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Until the Clock Strikes Midnight
"Sweet and joyful, this book is as irresistible as hot chocolate swirled with magic!" ―Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times-bestselling author of The Spellshop
The Good Place meets the Brandy version of Cinderella in Until the Clock Strikes Midnight, a cozy, romantic fantasy from award-winning author Alechia Dow.
Darling is the most talented—and unusual—Guardian to get a chance at winning the coveted once-in-a-generation Mortal Outcome Council mentorship. Getting the spot would mean having the opportunity to shape the future happiness of all mortal realms—if she succeeds at her first assignment, Lucy Addlesberg. Darling thinks it’ll be an easy razzle-dazzle job… until she actually meets Lucy. Her life is a complete mess, from her failing bookshop in her downtrodden village to her doomed flirtation with the princess of Lumina. But if there’s one thing Darling’s good at, it’s a makeover.
Calamity is the most talented—and arrogant—Misfortune of his class. It’s his job to save mortals from their own terrible decisions made in the pursuit of the mythical "Happily Ever After." When Calam is granted a shot at the Mortal Outcome Council mentorship, he thinks his dreams are finally coming true. But first, he must pass the test. It should be easy—Lucy Addlesberg has been unfortunate for years. All he has to do is continue her string of bad luck so she can finally come to terms with reality and settle for a safer, more logical path in life. Yet when he arrives, he finds that Lucy has a Guardian assigned to her too—a chipper overachiever who is as colorful as the magic pouring from her glittery wand.
To thwart each other, Darling and Calam insert themselves into Lucy’s life posing as a betrothed couple. As they try to guide her down what they each see as the best path for her, they start questioning their roles and ultimately what they truly want for themselves... and if those feelings of loathing they have for each other might actually be something more like love.
"Witty, tender, and delightfully chaotic, this is proof that happily-ever-afters can be messy, magical, and worth every risk." ―Aiden Thomas, New York Times-bestselling author of Cemetery Boys
Also by Alechia Dow
Just a Pinch of Magic
The Good Place meets the Brandy version of Cinderella in Until the Clock Strikes Midnight, a cozy, romantic fantasy from award-winning author Alechia Dow.
Darling is the most talented—and unusual—Guardian to get a chance at winning the coveted once-in-a-generation Mortal Outcome Council mentorship. Getting the spot would mean having the opportunity to shape the future happiness of all mortal realms—if she succeeds at her first assignment, Lucy Addlesberg. Darling thinks it’ll be an easy razzle-dazzle job… until she actually meets Lucy. Her life is a complete mess, from her failing bookshop in her downtrodden village to her doomed flirtation with the princess of Lumina. But if there’s one thing Darling’s good at, it’s a makeover.
Calamity is the most talented—and arrogant—Misfortune of his class. It’s his job to save mortals from their own terrible decisions made in the pursuit of the mythical "Happily Ever After." When Calam is granted a shot at the Mortal Outcome Council mentorship, he thinks his dreams are finally coming true. But first, he must pass the test. It should be easy—Lucy Addlesberg has been unfortunate for years. All he has to do is continue her string of bad luck so she can finally come to terms with reality and settle for a safer, more logical path in life. Yet when he arrives, he finds that Lucy has a Guardian assigned to her too—a chipper overachiever who is as colorful as the magic pouring from her glittery wand.
To thwart each other, Darling and Calam insert themselves into Lucy’s life posing as a betrothed couple. As they try to guide her down what they each see as the best path for her, they start questioning their roles and ultimately what they truly want for themselves... and if those feelings of loathing they have for each other might actually be something more like love.
"Witty, tender, and delightfully chaotic, this is proof that happily-ever-afters can be messy, magical, and worth every risk." ―Aiden Thomas, New York Times-bestselling author of Cemetery Boys
Also by Alechia Dow
Just a Pinch of Magic
314 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 3, 2026
32 people are currently reading
10693 people want to read
About the author
Alechia Dow
12 books779 followersAlechia Dow is a former pastry chef, food critic, culinary teacher, and Youth Services librarian. When not writing about determined black girls (like herself), you can find her chasing her wild child, baking, or taking teeny adventures.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.25 ★— A fairy with the ability to grant Happily Ever Afters goes up against her far too handsome competitor, who instead gives people Ordinary Ever Afters.
This book is just as whimsical and sparkly as its cover suggests, with a setting firmly rooted in fantastical realms and filled with magical beings. You follow the fairy Darling and her rival Calamity, a so-called Misfortune, as she competes with him for the coveted position they both want.
I really wanted to love this, and a lot of it was very cute and fun, especially with how bubbly Darling is as a protagonist! I also really appreciated how diverse this book is, from many characters being POC to the world itself being queer-normative. There are also discussions of mental health, medication, and the effects they have on Darling, which I thought were handled very thoughtfully!
That said, the book didn’t quite reach its full potential for me. Darling and Calamity’s enemies to lovers, or rather rivals to lovers, arc wasn’t fleshed out enough. I think the story would’ve benefited from more scenes of them actually clashing, which would have allowed for a more natural transition into them falling for each other. As it stands, the MMC declaring his feelings for Darling felt a bit abrupt and too early, leaving a lot of fun and interesting rivalry dynamics unexplored.
I also found the central plot point of them acting as “guardians” to a human and competing over who gets to give them their Ever After to be fairly lackluster in execution. After the exciting setup, a lot of the story that followed struggled to fully hold my interest.
There was also one moment that completely took me out of the story, which was the author using the word “unalive” during a scene featuring a character dealing with dark thoughts. In a fantasy world set in an entirely different universe, that word felt incredibly jarring to see. This might just be a personal pet peeve, but seeing that term used in an actual book really pulled me out of the moment and left a lasting and odd impression on me.
All that said, this is still a fairly lighthearted read, even while touching on heavier topics. I think readers looking for something whimsical, sparkly, and low-stakes could have a lot of fun with this, even if it didn’t fully work for me.
🎧 Audiobook Note
🎙️ Narration Style: Dual
I really liked both narrators! They fit their characters well, and I thought the female narrator had the perfect level of bubbliness to reflect Darling’s personality.
_______________
Thank you to Feiwel & Friends for the ARC and to Dreamscape Media for the ALC.
This book is just as whimsical and sparkly as its cover suggests, with a setting firmly rooted in fantastical realms and filled with magical beings. You follow the fairy Darling and her rival Calamity, a so-called Misfortune, as she competes with him for the coveted position they both want.
I really wanted to love this, and a lot of it was very cute and fun, especially with how bubbly Darling is as a protagonist! I also really appreciated how diverse this book is, from many characters being POC to the world itself being queer-normative. There are also discussions of mental health, medication, and the effects they have on Darling, which I thought were handled very thoughtfully!
That said, the book didn’t quite reach its full potential for me. Darling and Calamity’s enemies to lovers, or rather rivals to lovers, arc wasn’t fleshed out enough. I think the story would’ve benefited from more scenes of them actually clashing, which would have allowed for a more natural transition into them falling for each other. As it stands, the MMC declaring his feelings for Darling felt a bit abrupt and too early, leaving a lot of fun and interesting rivalry dynamics unexplored.
I also found the central plot point of them acting as “guardians” to a human and competing over who gets to give them their Ever After to be fairly lackluster in execution. After the exciting setup, a lot of the story that followed struggled to fully hold my interest.
There was also one moment that completely took me out of the story, which was the author using the word “unalive” during a scene featuring a character dealing with dark thoughts. In a fantasy world set in an entirely different universe, that word felt incredibly jarring to see. This might just be a personal pet peeve, but seeing that term used in an actual book really pulled me out of the moment and left a lasting and odd impression on me.
All that said, this is still a fairly lighthearted read, even while touching on heavier topics. I think readers looking for something whimsical, sparkly, and low-stakes could have a lot of fun with this, even if it didn’t fully work for me.
🎧 Audiobook Note
🎙️ Narration Style: Dual
I really liked both narrators! They fit their characters well, and I thought the female narrator had the perfect level of bubbliness to reflect Darling’s personality.
_______________
Thank you to Feiwel & Friends for the ARC and to Dreamscape Media for the ALC.
August 6, 2025
DNF @ 33%
I am so sad! I was really hoping this would be good and I wanted to enjoy it so bad! But sadly, there is content in here that makes it impossible.
The language that I read: 1 f word, 1 s word, and 1 d word.
LGBTQ: lots of it. The main girl kissed another girl, it talks about a story of a lgbtq couple and one of the mainish characters is in a lgbtq relationship. Lots about being inclusive and no gender is disqualified from going to the princesses ball to try and win her hand.
This would have been so good! But as a Christian I can’t support any of this content. Although, I did love the content warning, even though it didn’t mention the lgbtq and language, it did talk about some other things good to know going in. Sadly, I can’t recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc of this book.
I am so sad! I was really hoping this would be good and I wanted to enjoy it so bad! But sadly, there is content in here that makes it impossible.
The language that I read: 1 f word, 1 s word, and 1 d word.
LGBTQ: lots of it. The main girl kissed another girl, it talks about a story of a lgbtq couple and one of the mainish characters is in a lgbtq relationship. Lots about being inclusive and no gender is disqualified from going to the princesses ball to try and win her hand.
This would have been so good! But as a Christian I can’t support any of this content. Although, I did love the content warning, even though it didn’t mention the lgbtq and language, it did talk about some other things good to know going in. Sadly, I can’t recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc of this book.
September 11, 2025
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.
This was so amazing. Even though this is fantasy, I loved the accurate portrayal of people who want to see others fail. Who will tell you to your face you will amount to nothing. No matter how smart you are, or how hard you try, they are always there. Especially when you are 'different'. Doesn't matter what the difference is. In this book, she's a fairy, and everyone else in the school is a celestial.
There are two separate love stories in the book. Lucy's, which may result in a Happily Ever After (Darling's goal) or an Ordinary Ever After (Calam's goal). Then there is Darling and Calam, which is an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers.
I would recommend this book to everyone who loves fantasy/paranormal rom-coms. Unless, of course, you are a homophobic piece of trash. Then don't read it.
Content warning: Bipolar disorder, intrusive thoughts, "brief self-harm and passive suicidality" (straight from author's content warning).
This was so amazing. Even though this is fantasy, I loved the accurate portrayal of people who want to see others fail. Who will tell you to your face you will amount to nothing. No matter how smart you are, or how hard you try, they are always there. Especially when you are 'different'. Doesn't matter what the difference is. In this book, she's a fairy, and everyone else in the school is a celestial.
There are two separate love stories in the book. Lucy's, which may result in a Happily Ever After (Darling's goal) or an Ordinary Ever After (Calam's goal). Then there is Darling and Calam, which is an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers.
I would recommend this book to everyone who loves fantasy/paranormal rom-coms. Unless, of course, you are a homophobic piece of trash. Then don't read it.
Content warning: Bipolar disorder, intrusive thoughts, "brief self-harm and passive suicidality" (straight from author's content warning).
February 22, 2026
i think if i would’ve read this in high school i would’ve loved it more, with that being said when this author finally does try adult books ill definitely be in line
February 6, 2026
Alechia Dow weaves achingly relatable characters into the most whimsy of settings, reminding all of us—no matter how wounded—that a happily ever after is never out of reach.
August 2, 2025
this book was a yes, yes, and another resounding yes for me! i had so much fun reading, much more than i had expected to honestly.
dow’s writing is soft, cozy, and warm to read. i wanted to inhale it at some point because her descriptions were speaking to meeee, especially when food got brought up; i would think, “that sounds yummy. i need to make that.” it’s not the kind of writing i usually encounter, but given how life has been lifeing, it brought me comfort i didn’t even know that i had needed.
even though the plot is pretty low stakes in my opinion, i couldn’t help but become heavily invested. it’s hard not to; the cast is so earnest, lovable, and passionate. both leads, darling and calam, are imperfectly perfect. on their own, they’re intriguing, relatable, but together?? the chemistry was insane. banter was A+++ (i wrote that in my notes, by the way), tension was thick, the push and pull was just right. like RAHHH!!! i could go on and on about them. and on that note: the YEARNINGGGGG. both of them were down bad, but calam??? the amount of highlights i have of him losing his mind over darling is atrocious. i devoured it every time.
i also liked the messaging/parallels in this book, i think its special to be able to read something as whimsical as this, but still relate and see yourself somewhere. there was a diverse amount of representation and i especially appreciated the exploration of darling’s character as a disabled black woman. (i just love darling in general lol)
this story was well balanced, full of life, and was always a fairytale but didn’t stray away from difficult topics that mirrors our reality. things were kept pretty wholesome, and the takeaways in the end are hopeful, positive. if you’re looking for a book that feels like snuggling in a blanket with a cup of hot cocoa this is IT.
you could tell that dow had a lot of fun with this book and she made the story she wanted to tell, not for anyone else. i love how i can feel that through the pages. i look forward to seeing what else she writes in the future.
most of all, i’ll miss darling and calam; you couldn’t ask for better leads. their growth, their banter, their love, their fights even… you’ll catch me rereading this book every time i wish to see them again. <3
~
thank you feiwel and friends and netgalley for the arc!
dow’s writing is soft, cozy, and warm to read. i wanted to inhale it at some point because her descriptions were speaking to meeee, especially when food got brought up; i would think, “that sounds yummy. i need to make that.” it’s not the kind of writing i usually encounter, but given how life has been lifeing, it brought me comfort i didn’t even know that i had needed.
even though the plot is pretty low stakes in my opinion, i couldn’t help but become heavily invested. it’s hard not to; the cast is so earnest, lovable, and passionate. both leads, darling and calam, are imperfectly perfect. on their own, they’re intriguing, relatable, but together?? the chemistry was insane. banter was A+++ (i wrote that in my notes, by the way), tension was thick, the push and pull was just right. like RAHHH!!! i could go on and on about them. and on that note: the YEARNINGGGGG. both of them were down bad, but calam??? the amount of highlights i have of him losing his mind over darling is atrocious. i devoured it every time.
i also liked the messaging/parallels in this book, i think its special to be able to read something as whimsical as this, but still relate and see yourself somewhere. there was a diverse amount of representation and i especially appreciated the exploration of darling’s character as a disabled black woman. (i just love darling in general lol)
this story was well balanced, full of life, and was always a fairytale but didn’t stray away from difficult topics that mirrors our reality. things were kept pretty wholesome, and the takeaways in the end are hopeful, positive. if you’re looking for a book that feels like snuggling in a blanket with a cup of hot cocoa this is IT.
you could tell that dow had a lot of fun with this book and she made the story she wanted to tell, not for anyone else. i love how i can feel that through the pages. i look forward to seeing what else she writes in the future.
most of all, i’ll miss darling and calam; you couldn’t ask for better leads. their growth, their banter, their love, their fights even… you’ll catch me rereading this book every time i wish to see them again. <3
~
thank you feiwel and friends and netgalley for the arc!
February 5, 2026
I am always down for a Cinderella retelling, and this cozy fantasy absolutely did not disappoint.
Until the Clock Strikes Midnight is charming, whimsical, and full of heart, but what surprised me most was the emotional depth woven throughout the story. It delivers all the comfort you want from a cozy fantasy while still exploring themes of identity, self-worth, and what it really means to choose your own happiness.
The magic system is especially fun, offering a fresh twist on the idea of fairy godmothers while still capturing that nostalgic fairytale feeling. It felt familiar in the best way, yet entirely its own.
Darling is such a lovable and layered protagonist, and I truly appreciated her growth over the course of the story. Her journey feels both personal and empowering, and the representation is handled with care and authenticity. Watching the characters support one another and grow together added a beautiful emotional warmth that made this book hard to put down.
There is also a sweetness to the romance that fits perfectly with the cozy atmosphere it’s tender, hopeful, and quietly swoony without overpowering the story itself.
This book manages to balance light, whimsical moments with genuine emotional impact, leaving me with that rare feeling of finishing a story both comforted and deeply satisfied.
If you love fairytale retellings, cozy fantasy, found family, soft romance, and stories that feel like a warm hug, this is absolutely one to add to your list. Thanks to colored pages book tours for the gifted book.
Until the Clock Strikes Midnight is charming, whimsical, and full of heart, but what surprised me most was the emotional depth woven throughout the story. It delivers all the comfort you want from a cozy fantasy while still exploring themes of identity, self-worth, and what it really means to choose your own happiness.
The magic system is especially fun, offering a fresh twist on the idea of fairy godmothers while still capturing that nostalgic fairytale feeling. It felt familiar in the best way, yet entirely its own.
Darling is such a lovable and layered protagonist, and I truly appreciated her growth over the course of the story. Her journey feels both personal and empowering, and the representation is handled with care and authenticity. Watching the characters support one another and grow together added a beautiful emotional warmth that made this book hard to put down.
There is also a sweetness to the romance that fits perfectly with the cozy atmosphere it’s tender, hopeful, and quietly swoony without overpowering the story itself.
This book manages to balance light, whimsical moments with genuine emotional impact, leaving me with that rare feeling of finishing a story both comforted and deeply satisfied.
If you love fairytale retellings, cozy fantasy, found family, soft romance, and stories that feel like a warm hug, this is absolutely one to add to your list. Thanks to colored pages book tours for the gifted book.
February 4, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook to review!
Ahhh this was sooo cute. I LOVED the premise. Our MC Darling is a fairy and deals with being snubbed by the celestials because of it but she’s out to prove fairies aren’t just manic pixie dream girls (lol). And the main guy Calamity, Calam, is a Misfortune but not to make Happily Never Afters like I originally assume but to help people learn from their mistakes. In his head, people want to make bad choices so he encourages them to do so at the best times to learn the most from the experience and hopefully turn themselves around. It was surprisingly wholesome. The concept that you need to fail in order to become a better person isn’t new but seeing it mentioned so starkly in a book was refreshing! Yes sometimes you’re gonna fail and have to learn a lesson from it! I loved that.
I loved Darling's outfits. I LOVED the lgbqt rep because Darling is bi and Lucy's love interest is a woman. We also have disability rep because Darling has a condition that affects her moods if she doesn’t take her meds and since we are in her head we get to see first hand what that feels and looks like. Also giving someone a Happily Ever After absolutely requiring helping people in their daily lives (ie the town) because no person is an island and needs systemic help to survive in society and so that society needs to be thriving?! Omg yesssss.
I just had a ball with this. And they all went to a ball! I loved watching Darling and Calam fall in love. I also loved how Darling and Calam balanced each other because Calam could only see the safe choices and Darling dated him to dream despite his trauma. And conversely he kept Darling grounded whenever she felt herself word vomiting or spiraling. I loved watching them fall in love and learn from each other.
I also enjoyed listening to the audiobook. The narrators did a great job of using voices that fit their characters. Darling sounded high pitched and a little squeaky, just like a fairy. Calamity sounded dark and a little foreboding, just as I would expect of a Misfortune. They also did an excellent job with each others voices when they had to do them. They both did an awesome job!
Ahhh this was sooo cute. I LOVED the premise. Our MC Darling is a fairy and deals with being snubbed by the celestials because of it but she’s out to prove fairies aren’t just manic pixie dream girls (lol). And the main guy Calamity, Calam, is a Misfortune but not to make Happily Never Afters like I originally assume but to help people learn from their mistakes. In his head, people want to make bad choices so he encourages them to do so at the best times to learn the most from the experience and hopefully turn themselves around. It was surprisingly wholesome. The concept that you need to fail in order to become a better person isn’t new but seeing it mentioned so starkly in a book was refreshing! Yes sometimes you’re gonna fail and have to learn a lesson from it! I loved that.
I loved Darling's outfits. I LOVED the lgbqt rep because Darling is bi and Lucy's love interest is a woman. We also have disability rep because Darling has a condition that affects her moods if she doesn’t take her meds and since we are in her head we get to see first hand what that feels and looks like. Also giving someone a Happily Ever After absolutely requiring helping people in their daily lives (ie the town) because no person is an island and needs systemic help to survive in society and so that society needs to be thriving?! Omg yesssss.
I just had a ball with this. And they all went to a ball! I loved watching Darling and Calam fall in love. I also loved how Darling and Calam balanced each other because Calam could only see the safe choices and Darling dated him to dream despite his trauma. And conversely he kept Darling grounded whenever she felt herself word vomiting or spiraling. I loved watching them fall in love and learn from each other.
I also enjoyed listening to the audiobook. The narrators did a great job of using voices that fit their characters. Darling sounded high pitched and a little squeaky, just like a fairy. Calamity sounded dark and a little foreboding, just as I would expect of a Misfortune. They also did an excellent job with each others voices when they had to do them. They both did an awesome job!
January 27, 2026
“Love is always the objective.”
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Until The Clock Strikes Midnight is YA fantasy/romantasy about two magical beings, Darling and Calam) with opposing views who are both tasked with helping a mortal. Unfortunately, the kind of help that the mortal, Lucy, needs is up for debate between the two of them.
This is a fun reimagining of a Cinderella type story from the point of views of the being tasked with helping her. Darling and Calam are the definition of grumpy/sunshine and play off of each other so well. I loved them together and their banter! I also really loved how they helped each other grow throughout the course of the story. It also features found family, one bed, lots of romance novel references, and amazing mental health and disability representation.
Darling’s disability was handled is such a sensitive and heartfelt way. As someone who struggles with mental illness, I felt incredibly seen, and in a positive way. I love that Calam loves Darling despite her flaws and quirks and that Darling knows her worth and that her disability is part of who she is…for better or for worse.
This was a fast-paced, super satisfying read which straddled the line between light and silly and emotional and reflective. While the plot line will be entertaining to readers of all ages, older readers will appreciate the themes and dynamic characters.
I am crossing my fingers that this is a series because the ending had me DYING. I need this so badly.
Basically, I loved this. And I cannot wait to meet the author next week in Brooklyn to celebrate the release. Thanks so NetGalley and Fiewal & Friends and Dreamscape Media for the alc. this is my personal review.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Until The Clock Strikes Midnight is YA fantasy/romantasy about two magical beings, Darling and Calam) with opposing views who are both tasked with helping a mortal. Unfortunately, the kind of help that the mortal, Lucy, needs is up for debate between the two of them.
This is a fun reimagining of a Cinderella type story from the point of views of the being tasked with helping her. Darling and Calam are the definition of grumpy/sunshine and play off of each other so well. I loved them together and their banter! I also really loved how they helped each other grow throughout the course of the story. It also features found family, one bed, lots of romance novel references, and amazing mental health and disability representation.
Darling’s disability was handled is such a sensitive and heartfelt way. As someone who struggles with mental illness, I felt incredibly seen, and in a positive way. I love that Calam loves Darling despite her flaws and quirks and that Darling knows her worth and that her disability is part of who she is…for better or for worse.
This was a fast-paced, super satisfying read which straddled the line between light and silly and emotional and reflective. While the plot line will be entertaining to readers of all ages, older readers will appreciate the themes and dynamic characters.
I am crossing my fingers that this is a series because the ending had me DYING. I need this so badly.
Basically, I loved this. And I cannot wait to meet the author next week in Brooklyn to celebrate the release. Thanks so NetGalley and Fiewal & Friends and Dreamscape Media for the alc. this is my personal review.
July 26, 2025
Oh I adored this! I was so excited to see a cozy fairytale retelling by Alechia Dow because I absolutely love her as an author and her amazing writing. This story did not disappoint! It’s an adorable and refreshing Cinderella retelling that will be perfect to read in the fall or winter. I can not wait to buy a physical copy 💕
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🖤Thank you NetGalley for this eARC!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🖤Thank you NetGalley for this eARC!
March 4, 2026
Here I am, kicking my feet and twirling my hair (I’m bald, for reference) at how incredibly cute and perfect this was. With notes of fairytale magic, godmothers (of any gender), and happily (or just plain ordinary) ever afters, Until the Clock Strikes Midnight was fun, whimsical, and enchantingly delightful!! Oh! And full of queer joy! I would expect nothing less from Alechia Dow.
Darling Sparkleton (yes, that is her real name!) has just graduated Guardian training, with flying (no pun intended) colors, might I add. She has done so well, in fact, that she has won a once-in-a-generation opportunity to compete for a place on the Mortal Outcome Council. This is an honor that not many are given the chance to obtain and it’s even more incredible because she’s a fairy and there hasn’t been one on the council. All she has to do is succeed with her first assignment: Lucy.
Calam (short for Calamity) is the most talented Misfortune of his class (and he knows it). His future will be full of steering mortals away from Happily Ever Afters and straight into an ordinary future. Dreaming big can result in crashing even bigger and ruining your potential. It’s his job to save mortals from their own horrible decisions and in doing so, win himself a spot on the Mortal Outcome Council (and the approval of his father, but that’s because he wants as far away from that man as inhumanly possible).
Lucy has spent her life living her mother’s dream (to own a quaint bookstore). After her death, she has tried everything in her power to keep the bookshop afloat, at her own detriment. It isn’t her fault that the realm and its people have had years of misfortune. It isn’t her fault that she doesn’t have time to do the things she loves or spend time with the beautiful girl who visits her often to buy romance books. But maybe her luck could change…
Let me start by saying that the representation in this book was ON POINT! The main characters are all BIPOC and Queer, which would have made me perfectly happy, but Darling also suffers from debilitating depression and anxiety. I related to her immediately. I know what it’s like to be entirely happy on the outside, trying to make sure no one sees or notices the complete mess on the inside. She’s also a thicc girl, which isn’t said just one time, it’s talked about the entire book. It wasn’t mentioned to check off some form of diversity. They talk about it because Calam and other people think she’s beautiful because of it (not the only reason why, but you get the picture).
This story brought me so much joy and had so many layers to it. The fact that it’s mostly set at a small bookstore in which at one point they hold a book club felt very out of body if anyone ends up having a book club in honor of this. Things like mentioning how women would go into the store and hide that they were picking up romance books so they wouldn’t be judged was so insightful (it shouldn’t be, because judging anyone for what they read is CRAZY WORK!).
There were so many things that made me fall in love with these characters and this book over and over and over again. I can’t recommend it enough, especially to people who love fairytale vibes. This was 👨🏻🍳🤌🏼💋!!!
Darling Sparkleton (yes, that is her real name!) has just graduated Guardian training, with flying (no pun intended) colors, might I add. She has done so well, in fact, that she has won a once-in-a-generation opportunity to compete for a place on the Mortal Outcome Council. This is an honor that not many are given the chance to obtain and it’s even more incredible because she’s a fairy and there hasn’t been one on the council. All she has to do is succeed with her first assignment: Lucy.
Calam (short for Calamity) is the most talented Misfortune of his class (and he knows it). His future will be full of steering mortals away from Happily Ever Afters and straight into an ordinary future. Dreaming big can result in crashing even bigger and ruining your potential. It’s his job to save mortals from their own horrible decisions and in doing so, win himself a spot on the Mortal Outcome Council (and the approval of his father, but that’s because he wants as far away from that man as inhumanly possible).
Lucy has spent her life living her mother’s dream (to own a quaint bookstore). After her death, she has tried everything in her power to keep the bookshop afloat, at her own detriment. It isn’t her fault that the realm and its people have had years of misfortune. It isn’t her fault that she doesn’t have time to do the things she loves or spend time with the beautiful girl who visits her often to buy romance books. But maybe her luck could change…
Let me start by saying that the representation in this book was ON POINT! The main characters are all BIPOC and Queer, which would have made me perfectly happy, but Darling also suffers from debilitating depression and anxiety. I related to her immediately. I know what it’s like to be entirely happy on the outside, trying to make sure no one sees or notices the complete mess on the inside. She’s also a thicc girl, which isn’t said just one time, it’s talked about the entire book. It wasn’t mentioned to check off some form of diversity. They talk about it because Calam and other people think she’s beautiful because of it (not the only reason why, but you get the picture).
This story brought me so much joy and had so many layers to it. The fact that it’s mostly set at a small bookstore in which at one point they hold a book club felt very out of body if anyone ends up having a book club in honor of this. Things like mentioning how women would go into the store and hide that they were picking up romance books so they wouldn’t be judged was so insightful (it shouldn’t be, because judging anyone for what they read is CRAZY WORK!).
There were so many things that made me fall in love with these characters and this book over and over and over again. I can’t recommend it enough, especially to people who love fairytale vibes. This was 👨🏻🍳🤌🏼💋!!!
February 10, 2026
I’m going to need disney to make a tinkerbelle-esque movie adaptation of this book asap. This was pure whimsical, fairytale joy and an utter delight to read.
February 11, 2026
A romantic fantasy about rival celestials, trying to help a human find her right path while falling in love, Until The Clock Strikes Midnight was a fun and enjoyable read!
The romance element felt a little quick and simple to me, but I enjoyed everything that was going on around them.
I particularly loved seeing loveable Black and mixed-raced, queer, disabled main characters in a positive and happy story.
Rarely do we see medication being shown and talked about, especially in fantasy!
The romance element felt a little quick and simple to me, but I enjoyed everything that was going on around them.
I particularly loved seeing loveable Black and mixed-raced, queer, disabled main characters in a positive and happy story.
Rarely do we see medication being shown and talked about, especially in fantasy!
February 4, 2026
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
I feel really bad rating this so low, especially because 95% of the low ratings seem to be from homophobes who are shocked and appalled that the book, which explicitly mentions a sapphic relationship in the synopsis, has sapphics and gays and queers. First off, I would like to say that all the homophobes reviewing this need to fuck right off and learn how to read, though I expect comprehension was never their strong suit. I love that the author created a queernormative world, I love that there are numerous queer relationships, and I love that our FMC Darling expresses attraction to both men and women. Having said all that, I had numerous legitimate problems with the book, so much so that despite being relatively short, it felt like it took me an eternity to finish.
Let’s start with the other things I liked. I appreciated that the author made Darling bipolar and tried to explore the difficulties she has with the disorder; bipolar representation is actually something I’ve been looking for more of in fantasy, and I was really excited when I read the author’s note in the beginning. I liked that Darling was also proudly fat, and I liked that the setting was diverse. I liked all the beautiful fashions described and the overall concept of the book.
Unfortunately…a lot of aspects were not executed well, and that goes for even the things I liked. Until the Clock Strikes Midnight is pitched as The Good Place meets the Brandy version of Cinderella, so I was expecting an irreverent fairytale. However, I thought the book wasn’t irreverent *enough* for its more anachronistic concepts to work. I felt this most glaringly with the way Darling’s bipolar disorder is presented, which is called “vacillating disorder” in the book, where Darling talks explicitly about her “spirals”, her “mental illness”, “triggers”, and how she takes daily medication to prevent her symptoms. If the author had really ramped up the anachronisms, I would’ve more easily accepted how her mental illness is presented, but as is, it feels like a weirdly modern portrayal was slapped in a generic fairytale world, a setting that takes itself rather earnestly. Alternatively, it would’ve worked better for me if the author had made the effort to try to adjust the language used to be more natural for the setting.
This weirdly modern take also goes for the way race is described, where characters are called “white” or “brown” (as in “a white woman” or “a little brown girl”) and an instance when a character is described as “a Black man”, which again feels off for a world that doesn’t seem to have the same concept of race as our world does or for characters like Darling and Calam who aren’t human and *shouldn’t* have the same concept of race. Honestly, describing just their skin tone should’ve worked fine but the way this author does it feels…awkward sometimes, like an instance where it’s said a book has a picture of a “pale prince kneeling next to a pale princess” or Darling is described as having “medium brown skin”. I’m far from someone who thinks that these kinds of books should be colorblind (ugh) but some of the author’s descriptors felt unnecessary and unnatural and/or too modern again.
Other weird anachronistic stuff was Darling using the word “unalive” and MMC Calam using the word “body-shame” or ginger chicken congee being a thing (granted, it’s said to be a celestial dish but the word “congee” doesn’t feel like it should be here?) or Fridays existing by that name (always a pet peeve of mine - it would’ve gone a long way if the author had just thought up her own cute weekday names). Additionally, the ideas that Darling and Calam come up with to help their assignment Lucy’s bookstore feel like they were just transplanted straight from how our world operates bookstores and not organic ideas that came to the characters through their own ingenuity or experiences. For example, Darling somehow instantly comes up with the idea that they should sell baked goods alongside the books, and Calam suggests holding a weekly book club using those exact terms and seemingly out of nowhere - why would that even occur to him? Fantasy characters reproducing modern concepts *can* work—just look at Legends & Lattes—but here, it again feels too anachronistic for the setting and narrative.
Moving on to the plot and characters, they were…very flat and underdeveloped. I was really excited for the rivals-to-lovers/fake betrothal dynamic I was promised between the main couple and the sapphic yearning between the side couple, but honestly, I felt like both concepts were utterly wasted. Both relationships progress extremely quickly but aren’t really fleshed out at all. Darling and Calam make a big show *telling* the reader that they hate each other but by ~35% they start to have the hots despite not having clashed or challenged each other nearly enough for there to be the start of romance, so the rivals part of their dynamic feels severely underutilized. Calam’s feelings in particular move weirdly fast and he admits to liking Darling romantically around 50% in but then flip-flops between grousing about he should never have trusted her and then back to being completely smitten. Calam honestly kind of sucks as a love interest; I can understand why he falls for Darling but I can’t fathom why Darling falls for him, it doesn’t really feel like she learns much of anything from him that sticks. Also he had this whole interaction with Darling where he points out that celestials can be xenophobic but then he turns around and stereotypes all fairies whenever Darling does something wrong… Additionally, both of them are just…not good at their jobs. They’re allegedly the highest-scoring, most skilled Guardian/Misfortune and, like, the book makes it so that everything they do works out perfectly but you never get a real sense of their competence (Darling turns an unpleasant woman into a cat to “teach her a lesson” and make her have a change of heart, for example, which doesn’t feel like it should solve anything but it somehow does!).
For Lucy and Andi, the sapphic side couple, I could not care less about them, mainly because neither of them have *any* personality whatsoever somehow! It’s honestly astounding - none of their scenes together had any chemistry, no banter, nothing substantial to make the reader invested in them as a couple because almost every time they were together aside from their scenes towards the end, the author skipped over them! The author’s writing in general is a lot of telling over showing, almost like a detailed summary in many parts, and very abrupt, for some reason, which results in characters getting *constantly* cut off in conversations (super annoying) or not having their emotions, body language, or movements described, and this is especially notable with Lucy and Andi who come off as the blandest paper dolls ever; their dialogue and interactions were SO GENERIC.
And the writing…sigh. It’s very colloquial and reads on the younger side, which made the sudden discussion of sex in the last half of the book very jarring. Also, as I said before, the writing feels like a detailed summary at certain points. I never got a good sense of where character emotions were at so their sudden outbursts or face-heel changes felt out of nowhere. This particularly made Darling’s mood swings come off very surface-level, and while I know bipolar spirals can be triggered by very small things as a result of a variety of factors (I am bipolar myself), it just wasn’t well-executed, IMO, which I feel bad saying because I’m sure the author put a lot of her own experiences into it. There were also some descriptions that felt kind of lazy and like placeholders the author forgot to replace, like “architectural flourishes that catch the eye” or “the colors are radiant, the details numerous”, like, okay, *what* details? And other things: character motivations are repeated over and over (I need Calam to STOP talking about how chaos and hope are bad, please), character arcs are rushed through, backstories are heavily info-dumped, and the book’s politics (which I do agree with) are handled extremely unsubtly to the point it feels like it feels kind of preachy and like it was just bashing the reader over the head. I also feel like, for a cozy fantasy, the book strangely does not do any work endearing you to any of the other villagers or developing their lives and relationships with the main characters or making Lucy’s bookstore feel like anything other than set dressing. The villagers’ lives just go from generically gray and depressing to instantly hopeful and happy and we aren’t shown anything to be invested in why that change feels good.
I’m going to stop my review here because I feel like I’ve gone on for long enough about my grievances, but I don’t mean to be critical out of malice. I’m critical because I see a lot of potential and I’m disappointed that the book didn’t live up to it. I had a lot of hopes for this and while I didn’t love it, I do wish the author well and I hope all of her homophobic haters have a Miserably Ever After.
I feel really bad rating this so low, especially because 95% of the low ratings seem to be from homophobes who are shocked and appalled that the book, which explicitly mentions a sapphic relationship in the synopsis, has sapphics and gays and queers. First off, I would like to say that all the homophobes reviewing this need to fuck right off and learn how to read, though I expect comprehension was never their strong suit. I love that the author created a queernormative world, I love that there are numerous queer relationships, and I love that our FMC Darling expresses attraction to both men and women. Having said all that, I had numerous legitimate problems with the book, so much so that despite being relatively short, it felt like it took me an eternity to finish.
Let’s start with the other things I liked. I appreciated that the author made Darling bipolar and tried to explore the difficulties she has with the disorder; bipolar representation is actually something I’ve been looking for more of in fantasy, and I was really excited when I read the author’s note in the beginning. I liked that Darling was also proudly fat, and I liked that the setting was diverse. I liked all the beautiful fashions described and the overall concept of the book.
Unfortunately…a lot of aspects were not executed well, and that goes for even the things I liked. Until the Clock Strikes Midnight is pitched as The Good Place meets the Brandy version of Cinderella, so I was expecting an irreverent fairytale. However, I thought the book wasn’t irreverent *enough* for its more anachronistic concepts to work. I felt this most glaringly with the way Darling’s bipolar disorder is presented, which is called “vacillating disorder” in the book, where Darling talks explicitly about her “spirals”, her “mental illness”, “triggers”, and how she takes daily medication to prevent her symptoms. If the author had really ramped up the anachronisms, I would’ve more easily accepted how her mental illness is presented, but as is, it feels like a weirdly modern portrayal was slapped in a generic fairytale world, a setting that takes itself rather earnestly. Alternatively, it would’ve worked better for me if the author had made the effort to try to adjust the language used to be more natural for the setting.
This weirdly modern take also goes for the way race is described, where characters are called “white” or “brown” (as in “a white woman” or “a little brown girl”) and an instance when a character is described as “a Black man”, which again feels off for a world that doesn’t seem to have the same concept of race as our world does or for characters like Darling and Calam who aren’t human and *shouldn’t* have the same concept of race. Honestly, describing just their skin tone should’ve worked fine but the way this author does it feels…awkward sometimes, like an instance where it’s said a book has a picture of a “pale prince kneeling next to a pale princess” or Darling is described as having “medium brown skin”. I’m far from someone who thinks that these kinds of books should be colorblind (ugh) but some of the author’s descriptors felt unnecessary and unnatural and/or too modern again.
Other weird anachronistic stuff was Darling using the word “unalive” and MMC Calam using the word “body-shame” or ginger chicken congee being a thing (granted, it’s said to be a celestial dish but the word “congee” doesn’t feel like it should be here?) or Fridays existing by that name (always a pet peeve of mine - it would’ve gone a long way if the author had just thought up her own cute weekday names). Additionally, the ideas that Darling and Calam come up with to help their assignment Lucy’s bookstore feel like they were just transplanted straight from how our world operates bookstores and not organic ideas that came to the characters through their own ingenuity or experiences. For example, Darling somehow instantly comes up with the idea that they should sell baked goods alongside the books, and Calam suggests holding a weekly book club using those exact terms and seemingly out of nowhere - why would that even occur to him? Fantasy characters reproducing modern concepts *can* work—just look at Legends & Lattes—but here, it again feels too anachronistic for the setting and narrative.
Moving on to the plot and characters, they were…very flat and underdeveloped. I was really excited for the rivals-to-lovers/fake betrothal dynamic I was promised between the main couple and the sapphic yearning between the side couple, but honestly, I felt like both concepts were utterly wasted. Both relationships progress extremely quickly but aren’t really fleshed out at all. Darling and Calam make a big show *telling* the reader that they hate each other but by ~35% they start to have the hots despite not having clashed or challenged each other nearly enough for there to be the start of romance, so the rivals part of their dynamic feels severely underutilized. Calam’s feelings in particular move weirdly fast and he admits to liking Darling romantically around 50% in but then flip-flops between grousing about he should never have trusted her and then back to being completely smitten. Calam honestly kind of sucks as a love interest; I can understand why he falls for Darling but I can’t fathom why Darling falls for him, it doesn’t really feel like she learns much of anything from him that sticks. Also he had this whole interaction with Darling where he points out that celestials can be xenophobic but then he turns around and stereotypes all fairies whenever Darling does something wrong… Additionally, both of them are just…not good at their jobs. They’re allegedly the highest-scoring, most skilled Guardian/Misfortune and, like, the book makes it so that everything they do works out perfectly but you never get a real sense of their competence (Darling turns an unpleasant woman into a cat to “teach her a lesson” and make her have a change of heart, for example, which doesn’t feel like it should solve anything but it somehow does!).
For Lucy and Andi, the sapphic side couple, I could not care less about them, mainly because neither of them have *any* personality whatsoever somehow! It’s honestly astounding - none of their scenes together had any chemistry, no banter, nothing substantial to make the reader invested in them as a couple because almost every time they were together aside from their scenes towards the end, the author skipped over them! The author’s writing in general is a lot of telling over showing, almost like a detailed summary in many parts, and very abrupt, for some reason, which results in characters getting *constantly* cut off in conversations (super annoying) or not having their emotions, body language, or movements described, and this is especially notable with Lucy and Andi who come off as the blandest paper dolls ever; their dialogue and interactions were SO GENERIC.
And the writing…sigh. It’s very colloquial and reads on the younger side, which made the sudden discussion of sex in the last half of the book very jarring. Also, as I said before, the writing feels like a detailed summary at certain points. I never got a good sense of where character emotions were at so their sudden outbursts or face-heel changes felt out of nowhere. This particularly made Darling’s mood swings come off very surface-level, and while I know bipolar spirals can be triggered by very small things as a result of a variety of factors (I am bipolar myself), it just wasn’t well-executed, IMO, which I feel bad saying because I’m sure the author put a lot of her own experiences into it. There were also some descriptions that felt kind of lazy and like placeholders the author forgot to replace, like “architectural flourishes that catch the eye” or “the colors are radiant, the details numerous”, like, okay, *what* details? And other things: character motivations are repeated over and over (I need Calam to STOP talking about how chaos and hope are bad, please), character arcs are rushed through, backstories are heavily info-dumped, and the book’s politics (which I do agree with) are handled extremely unsubtly to the point it feels like it feels kind of preachy and like it was just bashing the reader over the head. I also feel like, for a cozy fantasy, the book strangely does not do any work endearing you to any of the other villagers or developing their lives and relationships with the main characters or making Lucy’s bookstore feel like anything other than set dressing. The villagers’ lives just go from generically gray and depressing to instantly hopeful and happy and we aren’t shown anything to be invested in why that change feels good.
I’m going to stop my review here because I feel like I’ve gone on for long enough about my grievances, but I don’t mean to be critical out of malice. I’m critical because I see a lot of potential and I’m disappointed that the book didn’t live up to it. I had a lot of hopes for this and while I didn’t love it, I do wish the author well and I hope all of her homophobic haters have a Miserably Ever After.
February 3, 2026
I thought I knew what I was getting into when I began Until the Clock Strikes Midnight. I’ve been riding the high of cozy fantasy lately, so I anticipated something in that vein. Something cute, fluffy, and romantic. And it’s all those things, except…it’s also so much more! It also packs quite the emotional punch. In the very best way. This is a book that wears its heart on its sleeve so proudly and so welcoming as well. It’s beautifully diverse, lovingly queer friendly, and warmly welcoming to all readers. I didn’t just have a delightful time reading, I had an impactful time reading as well.
Back in the day of Blockbuster there was one specific movie I’d beg my dad to rent for me time and time again: the 1997 tv movie Cinderella starring Brandy. That was one of my obsessions as a kid, the type of movie that just makes you feel so good for having watched it. And it truly is a wonderful way to describe the vibes of this book. Brandy’s Cinderella with a touch of Ella Enchanted (book not movie!), where there’s whimsy, hijinks, fun, and a whole bunch of fairy dust! Until the Clock Strikes Brings all that nostalgic familiarity while creating its very own unique charm. For me, the best part of its charm was in its magic system, giving a twist to the notion of fairy godmothers as we know it.
Darling Sparkleton is a fairy trying to become the first of her kind to join the Celestial on the Mortal Outcome Council. The council in charge of shaping the happiness of all mortals. To gain entry she must first succeed in helping a mortal called Lucy find her happily ever after. Except Darling is not the only magical Guardian being looking to gain entry to the council. Calamity has been tasked to Lucy as well. Calam is a “Misfortune,” and unlike what you may expect he’s not looking to make an unhappily ever after for Lucy, rather he looks to steer her to a secured future, even if it means no happily ever after. Darling and Calam are at odds with their shared task, and it’s only made worse when they unintentionally reveal their invisible presence to Lucy, leading to a cover story involving fake courtship. But perhaps things haven’t been made worse…perhaps they’re about to be made better. And real.
Both Darling and Calam have such wonderful, fulfilling arcs. They carry such opposing views. Darling wants to embrace the most idyllic happily ever afters, even if it’s a bit chaotic because she truly believes every person deserves their soul fed with dreams coming true. Then we have Calam who sees that chaos as temporary, so he’d rather feed the mind and body. Influencing decisions that will lead to long term security in life, in shelter, in food, even if that means no personal joy. In a way, Darling and Calam complete one another in their ideals. Calam is perhaps too severe in his notions of life, not wanting to believe personal joy and even love is achievable in life. Then Darling bursts into his life with rainbow color leggings, wide, warm grins, and the best kind of chaos to turn his perspective topsy turvy. She teaches him the necessity of joy. In turn, Calam helps to ground Darling so she doesn’t lose focus on long-term solutions, reframing her own perspective without diminishing her personal values. Which I greatly appreciated.
They meet halfway, they adjust their views within discarding their core beliefs, and where they once were rivals competing against each other we slowly but steadily realize how beneficial a merger in their beliefs can be. They both evolve wonderfully in this work. And I love how relatable they could be. Take, for example, Darling. Yes she is cheerful and positive, but at times it’s used to disguise her hidden pain. Pain grown from insecurity and doubt stemming from those who have alienated her and made her believe she’s less than what she’s truly worth. Much of Darling’s journey is to reconcile with her negative emotions. Not to wash them away, but to work through them. And to learn to embrace her worth fully. Darling’s journey in particular is what got tugging at my heartstrings, and it’s what inspired me as well, for her tale is one we can all relate to. In how she viewed herself, in how her mind pulled in different directions, and how she constantly worked to better herself without ever losing her true self.
In terms of qualms, mine feel insignificant in the grand scheme of things, I just had some trouble with pacing, specifically in the evolution of the relationship between Darling and Calam. The shift felt a bit abrupt, but honestly, I loved those two characters on their own and I so looked forward to seeing them find a way to be together that my qualms really feel small compared to the happiness in their overall characterization and arc resolutions. And even if I felt a stumble in their love story, their romance remains one you will easily adore and cheer to see succeed. Because it’s an ending they deserve, one that brings heartening joy and supportive partnership.
I may be out of its target age range but this work is truly so perfect for the true YA crowd. It’s not a YA that tests its limits and hits a more new adult genre, no, this work is firmly and beautifully classic YA. Filled with wonderful lessons I believe land so well for every reader, of any age, but especially the YA crowd. Reading this took me back to my adolescence loving fairytale retellings, and I loved them, without a doubt, but none I think measured in its impact quite like this one did. Its lessons were well learned, all while keeping its magic lit brilliantly. Leaving you better at adventure’s end than when you began.
Also! Before I wrap this up, can I just say how much I’d adore a story told from the POVs of Lucy and Andi! I loved their background romance and would eat up a story that brings them to the spotlight.
Thank you Macmillan Children’s Publishing and NetGalley for this complimentary eARC, I leave this honest review voluntarily.
Back in the day of Blockbuster there was one specific movie I’d beg my dad to rent for me time and time again: the 1997 tv movie Cinderella starring Brandy. That was one of my obsessions as a kid, the type of movie that just makes you feel so good for having watched it. And it truly is a wonderful way to describe the vibes of this book. Brandy’s Cinderella with a touch of Ella Enchanted (book not movie!), where there’s whimsy, hijinks, fun, and a whole bunch of fairy dust! Until the Clock Strikes Brings all that nostalgic familiarity while creating its very own unique charm. For me, the best part of its charm was in its magic system, giving a twist to the notion of fairy godmothers as we know it.
Darling Sparkleton is a fairy trying to become the first of her kind to join the Celestial on the Mortal Outcome Council. The council in charge of shaping the happiness of all mortals. To gain entry she must first succeed in helping a mortal called Lucy find her happily ever after. Except Darling is not the only magical Guardian being looking to gain entry to the council. Calamity has been tasked to Lucy as well. Calam is a “Misfortune,” and unlike what you may expect he’s not looking to make an unhappily ever after for Lucy, rather he looks to steer her to a secured future, even if it means no happily ever after. Darling and Calam are at odds with their shared task, and it’s only made worse when they unintentionally reveal their invisible presence to Lucy, leading to a cover story involving fake courtship. But perhaps things haven’t been made worse…perhaps they’re about to be made better. And real.
Both Darling and Calam have such wonderful, fulfilling arcs. They carry such opposing views. Darling wants to embrace the most idyllic happily ever afters, even if it’s a bit chaotic because she truly believes every person deserves their soul fed with dreams coming true. Then we have Calam who sees that chaos as temporary, so he’d rather feed the mind and body. Influencing decisions that will lead to long term security in life, in shelter, in food, even if that means no personal joy. In a way, Darling and Calam complete one another in their ideals. Calam is perhaps too severe in his notions of life, not wanting to believe personal joy and even love is achievable in life. Then Darling bursts into his life with rainbow color leggings, wide, warm grins, and the best kind of chaos to turn his perspective topsy turvy. She teaches him the necessity of joy. In turn, Calam helps to ground Darling so she doesn’t lose focus on long-term solutions, reframing her own perspective without diminishing her personal values. Which I greatly appreciated.
They meet halfway, they adjust their views within discarding their core beliefs, and where they once were rivals competing against each other we slowly but steadily realize how beneficial a merger in their beliefs can be. They both evolve wonderfully in this work. And I love how relatable they could be. Take, for example, Darling. Yes she is cheerful and positive, but at times it’s used to disguise her hidden pain. Pain grown from insecurity and doubt stemming from those who have alienated her and made her believe she’s less than what she’s truly worth. Much of Darling’s journey is to reconcile with her negative emotions. Not to wash them away, but to work through them. And to learn to embrace her worth fully. Darling’s journey in particular is what got tugging at my heartstrings, and it’s what inspired me as well, for her tale is one we can all relate to. In how she viewed herself, in how her mind pulled in different directions, and how she constantly worked to better herself without ever losing her true self.
In terms of qualms, mine feel insignificant in the grand scheme of things, I just had some trouble with pacing, specifically in the evolution of the relationship between Darling and Calam. The shift felt a bit abrupt, but honestly, I loved those two characters on their own and I so looked forward to seeing them find a way to be together that my qualms really feel small compared to the happiness in their overall characterization and arc resolutions. And even if I felt a stumble in their love story, their romance remains one you will easily adore and cheer to see succeed. Because it’s an ending they deserve, one that brings heartening joy and supportive partnership.
I may be out of its target age range but this work is truly so perfect for the true YA crowd. It’s not a YA that tests its limits and hits a more new adult genre, no, this work is firmly and beautifully classic YA. Filled with wonderful lessons I believe land so well for every reader, of any age, but especially the YA crowd. Reading this took me back to my adolescence loving fairytale retellings, and I loved them, without a doubt, but none I think measured in its impact quite like this one did. Its lessons were well learned, all while keeping its magic lit brilliantly. Leaving you better at adventure’s end than when you began.
Also! Before I wrap this up, can I just say how much I’d adore a story told from the POVs of Lucy and Andi! I loved their background romance and would eat up a story that brings them to the spotlight.
Thank you Macmillan Children’s Publishing and NetGalley for this complimentary eARC, I leave this honest review voluntarily.
February 3, 2026
The way I would describe this book is: Utterly delightful
Such a cozy fantasy! We follow a fairy (Darling) and a misfortune (Calamity) as they are both tasked to improve the ever after of a bookstore owner, Lucy. Darling hopes to give her a happily ever after where’s calamity’s goal is a stable ordinary ever after. The two bicker and disagree but also grow closer together
The romance blossoms so tenderly. Very cute and heartfelt.
If you are looking for a cozy YA fantasy, this is the one!
Thank you netgalley for this audiobook ARC
Such a cozy fantasy! We follow a fairy (Darling) and a misfortune (Calamity) as they are both tasked to improve the ever after of a bookstore owner, Lucy. Darling hopes to give her a happily ever after where’s calamity’s goal is a stable ordinary ever after. The two bicker and disagree but also grow closer together
The romance blossoms so tenderly. Very cute and heartfelt.
If you are looking for a cozy YA fantasy, this is the one!
Thank you netgalley for this audiobook ARC
July 31, 2025
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving
me a free copy in exchange for an honest review. 4.5/5 stars
until the clock strikes midnight is, at its core a cinderella retelling, only from the perspective of two wildly different “fairy godmother” like people. darling is a fairy who believes everyone deserves a happily ever after. calamity is a misfortune who excels at preventing unhappily ever afters. the two of them are assigned the same case, lucy addlesburg. will she get a happily ever after or an ordinary ever after?
this book was such a delightful spin on the classic cinderella tale. i loved seeing darling and calamity’s journeys both as individuals, with each other, and the whole town. seeing darling’s mental struggles portrayed in such a way was a breath of fresh air.
while this was a complete story, i hope we get to see darling and calam together again!
me a free copy in exchange for an honest review. 4.5/5 stars
until the clock strikes midnight is, at its core a cinderella retelling, only from the perspective of two wildly different “fairy godmother” like people. darling is a fairy who believes everyone deserves a happily ever after. calamity is a misfortune who excels at preventing unhappily ever afters. the two of them are assigned the same case, lucy addlesburg. will she get a happily ever after or an ordinary ever after?
this book was such a delightful spin on the classic cinderella tale. i loved seeing darling and calamity’s journeys both as individuals, with each other, and the whole town. seeing darling’s mental struggles portrayed in such a way was a breath of fresh air.
while this was a complete story, i hope we get to see darling and calam together again!
Want to read
July 24, 2025i just know alechia dow would write something real cute; cozy fantasy is in right hands
August 4, 2025
"Until the Clock Strikes Midnight" is the cutest standalone YA fairytale retelling for anyone who loves Cinderella.
Darling, a Fairy hoping for an internship with the Mortal Outcome committee, is given one last assignment to prove she has what it takes- namely, a bookkeeper named Lucy who she needs to ensure has a happily ever after. It should be a cinch, but she was not expecting Calamity- a misfortune vying for the same internship whose task is to get Lucy to an ordinary after. Calamity and Darling insert themselves in Lucy's life by posing as a couple, and work towards making Lucy's life better while also helping the rest of the village, and maybe even falling in love.
This Cinderella retelling was a really unique take on the tale! I loved the competition aspect of both characters needing to win the internship for different reasons, and the way they came to understand each other's perspective as well as how they could go about creating ever afters in the future. This was a perfect story for teens, super cute and wholesome, fast paced and engaging. I loved that there were all different types of couples in here (LGBTQ+ inclusive). The main couple was m/f, while there were side couples that were f/f and m/m.
There were just a few things that weren't to my taste- first, a lot of characters were characterized only by their skin color. For instance, multiple times we meet a "white lady" or a "black man" etc with no other characteristics. I think these characters could be fleshed out a bit or at least described in a different way. The second was that I felt the love between the 2 main characters went from 0 to 100% real fast. The author is well aware of this and even has the characters mention it on page, but I still feel the relationship could have been fleshed out a bit more. My last complaint is that the book is dual perspective, but Calamity and Darling had too similar a voice and sometimes I couldn't tell whose perspective I was reading, or who was speaking when they were in a conversation together.
Overall, this was an enjoyable, sweet, fairytale retelling perfect for YA readers!
4/5 stars
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review of this delightful tale!
Darling, a Fairy hoping for an internship with the Mortal Outcome committee, is given one last assignment to prove she has what it takes- namely, a bookkeeper named Lucy who she needs to ensure has a happily ever after. It should be a cinch, but she was not expecting Calamity- a misfortune vying for the same internship whose task is to get Lucy to an ordinary after. Calamity and Darling insert themselves in Lucy's life by posing as a couple, and work towards making Lucy's life better while also helping the rest of the village, and maybe even falling in love.
This Cinderella retelling was a really unique take on the tale! I loved the competition aspect of both characters needing to win the internship for different reasons, and the way they came to understand each other's perspective as well as how they could go about creating ever afters in the future. This was a perfect story for teens, super cute and wholesome, fast paced and engaging. I loved that there were all different types of couples in here (LGBTQ+ inclusive). The main couple was m/f, while there were side couples that were f/f and m/m.
There were just a few things that weren't to my taste- first, a lot of characters were characterized only by their skin color. For instance, multiple times we meet a "white lady" or a "black man" etc with no other characteristics. I think these characters could be fleshed out a bit or at least described in a different way. The second was that I felt the love between the 2 main characters went from 0 to 100% real fast. The author is well aware of this and even has the characters mention it on page, but I still feel the relationship could have been fleshed out a bit more. My last complaint is that the book is dual perspective, but Calamity and Darling had too similar a voice and sometimes I couldn't tell whose perspective I was reading, or who was speaking when they were in a conversation together.
Overall, this was an enjoyable, sweet, fairytale retelling perfect for YA readers!
4/5 stars
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review of this delightful tale!
Want to read
May 13, 2025"The Good Place meets the Brandy version of Cinderella in this cozy, romantic fantasy"
February 6, 2026
Teamwork makes the Happily Ever After dream work!
Until the Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow is an enchanting young adult romantasy that reimagines the Cinderella fairytale and combines it with an enemies-to-lovers trope. Newly graduated as the head of her class from the Mortal Outcome Academy, young fairy Darling Sparkleton is given her first assignment to guide Mortal, Lucy Addlesberg, onto the path to her HAPPY EVER AFTER, with the added incentive that, if she is successful, she will win a much-coveted mentorship with the ruling board, the Mortal Outcome Committee. What Darling doesn’t realize is that Calamity, a celestial Misfortune and another recent graduate of the academy, has been given the same opportunity. However, his success means he must guide Lucy away from the risky path to an HEA and make a safer choice that would result in an ORDINARY EVER AFTER, without her one true love.
This book had such a fun plot, with an absolutely delightful main couple: Darling and Calamity (or Calam, for short). Darling is all glitter and light and sweetness, while Calam is her opposite. Competitors for the same life-changing prize, they have entirely different missions until they discover they really want the same outcome. Their gradual understanding of the nature of mortals, free will and self-determination, love, and each other, as well as their slow-burn, inevitable, sweet romance, make for a wonderfully layered tale.The story moves at a fast pace, and I found it hard to find a good stopping point in the narrative without being loath to put the book down and take a break. The banter between Darling and Calam sparkled from more than fairy dust, and I laughed out loud in several places. I loved Darling’s interventions to improve the lot of the entire village of Fulham, especially her solution for the toxic Mrs. Arconia, who used her local status and means to make people, including Lucy, miserable.
However, the story isn’t all froth and fun. Both Darling and Calam face tough personal struggles. While Calam’s success means he can finally escape a lifetime of criticism and disapproval from his cold, emotionally-aggressive father, Darling suffers from the highs and lows of Vacillating Disorder, where negativity and self-doubt can send her into a frightening downward spiral of self-hate; both issues have real-life parallels.This Cinderella story has a number of twists on the original, and I found it entertaining, hard to put down, and so very, very satisfying when I reached the last page. I recommend UNTIL THE CLOCK STRIKES MIDNIGHT to readers of young adult romantasies, young adult fantasy coming-of-age stories, and fairytale reimaginings.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through Toppling Stacks Tours.
February 5, 2026
This was so damn cute.
It gave me such Ella Enchanted vibes in terms of the world, vibes, and humor....If Ella Enchanted was racially diverse and a queer normative world.
The concept of a Guardian and a Misfurtune battling between giving a single human a Happily Ever After or a safe Ordinary Ever After was incredibly fun. I liked how the argument of which is the better choice truly cannot be universally decided. Some may prefer the risk and instability that comes with trying for a happily ever after. And others may choose the safety and stability of a ordinary ever after and have that truly be the ultimate choice for them. Both of those choices are entirely valid. The key point that is learned is that over everything else, it is each individuals right to make that choice for themselves.
As for the characters, on the spectrum of Darling to Calam, I am soooooo far in Calam's region of personality it's hilarious. I loved how big the contrast was between them, yet at their core, their biggest goals and wishes were for the mortals they were sent to help to be okay.
Both of these characters had personal struggles that you really felt for. The representation for Darling's bipolar disorder felt so well done and gracefully handled. Which makes sense, because I believe I read that the author is also diagnosed with bipolar disorder (apologies if I'm mistaken on that). I also really felt for Darling over how many people wanted to force her into a uniform box. They wanted her quiter, smaller, less loud in her appearance and personality. Which is such a commonly found issue in society.
Likewise, Calam's struggles with anxiety and depression (in my opinion, at least) from the home life he grew up in felt familiar and well written. He has such a big heart for a boy who wasn't raised with love. I honestly adore him, despite his hiccups. He acknowledged them and work so hard to set things right.
For the story structure itself, I found the writing style very pleasant and easy to read. The one downside for my personal tastes was that this was in 1st POV, which I sometimes struggle with. I'm not the biggest fan when 1st POV kind of takes that sort of teenage diary narrative tone with things like internal "ughs" written out. But it was still completely tolerable for me when mixed with the characters I was enjoying so much and the overall concepts of the story. I would say the pacing is a bit on the slower side, but in a cozy way. I didn't feel myself bored throughout the story or anything, since dialogue between characters was entertaining enough to keep my interest.
It gave me such Ella Enchanted vibes in terms of the world, vibes, and humor....If Ella Enchanted was racially diverse and a queer normative world.
The concept of a Guardian and a Misfurtune battling between giving a single human a Happily Ever After or a safe Ordinary Ever After was incredibly fun. I liked how the argument of which is the better choice truly cannot be universally decided. Some may prefer the risk and instability that comes with trying for a happily ever after. And others may choose the safety and stability of a ordinary ever after and have that truly be the ultimate choice for them. Both of those choices are entirely valid. The key point that is learned is that over everything else, it is each individuals right to make that choice for themselves.
As for the characters, on the spectrum of Darling to Calam, I am soooooo far in Calam's region of personality it's hilarious. I loved how big the contrast was between them, yet at their core, their biggest goals and wishes were for the mortals they were sent to help to be okay.
Both of these characters had personal struggles that you really felt for. The representation for Darling's bipolar disorder felt so well done and gracefully handled. Which makes sense, because I believe I read that the author is also diagnosed with bipolar disorder (apologies if I'm mistaken on that). I also really felt for Darling over how many people wanted to force her into a uniform box. They wanted her quiter, smaller, less loud in her appearance and personality. Which is such a commonly found issue in society.
Likewise, Calam's struggles with anxiety and depression (in my opinion, at least) from the home life he grew up in felt familiar and well written. He has such a big heart for a boy who wasn't raised with love. I honestly adore him, despite his hiccups. He acknowledged them and work so hard to set things right.
For the story structure itself, I found the writing style very pleasant and easy to read. The one downside for my personal tastes was that this was in 1st POV, which I sometimes struggle with. I'm not the biggest fan when 1st POV kind of takes that sort of teenage diary narrative tone with things like internal "ughs" written out. But it was still completely tolerable for me when mixed with the characters I was enjoying so much and the overall concepts of the story. I would say the pacing is a bit on the slower side, but in a cozy way. I didn't feel myself bored throughout the story or anything, since dialogue between characters was entertaining enough to keep my interest.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
Until the Clock Strikes Midnight is a cozy, charming fantasy that read quickly and made me smile more times than I can count. It’s the kind of book that feels comforting without being boring,and light-hearted while still keeping readers emotionally engaged!
Inspired by fairytales, the story follows two reluctant allies tasked with changing the fate of a human girl, Lucy... except their goals are VERY different. The ambitious fairy Darling aims to give Lucy a Happily Ever After, while misfortune Calamity tries to give her an Ordinary Ever After to ensure stability in her life and ward off a potential Unhappily Ever After. As the clock ticks down to their deadline of the seventh midnight, magic, misunderstandings, a village returning to life and unexpected connections force both the main characters and their ward to confront what they truly want in life and how they might achieve it.
I’ll admit I was hesitant during the first part of the book, as the writing style wasn’t quite my favourite. However, I quickly fell in love with the charming characters and found myself rooting hard for both Lucy and the pair determined to "set" her fate. The rivals-to-lovers dynamic between the two main characters was absolutely adorable, filled with adorably tender moments (Darling's naivety included!), and heartfelt reflections as their feelings evolved. Lucy’s own romantic subplot was precious as well - and I especially loved that it was a sapphic one!
I also really enjoyed how fairytales were woven into the narrative, particularly the FMC’s quick, often amusing observations about how much of those tales are true and how fairies have shaped the stories people read or believe.
The representation throughout the book was another highlight, with a queernormative world, multiple queer main and side characters, and thoughtful chronic illness and mental health representation (the FMC appears to have a fairy-flavoured version of bipolar disorder).
I’d definitely recommend this to readers looking for a cozy, quick romantic fantasy with low stakes but an engaging plot, lovely representation, and totally adorable characters.
Until the Clock Strikes Midnight is a cozy, charming fantasy that read quickly and made me smile more times than I can count. It’s the kind of book that feels comforting without being boring,and light-hearted while still keeping readers emotionally engaged!
Inspired by fairytales, the story follows two reluctant allies tasked with changing the fate of a human girl, Lucy... except their goals are VERY different. The ambitious fairy Darling aims to give Lucy a Happily Ever After, while misfortune Calamity tries to give her an Ordinary Ever After to ensure stability in her life and ward off a potential Unhappily Ever After. As the clock ticks down to their deadline of the seventh midnight, magic, misunderstandings, a village returning to life and unexpected connections force both the main characters and their ward to confront what they truly want in life and how they might achieve it.
I’ll admit I was hesitant during the first part of the book, as the writing style wasn’t quite my favourite. However, I quickly fell in love with the charming characters and found myself rooting hard for both Lucy and the pair determined to "set" her fate. The rivals-to-lovers dynamic between the two main characters was absolutely adorable, filled with adorably tender moments (Darling's naivety included!), and heartfelt reflections as their feelings evolved. Lucy’s own romantic subplot was precious as well - and I especially loved that it was a sapphic one!
I also really enjoyed how fairytales were woven into the narrative, particularly the FMC’s quick, often amusing observations about how much of those tales are true and how fairies have shaped the stories people read or believe.
The representation throughout the book was another highlight, with a queernormative world, multiple queer main and side characters, and thoughtful chronic illness and mental health representation (the FMC appears to have a fairy-flavoured version of bipolar disorder).
I’d definitely recommend this to readers looking for a cozy, quick romantic fantasy with low stakes but an engaging plot, lovely representation, and totally adorable characters.
February 5, 2026
Dang, I did not know I needed a cozy, funny, inclusive Cinderella retelling told from the POV of rival fairy godparents, but here we are.
Add to your TBR if you love:
✨Rivals to Lovers
✨Fairy Godparents
✨Fake Dating
✨Happily Ever After VS Ordinary Ever After
✨SO much banter
✨Whimsical and Thoughtful
This was such a breath of fresh air, both in my reading life and in the fairytale retelling space. The world is exhausting right now, and this book felt like a soft place to land. It’s whimsical and adorable, but it also has something real to say about love, risk, and choosing the life you actually want instead of the one that’s been handed to you.
I really loved how inclusive this story is, and how much heart it has underneath all the banter and magic. It manages to be cozy without being shallow, romantic without being predictable, and thoughtful without losing its fairy tale charm.
That said, I do think the feelings evolved pretty quickly. Darling and Calamity’s rivals-to-lovers arc could’ve been fleshed out more and lasted a bit longer. I really wanted more scenes of them actually clashing as fairy godparents, because that tension would’ve made their emotional shift feel more earned. As it stands, Calamity gets feelings for Darling a bit earlier than I expected, leaving some really fun rivalry dynamics unexplored.
Still, this was cozy, charming, and thoughtful in a way I really appreciated. If you’re in the mood for a Cinderella remix that’s warm, playful, and quietly meaningful, this one is definitely worth checking out.
Thanks so much to the publisher, author, and Toppling Stacks Tours for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
🖤 Representation: Bipolar disorder, LGBT+, Black
Add to your TBR if you love:
✨Rivals to Lovers
✨Fairy Godparents
✨Fake Dating
✨Happily Ever After VS Ordinary Ever After
✨SO much banter
✨Whimsical and Thoughtful
This was such a breath of fresh air, both in my reading life and in the fairytale retelling space. The world is exhausting right now, and this book felt like a soft place to land. It’s whimsical and adorable, but it also has something real to say about love, risk, and choosing the life you actually want instead of the one that’s been handed to you.
I really loved how inclusive this story is, and how much heart it has underneath all the banter and magic. It manages to be cozy without being shallow, romantic without being predictable, and thoughtful without losing its fairy tale charm.
That said, I do think the feelings evolved pretty quickly. Darling and Calamity’s rivals-to-lovers arc could’ve been fleshed out more and lasted a bit longer. I really wanted more scenes of them actually clashing as fairy godparents, because that tension would’ve made their emotional shift feel more earned. As it stands, Calamity gets feelings for Darling a bit earlier than I expected, leaving some really fun rivalry dynamics unexplored.
Still, this was cozy, charming, and thoughtful in a way I really appreciated. If you’re in the mood for a Cinderella remix that’s warm, playful, and quietly meaningful, this one is definitely worth checking out.
Thanks so much to the publisher, author, and Toppling Stacks Tours for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
🖤 Representation: Bipolar disorder, LGBT+, Black
February 6, 2026
This is an interesting book to review because, while I liked the concept of it, I wished for more. We follow alternating chapters from Darling, a fairy who has trained to be a Guardian and she is tasked with helping Lucy achieve a Happy Ever After, and Calamity, a Misfortune who is tasked with helping Lucy avoid an Unhappily Ever After. I really liked the concept of different Ever Afters for the mortals of this fairytale-like world. I liked knowing that there were Unhappily Ever Afters and Ordinary Ever Afters and even Miserably Ever Afters. It gave the normal fairytale conventions that we know more stakes. However, I didn't think that we got into it enough.
And that's also how I felt about the romantic relationship between our two main characters. It felt very surface-level and cutesy. I'm pretty sure that this is a YA book, which is fine, but our characters are immortal and I felt like they should be older than typical YA protagonists. However, they both felt very immature. There were times that they talked about/alluded to sex, but it was very hushed and giggly in a way that felt like teenagers talking about it behind their parents' backs. They would kiss on the cheek and make such a big deal about it.
This is a world that feels like a fairytale (like I said), which made the inclusion of pills for Darling's bipolar feel off. I loved that we had some mental health/bipolar rep. It was used in a fantasy way, but the author's note did specify that it was bipolar. However, a pill was used twice a day to help keep a handle on symptoms. It really took me out of the story to see such a modern type of medicine being used by a fairy, and in a world without modern amenities. I would have been great with pretty much anything else being used, a type of plant or magic, in place of a pill. Also, after about halfway through the book, we never heard about the pills again.
I don't want to say it, but this book just didn't really work for me. I didn't hate reading it, and I'm sure others would really enjoy their time.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
And that's also how I felt about the romantic relationship between our two main characters. It felt very surface-level and cutesy. I'm pretty sure that this is a YA book, which is fine, but our characters are immortal and I felt like they should be older than typical YA protagonists. However, they both felt very immature. There were times that they talked about/alluded to sex, but it was very hushed and giggly in a way that felt like teenagers talking about it behind their parents' backs. They would kiss on the cheek and make such a big deal about it.
This is a world that feels like a fairytale (like I said), which made the inclusion of pills for Darling's bipolar feel off. I loved that we had some mental health/bipolar rep. It was used in a fantasy way, but the author's note did specify that it was bipolar. However, a pill was used twice a day to help keep a handle on symptoms. It really took me out of the story to see such a modern type of medicine being used by a fairy, and in a world without modern amenities. I would have been great with pretty much anything else being used, a type of plant or magic, in place of a pill. Also, after about halfway through the book, we never heard about the pills again.
I don't want to say it, but this book just didn't really work for me. I didn't hate reading it, and I'm sure others would really enjoy their time.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 25, 2026
ALC review -
3.5 rounded to 4 stars
Thanks so much to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the audio review copy. All opinions are my own.
This was a cute, sweet YA fantasy romance. Darling, a fairy, is up for a coveted mentorship with the Mortal Outcome Council if she can only succeed with her first assignment, mortal Lucy Addlesburg. When she arrives expecting a quick makeover to solve Lucy’s love life and struggling bookstore, she’s surprised to find she’s not the only candidate competing - Calamity, a Misfortune, is vying for the mentorship as well and he’s set on getting Lucy to accept a more mundane, average existence. Forced to work together to hide their true identities, will they succeed? Or find more along the way?
I really appreciated the story here, and loved the vibes of an angel and devil on your shoulder whispering in your ear. It’s important to note though, that Calam isn’t evil. He’s not urging his assignments to commit heinous crimes, he’s trying to get them to not strive for a magical fairy tale ending and to accept contentment with what they have. I also loved how Darling’s chronic health issues and struggling self confidence are handled. The story was predictable, but endearing.
The narration was decent. My only complaint is that Ozzie Jacobs (Darling) spoke so much faster than James Fouhey (Calam) and I found myself constantly wanting to adjust my listening speed when narrators changed.
3.5 rounded to 4 stars
Thanks so much to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the audio review copy. All opinions are my own.
This was a cute, sweet YA fantasy romance. Darling, a fairy, is up for a coveted mentorship with the Mortal Outcome Council if she can only succeed with her first assignment, mortal Lucy Addlesburg. When she arrives expecting a quick makeover to solve Lucy’s love life and struggling bookstore, she’s surprised to find she’s not the only candidate competing - Calamity, a Misfortune, is vying for the mentorship as well and he’s set on getting Lucy to accept a more mundane, average existence. Forced to work together to hide their true identities, will they succeed? Or find more along the way?
I really appreciated the story here, and loved the vibes of an angel and devil on your shoulder whispering in your ear. It’s important to note though, that Calam isn’t evil. He’s not urging his assignments to commit heinous crimes, he’s trying to get them to not strive for a magical fairy tale ending and to accept contentment with what they have. I also loved how Darling’s chronic health issues and struggling self confidence are handled. The story was predictable, but endearing.
The narration was decent. My only complaint is that Ozzie Jacobs (Darling) spoke so much faster than James Fouhey (Calam) and I found myself constantly wanting to adjust my listening speed when narrators changed.
February 4, 2026
Until the Clock Strikes Midnight is a cozy fantasy with a sprinkle of cute romance, leaving you satisfied.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for allowing me to read an advanced copy of the book. As a reminder, this review is voluntary and all ratings/opinions are my own.
This cozy and slower-paced fantasy is a fun yet loose retelling of Cinderella. However, the focus of this story is actually not “Cinderella”. It actually focuses on the two magical beings from opposing worlds that can be considered as her “fairy godparents”. And the twist is that these two, Darling & Calamity (Calam), have to help Lucy (Cinderella) get her Happily Ever After instead of a Miserably Ever After, all while each of them competes for a mentorship spot in the Mortal Outcome Council. Who will win?
The best way I can describe this book is that it’s a combination of the classic fairytale with The Good Place and Good Omens, all while being a rep for mental health, specifically bipolar disorder. I absolutely love how Dow addresses Darling’s illness through her intrusive and negative thought spirals, emotions, and moods. Even more so, I love that as Calam discovers this about her, he is very accepting of her. One of the overall best parts for me was seeing how each character learned from the other.
Overall, it was an enjoyable and easy-to-read story!
“Sometimes different people work because of their differences.”
Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for allowing me to read an advanced copy of the book. As a reminder, this review is voluntary and all ratings/opinions are my own.
This cozy and slower-paced fantasy is a fun yet loose retelling of Cinderella. However, the focus of this story is actually not “Cinderella”. It actually focuses on the two magical beings from opposing worlds that can be considered as her “fairy godparents”. And the twist is that these two, Darling & Calamity (Calam), have to help Lucy (Cinderella) get her Happily Ever After instead of a Miserably Ever After, all while each of them competes for a mentorship spot in the Mortal Outcome Council. Who will win?
The best way I can describe this book is that it’s a combination of the classic fairytale with The Good Place and Good Omens, all while being a rep for mental health, specifically bipolar disorder. I absolutely love how Dow addresses Darling’s illness through her intrusive and negative thought spirals, emotions, and moods. Even more so, I love that as Calam discovers this about her, he is very accepting of her. One of the overall best parts for me was seeing how each character learned from the other.
Overall, it was an enjoyable and easy-to-read story!
“Sometimes different people work because of their differences.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2025
This is such a PERFECT young adult fantasy book. A Cinderella retelling from the point of view of the Fairy, but she is not alone! She was sent on this mission with a rival who has opposing goals for the girl they were sent to help. A brilliantly told story, I honestly wasn’t sure how it was going to end until it happened! Until the Clock Strikes Midnight is a new favorite for me.
-rivals
-opposing goals
-forced proximity
-one bed
-fake dating
-mental illness representation
-lgbt+ representation
It has it all!! If you love Once Upon a Broken Heart, then you will love this!
Thank you to the author, publishing, and Netgalley for letting me read this beautiful story early! I cannot wait to buy it and share it with my friends when it comes out.
-rivals
-opposing goals
-forced proximity
-one bed
-fake dating
-mental illness representation
-lgbt+ representation
It has it all!! If you love Once Upon a Broken Heart, then you will love this!
Thank you to the author, publishing, and Netgalley for letting me read this beautiful story early! I cannot wait to buy it and share it with my friends when it comes out.
February 6, 2026
Thank you to Fierce Reads YA for the gifted eARC.
I’ve been reading more dark romance recently, so Until the Clock Strikes Midnight was a wonderful palate cleanser. I honestly couldn’t stop reading, and it gave me such joy.
The basic premise is Darling and Calamity are competing for the same internship/promotion; Darling (a fairy with wings!) that wants to give mortals a happily ever after and Calamity working to give mortals ordinary ever afters. They have the same assignment even though they have slightly different goals.
There was just a wonderful mix of real-ness and whimsy in this one. Darling and her mental health struggles; Calam with his neglectful parents; all the townspeople struggling with the repercussions of the financial failing of the entire town. I loved seeing how despite having magic, sometimes all it took was being a listening ear to help improve someone’s mood and life. I couldn’t help but remember Mr. Rogers—look for the helpers.
Truly…that’s all it took for a happily ever.
And the romance? The romance was adorable. A bit insta-lovey but mostly heartwarming and sweet.
My first from this author but hopefully not the last.
I’ve been reading more dark romance recently, so Until the Clock Strikes Midnight was a wonderful palate cleanser. I honestly couldn’t stop reading, and it gave me such joy.
The basic premise is Darling and Calamity are competing for the same internship/promotion; Darling (a fairy with wings!) that wants to give mortals a happily ever after and Calamity working to give mortals ordinary ever afters. They have the same assignment even though they have slightly different goals.
There was just a wonderful mix of real-ness and whimsy in this one. Darling and her mental health struggles; Calam with his neglectful parents; all the townspeople struggling with the repercussions of the financial failing of the entire town. I loved seeing how despite having magic, sometimes all it took was being a listening ear to help improve someone’s mood and life. I couldn’t help but remember Mr. Rogers—look for the helpers.
Truly…that’s all it took for a happily ever.
And the romance? The romance was adorable. A bit insta-lovey but mostly heartwarming and sweet.
My first from this author but hopefully not the last.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ ARC Review ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
✩ YA, enemies-to-lovers, romantasy, forced proximity, fake dating, banter ✩
My Rating: 3/✩✩✩✩✩
No spice
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This story was incredibly whimsical, magical, and visually stunning. I loved the "laugh out loud" banter between the main characters, and the slow-burn romance was executed perfectly. While the portrayal of friendships and relationships was truly beautiful, the pacing faltered for me toward the end. I found myself losing interest and skimming the final chapters, which is ultimately why I dropped two stars from my rating.
✩ YA, enemies-to-lovers, romantasy, forced proximity, fake dating, banter ✩
My Rating: 3/✩✩✩✩✩
No spice
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This story was incredibly whimsical, magical, and visually stunning. I loved the "laugh out loud" banter between the main characters, and the slow-burn romance was executed perfectly. While the portrayal of friendships and relationships was truly beautiful, the pacing faltered for me toward the end. I found myself losing interest and skimming the final chapters, which is ultimately why I dropped two stars from my rating.
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