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trisha_thomas's review against another edition
4.0
"Here in the Ruby, we can all start our lives again."
This one was such an adventure. Even though I knew some of the twists early on, the adventure of the story and fast pace was so fun to go through! I liked Audrey because she wasn't all perfect or all rebellious. She had an attitude sometimes but not always and she made some unhealthy decisions... but...she's a kid! That's what they do! I loved the dynamics of the family because it all felt so real. Great story.
This one was such an adventure. Even though I knew some of the twists early on, the adventure of the story and fast pace was so fun to go through! I liked Audrey because she wasn't all perfect or all rebellious. She had an attitude sometimes but not always and she made some unhealthy decisions... but...she's a kid! That's what they do! I loved the dynamics of the family because it all felt so real. Great story.
motoole173's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I like the concept, but I think it would have been more fun to read if it wasn't told in chronological order. Reading the second half of the book pretty much just confirmed everything I interpreted in the first half.
poorashleu's review against another edition
4.0
Originally posted here
Audrey Casella is on her way to her grandmother’s when her father decides to stop and spend the night at the Hotel Ruby. The Hotel Ruby though is far more than meets the eye. It’s creepy, it’s weird, it host mysterious parties where one is required to have an invited–and everyone seems to have an invite but Audrey.
What Audrey, her dad and her brother don’t expect is the Hotel Ruby to change them. The three of them have been dealing with the death of their mother and wife and the void that she has left. It’s painful and not once does Young hide the feeling that grief hits you in waves and stages. It may not be constant, it may hit you at the most unexpected times and it isn’t always easy.
The Hotel Ruby also showed how grief broke the Casella family because they weren’t handling it well, they broke apart when they needed each other the most. But, if anything the Hotel Ruby brought them closer together. The Hotel Ruby has a dark past of its own, full of its own grief that is painful and hurts. It’s hard to talk about Hotel Ruby without giving too much away, but here’s the thing. It works. Not once was I taken out of the story, the prose and the imagery kept me turning the pages even when I was far too sleepy to stay awake.
At its heart Hotel Ruby is a story about grief and family and it’s a beautiful story. Hotel Ruby is my type of horror novel, it’s more of a mind game then scary scary. It’s also a good mix of Hotel California and The Shinning which left me wanting more in this genre.
Audrey Casella is on her way to her grandmother’s when her father decides to stop and spend the night at the Hotel Ruby. The Hotel Ruby though is far more than meets the eye. It’s creepy, it’s weird, it host mysterious parties where one is required to have an invited–and everyone seems to have an invite but Audrey.
What Audrey, her dad and her brother don’t expect is the Hotel Ruby to change them. The three of them have been dealing with the death of their mother and wife and the void that she has left. It’s painful and not once does Young hide the feeling that grief hits you in waves and stages. It may not be constant, it may hit you at the most unexpected times and it isn’t always easy.
The Hotel Ruby also showed how grief broke the Casella family because they weren’t handling it well, they broke apart when they needed each other the most. But, if anything the Hotel Ruby brought them closer together. The Hotel Ruby has a dark past of its own, full of its own grief that is painful and hurts. It’s hard to talk about Hotel Ruby without giving too much away, but here’s the thing. It works. Not once was I taken out of the story, the prose and the imagery kept me turning the pages even when I was far too sleepy to stay awake.
At its heart Hotel Ruby is a story about grief and family and it’s a beautiful story. Hotel Ruby is my type of horror novel, it’s more of a mind game then scary scary. It’s also a good mix of Hotel California and The Shinning which left me wanting more in this genre.
madhatter360's review against another edition
4.0
I thought the twist was a little predictable but the way it played out was really interesting
raeanne's review against another edition
2.0
Another YA with a long dull beginning. Needed to be way shorter, making it snappy with tension and suspense. As it is, it's a party girl being emo stuck on repeat while staggering around a luxury hotel for a couple days before things get interesting. For the reader it's so obvious from the beginning something is off, paranormal and ghostly, so it needs to hit the ground running. Instead Audrey drunkenly stumbles around in denial for 150 pages. Do people think teens are that slow-witted to not realize it or did someone just need the extra pennies per word?
Making it this long stretches the content too thin, shows how little substance there is to the background characters and the insta-connections. Audrey can just do the right thing without insta-love, or a friend group, or hell, even a family connection since it's the right goddamn thing. That's kinda the fucking point!
And what is with calling the grandma a DNA matched stranger when it wasn't a hunt to find someone to take them, like sometimes happens to literal orphans. They've met this grandma before, she's a known entity. Maybe a strange stranger one, but calling her a DNA matched stranger gives off different vibes I'm not okay with using in this case
Making it this long stretches the content too thin, shows how little substance there is to the background characters and the insta-connections. Audrey can just do the right thing without insta-love, or a friend group, or hell, even a family connection since it's the right goddamn thing. That's kinda the fucking point!
And what is with calling the grandma a DNA matched stranger when it wasn't a hunt to find someone to take them, like sometimes happens to literal orphans. They've met this grandma before, she's a known entity. Maybe a strange stranger one, but calling her a DNA matched stranger gives off different vibes I'm not okay with using in this case
nicolemhill's review against another edition
3.0
This woulda been a killer episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark?
internationalkris's review against another edition
4.0
I was lucky enough at the last library association conference to get an advance reader copy of Hotel Ruby. This one is sure to be a hit with the MS/HS crowd. The author said that the publisher was describing it as "Hotel California" meets "The Shining." It's not as creepy as King's book but still a dark little puzzle for readers to explore. I gave it 3 stars since it could use a little tightening up, but I am still delighted to be able to share the advance copy with my young adult readers. It's a thrilling read.
justinekorson's review against another edition
4.0
Thought it was about vampires... But it's not which is my baddddd. I saw Hotel Ruby and thought red and thought blood and thought vampires. Really good both otherwise though! I saw the plot twist coming once I realized what was happening.
lissherondale's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not complaining, Suzanne Young can truly work with suspense.
I really liked it. it was a interesting, captivating and creepy read. I loved the characters and the plot, it was kind of sad at the ending but still I liked it.
if this book would have had pictures of the hotel THIS WOULD BE WAY MORE AWESOME AND CREEPIER.
Even though I love Suzanne Young's writing, she's one of my favorite authors ever and I'll always read her books.
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I don't usually like when the protagonists died but in this case I cannot be more happy about it. I really liked the ending.
I really liked it. it was a interesting, captivating and creepy read. I loved the characters and the plot, it was kind of sad at the ending but still I liked it.
if this book would have had pictures of the hotel THIS WOULD BE WAY MORE AWESOME AND CREEPIER.
Even though I love Suzanne Young's writing, she's one of my favorite authors ever and I'll always read her books.
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I don't usually like when the protagonists died but in this case I cannot be more happy about it. I really liked the ending.