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rchluther's review
3.0
Hmm. The story itself was pretty good, for a quick little mystery read, but... I felt like it was totally overwritten. It reminded me of something you'd do for a learn-how-to-write class. It was just adjectives everywhere and I found it hard to get into the story for awhile because of this overwriting. The story though, was fun and I loved the setting of Alcatraz and Treasure Island!
princessbilbo's review
4.0
SUPER predictable, but I didn't know the MO. It was fun finding out why the killer did it. A fun ride with a fun main character.
git_r_read's review
5.0
Some of my favorite mystery series are set in San Francisco and I have added a new one now. I have this whole series on the Wanton Wantin' Book List. At first it was because of the cool titles, especially the latest one, HOW TO PARTY WITH A KILLER VAMPIRE. I will read the whole series to get to that title. And enjoy the ride with it.
Presley Parker is an event organizer, party planner, what have you...She is really good at what she does and wants to be a force to be reckoned with...if she can get past all of the murders she seems to be accused of.
This is how mysteries are meant to be....
Presley Parker is an event organizer, party planner, what have you...She is really good at what she does and wants to be a force to be reckoned with...if she can get past all of the murders she seems to be accused of.
This is how mysteries are meant to be....
suzze's review
3.0
Good mystery, my only complaint was that the main character kept constantly telling us she had ADD, but she didn't really seem like she had it.
_bookdreamer's review
1.0
So I only got 40 pages into this book, then I gave up. There was just something about it that was annoying me and nothing interesting was happening. I hate how the character kept referring to her ADHD. I really thought I'd enjoy it as the main character also has a degree in psychology. But instead I just found all the facts she was throwing out there and using it to judge other people was really annoying.
chantaal's review
Review also posted at The Wandering Fangirl.
I figured I could use some light, fun reading among all the ghost/dystopian books I've been reading, but I reeeeally picked wrong this time. I don't take my popcorn books as seriously as the others I read, so I give them a lot of leeway. But I got about halfway through How to Host a Killer Party and realized I didn't care about what was going on. It was cute, sure, and Presley Parker is a fun protagonist, but this is a case of the book just not being for me.
I figured I could use some light, fun reading among all the ghost/dystopian books I've been reading, but I reeeeally picked wrong this time. I don't take my popcorn books as seriously as the others I read, so I give them a lot of leeway. But I got about halfway through How to Host a Killer Party and realized I didn't care about what was going on. It was cute, sure, and Presley Parker is a fun protagonist, but this is a case of the book just not being for me.
pussreboots's review
5.0
Last January Booking Through Thursday asked for our recommendations of "favorite unknown" authors. I posted about Penny Warner and quickly received a lovely response from her with an offer to review her newest book, How to Host a Killer Party. I was even invited to the launch party which I attended and came home with bookmarks and other fun stuff. So please go into this review knowing that I am a fan who carried my review copy around as if it were glued to my hand for the week I was reading it.
In How to Host a Killer Party, Warner introduces a new sleuth, Presley Parker, a party planner who lives and works out of Treasure Island. Her first big event is the crime themed wedding of the San Francisco mayor, staged on Alcatraz. Unfortunately for Presley the girlfriend and then the original event planner are murdered.
Even if I hadn't been a fan of Penny Warner's, I would have wanted to read this for a number of reasons. First and foremost: my experience with event planning. Secondly, the location: it's set in and about San Francisco. Finally, the genre: it is a cozy mystery, a favorite genre of mine.
My grandmother worked as a wedding coordinator. It was a job she sort of fell into. As she was also my primary care provider after school while my parents worked, I fell into being her assistant. So starting off a new mystery series with a wedding reception gone completely wrong gave me a personal connection making the book all the more special. As it turns out Penny Warner, when she's not writing, she works as an event planner (doing more than just weddings). Her experience comes through in How to Host a Killer Party.
Next is the location: San Francisco. It's not San Francisco as viewed by an outsider (Fisherman's Warf, Golden Gate Bridge and Sauselito as a neighborhood). Instead, it's San Francisco from an insider: Treasure Island, San Francisco State, and Sauselito being a city in North Bay). Although the mayor in the book is fictional, anyone who's familiar with the City's politics will nod along and snicker. Likewise, Treasure island's history and current revival is there making me want to plan a drive out there.
Finally there's genre. I like all sorts of mysteries but the cozies are lovely to curl up with or read in snatches. I did both with this book: carrying it in my purse to read whenever I could and enjoy a chapter before bed.
As it turns out, the second book in the series is coming out in August. I plan to treat myself to a copy of How to Crash a Killer Bash for my birthday.
I received a signed copy from the author for review but I would have bought a copy anyway.
In How to Host a Killer Party, Warner introduces a new sleuth, Presley Parker, a party planner who lives and works out of Treasure Island. Her first big event is the crime themed wedding of the San Francisco mayor, staged on Alcatraz. Unfortunately for Presley the girlfriend and then the original event planner are murdered.
Even if I hadn't been a fan of Penny Warner's, I would have wanted to read this for a number of reasons. First and foremost: my experience with event planning. Secondly, the location: it's set in and about San Francisco. Finally, the genre: it is a cozy mystery, a favorite genre of mine.
My grandmother worked as a wedding coordinator. It was a job she sort of fell into. As she was also my primary care provider after school while my parents worked, I fell into being her assistant. So starting off a new mystery series with a wedding reception gone completely wrong gave me a personal connection making the book all the more special. As it turns out Penny Warner, when she's not writing, she works as an event planner (doing more than just weddings). Her experience comes through in How to Host a Killer Party.
Next is the location: San Francisco. It's not San Francisco as viewed by an outsider (Fisherman's Warf, Golden Gate Bridge and Sauselito as a neighborhood). Instead, it's San Francisco from an insider: Treasure Island, San Francisco State, and Sauselito being a city in North Bay). Although the mayor in the book is fictional, anyone who's familiar with the City's politics will nod along and snicker. Likewise, Treasure island's history and current revival is there making me want to plan a drive out there.
Finally there's genre. I like all sorts of mysteries but the cozies are lovely to curl up with or read in snatches. I did both with this book: carrying it in my purse to read whenever I could and enjoy a chapter before bed.
As it turns out, the second book in the series is coming out in August. I plan to treat myself to a copy of How to Crash a Killer Bash for my birthday.
I received a signed copy from the author for review but I would have bought a copy anyway.
murderbydeath's review
2.0
If the author had mentioned the main character had ADHD one more time, honestly I would have set fire to the book. The story itself was good, the plot interesting and the premise intrigued me but at the end, I didn't like the main character. Her habit of diagnosing everyone she met at the beginning of the story with some ab. psyche ailment turned me off and nothing that happened in the later half of the book could compensate. I don't think I'll be reading any of her other books in this series.
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