me hooked from page 1 to the last page. I found myself going from loving and cheering on characters to feeling suspicious of their secrets, but none were as I thought. It’s a must read for the summer!

5 star read! Life on Alton Road has many surprises and it all begins at the Memorial Day Block Party. Busy body neighbors, gossip and murder make this story very interesting. I could not put this book down. Highly recommended!

Loved this new book and the neighborhood perspective. Lots of characters but pretty easy to keep them all straight. Still unsure about the whole "bugman plot". I feel like his role was unnecessary and didn't lend much to the book. I definitely didn't know what was coming at the end and just liked how everything flowed in the book. Looking forward to more books from Jamie Day!

This was a really good book. The people that live on Alton Road have dark secrets. There’s a lot of dark ugliness festering. This book was fascinating to read. The writing is terrific and I was glued to the pages. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.