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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Is there no justice in Natasha Preston books?? This is the second one of her books I’ve read and AGAIN no justice. It feels incomplete without an epilogue.
Don’t get me wrong, I DEVOURED this book!! It kept me guessing the whole time and I was suspicious of EVERYONE. I knew for sure though that Raif was involved. There were quite a few moments that made me audibly GASP and sit STRAIGHT UP 😨
Rich people are always guilty, whether is murder or deserving of murder.
Probably will pick up her other books though 😝
Probably will pick up her other books though 😝
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you so much to Penguin Random House @prhaudio for the #gifted #ARC audiobook in return for an honest review! Overall, there was just some character development and plot things that were isisng for me.
What did I enjoy/what to expect?
- unreliable narrators
- young adult thriller
- entertaining and action packed
- murder mystery
- "who dun it"
What could have been better?
- the plotholes were there.... too much was going on and things were left out
- the first 50% was quite slow, so keep pushing for the rest of the story. It was interesting once we got over the hump.
What did I enjoy/what to expect?
- unreliable narrators
- young adult thriller
- entertaining and action packed
- murder mystery
- "who dun it"
What could have been better?
- the plotholes were there.... too much was going on and things were left out
- the first 50% was quite slow, so keep pushing for the rest of the story. It was interesting once we got over the hump.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
"Let's have the best break ever." - Bessie
"Starting with the castle." - Kash
"Exactly. Starting with the potentially life-ruining castle." - Bessie
Who wouldn't want to stay in an old castle for a whole weekend?! Being around friends, laughing, and not having a care in the world. Best part of this teenage dream is there will be no adults around! Bessie's trying to embrace the freeness of the weekend but can't seem to turn her brain off. She hated lying to her parents but as her best friend stated this is their last chance to be together as a large friend group before everyone graduates and potentially separates for good.
Not to mention Allegra Beaufort's parties are to die for! The castle's breathtaking and it even has a moat! Allegra's secret party will be prefect and the talk of the whole boarding school. Who cares about severe weather warnings, possible flooding, and being in a remote location. What could possibly go wrong?
"I don't think. One day, that will be carved onto my headstone." - Bessie
I was excited by a new release from Natasha Preston! "The Fear" got me hooked on the author and since then I've devoured her books! I love the thriller aspect, teen slasher vibes, friendships tested, and of course her iconic endings! Snatched this read up and binged it in one night because I really wanted to see how this book would end!
The book does start out a little slow, but we are introducing characters and setting the scene. I've always been drawn to thriller books or suspenseful settings in remote areas with forms of communication slowly witling down to nothing. Yes, in real life I will most likely avoid such things like the plague. But in book form, I can't get enough of it and all the anxious feelings that come along with it!
Bessie and her close group of friends soon find themselves trapped inside a creepy castle; the beauty having worn off. The storm's too severe and the party has been officially canceled for everyone outside the friend group already inside the castle. Tensions begin to rise, survival instincts kicking in, and friendships strained. I like how Natasha takes groups of "tight knit" friends and puts them to the test with her books. A sudden death of one of their friends really tests all of them!
Bessie wasn't my favorite FMC, she felt a little flat and I couldn't fully get into her character. Some of the bonds between the friends didn't feel as tight knit until tensions were raised and high-stake possibilities were becoming more real. Then everyone seemed to claim one another as friends. Granted with a large group of friends, I think you'll always have those who are closer to others compared to the whole. But it just felt like some within this group were mere acquaintances. This is all just my honest and personal opinion.
This book does contain some language we are dealing with teenagers, and I love that Natasha write's teens as teens. There's mention of former party going as well as this current one with underage drinking. Teenagers being teens and sneaking out/lying to authority figures. YA thriller and suspense with teenage slasher vibes so expect violence, bloodshed, and deaths. We have single, first person POV with Bessie. Bessie has memory loss issues and anxiety. But I mean in a survival situation with fight or flight trying to take over anyone would have high anxiety and be a breath away from a panic attack.
I did enjoy this read and the second half had me saying no to my bedtime and flying to the end of the read! I loved the twists at the end and how some of my theories, not all, panned out. I was grinning like an idiot at the last sentences and my brain was firing with what ifs and do these dots connect?! I'm sorry "The Island" is still my favorite read from this author. I am of course still going to snatch up the next Natasha Preston book because the endings are my favorite part!
Enjoy the remote and secretive party in an old castle with a moat. Would you accept an invite? Don't forget to give the author some stars!
shutupandbookup.com
"Starting with the castle." - Kash
"Exactly. Starting with the potentially life-ruining castle." - Bessie
Who wouldn't want to stay in an old castle for a whole weekend?! Being around friends, laughing, and not having a care in the world. Best part of this teenage dream is there will be no adults around! Bessie's trying to embrace the freeness of the weekend but can't seem to turn her brain off. She hated lying to her parents but as her best friend stated this is their last chance to be together as a large friend group before everyone graduates and potentially separates for good.
Not to mention Allegra Beaufort's parties are to die for! The castle's breathtaking and it even has a moat! Allegra's secret party will be prefect and the talk of the whole boarding school. Who cares about severe weather warnings, possible flooding, and being in a remote location. What could possibly go wrong?
"I don't think. One day, that will be carved onto my headstone." - Bessie
I was excited by a new release from Natasha Preston! "The Fear" got me hooked on the author and since then I've devoured her books! I love the thriller aspect, teen slasher vibes, friendships tested, and of course her iconic endings! Snatched this read up and binged it in one night because I really wanted to see how this book would end!
The book does start out a little slow, but we are introducing characters and setting the scene. I've always been drawn to thriller books or suspenseful settings in remote areas with forms of communication slowly witling down to nothing. Yes, in real life I will most likely avoid such things like the plague. But in book form, I can't get enough of it and all the anxious feelings that come along with it!
Bessie and her close group of friends soon find themselves trapped inside a creepy castle; the beauty having worn off. The storm's too severe and the party has been officially canceled for everyone outside the friend group already inside the castle. Tensions begin to rise, survival instincts kicking in, and friendships strained. I like how Natasha takes groups of "tight knit" friends and puts them to the test with her books. A sudden death of one of their friends really tests all of them!
Bessie wasn't my favorite FMC, she felt a little flat and I couldn't fully get into her character. Some of the bonds between the friends didn't feel as tight knit until tensions were raised and high-stake possibilities were becoming more real. Then everyone seemed to claim one another as friends. Granted with a large group of friends, I think you'll always have those who are closer to others compared to the whole. But it just felt like some within this group were mere acquaintances. This is all just my honest and personal opinion.
This book does contain some language we are dealing with teenagers, and I love that Natasha write's teens as teens. There's mention of former party going as well as this current one with underage drinking. Teenagers being teens and sneaking out/lying to authority figures. YA thriller and suspense with teenage slasher vibes so expect violence, bloodshed, and deaths. We have single, first person POV with Bessie. Bessie has memory loss issues and anxiety. But I mean in a survival situation with fight or flight trying to take over anyone would have high anxiety and be a breath away from a panic attack.
I did enjoy this read and the second half had me saying no to my bedtime and flying to the end of the read! I loved the twists at the end and how some of my theories, not all, panned out. I was grinning like an idiot at the last sentences and my brain was firing with what ifs and do these dots connect?! I'm sorry "The Island" is still my favorite read from this author. I am of course still going to snatch up the next Natasha Preston book because the endings are my favorite part!
Enjoy the remote and secretive party in an old castle with a moat. Would you accept an invite? Don't forget to give the author some stars!
shutupandbookup.com
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Car accident
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
The Party was a thriller for sure !
So many secrets + a bunch of teenagers making so many bad decisions + a creepy old castle = pure entertainment!
I could not stop guessing who was doing the murdering!!!
At one point I thought no one was going to survive lol
Based on the events leading to the ending I can see book 2 happening🤞🏻 I also need to know what actually lead the killer to do his killing spree, like I need their POV and their thought process!
I have the physical copy of The Haunting so I will be reading it ASAP !!
So many secrets + a bunch of teenagers making so many bad decisions + a creepy old castle = pure entertainment!
I could not stop guessing who was doing the murdering!!!
At one point I thought no one was going to survive lol
Based on the events leading to the ending I can see book 2 happening🤞🏻 I also need to know what actually lead the killer to do his killing spree, like I need their POV and their thought process!
I have the physical copy of The Haunting so I will be reading it ASAP !!
mysterious
medium-paced
Natasha Preston’s books have usually been a 4 or 5 star for me but this one just didn’t get there. I felt that there was a lot of plot holes and things that were confusing to me. I will say like any of her other books this is fast paced and a lot of twists and turns which I did enjoy. The ending did keep me captivated as I wanted to know what happened and the twist for that I was not expecting at all.
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Ten affluent high school juniors lie to their parents and boarding school officials so they can spend spring break in a creepy abandoned castle in the English countryside. The castle, deemed uninhabitable, is owned by the parents of two of the partying students who plan to renovate it and turn it into luxury apartments. As a storm rages the group is trapped but that doesn’t stop the party until one of them is found dead. Is she the victim of members of the community who vehemently vow to protect the historical integrity of the castle? Or, could it be one of the students themselves? As the body count rises, they scramble to find the killer before it’s too late. This was one scary story with vibes of the hotel in The Shining by Stephen King. The characters were believably described and recognizable as people you might know. It’s a page-turner with a bombshell ending. Thank you to Random House|Delacorte Press who via NetGalley have provided this advance copy for an honest, voluntary review. Release date:December 3, 2024 #NetGalley #TheParty
Another thriller Natasha Preston knocks out of the park! This one was a little slow from its starting off point but about 20/25% of the way in, the plot really picks up and the last bits are very faced paced. Natasha Preston has certainly found her niche with these suspenseful YA thrillers and I am a fan for sure.