MIDNIGHTS WITH YOU is a book about inherited trauma, but it's also about the kind of love that heals. Deedee and Jay are carrying guilt and grief and a sense of responsibility that's slowly suffocating them. In each other, they find a different way to live. This is a beautiful, cathartic, and ultimately hopeful story steeped in Filipino-American culture and folklore. Highly recommend!

I don't read contemporary YA very often, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but the cover and premise drew me in. And I'm so glad I read this because I was blown away by this story!!

It captures so many things so well - that quiet yet electric feeling of driving at night, learning to overcome your trauma, being the daughter of immigrants, caught between two worlds. As a daughter of immigrants myself, I felt so seen in terms of Deedee's relationship with her mom, the past, and heritage. I LOVED the theme of ghosts throughout the story. Both Deedee and Jay seemed so raw and real and I was rooting for them the whole way through. I even teared up a bit at the end!!

Definitely a standout book of 2024 - go read this now!!

This was such a brutal story, particularly with the generational trauma Deedee experiences through her relationship with her mother, but also such a beautiful story, and beautifully told—Deedee and Jay's relationship was so raw; they both dealt with such heavy things in uniquely human and imperfect ways. I'm so glad I read this one; it's going to stick with me for a long time.

Within the first few chapters of this book I felt deeply invested in Dee Dee's story. The themes of biracial identity crisis and a disconnect from your culture hit hard, and my heart ached to see so many similar struggles reflected in this book. This is a YA romance but it felt incredibly mature, dealing with intergenerational trauma, emotional abuse, and a relationship that was complex and in need of growth - much like these characters. All in all, a very impressive YA story that even as an adult reader, I could love.

I really love how Jay and Dee Dee's relationship was handled, and although my heart was in my throat the entire time, their resolution was handled perfectly. I'm so excited for this book to get published so more readers can fall in love with them!

Stunning! This book needs a huge hug and all the attention! Osongco's book immerses the reader in the challenges many young adults face, especially Southeast Asian adolescents with immigrant parents. It unpacks so many things, from abuse to working at a young age to provide financial demands on family and the need to find one's own worth before being with someone.

I fell in love with "Midnights With You" five pages into reading it, and this book WRECKED me! It hit so close to home. The themes of generational trauma wrapped around Jay and Deedee's story reflect deeply in this chain that many Asian Americans experience. The relationship between Deedee and her mom was heartbreaking but healing simultaneously, and I deeply connected to this book from the bottom of my heart. For the first time, I finally felt like I was seen in a book, as my experience is represented in Deedee and Jay's story.

As a first-generation immigrant from the Philippines, I have felt isolation, identity crisis, and the pain of navigating through adolescence, loving people who need to seek professionals for their mental health. Also, Deedee and Jay's tribulation is not sugar-coated, which I LOVE because it makes their story even more authentic and genuine. Their journey through love and hurt was terrific. I will forever love Deedee for being brave and doing her best to stand up and end the generational trauma she experienced--even when driving a stick shift became a challenge!

This is a stunning debut novel, and also the cover???? Hello!! I will need to re-read this story once it comes out and unpack all of my feelings again. Needless to say, this book has helped me unravel all of the generational trauma I hold.

My Rating: 5/5

Thank you, NetGalley, Disney-Hyperion, and the author, for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I have been aching to read Midnights With You since it was in the Pitchers Showcase a few years ago. And to finally get to read it has been a dream—literally. Osongco has created this dreamy, liminal state of these two teens meeting in the middle of the night to share their trauma, their fears, their hopes, all while learning to drive. The dedication of this book reads, "for the diaspora kids, for the daughters," and Clare delivered on that dedication with wit, deep emotion, and a beautifully heartbreaking depiction of what it means to be the daughter of a mother you wish were different.

Wow, this book was super emotional. I will definitely be re-reading it when it comes out. Again, I am so grateful to see more books by Filipino authors starring a Filipino main character. The mother-daughter relationship tugged at my heart.

This is no doubt an amazing debut. I'm honestly glad it came across my radar. I loved reading about these characters because they frustrated me and made me empathize with them. The plot, as simple as it may seem leads to such a beautiful story. I'm glad it took the route it did. Clare clearly knows what she's doing and I can't wait for whatever she writes next. I really did enjoy this and learnt new things about Filipinos. I would love to read a horror book featuring an aswang. Finding out how the CIA used them to strike fear into the hearts of Filipinos, yikes. The USA is almost always on the wrong side of history. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone, even though it deals with a lot of hard topics it's really well-written and beautiful.

An absolutely gorgeous debut. This book reminded me why YA contemporary holds such a special place in my heart, and its wonderfully layered story is a testament to the best that this genre can offer.

Thank you Netgalley and Disney Hyperion for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Midnights With You" by Clare Osongco is a deeply moving and evocative YA book that explores themes the power of connection between two teenagers dealing with their own struggles. The main focus lies in Deedee, who is dealing with a broken mother-daughter relationship. This book is both heartbreaking and achingly beautiful, and I absolutely loved every second of it.

The book revolves around late-night conversations and midnight drives that connect the two main characters, Deedee and Jay, who are two teenagers grappling with their own struggles and secrets. Deedee, burdened by the weight of her emotionally abusive mother's expectations, longs for freedom and acceptance. Jay, the new neighbor with his own hidden pain, offers Deedee a sense of companionship and understanding that she desperately craves.

Osongco's writing beautifully captures the raw emotions and complexities of adolescence, drawing you into the quiet anguish of Deedee's world. The characters, especially Deedee, felt authentic and real. The emotions she felt throughout the book were just so raw. Deedee isn’t perfect; no one ever is, and this book makes sure to show that everyone has things they’re dealing with, allowing readers (especially teenage readers) to connect to her character and her struggles. Through her lyrical prose, Osongco explores the intricacies of family dynamics and the search for self-acceptance in a way that felt fully developed.

The book’s portrayal of Deedee's journey is both heart-wrenching and hopeful, as she navigates the challenges of adolescence and discovers the strength to confront her demons. The relationship between Deedee and Jay is tender and authentic, offering moments of solace and vulnerability amidst the darkness. Again, the relationship between the two of them felt authentic. There weren’t any instances of insta-love; their relationship developed in a realistic way.

The heavy themes of depression and family struggles made it worth reading this book in segments and slowing down my reading in order to better understand and experience the story without feeling bogged down by these heavy themes. I really did appreciate the book's honest exploration of these issues. Osongco's vivid characterization and introspective storytelling invite you to empathize with Deedee's journey and reflect on their own experiences.

Overall, "Midnights With You" is a powerful coming-of-age story that will resonate with readers of all ages. I absolutely loved this book, and I can’t wait to read more from Osongco.

This was a great read! It reminded me a little of my teenage years and driving around at night with my boyfriend. The characters were well developed and relatable. I enjoyed the deepness of the story. Deedee and Jay had reasons for behaving and thinking the way that they did. Even the parents had history to explain their behaviors too and weren't just one note. There was also resolution and the characters evolved and grew. It was a little heartbreaking and I'm happy there was a happy ending.

"The thing that surprised me was: It's not actually an either-or-choice. Sympathizing with your parents or with yourself. I think that's what can get easier. Learning to do both. But it kind of falls apart if you don't start with yourself first."

I really loved the premise of this book: two young people, each with their own share of baggage and generational trauma, getting to know each other through secret nighttime drives. It took me a while to warm up to the writing style, and the confrontations with Deedee's mother were difficult (in a good way in that it was realistic) because they were so emotional, raw, and hurtful. I really did come to love the characters, though. It reminded me of nights with my own friends when we were teens, sneaking out and meeting up to talk about our families. The resolution was lovely. From a teacher and parent perspective, I love the lesson of healing yourself first.

Thanks to NetGalley and Osongco for the ARC!

Thank you so much Clare and NetGalley for this e-arc.

Deedee's journey was heartbreaking to read. I wanted to hug her the whole way through. Her and Jay's romance really had a way of sinking under your skin and staying with you. I won't soon forget them. The nights they spent driving together were so vividly written. They had such a cinematic quality even in Deedee's later reflection of them. And this had so many of my favourite tropes from the shared bed, to the boy across the street, letter writing and sitting on rooftops. Love it all!

A beautiful debut!

Absolutely devastating in the best way. The main character was flawed and so beautifully written. I absolutely loved this book. It was very real.

What an evocative, immersive, refreshing debut by Osongco. I devoured this YA contemporary in one sitting because I simply could not put it down. Osongco crafted a masterpiece of an anxious, reclusive teen, one who battles herself (and her mother's influence) from the first page all the way to the last, making such a satisfying emotional journey. DeeDee was an authentic teen who brought me to tears several times; she was so relatable even though my lived experience was so different than hers. THE PROSE-- you could lick these beautiful words off the page, they're so stunning. AND THE ROMANCE! Ugh, the sweetness of the romance, and its slow burn, friendship to lovers perfection. Thank you for the chance to read this early; I can't wait to see what Osongco writes next.

i wanted to love this book so badly. and the thing is, i honestly think it’s objectively a well-written book. it will resonate really well with the target audience, and i’m really happy people like deedee get to see themselves represented in YA literature. i just think that because i’m not really in that target audience, it didn’t resonate with me in the same way — and that doesn’t mean it’s a bad book, just that it’s not a book for me.

midnights with you kind of reads like a tashie bhuiyan book, except that tashie is one of my all-time favorite authors, while i didn’t love this book. i think it’s because midnights was more heavy on the depression and family struggles part and lighter on the romance, with more of a stream of consciousness-type prose, while tashie’s books have a more traditional narration style and balance out all the different themes and elements. again, neither one is objectively better or worse, it just depends on the reader, and i’m the type that prefers the latter.

I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of Midnights with You on NetGalley.

I absolutely loved this book and loved how emotionally invested the characters make you become. The characters were relatable and this book had me crying both tears of joy and sadness. I cannot recommend this book enough!
The journey of how we heal was handled so delicately and I truly believe everyone needs to read this book.

WOW - What could I say about this book? Beautiful, haunting, relatable and so intimate. Osongco has truly given readers a gift with this exploration of a Filipino-American teenager struggling with her relationship to an abusive mother (yet sympathetic! I can't believe an author has me saying this!), her budding romance with the boy across the street, and challenges to her friendship with a childhood best friend.

Osongco handles the mother-daughter relationship so maturely and with love. There's no quick forgiveness, no fast redemption. Everyone in this novel is so well-developed, with their own rich stories and inner struggles, and Osongo is able to portray all of this through the lens of one point of view character.

I could ramble all day about how much I enjoyed reading this book. I devoured it in one sitting at midnight, and mulled over it throughout the next day. It's masterful, it's beautiful, and I can't wait to share this with all of my patrons.

Also I have to add - The writing style: just, lovely. The cover art and title capture the vibes of the novel so well. Absolutely gorgeous and absorbing.

Midnights With You is a strong debut from an exciting new voice. I can definitely see this book becoming a hit for fans of emotional YA contemporary romance and coming of age books. From DeeDee’s loneliness to her complicated feelings with identity and family, I felt so seen. I loved the complexity of both DeeDee and Jay’s characters. Clare Osongco depicts mental health in such a well-written and authentic way.

Midnights with you tells the story of Deedee , a seventeen-year-old in conflict with her strict Filipino single mom (who won't let her learn to drive). But when Deedee meets the new boy next door, whose home life also keeps him up at night, a series of midnight driving lessons becomes an escape from the pain and secrets they have both
inherited.

Midnights with you left me speechless. Clare showcases her commendable writing and her ability to write complex characters in this devastatingly beautiful debut novel.

Deedee 📷 : This is me trying coded
Jay 🖼️: hope ur ok coded

I just want to hug Deedee and Jay ???!!! They deserve the whole world 😭. I loved how the author portrayed the unpacking of generational trauma (very happy that all of them took professional help). I love how Deedee and Jay decided to love themselves before they could date each other.

Deedee and Suzy’s friendship was the sweetest. I’m a sucker for good friendships, and I loved every moment with them.

I still feel like I need to get my thoughts together on this book. I have so much to say but nothing to say at the same time😭😭

Clare’s debut novel blew me away, and I will be looking forward to her future works.🧡