Thank you for allowing me to review this book. I had read the the first book I the series and found it an interesting story, particularly in our times. However, I'm not so sure about this one. Perhaps, it is the wrong time to be reading a difficult storyline, just before Christmas. There is a lot of violence as Alex and her family continue to find a safe place to stay. They collect extra children along the way, meet friendly faces and others quite scary. Daniel has returned with their son, Sam and their story is told looking back.. The ending feels hopeful, but I'm not sure I could read anymore.

In this much anticipated sequel to The Last Stars in the Sky, it saddens me to say I was underwhelmed. The first was a gripping story of survival and throughout I remember asking myself “What if?” After a nuclear holocaust that changed the lives of Alex and her family, the story picks up as the family plus additional children, head away from their home in Ontario, Canada for a safe camp in Buffalo only to encounter a rash of violence along the way. With many flashbacks in the story and the discovery of the establishment of new societies, the book was a bit too dystopian for me which is not a genre I enjoy. As a fan of Kate Hewitt, I hope her future stories return to the family dramas I’ve come to love from her.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

What might life look like following nuclear attacks?

Interesting premise and likeable characters. After a family's getaway to a family cabin in Ontario, Canada, they find that nuclear attacks have hit shortly after they've arrived. What started as an attempt to reconnect and become closer again ended up a deadly nightmare. The family had to become part pioneer - living off the grid and off the land, and part post-apocalyptic slayer. While there were some "over the top" events (such as suburban folks suddenly knowing the ins and outs of military style weapons) and EMPs not taking out modern vehicles, it was still entertaining.

Themes of hope, resilience and desperation keep the story moving quickly. There's some sadness as well, because it would be unreasonable to expect otherwise from a nuclear holocaust. But really, it makes you wonder what you'll do for your loved ones.

Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Kate Kewitt for the eARC.
#TheMidnightHour #NetGalley

Great book from start to finish.It tells the story of a family trying to survive the after f a nucleur holocaust. Life is hard and the world is out of control which makes it even harder.
A fast paced book with plenty of suspense and action.

I was looking forward to reading this sequel and I was not disappointed.
The author very cleverly filled in some of the blanks from the previous book, whist giving people who had not read the first book a chance to catch up. Daniel’s story about his travels whilst finding Sam were particularly eye opening and very moving..
The story seemed to concentrate as much on the mental effect the nuclear fallout had on the survivors as their efforts to rebuild their world and the different ideals of some camps.
A great book club read as it has so many points for discussion and debate.

The second in this series and it’s best to read the first one first. Alex and Daniel and their family have to leave their cottage and have to find somewhere safe to live amidst a nuclear attack. This book takes us on that journey alongside a look back at Daniel’s journey to get their son from university. Thanks to Kate and her publisher. Thanks also to NetGalley

This is an excellent read exploring what life would be like in the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust. The book focuses on what a mother in particular would do to protect her family but then explore the extremes of human behaviour excited when society breaks down. Despite being a novel tha5 explores a future world there is a healthy dose of realism amidst the imaginative storytelling. A really stimulating read

My thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Midnight Hour’, the second book in the Lost Lake series written by Kate Hewitt, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Nowhere is safe following the nuclear holocaust that’s destroyed most of the US and parts of Canada and with roads blockaded, vigilantes terrorising folk and destroying property just because they can, Alex and Daniel are desperate to find somewhere safe for themselves and their family after being forced to flee from their home.

‘The Midnight Hour’, sequel to the powerful ‘The Last Stars in The Sky’, tells of Alex, Daniel, their children and those they’ve collected along the way. Some of the chapters are told by Daniel of what happened six months earlier when he had no choice but to commit acts of aggression on his months-long journey to collect nineteen-year-old Sam from College. This is an emotionally charged novel that had me in its grip from page one and when I wasn’t reading my Kindle I was thinking what I’d do if I was Alex. It’s a brilliantly-written thought-provoking novel of fortitude, determination and bravery that had me in tears during the final chapters. Thank you, Kate, for writing this amazing novel and I’m hoping that we get to continue the story of this wonderful family in the near future.

This is a story which is coming closer to reality everyday.. A great story of a group of peoples attempts at finding a new life after nuclear bombs devastate the US and parts of Canada.. Some want to dominate and others to share. A very moving story with a light at the end of tunnel.

I actually haven’t read the Lost Lake series (book 1) but didn’t have any issues getting into this one. I guess anyone who has read book 1, might say different but I got the gist of what happened, and was still entertained.

The main themes being “needing each other” and remembering that everyone looks at everything with their own lens of life. And that means in the way they deal with pain and the way they function.

Not my favourite of hers (perhaps because I didn’t read book 1, but still a solid read.

3.75 stars rolled to 4

The Midnight Hour
by Kate Hewitt
Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
In this unputdownable sequel to the heartbreaking bestseller The Last Stars in the Sky, one family's fight for survival continues as they navigate a world forever changed. Stranded with her husband and young daughters in the wild forests that mark the Canadian border, Alex must confront new dangers and make impossible choices to protect those she loves. In a forever-changing landscape where nothing is certain, how far will she go to keep her family alive?
‘The Last Stars in the Sky’ was unique - so spectacular and I couldn’t stop singing its praises. Hewitt had left readers with a cliffhanger and I was hoping she’d revisit Alex and Daniel’s situation and give readers some closure. ‘The Midnight Hour’ picks up right where the last book finished and takes readers from the safety of the isolated Lost Lake cabin into the unknown Canadian wilderness.
I loved the pacing and emotional impact of this book! I highly recommend!

I've never stopped to think about what I would do if there were to be an apocalypse. But this book (2nd in the series) made me think a lot ! To what extent would I go to protect my family ? I loved following this family who has to overcome so much, having lost so much. Heart-breaking at times, thought-provoking at other times, I really enjoyed this book ! And I wonder if there will be a 3rd book in the series ? I feel a bit torn at the ending.


Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR is absolutely one of my all time favorite Kate Hewitt books. Is post-apocalyptic women’s fiction a thing? If it isn’t, it should be and Kate Hewitt should write it! I love how she combined nuclear war and a post-apocalyptic landscape (I seriously love that trope) with the amazing connective women’s fiction writing that she brings to every book.

This is the second book in a duology, and here Alex, her husband Daniel, and their three children, along with the found family of survivors, are on the run after nuclear bombs have destroyed the major cities across North America. They are in search of a safe place to stay and with no news, there’s a constant sense of uncertainty that any decision they make is the right or wrong one. I love the way the different stories and experiences were told, from people who found shelter in a bunker, to Daniel’s experience (told in flashback) to try to rescue Sam from a more populated urban area while the rest of the family was in relatively safer rural areas.

This is a story that is both heartbreaking, but also a story of human survival. I was devastated in places, but also loved the fierce tenacity of the characters to outlast whatever came at them, and appreciated that even as Alex and Daniel were forced to make terrible choices, they never stopped questioning them, and trying to do better. 5/5 stars.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC copy of this book from Storm Publishing and NetGalley for review purposes.

I loved "The Last Stars in the Sky" so I was pumped to see book 2 and it did not disappoint! I loved it. Now I'm just wondering if there will be a book 3 and when!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I didn’t realise there was going to be a sequel to the last stars in the sky (which I really enjoyed), so was pleased to see this as a recommendation.

Highly recommend - it’s very different than anything I’ve read before. It’s well written with good character development, it’s very sad in parts and especially with such turbulent times that we are living in.

Would like a third instalment!

The sequel to the brilliant “The Last Stars in the Sky”, we pick up with Alex, Daniel and their family, as they continue to navigate their lives in a newly post-apocalyptic Canada.

Having had to flee their cabin, the growing family are on the road, in potential danger, and having to draw on every ounce of resilience they can muster. Kate Hewitt’s writing is wonderful, as always, and the characters are so completely relatable. I particularly enjoyed Mattie’s journey; a teenager on the cusp of womanhood, who just a few months ago lived a life based around social media and the internet.

We also learn what Daniel experienced on the road when, immediately after the disaster, he travelled to their son Sam’s university, in hope of finding him alive in a ravaged world.

I was completely immersed in the story and the ending was both heartbreaking and hopeful. Please tell me there is a third book planned?

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Kate Hewitt and Storm for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story about Alex, Daniel and their family after the first book in the series left me wondering what happened next. Their story continues as they are now reunited and trying to create a new life for their family after a nuclear war has destroyed everything they know. The book shows real human emotion and the powerful fight for survival, as they are forced to make difficult and heart wrenching decisions to protect their own. This story evokes questions about how far we would go to protect those dear to us, and makes for uncomfortable reading at times….a great book club read! Not my usual genre but I would recommend.

5 stars, Binged Book

THE MIDNIGHT HOUR: LOST LAKE SERIES BOOK 2
by Kate Hewitt

The story follows Alex and her family, at almost seven months after a nuclear holocaust that changed their lives and the world. It starts off in the woods of Ontario, Canada. She not only has her own three children to look after, but a couple of other children that they've picked up along the way, also. They started out in rural Connecticut, but had heard rumors that it was safer in Ontario.

It is hard to know who an enemy is. It could be roving gangs of criminals, former rich people, the government, the military. It is quite hard for Alex to trust. The adults have had to come to grips with killing other human beings. People who were going to take, take, take from her family.

Everyone who lives in this dystopian world has changed, some for the better, and a lot for the worst. Alex can only hope that she is doing the right thing and continue on.

Highly recommend. I'll enjoy rereading this book again.

Thought this is book 2 of 2 of the Lost Lake series, I did not feel lost while I was reading it, even though I didn't read book 1, THE LAST STARS IN THE SKY.

The way the book ends, it's as if there's a slight possibility that the story could go on. But, there are no cliffhangers. I like the fact that there are inspirational segments in the book. Not preachy, but living a hard life and giving God the credit for surviving it.

I am thankful for the complimentary copy of #TheMidnightHour from #StormPublishing #KateHewitt #NetGalley I was not obligated to post a review.

#standalone #Conneticut #OntarioCanada #UticaNewYork #Inspirational #ChristianDystopian #Original #coverlove #BingedBook #drama #familyissues #strongfemaleprotagonist #LostLakeSeries

I received a free copy of, The Midnight Hour, by Kate Hewitt, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book 2 of 2 in The Lost Lake Series. Alex and her family are not doing so well, so much destruction around them. The beginning of this book was so hard to read, so much violence, for no reason.

The Midnight Hour by Kate Hewitt is a riveting sequel to The Last Stars in the Sky, diving straight back into the harsh and desolate world of post-nuclear apocalypse survival. Picking up minutes after the events of the first book, this installment takes readers on a gripping journey through the unknown, blending emotional depth with high-stakes tension.

The story follows Alex, Daniel, and their family as they flee their burning cabin and navigate the dangerous wilderness of Canada and the northern U.S., searching for safety and sustenance. The desolation is palpable, but so too are the moments of hope and humanity. Along the way, they encounter fractured societies—some welcoming and others menacing—and grapple with moral dilemmas and sacrifices, all while trying to preserve their family bonds.

Hewitt’s masterful storytelling is on full display. She balances heart-pounding suspense with poignant reflections on love, loss, and resilience. The dual narratives—one following present-day survival and the other peeling back layers of the family’s past—are compelling, though at times the switches can feel a bit abrupt. Still, both threads contribute to a broader understanding of the characters’ motivations and struggles, making the story all the more impactful.

Fans of the first book will appreciate how this sequel deepens the stakes while offering satisfying character arcs. The family dynamics are raw and realistic, with moments of both friction and profound connection. Hewitt doesn’t shy away from exploring the darker sides of survival but balances this with glimmers of hope and community, leaving readers both heartbroken and uplifted.

While The Midnight Hour can technically stand alone, it is best enjoyed after reading The Last Stars in the Sky, as much of the emotional weight relies on knowing the characters’ previous experiences.

For fans of dystopian fiction, this series is a must-read. It’s a thought-provoking, action-packed exploration of survival, morality, and the unyielding bonds of family.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Kate Hewitt for the ARC