Hotel magnifique (Penguin LCC US)

For fans of Caraval and The Night Circus, this decadent and darkly enchanting YA fantasy, set against the backdrop of a Belle Époque-inspired hotel, follows seventeen-year-old Jani as she uncovers the deeply disturbing secrets of the legendary Hotel Magnifique.Seventeen-year-old orphan Jani dreams of leaving the cramped, filthy port town of Durc, but she s resigned to the reality of her life: working second shifts at a tannery to make ends meet and caring for her younger sister Zosa.

That is, until the legendary Hotel Magnifique the magical hotel that appears in a new location each morning comes to town. While they can t afford the exorbitant cost of a guest s stay, Jani and Zosa can interview for jobs in the hotel.

And luck is on their side with just a stroke of ink on paper, and an intervention by the vexingly handsome bellhop, the two girls are hired and swept into a world of adventure and wonderment. But despite the allure, Jani quickly begins to realize that something isn t quite right.

None of the staff seem to remember their homes, yet Jani s memory is perfectly intact. It s clear that beneath the mysterious glamour, the hotel is hiding dangerous secrets. Most dangerous of all is the maître d hôtel, a ruthless man who, Jani discovers, holds the hotel staff prisoner aby the magical ink of the contracts they sign.

But what Jani can t understand is why he won t let them leave. With Bel the bellhop as her guide and confidante, Jani embarks on a mission to uncover the secrets of the hotel and free Zosa and the other staff from the cruelty of the maître.

To succeed, she ll need to harness a power she never knew she had, but failure would mean a fate far worse than never returning home.