This was a 3.75 stars for me. I struggled through the first 1/2 of the book with alternating timelines and pic’s and many characters . It was difficult at times to keep the characters straight. The end of the book I really liked and was full of twists and tied the whole story together. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and William Morrow for the digital arc !

I actually really liked The Guest List and The Hunting Party, so I was looking forward to this one. I wanted a multi POV murder mystery in an entertaining and interesting setting. However, this was honestly very bad, and I pushed through half of it before I couldn’t read any more pages. The characters were cartoonish and unlikeable, there were sexual scenes with weird vibes, and there was a weird aspect of the book about a bird-themed society that made it hard to take seriously. Part of my dislike of this might have been personal taste, but I would definitely not recommend this. It felt a bit messy, and based on other reviews I know there are elements introduced later in the book that are also frustrating.
Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC and review honestly.

3.5 *
Typical thriller structure - multiple intersecting timelines with more than one good twist. I liked a lot of the imagery about the Manor, the woods, and the midsommar party. A bunch of interesting characters as well. Thoroughly entertaining and a good pace.

I'm giving this book 2 stars instead of 1 because I finished it. But. I only finished it to be a able to give it a review on NetGalley.

This book was a mess, by 20% I knew I wanted to add it to my DNF. By 60% I was speed reading every 10th word just to finish. Not a single character was likable, believable, relatable. The story line felt messy as well. I have read other books of Lucy and will most likely, maybe, read another one. This book is based around a bunch of characters that knew each other as teenagers, fast forward like 10-15 years and no one recognizes each other? Weird. I grew up in a small town, you would definitely remember people after that amount of time.

Opening night for an historic mansion, turned luxury hotel is the perfect place for a reckoning.

Multiple POVs weave together a twisting story leading up to the summer solstice party. Secrets are threatened to be revealed, in this latest thriller by Lucy Foley. The plan has been set, but by who and will it go as expected?

No matter what you do, don't upset The Birds.

Lucy is a master of switching multiple POVs that leave the reader on their edge of their seat. It amps up the pace and the reader cannot help but continue turning pages.

That's what this book tried to do, but it was like running in slow motion. I felt like I should be excited. Each chapter that ended, every time the POV switched I felt I should be eager for more. In reality, I wasn't sure what I was hoping to find out. I wasn't sure what the point was of this story. The premise was weak.

The idea that 10-15 years later multiple people from the past would get together and not recognize one another was another huge weak point of the story. I'm not spoiling anything, as the reader learns this early on.

What Foley does do well in The Midnight Feast is some characters were bold, well written, distinct and excited me. I enjoyed getting to know some of them. On the other hand, some were loose. Didn't stick with their morals.

This isn't my favorite Foley book. My advice, if this is your first time reading Lucy Foley, put it down now. Read from her back catalogue first, starting with The Guest List or The Hunting Party. I'm on a 3 star streak from Lucy lately, so I'm hoping her next book brings some more stars.

Amazon Link The Midnight Feast By: Lucy Foley

***Thank you to William Morrow, NetGalley and of course, Lucy Foley, for a  copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Publishing on June 18, 2024.

My first Lucy Foley book and definitely not my last!!

Francesca Meadows has re-designed and newly reopened The Manor, a luxury social hot spot for the most elite of clients. Set atop a beachfront cliff and surrounded by quiet woods.
Told from multiple character points of view, bouncing between the ominous present day and the haunting past.
Such a gripping storyline as thrilling events unfold amidst reveals of the dark truths each character has been hiding all these years.
A slow burn start but a necessary one as character building was key. Really enjoyed this one!

This was my first Lucy Foley book ever and I am now going to add the remainder of her books onto my tar list!! I loved following the story and experiencing all the twists and turns in multiple POVs. Francesca was a great character that I loved to hate! All her crazy hippie-dippie cultish vibes were very interesting! There was some slow points, but that ending made it all worth it!!

Thank you to the publisher for a free Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

And to be honest, this one was just not good. In her typical writing format, Foley has numerous points of view and short chapters. The short chapters make it a fast read, but at times the shortness meant we were not really learning a single thing about the characters. This was my problem with The Paris Apartment as well. Yes, the Guest List followed the same format, but I found we weren't left completely hanging every chapter.

The journal entries were fine, but honestly were not great. They did not add to the story, I think I would have preferred flashbacks while in the characters' chapters. The "birds" if meant to be creepy were not.

I always look forward to a book by Foley, but this one just did not do it for me. The plot was meh and I will post my biggest wth in the spoiler below.

I genuinely wish Foley would change her writing style up.

I unfortunately think this will be my last Lucy Foley book. I loved <i>The Guest List</i>, then found <i>The Paris Apartment</i> just okay, but this book. This book was really tough to get through. It was so slow for the majority of the book and the plot lines were all over the place. Nothing was cohesive and so many pieces were just unimportant by the end.

I think underneath everything, there was a decent story there. The connections were interesting and the actual mystery could have been good. But I don't think this book was crafted well with the right focus on the things that mattered.

This book was really full of twists and turns and suspicious characters. Liked the now and then timeline too. Lucy Foley does a really good job of weaving multiple characters and viewpoints into the story. I liked how the ending turned out. Definitely would recommend to my bookish friends

I was really skeptical to start this one, Lucy's books have been hit or miss for me (I HATED The Paris Apartment) - but the Midnight Feast was a slam dunk. I loved it!

It's a classic Lucy Foley novel:
. 4 POVs
. Murder mystery
. Interconnected characters
. Plot twists
. Short Chapters

The villain reminded me so much of Regina George from the 2004 Mean Girls movie and I loved it. She was also what you would expect a ridiculous "Instagram influencer' to be with their "wellness retreats, skinny drinks, and ridiculous egos".

If you are wanting to start with a Lucy Foley novel, The Midnight Feast is where you should start..

A Midnight Feast isn’t exactly what you would assume it to be…. Or could it transform into multiple things. Where have you read a sentence or word and throughout your life that word has taken on different meanings?
Also can a person truly change who they are? In Lucy Foley books someone is always looking to change who they are while someone is hiding in plain view. It’s your job to spot them and decide if they have tricked you into believing that this storyline works.
A solid three stars for me. While this one wasn’t as predictable as I had first thought it to be, I did enjoy the one thing I didn’t see coming.

✨Book Review✨

The Midnight Feast - Lucy Foley

📖 The Manor is a newly opened luxury retreat site with breathtaking views and a unique atmosphere that only the wealthiest can afford to enjoy. The town that has been driven out of the land they’ve had access to for centuries is unhappy about the recent developments. When things start going wrong we begin to realize no one is who they seem.

📚 Lucy Foley did a creative job with this mystery, laying the groundwork for plot twists from the beginning. While the twists were surprises they were believable and had me kicking myself for the assumptions that I had made. This book has lots of flashbacks along with many different points of view, which made for interesting character development throughout the story. The story was gripping and had me unsure of what would happen next, which is exactly how I like it!

🌟 If you enjoy mysteries with hidden pasts that keep you hooked throughout the story then this is for you! Lucy Foley reminds me of Ruth Ware and Sarah Pearse, which is a high praise in my world.

Special thanks to @NetGalley and @WilliamMorrowBooks for this advanced reader copy!

Have you read anything by Lucy Foley?

#BookReview #NetGalley #TheMidnightFeast #LucyFoley #Mystery #BookRecommendation #Bookish #Bookstagram #BookLover #GoodReads

Ok look. I’m one of those people who is just bad at names. I hate it, it makes for some awkward situations sometimes, it’s just how it is. I’m a face person, not a name person, and also I have the memory of a boiled potato. So when I see books set up which each chapter from a different persons perspective, and a lot of people to remember, it makes me nervous. The only way it ever works for me is if the characters are interesting and memorable pretty much immediately.

Good news. The characters in this book are interesting and memorable pretty much immediately. They are written with very different voices as well, so even without seeing the name heading up the chapter, you know who you are dealing with.

This book unveils itself like a fog slowly lifting. That’s not to say it’s a slow read, far from it. Every time I decided it was my last chapter before bed, or some other thing I needed to do, I would be driven to read just one more, one more. The chapters are short with so much interest packed in them, pulling you in so many fascinating directions, that it is so easy to fall into “just one more” many more times. You can’t help but want to keep following the tasty little bread crumbs being consistently dropped in front of you. Follow those crumbs without fear, they are tasty all the way to the end. This book is fantastic and I didn’t want to put it down!

In The Midnight Feast, Lucy Foley delivers another gripping locked room murder mystery, set in the luxurious resort of The Manor. With a cast of enigmatic characters and simmering tensions, Foley skillfully weaves a tale of secrets and intrigue against the backdrop of a weekend getaway. The novel explores themes of privilege and power while keeping readers guessing with unexpected twists. Despite its classic murder mystery elements, Foley infuses the story with a lightness that makes it an enjoyable escape. The Midnight Feast is a literary treat, satisfying both fans of the genre and newcomers alike with its engaging characters, clever plotting, and atmospheric setting.

3.5/5 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for granting me this ARC of The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley. Firs time reading this author and I had a lot of fun reading this book. I appreciated the short chapters which made me read it in no time! I also enjoyed the multiple POV. Make sure to grab a copy of this book on its released day June 18, 2024.

It’s opening weekend of The Manor, a luxury resort in a remote area of woods. Only the wealthy can afford to stay there so what could possibly go wrong? Angry locals, a mystery guest, a kitchen worker and a detective. All with their own secrets. Who will survive the Midnight Feast?!

Honestly.. this book had me floored!! There are so many twists and turns throughout that you just cannot see coming. It was so hard to put down and became my guilty pleasure as my pregnancy insomnia kicked into high gear recently 😆 One of the characters is so miserable and hard to like but Foley writes it in a way that is still enjoyable and hard to put down. Plus short chapters so *chefs kiss!* There’s a bit of a spooky aspect that I wasn’t the biggest fan of but overall it ended up wrapping up very well. Definitely check this one out when it comes out in June! Just might be my newest favorite Lucy Foley book! 4.5/5⭐️ from me!

It’s opening weekend at The Manor, a luxury resort run by Francesca Meadows, a health and wellness guru who has redesigned a property inherited from her family to align with her wellness persona and lifestyle. Owen — her husband who she loves very much, but doesn’t know a lot about due to a fast-tracked marriage — is assisting in overseeing the opening weekend events. Bella Springfield, a guest at The Manor, has her own reasons for attending the opening weekend, as she reflects on events that took place during her childhood. The perspectives of employees are also shared. As the story progresses, we learn that everyone at The Manor has a hidden agenda. Nothing is as it seems, and no one is who they portray themselves as. As the weekend events unfold, told through multiple POVs and alternating timelines, hidden secrets are uncovered.

I liked this book. It kept me engaged for the most part - I felt like some portions could have been cut out, as they didn’t necessarily contribute to the storyline. I liked the complexity of the characters. I read this book via Kindle, and enjoyed reading the different characters’ perspectives. I do think if I had listened to this book via audio, the number of character POVs may have been confusing for a portion of the book. The “bird” premise of the book was kind of creepy - I didn’t necessarily like it, but it kept me engaged - wondering what it had to do with the plot and all of the characters involved. I liked Francesca Meadows and Bella Springfield’s characters, and I liked reading about the events of their childhood and how it played a role into how they turned out as adults. I wasn’t really sure about the brief parts of the book that Bella talks about being a mother, and how that connected to her wanting to return to The Manor. I felt like that whole piece of the story needed to be further developed, or taken out completely. It just didn’t really fit, as her daughter wasn’t apart of the plot, and just randomly mentioned here and there. Overall, I thought it was a decent, engaging thriller.

Read if you enjoy:
🧐 whodunnit
🔍 revenge from the past
🤫 childhood secrets
⏱️ alternating timelines
🌅 luxury resort setting
🫣 hidden agendas
🔁 multiple POVs

I read this book via Kindle format, courtesy of @NetGalley!

I adored this. So unhinged in the best ways. I loved the fine line between satire and thriller and both desperately wanted to be invited to the Midnight Feast and was utterly relieved it was all fiction. My favorite of Foley's to date.

Publishing June 18 2024! The Midnight Feast follows alternating POVs of guests and employees at the opening weekend of new luxury resort. All of them have secret pasts and old secrets.

Thanks @NetGalley for the ARC! 🫶🏼 This was definitely not my favorite Lucy Foley book, but it also isnt my least favorite. Lucy Foley is great at creating an eerie, creepy ambiance and I loved the setting in this book. There are elements of folklore that I wasnt expecting that added to the ambiance. The characters’ story lines were easy to follow and the chapters were fast paced. I loved reading the past diary entries! Once you get the night of solstice, this becomes very hard to put down!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 stars