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Around Midnight by Zarina Macha – Review by Liz Vrchota

Around MidnightAround Midnight by Zarina Macha
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have not had the pleasure of reading anything by Zarina Macha before but was completely enthralled in the idea behind this story based off the cover and the blurb. I wasn’t disappointed and found a very nice and fast paced read that kept me entertained from the very beginning until the last chapter. I loved how this was written in a way that could be enjoyed by anyone even though it is geared towards young adult readers. It touched on some serious topics with an underlying concept of choosing the path and handling the consequences that come of that decision. Megan and Vincent are both strong and hold their own but the two of them together is not necessarily a good thing. I must say I thought that I had things figured out then they did a completely different direction than what I had guessed. I love books that do that for me. I will definitely be looking into more of Zarina’s novels.

Review by @lizaileen
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Around Midnight by Zarina Macha – Review by Lisa Helmick

Around MidnightAround Midnight by Zarina Macha
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fully immersed into her teenage life that includes playing her saxophone this privileged girl is ignorant of many of life’s pitfalls. She gets to meet some of those head on and they begin to disrupt her dream. She is lost and unsure but she can’t seem to move forward and forget.

This is easy to read and deals with complex situations. There is the surface of each situation but always look deeper. This is an okay book that I took at face value. Girl, dream, bad boy, regrets and struggles. I just looked at it as a typical section of a young girls/teen book. But upon reading the authors note I am reflecting back and I can look at it a bit differently. So if you give this a go make sure you read that as well.

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Around Midnight by Zarina Macha – Review by Katie Kearney

Around MidnightAround Midnight by Zarina Macha
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Around Midnight by Zarina Macha. This is a new author for me and I’m excited I found her because this story was great. The author writes characters that are complex and relatable, they have a great chemistry that has the storyline running smoothly and kept me trying to read faster to see what was going to happen and trying to slow down. It’s a story that has our characters learning how and when to follow your heart and dealing with life in general. We truly get to watch the characters grow. The storyline is engaging and well written, had a steady pace that never felt rushed. It’s a really good story and I highly recommend it. Four stars all the way and I excited to see what else this author has to offer.

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Around Midnight by Zarina Macha – Review by Dawn Daughenbaugh

Around MidnightAround Midnight by Zarina Macha
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Star
Around Midnight by Zarina Macha is a well written story about the struggles that come with following your heart. Although this is my first read by this Author. I can honestly say it wont be my last. I found myself lost in the pages and couldn’t stop reading till the end. Megan loves jazz ! She has heart set on attending the Prestigious School of Jazz, but then she meets Vincent. Things change and not necessarily for the good. What does her future look like Will she forgo her dreams to be with Vincent? This story had my emotions all over the place. Find out what happens next in this must read. I look forward to reading more from this Author.

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Around Midnight by Zarina Macha – Review by Anastasia Dodson

Around MidnightAround Midnight by Zarina Macha
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book that I have read by this author and i thought it was a great read. I enjoyed book from the very beginning and I thought it was well written. The main characters are Megan and Vincent and I liked them both. I was rooting for them from the very first page and the the chemistry was scorching. Megan is a saxophone player who is looking for a future playing the instrument she loves. Things change and people come into her life and everything gets turned upside down. She has to decide if following her heart is the right path for her or should she play it smart.
I am looking forward to reading more by this author in the future!
Happy reading!

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Around Midnight by Zarina Macha – Review by Kerry Baker

Around MidnightAround Midnight by Zarina Macha
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Around Midnight by Zarina Macha is a young adult story about love and dreams.
This is the first book that I have read by this author and it is one I can say I thoroughly enjoyed. The whole book was well written and had an easy pace about it. The characters were well developed. They had chemistry and it was easy to picture them together.
This is one of those stories that you can’t imagine every young adult going through in one way or another – love and the effect it has on your life.
This was a very good book and I am looking forward to reading more of this authors work.

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Around Midnight by Zarina Macha – Review by Angela Hayes

Around MidnightAround Midnight by Zarina Macha
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

“It’s not every day you meet a girl who plays jazz. Most musical girls I know just want to be the next Taylor Swift or Beyoncé.”
“I…erm, guess I’m not most girls.” She giggled….

 

“One evening, she gazed at herself in the bathroom mirror. Her usual happy-go-lucky demeanour had tumbled off a cliff. She felt uneasy, uncertain, on edge, like she was walking very delicately on eggshells placed over poisonous snakes that would bite her at the slightest touch.
She had no idea what was happening to her or why she was so uncomfortable. None of it made any sense.
Unless…
Could it have something to do with Vince?
No. It made no sense. She adored Vince. He made her so happy.
Didn’t he?”

 

Around Midnight by Zarina Macha is a YA drama- with lots of angst, emotion, well developed character, first love, romance, manipulation, and more. As this is my first book by Zarina Macha, I really didn’t know what to expect- but the title and cover intrigued me enough to want to find out. I soon found myself pulled in all directions as things started being revealed. My intrigue for the characters soon turned to sympathy for one and hate for the other. I really didn’t like Vince- he was a real piece of shi(p)!!! I don’t think I have disliked another character as much as I do him- at least not for a long time. Don’t get me started on his manipulative and horribleness- BAH!!! But the fact that I got so wound up over a fictional character is a testament to Ms. Macha’s writing skills. She crafted her characters into fully realised individuals with their own personalities, quirks, and FLAWS. They were entirely believable. Highlighting all the teenage drama, angst, pressure, need for acceptance and fitting in, and other problems- in this emotive story.
What happens when a gifted music student meets a bad boy with a dangerous reputation? After all, she is warned about him- but something about him draws her in. Pretty soon he’s consuming her thoughts- and her life begins unravelling….

“She leaned against the sink, blonde hair surrounding her face. She’d not touched her saxophone in a week. Last time she’d tried to play, she hadn’t been able to hold more than a few notes, then ended up collapsing onto her bed.
What was wrong with her? Was this love? Was this normal? People said love made you feel crazy, like you were losing your mind, like your whole body was spiraling. But they also said it felt wonderful. This…felt…
unbearable.”

A coming of age story with more impact than I had first imagined. So, if you like Young adult dramas, complex characters, a little intensity, emotive and intriguing developments- then this is definitely the book for you.
I would definitely like to explore more of Ms. Macha’s work, soon!

Thank you, Zarina Macha!

 

Reviewed by @angelahayes

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