I was looking forward to receiving this ARC because the synopsis sounded amazing, but unfortunately, it didn’t meet my expectations. The premise was fantastic — a second chance, past lives, and thriller elements with a unique fantasy twist called "sogging," where you travel to the future and past. However, the execution fell short. The fantasy concepts were poorly explained and often left me feeling lost.

The timeline was another issue: it was so disorganized that I frequently had to flip back to determine if I was in the past, present, or future. The lack of clear indicators made it frustrating to follow.

I was especially eager to unravel Jennet's death — this was the only aspect that kept me engaged. Unfortunately, the resolution was unclear and disappointing.

I decided to DNF this book at 16% through… I rarely don’t finish books, but I was not invested in the plot or the characters. The premise was also very similar to The Hitchcock Hotel, which I didn’t love, so I found myself not looking forward to continue reading another book like it.

I think this could be a good book for someone looking for spooky, fall vibes, but it’s not for me.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Books for allowing me to read this early!
Overall, this was an enjoyable story but I wish the world building and characters were a bit more fleshed out. While the plot was strong, I was left wondering more about the specifics of the Sog and how other elements of the story could have been different with just a little bit more detail. This is definitely a good read, but not a great one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Have you ever wanted to return to your past? Not only that have you ever wanted to wait to change it as well? Well, the members of the midnight club certainly have. Now a strange group of friends received an unexpected invitation to travel back to the Vermont town, where everything first began. The friends soon learn the true reason for the gathering, a chance to explore the past and solve the death of their beloved friend. With the help of a secret substance The Midnight Club begins to dive deeper into their past. The farther they go the more they see that they each have secrets that are best left hidden.
The idea of being able to travel to your past is very intriguing. I mean, who hasn’t had a moment in their life where they wish they could change something, or they wish they could relive, and of course who wouldn’t want another chance to get to see a lost loved one. The Midnight Club explorers and dives into these very thoughts. We follow along as The Midnight Club members Sonia, Byron, Paul, and Auraleigh gather for the 25th anniversary of their friend Jennet’s death. The friends are able through the use of a synthetic substance to “slog” into their past or future, allowing them to unravel what truly caused her death. I greatly appreciate the expiration of trauma and grief however the overall execution left me wanting more. The multiple POVs and time jumps were so prevalent and constant that it did not allow for much character development, making it difficult to truly connect to any of the characters which for me is a crucial aspect needed to fully enjoy a book. These jumps also created a disjointed pacing and overall lack of cohesion in the book as well. While I did enjoy the science fiction and mystery aspects of the novel especially the books unique version of travel overall I ended up feeling as if the book fell just a tad short of being anything more then just an okay read.
The Midnight Club comes out September 24th, 2024. Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing,Graydon books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Graydon House for the advanced digital copy - all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Unfortunately this book just didn't work for me, I tried multiple times to try and get through it but it's just not holding my interest.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. Unfortunately I have to give it a 3/5, rounded up from 2.5. I think the idea for the book was really interesting and the summary immediately caught my attention, but there were several aspects that I found lacking. There was a very small amount of backstory given of the characters so I felt as though I didn't really know them at all. I think if i was emotionally invested I would have been able to enjoy it more. It took me a solid 8 chapters to even understand the direction. The introductions were really short and it wasn't enthralling me.
Overall it was not a book I would read again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC of The Midnight Club by Margot Harrison in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3/5

I'm not always a fan of fantasy elements in thrillers, but I enjoyed the way people were able to relive the past. I was really looking forward to the reunion of former friends at a remote location, as I'm a big fan of Lucy Foley and similar books. However, I felt that the book lacked sufficient backstory for each character, which made it difficult for me to fully connect with them and understand the events that unfolded. It would have been more satisfying to have more insight into the characters' past before delving into their future. I did however like the premise and will be keeping an eye out for future books from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Spoilers below!

You need to know that it took me 5.5 hours to read this book. I stopped in the middle of the day to grab lunch with a friend and spent the whole time wondering what was going to happen next. So to say this book gripped me is an understatement.

The premise of this book is what drew me in. And it delivered. Harrison writes in her acknowledgments that this book is 35 years in the making. I can feel the care she put into this novel. It’s unique, totally inspired, and masterfully written. Writing in two timelines could be tricky, but Harrison handles it masterfully.

She weaves the late 1980s with 2014 in a way that makes sense. There were maybe one or two places where my brain got a little addled, but she makes such a clear distinction between the two times that I felt like I was reading a cast of 11 different characters, instead of the 6 we see on the page.

And I really enjoyed the characters! (Except one. He was annoying. You’ll know when you know.) Sonia and Byron, our two POVs, are both strong and fleshed-out characters with their own motivations for solving the mystery of Jennet’s death. Harrison writes them with nuance and heart. I even liked Auraleigh—an easy-to-hate character—because I found the humanization in her motivations. I think it would have been easy to lose these characters in the plot, but the work put into them shines through.

And the plot. It’s so clever. I found my eyes drifting to the ‘percentage read’ at the bottom of my e-reader screen wondering how Harrison was going to write her way out of this twist and that twist and the other twist. And they weren’t cheap twists! They were well-thought out and so smart. The way she wraps up this complex, but rewarding, plot will keep you glued to the page until the very last word.

Overall, this was an incredible book. The plot, the pacing, the characters—all of it was so well done. This novel took her so long to right, but I think this iteration was nearly perfect.

I highly recommend this book.
Look for it on September 24, 2024!

2.5 ⭐️

I was so excited to get this ARC because of the synopsis but it's not so good 😭. The idea of this book was AMAZING but the execution was just POOR. It was marketed as a second chance-past lives-thriller kind of story wherein there's a fantasy element mixed into it which was called "sogging"—going to the future & to the past, you "sog" into them. All the fantasy elements such as this concept was messily explained throughout the book & most of the time I truly just felt lost within the story.

The timeline of the story was also very messy: I had to keep going back a few pages to realize what timeline i'm at: Past, Future, or Present. There weren't any clear indications of where you are at that part in the timeline which i didn't enjoy.

Lastly, I was mainly excited to solve Jennet's death (that was the only part that kept me going which says a lot) and it was not even clearly resolved which was very disappointing!

This is a beautifully written book that, like many introspective works of fiction, is difficult to categorize. It has time travel of a sort, but it isn't really sci-fi; it has a lot of personal conversations and confrontations, but it isn't really a drawing-room comedy. Many of the most romantic bits are with someone who doesn't currently exist, but it isn't really a ghost story.

It is a story about perception and remembrance and friendships from youth that persist.

(Also, be advised that it clearly does not take place at a college in Cambridge. *cough*)

Margot Harrison is a marvelous storyteller. I loved the premise. Would you change the past if you had the chance? Very atmospheric thanks to the author’s gorgeous descriptions. Many passages have stayed with me—Every moment counts. I also enjoyed the author sharing the story behind writing this novel. I look forward to seeing what she writes next!

I read this book fairly quickly and what a ride - there is a lot of back and forth, flashbacks, etc so you have to keep up and keep sharp! I went into it thinking it was a thriller type book? But while it does have a mystery feel as the characters are trying to find out what happened to their friend, it was a lot more fantastical than I had expected. I truly enjoyed the read. I like the characters, "sog" the time travel drug, and the overall cadence of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House for the ARC!

This is the kind of book that slowly sucks you in until you can't put it down because you need to find out how it's going to end. I love the take on dark academia, mystery and suspense, with magical realism/sci-fantasy ? Hard to put in a box because it traverses the different genres well. You aren't sure what's real or not, and I started to wonder, maybe none of it is? A little slow at a few points, dark throughout, totally intriguing.

"Being young is like being on drugs. The sky is bigger and the sunsets are redder and every new outfit you buy is gonna change your life. Every new friend you make is going to be your friend forever. Time is so deep you could drown in an afternoon."
Loved this quote!

What a whirlwind this read was! I loved every moment! Old college friends relive trauma through time travel. This was beautifully written and emotional!

Wildly atmospheric and deliciously thrilling. I'm a sucker for anything boarding school or college campus. If you are too, you won't want to miss this. I struggled with the pacing a bit in the beginning but once it picks up, it picks up! 3.75, rounded up!

I'll be thinking about this book for a long, long time!

I struggled with the pacing and the characters' friendships, but once I got into it, I did greatly enjoy this one. The idea of a drug that makes you relive your memories is fascinating, and I LOVEDDDD the progression of how the drug worked and how it affected the characters. I liked the end twist, but was definitely left wanting more.

All in all, this would be a great read for fans of slow-burn mysteries and magical realism.

All the thanks to Netgalley for the arc!

I love how atmospheric this book is! I was really able to immerse myself in the story because of the descriptions which was really enjoyable! I also liked reading about the different characters and their dynamics together. I will definitely recommend this book to my friends/followers! It is the perfect read for the fall time and I can’t wait to get a physical copy and do a reread.

I just finished "The Midnight Club" by Christopher Pike, and it was such a compelling and emotional journey. The mix of mystery, horror, and the deep bond between the characters really resonated with me. Pike's ability to capture the raw emotions and vulnerabilities of the teens made it a truly unforgettable read.

This suspense novel had an incredibly attractive and compelling premise. College students, a fantastcal element, dark academia, and an interesting concept about unlocking the secret to our whole lives being already lived, and fate. It was thought provoking and great fun. Recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC copy gifted in exchange for my honest review.

Novels with college campus settings always intrigue me - especially thrillers.

From GR:
It’s been twenty-five years since The Midnight Club last convened. A tight-knit group of college friends bonded by late nights at the campus literary magazine, they’re also bonded by something darker: the death of their brilliant friend Jennet junior year. But now, decades later, a mysterious invitation has pulled them back to the pine-shrouded Vermont town where it all began.

As the estranged friends gather for a weeklong campus reunion, they soon learn that their host has an ulterior motive: she wants them to uncover the truth about the night Jennet died, and she’s provided them with an extraordinary method—a secret substance that helps them not only remember but relive the past.

But each one of the friends has something to hide. And the more they question each other, the deeper they dive into their own memories, the more they understand that nothing they thought they knew about their college years, and that fateful night, is true.

Twisty, nostalgic, and emotionally thrilling, The Midnight Club explores that innate desire to revisit our first loves, our biggest mistakes, and the gulf between who we are and who we hoped we’d be.


I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC. I have based this review rating on the plot summary.