June’s top pick for LibraryReads. This follows Joan, the manager of a resort hotel in West Virginia. Life is good until the U.S. is pulled into WWII and the hotel's only guests are detained Axis diplomats. While Joan is very good at keeping secrets, this adds strain on the staff and the hotel’s tenuous balance with the local waters. Spooky, thoughtful, and a wonderful audiobook too.

Maggie Stiefvater is one of my favorite authors. The Raven Cycle and The Scorpio Races were so formative for me, I will basically follow her anywhere. When I first saw the description for her adult debut, The Listeners, I was a little surprised by the direction. I shouldn’t have been though because Maggie puts her magic into everything she writes and this is no exception.

Maggie has such a way with characters and this is where The Listeners shines. June Hudson is the general manager and caretaker of The Avallon Hotel & Spa and it is up to her to help guide the hotel through its most difficult stage yet when war comes to the Avallon. When the aristocratic family that owns the hotel makes a secret deal with the state department to house Axis diplomats, June must treat the enemy like they are wealthy guests at the hotel. June attempts to handle this newest challenge as capably as ever but the magical Sweetwater that flows through the Appalachian mountains and through the hotel may have other ideas.

The book also follows FBI agent Tucker Minnick and others as they navigate this difficult time of secrets and sacrifice and the cost of luxury and listening.

This is a book of people and survival and restraint and while it might not be for everyone, if you love Maggie’s atmospheric writing and soft characters doing their best then I definitely recommend you take this journey to the Avallon.

Set just after Pearl Harbor, at a West Virginia luxury resort which has been taken over by the government to serve as a internment camp for foreign enemy diplomats, VIPs, and their families.

June Porter, trusted general manager of the Avallon luxury hotel, is used to giving guests what they want, even before they know they want it. Her guests have included powerful businessmen, presidents, and other members of the rich and famous. She runs a tight ship, and her entire staff, from maintenance to chef, know how to provide the best service in the country.

In January after Pearl Harbor, America is at war and Washington must round up hundreds of VIP prisoners of war and their families to await deportation. Where better to maintain a semblance of respect than to house these people in style at resorts like the Avallon. The hope is that Americans trapped behind enemy lines will receive the same good treatment.

June has hired a diverse staff and many are uncomfortable with their new "guests," especially the Nazi sympathizers. Yet, the staff remains professional, trying to put personal issues aside to keep the hotel running smoothly. At the same time, FBI and other government agents are also at the Avallon, keeping an eye on the prisoners and doing some espionage work.

So that's the gist of the novel. But within the walls of the Avallon, many people are listening: guests, staff, owners, and law enforcement alike. The story relies heavily on the setting and is primarily a character-driven novel that reveals a piece of American history that many of us are unaware of.

I liked the diversity of characters, their motivations, and their conflicts. I love Stiefvater's writing style, and I took note of several passages to include in my reading journal. I learned a lot about the running of a luxury hotel, the contrast between back and front of house, and the push and pull between various government organizations.

The ending was a little too neat, but I was okay with that. Note: There is a magical realism theme running throughout the novel.

The author's note at the end provides the historical context for this story, noting that, although the Avallon isn't real, the government did indeed take over resorts for military purposes.

The audiobook was performed by one of my go-to narrators. Erin Bennett is terrific with keeping the story moving, respecting the author's writing style, and capturing the characters' personalities. I always love her work.

Thanks to PRH Audio for the review copy.

Set in West Virginia, in the heart of coal country, The Avallon is a hotel of the highest luxury. The Avallon is lovingly maintained by General Manager June Hudson, an orphan who was informally adopted by the owners and staff of the library due to her innate skill with the special water that runs through the hotel and grounds. June believes in creating luxury at The Avallon and has fostered an environment where the outside world does not affect the standards of The Avallon.

The sweetwater of West Virginia is what makes The Avallon, and the book itself, a unique experience and has propelled June to the heights of hotel aristocracy, though not without significant personal costs. The water cannot go bad; its semi-sentience must be kept happy, and devastation is an ever present possibility. Whenever the water begins to seep into the hotel, June must submerge herself in the waters and give up all of her positive emotions for the wellbeing and happiness of the hotel guests. This speculative element really helps the book to shine beyond a traditional historical fiction novel.

It is into this delicate ecosystem for the wealthy that the war effort invades. An influx of FBI men and foreign diplomats are brought to The Avallon to await their return to their countries of origin. The workers of The Avallon are not too pleased to be waiting on those whose countries are killing their sons. While before the occupations or political proclivities of the guests did not matter to the staff, the boundaries of The Avallon are beginning to crumble under the realities of war.

The arrival of the diplomats also brings a young German girl named Hannelore to The Avallon. This young girl has never spoken and her mother is worried that her being nonverbal will make her the target of the Nazi euthanasia program if she returns with them to Germany. Can June, the woman who can foresee every desire and create luxury even during rationing, find a way for Hannelore to be spared? Is June willing to acknowledge that who people are outside of the hotel matters? Or that she too could leave the hotel if she wished?

Ultimately, this brilliant book asks us to think about all of the things we sacrifice to create community and what luxuries might we give up for the sake of doing what is good.

Maggie Stiefvater you are a genius. I had the pleasure of meeting Maggie at an event in 2017, for which my mother checked me out of school. She allowed us to spray paint her car and I felt like the coolest kid on Earth. Since then, I have read every book that Maggie has written, and my mother bought me Maggie's tarot cards. I say all of this to say that I was ecstatic to receive an advanced copy of her first Adult book.

As always, she has an insane grasp on both the English language and the vibe of Appalachia. From the start, I loved the reverence with which the Sweetwater was treated by June. I think my favorite magical realism stems from a reverence for nature and the traditions and superstitions of those who came before you. I was engaged through the entire book, whether in June's day to day tasks around the hotel or the slow burn romance in the background. I loved the setting, the auxiliary cast, the slow ramp up to the main plot.

I don't know exactly who to recommend this book for other than for readers who love language. I think you would be doing yourself a disservice to miss this book.

***Thank you to Viking for providing an advanced copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

The writing in The Listeners felt very reminiscent of The Raven Cycle. So, obviously, I was completely enamored with it from the very start. Stiefvater just has the ability to make a setting come to life in such a unique way. She managed to make the Avallon feel like a character all its own that I was invested in getting to know. My only qualm with the world-building was the sweetwater. It was an interesting concept, but I never got a good sense of how it worked, its origin, or really any of the particulars behind its use. It’s also important to note that readers shouldn’t go into this story expecting a ton of magic. The sweetwater is the only magic it’s got.

I found the time period of The Listeners to be so fascinating. I never knew that foreign diplomats during World War 2 were detained at luxury hotels until they were repatriated to their home countries. The story did a really good job of showing how difficult it would be to serve people on the other side of the war who were likely complicit in killing your own drafted loved ones. It was also interesting how the characters utilized luxury to keep tensions from boiling over while also making it a mask for subterfuge.

The story in The Listeners also focused heavily on class struggle. The staff of the hotel, as well as main characters June and Tucker, all come from humble backgrounds. Imagery weaved through the story really highlighted how the lie of luxury survives based entirely on the backs of the lower classes. Without the tireless work and sacrifices of those that lack wealth, the fun, beauty, and extravagance of the upper class would cease to exist. The story also illustrated that June could never really be one of them, no matter how hard she worked to preserve the facade in which the rich lived day to day.

The plot of The Listeners did take quite a while to take off because of the heavy focus on establishing the characters and setting. I enjoyed it because of my interest in the historical events taking place and the beauty of the writing. However, the slow pace likely won’t appeal to everyone. I did struggle a bit with connecting to the characters at first, as well, but they each came into their own by the end. So, if you’re not in the mood for a slow story with characters who gradually gain depth, maybe put this one off for another time.

All in all, The Listeners was a great adult debut for Stiefvater. The writing was beautiful and brought the historical setting to life brilliantly. I never knew I needed a story about a hotel during World War 2, but apparently, I did. lol. The pace was probably a bit too languid at times, and I’d have loved to get more history and info on the magical element. However, the plot, characters, and themes really did end up working well by the end. Therefore, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Mggie Stiefvater’s The Listeners exceeded my expectations! I’ve read all of her titles, and fall into her well crafted worlds each time. The atmosphere can actually be felt as if you are there. The individual characters are so well constructed that I’m totally immersed in them. What a rich tapestry she built! Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for giving me permission to thoroughly indulge myself with this book. I especially enjoyed the sweetwater as a character. The authors writing brought it to life for me! The surprise twists and turns were so much fun!
I’ve been sharing this title and author by word of mouth. Mostly by text and email as I’ve recently broken my left ankle and toe on my right foot! Blessed to have friends with book clubs who use social media. I get the word spread!

Set in 1942 in the luxury hotel The Avalon in West Virginia, the general manager June is faced with a challenge. The State Department has filled the hotel with foreign guests, people they do not know what to do with and who don’t want to be there. She has to deal with staff who are not thrilled and federal agents, in addition to the somewhat magical and temperamental waters flowing around the hotel. Filled with a weird history, some quirky characters and many secrets!

This book was interesting and inventive. It took too long to get to the resolution, esp when we knew which man she would end up with. The waters were vague in the beginning and piqued my interest, but then we never really got to know what their deal was.

The Avallon is a luxury hotel in the wilds of West Virginia. Under the care of general manager June Hudson, the hotel has thrived through the depression. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor the Avallon is to house diplomats from Axis countries. Neither June nor her staff are happy about the change, but they make the best of it, giving the "guests" an unforgettable experience. Behind the scenes is FBI agent Tucker Minnick, who has secrets of his own.

I'm a fan of Maggie Stiefvater from her Young Adult novels. This is her first adult book. The slightly magical world of the Avallon is wonderful and captivating. While the book is fiction, hotel's hosting enemy diplomats is a forgotten piece of history and very interesting. Avallon reveals itself throughout the book. While on the surface everything is perfect, still waters run deep.

I love Stiefvater's writing style and this was definitely an interesting topic that I enjoyed learning about. The plot was a little all over the place, but the atmosphere was on point and lush and engaging.

June works hard as she always has at a hotel in West Virginia. In 1942, the hotel owners make a deal with the state department to house Nazis in the hotel. There is also an FBI agent listening to everything going on in the hotel. Can they keep everything from crashing down around them? You'll have to read to find out. What a ride!

June, a local turned manager, has done everything to turn the Avalion in to a premier spot to be. But when the family make a deal with the government she is at their mercy no matter how she feels about it. The deal, that foreign diplomats and such that they be sent to Avalion to wait out the war. June’s toughest job now is getting staff to treat these people like others that visit the hotel, even though many have loved ones overseas fighting this war against them.
This was a very interesting book a side I had not heard of as of yet. I found it very interesting to see that others finally found out that not everybody from a country or what ever agree with the choices that are made in their behalf being a person of a country. This book has a great story line and wonderful characters. It has some suspense and even so action for being out in the middle of nowhere. This is a great book I hope the author continues writing for all ages.

As with all historical fiction, the reader always learns something. So, it was with The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater. I was totally unaware of a program where the United States government used high end resorts to house Axis diplomats. This novel not only informs the reader but invites them into the world of the Avallon Hotel and Spa in West Virginia. The hotel is run by born and bred local June Porter Hudson. June was befriended at a young age by the Gilfoyle family who own the hotel. She eventually works her way up to general manager, so it falls to her to help the staff adjust to having the “enemy” as guests. FBI agent Tucker Minnick is sent to monitor the “guests” and gather information. The many characters we meet are not too complicate and have their own loyalties and issues. Throw in two love interests and the “sweet waters,” which appear to have mystical qualities. This is a novel of history, romance and magic. Particularly liked the ending.

This was a solid historical fiction novel. I enjoyed the cast of colorful characters and it did make me research this small slice of history that I did not know much about. I was confused as I could not tell if the water was an element of magical realism or not and so I wished I had someone to read this with. The ending was great- I did not see it coming and I enjoyed the epilogue.

I abandoned this book at 60%. I have loved many of Stiefvater's other books so I had high hopes for this title. The plot of a hotel manager having to manage Nazi diplomats and their families was such a neat basis. I loved the magical element of the sweetwater and was curious about the inhabitant of room 411. Unfortunately, these threads were much too small and infrequent to keep me coming back to this book. There were so many characters that were just cameos with no real bearing on the plot that it was easy to get bogged down and lose interest. I kept wondering about the secret of the water and would still love to know more about that, but trudging through more of this book with very little meaningful conflict just isn't worth it for me.

Upon writing this review I am nearly finished reading The Listeners. I will revisit my review if needed once I have finished.

The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater is a reminder of the past, a reflection on how we treat one another, and the embodiment of what it means to show empathy. This historical fiction set in the wake of Pearl Harbor takes true events and infuses them with magical realism in this window into history. A glimpse into the mountains where a hotel is turned into a holding for suspected Nazi spies. June is the manager of the hotel and it’s sweetwater that courses through its veins. She puts aside all she knows of the crimes of those forced to stay in her luxury hotel and treats them as any other guest. Makes them as comfortable as possible and tries to help herself and others forget of the war that rages on. The very war that put them all in the same place. I am new to historical fiction but not new to Maggie Stiefvater’s writing. I read her Wolves of Mercy Falls books as a teenager and when I heard The Listeners was coming out I couldn’t wait.

She did not disappoint. June is a powerful women, one who rose to power through hard work and will not be walked on. She stands her ground even in the face of the government sieging her hotel. She perfectly showcases what it is like to play the part as a service worker. She put all of herself into her job, working to please every person that steps through the door. Even the people she doesn’t want there. The slow burn romance captured that feeling of when you find someone you feel you’ve known all your life without saying so. The relationship between June and Tucker was not your typical romance story. It’s one of two people who are whole heartly devoted to their jobs. Who are trying to survive despite what looms over not just them but the entire country. They both struggle in silence to handle the burdens of the people around them in two very different way.

The characters are complex, the story felt well researched and realistic despite the magical elements within it. The story is mysterious and both heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time. I didn’t want to put it down. I can not recommend this book enough and already have it on my Staff Pick shelf at Book Hounds.

Thank you Netgalley and Viking 100 for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I am a avid fan of historical fiction, especially from the World War II era, so I really anticipated reading this story about a hotel named the “ Avalon” set in West Virginia that became a “ home “ for foreign diplomats and dignitaries from the axis countries. I have to admit that this is a very slow moving story that I skimmed through, the writing was good but I didn’t think the character development was that great plus the addition of the “ sweet water” myth did not do much for me.. I realize that I may be in the minority of reviews for this book, but I guess that it was just my expectations were different.

I just received my Waterstones edition of Stiefvater’s debut adult novel and this one is an unstoppable force filled with mesmerizing lines and characters you will keep safe and rent free in your long term memory. Stiefvater’s writing is one that captivates, transporting readers to the 1940’s to a grand hotel of decadence, luxury and wealth, and the people who make it all possible. And the hotel is commandeered (although the owner is in on it) in a political game no one can escape as the United States enters the Second World War.

Not to be missed, this book is a gem of 2025. It’s not a WWII historical fiction that focuses on the bloodbath of the front, and it’s not an espionage thriller, it’s a story about unimaginable choices in everyday life, from changing bedsheets for Nazis, listening to conversations without being noticed, to relishing the wild and beautiful landscape outside of the Avallon on rationed gasoline. Readers will be drawn in by the magical realism, the enchanting heroine June Porter Hudson, to the hotel itself. Get ready to be swept away by the vivid ferocity of a time and place shrouded in darkness, with the hope that light will be on the horizon.

Thank you to Viking Books and Penguin Random House for the advance readers copy for a review. I absolutely LOVED this book.

thank you PRH audio and Viking for review copies!
Maggie Stiefvater’s The Listeners is a whimsical yet weighty adult debut—rich in atmosphere, historical detail, and emotional resonance. Set in a fictional WWII-era West Virginia resort, the novel blends political intrigue, quiet magic, and slow-burn romance with a reverence for listening in all its forms. June, the capable hotel manager at the story’s heart, is a compelling lead whose compassion guides a staff caught between patriotic tensions and diplomatic duty. While the pacing drags at times and some passages over-explain rather than trust the reader, Stiefvater’s signature style—lush prose, a touch of the surreal, and deeply felt character moments—shines through. Think The Night Circus meets A Gentleman in Moscow, with a touch of Appalachian myth and three unforgettable dachshunds. A thought-provoking, slow-simmering novel that celebrates empathy, resilience, and the quiet magic of paying attention. Four stars.