"Midnight Showing" by Megan Shepherd is a thrilling and Gothic tale that takes readers on a dark and mysterious journey. The story centers around Haven Marbury, who finds herself entangled in a web of mayhem and darkness after discovering her late father's enigmatic manuscript. As she delves deeper into its secrets, she realizes that the malevolent forces it describes have become a real and terrifying threat to everyone around her.

Shepherd's writing in this book is nothing short of gripping and enthralling. She masterfully blends elements of horror and the supernatural, creating a chilling atmosphere that will send shivers down your spine. The comparisons to the works of Shirley Jackson are well-deserved, as "Malice House" exudes a similar sense of creeping dread and psychological tension.

The exploration of themes such as family, legacy, magic, and curses adds depth to the narrative, making it more than just a traditional horror story. The characters, especially Haven, are well-developed, and their struggles and fears are relatable, adding an emotional dimension to the tale.

As Haven embarks on her quest to uncover the truth and confront the malevolent Uncle Arnold, the story takes readers on a journey from desert scrublands to Hollywood mansions, all while unraveling a string of murders connected to her own family. The blend of reality and fiction in the Golden Age of horror films adds an intriguing layer to the plot.

In "Midnight Showing," Megan Shepherd weaves a tale of dark secrets, supernatural forces, and the power of storytelling. If you're a fan of Gothic horror with a modern twist and a strong sense of atmosphere, this book is a must-read. It will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page, and long after you've closed the book.

Midnight Showing is the sequel to Malice House. If you haven't read the first book, you should read that first because this isn't a standalone. It picks up where the last one off. Haven and her half sister are traveling to find answers to the family's curse while being hunted by real life monsters. I enjoyed this one but I liked Malice House more. The book centers around their sisterhood bond and included excerpts at the start of each chapter from movie scripts (instead of the manuscript like the first book). I liked the sexual tension between Rafe and Haven! It was fun meeting Rob from the first book as well.

Thank you Hyperion Avenue, NetGalley and Megan Shepherd for an advanced copy!

I loved this much I might explode. So Kylie and Haven are traveling trying to understand the curse. They end up staying with Rob and it is madness. There are a few murders and then we get to know more monsters. They are just as scary as the last ones.
I was really sad about the crows though. I think they should have kept one because they were amazing!
I went and bought the first book on Audible because I need this whole series in all forms.
Absolutely read this one!
For sure.

I am thinking of Pinchy always.

This is an excellent sequel to Malice House, and I hope that we get at least one more book for this series, because I'm not ready to let go of this world.

Haven and Kylie have been looking for their father's family in Portugal with no success, when they decide to return to the States they head to LA and Haven's... friend Rob to keep them hidden from Uncle Arnold. There is murder, mayhem, and old movies. We get to see my favorite person Rafe! I love him and Haven as a couple even though he is well morally grey might be an understatement. I love that he's all if you touch her I'll kill you, and he would have no problem actually doing it.
This was fun, creepy, and had me sucked in from the first page. I can't wait to get a physical copy of this to add to my collection, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that more books are coming!

Such a fun sequel to Malice House! Definitely read that one first if you want the full picture. I think it's a great spooky season option and love the concept.

Midnight Showing is the sequel to Malice House. I rarely like a sequel better, but I loved this one.

We’re back with Haven and Kylie who are traveling the world to find out more regarding the Acosta family and cursemakers. They end up in LA at Rob’s Hollywood mansion.

All the characters are still here; Rafe and Uncle Arnold. Along with new and more terrifying monsters.

Read Malice House and then immediately go out and get Midnight Showing.

A bit slower than its predecessor, but overall a great read!! Perfect for heading into spooky season!

This sequel picks right up where Malice House left off. Haven and Kylie are on the run from their curse (their respective artwork comes to life) and trying to figure out the next step while alluding authorities and their monstrous creations. I was a huge fan of Malice House, and though I liked this one, the pace was a bit slow. However, I suspect there will be a third and I am very much looking forward to it. Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book!

When I requested this book I did not notice that it was the sequel to Malice House but I knew that I loved Malice House and wanted to read anything by Megan Shepherd. I was so pleasantly surprised when I started reading and realized that it was the sequel and immediately needed to devour it.

Midnight Showing brought back some of my favorite horror characters and brought in new people to enjoy. After the first book I was not sure what the next book would bring and I am so happy to say that it was an enjoyable sequel and I am looking forward to the next one!

This series is a perfect light horror, where there are moments that can be unnerving but not overwhelming. In this next book, we are again exposed to the mystery behind the family name and how Haven and her sister, Kylie, powers work in the creation of creatures. This book mainly follows this idea behind finding out the truth about the mysteries in their life. Yet again, this leads the girls to interact with Uncle Arnold and the horrors he has decided to hunt down.

If you like light horror books, and books about creations coming to life, I fully recommend this book for something enjoyable. Thank you for the chance to read and review this next installment in Shepherd's series!

4.5 stars. I love this series so much. This is the second book and it picks right up where Malice House ended. Haven and her newly-found sister, Kylie, are on the run from the events in Lundie Bay. Trying desperately to seek answers about the curse plaguing their family, and after displaying some disturbing behavior by Haven in Portugal, the ladies book a flight back to California. Once there, they end up staying with "Rob", Haven's dark web contact who turns out to be a movie producer. It seems some strange murders have been happening and once again Haven finds herself battling monsters that she helped create. PLEASE let there be more books in this series coming!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for this e-arc.*

This was okay in comparison to this first one. It was a lot slower but still gave me the spooks. Definitely worth the read but I wish it was a quicker pace.

I Love Megan Shepherd and she as usual has blown me away with Midnight Showing the sequel to The Malice House. Boh sisters have been working hard to keep their curse under control, they remind eachother constantly, don't write, don't draw. Haven and Kylie are struggling to keep themselves in check while also staying under the radar. Uncle Arnold is still looking for them and all it takes is a whisper to stop anyone in their tracks. Haven and Kylie must find a way to stop him before his evil is unleashed.

The Malice House Compendium is a fantastic read. I adored Malice House and Midnight Showing picks up right where Malice ended.
Big thanks to #Netgalley and #Hyperion for the opportunity to read #MidnightShowing.

This was disappointing. I loved Malice House--it was creepy and creative. Midnight Showing lacks the sinister house and the creative nuance of drawing these monsters to life. Rafe is a captivating character but even he couldn't save this book for me. Midnight Showing is slow and confusing. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC

I like how this sequel started off in a new site, Europe. I just wished we had spent more time there. I am glad that when it moved back to the US it was not back to Oregon. I felt it help re-invigorate the story. The story took an interesting turn. Glad to have met Rob and see the interactions with her sister Kylie. Wish there had been more romance with Rafe though. The way it ended makes me wonder if there will be another book. I feel like more could yet be told.

** Thank you to Hyperion for offering me a free eARC in exchange for an honest review **'

rating: 3.5/5 stars

I have to say, this book did give a good honest try at being a sequel. To be honest, it's always hard to beat the first one and unfortunately, I wouldn't say that this one outshined the first book. It did create a great spooky atmosphere and I found it easy to read for the most part.

The characters were very similar to how they were in the first novel and there were plenty of times where I related to the MC, and times that I did not. The atmosphere and attitude in the first novel was unforgettable, but here, there were times where interactions fell short and I felt unsatisfied. But, that didn't totally ruin my experience with the novel. Like Shepherd's "Madman's Daughter" series, the first book started out very strong, but things start to dwindle as the series goes on.

Overall, I DO think that this is a good sequel, but it has its flaws that may differ from each person. I do recommend picking this up after reading the first book. Now this is a note to the publisher as to why it took me so long to review - I did receive a badly formatted PDF copy for the Kindle, and it took me a very long time to read because of that and school. That's one major critique I have, as I felt like the bad formatting disrupted the story flow at times.

Alright, stay spooky and happy reading!

Thank you Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Haven Acosta is a curseworker. When she draws, her drawings magically come to life. Her half-sister Kylie is the other side of the curse. When Kylie writes her writing comes to life. The two compliment each other, but the issue is it only works for monsters.

Haven and Kylie are on a mission to find out more about the curse, but they are avoiding a monster known as Uncle Arnold at the same time. It is realized really quickly that Uncle Arnold wants to hurt the two and he is close on their trail.

I liked this book, but I thought that it wasn't a stand-alone. I think if I had read the first book in the series first, I would've been able to connect to it more. One thing I really enjoyed once I realized the reason behind them was the Sigil Pictures excerpts in the beginning of each chapter. I originally was really confused, but they make the story so much better.

I thoguht the character development could've been improved a bit. I didn't really connect with any of the characters, although I did notice that they had both had a few flaws. I think making a stronger connection would be helpful.

I would definitely recommend reading the first book before this one, but I think this could be a really good fantasy series!

I didnt realize this was a sequel to Malice House (which I have not read yet) so this will have to wait.

Thank you @Netgalley for my advance copy!

"Malice House" by Megan Shepherd is one of my all-time favorite horror novels and "Midnight Showing" is a fitting sequel to that fabulous book. I was so excited to return to the world Ms. Shepherd created! We encounter many familiar characters (the terrifying Uncle Arnold is back!), as well as meet horrifying new ones. The monsters Ms. Shepherd creates are truly petrifying and will haunt a reader's dreams. As with "Malice House," the writing in "Midnight Showing" is very good and definitely better than most horror novels that focus mainly on the plot and less on character development and writing style.

"Midnight Showing" cannot be read as a stand-alone novel, as it picks up soon after the ending of "Malice House" and builds on its story of the Acosta family curse. Though it is a continuation of the previous book, the curse is presented in a fresh new way that keeps the reader engaged and guessing. This is not just a rehash of the first book in the series. I really hope there will be a third book in the Malice Compendium because I can't wait to see what form the curse takes next!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. Scheduled to release in early October, "Midnight Showing" is the perfect book to prepare readers for the spookiest time of the year!

I did not realize this was book 2 of the series, so I went back to read Book one. This book was okay nothing amazing, but a decent read.

I missed the first book, which is no doubt why I was completely confused by this one! It's got a good premise and the characters seemed intriguing but I was so lost that I opted to cut my losses and DNF. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I'm betting Shepherd's fans will feel differently.