Jeff Zentner

Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee

"Anyone can break your heart--Jeff Zentner can also make you laugh out loud!" --RAINBOW ROWELL, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Carry On and Eleanor & Park From the Morris Award-winning author of The Serpent King comes a contemporary novel about two best friends who must make tough decisions about their futures--and the TV show they host--in their senior year of high school. Every Friday night, best friends Delia and Josie become Rayne Ravenscroft and Delilah Darkwood, hosts of the campy creature feature show Midnite Matinee on the local cable station TV Six. But with the end of senior year quickly approaching, the girls face tough decisions about their futures. Josie has been dreading graduation, as she tries to decide whether to leave for a big university and chase her dream career in mainstream TV. And Lawson, one of the show's guest performers, a talented MMA fighter with weaknesses for pancakes, fantasy novels, and Josie, is making her tough decision even harder. Scary movies are the last connection Delia has to her dad, who abandoned the family years ago. If Midnite Matinee becomes a hit, maybe he'll see it and want to be a part of her life again. And maybe Josie will stay with the show instead of leaving her behind, too. As the tug-of-war between growing up and growing apart tests the bonds of their friendship, Josie and Delia start to realize that an uncertain future can be both monstrous...and momentous. "I laughed, cried, and fell over-the-moon in love with Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee." --JENNIFER NIVEN, New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places and Holding Up the Universe "A testament to the power of friendship and big dreams, Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee had me laughing aloud on one page and sobbing on the next. A resounding triumph." --NIC STONE, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin "Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee starts as comedy about the wildly imperfect, and ends as poetry about the ever-hoping heart. I don't know how you write that book. Fortunately, Jeff Zentner does." --JESSE ANDREWS, New York Times bestselling author of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Jude Moon

4.5/5 ✰

I can't really make a serious review about this book because the only thing I can think of is how glad I am to have read it?? It was exactly what I needed to read right now, as it's a book that screams comfort and hope. I loved Delia and Josie and Lawson and Arliss and everyone on this book. This made me cry as I hadn't cried for a long time and that means I connected a lot with this book, which is what I always try to find. I feel a little bit warmer after finishing it, I like that. <3

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the author and Crown Books for Young Readers. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Rating: 4.5/5

Publication Date: February 26th, 2019

Genre: YA Contemporary

Recommended Age: 15+ (language, some mature scenes, suggested mature scenes, romance)

Pages: 400

Author Website

Amazon Link

Synopsis: Every Friday night, best friends Delia and Josie become Rayne Ravenscroft and Delilah Darkwood, hosts of the campy creature feature show Midnite Matinee on the local cable station TV Six.

But with the end of senior year quickly approaching, the girls face tough decisions about their futures. Josie has been dreading graduation, as she tries to decide whether to leave for a big university and chase her dream career in mainstream TV. And Lawson, one of the show's guest performers, a talented MMA fighter with weaknesses for pancakes, fantasy novels, and Josie, is making her tough decision even harder. 

Scary movies are the last connection Delia has to her dad, who abandoned the family years ago. If Midnite Matinee becomes a hit, maybe he'll see it and want to be a part of her life again. And maybe Josie will stay with the show instead of leaving her behind, too.

As the tug-of-war between growing up and growing apart tests the bonds of their friendship, Josie and Delia start to realize that an uncertain future can be both monstrous...and momentous.

This was my first Jeff Zentner book and it honestly didn’t disappoint me! I loved this book and I thought the author did well portraying the real life issue of moving away for college from the perspective of these two girls. I thought he did well capturing the tone of the book and the voice of these two very different women. I thought their character development was amazing and the plot was well developed as well. I really felt for these two characters and I think it’s one of my favorite contemporaries.

However, I did think that the pacing towards the beginning of the book was a bit too slow, but that easily cleared up within 50 pages. I also felt that the world building wasn’t that well done and the side characters weren’t that well developed as well. I think there could have been improvements made, but for the most part this book was amazing.

Verdict: Amazing book about the spirit and friendship of two girls that makes this Tennessee girl proud.

Heather Harrington

**I received a copy of this via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

I really enjoyed this story. I adored the horror hosting aspect, but I loved the characters more. Delia and Josie have such a pure, real friendship and they way they interact with each other really reminded me of how my best friends and I act together. This really is way bigger than just a book about two girls who host a cheesy horror show. It's about friendship and family and love, all wrapped together with a killer sense of humor. This was the first book I've read by Zentner but I was definitely impressed, and will be checking out more from him. If you're looking for a fast fun friendship filled book, definitely pick this one up!

Becca Futrell

I’ve received an e-ARC of Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes included in this review are from the e-ARC & may not be in the finished copy!

I think it means there’s something great inside me, something extraordinary and mysterious and undiscovered.

Just to get it out of the way — I have 0 negative things to say about Rayne & Deliah’s Midnite Matinee. I’m 82% sure that this book was actually written for me. I relate so deeply to Delia & because of that, this book had me in my damn emotions.

Josie & Delia, or as they’re known on TV Six, Rayne & Delilah, are horror hosts. As their senior year comes to an end, the two are forced to face tough decisions about their futures.

Josie & Delia – Josie & Delia’s friendship is absolutely extravagant. Their connection is so strong & through their dialogue, they’re able to build off each other with their absolutely ridiculous humor. It’s honestly extremely rare to click with someone in the way that Josie & Delia clicked, but it’s something that I relate to when it comes to my friendship with Jak. Even when the two run into conflict, it doesn’t last long, because their friendship overcomes all.

Eccentric Cast – On top of the two title characters is an array of colorful & wild characters. Meet Colt & Hunter, the twins who strongly believes that animals change species when they grow older. Meet the incredibly grumpy Arliss, who has a secret soft spot for the girls. Meet Lawson, an MMA fighter who’s determined to win a match in front of Josie. & others show up to stir things up for the girls.

Dialogue – Most of the dialogue was extremely cheesy & ridiculous, however due to the horror host subject manner, it fit perfectly. I caught myself cheesin’ over the dumbest lines. Guys, I’m here for a good time — not a long time.

Aesthetic/Horror References – If you know anything about me, you know that I’m an extreme sucker for horror references. I eat that shit for breakfast. There are so many mentions of my favorites such as Svengoolie, Elvira, Tales From the Crypt, Texas Chainsaw Massacre & Jason X — this book is jam packed with the things that make me happy. OH, sidenote: there’s also a Charlotte Holmes reference!! Plus, AESTHETIC. The entire thing centers around a horror show & a horror convention!! This is what I’m here for.

Delia – There is clinical depression rep in Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee that I feel is handled perfectly. Delia even promotes the usage of medication & is never looked down on for it. This representation is another aspect that helped me connect with Delia. In general, I don’t think I’ve ever connected with a character as much as I connected with Delia. From her love for horror to her depression, I really felt for her throughout this read.

Emotional to Comical – This book has a strong range of emotions. One minute, I’m laughing over something stupid & the very next, I’m nearly in tears. Jeff Zentner gets a lot of bonus points for making me feel so many things in so few pages.

I strongly recommend this book, especially if you’re a sucker for horror references & aesthetics.

Josie and Delia are best friends and co-hosts on their own public access TV show, Midnite Matinee. They dress as vampires Rayne and Delilah, perform daft skits involving skeleton raves and dog weddings, and show the weekly so-bad-it's-good low-budget horror movie. But the end of senior year is coming, and Josie is torn between pursuing her television dreams in a new city or staying making TV with her BFF. What's more, she's just met a boy, Lawson, who is totally not her type, but is just a little bit intriguing . . . Meanwhile, Delia is searching for her dad, who walked out on her and her mom ten years ago. When the private investigator she hired unearths his contact details, she agonises over digging up the past. A road trip to ShiverCon, a convention for horror filmmakers, may just have the answers the two need - but will Josie and Delia be prepared for life taking some seriously unexpected plot-twists?

Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee

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