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)!

The Deinhart Manor has been looming over the town, full of rumors and eerie legends. Arden’s parents now own the manor as part of their real estate business, which means Arden can finally let loose and throw the biggest party the teens in town have ever been to. Which is going great…until the walls start to bleed.

This was a creepy book, perfect for spooky season. The manor is scaarrryyy, not just the blood from the walls, but all the other things it can do. Once the blood appears, the book does not let up. I would recommend this book.

Lily Anderson’s young adult haunted house novel "Killer House Party" is a delightful blend of humor, mystery, and a touch of the supernatural.

Set against the backdrop of a graduation party gone awry, the novel quickly transitions from fun to fearful as strange occurrences begin plaguing the guests. Although it doesn’t quite reach the heights of her previous works, Anderson’s signature wit shines through, crafting a story that is both clever and engaging.

The plot is well-constructed with a compelling buildup, skillfully layering clues and red herrings. Despite occasional pacing issues, the narrative will keep readers intrigued. Anderson excels in characterization, presenting a vibrant cast with distinct voices and relatable quirks. Arden - the MC - was not a favorite, but her emotional journey adds depth, grounding the story amidst the chaos of the haunted house.

Anderson effectively balances suspense and humor, with the mystery elements keeping readers hooked. While the supernatural aspects add an enjoyable twist, they were not as deeply explored as they could have been and therefore lack great impact. Overall, "Killer House Party" is a fun, low-stakes YA thriller that offers a cozy, entertaining read with a bit of lighthearted suspense.

Is there any more critical time in a person’s life than that period between high school and whatever comes next, college, work, gap, when every decision seems to weigh heavily for the future? Arden is at that point but worse. A decision her now-divorcing parents made has seemingly wrecked her future plans leaving her lost, frustrated, angry. Their decision was the purchase of the town’s reputed haunted house, the Deinhart Manor, which wiped out her college fund. While brainstorming with her friends, Arden decides to make use of Deinhart’s reputation to throw a graduation party that might literally be the party to end all parties . . . at least for its attendees, in Lily Anderson’s Killer House Party.

Killer House Party is everything that a reader would like in a YA horror novel. Humor with fast-paced dialogue, horror that is not given anything other than a supernatural origin (huge nitpick about books that seem to be horror/supernatural but then end up being the kid down the street playing a prank ( 😉 ), and an introspection pointing toward self-aware characters.

While the cast of characters reads like a typical teen clique, it works. Arden learns a lot about herself through interacting with the groups and with her best friends plus Nathaniel.

Killer House Party is a quick, fun ride–you know, if you like your horror novels to actually be horror novels.

Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy.

A perfect read for spooky season, this book stands out as a must-read for YA fans. The characters were honestly themselves, and there is a great mix of creepy moments, moments of humor, and genuine emotion.

The brilliant cover art of a red Solo cup overflowing with a questionable liquid and the "R.S.V.P. to R.I.P." tag line alert readers to exactly what's inside; a clever spooky "we know better, but we're gonna do it anyway" haunted house story. When Arden sneaks her classmates into the local haunted house, it's to defy her parents who spent her tuition savings acquiring the property, and as a fundraiser to help fund her college ambitions. However, it rapidly becomes clear that something in the house views the party attendees as permanent unwilling residents, alive or otherwise.

A party perfect for spooky season, how could I not want to read? Did it live up to expectations? Sadly, not really.

First let me say, the hauntings were well done and not overplayed things you see in movies or horror reads - which was a huge plus. It did read pretty YA, which checks out being a YA read. I didn’t mind this too much, but some of the situations I was just like uhhh ok? Also felt like the character’s handled seeing others die/death very nonchalantly which felt strange especially since those dying were the classmates. Loved that there was both body positivity and LGBTQIA+ representation, but these were not the main focus.

Overall it felt like a typical YA horror with a unique and entertaining premise, it just wasn’t for me.

This goes from teen nerd rebellion to dangerous situation to I wanted to throw something because I was so angry with some of the things revealed in the end, even if it also brought a huge amount of resolution to the core group of friends - Arden, Remi, and Maddy May. Arden is the lead character but her partners in breaking and entering house party crime are just as important.

It was honestly scary in parts, and quite brutal, as well as having a fun twist to the haunting that was explored and resolved well. The mythology created is internally consistent and the resolution doesn't feel forced. It's emotional as well as befuddling the haunting itself.

I had a good time, there were both expected things and surprises, and I liked the characters enough by the end that I wished I could've seen a little bit more of what they did after the pages ran out.

This was a mixed bag for me. The premise of the book sounded like it would be a lot of fun, especially during the spooky season. The first part was promising, but it didn't really work for me once the spooky stuff started. The action just kind of felt flat.

I did like the characters for the most part though and the ghost story was intriguing, just not as interesting as I'd hoped.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.