I am so thankful to the publisher, NetGalley, and the Author for granting me advanced access to this one before June 11, 2024. This one wasn't for me, but I am still really thankful for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

You might call this one a slow burn or just a slow start in general because this took me a minute to get into, I will be honest I read the first couple chapters and then put the book down returning to it 2 weeks later. IT was hard to get into - so you might have to push through the first couple chapters.

Once you get past the intro and start getting into the chapters it will move faster but it will take about 20% of the book. It does get better you just have to push.

Once you are in the book there is some jumping with 4 POVs and a journal from years prior that weave the story all together that make the story move pretty fast until the end.

This one did seem like it would be a bit supernatural in a sense but it turns out at the end it wasn't and if anything it was the mushrooms. Which is on par for Lucy Foley - books that seem supernatural but there is a scientific explanation.

If it wasn't such a slow burn I would have rater this book higher but because it was such a struggle to get into it I had to rate it lower.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

ARC REVIEW

The Midnight Feast
BY Lucy Foley

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 (4.5 out of 5)

Publishing date: 6/18/24

This book has multiple POV and 2 different timelines. (Before the solstice and after) In typical Lucy Foley style, there is a large buildup throughout the entire book. In other books by this author, I became very frustrated because it took so long to gain information needed, but I LOVED THIS ONE!! 😍 I love it when I disagree with the Goodreads rating, lol

This follows the same style-build up of knowledge as you read. But this has an interesting cast of characters that had me INVESTED. I really enjoyed all the backstories and trying to play detective .The book takes place at the Manor, which is a fancy estate turned hotel. It's surrounded by creepy woods and was the perfect setting for this thrilling adventure!

I found myself wanting to read more so I could figure out what happened. I was very invested and can admit this was the first Lucy Foley novel I loved! The chapters were short, which is also a bonus.  As the story progressed, they were journal entries from 15 years ago, which helped answer some questions and set the scene. 

This book was SO much fun! I very much recommend it!

Thank you @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks
For the chance to read this one early!

P.S. I tried so many times to write a summary. But everytime I tried, I ended up giving spoilers OR felt like I was missing something. I encourage you to read the good reads summary if my review didn't give you the urge to read this one 🙂

1.5 stars.

I just could notttttt get into this story at all - clearly, as it took me forever to read because I never wanted to pick it up. It had a lot of potential, but then things just went weird and didn’t really make sense. Or they were just plain stupid. A lot of the plot points that were supposed to be big reveals just fell flat and felt forced. I also have no idea what Bella was planning on doing once she arrived - even though that’s like, one of the main storylines (her “revenge”). She was just there…? To confront Francesca and call it a day? And what was the point of the Birds? The book could have done without that background storyline. Just so odd, dumb, and unrealistic. I don’t know, the whole thing was just meh, unfortunately.

Nonetheless, thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5/5 ⭐️ Lucy Foley knocks it out of the park again! The last hour of the book, all I kept thinking was 'OMG' as more twists and turns were introduced. She truly has a way of connecting characters in a way that is so shocking and unexpected. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, I was thrown a curveball that made the story that much more captivating. Out of all the books I have read of hers, this is 100% my favorite.

My only comment regarding the ARC I received would be in regard to DI's chapters. Those were the only ones not written in first person and it through me off at times when switching between other characters.

Thank you to William Morrow, Lucy Foley, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advance copy for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

This was so creepy! I haven’t read any Lucy Foley before, but I’m definitely adding her other titles to my list. Great thriller, dual timelines, haves and have nots, mysterious pasts, fancy setting. I thought I knew what was coming but absolutely not. Definite content warning for violence, drug use, SA, death. Strongly recommend for suspense fans, though!

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
I binge read this one on the plane ride to and from my trip to Oregon over the weekend, and boy oh boy—this was a fun one! I am going to keep this short and sweet- but I really enjoyed the story, the characters, the alternating timelines and different POVs. This may be my new favorite by Foley. It is a slow burn but full of suspense, and Foley nailed it with the atmospheric writing and setting with this one. I will admit, it took me a bit to get into this one…but I am so glad I stuck with it because it was completely worth it! Once I found my groove with this book, I was completely hooked and unable to put it down. I enjoyed the suspense, all of the twists, and that ending was amazing! An isolated setting + summer solstice + deaths= HOOKED! This definitely gave me Midsommer vibes and I was all here for it🙌🏻

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
✦Atmospheric writing and setting
✦A character driven book
✦Midsommer movie vibes
✦A binge-worthy book that starts off as a slow burn but then ultimately hooks you in and takes you on a wild ride.
✦A FANTASTIC ending!

𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5

Wasn’t what I was expecting. There was much more of a supernatural theme than I was prepared for. However, all the twists and turns really made the book. The ending was unexpected and well written.

The Midnight Feast was creepy, unsettling and kept me guessing from the very beginning!
I really enjoyed numerous point of views, the back and forth timelines, and the multi-dimensional characters.
Lucy Foley did an excellent job keeping this book interesting from the very beginning, making readers want to know more.
What exactly went on at The Midnight Feast? You'll have to read to find out. Just "Beware of the Birds".

This book had a lot of promise. I found the initial story compelling, but it quickly became confusing. There was just too many POVs and timeline jumps for me to keep track of everything that was going on.

It was dark here in the woods. The light was choked out by the thick branches of the trees. She could barely see her own hand in front of her face as she tried to feel her way to safety. She stumbles upon a clearing, the moonlight filtering in and giving the space an ethereal glow. Despite its serene look; a dark, sinister cloud hovered over the space.

The Midnight Feast is a thriller following multiple POVs and spanning two different timelines. A past told in journal form and the present following the grand opening of a new manor resort for the rich and famous.

This book was eerie, dark, and haunting… rich people drama with a touch of the occult. I enjoyed the past and present timelines, a mystery involved in each setting slowly being unveiled on the pages. The multiple POVs was not overdone in my opinion and each person had an impact on the story. I do wish the occult aspect would have been explored a little more, gone a darker direction (but that’s just a personal preference). An entertaining book with short chapters that made for a quick read!

If you like rich people drama, dual timelines, isolated settings, and exploration of the occult… then I’d definitely recommend this one!

2.5 rounded up. This book took me awhile to get into, and I had to force myself to read it for the first half. There were some aspects I enjoyed, specifically how delusional Francesca’s chapters were, but a lot fell flat. The local folklore about The Birds didn’t interest me, which is a shame because it all came together in the end. I wish the author didn’t make it seem supernatural because it lost me there and it didn’t need to.

The second half was MUCH better and I got very into it. Some of the reveals I could predict but some I couldn’t, and I found the last quarter of the book satisfying. I just wish it didn’t take so long to get there.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

I had such high hopes for “The Midnight Feast”. I was intrigued by the synopsis: a manor, the woods, the secrets. I just knew I was going to love it. But sadly, this one didn't work for me. Despite my anticipation, the book was a struggle to get through and I found myself wanting to quit reading. The plot of this was kind of slow for me. It was also very weird and all over the place throughout the novel. Similar to her other novels, this is told from multiple POVs - which works great in thrillers - but then she also included weird flashback/diary chapters that really chopped up the story. It was hard to like any of the characters, too. All of the bird stuff was very bizarre. The second half picked up a bit and the plot did come together in the end. I'll still pick up Foley's next novel, but this one was a miss for me. Thank you Lucy Foley, William Morrow and Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC and provide my honest feedback.

Oof. Lucy Foley's books usually fall in the "just okay" category for me but The Midnight Feast did not work for me, at all. I would finish each chapter and think to myself "wtf was that?" It was very difficult to keep track of whose POV I was in. I couldn't connect to any characters and quickly lost interest in how the plot would turn out.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

“The Midnight Feast” written by Lucy Foley is a fantastic fast paced page turner! This thriller kept me up all night because I just had to know what would happen. In typical Foley fashion, we have different POVs that come together perfectly. The diary entries were a perfect addition to the book that really brought some character into it. Thank you so much to NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

Just in time for the summer Foley scores another thrill packed intelligent whodunit. Yes, it is formulastic...but in Foley's hands it works. What more can be said.

Foley's true gift is balancing a large cast in the close third-person perspective and not making any of them feel flat or like an extraneous character. Every single person is integral to the story—and the mystery—and you either love them or love to hate them. She's also an expert at using setting to really heighten the atmosphere of the piece. Another wonderful novel from her!

I've read a few of Lucy Foley's books before, and while they have tremendous potential, they've all fallen short of me. However, I was more impressed with The Midnight Feast. The changing POVs is ever a pet peeve of mine and could undoubtedly have been done better with fewer changes and longer chapters of each; it did still provide that air of suspense that the author was looking for. Though I wish the author had provided some journal entries before we met the characters, it would have deepened the suspense and mystery of who was who. Some twists were also glaringly obvious, such as Bella knowing Francesca before their interaction at the Manor, who the body off the cliff was, and Eddie being Jake's brother/the PI. However, some twists were less apparent, such as Shrimp being Owne and who the body in the ground was.

I immensely enjoyed the lore behind Tome and the Night Birds, but I wish there had been more of it. Overall, the book seemed too short to include as much mystery and suspense as I feel Foley was trying to hit.

I’m sorry Lucy. I’m sorry. This one was just too many POVs, back and for TV, I couldn’t follow and frankly, I didn’t care. I’ve loved some of her other books but this one just wasn’t it for me. I trudged through it and felt like a chore to finish.

I usually like when storylines jump around but it felt very disjointed in this instance. I really struggle when a book is filled with unlikeable characters, and there were a lot of them in this book. The whole storyline felt forced and a little too convenient, and the writing felt amateur. I’m sad to realize that with each now book this author writes, I like them less and less.