Hotel Magnifique

After their mother dies, Jani takes her younger sister and moves to the port city of Durc hoping for opportunities to live a better life.  What she finds is the drudgery of working in a tannery to support herself and Zosa.  They can barely afford the rent in their boarding house, and Jani dreams of returning to their idyllic village in the countryside.

Everything changes when she learns the Hotel Magnifique will be appearing in Durc.  The magical hotel appears out of thin air to take on new guests and staff.  No one knows exactly what happens in the hotel because guests emerge after their trip with no memories other than a feeling of indescribable joy.  

The hotel is also the only place where suminaires can safely perform their magic.

When Zosa is hired to work as a performer, Jani isn't surprised.  She just needs to find a way to extend her own temporary appointment as a maid, she the sisters won't be separated.  Everything in the hotel is more enchanting than Jani could have imagined, but she quickly starts to see that some things seem not quite right.  

For one thing, employee contracts are unbreakable, and she can't find anyone who will talk to her about their lives before the hotel.  Her only ally in the quest for information is the mysterious Bel.  She knows he's a suminaire, but she isn't exactly sure what his job entails.  She only knows she finds him frustrating and increasingly attractive.  Bel warns Jani not to dig too deep; if the Maitre finds out what she's doing in his hotel, the consequences will be dire.  But Jani is determined to find a way to save herself and her sister their beautiful but deadly cage.

Emily J. Taylor's lushly dark fantasy is a world to sink into and enjoy.  There are as many delights as there are horrors in the Hotel Magnifique, and I loved them all.  Jani and Zosa have a strong sisterly bond that never falls into resentment, and the romance element is a light but important part of the plot and Jani's character development.  The conclusion felt a little rushed, but I loved it anyway!  Recommended for grades 7 and up.