A true love letter to vintage horror movies! Midnight On Beacon Street takes place in the early 1990's a few days before Halloween
Single mom Eleanor Mazinski goes out for the night and her go to sitter Amy watches her two kids. Mira is 12 and Ben is 6 - the two are easy to watch and the night starts out quietly... only this story is homage to slasher films and Amy needs to be extra vigilent.
#harperperrennial #MidnightonBeaconStreet #EmilyRuthVerona

Very interesting, gripping story. I loved the concept as I'm a huge fan of older horror from past decades. However, I think the writing style and the POV switches could have been smoother and more polished. Still, a recommendable read.

This was a fun story, especially for a child of the 1990s like me. Amy is the babysitter in charge of Ben and Mira and they're enjoying a typical Friday night. Then one unexpected event after another occurs and their night becomes anything but typical. The thing is, for a story that's an unapologetic homage to horror movies, it's not suspenseful or scary. I was disappointed, as it's portrayed as such when really, it's more of a simple heartfelt story. Amy's anxiety and Ben's connection with her are really sweet but it's a big focus of the story. There are also flashbacks to when Amy had her own babysitter, and I ended up confused about these because they didn't add much to the story.

This brings me to another issue - the non-linear format. I can only say..why?? This adds nothing to the plot. You're not like, "Oh that's why he said that" or "So that's where that came from!" Why this format, then? And this isn't like the flashbacks. The chapters go from say, Ben at 9:30 pm to Amy at 11:15 pm to Mira at 6:30 pm. Why? It could have been quite useful and tricky in telling the story, but it wasn't. I don't understand it, why complicate things? Well, maybe to distract from the non-suspense. But it doesn't work. It's only at the very end that it gets suspenseful in any way. And I saw it coming, so that was a bit of a letdown. And also, why do the kids and their mother refer to each other by their initials? That was so grating and never explained. Is it just supposed to be understood as a cutesy family thing? It wasn't. But all it would have taken was one sentence from Ben or Mira's point of view to reference why they do that.

I think all the elements are here to create a more engaging storyline and it could have been a thriller, but it just wasn't pieced together that way. I like where the author was going with it but it could have been so much better. I probably should give it 3 stars, but the author really tried here and I do like the sweetness of the story. And hey, it's the perfect quick read for a stormy night and sometimes that comfort is all you need.

This is a spine tingling thriller that will have you up long into the night.
This story flips between characters, Amy is babysitting for 2 children who seem to be unsure about her.
Creepy things begin to happen and Amy is ready for this night to be over.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

OKAY. What a ride that one was.
I am so thankful to Harper Perennial Books, Netgalley, and Emily Ruth Verona for granting SUPER EARLY advanced digital access to this slasher thriller before it's projected to publish on January 30, 2024. If your favorite movie is Scream, then this is the read for you -- because trust me I devoured it in less than a day.

The year is 1993, and there's been a series of break-ins and robberies that have taken place on Beacon Street -- leaving everyone on edge, including well-known babysitter Amy. Amy is babysitting for Mira and Ben Mazinski while their mother is out on a date, who happens to be a super cool mom that lets Amy have her boyfriend Miles over while they watch her kids. When Miles brings his hoodlum brother and annoying gf (Amy's former babysitter) over for a party of sorts, Amy gets mad and kicks them out.

After this almost-awful run-in, creepy things and unwanted visitors begin to take place at the Mazinski house, leaving Amy incredibly anxious and ready for Ms. Mazinski to get home.