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The Midnights: An Emotionally Gripping YA Novel of Music, Grief, and Finding Yourself
Susannah Hayes has never been in the spotlight, but she dreams of following her father, a former rock star, onto the stage. As senior year begins, she’s more interested in composing impressive chord progressions than college essays, certain that if she writes the perfect song, her father might finally look up from the past long enough to see her. But when he dies unexpectedly her dreams—and her reality—shatter.
While Susannah struggles with grief, her mother uproots them to a new city. There, Susannah realizes she can reinvent herself however she wants: a confident singer-songwriter, member of a hip band, embraced by an effortlessly cool best friend. But Susannah is not the only one keeping secrets, and soon, harsh revelations threaten to unravel her life once again.
While Susannah struggles with grief, her mother uproots them to a new city. There, Susannah realizes she can reinvent herself however she wants: a confident singer-songwriter, member of a hip band, embraced by an effortlessly cool best friend. But Susannah is not the only one keeping secrets, and soon, harsh revelations threaten to unravel her life once again.
407 pages, Hardcover
First published March 6, 2018
13 people are currently reading
2862 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Nicole Smetana
2 books71 followersSarah Nicole Smetana is the author of The Midnights and a contributor to Battle of the Bands. She received her BFA in Creative Writing from Chapman University and her MFA in Fiction from The New School. Originally from Orange, California, she now lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their three-legged cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
February 21, 2018
“You have to shake your notions of good and bad, and create outside of judgement. Follow the instinct, not he convention.”
I wanted to love this so much and I just didn’t and that makes me really sad. I was looking for this moving story of grief and family and Susannah finding herself, but this book made me feel absolutely nothing. I didn’t connect to it at all - not the characters, not the relationships, not the plot. Nothing. I can’t remember the last book that I was completely apathetic towards.
I found the pacing in the beginning to be really disjointed and rushed. Because of that I never bought any of the relationships. This was really detrimental because Susannah’s relationship with her dad is incredibly important to the story and it’s progression, but I just didn’t care about it. There was also this reflective quality to the writing, that while worked for the story, felt out of place. There was moments when the narration read like a voiceover looking back at what happened, but it was used infrequently and pulled me out of the story. Even the music element, which I usually love in story fell flat here. I didn’t feel Susannah’s connection to the music. I just didn’t feel much of anything.
So The Midnights was a super unfortunate miss for me, but I’m sure A LOT of people will really love it and connect with it, so it’s worth a shot if you’re in the mood for a contemporary with a little more depth. Hopefully it will work out for you, but I think this was a case where the book just isn't for me.
I received a copy of the book from HarperTeen via Edelwiess in exchange for an honest review.
September 13, 2017
THE MIDNIGHTS is one of the most exquisite YA novels I've ever read, with an evocative, dreamy setting that is truly a character in itself. I've never read a Southern California so raw and alive and unapologetic. Sarah Nicole Smetana's prose should be savored like the darkest dark chocolate. So many lines burrowed into my heart and stuck in my throat. I loved and ached for Susannah, grieving the sudden loss of the musician father who didn't have enough time for her. Every member of Susannah's friend group is deeply realized, nuanced, and compelling. This book is 400 pages, but I'd happily have read another hundred. A must-read for fans of Nina LaCour, Jandy Nelson, and Jessi Kirby. Pairs beautifully with Janet McNally's GIRLS IN THE MOON.
July 10, 2017
A stunning, beautifully-written debut, THE MIDNIGHTS explores the complex nature of loss, grief, secrets, and family, as we follow one girl on a poignant journey of self-discovery.
*I received an advance copy*
*I received an advance copy*
March 5, 2018
I've been dying to read The Midnights ever since I saw Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of the AMAZING You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone, raving about it on Goodreads. I figured if she'd loved it I'd probably love it as well, and as it turns out, I was one hundred percent correct (thankfully!).
The Midnights is not just good but great. Combing lyrical writing, a drool-worthy setting, and a thoughtful coming-of-age, The Midnights is a standout YA debut, perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen's This Lullaby.
When the book first begins, Susannah is living a relatively normal life. She works at a coffee shop, has a crush on her guy best friend, and loves the midnight jam sessions her and her father have. Susannah is content with her life. She doesn't feel the need to ask for more, to work for more. She's not worried about college. She's just worried about coming up with the next great lyric. However, everything changes in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, her father- her idol, her rock - is gone, and she's exiled to Orange, CA to live with a grandmother she didn't know she had and a mother she barely recognizes as the days go on.
I'll be honest: I didn't love Susannah at first. I didn't like how she treated her mother, or how selfish she could be when it came to putting her needs before others. Suffice to say it took me a long time to warm up to her; however, while I didn't always love her attitude and choices, there was something so incredibly compelling about her voice, something that made me keep reading, no matter the situation. Over time, I began to understand Susannah more. I began to see her passion for music, why she was so willing to put it before everything else. It was her "thing" as well as her tie to her father, and I gave her dedication props. When Susannah moves to Orange, she has the opportunity to reinvent herself. Suddenly, she's in with the cool, elusive kids, the ones who drink, sneak into bars, and have midnight parties at the beach. Susannah slowly transforms, letting herself being influenced by people who shouldn't have say. I found this transformation to be interesting as well as realistic. I think it will resolve with anyone who's ever slowly changed a bits about themselves only to wonder later why they did it. By the end, I was happy I had accompanied Susannah on this journey. I was proud of who she had become and how she had transformed her life.
This book won't be for everyone. It's a slow novel, focusing on music, relationships, and grieving more than action and swoon-worthy romance. However, it worked for me, and for those like me who like novels that are character drive, I think it will work for them as well.
I appreciated the amount of time Sarah put into development here. First, she did an amazing job of developing the California setting. It was dreamy and evocative and fit perfectly with the feel of the book. I can't imagine this book being set any place but Orange. Second, Sarah did an amazing job of developing the relationships to be found here. Over the course of the book, Susannah begins to reevaluate her relationships. She begins to wonder what made her father so special to her, what made her so willing to overlook his flaws, and what she can do to be close to him even though he's gone. Her relationship with her mother is challenging. She has a lot of resentment towards her and she doesn't understand the majority of her decisions. Their relationship had many ups and downs, so many highs and lows, but there was something special to be found there. I also appreciated that there wasn't one guy. Instead, Susannah bounces from guy to guy over the course of the book, not because she can't decide on one, because each one feels perfect at the time. I found this to be realistic, because you don't always find the one in high school, and that's okay. Each relationship is just a building block in a sense.
Overall, The Midnights is a slow-burn, evocative novel. I look forward to reading more by Sarah in the future.
*ARC was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
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The Midnights is not just good but great. Combing lyrical writing, a drool-worthy setting, and a thoughtful coming-of-age, The Midnights is a standout YA debut, perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen's This Lullaby.
When the book first begins, Susannah is living a relatively normal life. She works at a coffee shop, has a crush on her guy best friend, and loves the midnight jam sessions her and her father have. Susannah is content with her life. She doesn't feel the need to ask for more, to work for more. She's not worried about college. She's just worried about coming up with the next great lyric. However, everything changes in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, her father- her idol, her rock - is gone, and she's exiled to Orange, CA to live with a grandmother she didn't know she had and a mother she barely recognizes as the days go on.
I'll be honest: I didn't love Susannah at first. I didn't like how she treated her mother, or how selfish she could be when it came to putting her needs before others. Suffice to say it took me a long time to warm up to her; however, while I didn't always love her attitude and choices, there was something so incredibly compelling about her voice, something that made me keep reading, no matter the situation. Over time, I began to understand Susannah more. I began to see her passion for music, why she was so willing to put it before everything else. It was her "thing" as well as her tie to her father, and I gave her dedication props. When Susannah moves to Orange, she has the opportunity to reinvent herself. Suddenly, she's in with the cool, elusive kids, the ones who drink, sneak into bars, and have midnight parties at the beach. Susannah slowly transforms, letting herself being influenced by people who shouldn't have say. I found this transformation to be interesting as well as realistic. I think it will resolve with anyone who's ever slowly changed a bits about themselves only to wonder later why they did it. By the end, I was happy I had accompanied Susannah on this journey. I was proud of who she had become and how she had transformed her life.
This book won't be for everyone. It's a slow novel, focusing on music, relationships, and grieving more than action and swoon-worthy romance. However, it worked for me, and for those like me who like novels that are character drive, I think it will work for them as well.
I appreciated the amount of time Sarah put into development here. First, she did an amazing job of developing the California setting. It was dreamy and evocative and fit perfectly with the feel of the book. I can't imagine this book being set any place but Orange. Second, Sarah did an amazing job of developing the relationships to be found here. Over the course of the book, Susannah begins to reevaluate her relationships. She begins to wonder what made her father so special to her, what made her so willing to overlook his flaws, and what she can do to be close to him even though he's gone. Her relationship with her mother is challenging. She has a lot of resentment towards her and she doesn't understand the majority of her decisions. Their relationship had many ups and downs, so many highs and lows, but there was something special to be found there. I also appreciated that there wasn't one guy. Instead, Susannah bounces from guy to guy over the course of the book, not because she can't decide on one, because each one feels perfect at the time. I found this to be realistic, because you don't always find the one in high school, and that's okay. Each relationship is just a building block in a sense.
Overall, The Midnights is a slow-burn, evocative novel. I look forward to reading more by Sarah in the future.
*ARC was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*
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March 26, 2018
Rating: 3.5 Stars
I am always up for a good grief and loss book, and The Midnights absolutely fit the bill. It was filled with the pain we associate with losing a loved one, and the ways one may go about trying to fill the hole left in their heart.
•Pro: Smetana beautifully depicted the emotional pain experienced by the characters in this book. The grief and suffering was utterly palpable.
•Con: I know it's realistic for some people to spin a little out of control when they are grieving, but I had such a hard time with the choices Susannah was making.
•Pro: The music references were so awesome. I really loved being pulled into Susannah's musical world, and I was truly fascinated by her songwriting process, her performances, and the bands who influenced her life.
•Con: The book was kind of long, and had some parts, which didn't really seem necessary to the story.
•Pro: I have been keeping track of where books are set, and it seems like a ton of books are set in California. However, I really thought Smetana's approach to describing the setting was different and interesting. She often focused on the weather elements, and connected them to the musical elements, which was different and a welcomed surprise.
•Pro: The Midnight sessions Susannah shared with her father were quite special, and I thought it was brilliant the way these different "midnights" kept popping up throughout the story.
•Pro: I had quite a fondness for Susannah's grandmother. She was a tough lady, but she was wise, and I really appreciated the way she tried to help Susannah see things from a different angle.
•Pro: I was really proud of Susannah towards the end, and loved that she grew up a bit over the course of the story as she healed.
Overall: An emotional and affecting look at one teen's struggle with grief, and her attempt to move on.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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I am always up for a good grief and loss book, and The Midnights absolutely fit the bill. It was filled with the pain we associate with losing a loved one, and the ways one may go about trying to fill the hole left in their heart.
•Pro: Smetana beautifully depicted the emotional pain experienced by the characters in this book. The grief and suffering was utterly palpable.
•Con: I know it's realistic for some people to spin a little out of control when they are grieving, but I had such a hard time with the choices Susannah was making.
•Pro: The music references were so awesome. I really loved being pulled into Susannah's musical world, and I was truly fascinated by her songwriting process, her performances, and the bands who influenced her life.
•Con: The book was kind of long, and had some parts, which didn't really seem necessary to the story.
•Pro: I have been keeping track of where books are set, and it seems like a ton of books are set in California. However, I really thought Smetana's approach to describing the setting was different and interesting. She often focused on the weather elements, and connected them to the musical elements, which was different and a welcomed surprise.
•Pro: The Midnight sessions Susannah shared with her father were quite special, and I thought it was brilliant the way these different "midnights" kept popping up throughout the story.
•Pro: I had quite a fondness for Susannah's grandmother. She was a tough lady, but she was wise, and I really appreciated the way she tried to help Susannah see things from a different angle.
•Pro: I was really proud of Susannah towards the end, and loved that she grew up a bit over the course of the story as she healed.
Overall: An emotional and affecting look at one teen's struggle with grief, and her attempt to move on.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
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May 9, 2020It's been two months and honestly I've already forgotten the majority of this book.
I definitely wanted to read because Sarah is cool and support debuts!!! but this didn't really hit the mark for me. I definitely think I have specific tastes in contemporary, and a big part of why I didn't like this as much as I wanted to was because it wasn't really my style? But I like trying new things, hence why I read it.
I didn't connect with Savannah a lot, and one of my biggest criticisms would be how I wanted a lot more on her family relationship from this book. If it was a family book, I would have been all over this.
But it wasn't and it ended up being a little more slice of life and a little more low-key, which is great for some people, but didn't end up clicking with me. It dragged a little in the middle and I wasn't super invested, but I see the potential in the story. But it didn't move me half as much as I wanted to, hence the very mediocre 3 star rating.
I wouldn't rule Smetana off my list though, and I'd like to see what other books she brings our way!
I definitely wanted to read because Sarah is cool and support debuts!!! but this didn't really hit the mark for me. I definitely think I have specific tastes in contemporary, and a big part of why I didn't like this as much as I wanted to was because it wasn't really my style? But I like trying new things, hence why I read it.
I didn't connect with Savannah a lot, and one of my biggest criticisms would be how I wanted a lot more on her family relationship from this book. If it was a family book, I would have been all over this.
But it wasn't and it ended up being a little more slice of life and a little more low-key, which is great for some people, but didn't end up clicking with me. It dragged a little in the middle and I wasn't super invested, but I see the potential in the story. But it didn't move me half as much as I wanted to, hence the very mediocre 3 star rating.
I wouldn't rule Smetana off my list though, and I'd like to see what other books she brings our way!
January 22, 2019
I don't know what to think. Objectively it's not bad at all but I also didn't like it very much.
dnf
March 7, 2018DNF at 30%. I'm just gonna stop pretending that I will ever continue reading this. I had a hard time deciding to DNF this because there's nothing I can really say about it. I can't pinpoint an exact reason why I didn't enjoy it, I just simply didn't. I was not attached to any of the characters, I thought they all felt a little bit emotionless (not that they really were but the emotions didn't really come through in the writing). I constantly had to force myself to pick this up and then I still only ever read a couple of pages. Not worth it for me but maybe still a good book for you :)
I received an ARC of this through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC of this through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2019
Bibliophile Euphoria
This story has a melancholy feel to it with a side dish of inspirational.
Through the wondrous power of music, this beautiful story navigates the path of friendship, family, the grief of losing someone, and finding who you are. (Proven once again, music never fails).
The setting description was my favorite part of the book. The scenery and visuals given made me feel like I was right there in Orange County. An unforgettable read, indeed.
This is the type of story that I will cherish in the subconscious part of my mind for years and years to come.
I would recommend this book to fans of Sarah Dessen and Meg Cabot.
Bibliophile Euphoria
This story has a melancholy feel to it with a side dish of inspirational.
Through the wondrous power of music, this beautiful story navigates the path of friendship, family, the grief of losing someone, and finding who you are. (Proven once again, music never fails).
The setting description was my favorite part of the book. The scenery and visuals given made me feel like I was right there in Orange County. An unforgettable read, indeed.
This is the type of story that I will cherish in the subconscious part of my mind for years and years to come.
I would recommend this book to fans of Sarah Dessen and Meg Cabot.
Bibliophile Euphoria
August 16, 2017
Friendship, family, music, and romance. All layered in a way that will touch your heart and make you feel. Really feel! Also, I appreciated the OC setting. Haven't read many books, although I'm sure they exist, that capture this California atmosphere. Smetana's light stroke paints a vivid picture with all senses evoked. THE MIDNIGHTS is a must-read for 2018! Can't wait to see this book on the shelves.
March 13, 2018
The Midnights is a moving story about family, grief, music, and finding yourself. Set in Southern Califonia, there is a strong sense of place. The Los Angeles area is captured beautifully, and not as a glitzy Hollywood stereotype, but rather in a richly nuanced way that could only come from someone who has lived there. Nature is almost personified at times in the Santa Ana winds, earthquakes, and wildfires. As someone who lived for many years in Southern California, I really loved that aspect of it. But if you are less enthralled with that than I am, don't worry! There is much more to like here!
Susannah Hayes is the daughter of a washed out musician who loves the craft of song-writing and imparts that love to his daughter. It's clear that he struggles with some kind of mental illness, but in Susie's eyes he can do no wrong and she is desperate to connect with her dad through music. When he dies in a car crash, her life changes completely and everything she thought she knew is turned on its head. A senior in highschool, she is thrust into a new school and new home while trying to cope with grief and unanswered questions about her father's past.
I think this book does a really great job of exploring the complexities of family relationships and how teenagers often don't know their parents as well as they think they do. Susannah loves her father, but she comes to understand that he was also flawed and deeply damaged. Meanwhile, she eventually develops a new understanding of her mother that brings them closer together. But along the way, she makes some less than ideal life choices in terms of drugs, alcohol, and boys.
It's interesting to see Susannah begin to mirror her father in a number of ways when she joins a fairly damaged, relationally unhealthy, but musically talented friend group. Throughout the book we do see her process her grief and grow as a person, but things definitely get rough before they get better. In the midst of her own pain, she sometimes ends up hurting others.
Be aware that there are instances of teen drug and alcohol use, sex while intoxicated (unclear whether any protection is involved), and sneaking out. I was kind of uncomfortable with the fact that alcohol was always a pre-cursor to sex and nothing about that was really addressed. In terms of drug and alcohol use, it seemed like a realistic path of experimentation that made sense for the story, but it was balanced by examples of negative outcomes when left unchecked in the long-term. I particularly mention this because the audience for the book is primarily teenagers.
I also want to note that while I am not a musician, there is a lot of focus on music and musical craft. Parts of this brought me back to my own teen years, but I think this might really resonate with musicians. Overall, I thought this was a very strong debut novel that is sometimes dark, but ultimately hopeful. Susannah is not always likeable, but she is certainly relatable and she is willing to recognize her own mistakes and try to change. If the premise interests you, I definitely recommend it!
Susannah Hayes is the daughter of a washed out musician who loves the craft of song-writing and imparts that love to his daughter. It's clear that he struggles with some kind of mental illness, but in Susie's eyes he can do no wrong and she is desperate to connect with her dad through music. When he dies in a car crash, her life changes completely and everything she thought she knew is turned on its head. A senior in highschool, she is thrust into a new school and new home while trying to cope with grief and unanswered questions about her father's past.
I think this book does a really great job of exploring the complexities of family relationships and how teenagers often don't know their parents as well as they think they do. Susannah loves her father, but she comes to understand that he was also flawed and deeply damaged. Meanwhile, she eventually develops a new understanding of her mother that brings them closer together. But along the way, she makes some less than ideal life choices in terms of drugs, alcohol, and boys.
It's interesting to see Susannah begin to mirror her father in a number of ways when she joins a fairly damaged, relationally unhealthy, but musically talented friend group. Throughout the book we do see her process her grief and grow as a person, but things definitely get rough before they get better. In the midst of her own pain, she sometimes ends up hurting others.
Be aware that there are instances of teen drug and alcohol use, sex while intoxicated (unclear whether any protection is involved), and sneaking out. I was kind of uncomfortable with the fact that alcohol was always a pre-cursor to sex and nothing about that was really addressed. In terms of drug and alcohol use, it seemed like a realistic path of experimentation that made sense for the story, but it was balanced by examples of negative outcomes when left unchecked in the long-term. I particularly mention this because the audience for the book is primarily teenagers.
I also want to note that while I am not a musician, there is a lot of focus on music and musical craft. Parts of this brought me back to my own teen years, but I think this might really resonate with musicians. Overall, I thought this was a very strong debut novel that is sometimes dark, but ultimately hopeful. Susannah is not always likeable, but she is certainly relatable and she is willing to recognize her own mistakes and try to change. If the premise interests you, I definitely recommend it!
April 3, 2018
Susannah and her father have a bond through music. Her entire existence is connected to music. Her parents actually met at her dad’s concert, his biggest hit was about her mother and Susannah knows her dad quit the band when her mom got pregnant.
Susannah loves music too. She loves nights spent writing and playing music with her dad. They have a connection that Susannah just doesn’t have with her mom.
Her dad definitely isn’t a perfect person and he’s not always a great father or husband.
And her parents fight a lot. They were even fighting the night Susannah’s dad died.
When she lost him, everything changed practically over night.
When Susannah finds herself at a new school she connects to the music crowd.
Soon the old Susannah is barely recognizable. She starts doing things she probably never would have done before her dad died.
I think the reader is supposed to feel bad for Susannah but also like her.
I can’t help it, I didn’t like her. I really wanted to. I definitely did feel bad for her. I know she was just trying to cope.
But she was often the hardest on the people who loved her the most. She was really not a good friend. She seemed to take out her aggressions on the ones who would listen.
I know I’m in the minority. I know most people gave this book 4 or 5 Stars. Maybe you’ll love it. But I just had a hard time dealing with Susannah’s actions throughout this book.
Susannah loves music too. She loves nights spent writing and playing music with her dad. They have a connection that Susannah just doesn’t have with her mom.
Her dad definitely isn’t a perfect person and he’s not always a great father or husband.
And her parents fight a lot. They were even fighting the night Susannah’s dad died.
When she lost him, everything changed practically over night.
When Susannah finds herself at a new school she connects to the music crowd.
Soon the old Susannah is barely recognizable. She starts doing things she probably never would have done before her dad died.
I think the reader is supposed to feel bad for Susannah but also like her.
I can’t help it, I didn’t like her. I really wanted to. I definitely did feel bad for her. I know she was just trying to cope.
But she was often the hardest on the people who loved her the most. She was really not a good friend. She seemed to take out her aggressions on the ones who would listen.
I know I’m in the minority. I know most people gave this book 4 or 5 Stars. Maybe you’ll love it. But I just had a hard time dealing with Susannah’s actions throughout this book.
dnfs
July 18, 2018It’s kind of awkward when a book you bought with your own money ends up being something you DNF. Oof.
But the more I think about it, I’m just not sure if I’m interested in continuing this book. The Midnights feels like it would be better suited for an adult literary novel frame (which is how Smetana originally drafted it as confirmed in a book launch video), as the writing is the focus here. And even though it’s very lush and pretty, everything else feels secondary. I’m not sure if I’m really attached to the characters or the situations they go through. Also, why do the main plot points take a while to happen? IDK.
But the more I think about it, I’m just not sure if I’m interested in continuing this book. The Midnights feels like it would be better suited for an adult literary novel frame (which is how Smetana originally drafted it as confirmed in a book launch video), as the writing is the focus here. And even though it’s very lush and pretty, everything else feels secondary. I’m not sure if I’m really attached to the characters or the situations they go through. Also, why do the main plot points take a while to happen? IDK.
March 1, 2021
I feel like this book grazed over a couple pretty important parts. There was a lot of coasting through time lapses without diving into the depth of Suzannas grief. Every other chapter she was fussing over a different guy instead of doing anything of importance. This book got a bonus star for accurately quoting Star Wars which is not something I’m concerned about but I understand the value.
February 1, 2018
A heartbreaking and real story with unique pacing and a cast of characters that all have distinct voices. This was a lovely book. It made me want to go out and learn how to play the guitar. Beautiful!
August 7, 2019
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As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via Edelweiss by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.
For the first time in ages, I felt truly captivated by a YA contemporary novel. Lately, meaning around the time that I picked up The Midnights, I felt as though I were in a never-ending reading slump when it came to its genre. There's something in Sarah Nicole Smetana's prose that packs a serious punch and kept me riveted from the first few pages, effectively knocking me out of my slump and moving me. I think that's the first thing readers need to know about The Midnights--it's moving, it's a true coming of age story that provokes thought. And if you want to feel something, this is the book for you.
Although the plotlines aren't at all similar, beyond the loss and the weaving of music through the pages, there's just something in The Midnights that feels emotionally reminiscent to If I Stay by Gayle Forman. It is undeniably its own story and by far one of my favourite YA releases of 2018. This is, naturally, due to Sarah Nicole Smetana's unflinching honesty and ability to tell a story. As she writes Susannah, you feel as though her words command you to listen.
There won't be a dry eye upon finishing the book. At least, in my case, there wasn't. I was just deeply and thoroughly moved. While I hadn't been in the same shoes as our lead character, I felt connected to her. From the good, and the bad, Susannah is complexly human. I loved the elements of music in The Midnights because it's something that I can, personally, relate to easiest of all.
As for everything else in the story--there's so much to be told. From its setting to its cast of characters the novel is a pure image of youth and family. My only complaint is that there were moments when you felt a certain grip slipping in the prose but at the same time, this also felt very organic. I scarcely remembered its flaws by the end of the novel because I felt so many other things whilst reading it.
The truth is, you don't need to be in Susannah's shoes to feel her story. You see it in the prose, you see it as she learns and makes mistakes and grows and mourns and loves. The Midnights is the coming of age story you've been looking for.
As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via Edelweiss by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.
For the first time in ages, I felt truly captivated by a YA contemporary novel. Lately, meaning around the time that I picked up The Midnights, I felt as though I were in a never-ending reading slump when it came to its genre. There's something in Sarah Nicole Smetana's prose that packs a serious punch and kept me riveted from the first few pages, effectively knocking me out of my slump and moving me. I think that's the first thing readers need to know about The Midnights--it's moving, it's a true coming of age story that provokes thought. And if you want to feel something, this is the book for you.
Although the plotlines aren't at all similar, beyond the loss and the weaving of music through the pages, there's just something in The Midnights that feels emotionally reminiscent to If I Stay by Gayle Forman. It is undeniably its own story and by far one of my favourite YA releases of 2018. This is, naturally, due to Sarah Nicole Smetana's unflinching honesty and ability to tell a story. As she writes Susannah, you feel as though her words command you to listen.
There won't be a dry eye upon finishing the book. At least, in my case, there wasn't. I was just deeply and thoroughly moved. While I hadn't been in the same shoes as our lead character, I felt connected to her. From the good, and the bad, Susannah is complexly human. I loved the elements of music in The Midnights because it's something that I can, personally, relate to easiest of all.
As for everything else in the story--there's so much to be told. From its setting to its cast of characters the novel is a pure image of youth and family. My only complaint is that there were moments when you felt a certain grip slipping in the prose but at the same time, this also felt very organic. I scarcely remembered its flaws by the end of the novel because I felt so many other things whilst reading it.
The truth is, you don't need to be in Susannah's shoes to feel her story. You see it in the prose, you see it as she learns and makes mistakes and grows and mourns and loves. The Midnights is the coming of age story you've been looking for.
March 5, 2018
Susannah Hayes loves every moment that her dad allows her into his world--his garage studio where he writes music, drinks, and dreams of recreating his youth, sometimes not emerging from the studio (or even talking to Susannah) for days at a time. She knows her dad can be irresponsible. She knows her mom struggles to support their family while her dad behaves erratically. But he gave Susannah music, and she clings to the connection that she feels when she plays her guitar with her dad.
Then, the unthinkable happens. Susannah's dad dies in a single car crash, and Susannah's mother moves them out of LA and into her old family home, with the WASPy grandmother Susannah had always believed was dead. Susannah must face her senior year in a new town, without her dad or her friends.
Through happenstance (and a little work on her own part) Susannah immediately makes friends with a girl-who-hangs-with-a-band. The girl, Lynn, is simultaneously troubled, moody, wonderful, supportive, captivating, and a mess. (Think John Green's Alaska.) Susannah is thrilled to be accepted into the band's universe and to have a chance to share her songwriting with them and perform as part of the band.
The primary conflicts come from Susannah's various romantic entanglements and her confusion about her own feelings, tension between her and her mother, and her struggling to face the loss of her father. There is plenty of drama, a ton of underage drinking, drug use, sex, driving under the influence (which we can intuit from descriptions of substances imbibed and smoked and statements of who is driving later), and lying to parents without consequences. The "rock star" life is often glamorized.
I think fans of Sarah Dessen might enjoy this novel, although the romantic situation is a little complicated so it might not appeal to those who prefer a clear "ship."
Personally, I was bored throughout, and found myself annoyed at Susannah's risky behavior and her horribly angsty song lyrics. Maybe 16-year-old me would have liked this better.
Then, the unthinkable happens. Susannah's dad dies in a single car crash, and Susannah's mother moves them out of LA and into her old family home, with the WASPy grandmother Susannah had always believed was dead. Susannah must face her senior year in a new town, without her dad or her friends.
Through happenstance (and a little work on her own part) Susannah immediately makes friends with a girl-who-hangs-with-a-band. The girl, Lynn, is simultaneously troubled, moody, wonderful, supportive, captivating, and a mess. (Think John Green's Alaska.) Susannah is thrilled to be accepted into the band's universe and to have a chance to share her songwriting with them and perform as part of the band.
The primary conflicts come from Susannah's various romantic entanglements and her confusion about her own feelings, tension between her and her mother, and her struggling to face the loss of her father. There is plenty of drama, a ton of underage drinking, drug use, sex, driving under the influence (which we can intuit from descriptions of substances imbibed and smoked and statements of who is driving later), and lying to parents without consequences. The "rock star" life is often glamorized.
I think fans of Sarah Dessen might enjoy this novel, although the romantic situation is a little complicated so it might not appeal to those who prefer a clear "ship."
Personally, I was bored throughout, and found myself annoyed at Susannah's risky behavior and her horribly angsty song lyrics. Maybe 16-year-old me would have liked this better.
March 5, 2018
“Even as time passed, as my fingertips hardened into calluses, as I slipped into those awkward early teenage years, my father’s studio remained the sole place where I felt the most extraordinary, and most alive.”
Susannah Hayes wants to follow in her musician father’s footsteps more than anything. She writes song lyrics in her spare time and spends countless late night hours with her father in his studio. They live and breathe music the way other people breathe air. When the unthinkable happens, and her father dies in a sudden car crash, her world is torn from beneath her.
In a tidal wave of grief, her mother uproots them both and moves to a new city. Leaving behind the house that holds the ghost of her father, Susannah is determined to hold on to him by diving into his past. She follows the stories and memories told to her a thousand times, desperate to find a glimpse of him one more time.
“While my father proudly built his mysteries into an aura, put them on display and let them define him, my mother buried hers like evidence of a crime.”
The one upside to moving is finding Lynn. Susannah quickly realizes that in this new school, she can be anyone she wants, including someone who is best friends with cool-girl Lynn and her friends. Who also happen to be in a band. She clings to the idea that holding onto her father means chasing the dream that would make him proud of her. Music. But the more Susannah tries to be the musician her father would cheer for, and the harder she chases down his past, the more she uncovers secrets meant to stay buried.
Like any good coming of age tale, The Midnights is a profound look at how to find your own voice before you know who you are. Smetana writes teenagers that feel very real. Susannah is lost in her grief. She doesn’t know who she is without her father guiding her. Even harder is when her mother uproots them, making the ground feel as if it’s continually shifting beneath her feet.
“We had really shared something special here, my father and I. But no one else would ever know about it.”
The hardest part for Susannah isn’t that her father is dead. It’s the thing we all face as we grow up. Learning that there are things about our parents that we don’t understand. Complicated facets of their marriage, pieces of their personality hidden from us. Susannah has to face all of that in addition to her grief, and her reaction is to rebel against it all. Which feels very raw and very real.
In addition to discovering things about her parents that are difficult to face, Susannah also has to find herself. She wants to be the musician that would make her father proud. But in chasing his dream, she loses her own. And being far away from her childhood home pulls her farther from the people who ground her. She wants to redefine herself, become a new person shrouded in the same mystery her father built. Except, in doing that, she changes and hides the person she was. The person her father knew.
“No one tells you how to keep living.”
Smetana uses music to weave the world Susannah lives in, where the wind creates melodies and harmony can be found everywhere. The way Smetana chose to illustrate finding her voice in terms of music gives this book an extra dimension that I loved. We all struggle at various points in our lives to figure out how to say what we need, to be who we are. Showing that externally, through music, highlighted that struggle in a clear and beautiful way.
Smetana doesn’t give us an apologetic teenager. There is vivid pain as we read this book. Susannah makes bad choices, and she does and says things she regrets. While she frequently texts her childhood crush, Nick, song lyrics telling him how much she misses him; she blatantly pursues Cameron, among others.
“I knew that I had made horrible accusations; my behavior sickened me, and I was guilt-ridden and sorry, but I didn’t know how to say this to my mother. So instead, I hid from her, tried not to engage in any conversation, and moved forward in the only way I knew how: through distraction.”
This is a book on the more mature spectrum of YA, and has more mature content as a result. There isn’t anything graphic, but there is underage drinking and sex, among other rebellious acts like ditching school, smoking pot, and sneaking out. All of these make sense in the world Susannah lives. Smetana doesn’t exploit these topics, using them cheaply for an edgy character. Instead, because it feels so real, your heart breaks as Susannah goes through these difficult life lessons.
What I really liked about this journey with Susannah, is how lost she gets before she finds herself. This isn’t a story with a neat ending. It isn’t tidy. It’s messy. Being a grieving teenager is messy. Susannah finds the answers she searches for, but like most things in life, they aren’t what she expected them to be. This book is about the journey of self-discovery and finding who you are. And, like in life, this is a never-ending process.
“Maybe it’s less that you find your true self, and more that you feel okay allowing others to see it.”
The writing in this debut is gorgeous. There are stunning sentences that grab your heart and pierce your soul. As a woman who once struggled through my own painful adolescence, this book struck a chord deep within. Smetana perfectly captures the pain that accompany growing up. The way regret can be bitter, and sometimes the things you need the most, are the things right in front of you the entire time.
The Midnights is a beautiful debut, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys more contemporary, mature Young Adult books. You won’t regret it!
Thank you BookSparks for sending me a copy to read and review for your pop up blog tour!
Susannah Hayes wants to follow in her musician father’s footsteps more than anything. She writes song lyrics in her spare time and spends countless late night hours with her father in his studio. They live and breathe music the way other people breathe air. When the unthinkable happens, and her father dies in a sudden car crash, her world is torn from beneath her.
In a tidal wave of grief, her mother uproots them both and moves to a new city. Leaving behind the house that holds the ghost of her father, Susannah is determined to hold on to him by diving into his past. She follows the stories and memories told to her a thousand times, desperate to find a glimpse of him one more time.
“While my father proudly built his mysteries into an aura, put them on display and let them define him, my mother buried hers like evidence of a crime.”
The one upside to moving is finding Lynn. Susannah quickly realizes that in this new school, she can be anyone she wants, including someone who is best friends with cool-girl Lynn and her friends. Who also happen to be in a band. She clings to the idea that holding onto her father means chasing the dream that would make him proud of her. Music. But the more Susannah tries to be the musician her father would cheer for, and the harder she chases down his past, the more she uncovers secrets meant to stay buried.
Like any good coming of age tale, The Midnights is a profound look at how to find your own voice before you know who you are. Smetana writes teenagers that feel very real. Susannah is lost in her grief. She doesn’t know who she is without her father guiding her. Even harder is when her mother uproots them, making the ground feel as if it’s continually shifting beneath her feet.
“We had really shared something special here, my father and I. But no one else would ever know about it.”
The hardest part for Susannah isn’t that her father is dead. It’s the thing we all face as we grow up. Learning that there are things about our parents that we don’t understand. Complicated facets of their marriage, pieces of their personality hidden from us. Susannah has to face all of that in addition to her grief, and her reaction is to rebel against it all. Which feels very raw and very real.
In addition to discovering things about her parents that are difficult to face, Susannah also has to find herself. She wants to be the musician that would make her father proud. But in chasing his dream, she loses her own. And being far away from her childhood home pulls her farther from the people who ground her. She wants to redefine herself, become a new person shrouded in the same mystery her father built. Except, in doing that, she changes and hides the person she was. The person her father knew.
“No one tells you how to keep living.”
Smetana uses music to weave the world Susannah lives in, where the wind creates melodies and harmony can be found everywhere. The way Smetana chose to illustrate finding her voice in terms of music gives this book an extra dimension that I loved. We all struggle at various points in our lives to figure out how to say what we need, to be who we are. Showing that externally, through music, highlighted that struggle in a clear and beautiful way.
Smetana doesn’t give us an apologetic teenager. There is vivid pain as we read this book. Susannah makes bad choices, and she does and says things she regrets. While she frequently texts her childhood crush, Nick, song lyrics telling him how much she misses him; she blatantly pursues Cameron, among others.
“I knew that I had made horrible accusations; my behavior sickened me, and I was guilt-ridden and sorry, but I didn’t know how to say this to my mother. So instead, I hid from her, tried not to engage in any conversation, and moved forward in the only way I knew how: through distraction.”
This is a book on the more mature spectrum of YA, and has more mature content as a result. There isn’t anything graphic, but there is underage drinking and sex, among other rebellious acts like ditching school, smoking pot, and sneaking out. All of these make sense in the world Susannah lives. Smetana doesn’t exploit these topics, using them cheaply for an edgy character. Instead, because it feels so real, your heart breaks as Susannah goes through these difficult life lessons.
What I really liked about this journey with Susannah, is how lost she gets before she finds herself. This isn’t a story with a neat ending. It isn’t tidy. It’s messy. Being a grieving teenager is messy. Susannah finds the answers she searches for, but like most things in life, they aren’t what she expected them to be. This book is about the journey of self-discovery and finding who you are. And, like in life, this is a never-ending process.
“Maybe it’s less that you find your true self, and more that you feel okay allowing others to see it.”
The writing in this debut is gorgeous. There are stunning sentences that grab your heart and pierce your soul. As a woman who once struggled through my own painful adolescence, this book struck a chord deep within. Smetana perfectly captures the pain that accompany growing up. The way regret can be bitter, and sometimes the things you need the most, are the things right in front of you the entire time.
The Midnights is a beautiful debut, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys more contemporary, mature Young Adult books. You won’t regret it!
Thank you BookSparks for sending me a copy to read and review for your pop up blog tour!
Read
January 13, 2018The Midnights is a slow burn of a novel, the kind that slips beneath your skin with its harmonies and thrumming chords; that moves through you with its lyrical, immersive prose; and that builds to a beautiful crescendo of self-realization, revealed secrets, and a future brimming with the promise of things unknown. Sarah Nicole Smetana has written a beautiful debut about family, friendship, loss, and music that rocks and hums in equal measure. I was lucky to read an advanced copy, and I'm so excited for this book to hit shelves in March!
July 13, 2017
Sarah Nicole Smetana's debut The Midnights is a delightful must-read for fans of YA contemp, romance, coming of age stories, & girls who rock. Extra nostalgia points if, like me, you spent (or spend) a decent amount of time in rock clubs, tuning guitars, scribbling lyrics and set lists on scraps of paper, and trying to figure out the difference between a good kisser and a good liar.
August 28, 2020
This review was originall posted on RockStarlit BookAsylum with my choice of song!
Actual rating: 3.5*
Back in the spring, I pore over lists of books featuring music, because I wanted to read something like that. There were a few that picked my interest which didn’t seem to be the typical YA book where the people fall instantly in love with each other and the plot is goddamn predictable. The Midnights was one of those books that seemed interesting and not at all clichéd. So I went for it. And while my hunch was somewhat right, I ended up having conflicting feelings about it. It didn’t quite meet my expectations.
Let’s start with what I liked. The writing was pretty good, very easy to read and the descriptions were spot on. I also liked that there was no insta love here and that the story had more to it than which guy Susannah will fall in love with. I liked how the music played an important role aside from the fact Susannah gets involved with a band. Music is the bridge between the characters, it adds an extra layer to relationships – especially to Susannah’s relationship to her parents. I also liked Susannah up to about the 50% mark where things started to go in a way I didn’t like as much.
That being said, let’s talk about the not so good. Once Susannah gets ripped out of her everyday life and placed in a completely new environment without a warning and is forced to deal with it, things start to get weird. Her emotions – grief, anger – are completely valid and normal. Going through a chance because of it is also something one would expect. As well as making stupid decisions. The problem is that Susannah just makes one too many of those – from a hard working person who doesn’t like attending parties and who is generally reserved and cautious, becomes someone completely different. She makes new friends which means getting involved with a band she seems to be falling in love with about 3 different guys. But not loving either of them really. Susannah somehow had become this selfish person who doesn’t really care about the feelings of others – or at least that’s what I thought. And when things get out of her control – not that they were ever in her control in the first place – her way of dealing with stuff is not really dealing with them. The Midnights was supposed to be about friendships, love, music, family and on the surface it is. But if we look a bit deeper, friendships shouldn’t work like they work in this book. Which doesn’t mean there aren’t friendships like this out there, because there are. We all know how it feels like drifting apart from someone who used to be a good friend. Or what it feels like being hurt by a friend. But the real test of any friendship is how we deal with these hardships – do we fight and make an effort to right things or do we walk away without ever talking about the problems? Consequently, if we don’t say to the people we considere as friends we have a problem, then they will never know about it. Which makes it hard to solve anything.
Thankfully Susannah kind of redeems herself by the end, but I’m not sure if that’s enough for me to give The Midnights a higher rating. It definitely had its good points and I overall enjoyed reading it – I mean, come on, I was intrigued enough that I hardly put it down until I finished with it. But I also think it had a couple of missed opportunities and I think the plot could have been stronger overall. And the side characters less one dimensional.
The Midnights is about music, family, friendship and finding one’s way in life after loss. That road is sometimes has more bumps than one would like, but everything depends on how we blunts the hits. California is the perfect setting for this book, though I wish it was more part of the story than a mere background blurred as we speed through the story. If one looks for a light, music filled summer read, then The Midnights might be a good choice for that.
Actual rating: 3.5*
"But I suppose that was the difference between them. While my father proudly built his mysteries into an aura, put them on display and let them define him, my mother buried hers like evidence of a crime.”
Back in the spring, I pore over lists of books featuring music, because I wanted to read something like that. There were a few that picked my interest which didn’t seem to be the typical YA book where the people fall instantly in love with each other and the plot is goddamn predictable. The Midnights was one of those books that seemed interesting and not at all clichéd. So I went for it. And while my hunch was somewhat right, I ended up having conflicting feelings about it. It didn’t quite meet my expectations.
Let’s start with what I liked. The writing was pretty good, very easy to read and the descriptions were spot on. I also liked that there was no insta love here and that the story had more to it than which guy Susannah will fall in love with. I liked how the music played an important role aside from the fact Susannah gets involved with a band. Music is the bridge between the characters, it adds an extra layer to relationships – especially to Susannah’s relationship to her parents. I also liked Susannah up to about the 50% mark where things started to go in a way I didn’t like as much.
That being said, let’s talk about the not so good. Once Susannah gets ripped out of her everyday life and placed in a completely new environment without a warning and is forced to deal with it, things start to get weird. Her emotions – grief, anger – are completely valid and normal. Going through a chance because of it is also something one would expect. As well as making stupid decisions. The problem is that Susannah just makes one too many of those – from a hard working person who doesn’t like attending parties and who is generally reserved and cautious, becomes someone completely different. She makes new friends which means getting involved with a band she seems to be falling in love with about 3 different guys. But not loving either of them really. Susannah somehow had become this selfish person who doesn’t really care about the feelings of others – or at least that’s what I thought. And when things get out of her control – not that they were ever in her control in the first place – her way of dealing with stuff is not really dealing with them. The Midnights was supposed to be about friendships, love, music, family and on the surface it is. But if we look a bit deeper, friendships shouldn’t work like they work in this book. Which doesn’t mean there aren’t friendships like this out there, because there are. We all know how it feels like drifting apart from someone who used to be a good friend. Or what it feels like being hurt by a friend. But the real test of any friendship is how we deal with these hardships – do we fight and make an effort to right things or do we walk away without ever talking about the problems? Consequently, if we don’t say to the people we considere as friends we have a problem, then they will never know about it. Which makes it hard to solve anything.
Thankfully Susannah kind of redeems herself by the end, but I’m not sure if that’s enough for me to give The Midnights a higher rating. It definitely had its good points and I overall enjoyed reading it – I mean, come on, I was intrigued enough that I hardly put it down until I finished with it. But I also think it had a couple of missed opportunities and I think the plot could have been stronger overall. And the side characters less one dimensional.
The Midnights is about music, family, friendship and finding one’s way in life after loss. That road is sometimes has more bumps than one would like, but everything depends on how we blunts the hits. California is the perfect setting for this book, though I wish it was more part of the story than a mere background blurred as we speed through the story. If one looks for a light, music filled summer read, then The Midnights might be a good choice for that.
May 30, 2018
A thoughtful, stunning and beautifully-written novel, THE MIDNIGHTS by Sarah Nicole Smetana will leave you lost in the music of life as it follows one young girl’s journey of self-discovery as she explores the complexities of loss, grief, secrets, love, friends and family.
Seventeen-year-old Susannah Hayes lives quite a normal and content life experiencing common teenage things such as having a first job and crush as well as having a big dream --- to become a musician. All she wants to do is compose music and follow in the footsteps of her distant former rock star father, but all her dreams and reality seem to shatter when he dies unexpectedly.
Struggling with grief after experiencing a monumental loss, her mother decides to uproot them from their LA home to a new town in Orange County, hoping for a fresh new start. Seeing this as an opportunity, Susannah realizes that she can reinvent herself however she wants because with a new beginning you can be anything that you want to be --- or so she thought, until forgotten and harsh secrets threaten to unravel upon her life once again.
This is one of the most beautiful YA books that I have ever read. Immediately, when I heard about the premise of the book I knew I was going to find myself completely absorbed and might I say, there were many times I was fully lost into the story. I savored and enjoyed every word for Smetana's heartfelt storytelling and masterful plot is effortlessly captivating. It is the kind of coming-of-age story that definitely settles into one’s heart and doesn’t let go but instead pulls one in tighter.
I've never read a novel that captures such a lush, raw and alive Southern California nature and atmosphere. Smetana's gorgeous writing paints a vivid picture of a dreamy setting that is truly exquisite. The novel sure pays subtle tribute to keeping the “SoCal Sound” as well as allowing for one to feel the scintillating external and internal landscape that Susannah navigates.
Susannah was a riveting character who I related to from the moment she was introduced. As a person who really connects and has a strong passion with music, anytime she talked about playing or writing music, I was completely engrossed. It was as if I felt a sense of understanding for her because all she wanted was to make music and prove to her father that she was worth his attention. Also, I really liked as the reader, that we were able to not only see her grow and learn as a person but also who she was musically. I think because of how deeply I identified with Susannah, it definitely made the novel more memorable for me.
While I adored Susannah's character, I was also deeply intrigued by her family and those whom she encountered. This story is mainly focused on Susannah's journey and discovery process, but at the same time, she also finds new sides to her own family that she wasn’t told about. She not only discovers who she wants to be, but she also re-discovers her own family, including learning more about her father. I thought her relationship with her mother was absolutely fantastic as it explored the many different correlations between mother and daughter in their life realizations as well as in the way that their relationship drastically changes after the death of a loved one. I really appreciated how there were a lot of different bonds and themes present and how the author explored each one and managed to intertwine them. There was not only just a family and friend bond but also the bond that she shared with her father over music. All the characters were flawed in such a gorgeously and realistic manner, that it made it very easy to come to enjoy following and connecting with them.
I promise that you will find something that you love and enjoy in this atmospheric voyage. THE MIDNIGHTS is an absolute must read and is perfect for fans of Nina LaCour and Jandy Nelson.
Reviewed by Laina Q., Teen Board Member
Seventeen-year-old Susannah Hayes lives quite a normal and content life experiencing common teenage things such as having a first job and crush as well as having a big dream --- to become a musician. All she wants to do is compose music and follow in the footsteps of her distant former rock star father, but all her dreams and reality seem to shatter when he dies unexpectedly.
Struggling with grief after experiencing a monumental loss, her mother decides to uproot them from their LA home to a new town in Orange County, hoping for a fresh new start. Seeing this as an opportunity, Susannah realizes that she can reinvent herself however she wants because with a new beginning you can be anything that you want to be --- or so she thought, until forgotten and harsh secrets threaten to unravel upon her life once again.
This is one of the most beautiful YA books that I have ever read. Immediately, when I heard about the premise of the book I knew I was going to find myself completely absorbed and might I say, there were many times I was fully lost into the story. I savored and enjoyed every word for Smetana's heartfelt storytelling and masterful plot is effortlessly captivating. It is the kind of coming-of-age story that definitely settles into one’s heart and doesn’t let go but instead pulls one in tighter.
I've never read a novel that captures such a lush, raw and alive Southern California nature and atmosphere. Smetana's gorgeous writing paints a vivid picture of a dreamy setting that is truly exquisite. The novel sure pays subtle tribute to keeping the “SoCal Sound” as well as allowing for one to feel the scintillating external and internal landscape that Susannah navigates.
Susannah was a riveting character who I related to from the moment she was introduced. As a person who really connects and has a strong passion with music, anytime she talked about playing or writing music, I was completely engrossed. It was as if I felt a sense of understanding for her because all she wanted was to make music and prove to her father that she was worth his attention. Also, I really liked as the reader, that we were able to not only see her grow and learn as a person but also who she was musically. I think because of how deeply I identified with Susannah, it definitely made the novel more memorable for me.
While I adored Susannah's character, I was also deeply intrigued by her family and those whom she encountered. This story is mainly focused on Susannah's journey and discovery process, but at the same time, she also finds new sides to her own family that she wasn’t told about. She not only discovers who she wants to be, but she also re-discovers her own family, including learning more about her father. I thought her relationship with her mother was absolutely fantastic as it explored the many different correlations between mother and daughter in their life realizations as well as in the way that their relationship drastically changes after the death of a loved one. I really appreciated how there were a lot of different bonds and themes present and how the author explored each one and managed to intertwine them. There was not only just a family and friend bond but also the bond that she shared with her father over music. All the characters were flawed in such a gorgeously and realistic manner, that it made it very easy to come to enjoy following and connecting with them.
I promise that you will find something that you love and enjoy in this atmospheric voyage. THE MIDNIGHTS is an absolute must read and is perfect for fans of Nina LaCour and Jandy Nelson.
Reviewed by Laina Q., Teen Board Member
September 29, 2018
The Midnights centres around Susannah who lives at home with her mum and dad. She’s living a fairly normal life, working, going to school and jamming with her dad who used to be in a band. Susannah is a songwriter and wants to write an amazing song to impress her dad who she absolutely idolises. However, Susannah’s dad dies unexpectedly and Susannah finds her life being completely turned upside down. She has to move to Orange, to live with a grandmother she didn’t know she had. Susannah’s mum seems to be acting differently as well. Susannah feels pretty lost until she meets a girl who seems far too cool to be friends with her. Her new friend introduces Susannah to a band and life begins to change for her once more. Susannah realises she can reinvent herself, but soon secrets from the past start to unravel…
Susannah is an interesting character. I wanted to root for her and found her voice to be incredibly well written. I loved that she had such a strong connection to music and the ties it had with her father. Her relationship with her mother was complex. They were so up and down. I wasn’t overly convinced by some of the decisions Susannah made. I felt like there was a lot of resentment there because Susannah didn’t always understand her mother’s decisions. It was really interesting to see the relationship develop over time. It felt like a realistic relationship especially as they were both experiencing grief. Relationships are hard sometimes and I loved how that was portrayed in The Midnights. I adored Susannah’s grandmother and thought she helped Susannah to grow over the course of the story.
I did really enjoy how this story was full of music references, it was clear that it was a massive passion in Susannah and her father’s lives and I loved how that was the thing that bound them together.
Whilst this story did drag in places for me, for the main part I was super impressed with this book. It’s certainly a promising debut!
Susannah is an interesting character. I wanted to root for her and found her voice to be incredibly well written. I loved that she had such a strong connection to music and the ties it had with her father. Her relationship with her mother was complex. They were so up and down. I wasn’t overly convinced by some of the decisions Susannah made. I felt like there was a lot of resentment there because Susannah didn’t always understand her mother’s decisions. It was really interesting to see the relationship develop over time. It felt like a realistic relationship especially as they were both experiencing grief. Relationships are hard sometimes and I loved how that was portrayed in The Midnights. I adored Susannah’s grandmother and thought she helped Susannah to grow over the course of the story.
I did really enjoy how this story was full of music references, it was clear that it was a massive passion in Susannah and her father’s lives and I loved how that was the thing that bound them together.
Whilst this story did drag in places for me, for the main part I was super impressed with this book. It’s certainly a promising debut!
March 4, 2018
This is a story about midnights...that mysterious time between morning and night that often gets wiled away as we slumber between the sheets. That's the norm for most, but what if it wasn't? What if during that magical in-between, where you have one foot in nighttime and one foot in morning, you were spending time with those you love, making memories to cherish, and impressions you'll need to hold on to all too soon? What if you were not only able to reach out to someone who is more desperately lost than they realize, but also continue the journey of finding your self? THAT'S what this book is about.
Susannah had a tumultuous relationship with her parents, I mean what teen doesn't to some degree, but hers wasn't so much about HER but about HIM...her dad. Once upon a time, he was a great rocker, but the free spirit and drive to the top also came with some pretty bad habits. One ultimatum later and all that talent ended up on the sidelines, but so did most the dangers clinging to his back...until they weren't, leaving him for days in its manic grip and his loved ones on the outside looking in. It wasn't always that way, and he did love his family, he just couldn't seem to balance the two all the time, and when tragedy struck, it threw things off kilter even more. The spillover tapped into Susannah's spirit, leading her on a search for answers that just might never come, but it also brought her and her mother closer, removed the shroud over long kept secrets, and ultimately allowed her to spread her own wings and fly.
***copy received for review
Susannah had a tumultuous relationship with her parents, I mean what teen doesn't to some degree, but hers wasn't so much about HER but about HIM...her dad. Once upon a time, he was a great rocker, but the free spirit and drive to the top also came with some pretty bad habits. One ultimatum later and all that talent ended up on the sidelines, but so did most the dangers clinging to his back...until they weren't, leaving him for days in its manic grip and his loved ones on the outside looking in. It wasn't always that way, and he did love his family, he just couldn't seem to balance the two all the time, and when tragedy struck, it threw things off kilter even more. The spillover tapped into Susannah's spirit, leading her on a search for answers that just might never come, but it also brought her and her mother closer, removed the shroud over long kept secrets, and ultimately allowed her to spread her own wings and fly.
***copy received for review
April 20, 2018
When my library put their list of new books out for the month, I just ordered a few that seemed like I might be interested in them. I’m so glad that I did!
I started reading it knowing only that it was a coming of age story and that she was interested in music. I didn’t even really read the back so I was really surprised by the events that unfolded.
I think a lot of teen books will inflate certain activities like having crushes, having sex, losing friends, etc to be absolutely dramatic and soul crushing happenings. And while that’s sometimes the case, I really felt like reading this book was a breath of fresh air. Now while there are moments where the MC loses her temper, I never felt it was melodramatic or over the top. It felt appropriate even when I didn’t like what the character was doing. Who likes it when you yell unfair things? Nobody. But does it happen? Yes.
Minor spoilers: I also liked the way Smetana ended the book. She didn’t wrap everything up in a neat little bow. Choices were made and things were lost. And that’s okay. That’s what life is. And that’s what sets this book above others. This book isn’t necessarily about her relationship with anyone else, even her mother, arguably not even her father. It’s truly about realizing the truth contained inside you and being okay with the choices and the mistakes you’ve made. I really fucking needed this book exactly at this moment in my life. The last piece of advice the MC shares with us that her father said? Devastating. Absolutely devastated me and I wrote it down to remember.
I started reading it knowing only that it was a coming of age story and that she was interested in music. I didn’t even really read the back so I was really surprised by the events that unfolded.
I think a lot of teen books will inflate certain activities like having crushes, having sex, losing friends, etc to be absolutely dramatic and soul crushing happenings. And while that’s sometimes the case, I really felt like reading this book was a breath of fresh air. Now while there are moments where the MC loses her temper, I never felt it was melodramatic or over the top. It felt appropriate even when I didn’t like what the character was doing. Who likes it when you yell unfair things? Nobody. But does it happen? Yes.
Minor spoilers: I also liked the way Smetana ended the book. She didn’t wrap everything up in a neat little bow. Choices were made and things were lost. And that’s okay. That’s what life is. And that’s what sets this book above others. This book isn’t necessarily about her relationship with anyone else, even her mother, arguably not even her father. It’s truly about realizing the truth contained inside you and being okay with the choices and the mistakes you’ve made. I really fucking needed this book exactly at this moment in my life. The last piece of advice the MC shares with us that her father said? Devastating. Absolutely devastated me and I wrote it down to remember.
July 7, 2018
The thing that first enticed me about The Midnights was the combination of the book cover and the title. The second thing that captured my interest was synopsis of the book. Upon reading the synopsis of the book, I thought The Midnights would be a story of a girl discovering herself through loss and pain and maybe finding a side through herself that she was too afraid to unleash. I didn't quite get that in this book and that's both a bad and a good thing. A bad thing because it seemed as if the character became self destructive throughout the book and sometimes just made poor decisions in regards to her life. I don't mind self destructive characters but I don't like when the self destructive characters lives seem to be put back together almost magically. The character's problems weren't exactly put together that magically but their were problems that never seemed to be solved, but were written off almost as if they were. It's hard to explain but this book was just not as satisfying as I wish it were. However the good thing I will say is that I think that this book is a pretty good coming of age story. It also did a really good job of showcasing a character that was mourning the loss of a parent and finding a way to relieve the pain. Also even though the plot was a bit lacking, the writing it self was pretty good.
January 17, 2018
I was definitely expecting to lose myself in this book when I first started it and there were many times I did find myself getting completely absorbed into the story. There were also times where I was taken out of it and it took a while to lose myself again. There were a lot of different themes and different bonds, and I really liked seeing how the author explored each one and how she used them within each other. There was the family bond, the bonds of friendship, but there was also the bond Susannah and her father both had with music. Any time Susannah was talking, playing, writing music, I was completely hooked.
Susannah was an interesting character. All she wanted was to make music, to write that great song that would show her father she was worth his attention. It was definitely understandable that she would want answers after his death, and that she would be curious about his old band mates that she never met. Her plot explored her grief for her father, learning more about her parents' past, and discovering who she wanted to be as a person. Who she was musically and who she was offstage.
The supporting cast we got to see was great. I really liked her mother and her grandmother, along with the new friends she made at her new school. I do wish we'd gotten to see more from the band members of the group she joined. Most of them had a bit of a "only there because they need band members" feel to them and I can barely remember the names. I know Susannah interacted with all of them but not all of them were memorable. From what there was, I would definitely read a spin-off focused on the band's exploits.
Overall, I thought it was a very good read, easy to finish off in a night but also just as easy to want to take your time and savour it. I can't wait to see what the author comes out with next.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Susannah was an interesting character. All she wanted was to make music, to write that great song that would show her father she was worth his attention. It was definitely understandable that she would want answers after his death, and that she would be curious about his old band mates that she never met. Her plot explored her grief for her father, learning more about her parents' past, and discovering who she wanted to be as a person. Who she was musically and who she was offstage.
The supporting cast we got to see was great. I really liked her mother and her grandmother, along with the new friends she made at her new school. I do wish we'd gotten to see more from the band members of the group she joined. Most of them had a bit of a "only there because they need band members" feel to them and I can barely remember the names. I know Susannah interacted with all of them but not all of them were memorable. From what there was, I would definitely read a spin-off focused on the band's exploits.
Overall, I thought it was a very good read, easy to finish off in a night but also just as easy to want to take your time and savour it. I can't wait to see what the author comes out with next.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 10, 2018
I received this through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Susannah has always had a special bond with her father. They connect through music. He is a washed up rock star, who continues to record and work with music in their home recording studio in the garage. Susannah writes songs and tweaks music to make something beautiful that will impress her father. He has had mental challenges, and addiction issues for years, which threatens family bonds and the relationship between Susannah's parents. One morning, Susannah's father is in a deadly car crash and she is left with the grief. Her mother quickly moves them to her mother's house, so that she and Susannah can take care of the ailing woman. Susannah attempts to use this move to heal and remake herself. She soon connects with a local band and gains a new group of friends. Drama follows and Susannah will have to confront everything that has happened within the last year.
I found that the characters were extremely shallow, though I believe they were intentionally developed to be that way. However, it made it difficult to connect to both characters and story. I felt that this wasn't any overly emotionally narrative of an emotional occurrence, though it didn't seem to bother me.
Susannah has always had a special bond with her father. They connect through music. He is a washed up rock star, who continues to record and work with music in their home recording studio in the garage. Susannah writes songs and tweaks music to make something beautiful that will impress her father. He has had mental challenges, and addiction issues for years, which threatens family bonds and the relationship between Susannah's parents. One morning, Susannah's father is in a deadly car crash and she is left with the grief. Her mother quickly moves them to her mother's house, so that she and Susannah can take care of the ailing woman. Susannah attempts to use this move to heal and remake herself. She soon connects with a local band and gains a new group of friends. Drama follows and Susannah will have to confront everything that has happened within the last year.
I found that the characters were extremely shallow, though I believe they were intentionally developed to be that way. However, it made it difficult to connect to both characters and story. I felt that this wasn't any overly emotionally narrative of an emotional occurrence, though it didn't seem to bother me.
March 24, 2018
hank you @booksparks sending me The Midnights and having me be a part of the pop up blog tour!
Susannah Hayes’s father is a former rock star and the best way she can communicate with him is through music. Her life abruptly changes at the beginning of senior year when he unexpectedly dies and she is forced to move to another town and a new high school.
Set in LA the author uses Southern California weather to showcase the non-glossy side of lala-land. Wildfires, earthquakes, storms and Santa Ana winds set the background for teens skipping school, day drinking, smoking and hooking up while trying to find their place and their future. This YA novel was 400 pages but I flew through it in two nights. Students of music will love the music theory and techniques that are part of the story. And though the protagonist seems smart at times, she makes some dumb decisions that made her unrelatable for me. But overall I thought this was a really good book and I could totally hear The Eagles or The Doors playing the soundtrack while I read.
Susannah Hayes’s father is a former rock star and the best way she can communicate with him is through music. Her life abruptly changes at the beginning of senior year when he unexpectedly dies and she is forced to move to another town and a new high school.
Set in LA the author uses Southern California weather to showcase the non-glossy side of lala-land. Wildfires, earthquakes, storms and Santa Ana winds set the background for teens skipping school, day drinking, smoking and hooking up while trying to find their place and their future. This YA novel was 400 pages but I flew through it in two nights. Students of music will love the music theory and techniques that are part of the story. And though the protagonist seems smart at times, she makes some dumb decisions that made her unrelatable for me. But overall I thought this was a really good book and I could totally hear The Eagles or The Doors playing the soundtrack while I read.
May 26, 2023
I picked this up initially to try with two other similarly themed books in an effort find a book pairing for a class I teach. While the theme is definitely there, this book didn’t really do much for me and perhaps that’s because I had an idea of what this book would do and it just didn’t.
I thought this book would explore grief and family and the way music connected with Susannah and helped her heal. This book didn’t approach any of those ideas until the final 40ish pages, everything prior featured Susannah getting herself in situations that lead to her lying to family, ignoring friends, and struggling to find her father’s band members in an effort to figure him out as a person.
Susannah was a really difficult character to connect with, she felt isolated and alone for much of the novel and was experiencing constant grief and sadness. While there is some sympathy for her, it was a true struggle understand her actions and justify her choices (sometimes even bad choices make sense but none of her choices did for me).
I thought this book would explore grief and family and the way music connected with Susannah and helped her heal. This book didn’t approach any of those ideas until the final 40ish pages, everything prior featured Susannah getting herself in situations that lead to her lying to family, ignoring friends, and struggling to find her father’s band members in an effort to figure him out as a person.
Susannah was a really difficult character to connect with, she felt isolated and alone for much of the novel and was experiencing constant grief and sadness. While there is some sympathy for her, it was a true struggle understand her actions and justify her choices (sometimes even bad choices make sense but none of her choices did for me).
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