WOW! This book was fantastic.
I loved the small town vibes and how beautifully the author described the town and the nature surrounding it.
The story itself was unique, atmospheric and shocking. It wasn't at all what I thougt it would be and it far surpassed my expectations. It's also very different from Ashley's other novels: In My Dreams I Hold a Knife and The Last Housewife.

This book had it all. It was beautifully written, the characters were interesting and mysterious with real depth.
The relationship with Ruth and Everett was intense and heart-wrenching.
Midnight is the Darkest Hour will definitely be in my books of the year.

I love how diverse and unique Ashley's stories are. She is fast becoming a favourite author of mine and I'll be eagerly awaiting her next book.

5 well earned stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4⭐️

This is my first introduction to this authors work.
I’ve seen some early social media hype for this book so the FOMO was real.

It’s got a heap of trigger warnings so check them out if it could be an issue for you.

Ruth is the daughter of a hard line small town preacher, her and Everett the son of the local drunk are both misfits, who find each other forming a really close bond.

It’s a long book, there’s several themes explored they are interwoven well. It’s got a bit of a creepy vibe running throughout. It’s a bit different, and is entertaining. The 2 main characters are quite likeable, although strange. I felt sorry for Ever, more than Ruth.

I enjoyed it, I just felt it went on a bit too long for me, although it does manage to keep the pace going with the twists and turns.

I enjoyed it, I find myself on the fence as to whether I’d recommend it.
👍For those who like something a bit different
If you like dark and gritty
If you like a long book

👎 If you have triggers
If you want a light quick easy read

Midnight is the darkest hour from Ashley Winstead is the first book from the author that I have read. I will be honest with you before reading this book I had not heard of the author before and didn’t realise how popular she was until I discovered reading about her other books on Goodreads. I was blown away from how good this book is, and it will not be my last.
Ruth Coriner leaves in a small town called Bottom Springs in Louisiana. Her father is the local Pastor and religion is everything in the small town. Because of this she is treated differently by her peers. Ruth feels stifled in the small town and hopes for a different life than she is presently living. So, when she meets Everett, also an outsider in the town a relationship forms when they body experience a traumatic event. Years later a skull in the nearby swamp is found by the local sheriff, with symbols carved in the trees surrounding it. Which symbolises a religious cult. They both decide to investigate and find what went on and what evil lies in the small town of Bottom springs.
I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this book so much. This is superbly written coming of age story of Ruth and a story of good and evil. This has a unique storyline, but it did slightly remind me of When the Crawdads sing, and it would make a great film. The only disappointment of this fab story was the ending. I felt a bit robbed after investing time in this long book. 5 stars from me.

Another brilliant book by Ashley Winstead!
I was gripped right from the start and I just couldn’t put it down! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Midnight is the darkest hour by Ashley Winstead was one of my most anticipated releases of 2023 so I was thrilled to receive an advance copy. This did not disappoint! From the start I was hooked by the atmospheric setting and the dark secrets of the town.
I loved all the twilight references and was really rooting for the main characters. A compelling story about friendships, love, family and faith.
Whether you love or hate the ending, I doubt it will be what you expected.
Thanks to Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful book

People who live in a small town fear the myths that haunt the area. A skull is found deep in the swamp next to a mysterious carved symbol. Ruth and Everett take matters into their own hands to uncover the dark truth of the true evil within the town..

Overall 3.5 stars.
Publication date -12th October 2023

I have this authors books in my TBR pile and only heard good things so when I got approved this ARC I was so excited to start reading this.

Unfortunately I didn't love this book as much as I had hoped. At times it felt like it was starting to grip me but fell flat again. It just wasn't gripping and engaging enough for me personally.

Book is written in timeline chapters. This is a dark and twisty read. Twilight meets Where the Crawdads Sing mixed with cult vibes.

Check trigger warnings before reading this book.. some include:- substance abuse, child abuse, un-aliving, s@xual violence and religious fundamentalism.

I want to thank @Netgalley and the publisher for this Advanced readers copy of #MidnightistheDarkestHour.

I love Ashley's books, but sadly this one just didn't match up for me.
It's a good read and as always well written, but I found the story very slow moving and at points difficult to want to continue reading. However, there were some great and interesting parts too which is why I've gone with 3 stars.
I would definitely recommend giving it a read as I know now all books are to everyone's taste and I think maybe this one just wasn't for me!

Captivating Southern Gothic thriller that will leave you on the edge of the seat from start to finish - you're not ready for this one folks!

I actually feel really sad giving this book two stars because I was really looking forward to this book but I just had so many issues with it I couldn’t get pass.

- I hated our main character Ruth. She was honestly the human equivalent of stubbing your toe. She was so irritating and not to mention so <i>blind.</i> What I have always loved about AW’s books is that the answers aren’t just there and you feel like you’re going along with this mystery with the characters. I can tell you now the answers are blindingly obvious and Ruth ignored them up until the point I actually couldn’t stand it anymore.
Don’t even get me started on Everett.
- The ending. I felt like after reading all this I wanted something a bit more…satisfying? I didn’t feel like the epilogue was honestly needed.
- The pacing was so off. 30% of the middle of the book was pure filler. I honestly skim read several chapters and lost nothing against the story.

This book had a lot I would have liked but the execution just fell flat for me unfortunately. Not one of AW’s best.

<i>I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

A hauntingly dark story, Midnight is the Darkest Hour tells the story of Ruth, a librarian, who searches for the truth of her haunted community with an old friend named Everett. I love the tense, uncomfortable atmosphere that was created throughout this as secrets get peeled back, everything was unique and so gripping. This was the first book I have read by Ashley Winstead but it definitely won't be the last, I really didn't want to put down this wild ride of a book and I highly recommend to horror/thriller fans.

4.25⭐️

“Midnight is the Darkest Hour is a twisted tale of murder, obsessive love, and the beastly urges that lie dormant within us all...even the God-fearing folk of Bottom Springs, Louisiana.”

Ashley is such an incredible writer and the way that Ruth and Everett’s journey from childhood to adulthood was written, them delving into the evil hidden in the town and also their own feelings towards each other. Morality and was a big focus in this book, with both Ruth and Everett being morally grey characters, and Ashley really dives into the twisted secrets that are harboured in Bottom Springs. The atmosphere is dark and creepy and goes perfectly with the nature of the story which made it more of an experience to read, especially the ending which I felt fit extremely well.

Thank you to @netgalley @headofzeus and @ashleywinsteadbooks for the opportunity to read this early copy, all opinions are my own. Midnight is the Darkest House is releasing October 12th!

4.5/5
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy. Mysterious and hauntingly beautiful.
I really enjoyed Ashley Winstead’s previous book, In My Dreams I Hold A Knife, so as soon as I saw this book I was on a high. A great read for Halloween for those that are looking for a non-fantasy option, it still had plenty of boogeymen, just the more realistic kind. There’s nothing scarier than people who weaponise religion.
We follow Ruth, a quiet, naive, preacher’s daughter who befriends a boy named Ever(ett) whose father is known in town as the devil. When a skull is dredged up from the swamp, Ruth & Ever may just know to whom it belongs…
For fans of Where the Crawdads Sing, or if you’ve ever read anything by April G. Tucholke, this is a darker story that peels back the hidden truths most people are too scared to accept.

Ashley Winstead easily became one of my favorite thriller writers with »In My Dreams A Hold A Knife« but especially with »The Last Housewife«. I was looking forward to »Midnight is the Darkest Hour« a lot, it was one of my most anticipated releases for this fall - and after reading it I have to say I’m a bit disappointed. The premise of this book sounded like such a good thriller: our main character Ruth lives in a very strict, religious small town and she may be the daughter of the reverend but she’s still a bit of a misfit in the community. When the skull of a murdered man gets found in the swamp near the town Ruth and her best friend Everett who at this point only visits her in the summers and is a bit of a mysterious figure get a biiiit nervous and try to find out what happened. The whole town thinks it has something to do with a mythical creature called the Low Man that haunts the town.

Honestly, from the synopsis alone it was pretty clear what was going on. You suspect Ruth and Everett killing the guy right from the beginning, it’s made that obvious. Which would be fine, if there was more to the story. I mean, there is a bit more going on but I can’t say that it was surprising - I was missing the excitement, the plot twists, the, well. Thrill of reading a thriller.

The setting and the vibes were great, the topics discussed were dark and as I said: I get what Ashley Winstead wanted to do with this book. It discusses at length the place of women in the world but especially in rural, very religious small towns, the difference between what is just and what is right. Good topics for a thriller and very on brand for what I read so far by Ashley Winstead - the whole concept just felt a bit… boring to me. The idea was there, the writing and the vibes were there, the execution just wasn’t really doing anything for me.

"Midnight is the Darkest Hour" is a mystery thriller written by Ashley Winstead.

The story follows 23-year-old librarian Ruth Cornier, who lives in the small town of Bottom Springs, located on the edge of a treacherous swamp, in Louisiana. A seemingly idyllic place, characterized by the beauty of nature and inhabited mostly by God-fearing, ultra-conservative, fanatical, narrow-minded citizens. A closed and stifling place where so-called "heathens" are isolated and cast out, dominated by the beloved and revered Pastor James Cornier, who from the pulpit of the Holy Fire Baptist Church throws constant warnings of fire and flame at his passionate worshippers. Daughter of the rigid Pastor, Ruth has always felt like an outsider, unable to meet her father's high expectations, trapped in her own life, fond of "amoral" reading and with "forbidden" dreams, according to the Bottom Springs community. Her only source of joy, freedom and hope has always been Everett Duncan, the town's black sheep, the son of the Devil. When a skull is found in the depths of the swamp, next to mysterious symbols carved into trees, Bottom Springs plunges into chaos. For if there is anything the residents fear more than God and the Devil, it is the myths that haunt the area, particularly the story of the Low Man, a vampiric figure who is said to steal into the sinners' bedrooms and kill them on moonless nights. In this climate of growing tension and paranoia, Ruth realizes only she and Everett, who has just returned to Bottom Springs, have the power and the will to descend into the secret underbelly of the town in search of true evil.

This book made me shed a river of tears! I loved it so much, it captured me, but I lost count of the number of times I cried! I found it an extremely intense, emotional, gripping, dark and powerful read, characterized by highly atmospheric prose and beautifully portrayed complex characters.

The writing is something simply wonderful! As mentioned above I found it very evocative, lyrical and at times poetic, with decidedly evocative descriptions and incisive dialogue. A powerful prose, full of passions and feelings, which struck me as very expressive. I was able to feel everything: the breathtaking beauty of the landscapes, the suffocating climate of the small town, the burning emotions of the characters. In short, it is one of those writings that I consider just beautiful! It moved me, outraged me, upset me, and generally involved me on the highest levels. I also greatly appreciated the subtle gothic tinge that hovers between the pages, giving that extra touch to the whole story. I want to point out that despite the sophistication of the text, in my opinion the style is smooth and easy to follow, accompanied by short chapters that encourage one to continue in the narration. Seriously, I have nothing but compliments about it!

The setting is gorgeous! The story takes place in the small town of Bottom Springs, in Louisiana, situated on the edge of a treacherous swamp. A seemingly idyllic and peaceful setting, where everyone knows everyone, framed by breathtaking nature. A place actually suffocating and anguishing, imbued by extreme religious fanaticism, an extremely closed (and backward) mentality, and intolerance at the highest levels. It is a place dominated by the rigid and fervent Pastor James Cornier, who from the pulpit of the Holy Fire Baptist Church preaches fire and brimstone on sinners, calling for obedience, humility, intransigence, purity and other qualities he deems worthy of a good and honest believer. Bottom Springs is a town where religious fundamentalism is taken to the extreme, with truly exasperating situations. Books are censored by the church itself (fantasy books for example are banned, because they are evil!). Education outside Bottom Springs is considered amoral and as such opposed. Women are relegated to the role of obedient daughters and wives, whose only purpose is to remain pure until marriage and then take care of the family, on pain of being condemned as sinners and treated as such. And then so much more! Clearly the "pagans," those who do not attend church and/or have different attitudes and thoughts, are frowned upon, isolated and cast out. No one opposes this, at least openly, not if they want to avoid heavy consequences. An asphyxiating system revolving around the church and its pastor,,, not without contradictions. In fact, despite their faith, the townspeople are more afraid of local legends and myths than they are of God and the Devil, among which stands out that of the Low Man, a figure with vampire features who is said to sneak into the sinner's bedrooms to kill them on moonless nights. This is to show how hypocrisy and secrets run numerous and deep in Bottom Springs, haunting everything. I swear I was captivated by this masterfully painted and drawn setting! I really felt the oppressive and threatening atmosphere of the small town, with a feeling of deep discomfort and unease that overwhelmed me, in stark contrast to the feelings of tranquility, wonder, and freedom I felt about the swamp. In short, I can only compliment on this point!

The plot won me over! I admit I spotted the various plot twists in advance, but that does not affect my very high appreciation in the slightest! Yes, it is a mystery thriller, but in my opinion, basically, it represents so much more. It is a story that dives into the depths of the human soul, stripping away all that veneer of morality to lay bare the underlying truths. The darker, twisted, complex and wild sides that lie dormant, restrained or masked within each of us. It is a story of obsession, repression, madness, hypocrisy and injustice, where evil snakes in a multitude of shades through the pages, not all so obvious or stark. It is a story of revenge, justice, rebellion, and retaliation, where the line between right and wrong turns out to be blurred, murky, and not well defined. The book poses many reflections regarding justice, morality. Are what is right and what is legal the same thing? Are crimes always immoral or unjust? And what is it that defines a crime as such and according to what justice or law? What if someone thinks differently? What is it that makes one system of laws and morals more valid than others? These are just some of the questions that the narration proposes, to which each reader can provide their own interpretation. Moreover, it is a story of passions, dreams, longing for freedom, friendship and love that touched me so much, making me cry uncontrollably. I don't know, I found it a very deep story, capable of touching my soul, narrated unhurriedly, taking its time. I liked the choice of alternating between the present and various moments in the past, both because it allows us to see the development of the characters and their relationships and because it sheds light on certain important episodes and events. The ending then convinced me, which I didn't believe! I cannot say more, but I approved of the author's choice and I liked her explanation, to that decision, in the questions at the end of the book.

Ruth, the protagonist and only first person pov, I loved it! The 23-year-old Ruth is the librarian of Bottom Springs and the daughter of the town's intransigent and fervent pastor. She has not had an easy life, forced to grow up in a rigid situation, subjected to harsh rules and made the object of very high expectations. She has matured in an oppressive environment, with two tough and inflexible parents committed to watching her every move, criticizing her every slightest mistake and punishing her every smallest transgression. All to transform her into the perfect daughter and then the perfect woman, dutifully obedient and devotedly faithful. An introverted, shy and lonely girl, isolated from everyone during school time because of her position. An intelligent girl, in love with books, forced to hide her interests because they were considered forbidden. Especially Twilight, her great secret passion, of which she discovered by pure chance an old copy in the local library, keeping it hidden for years. A girl eager to escape, to be free, but at the same time trapped in the small town where she was born. Ruth is an extremely complex character, whom I grew quite fond of! Stuck in a crushing situation, she tries to perform small acts of rebellion so as to demonstrate her opposition. While disagreeing with her father, while desiring her independence, she struggles to shake off all the long years of heavy indoctrination to which she has been subjected. At times she feels suffocated, feels helpless and hopeless, crushed by a cruel life. Ruth has chosen to mingle with the faithful of Bottom Springs, to conform, for fear of the consequences. Everett is the only true friend she has ever had, her only source of joy, hope and freedom, able to make her feel good and truly smile. Ruth is full of inner turmoil, doubt and contrasts, ready to boil and burst under her skin. I adored her character too much, was moved by her, and on more than one occasion felt the need to hug her.

Everett, or Ever, on the other hand, is the son of the town's drunkard. Growing up on the outskirts of Bottom Springs, in a run-down house, he has not had an easy life. Because of his father, his lack of attendance at church services, and his openly rebellious and hostile attitudes, he earned the nickname "the Devil's son." Isolated, reviled, and forced to deal with his parent's drunken episodes, Everett fought his way through it tooth and nail. Mysterious, cryptic and evasive, standoffish with a biting wit, he is an incredibly complex and multifaceted character, marked by deep scars. I would like to say so much about him, but I risk unintentional spoilers, so I avoid. However, I loved him so much, I really grew fond of him, and of course I cried for everything he had to endure.

Romance moved me to the highest level! I did not expect it to be so present, reason why I was pleasantly surprised! Never dominant over the plot, it intersects with it and the various elements. The one between Ruth and Everett is a wonderful slow burn, developing very slooooow over time. The alternation between present and past allows readers to follow the evolution of their complex and contrasting relationship, which I enjoyed! Ruth and Everett in fact could not be more different, at least on the surface. Ruth is the meek, respectful and obedient daughter of the pastor, the girl who has integrated perfectly. In contrast, Everett is the devil's son, a heathen, a scoundrel prone to creating bar fights. Someone whom Ruth's parents constantly warn her about, as a bearer of sin. However, when a particularly traumatic episode forces them to interact, they discover that they have much in common. It is a friendship that blossoms out of pain, made up of furtive encounters, trips to the swamp, reading on abandoned docks, growing stronger and stronger. Ruth sees in Everett her best friend, her support, her source of happiness, the only one who can understand her. Everett sees in Ruth someone wonderful, a beacon of light, able to make him feel better. They are both outsiders, crushed by the weight of the small town and their lives, finding refuge in each other. It is not a perfect relationship, there are many secrets and unspoken things between them, which in the course of the book, however, they get to face. It is an at times obsessive relationship, reflecting the gray personalities of both of them. That's all I can say, but they were wonderful!

The secondary characters seemed to me to be well delineated! I admit that I deeply disliked almost all, except for a couple, but the effect is intentional. They are mostly gray, more or less murky characters with their own obsessions, follies, and hypocrisies! The annoyance they aroused in me, not to say outright disgust, was incredible!

All in all, this is an intense, emotional and powerful book with evocative writing and complex characters, which I highly recommend!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Aria & Aries for this ARC. Available 12th October 2023.

What happens when in small town Bottom Springs the daughter of the town Reverend and the son of the town drunk become best friends?!
A dark, disturbing twisty storyline that had me hooked from the start.
When bodies start piling up everything starts to unravel in this gripping creepy thriller.
The characters were superbly written and developed nicely throughout the book. I loved Ruth and I loved Everett even more.

This was my first time reading an Ashley Winstead book and it won’t be my last.
Super impressed.

Highly recommend.

🌙𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫
𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫: 𝚃𝙾 𝙱𝙴 𝚁𝙴𝙻𝙴𝙰𝚂𝙴𝙳 𝙾𝙲𝚃𝙾𝙱𝙴𝚁 𝟷𝟸𝚃𝙷

𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝟑.𝟓⭐️
I was so excited to be approved this on Netgalley as I loved ‘In My Dreams I Hold A Knife’ & I have ‘The Last Housewife’ on my shelf.

I don’t know whether it was my frame of mind at the time (I’m a bit overwhelmed with my TBR) or the fact this was so slow to get into But…

I got to about 60% and I was thinking of DNF’ing it but it suddenly changed pace and I was interested and started to care what happened to the MC’s.

What I liked;
-Ruth’s and Everett’s friendship
-The ambiguity of that ending!!!!

What I didn’t like;
-How heavy it was on the religion (I know that’s the whole point but still)
-How much Ruth loves Twilight. I didn’t care for the twilight references… I would have if I was 18/19 when I first read the books. So I cringed every time.
-Any of the other Characters.

Recommend for those who like;
Culty Vibes
Twilight References
Slowwww burns

Thanks to @netgalley and Head of Zeus for this!

Released 12th October!

#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booktok #midnightisthedarkesthour #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #booklover #thriller #netgalley #netgalleyreads #netgalleyuk #bookreview

In the little town of Bottom Springs Louisiana, fear spreads among the God Fearing residents. A vampiric figure known as The Low Man, is killing sinners on moonless nights, or is it really a flesh and blood neighbour of Bottom Springs?

Librarian, Ruth Cornier, daughter of the local fire and brimstone preacher, Pastor James Cormier, of the Holy Fire Baptist church, finds herself at the centre of this mystery when a battered skull is discovered in Starry Swamp, surrounded by mysterious carved symbols.

Ruth has become involved with Everett, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Everett has a dark past, and Ruth’s daddy warns her to stay away from him, but it’s not going to happen, because these two have found in each other, their true soulmate.

Ruth and Everett delve deep into the town’s many secrets to attempt to solve the crime, but it will set them against some surprisingly evil townsfolk and put their lives at risk.

This novel is so atmospheric, and has a feel of Bonnie and Clyde, mixed with a touch of horror. On the surface, Bottom Springs appears to be a pious, God Fearing community, but dig a little deeper and you’ll find that evil reigns supreme. You’ll never know who to trust or what’s coming next but I doubt you’ll be bored. The ending is something you’ll either love or hate! I thought it fit the storyline perfectly. Recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley, Head of Zeus Publishing and of course the wonderful Ashley Winstead for an advanced e-reader copy of Midnight is the Darkest Hour. I devoured this novel in two days and wholeheartedly recommend adding this to your Autumn TBR when it's released on October 12th!

Set in the little town of Bottom Springs, Louisiana this gothic twisted tale of friendship, love and fear is gripping from the first chapter.

When a skull is found in Starry Swamp by the towns sherrif, we find that many secrets are hidden in the murky depths of a god fearing town; not least the secrets of Pastor Cornier's Daughter Ruth and her friend Everett Duncan - both of whom feel like they are outsiders in this world.

Told from Ruth's point of view and across a split now and then timeline, the world crafted by Ashley is breathtaking. I could easily imagine myself in the dark looming forests surrounding Bottom Springs. I love how Ashley writes female characters, and how the power is in their handsThe story is well paced and thoroughly engaging with little breadcrumb trails to the twists! The religious and occult elements were well written; the characters were relatable and I couldnt help but fall in love with Ruth and Ever

This dark story opens with the discovery of a skull in the swamp and feelings of oppressive suffocating darkness enveloping a small community. Ruth is very much ill at ease with herself and her situation. the community is haunted by myths and menace and her father does not help with the doom and gloom atmosphere. Librarian Ruth embarks on an adventure of love, religion on a search for true evil during the Bottom Springs uproar together with old friend Everett in the face of the terrifying figure of the Low Man, a haunting vampiric menace as they seek to solve the mystery of the carved symbols. A gripping, thrilling ride!

What an ending! I’m not going to stop thinking about this book! What happens when a pastors daughter and the “devils” son become friends? Evil comes to bottom springs in the form of The Low Man, but no one knows who he really is, secrets bind the town together until someone battles to tell the truth.
This book was an interestingly woven thriller with a hint of horror leading you to question is there something more going on than just accidental deaths.
Absolutely ended up loving Ruth and Everette’s friendship and how the both slowly learn to discover the truths about the town they’ve grown up in.
Midnight Is the Darkest Hour had me hooked, I didn’t want to stop reading and needed to know just how one twist after the other was going to work out. A dark thriller that really makes you question how far would you go to discover the truth and who would you hurt in the process?
Stunningly written with characters you grow to love and hate. You won’t regret reading it!