actual rating: 3/5 stars

killer house party by lily anderson was a fun, fast-paced read that definitely has its moments, but overall, it felt like a pretty typical YA horror novel. the premise was intriguing—an abandoned mansion, a group of teens celebrating their graduation, and all the chaotic, bloody terror that ensues. i liked the setup of the story, and it definitely provided the kind of spooky, mysterious atmosphere that kept me turning the pages. there’s something inherently creepy about an old, gothic mansion filled with dark secrets, and anderson did a good job setting that eerie tone from the start.

arden, the main character, was one of the highlights of the book for me. she’s clever, confident, and refreshingly comfortable in her own skin, which is something we don’t always get to see in YA horror. i really appreciated that she had a positive body image and didn’t fall into the typical stereotypes we see with female characters in these types of stories. she felt real, and i enjoyed following her as she navigated the terror of the night.

however, the banter between the characters often felt forced and flat at times. while i understand that a certain level of humor is often used in horror to break up the tension, the interactions among the friends didn’t always land. it was a bit repetitive as the story progressed, and some of the jokes didn’t quite hit the mark, leaving me wishing for a bit more depth in their relationships. the group dynamic could have been stronger, but instead, it felt more like the characters were ticking boxes for horror tropes rather than genuinely engaging with each other.

the pacing also slowed down at certain points. while the initial premise was exciting, the middle dragged a bit as the story relied heavily on the horror elements. i did enjoy the rising tension and the sense of danger that slowly escalated, but the repetition of certain horror motifs started to feel a bit predictable.

as for the ending, i didn’t think the life lesson that was introduced at the end was particularly necessary. it felt a bit out of place and somewhat forced, but i didn’t mind it too much. it didn’t take away from the overall story, but it did feel like an unnecessary addition that distracted from the thrilling chaos that had been building.

overall, killer house party is a solid YA horror book that serves as a quick and entertaining read. it’s not groundbreaking, but it’s definitely enjoyable if you’re in the mood for something light but spooky. it had a lot of potential, and though it didn’t quite live up to all of it, it still managed to deliver on the thrills and mystery. if you're looking for a fast-paced, not-too-scary horror novel, this one is worth picking up.

This was just not for me. I had the hardest time forcing myself to even want to continue reading this and finally threw in the towel at about 40%. I didn’t care about any of the characters, wasn’t into the relationships, and the plot just hit pretty meh to me.

A fun romp with a hundred year old haunted house. Horror, gore, survival and ghosts. Trying to earn money for college, Arden and her friends use a haunted mansion for a graduation party. A bloodbath grad party!!!

Arden's parents spent her college fund on a house that no one has lived in in several years. So, she plans a killer house party.

Loved the idea, but the plot fell a bit flat for me. It wasn't bad, but not great either.

I had so much fun reading this. It jumps right into the scares and storyline. It's a quick read to throw you back into high school parties and horror movies.

I wanted to like this a bit more. The beginning was a bit slow and hard to get into. I liked that it’s a horror YA and I want to read more of them. The paranormal aspect I was not expecting with the cover of this book!

A story about hope, with a paranormal twist. This had everything to feed my spooky season needs. Ghosts, haunted house, and spirits that kill. At first I thought this might be a little too YA for me. I stuck it out though and ended up really liking it. Trying to solve the story along with the characters all while fighting ghosts, who doesn't need that in their spooky season reads. Props to the author for having a large group of diverse characters also.

This was an excellent read. It was a very good horror/thriller. Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this one.

Killer house party had a great premise and reminded me of Mexican gothic for young adults. While i like the concept of the story it sorta fell flat for me.

YA horror is always a guilty pleasure. I don't expect much more than a fun ride and poor decision making!

Pissed off Arden isn’t thinking about anything else but revenge when she throws a party at one of the empty properties her parents own – she’s definitely not thinking about the dark haunting past of Deinhart manor and how that might lead to deadly consequences!

Locked in to this gothic manor with a haunting afoot, Arden will certainly be throwing the ‘killer’ party of the year.

Perfect creepy read for any horror fan!

Creative premise in a fast-paced, thrilling story. I enjoyed the various horror aspects of the story but got confused with the various groups of people at times. It all works out in the end and the different terrifying scenarios they encounter will keep you reading well into the night. There were a few too many mentions of being the chubby minority and railing against the patriarchy, etc, but it all comes together well as they confront their issues.

This was a fun YA thriller/horror. It has a horror comedy feel in a haunted house setting. I think the banter was a bit much at some points, but if you want something to take the edge off in a thriller, witty dialogue is the way to go. I did like that the manor is in some ways sentient and I thought the plot was well done. Because it is a full cast, there were certain characters that I like a lot more than others but I also thought that they made a good group because there was room for differences in characterization and conflict.

I would definitely recommend this one.

Killer House Party is a voicey thrill ride of a YA Horror story! Perfect for fans of The Haunting of Hill House and Haunted Mansion (both of them) and Project X (remember that one?), who love a good haunted house horror with a comedic edge. Killer House Party would be a great addition to your Spooky Szn TBR!

Our headstrong and enterprising protagonist, Arden, starts us off with her embittered POV. She feels as if her future is slipping through her fingertips when she learns that her divorced parents blew her college money to buy a dilapidated and notorious mansion. Her solution? Host a house party and charge admission!

Everyone's having a hell of a time, except maybe Arden. That is until the manor's doors and windows slam shut. Thus begins a night of insanity, confusion, destruction, and chaos of the best kind!

This book is a fun read, with haunting moments of clarity and terror. It's great for spooky season and for the rest of the year, as well.

However, there's quite a lot of negative, albeit honest, internal monologue about weight and body issues. If that is something you or someone you know is struggling with, please take that into consideration before reading and/or recommending this book.

hanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was excited to receive this ARC in time for Halloween because a like a spooky thriller, especially set in a high school house party. This one was just ok. Not particularly well-written or memorable.

Thank you Henry Holt and NetGalley for the eARC of Killer House Party! All opinions in this review are my own.

Honestly, this was the haunted house book I was looking for this spooky season! I like how the house used the rumors about it for inspiration. However, I didn't love the actual story. I'm not quite sure if it were the characters or if it is because I am not the targeted age group, but I found them to be annoying most of the time. Overall, I stayed for the haunted house details and probably would have dnfed otherwise.

The Deinhart Manor has been abandoned for years and now that the last owner has passed it would make the perfect place for a graduation party. Arden's mom is the real estate agent tasked with selling the.house so Arden steals the keys from her mom. Each member of the group who has come to party has reason why they want to do so and each reason is different. When the party begins and the doors are barred keeping the party goers from getting out things immediately changed. Who barred the doors and why? Will they be able to find a way to escape? Will someone end up dead? Follow along to find out what happens to these teens and why they were chosen to be locked in!

A quick read, but lacking in depth of characters and plot. The humor felt extremely forced all the way through. The exposition was clunky and I didn’t really care too much about anyone when they were in danger because the character development was so weak. The twist was kind of a let down and not as exciting as I was expecting it to be, and the ending was almost nonexistent; the book kind of just stopped, with no closure with Arden’s parents. There were some interesting concepts with the ghosts and possession that kept me engaged, but overall this wasn’t enjoyable. My review for Twin Cities Geek is linked below.

This book just didn’t do it for me. The characters were annoying and the plot felt thin. There have been several similar books that have offered a much better read.

The plot feel a little flat for me. I was intrigued by the paranormal and spooky aspect of the plot, but it ended up feeling less spooky and more contrived than I would have liked. I enjoyed reading it and would still recommend to others. I can see why others would like it, it just didn’t hit for me.

Take a thrill ride this Spooky season with Killer House Party by Lily Anderson, a young adult thriller. Arden and her three best friends as they embark on what they hope will be the ultimate graduation celebration at the infamous Deinhart Manor, a place all the locals know as a haunted house with a very dark history. The setup is classic yet refreshing: a group of friends, an abandoned mansion, and the promise of a night filled with drinking and fun. The playful banter between the friends adds a touch that most can relate to, making them feel that genuine friends. The anticipation builds as they prepare for the party, complete with the famous red Solo cups and snacks, but as the Manor begins to reveal its sinister secrets and the terror begins. The Deinhart Manor is a character of its own right, the way Lily Anderson describes it with vivid imagery that crafts an environment that is eerie and bone chilling scary, making you feel right there with Arden and her friends. As the doors of the mansion lock and the walls begin to bleed, the story shifts from lighthearted party to a fight for survival. As a first-time reader of Lily Anderson, I was pleasantly surprised by her ability to balance the excitement of a graduation party with the chilling atmosphere of a haunted mansion. Killer House Party is a great read that will keep you reading way past dark (if you dare)!