Reviews tagging 'Toxic friendship'

House Party by Justin A. Reynolds

1 review

theespressoedition's review against another edition

funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

*queues up Jade's House Party playlist* Yes, I made one based on the songs mentioned in the book.
*grabs cherry strudel with extra icing packet* Because they always need more than one packet, right?
*settles in to write rave review* Oops - was that a spoiler? Please, keep reading. It'll be worth it. I swear.

AHEM! Attention everyone (and I mean everyone)! I can officially say, without a doubt, that House Party is going to be your favorite YA book of summer 2023.

If you're looking for a belly laugh, you're sure to find it in the pages of House Party.
If you're looking to have a good cry, House Party is sure to make it happen.
If you're looking for a beautifully diverse, thought-provoking, and satisfyingly fun read, pick up House Party.

I'll be honest with you right now: when I began reading this book, I thought it would be something that I enjoyed well enough but didn't necessarily connect with. I mean, it's about a bunch of teens at the biggest party of the summer. I'm someone who avoids parties like my life depends upon it. I assumed I'd live vicariously through these party people and move on with my life. This definitely wasn't the case. If you scan the first few pages and think you know where it's going, I promise you don't (and that's a good thing).

What I didn't expect in the slightest was getting totally sucked into each and every POV--and finding commonalities with nearly all of the characters. By the end of the book, it was as if these were my friends and I was walking through the (totally bonkers) night with them, not just reading about it. I felt their embarrassment, their joy, their panic, their sorrow, and their excitement. It was as if I was reliving my senior year again, which might not sound great to some people, but I enjoyed the walk down memory lane (even if my memories never included a night quite like this).

The events of this book take place over the course of one night, but none of it felt rushed. Sometimes, with novels like this, it can feel like everything happened too quickly, relationships moved too fast, and rash decisions were made. However, with this book, you understand that everyone has known each other for a long period of time. There's a maturity to it that exists outside of the pages and helps you feel more settled in the timeline set for the story.

At the time of writing this review, it's been nearly a week since I finished the book and I'm still picking up my Kindle on an almost daily basis to reread certain moments that stood out to me. No matter who you are or where you come from, you'll find that something about this book feels like home. It's truly one of a kind and I know it'll be a book that I'll turn to time and again for comfort and cheer.

Content Warnings

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