A really cool dark academia vibe for this beauty that I really liked. This one a fun and unique spooky fantasy read that I just devoured. A fun read overall.

I was really intrigued by the premise of this book, time travel books are one of my fav genres, this one however didn't quite stick the landing. Four former college students, Sonia, Paul and Byron gather at the B&B of Auraleigh, a place she got cheap and is trying to renovate with mixed results. They have gathered to remember another former student, Jennet who had passed away 25 years ago while they were all in college. They all used to create content for a student magazine, they called themselves the Midnight Club because of all their late nights editing. Auraleigh wants to try to find out how Jennet died, and she wants everyone to try to recover their memories by using a drug called 'sog', something that will take someone back (or forward) in time, almost like they are there, and some say allow them to change events. They go to a remote area where an old Church is to take this drug, which puts them into a deep sleep while they remember events that happened. I found these sections of the story repetitive, they were all anxious to remember Jennet and what led to her death (she had been found drowned in a local river), and they all do remember and they keep going back to try to remember more and more. Sonia had taken the drug during college with a fellow who just happens to also be in town, but not attending the event to remember Jennet. He and Sonia connect and he urges her not to take it, worried what will happen. Overall it wasn't a bad book, just wasn't what I was expecting, you may like it if you like stories about college reunions. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Graydon House for the ARC.

In a university in Vermont a group of friends was changed forever when one of them was found dead 25 years ago.

The Midnight Club met on the campus of their Vermont University, they all became super close, but in their junior year, Jenett was found drowned in a river, and her death is labelled a suicide. It changes their friendship dynamic forever. In the present one of the members sends out an invitation to the others to get the club back together and honour Jenett.

They all convene in a B and B in the same town where they went to school. Only the host and person who sent out the invitations really wants to get to the bottom of what really happened all those years ago. With the help of a drug that lets you go to the past and relive events, a lot of secrets come to light, and none of them actually remembered the real events of that night.

This book was very twisty, and the premise was so fascinating. I think this book was a little too big brained for me, as I often found myself confused and not remembering important events. It was boring and repetitive a lot in the beginning and by the time the mystery really started mysterying I kinda checked out. I would like to maybe go back and reread this one day, but it was not the book for me right now.

I found it really hard to get into this story. I have seen from others that they found the second half of the story to pick up. But, honestly, by that point I was just barely hanging on. I do think that it picked up slightly, but the first half drags you on for so long that I just didn't really care--I ended up really skimming some parts. Ultimately, this was a really cool idea (not necessarily a unique one) but I just had such a hard time getting into the story. Additionally, I think that the characters could have saved the story for me if they were a bit more compelling, but as it stood they just weren't very interesting. I will say that the dark academia aspect as well as the overall mystery were interesting, but didn't save this book for me.

Interesting concept, but reminded me too much of “When We Were Villains” which was a lot better. The main character annoyed me a lot and the story didn’t hook me. Didn’t care that much about the characters or where they were gonna end up.

This book exceeded my expectations! I went in skeptical, got hooked right away by how different the story was and could not put it down!!! I will be recommending this in every book club I am in!!!

The story was unique, done flawlessly, and the characters drew me in…I wish I could reread it for the first time!

I picked up this book thinking I knew what I was going to experience; however, I feel confident based on many of the other reviews I am not alone with how this book came out of nowhere with it's mystery.

First and foremost, I thought I was going to read an angsty story about friends who come back together after the passing of their college friend. Those sorts of trope-ish books can be good, in their own right, but this book gives us something more with the drug that allows the taker to travel in time.

The cover art is beautiful, the story is intriguing and the characters have secrets which reveal themselves throughout the story. It's not perfect but I do love a really good dark academia with a bit of sci-fi involved. My critique is that it did start a bit slow and took some time to get into the story. This is not an action filled tale but rather one about friendships which come and go in our lives so it can be sad at times if it makes you think about people who have crossed your own path along your personal journey.

I want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. I love reading these works and hope my opinions feel valid for others to make informed decisions.

Thank you, NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC. This book had an interesting concept and the setting was exactly what I want in a book, however I did end up soft DNFing as I found it really hard to follow. From fellow reviewers it sounds like it picks up in the second half so I am still intrigued but I think I’ll grab the audiobook!

𝘐𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘥𝘳𝘶𝘨 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴....𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵? 👀

THIS BOOK‼️‼️ Gosh! WOW! 😱😱 Ngl I was confused half the time (the good kind) with all the "sogging" (the verb they use when experiencing the drug), because I was basically on the edge of my seat begging for the book to reveal what really happened on May 1989

I loved the characters, the plot, and the dual 3rd person POVs. Don’t mistake the two POVs as a romantic angle because once you see how they clash, I WAS LIKE, WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! 🤯

This book centers around a mystery that everyone knows happened, and what better way to see if something was missed than to do a friends reunion and use the same drugs that 'sogs' you backwards (to your past) once you hit a certain adult age.

The concept is so freaking cool! The obsession with memories and how the brain handles voluntary vs. involuntary memories was a perspective I’d never considered before.

If you love solving mysteries with a touch of magical realism, this book is definitely for you!

Thank you, NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing, for the eARC and my physical copy! 📚💖

Excellent book: intriguing and gripping
A proper review will follow
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thank you to Graydon House and Margot Harrison for this ARC.

What do you get when you combine college friends who have lost touch, a mysterious death of one of their own, and time travel? Well, this is the entire premise of “The Midnight Club,” and the combination created a story I never saw coming.

I have read a few time travel books, but “The Midnight Club” takes a fresh new perspective on the trope. Instead of physically time traveling, these four friends have stumbled on a small-town secret: a drug that mentally lets you relive moments in the past or see glimpses of the future. What then proceeds to happen is these four friends use the drug to relive their repressed memories around the alleged suicide of their fifth friend over 25 years ago.

This is one of those books that makes you think. After I was done, I literally sat in my bed contemplating the concepts that Harrison explored in this novel. It was beautifully written, surprisingly philosophic, and combined with mystery, suspense, and magical realism.

This is a build-and-burn type of book. The tension slowly creeps up, and as the plot moves along, I cannot help but become very invested in uncovering the truth.

Would I change my future if I could? As the characters in this novel realize, the answer is not as straightforward as you would first think. Changing one thing can change everything. As this book compared youth to adulthood and finding answers in the midst of grief, it certainly gave me a lot to think about. However, I was still very much entertained and loved the dark academia vibes. If you are looking for a unique novel with a thrilling mystery and an introspection on memories, try “The Midnight Club.”

Locked room mystery horror, yes please.
I read a lot of this type of book, it's my favorite scenario.

Lots of moving parts on this one, people, timelines, ND as always is there a unreliable narrator, in a book where perspective is everything?

This is a build and burn book pacing wise, Harrison let's the tension creep up as this story continues, and I slowly felt myself leaning into the book, literally!

Then let's add in that special substance that let's this group relive the past, the one where everyone is hiding a secret, but how dark are they?

Loved this book, it was a interesting twist on my usual locked room type scenario, and I'm looking forward to more.

“The Midnight Club” by Margot Harrison presents a compelling premise: a reunion of estranged college friends seeking to unravel the mystery surrounding the tragic death of their friend, Jennet, through a secret substance called “sog” that allows them to relive past memories. This concept is ripe with potential, combining elements of mystery, nostalgia, and dark academia, which makes for an intriguing read.

Harrison employs dual perspectives and shifting timelines effectively, drawing readers into both the present-day reunion and flashbacks to their college days. The dynamics among the characters—Sonia, Byron, Auraleigh, and Paul—are complex, reflecting their individual struggles with the past and their relationships with one another. However, while the narrative explores themes of friendship, regret, and the burden of memory, I found myself struggling to connect with the characters on a deeper level. Their flaws often overshadowed their complexities, making it difficult to fully invest in their journeys.

The pacing of the story is another point of contention. The beginning drags, and while the plot eventually picks up, I felt the initial slow burn could deter some readers. Additionally, the exploration of memory—particularly through the lens of a hallucinogenic experience—can be disorienting, and I found myself confused at times by the various timelines and perspectives.

While the suspense builds as secrets are uncovered, the ultimate resolution regarding Jennet's death left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied. The buildup promised a grand reveal, but the delivery fell flat, diminishing the emotional impact of the story.

Despite these shortcomings, there’s an undeniable charm in Harrison's writing and her ability to weave a multifaceted narrative. Fans of mysteries and those looking for a unique twist on the coming-of-age genre may still find enjoyment in “The Midnight Club.” It’s a book that, while not flawless, offers enough intrigue and emotional depth to merit a read—just approach it with tempered expectations.

The Midnight Club by Margot Harrison is a good read that kept me intrigued with its clever use of two perspectives and shifting timelines. The story brings together a group of estranged college friends, reunited 25 years after the mysterious death of their friend Jennet. Drawn back to the Vermont town where it all happened, they’re asked to uncover the truth using a secret substance that allows them to relive their past memories. As the group delves deeper into their recollections, it becomes clear that each of them is hiding something, and the truth about that fateful night is far more complex than they ever imagined. With its suspenseful twists and layered narrative, this novel kept me engaged throughout.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Graydon House for this ARC! I loved this story. It was so unique and perfect for fall. A drug that can make you access a part of your brain that has certain memories??? So different. Loved this one!

The Midnight Club by Margot Harrison  is a mystery story about four college friends who get together  to pay tribute to a missing member.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher  Harlequin Trade Publishing and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 
My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions):
It's been 25 years since four college students got together in a group they called The Midnight Club. They were close friends, but the death of their friend Jennet bonded them, so when Auraleigh invited Sonia, Paul and Byron to a reunion, they agreed to stay in her new B&B.

The four have become estranged, and the trust they had for each other in college, no longer exists.  They all have secrets, and memories of Jennet that they probably shouldn't explore together.  But that is exactly what Auraleigh wants.  She wants to uncover the truth as to what truly happened the night Jennet died.

Auraleigh is providing them with a drug called "sog" that will let them relive their past.  Sonia has already used this drug, back in college, but hadn't told anyone.  She fell hard for the guy that gave it to her, and still holds those feelings.  Not surprisingly, he, too, is in town.  But now he is against the use of the drug.

But the group takes the drug every night, diving deep into their memories, and discovering that they may not have remembered the past correctly.


My Opinions:
First, the book is about a drug that allows you to travel in time.  When you are young and take it, you travel forward.  When you are older, you travel backward.  Or it's all in your imagination.  You decide.  It raises the question...if you could go back in time and change something, would you?  The book is about friendship, love, regret, and letting go.  It is also about depression and suicide.  In some ways, it is a very sad book.

The story is told by both Sonia and Byron, so you get two perspectives, and it is told in two time-lines - then and now.  It was actually fairly straight-forward.

 I loved the premise, but felt it really dragged at the beginning, so I had a hard time getting into it.  As well, I couldn't stand Auraleigh or Paul.  They were both obnoxious in their own ways. 

As interesting as the characters were, I couldn't connect with them, and there was no true excitement. It dragged on, and by the end I still didn't really care what had happened to Jennet.  Overall, it was a good book, but I felt it just lacked something - for me.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy! This one took me a bit to get into at first but it ended up being a decent read in the end! I feel like the plot was unique and that was refreshing after reading so many books in the genre. I didn’t really connect with the characters but that’s not always a bad thing when I look for a book. I did get a little confused at times with the different perspectives and memories. Overall, it was a good read and I recommend it for anyone who wants something different! I also think it’s awesome how the story took the author 35 years to complete. I think the author did a great job and I look forward to reading more from her!

The Midnight Club has a cool concept, but I had to DNF at 20%. The characters were not very interesting and the time travel (or more accurately memory travel) made for a disjointed read. There is a dark academia quality here and a mystery that some people may enjoy.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"A twisty, nostalgic, emotionally thrilling novel about a group of estranged college friends who experiment with a secret substance that allows them to re-live their memories - and the fallout when they uncover startling truths about a dark event from their past.

"How could you leave the past undisturbed when it was hiding parts of you from yourself?"

It's been twenty-five years since The Midnight Club last convened. A tight-knit group of college friends bonded by late nights at the campus literary magazine, they're also bonded by something darker: the death of their brilliant friend Jennet junior year. But now, decades later, a mysterious invitation has pulled them back to the pine-shrouded Vermont town where it all began.

As the estranged friends gather for a weeklong campus reunion, they soon learn that their host has an ulterior motive: she wants them to uncover the truth about the night Jennet died, and she's provided them with an extraordinary method - a secret substance that helps them not only remember but relive the past.

But each one of the friends has something to hide. And the more they question each other, the deeper they dive into their own memories, the more they understand that nothing they thought they knew about their college years, and that fateful night, is true.

The Midnight Club explores that innate desire to revisit our first loves, our biggest mistakes, and the gulf between who we are and who we hoped we'd be."

I mean... Couldn't the book have picked a less well known title? Unless they named themselves after the Christopher Pike book, then that's fine. Confusing but fine.

The premise of The Midnight Club was truly fascinating story, integrating some dark academia vibes, a coming of age story, and a bit of whodunnit. The book is mostly told through two main POVs, those of Sonia and Byron, the two people closest to Jennet, a young woman who drowned seemingly alone in 1989. Fast forward 25 years, and her core group of friends are being pulled back together by their friend Auraleigh to reminisce and time travel using a backwoods brew the locals call sog. While most of the story is told in 2014, we have flashes back to the 80s and various points in Jennet's and the friends' lives. It's often a bit difficult to keep up as things move back and forth and spooky things happen.

The book is definitely perfect for the fall and spooky season, its confusing in a way only a mystery including "time travel" can be, and you're certainly left wondering.. what was real, what wasn't.. can we actually time travel? Most importantly, who actually killed Jennet? In some ways, I found the ending dissatisfying, but I think folks who love a good mystery and spooky-ish store, will really enjoy this one.

Special thank you to Harlequin Publishing/Graydon House and NetGalley for an eARC of The Midnight Club.