At first blush this seems like it's going to be a fairly standard fairy tale type story. After all, we have a teen girl from an outsider family pressured to make a good impression at a royal ball. These are pretty familiar elements. But Shahnaz takes a hard left turn, introducing the time loop element at the end of the first chapter. We loop over the same events over and over, each version failing for different reasons as Anais learns more about her country, her peers, the royal family, and the nature of magic. It takes a bit of patience to wade through which details are actually going to matter but it's no less interesting for that.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book! I am fairly new to the fantasy genre but I have come to love it. I am so glad I took the plunge and read it because I was so hooked! I read it walking from my office to different offices as I had to go to meetings or get things done kind of hooked. The characters are so so so well developed and 3 dimensional, they felt so real! I also really enjoyed feeling like I was completely transported into a new world. This can be a bad thing if you then try to function back in reality. :-)

It is a book newbies like myself and long time fantasy fans can enjoy. There were a few twists that made me keep reading later than was wise when I had to work early.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounded up for Goodreads - contains spoilers

Overall the concept of the story really drew me in, I mean, "where the fairytale is bloody, and cinderella is the final girl" who wouldn't want to read a book with that tagline?! Picture groundhog day mixed with cinderella.

The book follows a young girl who is deemed to be part of the lower class in society due to her affinity/family ties to blood magic. Magic is highly sought after, but blood magic itself is viewed as barbaric. Our main girl, Anaïs, is at the ball trying to help her family by marrying a man of a higher class. However, as midnight strikes, disaster unfolds and Anaïs is sent into a bloody timeloop.

I really, really wanted to like this story - unfortunately it felt a bit disappointing for me. My major gripe with the book was that Anaïs was the ONLY person who remembered the loop everytime - which made all her relationships/accomplishments feel shallow by the next time the loop came around. In particular, her relationship with the prince just did not make sense at all.

The ending also fell a little flat for me, it felt like everything she worked for was null and void by the end, similar to some other endings- I'm looking at you Hunger Games & Divergent - and it just made me feel sad by the end. There was no real ending to me - she just went home. I guess that's okay if that is what the author was going for, like sometimes we just don't get what we want, but to build up such a fantastical world with royalty and blood magic it feels flat to just let it end like that.

I'll admit that it took me a bit to get into. For anyone looking for a fantasy YA with a good premise, I definitely recommend. It succeeds at that. But it is overlong, the characters a bit flat and the writing isn't the strongest. I kept going because I really enjoyed the premise and wanted to see how it all ended but I really had to force myself to continue. In the end, I probably could have skipped it but I realize that a younger YA reader will probably enjoy the story and characters.

For fans of the movies Happy Death Day and Groundhog Day, this is the magical fantasy book you've been waiting for. Anais has been dreading the Anniversary Ball for weeks, as her mother and father have high hopes of her finding a politically important man to marry there. But for Anais, the day becomes her worst nightmare as she dies in a horrible explosion at midnight, only to awaken in her bed as if nothing has happened. With political intrigue, romance and magic, Anais will keep fighting through the spell that has her trapped in time until she can change to outcome of those she loves, and maybe her entire country!

I just reviewed Midnight Strikes by Zeba Shahnaz. #MidnightStrikes #NetGalley

DNF: 59%.

I was reminded to read this book while listening to Marissa Meyer’s “The Happy Writer” podcast—which catapulted this novel to the top of my to-be-read list. Unfortunately, this novel fell victim to “wrong reader, wrong time.” If I was ten years younger, I absolutely would have eaten this novel up and enjoyed it. But I’m not my fifteen-year-old self, and I found myself wanting more and wanting different execution from this novel.

Now, I’m not normally a reader who gravitates toward time-loop stories, but I was willing to give this one a chance with its Cinderella elements (I.e. girl attends ball, girl and prince fall in love, and the important plot device occurs at midnight). Unfortunately, the story fell short in capturing my attention and hooking me to the plot. I relate much of that to the lack of tension and to the writing style. If I had to comp the writing style, it’s like The Selection. It provided just enough detail to paint a light image of the setting, but the style was largely driven by the thoughts in Anais’ head. While that makes for an easy read, that style often lacks in providing emotional grounding to the narrative.

I will say, Shahnaz did a great job with making Anais an active character. With time-loops, there’s a risk for repetitiveness and passivity in the main character. While the former wasn’t avoided, it was admirable to see Anais refuse to give up and face the dangers terrorizing the castle. But I did wish there was a deeper emotionality to Anais’ narrative. Seeing hundreds of people perishing dozens of times is traumatic and that trauma was not addressed by the story. It was a miss for the emotionality and relatability of the story. With that being said, I did wish at least one other character (preferably Leo, if I’m being honest) remembered the time-loop was happening. That could have reduced the repetitive conversations Anais was having,

As for the plotting, I couldn’t help but wish it was more streamlined. If I had to describe the plot using one word, it’s this: Sisyphean. Time-loop plots are at greater risk for feeling repetitive, and, unfortunately, this time-loop plot did feel repetitive. Anais often attempted the same conversations or same acts (albeit with some degree of variety) and received the same results. Honestly, some of that might have been mitigated by lengthening the time-loops and reducing the number of them. On average, the time-loops only spanned one chapter, which encapsulated a twelve-hour period. I found myself wishing each time-looped spanned the entire day, which could have allowed further exploration of the world, the plot, and the characterization. I wanted to sit deeper into each time-loop instead of darting through them as quickly as it did.

This is a smaller note, but the world-building was confusing and unclear. World-building details were often info-dumped on the reader, which didn’t help the clarity issue.

Overall, this was an okay fantasy novel. It was easy to read—even if it was too long—but also messy with its developments.

Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I really liked the concept for this book, basically the movie Groundhog Day where the main character has to keep living the same day over and over again to get something right meets YA royal court with magic!

The reader experiences Anais' struggle right along with her where she dies over and over again just to wake up the same day and try another way to save the kingdom. The author did a great job of showing Anais' emotional rollercoaster of hope, fear, and she keeps trying and trying for nothing to change and knows that in a few short hours she and everyone she loves will be doomed. Her perseverance and accomplishment were really great to witness and it was easy to like and root for her. The world building and magic was not super intricate (probably since it was more a footnote then the actual focus of the story) but it was a unique and interesting take on fairies.

The thing I struggled with was it seemed a little like the story dragged on at times. Anais lived so many lives, and probably only 50% of them were helpful to the plot or the character development, other times it seemed a little tedious and unnecessary. The ending was rushed and a little abrupt after how much detail was spent on all the other lives. Also, the book is listed as romance but I personally would not call it such since how can romance occur over 1 day? Sure, Anais can feel love since she has lived at least hundreds of the same day but for her romantic interest, he has basically known her for a few hours and that is not love. But this is just me being nit picky, overall this was a good (what I am pretty sure is a standalone) YA fantasy and I will keep an eye out for more from this author.

I'm not a huge fan of reliving the day over and over again books. Groundhog Day books. In movies, it's easier, I think but in books, it gets tiresome very quickly. After the first like 2 times, I started skimming until something actually changed. Like, we get it. Stop beating a dead horse. There was a lot that wasn't explained well, probably because Anais had to keep experiencing the ball over and over again and dang, this book was long! An alright debut and I'll probably read her next book if my eye catches it but I won't be anticipating it.

I was given a publishers copy to review but i was unable to load the format for reading. I am still interested in reading this when it is published.

THANK YOU to Delacorte, NetGalley, and the wonderful Zeba Shahnaz for the opportunity to read and review this amazing book!! Did someone say "Happy Death Day meets YA High Fantasy?" No?? Well then, allow me.

SYNOPSIS - Anais just wants the night to end. She has no interest in attending the kingdom's anniversary ball and courting all the eligible bachelors (especially not the rakish Prince Leo the Lush). At midnight, an explosion rocks the palace, killing everyone, including Anais. She remembers the fire, the screams, the rubble... and then she wakes up, in her bed. She's home, and it's a few hours before the ball. No one else remembers the attack on the palace or believes her when she warns them. Even when it happens again. And again. And again. Anais is desperate to escape this nightmare time loop, and vows to stop the attack before it happens. If she can survive past midnight, that is.

MY THOUGHTS - I went in blind to this one and that was actually a GREAT decision because I was immediately shook after the first time loop. I loved several things about this novel. The magic system is so unique and cool, which is very difficult to do in a saturated market of fantasy novels. The characters were strong, likeable, driven, and persistent. And so REAL (also hard to do in a high fantasy novel). I loved Anais's rawness and vulnerability. I loved Leo's passion. Even Clara's twisted version of politics was compelling and interesting to read (I definitely got some "smash the patriarchy sweetie" vibes from her after all the murdering and plotting). Shahnaz does a great job adding voice to her characters - especially Anais. She could have easily been a whiny socialite pitying herself for the nightmare that she's in, but no - Anais is strong, and once she figures out the magic trapping her, she vows to save everyone.

This was a fantastic YA fantasy novel full of strong characters, unique magic, and a very intriguing storyline!!

I wasn't sure how this was going to go when I was putting together our Buddy Read schedule. I don't read synopsis to books before I read them and the chapter headings were very confusing. It wasn't until I started listening to the book and realized it's a "Groundhogs Day" premise that the chapters all made sense!

I enjoyed this overall but felt that there were almost too many lives lived and the ending wrapped up so quickly that I don't truly feel fulfilled by the story. It was just getting good and then it was over. The romance wasn't really there for me either.

I think the world-building and story was well developed and would recommend it for anyone looking for a unique YA Fantasy with a fast-paced rollercoaster of a storyline. Romance is not the main focus so if you're looking for something that isn't romance focused than you'll enjoy this!

This was a decent YA fantasy. There were a lot of things that I enjoyed about it, but it did seem a little long for how it ended. I loved that the time-loop was not repetitive even though it ended in the same way, at midnight everyone dies, and she wakes up hours before the party starts. When time starts over Anais tries multiple different ways to alert the royal family of the attack. Because Anais was thrown in this time-loop at the very beginning it took a while to get to know her and the world building (while good) was drawn out. I loved the magic system and the important part it played. I liked the fact that it was specific to certain people and had an interesting history. Even though Prince Leo doesn’t remember the events his relationship with Anais gets stronger and he trusts her faster. The reveal for the mastermind happened and while that was a shock, Anais still struggled to stop the events. The romance seemed forced but its understandable with only one party remembering the events every night.

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhousechildrens for the gifted copy

I thought the style of this book was so interesting, having the chapter number reset every time the night reset was a great touch and really helped illustrate how much or little was happening during the individual nights. It was really intriguing seeing her follow up on different leads and having to try different approaches. Even when having "the same" interactions having the characters react differently as kind of a butterfly effect of what else was going on was another great detail. The setting and magic system were well written as well and really helped make this work. All around I really enjoyed this book.

This is the first publication by author Zeba Shahnaz https://zebashahnaz.com. Midnight Strikes was published in 2023. It is the 23rd book I completed reading in 2023.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence and mature language, I categorize this novel as R. The primary character is seventeen-year-old Anaïs. She is reluctantly in the capital at the palace for the Anniversary Ball. Her mother is hopeful that she will find a husband. She just wants to go home. Her life takes a turn for the worst when, at the stroke of midnight, explosions, tear through the palace. Many are killed in the blast and ensuing fire. Armed troops swarm through the wreckage. Anaïs has but moments to take it all in before she dies.

The next thing Anaïs knows, she wakes up in her bedroom the afternoon before the ball. She dies again that night. And the night after. And for many more. She tries to warn others, but no one believes her. Anaïs begins to investigate during those short hours between waking up and the inevitable palace bombing.

Slowly she discovers many hidden facts. The royal court, the nobles, and commoners hide discontent and conspiracy. If Anaïs is ever to live beyond midnight, she must determine who is behind the bombing and stop the plot. She learns a little bit more each time she relives the day of the ball.

In the many repeated hours reliving the ball, she dances with and ultimately confides in Prince Leo. Over their repeated afternoons before the ball, the two collaborate to discover who is behind the attack. They also find themselves becoming entangled romantically.

I enjoyed the 13 hours I spent reading this 443-page young adult fantasy. The plot was enjoyable and had a few good twists. The chosen cover art is dark and dull, but it does imply the fantasy within. I give this novel a rating of 4.4 (rounded to 4) out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

This book is what would happen if Cinderella and Sci-fi had a baby. Anaïs is ready to go home. She is tired of trying to marry above her station, despite her parent's attempts to help her find a suitable husband. With one more ball to go, Anaïs is ready to call it quits when, all of a sudden, she dies in a massacre. Only, she wakes up again. Not quite sure how she ended up in this time loop, she is determined to save as many people as she can, no matter how long it takes.

Fairytale-retellings and science fiction are two of my favorite genres, so I was quite excited to read this. The only part of this book that is truly science-fiction is the time loop, which is pretty integral, but this will still be perfect for fairytale and fantasy bookworms. I had a lovely time getting to know the world and the magic system. I found blood magic versus learned magic quite interesting, and the author did a wonderful job of explaining both concepts. For such a complex world, it is quite easy to grasp, entirely because of how the author writes. Everything is explained in steps, building on each other in a quick but manageable fashion. The social, cultural, and economic differences in this world are quite fascinating and often explained through great dialogue or as Anaïs is furthering the plot.

Speaking of Anaïs, I loved her character. Despite the terrible predicament she is in, she does not give up. Her stamina and determination made her a character I could root for 100%. Every time her day repeats, she executes different plans and ideas to find out who is behind the massacre, and how to stop it. For such a short time frame (the loop is only for a few hours), her quick thinking and decision-making kept each day from being completely the same.

The two reasons I gave this book 3 stars instead of a higher rating are because of the romance and the ending. I understand why Anaïs falls in love with the prince, but for him, they just keep meeting over and over again. He has no recollection of the conversations and meaningful moments they have shared. While her love felt true and natural, I had a hard time grasping how Prince Leo fell in love with her so quickly. The ending also really let me down. It was an unsatisfying conclusion for the tension that had been brewing the whole time. The anticlimactic conclusion dimmed the whole reading experience for me. I can't say the ending is bad, though. I really feel like whether you like it or not will be very different for each reader.

Thank you to Net Galley and Delacorte Press for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own!

(Review has been posted to Barnes and Noble website.)

So excite for this book! Happy Death Day meets Cinderella in this time-loop twisted retelling? Uh, yes please! It's definitely a rare thing to find the time-loop trope in books, but even more so within the fantasy/classic princess genre. Even better that it's not a "make him fall in love with me" but a "how do I quit dying!?" type of time-loop. I hope this is the beginning for more twisted retellings of the like! Thank you Netgalley for providing this egalley!

I liked this more than I expected to. I enjoy time loop stories—so this was right up my alley.

I didn’t particularly care for the instalove angle. That has never been my cup of tea.

But I did like how Anais continued her attempts. However, the “solution” felt..cheap? I dunno. I suppose I hoped for a better resolution.

Still a fun, good story.

3.5 stars. I enjoyed this book. I feel like a lot of the time loop was done pretty well. Time loops are always shaky on wether or not they will be good. I think it stayed interesting most of the time. A few times I was a little bored since it’s a bit repetitive but it’s a time loop it has to be somewhat repetitive. Anais and Leo were fun main characters. I feel like even though we were going through the same night over and over again Anais had some really great character development. I feel like we got the most development from her because all the characters kept starting over. Overall a good book.

4.25 Stars
I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! The blending of magical lore and a "historical" Spanish monarchy made it a fascinating read when you add in the time loop element. I also loved that I had to keep guessing what would happen, who would help, and will this finally be the time she breaks her "curse".

The cast of characters was an interesting mix; loved Anaïs and Leo's "if only" adventure and the ending. What I really enjoyed was the world-building and would enjoy other stories set in Ivarea especially if we get to delve further into their magical origins some more.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

Midnight Strikes was a Cinderella/time loop story that was a very enjoyable read. Usually, I do not enjoy time looptype stories because of the repetitive nature, but I’ve really only ever consumed these plots in movies and TV, so this was my first time reading a time loop. I think Zeba Shahnaz did a very fine job of not making anything too repetitive, and she also used a unique chaptering system in which the chapters were numbered to restart when time reset. I think that was a very meta choice and was a big fan.

Her characters are very well-developed and the MC, Anaïs, was written in a believable manner of dealing with repetitive deaths and time loop magic in a world in which magic exists as an everyday fact.

I think my favorite aspect of the book is that it was not an outright fairytale romance, sure it’s Cinderella-like, but we’re not rooting for the love interests to find each other, we’re rooting for Anaïs to save the day, with a side of what goes back and forth between unrequited love and high stakes passion. On that note, the end is very unexpected as well–you’ll have to read it to find out

In the end, this book is 4.5 stars from me (rounded up to 5 for whole star systems)!