The Hotel Magnifique is a legendary hotel that appears at a different destination every day. The only place where magic is free. Safe. To escape their dreary life, Jani and her sister Zosa get jobs there. Soon Jani discovers that the hotel and its maitre are more dangerous than it seems. With Bel the doorman as her only ally, she tries to uncover the mystery of the hotel's magic and set the staff free from their contracts.

Sporting a Belle Epoque vibrancy, the narrative captivates you in an enchanting manner. This is a French-tinged world with expressive fantastical detailing that flaunts its magic, descriptions that tickle all the senses. A touch of whimsical you might say. A whisper of sinister. I love the author's creative imagination.

Like mentioned in the book, Jani is "irritatingly persistent", and that plus her curiosity often get her into trouble. Her temper is quick to start boiling, usually due to Bel. Bel is infuriating, in a swoon-worthy sort of way. Their interactions are frequently amusing.

She has a nagging feeling from the start, which the reader inevitably shares, that something is wrong. For some reason the magic does not affect her as it does the others, and she can clearly see the danger. The storyline threads weave the tapestry of the plot quite well, many details meaning something later on, meanwhile gifting us with some jaw-dropping surprises. There are times when you feel like little bits (a word, a sentence or even a paragraph) are missing, let's call them narrative hiccups, and it's a bit jarring when you need to fill in the blank to follow the action.

The power of sibling love, the importance of freedom and the deep desire to belong somewhere are prominent here. Distinguishing right from wrong, our protagonist tries to do what is right, to help others, and we commend her for it.

A spellbinding (pun intended) adventurous tale, full of intrigue, where secrets and enchantments dominate, entertaining the whole way through, with a tremendous finale.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review.

Hotel Magnifique is an atmospheric, imaginative, and addictive tale that I thoroughly enjoyed. The writing and world-building, or hotel-building as it were, is simply gorgeous. Taylor truly has a way with magic.

There is some body horror content in the book that I wasn't expecting, explicitly <spoiler> finger severing and eye removals </spoiler> but that is the only trigger warning really.

Bel and Jani have such a fun, headbutting relationship which really beautifully develops into more, and makes each of them grow into better people. Their romance was excellent.

I also really enjoyed the reveal about the maitre, but I did find the plot points a bit convoluted and unclear at times.

However, all of that was buoyed by a really excellent world with a lovely relationship at its centre. Four stars!

Jani has always dreamed of a better life for herself and her sister Zosa, better than the life she leads anyway. So when the mysterious Hotel Magnifique appears in their town and advertise for jobs, Jani see's this as their chance. At first glance the hotel seems as magnificent as it's name would suggest, but the more time Jani spends there, the more she starts to see the real hotel, filled with unbreakable contracts, cruelty and even danger. Determined to unravel the mystery and magic of the hotel to save her sister and the other staff, Jani ends up relying on the vexing and ridiculously handsome doorman Bel. But there is even more to the hotel than she originally thought, and Jani might just have to risk everything if she and the people she loves are to make it out alive,

Hotel Magnifique is told from the perspective of Jani, a girl who, at too young an age, had to take over looking after her little sister, scrounging for money where they could to make ends meet. She is determined that there is a better life out there for them, and she thinks the Hotel might just hold the key. I loved how, even thought she was bedazzled by the glitz and glamour of the hotel at first, she quickly comes to realise something isn't quite right, and it was incredibly interesting seeing her perspective on the magic and mystique, the spell that everyone who enters the hotel seems to fall under. She's a fighter, someone willing to do anything to protect the ones she loves and, being an older sister myself, I couldn't help but empathise with her throughout the story, and desperately want her to succeed.

Though the story is told solely from Jani's POV, we do get introduced to a whole host of other characters from Zosa, Jani's little sister, to the guests and Suminaire's (magic users) who work in the hotel. My favourites of the side characters had to be Bel, the doorman and Jani's only ally in the Hotel and Beatrice, who is her boss when she first starts working and gradually becomes her friend. We meet allies and enemies, and Taylor does a wonderful job of bringing them all to life.

Hotel Magnifique was exciting, entertaining and, for me, an incredibly quick read. Taylor makes sure there are no real lags in the story, it moves at an incredibly quick pace ensuring there are no good places to stop reading. Her use of foreshadowing and plot twists are brilliantly done and I can't tell you how many times I gasped or ended up white knuckled gripping the pages. Her writing style brings the world and the Hotel to life, you almost feel as though you have been transported whilst reading, and I couldn't get enough of learning about the world and the magic that was used. Speaking of the magic system, it was incredibly simple and easy to understand, I never once felt lost, or that I didn't understand something and how the author uses it helps make the story that much more magical and intriguing.

Lovers of a slow burn, kind of frenemies to lovers you need to check this book out. The tension was off the charts in parts, with lots of furtive/longing glances and brief touches. I thoroughly enjoyed how Taylor allowed the pair to truly get to know each other, warts and all, before anything really happened. It made the relationship feel more realistic to me and ensured we didn't have an insta love. The pair don't necessarily get on at first, and there are plenty of deceptions and misunderstandings to keep us on our toes, but I loved how it played out and thoroughly enjoyed the journey Taylor took us on with them.

If you're in the mood for a quick read, with plenty of stakes, an intriguing magic system and plenty of romance then look no further. Hotel Magnifique was everything I love in a fantasy. I can't speak to the rec's, Night Circus and Caraval, but I can say this book stands on it's own two feet and I will certainly be keeping my eyes peeled for Taylor's next release.

What a fun story, I blew through it in a matter of days!

Hotel Magnifique, a travelling hotel where magic is safe and wonders never end, arrived to Durc and sisters Jani and Zosa managed to secure staff contracts. One will sing and other will clean until they save enough money to get back to their childhood home. But things are not as marvelous as they seem in the hotel and Jani will have to risk everything to uncover the truth hidden behind the glamour.

This novel was a fact-paced, magical adventure. The magical hotel setting with enchanted rooms and secrets around every corner was truly captivating, and the magic in the story was imaginative and intriguing. What's more, stubborn, spirited and relentless Jani was a fun character to follow, tumbling feet first into trouble and constantly taking risks, driven to save her sister. Bel was more of a typical male counterpart, beautiful, witty and mysterious, but the tension between him and Jani was a delight to witness. The only reservation I have are some plot points were very convenient, not always holding up, put in to move the story forward.
Overall I had tons of fun following Jani and Bel as they danced around each other and plotted to escape Hotel Magnifique.

As described in its blurb, Hotel Magnifique is as magical as it promises to be. When compared to The Night Circus, the hotel represents the magical circus, and the whimsical mood of the book is similar to that of Caraval.
The Hotel Magnifique jumps from city to city, from town to town, and from village to village. It only stays for a day before it vanishes at the stroke of midnight, off to Elsewhere.

Jani has always fantasized about a place called Elsewhere. Jani stays in the port town of Durc, where she's surrendered herself to an unfulfilling existence as she barely makes ends meet as a tannery worker, along with being the sole caregiver for her younger sister Zosa. That is, until the arrival of the Hotel Magnifique. As soon as Jani hears that the hotel is searching for new employees, she jumps at the opportunity, and both Zosa and she apply for jobs there. It's an opportunity of a lifetime.

Somehow or another, both sisters get the opportunity to work in the hotel. Technically, Zosa got the job, and Jani somehow blackmailed her way into the hotel. But once Jani's inside, she soon learns that they can't break their contracts and that there are dangerous secrets underneath the hotel's glitz and glamor. Jani quickly realizes that it is not safe for them. She must find a way to destroy her and her sister's contracts and leave the hotel. In her quest to discover what lies at the heart of the hotel's magic, Bel is Jani's only ally and the only hotel worker who can help free Zosa and the other hotel workers from their cruel master. He is the gorgeous doorman, although I wouldn't call him a doorman because he's powerful and a yummy treat. A failure would be far worse than never returning home, and she'll have to give up everything she loves to get there.

Jani's character was a bit unlikable initially because she was jealous of her sister, and that jealousy drove her to blackmail Bel into taking her as well. But, later in the book, she showed growth. She did everything in her power to protect and free her sister. She may have been a bit selfish in the beginning, but she indicated that it was just a feeling that everyone has when they want something with everything that they have. She desires more than just the life she lived in Durc.

Bel shows that he has a dark and hard exterior, but he's as soft as a marshmallow on the inside. He fully gives out that "I would do anything for that girl" feeling. He is helpful and protective of Jani. At first, he was closed off and guarded. He didn't allow anybody in, fearing that the Maître d would use them to hurt him and have his way with him.

When I started reading the book, I was intrigued by how immersive it was. The descriptions, the characters, and the plot twists made it impossible for me to put the book down. The secretive mystery of the hotel and its story were piled high in writing. The book does get dark and a bit gruesome in some places, but that just increases the gripping feel of the book. However, I would have loved to have had some more information about the hotel's history and some more character background stories. I also had an issue with the magic system; I had a hard time understanding how every individual's magic worked and how the magicians used the artefacts to do magic.

The book captured my interest despite my complaints, and I enjoyed reading it. The writing was simple, with an easy-going flow. I loved the descriptions of the suites, the games played by the hotel guests, the magical displays that the magicians performed, and, of course, the magical hotel itself.

Hotel Magnifique is a great YA book, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes big magical displays, suspense, strong familial bonds, along with a hint of romance that would, for sure, leave you wanting more and more.

This is an absolutely enthralling fantasy, one that takes the reader on a magical journey with our MC Jani as gets a job in a magical hotel . I loved the fact the author focuses on plot and the characters as ; the real mystery is what’s going on in the hotel and the drama of whether our MC will be able to save herself, to me although the magical hotel is amazing (fantastic world building from the author) the characters and story are the main stars and I couldn't help but stay up late until I knew how everything would turn out. As I said this has fantastic world building, especially the magic, this is such a wonderful mystery and overall I think will be one of my favourite reads this year.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Hotel Magnifique is said to be for fans of Caraval and The Night Circus. I still haven't read Caraval (i know, i'll get to it eventually) but I can 100% see why it is compared to The Night Circus and I do think that if you liked one you'll probably like the other although, in all honesty, The Night Circus is more intricate and magical. Let's say this is like the teenage version of The Night Circus in some way.

Jani and her younger sister Zosa live in Durc barely scrapping by, with Jani working at a tannery to provide for the two of them. So when the famous Hotel Magnifique comes to town, Jani jumps at the chance to join its staff. The hotel is not only known for its enchantments, opulence and magical soirées but for it's ability to travel, changing location every midnight. It's a perfect plan: they will work at the hotel for some time, saving money while also visiting the world and then they will go back to Aligney, their real home. But Jani will soon find that not all is what it seems and the hotel and its maître hide more secrets than what she thought.

This story had so much potential. The premise is amazing and the story was good but it could've been epic. While I enjoyed the story and the characters, I did fell like most characters lacked a little more depth (I liked them but I wasn't fully invested in them) and the same with the plot, I'm didn't 100% love the turn it took with Alastair and the ring.

Like I said, it was a good, solid read and a fantastic debut, but the premise was so good I think we barely scratched the surface of what this could have been.

Absolutely loved this! Gave me strong Caraval vibes, but still quite different. I liked how Jani wasn’t the perfect MC, she was jealous of her sister at times and it just made her more relatable. The cast of characters was really well developed and I ended up invested in nearly all of them. As a stand-alone, the tension and mystery were there from the right beginning and only got better.
I highly recommend to anyone who likes fantasy, circus themed adventure and creepy mysteries!

'May your artéfact guide you toward your soul's desire.' — Hotel Magnifique, Emily J. Taylor (2022).

Howl's Moving Castle meets Miss Peregrine and His Dark Materials in Emily J. Taylor's debut novel Hotel Magnifique. The story follows Jani and her sister Zosa, who are both under the roof of Madame Bézier in Durk. While they work for a living there, the two girls dream of more since the death of their Maman. Jani would do anything to keep the promise she made to her before she passed: protect Zosa at all costs. But she also wants Zosa's happiness, and if she has to force her way into the famous Hotel Magnifique for her sister's beautiful voice to be recognised, she will. And she does. When the two of them are eventually allowed in the hotel thanks to handsome suminaire Bel, every plan they made together goes wrong. Awfully wrong. What if there was more behind the walls of Hotel Magnifique? What if Jani and Zosa were in danger?

I adored this novel! It's been a long time since I truly appreciated a YA fantasy like this one, but Hotel Magnifique didn't miss the mark. From the beginning, I was completely immersed in the story of Jani and Zosa. Emily added descriptions right where I needed them to visualise what was happening, and I could perfectly recreate the images in my head. I think the setting of the story was the first thing I fell in love within the story. I loved that it made me remember those little alleys in Colmar, France, the same alleys that Miyazaki drew for Howl's Moving Castle, a mix between something rural and urban with a touch of vintage. I loved that a lot of French was used in this book—a lot of French phrases that were all perfectly clear and correct (for once). They gave a great background to the story and, since I was familiar with it, I felt a bit at home.

I related to the characters, especially Jani since she and I share a common strong personality: she is brave, she is very protective over Zosa, and she is bold enough to speak to the most powerful suminaire in the hotel, the handsome Bel. I loved their chemistry together. Their romance didn't feel forced (That would have been hard to force Jani loving Bel, because he is a natural charmer. He owns my heart.) One thing I could reproach Emily about Bel is that I feel like I flipped through his background at the end of the book. I know that he isn't supposed to know anything about himself, but I would have loved to know more about him. The same kind of thing happened to the other characters, especially Hellas, Frigga and Issig. I think I need these three's story. Maybe a prequel could be nice? *cough cough* Just saying. It was super nice to have Béatrice's background, however!

Concerning the story, I thought it simple but very effective. Emily created fearful villains (I think the worst was actually Yrsa), and I loved the magic structure with each suminaire being linked to an artéfact. The story took unpredictable turns that left me gasping in front of my phone, putting the book down, and then checking another time if I read it wrong.

So, I would totally recommend Hotel Magnifique to every YA fantasy lover out there! Personally, I plan to purchase my finished hardback copy very soon and put it on my favourite shelf with my favourite books. The story truly felt magical in a lot of ways and I believe it will stick with me for a long time!

Thank you so much Netgalley and Pushkin Press for the opportunity to review the eARC!

4.5 stars, rounded up.

This is young adult fantasy - when our 17 year old main character sees an advert that the magical Hotel Magnifique is looking for staff she is determined that herself and her younger sister must get jobs there to give them a chance at a better life.

The hotel is run by magic, as one of the only places where people who have magic can safely exist and it is full of enchantments, including one which allows it to move location every day.

But the sisters are split up and things are very quickly a lot more sinister than they seemed from the outside.

Our main character is very much focused on saving her sister and if that means she has to save everyone who works in the hotel, then so be it!

I enjoyed this much more than expected! The description contains a comparison to the Night Circus - a book which is very much about vibes rather than plot, which I don't think fits this book as it has a fair amount going on.

The main character is at times walking a fine line, where she just can't help breaking all these rules she's been explicitly warned about - and oh look other people suffer the consequences of her actions. The redeeming factor is that she does dial it back once she's aware of what she's doing and it is in service of trying to save her sister.

There is a love story element, but it's not the focus (and firmly YA).

I really liked the world of the hotel that was created, with the weird and unusual powers that people had

Being swept away into a dazzling magical hotel that travels around the world should immediately mean that I loved this book, but I felt that the hotel itself and the places they travelled came second to the main character being really, really annoying.

Jani was extremely self centred and lacks empathy, only ever thinking about herself and her own feelings. There was never a moment where she stopped to think about how her sister might be feeling. On top of that she's prone to wild declarations that Bel has no feelings for her, despite him putting his whole entire ass on the line to save her over and over again.

This story seemed to have a basic formula. Jani would be told not to do something, which she would then simply do anyway, and then Bel or someone else would have to get her out of that situation before she found herself short of an eye. When she wasn't doing that she was badgering people repeatedly for information they weren't willing to give some girl that turned up yesterday.

The world building was loose at best, as the story only focused on Jani's search for answers about the hotel, and somehow the hotel wasn't really fully fleshed out either. There were so many unique and interesting characters that weren't Jani that could have told the story better, and instead I had to put up with this annoying girl.

i went into this thinking ‘it is going to be like caraval’ and that is one of my absolute favourite trilogies! this book was similar but obviously different in its own way & wow did i love it! i had mixed feelings about jani in the beginning but grew to love her throughout the book, along with bel (ugh love you)

the writing and storyline was absolutely brilliant and i really loved this!! however, i am not sure if this is a standalone but i feel like there could maybe be another one?? or it honestly could work as a standalone

Rating: 3.5 Stars

I struggled a little to get going with this book. I thought the story would follow both sisters, but it's really focused on the elder sister, Jani, as she figures out the history of the hotel and it's staff. The first half I found a little slow, but the second half has a better pace. I was more interested once the story took a darker turn.

I liked the characters, and seeing their relationships with one another grow and evolve. I enjoyed the story overall, but I didn't warm to Jani and the ending fell a little flat for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings:
Death, Gore, and Torture

Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The first thing that drew me to this book was not only the fabulous cover, but the dark, mysterious premise of a fantasy hotel that gives guests experiences beyond their wildest dreams. Two sisters, Jani and Zosa, seek to escape their dreary existence in Durc and latch onto Hotel Magnifique, not as guests but as staff. But the hotel isn't what it seems on the outside, and Jani quickly figures out about the underbelly of corruption and secrets.

Ultimately, I found this an interesting read, but I didn't cling to the pages in an attempt to figure out what would happen next. The relationship between Jani and Bel was the most intriguing and interesting. The author has a gift for prose and the description, especially when undertaking such worldbuilding, was excellent. The words chosen were vivid and beautiful. I liked reading about Jani uncovering the mysteries as she spent more and more time inside Hotel Magnifique were interesting, especially as they affected her and her sister personally, and brought with it an eerie edge which kept me hooked. That being said, I did feel towards the middle that too many plot points happened and too many characters were introduced for me to be completely on the right page all along. I do believe with such a premise it would have been difficult to avoid a big cast, but it did affect my ability to stay along with the plot at all times. The ending was very neatly done.

The book is based around 2 sisters, who have no family left and want to better their lives! Then in steps the Hotel Magnifique!

I really struggled to like Jani the main character, I found her rather bratty and inconsiderate! I felt like she redeemed herself by the end.

I really enjoyed the relationship between Bel & Jani - just a smidgeon of romance!

The world is very intriguing and I definitely think it fell flat in a few spots and could’ve been developed a little better! Saying that, I couldn’t really put it down and read the book in any spare chance I got!

I really think with a few tweaks this book could’ve been 5 stars for me, but it just fell short but still a very honourable 4 stars and I would 100% recommend this to others!

OMG this book was pitched as "if you liked caraval you'll like this" and i was immediately like "yes i need this" and omg it did not disappoint! i loved it so freaking much! i literally need more from this author and this story!

Hotel Magnifique was one of my most anticipated reads for this year. The premise was pretty interesting and it had much potential. I mean, we are talking about a whimsical hotel that moves to an entirely different location every midnight and hides deadly secrets behind its lustrous facade!

The story was kept interesting by some unexpected twists but lacked that 'dreaminess' I was looking for. I quite enjoyed the ride, but I didn't love it.

My main issue with this book was the main character, Jani. Her stubbornness got her in one too many troubles, which she usually got out of by relying on very flimsy plans and without a care for those her actions had put in danger. After a while, it became annoying.
The love interest, Bel, was pretty bland and definitely didn't make an impression. The villain of this story did read a bit flat, too.
It was hard to care for any of them.

I also noticed that the Author constantly referred to people's skin colour when describing them (and to pretty much nothing else). I mean, it definitely gave the idea of the multicultural guests that visited the hotel, but after a while, it became repetitive and irksome.

The hotel itself was honestly my favourite part - with all its whimsical and beautiful, but also vicious enchantments. The Author's lively imagination shone in creating a luxurious dark atmosphere.

Overall, it was not bad for a debut. It didn't impress me, but I think that others might enjoy it.

**Special thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.**

Jani, an olive-skinned girl with brown hair lives in the south of Verdanniere, dreaming of a better life for herself and her sister, Zosa. A magnificent newspaper ad printed in bright purple ink announces that Hotel Magnifique—which transports itself to Elsewhere each midnight—is hiring. Sure that Zosa’s voice is sure to get them in the door, Jani thinks about applying. When entering, the sisters quickly realize that the hotel, its owner, and the mysterious doorman, Bel, have many secrets, not all of them good.

Hotel magnifique is magical and magnificent indeed, I really enjoyed it, and the characters were well drawn, thank you so much to netgalley and the publishers for giving1 me a copy of the book.

What a wonderful book this is, full of magic, mystery and wonderful characters. I have seen it described as a mix of The Night Circus and Caraval, two of my favourite books, and I can see why it attracts that description. However, it is a fantastic book in its own right, and whilst I would urge Erin Morgenstern and Stephanie Garber fans to read this, I would also urge anyone who enjoys books that transport you to a magical land, that you can feel, taste, smell and experience as if you were there yourselves to also read it.

Set in a magical hotel, that appears at locations only once a decade, it tells the story of two orphan sisters, who want to find a way to escape the life they lead and return to the place of their birth. It includes a host of characters, often morally ambiguous, and like the sisters, you are never sure who to trust.

The character development is outstanding and the world building is exceptional. I 100% recommend this book.

Thank you to the author, Pushkin Press and NetGalley for an ARC in return for a honest review