A historical novel starting a story with an arranged marriage for the unwanted niece and orphaned daughter of a white man and a black woman , a marriage situation that seemed to cause more anger than warranted for something that was more customary at the time. I was surprised to find how many pages the author dedicated to that fact. Unfortunately the first fifty or so pages started to lose me over the contradictions.

You will fall into the scene, particularly that of the manor from the author’s use of descriptions. A little too heavy in places at times and may have made the story a little stronger to leave a little more to the reader’s imagination. Orabella was an interesting character and I would have loved to seen her with a little more growth. But I think that may just be the story- stagnant. The transitions of the reality and the fantasy weren’t always smooth and could come across as muddled, as if the writer couldn’t decide the nature of the beast, so to speak.

Unfortunately, the back half of the book didn’t seem to know what it wanted to do with itself. It came across as if it wanted to have the readers question but I needed more investment from the writer to care enough to be confused. I even found myself laughing at a part in disbelief in how the author did not have the characters question certain situations.

I really do hope the story goes through the editor a few more times from the arc to the published copy, as I do feel like there is some potential here.

MIDNIGHT ROOMS by Donyae Coles
Release date: July 2, 2024.

Gothic horror is one of my favorite sub-genres and being able to get my hands on an ARC of this masterful story was a delight. And can we just say right now, easily one of the most beautiful covers this year! 🌟

In Victorian England, Orabella Mumthrope is whisked away from her uncle’s house by an enigmatic stranger who has long been enamored with her. To pay off the uncle’s debts, a deal was made with one Elias Blakersby in which Orabella would become his bride and the debt forgiven. With Orabella being of mixed race, this is thought to be a very satisfactory resolution for all parties involved.

Elias and Orabella are quickly married in a perfunctory ceremony and return to Elias’s family estate, a sprawling yet decrepit mansion that at once seems ominous and foreboding. As Orabella discovers the secrets of Korringhill Manor, she’s struck by the darkness that seems to permeate through every room. Her dreams become fantastical and frightening, Elias’s family is beyond a bit strange, and she endures continual warnings about leaving the house alone. All these things threaten to rattle her last bit of sanity, and her dreams and reality seem to have blurred edges and run together, confusing and frightening Orabella to the point of near-madness.

I’ve heard this book described as a fever dream and I can’t disagree with that. There is much to enjoy here, but be warned it is convoluted at times, maddening at others.
In the beginning it reminded me quite a lot of Crimson Peak, with the main character having suffered loss and sadness and then whisked off to a dilapidated family mansion with a less than honest husband and off-kilter family members. But Midnight Rooms holds its own, dragging the reader on a gothic journey of confusion, brooding introspection, and macabre dread. The ending was not one tied up in a neat bow, but sometimes that is what is deserved after such a unique and immersive story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amistad for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Orabella Mumthrope is an orphaned, biracial young woman. She lives with her aunt and uncle who has a lot of debts. He wants to marry her odd to mysterious and wealthy Elias Blakersby. After meeting him Orabella agrees. Then it's off to a new life at his old, crumbling English manor.

There she finds the situation much different than expected. Her new home isn't just old, it's full of decay and strange goings on.. The people who live there are odd. And there are rules and rooms she can't go into. The longer she stays in the strange place Orabella feels it is changing her. Can she figure out what's really going on and save herself?

This book reminds me a little of Rebecca. It has a gothic feel and is very atmospheric. Everything is described nicely. The characters are hard to get attached to. Orabella is a little silly and I didn't understand her relatuonship with Elias.

The story itself is strange. I understand why it's this way due to the plot. I needed more clarity though. So much time is spent on things being vague, leaving no.focal point.

A new bride, a strange house, and a husband that is hiding something much darker about himself and his family...Orabella us a poor girl living with her aunt and uncle is suddenly proposed to by Elias, a man from an extremely wealthy family. Orabella is the daughter of a white man and a black woman, someone with no fortune or connections. She never expected to marry... but with her uncle's debts she is thrust into the marriage mart. Orabella finds herself drawn to Elias's strange devotion to her, his want of her. Yet when she is brought to Korringhill Manor, everything begins to crumble around her. The manor might have splendor... but there is decay all about it. it also does not help that Elias's strange family resides there as well. Orabella begins to notice just how strange everything is around her, from her door being locked at night, her never being allowed to be alone, the off hand comments, the wine that drugs her... and her seeing foxes and death at every turn. Then there is the strange relationship between Elias and his beautiful sister Claresta.... and Orabella begins to realize that this marriage might just kill her if she doesn't find a way to escape Korringhill Manor. This book honestly just gelt like a lesser Crimson Peak. I really wanted to like it because I adore Crimson Peak, but while Crimson Peak actually had a likable protagonist and the twist was fun... in this one it just felt a bit meh. Orabella just is not likable at all, the entire time you are reading the book you just want to shake her and tell her to stop just accepting being drugged, being manhandled and just accepting all the things around her. Also the story feels kind of like a fever dream, it's never really clear and it just doesn't blend itself well enough so that you as the reader can see the distinction and feel like: oh yeah she's going through it and this is what is happening. The book feels like it drags on for a bit and honestly that ending upset me so much. Are you for real? It feels like it's still missing an entire ending chapter. Honestly you would be better off just watching Crimson Peak than reading this, at least that ends better and you dont feel like you've wasted your time. If you like gothic horror with incest, cults, and an unreliable narrator, maybe you'll have a better time with this than I did.

Release Date: July 2, 2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Amistad for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Very atmospheric, felt so eerie like I kept getting goosebumps. I was very invested Orabella and Elias, and from the moment he was introduced I was immediately curious about him and his family. I also enjoyed that I was just as curious, and just as lost as Orabella. I felt just as disoriented as she did, as though I was in Korringhill house myself. It definitely lent into the eerie feeling of the story, making the reading experience even better (from a thriller aspect), in my opinion. So much suspense, never truly feeling like you can release a breath while reading. Definitely feels like a haunting fairytale think more Grimm fairytales. It’s definitely dark, there are many dark themes and plot points throughout the novel, so check CW.
Feels more spooky and eerie than pure horror, which I actually enjoyed a lot. Overall a wonderful read and debut!

CW: Death, Cannibalism, Murder, Miscarriage, Gore

4.5/5✨

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the arc.

I have become to really enjoy gothic novels. The whole book is so atmospheric and I could almost feel the need to check out all the doors.
This book was definitely a book the reader had to pay attention while reading. A few times I had to go back and check if I missed something. Several times I wanted to yell at Orabella when she left her room to explore. She was given explicit instructions to stay in her room but the old saying goes “Forbidden fruit is sweet” so she had to explore. The way the manor was described I was not sure if it was really safe to stay in residence. There were so many strange things going on and Orabella just accepted the things she was told. And even though she was chosen for her ‘good’ nature she really was able to come upon her own when she discovered why she was truly brought to the manor. So many secrets were revealed in the last few chapters that I could not stop reading until the end. The end even left the reader wondering.

Unfortunately this one didn't quite work for me. It had all the right elements and the writing was beautiful I just don't think I was the target audience for this one. I can definitely see this doing well and being popular. I just didn't care for it.

i loved the premise of this book and was excited to read it. However, once I started, I found this book to be confusing and hard to follow. I am sure there is a great story here but unfortunately it just was not apparent to me.

This was a definite fever dream of a book that was engaging and interesting. It was unique and left me thinking "wtf did i just read?"

The writing is lush, the descriptions and voice compelling. The author did an excellent job setting the mood and maintaining the creepy vibe. I agree with other reviewers who said it was kind of hard to follow, but this is an uncorrected proof so that could change before the actual release. I look forward to reading the author's next book! Thanks to the publisher and to NG for the opportunity to read Midnight Rooms.

I absolutely love Gothic horror and Midnight Rooms hit all tge marks for the genre. Highly atmospheric, tense, and unsettling, the prose was fantastic. I was left with so many questions at the end of the story, however. I'm assuming the Blakersby family were supposed to be fae, but this is never explicity stated. I gave no idea why the trigger for the head of the family to come for Orabella was for Elias to inseminate her. That's a really odd choice considering there was no explanation. The constant cycle of drugging Orabella, weird parties, and Orabella deciding it was all a dream became repetitive but the parties themselves were beautifully disorienting and sufficiently eerie to carry the plot. Overall, this is an enjoyable read provided you are OK with a story that ultimately provides no concrete explanations.

Wow! This was definitely a slow burn horror. The author did a really good job of describing the world and scenery in details. The author also did a good job of making the main character, Orabella, an unreliable narrator. I don't want to spoil the story, but I will say there were times where you initially wanted to root for her and plenty of WTH moments because she made some really dumb choices. Personally, I enjoy stories with suspense that make me question the MC's sanity. Also, there were plenty of well-written "horror" scenes. I had to deduct a ⭐️ (star) because there were times when the story would go on lengthy tangents that didn't really help move the story forward. It was tedious to read during those times and I rally had to push myself. Overall, I enjoyed this story and would recommend it to others.

*𝐈 𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐀𝐑𝐂. 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧*

This was a slow burn horror filled novel that takes place at a creepy manor owned by an even creepier family. I liked the unsettling tone that the author had throughout the novel, it had me guessing what the hell was going on the entire time. This was definitely giving Crimson Peak and very gothic vibes, the house and the characters themselves were very eerie and tense.

The story did tend to go off into tangents and sort of left you in the dark for the majority of the time, and usually this works well but I did feel a little too left in the dark to really understand what I was reading. There were some moments where I had to go back and reread because it felt like the reveals were all over the place and very rushed.

Overall, I did enjoy this novel and may enjoy it even more with a second read through. The unsettling and eerie vibes were what kept me reading, and even though I was a bit confused, I did still like this book quite a bit.

Rating: 2.5/5⭐
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I ended up dropping my rating (from a 3/5) because... Huh? I am so lost. What even happened? The atmosphere was gothic and creepy and I can see the similarity to Crimson Peak (iykyk) but it was not enough to save this book.
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The MC is extremely unlikable but not in the "she's different" kinda way but more in the infuriating WTH are you doing kinda way.
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It feels like a lot was said but nothing even happened. The plot was slow and went nowhere. Nothing fit together or made any sense. Everything felt very disjointed and confusing but not in a good way. I understand and can absolutely enjoy the fever dream aspect when it's done well but it still should click at some point, right? I don't even know what the point was.
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I am very disappointed because I can see and feel the potential but have never been let down harder in my life. I have more questions than answers after finishing this book. Am I just dumb and didn't get it? Help, because I really really want to get it.
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Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
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***Trigger warnings include but may not be limited to abuse, incest and cult/ritualistic behavior.***

I loved many parts of the book, but it wasn't for me.
Its def a wild ride, and many parts don't make sense.. but its interesting to "see" our main character try and put the puzzle together.
It does make for an interesting read and the gothic element to is is well done. Its captivating as much as it is confusing.. and honestly, maybe that's the best part?

Probably a 3.5

Gothic, horror, romance, and very much reminded me of Crimson Peak and a but of Mexican Gothic as well. A biracial woman, Orabella, marries a mystery and handsome man and goes to live with him and his family at a derelict mansion, where odd and sinister things begin to happen.

This was very atmospheric, really creepy and unsettling, at times horrific, and the writing really made it so. I did feel like it took some getting used to, as the sentences tend to be long and made up of many dependent clauses, but I enjoyed it once I got the hang of reading it. There were quite a few distracting typos and errors, but hopefully these will be fixed by the final version.

I mostly enjoyed the storyline and thinking back on it, I think it was very subtle in the commentary and issues it touches, like gaslighting, treating WOC like objects and touching them without permission, and lovebombing, too, I think (gotta say I found Elias charming until he’d not tell Orabella a single thing or be helpful). I appreciate subtlety, but tbh this might have been too subtle because even after finishing I’m not quite sure what actually happened and what was or wasn’t true. I don’t think books need to answer every question, but this left too many things unanswered to be satisfying at the end. Definitely not helped by how the whole book was like a nightmare/fever dream, where the narrator, Orabella, wasn’t sure about what was happening. She also never seemed interested in getting answers or figuring out what was going on, which frustrated me.

I think this was fine, and had some good parts, but I wished it was clearer.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC!

"Midnight Rooms" by Donyae Coles is a masterful Gothic novel set in the Victorian era. Coles skillfully evokes the genre's atmosphere without succumbing to meta commentary. The story cleverly incorporates classic Gothic elements, such as the gaslit city streets contrasting with the timeless, isolated Blakersby estate, where the protagonist Orabella struggles to discern day from night.

The novel is rich in suspenseful details: Orabella's mandatory tea and wine consumption, leading to disorienting sleepiness and memory lapses; the ominous, locked doors; the decaying, shifting architecture; the unsettling animals lurking in the shadows and on the wallpaper. The undelivered letters and the eccentric, unnerving family members, particularly Orabella's sister, add to the sense of foreboding.

The cover art perfectly captures the book's essence: a sweeping, atmospheric Gothic tale with escalating tension and a terrifying supernatural secret at its core. Coles has crafted a compelling narrative that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

3 stars

This reminded me of so many other books while I was reading. Mexican Gothic, Rebecca, Fall of the House of Usher to name a few. This began with a familiar trope, a young woman orphaned by her parents being raised by an Aunt and Uncle who are less than thrilled with the obligation. A handsome stranger appears out of nowhere proposing marriage and promising a wonderful life on his family estate. The main character being bi-racial and 26 was a nice twist.

I enjoyed the writing style overall. I was invested in Orabella as a character and found myself reading longer than I intended just to see what was going to happen. This was a slow burn for sure. The author did a nice job of building tension which kept me interested throughout. The friendship that developed between Orabella and her maid Sloane was a highlight for me.

I was not fully able to connect to some of the more "fever dream" sections of the story and by the time I reached the end, I was fairly lost. The introduction of a primary villain very late in the story threw me off and I had to go back to see if I'd missed their introduction earlier, but apparently not. I tried to follow the plot but ended up just going with the feelings and images and leaving logic behind.

I would recommend this to fans of slow burn, gothic horror with ambiguous endings. There were more fantasy elements that I cared for, but if you like your gothic stories to have fantasy elements, this one might also be for you.

I’m angry about this one. It had so much potential.

Midnight Rooms is a gothic horror that follows Orabella, a woman who is unwanted by her uncle and aunt who took her in out of a sense of duty when her parents died. But one day they suddenly marry her off into a wealthy family and to a man who seems to be kind and attentive to Orabella. Although Orabella initially feels hopeful about her future with her new husband, that hope quickly starts to dwindle when she arrives at his family’s manor. His family is… strange, to say the least. The manor is falling apart. The servants are very clearly keeping secrets from her. She finds herself forgetting things, sleeping too long, having strange dreams, and eventually lives her entire life in a stupor. She realizes that for her own safety she absolutely must find out what’s going on with her mysterious new family and in their strange old house.

One thing you should know about me is that I LOVE a gothic horror. I can only think of one other gothic horror I disliked (The Secrets of Hartwood Hall). I still loved Orabella as a character in spite of the fact that she was irritatingly unintelligent. I really wanted her to be happy with her husband. The author did a wonderful job at making me wonder whether or not Orabella’s husband, Elias, was a threat to her safety. The manor and Orabella’s new family were SO incredibly creepy. Oftentimes this book felt like a fever dream, which is an element I love to find in gothic horrors. I loved it. I couldn’t wait to find out what was going on in the house.

But as it was slowly revealed what was happening in the family… I was bored. It felt uncreative. I know it should’ve been scandalous but although I can’t put my finger on where I’ve seen it, it felt like a Big Reveal that I’ve seen many times. I also didn’t really like the parts that were related to animals. It felt a bit excessive alongside the other strange things that were happening in the family (of course I have to be vague here to avoid spoilers). In the second half of this book it felt like the author tried to do too much and it made the book completely fall apart for me. The ending felt very rushed and honestly, I really hate using this word but, lazy. And to top it all off the epilogue utterly infuriated me. By the time I finished it I really REALLY didn’t like it. It’s hard for a potential 5 star read to fully drop to a one star read by the time I finish reading it, but somehow Midnight Rooms managed to do it.

I really wish Midnight Rooms had stayed as good as it was in the beginning. It could’ve been one of my top 20 reads of the year so far. But instead of definitely can’t recommend it.

If you loved Crimson Peak as much as I did , then YOU NEED TO READ THIS book !
The writing and setting were stunning !
Thank you for the Arc .