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Midnight Rooms
Set in a foreboding Gothic mansion and infused with the heightened paranoia and creeping horror of novels like Catherine House and Crimson Peak, a spine-chilling debut historical thriller from a fresh voice in the genre that will leave you questioning who, or what, you can trust . . . including your own sanity.
England, 1840. Orabella Mumthrope spies an unexpected visitor in her uncle’s parlor. Scruffy in appearance yet claiming to be the scion of a fabulously wealthy family, Elias Blakersby declares a deep desire to make Orabella his wife. The orphaned daughter of a white man and a Black woman—an outsider with no fortune or connections—Orabella never expected to marry. But her uncle has many debts, and Orabella, curious about the seeming devotion Elias bestows upon her, agrees.
The new bride is quickly whisked away to Korringhill Manor, the Blakersby family estate, and far from everything she knows. Expecting splendor, Orabella is shocked to find decay, skittish servants, and curt elders. But her kind new husband’s loving touch, promises of a happy life together, and his assurances she’ll never want for anything soothe her concerns.
Yet there is a darkness deep within this house. Rooms are locked or hidden away, and the walls seem to thrum with secrets. Orabella can never venture outside unattended; she spends her days having tea with a catatonic sister-in-law and evenings at Elias’s side, dutifully hosting lavish dinners. The darkness soon begins to engulf her, too. Becoming dizzy and drowsy after dinner, she falls into a fitful sleep filled with macabre dreams, and is awakened by blood-curdling screams in the night. In the morning she rises from her bed covered in mysterious bruises. Confused and terrified, she begins to question where her dreams end and reality begins. The longer Orabella stays in this place, the more she loses parts of herself . . . how long until she no longer exists?
Midnight Rooms is a sweeping saga with supernatural undertones set in Victorian England. Vibrating with tension, richly atmospheric—haunted by ghosts, guilt, and familial bonds—it is an electrifying story that will linger in your dreams.
England, 1840. Orabella Mumthrope spies an unexpected visitor in her uncle’s parlor. Scruffy in appearance yet claiming to be the scion of a fabulously wealthy family, Elias Blakersby declares a deep desire to make Orabella his wife. The orphaned daughter of a white man and a Black woman—an outsider with no fortune or connections—Orabella never expected to marry. But her uncle has many debts, and Orabella, curious about the seeming devotion Elias bestows upon her, agrees.
The new bride is quickly whisked away to Korringhill Manor, the Blakersby family estate, and far from everything she knows. Expecting splendor, Orabella is shocked to find decay, skittish servants, and curt elders. But her kind new husband’s loving touch, promises of a happy life together, and his assurances she’ll never want for anything soothe her concerns.
Yet there is a darkness deep within this house. Rooms are locked or hidden away, and the walls seem to thrum with secrets. Orabella can never venture outside unattended; she spends her days having tea with a catatonic sister-in-law and evenings at Elias’s side, dutifully hosting lavish dinners. The darkness soon begins to engulf her, too. Becoming dizzy and drowsy after dinner, she falls into a fitful sleep filled with macabre dreams, and is awakened by blood-curdling screams in the night. In the morning she rises from her bed covered in mysterious bruises. Confused and terrified, she begins to question where her dreams end and reality begins. The longer Orabella stays in this place, the more she loses parts of herself . . . how long until she no longer exists?
Midnight Rooms is a sweeping saga with supernatural undertones set in Victorian England. Vibrating with tension, richly atmospheric—haunted by ghosts, guilt, and familial bonds—it is an electrifying story that will linger in your dreams.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published July 2, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 456 reviews
November 24, 2023
A gothic novel meets a fairy tale meets a fever dream. I normally enjoy at least two of these things (fever dreams I could do without), but did I enjoy this book? Honestly, I'm really not sure ... but at least partially, I think? I mean, okay, so do you guys remember Labryinth (I, for one, will never forget David Bowie's, erm … pants), the scene where Sarah eats the drugged peach and then she's in the ballroom with the Goblin King and everyone is dancing and she's all dazed and confused and “As the World Falls Down” is playing in the background? That's pretty much this novel in a nutshell. Orabella spends a lot of time tea-roofied (seriously, why did she keep drinking the tea?!), there's lots of partying and dancing and other weird shenanigans while she's semi-conscious, and the next morning she wakes up in her room thinking that it must've all been a dream. Over and over and over.
There are parts of this book that I really loved. The beginning, especially, where she's meeting Elias and is whisked off to his derelict mansion to live with his bizarre family is really fantastic, and the sense of foreboding is tremendous. And some of the scenes, like the one where Orabella's hiding in the room with the stuffed fox, are delightfully creepy. There is a lot of repetition, however, and Orabella spends an extraordinary amount of time tea-roofied and wandering through hallways. I really loved the wedding night scene with the new in-laws (minus the bit about the fawn), but after the second or third time that I had to read through yet another chapter of “Orabella is drugged and everything is dream-like,” I was pretty much over it.
There is no denying, however, that Midnight Rooms is super atmospheric and creepy. I'm still not 100% sure what the deal was with Elias's family, but I really enjoyed “watching” Orabella try to figure it out. And I have to give it props for originality … well, as long as you ignore that that one scene from Labryinth exists, anyway. It's gothic-y and fairy tale-ish and Claresta is terrifying. I didn't always understand exactly what was happening (some parts of this book were really, really weird), but it was a wild ride.
Overall rating: 3.45 stars, rounded down. If you like fantastical gothic-y fairy tales (and can handle some repetition), you'll likely enjoy this one.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Amistad for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
There are parts of this book that I really loved. The beginning, especially, where she's meeting Elias and is whisked off to his derelict mansion to live with his bizarre family is really fantastic, and the sense of foreboding is tremendous. And some of the scenes, like the one where Orabella's hiding in the room with the stuffed fox, are delightfully creepy. There is a lot of repetition, however, and Orabella spends an extraordinary amount of time tea-roofied and wandering through hallways. I really loved the wedding night scene with the new in-laws (minus the bit about the fawn), but after the second or third time that I had to read through yet another chapter of “Orabella is drugged and everything is dream-like,” I was pretty much over it.
There is no denying, however, that Midnight Rooms is super atmospheric and creepy. I'm still not 100% sure what the deal was with Elias's family, but I really enjoyed “watching” Orabella try to figure it out. And I have to give it props for originality … well, as long as you ignore that that one scene from Labryinth exists, anyway. It's gothic-y and fairy tale-ish and Claresta is terrifying. I didn't always understand exactly what was happening (some parts of this book were really, really weird), but it was a wild ride.
Overall rating: 3.45 stars, rounded down. If you like fantastical gothic-y fairy tales (and can handle some repetition), you'll likely enjoy this one.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Amistad for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
September 6, 2024
I'm so confused but I liked it?
Like if the Brothers Grimm, Crimson Peak, The Secret Garden, Alice in Wonderland, Beauty & the Beast were all mashed together into a Feverish Sexy Gothic Fairytale inside the set of the ballroom scene from Labyrinth. I'm not entirely sure what happened--the narrator is in her early twenties, living with extended family when she enters into a marriage of convenience. She is whisked away to a dilapidated, crumbling estate. She is enraptured by her husband in every way, they get it on a lot--long scenes of sexual activity--and his family visits, there are weird parties, strange behaviors, drunken dancing, heady lovemaking, wandering in the woods, creatures and animals, and confusion. Maybe some fairies? Maybe incest? Maybe cannibalism? Listen, I'm not sure. But it's gruesome, erotic, and dreamy/Nightmarish.
Have fun!
Like if the Brothers Grimm, Crimson Peak, The Secret Garden, Alice in Wonderland, Beauty & the Beast were all mashed together into a Feverish Sexy Gothic Fairytale inside the set of the ballroom scene from Labyrinth. I'm not entirely sure what happened--the narrator is in her early twenties, living with extended family when she enters into a marriage of convenience. She is whisked away to a dilapidated, crumbling estate. She is enraptured by her husband in every way, they get it on a lot--long scenes of sexual activity--and his family visits, there are weird parties, strange behaviors, drunken dancing, heady lovemaking, wandering in the woods, creatures and animals, and confusion. Maybe some fairies? Maybe incest? Maybe cannibalism? Listen, I'm not sure. But it's gruesome, erotic, and dreamy/Nightmarish.
Have fun!
July 17, 2024
Started out very good. I liked Orabella and Elias.
Ended up what the what??? In the second half I had no idea what was happening most of the time. The writing did not lend itself to transparency.
I feel like no important questions were answered!
Ended up what the what??? In the second half I had no idea what was happening most of the time. The writing did not lend itself to transparency.
I feel like no important questions were answered!
December 20, 2023
I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me a chance at reading this book.
Normally it takes about 15% to figure out if I'll gell with a book. I started this book, let it sit at 8% for a couple weeks, returned to it and finished it in one sitting.
The book started off innocently enough - playing on the gothic tropes of new bride to a mysterious man in a large estate.... but then it got bizarre, weird, and difficult to understand. The narrative began to get choppy, and the writing took on an unreliable narrator tone that had me not quite understanding what exactly went on in the house.
There is abuse, there is incest (?), there is strange ritualistic things that either have to do with a cult or faeries / animals pretending to be humans. Nothing made a lick of sense, and nothing was explained as to the reason that the husband wanted her in the first place.
Clearly I'm not alone since everyone seems to be having an issue with this book.
Normally it takes about 15% to figure out if I'll gell with a book. I started this book, let it sit at 8% for a couple weeks, returned to it and finished it in one sitting.
The book started off innocently enough - playing on the gothic tropes of new bride to a mysterious man in a large estate.... but then it got bizarre, weird, and difficult to understand. The narrative began to get choppy, and the writing took on an unreliable narrator tone that had me not quite understanding what exactly went on in the house.
There is abuse, there is incest (?), there is strange ritualistic things that either have to do with a cult or faeries / animals pretending to be humans. Nothing made a lick of sense, and nothing was explained as to the reason that the husband wanted her in the first place.
Clearly I'm not alone since everyone seems to be having an issue with this book.
January 31, 2024
I think this book is the epitome of a fever dream. I was so confused yet entirely captivated page after page.
Orabella is a biracial woman who finds herself the ward of her white aunt and uncle as a child. One day, a mysterious man shows up at her uncle's house and makes an offer nobody can refuse: a marriage of convenience. What starts out as an innocent arrangement quickly spirals into a disorienting mashup of Beauty and the Beast meets Jane Eyre meets Crimson Peak, and it's all set in the Spring Court of ACOTAR.
And you're probably thinking, "That's a good thing?" Yes! I kept turning the page because no matter how cringed and freaked I was, I needed to know what happened next 👀
Orabella is one of my favorite FMCs ever. She is sassy, but she knows how to 'play the game,' and when to bite her tongue. I never felt detached from her or at odds; I was right there with her in every decision she made. I even found myself empathizing with Elias, sometimes, occasionally, okay, like, maybe once. But it happened.
The writing is truly beautiful, and if the author's goal was to ensure we are completely and utterly crawling in our skin for 300 pages, it's a success!
Orabella is a biracial woman who finds herself the ward of her white aunt and uncle as a child. One day, a mysterious man shows up at her uncle's house and makes an offer nobody can refuse: a marriage of convenience. What starts out as an innocent arrangement quickly spirals into a disorienting mashup of Beauty and the Beast meets Jane Eyre meets Crimson Peak, and it's all set in the Spring Court of ACOTAR.
And you're probably thinking, "That's a good thing?" Yes! I kept turning the page because no matter how cringed and freaked I was, I needed to know what happened next 👀
Orabella is one of my favorite FMCs ever. She is sassy, but she knows how to 'play the game,' and when to bite her tongue. I never felt detached from her or at odds; I was right there with her in every decision she made. I even found myself empathizing with Elias, sometimes, occasionally, okay, like, maybe once. But it happened.
The writing is truly beautiful, and if the author's goal was to ensure we are completely and utterly crawling in our skin for 300 pages, it's a success!
September 15, 2024
I usually don't care if people dislike books that I love. But reading the reviews on this book was making me SALTY. If you are turned off by traditional gothic themes maybe don't read gothic literature? This book should have a way higher rating, but unfortunately seems to be missing its target audience.
This book was precisely my *cup of tea* :P
Whimsical yet morbid gothic fairytale on a bad mushroom trip.
The tension and looming dread throughout this whole tale had me swallowing this story right up.
I loved the writing as well. I legitimately felt like I was lost in Orabella's shimmering fairytale world.
Romantic, repulsive, gorgeous, carnal, disorienting
My only negative comment is it was almost a little too similar to Crimson Peak. Bordering on knock-off.
*netgalley arc
This book was precisely my *cup of tea* :P
Whimsical yet morbid gothic fairytale on a bad mushroom trip.
The tension and looming dread throughout this whole tale had me swallowing this story right up.
I loved the writing as well. I legitimately felt like I was lost in Orabella's shimmering fairytale world.
Romantic, repulsive, gorgeous, carnal, disorienting
My only negative comment is it was almost a little too similar to Crimson Peak. Bordering on knock-off.
*netgalley arc
July 17, 2024
Did I like this book? I liked parts of it, for sure, but it was also a bewildering, confusing whirl of activity for most of the book, and there were definitely parts of it I didn't like. The setting is gorgeous, I loved the first couple chapters of set-up, and the writing was very poetic and pretty. But it was a bit downhill for me once she got to her marriage estate and things started happening. Honestly it's been a day since I finished, and I'm still not sure what was going on in this book. But I do know a few things:
1) The amount of times she realized she was being drugged and then forgot or forgot to care, or just let them keep drugging her was wild. She just went around like 85% of this book in a drugged haze.
2) There is definitely incest in this which I didn't expect, also lots of casual sexual harassment, non-consent, and a scene where It was a bit much for me.
3) The main character apparently just REALLY wanted d*ck. Like... she is miserable, she hates the house, she doesn't even entirely like her husband, she DEFINITELY dislikes his family, she is aware they are drugging her and treating her like a doll, yet everytime her husband comes by she's like ah yes, time for sex, and forgets it all. it's wild.
Anyway, I THINK what happened in the end was: But honestly, idek if this is accurate because it was very confusing. Yet I also couldn't put it down.
Idk, so, 3 stars I guess. So weird.
1) The amount of times she realized she was being drugged and then forgot or forgot to care, or just let them keep drugging her was wild. She just went around like 85% of this book in a drugged haze.
2) There is definitely incest in this which I didn't expect, also lots of casual sexual harassment, non-consent, and a scene where It was a bit much for me.
3) The main character apparently just REALLY wanted d*ck. Like... she is miserable, she hates the house, she doesn't even entirely like her husband, she DEFINITELY dislikes his family, she is aware they are drugging her and treating her like a doll, yet everytime her husband comes by she's like ah yes, time for sex, and forgets it all. it's wild.
Anyway, I THINK what happened in the end was: But honestly, idek if this is accurate because it was very confusing. Yet I also couldn't put it down.
Idk, so, 3 stars I guess. So weird.
June 30, 2024
This is what gothic horror is meant to be, offering a story that is as haunting as it is atmospheric. Set in Victorian England, this novel captivates with its rich, foreboding atmosphere and a creeping sense of dread that lingers with its readers.
Orabella, an orphaned woman of mixed race, is married to an eccentric wealthy man who has been enraptured with her for two years (which she did not know) in exchange for paying off her uncle's gambling debts. Orabella is whisked away to the decaying Manor and quickly isolated. The manor, far from the splendor she expected, is filled with locked rooms, mysterious noises, and a pervasive sense of decay.
Orabella’s journey is both terrifying and enthralling. The sinister undertones are beautifully crafted, drawing readers into a world where the lines between reality and nightmare blur because she is drugged almost all of the time. Orabella’s increasing confusion and fear are palpable. Her experiences are unsettling, her dreams macabre, and her reality confusing as everyone gaslights her repeatedly.
One of its strengths is its ability to instill a quiet, creeping dread. The atmosphere is thick with tension, and the sense of something malevolent lurking just out of sight is ever-present. Coles’s writing style perfectly captures the essence of gothic horror, with its deeper, hidden meanings and subtle build-up of anxiety. The themes of isolation, control, and the loss of self - especially for a BIPOC woman - are woven seamlessly into the story. The ambiguous ending is particularly effective, leaving readers with a sense of unease and SO many lingering questions. Those who prefer neat conclusions may find this unsettling, but it is precisely this open-endedness that enhances the novel’s impact and gothic vibes. The ending feels like waking from a nightmare—disorienting and incomplete, yet hauntingly memorable.
Orabella’s character is compelling, and her descent into confusion and terror is portrayed with a certain chilling realism. The malevolent forces at play treat her as a favored pet, and the power dynamics are both disturbing and fascinating. This WILL make you uncomfortable and that's the whole point. The fact that Orabella spends much of the story heavily drugged adds another layer of horror, as readers are never quite sure what is real and what is hallucination.
Midnight Rooms is a triumph of gothic horror. It is super atmospheric, deeply creepy, and filled with rich prose. For readers who enjoy tales of mild discomfort escalating into full-blown dread, this book is a must-read. There are so many unanswered questions. The journey and dream-like manner of storytelling itself is what makes it unforgettable.
Thanks to Storygram and Amistad Books for the copy. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary.
Orabella, an orphaned woman of mixed race, is married to an eccentric wealthy man who has been enraptured with her for two years (which she did not know) in exchange for paying off her uncle's gambling debts. Orabella is whisked away to the decaying Manor and quickly isolated. The manor, far from the splendor she expected, is filled with locked rooms, mysterious noises, and a pervasive sense of decay.
Orabella’s journey is both terrifying and enthralling. The sinister undertones are beautifully crafted, drawing readers into a world where the lines between reality and nightmare blur because she is drugged almost all of the time. Orabella’s increasing confusion and fear are palpable. Her experiences are unsettling, her dreams macabre, and her reality confusing as everyone gaslights her repeatedly.
One of its strengths is its ability to instill a quiet, creeping dread. The atmosphere is thick with tension, and the sense of something malevolent lurking just out of sight is ever-present. Coles’s writing style perfectly captures the essence of gothic horror, with its deeper, hidden meanings and subtle build-up of anxiety. The themes of isolation, control, and the loss of self - especially for a BIPOC woman - are woven seamlessly into the story. The ambiguous ending is particularly effective, leaving readers with a sense of unease and SO many lingering questions. Those who prefer neat conclusions may find this unsettling, but it is precisely this open-endedness that enhances the novel’s impact and gothic vibes. The ending feels like waking from a nightmare—disorienting and incomplete, yet hauntingly memorable.
Orabella’s character is compelling, and her descent into confusion and terror is portrayed with a certain chilling realism. The malevolent forces at play treat her as a favored pet, and the power dynamics are both disturbing and fascinating. This WILL make you uncomfortable and that's the whole point. The fact that Orabella spends much of the story heavily drugged adds another layer of horror, as readers are never quite sure what is real and what is hallucination.
Midnight Rooms is a triumph of gothic horror. It is super atmospheric, deeply creepy, and filled with rich prose. For readers who enjoy tales of mild discomfort escalating into full-blown dread, this book is a must-read. There are so many unanswered questions. The journey and dream-like manner of storytelling itself is what makes it unforgettable.
Thanks to Storygram and Amistad Books for the copy. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary.
July 5, 2024
One of the finest gothic horrors I've read! It's no secret I love this book and I'm going to shout about it forever. Thank you for the escape, the brilliance, and a perfectly unique and much needed creepy setting.
November 23, 2025
3.5⭐️ rounded-up.
🖤 Jane Eyre Vibes
🦌 Unreliable Narrator
🖤 Gothic Manor
🦌 Fever Dream Quality
🖤 Dark Fairytale
Audiobook read.
I adored many things about this book, but I found that it became a little too repetitive in the last half. I also found the ending a little bit rushed and confusing.
Orabella is whisked away to Korringhill Manor after a gunshot bethrothal to Elias Blakersby in Victorian England. She never expected to get married and as an orphan living with an uncle and aunt who are desperate to settle debts and maintain their societal standing, she doesn't have much choice in the matter.
So Elias comes in as this handsome and charming man, but you feel a definite sense of foreboding for Orabella right away. The fever-dream quality of this book arrives with her arrival at her new home, where she encounters eccentric family members and strange circumstances. I really loved the heavy-handed feelings of dread that the author builds throughout. There is some poignant visceral horror in this gothic story, and it does completely draw you in.
I did, however, start to lose interest in the second half of the book, as it felt like a lot of scenes were becoming repetitive for the sake of maintaining that haunted feel, without much plot advancement. As far as the actual plot, a lot is left up to interpretation—which is fine—but I felt as though some of the explanations and happenings that came out of nowhere led to a little bit of confusion.
Immaculate gothic horror vibes, but a little bit more context from about 75%-95% would've made for a better reading experience, for me. The ending itself was perfect, but I felt like I was missing too many larger details in the lead-up to it.
🖤 Jane Eyre Vibes
🦌 Unreliable Narrator
🖤 Gothic Manor
🦌 Fever Dream Quality
🖤 Dark Fairytale
Audiobook read.
I adored many things about this book, but I found that it became a little too repetitive in the last half. I also found the ending a little bit rushed and confusing.
Orabella is whisked away to Korringhill Manor after a gunshot bethrothal to Elias Blakersby in Victorian England. She never expected to get married and as an orphan living with an uncle and aunt who are desperate to settle debts and maintain their societal standing, she doesn't have much choice in the matter.
So Elias comes in as this handsome and charming man, but you feel a definite sense of foreboding for Orabella right away. The fever-dream quality of this book arrives with her arrival at her new home, where she encounters eccentric family members and strange circumstances. I really loved the heavy-handed feelings of dread that the author builds throughout. There is some poignant visceral horror in this gothic story, and it does completely draw you in.
I did, however, start to lose interest in the second half of the book, as it felt like a lot of scenes were becoming repetitive for the sake of maintaining that haunted feel, without much plot advancement. As far as the actual plot, a lot is left up to interpretation—which is fine—but I felt as though some of the explanations and happenings that came out of nowhere led to a little bit of confusion.
Immaculate gothic horror vibes, but a little bit more context from about 75%-95% would've made for a better reading experience, for me. The ending itself was perfect, but I felt like I was missing too many larger details in the lead-up to it.
March 2, 2024
This was one of my top two most anticipated books of 2024 and I have mixed feelings…
Gothic horror is my favorite sub-genre, so I will always be excited for a gothic book! And this book definitely gave the gothic vibes! It was very atmospheric and reminded me of Crimson Peak in some ways. It was slow paced and eery. And while reading I really loved the mystery and intrigue. I couldn’t wait to find out what was going on with this family that our main character had married into!
However, I have now finished the book and I still have no idea what was going on. I was left with countless questions after finishing. There were so many mysteries that were a part of this story, but what was the point when none of the mysteries were solved?? I really thought I was going to love this book & the revelation of what was going on in the story, but the story ended with nothing but confusion… It was also lacking a little in scene description, I couldn’t always picture what was happening.
The whole book felt like one big fever dream, which was super intriguing at first, but since I never got any clarity to the story, I just couldn’t love this like I wanted to. I enjoyed the ride, but the conclusion wasn’t worth it. I do think the story could make a better movie though, if the story is fleshed out more. I’m giving it 3 stars based on the potential of what it could’ve been.
Thank you Amistad and NetGalley for this arc. All opinions are my own.
Gothic horror is my favorite sub-genre, so I will always be excited for a gothic book! And this book definitely gave the gothic vibes! It was very atmospheric and reminded me of Crimson Peak in some ways. It was slow paced and eery. And while reading I really loved the mystery and intrigue. I couldn’t wait to find out what was going on with this family that our main character had married into!
However, I have now finished the book and I still have no idea what was going on. I was left with countless questions after finishing. There were so many mysteries that were a part of this story, but what was the point when none of the mysteries were solved?? I really thought I was going to love this book & the revelation of what was going on in the story, but the story ended with nothing but confusion… It was also lacking a little in scene description, I couldn’t always picture what was happening.
The whole book felt like one big fever dream, which was super intriguing at first, but since I never got any clarity to the story, I just couldn’t love this like I wanted to. I enjoyed the ride, but the conclusion wasn’t worth it. I do think the story could make a better movie though, if the story is fleshed out more. I’m giving it 3 stars based on the potential of what it could’ve been.
Thank you Amistad and NetGalley for this arc. All opinions are my own.
March 19, 2025
What did I even just read? I saw some reviews that mentioned this being like a fever dream and yes, that is the most accurate summation I could give. It started out feeling like an actual story then just slowly unraveled and devolved into fleeting glimpses of maybe this dark thing or that foreboding one. Honey this and honey that. I honestly couldn’t tell you much of what actually happened, not even the main character seemed to grasp much of it. It was more like a disorienting drugged haze.
I was hoping for some kind of understanding of what had been going on by the end. Some kind of culminations or resolutions and there really just wasn’t. I put everything on 1.3x speed and just finished it out the last several chapters, realizing none of it was going to make any kind of sense or shape. I feel rather like my questions and suspense at the beginning of the novel just all fell flat because there was never going to be any kind of end.
I was hoping for some kind of understanding of what had been going on by the end. Some kind of culminations or resolutions and there really just wasn’t. I put everything on 1.3x speed and just finished it out the last several chapters, realizing none of it was going to make any kind of sense or shape. I feel rather like my questions and suspense at the beginning of the novel just all fell flat because there was never going to be any kind of end.
March 23, 2025
Personally, I would take advantage of the fever dream state of the situation and just kill anyone in the family who’s been mean to me in the slightest. But that’s just me I guess.
March 1, 2025
A phenomenal, addictive read! Five stars across the board!
I had found this book by chance, was enchanted by the cover & upon reading reviews met alot of confusion laced with discomfort. People hated and loved the book at the same time. Were confused by the ending. Disturbed but what they saw yet couldn't seem to put the book down..
That's how I knew this was going to be a true delight for any gothic lover.
Now this book does come with a lot of trigger warnings & if you aren't familiar with gothic horror literature keep this in mind: incest, cannibalism, gore, sexual violence, gaslighting, abuse are shown here. But I want to try and explain some things that confused people the most.
I had found this book by chance, was enchanted by the cover & upon reading reviews met alot of confusion laced with discomfort. People hated and loved the book at the same time. Were confused by the ending. Disturbed but what they saw yet couldn't seem to put the book down..
That's how I knew this was going to be a true delight for any gothic lover.
Now this book does come with a lot of trigger warnings & if you aren't familiar with gothic horror literature keep this in mind: incest, cannibalism, gore, sexual violence, gaslighting, abuse are shown here. But I want to try and explain some things that confused people the most.
December 27, 2023
Now THIS is how you write a Gothic!
With dark, decadently rich prose, Coles delivers the ultimate gothic novel. Our heroine, Orabella, is an abject people-pleaser due to being an orphan who was raised by an aunt and uncle who never wanted her. This makes her a perfect bride for the eccentric Elias, who whisks her away to Korringhill Manor, the ultimate Victorian gothic setting. Its dilapidated state brings Crimson Peak and Mexican Gothic to mind, only with more vivid descriptions and a huge maze of hidden passages and rooms that you can smell.
The mysterious secrets the husband, staff, and family keep from Orabella rival those in the novel, Rebecca, and I really felt for her as she wrestled with her compliant upbringing and rage for the constant efforts to control her. The darkness, decay, and cloying teas and wines envelop both the heroine and the reader as we're taken through a fever dream that's both compelling and frightening. But, just as Orabella can't stop exploring the dark maze of the manor, the reader can't stop turning the pages, compelled by eerie mysteries and vivid storytelling all the way to the end.
With dark, decadently rich prose, Coles delivers the ultimate gothic novel. Our heroine, Orabella, is an abject people-pleaser due to being an orphan who was raised by an aunt and uncle who never wanted her. This makes her a perfect bride for the eccentric Elias, who whisks her away to Korringhill Manor, the ultimate Victorian gothic setting. Its dilapidated state brings Crimson Peak and Mexican Gothic to mind, only with more vivid descriptions and a huge maze of hidden passages and rooms that you can smell.
The mysterious secrets the husband, staff, and family keep from Orabella rival those in the novel, Rebecca, and I really felt for her as she wrestled with her compliant upbringing and rage for the constant efforts to control her. The darkness, decay, and cloying teas and wines envelop both the heroine and the reader as we're taken through a fever dream that's both compelling and frightening. But, just as Orabella can't stop exploring the dark maze of the manor, the reader can't stop turning the pages, compelled by eerie mysteries and vivid storytelling all the way to the end.
January 16, 2024
“…she wanted him and nothing else and she was a horrible, mad thing and maybe she had always been so”
Thank you, Net Galley and Amistad for allowing me to review this book!
Set in the late 1800s, Orabella, who was raised by her aunt and uncle, is married off to settle debts to a man she does not know. This man, Elias, is charming, beautiful and mysterious. After promising Orabella the world, she’s taken to his home, Korringhill.
Instantly, Orabella realizes that something is off about Elias, his family, and the happenings within the walls of Korringhill. But it’s the friendship between herself and her maid, Sloane, that the pieces start to fall into place and it’s clear that something isn’t quite right.
Orabella finds herself in the center of a scheme that has her trapped. She loses pieces of herself over and over again to Elias, his family, and the darkness that attempts to consume her; until she finally fights back.
Midnight Rooms is described as a gothic horror mystery and I found that it fits that description well. From the whimsical/flowery language the author uses to the eerie setting and terrifying themes, it screams gothic horror.
There were some creepy elements in the story, especially in the beginning when Orabella began experiencing strange things in her new home. But it isn’t really scary. If you’re looking for something along the lines of Winchester (2018) -what I was hoping for- this isn’t it. It’s a great starter for someone just going into reading horror and just wants some spooky, gothic vibes.
Orabella is not a likable character. Some things happen to her over and over and she continues to allow them to happen to her. Maybe it has to do with her upbringing and the way her aunt and uncle treated her but it was annoying to witness.
She was raised by white "parents" in a white society even though she was biracial. She even mentions being treated differently while living in Bristol. Then she's married into this white family that treats her like a "pet", "thing", or basically as property. After all, she endured, the ending was extremely disappointing. I get that she loved Elias (which is why I chose the quote that I chose). In regards to the ending, the epilogue felt rushed and disjointed from the rest of the book.
Yes, there are some errors throughout but what affected my reading experience most was that there were quite a few times where it wasn't really clear at all what was going on in certain sequences.
I do get Crimson Peak vibes. I think if you are new to the horror genre, this is a good option as it's not too scary but has the right amount of spooky vibes. As is, I wouldn't pick this one up again. I would love to see some updates made on this because the plot is solid and it has so much potential. And that cover is gorgeous.
2.75 stars
Thank you, Net Galley and Amistad for allowing me to review this book!
Set in the late 1800s, Orabella, who was raised by her aunt and uncle, is married off to settle debts to a man she does not know. This man, Elias, is charming, beautiful and mysterious. After promising Orabella the world, she’s taken to his home, Korringhill.
Instantly, Orabella realizes that something is off about Elias, his family, and the happenings within the walls of Korringhill. But it’s the friendship between herself and her maid, Sloane, that the pieces start to fall into place and it’s clear that something isn’t quite right.
Orabella finds herself in the center of a scheme that has her trapped. She loses pieces of herself over and over again to Elias, his family, and the darkness that attempts to consume her; until she finally fights back.
Midnight Rooms is described as a gothic horror mystery and I found that it fits that description well. From the whimsical/flowery language the author uses to the eerie setting and terrifying themes, it screams gothic horror.
There were some creepy elements in the story, especially in the beginning when Orabella began experiencing strange things in her new home. But it isn’t really scary. If you’re looking for something along the lines of Winchester (2018) -what I was hoping for- this isn’t it. It’s a great starter for someone just going into reading horror and just wants some spooky, gothic vibes.
Orabella is not a likable character. Some things happen to her over and over and she continues to allow them to happen to her. Maybe it has to do with her upbringing and the way her aunt and uncle treated her but it was annoying to witness.
She was raised by white "parents" in a white society even though she was biracial. She even mentions being treated differently while living in Bristol. Then she's married into this white family that treats her like a "pet", "thing", or basically as property. After all, she endured, the ending was extremely disappointing. I get that she loved Elias (which is why I chose the quote that I chose). In regards to the ending, the epilogue felt rushed and disjointed from the rest of the book.
Yes, there are some errors throughout but what affected my reading experience most was that there were quite a few times where it wasn't really clear at all what was going on in certain sequences.
I do get Crimson Peak vibes. I think if you are new to the horror genre, this is a good option as it's not too scary but has the right amount of spooky vibes. As is, I wouldn't pick this one up again. I would love to see some updates made on this because the plot is solid and it has so much potential. And that cover is gorgeous.
2.75 stars
October 10, 2024
“Should I find a patch of grass and lie down so the moss can grow over my body, the leaves can be my blanket? Or maybe I’ll sprout mushrooms and a new little hall will grow here from what’s left of me. A new little house for a new little wife.”
📚
In England, 1840, orphan Orabella Mumthrope, daughter of a Black woman and white man, resides with her callous aunt and uncle, who begrudgingly care for her to maintain their social standing. An outsider with no connections or funds, she lives a tense, precarious, and lonely existence until Elias Blakersby, kind though shabbily dressed and claiming familial wealth, confesses his desire to marry her, offering an alluring, assurance-filled arrangement that erases her uncle’s debts.
Following their hasty, fanfareless wedding, the couple travel to Korringhill Manor, a filthy, foreboding, decaying, labyrinthine mansion riddled with darkness, rot, secrets, oddities, terse relatives, and nervous servants. Orabella is forbidden from venturing anywhere unattended, locked inside her room each night, and feels tired, dizzy, and confused constantly. She loses time, wakes to horrific screams, discovers mysterious bruises, and experiences horrible nightmares. Can she uncover whatever Elias and his family are hiding before it’s too late, and can she trust anyone, or is she losing her mind?
Midnight Rooms reads like a hazy, drug-induced fever dream, pulling the reader along on Orabella’s bizarre and frightening journey. The line between fantasy and reality is blurry at best, the writing captivating and storyline immersive, weaving a mesmeric web of confusion, risk, lust, and madness. The gothic aspects are incredible, the atmosphere sumptuous and ruinously decadent, deranged, uncanny, disquieting, and utterly wrong, while the narrative oozes eroticism, mystery, peril, and malice.
It’s a taut, chilling, creeping, terrifying, horrifying reading experience surrounding use, abuse, doubt, and lies; men, beasts, monsters, and fae; murder, evil, gaslighting, and perversion; racism, sexism, classism, and shadows; and paranoia, guilt, kinship, and ghosts. A sweeping, eerie, spectral, strange, and genre-melding dark fairy tale with supernatural undertones that would make for fascinating book club discussions, as questions and ambiguities abound. This is a must-read for Victorian gothic enthusiasts and those seeking a twisty, intense, and haunting read.
📚
In England, 1840, orphan Orabella Mumthrope, daughter of a Black woman and white man, resides with her callous aunt and uncle, who begrudgingly care for her to maintain their social standing. An outsider with no connections or funds, she lives a tense, precarious, and lonely existence until Elias Blakersby, kind though shabbily dressed and claiming familial wealth, confesses his desire to marry her, offering an alluring, assurance-filled arrangement that erases her uncle’s debts.
Following their hasty, fanfareless wedding, the couple travel to Korringhill Manor, a filthy, foreboding, decaying, labyrinthine mansion riddled with darkness, rot, secrets, oddities, terse relatives, and nervous servants. Orabella is forbidden from venturing anywhere unattended, locked inside her room each night, and feels tired, dizzy, and confused constantly. She loses time, wakes to horrific screams, discovers mysterious bruises, and experiences horrible nightmares. Can she uncover whatever Elias and his family are hiding before it’s too late, and can she trust anyone, or is she losing her mind?
Midnight Rooms reads like a hazy, drug-induced fever dream, pulling the reader along on Orabella’s bizarre and frightening journey. The line between fantasy and reality is blurry at best, the writing captivating and storyline immersive, weaving a mesmeric web of confusion, risk, lust, and madness. The gothic aspects are incredible, the atmosphere sumptuous and ruinously decadent, deranged, uncanny, disquieting, and utterly wrong, while the narrative oozes eroticism, mystery, peril, and malice.
It’s a taut, chilling, creeping, terrifying, horrifying reading experience surrounding use, abuse, doubt, and lies; men, beasts, monsters, and fae; murder, evil, gaslighting, and perversion; racism, sexism, classism, and shadows; and paranoia, guilt, kinship, and ghosts. A sweeping, eerie, spectral, strange, and genre-melding dark fairy tale with supernatural undertones that would make for fascinating book club discussions, as questions and ambiguities abound. This is a must-read for Victorian gothic enthusiasts and those seeking a twisty, intense, and haunting read.
November 1, 2024
I was promised Mexican Gothic meets Pan's Labyrinth set in the 1800's and...yeah. Yeah, that pretty much encapsulates what this is.
A gothic, atmospheric read where a young woman in a historical setting is whisked off to a remote and creepy manor where creepy things start to happen to her. This tackles topics like autonomy and era-typical misogyny, etc. Less fungus (although there is some fungus) and more faerie tale. And spice. I was a little blindsided by the spice.
I've seen some people thrown off by Orabella's unwillingness to see/act on the red flags happening around her for so long through the book.
That didn't bother me. It made sense to me in the context of Orabella's historical situation.
She's a young, Black women in the 1800's who's been borderline coerced into marriage. What were her other options? And now that she's out in the country side, isolated and surrounded only by her creepy new family, what options does she have if she can't make her situation work? Leave? And go where? With what resources? She's 100 per cent reliant on her husband and his family. She's trapped.
Add to that: everything she's been trained to believe is right and proper. She would have spent most of her life absorbing the societal standard that saw wives as extensions of their husbands. She's supposed to see herself as a dependant. She's been taught to think of accomplishment in terms of being a "good wife," and not shaking the boat for her husband too much.
So, yeah. She really wants to turn a blind eye. She doesn't want to know. She's not looking for trouble.
I actually thought that characterization was important, for the very reason that it contrasted with what you would expect from a modern heroine. She's not a modern heroine, and that made the growth you see in her more poignant, in my opinion.
A gothic, atmospheric read where a young woman in a historical setting is whisked off to a remote and creepy manor where creepy things start to happen to her. This tackles topics like autonomy and era-typical misogyny, etc. Less fungus (although there is some fungus) and more faerie tale. And spice. I was a little blindsided by the spice.
I've seen some people thrown off by Orabella's unwillingness to see/act on the red flags happening around her for so long through the book.
That didn't bother me. It made sense to me in the context of Orabella's historical situation.
She's a young, Black women in the 1800's who's been borderline coerced into marriage. What were her other options? And now that she's out in the country side, isolated and surrounded only by her creepy new family, what options does she have if she can't make her situation work? Leave? And go where? With what resources? She's 100 per cent reliant on her husband and his family. She's trapped.
Add to that: everything she's been trained to believe is right and proper. She would have spent most of her life absorbing the societal standard that saw wives as extensions of their husbands. She's supposed to see herself as a dependant. She's been taught to think of accomplishment in terms of being a "good wife," and not shaking the boat for her husband too much.
So, yeah. She really wants to turn a blind eye. She doesn't want to know. She's not looking for trouble.
I actually thought that characterization was important, for the very reason that it contrasted with what you would expect from a modern heroine. She's not a modern heroine, and that made the growth you see in her more poignant, in my opinion.
February 17, 2025
I was a bit hesitant about this one due to the low ratings here on Goodreads and the fact that I don't typically love Gothic horror. BUT the cover is gorgeous and its Black History Month, so I'm prioritizing books by black authors.
I get why some people won't like Donyae Coles' Midnight Rooms, but hot damn, I thought it was FANTASTIC!
A couple warnings:
One, this book is a wild fever-dream of corpses, cake, sex and honey, secret passages and rotting gardens. It's very strange, but also darkly seductive. I don't normally like romantic elements in anything, but I couldn't help but be enthralled by what was going on between Orabella and Elias in this narrative. Like, what was going on between them??? Is it gross?? Do I kinda like it?
Two, this is one of those books that doesn't end neatly-wrapped. Midnight Rooms does not explicitly tell the reader what tf was going on, so if you like all your questions answered, maybe steer clear.
But if you don't mind being swept away into madness and you like creepy, old mansions full of family secrets, then maybe give this a shot. The writing is as decadent as the cakes and don't let the cover fool you! This book isn't YA or cute or whimsical. It's DARK and steamy and disorienting.
Midnight Rooms manages to feel totally original despite reminding me of a lot of things, mostly Crimson Peake and that Darren Aronofsky movie, Mother! But also Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic with a hint of Beauty and the Beast if you take bits from both the Disney version and the smutty one written by Anne Rice.
So anyway. I'm rating Donyae Coles' Midnight Rooms 4.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up.
I get why some people won't like Donyae Coles' Midnight Rooms, but hot damn, I thought it was FANTASTIC!
A couple warnings:
One, this book is a wild fever-dream of corpses, cake, sex and honey, secret passages and rotting gardens. It's very strange, but also darkly seductive. I don't normally like romantic elements in anything, but I couldn't help but be enthralled by what was going on between Orabella and Elias in this narrative. Like, what was going on between them??? Is it gross?? Do I kinda like it?
Two, this is one of those books that doesn't end neatly-wrapped. Midnight Rooms does not explicitly tell the reader what tf was going on, so if you like all your questions answered, maybe steer clear.
But if you don't mind being swept away into madness and you like creepy, old mansions full of family secrets, then maybe give this a shot. The writing is as decadent as the cakes and don't let the cover fool you! This book isn't YA or cute or whimsical. It's DARK and steamy and disorienting.
Midnight Rooms manages to feel totally original despite reminding me of a lot of things, mostly Crimson Peake and that Darren Aronofsky movie, Mother! But also Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Mexican Gothic with a hint of Beauty and the Beast if you take bits from both the Disney version and the smutty one written by Anne Rice.
So anyway. I'm rating Donyae Coles' Midnight Rooms 4.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up.
August 20, 2024
If Labyrinth, Crimson Peak, and a Grimm’s fairytale had a gothic, enchanting, and horrific baby! The audiobook narrator had such a dreamlike quality to her voice that fit so perfectly with the story I felt as if I was as drugged and floaty as Orabella! Would love to physically read this someday if only to get a better picture of what the hell was going on!
June 21, 2024
Review in the June 2024 issue of Library Journal
Issue also contains an interview with the author: https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/...
Three Words That Describe This Book: Gothic, menacing, dangerous family secrets
Draft Review:
Orabella, a half Black orphan, lives under the care of her Uncle in 1840s England. She has been raised in the city as her cousin’s companion, but now that her cousin has married, Orabella’s Uncle is eager to marry her off as well. When the handsome and rich Elias Blakersby asks for her hand, Orabella, knowing her options are few, eagerly accepts. Whisked off to the family estate in the countryside, Orabella is separated from everyone and everything she knows. What follows is a classic Gothic, with serious Jane Eyre vibes, told with a deep reverence for and knowledge of the genre. The writing style and common tropes fans have come to expect are all here– the decaying house, ever shifting hallways, odd family gatherings, and a deadly, inherited curse that the new bride’s blood may help to cure. But there is also a modern sensibility that will hook today’s readers like references to (literal) gas lightings and sensual and empowering sex scenes. As the gorgeous cover portends, this is not your grandmother’s Gothic, and thank goodness for that.
Verdict: Coles’ novel is another stellar example of how marginalized voices are taking a perennially popular genre previously populated solely by white characters and authors and revitalizing it for 21st Century readers in a manner that honors its history but injects brand new terrors similar to Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas.
Notes:
This is Jane Eyre written in that style but with a modern touch (positive and empowering to the MC sex scenes!) and a black protagonist. She is married into the family to help diversify their blood. Racial undertone there but also because there is a reason they need it-- a terrifying secret about the family's curse.
It is a Gothic set in the Victorian era with the knowledge if the Genre without being overly meta. I did enjoy a few times early on when Orabella talks about how without the "gas lighting" happening on the streets of the city, while out at the Blakersby estate, how she cannot tell what time it is. That was a nice wink-wink to the genre but still fits into the story telling.
There is the tea she must drink, the wine with every dinner, her sleepiness and inability to remember where and when she is, the locked doors, decaying building, twisting and changing hallways, and the creepy animals outside and on the wallpaper. The undelivered letters and weird family members, including the sister.
Great cover, sweeping Gothic with all the tensions and atmosphere and a terrifying supernatural secret.
Orabella is yet another great example of how marginalized voices are taking a genre thought to be populated solely by white characters and authors and remaking it into something refreshing, tales that honor old tropes to terrify in brand new ways like Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and The Hacienda by Isabel Canes.
Issue also contains an interview with the author: https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/...
Three Words That Describe This Book: Gothic, menacing, dangerous family secrets
Draft Review:
Orabella, a half Black orphan, lives under the care of her Uncle in 1840s England. She has been raised in the city as her cousin’s companion, but now that her cousin has married, Orabella’s Uncle is eager to marry her off as well. When the handsome and rich Elias Blakersby asks for her hand, Orabella, knowing her options are few, eagerly accepts. Whisked off to the family estate in the countryside, Orabella is separated from everyone and everything she knows. What follows is a classic Gothic, with serious Jane Eyre vibes, told with a deep reverence for and knowledge of the genre. The writing style and common tropes fans have come to expect are all here– the decaying house, ever shifting hallways, odd family gatherings, and a deadly, inherited curse that the new bride’s blood may help to cure. But there is also a modern sensibility that will hook today’s readers like references to (literal) gas lightings and sensual and empowering sex scenes. As the gorgeous cover portends, this is not your grandmother’s Gothic, and thank goodness for that.
Verdict: Coles’ novel is another stellar example of how marginalized voices are taking a perennially popular genre previously populated solely by white characters and authors and revitalizing it for 21st Century readers in a manner that honors its history but injects brand new terrors similar to Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas.
Notes:
This is Jane Eyre written in that style but with a modern touch (positive and empowering to the MC sex scenes!) and a black protagonist. She is married into the family to help diversify their blood. Racial undertone there but also because there is a reason they need it-- a terrifying secret about the family's curse.
It is a Gothic set in the Victorian era with the knowledge if the Genre without being overly meta. I did enjoy a few times early on when Orabella talks about how without the "gas lighting" happening on the streets of the city, while out at the Blakersby estate, how she cannot tell what time it is. That was a nice wink-wink to the genre but still fits into the story telling.
There is the tea she must drink, the wine with every dinner, her sleepiness and inability to remember where and when she is, the locked doors, decaying building, twisting and changing hallways, and the creepy animals outside and on the wallpaper. The undelivered letters and weird family members, including the sister.
Great cover, sweeping Gothic with all the tensions and atmosphere and a terrifying supernatural secret.
Orabella is yet another great example of how marginalized voices are taking a genre thought to be populated solely by white characters and authors and remaking it into something refreshing, tales that honor old tropes to terrify in brand new ways like Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and The Hacienda by Isabel Canes.
October 5, 2024
There were things I liked about this book - I think the imagery and language were lovely. This book was like one long dark fairytale nightmare, and I really enjoyed that aesthetic. But, there were some things left to be desired.
It felt at times like the author was confused about where she wanted the story to end up. There were a lot of ideas, but none of them were fully explained or finished.
The author mentioned this is her first novel, and to me it seemed like she was trying to fit every gothic trope ever written into one book. Orphaned FMC reliant on the charity of distant family who really don’t want her? Check. Slightly creepy MMC who sweeps her away to his dark, equally creepy manor? Check. Secrets being kept from the FMC? Check. Weird, fever dreams? Check. Monsters/supernatural entities roaming the halls? Also check. Don’t get me wrong, I love gothic literature and the tropes that go along with it - but to me, it seemed like a lot of them were thrown in just for the sake of including them.
I just felt like I had way more questions than answers:
1. What were the origins of Elias’ family? Were they always inhuman?
2. What was the deal with all the discarded clothes, dishes and furniture?
3. Who killed Sloan/why was she killed? That was thrown in there but never explained.
4. What was going on with Lovell/Elias? Seemed like the author was going for a Jekyll/Hyde thing at some points, at others it was like they were two different people.
5. What’s the deal with Claresta? Why was she just a motionless, mute doll for the majority of the story?
6. What was up with the ending? The only thing you’re curious about is whether he saw Claresta at the window? Nothing about why he basically spirited you away under false pretenses to be a brood mare for his creepy family?
Overall, I enjoyed the dark fairytale aesthetic, but I think this book would have benefited from another round of edits and better clarification of the plot.
It felt at times like the author was confused about where she wanted the story to end up. There were a lot of ideas, but none of them were fully explained or finished.
The author mentioned this is her first novel, and to me it seemed like she was trying to fit every gothic trope ever written into one book. Orphaned FMC reliant on the charity of distant family who really don’t want her? Check. Slightly creepy MMC who sweeps her away to his dark, equally creepy manor? Check. Secrets being kept from the FMC? Check. Weird, fever dreams? Check. Monsters/supernatural entities roaming the halls? Also check. Don’t get me wrong, I love gothic literature and the tropes that go along with it - but to me, it seemed like a lot of them were thrown in just for the sake of including them.
I just felt like I had way more questions than answers:
1. What were the origins of Elias’ family? Were they always inhuman?
2. What was the deal with all the discarded clothes, dishes and furniture?
3. Who killed Sloan/why was she killed? That was thrown in there but never explained.
4. What was going on with Lovell/Elias? Seemed like the author was going for a Jekyll/Hyde thing at some points, at others it was like they were two different people.
5. What’s the deal with Claresta? Why was she just a motionless, mute doll for the majority of the story?
6. What was up with the ending? The only thing you’re curious about is whether he saw Claresta at the window? Nothing about why he basically spirited you away under false pretenses to be a brood mare for his creepy family?
Overall, I enjoyed the dark fairytale aesthetic, but I think this book would have benefited from another round of edits and better clarification of the plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2024
Just. Don’t. Read. This. I’m not even trying to be funny or intriguing; it’s just an utter waste of time. I bought this book with a Mother’s Day gift card my daughters gave me and I am absolutely ashamed and appalled that I have wasted their precious gift to me on THIS book. I only finished the 325 pages of this “story” because I was hoping for some kind of redemption, some small piece that would make it all worth it, but, spoiler alert: IT DOES NOT GET BETTER!!! The writing is horrible, with the too frequent short sentences and the run-on sentences that just don’t make any sense. The narrator is a weak character that has no depth or development or discovery and that does nothing to help improve her circumstance; she just lets everything happen around her and to her. In my opinion, the best part of this book is that it’s over and I never have to read it again. Please do yourself a favor and choose another book!
P. S. I’m seriously contemplating throwing my copy on the fire so I can at least enjoy the s’mores I roast over it….but I’m concerned it might actually taint them and make them unbearable as well. Maybe I’ll just throw it on the fire and enjoy knowing that no one else will have to read it.
P. S. I’m seriously contemplating throwing my copy on the fire so I can at least enjoy the s’mores I roast over it….but I’m concerned it might actually taint them and make them unbearable as well. Maybe I’ll just throw it on the fire and enjoy knowing that no one else will have to read it.
September 10, 2025
A wonderful fever dream of a gothic novel. I understand why people might not like this book, but if you’re a fan of gothic fiction and don’t mind ambiguous endings and constantly questioning what is really going on (as I personally think you should in a gothic novel) then you should absolutely read this book. MIDNIGHT ROOMS is like if Get Out met Crimson Peak in a fairy ring. Unsettling and layered with themes of identity and agency, this novel has given us a gothic heroine that I think we may have all been silently waiting for.
It hit the spot so hard.
It hit the spot so hard.
June 16, 2024
DNF - the writing starts off gorgeous, but then becomes repetitive; the attempts to make the Manor creepy felt either over-the-top or didn't make sense (we hear that Orabella is scared but it's not completely clear why).
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss.
October 15, 2024
I ate this tf up
Read
December 31, 2024DNF 20%
September 27, 2025
2.5 stars. Nothing but gothic vibes, a half formed plot and a million loose ends
May 14, 2025
Sadly, not what I expected. There wasn't much substance to the story. The writing was decent. I probably would have DNFed if I hadn't owned a copy (purchased based on cover).
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April 15, 2024
I was very happy when I got the arc for this book. The comp title of Crimson Peak and the cover made me really excited to read it, but the writing and story didn’t hold up to my expectations.
The entire beginning and middle was a poorly written replica of Crimson Peak. The ending was just a rush of words and unsatisfying, almost nonexistent character arcs. I wish Coles took more time to describe the characters’ depths than she did with descriptions of the environment. I’d find myself skimming through passages of furniture, wishing I was reading more about the characters instead.
The sentence structure became very cramped and repetitive in most chapters, especially in the detailed passages. Every sentence had an interruption with too many breaks and commas. Everything had to be compared to anything previously mentioned. Every single action was force fed to the reader. I don’t need to know the details of Orabella spearing a piece of meat, lifting it to her mouth, placing it on her tongue, and chewing. I couldn’t understand whole paragraphs with how incomplete and confusing they read. The middle chapters were almost unreadable, which sucked because I really wanted to get to the story, but I couldn’t hear it through all the noise of bad sentences and redundancy.
No plot twist was a shock because none of the elements were very new or clever. The two-sided husband, the poisoned tea, the letters, every element held no suspense or surprise because they were so obvious and previously used in Crimson Peak and the Bronte works. Orabella also just wasn’t very smart. I would get it if she dismissed the strange manor because she was blinded by love or needed an escape from her upbringing, but she didn’t seem connected to anything or anyone. No one felt connected to the story because of the writing.
With a lot of editing and some changes in the plot, I think this could have been a good book. Maybe the published version will turn out different.
The entire beginning and middle was a poorly written replica of Crimson Peak. The ending was just a rush of words and unsatisfying, almost nonexistent character arcs. I wish Coles took more time to describe the characters’ depths than she did with descriptions of the environment. I’d find myself skimming through passages of furniture, wishing I was reading more about the characters instead.
The sentence structure became very cramped and repetitive in most chapters, especially in the detailed passages. Every sentence had an interruption with too many breaks and commas. Everything had to be compared to anything previously mentioned. Every single action was force fed to the reader. I don’t need to know the details of Orabella spearing a piece of meat, lifting it to her mouth, placing it on her tongue, and chewing. I couldn’t understand whole paragraphs with how incomplete and confusing they read. The middle chapters were almost unreadable, which sucked because I really wanted to get to the story, but I couldn’t hear it through all the noise of bad sentences and redundancy.
No plot twist was a shock because none of the elements were very new or clever. The two-sided husband, the poisoned tea, the letters, every element held no suspense or surprise because they were so obvious and previously used in Crimson Peak and the Bronte works. Orabella also just wasn’t very smart. I would get it if she dismissed the strange manor because she was blinded by love or needed an escape from her upbringing, but she didn’t seem connected to anything or anyone. No one felt connected to the story because of the writing.
With a lot of editing and some changes in the plot, I think this could have been a good book. Maybe the published version will turn out different.
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