The Party
Available: June 7, 2017
Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
At first I was thinking that Kim was one of the most obnoxious helicopter moms out there. Yeah, I still think that but I understand her as a person more after finishing the story. I had a lot of empathy for Hannah through most of the tale, as I once was a teenage girl just a few years ago but the ending killed that for me. Every kid has that one friendship where parents wish they had never happened. I know mine has had one or two in her life so far but luckily they have ended for one reason or another but I know they are a rite of passage everyone must go through so that they can learn what a real friend is – even if it takes them forever to understand.
What I loved: My favorite part was the realism of the book. I’m not talking about the graphic descriptions of the events, but that the author tackled the concerns and issues and teens and their parents face today that may not have been there when our generation was growing up. Unfortunately, kids are going to sneak alcohol and break the ground rules you would swear on your life that they follow. Luckily, a majority of times nothing happens but the one time something does can have an everlasting ripple effect impacting many lives outside of your immediate loved ones.
What I didn’t love: Jeff is an ass. I’m sure if he just said once “I need to work out because that’s how I am dealing with all of this”, maybe – just maybe, Kim would have understood and may have cut him a little slack. But he didn’t, and comes across as a mega jerk. I’d like to know who their financial advisor was – any idiot can easily realize that only $250,000 in an umbrella insurance policy in case something happens to someone on your property when your house is easily valued at over a million dollars is NOT ENOUGH. Also – if I’m paying for a private school education for my children there better not be any culinary arts or shop classes. Just saying..
What I learned: Lock the ^&% up if you don’t want anyone else in it.
Overall Grade: B+
