Hello everyone!
I am back with another book review, Rayne and Delilah's Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zentner. Thanks so much to Penguin Random House Canada for sending me a copy of this book for an honest review, as always, all opinions are my own.
This book follows Delia and Josie, two best friends who host a public access horror movie commentary show. The end of their senior year of high school is approaching and while they love doing shows together, they know they can't continue forever. Josie has always wanted to be on TV and when her parents land her a Food Network internship, she's excited about the opportunity - but not about the fact that it's five hours away from Delia. After her father left 10 years ago, Delia has been trying to figure out why people keep leaving her. When she tracks down her dad in Florida, coincidentally where the annual ShiverCon is being held and where 90's horror host Jack Divine is speaking, the girls see this as their last chance to save their show and stay together.
Firstly, this is my third book by Zentner. I really loved Goodbye Days, and while I was more lukewarm about The Serpent King, I did enjoy it. So I knew going into this one that I was really going to enjoy it. I just didn't know how much I was going to love it. The premise isn't necessarily something that I'd jump at, but once I started, I was hooked. I couldn't stop reading and loved every second of it.
Zentner has this amazing way of writing that makes you want to sob uncontrollably but also laugh until you're out of breath at the same time. There were so many of these moments throughout the book, I just couldn't get enough. There were parts where I was genuinely laughing out loud (something that rarely happens), and parts where I was tearing up (a similarly rare occurrence). I don't know how he does it but I pretty much knew after the first couple chapters that this was going to be a new favourite.
I also loved the friendship and romantic dynamics Zentner was able to write. Delia and Josie were best friends - and you could tell. They got each other on such a level that I'm not even sure I've ever really witnessed before, especially for book characters. Their friendship made sense and just - worked. Same with the romantic relationship between Josie and Lawson. They had such an easy dynamic but it clicked so well. Even when there were disagreements between characters, their interactions just seemed so real. I don't really know if I'm describing it in a way that makes sense, but I think if you read it, you'll understand what I mean.
My only minor complaint (and I say minor because it didn't really affect my enjoyment of the book or my overall rating) was the fact that despite having Josie and Delia's names at the top of their chapters, I had a hard time distinguishing whose chapter I was reading. They were very similar in some ways, although different in others. They definitely had different lives but I just had a hard time remember who was who.
Overall, a new favourite from me and a resounding positive recommendation for anyone on the fence.