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mfrisk's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I kept reading despite this book feeling so incredibly slow paced thinking that there would be a twist or more substantial pay off in the ending only to find that nothing felt earned or even that interesting once I finally got there.
This book is not that long but the completely unnecessary flashbacks every other chapter and the red herring that could have made for a way more interesting discussion on misogyny and fear were so annoying. The only aspect I did like was the references to horror movies but even those got annoying at a certain point as they felt very over the top.
As others have noted the action doesn’t pick up only there are less than 100 pages left in this book and even then everything is incredibly drawn out for little to no reason.
This book is not that long but the completely unnecessary flashbacks every other chapter and the red herring that could have made for a way more interesting discussion on misogyny and fear were so annoying. The only aspect I did like was the references to horror movies but even those got annoying at a certain point as they felt very over the top.
As others have noted the action doesn’t pick up only there are less than 100 pages left in this book and even then everything is incredibly drawn out for little to no reason.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse
caidyn's review
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A twisty, short read! I enjoyed this a lot, especially since it's told in a non-linear way.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood, and Murder
smalltowncreepy's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
As someone who also has an anxiety disorder who feels calmer when watching horror movies, I felt so seen in Midnight on Beacon Street. Verona does an amazing job describing panic attacks and general anxiety that never goes away and effects every aspect of life. It was the best part of this book.
That said, I wasn't a fan of the style of Midnight on Beacon Street. The timeline jumping got frustrating for me and the lead up to who the killer is, complete with a few red herrings, felt more frustrating than anticipatory.
In the end, it was a good slasher, just not the style that I enjoy.
I do recommend other slasher fans, and fans of slow/quiet thrillers like the work of Gillian Flynn, read it however because it is well thought out and well written with a fantastic Final Girl in Amy.
That said, I wasn't a fan of the style of Midnight on Beacon Street. The timeline jumping got frustrating for me and the lead up to who the killer is, complete with a few red herrings, felt more frustrating than anticipatory.
In the end, it was a good slasher, just not the style that I enjoy.
I do recommend other slasher fans, and fans of slow/quiet thrillers like the work of Gillian Flynn, read it however because it is well thought out and well written with a fantastic Final Girl in Amy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Blood, Stalking, and Alcohol
frahhn's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Haunting themes and a horrible plot—what more can you ask for :) The author did an incredible job driving up the suspense in the book, I was *so* tense by the climax!! The writing was beautiful and I was moved by the compassionate portrayal of all of our main characters. I felt in hinsight that while the ending was good and satisfying, i would have liked a little more peppered throughout the book leading up to it, but perhaps that would have robbed surprise from the ending. One image that has latched to my mind is the young boy, Ben, clinging to a mezuzah for comfort and safety. The book is very cyclical, engaging with the transition from child to babysitter, daughter to mother, child to adult. Another major theme is the frustration and fully enveloping horror of anxiety. I was impressed how the author was able to convey how complex many of the secondary characters were, without providing clarifying insight into them, fully aligning the reader with the knowledge of our main characters. Sorry if that doesn’t make sense lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Child abuse
slimepuppy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Slow, repetitive, uninteresting. I had high hopes for this book, but it only let me down. The non linear narrative felt unnecessary, the plot was fairly predictable and none of the characters felt special. The main character is just anxious, that's it, that's the character!
The beginning of the book was actually a little creepy, though, so one star for that? Meh.
The beginning of the book was actually a little creepy, though, so one star for that? Meh.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, and Vomit
Moderate: Bullying, Self harm, and Violence
nicolesbookreviews's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
maggie_falk's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Minor: Child abuse and Domestic abuse
cammaleahh's review
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Bullying
bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
Thank you Netgalley, HarperCollins, and One More Chapter for the eARC!
What a debut from Verona! This was a quick read with good pacing. As the synopsis promises, Midnight on Beacon Street is a love letter to horror/slasher films. The story is told through switching POVs between Amy and Ben with each chapter progressing in different ways (Amy’s moves towards midnight up to the climax while Ben starts at midnight with the climax-without revealing anything of course-but then moves backwards). It was a unique and interesting way to tell the story!
What a debut from Verona! This was a quick read with good pacing. As the synopsis promises, Midnight on Beacon Street is a love letter to horror/slasher films. The story is told through switching POVs between Amy and Ben with each chapter progressing in different ways (Amy’s moves towards midnight up to the climax while Ben starts at midnight with the climax-without revealing anything of course-but then moves backwards). It was a unique and interesting way to tell the story!
The writing could sometimes be too repetitive and descriptive, especially in Ben’s chapters. I preferred Amy’s since Ben’s had a lot more telling instead of showing.
The twists were predictable, I wasn’t really surprised by any of them and guessed them a few chapters before it was revealed. But I did appreciate how the story unraveled!
Despite the predictability and telling over showing, it was an enjoyable read and one that I didn’t want to put down! Highly recommend if you want a quick, entertaining thriller. I’m excited to see what Verona writes next ❤️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Vomit
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Blood
sunshinestark's review
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
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