I really enjoyed this fantasy! I was worried that after a while the time loop might get tedious, but every time the day repeats Anais does something different to try and break the loop, learning more pieces of the puzzle as she repeats the day. Highly recommend!

Full review and links to social will be posted as soon as possible.

I'd like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Unlike her ambitious mother, Anaïs has no expectations of making a good match during her season among Ivarean high society. Expectations that will be proven disastrously correct at the final ball of the season where Anaïs continues to fail to make a glowing impression and Ivareans fail to see beyond her provincial status as a Proensan. But at least this ball will end and then the entire horrendous season will be over.

Except the ball doesn't end. Not the way everyone expects. Instead of quietly dispersing, the party ends in bloodshed when bombs beging to go off at the stroke of midnight. Anaïs is injured and, in the moments after the bombs, she watches the royal family being targeted with the infamous Prince Leo dying in front of her.

It's been years since anyone in her family has been able to access the blood magic that is their birthright. Still Anaïs throws out one last wish. "Keep me from harm. Don’t let me die here."

A wish that is answered in the most unlikely way when Anaïs wakes up the next day only to find she is reliving the day of the ball. Only for it to go just as badly.

Only for her to wake up again, still living the same day.

Trapped in a loop, Anaïs relives the day of the ball again and again as she tries to survive. But every night midnight comes and so does her own death.

With no one to turn to, Anaïs has to investigate the attack herself--one slow day at a time--if she wants to make it past midnight and, hopefully, see a truly new day in Midnight Strikes (2023) by Zeba Shahnaz.

Midnight Strikes is Shahnaz's debut novel. The standalone fantasy capitalizes on the classic time loop structure with repeating chapter headings and multiple opportunities to tease out interactions from different angles. What results is a singular blend of fantasy and political intrigue with Anaïs struggling to unravel her own time loop while also stopping a rebellion in its tracks.

Anaïs's unlikely ally, Leo reveals hidden depths as Anaïs meets his different iterations throughout the time loop with increasing chemistry between the two. The high concept story of time travel is set against worldbuilding grounded in the damaging effects of colonialism with Anaïs and other Proensan's still struggling to cling to their culture and heritage in the wake of the Ivarean invasion.

Midnight Strikes is a sophisticated fantasy adventure. Come for the slow burn romance and action, stay for the antiracist sensibilities.

Possible Pairings: Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Bayron, A Bright Heart by Kate Chenli, The Encanto's Daughter by Melissa De la Cruz, Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim, A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin, Nameless Queen by Rebecca McLaughlin, These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan, Travelers Along the Way by Amina Mae Safi, A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft, Squire by Nadia Shammas and Sara Alfageeh, Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas

This was okay. It held my attention for the most part, but I found myself getting bored several times. I'm sure that's easy to feel in a book where the plot is a repeated day for weeks on end, but I think the coup or siege or whatever you want to call it should have captivated me more.

I didn't feel much about the romance in here since it was only progressing on one size. I know she couldn't help that since she was caught in the time loop and I was glad when she held herself back from progressing further sexually with him in one situation because it was the ethical choice.

There was good stuff in here, but because I've read this trope several times and have seen it done better, it's hard to rate this higher than a 3.

This was a unique and enjoyable fantasy book. I was worried that a book that’s trying to replay the same night over and over would get boring but it really didn’t. The author did a great job of varying each rendition of the night and uncovering characters motives and details. I was definitely wondering how she was going to successfully get through this night and stop the loop.

This was a lot of fun! It was interesting to see what would happen and I was invested throughout. The romance was sweet and I hope it will blossom more.

Groundhog Day type plots can be hit or miss for me, but fortunately Midnight Strikes was a hit! The premise for this one was so intriguing, and I loved all the shifty characters and the ball setting. Also, the romantic subplot was especially enjoyable! I will definitely be picking up whatever this author writes next.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved Midnight Strikes! I was scanning through my Netgalley queue one day, looking for my next read, and when I saw the cover for Midnight Strikes, I was immediately intrigued. I didn't even remember requesting it, but there it was!

Imagine my heartbreak when I realized it was too old for me to download and read. So, I did something I rarely do with Netgalley books. I went to Amazon and bought it. I'm such a sucker for a pretty cover, and Midnight Strikes has one of the prettiest ones I've seen in a while. I knew nothing about the story, other than it seemed to be a time loop of some kind. All I wanted was to own that pretty cover.

Then, I read the story. Y'all, I devoured Midnight Strikes in about a day and a half. I couldn't put it down! I loved the main character, the interesting romance situation, and the fantasy aspects and magic was fascinating! If you haven't read Midnight Strikes, you are seriously missing out! Read immediately!

Life happens so this review comes delayed and rather short. I genuinely found this to be an interesting concept and overall read for a fairy-tale retelling. I honestly dislike time loops but there was something thrilling about this book that just had me caught up in it. I have such a soft spot in my heart for retellings so I was eager to jump into something that felt fresh on my TBR pile and see if I could get past my dislike for time loops. I enjoyed the main character and thought she seemed very fleshed out, her determination despite the circumstances really had me rooting for her success. I had a difficult time reading with the more modern dialogue and cursing, but that's purely personal preference. It feels jarring to me and it's been done in other books and I'm not a fan. I was a little disappointed in the end - I felt like the romance had so much potential and I was left hoping for an alternate ending. Overall a solid 3 stars for me, I would likely read this again.

The worse kind of groundhogs day. Anaïs just wants this night to stop! She is destined for a ball where she will do her best to impress the most eligible bachelors in the kingdom. She is dreading this night, but when midnight strikes, an explosion rips through the castle and nearly everyone dies- including her. That is, until the next morning when she awakens again in her bed ready to start preparations for the ball. Over and over she must endure this day until she can figure out how to stop the loop and save the kingdom.

This was an audio book for me and I enjoyed it. That narrator did a nice job telling the story. There were a lot of twists and turns and even I started to wonder if Anaïs day would ever actually end. It certainly kept my attention and I overall enjoyed it.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The enemies to lovers trope in this one was perfect. I didn’t know what to expect going into this one, but I was so surprised. I can’t wait for this to be continued.

I think this book was okay, I did enjoyed the story but although that the time loop was done in a good way I find myself getting bored with the situation. I enjoyed the politics and the author's writing style and honestly the very last two chapters were really well done.

I think that if you enjoy court intrigue and politics and time travel you will enjoy this story.

Seventeen-year-old Anaïs is not looking forward to tonight’s ball celebrating the kingdom’s anniversary; she knows she will be expected to mingle with the kingdom’s most eligible bachelors and try to secure a beneficial marriage arrangement for her family. When the clock strikes midnight at the ball, an explosion rips through the palace, killing everyone, including Anaïs. However, she wakes up back in her bed the afternoon of the ball. Anaïs is stuck in a time-loop, reliving the ball and explosion over and over, while no one else remembers it having happened before. She knows it is up to her to figure out how to stop the attack before it starts to save everyone at the ball.

I love time loop stories, and this one did not disappoint! The story had fantastic world-building and characters who were well fleshed out and complex. I liked the romance and the fact that the romance didn’t overpower the other parts of the story. I was shocked to learn that this was Shahnaz’s debut novel; I can’t wait to see what she comes out with in the future! Don’t miss <i>Midnight Strikes</i>.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

✰ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs ✰
- ayooo as someone who is always scared to read YA (not normally my fav books) and dubious over YA romance: this book?? Makes me wanna try out other YA fantasy romance 😍 it was so good!!
- if you like Cinderella but wanted a darker twist of her *dying* at midnight, try this one!
- L e o !!!!!! My man had me swoooooning omggg. The way he cares for Anaïs each time 🥹🥹 I can’t- i love him too girl.
- The twists in this book were surprising too. I predicted the main one (very proud of myself 😤) but there’s still a lot I didn’t see coming. It made the book fast paced and i was greedy for more. I read the majority of this book in one sitting 😂
- I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a time loop type book, so the concept was executed really well!! It seems hard to write in a way where i’m not bored of Anaïs being stuck in the same setting over and over again, but Shahnaz does it spectacularly~
- However because of the premise, it made it hard for the romance aspect to be as solid since only one person is stuck. Very one sided, but they had such good moments throughout the book
- I just wish there was more to the ending 😖 i wanted to see more of the characters after everything occurred

As a debut, I am thrilled to read more from this author!!

ʕ •ᴥ•ʔ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book took me forever to read, I was just so bored with it. It drags on longer than it should. Honestly, I do love all the background that you learn, but I think it would have all been better if the main character wasn't alone. I also did not understand when the main character fell in love, nothing had really built to that. Maybe if Leo had also had his memories on each restart and they truly did it all together- sure. The ending felt underwhelming and I am just glad it's over. The idea was cool, the execution just missed its mark.

Please give me all your time-loop fantasies. Seriously, I can't wait for book 2. There will be a book 2- right?

I was very intrigued when the arc had been approved. Upon reading it. It’s just not my cup of tea. Kinda out there and not that great.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for an ARC copy of this novel. I give this honest review voluntarily.


First off I want to praise the cover art. The cover is gorgeous and is what drew me to read the description of the book which lead me to reading it. I would really like to be able to say I loved this novel. I had really high hopes for it. The “ground hog day” trope is a favorite of mine. The writing is well done and the story is a good one. Without question the most interesting scenes take place between our main characters Anais and Leo. I was rooting for Anais throughout the entire book. The biggest problem I have with the story is that it takes too long to get to the “meat” of the novel. I actually prefer longer novels but this one seems to drag in the beginning too much. Take away 100 pages of unessential details and it would be a far better book. I still liked the book but the beginning reminded me of a Victorian court where the people gossip and pretend to like each other but talk badly about that person behind their backs. I think I would still say give the book a read if you have the time. Once I hit about 60% in it became more interesting and the pacing and action gained momentum. I give it three stars.

"Midnight Strikes" by Zeba Shahnaz is a captivating and imaginative fantasy novel that takes readers on an exhilarating journey through a world of magic and mystery. Shahnaz's storytelling prowess shines as she crafts a tale of adventure, intrigue, and the power of destiny. The book's richly woven plot and well-developed characters create an immersive reading experience that keeps young adult readers engaged. Shahnaz skillfully builds a fantastical world filled with enchantment and unexpected twists. "Midnight Strikes" is an enthralling read that offers a thrilling escape into a realm where magic and secrets collide, leaving readers eagerly anticipating each new twist and turn. As midnight approaches, the story unfolds, leaving readers with a sense of wonder and anticipation for the magical encounters that lie ahead.

Princess Anais has no desire to go to the big anniversayr ball  where she's encouraged to talk to the bachelors. But, the night ends in a way she didn't expect. An explosion rips through the palace and kills everyone there, including her. But, when she wakes up it's like it never happened. Expect, it happens again and again. To get out of it, she's going to have to figure out how to stop it.

Time loops are something I always enjoy. There is just so many options for how they play out and I'm eager to see how people will change things. This was no different here. Anais has such a strong determination to save the day and stop the loop. She really uses what she learns and is able to quickly spin that in her next loop to learn something else.

Now, each time she only had a few hours to gather information and try to make a difference, so she went through the loop a lot. This caused it to get reptitive after a bit and had me struggling to get through it some. This def could have benefitted from a few less time loops.

As the romance started to develop, I definitely struggled with it. Considering the time loop, it didn't seem to be believable and gave it an insta-love feel that I didn't personally vibe with. I think this story could have been just as good without the romance or it would have been better if her romantic interest was stuck in the timeloop with her or at least eventually retained memories.

The ending did get a little wild, which I expected, but I didn't expect it to get that wild. Not entirely sure that I enjoyed how wild I got, but honestly loved the spirit and it was a nice way to change things up after they were starting to feel repetitive.

Overall, I had a fun time with this. It was exciting and Anais was such a strong character. I really look forward to what else this author will come out with.