At first I wasn't sure that I was going to like this book, the characters seemed kind of flighty. But I kept reading and ultimately loved it. Everyone has baggage growing up, it's what makes us who we are and I was most satisfied with the way it played out quirks and all.

This book was tough. On one hand it was a pretty quick read when I actually picked it up and I really loved Josie. On the other hand I hated Delia and thought she was a horrible character and friend. She completely took away from the story for me and I really was annoyed when I read her part. All in all it wasn't terrible but it wasn’t great either. Now give me a Josie and Lawson book and I’m in.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a lot funnier than expected and I thought the writing was a lot better than in Zentner's previous books.

*3.5 stars

This book was a bit confusing for me to review, I really enjoyed the audiobook and the approach the author gave to the use of medication/antidepressants, but some of the storylines made me enjoy less the book. For example, there were times when Rayne made decisions that felt forced or maybe wrong. I really cared about the characters but some times I was tired of the book, maybe because it was too long for me for a YA contemporary book.

I would try to pick up another book by this author because I really enjoyed his writing style and I have heard good things about his other books.

Thanks, NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book, even though I read it after it was published and did not used the e-ARC.

Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee was a beautiful book about friendship, change, endings, and new beginnings. Josie and Delia's friendship was well-written and really hit home for me. It reminded me of my high school days, that last semester and summer after high school and how life-changing it was. Not a lot of YA books touch on how friendships and people change post-high school and Jeff Zentner did a fantastic job of describing how emotionally challenging it is.

Losing friends is never easy, and feeling left behind is a real thing, something I related to Delia with. Zentner really knows how to weave his words to make them beautiful and really pack a punch. I fell in love with Lawson right along with Josie and felt the same distress Delia did as she sought after her long-lost father. I will definitely be adding Zentners' other books to my list to read!

5/5 stars.

Jeff Zentner has become a new favorite in the YA genre for his poignant and thought provoking yet funny narrative. This being his 3rd novel has more than proven that he has the ability to write a novel that I will not soon forget. The friendship between Josie and Delia was the heart and soul of this book because they dynamic of their relationship is everything. Together they made me laugh and my heart fill with warmth because of how they cared for one another. This is a great book for those that love a friendship-based story that you will want to keep on your shelves.

I could not get enough of Goodbye Days by Zentner so I was very excited for this new book. In the end though it just fell flat for me and I was annoyed by much of the story. I kept reading hoping for the magic that was in Goodbye Days but it never came. I was bored for much of this and while I finished I didn't love it.

The friendship between Rayne & Delilah is really the highlight of this book. The storyline about Delia's dad takes a back seat to the other plot points of the book. I enjoyed the friendship, humor, and the thoughtful representation of depression.

I requested this one from Netgalley because I read The Serpent King by this author and loved it. Unfortunately, before I could start this one I read some not great reviews about it. 
I did read 2 chapters - 1 in each of the characters POV and nothing happened? It doesn't feel like my type of writing, since I'm not a huge fan of character-driven plots most the time, but as I had only read barely 2% of the book, I pushed on. I read 4 chapters, 4% into the book and... I'm not grabbed by it at all. I think at this point, if I tried pushing myself I'd end up disliking the book more and more ☹

This book just wasn't for me. I would prefer not to write a negative review as it could be more well suited for other readers.

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

Love Jeff Zentner’s writing style and characterization of teenagers. The storyline of cable access horror hosts was fun and the ladies interesting and funny. The relationship between Josie and Lawson, while sweet, seemed too sweet and easy. I did appreciate the journey between Delia and her mother in the end. Not Zentner’s strongest outing but a strong showing in YA realistic fiction.

Best friends Josie and Delia host a creature feature that airs every Friday on a public assess television station. Now that graduation has come and gone, Josie and Delia are facing the big "what comes next" when it comes to the show and their friendship. For Josie, television has always been the goal, for Delia, the bad horror movies are a link to her absent father. It's never easy to say goodbye.

Once again Jeff Zentner managed to get me to laugh out loud and cry while reading Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee. He's three for three on that count, and that's why I love his books. This one leans more toward the comedic side than his previous tearjerkers, but there were still plenty of real, hard topics and poignant moments (clearly).

Every year, Delia and Josie become Rayne and Delilah, the hosts of the creature feature on their local cable television channel. Delia is hoping that her long-lost dad will see her on the show and want to be a part of her life again. Both are trying to make big decisions about their futures, will interference from some of their friends. As they are trying to make decisions, they also begin to drift apart, knowing that whatever they decide could end their friendship for good. This book was so good and heartwarming. It reminded me of some of my own decisions as I was growing up and maturing. It also reminded me of how easy it is to lose friends we once thought we would never lose simply because we were growing up.

Rayne and Delilah’s Midnight Matinee is perfect with the Gilmore Girl style of quips between two young friends. They are relatable to young and mature readers who deal with feelings of loneliness and anxiety. But the humor in this story, (even the guy at the tv station) show us that we can all appreciate each other and help us move on with changes and challenges in our lives. Rayne and Delilah is now one of my favorite books!

I liked this book from the onset, but I loved this book as I got deeper into it. It just started to fit right like a comfy sweater. The characters found their own voices and felt like old friends each time I started to read. I laughed out loud many times...yes, tears came out of my eyes I was laughing so hard, but I couldn't explain why "fart tubes not being connected to the liver" was so funny to other people. You just had to read Zentner's description. The story and relationships were so real and visceral.

I DNF'd this book at about 20% for a few reasons. The pacing was really slow and I couldn't connect with the characters at all–they were super obnoxious and it didn't seem like they were going to change over the course of the story.

Jeff Zentner completely captured me with the Serpent King, and while I wanted to be so into Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee it fell a little short for me. When they finally got to Devine, he was a little too much. I think this book will find readers amongst fans of Down and Across and possibly Paper Towns.

WHAT DID I THINK OF RAYNE & DELILAH’S MIDNITE MATINEE?
Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee is different from other books I’ve read by Jeff Zentner (I have read them all up to this point and Goodbye Days is my favorite). I just didn’t think this book hit me quite as hard as his other ones. Still, the concept is an interesting one. This book features Josie and Delia two teens who are best friends and run a show on local cable access featuring horror movies and their commentary. The horror movies come from a VHS collection that Delia’s dad had left behind when he walked out on the family. Josie has to make some choices about her internship and college and leaving the show behind. Delia doesn’t exactly have the same choices as Josie. Anyways, the two think they have an option to take their show to the next level and that opportunity comes via a Horror Con in Florida. I found I was much more into Delia’s parts.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
The audiobook of Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee is narrated by Sophie Amoss and Phoebe Stroll. It is 10 hours and 20 minutes. I liked that it had two narrators for the two characters. It’s a relatively quick feeling listen. Like, I didn’t feel bored or like the audiobook is going on forever and ever. I did gel much more with Stroll’s narration because she reminds me of Emma Galvin. This is a pretty solid listen and worth your time.

I did not expect to cry, but this book brought out the tears - in a good way! Delia and Josie had the quirky, sarcastic relationship that I have with some of my friends. Their family dynamics were so great. The slight love story tugged at my heartstrings. This was an all-around great read. It is, however, a different kind of read than The Serpent King or Goodbye Days. This book had a lot of emotion - a lot - but it was definitely a more upbeat read than either of those two books combined. It was kind of refreshing to see this side of one of my favorite YA authors.

The audio version of this book was performed well, and you really got a feel for the sarcasm dripping from the dialogue. I super loved it. Hearing the story read out loud brought Delia and Josie's relationship to life, and made the emotions that much more real for me. I laughed out loud as I listened in my earbuds, I had to stop and catch my breath a few times, and I let some tears flow for the heartbreak.

Everything about this book was so quirky and genuine, and I loved it to bits. It's so quote-able and hilarious, and I just can't give it enough praise. I know a lot of people didn't like this book - for reasons ranging between MPDG troupes to a character disconnect. But that just wasn't the case for me. I listened to and then reread this book, and I have a feeling it's one that I will keep going back to.