I don’t know what I just read, but I couldn’t put it down! Perla is Crazy with capital C! My goodness! This book was one heck of a rollercoaster ride! There are some really good twists, some which were easy to figure out, but there was one twist that had me gasping! I read this in less than 24 hours! If you’re looking for a fun ride with lots of twists and turns then this is your book!

We at the Pulse have been excited about this one for some time - and deservedly so !

I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I started this book and I definitely could see the big reveals coming, but the execution was so good that I still really enjoyed the ride and definitely had no idea which way the ending would go !

4.5 ⭐️

This book was absolutely crazy, the chokehold this book had on me was unreal. I lost sleep due to needing to finish this book.

I’m a sucker for a serial killer thriller book and this one checked all the boxes for me. The character development was perfection. The plot twists were nuts (even though I figured a few out) and the pacing was so well done. There wasn’t a moment I felt bored or uninterested.

The characters in this book were so well written. I felt like we got the ability to slip inside their mind and find out why they chose to do what they did. This would make an amazing movie…no joke.

The amount of manipulation and deception in this book…🤯 it makes you wonder if anyone you know is this messed up.

I cannot wait for this book to be released and more people read this. It’s easily one of my favorite thrillers so far this year! I’m such a fan. I can’t wait to read more by this author!

If you're a fan of AR Torre, this is definitely a must read. Dare I say, my favorite from this author?
This book is dark and twisty in all the best ways. Perla is the definition of a manipulate narcissist and nothing gets in her way.
I was hooked right away and the multi POV kept me on the edge of my seat digging into everyone's story, trying to figure out what was going to happen next.
Naturally, I could not have ever guessed where this one was going to.go and I was pleasantly surprised with how nicely this wrapped up.
Already looking forward to my next AR read!

"𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒎 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆. 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝑰 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒊𝒕."

Special thanks to @thrillerbookloversthepulse @al @amazonpublishing & @netgelley for the #gifted eARC.

👉🏼 swipe for synopsis ➡️

MY REVIEW:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This one has been getting so much buzz around The Pulse, I couldn't wait to dive in. And whoa🤯🤯🤯....was I in for a wild ride.

Such a murderous🔪, messed up undertone, I couldn't pull myself away. It also gave me true crime documentary vibes. I finished this in 1 day! It sucks🌪 you in from the very beginning and doesn't let go til the very last page. Whiplash is one word to describe how I felt after this book, but in a good way. 🤭

This one has some of my favorites:

🔥 Rich people behaving badly
🔥 Black mail
🔥 Lies upon lies
🔥 Whole lot of backstabbing
🔥 Serial killer vibes

All I can say is, this one is DEFINITELY worth ALL the hype! It's creepy, sadistic, and a perfect thriller in my eyes. *chef's kiss 💋*

"Long live Piketo" [ IYKYK ]
Also, this book makes you stop and think - don't count your kids out, they're always watching. 👀

𝙋𝙐𝘽 𝘿𝘼𝙔:
Aug 20, 2024

QOTD❓️⁉️❓️ predictive text:......
I told a lie.....

#mysteryandthrills #thrillersandsuspense #thrilleraddict #thrillerlover #thrillerbooklovers #thepulse #pulsepoint #thelastparty #artorre #bookbuzz #upcomingthriller #tbrlist
.

🌟 F I V E S T A R F R I D A Y 🌟 featuring “The Last Party” by A.R. Torre!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

Perla Wultz is the perfect wife and mother and lives an extravagant life in her gated community in California. She runs her household and organizes her family’s life down to every perfect little detail.

Meanwhile, an hour away Leewood Folcrum is facing life imprisonment for murdering two 12 year old girls at his daughter’s birthday party 23 years ago. The Wultz family and Leewood are on the verge of intersecting, but they have no idea how badly the crash and burn will affect their futures.

Leewood’s crimes have never been forgotten … but did Leewood tell the truth and the entire story of what happened that night??

WTF 🤯🤯!!! This book was HEAVY … but in the best way! It was beyond dark, twisted, diabolical and devious and I freaking loved it! I was totally caught off guard multiple times and literally could not get enough of it! I loved the mix of domestic thriller meets true crime and the fast paced chain of events certainly SLAYED!

Thank you kindly to AR Torre, Thomas & Mercer, Amazon Publishing and Netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This 5 star stunner releases on August 20, 2024!

The trope that comes to mind is “bad guy pov” but determining who the bad guy is, that’s the mystery. Can anyone be trusted? The entire cast of this story is sus and that’s why I couldn’t put it down. Everyone was terrible in their own entertaining way and it made for a really good thriller.

Wow!!! What a freaking ride of a book! The craziness starts right from the beginning, and does not let up even at the last sentence! The way the characters and their stories became connected was mind blowing! I could never have seen the twists coming and couldn’t have ever dreamt up such a convoluted story! That I absolutely loved and devoured! These characters were the WORST in the best way!! The multiple POVs and dual storylines kept me turning pages late into the night! I couldn’t get through it fast enough! I enjoyed the little quotes from friends and neighbors before each chapter, they were so ominous. And everyone’s favorite… short chapters 🙌🏼 All of us at thriller book lovers the pulse are raving about this one, and I know everyone else will be when it releases next month!

This is the type of book that I suggest going into not knowing very much because it was a wild and crazy ride that I absolutely loved! The less you know the better here, the synopsis gives you all you need to know and if that sounds at all good then try this. I will warn that this dark and totally fucked up, so take care if that type of book usually isn’t for you. But if you don’t mind twisted and deranged this was excellent. Speaking of twisted, this had a ton of well timed and executed twists and turns, some were altogether shocking and others weren’t as surprising but were just as entertaining. I haven’t been this gripped by a thriller in a while, definitely a fast paced and intense ride with solid suspense and an addictive structure and writing style.

Despite a major reading slump, this book completely sucked me in! The female protagonist was completely insane & it fueled my fire to keep reading. Much like the last (and only other A. R. Torre) book I’ve read, I wouldn’t say this was particularly twisty, but I was entertained and anxious to see how it was going to end!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This book officially publishes on 08/20/24!

Such a great book! I couldn't put this one down. I loved the multiple points of view! Will definitely be reading more by this author!

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for the ARC!
UMMM WOW- 1st off, coming up with words to review just how good this was is going to be difficult. The Last Party is hands down one of the best thrillers I’ve read this year. If DARK, unhinged stories and unreliable narrators are your jam, add it to your list and prepare to meet Perla, one of the most unlikeable character’s I’ve ever read about 😳 If you liked Verity, you will LOVE this! While I did have my suspicions about some of the twists/reveals, it honestly made watching it all unfold no less enjoyable. The witness quotes at the intro of each chapter, the emails, and the daughter’s journal entries added an extra element of mystery that I loved! FINALLY a 5⭐️ thriller that I wouldn’t change a thing about 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 reading more by this author ASAP!

It's no secret that I'm a fan of A.R. Torre's thrillers, as there is just something about her writing that is highly addictive. I've been highly anticipating her next book, and I was intrigued by The Last Party as soon as I read the blurb. Now that I've had the chance to read it, I'm happy to announce that this newest story once again more than lived up to expectations for me! Secrets, intrigue, a seriously twisted main character... This story has it all and more.

I'm going to keep this review short, because The Last Party is one of those stories where it's best to go in blind to be able to appreciate the full impact of the plot twists and revelations. The Last Party uses a multiple POV structure and also incorporated other mediums including a journal, podcast excerpts and emails along the way. The story mainly switches between Perla Wultz and the convicted Leewood Folcum though, and both POVs were strong in its own way. You immediately get the sense that there is something not quite right about Perla, but not knowing exactly what or why adds a healthy dose of suspense. I can also always appreciate a prison POV, and I was intrigued by how Leewood connected to the present situation.

Like I said before, there is just something about A.R. Torre's writing that is extremely addictive, and I simply couldn't stop reading. It is SO easy to keep turning those pages, and the building up of suspense is very well done. I love how you are kept in the dark about the true nature of certain characters for a long time, and it only gives the resulting situation even more impact. There were a couple big twists I didn't see coming at all, and the bits I did guess right didn't make me enjoy the story any less. The journey alone is well worth it even though you do see certain things coming!

The Last Party is a dark and compelling psychological thriller that focuses on a past crime as well as an escalating present situation. It shows us the twistedness of the human mind, and how not everything is as it seems on the surface... Especially Perla's characterization is sublimely done, although the rest of the cast doesn't disappoint either. If you like this kind of thriller, you will be in for an absolute treat!

Dark, dark, dark and disturbing! Enter at your own risk, you have been warned! I have read and loved all of this author’s thrillers and I applaud her for creating the most despicable and evil main character imaginable. If you dare, you will meet a character who will make you cringe, recoil, and want to run from their thoughts and actions. Be brave and enter the inky black and terrifying world of A.R. Torre! Thank you Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on August 20, 2024

The Last Party was way more than I expected, not that I had set the bars low or anything, but I just couldn’t wrap my brain around how a mother could do something so disturbing and cold. The story bounced between our main character Perla, Leewood, a man in jail for murdering his daughter and two classmates on her birthday, Perla’s husband Grant, and their daughter Sophie’s journal entries. It also included a couple of quotes from random neighbors and friends after the crime was committed, which added to the story with every chapter.
When I tell you I flew through this, I mean I flew through it like an overnight package being rushed for morning delivery. It read so quickly. The dialogue and character development were great but what kept me rushing through this one was the depravity of it all. I couldn’t get past it, would never be ok with this, but I couldn’t pull myself from it either. It’s like a train wreck, its awful and you feel sad about it, but you want to look all the same.
This was my first read from A. R. Torre, but will not be my last. Many thanks to the publisher, Thomas and Mercer, for my eARC. The Last Party will be published 8/20 and definitely needs to be on your TBR.

I don’t say this often, but I knew before the first page ended that this was going to be a five star read. OMG THIS BOOK!!!! I challenge you to read this in more than one sitting. Each of us over @thrillerbookloversthepulse INHALED this one!!!

It’s got everything… a full throttle pace, a narcissistic, sociopathic and full on cray cray MC (who I LOVED obvs…!) unreliable narrators. This was an utter headspin of a book. What does one do when you’re obsessed with a convicted notorious murderer…? Well, if you’re Perla, you plot to bin your own family Folcrum style… but why…?! And why is her darling sweet as pie hubby hiding photos of an old crime scene…? And just WTF is going on with the kid?! That journal 😳

Perfectly executed masterpiece of a thriller - dark, twisty and devilishly devious I URGE you to grab #TheLastParty by @alessandratorre4 on the 20th.

The Last Party is amazing. I could not put this down. You are kept glued to the pages as this whole story unravels. Grant is that doting dad and loves his family. Perla is the seemingly perfect wife and mom. Each has a secret that they hold onto. Grant is still mourning the tragic loss of his sister. Perla loves crime podcast. The one that ties them together is Leewood. Once you get deeper in this thriller the more you learn to why and the real who was behind everything. You see wheels begin to turn and the strength of a father's love. Grant and Perla will keep you on your toes. I loved every minute of this one. You need to one click this now.

This was such a crazy read. Torre has me wanting to throw my tablet. I couldn't get through it fast enough. It's definitely a top read of the year so far.

Torre does such an amazing job with twisty psychological thrillers. This one is on Wultz family who lives in a wealthy California neighborhood who appears the perfect family but both Perla and Grant both have so many secrets. The story is told in multiple POV and it's not confusing but I could not wait to see how Leewood Folcrum tied to them.

I liked that each chapter started with a short witness statement about the characters. Perla is so sick and twisted and I love how Torre wrote such an unlikeable character. I love how the story unfolded and kept me so entertained despite figuring out some of the twists.

Thank you @thrillerbooklovers @alassandratorre4 @netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

Holy cow! With a blindingly fast pace, a mysterious past, and one character you’re simply going to love to hate, The Last Party showed A.R. Torre at her best, which is a fact upon all of us at @thrillerbookloversthepulse wholeheartedly agree. A gripping mix of suspense novel and thriller, the slow IV drip of clues led me to work extra hard to figure out where the plot was headed. Try as I might, however, the biggest of the big revelations totally slipped by my armchair sleuthing. And, boy, when it was delivered, it was a jaw-dropping, gasp-inducing success. But then, what was I expecting given who wrote this novel?

While not exactly character-driven, the personas in this dark, twisted tale definitely guided the plot to an extent. Especially Perla. A manipulative, cunning villain narrator drawn to perfection, her sociopathic personality hit all the right chords. Paired with the other deftly drawn individuals, there was a bit of everything for the savvy reader. What made it even better, though, were the multiple, round-robin POVs. Told via various sources including emails and journal entries from Perla’s eleven-year-old daughter, it was—you guessed it—utter perfection.

Just as a warning, however, you will most definitely have to suspend all disbelief before becoming spellbound by this one. Additionally, I did work out a few of the twists. Did that bother me in the slightest? Absolutely not. After all, this was one addictive ride full of palpable tension and evil motivations that had me 100% riveted all said and done.

All in all, the short chapters, twisty plot, and initially baffling connections meant an addictively fast-paced descent into sweet, sweet madness. Already one of my auto-buy authors, Torre merely cemented her name onto the list with her newest novel. She even included delicious witness statements at the beginning of each chapter. Needless to say, their inclusion only stepped up my habit of reading one more page over and over. Just a little advice, though. Perhaps be careful about what synopses you read before diving in. There are quite a few that give too much away and with this book you’re going to want all the thrills, chills, and surprises. Rating of 4.5 stars.

Thank you to A.R. Torre, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for my complimentary physical and digital copies. All opinions are my own.