Midnight is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead

 

"Beware of the dark. You might like what you find..."

Midnight is the Darkest Hour was my 3rd book from Ashley Winstead. I previously loved her debut novel In My Dreams I Hold A Knife, but was sadly disappointed in her sophomore novel The Last Housewife. After hearing some mixed reviews about her newest novel, I was a little hesitant to pick this one up, afraid the success of  In My Dreams I Hold A Knife was a one-time fluke. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to have enjoyed this piece of speculative fiction with a strong friends-to-lovers subplot. While I would not categorize this book in the romance category, the romance element was very prevalent.. 

Growing up a sheltered and isolated preacher's daughter, Ruth Collier doesn't have friends. Ruth's father is the most revered man in town, and arguably the most powerful. No one wants to be under his microscope by associating with his daughter. But when Everett Duncan, her infamous, ostracized classmate recues her in a moment of peril, Ruth finds not only her first friend but a kindred soul.

Several years later, Ruth finds herself in a state of shock and fear when a skull is pulled from the swamp, the trees carved with strange, pagan symbols. In her little town of Bottom Springs, Louisiana, they have a legend of the Low Man, a vampiric, murderous creature that prowls the swamp. Ruth decides to investigate and in doing so unearths secrets that shatter her world. 

“What is it about us teenage girls that claws so deeply under people’s skin? We’re reviled and desired in equal measure; cringed at, laughed at, then lunged at.”

While at first I found all the Twilight references cheesy (and felt secondhand embarrassment due to my own obsession with the series as a teen), I felt like I saw a lot of my teenage self in Ruth during her teen years. I, too, yearned for an all-consuming love like Edward had for Bella. I also appreciated the discussion of how the things that teenage girls like tend to get mocked by the general public, and the underlying misogyny and prejudice that often stems from. 

The questionable supernatural element to this novel was very creative, and I loved the reveals throughout. 

The examination of the Bible Belt and the extreme religiosity was also poignant to me, as I also grew up in a very religious and strict environment. While Ruth's father's villain characterization was a bit more cartoonish than I would have liked, I still think it worked for the narrative. 

Despite some eye roll inducing moments (Ruth was giving me "not-like-other-girls" vibes in the beginning with the unpopular girl with no friends and Twilight talk), I was hooked by the mystery, the secrets being uncovered, and the will-they-won't-they between Ruth and Everett. Though, I do have to say (and this is coming from a former Twi-hard)... You're telling me that a Twilight obsessed teenage girl desperate for a relationship who idolizes Edward Cullen wouldn't immediately fall in puppy love with the very attractive, vampire-esque bad boy at school??? Honestly the most unbelievable part of the book. 

Humor aside, I thought the years-long friendship between these two main characters was so sweet and beautifully developed. They seemed to really get each other and truly cared and wanted the best for the other. The simmering tension between them really made me fly through this book to see what would end up happening in these two's relationship. I highly recommend this book for romance readers that want the thrill of a mystery, with the romance taking more of a slow-burn pace. 

“He’d been more than my best friend—sometimes a person was bigger than that. Sometimes they were your freedom."