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The Leaving Party
Every year on the same day, on the anniversary, I receive a single black rose. Thirteen years of dark petals, jagged thorns, dredging up memories I’ve tried to forget…
I’ve packed up my life. All my belongings are carefully sealed in labelled boxes, my suitcases ready for my big move. I’m just days away from a new life abroad with my boyfriend, Ben.
No one knows the real reason I’m desperate to leave.
My best friend, Lena, is throwing me a leaving party. A celebration, to say goodbye. Champagne to toast my farewell. Speeches, full of fond memories.
No one knows what I’m running from.
Then another black rose appears, dragging up thirteen years of buried memories. My passport goes missing. The very people I am trying to escape from turn up at our house.
Someone knows what I did.
This party was meant to be the first night of the rest of my life – but now I don’t know if I’ll see tomorrow.
Someone knows my secret. They’re in my home, they're at my party, and they’re making me pay for it.
Psychological thrillers don’t get more addictive or gasp-worthy than this! Fans of K.L. Slater, The Girl on the Train and The Wife Between Us will love this unputdownable page-turner.
I’ve packed up my life. All my belongings are carefully sealed in labelled boxes, my suitcases ready for my big move. I’m just days away from a new life abroad with my boyfriend, Ben.
No one knows the real reason I’m desperate to leave.
My best friend, Lena, is throwing me a leaving party. A celebration, to say goodbye. Champagne to toast my farewell. Speeches, full of fond memories.
No one knows what I’m running from.
Then another black rose appears, dragging up thirteen years of buried memories. My passport goes missing. The very people I am trying to escape from turn up at our house.
Someone knows what I did.
This party was meant to be the first night of the rest of my life – but now I don’t know if I’ll see tomorrow.
Someone knows my secret. They’re in my home, they're at my party, and they’re making me pay for it.
Psychological thrillers don’t get more addictive or gasp-worthy than this! Fans of K.L. Slater, The Girl on the Train and The Wife Between Us will love this unputdownable page-turner.
214 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 31, 2020
205 people are currently reading
689 people want to read
About the author
Lesley Sanderson
12 books118 followersLesley Sanderson spends her days writing in coffee shops in Kings Cross where she lives and also works as a librarian in a multicultural school. She has lived and worked in Paris and speaks four languages.
She attended the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course in 2015/6, and in 2017 was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish fiction prize.
Lesley discovered Patricia Highsmith as a teenager and has since been hooked on psychological thrillers. She is particularly interested in the psychology of female relationships.
Follow Lesley Sanderson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesleysande...
She attended the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course in 2015/6, and in 2017 was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish fiction prize.
Lesley discovered Patricia Highsmith as a teenager and has since been hooked on psychological thrillers. She is particularly interested in the psychology of female relationships.
Follow Lesley Sanderson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesleysande...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
January 11, 2020
This story is told in two timelines. Past, present and between two characters, friends.
We learn that something happened years ago that overshadows them.
So when a leaving party is noted and strange things start to happen, it’s spooky and concerning.
It’s a good premise to the story and I enjoyed it, however, as the heat started and I was expecting kind kings of flame with pitch power and pace, it just didn’t happen.
I was trying to urge myself to get excited but it just kept the same momentum.
It was a good read nevertheless.
We learn that something happened years ago that overshadows them.
So when a leaving party is noted and strange things start to happen, it’s spooky and concerning.
It’s a good premise to the story and I enjoyed it, however, as the heat started and I was expecting kind kings of flame with pitch power and pace, it just didn’t happen.
I was trying to urge myself to get excited but it just kept the same momentum.
It was a good read nevertheless.
February 6, 2020
EXCERPT: I'm too late. It happens right in front of my eyes. Tyres screech, followed by a bang, a gasp. 'Oh no, she's dead!'a woman says, and a deathly quiet descends. My heart thuds in my ears. Figures stand like lamp posts around us, and all eyes are on the road. Music pumps out from the house, lights blazing behind the shutters, but nobody is dancing any more. The front door is open, a gaping hole from which horror has spilled into the early hours of the morning.
The woman is right. She's dead. Her broken body lies in the road, her face frozen with shock, her lifeless eyes staring towards the car that hit her. A streak of blood is laced across the bonnet, the driver staring ahead, hands still gripping the steering wheel. Someone screams, and suddenly I unfreeze.
She gets to her first, and I'm close behind, so close the sticky pool of blood on the tarmac is right in front of my face, the smell of petrol making me gag. She feels for a pulse, but after an interminable wait she shakes her head.
The driver leaps out of the car and stares at the lifeless body of my best friend. Then suddenly she laughs, and claps her hands in slow motion, the sound echoing around the street. It's only then that I realise I'm still holding the knife, and the blade is smeared dark red.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Every year on the same day, on the anniversary, I receive a single black rose. Thirteen years of dark petals, jagged thorns, dredging up memories I’ve tried to forget…
I’ve packed up my life. All my belongings are carefully sealed in labelled boxes, my suitcases ready for my big move. I’m just days away from a new life abroad with my boyfriend, Ben.
No one knows the real reason I’m desperate to leave.
My best friend, Lena, is throwing me a leaving party. A celebration, to say goodbye. Champagne to toast my farewell. Speeches, full of fond memories.
No one knows what I’m running from.
Then another black rose appears, dragging up thirteen years of buried memories. My passport goes missing. The very people I am trying to escape from turn up at our house.
Someone knows what I did.
This party was meant to be the first night of the rest of my life – but now I don’t know if I’ll see tomorrow.
Someone knows my secret. They’re in my home, they're at my party, and they’re making me pay for it.
MY THOUGHTS: Mediocre and anticlimactic.
There were too many holes and inconsistencies (one major that I won't reveal as it would be a spoiler) for me to get fully immersed in The Leaving Party by Lesley Sanderson. And yet I loved The Woman at 46 Heath Street. This felt like it was written by a completely different author.
The Leaving Party is told over two different timelines, 2005 and now, and from the points of view of Ava and her best friend Lena.
For a story centred around obsession, deceit, jealousy and revenge, it has very little in the way of suspense and tension. The characters are very one dimensional and unconvincing, and the plot leaves a lot to be desired. There is a lot of repetition, both of conversations and events. The writing doesn't flow at all, and at times is clumsy and forced.
On the plus side, this was a quick and easy read that required little in the way of thought. And the cover is beautiful.
Yes, I will read more by this author as I loved The Woman at 46 Heath Street. I also have The Orchid Girls lurking somewhere on my library shelves to read.
😐😐.5
#TheLeavingParty #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Lesley spends her days writing in coffee shops in Kings Cross where she lives and also works as a librarian in a multicultural school. She loves the atmosphere and eclectic mix of people in the area. She has lived and worked in Paris and speaks four languages.
She attended the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course in 2015/6, and in 2017 was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish fiction prize.
Lesley discovered Patricia Highsmith as a teenager and has since been hooked on psychological thrillers. She is particularly interested in the psychology of female relationships.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Leaving Party by Lesley Sanderson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
The woman is right. She's dead. Her broken body lies in the road, her face frozen with shock, her lifeless eyes staring towards the car that hit her. A streak of blood is laced across the bonnet, the driver staring ahead, hands still gripping the steering wheel. Someone screams, and suddenly I unfreeze.
She gets to her first, and I'm close behind, so close the sticky pool of blood on the tarmac is right in front of my face, the smell of petrol making me gag. She feels for a pulse, but after an interminable wait she shakes her head.
The driver leaps out of the car and stares at the lifeless body of my best friend. Then suddenly she laughs, and claps her hands in slow motion, the sound echoing around the street. It's only then that I realise I'm still holding the knife, and the blade is smeared dark red.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Every year on the same day, on the anniversary, I receive a single black rose. Thirteen years of dark petals, jagged thorns, dredging up memories I’ve tried to forget…
I’ve packed up my life. All my belongings are carefully sealed in labelled boxes, my suitcases ready for my big move. I’m just days away from a new life abroad with my boyfriend, Ben.
No one knows the real reason I’m desperate to leave.
My best friend, Lena, is throwing me a leaving party. A celebration, to say goodbye. Champagne to toast my farewell. Speeches, full of fond memories.
No one knows what I’m running from.
Then another black rose appears, dragging up thirteen years of buried memories. My passport goes missing. The very people I am trying to escape from turn up at our house.
Someone knows what I did.
This party was meant to be the first night of the rest of my life – but now I don’t know if I’ll see tomorrow.
Someone knows my secret. They’re in my home, they're at my party, and they’re making me pay for it.
MY THOUGHTS: Mediocre and anticlimactic.
There were too many holes and inconsistencies (one major that I won't reveal as it would be a spoiler) for me to get fully immersed in The Leaving Party by Lesley Sanderson. And yet I loved The Woman at 46 Heath Street. This felt like it was written by a completely different author.
The Leaving Party is told over two different timelines, 2005 and now, and from the points of view of Ava and her best friend Lena.
For a story centred around obsession, deceit, jealousy and revenge, it has very little in the way of suspense and tension. The characters are very one dimensional and unconvincing, and the plot leaves a lot to be desired. There is a lot of repetition, both of conversations and events. The writing doesn't flow at all, and at times is clumsy and forced.
On the plus side, this was a quick and easy read that required little in the way of thought. And the cover is beautiful.
Yes, I will read more by this author as I loved The Woman at 46 Heath Street. I also have The Orchid Girls lurking somewhere on my library shelves to read.
😐😐.5
#TheLeavingParty #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Lesley spends her days writing in coffee shops in Kings Cross where she lives and also works as a librarian in a multicultural school. She loves the atmosphere and eclectic mix of people in the area. She has lived and worked in Paris and speaks four languages.
She attended the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course in 2015/6, and in 2017 was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish fiction prize.
Lesley discovered Patricia Highsmith as a teenager and has since been hooked on psychological thrillers. She is particularly interested in the psychology of female relationships.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Leaving Party by Lesley Sanderson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
January 31, 2020
The story is told from the perspectives of Lena and Ava who have been best friends since secondary school. In 2005 as teenagers, they attend a party where an incident occurred which overshadows their lives. In the present day, Ava is leaving her job to go and live with her boyfriend Ben. Lena organises a big party so all her f fiends can say farewell. The storyline goes backwards and forwards from 2005 to the night of the party.
I’m sorry to say I’m underwhelmed by the book. The pace remains the same throughout and I feel it needs to accelerate as the truth emerges. There is not much suspense or tension which in a story like this where we have deception, revenge, lies, jealousy and taunting threats there should have been considerably more. I think any sense of threat becomes lost in the frequent repetition between the different accounts and the bland conversations between guests at the party. We needed to get more of a sense of the personality of the two main characters, of the two of them Lena is more interesting and I want to understand more of what makes her tick and then we may have got something more juicy!
Overall, I like the premise of the book but it doesn't flow as well as it should, I’d like more chills and suspense and so my overriding feeling is a bit deflated and disappointed.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC
I’m sorry to say I’m underwhelmed by the book. The pace remains the same throughout and I feel it needs to accelerate as the truth emerges. There is not much suspense or tension which in a story like this where we have deception, revenge, lies, jealousy and taunting threats there should have been considerably more. I think any sense of threat becomes lost in the frequent repetition between the different accounts and the bland conversations between guests at the party. We needed to get more of a sense of the personality of the two main characters, of the two of them Lena is more interesting and I want to understand more of what makes her tick and then we may have got something more juicy!
Overall, I like the premise of the book but it doesn't flow as well as it should, I’d like more chills and suspense and so my overriding feeling is a bit deflated and disappointed.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC
January 20, 2020
Ava is leaving her life to move to New York and marry Ben
Lena is her bezzy and lets just say she Isn’t that keen on Ava going, whatever she may be saying outwardly
But still she arranges a ‘leaving party’ full of surprises and wants to make it a night Ava wont forget, she succeeds!
Of course there is a back story that intermingles with Ava and Lena’s chapters so it goes present ( at the party ) and past ( at another party) between them both, the other party is where something happens that comes back to haunt them both at this party! Not as confusing as I have made it seem 😃
There is a good mix of unwelcome guests at the leaving party including estranged sisters, ‘handy’ ex bosses and other folk who really shouldn’t be there
I wasn’t over keen on either Ava or Lena, both needy in different ways and the party itself in its description of being so great and wonderful felt anything but tbh ( not quite sure how people in books drink so much and mix everything for hours and literally usually just stagger a bit )
My main bugbear was Ava waiting for Ben to turn up from America for the party ( he is late ) and cant contact him as she doesn’t have his mobile number ‘to hand’ only her Mum does and she’s out having dinner and cant get it, a bit un surreal ( or surreal ) to me
But it was a viable psychological thriller that did beg lots of questions from the reader, read well and easy and was a quick, non threatening read of at times suspense and at other times a look at obsessive friendship
6/10
3 Stars
Lena is her bezzy and lets just say she Isn’t that keen on Ava going, whatever she may be saying outwardly
But still she arranges a ‘leaving party’ full of surprises and wants to make it a night Ava wont forget, she succeeds!
Of course there is a back story that intermingles with Ava and Lena’s chapters so it goes present ( at the party ) and past ( at another party) between them both, the other party is where something happens that comes back to haunt them both at this party! Not as confusing as I have made it seem 😃
There is a good mix of unwelcome guests at the leaving party including estranged sisters, ‘handy’ ex bosses and other folk who really shouldn’t be there
I wasn’t over keen on either Ava or Lena, both needy in different ways and the party itself in its description of being so great and wonderful felt anything but tbh ( not quite sure how people in books drink so much and mix everything for hours and literally usually just stagger a bit )
My main bugbear was Ava waiting for Ben to turn up from America for the party ( he is late ) and cant contact him as she doesn’t have his mobile number ‘to hand’ only her Mum does and she’s out having dinner and cant get it, a bit un surreal ( or surreal ) to me
But it was a viable psychological thriller that did beg lots of questions from the reader, read well and easy and was a quick, non threatening read of at times suspense and at other times a look at obsessive friendship
6/10
3 Stars
February 1, 2020
Favorite Quotes:
Joe had long hair and John Lennon glasses and wasn’t her type at all. He looked as if he listened to old hippy music and played a guitar.
Our eyes meet and her smile flickers at me. It’s one of those unpleasant smiles that looks like it hides a mouthful of rotten teeth.
Our eyes meet and I bat away that sliver of uncertainty about her that wriggles inside me like a tapeworm.
My Review:
This slowly evolving tale was maddeningly paced and zigzagged through two timelines which were thirteen years apart, with frequent vague mentions of a significant event, although we aren’t given the exact details until much later of what that significant antecedent entailed. And I was all about the knowing. So many shifty trick cards this canny author pulled from her sly sleeves. I was totally crushed amidst all the ruthless twists and turns to learn that no one was trustworthy, everyone had their own agenda, and most ended up a bit screwed over, hmm, sounds a lot like real life come to think of it…
Joe had long hair and John Lennon glasses and wasn’t her type at all. He looked as if he listened to old hippy music and played a guitar.
Our eyes meet and her smile flickers at me. It’s one of those unpleasant smiles that looks like it hides a mouthful of rotten teeth.
Our eyes meet and I bat away that sliver of uncertainty about her that wriggles inside me like a tapeworm.
My Review:
This slowly evolving tale was maddeningly paced and zigzagged through two timelines which were thirteen years apart, with frequent vague mentions of a significant event, although we aren’t given the exact details until much later of what that significant antecedent entailed. And I was all about the knowing. So many shifty trick cards this canny author pulled from her sly sleeves. I was totally crushed amidst all the ruthless twists and turns to learn that no one was trustworthy, everyone had their own agenda, and most ended up a bit screwed over, hmm, sounds a lot like real life come to think of it…
December 18, 2019
Wow...just wow. The Leaving Party is a gripping,chilling tale of secrets,manipulation,obsession,lies and revenge. The numerous twists and turns kept you guessing and trusting no one and the ending leaves you feeling chilled to the bone.
Thirteen years ago,best friends Ava and Lena went to a party at the home of a boy who Lena fancied. A tragic incident happened on the road outside the house and Lena ended up saving Ava's life.
Every year,on the anniversary of that tragic night, Ava has received a black rose,dredging up memories that she has worked so hard to forget.
Now they are having their own party,one that Lena has organised for Ava, a celebration to say goodbye because Ava is moving to New York to live with her boyfriend Ben.
But not long after the guests arrive,strange things start happening, black roses appear in the house and Ava's passport and phone mysteriously disappear.
It becomes obvious that Ava's tormentor is at the party and that they have escalated their campaign against her. The party and move were supposed to be a fresh start, a chance to escape her past but it is beginning to increasingly like the past is destined to catch up with her and she might not live to see tomorrow.
The chapters of this gripping thriller are short and snappy,alternate between Ava and Lena and flip back and forth between the present day and 2005. I did feel a lot of sympathy for poor Ava but I also thought she was very naive and needed to lighten up a bit at times especially when she was younger. The secondary characters who attended the party were a mixed bag of diverse personalities,any one of whom could have been Ava's tormentor. But who was it and could there possibly have been more than one?. Was it my favourite character Martha who was Ava's feisty sister or Ava's obsessive ex boyfriend Gareth or her bully of an ex boss Pete? One of the characters in this book was very obsessive,deluded and suffered from some major mental health issues.
The Leaving Party is a chilling,extremely well written page turner that had me hooked in from the shocking prologue. Both time frames are equally intriguing.the changing of the time frames at no point impedes with the flow of the story which holds the readers attention throughout the whole book. The short snappy chapters give you a very bad case of just one more chapter syndrome. I love Lesley Sanderson's brilliant thrillers,she is a very talented author who's books are always unputdownable and this one was no exception. Worth far more than five stars and definitely one of my favourite reads of this year. Very very highly recommended
Many thanks to Lesley Sanderson and Bookouture for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review
Thirteen years ago,best friends Ava and Lena went to a party at the home of a boy who Lena fancied. A tragic incident happened on the road outside the house and Lena ended up saving Ava's life.
Every year,on the anniversary of that tragic night, Ava has received a black rose,dredging up memories that she has worked so hard to forget.
Now they are having their own party,one that Lena has organised for Ava, a celebration to say goodbye because Ava is moving to New York to live with her boyfriend Ben.
But not long after the guests arrive,strange things start happening, black roses appear in the house and Ava's passport and phone mysteriously disappear.
It becomes obvious that Ava's tormentor is at the party and that they have escalated their campaign against her. The party and move were supposed to be a fresh start, a chance to escape her past but it is beginning to increasingly like the past is destined to catch up with her and she might not live to see tomorrow.
The chapters of this gripping thriller are short and snappy,alternate between Ava and Lena and flip back and forth between the present day and 2005. I did feel a lot of sympathy for poor Ava but I also thought she was very naive and needed to lighten up a bit at times especially when she was younger. The secondary characters who attended the party were a mixed bag of diverse personalities,any one of whom could have been Ava's tormentor. But who was it and could there possibly have been more than one?. Was it my favourite character Martha who was Ava's feisty sister or Ava's obsessive ex boyfriend Gareth or her bully of an ex boss Pete? One of the characters in this book was very obsessive,deluded and suffered from some major mental health issues.
The Leaving Party is a chilling,extremely well written page turner that had me hooked in from the shocking prologue. Both time frames are equally intriguing.the changing of the time frames at no point impedes with the flow of the story which holds the readers attention throughout the whole book. The short snappy chapters give you a very bad case of just one more chapter syndrome. I love Lesley Sanderson's brilliant thrillers,she is a very talented author who's books are always unputdownable and this one was no exception. Worth far more than five stars and definitely one of my favourite reads of this year. Very very highly recommended
Many thanks to Lesley Sanderson and Bookouture for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review
December 18, 2019
The story of two friends Lena and Ava who have been friends from their schooldays.
Ava is having a leaving party and spooky things start to happen that she believes is a result of an incident that happened in 2005.
Told in two different timelines and by two different narrators I found this book hard to follow.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ava is having a leaving party and spooky things start to happen that she believes is a result of an incident that happened in 2005.
Told in two different timelines and by two different narrators I found this book hard to follow.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 30, 2020
Review coming soon.
January 24, 2020
2 POV and 2 friends and the dark secrets between them was the premise of this book.
Lena and Ava were two best friends since school. Something happened in a party attended by them which cast a dark shadow even in the present time lines. Ava threw a party when Lena was leaving her job, but there was something she was running from in reality.
My first book by author Lesley Sanderson, the premise was great. The story had different plot lines of lies and betrayal along with revenge. Lena was being tormented by someone for the past 13 years and that person was at the party. I liked how the author managed to get the past and present moving together.
The story was slow paced and suspense was low, it was not an atmospheric read that I expected. But it still managed to entertain me as I wanted to know who the culprit was.
Overall, a good read.
Lena and Ava were two best friends since school. Something happened in a party attended by them which cast a dark shadow even in the present time lines. Ava threw a party when Lena was leaving her job, but there was something she was running from in reality.
My first book by author Lesley Sanderson, the premise was great. The story had different plot lines of lies and betrayal along with revenge. Lena was being tormented by someone for the past 13 years and that person was at the party. I liked how the author managed to get the past and present moving together.
The story was slow paced and suspense was low, it was not an atmospheric read that I expected. But it still managed to entertain me as I wanted to know who the culprit was.
Overall, a good read.
August 14, 2020
Thirteen years ago Ava attended a party which ended horribly. She's been on the run ever since. But every year on the anniversary, she receives a single black rose. Someone knows her secret ... and where she is.
Ava is moving to another country to live with her boyfriend. It means leaving everything familiar .. her friends ... her family .... and maybe the black roses.
Her best friend is giving a going-away party. There's lots of champagne, well wishes, hugs and I'll miss yous. Another black rose shows up and her passport go missing.
Someone knows her secret ... and they're attending the party.
The book is written in two timelines ... two parties then and now. There are lots of characters, making it somewhat difficult to follow. The beginning of the book is actually more suspenseful. It is intense in places, but it comes and goes. The characters, themselves, weren't impressive.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
January 27, 2020
3.5 stars
The Leaving Party by Lesley Sandersonis a psychological thriller.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Ava is moving to New York to be with her boyfriend Ben, and her best friend Lena is throwing her a going away party. Ava and Lena have been friends forever, and this move is going to be rough on both of them.
However, Ava will finally be able to start a new life, and maybe even forget the past. New York should be far enough away from England. She can leave everything behind.
But as the day of the party dawns, Ava receives a black rose, the reminder of that dreadful day that she doesn't want, much less need. She will never forget the past. Yet for 13 years, she has receives a black rose on that anniversary. As the day and party progresses, more black roses appear, her phone goes missing, as does her passport, and her fiance Ben doesn't show up. Could this day get any worse?
My Opinions:
The book was about friendship and love. It was also about lies, deceit, co-dependency, obsession and revenge.
The story alternates time-lines and points of view. This is done very well, and nothing gets confused. The chapters are relatively short, which makes the pace fast. It is a quick read. There were a lot characters, most of which were deep enough to understand, but unfortunately very few were actually likable.
The overall premise of the story is quite good, but somehow it lacked a final punch. Everything was expected, and delivered, but no major "WOW" moments developed, not for me anyway. I did still enjoy it!
For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information and quotations), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
January 27, 2020
A simple leaving party. That is all Ava wants. That is what Lena promised. Leaving London and heading to New York to marry Ben is all she is hoping for. However, as she is getting ready for the party, she receives a black rose. This is very frightening to her, because it is not her first.
Meanwhile, she has been friends with Lena for years and Lean is not about to let her go. Will the party go okay or has what Lena plans for Ava really throw everything off kilter?
The story then shifts between the past and the present, with the past story also being a party. As the stories develop it is clear to see that the long friendship between Lena and Ava is more than a bit off. As things took time to develop I became a bit antsy for Ava. And I wanted to meet Ben. Instead, readers are seeing what the real drama that exists between Lena and Ava.
This is a well-crafted story that kept the suspense level tight, especially with the dual point of view. It is a marvelous thriller that captured my attention from the start. I do look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Meanwhile, she has been friends with Lena for years and Lean is not about to let her go. Will the party go okay or has what Lena plans for Ava really throw everything off kilter?
The story then shifts between the past and the present, with the past story also being a party. As the stories develop it is clear to see that the long friendship between Lena and Ava is more than a bit off. As things took time to develop I became a bit antsy for Ava. And I wanted to meet Ben. Instead, readers are seeing what the real drama that exists between Lena and Ava.
This is a well-crafted story that kept the suspense level tight, especially with the dual point of view. It is a marvelous thriller that captured my attention from the start. I do look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
January 29, 2020
This is a great psychological thriller that had me hooked from the first few pages.
When I realised the whole book is about one party I wondered how it would keep my interest, but believe me, there’s plenty to keep you gripped.
There’s also some flashback chapters to 2005 when something happened that affected Ava’s life, and we find out the truth as the story unfolds.
In the present day, Lena has organised a party for her close friend, Ava as she is moving to New York to be with her fiancé.
Lena is desparate for her not to go - but how far will she go?
Ava’s sister arrives at the party and deep buried hatred between her and Lena comes to the surface.
I did feel sorry for Ava as this happy occasion soon starts to crumble around her.
You’ll have to make your own mind up about Lena but for me, her behaviour is not that of a best friend and whilst Ava doesn’t know who to trust, Lena continues to influence her.
This is a great read that had me racing through the pages to find out what happens next.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
When I realised the whole book is about one party I wondered how it would keep my interest, but believe me, there’s plenty to keep you gripped.
There’s also some flashback chapters to 2005 when something happened that affected Ava’s life, and we find out the truth as the story unfolds.
In the present day, Lena has organised a party for her close friend, Ava as she is moving to New York to be with her fiancé.
Lena is desparate for her not to go - but how far will she go?
Ava’s sister arrives at the party and deep buried hatred between her and Lena comes to the surface.
I did feel sorry for Ava as this happy occasion soon starts to crumble around her.
You’ll have to make your own mind up about Lena but for me, her behaviour is not that of a best friend and whilst Ava doesn’t know who to trust, Lena continues to influence her.
This is a great read that had me racing through the pages to find out what happens next.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
March 23, 2023
Another excellent read! A real page turner with lots of twists and turns!
February 2, 2020
“Every year on the same day, on the anniversary, I receive a single black rose. Thirteen years of dark petals, jagged thorns, dredging up memories I’ve tried to forget”
Just these words in the blurb grabbed my attention so I jumped in.
Ava is about to leave for a new start with her boyfriend Ben. Her friend Lena throws her a leaving party. When spooky stuff starts to happen she’s afraid her past is coming back to haunt her.
This story took a bit of time to get into as we get two points of view as well as two different timelines.
Once I got used to the way the story is being told I enjoyed the story.
Can’t say I loved either of the characters but it’s got a good storyline.
Just these words in the blurb grabbed my attention so I jumped in.
Ava is about to leave for a new start with her boyfriend Ben. Her friend Lena throws her a leaving party. When spooky stuff starts to happen she’s afraid her past is coming back to haunt her.
This story took a bit of time to get into as we get two points of view as well as two different timelines.
Once I got used to the way the story is being told I enjoyed the story.
Can’t say I loved either of the characters but it’s got a good storyline.
May 5, 2020
About as bog standard as a domestic thriller can get! You know the drill: "Hi, my name is [insert name here]. My life is perfect, except for this thing I did in my past, which I'm not actually going to tell you about, but myself and other characters will refer to it constantly." Of course, the secret is never as awful as the main character seems to think it is, and the reader ends up wondering what all the bloody fuss was about.
The main character this time is Ava, and she still harbours enormous guilt over the events of a party thirteen years ago. (We get snippets of that party dropped to us throughout the book.) Every year, on the anniversary of the event, Ava has been receiving a blackened rose to remind her of "what she did" (note: she didn't actually do anything.) Why has Ava never gone to the police about this? IN THIRTEEN BLOODY YEARS???? It's one of many silly, incredulous moments in this predictable, by-the-numbers effort.
Ava is about is head to New York to be with her fiance, Ben. Her best friend, Lena, who was also at that party and knows what happened, is throwing her a going away party. It's clear that Lena has a bit of a desperate, clingy attachment to Ava, but nonetheless wants the party to go off without a hitch. But that proves difficult, because blackened roses are showing up all over the place, making it clear that whoever has it in for Ava is now at the party.
It's an interesting synopsis, as is the fact that the story takes place over a single night. But you can really feel the padding in an already relatively short book. A fairly distinct pattern emerges. Ava will find a blackened rose and freak out. Lena or someone else will tell her to calm down and enjoy the party. Lena will beg Ava to let her come to New York with her. Ava will feel guilt over what she did at that party thirteen years ago (note: she didn't do anything.) Ava will worry about her relationship with Ben. Lena will bicker with Ava's sister, Martha. Rinse and repeat.
The biggest problem is that the book requires Ava to be a complete and utter numbskull in order for the story to work. It's clear to everyone except her that Lena is clingy and manipulative. Ava worries and worries that her relationship with Ben is in trouble because he hasn't arrived yet. She doesn't know his number - fair enough, I don't know my partner's number off the top of my head. But her mother does, but for some reason she doesn't call her mother because her mother's at dinner! What the actual hell?
It builds up to revelations that you saw coming from a mile away, including the fact that Ava never actually really did anything at the party thirteen years ago. So what's with the all the guilt and recrimination and not being able to tell anybody about the roses for over a decade? The whole premise is built on Ava not taking the most obvious actions that anybody with half a brain would take. Sure, willing suspension of disbelief is key in any thriller, but somebody being THAT stupid for THAT long goes beyond that limit for me!
This ticks every necessary box in the check-list of a lazy domestic thriller. Possibly unreliable narrator? Check! White woman with a secret she bangs on about endlessly but doesn't say what it is? Check! Protagonist is a neurotic nitwit? Check! Chapters set in the past to slowly reveal what awful thing happened? Check! Awful thing isn't all that awful and possibly doesn't need to be a secret at all? Check, check, check! Ding, ding, ding!
Like any bad party, a few hits of alcohol might be needed if you intend to see this one through to the end! For a much better thriller involving a party with sinister events occurring over the course of one night, try "The Invitation" by Diane Hoh. It's a YA thriller from the 90s, but it's much better than this dross!
The main character this time is Ava, and she still harbours enormous guilt over the events of a party thirteen years ago. (We get snippets of that party dropped to us throughout the book.) Every year, on the anniversary of the event, Ava has been receiving a blackened rose to remind her of "what she did" (note: she didn't actually do anything.) Why has Ava never gone to the police about this? IN THIRTEEN BLOODY YEARS???? It's one of many silly, incredulous moments in this predictable, by-the-numbers effort.
Ava is about is head to New York to be with her fiance, Ben. Her best friend, Lena, who was also at that party and knows what happened, is throwing her a going away party. It's clear that Lena has a bit of a desperate, clingy attachment to Ava, but nonetheless wants the party to go off without a hitch. But that proves difficult, because blackened roses are showing up all over the place, making it clear that whoever has it in for Ava is now at the party.
It's an interesting synopsis, as is the fact that the story takes place over a single night. But you can really feel the padding in an already relatively short book. A fairly distinct pattern emerges. Ava will find a blackened rose and freak out. Lena or someone else will tell her to calm down and enjoy the party. Lena will beg Ava to let her come to New York with her. Ava will feel guilt over what she did at that party thirteen years ago (note: she didn't do anything.) Ava will worry about her relationship with Ben. Lena will bicker with Ava's sister, Martha. Rinse and repeat.
The biggest problem is that the book requires Ava to be a complete and utter numbskull in order for the story to work. It's clear to everyone except her that Lena is clingy and manipulative. Ava worries and worries that her relationship with Ben is in trouble because he hasn't arrived yet. She doesn't know his number - fair enough, I don't know my partner's number off the top of my head. But her mother does, but for some reason she doesn't call her mother because her mother's at dinner! What the actual hell?
It builds up to revelations that you saw coming from a mile away, including the fact that Ava never actually really did anything at the party thirteen years ago. So what's with the all the guilt and recrimination and not being able to tell anybody about the roses for over a decade? The whole premise is built on Ava not taking the most obvious actions that anybody with half a brain would take. Sure, willing suspension of disbelief is key in any thriller, but somebody being THAT stupid for THAT long goes beyond that limit for me!
This ticks every necessary box in the check-list of a lazy domestic thriller. Possibly unreliable narrator? Check! White woman with a secret she bangs on about endlessly but doesn't say what it is? Check! Protagonist is a neurotic nitwit? Check! Chapters set in the past to slowly reveal what awful thing happened? Check! Awful thing isn't all that awful and possibly doesn't need to be a secret at all? Check, check, check! Ding, ding, ding!
Like any bad party, a few hits of alcohol might be needed if you intend to see this one through to the end! For a much better thriller involving a party with sinister events occurring over the course of one night, try "The Invitation" by Diane Hoh. It's a YA thriller from the 90s, but it's much better than this dross!
February 2, 2020
The Leaving Party by Lesley Sanderson is a simply told story with many layers underneath, twists and turns you won’t see coming, and a finale that will leave you totally stunned.
Ava is making a huge move to America to be with her boyfriend, Ben. But, before she goes, her best friend Lena is throwing her a going away party. They have been friends since their school days and while Lena is sad Ava is moving, she wants the party to be the perfect celebration to say goodbye. Only, not everything is as it seems and when a black rose shows up at their front door, reminding Ava of a tragic event that happened thirteen years prior. Who is leaving her roses and is someone at her party intent on making her pay for the events that have happened in the past?
I really loved the opening of this story and how it easily sucked me in with a teaser of what happened in the past with Ava. It left just enough of a hint of what is going to come. I was drawn in to the events leading up to the part and the reflection on both Ava and Lena’s voices as they both set up the scene to draw you in even further. The story is really easy to follow between both Lena and Ava as well as when the story switches back and forth from the present to the past. The buildup is very slow and tantalizing to where I just needed to keep reading and try to figure out what happened in the past and who might be behind the black roses.
I really love the characterization of the Ava and Lena as well as the party attendees. No one was really trustworthy and the culprit could have been anyone. I kept going back and forth with my ideas on who was behind it all, but Sanderson did a fantastic job really kept you guessing until the big reveal. I love when a story can keep me in suspense until the end.
If you enjoy slow burn type of thrillers with an intense and twisted story then you will certainly enjoy reading The Leaving Party.
Ava is making a huge move to America to be with her boyfriend, Ben. But, before she goes, her best friend Lena is throwing her a going away party. They have been friends since their school days and while Lena is sad Ava is moving, she wants the party to be the perfect celebration to say goodbye. Only, not everything is as it seems and when a black rose shows up at their front door, reminding Ava of a tragic event that happened thirteen years prior. Who is leaving her roses and is someone at her party intent on making her pay for the events that have happened in the past?
I really loved the opening of this story and how it easily sucked me in with a teaser of what happened in the past with Ava. It left just enough of a hint of what is going to come. I was drawn in to the events leading up to the part and the reflection on both Ava and Lena’s voices as they both set up the scene to draw you in even further. The story is really easy to follow between both Lena and Ava as well as when the story switches back and forth from the present to the past. The buildup is very slow and tantalizing to where I just needed to keep reading and try to figure out what happened in the past and who might be behind the black roses.
I really love the characterization of the Ava and Lena as well as the party attendees. No one was really trustworthy and the culprit could have been anyone. I kept going back and forth with my ideas on who was behind it all, but Sanderson did a fantastic job really kept you guessing until the big reveal. I love when a story can keep me in suspense until the end.
If you enjoy slow burn type of thrillers with an intense and twisted story then you will certainly enjoy reading The Leaving Party.
December 31, 2019
Ava and Lena have been best of friends and inseparable for years, especially after a significant moment 13 years ago.
Now Lena has organised a surprise leaving party for Ava, before Ava flies to New York to start her new life.
However I had the feeling very early on that something wasn't quite as it seems, and as the evening of this party progresses, things go from strange to creepy, and I'm trying to puzzle out just how it will all turn out.
At the same time we get snippets of what happened at a party 13 years ago that changed their lives forever.
There was an overwhelming feeling of dread and creepiness, all triggered by some black roses, and I do love a book that makes you feel uneasy as you read it.
This is the first book I've read by this author and I was incredibly impressed by the storytelling and how it made me feel. I found it to be a very quick and compelling story that I read in a couple of very short hours poolside, unable to tear myself away for any reason.
A gripping and enchanting story that may make you think twice at how well you know the people you are closest too.
Thank you to Bookouture on Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Now Lena has organised a surprise leaving party for Ava, before Ava flies to New York to start her new life.
However I had the feeling very early on that something wasn't quite as it seems, and as the evening of this party progresses, things go from strange to creepy, and I'm trying to puzzle out just how it will all turn out.
At the same time we get snippets of what happened at a party 13 years ago that changed their lives forever.
There was an overwhelming feeling of dread and creepiness, all triggered by some black roses, and I do love a book that makes you feel uneasy as you read it.
This is the first book I've read by this author and I was incredibly impressed by the storytelling and how it made me feel. I found it to be a very quick and compelling story that I read in a couple of very short hours poolside, unable to tear myself away for any reason.
A gripping and enchanting story that may make you think twice at how well you know the people you are closest too.
Thank you to Bookouture on Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
April 18, 2020
Having thoroughly enjoyed
"The Woman of 46 Heath Street"
I was excited to read Lesley Sanderson's new thriller THE LEAVING PARTY, a story about what happens when secrets and toxic obsession collide.
Ava and Lena are best friends who have known each other since high school and share a beautiful Victorian house together. That is, until now. Ava is about to leave London and her past behind to live with her boyfriend Ben in New York. Lena isn't thrilled about it but Ava is her best friend and so she plans the biggest and best leaving party for her.
It is meant to be a surprise but Ava caught on fairly quickly what Lena was planning and played along, whilst secretly hoping for a quiet exit. Then on the day of the party, she receives a familiar package - long, slender and containing a single black rose. Ava is immediately fearful for this is the not the first one. It all goes back to the past...a time Ava would rather forget and one from which she hopes to now escape with this move.
Thirteen years ago, Ava and Lena were teenagers at a party when a tragic accident occurred involving them both and which resulted in a friend's death. Every year since, on the anniversary of that night, Ava has received a single black rose. Someone knows her secret. And they are intent on never letting her forget the part she played.
But this year is different. This is the first year that a rose has arrived out of sequence...and not on the anniversary but rather on the day of Ava's leaving party. Then just as the evening is about to kick off, another rose arrives. Who is sending them? Is it someone she knows? Someone closer than she thinks? Are they at her party tonight?
But then more strange things begin to happen when a cake decorated in black icing with the number 13 on it is left on the doorstep and a vase of black roses appears. Ava becomes even more fearful that someone at her party is responsible and she is unable to relax. She desperately wants to see Ben, who Lena says will be there tonight but where is he? He should be here by now and she can't even call him because her phone has somehow disappeared. She decides to spend a few quiet moments to collect herself and admire the beautiful engagement ring from Ben - a secret until they can announce it together - when she discovers her passport is also missing.
Downstairs Lena is determined that Ava enjoy her party though the moment is bittersweet for her knowing that she will say goodbye to her best friend in just two days time. But will she? What if she moves to New York with Ava? That would be just perfect! After all, she really has nothing keeping her here.
Then when Ava's estranged sister Martha arrives, Lena resolves not to let her ruin Ava's night. Martha hates Lena and the feeling is mutual as Lena tries to keep Martha from spoiling things. She certainly wouldn't put it past her. And despite resolving NOT to let Martha ruin the party, Lena then begins to feed Ava's fears by planting the seed that her sister is the one behind the roses.
Soon Ava doesn't know what to think anymore. All she knows is that someone is out to torment her, never letting her forget one drunken teenage night and that whoever they are might be out for revenge. She is certain now that moving across the Atlantic and away from her past is the best thing for her. Suddenly her leaving party doesn't seem to be the joyous occasion it was meant to be and Ava can't wait until it is over and she can escape the past once and for all. But can she?
The story is told in the past and the present in alternating perspectives of both Ava and Lena. I did get a little confused as to whose narrative it was at times because both are in the first person. The entire present day story is at the leaving party which I thought dragged on a little. I felt I was stuck in a timewarp that existed only at that party. And then every so often we are given a flashback to another party 13 years before, as events there slowly unfold and the two stories are woven together to suddenly make sense.
A different kind of read, THE LEAVING PARTY is a party I didn't really want to be at. In fact, if anyone wanted to leave it was me. The air was toxic, the people unlikeable and I found I couldn't trust any of them.
Neither Ava or Lena are particularly likeable, in my opinion, which does make being dragged into their drama a bit tiresome in part. Ava just seemed a little detached and I felt somewhat indifferent to her. She droned on about having done something awful for which she was being tormented and alluded to it being some dark secret...but when the reader discovers what that secret is, I was left wondering how she came to that conclusion? I understood she felt a tremendous amount of guilt but what was the big secret? It felt a little anti-climatic to me. Lena was different. I didn't like or trust her almost from the beginning. There was something creepy about her and she was incredibly unnerving. As the story unfolds it is revealed that she has an unhealthy attachment to Ava that is undeniably toxic and yet neither woman could see it that way. She was a far more rounded character than Ava, as unbalanced as she is, and clearly disturbed. And yet, we're never quite sure whether she's the good or bad guy here.
Although I did find the book a bit underwhelming after her previous thriller, THE LEAVING PARTY was still a reasonably enjoyable read. It lacked the thrills and chills, needing more suspense and plot twists. The whole book party concept was original and interesting but it became a little long winded by the end. Again, Lena made my skin crawl and if anything I couldn't wait to be out of her presence.
THE LEAVING PARTY had a lot to live up to after the last thriller, so it could be forgiven that. It was still a good read, if only for the unfolding toxicity being revealed.
I do enjoy Lesley Sanderson's thrillers and I can't wait to see what else she has in store for us. THE LEAVING PARTY was just not her best, in my opinion, though she is still an author to enjoy.
I would like to thank #LesleySanderson, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheLeavingParty in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Ava and Lena are best friends who have known each other since high school and share a beautiful Victorian house together. That is, until now. Ava is about to leave London and her past behind to live with her boyfriend Ben in New York. Lena isn't thrilled about it but Ava is her best friend and so she plans the biggest and best leaving party for her.
It is meant to be a surprise but Ava caught on fairly quickly what Lena was planning and played along, whilst secretly hoping for a quiet exit. Then on the day of the party, she receives a familiar package - long, slender and containing a single black rose. Ava is immediately fearful for this is the not the first one. It all goes back to the past...a time Ava would rather forget and one from which she hopes to now escape with this move.
Thirteen years ago, Ava and Lena were teenagers at a party when a tragic accident occurred involving them both and which resulted in a friend's death. Every year since, on the anniversary of that night, Ava has received a single black rose. Someone knows her secret. And they are intent on never letting her forget the part she played.
But this year is different. This is the first year that a rose has arrived out of sequence...and not on the anniversary but rather on the day of Ava's leaving party. Then just as the evening is about to kick off, another rose arrives. Who is sending them? Is it someone she knows? Someone closer than she thinks? Are they at her party tonight?
But then more strange things begin to happen when a cake decorated in black icing with the number 13 on it is left on the doorstep and a vase of black roses appears. Ava becomes even more fearful that someone at her party is responsible and she is unable to relax. She desperately wants to see Ben, who Lena says will be there tonight but where is he? He should be here by now and she can't even call him because her phone has somehow disappeared. She decides to spend a few quiet moments to collect herself and admire the beautiful engagement ring from Ben - a secret until they can announce it together - when she discovers her passport is also missing.
Downstairs Lena is determined that Ava enjoy her party though the moment is bittersweet for her knowing that she will say goodbye to her best friend in just two days time. But will she? What if she moves to New York with Ava? That would be just perfect! After all, she really has nothing keeping her here.
Then when Ava's estranged sister Martha arrives, Lena resolves not to let her ruin Ava's night. Martha hates Lena and the feeling is mutual as Lena tries to keep Martha from spoiling things. She certainly wouldn't put it past her. And despite resolving NOT to let Martha ruin the party, Lena then begins to feed Ava's fears by planting the seed that her sister is the one behind the roses.
Soon Ava doesn't know what to think anymore. All she knows is that someone is out to torment her, never letting her forget one drunken teenage night and that whoever they are might be out for revenge. She is certain now that moving across the Atlantic and away from her past is the best thing for her. Suddenly her leaving party doesn't seem to be the joyous occasion it was meant to be and Ava can't wait until it is over and she can escape the past once and for all. But can she?
The story is told in the past and the present in alternating perspectives of both Ava and Lena. I did get a little confused as to whose narrative it was at times because both are in the first person. The entire present day story is at the leaving party which I thought dragged on a little. I felt I was stuck in a timewarp that existed only at that party. And then every so often we are given a flashback to another party 13 years before, as events there slowly unfold and the two stories are woven together to suddenly make sense.
A different kind of read, THE LEAVING PARTY is a party I didn't really want to be at. In fact, if anyone wanted to leave it was me. The air was toxic, the people unlikeable and I found I couldn't trust any of them.
Neither Ava or Lena are particularly likeable, in my opinion, which does make being dragged into their drama a bit tiresome in part. Ava just seemed a little detached and I felt somewhat indifferent to her. She droned on about having done something awful for which she was being tormented and alluded to it being some dark secret...but when the reader discovers what that secret is, I was left wondering how she came to that conclusion? I understood she felt a tremendous amount of guilt but what was the big secret? It felt a little anti-climatic to me. Lena was different. I didn't like or trust her almost from the beginning. There was something creepy about her and she was incredibly unnerving. As the story unfolds it is revealed that she has an unhealthy attachment to Ava that is undeniably toxic and yet neither woman could see it that way. She was a far more rounded character than Ava, as unbalanced as she is, and clearly disturbed. And yet, we're never quite sure whether she's the good or bad guy here.
Although I did find the book a bit underwhelming after her previous thriller, THE LEAVING PARTY was still a reasonably enjoyable read. It lacked the thrills and chills, needing more suspense and plot twists. The whole book party concept was original and interesting but it became a little long winded by the end. Again, Lena made my skin crawl and if anything I couldn't wait to be out of her presence.
THE LEAVING PARTY had a lot to live up to after the last thriller, so it could be forgiven that. It was still a good read, if only for the unfolding toxicity being revealed.
I do enjoy Lesley Sanderson's thrillers and I can't wait to see what else she has in store for us. THE LEAVING PARTY was just not her best, in my opinion, though she is still an author to enjoy.
I would like to thank #LesleySanderson, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheLeavingParty in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
January 30, 2020
This is the story of two friends, Ava and Lena. One night 13 years ago, there was a tragedy which they were both involved in. Every year since, on the anniversary of that night, Ava has been sent an anonymous black rose. Trying to put what happened behind her, the memories of that night are brought back up again every year, but when Ava has the opportunity to move to New York to live with her boyfriend she thinks she will finally be free from it all. However, when Lena throws her a leaving party, strange things happen with more black roses appearing and Ava’s personal belongings going missing. Just who is behind it all?
This was a chilling read which had me hooked from the first page. Told from two different timeframes, the story switches backwards and forwards from present day to 13 years previously. The story from the past fills in the gaps as to what happened to Ava and Lena, and it was tantalisingly drip-fed in little snippets throughout the whole book. The switches between timeframes was done smoothly and at no point did the story become confusing, if anything the tension and suspense of what was happened increased as the chapters passed. The characters were great and Ava and Lena’s characters particularly added to the mystery of the story. I have to admit, I didn’t particularly like either of them – there was just something about them which I couldn’t put my finger on!! – but this is what made the storyline so addictive!
The author did a cracking job of leading me down dead ends and throwing red herrings right at me. It definitely kept me thinking of who it could be, and there were plenty of characters for me to accuse! I did eventually work it out before it was revealed, but this didn’t detract from the enjoyment of the book one little bit. I did however love how it kept you guessing as the story moved on though, and I don’t know about you but there is certainly something creepy about a black rose!! This was a suspenseful thriller of a read, filled with lots of lies and mistrust. Would definitely recommend!
This was a chilling read which had me hooked from the first page. Told from two different timeframes, the story switches backwards and forwards from present day to 13 years previously. The story from the past fills in the gaps as to what happened to Ava and Lena, and it was tantalisingly drip-fed in little snippets throughout the whole book. The switches between timeframes was done smoothly and at no point did the story become confusing, if anything the tension and suspense of what was happened increased as the chapters passed. The characters were great and Ava and Lena’s characters particularly added to the mystery of the story. I have to admit, I didn’t particularly like either of them – there was just something about them which I couldn’t put my finger on!! – but this is what made the storyline so addictive!
The author did a cracking job of leading me down dead ends and throwing red herrings right at me. It definitely kept me thinking of who it could be, and there were plenty of characters for me to accuse! I did eventually work it out before it was revealed, but this didn’t detract from the enjoyment of the book one little bit. I did however love how it kept you guessing as the story moved on though, and I don’t know about you but there is certainly something creepy about a black rose!! This was a suspenseful thriller of a read, filled with lots of lies and mistrust. Would definitely recommend!
January 25, 2020
The Leaving Party is about Ava and Lena, two best friends living in a flat together. Ava is about to leave to go to the US with her boyfriend, Ben. Even though Lena is not happy about it, she has planned what is going to be a fantastic farewell party for Ava. Ava, however, has been keeping a huge secret from Lena. Every year, on the anniversary of an event which affected them both, Ava receives a black rose which makes her relive that fateful night all over again.
The plot sounded interesting and I was quite fascinated to find out what exactly had happened to them both thirteen years ago. However, I did not like either Ava or Lena at all. They both were quite needy and melodramatic in my opinion. This made it incredibly hard to get into the book.
The entire book happens during the farewell party. For people who drank such a strong rum punch, the partygoers were remarkably sober. But maybe they could hold their liquor better than mine. I also could not help wondering if they were having any fun between Ava's and Lena's antics.
One detail that stood out for me was the fact that throughout the story Ava could not find her phone and so was unable to contact Ben. I don't know about other people but generally if you are in a relationship with someone, especially if you know them well enough to move in with them, you would be able to contact him/her without your phone. But maybe that's just me.
The story did not really have a climax in my opinion. When the most traumatic event of the book happened, I do not even think my heart rate changed. It felt like just another part of the party. And when the villain was revealed, honestly I was not that surprised. In my opinion this book was meh
Violence: Moderate
Sexual Content: Sexual harassment is mentioned but it is not graphic
Profanity: A little swearing
Religious Themes: None
Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking: Some mention of social smoking and drinking. Underage drinking
The plot sounded interesting and I was quite fascinated to find out what exactly had happened to them both thirteen years ago. However, I did not like either Ava or Lena at all. They both were quite needy and melodramatic in my opinion. This made it incredibly hard to get into the book.
The entire book happens during the farewell party. For people who drank such a strong rum punch, the partygoers were remarkably sober. But maybe they could hold their liquor better than mine. I also could not help wondering if they were having any fun between Ava's and Lena's antics.
One detail that stood out for me was the fact that throughout the story Ava could not find her phone and so was unable to contact Ben. I don't know about other people but generally if you are in a relationship with someone, especially if you know them well enough to move in with them, you would be able to contact him/her without your phone. But maybe that's just me.
The story did not really have a climax in my opinion. When the most traumatic event of the book happened, I do not even think my heart rate changed. It felt like just another part of the party. And when the villain was revealed, honestly I was not that surprised. In my opinion this book was meh
Violence: Moderate
Sexual Content: Sexual harassment is mentioned but it is not graphic
Profanity: A little swearing
Religious Themes: None
Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking: Some mention of social smoking and drinking. Underage drinking
February 3, 2020
The Leaving Party is a story about how one night can change your life. About what can happen when long-held secrets and toxic obsession collide. And makes us question how well we really know those we consider closest to us/around us.
Ava is on the cusp of a new life. in two days she's joining her boyfriend Ben in New York and she can finally leave behind the awful thing she did that's been haunting her for thirteen years. She's tried to move on but so far it's followed wherever she goes with the appearance of a single black rose on the same day every year. she's never told anyone, not even her best friend Lena who saved her life terrible, fateful night. But today one appears out of sequence, terrifying Ava and convincing her that her tormenter will be at the party and might just be planning their revenge.
The backstory is slowly told in flashbacks of another party thirteen years ago. What happened that night cast a dark shadow over their lives and bound the pair together for the rest of their lives. Ava feels beholden to Lena for her actions that night and it’s clear that Lena plays on this, using it to keep Ava close and guilt her into accepting how she clings to her and wants her all to herself. The dynamic is unhealthy but Ava feels so indebted to Lena that she can’t see it clearly.
I didn’t find Ava or Lena particularly likeable. Ava was a character I felt a bit indifferent about and I never particularly took to her or feel the connection you need with a character to really care about what happens to them. Though she talks about having done something awful and secretive, I never felt that tension or got the feeling she had done anything wrong, but sensed she felt a huge amount of guilt for causing an accident that ended in tragedy. Lena was different. I didn’t like or trust her from early on, and though she unnerved me I was able to feel her pain more keenly. As more of her character was revealed it was clear she had an unhealthy attachment to Ava and might benefit from some psychiatric help. She was a great character to read as though she's clearly unhinged we're never sure if she's the good or bad guy.
I loved the premise of this book. It was full of mystery and started with tension in the air as Ava receives the rose that morning. Though it never reached a level where I was on the edge of my seat, tension was added to the story with the mystery of what had happened to Ben, the influx of sinister, unwanted party gifts and Ava trying to figure out who she could trust and which guest was behind it all. I had suspicions about the suspect early on that ultimately proved true, but the author kept me on my toes with a number of viable suspects that each seemed to have equal merit and made it had to be sure who was the perpetrator.
The Leaving Party was a quick, easy and engaging read. It is perfect for those who enjoy mysteries that don’t have the gruesome element you often find in this genre.
Ava is on the cusp of a new life. in two days she's joining her boyfriend Ben in New York and she can finally leave behind the awful thing she did that's been haunting her for thirteen years. She's tried to move on but so far it's followed wherever she goes with the appearance of a single black rose on the same day every year. she's never told anyone, not even her best friend Lena who saved her life terrible, fateful night. But today one appears out of sequence, terrifying Ava and convincing her that her tormenter will be at the party and might just be planning their revenge.
The backstory is slowly told in flashbacks of another party thirteen years ago. What happened that night cast a dark shadow over their lives and bound the pair together for the rest of their lives. Ava feels beholden to Lena for her actions that night and it’s clear that Lena plays on this, using it to keep Ava close and guilt her into accepting how she clings to her and wants her all to herself. The dynamic is unhealthy but Ava feels so indebted to Lena that she can’t see it clearly.
I didn’t find Ava or Lena particularly likeable. Ava was a character I felt a bit indifferent about and I never particularly took to her or feel the connection you need with a character to really care about what happens to them. Though she talks about having done something awful and secretive, I never felt that tension or got the feeling she had done anything wrong, but sensed she felt a huge amount of guilt for causing an accident that ended in tragedy. Lena was different. I didn’t like or trust her from early on, and though she unnerved me I was able to feel her pain more keenly. As more of her character was revealed it was clear she had an unhealthy attachment to Ava and might benefit from some psychiatric help. She was a great character to read as though she's clearly unhinged we're never sure if she's the good or bad guy.
I loved the premise of this book. It was full of mystery and started with tension in the air as Ava receives the rose that morning. Though it never reached a level where I was on the edge of my seat, tension was added to the story with the mystery of what had happened to Ben, the influx of sinister, unwanted party gifts and Ava trying to figure out who she could trust and which guest was behind it all. I had suspicions about the suspect early on that ultimately proved true, but the author kept me on my toes with a number of viable suspects that each seemed to have equal merit and made it had to be sure who was the perpetrator.
The Leaving Party was a quick, easy and engaging read. It is perfect for those who enjoy mysteries that don’t have the gruesome element you often find in this genre.
February 10, 2020
Ava is meant to be leaving for New York. Newly engaged to Ben, but keeping it a secret, Ava can't wait to leave her past behind and move on. Her best friend, Lena, is throwing her a fabulous leaving party and all their friends are coming. But there are things happening behind the scenes that will make this a night to remember. Lies have been told, truths withheld. The night will bring drama and revelation. NO SPOILERS.
Told in the alternating viewpoints of Ava and Lena, the story also shifts back and forth between 2005 and present day. Illuminating the things that friends do for love, however misguided, it was a quick read with events recounted from each girl's perspective. I didn't care for either Ava or Lena and anticipated the outcome easily, but it was easy to get through in a single sitting. If you enjoy friendship psychodrama, this is one for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.
Told in the alternating viewpoints of Ava and Lena, the story also shifts back and forth between 2005 and present day. Illuminating the things that friends do for love, however misguided, it was a quick read with events recounted from each girl's perspective. I didn't care for either Ava or Lena and anticipated the outcome easily, but it was easy to get through in a single sitting. If you enjoy friendship psychodrama, this is one for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.
January 29, 2020
The Leaving Party by Lesley Sanderson was an excellent chilling and suspenseful read. I was hooked from the very first few pages. You will find that this book is told in two different timelines, by two different narrators, However it did get confusing at times but stick with it..............it will all come together at the end and it will leave you shocked!!! Promise
This brilliant book is a between two close friends Ava and Lena. They have been school friends since their school days and are like sisters. Lena has arranged a surprise leaving party for Ava as she is moving to New York with her fiance Ben.
However,
They both share a dark secret from their past. Will this secret come out in the open?
Every year since 2005 Ava receives a Black 🌹rose with dark petals, jagged thorns, on the anniversary of a mysterious accident that happened when they were teenagers. There's no note with the rose.
Who is sending Ava these Black 🌹roses?
Ava just wants to get on the plane, start her new life with Ben and forget her past and hope's she never gets a black 🌹rose sent to her again.
But, things do no go to plan as she receives another black 🌹rose with not note attached to it. She throws this 🌹in the bin and hope no one finds it!
This book is full of twists and turns and will have you shocked at the end...........Just brilliant!!!!!
I highly recommend this book.
Big Thank you to Lesley Sanderson and Bookouture for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review
This brilliant book is a between two close friends Ava and Lena. They have been school friends since their school days and are like sisters. Lena has arranged a surprise leaving party for Ava as she is moving to New York with her fiance Ben.
However,
They both share a dark secret from their past. Will this secret come out in the open?
Every year since 2005 Ava receives a Black 🌹rose with dark petals, jagged thorns, on the anniversary of a mysterious accident that happened when they were teenagers. There's no note with the rose.
Who is sending Ava these Black 🌹roses?
Ava just wants to get on the plane, start her new life with Ben and forget her past and hope's she never gets a black 🌹rose sent to her again.
But, things do no go to plan as she receives another black 🌹rose with not note attached to it. She throws this 🌹in the bin and hope no one finds it!
This book is full of twists and turns and will have you shocked at the end...........Just brilliant!!!!!
I highly recommend this book.
Big Thank you to Lesley Sanderson and Bookouture for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review
February 28, 2020
Ugh. It’s not bad but it’s nothing new.
I really enjoyed The Orchid Girls but haven’t been enthralled by anything since by this author. I need to take a break from the thriller category I think. I am just finding that I’m not seeing anything that really grips me lately. That being said, you should probably take this review with a grain of salt, getting jaded.
The characters voices were not distinct enough. Their thoughts, not actions, were too abundant. I felt as though I should have been on edge through this ride but I wasn’t. I didn’t get invested enough.
The ending is not bad but something I feel like I have run across a bit too much lately. I would suggest you try this for yourself as many have enjoyed it and I think I’m getting burned out on this genre.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Bookouture for a copy in exchange for a review.
I really enjoyed The Orchid Girls but haven’t been enthralled by anything since by this author. I need to take a break from the thriller category I think. I am just finding that I’m not seeing anything that really grips me lately. That being said, you should probably take this review with a grain of salt, getting jaded.
The characters voices were not distinct enough. Their thoughts, not actions, were too abundant. I felt as though I should have been on edge through this ride but I wasn’t. I didn’t get invested enough.
The ending is not bad but something I feel like I have run across a bit too much lately. I would suggest you try this for yourself as many have enjoyed it and I think I’m getting burned out on this genre.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Bookouture for a copy in exchange for a review.
February 2, 2020
In order to understand the present, the author takes us back to the past and the two main characters Lena and Ava do the talking.
During the whole story there is an air of secrecy and creepiness. What makes it even more sinister is that you don't know where the danger is coming from. Who can you trust? Who has your best interests at heart? Who wishes you the best life you can get? Only one answer is possible, right? It has to be your best friend.
But if she is your best friend, why do you want to go to the other end of the world? Is she for real or does she lead you on a merry dance?
Who is keeping secrets? Or do they all have things to hide?
A party is synonym to fun, but a leaving party unlocks a whole range of emotions.
I finished the book in a day. I just had to know how it would come together. A gripping story that I most certainly enjoyed. 4 stars.
Thank you, Lesley Sanderson and Bookouture
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
During the whole story there is an air of secrecy and creepiness. What makes it even more sinister is that you don't know where the danger is coming from. Who can you trust? Who has your best interests at heart? Who wishes you the best life you can get? Only one answer is possible, right? It has to be your best friend.
But if she is your best friend, why do you want to go to the other end of the world? Is she for real or does she lead you on a merry dance?
Who is keeping secrets? Or do they all have things to hide?
A party is synonym to fun, but a leaving party unlocks a whole range of emotions.
I finished the book in a day. I just had to know how it would come together. A gripping story that I most certainly enjoyed. 4 stars.
Thank you, Lesley Sanderson and Bookouture
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
January 23, 2020
Ava is moving to be with her boyfriend-not a minor change, but leaving the country. She's escaping, but first she has to get through her leaving party. When another black rose arrives on her doorstep the morning of the party, an anonymous reminder that 13 years later someone knows what she did and won't let her forget, Ava fears the sender may be a guest and how they want the night to end.
The Leaving Party is a fun, quick read about secrets and obsession, and what happens when they collide. The story is told in two timelines, both present day and a different party in 2005. Everything happens in the course of one night.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own. #TheLeavingParty #suspense
January 12, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book!
This story follows Lena and Ava, friends since High School, and bound together since a tragic accident. Ava has leaned on Lena and are as close as sisters. Ava has now become engaged and decides that it is the perfect time to move to America to be with her fiance. To say that Lena is is not taking it well is an understatement. She does not think that Ava will actually leave her behind, but she plans a surprise going away party for her best friend.
Poor Ava has been tormented every year since a tragic incident at a high school party, and she receives a black rose on the anniversary every year. On the evening of her going away party she receives another rose and she can't help but think that one of her guests have been the one sending them to her.While the night unfolds, more unsettling events take place and leaves Ava rattled. Who can she trust in a houseful of friends a colleagues?
I enjoyed the flashbacks to 2005, it really adds to the character development. Ava and her family are well off and put together, while Lena and her family are fractured and she is not used to the finer things in life. I did feel like the pacing was on the slower side until about 50% in. The second half of this story was spot on. With a going away party, and plenty of culprits, you are left guessing until the end!
I will definitely recommend this book, and look forward to reading more from this author!
Be sure to check this out, publication date is 1/31/20
This story follows Lena and Ava, friends since High School, and bound together since a tragic accident. Ava has leaned on Lena and are as close as sisters. Ava has now become engaged and decides that it is the perfect time to move to America to be with her fiance. To say that Lena is is not taking it well is an understatement. She does not think that Ava will actually leave her behind, but she plans a surprise going away party for her best friend.
Poor Ava has been tormented every year since a tragic incident at a high school party, and she receives a black rose on the anniversary every year. On the evening of her going away party she receives another rose and she can't help but think that one of her guests have been the one sending them to her.While the night unfolds, more unsettling events take place and leaves Ava rattled. Who can she trust in a houseful of friends a colleagues?
I enjoyed the flashbacks to 2005, it really adds to the character development. Ava and her family are well off and put together, while Lena and her family are fractured and she is not used to the finer things in life. I did feel like the pacing was on the slower side until about 50% in. The second half of this story was spot on. With a going away party, and plenty of culprits, you are left guessing until the end!
I will definitely recommend this book, and look forward to reading more from this author!
Be sure to check this out, publication date is 1/31/20
January 5, 2020
Thank you to Lesley, Bookouture, and Netgalley for an advanced copy of The Leaving Party.
The Leaving Party is a multi-POV thriller featuring flashbacks to the past. Lena and Ava have been inseparable forever, mainly because of a terrifying incident they experienced together as kids. When Ava decides to leave England to join her fiance in New York for a brand new life, Lena throws her a leaving party that no one will forget.
The story itself wasn't mindblowingly original, however it was a nice break from the run of domestic thrillers I've been into lately. I always enjoy a good 'secret from the past' plot and secrets involving friends gets me hooked as well.
The characters were neither lovable or dislikable. I didn't necessarily care for Ava or Lena, nor the supporting cast but it didn't deter me from enjoying the story. I found both main characters to be somewhat self-absorbed and only interested in their own gains.
The twists were okay. I didn't see the entire thing coming and there were a couple of misleads that I fell for. The main twist however I did kind of figure out. I knew the party/parties involved to a degree. That doesn't make me dislike a book (I actually get really excited when I figure it out ahead of time!) but I know a lot of people don't enjoy when they can guess.
Overall, a quick engrossing read.
The Leaving Party is a multi-POV thriller featuring flashbacks to the past. Lena and Ava have been inseparable forever, mainly because of a terrifying incident they experienced together as kids. When Ava decides to leave England to join her fiance in New York for a brand new life, Lena throws her a leaving party that no one will forget.
The story itself wasn't mindblowingly original, however it was a nice break from the run of domestic thrillers I've been into lately. I always enjoy a good 'secret from the past' plot and secrets involving friends gets me hooked as well.
The characters were neither lovable or dislikable. I didn't necessarily care for Ava or Lena, nor the supporting cast but it didn't deter me from enjoying the story. I found both main characters to be somewhat self-absorbed and only interested in their own gains.
The twists were okay. I didn't see the entire thing coming and there were a couple of misleads that I fell for. The main twist however I did kind of figure out. I knew the party/parties involved to a degree. That doesn't make me dislike a book (I actually get really excited when I figure it out ahead of time!) but I know a lot of people don't enjoy when they can guess.
Overall, a quick engrossing read.
December 22, 2019
Every year on the same day, on the anniversary, I receive a single black rose. Thirteen years of dark petals, jagged thorns, dredging up memories I’ve tried to forget…
I’ve packed up my life. All my belongings are carefully sealed in labelled boxes, my suitcases ready for my big move. I’m just days away from a new life abroad with my boyfriend, Ben.
No one knows the real reason I’m desperate to leave.
My best friend, Lena, is throwing me a leaving party. A celebration, to say goodbye. Champagne to toast my farewell. Speeches, full of fond memories.
No one knows what I’m running from.
Then another black rose appears, dragging up thirteen years of buried memories. My passport goes missing. The very people I am trying to escape from turn up at our house.
Someone knows what I did.
This party was meant to be the first night of the rest of my life – but now I don’t know if I’ll see tomorrow.
Someone knows my secret. They’re in my home, they're at my party, and they’re making me pay for it.
****
I was really looking forward to reading this book, as the premise sounded fab. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped. I thought a story taking part over one evening, would have me on tenterhooks, but I felt like it dragged out too much. I also got confused with who all the guests were at the party, which detracted from the flow of the story.
Sorry that this couldn't be a more positive review.
I’ve packed up my life. All my belongings are carefully sealed in labelled boxes, my suitcases ready for my big move. I’m just days away from a new life abroad with my boyfriend, Ben.
No one knows the real reason I’m desperate to leave.
My best friend, Lena, is throwing me a leaving party. A celebration, to say goodbye. Champagne to toast my farewell. Speeches, full of fond memories.
No one knows what I’m running from.
Then another black rose appears, dragging up thirteen years of buried memories. My passport goes missing. The very people I am trying to escape from turn up at our house.
Someone knows what I did.
This party was meant to be the first night of the rest of my life – but now I don’t know if I’ll see tomorrow.
Someone knows my secret. They’re in my home, they're at my party, and they’re making me pay for it.
****
I was really looking forward to reading this book, as the premise sounded fab. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped. I thought a story taking part over one evening, would have me on tenterhooks, but I felt like it dragged out too much. I also got confused with who all the guests were at the party, which detracted from the flow of the story.
Sorry that this couldn't be a more positive review.
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