From the New York Times bestselling author of The Program comes a haunting, romantic, and suspenseful story about one girl’s search for healing in a grand and mysterious hotel full of secrets.
Stay tonight. Stay forever.
When Audrey Casella arrives for an unplanned stay at the grand Hotel Ruby, she’s grateful for the detour. Just months after their mother’s death, Audrey and her brother, Daniel, are on their way to live with their grandmother, dumped on the doorstep of a DNA-matched stranger because their father is drowning in his grief.
Audrey and her family only plan to stay the night, but life in the Ruby can be intoxicating, extending their stay as it provides endless distractions—including handsome guest Elias Lange, who sends Audrey’s pulse racing. However, the hotel proves to be as strange as it is beautiful. Nightly fancy affairs in the ballroom are invitation only, and Audrey seems to be the one guest who doesn’t have an invite. Instead, she joins the hotel staff on the rooftop, catching whispers about the hotel’s dark past.
The more Audrey learns about the new people she’s met, the more her curiosity grows. She’s torn in different directions—the pull of her past with its overwhelming loss, the promise of a future that holds little joy, and an in-between in a place that is so much more than it seems…
And the 13th chapter will only add to the mystery behind the 13th floor of Hotel Ruby...and ultimately, what it means for Audrey.
Welcome to the Ruby.
MY THOUGHTS
I had this on my TBR for a while and going into this book, I had no clue what it was really about. While I had a couple of issues with this book, this was a very addicting read and I could not stop reading it.
Audrey and her brother are on their way to live with their grandmother, just months after the death of their mother. When they stumble upon the Hotel Ruby, Audrey is more than happy to spend a night there before she has to live in the home of someone she barely knows. But when her family keeps extending her stay, and Audrey notices some odd things about the hotel, she realizes that she needs to convince her family to leave.
This was such a great horror story, with horror elements that are less jump scare/thriller, and eerier. I started this book late at night and I found that I did not want to stop reading it. I wanted to know what was up with this hotel! Throughout the book, so many odd things keep piling up, along with so twists and turns. I read some other reviews and others say that the plot twist was predictable, but I was completely thrown. I saw hints of it, but I did not fully guess it until we got close to the twist. I may have been unable to predict it because I am unfamiliar with the song "Hotel California" or because I was reading this while sleep-deprived, but I honestly think Suzanne Young did a great job in putting these mystery elements in the book, of setting up this eerie hotel.
What I did have a problem with was the romance. Audrey meets a boy at the hotel and it is complete insta-love. I hated the parts of the book featuring them because I saw no basis of their relationship, they just make out all the time and I guess we are supposed to believe they love each other, but I did not see it. It just felt cheesy and unnecessary. I wanted to know more about the hotel, get back to the creepiness. He does introduce some aspects of the hotel (he does hang out with some of the hotel staff that Audrey makes friends with), but I wish that his character had more to him besides love interest.
The ending of the book was interesting. Like I said, I did not see the twist coming and I liked how it was integrated, but I did not like the ending-ending. I just have some issues with it. [highlight to view spoiler] So, she chooses to stay at Hotel Ruby, which means that she dies. I understand why, she did it to save the Hotel from the bad guy (I am sorry, I am writing this review months after reading the book. I do not remember his name). But what about her mom? We are told that her family is grieving her mother. By her whole family staying, Audrey and her family will never see their mom again, not even in the afterlife. We are also led to believe that Audrey stays because of her family, but because of the romance, it seems like she stays because of insta-love boy. I was expecting those stuck at Hotel Ruby to move on and that would be a better ending, in my opinion. They are still stuck at the hotel though, just without the bad guy controlling them[end of spoiler]
Audrey and her brother are on their way to live with their grandmother, just months after the death of their mother. When they stumble upon the Hotel Ruby, Audrey is more than happy to spend a night there before she has to live in the home of someone she barely knows. But when her family keeps extending her stay, and Audrey notices some odd things about the hotel, she realizes that she needs to convince her family to leave.
This was such a great horror story, with horror elements that are less jump scare/thriller, and eerier. I started this book late at night and I found that I did not want to stop reading it. I wanted to know what was up with this hotel! Throughout the book, so many odd things keep piling up, along with so twists and turns. I read some other reviews and others say that the plot twist was predictable, but I was completely thrown. I saw hints of it, but I did not fully guess it until we got close to the twist. I may have been unable to predict it because I am unfamiliar with the song "Hotel California" or because I was reading this while sleep-deprived, but I honestly think Suzanne Young did a great job in putting these mystery elements in the book, of setting up this eerie hotel.
What I did have a problem with was the romance. Audrey meets a boy at the hotel and it is complete insta-love. I hated the parts of the book featuring them because I saw no basis of their relationship, they just make out all the time and I guess we are supposed to believe they love each other, but I did not see it. It just felt cheesy and unnecessary. I wanted to know more about the hotel, get back to the creepiness. He does introduce some aspects of the hotel (he does hang out with some of the hotel staff that Audrey makes friends with), but I wish that his character had more to him besides love interest.
The ending of the book was interesting. Like I said, I did not see the twist coming and I liked how it was integrated, but I did not like the ending-ending. I just have some issues with it. [highlight to view spoiler] So, she chooses to stay at Hotel Ruby, which means that she dies. I understand why, she did it to save the Hotel from the bad guy (I am sorry, I am writing this review months after reading the book. I do not remember his name). But what about her mom? We are told that her family is grieving her mother. By her whole family staying, Audrey and her family will never see their mom again, not even in the afterlife. We are also led to believe that Audrey stays because of her family, but because of the romance, it seems like she stays because of insta-love boy. I was expecting those stuck at Hotel Ruby to move on and that would be a better ending, in my opinion. They are still stuck at the hotel though, just without the bad guy controlling them[end of spoiler]
IN CONCLUSION
I did like this book overall. I really liked the premise, the eerie hotel elements, and the plot twist. I wish there was more focus on the mystery rather than the insta-love, but that is usually the case with books. While I had some issues, I am glad that I picked it up.
I hereby give this book
3 Stars
Meaning: I liked it.
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