MIDNIGHT STRIKES

A 17-year-old girl is stuck in a time loop in a secondary fantasy world.

It’s the kingdom of Ivarea’s 400th Anniversary Ball, and Anaïs is supposed to find a husband from a prominent house to elevate her family’s status. But as a Proensan nobody, Anaïs has been shunned by every eligible bachelor, although infamous Infante Leopoldo Cardona seems surprisingly interested. Then midnight strikes, an explosion leads to untold destruction, and Anaïs dies...only to wake up unharmed in her bedroom earlier that same day, believing it was all a dream—but when midnight comes, it all happens repeatedly. As the only one who ever remembers the tragic events that seem destined to take place, Anaïs works tirelessly to figure out who is behind the attack and how to prevent it while reliving that terrible day countless times. But the more she investigates, the more she uncovers the hidden truth about her kingdom’s magic and its history—as well as about Leo, who has more to him than his wayward facade suggests. Shahnaz’s gripping debut is a twisty story in a fantasy setting in which the names, physical descriptions, and language point to a Spanish-inspired background. While the romantic storyline is underdeveloped, the overall story progresses carefully, slowly unveiling a plot full of courtly intrigue with a determined lead character whose personal agency is the focus.

Riveting, time-looping fun.