The White Octopus Hotel ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The White Octopus Hotel by Alexandra Bell

Cover Wars

I created with Gemini AI
I provided the covers, 
AI generated the labels 

G👀dreads About Summary

Journey to a magical hotel in the Swiss Alps, where two lost souls living in different centuries meet and discover that behind its many doors, they may just find a second chance.

‘Have you travelled a long way?’ she asked carefully. A smile twitched at the corner of his mouth. ‘Well, yes,” he said slowly. ‘Yes, you could say that. But it was worth the wait.’

London, 2015
When reclusive art appraiser Eve Shaw shakes the hand of a silver-haired gentleman in her London office, the warmth of his palm sends a spark through her.

His name is Max Everly – curiously, the same name as Eve’s favourite composer, born one hundred sixteen years prior. And she can’t shake the feeling that she’s held his hand before . . . but where, and when?

The White Octopus Hotel, 1935
Decades earlier, high in the snowy Swiss Alps, Eve and a young Max Everly wander the winding halls of the grand belle epoque White Octopus Hotel, lost in time.

Each of them has been through the trenches – Eve in a family accident and Max on the battlefields of the Great War – but for an impossible moment, love and healing are just a room away . . . if only they have the courage to step through the door.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Time Travel, Magical Realism, Mystery, Romance

The How/Why: This one caught my eye a while back and has been on my TBR. I finally put it on Hold with Libby a couple of weeks ago. It became available via a partner library so I grabbed it. I just mentioned recently that I'm not the biggest fan of time travel. Maybe I'm in my Time Travel era! 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

🎉🎊 Overall Storytelling? TBD

  • Setting the stage. Atmosphere, Vibe 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
  • Likeable Characters: Protagonist, Supporting Cast, Extras 🎉🎉🎉🎉
  • Unlikeable Antagonist - there really wasn't one
  • Executing the premise 🎉🎉🎉🎉
  • Lives up to the promise🎉🎉🎉🎊

🎣🎏 Did it grab and keep my attention? 🎣🎣🎣🎣

 🗣️Would I recommend it to anyone? Maybe 🤷 If you enjoy a magical step back in time0

 🕮 Would I want a sequel? No ➖ 

 📚 Would I want to read more books by this author? Yes ➕She has one other, The Winter Garden. Another HF, Magical Realism. It sounds interesting. Currently not listed on Libby or Hoopla so I'll have to check back. It was published in 2021 so I'm not holding my breath. 

 ⚠️💣💥 📢 Content Warnings? ChïlƉ DɇaṪh & L0ŞŞ of $iblinᵷ, Ǥriɇf & $urṼiṼ0r'$ ḠuïlT, Ẁɐɼ & C0ᵯbaT Trɐumɐ

 🌶️🫑Spice? No, a very brief mention of $#X

 🌪 Plot Twist? Sort of a twist. Predictable? More like a magical manifestation.

 👟 Pace? Drug on a little to long. 

 💻 Tidbits ~ Time Travel with a magical spin🪄 rather than sci fi 🛸. 
Eve has lead of life of crushing guilt feeling responsible for her baby sister's tragic death. She has never forgiven herself. A mysterious elder gentleman brings her an interesting gift. That sets her off on an adventure back in time and a scavenger hunt. Can she alter the past by going back in time? Can she change the future and avoid the tragedy that struck and destroyed their family?

Highlights: 
Mysterious Magical Hotel where eras intersect. 🪄
Rooms manifest memories, mirrors reflect alternative realities. 🪞
Past trauma recovery and acceptance. 💔💞

Lowlights:
That was a LOT of responsibility for a four-year-old resulting in a lifetime of guilt.😞
Pacing slowed down making me think it was a little too long.  🐌

Bottom line:
I want a moving octopus tattoo! 🐙
~Wanders off to make my reservation at The White Octopus Hotel. Not because I want to travel back in time, but because it sounded like an amazing place to explore. Kudos to Alexandra Bell for bringing the hotel to life in my head. 

Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time lyrics seem to fit well with this story. 
I created with Gemini AI

 🎧 Narrator: Mei Mei MacLeod

🎧11.0 hours (Libby) 🕮 368 pages




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