When I read In My Dreams I Hold a Knife - I was in love with this author! Ashley Winstead knows how to keep you up all hours of the night saying one more chapter. Always writes a winner!

Thank you for allowing me an advanced readers copy for an honest review!

So thankful that I was able to receive an advance reader copy of Midnight is the Darkest Hour! I have always enjoyed Ashley Winstead’s writing.

This story was great! A small town, corrupt people in high places, and a lot of secrets unfolding.
I loved how the story goes between past and present. I thought the book was interesting and it kept my attention.

There are a lot of themes I find keep popping up in my reading this year, and one that I find especially compelling is religious trauma and reckoning with identity post religious oppression. This one was probably the best entry into that theme that I’ve read so far. I absolutely loved this book. I loved it so much. Ruth and Everett are such complex and compelling main characters, and we follow them growing up in a strict religious small town where they both find themselves on the fringes. The pastor’s daughter, Ruth spends her whole life in her father’s shadow, trying to navigate an identity for herself. And Everett is the son of the town drunk, placed on the outside of society by everyone by his family name. Of course they find solace with each other. Years later, tensions in the town are escalating, and Ruth and Everett team up once again to try and solve a dark mystery haunting the entire town. I can’t recommend this book enough. I read it SO fast, and it’s still stuck with me.

My review is posted on my Instagram- @boozehoundbookclub

“A gothic Southern thriller about a killer haunting a small Louisiana town, where two outcasts―the preacher's daughter and the boy from the wrong side of the tracks―hold the key to uncovering the truth.”

Personal review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Woah, can I say, my favorite Ashley Winstead novel to date! Someone described this as Where the Crawdads Sing meets Twilight meets Thelma and Louise, and I just loved that description! First off, it’s set in a small southern town in the Louisiana swamp, with big beliefs about eduction, women, books, and even bigger secrets. Ruth was a great leading character in her quest for the truth from a young age, but also wanting to please her parents. Her relationship with Everett, was an easy one to cheer for, as he shook up the small town norm of boys worthy of dating and marrying. I loved the folklore of Low Man in the swamp killing people and the genuine fear from the townspeople. Like any good southern gothic tale, this one was full of suspense, small town drama, thrill and other unputdownable qualities!

Synopsis: In her small hometown, librarian Ruth Cornier has always felt like an outsider, even as her beloved father rains fire-and-brimstone warnings from the pulpit at Holy Fire Baptist. Unfortunately for Ruth, the only things the townspeople fear more than the God and the Devil are the myths that haunt the area, like the story of the Low Man, a vampiric figure said to steal into sinners' bedrooms and kill them on moonless nights. When a skull is found deep in the swamp next to mysterious carved symbols, Bottom Springs is thrown into uproar―and Ruth realizes only she and Everett, an old friend with a dark past, have the power to comb the town's secret underbelly in search of true evil.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book! I’ve loved a lot of this author’s books (both romance and thrillers) but this book was just okay for me. I liked the premise, the twilight references, and the creepy cult-like church and found that these things all added intrigue to the story. But I found that overall it was quite predictable. By the end. I was yelling at Ruth to just put the pieces together a little bit faster because I felt like it was so clear who was the culprit of all these murders and what her dad was hiding. I still had a good time reading the book overall, but it just felt too predictable and I wished the ending had been a little less open ended.

Ashley Winstead does a fantastic job of creating the world of Bottom Springs and the perplexing characters in it. Perhaps by design, Winstead had me going back and forth between a world of fantasy or realistic fiction. I struggled to connect with the characters through the main part of the book, but did appreciate the parallels drawn between real-life applications to following your own heart and thinking for yourself outside of your family and the surrounding community. I was left on edge as the last page turned and I so willingly wanted the characters to find their true escape!

“My mother always told me night was when the world became the devil’s playground.”

I don’t even know what the heck I just read, but like I didn’t hate it? The story seemingly was a bit predictable; it was at times hard to follow but, nonetheless, I pushed through, and it turned out to be enjoyable. Sadly, I predicted the end before it was going to happen and thus is how I’ve come to my 3.5-star rating. Had it not taken me by surprise I would have given it 4 stars. Overall, the author does a great job at creating an atmosphere that is not only creepy, but one that is so perfect for spooky season.

Round of applause for Ashley Wintsead! This story was phenomenal and dark making the perfect October read.

Readers definitely need to make sure to read the trigger warnings before picking this up. One reason I love Ashley's writing is because she does not hide away from including controversial topics in her books. In my opinion, it truly elevates the story. I was hooked from the very first chapter and really enjoyed watching the story slowly develop. It never felt rushed and the reader really gets to get to know the characters. One of the things I enjoyed the most is that were parts in the story where I thought I had it all figure it out and the BAM a dark twist! The story just kept getting better and better. This book just blew my mind. Totally would recommend to my thriller and horror lovers.

Thank you netgalley and Sourcebooks for my e-galley. I really enjoyed reading this book.

This book has it all:

Religious trauma,

A naive church girl realizing she's in a cult.

A cryptid monster known as the Low Man

Murder & mayhem

Mystery

A little romance Edward Cullen?!

an Ending that will leave your jaw agape

If none of those are enough to make you want to read Midnight... just know that I loved it! Librarian Ruth (who's also the Preacher's daughter) coming into herself finally with the help of her bff Everett (the dirty pagan from the wrong side of the tracks) and uncovering the mystery of who's murdering folks was everything I wanted and didn't know I needed in a book. The fact it's a little bit of Twilight fanfic definitely helped and cracked me up at even some of the darker parts.

Vibes are Twilight meets Bonnie & Clyde with a lil Anne of Green Gables.

Read this for the writing style if you are not tempted by the story line - the author has a real way with words and is able to bring every scene to life. The story is a dark gothic tale which touches on some truths about the role of organised religion and its impact. A very interesting book which will appeal to many.

This was very different from Winstead's past novels. I did enjoy it and it had me hooked honestly. It's all about morality I feel. Good and evil, heaven and hell. Is it truly black and white or morally gray? We follow a morally gray character you can't help root for. This also talked about Twilight alot and about how much it shaped our main character's life when she read it as a teen. As someone who read Twilight also during my formative years I related to this.
Overall it wasn't quite a 5 star for me but still interesting and definitely not as dark as her last thriller.

What a difficult book to rate. We follow Ruth, a pastor's daughter, when a skull is found in the swamp and secrets and misteries envolving her and her best fried, an outcast called Everett, begin to unravel.

Although not thrilling and with a slower pace, I could not put the book down. I really wanted to know what was going on in the city. It's like that disaster that is beneath the veneer of a well-polished community that when it comes to light everyone wants to know more about. So, the atmosphere and the unveiling of the secrets were gripping.

However, I didn't care for any of the characters and the big villain is pretty clear early on. I was never captivated by the story more than a morbid curiosity of what was going and when the people doing all kinds of evil would be punished.

To be honest, when I saw the reviews mentioning the ending being insane, I was waiting for something more. So, maybe I set myself up for failure. And there's a comparison that is being made that is really spoiler-y for the main plot point and for the ending (spoilers ahead): <spoiler> the Bonnie and Clyde comparison already tells the reader that Ruth and Everett are the killers, that they will end up together, and that they'll die together fleeing the scene </spoiler>.

By the end, I think the book was just ok to me.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC.

I think Clare Mackintosh hit the nail on the head with her synopsis… “Where the Crawdads Sing meets Twilight meets Thelma and Louise…” This book left me saying WTF! That ending 😫

You can’t help but fall in love with Everett Duncan. He’s the bad boy with a good heart. He’s been dealt a rotten hand in life but is trying to make the best of it. Ruth Cornier, the preachers daughter, befriends Everett and her daddy is none too happy about it. She’s overly sheltered in small town, holier-than-thou Louisiana.

When a skull is found in the swamp, Ruth and Everett may have to make a run for it. When they find out the skull doesn’t belong to who they think it does, lots of stories start to come out.

This one had me guessing. The author crammed all sorts of tropes into this one- witchcraft, possible vampires, drug rings, best friends to lovers, condemning churches, serial killers… she put it all in! I didn’t love this one but I did enjoy it. 4 stars overall.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! Sadly, this book did not live up to the hype or Winstead's other thrillers. I did not enjoy the stereotypes of the South or the religious fanaticism portrayed in this one. I did not feel like this had a twist moment, and it just wasn't as engaging as I expected. The ending left a lot to be desired.

I will still pick up Winstead's thrillers, but this one just didn't hit the mark for me.

Oh wow I love Ashley Winstead, and I loved this one so much! I do admit it was better on audio, and I literally couldn’t stop once I started. I finished this one in less than 24 hours because I couldn’t put it down!

Ashley Winstead is one of my absolute favorites. This was such a captivating, dark, and mesmerizing read. I loved the reference to Twilight. It reminded me that this book was taking place currently, and not during the 1950's like you would think based on the way that Ruth's parents were treating her and the way the town operated. I would highly recommend this book!

Whew. Not sure where to begin. This is a lot to unpack and I can't say I'm mad about that. Midnight Is the Darkest Hour, is a small town murder mystery that packs a mean punch. Murder, witchcraft and religion, what more could you ask for in a dark and twisted thriller?? Our FMC, Ruth, has an (in my opinion) and unhealthy relationship with the Twilight series (but don't we all in some way, shape, or form?) and an overbearing, over protective, nutjob, pastor of a father. Our girl, Ruth is an outcast that doesn't fit in well with her peers. Having met a gentlemen that had less than pure intentions, Ruth finds herself in a compromising position. But never fear Everette is here! Our hero saves the day and also aids Ruth in committing murder. The two bond over the act and are absolutely inseparable from that moment on and everything is fine, until, it isn't. I really enjoyed Midnight Is the Darkest Hour. Ashley Windstead's books have been on my TBR for sometime and I think this was the perfect place to start. Everything I could ask for and more from a thriller.

Thank you Sourcebooks for the new Ashley Winstead. This is a really like read for me, which is good but a bit less of a loved it a lot feelings that I had for The Last Housewife. So... if the last housewife wasn't for you but you are wondering about this one, it might be for you, it's little less dark (but still dark) and for me it was less intense, though the ending is a bit wild (I loved the ending but I suspect others won't).

What did work: a strong female lead who finds ways to survive and fight a dangerous community, even when it means giving up all she knows. A love for education and books (even if it was Twilight...... the themes on books being important was nicely done). A slow burn sense of violence and danger (though it was a bit too slow burn for less than a fully satisfying payoff). A wild ending that felt for me where I wanted to really see what happens so... please give me a sequel somehow that goes into where the book ended. I would be all in for a follow up revenge type story.

This is a recommended read for fans of the author, just don't go in expecting quite the level of wtf that you got last year with the last housewife, be here more for the simmering darkness of religion and small town southern vibes.

Loved the themes woven into this story. A powerful look at the oppression of women and the institutions that bind society. The author’s notes at the end were thought provoking and insightful.

Ruth and Everett become inseparable after an even that changes Ruth’s life as a teenager. Now, as adults, things that have been covered up are coming to the surface.

This was a slow-burn with so many different layers. I’ve only read one other book by Winstead and it was a completely different genre, which blows my mind! I really liked how Winstead unveiled more about the characters, their pasts, and their place in Bottom Springs.