No descriptions I've found about this book explain that the entire ritual taking place in the basement of the library is launched with the group taking LSD. The fact that this drug is involved makes everyone's behavior and narrative not just untrustworthy, but all of it a possible hallucination. So as you're progressing through the story of this locked room mystery, you cannot help but wonder what's real and what isn't. That's a BIG part of the story and a potentially off-putting aspect that a reader like me might have avoided knowing that's not what I enjoy reading.

Thus, the story was ok, but it just wasn't my thing. Very bloody, very mental (what they were thinking and feeling led the entire storyline), and then they just killed one another, paranoid and out of their minds. Not for me.

This is was the first audiobook I've chosen to listen to that I didn't like. It's was a bad "story" but it was rather all over the place. This was a story I could easily forget and when I took breaks to listen to another book, it took me some time to come back to. The characters were normal people, nothing really made you "fall in the love with" or "root for". And the ending was DULL! I at least thought there would be some kind of "ah ha" ending, but alas, there was none.

2.5 Stars Rounded Down.

This wasn't great.

The biggest thing that bothered me about this book was the fact that we are told several times throughout the story that the seven (7!) different POVs are very diverse and have different backgrounds. However, while reading (or listening in my case) they don’t come off as individualistic. Their speech and thoughts all sound the same. There was zero variability in word use or sentence structure. It was hard to tell them apart unless they were recently named. The narrator didn’t help this as she used the same voice for everyone.

The only redeeming qualities of the book were the setting and the randomly added inserts of history about the library.

Narrator was fine. The story and characters were so-so. There was a weird aside at the beginning that didn't seem to fit in with the flow of the story, that made sense later on but was really odd. It seemed to be put there just to have the ah-ha moment at the end of the book.

Thank you RB Media & Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. That Night in the Library is a mystery/suspense about 7 students deciding to camp out in the rare books section of the library the night before graduation. I was listening to the audiobook and it was confusing to keep track of the 7 characters in the beginning as there was only one narrator and a large cast of characters. I really enjoyed the last 30% of the novel as the author tied everything together but the first part of the novel is very choppy and unorganized.

**2.5-stars**

That Night in the Library is an Adult Literary Suspense novel. This is a recent release and I went into it, I'll admit, with a bit of trepidation. The early reviews aren't the highest, but in a way that piqued my interest even more. I frequently find myself in the minority opinion, so I went in open-minded, ready to give it a nice go. I so wanted to at least give this a 3-star rating, but sadly, I just can't.

The concept was okay, like the very basic concept, but the execution completely missed the mark.

This story basically follows a group of seven people, who make a plan to sneak into the basement of the rare books library at their University, and spend the night, performing some sort of obscure ritual while they are there. It says in the synopsis that it is the night before graduation, but honestly, I don't remember those kinds of details from this. It was quite difficult to parse anything out really. I did understand they were going to perform a ritual, that I believe was said to free the participants of any fear, or something like that. IDK, really.

It's an odd mix of characters. They weren't all friends, or anything, they just needed seven people, so ended up inviting a girl who worked at the library, who really didn't know any of them, someone's drug dealer, etc. That one part I did understand clearly about the ritual was they fasted before, and then dropped acid. Most of the rest of it was delivered to us through a drug-addled haze, so not particularly the most coherent way to convey a plot.

Once the ritual starts, they're literally trapped in this basement space; locked in. They're getting into it, doing their chanting, and dancing around and what not, when suddenly, one of the participants drops dead. From there, as you would expect, they start to freak out, because that person is dead! How did they die? Were they killed? Is one of them responsible.

Since they're tripping, suspicions run high. Things get wild. More bodies fall. Is anyone going to survive?

So, yeah, that's a basic breakdown of this story. I feel like it's for a very niche market. You have to be a specific type of Reader for this to work for you. There is sort of a vibe of this being a book about books, but not to the level of like a Strange the Dreamer, or The Dark Half. It's too hazy a theme for me to actually recommend it for that trope alone.

Without any malice, I would say this feels like one of those cases where the author is more enamored with their own writing, the words and phrases they use, than with any actual plot. It comes across a bit arrogant, in a way. I would equate it to The Tenth Girl by Sara Faring.

With this being said, this is 100% my personal opinion. Just because it didn't work for me, doesn't mean it won't work for you. I would urge anyone who thinks it sounds interesting, to give it a go. There's a book for every Reader, and a Reader for every book. I know there is an audience for this one. Unfortunately, I'm just not a part of that audience.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press and RB Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I gave it a shot and even though it didn't work out for me, I appreciate the opportunity to provide my opinion.

I listened to this book rather than read it. I like listening to books when I'm running, going on errands, or doing chores. This is my first book from this author, but she only has two books published and I'm not sure I'll ever read her other book.

The premise of this thriller had me captivated, but unfortunately the book did not deliver. I am both a fast reader and fast listener of audiobooks, but I STRUGGLED to get through this one. I love libraries and Greek mythology, so I had high hopes. I think the main issue for me was the characters- it was hard to follow when they switched perspectives. And while many of the characters acted as college students might act, I feel like they lacked true depth and this was a missed opportunity by the author. Honestly it is really important to connect with characters in a thriller, even they are unreliable narrators because it helps move the story along and help you make predictions about what might happen. The pacing of the story was all over the place too- slow in some places and so jam packed I had trouble following the action in others. I almost wonder if it would have been better for me to read this book rather than listen to it?

The only redeeming factor was the narration-Hannah Cabell was a solid audiobook narrator and would listen to a book she narrates again. I give the audiobook narration 4/5 because the volume was appropriate on all the narrations/chapters and she had emotions with her reading. The book itself I give 2/5 as I felt like the book was overall uncooked- it could have been a much stronger thriller with more thoughtful character development. I would not read this again, but it is a short read, so it's a pretty low risk for any of you reading this review that are curious about giving it a try.

A complimentary audiobook copy was provided by via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I ended up having to DNF this one. It had an interesting concept with the library but it just didn’t give me anything I was hoping for. The audiobook was great and easy to listen to so no issues with that. I just didn’t really enjoy the writing and found some of it uncomfortable.

Davy’s time as a tour guide and assistant at a rare books library is coming to an end. This leads him to conjure the idea of a Greek ritual set to take place on his last night before graduation. All he needs is seven participants with a gray moral compass. It was supposed to be a night of chanting, re-enactments, spirituality and drugs but soon turned deadly.
It all seemed to be going to Davy’s plan after they had crept into the library that night, beginning with taking drugs to aid in the night festivities. That is until one of the 7 ends up dead, leading to a night filled with drug infused paranoia. Soon they discover that all of them are lying, but who is to blame? And who is next?
Overall rating 3/5
This book started off intriguing and I wanted to find out what kind of shenanigans the 7 unlucky participants were in store for at the hand of a seemingly unstable coordinator. I did like the dynamic between the outliers and their story lines. However, there were parts that seemed repetitive as the author delved into each character's back stories. I do wish that there was more to the revelation at the end, it just felt uninspired and phoned in. I also would have loved to see more of an unhinged Davy taking the ritual to extremes and maybe a secret helper.
*Thank you to Eva Jurczyk, RB Media | Recorded Books, and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

The premise of this book was immaculate and what first drew me to it. A locked room murder mystery, the promise of a dark force, and a very old library? What more could a girl ask for?

However, upon reading it...

Unfortunately, it wasn’t what I expected at all. I struggled to connect with any of the characters. It wasn’t until over 50% into the book that anything interesting happened. Even when something did happen, I was left feeling confused, like I had nothing to go on. It didn't feel like anything was happening.

The writing isn’t bad; it’s well-written, but the plot felt elusive. I felt like I was learning about the characters yet knew absolutely nothing about them. Because the narrative shifted perspectives between almost all the suspects, there was no one to root for. No one to really trust, but not in a good way. It felt disorienting, like nothing made sense. Everyone seemed guilty until their chapter came around and they spoke in a way that wouldn't make sense if they were the murderer.

Yet, I saw the book to its end. The final sequence of events, during the few final hours until morning, were probably the most interesting part of the whole book. When we stopped getting (in my opinion) useless information about the characters and action started to happen, the book was good. It could've been even better if the first 65% or so was recised and it was faster-paced from the start.

The writing was good, and the book was okay in the end considering everything. Nothing more, nothing less. The end felt a little underwhelming considering what was happening.

The audiobook narrator did a very good job at keeping me engaged. She handled all the characters very well.

In summary, the book had its moments but didn’t quite live up to its promising premise. The locked room, dark force, and old library setup was intriguing, but the execution left much to be desired. The pacing and character development felt off, but the final hours did redeem the experience a bit.

True rating 2.5-2.75

Sadly, this book did not deliver. The premise was perfect, the execution was terrible. The characters had very simplistic thoughts, so their POVs were boring and dull. The ideas are there, but the author couldn't pull it off.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an audiobook arc of That Night in the Library in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own, ** Spoilers in the review - Read at your own risk**
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I was hoping to enjoy this book as the premise was very intriguing, however, I was left disappointed, especially with the entire ending. There were several moments where this book reminded me of the movie, "Bodies, Bodies, Bodies" and the ending heavily reminded me of Pete Davidson's character. Some of the dialogue between the characters felt stiff and awkward, I could barely feel myself care for any of the characters when some we barely got insight on, and it didn't matter when some got killed what felt like right away. I think there were some strong moments in the book, I wish we got more insight into the whole ritual thing as well.

I was drawn in by the promise of suspense and intellectual curiosity as soon as I read the premise of this mystery thriller with academic undertones. Though the book had its merits, the way it was put together lacked polish.

A primary concern was the characters. It was frequently difficult to distinguish between their points of view because they frequently melted together. This was a major setback in a genre where different identities are essential. It felt like a lost opportunity as the expected varied variety of people with academic themes—including the mean girl, rich kids, and the poor but smart underdog—were conspicuously lacking.

In spite of this, the ambience was really noteworthy.

A primary concern was the characters. It was frequently difficult to distinguish between their points of view because they frequently melted together. This was a major setback in a genre where different identities are essential.I was captivated and nervous the entire time by the atmosphere.

While there were some predictable parts, I really like the one twist that took me by surprise. When a book still surprises me, that's always a delight. Although there was room for improvement in terms of character development, the gripping atmosphere and surprising turns made for an entertaining read. I really liked the eerie, intellectual atmosphere.

I appreciate this advance reader copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for a fair assessment.

2 ⭐️ “One night locked in the library. What could go wrong?”

It’s the night before graduation, and a group of seven students sneak into their university's rare books library to take a trip and perform a Greek ritual. Just as the night begins, the lights go out. Then one of the seven mysteriously dies. The six remaining are trapped in the library with no way out and now way to call for help, and one of them is a killer. Will the rest figure out who the killer is before they strike again?

The synopsis of this books sounds so fun and engaging. But when I started to get into the story, I was really let down. I didn’t connect to any of the characters, which made it hard to understand their actions. I was also confused half of the time about what was actually going on. I listened to the audiobook version, and there was only one narrator. That made it even harder to follow the story, which is told in multiple POVs. There were also so many twists and turns that I was definitely thrown off kilter. I am also totally fine with a suspension of belief when reading, but my goodness. Some of the characters’ actions were so far from reality, it took away from my reading experience.

Overall, this book read like a young adult thriller, didn't have the character arcs I needed, and I was let down by the confusing plot. 2 stars.

This book had a great idea, I just found too many things confusing. They really distracted me from enjoying the mood of the book.

This book started so well & i was very intrigued. The premise sounded thrilling & suspenseful. With the added element of them performing an ancient ritual, i was expecting some crazy things to go down.

We get introduced to all the characters, their backgrounds and you start seeing their motivations for people down in the basement. That’s great, i love understanding the characters I’m about to read about.

Unfortunately from there, all the characters seem to blur together. There was only a couple that stuck out to me. They seemed to all have one personality so i wasn’t invested in any of them. Faye was the strongest character.

It was hard to trust anything that was happening during the book because most of them had taken acid at the start, which definitely made it less exciting. Because you couldn’t trust anything the characters were seeing, it was hard to gather that suspense. Most of them made stupid decisions. It was hard to tell if it was because that’s what those characters are like, or if it was because they were high. We didn’t get to know the characters well enough at the start, to understand what they were truely like.

I didn’t see the twist at the end coming though! I really enjoyed the ending so I’m glad i finished it.

Thank you NetGalley & RB Media for this audiobook copy.

A bunch of college students hide away to spend the night in their library's basement in order to recreate an ancient ritual involving drugs. So, like, what could go wrong? The students are a bit of a cliche of subgroups and they are really obnoxious in a way only college students in a book can be. All of that aside, this was a good read with a lot of scares and a good ending. Once you get past the first 25-30% and into the real tension the story does pull you in.

Interesting read where a bunch of about to graduate kids spend a night dying one by one in the library of rare books, creating a who done it.

The night before graduation seven students gather in the basement of the library to perform a ritual that will supposedly free them from the fear of death. For most of those in attendance it's a chance to let loose from the tightly wound expectations of school right before they're to head off into the wider world.

What starts out as an evening of possibility and intrigue quickly devolves into something sinister. First, the lights go out in the basement and as the students acclimate to the unnerving feeling of wrongness one of their number dies a horrible excruciating death.

Of course, there's only so many suspects and they're all locked in a library basement together. As the night progresses the fact that one of them is a killer permeates into each of their minds. Will anyone survive until morning?

I feel like this is a premise with a lot of potential. A locked-room mystery with only a limited pool of suspects and a proverbial ticking clock make for a good combination, and keeps that intensity up. Somehow, however, for me it failed to completely land.

There were some definite strong points, but overall, I don't know that I feel like it led anywhere. I was waiting for some unexpected twist to come that made me gasp out loud for the whole surprise of it. Not that there aren't some twists, looking back they simply felt obvious.

Where I think the book shined the best was in the beginning, the build up of everyone's backstory and where they're coming from. The whole idea that none of these people are classically "good" so there's this realm of possibilities of not knowing the lengths they would go to protect themselves or others. As things begin to devolve, however, I felt like that intensity slowly wanes.

I will say this is one of the few books where I start out not really caring about any of the characters because they all seemed a little self-involved, but as things progressed I began to feel a sympathy for these young people who it's clear are still growing into themselves. Eva Jurczyk was really good about infusing some vulnerability into these characters even when we're still questioning our trust in them.

I listened to this on audiobook and I'll say that the narrator did great in making the uneasiness of the situation really come through. Also, each character was very distinct in their voicing so in the chaos of everything going on, it was easy to touch base with who is speaking. I think audio also lends itself well to upping the intensity of the moment. If you're thinking about picking this one up, I highly recommend listening to it.

Overall, this was an ok read for me. I wish there had been a few more twists of genuine shock. I will say that I keep pondering the ending and my overall feelings about it which is not nothing when it comes to a read. One that keeps you thinking about it cannot be entirely without merit.

This one sounded amazing kids locking themselves in a library overnight to reenact a ritual, spooky things occur?! count me in.

Unfortunately this one just really missed the mark for me. I couldn't really connect to any of the characters and I was just really, REALLY bored. I am frustrated by how many times the Persephone story was retold one was enough, thanks. I was annoyed with how much Faye couldn't stop thinking about food- I get it you fasted, you're HUNGRY. There were multiple POV's and yet somehow I felt like I was in the same characters head the whole time, they all blended together.

This one was just very much not for me.

Might be worth a try if you like locked in mysteries, greek mythology or thrillers.