Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC!!

This book made me forget that I actually am not a very big historical fiction fan. I adored this book and enjoyed every aspect of the story. The ending, to me, was exactly what I was hoping for. I have to admit, though, that I cannot say if this book was historically accurate or not, so that did not affect my rating in any way. Overall, I loved this book and every character, side-plot, snail, and the tiniest hint of magic now has my heart. I will be thinking about June and The Avallon and Tucker and Sandy for a while, I can promise you that.

4/5 Stars <3

"The Listeners" by Maggie Stiefvater is a captivating and atmospheric novel that draws readers into a world steeped in folklore and magic.

Not especially transportive and fairly dry, as well. I wasn’t interested in the topic to begin with, but the thought of Stiefvater writing an adult novel sounded promising. I wasn’t drawn to the characters, and I found this hotel, filled with a cross-section of workers of all kinds who all conveniently got along together despite obvious problems associated with the time, felt white-washed. It seemed like something otherworldly was on the horizon, and I have limited tolerance for that unless it’s really compelling. So I dropped it.

I am a big fan of Maggie Stievater’s young adult novels, and thus was deeply excited to receive an advanced readers copy of The Listeners, her very first foray into the genre of adult speculative fiction. As usual, she did not disappoint. It is an extremely original novel that beautifully blends historical fiction was a touch of the magical. I loved the setting of The Avallon, a hotel which is as much a character as the humans who work and reside within it. I admit I found some elements of the plot to be a tad confusing, which keeps me from giving it a perfect score, but ultimately found reading it to be a fascinating and enjoyable experience.

Maggie Stiefvater has always been one of my favorites. She writes worlds that no one has ever thought of before. In this book we have June who runs the hotel and caters to your every need. Over the years she has learned so much about her customers. But when was breaks out and she is tasked with housing Nazis at her hotel she has to change her perspective and figure out where she still fits into this world.
I loved that it's a look at a woman keeping everything together when the world around her is falling apart. Stiefvater builds a world that draws you in and keeps you hooked until the end.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

This was unlike any book I have ever read. Our protagonist, June, is the manager of a hotel that caters to your every need, but when war breaks out her hotel becomes a haven for captured Axis diplomats...Nazis. What I love about Stiefvater's writing is the way she slowly unveils more and more of the story while keeping you wholly entranced by the world she is building around it. Stiefvater has described this as her most vulnerable novel, the novel of her heart and when an author says that I KNOW I am in for a treat, and I was not let down. Filled with a wonder that makes even the most commonplace of settings ( a hotel--even if it is a luxury hotel) seem extraordinary in a way that I have only seen Stiefvater do, this is an adult debut you do not want to miss!

5 stars

I’m blown away! Stiefvater perfectly captures the emotional weight of a woman tasked with holding everything together in a world that is falling apart. The setting, both the physical hotel and the historical moment, is rich with atmosphere and sharply observed. It’s not just a story about a hotel; it’s about the people inside it, the choices they must make, and the secrets they keep. This is a book for readers who love character-driven stories, historical fiction with real stakes, and a romance that’s both unexpected and deeply poignant.

I enjoyed this book very much. I liked how the staff were trained throughout the years to treat each guest special and remember their likes and dislikes from year to year and how this very same staff then had to learn to deal with the enemies staying within this same luxury resort. The same enemies that have already killed some of their husbands, sons, fathers and knowing there were more deaths coming and yet treating the diplomats and their families like they were royalty.

I liked the back stories going on and was especially surprised by the ending. Shhhhhh, no spoiler!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Maggie Stievfvater. It was my first. book of hers, but won't be my last!

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Group, Viking Penguin and the author for an ARC of this book. I am under no obligation to give a review of this book.