Midnight Is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Dates Read: 10/28/23 - 11/1/23

    In her small hometown, Ruth Cornier has always felt like the odd one out, especially with her dad preaching fiery warnings at Holy Fire Baptist. But things take a dark turn when the town is shaken by the discovery of a skull in the swamp, adorned with strange symbols. This triggers panic in Bottom Springs, and Ruth teams up with her old friend Everett to unravel the town's secrets and confront the spooky myths that have everyone on edge.

    Growing up in a religious small town, I was excited about the story's premise. However, as I read, I struggled to figure out the main plot. It didn't feel like a thrilling mystery – most twists were pretty obvious. While I appreciated the effort the author put into researching the topic and liked Winstead's usual vivid writing style, this book didn't click with me. Also, can we drop the Twilight references??

    Everett and Ruth both got on my nerves. They felt like one-dimensional characters, more like clichés than real people. Ruth was way too naive, and Everett was just too mysterious for no reason. Their friendship seemed superficial, mainly revolving around their shared interest in poetry. Plus, their constant miscommunications got old real fast.

    The book's vibe was nicely set, though I think I would've enjoyed it more without the Low Man or if it were a movie. Props to Winstead for tackling unique subjects. But honestly, my struggle with this one is more about me than the book. It's not a fast-paced read; it sort of meanders, catching my interest here and there. Things didn't really kick off until almost 70%, and up until that point we are stuck watching Ruth not be able to put ANYTHING together. Despite my usual liking for darker themes, this time, it just didn't click. Surprisingly, even in what should've been the most exciting part, around the last third of the book, I was getting bored, just wanting it to end. The lack of surprises, especially in the ending, was a letdown. 

    In this book, there are several big reveals, but honestly, they're pretty obvious well before they happen, which makes the whole story drag. If these twists had come sooner, it would've made things way more interesting and engaging instead of just feeling flat. The ending comes in two parts: first, there's a final showdown, but it feels rushed and all over the place. Ruth suddenly gets all these clues that lead to a pretty crazy situation, but it feels forced. Then there's an epilogue, but it's open-ended in a way that's just frustrating. None of the characters we cared about seem to end up in a better place than the beginning of the book, and after getting invested in the story, it leaves you feeling pretty unsatisfied.

    So many readers have praised this book, I highly recommend checking out their positive reviews for more perspectives. Personally, as a fan of Winstead's earlier works, this one didn't quite hit the mark for me.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

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