AAAAnd the last in this batch of reviews I wrote and forgot to post because I'm me. I really enjoyed this one, it has that "just vibes" vibe. It's cozy and comfy, doesn't require too much brain power to go through and has a great balance between a little plot to not be completely boring and character development. I read this under a blanket with hot chocolate so you can imagine that I was in the perfect mood for such a book. 4.5 stars

I really struggled to get into this or to care about any of the characters as we moved on so quickly.
I was hopeful it would pick up but I struggled

Step inside the Grand Abeona Hotel, a stunning passenger ship hotel for the wealthy. At least it was in its hay day, now a tired shadow of what it once was, half closed off the the public, understaffed and rundown.

Meet the workforce that keep the place alive, Carl, a once runaway, now the well loved, super chilled manager that can muddle through any problem. Uwade, an ex-teen sensation who ran away, Rogan, an ex-jewel thief turned lifeguard, an ex-soldier turned Sous Chef, an ex-programming engineer turned head housekeeper and so many others.

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of these characters, and the way the plot progresses through each of their stories is brilliantly done. Each of them found the Abeona when they needed it, a place to run away to or a place to lay low, but each of them stayed because of what they found there, a family that doesn’t judge or discriminate, somewhere that takes you in and welcomes you like you’re finally coming home.

I adored this aspect of this novel, reading along you felt like part of the team. Grace Curtis has managed to create an entire universe which you explore through the backstories of the employees.

The plot of this novel is throughly thought through, with hints along the way that come together in the end. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and cannot wait to read more from Grace Curtis.

Overall I really liked this! It's a fun story with cozy elements that takes place on a spaceship hotel. What's unique about is not just the setting, but each chapter is also told from the perspective of a different character. For the most part, I think this worked really well to both map out the world, and to get to know the cast. I was confused at times, and having such a big cast for a book of this length was a bit overwhelming to me. We also got the backstory of most of these characters, and while I enjoyed seeing more of the world it almost felt like a short story collection - many of these backstories weren't that relevant to the overarching plot. Not saying this is a bad thing necessarily, but it slowed down the pace a bit too much for me. At the halfway point I had a hard time putting the book down though, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the plot unfold!

The worldbuilding was also very interesting, and I think it was very well done considering the structure of the book. Each character gave a unique insight into a society that's filled with injustice because of a tyrannical government. I also really loved the casual queerness!

I adored this book and found myself slowing down to try to savour it. Inventive and smart but without allowing clever detail to bog the pace or cloud the character studies. Profound without being didactic and wholesome without being twee.

This was deceptively great. I had a good time whilst reading, but the characters and vibes have stayed with me, frequently popping up and taking welcome space in my brain. So many interesting characters, most with a secret or painful past, with the connecting plot looming darkly over everything. It's definitely on the darker side of cozy and a couple of characters really creeped me out. But it was raw and heartfelt and beautifully written. Very atmospheric and haunting. I'll be looking forward to more from this author!
Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the arc in return for an honest review.

Interesting and thoughtful with a cast of characters I couldn’t help but love, even if the ending felt a little unsatisfying.

Oh, what a weird and fascinating book this is. I went into "Floating Hotel" completely blind, only intrigued by the description and always desperate for new science fiction stories to blow my mind. I really enjoyed my time with this one. It is rather uniquely structured. From the description, I expected the hotel manager Carl to be the protagonist leading us through the story. While he is certainly the most important character and the one bringing everything and everyone together, he is not our narrator. That one actually changes in each chapter, telling the stories of both guests and staff of the titular floating hotel - a giant hotel spaceship called the Grand Abeona.

The choice to focus on so many different characters and showing us not only their personal stories but also their involvement in and perspectives on the different smaller plotlines has its pros and cons: For one, it creates an intricate web of stories and connections, on the other hand it doesn't really allow readers to form attachments to any of the characters. While I liked them all and was interested in their lives, none of them will leave the pages and follow me beyond. I barely remember their names.

The setting is a fascinating one, and by that I don't even just mean the Abeona. Which is, on its own, absolutely fascinating. Noone really knows where this ship came from or who navigates it, there are many unanswered questions about the previous hotel manager. Then there's the universe it traverses: from bits and pieces all around the story we get the picture of an almost dystopian environment, with an Emperor at the head of his totalitarian government acting as a seemingly immportal dictator and casually destroying planets by stripping them bare of their resources while their inhabitants suffer and die. It's a lot bleaker and darker than I expected.

There is one cenzral plot that ties all the little storylines together, and while it goes slow due to the aforementioned structure of the storytelling, it was fascinating. At the heart of it all is the importance of human connection, but there are actual high stakes involved and the ending is a dramatic one.

All in all I really liked this book and will be looking forward to more of Curtis' work. It's intriguing both in structure and complexity and the story (even if not the characters in it) will be one I remember.

This was excellent. Feel-good but also exciting, and with definite nods to other authors including Becky Chambers and even Agatha Christie while feeling wholly new as well.

Another surprise find for me.
I’d definitely recommend it too!
This is a rush review as I’m waiting for the delivery guy the deliver my pizza.

Floating Hotel is an out-of-this world delight. Equal parts cosy and grotesque, Curtis writes with a warmth and a wit that takes pulpy sci-fi concepts and creates something unforgettably beautiful with them. This is The Bear or Ted Lasso in space, where the stakes are relatively low but your investment in them is absolute. Come meet Carl and the gang and orbit the universe in a hotel that’s seen better days – you won’t regret it.

A magical and well-thought out novel set in space with the premise of for fans of The Grand Budapest Hotel (also the vibes really reminded me of The Maid).
The story is engaging and what makes it completely unique (apart from the space setting of this hotel) are the characters. Rebels, wealthy patrons, you name it, they are abroad. Following the building relationships was so entertaining, moreover I loved the found family which was portrayed marveolously!

Thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was immediately drawn into this tale of rebels, misfits and found family. Grace writes with detail and flourish about the lives of all the characters in this tale cosy sci-fi fantasy, with a splash of mystery sprinkled in.

I am definitely going to be on the lookout for more by this author and would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a decent sci-fi/fantasy novel.

Grace Curtis is so good at creating unique structures and making novels feel fresh and different. I do, however, feel it's difficult to become truly invested in characters when you spend so little time with them. The setting and story were enjoyable and well crafted.

[ARC provided by NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, Hodderscape. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review Floating Hotel.]

Rating: 3.5/5

Reading this book was a strange experience in a lot of ways because I knew from an early point that I wasn’t going to love it. So, as I write this review, I’m keeping in mind that although I could recognise that Floating Hotel wasn’t the book for me, it was still a genuinely great book. I didn’t love the structure (which I think will be polarising for a lot of readers), but I really appreciated how different it was from other books I’ve read, and that in turn kept me pretty invested in the story.

Floating Hotel is a cosy sci-fi described as The Grand Budapest Hotel in space, and despite not falling in love with this story, there’s still something undeniably special about it. The story is set on a hotel which is basically the outer space equivalent of a cruise, and within this opulent hotel we meet the staff that keep the show running. A lot of the story felt like a love letter to the hospitality industry as we see some of the highs and lows of what the staff deal with, but alongside that there’s also an intriguing mystery plot ticking over in the background that pieces itself together within the various POVs of the staff. Little morsels of information are sprinkled throughout the book and I enjoyed trying to work out what it all meant, and how everything connected.

Floating Hotel is very character driven but as we don’t get to spend a long time with each of them, I often felt a little disconnected from what was going on. Generally I’m used to a more linear format where we get all the introductory information out of the way at the beginning, but with this book you’re finding out a new backstory in most chapters and a lot of that information certainly helps you understand the character more, but it doesn’t have a massive impact on the story. That being said, knowing more about each member of staff such as their history, motives and ambitions helped with piecing together the mystery, and that’s something I can definitely appreciate.

The hotel, in a way, felt like its own character, often spoken about in the way that most majestic examples of technology are. For some people it was simply a holiday destination but for others it was a place to call home, a place that would wrap you in its arms and keep you safe. I loved imagining it in my head and would love to be able to visit somewhere like it – although I think I’d be rather terrified at the prospect of floating through space.

So yes, this isn’t a book I loved, but it’s definitely a book I’m glad I read. Floating Hotel is incredibly charming and clever, and I’ve no doubt that a lot of people will fall in love with it. If you love the found family trope and you enjoy a cosy mystery, this is one to check out. (On a side note, I think this would make an AMAZING TV show – someone needs to pick it up asap!)

I absolutely adored Curtis's first novel Frontier, and was so excited to read this new one. I think Curtis has taken what she accomplished in her first novel and really honed in on it and made a stunning novel.

This is a story of the many people who live and work about the space shop hotel the Aboena. Just like her first novel, Curtis has taken these characters and given us episodes of their lives in such a way that they feel real and tangible and relatable.

The underlying tale is slowly brought to life until a crescendo at the end, which is so well crafted, I was hooked and could not put it down. Genuinely one of the best books I've read this year, and if you like Becky Chambers of This is How You Lose The Time War, you will adore this book. Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for the advanced reading copy.

This is a beautiful and fun novel for lovers of character- or plot-driven stories!

In Floating Hotel, we meet a diverse cast of characters who all get a chance to have a share of the limelight. The structure of this book is unusual in that each character (bar one) only gets one POV chapter. While each character only has a short time in the spotlight, we learn about all of them more as the supporting roles in each others' stories, so each one feels fully formed and fleshed out. This structure gives the book a feeling of an anthology or series of vignettes, but the major narrative takes place over a period of time of just a few weeks and is contained mainly in the setting of the hotel, which keeps the book cohesive.

This is a perfect book for a lover of mystery - there are secrets to be unravelled and revealed, and these are happening as we are gradually learning more about the empire in which our characters live. These common threads weave all the parts of the story together and kept me hooked!

My favourite aspect of this novel were the characters. Whether kind and loving, or abrasive, or just downright evil, these characters were incredibly well written! The bonds that developed between them as a bunch of misfits and runaways were moving and tender. I particularly loved the development of Professor Azad, who begins the novel as someone very jaded.

I would absolutely recommend for a fan of cozy sci-fi and fantasy! The overall feel of the novel is warm, but there is darkness creeping in at the edges.

Loved loved loved this book! The mysterious parts of it and the ultimate plot twist was fantastic! Book is perfect for fans of Necky Chambers and Jay Kristoff.

This book felt like a warm hug. It gives off Becky Chambers vibes! It's a story about a fancy hotel that travels through space and the people who make the hotel what it is and keep it running. I loved getting to know all of the characters and learning about their pasts, how they came to work in the hotel, and the secrets they keep. The mystery was more of a lowkey part of the book, it happens in the background and the revelation isn't anything too unexpected as this is a character driven book but it does end on a lovely note. I loved the writing style and I will definitely check out any other books the author comes out with!

This was a book full of mystery and intrigue set inside a floating hotel that travels the various realms and planets of space, It discussed important issues such as environmental impact and the chase of capitalism destroying planets. It has mystery with rebels, governmental issues, illegal acts and spies. Overall the concept is incredibly unique and an interesting story but i wish the writing had given me more. This book put me in a month long slump and the reading style was a bit hard to follow as sometimes it used the first word/name of someone as the title of a chapter which could be confusing at times but overall i think its a great scifi mystery with political intrigue, found family and rebellion but just wasnt a book targetted for me.