by Delilah S. Dawson
ASIN/ISBN: 9780593486801
Publication: September 5, 2023

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DESCRIPTiON

A girl discovers a surreal hotel where no one ever leaves. When the clock strikes midnight she’ll be trapped there forever unless she’s able to break free from magic that in turn breaks all her rules. Perfect for fans of Caraval and The Starless Sea!

The night is perfect and glorious and sparkling, too beautiful to be real. Like magic.

Anna may have grown up in glitzy Las Vegas, but she’s determined that no one will ever call her shallow. While her older sister Emily is the star of the family, Anna is the diligent stage manager, making sure that both their lives go perfectly to plan. But when Emily reveals a startling betrayal, Anna flees in the middle of a raging storm and takes shelter in a boutique establishment she’s never seen before: The Houdini.  

Inside, Anna discovers a magic hotel . . . and a magical boy. Earnest, curious Max has lived his entire life inside the Houdini. Over the course of one surreal evening, he becomes Anna’s guide to the curious building. For the first time in her life, Anna is center stage, in a place that anticipates her every desire, with a boy who only has eyes for her.  

But that’s because the Houdini has no other guests. No one ever enters the Houdini . . . and no one ever leaves. When the clock strikes midnight, Anna will be trapped in the Houdini forever. If Anna’s ever going to find out who she is on her own in the real world, she’ll first have to make an impossible escape. But will she be able to do it if it means leaving Max behind?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Delilah S. Dawson is the New York Times-bestselling author of Star Wars: Phasma, Black Spire: Galaxy’s Edge, and The Perfect Weapon. With Kevin Hearne, she writes the Tales of Pell. As Lila Bowen, she writes the Shadow series, beginning with Wake of Vultures. Her other books include the Blud series, the Hit series, and Servants of the Storm.

She’s written comics in the worlds of Marvel Action: Spider-Man, Lore’s Wellington, Star Wars Adventures, Star Wars Forces of Destiny, The X-Files Case Files, Adventure Time, Rick and Morty, and her creator-owned comics include Star Pig, Ladycastle, and Sparrowhawk.

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REVIEW

With the hotel frozen in time, the book is made to feel like an older whodunnit mystery with a murder possibly just waiting to be committed. However, the book was initially jarring with its third person point of view told in present tense. Although it took some for me to adjust, it effectively contributed to an air of mystery around the hotel and the characters and their motives. There are multiple mysteries to be solved.

The romance is sweet and believable. Max is a sweetheart. Even though it’s love at first sight, it feeds into the magic of the hotel. The pace, while consistent, stretched the book to feel longer than it was. As someone who prefers faster-paced novels, I couldn’t decide if was a bad thing or not because it helps make Anna’s stay feel longer than it was–the book takes place within a single day. Ultimately, discovering the mysteries and the magic of the hotel was worthwhile.

Midnight at the Houdini is for readers who believe in magic and want to be transported in time; however, patience is required.

**Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours for allowing me to be part of the tour. Remember to check out the schedule and visit more posts. Also, thank you to the publisher and author for providing me with access to the book. I voluntarily read and reviewed it. All opinions are my own.**