I really believe the premise of this story was great but it took way too long to develop. Additionally I feel incredibly invested in the relationship between our heroes and for it to just suddenly end, rather disappointing.

Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of eARC for my honest opinion.

This book was a little like Cinderella meets Groundhog Day. What would you do if you had to go to a ball where you have been told that you might meet your future husband if you just put yourself out there but instead you get stuck having to watch everything go up in flames and you must keep watching the same time happen over and over again.
This book was a page turner. It had everything I love in books: mystery, romance, magic, heartbreak, twists and turns, and one great plot. I loved and hated the main character, Anais, who had to relive that night over again. I didn’t hate Anais, I hated that she had to relive that over and over just the thought of someone having to do that is so heartbreaking and I know a few times I wanted to give up with her, but I love that no matter what Anais just keep pushing through and having hope that one day she will find all the answers to make it stop. I did enjoy that no matter the outcome the night before she was always willing to try a different way to solve this problem. I loved that I have not read a book like this before and with it being a fantasy book made it even better for me.
I do wish that could have had a little more romance for me but honestly, I can understand having everyone but Anais memory wiped of the night before would be a little hard to have but at the ending…couldn’t we have had a little more romance or a little more closure? I am hoping with the ending that means we will get another book; I will take a novella even.
I honestly can't tell you more because I do not want to ruin the story for you but just know that if you pick up this book it will not be like anything you ever read before.
If you enjoy YA, fantasy, romance, drama, and time loops you should pick up this debut book from this great author.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Children’s for the opportunity to review this book.

For most of this book, I couldn't put it down. I loved how it broke from the tired formula that's present in most YA/ NA books being written, although it still contained many common tropes that readers love. I think the main thing that set this apart from other modern books is the female lead; she wasn't a snarky, arrogant, overbearing girl. She was actually likable and respectable. She grew to have more confidence, to eventually resort to violence at times, but seeing her change into that person and the reasoning for it, made all the difference.
The concept was interesting, of her reliving the same night and trying to accomplish her goals in different ways. There were brief parts that felt redundant, but overall there's a good balance of repeating what needs to be and moving on to new plotting when that's called for.
The fantasy palace setting was great, and the world interesting.
I did not think the romance was necessary, and it was one of the aspects that was incredibly predictable and similar to the other books of the genre. But I know that many readers prefer romance in their stories, and I'm in the minority by thinking it could have been at least as good without it. Just my opinion!
I didn't like much of the very last parts of the book; up until about 92% in, I was planning a 5-star review for it. I knocked off a star because my enjoyment wasn't fully 100% by the end. I don't think the trajectory was bad, I just wasn't totally satisfied with it.

Overall, I loved this book and recommend it. I hope that there will be fanart of it, and that it will receive special editions in book boxes.

I do not hope that this balloons into a series. It was written as a standalone but ultimately was left open in a way that can let the reader fill in their own future details or could lead into another book, if the author and publisher chose. I hope it's left where it stopped, both because it's a good ending point and because we desperately need more standalone books. I would like to read more stories by this author, though.

What a way to begin a story...Anaïs is at a ball where she knows she doesn't belong. She encounters the prince, with whom she knows she doesn't hold the same status. And then an explosion rocks the ball and everyone dies. However, she wakes up and begins the same day all over again.

Anaïs experiences Groundhog Day enumerable times but with heart-stopping action more so than humorous happenings. With her own brand of magic, she embarks on a quest to solve the bombing mystery with her friends and the prince. The only catch...she's the only one who remembers what happens in every loop.

Zeba Shahnaz has a winner with Midnight Strikes. Wonderful descriptions, character development is on point, and the action and suspense is to die for. This will sure to be a favorite for young adults and older adults alike!

Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

A mind-bending science-fiction tale that brings to mind the scandal and dramatics of Bridgerton. Bound to be a smashing success among young adult readers!

Anaïs is trapped in a time loop. Every evening at midnight, bombs explode and hundreds of people around her die ... Then she wakes up earlier that afternoon as the only person who remembers anything.

This is a brilliant story full of magic and adventure with a dash of romance. The premise was unusual enough that I don't think I've ever read anything like it!

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book for review.

Along with time travel stories, I have always enjoyed time loops. When I heard this book would deal with them, I had to pick it up, and I'm so glad I did. It was a time loop fairy tale that I loved from start to finish.

It was surprising to see the number of times that Anais repeats the same day throughout the book, and I enjoyed seeing how Zeba took that as the story continued. Anaïs is dealing with being the only person in the kingdom to relive the same day continuously and remember what is happening. It was interesting to see how she used that in her plans throughout.

I'm glad we also saw what this did to Anaïs emotionally. It's a lot to relive the same day repeatedly, especially when you see everyone die around you, including yourself.

Midnight Strikes was a fun young adult novel that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. The romance was cute, the characters (especially Anaïs and Prince Leo) were great to follow, and the political aspects were intriguing. Overall this book was an enjoyable fantasy novel that I highly recommend.

It's a fantasy time loop story. A girl must save her kingdom from destruction, but how, after she dies in an attack on the castle, she awakes in the morning to relive the day. She must figure out who is to blame and how to stop them. There is magic, friendship, and a bit of romance in the story. A good quick read for fantasy lovers.

Wow this book was a wild ride. I’ve never read a time loop fantasy before and my head is reeling from this Groundhog’s Day meets Les Mis revolutionaries YA fantasy fever dream.

I loved the unique setting and characters, I adored the sweet romance plot line, and I liked how the book just kept me guessing constantly what would happen next. About half way through I started to worry that constant repeat was dragging, but then I realized that it mirrored the character’s life so well that I applauded it actually. The only thing I really wished it had was a way to tie together the love plot within the time loop. It seemed to hint that there was a some connection there that made him love her beneath it all despite constantly restarting the day and re-meeting her, but that was never fully teased out.

I would absolutely recommend this book to fantasy fans! It’s a fresh new story with a fun plot and a lot of crazy twists and turns.

I'm a sucker for a good time loop story, and this one definitely didn't disappoint! Anais is stuck in a time loop, cursed with repeating the same night over and over and over again, and unless she can figure out a way to stop a massive explosion from occurring that kills everyone attending a royal ball, she will continue to die every night. She enlists the help of the youngest member of the royal family, as well as her friend and her frenemy, but since she is the only one stuck in the time loop who actually remembers what's happened, she has to explain things over and over, which understandably leads to a lot of frustration for her!

I loved this book! The time loop aspect was what drew me in, but I fell in love with the world, too. I mean, A+++ for world-building! The descriptions were so detailed that I had no trouble picturing everything that was happening. I loved the prince that Anais is forced to work with, Leopoldo, because he's been written off by the royal family as a lush and an embarrassment, but we find that there is a whole lot more going on there than meets the eye.

I'm very happy to recommend this book, and gladly give it 5/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Zeba Shahnaz for the opportunity to read and review this book.

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.

For one thing, Anais is so dramatic. I couldn't tell you the amount of times I rolled my eyes at her drama-spouting self. She was constantly blaming herself for everything: the attack, the explosions, the deaths, the loop, anything and everything, but in a really sanctimonious I'm-so-important kind of way. Her whole manner of talking (it's 1st POV) is so annoying and exaggerated, especially in the last half of the book.

I understand Anais has been stuck in a time loop that has started over an incredible amount of times, we don't know how many exactly but it's got to be dozens and dozens. I understand dying every night and watching hundreds of others also die is gonna take a toll on you, but her drama about it was annoying to read about. On that note, Anais acts like it's so terrible to witness the bombing and death of these people, but it's only written in such a way as to really make the reader feel that a couple times, and most later in the book, so we don't get a sense of what she's really going through very well until much too late. If we had focused a bit more on the horrors that she saw repeatedly, it would be much more believable for the way she acts and talks about the loops and what occurs within them.

There were some well-written prose or plots, but there was too much word count for just not enough happening. It's a time loop book, so you have to be careful you're making enough “progress” or keeping each loop interesting enough for the time you're spending on it. 400+ pages is a lot to fill correctly at the best of times, but add in a time loop of around 12 hours or less only being lived by one person, and it's really gonna be difficult. Bonus points, the love interest Anais has had close to zero prior interaction with, and yet the entire plan hinges on his help and involvement and also, he's the love interest. And the way it shakes out, I couldn't bring myself to really care.

In this explosive fantasy debut, a provincial girl must work with an infuriatingly handsome prince to escape a nightmarish curse that forces them to relive the same night over and over.

I ABSOLUTELY loved this book and read it in 24 hours. I love a good fairy-tale retelling and you can't go wrong with Cinderella. Anaïs is an amazing, strong female character who endures so much but comes through the otherside better for it. As she relives the same night over and over, the narrative builds, characters develop and relationships grow. I may have a new favorite author, honestly. 100% recommend to fantasy lovers.

I'm so grateful to @netgalley and @randomhousekids for letting me preview Midnight Strikes. Way to go Zeba Shahnaz for knocking it out of the park.

It seems 2023 is going to be a year in which I read books that involve time loops/time in some way. Midnight Strikes is the third such book and the first time loop fantasy that I have read. If I had to sum it up in one word, I would call it incredible. Because what a wonderful story, this is. From start to the finish, it is an incredibly exciting and emotional journey. To see Anais grow from the person she is at the beginning to who she is at the end was amazing; her character growth made this book an instant 5 star read for me. I will be thinking about this book for a very long time.

Midnight Strikes is an enchanting time loop fantasy, filled with deadly court intrigue, characters with mysterious motives and a magic system that just might make it your next favourite read.

I did very much not enjoy this book for so many reasons. Buckle up, kiddos.

I was surprised this book jumped right into the action. Strangely enough though, when I was about 100 pages in, there really wasn't much that had happened. At least, nothing that had really progressed the story even though the action was well on its way.

Also, there were lots of names thrown around at the beginning of this book which made it difficult to follow. I know it's the beginning of a book so that's when you have to receive a lot of names, but it felt like too much. I couldn't keep track of who the characters were nor anything about them. The only person I knew was the prince and her parents so...

Also, I was pretty bored throughout most of the book. The day resets often so she doesn't get very much done each day before it's resets again which was annoying. I've read my share of time loops and they were just done better.

The ending was not good! On top of it being fairly open-ended (which I don't mind when done right) and having a sucky romance, it felt like we achieved nothing in this book. Like, why did I read about this girl suffering through this time loop for that.

Overall, do not recommend. Not even in the slightest. This book will be thrown out of my mind the second I finish writing this review.

This was a fantastic read! I’ve actually read quite a few ‘time loop’ books and this one is really well done comparatively. I like the magic element thrown in there with a divided country and the writing is very well done. I couldn’t put it down because I couldn’t trust anyone and needed to know what was going to happen. It was really nice that Anaïs went through all of the ups and downs without getting boring or repetitive. I actually did believe the love that blossomed from Anaïs for Leo over time. She is dealing with Leo multiple days with high stress situations and she really has time to see his character and develop feelings. Leo asks about fate in the book so I feel like there could be some other power going on for their relationship to happen so fast upon meeting. I was actually sad about the ending and their last reincarnation. I feel like it was very rushed and too vague. I would have loved a more complete wrap up or epilogue. A lot of gore and F words for a teen/ YA book. Great read! I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

4.5 stars

The moment I read the synopsis of this book, I knew I was going to love it. I’m a sucker for a good time loop, and paired with a fantasy setting and a good romance? It had everything I was looking for. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

Midnight Strikes follows Anaïs, who is attending a ball to celebrate a royal family that stole from her people because her parents want to raise her social status. At the stroke of midnight, the palace is blown up, killing everyone. She wakes up and it’s that afternoon again, and she finds herself stuck reliving the same night over and over. Desperate to save the kingdom and escape the time loop, she dives into the deadly politics of the court and finds help from people like the prince himself, Leo.

When an entire book consists of the same night over and over, you think it would get boring and repetitive at some point. There are only so many ways you can rewrite the same things. However, Shahnaz created an addictive book that felt like the plot was constantly moving forward, even if time wasn’t. There was so much variety in the interactions Anaïs had with the same characters, which was so cool. My favorite parts were when it was just her and Leo, our favorite second prince. They connected instantly, and they had so many great moments and conversations that, ultimately, were erased by the time loop. But, it added so much to the angst and longing, and their relationship somehow continued to move forward a bit. It really was amazing how she did that.

Overall, Shahnaz nailed it, creating a book that had the perfect balance of court drama, romance, and personal growth. I really enjoyed it, and I’m hopeful that there will be a sequel. If there is, I will be first in line to buy it!

Thank you TBR and Beyond Tours for the eARC!

Can you imagine having a terrible day, comforted by the fact you can go to bed and wake up to a new day, only to wake up the same exact horrible day, over and over and over? In Midnight Strikes by Zeba Shahnaz Anaïs finds herself in a mysterious time-loop, repeating her death until she can find a way to break the curse.

Growing up in her small provincial rural town of Massilie, Anaïs was raised knowing she needed to elevate her family status by marrying Ivarean nobility. However, Anaïs is Proensan, ostracized by the Ivarean kingdom, even though she has been blessed with a blood magic. Anaïs and her parents travel to the capital city of Marenca in hopes of striking a marriage deal during the Anniversary Ball festivities. Anais, never one to be swayed by the "glitterati" of the current court, begrudgingly goes through the motions of mingling with the very people who hate her. She meets and dances with Infante Leopoldo Cardona, or Leo, before they leave to walk the gardens. Then, the clock strikes midnight, and a brutal cycle is set in motion where the last thing Anais sees is Leo dying in her arms, before she herself dies.

Shahnaz’s debut novel is a breath-taking addition to the young adult fantasy genre. With a time-loop story such as this, attention to detail is imperative in order to keep the story on track and Shahnaz did this remarkably well. The world building and political intrigue are described in such a way that you find yourself just as frustrated as Anais must be, forced to live and remember every detail of every death, while everyone else has been "reset" so to speak. Her feelings of insecurity and frustration make the story more relatable, showing that life and the world can never be perfect, even when you can go back in time

My one critique is the relationship development between Anais and Leo. She's basically busy trying to save their world yet "falls in love" with him relatively quickly. I find it difficult to imagine being able to develop feelings for someone who doesn't know who you are, and you're forced to repeat the same plea for assistance, every day. That may detract some readers but this was still a wonderful debut fantasy novel worth the read.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the advanced copy!

Ebook received through NetGalley

I absolutely adored this book and was pulled in from the beginning. Would love to follow along for longer but the ending location makes complete sense. So glad I had the opportunity to read along.

A very unique way to go with a Cinderella story! I don't usually love time-loops (and this one definitely took a bit for me to get into) but Shahnaz has found a really cool approach to this one. It's hopeful and critical all at once and while the ending doesn't wrap everything up in the bow I would've liked (I love a happily ever after), it feels right for the story. As with any time-travel there are definitely holes if you look hard enough, but nothing glaring that throws you out of the story.

The pacing bounces a bit but the back half of the novel is super strong and the characters are delightful. One of the normal faults of time-loop stories is that side characters don't really have a chance to grow since they don't retain any memories of their experiences. This novel feels that a little but as Anais's perspective on her friends changes you feel like they're growing (when really it's just Anais growing, and that's nifty). The romance does feel a little weird because of the time-loop, but both characters are aware of that and that mitigates it.

Overall a very fun YA fantasy and so impressive for a debut!

Midnight Strikes is an enchanting fantasy novel with elements like political intrigue, curse, time loop, magic, war, secrets & betrayal.

Anais attended a royal ball in hope to find a husband. At midnight, the bells chimes followed by several explosion that killed everyone at the ball. But strangely, Anais found herself waking up in her own bed, with everyone having no memories or traces of the attack that happened and was preparing for the royal ball. Soon, the main protagonist found herself caught up in a time loop, which the attack keeps happening at midnight, and waking up in the morning where everyone is living their lives as if the attack never had happened.

The story also highlighted some main issues like human greed, injustice, death and loss.

I enjoyed the time loop concept plus the character of Anais is well developed. BUT, the romance with Leo is a big no for me (there's no sparks & their relationship is undeveloped)