Not gonna lie: this book ended up being not what I expected to be when I read the synopsis.
The dynamic among the characters didn't appeal to me, the writing style didn't clique with my taste, and I definitely hoped this would lean to horror.
I'm sure other readers will enjoy it much more than I did.

Dreams and reality collide in this fantastic read! The concept grabbed my attention but the story was even better than I imagined. It was such a unique and clever way to weave dreams and reality together with a plot that kept me turning the page. It was well written and entertaining. Though it had more of a YA feel than an Adult feel, but that in no way took away from the enjoyment of the overall story.

This book had a fascinating premise and I think one that could definitely lead to a lot more adventures. I think that Maeve and Peri are both interesting characters as well, and I love the representation for no -binary characters. A lot of intriguing ideas that take a while to come together, but when it does it is very interesting.

"Was it possible to intrude on yourself, to be an interloper in your own fantasy?"

2.75 stars rounded up.

A Midnight So Deadly follows Maeve and Peri, two Dreamers--content creators who use dream-recording technology to produce visual translations of their dreams to be shared with viewers, While Maeve and Peri don't know each other, their dreams begin to bring them closer than ever, as dream content begins seeping into reality for the pair. We've always said that nightmares are just that, they can't actually hurt you. But what if your dreams started to become reality? What if that line between dream and reality began to blur?

This intriguing sci-fi/fantasy initially caught my attention after reading the synopsis. The idea of being able to record dreams and translate them into visual recordings fascinated me. And I wanted to know more about the blurred line between dreams and reality. I loved seeing this line blur even for the reader as it was blurring for the characters. I also really appreciated the inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters in this book.

However, this book read more YA than its intended adult genre, in my opinion. And while I don't mind YA, it just wasn't what I was expecting. Additionally, I felt as though there were sometimes references to pieces of media in our current modern timeline (I.e., TikTok, specific movies, etc.) that broke the magic of the alternate reality for me. For my mind to accept that dreams can be recorded and translated into videos, I really need to stay immersed in this alternate world, and for me, that just didn't happen. Ultimately this is still a fascinating book with an intriguing plot!

Thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and Wren Handman for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion! Stay tuned for the release of A Midnight So Deadly on August 27, 2024.

This definitely had an interesting concept, and I enjoyed it for the most part. But the pacing felt a little off to me.

Peri and Maeve are "dreamers" - basically social media content creators who record and share their dreams through new dream recording technology. This technology seems harmless at first, but then elements of their dreams start bleeding over into the waking world.

The book is written in third person with the POV switching back and forth between the two main characters. I definitely preferred the Maeve parts over the Peri parts. I found Maeve more interesting as a character because we saw her interacting with other characters more. There was her friend Josie, who played a major part, but also other friends, family, her agent. Peri on the other hand pretty much existed in a vacuum, at least until the two POVs started to intersect at the very end of the book. While it is part of Peri's characterization that they don't have much contact with other people - they are a bit of a hermit -, I don't much enjoy getting to know a character entirely via their inner monologue. And since most of the things Peri was experiencing or learning in relation to their dreams, were also at some point included in Maeve's parts, but Maeve had the additional plot element of Jason's death to deal with, Peri's parts felt almost superfluous. I think they could've been used to better effect if they had been used more sparingly - maybe as epigraphs of their posts ahead of each chapter to add that second voice as a counterpart to Maeve.

The main thing that Peri's parts had going for them (that wasn't also included in Maeve's parts) was the nonbinary and asexual representation. Though the nonbinary part definitely got more focus. Their asexuality was mentioned only once if I remember correctly, and then there was maybe one more scene that showed them acting in a way that illustrated it.

While Maeve's part of the story felt a bit better paced than Peri's, the murder of Jason (which is mentioned in the synopsis) doesn't happen until half-way through the book. So Maeve's part was unevenly paced, too. I would've preferred getting to know the characters through the main action, but it felt like a lot of time was spent on character work and world-building ahead of the start of the main action. And then the ending with the conflict and resolution with the dream characters felt rushed.

I also would've loved to learn more about the dream people and their motivations. I would've preferred one of them as the second POV character, rather than having two dreamers as POV characters. I really enjoyed Maeve's character, her friendship with Josie, and her interactions with the recurring guy appearing in the background of her dreams. If this story gets a sequel, I'm hoping for more of that.

The main draw that first made me pick up this book was this part of the synopsis:
"Fans of Kelley Armstrong’s Cainsville series and Leigh Bardugo's Alex Stern books will love this cozy thriller about the unexplored realms within each of us."
While I wasn't completely clear on how something could be 'cozy' and a 'thriller' at the same time (I still don't know), I was completely intrigued due to the comparison to two of my favorite authors/series. I'm not sure I really see similarities with either of these so much. If I had to pick a read-alike for this, I'd be more likely to go with another favorite of mine: Kim Harrison. Both in terms of writing style and certain turns of phrase - an a**hole character was referred to as "shit-for-brains" at one point -, as well as in terms of mixing sci-fi elements with fantasy elements.

Thank you BooksGoSocial and The Parliament House for providing a review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

We all have our nightmares - what if you started turning yours into stories, building a fanbase that called for your works? What if, after finding success in that, your dreams started bleeding through to your real life?

From the first line of this book description I was hooked - as a lifelong horror and fantasy fan it sounded like something I absolutely had to read, and I wasn't disappointed with the way the world created by the author navigated dream and consciousness (and the fraying line between the two). I will admit that the characterisations of anyone who wasn't Maeve and Peri left a bit to be desired, but as a reader who will always value character over plot I recognise this one just may be a personal taste issue. I thought that the tandem narration was a great choice for this story, and the world building with the dream technology was really interesting. I do feel like things could have been expanded on and had a bit more time taken in places (particularly the ending), and making motivations of the characters within the dreams clearer would also have been a plus. That aside, this was definitely an enjoyable book, and I would be interested in reading more about this world if the author chose to continue as a series.

Hmm, this was an interesting one.

The cover definitely made me consider it more of a horror book. Stepping in though, instead we are learning about Maeve and Peri, two people who make a living as Dreamers, recording and sharing their dreams, and in Maeve's case hoping for followers and worrying about not making enough money to pay her bills. I did find it a little unrealistic that someone at her level of income would have an agent, but that's a minor complaint. Maeve and Peri's lives are well drawn, with believable backstories, relationships and friends. Peri I found a little less sympathetic, and something of a cliche. Non-binary, vegan, aromantic/asexual, lives alone, develops agoraphobia, has a cat... I like the inclusion but did they have to be a tick box for every single minority card? A minor quibble, as their character was believable, even if I occasionally did want to give them a shake. I loved Josie, but with her becoming a murder suspect I think the author is trying to do too much. This part on its own could be an entire story.

The story itself is engaging, with the build up with dreams falling over into real life, and the characters uncertainty. The actual finale of the story however felt rushed. So much of the novel has been spent on making our real life characters alive, the dream characters motivations were unclear and their backstory uncertain. Why the technology used was affecting them also seemed to be glossed over.

I don't regret reading this, and will keep an eye on the author. Worth the read for the world building, and some very interesting ideas.

Have you ever wondered if your dreams are taking place in another world, and this life is actually the dream?

In a Midnight So Deadly, the two main characters, Maeve and Peri are dream-streamers. The technology to download and watch your dreams has been created, and there are dream influencers who upload their most vivid and interesting dreams for views and followers. Maeve is an ambitious streamer, doing all she can to garner a huge following, trying new tech and even drugs to create the most exciting uploads. Peri, is a mystery to their followers and while they are popular, Peri is content to live like a hermit, with one foot in the dream world and one in reality.

Their lives are upended when the dreams start bleeding over into reality, and the people they meet in the dreams seem to be in trouble. Trouble that may be caused by this new dream technology. Told in parallel points of view, the action ramps up when they discover each other. It becomes a race against time as Peri and Maeve explore dream landscapes to figure out how to save both the people in the other realm, and people in our reality who are in danger from their dreams.

I had such a fun time reading this, it's a brilliant premise and Maeve and Peri are so captivating. I loved them both and am hoping that this might be a series as I'm left with a lot of questions about the realm of dreams. I would follow these two anywhere!

Thanks to

The thriller books are read lately have been fabulous. This one was no exception. It was a great read that kept me entertained from beginning to end.

first thing first, thank you very much for allowing me to read your book early.

the first thing that pulled me in was the beautifully made cover and the intriguing title of the book paired with the description, and once I started reading I was not disappointed once I started reading it, and found myself not being able to stop until I finished the book, I loved how this chilling tale was told and kept me wanting more.

I will be recommending this book to friends and people alike, to preorder and read it when it gets released.

the concept of a midnight so deadly is stunning and is even better whilst reading. the story follows peri and maeve who are two media creators that share their dreams online. as time goes on the real world and the dream world begin to collide and all hell breaks loose. who doesn’t enjoy reading about chaos ensuing?

handman has a very standard thriller voice and i wish there was something to set her prose apart. the strongest elements of a midnight so deadly included the concept, dialogue, and characters. this was a solid 3 star thriller and i would recommend to friends who are looking for a surreal dream vibe.

thank you so much wren handman and netgalley for the ARC! ☾₊ ⊹