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bethreadscrime's review against another edition
4.0
The debut novel by Senta Rich revolves around hotel cleaner and kleptomaniac Noelle. Hotel 21 sees Noelle starting a new job at the 21st hotel she’s worked for, the Magnolia. Noelle loves to take items from all of the hotels she has worked at before, storing them in a trunk at home, and she usually leaves after any suspicion or accusations are cast upon her - normally a fake family member has sadly died!
However Hotel 21 is different and Noelle is immediately drawn to her co-workers on the 7th floor, especially Phil. A wonderful story about friendship.
However Hotel 21 is different and Noelle is immediately drawn to her co-workers on the 7th floor, especially Phil. A wonderful story about friendship.
dxdnelion's review against another edition
4.0
A charming and page turner book that hard to forget. This book is much better than I expected it to be. Telling us a story of Noelle, who is suffering from Kleptomania and child abuse from her mother, have been moving to various workplace after succeed of stealing some of the guest's items. As soon as she starts a new place, she gets the other cleaners to like her so that they won't believe she would steal from a guest. As soon as a guest claims that something is missing Noelle would puts her notice in and moves on after a couple of weeks. No one ever believes that she stole anything and her excuse for leaving is always a family emergency. But after arriving at 21st hotel, her 'stealing' job become much more difficult after meeting her co-worker that are different from others at her previous hotel.
Found Family Troupe ✅
Great Character Development ✅
Short read ✅
Charming side character ✅
Hotel 21 is definitely an enjoyable read, as someone who love found family troupe, this book is definitely something I would love. It did not disappoint. It accurately represent kleptomaniac, OCD and how trauma can also affect their disorder condition. I love Noelle character, definitely a character that you cannot hate. She's likeable despite on what she did, not to mention the side character is so funny as well. My favorite would be Gaby and Mali!! I loved the dynamic of the cleaners and how Noelle grows over the time she spends there. I love how she did admit that she love being with them. aaaa so precious!! I also loved how bonded they were with each other and the writing itself makes me feels the cleaners as a real people.
Its an easy, sweet and heartwarming story despite the trigger warning, Child abuse. And I have to mention that the child abuse depiction is quite graphic, so beware! I feel like if you love A Man Called Ove and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, you would also love this book as well.
Giving it 4
Found Family Troupe ✅
Great Character Development ✅
Short read ✅
Charming side character ✅
Hotel 21 is definitely an enjoyable read, as someone who love found family troupe, this book is definitely something I would love. It did not disappoint. It accurately represent kleptomaniac, OCD and how trauma can also affect their disorder condition. I love Noelle character, definitely a character that you cannot hate. She's likeable despite on what she did, not to mention the side character is so funny as well. My favorite would be Gaby and Mali!! I loved the dynamic of the cleaners and how Noelle grows over the time she spends there. I love how she did admit that she love being with them. aaaa so precious!! I also loved how bonded they were with each other and the writing itself makes me feels the cleaners as a real people.
Its an easy, sweet and heartwarming story despite the trigger warning, Child abuse. And I have to mention that the child abuse depiction is quite graphic, so beware! I feel like if you love A Man Called Ove and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, you would also love this book as well.
Giving it 4
kaixv's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It was good in the beginning with the set up but it felt very rushed and it included parts that didn’t seem necessary where I wish they had gone in and focused more on the side characters as well. Was almost a DNF but I decided to finish it anyway.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Mental illness, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Pedophilia, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Bullying, and Self harm
ashleyscofield's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
taylorsbooksxo's review against another edition
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
samstillreading's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Hotel 21 is a unique novel that combines friendship, childhood abuse and a lonely main character who enjoys the rush of stealing in the setting of hotel cleaning. It was a bit patchy for me, with some great moments and others that dragged.
Hotel 21 refers to the Magnolia Hotel, a five star hotel in London and also Noelle’s twenty-first hotel that she’s worked at. She’s moved around a lot of hotels despite being in her twenties. You see, Noelle likes the adrenaline rush of stealing small things from hotel guests, such as tweezers, travel size creams and lip balms. She creates a particular persona to ensure that it will be unbelievable that she could even be suspected of stealing and then departs soon after with a family emergency she’s being called out. As the story goes on, the reader finds out that Noelle’s family consisted of an abusive, alcoholic mother who would physically assault her. Noelle leaves her home after she makes some money and then travels around, working and putting her trophies (i.e. stolen items) in a trunk to look back on. But the Magnolia is different. The cleaners are a fun team of women who actively engage Noelle and include her in nights out. She even falls in love. And strangely enough, Noelle starts losing the desire to steal. But then her past catches up with her, and sends her into a spin. Will she let her new friends help her out?
The book starts with Noelle’s first day at the Magnolia, and then goes back in time to discuss some of the problems Noelle had at other hotels with co-workers, managers and slipping up when stealing. It did get repetitive for me. As Noelle is making friends with her colleagues, the reader gains insight into her childhood and why she acts in this way (and why she is so incredibly naïve). When Noelle strikes difficulties with her past, it’s more about her friends coming to help her and Noelle realising she doesn’t have to be alone. It all felt quite separate to me, as if some things could only be discussed in certain parts of the book and detracted away from the storyline. Noelle is fascinating in her uniqueness as a character, but her lack of knowledge of friends, going out etc did grate after a while. She’s been on her own for years, but she seemed barely able to function outside of work at times. Her friends were fun and engaging, but had only a quirk or relationship to make them distinguishable from the others. The big finale, while predictable, was heartwarming.
Overall, it’s an odd book with strong writing that works at times for its differences but also felt rushed or formulaic at times.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
Hotel 21 refers to the Magnolia Hotel, a five star hotel in London and also Noelle’s twenty-first hotel that she’s worked at. She’s moved around a lot of hotels despite being in her twenties. You see, Noelle likes the adrenaline rush of stealing small things from hotel guests, such as tweezers, travel size creams and lip balms. She creates a particular persona to ensure that it will be unbelievable that she could even be suspected of stealing and then departs soon after with a family emergency she’s being called out. As the story goes on, the reader finds out that Noelle’s family consisted of an abusive, alcoholic mother who would physically assault her. Noelle leaves her home after she makes some money and then travels around, working and putting her trophies (i.e. stolen items) in a trunk to look back on. But the Magnolia is different. The cleaners are a fun team of women who actively engage Noelle and include her in nights out. She even falls in love. And strangely enough, Noelle starts losing the desire to steal. But then her past catches up with her, and sends her into a spin. Will she let her new friends help her out?
The book starts with Noelle’s first day at the Magnolia, and then goes back in time to discuss some of the problems Noelle had at other hotels with co-workers, managers and slipping up when stealing. It did get repetitive for me. As Noelle is making friends with her colleagues, the reader gains insight into her childhood and why she acts in this way (and why she is so incredibly naïve). When Noelle strikes difficulties with her past, it’s more about her friends coming to help her and Noelle realising she doesn’t have to be alone. It all felt quite separate to me, as if some things could only be discussed in certain parts of the book and detracted away from the storyline. Noelle is fascinating in her uniqueness as a character, but her lack of knowledge of friends, going out etc did grate after a while. She’s been on her own for years, but she seemed barely able to function outside of work at times. Her friends were fun and engaging, but had only a quirk or relationship to make them distinguishable from the others. The big finale, while predictable, was heartwarming.
Overall, it’s an odd book with strong writing that works at times for its differences but also felt rushed or formulaic at times.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
emilyegallagher's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
pixe1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0