⭐️⭐️⭐️3/5- I’ve found Lucy’s books are either a huge hit or a miss for me. This one was just okay.
📖 Francesca inherits The Manor and renovated it to be a luxury resort. The locals aren’t too happy about it though. Everyone has secrets, then someone turns up dead.
⭐️ PROs: the writing itself was good, I liked Eddie a lot and was rooting for him. It had a few little twists that were interesting and the folklore aspect was intriguing.
🙁 CONS: too many POVS and alternating timelines. I had to go back a couple times to figure out who/when thinks were happening. I would’ve liked the folklore to have been leaned into more. It also wasn’t very “consuming”… I want a thriller to grab hold of me and this just didn’t.

🎁Releases June 18th
A HUGE thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for a review.

The first 50 pages of this book had me. I thought this was going to be at least a 4-star read, but after the first 50 pages, it started feeling like pulling teeth trying to get through this book. The story ended up being boring and I thought the POVs changed way too often to get invested in what was happening. I was not a fan of any of the characters in the book to even care who died, what happened or how it happened. The end did not leave me satisfied. I think there are better thriller books out there and I would not waste my time with this one.

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Foley's latest work had an interesting plot but with very unlikable characters... I think that was the point, but it made it less enjoyable than her previous novels. Even the "good" characters were annoying, tiresome, and one-dimensional, falling into either the locals or the posh intruder crowd. Still, the multiple timelines were well paced and engaging, and it definitely made me curious to see what would happen next. I'd put Foley's other works a cut above this one, but it was nevertheless a worthwhile read.

At The Manor's extravagant opening night, guests indulge in lavish amenities and a signature cocktail while old tensions simmer beneath the surface. As dark secrets from fifteen years ago resurface, a mysterious fire and a shocking discovery of a body lead to a deadly turn of events.

Lucy Foley does it again! Fans of the author will be pleased to dive into another juicy thriller that is told from shifting perspectives and time periods.

All is not what it seems, and the characters are more closely linked than you would suspect. The twists keep coming, even when you think the story is finished. There were at least 3 additional twists that I wasn't expecting.

This one sucked me in, and I could have easily read it in one sitting if timing allowed. I loved the character development of Eddie as well as the journal entries from 15 years prior.

I was thrilled to receive an advanced copy of "The Midnight Feast" and would like to thank NetGalley, Lucy Foley, and William Morrow for the opportunity.

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley. Publication date: June 18, 2024.

The story is told from multiple perspectives and timeframes, which I usually really enjoy, but with this book I found it hard to keep the story and characters straight. Because of that, I never felt a strong connection to any of the characters, and until about the 80% mark, I never felt a strong desire to pick it up and finish it. But the last 20% was twisty and fun and I’m glad I stuck with it. Overall, I felt the book was just ‘okay’. I would recommend it to fans of Lucy Foley, but it definitely wasn’t my favorite of her books.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher, William Morrow, for sending this ARC for my review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The Midnight Feast is trademark Lucy Foley. We get lots of viewpoints surrounding the events of the opening weekend of a luxury boutique hotel. We aren't sure exactly what's happened, who is involved, or how the main players are all connected. Foley reveals information slowly but surely throughout the book. There are twists and turns around every corner and just when you think you know what's going on she throws in another twist. Some of the twists readers will easily see coming and others are better hidden (but won't be a completely shocking surprise). While the beginning of the book takes a little time to gather steam, readers will fly through the end.

The Midnight Feast follows a cast of characters staying/working at the luxurious Manor– a renovated rich people sanctuary in the countryside. I think if you were a fan of Foley’s The Guest List, you’ll have a lot of fun with this one. The book starts out a bit slow, but picks up quite a bit at the halfway mark.

There were a ton of fun twists that I really wasn’t expecting. Four stars because I felt the ending wrapped up a bit too cleanly for my taste.

We also get some interesting commentary on class and the goop-like facade rich people put on, which I found entertaining.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC!

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I had enjoyed reading Lucy Foley’s other books (The Guest List and The Paris Apartment), so I was super excited to get an advance reader copy of her latest. She has the mystery/thriller genre down pat. This story takes place at the opening weekend of a new luxury resort and follows multiple well developed characters through many twists and turns and flashbacks to their teenage years. What happened the night of the solstice, who died and who was responsible? You won’t want to put this book down until you find out!

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. Keep an eye out for this book - due to be published June 18th.

#bookstagram #readeveryday #bookreview #fourstarread #mystery #thriller #NetGalley #TheMidnightFeast #williammorrowbooks #advancereadercopy #booksbooksbooks #lockedroommystery

Long-buried secrets begin to come to light in this twisty, dark thriller by Foley. A tangled web connects each character, their secret pasts catching up with them during one lavish weekend at a refurbished seaside manor. You'll be on the edge of your seat.

I was a little "wow these people are all insane" at the beginning, but it did't take long for this book to have me hooked! The incorporation of folklore into the mystery was done PERFECTLY. Each chapter had me questioning the characters and kept me wanting to know more. I enjoyed the dual timeline with the flashbacks coming from a teenage diary. It was a great way to clue us in on what was happing in the present without giving it all away. The cliffside manor and dark woods are atmospheric and creepy, making the perfect backdrop for a mystery thriller. I loved how Foley weaved everything together into the most satisfying ending.
This book would be the perfect summer binge read!

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

A slow start but an explosive ending!

Set at The Manor during its opening weekend, the story follows several characters and jumps back in time in the form of a summer journal kept by one of the main characters. Francesca is the lady of The Manor and her husband, the Lord. As Francesca welcomes her guests to her extravagant (and expensively redone) compound, some of her guests have less than positive intentions. As the opening weekend unfolds during the hottest solstice in years, the past is dug up and lies are uncovered with the help of the mythical Birds.

Loved the mysterious Birds that were interwoven throughout the story and really enjoyed the twists and turns and collision of past and present. This feels like a set up for a sequel almost or maybe I just would enjoy reading more in this supernatural setting!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book!

Lucy Foley is just one of those authors I can't get enough of. While I wasn't a huge fan of the Paris Apartment I really enjoyed the Midnight Feast. The beginning of it was rather slow but once I got 75-100 pages into it I couldn't put it down.

This most recent Lucy Foley book might not be for everyone but I LOVED it. Like the horror classic "The Birds" except in this case, the Birds are some locals who are tired of rich bitches messing with their ish.

Francesca is set to open the newest Instagram famous destination hotel, The Manor. Everything is perfect for opening weekend -- but not for long. Between the locals that keep messing with her events and the strange things that guests keep seeing in the woods surrounding the estate, Francesca's "zen" attitude is about to go right out the window.

Despite asking for bios from each of the guests, there is one young woman here by herself who doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the clientele. And that is because Alice isn't here to enjoy to amenities -- she's here to confront Francesca, or "Frankie" as she knew her -- for the events that happened in these very woods fifteen years ago.

Just when I thought I figured out how all of these characters were connected, Foley added an extra twist that had my jaw on the floor. It was haunting and creepy and full of people getting their just desserts -- everything I could ask for in a thriller! I could not put it down and was so satisfied with the ending.

Ok, this book was definitely a unique one for me! I'm not typically into paranormal stuff or heavy animal symbolism, but I managed to get through this one. I feel a bit guilty because I received an ARC for it, but I believe in giving fair and honest reviews.

What initially drew me in was the storyline of Francesca and Owen. The allure of their good looks, the promise of a state-of-the-art luxury hotel, their wealth, and that whole inspirational wellness vibe had me intrigued from the start. Then, as the story delved into the past, painting the picture of a small-town atmosphere and introducing the characters and their intertwined lives, I found myself really getting into it. The way the narrative seamlessly shifted between past and present kept me engaged, and I found myself rooting for some characters while not feeling so attached to others.

Now, let's talk about the "Birds" theme. I'll be honest, that aspect had me struggling to keep a straight face. I get that the book needed a central focus to tie everything together, but I just couldn't shake off the feeling of it being a bit creepy and weird. But hey, different strokes for different folks.

Despite my reservations about the theme, I have to admit that the ending was surprisingly sweet. So, if you can stick with it through the quirky bits, it does all come together in the end.

I didn’t love The Paris Apartment (I may have been the only one), so was a little unsure of diving back into another Lucy Foley book, but this completely changed my mind. It was fun, fast paced, ever changing (with different characters and different timelines) but not overly complicated, and full of really great twists and turns, until the literal last page.

The story follows Francesca, Bella, Owen, and Eddie at the opening of The Manor, a bougie hotel with an interesting past. Though seemingly unconnected, and there with different intentions, their pasts and presents soon converge into a twisted, dark, and memorable Solstice night.

I love the quick chapters and the constant changing of perspective. There were twists that I didn’t see coming, that were really great, and one or two that were a teensy bit cheesy, but not enough to be bothersome. Some of the characters ages were tricky to line up, and I’m left wondering what happened to Delilah? Everyone else was wrapped up nicely and she seemed to be a bit forgotten about

Thanks NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishing for the eARC of this book!

3 stars. Thanks to netgally for an eArc of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Midnight Feast (in typical Lucy Foley fashion) is a multi POV, fast paced thriller. She is good at writing those short chapters that make you want more. With the added interest of journal entries sprinkled about, we also were taken back in time. And we also have POV from the 'aftermath'. Set on the shoreline surrounded by thick forests, add in a avian cult(?) with midsummer night's dream vibes, this should have been a hit.

This was fine. The characters were fine. The plot was fine. The reveals were fine. It will all amounted to being a mediocre book. Which is what I expect from a please-the-thriller-readers thriller. It felt very anticlimactic. The death was deserved and the the person who delivered the justice was the person that had the least motive to do so. It felt silly to me. And the bird cult really went nowhere and that was disappointing. I need more bird cult backstory.

Overall entertaining and a predictably mid (as the kids would say) thriller.

The Midnight Feast, the next thriller, by Lucy Foley is a perfect summer read! While my favorite of hers is still The Guest List, this is pretty close. She sets the scene in her opening chapter of this dark, foreboding manor in the woods during the summer solstice with a cast of characters, all with secrets. Without giving too much away, this took lots of twists and turns, some I saw, but all I enjoyed, until we find out what really happened the night of the summer solstice.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

The book's premise immediately caught my attention—a stunning setting with dense woods next to a cliff overlooking the sea. And out of all the characters, Eddie was my favorite; he felt genuine, But honestly, those were the only elements I enjoyed.

The book just had too many characters to keep track of. Between the Manor staff, the guests, and the police, and with some characters changing their names and identities, it was all a bit much. Plus, there's a journal from one of the characters that pops up throughout the story, filled with teenage angst, which I didn't like.

And then there's the folklore aspect—they kept bringing it up, but it was pretty predictable when it came time to reveal the big secret. Also, I found it hard to believe that after only 15 years, some characters didn't recognize each other at all. It just didn't add up for me. So, while the setting and Eddie were great, the rest of the book could have used a bit more finesse.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I’ve enjoyed Foley’s other stories and I think she has a very Agatha Christie-like quality, but this book was a total mess. There are a bunch of POVs and different timelines and it still manages to be one of the most boring pieces of literature I’ve ever read. I just could not get into any of the characters and I didn’t really care about what happened.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for my digital advance reader copy.

The Manor, the newest luxury resort destination, has just opened in the seaside town of Tome, and is somewhat at odds with its more blue collar surroundings. The guests (who have all paid a hefty price tag) are excited to attend the opening weekend, while the locals feel more resentful of the Manor's ownership, who seem to be hellbent on manicuring the property to within an inch of its life with a complete disregard for local traditions, customs, and lore. Amidst this tension, a fire starts on the property, and someone turns up dead. Now, local authorities are left to piece together the timeline and determine what or who is responsible.

Y'all, this may be my favorite Lucy Foley to date. After being somewhat disappointed by The Paris Apartment, I'm pretty excited to share that The Midnight Feast immediately captivated me and kept me hooked until the very last page. The story, similar to Foley's previous novels, is told in alternating POVs. Interspersed among the chapters are excerpts from a diary detailing events set in the past. I would say that this one is a little bit of a slower burn because there's a lot of setup, however I found all of it to be interesting.

Writing this review is one of those situations where I feel that I liked a book so much that I can't really say anything of value in attempting to complement it (why is it so much easier to talk about the books I didn't like?). Foley outdid herself!