What do you think?
Rate this book
Before Midnight: Reilly's Story
Reilly is on top of the world. He's a major name in entertainment, especially in the eyes of most teenage girls. Still, when tour comes to an end, it's even more apparent that something's missing in his life. His holiday is filled with old friends and close family, yet he's still consumed with restless thoughts. He just needs a little change: A new friend, a new location, and new inspiration. At least, that's what he's hoping.
98 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 23, 2018
1 person is currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Juliana Mae
5 books55 followersJuliana Mae has self-published three books, In the Heart of an Unsocial Butterfly, The Way He Looks at Me, and Patton Pending. She's been published in J-14 Magazine, written for school newspapers, reviewed books for Miss Literati, and one of her poems was published in a book called Stars in Our Hearts.
I love giving and receiving books in exchange for reviews! If you're interested in one of my books, or you think I'd be interested in yours, send me an email at jewelsk96@yahoo.com . :)
I love giving and receiving books in exchange for reviews! If you're interested in one of my books, or you think I'd be interested in yours, send me an email at jewelsk96@yahoo.com . :)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 9 reviews
November 21, 2018
I have to be totally honest with this ... it's the mom in me that is going to write this review. Where I might be a little harsher with a mega-famous author with gigantic publishing contracts, I want to use this review to encourage and celebrate a young author who is putting herself out there and working to create stories that resonate with others. It can be hard to do that ... putting your heart and soul into a story and then hoping that others will find something to love in it, and knowing that there is a good chance that someone is going to trash it without merit. The author of this story reached out to me and asked me if I could read her story and review it, and I was glad to do so.
A couple of thoughts about Reilly's story ... I could feel the love that Juliana Mae has for this story. It is evident in the writing. It is a short story ... super short. In fact, when I got to the very end I flipped the page on my kindle and was like "Wait. That was it?" I was hoping for a lot more story. I felt like it sort of ended right as it was getting interesting and good. The story ended, and I still had a gazillion questions that needed answers. I almost wish that the first half of the story had been a lot shorter. The Molly story line was maybe a little important to understanding Reilly. Maybe. But it could have probably been told in a chapter. The really interesting part of the story began when Reilly headed home and ran into the sweet grandmother. I would have loved to read A LOT more about Joan. And what was up with her grand-daughter? I was convinced that that story was heading somewhere, but then it didn't. And what about the mysterious fan sitting in section 211? I thought that was going to turn into more of a story too. Have you ever ridden a speed boat going at top speed where it just skims over the top of the water, never really sinking much? That's a little like how I felt about this story. The story seemed to skim the surface, needing more depth in a lot of places to really help the story to pop and to resonate with readers. I wanted to know more.
This story read a little like fan fiction, but that's okay. There is a reason that fan fiction is popular. I am a sucker for stories about famous actors/musicians working to find peace and friendship/love despite the craziness of the celebrity lifestyle. I see a ton of potential in this story. I probably would normally give a story like this two stars ... meaning I thought that it was okay. But I'm rounding it up to three stars because I do see some great potential in Juliana Mae's writing. Keep at it. Keep writing and each story will continue to get better and better. Three stars for this one. I liked it.
A couple of thoughts about Reilly's story ... I could feel the love that Juliana Mae has for this story. It is evident in the writing. It is a short story ... super short. In fact, when I got to the very end I flipped the page on my kindle and was like "Wait. That was it?" I was hoping for a lot more story. I felt like it sort of ended right as it was getting interesting and good. The story ended, and I still had a gazillion questions that needed answers. I almost wish that the first half of the story had been a lot shorter. The Molly story line was maybe a little important to understanding Reilly. Maybe. But it could have probably been told in a chapter. The really interesting part of the story began when Reilly headed home and ran into the sweet grandmother. I would have loved to read A LOT more about Joan. And what was up with her grand-daughter? I was convinced that that story was heading somewhere, but then it didn't. And what about the mysterious fan sitting in section 211? I thought that was going to turn into more of a story too. Have you ever ridden a speed boat going at top speed where it just skims over the top of the water, never really sinking much? That's a little like how I felt about this story. The story seemed to skim the surface, needing more depth in a lot of places to really help the story to pop and to resonate with readers. I wanted to know more.
This story read a little like fan fiction, but that's okay. There is a reason that fan fiction is popular. I am a sucker for stories about famous actors/musicians working to find peace and friendship/love despite the craziness of the celebrity lifestyle. I see a ton of potential in this story. I probably would normally give a story like this two stars ... meaning I thought that it was okay. But I'm rounding it up to three stars because I do see some great potential in Juliana Mae's writing. Keep at it. Keep writing and each story will continue to get better and better. Three stars for this one. I liked it.
February 2, 2019
Full review:
https://bookstoldmeso.blogspot.com/20...
Over before it had a chance to truly begin. The author truly cares about her book and her writing and it shines through in every chapter.
https://bookstoldmeso.blogspot.com/20...
Over before it had a chance to truly begin. The author truly cares about her book and her writing and it shines through in every chapter.
March 22, 2020
That was cute! This book got me over my reading slump too, yay!
I enjoyed the book. I wish we could have seen Ela more but I did enjoy it. It's a cute quick read.
I enjoyed the book. I wish we could have seen Ela more but I did enjoy it. It's a cute quick read.
February 21, 2019
Overall Rating: 7.25/10 (3/5 stars)
Plot: 6/10
Characters: 7/10
Writing: 9/10
Originality: 7/10
I definitely love the writing style of Mae, and that’s what I want to say first. That was by far the highlight of the experience of reading this novella. However, I think the story itself could have been better. Novellas like this usually take two forms: either the plot is the focus of the novella and characters are not as developed, or the characters are the focus of the novella and the plot is not as complex. This novella certainly seems to be the second case, which is why any large disappointment regarding the plot particularly related to level of excitement, surprise, or suspense is misplaced. This is a character study of Reilly, and it is a pretty compelling one. The main problem is that there seems to be a lack of development of Reilly throughout the novel–his journey lacks a point, lacks a learning experience. He ends wanting exactly the same thing as he starts. While realistic for the time span in which this book takes place, it doesn’t exactly make for a fascinating tale. Despite its flaws, Before Midnight is a compelling introduction to what I hope will be the larger adventure of Reilly.
As I stated, the plot is not the focus of this novella. However, in character-study type works, everything that happens in the plot needs to be significant to the character in order to fit well within the story. The other characters introduced need to bolster the main character’s growth. I felt this was achieved at some times and was strongly lacking at others. Reilly’s encounter with his high school flame, Molly, showcased growth that happened before the story began, and his way of handling the situation displayed his lack of escape even within his hometown. His encounter with his family also showed an important side of his character–his flaws and gaps in maturity. The one thing that I did not think contributed at all to the plot, at least obviously in the story, was the introduction of the old woman, Joan. I will discuss her character specifically a little more below, but I thought it was an awkward edition and unrealistic. My other main complaint regarding the plot is that there didn’t seem to be a point to the story. Reilly didn’t seem to grow or learn anything as is expected in a novella focused on one character. I was disappointed by the end, wondering if my copy was missing pages. There needed to be more, and not only just more text, but meaningful text.
Most of the characters I found to be complex enough for what this novella is. I understood what many of them added to Reilly’s story, and they were also given quite a bit of independence as characters themselves. I have two main complaints regarding the characters in the story. The first is that given how important Reilly’s band is to him, I wanted more of an exploration of his bandmates, and his relationships with them. That was a disappointingly brief part of the story, particularly because I feel that the frontrunner’s life in a band is rarely explored in writing. I also did not like the character of Joan. Her phrases were unnatural, her actions were bizarre, and I did not know what she added to the story (except for what seems to be suggested at the end regarding her granddaughter, but I won’t spoil the ending). Lastly, regarding the character of Reilly, I think that overall his foundation was developed excellently, but his character arc left quite a bit more to be desired.
The writing style is by far the strongest part of this novella. Mae’s writing flows extremely smoothly most of the time, making descriptions that make sense and dialogue that is mostly realistic. The excellent writing allows the reader to truly get inside Reilly’s head and experience the world through his eyes. The reader knows what his wishes are, can understand his frustrations, and hope along with him for things to get better. I would really like to read other of Mae’s works based on the writing style of this one.
Lastly, this novella doesn’t scream originality, but certainly has some unique aspects. I like the idea of a character study of a famous person, particularly one as wholesome as Reilly seemed to be. However, this general idea has certainly been done, and I would have like more of a unique point or lesson to have been learned by the end of the story.
Overall: Before Midnight is a really interesting character study into Reilly, and showcases Mae’s strong writing abilities. However, it certainly leaves more to be desired in terms of character transformations and plot development. Overall, a very smooth, fast, and entertaining read.
www.goodbadanduglybooks.net
Plot: 6/10
Characters: 7/10
Writing: 9/10
Originality: 7/10
I definitely love the writing style of Mae, and that’s what I want to say first. That was by far the highlight of the experience of reading this novella. However, I think the story itself could have been better. Novellas like this usually take two forms: either the plot is the focus of the novella and characters are not as developed, or the characters are the focus of the novella and the plot is not as complex. This novella certainly seems to be the second case, which is why any large disappointment regarding the plot particularly related to level of excitement, surprise, or suspense is misplaced. This is a character study of Reilly, and it is a pretty compelling one. The main problem is that there seems to be a lack of development of Reilly throughout the novel–his journey lacks a point, lacks a learning experience. He ends wanting exactly the same thing as he starts. While realistic for the time span in which this book takes place, it doesn’t exactly make for a fascinating tale. Despite its flaws, Before Midnight is a compelling introduction to what I hope will be the larger adventure of Reilly.
As I stated, the plot is not the focus of this novella. However, in character-study type works, everything that happens in the plot needs to be significant to the character in order to fit well within the story. The other characters introduced need to bolster the main character’s growth. I felt this was achieved at some times and was strongly lacking at others. Reilly’s encounter with his high school flame, Molly, showcased growth that happened before the story began, and his way of handling the situation displayed his lack of escape even within his hometown. His encounter with his family also showed an important side of his character–his flaws and gaps in maturity. The one thing that I did not think contributed at all to the plot, at least obviously in the story, was the introduction of the old woman, Joan. I will discuss her character specifically a little more below, but I thought it was an awkward edition and unrealistic. My other main complaint regarding the plot is that there didn’t seem to be a point to the story. Reilly didn’t seem to grow or learn anything as is expected in a novella focused on one character. I was disappointed by the end, wondering if my copy was missing pages. There needed to be more, and not only just more text, but meaningful text.
Most of the characters I found to be complex enough for what this novella is. I understood what many of them added to Reilly’s story, and they were also given quite a bit of independence as characters themselves. I have two main complaints regarding the characters in the story. The first is that given how important Reilly’s band is to him, I wanted more of an exploration of his bandmates, and his relationships with them. That was a disappointingly brief part of the story, particularly because I feel that the frontrunner’s life in a band is rarely explored in writing. I also did not like the character of Joan. Her phrases were unnatural, her actions were bizarre, and I did not know what she added to the story (except for what seems to be suggested at the end regarding her granddaughter, but I won’t spoil the ending). Lastly, regarding the character of Reilly, I think that overall his foundation was developed excellently, but his character arc left quite a bit more to be desired.
The writing style is by far the strongest part of this novella. Mae’s writing flows extremely smoothly most of the time, making descriptions that make sense and dialogue that is mostly realistic. The excellent writing allows the reader to truly get inside Reilly’s head and experience the world through his eyes. The reader knows what his wishes are, can understand his frustrations, and hope along with him for things to get better. I would really like to read other of Mae’s works based on the writing style of this one.
Lastly, this novella doesn’t scream originality, but certainly has some unique aspects. I like the idea of a character study of a famous person, particularly one as wholesome as Reilly seemed to be. However, this general idea has certainly been done, and I would have like more of a unique point or lesson to have been learned by the end of the story.
Overall: Before Midnight is a really interesting character study into Reilly, and showcases Mae’s strong writing abilities. However, it certainly leaves more to be desired in terms of character transformations and plot development. Overall, a very smooth, fast, and entertaining read.
www.goodbadanduglybooks.net
January 21, 2019
2.5 stars.
I was really really excited when the author of this story contacted me and asked me to read it and review it and I know it took me a really long time to get through but I want to be completely honest in my thoughts and here they are: (and I did still like this book...)
I'm confused on whether this is a novella or a prequel or something to another story but I didn't feel like it had much substance to it and I felt like it ended very abruptly.
I did still like it in some ways though.
I liked how we got to see the lyrics in Reilly's new song that he wrote and I think something that would have made it even better is if I could have heard him sing it. But I was reading the e-book so... But I really liked the song and the lyrics and the story it held. I love music and I loved how this book was surrounded by music.
I really really loved Joan. I thought she was the sweetest old lady ever and I like the role she played in the story. I still wonder if Ela is her granddaughter...
Now onto my negatives. I thought the relationship that Reilly had with Molly was very unhealthy. I wanted to love that he was willing to be there for her no matter what but their relationship and how he handled her situation didn't seem right. I just saw everything in the relationship going wrong and I could see that the way things would end up with Molly and her ex probably wouldn't end up well. But I never got to see how it happened because it was never explained that far.
I also felt like there was a lot of internal dialogue which was fine but I feel like it went on and on and on for longer than it needed to. And that kind of drove me crazy.
I did like this story but I guess I'm still really confused if it has any connection with another series or anything. If it does, it would explain why not a lot was explained fully and it would help with my rating. I really wanted to love this story and I liked it but it didn't get that high for me.
I was really really excited when the author of this story contacted me and asked me to read it and review it and I know it took me a really long time to get through but I want to be completely honest in my thoughts and here they are: (and I did still like this book...)
I'm confused on whether this is a novella or a prequel or something to another story but I didn't feel like it had much substance to it and I felt like it ended very abruptly.
I did still like it in some ways though.
I liked how we got to see the lyrics in Reilly's new song that he wrote and I think something that would have made it even better is if I could have heard him sing it. But I was reading the e-book so... But I really liked the song and the lyrics and the story it held. I love music and I loved how this book was surrounded by music.
I really really loved Joan. I thought she was the sweetest old lady ever and I like the role she played in the story. I still wonder if Ela is her granddaughter...
Now onto my negatives. I thought the relationship that Reilly had with Molly was very unhealthy. I wanted to love that he was willing to be there for her no matter what but their relationship and how he handled her situation didn't seem right. I just saw everything in the relationship going wrong and I could see that the way things would end up with Molly and her ex probably wouldn't end up well. But I never got to see how it happened because it was never explained that far.
I also felt like there was a lot of internal dialogue which was fine but I feel like it went on and on and on for longer than it needed to. And that kind of drove me crazy.
I did like this story but I guess I'm still really confused if it has any connection with another series or anything. If it does, it would explain why not a lot was explained fully and it would help with my rating. I really wanted to love this story and I liked it but it didn't get that high for me.
February 2, 2019
I'd like to start off by saying thank you once again to Juliana for offering me her book to read and review. To write something and put your work out there for people to judge is a very brave thing.
I am going to be honest, I didn't love this. I wanted to, really I did. But first let me start by saying I felt Juliana's passion for her characters and the ideas/topics she was exploring. I believe I have an idea of what she was trying to express, but for me the main problem with the story was that it never seemed to get off the ground. There was a lot of repetition with Reilly's inner monologues and I felt like many of the themes were repeated. I couldn't make an emotional connection with any of the characters and it almost felt like 3 stories in one. The ending left me with more questions than answers. Overall the writing felt young and unfocused. The ideas were there, but it just didn't move forward for me.
I am going to be honest, I didn't love this. I wanted to, really I did. But first let me start by saying I felt Juliana's passion for her characters and the ideas/topics she was exploring. I believe I have an idea of what she was trying to express, but for me the main problem with the story was that it never seemed to get off the ground. There was a lot of repetition with Reilly's inner monologues and I felt like many of the themes were repeated. I couldn't make an emotional connection with any of the characters and it almost felt like 3 stories in one. The ending left me with more questions than answers. Overall the writing felt young and unfocused. The ideas were there, but it just didn't move forward for me.
November 19, 2018
I thought this book was okay overall. I feel that the story really began to pick up towards the end of the novel, and I think that a story with Ela and Reilly would definitely be something to read. I thought that the book was a little slow at the beginning and it slowly began to pick up. I also believe that there needs to be more character development in the next book that explains why Reilly does what he does, and why he makes the choices he makes. I do like the idea of a book about a band. I overall thought that this book was okay in the beginning, but it definitely got much better in the end.
August 2, 2022
honestly all i can remeber about this that it was a harry styles fanfic that the author sent to me for an honest review. it literally had the same vibe as the heartbreaks. i think one scene was a literal scene to scene copy. but, again i don't remember much.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 9 reviews