“Books were my refuge.”

“Of course I love you. It’s the only thing that’s ever redeemed me.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early access copy for review!

I can’t honestly decide if I liked this one or not, so I’m going to rate it as a middle of the road kind of book at a 3. Which, is disappointing to me because I’ve been anticipating this read for so long, even if I didn’t review it in time first the release. I loved Ashley Winstead’s past two thrillers so I had a lot of hope for this one, and was unfortunately, let down.

The first 60% of this book was boring. There really didn’t feel like a lot was going on and we were just going through the day to day routine. The mystery of itself was well done and connected so many moving parts, but to get to the action took a lot of work. The characters were all meh as well. None really stood out to me.

Between both the main characters becoming unhinged and the over use of Twilight references, this book fell short. Honestly the Twilight references were too much at one point. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Twilight fan, but not when it’s overused.

The ending was definitely jam packed and had me on the edge of my seat, but it took so long to get there that it almost lost the entire suspense and excitement for me.

Lots of trigger warnings in this one so be cautious.

A dark, swampy atmosphere infuses the core of this book, which is set in the Louisiana bayou. There's the potential of a supernatural presence, and the book is marketed as horror. This does a disservice to the book, as those who are looking for a good atmospheric thriller will enjoy this one, and those who want a true horror book probably will not. Winstead makes many cultural references, both explicit and oblique. Most prominent, and definitely explicit, is the main character's obsession with the vampire in the Twilight series.

Ruth Collier is the Twilight-loving daughter of a fire and brimstone backwoods Southern preacher when she encounters her own version of evil in the bayou and is rescued by Everitt (Ever) Duncan, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. This is the beginning of a tight relationship, as the two misfits bond over their sense of otherness in their respective worlds. When a skull is found in the bayou, the two think back to the night they met and Ruth, in particular, is afraid of the consequences. The tension (both sexual and otherwise) between the two is ever-present as they conduct their own investigation into the bones. The suspicion harbored by the god-fearing townspeople and fueled by the antics of Ruth's father's sermons is dangerously focused on Ever because of his background. The backwoods superstitions about the "Low-Man," the local personification of evil, are increasingly aimed at Ever while Ruth tries to save him by fighting off the townspeople and her own father.

There's enough evil to go around in this town, and Winstead falls victim to various stereotypes in her plotting. Nonetheless, it felt gratifying for the town's outcasts to play both the villain and savior roles. The over-the-top ending suits the equally unrestrained world-building throughout the book. It will also call to mind a famous movie denouement from the early nineties.

I really wanted to love this book, and I thought I would! But I just didn’t. Something about the story just didn’t click with me. I’m also not a fan of ambiguous endings, so that’s why I couldn’t rate it any higher. I LOVED The Last Housewife so I had high expectations for this book, but it just wasn’t for me

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC!

I wanted to like this book. I really, really did. I liked the spooky vibe, the 'edge of the swamp' feeling, and the religious horror. But parts of it were a slog and to be honest half the time I didn't know when in time we were and how old our MC was at the time. Yes, there are headers indicating this at the beginning of the chapters. But we jump around SO MUCH in time through the life of our girl that it was flat out disorienting.
Also, the Twilight running theme turned me off. Not my fandom, and the reasons that this MC clung to it were correctly pointed out as childish at the end of the book, but it just made our MC come off as naïve and foolish.
The ending was... not for me. I kind of hated it and it cast an unfortunate light on the whole ending phase of the book for me. I think I saw what the author's intention, but I just found it unsatisfying. And that feeling wrapped up the whole book, ultimately. It just felt... hollow.
I hope other folks got something different out of it than I did.

I love Ashley Winstead's writing! This was a lot of fun to read (even with the dark subject matter) and I think she does a great job of tackling tough topics while in a thriller. It's not my favorite of her thrillers, but I've definitely been recommending it to tons of people.

This was a beautifully written dark, atmospheric, southern gothic tale. I enjoyed getting to know Ruth and Everett. The end was awesome and I can’t wait to recommend to library patrons. You don’t have to a horror fan to enjoy this dark mystery.

I really liked this author's previous book, In my dreams I hold a knife, so I was super excited to get this one. Unfortunately, this was not for me. It felt too YA and as another reviewer said, it was like reading Twilight fan fiction.

The author took me by surprise with this compelling novel, and I relished the element of unpredictability, especially as it marked my introduction to their work.

Set in the heart of small towns in Louisiana, the narrative delves into the intricate details, creating a rich and immersive atmosphere. The story unfolds with a weighty and dark tone, teeming with eerie elements and things that go bump in the night.

At the center of it all are two unlikely friends, entangled in family drama that is both unbelievable and emotionally wrenching. The narrative navigates through networks entrenched in old-fashioned beliefs and unabashed evil, blending elements of the occult and murder seamlessly. Winstead skillfully amplifies the reader's anxiety, orchestrating a beautifully paced escalation.

Crafting a novel that stands out for its distinctiveness, the author keeps readers on their toes with continuous twists and turns. The main characters are nothing short of astounding, contributing to an overall wild and unpredictable narrative.

Attempting to summarize this novel feels like tiptoeing around plot secrets, but if you relish unexpected characters, an unfamiliar locale, a gripping story, and relentless thrills, this book is a must-read.

If you ever think about your Twilight/ Team Edward & Team Jacob days longingly, then this is the book for you! Quite enjoyed this supernatural tale and happy to add it to our collection.

I absolutely love this author, and I was super excited for an ARC of her latest book. I did enjoy it a lot, and I particularly like her writing style. Midnight Is the Darkest Hour is about two people named Everett and Ruth who live in a small town where the people aren’t who they seem. I felt that this book was great, but I was a little confused by the ending. Overall, I gave it 3 stars because I did enjoy the plot and I felt like the main characters were likeable. I’m excited for more of her books to come out.

This is the perfect read for a rainy October Sunday. It’s a slow burn thriller that is completely immersive — and the storyline holds on to you long after you’ve closed the book.

The best word I can think of to describe this book is cinematic. It’s a beautifully executed Southern gothic, and I am not surprised the TV rights have already been nabbed.

There’s a lot going on in this book, and no synopsis is going to fully communicate how powerful the book is. Our protagonists are Ruth, whose father runs the powerful Holy Fire Baptist Church in Bottom Springs, Louisiana, and her friend Everett, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. A human skull is found in the swamps surrounding Bottom Springs, along with mysterious symbols carved into the trees, and Ruth and Everett hold the key to finding the killer.

As someone from a crooked rural town in Pennsylvania, I absolutely loved how MITDH takes on the echelons of small-town influence and power. The plot is nothing at all like “The Last Housewife,” which the author published in 2022. BUT it shares similar themes of misogyny and empowering women — and you know that I am here for it. And to top it all off, it ends in SUCH a climax!! Hence the 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 emoji.

This is a 2023 favorite for me, and I absolutely can’t wait to see what Ashley Winstead does next.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5!

My twilight loving teen self came out SO hard while reading this and I was obsessed with all of it. Not to mention as a self-confessed romance hater I was worried after reading reviews that it was a main focus of the story, but I ended up loving Ruth and Everett the most.

Ashley Winstead’s work has all been so different from one another in the best of ways, and I can’t wait to see what her fantastic literary mind comes up with next. Also a big shoutout to her for joining my bookclub to talk about Midnight, it made me love the book even more.

Big thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Ashley for my early review copy!

*3 stars* this book was not what I was expecting from Ashley Winstead. I have loved her two previous thrillers and this just was not it. This book definitely reads more like a romance, not a good one, instead of a thriller.

I really loved this book!

At first I thought it was going to be a retelling of Where The Crawdad’s Sing, but it ended up being so much better than I expected! Loved the ending.

The supernatural elements of this are a delightful departure from the formulaic entries to the genre. Setting is captivating, characters are interesting and multidimensional. Overall a great read that will keep most guessing!

Midnight is the Darkest Hour hooked me right away. I really enjoy thrillers based around cults. This book was centered around a small town church and dangerously suspicious things that are going on in the town. When bodies are located in the swamp all sorts of secrets are about to come out and everyone is scared about what their neighbors might find out about them. Winstead does a fantastic job of writing suspenseful and creepy scenes that keep you turning the pages. Thank you so much for my digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the e-arc of Ashley Winstead's latest novel, Midnight is the Darkest Hour in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted t0 love this, however, I found myself struggling to finish this novel. I unfortunately DNF'd the book around 30%. I could not get into it and I believe it was more of a mood reader issue and not a book issue as I love Ashley Winstead's writing.

This is a perfect read for anyone who loved In My Dreams I Hold a Knife. This is a murder mystery mixed with an evangelical cult town in the south.

I was gripped by this book instantly. I switched between the physical and audiobook which were both engaging. This book has a lot of elements which I love because I like to be kept guessing as the plot unfolds. There’s mystery, suspense, secrets, romance , twists and definitely keeps you turning the pages.

This Gothic slow-burn novel defies expectations in unusual ways, including a distinct nod to the YA series, Twilight. Part crime fiction, part philosophical think piece, it stands apart from Winstead's other novels while still echoing her past explorations of women finding their voice in places left out of a narrative.

Set in Bottom Springs, Louisiana, Ruth is the daughter of a powerful Baptist minister who makes the rules about what she wears, who she interacts with, and even what she reads. When she stumbles upon a Twilight book at her local library, she becomes enamored with the love story of Edward and Bella. This love story is precisely what she hopes to replicate with a golden boy in town, which ends in a shocking tragedy that forever intertwines her life with the town's outcast, Everett.

Everett just so happens to resemble her beloved Edward, a storytelling element that sometimes feels like fan fiction. His backstory is uniquely given and filled with unbearable cruelty from his father, a man who has found power in his own right. His dad, entangled with a powerful ring of men, sometimes forces Everett to act as a facilitator.

As the resentment for these forced roles grows, Ruth and Everett take back their power in surprising ways, defying the town's leaders and religious construct.

Winstead weaves in storytelling elements that Jennifer McMahon readers will love. From the legend of the Low Man, who steals sinners' from their beds and kills them on moonless nights, to carved symbols, to dark rituals- the reader must sort out what is myth, accurate, or simply Satanic panic. More importantly, who is TRULY evil, and who is good, especially in cases of morally gray characters?

As an Ashley Winstead completist, I feel lucky to have gotten an early peek at this. The author's note offers thoughtful commentary on what she hoped to explore in this story. While this was not my favorite from the author, I admire her fearlessness when trying new things with her writing. This novel will satisfy her fanbase and those seeking darker explorations of religious trauma.

Ashley Winstead is one of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint. The story was more of a romance than I expected. A little on the slower storyline but in the end well worth the twist and turns.

Thank you Netgalley for this advance readers copy.