Hotel Magnifique

Janine Lafayette, 17, wants better things for her and her 13-year-old sister, Zosa, than Jani’s tannery job’s wages can provide, so she’s elated when the legendary Hotel Magnifique, which changes location daily, appears in a Durc alleyway. Those born with magic, dubbed suminaires, can have difficulty controlling their power, but the hotel’s “blindingly pale” maître, Alastair, has enchanted the building to allow him and the suminaires he employs to safely perform astonishing feats. Invite-only stays at the hotel cost a fortune, but if Jani and Zosa, who have olive skin, become staff, they can travel the world with the hotel while saving for the future. Zosa secures a job singing, and Jani persuades handsome, mysterious copper-skinned doorman Bel to hire her as a maid, but soon after the teens sign their contracts, Jani realizes that they’re trapped and that nearly everything they’ve heard about the hotel is a lie. Clear and creative worldbuilding, exquisite set pieces, and emotionally complex, intersectionally diverse characters complement the twist-riddled plot of Taylor’s spellbinding debut. The stakes mount in tandem with Jani and Bel’s romantic tension, captivating readers and catapulting the tale to a spectacular, cathartic close. Ages 12–up. Agents: Alexandra Machinist and Hillary Jacobson, ICM Partners. (Apr.)