Nox Winters and the Midnight Wolf

Nox Winters Chronicles #1

by Rochelle Hassan

The first book in a rich, eerie middle grade fantasy duology full of magic, monsters, and miles and miles of untamed forest, from the author of The Prince of Nowhere. Motivated by desperation and brotherhood, a boy must venture deep into the Nightwood to find a cure for his mysteriously sick brother. Perfect for fans of Over the Garden Wall and Serafina and the Black Cloak.

For twelve-year-old Nox Winters, the town of Evergreen isn’t home—it’s a tourist trap in middle-of-nowhere Maine for amateur cryptozoologists hoping to spot its infamous legend, a batlike creature known as the Evergreen Devil. But his twin brother, Noah, has been wasting away from an illness that has left medical professionals stumped, and the doctors here in Evergreen are his last hope. And Nox goes where Noah goes.

But as Noah’s condition worsens, Nox begins to suspect that Evergreen is doing more harm than good—and that there might be some truth to its tales of fearsome cryptids and mysterious disappearances. When Noah falls into a deep sleep that Nox can’t wake him from, Nox’s only chance at saving him lies in the surrounding forest; there, he discovers a hidden world where it’s always nighttime, full of powerful magic, supernatural creatures, and capricious minor gods. Nox must venture deeper into an endless night and successfully bargain with the terrifying Keepers of the forest for a cure to Noah’s ailment or else neither twin will leave Evergreen alive.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens

368 pages, Hardcover

First published September 3, 2024

About the author

Rochelle Hassan is an author of middle grade and young adult fiction, including The Prince of Nowhere, The Buried and the Bound, and Nox Winters and the Midnight Wolf. She lives in New York.

Reviews

[Ember Moto · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about grief, family, and what you are willing to sacrifice to keep your loved ones safe. it takes a little bit for the fantasy elements to come into play, around chapter 10. The book has a good conclusion where this could be all we get and it would be satisfying at the sametime there are some threads left open for a possible sequel.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a ride!!! enjoyed it so much though reading this in nox's pov gets to a point. he's hotheaded, isn't he? thea was present all throughout but for some reason, she didn't stand out to me. noah is soooo precious, and i love the twins' relationship too much.

violet and thea sounded very alike to me. and nine was such a vibe.

the concept was unique and gripping. overall, 3 stars!

[eve.lyn._.reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Evocative
Atmospheric
Quest-vibes

Recommended by publishers for ages 8 and up, though I felt it would perhaps work best with ages 11-14.

[Brandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off really strong but really dragged on towards the end, especially for a middle grade read.

[KJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rochelle Hassan has a truly incredible way of writing that brings the magic and the mundane together so seamlessly. In her worlds, the extraordinary is so believable, woven into the fabric of every day that it's nearly impossible to separate the two. In this new series, we once again straddle two worlds: Evergreen, Maine, and the Nightwood. Nox is so realistic as both a young adult grappling with anger issues and as a person who struggles to find himself in a way that isn't in relation to others: in this case, his twin brother, Noah. They're two peas in a pod, but when Noah is suffering from a mysterious illness, Nox braves the wilds of a brand new world to save him. Gorgeous writing, fascinating setting, a snarky and loveable MC and a fast-paced adventurous ride that had me whizzing through to the end!



Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Absolutely!


See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: I adore Nox. He's not only snarky, but his anger issues transcend being a pre-teen boy to something universal. He's stubborn almost to a fault, no-nonsense, and truly refuses to give up. He's completely loyal to his brother and the two of them, despite being peas in a pod, are so different. He's navigating who he is both with and without Noah. His character voice is a joy to read in this book as well and had me grinning at his dry sense of humor nearly every other page. The supporting cast, Noah, Thea, and the group they meet during their quest are all complex and fun to read about. I adored everything about them.



PLOT: Desperate to solve his brothers mysterious illness, Nox takes it upon himself to uncover what exactly is going on after he encounters the paranormal in a way that he refuses to not believe. The story takes us from normal-but-curious Evergreen, Maine, to a mysterious and mystical place where magic, danger, and beauty are intertwined. The quest encompasses not only curing his brother, but a coming-of-age where he settles more into who he is. Fast-paced and truly a joy to read, the book wrapped everything up perfectly while still keeping us open to the possibilities that may come for the rest of the series.



EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.

2/5: low. This is technically a MG book and honestly my idea of a cozy read! There's action and adventure, magic and mystery and stakes, all while getting to truly enjoy a fantastic world and watch the heroes succeed on the quest!


CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled?

90%. I am happy. As always, I wish for just a little more denouement, but I also expect a little less of it in a MG simply because it's MG. But I finished this book super happy and content. What a fun ride!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know how to explain how much I truly loved this book. From the first chapter, I was obsessed. To me, it felt like a sprinkle of all my favorite stories; Harry Potter, Peter Pan, ACOTAR, Alice in Wonderland, etc. There was magic and mystery that kept me on my toes and I’d stay up late trying to figure out how this story would pan out. You know it’s good when you squeeze the book tight and have knots in your stomach wondering what’s going to happen next! I loved the characters, their dynamic and their stories. The action was pretty constant and the story felt pretty fast paced. The message of grief in this story is something I relate to on a personal level and is extremely important especially for young readers - I think Rochelle Hassan did a wonderful job. Love love love this book so much! It’s a top read for me! 💙🤍

[SOYAMRG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nox Winters has moved to the little town of Evergreen, ME to stay with some friends of his mom. His twin, Noah, has a rash that no doctor can seem to diagnose or to heal. When Noah’s rash seems to get worse, Nox decides to sleep in the same room with him. During the night, a magical wolf comes and takes something from Noah’s body. Nox is then unable to wake Noah up. He then decides to take things into his own hands and try to retrieve what was stolen from Noah in order to heal him. Nox and the daughter of his mom’s friends decide to venture into the forest where all kinds of magic occur.

Twists and turns abound in this solid fantasy for middle grades and readers will anticipate the next volume.

S.T.
School Librarian

[Kasi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nox and Noah are twins. They do everything together, until Noah gets sick. Then Mom sends him away, and our story begins the day they are reunited. Nox just wants to be near his brother, but then Noah won't wake up, and Nox has to figure out why.

So many twists and turns! I fully expected to have to get into this book, but it captured me straight from the beginning. I finished it in 2 days and would have finished it in 1 if I didn't have responsibilities.

[Leslie Vedder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The unsettling and the supernatural completely gripped me in this perfect creepy MG book. Creatures abound, both frightening and fantastic, like the luminous Eris Moths and the mysterious six-eyed Lunar Wolf. The MC, Nox Winters, comes across as both angry and vulnerable, and my heart ached for him as he journeyed to save his brother. The perfect spooky fall read, filled with family, friendship, and learning to believe in yourself - plus a twisty mystery!

[Shauna Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got so distracted by the story, I completely forgot that this story started with Nox trying to figure out how to save his brother.

There were a lot of crazy and creepy things happening in the Nightwood and I think young readers getting into the horror/thriller genre will thoroughly enjoy this story.

[Paula Waak · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the supernatural creatures and hidden realm in the forest that Nox discovers in his mission to help his twin brother. Although Nox is a boy dealing with anger, his love for his brother is stronger than anything.

[Laura P · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The main character goes on an epic quest to save his brother from a mysterious illness. In his journey he discovers secrets of his past, an otherworldly dimension, and how to let others into his life.

[Jen Nishi · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read about the sacrifices we make for the ones we love. Enjoyed the atmospheric descriptions with just the right amount of creep factor.

[Lizzy]

Dropped at page 174.

The narrative lost me when the heroes answered the call to adventure. It also became way less scary.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good adventure with twins, jeopardy , science, mystery, friendships, parents who keep too many secrets, and organic character growth.

[Auntbeast · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how Rochelle crafts characters, worlds, and relationships. 💗

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Those that enjoy fantasy mixed with some mythology will enjoy this read. I would recommend for middle school age readers.

[Daisy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2

[Yoselyn Lujan-Ceja · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book it made me feel curious, I give this book a 4.5. :)

[Teresa Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm. There are some good things about this story, but they get pushed aside sometimes from the annoying parts. The old set up of: young, burdened kid, with no friends and no one to help, faces insurmountable challenges, reluctantly accepting help from other young kids, triumphs over forces adults cannot handle with abilities and knowledge far beyond that of a twelve year old - is the formula here. Nox and his twin brother Noah are sent to live in a house near an eerie forest because Noah is sick and needs treatment. Noah faces life with a positive attitude while Nox is ALWAYS angry. Though Nox learns a lesson about letting go of anger near the end of the book, his selfishness and bad attitude get irritating and make it hard to care about him after the first few chapters, especially since his anger hurts others and puts them in danger. Near the end, when chaos is reigning, Nox sees that many people are willing to help and care for him. It falls a bit flat. There are some twists and turns that add a little excitement here and there, but they never lift the story to something better than just okay. I really wanted to like this story but it was a bit of a downer for me. Hopefully book 2 will step up to its potential.