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Midnight Strikes
In this explosive fantasy debut with a time-loop twist, a provincial girl must work with a roguish prince to stop an attack on the royal family and escape a nightmarish curse that forces them to relive the same night again and again.
Seventeen-year-old Anaïs just wants tonight to end. As an outsider at the kingdom’s glittering anniversary ball, she has no desire to rub shoulders with the nation’s most eligible (and pompous) bachelors—especially not the notoriously roguish Prince Leo. But at the stroke of midnight, an explosion rips through the palace, killing everyone in its path. Including her.
The last thing Anaïs sees is fire, smoke, chaos . . . and then she wakes up in her bedroom, hours before the ball. No one else remembers the deadly attack or believes her warnings of disaster.
Not even when it happens again. And again. And again.
If she’s going to escape this nightmarish time loop, Anaïs must take control of her own fate and stop the attack before it happens. But the court's gilded surface belies a rotten core, full of restless nobles grabbing at power, discontented commoners itching for revolution, and even royals who secretly dream of taking the throne. It's up to Anaïs to untangle these knots of deadly deceptions . . . if she can survive past midnight.
Seventeen-year-old Anaïs just wants tonight to end. As an outsider at the kingdom’s glittering anniversary ball, she has no desire to rub shoulders with the nation’s most eligible (and pompous) bachelors—especially not the notoriously roguish Prince Leo. But at the stroke of midnight, an explosion rips through the palace, killing everyone in its path. Including her.
The last thing Anaïs sees is fire, smoke, chaos . . . and then she wakes up in her bedroom, hours before the ball. No one else remembers the deadly attack or believes her warnings of disaster.
Not even when it happens again. And again. And again.
If she’s going to escape this nightmarish time loop, Anaïs must take control of her own fate and stop the attack before it happens. But the court's gilded surface belies a rotten core, full of restless nobles grabbing at power, discontented commoners itching for revolution, and even royals who secretly dream of taking the throne. It's up to Anaïs to untangle these knots of deadly deceptions . . . if she can survive past midnight.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published March 14, 2023
126 people are currently reading
12011 people want to read
About the author
Zeba Shahnaz
2 books135 followersZeba Shahnaz writes fantasy full of political intrigue, twisted romance, and a healthy dose of existential angst. She is the author of MIDNIGHT STRIKES and the upcoming THE PEACOCK THRONE. A proud Pakistani-American, she translated her love of storytelling into a graduate degree analyzing national identity, culture, and cinema in South Asia. She grew up in New Jersey and lives in Washington, D.C.
You can find Zeba on Twitter @zaybashah and on Instagram @zaybashahwrites.
You can find Zeba on Twitter @zaybashah and on Instagram @zaybashahwrites.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 677 reviews
July 28, 2022
~Contains some spoilers~
Overall, this was not a bad book, I do want to preface that I am not normally a fan of time-loop storylines, so I am trying not to judge the book unfairly in that aspect. That being said, I felt that the book was a little too long. Indeed, what Anaïs accomplished by the end of the book could have been done in less time with fewer failed attempts. Throughout the entire book, I found myself wishing that someone else (specifically Leo) retained their memory along with Anaïs. Had Leo and Anaïs both remembered what had happened every time that time looped, then they would have been able to come up with a better plan and forge a relationship that I think would have been highly enjoyable to read about. And speaking of their relationship, it was so odd how fast Anaïs fell in love with Leo. It seemed like they hardly knew one another one moment and the next Anaïs was suddenly in love with him. Had Leo also retained his memory every time-loop, that love would have made so much more sense and it would have given Leo the opportunity to love her back as well as work through some of his vices and issues. I was hoping that maybe at the end of the book, Leo would somehow get all of his memories back and realize that he also loved Anaïs, but that did not happen at all.
On the subject of the ending, I was pretty disappointed. I felt like there could have been a better solution to ending the time loop than the plan that Anaïs came up with. She went through the time loop over and over again in an attempt to save as many people as she could, only to have most of the people die anyway. What was the point of going back so many times if everyone was going to die anyway? She even seemed to realize that was what was going to happen halfway through the book, but she dragged us along with her as she kept going back and failing all over again. Finally, the very end of the book, Anaïs just decides to go home without trying to make something of her love for Leo. It was hinted that something may happen, but I would have liked more than a hint after everything.
Some of the magic in this book also felt random and a bit confusing, but the blood magic was an interesting concept. if you like time-loops, I'm sure you'll like this book, but if not, this probably isn't for you.
Overall, this was not a bad book, I do want to preface that I am not normally a fan of time-loop storylines, so I am trying not to judge the book unfairly in that aspect. That being said, I felt that the book was a little too long. Indeed, what Anaïs accomplished by the end of the book could have been done in less time with fewer failed attempts. Throughout the entire book, I found myself wishing that someone else (specifically Leo) retained their memory along with Anaïs. Had Leo and Anaïs both remembered what had happened every time that time looped, then they would have been able to come up with a better plan and forge a relationship that I think would have been highly enjoyable to read about. And speaking of their relationship, it was so odd how fast Anaïs fell in love with Leo. It seemed like they hardly knew one another one moment and the next Anaïs was suddenly in love with him. Had Leo also retained his memory every time-loop, that love would have made so much more sense and it would have given Leo the opportunity to love her back as well as work through some of his vices and issues. I was hoping that maybe at the end of the book, Leo would somehow get all of his memories back and realize that he also loved Anaïs, but that did not happen at all.
On the subject of the ending, I was pretty disappointed. I felt like there could have been a better solution to ending the time loop than the plan that Anaïs came up with. She went through the time loop over and over again in an attempt to save as many people as she could, only to have most of the people die anyway. What was the point of going back so many times if everyone was going to die anyway? She even seemed to realize that was what was going to happen halfway through the book, but she dragged us along with her as she kept going back and failing all over again. Finally, the very end of the book, Anaïs just decides to go home without trying to make something of her love for Leo. It was hinted that something may happen, but I would have liked more than a hint after everything.
Some of the magic in this book also felt random and a bit confusing, but the blood magic was an interesting concept. if you like time-loops, I'm sure you'll like this book, but if not, this probably isn't for you.
May 4, 2023
This book is like Happy Death Day mixed with Cinderella and I never thought I’d say those two things in the same sentence. Fairytales are my favorite genre. Time loops are fun. But a time loop plot WITHIN the fairytale genre is a rarity! This is like Cinderella on steroids. It has all the elements of a fairytale with the glittering ball, royal prince, snooty nobility, royal court drama, and fancy palace. Yet, combine that with the plot of Happy Death Day where an explosion kills everyone in attendance at the ball at the end of the night, only to wake up to it being hours before the ball on the same day again, and no one having any memory of this except our provincial heroine. Taking two things that are not necessarily original on their own but combining a sci fi plot into a fairytale setting? I mean, come on. You’ve gotta be intrigued by that.
The best part of this book is the world building. It is explained so well and the magic system clear, but it is explained in a way that it doesn’t come out as an info dump all at once. The world building is phenomenal and paints a picture within the first chapter. This is marketed as a fantasy but it has so many elements of a fairytale. This book starts out with dazzling ball in a grand ballroom filled with shimmering chandeliers, voluminous gowns, and endless grandeur and I was eating it up. The writing style is absolutely stunning.
“Chandelier light hugs the hollows beneath his cheekbones as dearly as if they, too, were carved centuries ago by kings and princes long gone—an arresting beauty built for precisely this dripping-gold world.”
Now that’s talent!
This is a PSA for Netgalley reviewers: This arc is not compatible on kindle and the publisher only made it available on the Netgalley shelf app. I went through the trouble of downloading the app to find that the text WAS SO TINY to the point where I was just desperate for this book to be over even though I was enjoying it. Imagine trying to read a 400 page book with barely visible text. Not fun. I reached out to Netgalley thinking it was the Netgalley app’s fault for being so unreadable, to find out the publisher is behind the reason why this was such a tedious reading experience. They not only didn’t provide an ebook formatted to the kindle app, the file they provided Netgalley also does not allow the function to adjust the text size on the Netgalley shelf app to make it big enough to be comfortably readable. This was the most unpleasant arc reviewing experience I’ve ever had. No matter how good a book is, squinting through 400 pages is not fun. This book and author deserves better than this. I doubt this is the experience she wanted her readers to have with her book.
Basically, read this book when it comes out. It’s a fantastic fantasy novel. But Netgalley reviewers, request this arc with caution due to the format the publisher will provide to you. It took me forever to finish this arc even though I was loving this book because the act of squinting through the uncomfortably small text was so tedious.
Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
The best part of this book is the world building. It is explained so well and the magic system clear, but it is explained in a way that it doesn’t come out as an info dump all at once. The world building is phenomenal and paints a picture within the first chapter. This is marketed as a fantasy but it has so many elements of a fairytale. This book starts out with dazzling ball in a grand ballroom filled with shimmering chandeliers, voluminous gowns, and endless grandeur and I was eating it up. The writing style is absolutely stunning.
“Chandelier light hugs the hollows beneath his cheekbones as dearly as if they, too, were carved centuries ago by kings and princes long gone—an arresting beauty built for precisely this dripping-gold world.”
Now that’s talent!
This is a PSA for Netgalley reviewers: This arc is not compatible on kindle and the publisher only made it available on the Netgalley shelf app. I went through the trouble of downloading the app to find that the text WAS SO TINY to the point where I was just desperate for this book to be over even though I was enjoying it. Imagine trying to read a 400 page book with barely visible text. Not fun. I reached out to Netgalley thinking it was the Netgalley app’s fault for being so unreadable, to find out the publisher is behind the reason why this was such a tedious reading experience. They not only didn’t provide an ebook formatted to the kindle app, the file they provided Netgalley also does not allow the function to adjust the text size on the Netgalley shelf app to make it big enough to be comfortably readable. This was the most unpleasant arc reviewing experience I’ve ever had. No matter how good a book is, squinting through 400 pages is not fun. This book and author deserves better than this. I doubt this is the experience she wanted her readers to have with her book.
Basically, read this book when it comes out. It’s a fantastic fantasy novel. But Netgalley reviewers, request this arc with caution due to the format the publisher will provide to you. It took me forever to finish this arc even though I was loving this book because the act of squinting through the uncomfortably small text was so tedious.
Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
March 14, 2023
While I liked the premise of Midnight Strikes, the execution fell short for me.
The time loop aspect is always fun, but Anaïs only has a few hours before she's killed and the loop resets, so she never really has enough time to learn much. As a result, she lives through the loop a. ton. of. times. and it gets repetitive after a while. The loop either needed to be longer or Anaïs needed to ask better questions.
The magic system is a little shaky. The blood magic seems mostly straightforward, but the Ivarean magic doesn't make complete sense, especially in the parts about charms and talismans. The connection between the two types of magic is interesting and a nice little twist, but I wasn't sold on the magic system overall.
Sort-of instalove. The argument can be made that Anaïs encountered Prince Leo time and time again and got to know him, but he only spends a few hours at most with her, which isn't enough time to fall in love. Maybe if Leo had been stuck in the loop with Anaïs--which would've been a better choice, in my opinion--then the romance would've been believable, but as it is, I wasn't buying it.
The random foul language. It feels out of place in this world to use real curse words, although in-world curses would've been entirely appropriate.
The ending. I didn't expect things to go smoothly once the final loop came around, but what happened was pure crazy, and honestly, it was just too much. And then Anaïs's decision at the end made the romance even less believable, although the hints at something in the future helped hedge things a bit. Still, I wanted more closure.
So what did I like? Anaïs herself is likeable, and her determination to save the day is admirable. She also starts to get more clever as the loops continue, which was a relief. The worldbuilding is also interesting, and the secondary characters that Anaïs gets to know better "each day" are fun; Jacinthe in particular would be a fun character to know more about. And I really enjoyed that this story is dark. Anaïs has to die for the loop to reset, and most of her deaths are mentioned, as are the deaths of everyone else at the ball. The violence gives realness to Anaïs's task and makes it obvious why she can't just run away.
All in all, Midnight Strikes is a fun read and a decent debut, but I think a tighter plot would've made this a real winner. I look forward to seeing what Shahnaz comes out with next.
The time loop aspect is always fun, but Anaïs only has a few hours before she's killed and the loop resets, so she never really has enough time to learn much. As a result, she lives through the loop a. ton. of. times. and it gets repetitive after a while. The loop either needed to be longer or Anaïs needed to ask better questions.
The magic system is a little shaky. The blood magic seems mostly straightforward, but the Ivarean magic doesn't make complete sense, especially in the parts about charms and talismans. The connection between the two types of magic is interesting and a nice little twist, but I wasn't sold on the magic system overall.
Sort-of instalove. The argument can be made that Anaïs encountered Prince Leo time and time again and got to know him, but he only spends a few hours at most with her, which isn't enough time to fall in love. Maybe if Leo had been stuck in the loop with Anaïs--which would've been a better choice, in my opinion--then the romance would've been believable, but as it is, I wasn't buying it.
The random foul language. It feels out of place in this world to use real curse words, although in-world curses would've been entirely appropriate.
The ending. I didn't expect things to go smoothly once the final loop came around, but what happened was pure crazy, and honestly, it was just too much. And then Anaïs's decision at the end made the romance even less believable, although the hints at something in the future helped hedge things a bit. Still, I wanted more closure.
So what did I like? Anaïs herself is likeable, and her determination to save the day is admirable. She also starts to get more clever as the loops continue, which was a relief. The worldbuilding is also interesting, and the secondary characters that Anaïs gets to know better "each day" are fun; Jacinthe in particular would be a fun character to know more about. And I really enjoyed that this story is dark. Anaïs has to die for the loop to reset, and most of her deaths are mentioned, as are the deaths of everyone else at the ball. The violence gives realness to Anaïs's task and makes it obvious why she can't just run away.
All in all, Midnight Strikes is a fun read and a decent debut, but I think a tighter plot would've made this a real winner. I look forward to seeing what Shahnaz comes out with next.
May 20, 2023
flat 3.00000 stars. today my heart was broken by a book that had SO MUCH PROMISE. i was so excited. clickbaited by booktok once again….
Want to read
July 7, 202206.07.2022 i now see a stunning coverrr
04.12.2021 i'm always here for a twisted time loop adventure and deadly court intrigue.
04.12.2021 i'm always here for a twisted time loop adventure and deadly court intrigue.
June 23, 2023
"There’s never enough time."
While I don't read them often, I'm always up for a time loop and this one did not let me down. Set in a fantastical world on the night of a conquering kingdom's anniversary ball, the midnight bells bring more than a new day. Instead, they ring as a death knell as explosions rock the ballroom. Those who didn't die on impact are soon brought down by an invading force. But only one attendee wakes up over and over again to experience it again.
"Here is the truth: between the first and last bells of midnight, the world will fall apart.."
Time loops can often get repetitive but Shahnaz does an excellent job of rapidly moving the story forward all while stuck in the time constraints of a single day. She weaves a captivating, action packed, and fast pace story that draws readers in.
While I don't read them often, I'm always up for a time loop and this one did not let me down. Set in a fantastical world on the night of a conquering kingdom's anniversary ball, the midnight bells bring more than a new day. Instead, they ring as a death knell as explosions rock the ballroom. Those who didn't die on impact are soon brought down by an invading force. But only one attendee wakes up over and over again to experience it again.
"Here is the truth: between the first and last bells of midnight, the world will fall apart.."
Time loops can often get repetitive but Shahnaz does an excellent job of rapidly moving the story forward all while stuck in the time constraints of a single day. She weaves a captivating, action packed, and fast pace story that draws readers in.
March 20, 2023
* An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I honestly was excited for this one, as the premise sounds pretty great: time loops, magic, a fancy glittering ball, etc. All good things, but the overall execution wasn't working for me. I can definitely see it being enjoyed more by other readers, but it was a no for me.
I honestly was excited for this one, as the premise sounds pretty great: time loops, magic, a fancy glittering ball, etc. All good things, but the overall execution wasn't working for me. I can definitely see it being enjoyed more by other readers, but it was a no for me.
April 30, 2023
This book is what would happen if Cinderella and Sci-fi had a baby. Anaïs is ready to go home. She is tired of trying to marry above her station, despite her parent's attempts to help her find a suitable husband. With one more ball to go, Anaïs is ready to call it quits when, all of a sudden, she dies in a massacre. Only, she wakes up again. Not quite sure how she ended up in this time loop, she is determined to save as many people as she can, no matter how long it takes.
Fairytale-retellings and science fiction are two of my favorite genres, so I was quite excited to read this. The only part of this book that is truly science-fiction is the time loop, which is pretty integral, but this will still be perfect for fairytale and fantasy bookworms. I had a lovely time getting to know the world and the magic system. I found blood magic versus learned magic quite interesting, and the author did a wonderful job of explaining both concepts. For such a complex world, it is quite easy to grasp, entirely because of how the author writes. Everything is explained in steps, building on each other in a quick but manageable fashion. The social, cultural, and economic differences in this world are quite fascinating and often explained through great dialogue or as Anaïs is furthering the plot.
Speaking of Anaïs, I loved her character. Despite the terrible predicament she is in, she does not give up. Her stamina and determination made her a character I could root for 100%. Every time her day repeats, she executes different plans and ideas to find out who is behind the massacre, and how to stop it. For such a short time frame (the loop is only for a few hours), her quick thinking and decision-making kept each day from being completely the same.
The two reasons I gave this book 3 stars instead of a higher rating are because of the romance and the ending. I understand why Anaïs falls in love with the prince, but for him, they just keep meeting over and over again. He has no recollection of the conversations and meaningful moments they have shared. While her love felt true and natural, I had a hard time grasping how Prince Leo fell in love with her so quickly. The ending also really let me down. It was an unsatisfying conclusion for the tension that had been brewing the whole time. The anticlimactic conclusion dimmed the whole reading experience for me. I can't say the ending is bad, though. I really feel like whether you like it or not will be very different for each reader.
Thank you to Net Galley and Delacorte Press for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own!
Fairytale-retellings and science fiction are two of my favorite genres, so I was quite excited to read this. The only part of this book that is truly science-fiction is the time loop, which is pretty integral, but this will still be perfect for fairytale and fantasy bookworms. I had a lovely time getting to know the world and the magic system. I found blood magic versus learned magic quite interesting, and the author did a wonderful job of explaining both concepts. For such a complex world, it is quite easy to grasp, entirely because of how the author writes. Everything is explained in steps, building on each other in a quick but manageable fashion. The social, cultural, and economic differences in this world are quite fascinating and often explained through great dialogue or as Anaïs is furthering the plot.
Speaking of Anaïs, I loved her character. Despite the terrible predicament she is in, she does not give up. Her stamina and determination made her a character I could root for 100%. Every time her day repeats, she executes different plans and ideas to find out who is behind the massacre, and how to stop it. For such a short time frame (the loop is only for a few hours), her quick thinking and decision-making kept each day from being completely the same.
The two reasons I gave this book 3 stars instead of a higher rating are because of the romance and the ending. I understand why Anaïs falls in love with the prince, but for him, they just keep meeting over and over again. He has no recollection of the conversations and meaningful moments they have shared. While her love felt true and natural, I had a hard time grasping how Prince Leo fell in love with her so quickly. The ending also really let me down. It was an unsatisfying conclusion for the tension that had been brewing the whole time. The anticlimactic conclusion dimmed the whole reading experience for me. I can't say the ending is bad, though. I really feel like whether you like it or not will be very different for each reader.
Thank you to Net Galley and Delacorte Press for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own!
nevermind
July 17, 2023DNF @ pg. 111
I'm just not interested enough to continue. I also didn't love the modern cursing and modern-sounding dialogue.
I'm just not interested enough to continue. I also didn't love the modern cursing and modern-sounding dialogue.
March 11, 2023
[ARC]
I liked the time loop at first but then it went on WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY too long. By the time we got to actually solving the loop, I'd fully stopped caring.
"Love" with Leo was weak and undeveloped.
Not nearly enough "royals treating commoners like shit" to justify the rebellion.
I liked the time loop at first but then it went on WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY too long. By the time we got to actually solving the loop, I'd fully stopped caring.
"Love" with Leo was weak and undeveloped.
Not nearly enough "royals treating commoners like shit" to justify the rebellion.
October 30, 2022
i love a good time loop and this story had me HOOOOOKED.
April 2, 2023
If time doesn't exist, neither does the star rating system and I can therefore give this book an infant amount of stars. Because THIS BOOK, I CAN'T WITH THIS BOOK
After being disappointed by some other anticipated reads, I was nervous about this one, but I didn't need to be. It more than lived up to the hype I'd created in my head, it was an absolute stunning, delicious read
Anaïs was a fantastic heroine. Flawed, relatable, brave, snarky, clever, the kind of heroine I wanted to follow over and over again
Her arc was so good, her relationship with Leo was *chef's kiss* I could go on for hours about Anaïs and Leo, they were phenomenal in all the right ways. So perfectly starcrossed but in a really different way, I loved them
The other characters where fleshed out and had so many layers that surprised me. The story was twisty and took me on a lot of unexpected rides but in ways that felt satisfying
The time loop was so good, I haven't read a time loop story before (I've seen a few movies) and this one was done really well. It was engaging, didn't feel too repetitive, and had so many layers and so much mystery
The world was lush without feeling too overwhelming. We got the details we needed and it felt real and rich, without bogging is down with a lot of unnecessary world building
It was VERY emotional. Reliving the same night over and over again, dying every night, over and over again, takes an emotional toll on Anaïs and the author did a wonderful job showing that. But for someone who VERY high anxiety who gets stressed out easily, it didn't feel too emotionally compromising. I was hooked and engaged and felt along with Anaïs without ever feeling so stressed that I needed to put the book down and walk away
A word of warning, while it didn't bother me, there were a good number of uses of the f-word
All in all, a FANTASTIC read, one I will ABSOLUTELY be revisiting again. I miss them already, honestly. ∞/10, HIGHLY recommend
🎶 Midnight by Beth Crowley
After being disappointed by some other anticipated reads, I was nervous about this one, but I didn't need to be. It more than lived up to the hype I'd created in my head, it was an absolute stunning, delicious read
Anaïs was a fantastic heroine. Flawed, relatable, brave, snarky, clever, the kind of heroine I wanted to follow over and over again
Her arc was so good, her relationship with Leo was *chef's kiss* I could go on for hours about Anaïs and Leo, they were phenomenal in all the right ways. So perfectly starcrossed but in a really different way, I loved them
The other characters where fleshed out and had so many layers that surprised me. The story was twisty and took me on a lot of unexpected rides but in ways that felt satisfying
The time loop was so good, I haven't read a time loop story before (I've seen a few movies) and this one was done really well. It was engaging, didn't feel too repetitive, and had so many layers and so much mystery
The world was lush without feeling too overwhelming. We got the details we needed and it felt real and rich, without bogging is down with a lot of unnecessary world building
It was VERY emotional. Reliving the same night over and over again, dying every night, over and over again, takes an emotional toll on Anaïs and the author did a wonderful job showing that. But for someone who VERY high anxiety who gets stressed out easily, it didn't feel too emotionally compromising. I was hooked and engaged and felt along with Anaïs without ever feeling so stressed that I needed to put the book down and walk away
A word of warning, while it didn't bother me, there were a good number of uses of the f-word
All in all, a FANTASTIC read, one I will ABSOLUTELY be revisiting again. I miss them already, honestly. ∞/10, HIGHLY recommend
🎶 Midnight by Beth Crowley
August 25, 2023
3.5 stars. One of my favorite premises for a story! I read it during a time when I had very little time to read, so it was in much smaller doses than usual for me, and that may have made it feel like it was a little slower than if I’d read it as fast as I normally read books. But I enjoyed it.
April 8, 2023
Midnight Strikes is a fun time loop romance full or revenge, mystery, drama and a bit of romance. When epic tragedy strikes at a ball...every dies...but Anais wakes up to find herself reliving the morning of the ball as if the bloody massacre never happened.
What follows is a race to find a killer, motive, and maybe some unlikely allies. This all takes place in a French court setting full of grandeur, shaky alliances and a race before everyone runs out of time.
I really don't mind time loops, I thought that the fun of the novel was fun and that the world building was excellent. Visually you can see the glitz of the court and the deadly devastation within. I thought the magic concept was interesting and I didn't call the mystery in its entirety so that was also fun to work through.
I wish that someone along with Anais would have been able to retain their memory within the loop. Aurora's end does this SO WELL, so I always feel slightly jilted when its one character going at it solo. I felt like this aspect made the romance lack luster because she grows feelings while he only remembers their interactions day by day. I like a BUILD.
3.5 stars
**The first half of the book held my attention but I slowly lost interest towards the end because I felt like I was reliving the day TOO much by the end, so thats where my half star deduction comes from.
What follows is a race to find a killer, motive, and maybe some unlikely allies. This all takes place in a French court setting full of grandeur, shaky alliances and a race before everyone runs out of time.
I really don't mind time loops, I thought that the fun of the novel was fun and that the world building was excellent. Visually you can see the glitz of the court and the deadly devastation within. I thought the magic concept was interesting and I didn't call the mystery in its entirety so that was also fun to work through.
I wish that someone along with Anais would have been able to retain their memory within the loop. Aurora's end does this SO WELL, so I always feel slightly jilted when its one character going at it solo. I felt like this aspect made the romance lack luster because she grows feelings while he only remembers their interactions day by day. I like a BUILD.
3.5 stars
**The first half of the book held my attention but I slowly lost interest towards the end because I felt like I was reliving the day TOO much by the end, so thats where my half star deduction comes from.
March 21, 2023
2.75 Stars
I can't stress enough how excited I was seeing that I got approved for an arc for this book. Cinderella meets Groundhog Day, where Cindy (Anaïs) dies every night at midnight and has to find out why? Sign me up!
I went into this book expecting non-stop action, a fun thriller-mystery, and maybe even a cute romance, but got hardly any of the above. In fact, after about 100 pages I felt bored and it took me just under three weeks to finish the remaining 300-odd pages of this book.
I think the problem with this book is that it falls into the major crutch that a time-loop story has to get past to succeed: making progress in spite of being stuck in time. There needs to be some variability or break-through on behalf of the main character so that the viewer/reader doesn't feel like they're reading the same day over and over and over again with no change. Sure, the minor events of the night change (i.e., what Anaïs does at the ball, who she interacts with, etc.), but nothing significant even happens until you're almost three-fourths of the way through the book.
Additionally, the mystery, although enthralling at points, was fairly predictable if you've read any YA dystopian book. The romance was lacking, mostly because the love-interest couldn't remember why Anaïs was important most of the time. Nobody wanted to believe Anaïs despite all the evidence to the contrary, which --considering the political tensions the author describes-- I found fairly unbelievable.
Overall, my deepest gratitudes to Netgalley, Delacorte Press, and Zeba Shahnaz for letting me read an ARC of this book.
I can't stress enough how excited I was seeing that I got approved for an arc for this book. Cinderella meets Groundhog Day, where Cindy (Anaïs) dies every night at midnight and has to find out why? Sign me up!
I went into this book expecting non-stop action, a fun thriller-mystery, and maybe even a cute romance, but got hardly any of the above. In fact, after about 100 pages I felt bored and it took me just under three weeks to finish the remaining 300-odd pages of this book.
I think the problem with this book is that it falls into the major crutch that a time-loop story has to get past to succeed: making progress in spite of being stuck in time. There needs to be some variability or break-through on behalf of the main character so that the viewer/reader doesn't feel like they're reading the same day over and over and over again with no change. Sure, the minor events of the night change (i.e., what Anaïs does at the ball, who she interacts with, etc.), but nothing significant even happens until you're almost three-fourths of the way through the book.
Additionally, the mystery, although enthralling at points, was fairly predictable if you've read any YA dystopian book. The romance was lacking, mostly because the love-interest couldn't remember why Anaïs was important most of the time. Nobody wanted to believe Anaïs despite all the evidence to the contrary, which --considering the political tensions the author describes-- I found fairly unbelievable.
Overall, my deepest gratitudes to Netgalley, Delacorte Press, and Zeba Shahnaz for letting me read an ARC of this book.
April 10, 2023
I really liked this book. The author, Zeba Shahnaz, is clearly a skilled writer. She did a great job with a plot that could have fallen flat. It's not easy to tell a recurring day story; there's always a tension of how much to tell, how many details to repeat. Shahnaz did a great job balancing the two as well as telling a story with sufficient surprises.
I'll be interested in following her work in the future.
I'll be interested in following her work in the future.
January 18, 2023
This is the book that Lady Gaga went on the talented-brilliant-incredible-amazing rant for btw.
May 26, 2024
⭐️ good characters all around, really loved the side characters throughout
⭐️ fun magic system
⭐️ good pacing and not overly repetitive for a time loop story (thank god)
⭐️ charming roguish prince Leo 🤭 and Anaïs 🥰
⭐️ fun magic system
⭐️ good pacing and not overly repetitive for a time loop story (thank god)
⭐️ charming roguish prince Leo 🤭 and Anaïs 🥰
April 9, 2024
I suppose this would’ve been great if I wasn’t bored out of my mind by the fifth time loop😭.
April 3, 2023
this was my first book that i got through owlcrate and i'll admit that without them i would have never found out about this book.
i've always liked time loop stories, and this book delivers. it's very easy and fast to read, and from the beginning, i wanted to know how and why the MC was stuck in a time loop, though at some points i didn't quite understand the world building.
i've always liked time loop stories, and this book delivers. it's very easy and fast to read, and from the beginning, i wanted to know how and why the MC was stuck in a time loop, though at some points i didn't quite understand the world building.
February 27, 2023
I requested this because I thought reading about a time loop in a fantasy setting would be fun, but Midnight Strikes was so much more than that. This is one of those books that I love so much that I don't really know what to write because I just want everyone to go read it. So if you're reading this, this is your sign to pick up this book ASAP. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. The only reason I didn't read the whole thing in one sitting yesterday was because I already had plans to go to a concert, otherwise I would've.
Anaïs was a really interesting main character, because as the reader learns who she is through the story unfolding, she's learning alongside them. Shahnaz managed to create a painfully human main character, and have her simultaneously be one of the most badass fictional women I've ever read. Anaïs truly goes through an insane amount of trauma and still tries to do the right thing anyway. And Leo? Leo lowkey reminded me of Cardan from TFOTA, which is high praise because Cardan is one of my favorite characters ever. There's so many layers to Leo that Shrek would be proud. I don't want to say too much more because of spoilers but I love those two, and the rest of the cast of characters so much.
One of the other things I absolutely adored about this book was how the situations weren't shown as black and white. Everything had nuance to it, and everyone had a reason for their actions, both good and bad. This book was deliciously anti-colonialism and was such a breath of fresh air when it came to heavier and complex topics like that. Maybe it's because of how poorly the last fantasy I read handled it's racism and colonialism, but Midnight Strikes truly shone bright when tackling those for me.
My only complaint is that some of the lines with swearing felt a bit out of place due to the phrasing sounding too much like it was from our world rather than the fantasy one, but it was so minor that it's barely worth mentioning.
Overall, Midnight Strikes is an excellent fantasy standalone that tackles finding yourself, your future, colonialism, power imbalance and so much more. It's also impossible to put down and has some swoon worthy romantic moments. It's something I'm really hoping to see in libraries and other places teens can access it, because I think it's a great way to encourage awareness of those topics within the books they read. Essentially, I think it could be a very fun way for teens to learn to question the subtext of what the other fantasies they read are, which is something I think is more important than ever in the wake of so much censorship.
Anaïs was a really interesting main character, because as the reader learns who she is through the story unfolding, she's learning alongside them. Shahnaz managed to create a painfully human main character, and have her simultaneously be one of the most badass fictional women I've ever read. Anaïs truly goes through an insane amount of trauma and still tries to do the right thing anyway. And Leo? Leo lowkey reminded me of Cardan from TFOTA, which is high praise because Cardan is one of my favorite characters ever. There's so many layers to Leo that Shrek would be proud. I don't want to say too much more because of spoilers but I love those two, and the rest of the cast of characters so much.
One of the other things I absolutely adored about this book was how the situations weren't shown as black and white. Everything had nuance to it, and everyone had a reason for their actions, both good and bad. This book was deliciously anti-colonialism and was such a breath of fresh air when it came to heavier and complex topics like that. Maybe it's because of how poorly the last fantasy I read handled it's racism and colonialism, but Midnight Strikes truly shone bright when tackling those for me.
My only complaint is that some of the lines with swearing felt a bit out of place due to the phrasing sounding too much like it was from our world rather than the fantasy one, but it was so minor that it's barely worth mentioning.
Overall, Midnight Strikes is an excellent fantasy standalone that tackles finding yourself, your future, colonialism, power imbalance and so much more. It's also impossible to put down and has some swoon worthy romantic moments. It's something I'm really hoping to see in libraries and other places teens can access it, because I think it's a great way to encourage awareness of those topics within the books they read. Essentially, I think it could be a very fun way for teens to learn to question the subtext of what the other fantasies they read are, which is something I think is more important than ever in the wake of so much censorship.
March 15, 2023
3.5/5⭐
I LOVE time loop stories; they can be so creative and fun and I just find them so entertaining. I was sold on Midnight Strikes as soon I saw the words "fantasy time loop," and although a few things kept this from a higher rating, overall I really enjoyed it.
The writing was beautiful and there were so many passages I found myself wanting to highlight (not something I normally do and unfortunately not something that was possible in the format I was reading). This is an impressive debut and I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from Zeba Shahnaz!
The world building really shone; I'd love another novel set in this world without the time loop so we could explore more of it. And the magic systems were fascinating with some really fun twists. Anaïs is a great reluctant hero narrator and she goes through a very satisfying evolution into a stronger and smarter protagonist with each loop. The progression of the side characters through her interactions with them was also fun to watch.
It feels a bit silly to call a time loop story repetitive, because hello, but the nature of this one meant that the loop itself was only a few hours long and didn't go much beyond the setting of the ball. This made any progression in the story very difficult and the first half did drag a bit for me. (This book also took me ages to read, due entirely to the terrible formatting of the publisher's egalley, which I'm sure contributed to that drawn out feeling.) Anaïs was also the only one ever caught in the loop, which meant all relationships started over, stunting the romance significantly. Throw Leo in that loop with her, let their connection really develop! I also found the ending less than satisfying and wanted a bit more closure. I loved the final words, but I didn't love that they were the final words, if that makes sense.
This was a fun, fairytale-esque fantasy adventure that I'd overall recommend, especially if you love time loops and don't mind a lighter romance.
Thank you Delacorte Press and TBR & Beyond Tours for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I LOVE time loop stories; they can be so creative and fun and I just find them so entertaining. I was sold on Midnight Strikes as soon I saw the words "fantasy time loop," and although a few things kept this from a higher rating, overall I really enjoyed it.
The writing was beautiful and there were so many passages I found myself wanting to highlight (not something I normally do and unfortunately not something that was possible in the format I was reading). This is an impressive debut and I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from Zeba Shahnaz!
The world building really shone; I'd love another novel set in this world without the time loop so we could explore more of it. And the magic systems were fascinating with some really fun twists. Anaïs is a great reluctant hero narrator and she goes through a very satisfying evolution into a stronger and smarter protagonist with each loop. The progression of the side characters through her interactions with them was also fun to watch.
It feels a bit silly to call a time loop story repetitive, because hello, but the nature of this one meant that the loop itself was only a few hours long and didn't go much beyond the setting of the ball. This made any progression in the story very difficult and the first half did drag a bit for me. (This book also took me ages to read, due entirely to the terrible formatting of the publisher's egalley, which I'm sure contributed to that drawn out feeling.) Anaïs was also the only one ever caught in the loop, which meant all relationships started over, stunting the romance significantly. Throw Leo in that loop with her, let their connection really develop! I also found the ending less than satisfying and wanted a bit more closure. I loved the final words, but I didn't love that they were the final words, if that makes sense.
This was a fun, fairytale-esque fantasy adventure that I'd overall recommend, especially if you love time loops and don't mind a lighter romance.
Thank you Delacorte Press and TBR & Beyond Tours for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 28, 2024
Anaïs is a guest at the Ivarea anniversary ball, and she has no desire to rub shoulders with the nation’s most eligible (and pompous) bachelors—not even the notorious Prince Leo. But at the stroke of midnight, an explosion rips through the palace, killing everyone in its path. The last thing Anaïs sees is chaos . . . but only to suddenly wake up in her bed and it's now hours before the ball. No one else remembers the deadly attack or believes her warnings. Can Anaïs escape this time loop of dying she's stuck in?
My Grade: C + 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ The book started out really interesting, with Anaïs trying to figure out and find heIp in ending the massacre before it occurs. But then I felt the story got too crowded and either needed to be heavily edited or better yet, split into a 2 book series. Even still, I did enjoy the magic and the mystery, and it was a fun read.
Spice Level: 🌶️ out of 5. Just some kissing, and a light make out session.
The Good:
-Time Loop Trope is one of my favorites and this one has a really good Groundhog Day vibe.
-Fantasy realm with a touch of romance.
-Magic and faeries.
-LGBTQ rep
The Meh:
-The ending fizzled for me and was awkward.
-I wish some of the side characters were fleshed out more.
-Some of the lore and historical background got confusing to follow.
-The word "Fuck" seemed out of place and didn't match the rest of the dialog. Weird, I know.
My Grade: C + 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ The book started out really interesting, with Anaïs trying to figure out and find heIp in ending the massacre before it occurs. But then I felt the story got too crowded and either needed to be heavily edited or better yet, split into a 2 book series. Even still, I did enjoy the magic and the mystery, and it was a fun read.
Spice Level: 🌶️ out of 5. Just some kissing, and a light make out session.
The Good:
-Time Loop Trope is one of my favorites and this one has a really good Groundhog Day vibe.
-Fantasy realm with a touch of romance.
-Magic and faeries.
-LGBTQ rep
The Meh:
-The ending fizzled for me and was awkward.
-I wish some of the side characters were fleshed out more.
-Some of the lore and historical background got confusing to follow.
-The word "Fuck" seemed out of place and didn't match the rest of the dialog. Weird, I know.
March 14, 2023
4.5 Stars
Anaïs enters the kingdom's anniversary ball with her parents' heavy expectations just wanting to be done with the whole thing. Midnight strikes, bombs explode, and Anaïs doesn't survive. Only she wakes up to start the day anew. What was dreaded is now intriguing, and Anaïs can't help but want to figure out how to keep it from happening again... and again... and again.
Every once in a while, it's unbelievably refreshing to have a book like this cross my path. I don't know what I expected outside of a time-loop, but nods to Cinderella surrounded by death on top of that wasn't it. It's so great how Zeba weaved in characters and magic to make what could be rote (there have been so many time-loops published lately) into something I was excited to listen to.
As I was unable to send this book to my kindle from NetGalley, I did listen to the audiobook through the PRHA app and the narration was excellent! I'm actually glad this is the way I ended up reading it. Nikki Massoud has a great voice for audiobooks - I loved her accents and pacing throughout.
Thank you to Delacorte Press and Netgalley for the advanced copy and PRHA for the alc. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Anaïs enters the kingdom's anniversary ball with her parents' heavy expectations just wanting to be done with the whole thing. Midnight strikes, bombs explode, and Anaïs doesn't survive. Only she wakes up to start the day anew. What was dreaded is now intriguing, and Anaïs can't help but want to figure out how to keep it from happening again... and again... and again.
Every once in a while, it's unbelievably refreshing to have a book like this cross my path. I don't know what I expected outside of a time-loop, but nods to Cinderella surrounded by death on top of that wasn't it. It's so great how Zeba weaved in characters and magic to make what could be rote (there have been so many time-loops published lately) into something I was excited to listen to.
As I was unable to send this book to my kindle from NetGalley, I did listen to the audiobook through the PRHA app and the narration was excellent! I'm actually glad this is the way I ended up reading it. Nikki Massoud has a great voice for audiobooks - I loved her accents and pacing throughout.
Thank you to Delacorte Press and Netgalley for the advanced copy and PRHA for the alc. All thoughts in this review are my own.
April 29, 2023
It talks how Anaïs got stuck in a time looping curse in which to get out she had to find a only save everyone, or at least that’s what she thought.
With time she figure out that she’s was bind to that time by the locket she had around her neck. Even with that information she wanted to save everyone. She knew then who was provoking everyone to die at midnight causing her locket to activate so she would go back in time to the beginning of that afternoon.
She saw countless times everyone she dying, as the king didn’t believe she was met with just another problem.
By the end even though some some were still affected by the blast of the bombs, the king died, but more importantly Clara who wanted the throne that much who was recurring to the mass murder of everyone in the Anniversary Ball.
What Anaïs really wanted was for Leo not to die since she was in love with him.
She was able to save him in the end, he becomes king and even though she after all that because by then what she wanted was to go home, they wrote to each other and he at the very end asks her if she wants to go to the Ball with him. Even though then the circumstances would have changed since the kingdom was back on it’s feet.
With time she figure out that she’s was bind to that time by the locket she had around her neck. Even with that information she wanted to save everyone. She knew then who was provoking everyone to die at midnight causing her locket to activate so she would go back in time to the beginning of that afternoon.
She saw countless times everyone she dying, as the king didn’t believe she was met with just another problem.
By the end even though some some were still affected by the blast of the bombs, the king died, but more importantly Clara who wanted the throne that much who was recurring to the mass murder of everyone in the Anniversary Ball.
What Anaïs really wanted was for Leo not to die since she was in love with him.
She was able to save him in the end, he becomes king and even though she after all that because by then what she wanted was to go home, they wrote to each other and he at the very end asks her if she wants to go to the Ball with him. Even though then the circumstances would have changed since the kingdom was back on it’s feet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2025
3’5⭐
Me ha parecido un libro bastante interesante, ya que es la primera vez que leo algo con bucle temporal.
Me ha gustado como a medida que el libro avanza van encajando muchas piezas de la historia. La intriga y la incertidumbre se ha mantenido a lo largo de toda la historia.
El mundo muy bien construido que te permite imaginar y teorizar lo suficiente mientras lees. La descripción de los escenarios me ha encantado, me ha resultado fácil imaginarme el castillo y los personajes.
Tengo que resaltar la química entre los protagonistas, aunque me hubiese gustado ver más desarrollado la historia entre ellos.
Me ha parecido un libro bastante interesante, ya que es la primera vez que leo algo con bucle temporal.
Me ha gustado como a medida que el libro avanza van encajando muchas piezas de la historia. La intriga y la incertidumbre se ha mantenido a lo largo de toda la historia.
El mundo muy bien construido que te permite imaginar y teorizar lo suficiente mientras lees. La descripción de los escenarios me ha encantado, me ha resultado fácil imaginarme el castillo y los personajes.
Tengo que resaltar la química entre los protagonistas, aunque me hubiese gustado ver más desarrollado la historia entre ellos.
April 12, 2023
A fairy tale time loop is super fun and interesting. But I didn't fall in love with the characters the way I usually do. Also there's way to much swearing in this book for my liking so I deducted a star for that. I liked the system of magic, but the romance fell flat for me. But overall a pretty gripping story.
July 16, 2025
I had high expectations for this book but I honestly was very bored and couldn’t wait to be done with it. This didn’t feel like a retelling of Cinderella to me. I wasn’t invested in any of the characters.
October 7, 2023
2.5. This book was longer than it should have been and it made it absolutely exhausting to get through.
March 4, 2025
Me ha sorprendido muchísimo! Bucles temporales un misterio que vas descubriendo poco a poco. Nada mal!!!! Aun no sé si ponerle 3 o 4 estrellas
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