3.5 stars. I felt like this was going for more of an atmospheric vibe than action (and I think I would have preferred the latter). There were multiple POVs, multiple timelines, plus journal entries. Usually I like short chapters, but this had me pinging around too much. I was hoping for a tighter whodunnit. Sadly for me, the juice wasn’t worth the squeeze on this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for my review.

I was so, so excited to be granted early access to this book. I am a major fan of Lucy Foley, and this latest book does not disappoint at all. This book read just as fast as all of her others, and I was left guessing until the end. Few authors out there can achieve telling multiple view points of a story, keep the reader on their toes, and weave such intricate storylines while keeping it all cohesive. This time around, readers get to delight in some folktale incorporated into the storyline - a lot of fun for me, personally! Also, as a side note, I really loved the cover on this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a trip— a little kooky, a little spooky, magical, with creepy birds and folklore thrown in.

First off, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy, and to the author— I enjoyed every page.

I’m an avid mystery thriller reader and love to jump right into the heart of the plot. This one was a slow build. We get introduced to four main characters through alternating POVs from past and present; we learn about their connection to this new luxury resort and to one another. Secrets, mysteries— all of it.

The complex relationships and blast from the past narrative kept me hooked. Each chapter divulges a bit more, and what I thought I knew the pages before quickly flew out the window. Instead of “Ah ha! I’ve figured it out,” it was more like an “Ah ha! and the plot(s) thicken” moment. Which I loved!

I enjoyed getting to know the main characters, especially Francesca, who is a “turning over a new leaf” wealthy wellness guru type. For some reason, I imagined her as a brunette Gwyneth Paltrow about a decade younger. As much as I despised getting to know the younger version of Francesca, she was the most interesting and complex of the bunch. She had the wittiest one-liners. Ha!

Most of the characters have a secret, and I found it helpful to jot down some annotations to keep it all in check.

Overall, it was a really good binge-able read from Lucy Foley. Add this to your list right now! 🤓

Thank you for the ARC! This was my first Lucy Foley book, and I’m not really sure if it was for me. The writing was so chaotic and sporadic. The multiple POVs did nothing for the plot of the book at all. I think the “birds” theme should’ve been left out because it wasn’t fully fleshed out in the story, it just took away from the main plot. Other than that, the story was okay, it wasn’t shocking to me at all. Even at the end, I just didn’t feel like it made a big impression on me at all.

This was my first Lucy Foley book! Thank you NetGalley for granting me an early release! For I awhile I wasn't sure where the story was going, but about halfway though it started to somewhat come together. I enjoyed the journal entries looking back that helped to explain the situation. Although it was still a bit confusing about who was who and why things were happening. The ending did help to explain and brought things together! I would read another Lucy Foley book!

If you are a fan of Lucy Foley’s previous books — you will 100% enjoy this one as well!

While I personally found the storyline very interesting and thought it was a fun quick read, I also felt it was a little predictable.

What I liked:
- gothy Manor vibes in a secluded wooded area
- the cult-y aspect of the birds
- multiple character POVs and timelines
- the closure & karma at the end

What I didn’t like:
- the teenage journal entries (so cringy)
- how none of the characters recognized each other from 10-15 years earlier??
- the twist at the end - I expected a bit more

Overall I did enjoy this one (as I have Foleys previous books) but was hoping for a bit more in the end.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start by saying I really loved The Guest List and several other books by LUcy Foley, but by the same token she has books I don’t care for. I appreciate the nods to a lot of classic mysteries (I notice a lot of Agatha Christie nods), but she definitely makes her own twists!

The plot of this was kind of slow for me. I really struggled to continue reading the first half. The three different timelines is the only thing that kept me going because I was invested in one of the timelines only. As the plot picked up, I read easily and enjoyed this much more. The twists were pretty fantastic, I didn’t put together much of the final reveal. The ending does have a nice resolution.

In the earlier stages, I think I was turned off by the Birds. As the story progressed, I appreciated that plot element more.

The characters were… something. All of these characters witnessed horrible things and obviously have trauma from past events. I did like some of the characters, but most of them were not lovable and definitely sinister. She did a decent job of fleshing out the characters, which was pretty necessary because of the multiple timelines.

The writing is excellent, she does a fantastic job coming up with a different, fitting voice for each character. I know that can’t be an easy thing to do, and she nails it.

All in all, I did enjoy this by the ending. To be fair, the weather is just now getting nice where I am, so perhaps my reluctance to read has something to do with that. It took me considerably longer to read this than any of her other books, and that’s because it didn’t hook me quickly. I pushed through (I am an epic fantasy lover, I can always push through) and I’d give this a 3.25⭐️

This was a twisty turny ride. I enjoyed it but did struggle to keep everything straight at times. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

The midnight feast by Lucy Foley

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow!
This book was an absolute trip down crazy lane, Lucy foley has a way of sharing just enough information to keep you in your toes and begging for more!

Francesca has opened up a 5 star resort tailored to suit your spiritual needs. Requesting background information on each guest to make your stay as accommodating and personal as possible.
Her husband is an aspiring architect who is whooed by his wife’s spiritual facade.

Bella is a person from the past… a piece to the puzzle that has 15 years of unresolved issue with Francesca… she pops into the story under a different guise.

The the story doesn’t only unfold there… there’s more to the mix as foley unfolds a mysterious tale with magical creatures that will haunt your dreams!
Foley is a master at popping in unreliable narratives from multiple POV’s and creating a story that is unforgettable. I really enjoyed this book!

Thanks to netgalley for the arc!

hovering somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars

This is my fourth Lucy Foley book I've read and something I'm noticing is that shes great at curating a sense of dread- and thats no exception here. Even nearing the end I was still struck with anticipation for what was to come. I think the alternating of past & current povs alongside the diary entries really helped with that looming sense of dread.

I was also really happy with the way such a large cast of pov characters was handled, I could see it easily becoming bloated and confusing but I didn't get any of that while reading.

If you like messy, twisty thrillers with folklore, faux-spiritualism, and some truly frightening wealthy teenagers I'd recommend giving this a read!

Per usual, this Lucy Foley novel had MANY points of view (too many, IMO), an atmospheric setting, and a bit of a convoluded plot. I didn't really enjoy this one until about 75% through when she pulled everything together and it became a bit more exciting. Many will love this book, but this one just wasn't for me.

The Midnight Feast is a simply un-put-downable thrilling ride from start to finish! I cannot recommend this book enough.

The Manor is a luxury resort in a quaint town, where you’re meant to go to relax, refresh, and renew yourself. Leave all of your worries at the door and enjoy a perfectly curated upscale experience. The founder of this place, Francesca, is exactly the type of person you would expect to run a place like this: zen, positive, powerful … at least, on the outside. There is much more to Francesca than meets the eye.

While it seems like a dream come true, The Manor is actually causing quite an uproar with the locals. Businesses are suffering, once public locations are being restricted, not to mention there are some pretty spooky tales about the land that it has been built on.

Opening weekend is going to be make or break for Francesca and her dream … unfortunately for her, far more people want it to “break” her and they’re willing to do whatever it takes to help make that happen.

No one is prepared for the events that are about to unfold or secrets that are about to be unearthed.

Just make sure to beware of The Birds …

thank you netgalley for the arc. i love lucy foley books because you always know what to expect. they usually follow the same formula of a few different POVs making you second guess everything. i particularly really loved the plot and storyline. highly recommend this one

It took the first few chapters for me to get really hooked on the story. Once the diary entries started it really piqued my interest. The setting was creepy and descriptive and probably one of my favorite things about the story. The "birds" were just straight up creepy. Seriously, I had to turn the lights on to finish reading this one. None of the characters were particularly likeable, but I think that was the intent. However, even though I didn't really care for any of the characters I still found them intriguing. The story alternates between multiple POVs which were easy to keep track of and kept the story moving forward quickly. There's so many jaw dropping secrets revealed. Another enjoyable read by Lucy Foley!

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was so good. Suspenseful from the start. I love how the characters and story unravel, then come together at the end. I love Lucy Foleys writing style. Keeps me interested from the start and is full of suspense.

This was my first Lucy Foley book and it’s safe to say I am a fan! It took me a bit to get into the story/get all the characters straight, but I loved the multiple POVs. I kept getting whiplash from all the crazy twists! Totally gave off The White Lotus meets I Know What You Did Last Summer vibes!

An absolute ride of a book. The twists and turns were amazing! I am not usually a fan of a book that has multiple points of view, but Lucy Foley is a master. This book is so intricately woven, that I am afraid to say too much and give away the plot. There is young mistakes, revenge, lust, drugs, greed, redemption you name it and this book has it. I did not see multiple reveals at the end coming and am still smiling.

Lucy Foley writes another suspenseful and entertaining book! With twists and turns that kept you surprised until the end and interesting characters, this was a great read. The flow of past and present was easy to identify and the book flowed really well.

“The Midnight Feast” by Lucy Foley is a psychological thriller that started with a bang then went a bit off the rails. The story is told in multiple POV and timelines, both taking place at The Manor, which is a hippie dippy New Age resort. The plot was just too convoluted and at the same time, predictable.

Thank you Net Galley for this ARC. I am a big fan of the rest of Lucy's books, and you will not be disappointed in this one! This book was a great read, some mouth drops, trying to piece things together and when everything finally clicked I said "aha". I love how this book is written from the perspective of all the main characters and including a journal piece every so often from years back. It really helped me see all the parts of the story and try to piece it all together. There were some points where the description of things was overwhelming, but all in all the ending was chef's kiss. I thought I had some things figured out at one point but boy was I wrong. Add this to your TBR because it will keep you up all night guessing!