While a highly anticipated ARC read for me, this book was a miss for me. The setting was written with such beautiful detail.. a woodsy forest that overlooks a stunning seaside. The small town, island manor vibe provided such a spooky vibe for the supernatural premise of the story. While some characters were absolutely obnoxious, they were majorly well written . Unfortunately, the story pace and constant changing POVs left me more frustrated than enthralled. This could have been such a suspenseful, enjoyable story but fell short.

Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read an E-ARC of The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley in exchange for my honest review.

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭
𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐲
𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬
𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰
𝟓⭐️


I’ve never been disappointed with a Lucy Foley book and this time was no different! When the story first started there was a lot going on and we are given ALOT of characters, but within a few chapters it all comes together!

The chapters are so short, literally no more than two pages and this allowed me to fly through the book! The author did a great job incorporating twists right at the perfect timings- also the twists were not unrealistic and actually very unpredictable!

This was such a well written, full of character development, fun, book and I 100% reccomend! This book is 𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄, a perfect summer read. Thank you to @williammorrowbooks for the gifted copy of this amazing book🖤!

𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒: “ It’s the opening night of The Manor, and no expense, small or large, has been spared. The infinity pool sparkles; crystal pouches for guests’ healing have been placed in the Seaside Cottages and Woodland Hutches; the “Manor Mule” cocktail (grapefruit, ginger, vodka, and a dash of CBD oil) is being poured with a heavy hand. Everyone is wearing linen.

But under the burning midsummer sun, darkness stirs. Old friends and enemies circulate among the guests. Just outside the Manor’s immaculately kept grounds, an ancient forest bristles with secrets. And the Sunday morning of opening weekend, the local police are called. Something’s not right with the guests. There’s been a fire. A body’s been discovered.”
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#themidnightfeast#lucyfoley
#williammorrowbooks#bookreview
#williammorrowpublishing
#netgalley#2024releases
#5starreads#bookfeature

Thank you, Netgalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this work more than the previous work of this author. It has a bit of creepy magic involved that adds a twist of magic.

The twists in the story are plentiful and an enjoyable pace. The author does a fantastic job of writing a villain with no redeeming qualities. A villain you love to hate.

The story is told in multiple POVs, and the characters are interesting. There wasn’t a character that was dull.

The cult aspect adds a creepy element. Crows now have a new meaning in this reader's eyes.

What an interesting ride this one was. It was quite different than I was expecting. I have read this author before and have had mixed feelings, but overall liked them. This one is no exception to that.

I luxury vacation destination combined with folklore, secrets from the past and well, birds.

I liked the dual timelines and finding out what happened in the past and what the big secret was. I found the first half quite slow but the pace picked up after that and got much more interesting. Full of characters you love to hate. I really didn't know who to pull for in this one. In the end it was a good book. I just wasn't too sure about that at the beginning.

3 1/2

Thanks to netgalley and William Morrow for the arc.

Lucy Foley's books are always either super stunners or major misses for me (for some reason there seems to be no in between with her) and I'm so glad this one was in the stunner category! By like page 20 I was hooked and read the entire thing in a day. All of the characters were fully developed with their own set of secrets and a private Big Reveal for each that was so worth it (and I few that I was REALLY not expecting). There was also just enough dropped about The Birds that I couldn't help but wonder if we were going to get some supernatural elements in this book of if it really was just local superstition. The way everything came together near the end was fantastic, without being too clean and wrapped up. Truly amazing work!

A new favorite locked in thriller. The setting and cast of characters were perfect, I felt like I was amongst the guests and workers holding on to a secret of my own. At times it can be a bit overwhelming with all the povs, diary entries, etc but I was still able to keep up with the drama.

Great read…Lucy Foley always tells an entertaining story that keeps me guessing. Great first person narrative and character depth.

This was a pretty different thriller than what you would typically see. The premise of building a hotel on like native land was interesting. A lot of the secrets and twists and turns but nothing truly like jaw dropping. It was overall a good read and like refreshing bc it was different. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Where to start? For fans of White Lotus and Midsommar or anyone looking for the perfect summer thriller. The vibes were immaculate. I was enjoying my time with the characters so much that I didn't even attempt to make guesses because the ride was so fun. This is Lucy Foley at her best!

I loved this! Out now!

I love Lucy Foley's ability to take many, seemingly unconnected characters, and wind their stories together over the span of a novel. This takes place over a few days leading up to "The Midnight Feast" on the solstice at a new resort. This gave similar vibes to The Guest List which I also loved.

A favorite of this author's writing for me is the sense of foreboding; we know something bad is coming (there are "After" chapters so we know someone d!ed) and the journey of getting there is full of twists! The mysteriousness and darkness of the story was really great for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 Stars!

I was so excited for this one as it was one of my most anticipated releases, but it didn't hit the mark for me. I loved the dual timeline and getting to go between the past and present. I loved the setting for this book, and I would find myself enjoying it in the summer. The author is fantastic about being very descriptive and I found it easy to picture every scene. I had a hard time keeping up with all of the characters, and because of that I didn't emotionally connect with them. I think I would've enjoyed it more so if there wasn't so many povs. I really liked the character, Eddie. Also, some of the plot line had holes for me or wasn't very believable. There were a lot of scenes that noted birds or the bird feathers, and I thought we would've delved more into that. I was so intrigued but, in the end, I wish it was explored more.

I know several others who enjoyed this book more than me and I am a Lucy fan, so I will still highly recommend you give it a try!

Lucy Foley grabbed my attention with her previous books including The Guest List and The Paris Apartment. I was so excited to read The Midnight Feast! I jumped in with high expectations.

I didn’t find this one as gripping as her others, though this may have had something to do with my mood and not the actual book. I just had a hard time getting into this one, though I loved the premise.

Take a look:

It’s the opening night of The Manor, and no expense, small or large, has been spared. The infinity pool sparkles; crystal pouches for guests’ healing have been placed in the Seaside Cottages and Woodland Hutches; the “Manor Mule” cocktail (grapefruit, ginger, vodka, and a dash of CBD oil) is being poured with a heavy hand. Everyone is wearing linen.

But under the burning midsummer sun, darkness stirs. Old friends and enemies circulate among the guests. Just outside the Manor’s immaculately kept grounds, an ancient forest bristles with secrets. And the Sunday morning of opening weekend, the local police are called. Something’s not right with the guests. There’s been a fire. A body’s been discovered.

THE FOUNDER * THE HUSBAND * THE MYSTERY GUEST * THE KITCHEN HELP

It all began with a secret, fifteen years ago. Now the past has crashed the party. And it’ll end in murder at…The Midnight Feast.

From the author of The Guest List comes another locked-room mystery where not everyone will make it out alive. At the opening weekend of The Manor, a luxury resort in an ancient forest, the guests each have their own agenda. On the guest list: the founder, her lover, the mystery guest, the kitchen help, and the detective. All have their own secrets and by the end of the weekend, a fire will break out and several people will be dead.

The Midnight Feast was simply a hot mess; a failed attempt to replicate the magical locked room vibe of her hit The Guest List. The problem with The Midnight Feast is that you hate almost every character. Worse, the characters are all supposedly tied together from their teenage years but somehow none of them recognize each other. Add in tons of clunky timeline shifts and you have the recipe for a complete waste of your time. I'm seriously annoyed with myself that I didn't DNF this one.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC of The Midnight Feast. This story started a bit slow but quickly moved into character and setting development. Once clear, the story captured my attention until the very end. Frankie and Bella's storyline in the flashbacks emphasized how actions of rich and entitled kids can lead to terrible consequences covered up by their family. This story includes disingenuous reinvention, family relations, bribery and ultimately revenge. It is a great read that will keep turning you around in different directions as you try to piece together who caused a death and a fire.

I've been on the fence about this author for awhile - I really enjoyed The Guest List, but I couldn't stand The Paris Apartment - so I approached her new book with a grain of salt and tempered expectations. I was pleasantly surprised.

The Midnight Feast is a fun summer read, centered around The Manor, an old family estate on the Dorset coast that's been converted to a posh new-age wellness retreat hotel by heiress to the family fortune Francesca Meadows and her architect husband Owen Dacre. Tension abounds: the construction project and the co-opting of the surrounding wilderness have put the wealthy owners in conflict with the local residents. There are dark secrets tied to the mansion's past and the owners' relationship with the community. One of the guests at the hotel's inaugural weekend celebration seems to have a more sinister purpose for her visit. And local folklore warns of The Birds, an avenging force of nature (or something more) that dispenses their own form of justice from the deep, dark woods.

The story is told from multiple perspectives, bouncing back and forth along the timeline, but it's not difficult to follow. The characters are messy in a mostly enjoyable way. Francesca is a carefully crafted, ethereal, woo-woo and "good vibes only", Instagram filtered creation who's, of course, much darker underneath. Owen is a brooding but talented architect who's both obsessed with and a bit confused by his wife. Bella is a woman on a mission, in disguise - what exactly is she planning to do in her quest for retribution for past wrongs? Eddie is a sweet 19 year old local farm boy who's taken a job as a dishwasher at the hotel, although he knows his family and community will disapprove of him siding with the enemy. And DI Walker is the detective investigating the mysterious incidents of the hotel's fateful opening weekend, who may have secrets of his own.

The book is picturesque as hell. Between the lush hotel setting, the spooky forest and cliffs, and the dark pagan atmosphere, the ambience comes to life on the page. I thought the characters were quite interesting, even some of the unlikeable ones. The pacing and tension were compelling and I felt engaged in the story throughout.

I did feel that some of the narrative threads were resolved a little too neatly/conveniently toward the end, and some of the twists felt a bit silly. It seemed unbelievable that people didn't recognize each other after 15 years, and some characters made odd choices that didn't make a lot of sense. But overall, it was a fun summer book and I couldn't put it down.

I'm thankful to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for providing me with a free advance reader copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This one was a difficult read for me. As I find with most Lucy Foley books, there are too many POV's, characters and things going on that it feels a little all over the place.

When you see that Lucy Foley has written a new suspense thriller, your expectations are naturally going to be high. So, when you begin reading and realize right away that this book is not going to be for you, it can be pretty disappointing. However, I plowed through this novel, but did not find it improving the further into this mystery I delved. Unfortunately, this book is, quite frankly, a mess. There are entirely too many POVs, and the storyline in neither clear or linear. The book is all over the place with so many people, details, and storylines, that I could not keep it straight. A huge miss for me, although it is clear that while I disliked this novel, many others enjoyed it.

I have read all of Lucy Foley's mystery books at this point and was really excited to check this one out. I loved the title which brought to mind sinister banquets in the woods and so when I got approved for the arc I shrieked with excitement. I will admit to being a little hesitant going into this one because Foley's last book "The Paris Apartment" didn't quite hit home for me. That being said, I really did enjoy this one. It's definitely a slow burn with a ton of characters to keep track of, but it all meshes together at the end so seamlessly. The overall ambiance of the setting in this book really conveys that eerie manor house surrounded by a cursed forest vibes that the title gives off. I really loved the element of local folklore and how that played a part in the overall mystery.

Overall, this book was all about "rich people problems" and the consequences of actions made. I really enjoyed it and while it doesn't replace "The Guest List" as my favorite Lucy Foley book, it's definitely a close second.

Lucy Foley does it again. She’s a master of making multiple POV narratives read smoothly and setting up little traps and tricks in her stories, and THE MIDNIGHT FEAST is no exception. If you’re already a fan of her work, you’ll like this one. If you’re new to it, grab a snack and settle in for this thriller that packs a punch and more than a few surprises. Only TW: birds!

When I first started reading this book, I thought it was a slow burn. I was kinda thinking it wasn’t what I thought it was but then when i started to read the passages in the diary- it wasn’t a slow burn but instead it became quite the opposite. The POV are told so well and understood from each person. I can’t decide who I liked more. It was definitely a great read and I would’ve never guessed the ply twist! Do yourself a favor and read this one- you’ll love it!!

While there were a few moments where the pacing lagged slightly, and some minor plot points felt a bit underdeveloped, these do not detract significantly from the overall experience. “The Midnight Feast” is a well-crafted mystery that will leave readers eagerly turning pages and contemplating its nuances long after the final chapter.

If you’re a fan of suspenseful, character-driven stories, this book is definitely worth adding to your reading list. Four stars for a captivating and memorable read!