The graduating class of a high school in one of Chicago's well-off suburbs gathers for an epic end-of-year celebration in House Party, a lively YA contemporary novel edited by justin a. reynolds (Opposite of Always). Eleven alternating narrators--written by 10 different authors--each have their own goals for the night. In Christina Hammonds Reed's "The Popular Girl," Black teen Penny wants to take her mind off her mother's illness and her recent breakup with Jenny S., "the former love of my life." Jrue, "The Class Clown" (justin a. reynolds) is determined to go down in history as "the best prankster our school's ever seen." Even "The Cool Mom" (Ryan La Sala), Carla, who is white, attends to find her missing dog. But nothing goes according to the characters' plans--romances bloom, friendships are tested, and rivalries explode. House Party is an entertaining romp through a night of chaotic celebration and a bittersweet snapshot of teenagers transitioning from adolescence to adulthood. --Alanna Felton, freelance reviewer