"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. ( )

i love hotels. i love creepy shit. i’m literally writing a series where creepy shit happens in a hotel. need i say more? ( )

CW: Teenager chooses to completely die (she is in limbo) in order to be with her family. ( )

I LOVED this book. I adored every second. It was fast paced and I couldn't put it down. I just wanted to know what was going to happen from one second to the next.

It starts off getting right into the thick of Hotel Ruby, and it has a steady progression of interesting characters and side plots and thoughts.

There was just enough gore and violence and enough lovey dovey stuff too. It was the perfect balance for me.

Honestly I wish this were a series I'd love to read more from the Hotel but it just ended so great that ... I can't be sad about it. The end was slightly predictable of course I swear I've seen a movie like this and it reminded me a lot of AHS Hotel while reading it - perhaps that's why I liked it so much. I'll definitely be buying it to reread later! ( )

I can forgive the fact that I figured out the mystery pretty early on. It's a cool idea regardless.

My problems lie with the characters. I didn't like Audrey. She came across as a bit of a diva at times with her somewhat self-absorbed attitude (though I could forgive some given the circumstances).

I also wasn't a fan of the romance. It seemed to be conjured up from nothing but a shared dance and a few quick conversations. Elias is a very one dimensional character and everything he says came across as a cliche to me. It didn't help that I struggled with his audiobook voice in that version (though bumping up the speed to 1.5x seemed to help)--it annoyed me to no end!

Check out more spoiler-free book and series reviews on my blog SERIESousBookReviews.com as well as read book series recaps!

Full Review: https://wp.me/p7hLUw-2vf
Actual Rating: 2/5 ( )

I enjoyed this book, but I felt like there was something missing at the same time. I'm a sucker for books taking place in hotels so the book automatically intrigued me and earned a point in my favor. However, while reading it, I couldn't help but feel like something was missing (though I'm not exactly sure as to what). I read some other reviews but the problems other reviewers listed didn't bother me as much as they did them. I was actually kind shocked by some of the bad reviews the book got. Sure, it's no masterpiece, but I still think the book is charming. Overall, I'd give three stars. ( )

I am a fan of Suzanne Young's The Program series, so I immediately bought this book when I spotted it at a bookstore. I like that the story is mysterious and unpredictable, it kept me turning pages until the end. However, the instant attraction between Audrey and Elias, as well as their physical reactions toward each other every time they met, was too much too soon for me. I wish that instead of focusing on the attraction between Audrey and Elias, it would've been more interesting to read more about Audrey's relationship with her family, and the background stories of the other characters in Hotel Ruby. ( )

I had fun reading this book- it was the perfect easing-into-Fall spooky story. It was atmospheric and pretty. I'm sure the book would make a good movie. I can't say I didn't figure it out pretty quickly, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book. I'd definitely recommend this for students looking for a "scary" book. ( )

This book should benefit from being released around the same time as American Horror Story: Hotel but it's not as graphic! Weird things are happening when a family of three stops at a hotel on their way to grandmother's house. ( )

Audrey and her brother Daniel have been completely lost since their mother died of a sudden stroke. Their father, unable to deal with his grief, decides it would be best if they went to live with a grandmother they barely know. On their way to grandma’s house they decide to stop overnight at the Hotel Ruby, a luxurious turn-of-the century hotel.

Once there, Audrey finds herself swept away by the very handsome Elias Lange while learning the mystery of the hotel, and the ghosts which are said to haunt the building. When the family decides to extend their stay she begins to notice that Kenneth, the concierge, seems to have some sort of hold over Daniel, her father, Elias and the staff. Soon Audrey is convinced they need to leave but something, or someone, wants them to stay. Welcome to the Hotel Ruby, where you can check out anytime you want, but you can never leave.

I felt like the “Hotel Ruby” was the 1976 Eagle’s hit song “Welcome to the Hotel California” come to life in book form, which is why I said you could check out anytime you want but never leave. I found the story of the hotel to be tragic, but thought Audrey spent too much time playing the tragedy card and apologizing for being such a bad girlfriend. By the end of the book she finally matured, but it was a bit tedious watching her get her act together, which is why I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars.

Recommended for 18 and older.

Book review link: https://shouldireaditornot.wordpress.com/2016/06/24/hotel-ruby-suzanne-young/ ( )

First my daughter asked me to buy her this book (which as a parent, when one of my kids asks for a book, I buy it). Then, after she read it she wanted me to read it (which as a parent, when my child is interested in something, then I am interested). So last night I sat down with Suzanne Young's Hotel Ruby read and began reading.

This morning I finished the book. Read it in nearly one sitting. The writing is smooth, and crisp. Young keeps her sentences simple, and the pace fast. There is not an abundance of description. It wasn't needed. She focused instead on the characters. They were so well developed, I knew each and every one of them.

While the mystery of the Hotel Ruby was obvious (at least to me) from the beginning of their stay, it didn't matter that there was no surprise twist. I enjoyed the telling of the tale. Very much. (There is still unexpected This & That, Here & There). The very end was emotional. Touching. And despite the norm and generally acceptable in fiction, I liked the direction Young went.

This book kind of made me think of Stephen King's Overlook Hotel with more weight given to the ghosts. My daughter did me a favor. She has introduced me to a new author. I definitely plan to check out more for Suzanne Young.

Phillip Tomasso,
Author of WIZARD'S RISE and VACCINATION ( )

Overall, a good book. I did enjoy it. It didn't wow me, you figure out the twist pretty early on, but the writing is well done and the story line is actually pretty entertaining. I would read this book again and recommend it. 3.5 out of 5 stars. Good book. ( )

Intense and downright scary at times, Suzanne Young knows how to write an emotion-filled novel with broad appeal in her latest novel about a rebellious teenage girl and a stopover in a hotel that is not what it seems.

Audrey, her brother Daniel and her father arrive very late at night at Hotel Ruby, just to pass the night and then be on their way to Audrey and Daniel's grandma's house to live. At first, Audrey is fascinated by the Ruby and she gets along very well with the employees but the Ruby has secrets and suddenly Audrey and her family are staying night after night. Audrey can't help but feel that something is wrong and maybe this hotel isn't safe for her family.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Before starting, I read a few negative reviews and that lowered my expectations but I am glad I didn't give up on it because the story was unique and very interesting. The characters were captivating. I loved Audrey's love for her family, especially for her brother Daniel—she would literally die for him. I got a tad frustrated with Audrey because she'd be naive and wouldn't keep on searching for answers—she would accept things as they were in the beginning and I wanted her to keep on going, to ask questions and figure out what was wrong. Still, it gave for a great ending and I loved how much she cared for all of the employees at the hotel as well.

I was skeptical of Elias' character. I wasn't sure of his true intentions but he surprised me... More than surprised me! Each of the supporting characters surprised me a lot. I actually liked all of them except two but one of them shall not be mentioned. The rest of the characters were fantastic. They brought an equal balance of joy and sadness to the story. I had kind of guessed one of the big secrets in the beginning (I say one because there was another that left me shocked) but wasn't completely sure so I pushed that thought aside but WOW! When I read it in the story, it felt real and emotional. The other thing that I have to mention about the supporting characters is that they brought many emotions to the story once one of the secrets was revealed. I had gotten so attached to them and when the reveal happened, I felt so many emotions at once and it's rare for that to happen to me with the supporting characters.

I give props to the author. Suzanne gave a new perspective to the hotel. It's like she made the hotel come to life with the way she worded everything about this hotel and its secrets. The descriptions of it gave the story a haunted feel and everything was so vividly descriptive! What I would have wanted to be added to the story was how Audrey and her family were before her mom passed away and after. Some scenes are present in the story but not dived into entirely and I wanted to learn more of her family as a whole and as individuals as well. Also, it could have probably been longer when it came to their stay at the hotel since relationships are formed very fast. Still, this didn't put me off from the story at all. I was captivated by it all and I wanted to know more.

Overall, this story was a success and it will keep you hooked until the end without letting go. ( )