MIDNIGHT BEAUTIES suffers from a case of second book slump. This installment didn't hit me quite like its predecessor did. Though I enjoyed diving back into this magical world, the reading experience wasn't exactly what I expected. I loved Anouk's character development. However, I wasn't a fan of the romance. Nor did I feel like there were any true risks. The prose, on the other hand, was on par and lush. The author does wonders with words, but the book's flaws impacted my overall enjoyment.

All in all, I thought it was a decent conclusion. With that being said, I will definitely keep an eye on Megan Shepherd's future works.

Midnight Beauties is set in Paris and follows Anouk as plagues and time loops are beginning to destroy London and she and the rest of the beasties try and figure out a way to stop it.

I found this book incredibly frustrating. So things I didn't like:
- There's no high stakes. Sure, verbally the stakes are really high but I never actually felt like they were. The plagues don't seem real, I never fear for Anouk, nor is there ever any doubt the other beasties will be turned back into humans.
- The romance. The romance in this book is the reason I hate YA romance. Anouk is in love with her brother figure (already weird), and then the antagonist from the first book becomes the 3rd corner of a love triangle? What? He murdered her allies and turned her friends back into animals with little chance of them returning! Yet he kisses her and she's just kind of like "uh you know I don't like you right?". It's a badly done enemies-to-lovers situation.
- Which leads me to my next issue: the final twists. There were a couple of twists that felt like they were just for the sake of throwing off the readers, because one could have been easily avoided and the other destroyed all of the character development of another character and just seemed to come out of nowhere.

Things I did like:
- It was a very engaging read, I was always eager to keep reading to find out what was going to happen.
- The author is very good at creating hooks for the next book. I'm really curious to see what Cricket gets up to in the next one
- Petra getting a bigger part in this book. I enjoyed seeing more of the former witch's boy and hope she plays an even larger role in the next book

I'm going to read the sequel but I'll complain the whole time.

Overall the book was a really good follow up and conclusion to the Grim Lovelies world. I can honestly say I will miss these characters and the world that Shepherd created, and that is how I determine if a book is really good. I want to care about the characters and what happens to them, and I very much did care about Anouk and the other beasties. Even Viggo!
Speaking of Viggo, this brings me to an issue that I've had since the first book. His character development/arc. In Midnight Beauties he starts out as a violent, abusive, obsessive horrible person. At least that's the way he is described to me in the book. Then all of a sudden, after the spell Anouk cast on him is broken, he instantly becomes a giant mushball whose line of defense is throwing shoes. The change just happened all too fast and too much to really make sense and be consistent. I will say though that I found the character he was changed to much more likeable and enjoyable, I just wish the character arc would have been at a much more gradual pace to be believable. It was like Shepherd wanted to portray him one way, and then changed her mind completely.
Now, back to Midnight Beauties specifically. As I said, it was a really good follow up/conclusion to Grim Lovelies, but I think the very end, as in the last chapter, just kind of happened all too fast. Without giving anything away, I think that ending should have had at least an extra couple of chapters devoted to it to make me even really care about how it went. But it was like, "Oh, okay. So that happened. Guess the book's over." This is absolutely NOT to say that I'm not happy with the way the book ended, because I really am. And just a side note about the ending. I totally for a moment got a Labyrinth/Goblin King feel for that ending. I wonder if that was any kind of an influence or inspiration for Shepherd. Now, go read this book!

Midnight Beauties was a fantastic conclusion to the Grim Lovelies duology. It’s filled with magic, adventure and deadly twists.

Anouk has survived the battle of Montelimar but unfortunately her Beastie family did not fair so well. Everyone has been turned into their original animal form and Anouk must find a way to get them back. Anouk is desperate to find a way to save the beasties when she is approached by Prince Rennar with a deal that she cannot refuse. Unfortunately, it results in her agreeing to a political marriage, a fight against a fierce coven of witches and a lethal test to become a witch.

Midnight Beauties was a great read filled with many plot twists. Megan Shepherd had me on edge the entire way through. Anouk’s journey was a bit nerve wracking but I absolutely loved how strong her relationships were with her friends and how they pulled each other through whatever obstacles they faced. The ending was not at all what I was expecting which is always refreshing. I’d recommend this book to fans of fairy tales, magic and unexpected heroes.

Anouk has been a treasure getting to know. We've watched her grow from that meek little beastie to a strong, self-assured one.

I love this world. It's dark and creepy, but also so much fun. Its weirdness just calls to me...

I hated the minor cliffhanger at the end of Grim Lovelies. I had just gotten to the point of wanting MORE and it was over. Done. The wait was on. I liked this so much more than its predecessor! So much action! Anouk has become a bad ass and I loved it. There's also so much more romance and I was there for it. Not gonna lie, I wasn't feeling the Anouk/Beau connection. So, it shouldn't be a surprise that I was cheering hardcore for Rennar.

I loved being back in Paris and even the new lands we visit! So much fun. And I think this definitely feels left open for potential spinoffs, to which I'd be open to reading.

WOW I loved this. Megan created such a lovely world full of magic and mythical creatures. I love how the beasties came together and worked together. They finally formed a true family and the bonds they created were just beautiful! Sad ending but I think Megan made good choices about certain things. I hope there is a third book because I lowkey ship Rennouk and I want Rennar to redeem himself LOL I never really liked Beau as a MC love interest but thats just my opinion!! Anyways, love love love!!

My Review: Well this one was kind of worse than book one. But for another reason. Where book one did well with the mystery aspect and the flow of the story. This one I felt very bored out of my mind. I really wanted to give this one a try and see if the story had gotten any better once feedback of book one hit the web. But sadly at least for me it looks like the author went the other way. I will still be checking out this author's other stories as I really did enjoy her first series but this one just didn't work out for me at all.

I'm stopping half way through because I'm just really bored. I gave the first one a pass because it felt like it was building to the second one but nothing very exciting is happening and Anouk is still a very 2 dimensional character. An interesting concept but not executed well. It reminds me a bit of the new "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" show, so if that's your thing, you might enjoy this!

Anouk is a beastie, an animal who was magically transformed into human form. All of her friends, who are also beasties, have been trapped back in their animal bodies and the only way for Anouk to save them is to become a witch. Becoming a witch is not an easy task, and now on top of that she is faced with taking down a deadly coven of witches and possibly marrying her own worst enemy to save herself and her friends.

I absolutely loved Grim Lovelies and was so incredibly excited to have the opportunity to read Midnight Beauties early. I was not disappointed! Midnight Beauties was fast paced, full of action and adventure and well thought out characters. The plot was interesting and I was able to suspend my disbelief as I traveled through the story. I love how the author portrayed the magic and felt like I was there as the story unfolded. Fantasy books sometimes have a tendency to be cookie-cutter with similar plots, characters and settings, but this is something new and refreshing. The twists and turns are bound to keep readers on their toes, dying to know what comes next.

3.5/4 out of 5 stars. (I can’t decide, so I’m putting a 4 star rating.) Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc!

I liked this sequel a lot. I feel the same about it as I did about the first book. I had some problems, but I couldn't put the book down. This world succeeds in being whimsical and fun, but also dark and creepy. The prose contributes a lot to this feeling as well. It’s written in a way that’s a little on the simpler end

I love the magic system. It’s a great concept, having to eat your crux/something to give something. It’s one of the best magic systems I’ve read in a while. BUT, it got to be a too much in the sequel. Where are the rules? For the last half of the book or so, I was questioning how far the magic could go. It seemed like there was always a new thing that could be done that we as readers didn’t know about before that exact moment in time. It worked a lot of the time, but other times it didn't. I will say that it kept me guessing, though that was due to lack of information rather than intricacy.

Anouk’s character development is the best part of this series. She goes from timid and unsure of herself to strong and self assured. I loved watching her become more sure of her self. I kept forgetting she was supposed to be seventeen, though. I thought she was fifteen until I went back and looked at the synopsis of the first book.

I think the other beasties and all of the side characters are more in the background for this book than the first one. The first book had much heavier characterization of side characters, and I feel like I got to know the side character's personalities. There was enough in the first book to carry this one, at least for recurring characters. So many side characters were introduced in this book, and I had a hard time connecting to them. I knew their names, but not their personalities.

I’m going to be honest, there’s some retcon in here, IMO. But I didn’t really mind it. I had a great time reading this. I would recommend this book.

WOW! 5 stars! I absolutely loved this book and it was wonderful jumping right back into this world, I absolutely consumed this book and will for sure be re-reading it to soak in all of the amazing details. Exciting, enthralling, and endlessly entertaining this is going to be an absolute must read if you love YA fantasy! I can't wait for more of this world and I am so excited to see where Megan Shepherd takes us in the future!!

I really enjoyed this. People who liked Caraval would also really like this I think. It was engaging and quick. I loved the characters and how creative this story is.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Returning to the lovely world of the Lovelies is a joy! This book is enigmatic, enthralling, and entertaining! I highly recommend this book if you like fairytales with a twist.

This was a great followup! The characters are fantastic, and Anouk's character arc in particular is fascinating. There were parts that seemed to drag on, but overall it was a quick read! I really enjoyed this duology and highly recommend it.

Paris, witches, beasties, goblins and royals Oh my! This book is bittersweet for me as it is the sequel and conclusion to the Grim Lovelies series. I have loved the first book and not at all ashamed to admit I have read it just a few times. The magic inside the book is absolutely lovely and the romance built in is an added bonus. I can really appreciate Megan's dark beautiful writing style and although this book is targeted as YA I really enjoyed it and I look forward to what she will write in the future.

Midnight Beauties is a fantastic book that had so much going on. The writing is fabulous and the characters are wonderful.

Midnight Beauties
Megan Shepherds
https://linktr.ee/gwendalyn_books_

This book was received as an ARC from NetGalley ,in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are

The witches, beasties, goblins, and Royals return in this spellbinding conclusion to New York Times best-selling author Megan Shepherd’s Grim Lovelies duology. 

The story continues just where the the Grim Lovelies left us. Shepherds masterly creates an incredible fantasy world. The conclusion is faced paced on the edge of your seat. The characters have progressed and the storyline is more developed. Shepherd’s lyrical writing style is creative and enjoyable. This book has just the right amount of romance. loyalty and Friendship and knowing you can overcome any obstacles .

This was a fantastic follow-up to GRIM LOVELIES.

One of the things that sets this series apart from others is the beautiful writing style of Megan Shepherd. It is lyrical and magical, and almost like a spell in and of itself. The world she creates is one I'd like to disappear into.

These books have SO many characters in them, and it would be easy to lose track of them, or for some of them to be throw-away characters, but I don't feel like that happens at all. Anouk is such a deep character who experiences a wide range of emotions while she discovers more and more about herself, about what she's capable of, and what she really wants. The gang of other beasties are unique and entertaining, and cool in their own ways.

There is a lot of romance in this book, and *sometimes* it overshadows the story *a little*. But that's JMO. There are people who will love that.

I do like the travel aspect - the story moves outside of Paris to other places, and those just add to the richness of this world.

Overall, an extremely enjoyable read. Enjoyable enough that I will pick up whatever the author writes next.

A worthy follow-up to Grim Lovelies. All the character development that made the first book seem slow here has fully fleshed out the story. Anouk and her partners in arms are out to save the world...and the adventure is heart pounding, heart wrenching and exciting throughout. The second book is even better than the first.

Fierce, brave Anouk who is a "beastie" must brave a test most never survive, in order to become a witch and help save her friends. I loved this book so much! The urban fantasy setting was reminiscent of Holly Black, by way of London and Paris. Anouk was such a wonderful main character-- flawed and messy but always hopeful. And much as I enjoyed the romance, it was the friendships (and gorgeous found-family) between Anouk and the others which really made the story.