Review: Before Midnight: Reilly's Story (After Midnight #1)

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

From Goodreads:

Reilly is on top of the world. He's a major name in entertainment, especially in the eyes of most teenage girls. Still, when tour comes to an end, it's even more apparent that something's missing in his life. His holiday is filled with old friends and close family, yet he's still consumed with restless thoughts. He just needs a little change: A new friend, a new location, and new inspiration. At least, that's what he's hoping.

Pigeons and Carrots rocketed into fame and have just completed their longest tour so far. The band has now a few weeks of downtown before returning to the studios.

Reilly Everard is unable to settle down and enjoy the vacation after completing the tour with his band Pigeons and Carrots. Finding himself reminiscing with his old friend Molly and meeting a stranger on the train on the way home, ignites the inspiration in him.

This book is under hundred pages, meaning it's over before it even has an opportunity to begin. The story begins with a quite long introduction to Reilly's past and to his old friend and history with Molly. This takes the first half of the book, and then abruptly, Molly kicks him out of her apartment and Reilly hops on the train to his parents' house in Rye. The plot takes on a bit of unexpected turn when Reilly invites the old lady to his house for a tour. The way it happens is quite unrealistic, but not entirely unbelievable.

I was just starting to get into the plot and began anticipating for the meeting of Reilly and the girl his been dreaming of when the book ended. It just ended so unexpectedly, like there should've been more and the author forgot to write the ending. I would've gladly read another hundred pages of Reilly's Story if there were an opportunity.

The author's love for writing shines through in every chapter. The scenes are thought through and the characters suit the story well. There's so much potential hidden inside the plot. Possibilities for expanding the length, diving deeper in the plot and the characters' histories.

The book is pleasant to read, the writing is not too complex or aiming to sound like it's written for academic people if you catch my meaning. Juliana Mae is someone we ought to look out for, she might have the next bestseller brewing already.