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2.94 AVERAGE
2.94 AVERAGE
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It’s a short read, but it really doesn’t go anywhere. Spoilers ahead!
Something that bothered me to no avail was that Amy had several chances to call the police / her parents / Eleanor at multiple times during the evening. Multiple times dangerous or unsavory situations were unfolding in front of her, she just let it happen while she reminisced about horror movie tropes. Like… when Mira told her she didn’t actually call the cops, Amy should have actually called the damn cops!! Or when Sadie was dead and she was just crying??? 😭 I understand that in certain scenarios peoples brains get overwhelmed, and I also understand this is a fiction book, but COME ON!
I don’t understand why there’s only one child’s POV, when there are two kids… I was much more interested in what was going on with Mira — she was the most interesting character, lol. The book actually would have been better with just Amy narrating honestly. I do like that the kids were written very well, that’s what bumped up the rating for me a little bit lol.
This story is also confusingly told out of order, for what feels like no reason at all? When it switches both point of view AND what time of the day it is, I feel like it ruins the tension the author just spent the whole chapter trying to build for the reader. I also really don’t get why we get a glimpse of breakfast the day prior, before going back to after midnight…?
The book is not poorly written, it’s just… odd lol.
Something that bothered me to no avail was that Amy had several chances to call the police / her parents / Eleanor at multiple times during the evening. Multiple times dangerous or unsavory situations were unfolding in front of her, she just let it happen while she reminisced about horror movie tropes. Like… when Mira told her she didn’t actually call the cops, Amy should have actually called the damn cops!! Or when Sadie was dead and she was just crying??? 😭 I understand that in certain scenarios peoples brains get overwhelmed, and I also understand this is a fiction book, but COME ON!
I don’t understand why there’s only one child’s POV, when there are two kids… I was much more interested in what was going on with Mira — she was the most interesting character, lol. The book actually would have been better with just Amy narrating honestly. I do like that the kids were written very well, that’s what bumped up the rating for me a little bit lol.
This story is also confusingly told out of order, for what feels like no reason at all? When it switches both point of view AND what time of the day it is, I feel like it ruins the tension the author just spent the whole chapter trying to build for the reader. I also really don’t get why we get a glimpse of breakfast the day prior, before going back to after midnight…?
The book is not poorly written, it’s just… odd lol.
mysterious
medium-paced
Enjoyable and paced well but nothing particularly new.
There were several points where I was prepared for this book to take a turn into solidly disappointing. Overall, it's not a fantastic book: it spends too long on uninteresting characters and the nonlinear nature lends nothing special to the plot. I'm not sure if it ultimately succeeds with its theme. All that said, the goal of the book is to recreate the feeling of 80s/90s horror movies like Halloween and Scream, and on that it absolutely delivers.
medium-paced
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this. I do think it would be better experienced in one sitting, or at a faster pace. Also don't pick this up if you're expecting to be on the edge of your sit. The "thrilling" parts aren't until the last bit of the book. Most of the book is getting to know our characters.
Cannot believe that ending. For me it was a very gripping story.
fast-paced
Not bad, but there was context that didn't need to be added, such as the Six Years Ago chapters. Nothing came out of them. The story does jump around a lot, and makes it very confusing. There is no true structure. Not sure why it jumped everywhere, but some of the chapters didn't make sense because you as the reader already know what's gonna happen, so the extra chapters make it pointless. It could be a classic horror movie, but it needed the times and dates in order to make the story flow better.
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I think I echo other reviews when I say this isn’t what was sold to me. It wasn’t awful but the pacing was WEIRD and I wouldn’t say thrilling or that it would fall into the horror category. Idk. I would give the author another try but overall this wasn’t the fun nostalgic book that I thought it was going to be.
“The only thing they in common is the Fear. That’s what he calls it, anyway. Because it’s big enough and scary enough to be set apart from any old fear with a lowercase f. They’ve always been afraid-the both of them. Inexplicably. Afraid of losing. Afraid of being left behind. Going back to the way things were. Isn’t that how all brothers and sisters go? Different every which way and yet so very, very much the same.”
The central story of Emily Ruth Verona’s “Midnight on Beacon Street” takes place at the Mazinski household on Friday, 10/15/1993 to minutes into Saturday, 10/16/1993 and changes perspectives between Amy, who is babysitting Eleanor’s children, and Ben, who is the youngest child and Mira’s little brother. Amy is babysitting Eleanor’s children while she’s out on a date. Eleanor and her children recently escaped an abusive household so they are very close knit. Amy exhibits extreme anxiety and Ben does too, although his is early and Amy sees a lot of herself in him. Mira is a bit more closed off and very protective of her brother, even if she tries not to show it. The secondary story takes place in 6 years ago when Amy herself is being babysat by Sadie. It’s during this time that Amy’s anxiety gets stronger and Sadie gives her advice on how to deal with it.
I was totally surprised by the suspense in this book. It really is a page turner in the sense that you think you know what’s going to happen, but in takes an extreme turn. You want to keep reading. Ruth Verona does an incredible job at giving me the chills. Especially during the 18 minutes before midnight. Of all the things that could’ve happened, I did not see that coming.
I can def see this becoming a movie.
The central story of Emily Ruth Verona’s “Midnight on Beacon Street” takes place at the Mazinski household on Friday, 10/15/1993 to minutes into Saturday, 10/16/1993 and changes perspectives between Amy, who is babysitting Eleanor’s children, and Ben, who is the youngest child and Mira’s little brother. Amy is babysitting Eleanor’s children while she’s out on a date. Eleanor and her children recently escaped an abusive household so they are very close knit. Amy exhibits extreme anxiety and Ben does too, although his is early and Amy sees a lot of herself in him. Mira is a bit more closed off and very protective of her brother, even if she tries not to show it. The secondary story takes place in 6 years ago when Amy herself is being babysat by Sadie. It’s during this time that Amy’s anxiety gets stronger and Sadie gives her advice on how to deal with it.
I was totally surprised by the suspense in this book. It really is a page turner in the sense that you think you know what’s going to happen, but in takes an extreme turn. You want to keep reading. Ruth Verona does an incredible job at giving me the chills. Especially during the 18 minutes before midnight. Of all the things that could’ve happened, I did not see that coming.
I can def see this becoming a movie.