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Sarah Nicole Smetana
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The Midnights Hardcover – March 6, 2018

by Sarah Nicole Smetana (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars 38 ratings
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This voice-driven coming-of-age YA novel is perfect for fans of Katie Cotugno and Playlist for the Dead.

Susannah Hayes has never been in the spotlight, but she dreams of following her father, a former rock star, onto the stage. As senior year begins, she's more interested in composing impressive chord progressions than college essays, certain that if she writes the perfect song, her father might finally look up from the past long enough to see her. But when he dies unexpectedly, her dreams--and her reality--shatter.

While Susannah struggles with grief, her mother uproots them to a new city. There, Susannah realizes she can reinvent herself however she wants: a confident singer-songwriter, member of a hip band, embraced by an effortlessly cool best friend. But Susannah is not the only one keeping secrets, and soon, harsh revelations threaten to unravel her life once again.

Set against the scintillating landscape of Southern California, The Midnights is an evocative coming-of-age debut about loss, creativity, and finding your voice while you're still finding yourself.
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  1. Print length
    416 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    HarperCollins
  4. Publication date
    March 6, 2018
  5. Grade level
    9 - 12
  6. Reading age
    14 - 17 years
  7. Dimensions
    5.5 x 1.29 x 8.25 inches
  8. ISBN-10
    0062644629
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0062644626
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A stunning, beautifully-written debut, THE MIDNIGHTS explores the complex nature of loss, grief, secrets, and family, as we follow one girl on a poignant journey of self-discovery.” — Amber Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be

“The Midnights is a fiercely beautiful song of a book. This story won’t leave your heart.” — Jeff Zentner, Morris Award winning author of The Serpent King

“a thoughtful, literary first book. Fans of character-driven coming-of-age stories will find all they could want and more.” — Booklist

“An atmospheric voyage through grief and self-discovery perfect for fans of Julie Buxbaum’s Tell Me Three Things and Tim Federle’s The Great American Whatever.” — School Library Journal

“A touching…story about the painful process of moving on.” — Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Sarah Nicole Smetana received her BFA in Creative Writing from Chapman University and her MFA in Fiction from the New School. Originally from Orange, California, she now lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their three-legged cat. Visit her online at www.sarahnicolesmetana.com.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 6, 2018
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ First Edition
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062644629
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062644626
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.04 pounds
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 - 17 years
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.29 x 8.25 inches
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 9 - 12
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 38 ratings

About the author

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Sarah Nicole Smetana

Sarah Nicole Smetana

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Sarah Nicole Smetana is the author of THE MIDNIGHTS and a contributor to the interconnected anthology BATTLE OF THE BANDS. She received her BFA from Chapman University and her MFA in Fiction from The New School. Originally from Orange, California, she now lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their three-legged cat. Visit her online at: www.sarahnicolesmetana.com

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
38 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the book's stunning prose and raw emotional depth, particularly noting how it explores complex friendships. Moreover, they appreciate the character development, with one review highlighting how the Southern California setting comes alive as a character. Additionally, the book receives positive feedback for its readability, with one customer describing it as a captivating journey of self-exploration.

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ReadabilityEmotionWriting qualityCharacter developmentDetail
6 customers mention "Readability"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, with one describing it as a must-read for music lovers and another noting it's a beautiful story that takes readers on a captivating journey of self-exploration.

"This beautiful, lyrical book is a must-read for music lovers...." Read more

"...I highly recommend this beautiful book to readers young and old and I can't wait for Sarah Smetana's next one!" Read more

"...longing for her father’s approval sets her off on a captivating journey of self-exploration...." Read more

"One of the best YA novels I've read in a long time. And I'm 61! The writing is fabulous as well as the character development...." Read more

5 customers mention "Emotion"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the emotional depth of the book, particularly its exploration of complex friendships, with one customer noting its vibrant and vulnerable portrayal of longing.

"...truth and pain and adrenaline of that search: the self-doubt and infatuation and enchantment, the vibrancy and vulnerability and longing...." Read more

"Sarah Smetana's debut novel is gorgeous: lyrical and full of raw emotion, moving and real...." Read more

"Smetana tells a searing story of friendship, love, and growing up in the vivid southern California landscape...." Read more

"...I was enthralled with Susannah's journey of loss, discovery and self worth. I loved listening to her thoughts...." Read more

4 customers mention "Writing quality"4 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, with stunning prose and one customer noting it left them breathless.

"...It's a gorgeously written narrative set in a southern California wholly unlike the sun-drenched la-la-land portrayed in most movies and TV shows, a..." Read more

"...Sarah Nicole Smetanas writing left me breathless. I definitely did not want the story to end!..." Read more

"An absolutely gorgeous debut novel. The prose is stunning, and the Southern California setting really comes alive as a character...." Read more

"...And I'm 61! The writing is fabulous as well as the character development. I'm looking forward to anything else this talented writer comes out with." Read more

3 customers mention "Character development"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one noting how the Southern California setting comes alive as a character.

"...the mystery of her father's legacy, and the rest of the unforgettable characters you will find there." Read more

"...The prose is stunning, and the Southern California setting really comes alive as a character...." Read more

"...And I'm 61! The writing is fabulous as well as the character development. I'm looking forward to anything else this talented writer comes out with." Read more

3 customers mention "Detail"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's detail, with one noting how California comes alive with precision and nuance.

"...I also loved the way Smetana writes about place. California comes alive with precision and nuance...." Read more

"...The descriptions of the Southern California environment are expertly detailed, and I felt completely transported, as though I was personally..." Read more

"stunning, complex, alive, true: this is a gorgeous read...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Anna S
    5.0 out of 5 stars Lyrical and lovely
    Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This beautiful, lyrical book is a must-read for music lovers. It's a gorgeously written narrative set in a southern California wholly unlike the sun-drenched la-la-land portrayed in most movies and TV shows, a Los Angeles and Orange County filled with earthquakes and wildfires, blistering heat and endless, dangerous rain. Like the weather in the book the story is harsh and unrelenting: high school Susannah Hayes can't escape the pain of her former rock-star father's death or the need to solve the mystery of his life. At the same time she's discovering her own power as a musician, and making all the mistakes you'd expect a young girl ensconced in the world of indie music to make—mistakes with bands and boys, friends and family, truth and lies.

    The story unravels slowly, lingering on the beautiful and painful details of Susannah's life as a burgeoning musician as she goes from lost soul to strong and self-assured young woman. This isn't the kind of book you slam down in an afternoon at the beach. If you can, I recommend finishing it as I did: curled up under a blanket on a cold, rainy afternoon, so that long after I put it down the music of Smetana's words danced in my head and lingered with the sound of raindrops hitting my window.
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  • Becca
    5.0 out of 5 stars stunning, complex, alive, true: this is a gorgeous read.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    During my teenage years in New Jersey, I spent some time floundering my way through the music scene, where I was hoping to find a place, a sense of belonging. Sometimes I felt like I was soaring. Sometimes I felt alienated. Susannah's experiences in the music scene of Southern California echo back to me all the truth and pain and adrenaline of that search: the self-doubt and infatuation and enchantment, the vibrancy and vulnerability and longing. The dancing, the music so loud my ears rang, the venues packed with sound and sweat and others similarly searching for that same belonging. The 2am trips to the beach, car windows open, music loud and pulled into the wind. The yearning for a voice and a space for oneself in the world.

    Susannah, the book's narrator, is a modern-day girl in Southern California, but she sings me right back to my own teenage years well over a decade ago in New Jersey. Susannah teaches me: not only about myself as I was then, but also about what I couldn't understand yet--realizations I don't think I could have ever come to if this book hadn't been written.

    Susannah is as alive and complex as any person I've known, and her grief over the loss of her father is honest and nuanced and heart-wrenching.

    With all my might, I recommend The Midnights. I recommend this book because it has reminded me of who I once was and it's changed my relationship with that former self. And therefore, it's done what art has the power to do: it's changed me.

    Maybe this book can remind you of something beautiful you've forgotten. Maybe it can bring you back or help you see the world anew. And maybe it can change you too.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Beautifully Bookish Bethany
    4.0 out of 5 stars Family, grief, music, and finding yourself, set in a darkly vibrant Southern California.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2018
    The Midnights is a moving story about family, grief, music, and finding yourself. Set in Southern Califonia, there is a strong sense of place. The Los Angeles area is captured beautifully, and not as a glitzy Hollywood stereotype, but rather in a richly nuanced way that could only come from someone who has lived there. Nature is almost personified at times in the Santa Ana winds, earthquakes, and wildfires. As someone who lived for many years in Southern California, I really loved that aspect of it. But if you are less enthralled with that than I am, don't worry! There is much more to like here!

    Susannah Hayes is the daughter of a washed out musician who loves the craft of song-writing and imparts that love to his daughter. It's clear that he struggles with some kind of mental illness, but in Susie's eyes he can do no wrong and she is desperate to connect with her dad through music. When he dies in a car crash, her life changes completely and everything she thought she knew is turned on its head. A senior in highschool, she is thrust into a new school and new home while trying to cope with grief and unanswered questions about her father's past.

    I think this book does a really great job of exploring the complexities of family relationships and how teenagers often don't know their parents as well as they think they do. Susannah loves her father, but she comes to understand that he was also flawed and deeply damaged. Meanwhile, she eventually develops a new understanding of her mother that brings them closer together. But along the way, she makes some less than ideal life choices in terms of drugs, alcohol, and boys.

    It's interesting to see Susannah begin to mirror her father in a number of ways when she joins a fairly damaged, relationally unhealthy, but musically talented friend group. Throughout the book we do see her process her grief and grow as a person, but things definitely get rough before they get better. In the midst of her own pain, she sometimes ends up hurting others.

    Be aware that there are instances of teen drug and alcohol use, sex while intoxicated (unclear whether any protection is involved), and sneaking out. I was kind of uncomfortable with the fact that alcohol was always a pre-cursor to sex and nothing about that was really addressed. In terms of drug and alcohol use, it seemed like a realistic path of experimentation that made sense for the story, but it was balanced by examples of negative outcomes when left unchecked in the long-term. I particularly mention this because the audience for the book is primarily teenagers.

    I also want to note that while I am not a musician, there is a lot of focus on music and musical craft. Parts of this brought me back to my own teen years, but I think this might really resonate with musicians. Overall, I thought this was a very strong debut novel that is sometimes dark, but ultimately hopeful. Susannah is not always likeable, but she is certainly relatable and she is willing to recognize her own mistakes and try to change. If the premise interests you, I definitely recommend it!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Amy K
    5.0 out of 5 stars A beautifully written novel of real emotion and complex relationships for all ages
    Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Sarah Smetana's debut novel is gorgeous: lyrical and full of raw emotion, moving and real. I think a truly great YA novel will throw me back into who I was as a teen, and The Midnights and its protagonist Susannah Hayes had me drenched in memories of my own relationship to family members, first loves, best friends, and to the kinds of losses that defined me as a young person. I've never been a musician but I found the way Smetana writes about music might translate to any passion. It's a quest for meaning and truthful expression. I also loved the way Smetana writes about place. California comes alive with precision and nuance. The wind of the Santa Ana hills, for example, isn't just there in the background; it affects the plot, it affects the way Susannah conceives of her relationships, it imbues the story with real-world suspense. I highly recommend this beautiful book to readers young and old and I can't wait for Sarah Smetana's next one!
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