An abandoned hotel that is slowly rotting back into the earth. Curses that begin with an unfortunate meeting of the eye. Ghosts watching your every move from an attic window. The number of people that The Hotel Seabrink has claimed over the years is shocking. The story hooked me immediately. Probably was not the smartest move to begin it at 10:00 at night. It kept me up, wondering what was lying in wait for me. I could not help but connect with the characters. Each coming to the table with their own secrets. The chance meeting in this abandoned place made the entire world spin on its axis and finally allowed the truth to be free.

Aubrey Spencer loves photographing abandoned places. The intense quiet, the reclaiming the earth makes of the structure and everything within. The moss and fern covered couches, the cloying smell of decay filled my nose, and I so wanted to be there to experience it for myself. When Aubrey stumbles across Dimitri Petroff, who is taking photos and videos for his upcoming show, Abandoned. They instantly feel at ease with one another, understanding each other thoroughly. That chance meetup leads to dinner and a single night together. At 4:07 Aubrey wakes to find Dimitri not tucked in next to her. She becomes worried and goes outside to find him lying at the bottom of the cliff. Is it because of the Seabrink curse? Was Dimitri not who he said he was? Or is there more to the hotels past that keeps haunting the present?

I ripped through this book, white pieces of paper floating in the air. Much like the paint that drifts from the Seabrink's ceiling, coating everything beneath. The Seabrink Hotel was not started as a hotel. Oh no, it has a much darker past that I will let you uncover on your own. You need to add this book to your tbr immediately. It is such a fantastic read to devour. While chills roll down your spine and your neck hairs immediately stand on end, as you find yourself holding your breath waiting for what is to come. Thank you to Juliet Blackwell and Berkley for my gifted copy.

A slow burning twisted and spooky thriller that slowly pulls you in.
Aubrey has a love for old and abandoned building through her photography telling their stories through her eyes. She meets Dimitri at the Asylum Hotel where they both share the same passion in sharing, him through his you tube channel and her through photographs. Quickly this turns to murder/mystery along with ghosts and stories that happened at the Asylum Hotel leaving you guessing if it’s ghosts or not.

2.5 stars

i liked the idea of this book more than the execution. the fmc Aubrey meets a man named Demitri while exploring the abandoned Seabrink Hotel, which is rumored to have a ghost that haunts it. when he later turns up dead, Aubrey decides to figure out what happened to him. i wish this leaned more deeply into the paranormal aspect, there was a lot of speculation and information being thrown at me about the history of the occupants of the hotel that i really didn’t care too much about honestly. i did like Aubrey’s friend and Jasper though but I found it weird that Aubrey was doing all this for a guy she barely knew. i also found the whole stalker ex plot line random, it was too much going on and it started to get messy. the reveals came out of left field and didn’t make much sense to me. i didn’t hate this but it wasn’t what i wanted and ended up being lackluster.

Barely held on through this book. Didn't enjoy writing style and the entire story felt messy and lacked direction.

A haunted house but make it an abandoned hotel / previous asylum linked to several mysterious deaths.

I enjoyed how atmospheric this book was and how much history the building has.

I thought the book moved at a good pace it didn’t feel like the story lagged at all, at some points I did get more YA vibes but it didn’t prevent me from enjoying the plot. The are some spooky scenes but more on the light side, I would have loved the author to delve further into the creepy atmosphere, I think a little darker or edgier would have worked really with the storyline.

Read if you like:
🥀 Local legends
🥀 Ghosts
🥀 Curses

Thank you to Berkeley Publishing for the #gifted copy.

Book publishes on: July 29th

First of all, this cover is so good! I mean, the graphic, the colors, the font *chef's kiss*. I really loved the scenes in the Hotel Seabrink. I could have read a whole book of the characters just walking around inside. I didn't love a lot of the other characters (especially the terribly unprofessional detective) and I did roll my eyes a few times. I read another reviewer say this read a bit like YA and I agree with that assessment.

Thank you so much to @AceBooksPub for the free book 👻👻 #Berkley #BerkleyPartner.

I’m a sucker for haunted houses and supernatural elements in books, which made Asylum Hotel a must-read 👻.

I really enjoyed this one, and it reminded me a bit of Simone St. James’ books.

I was fascinated by The Hotel Seabrink and its history. It was an abandoned luxury hotel and a former asylum. The majority of the hotel was intact, as if it were frozen in time, which gave the book a cool gothic vibe. Local legend also indicated that it was haunted and cursed, which I was dying to learn more about.

The spooky touches were good, but I’m greedy and wanted more 😈👻. While I think there was room for the author to push the envelope a bit more, it would be the perfect amount of thrills and chills for readers newer to the genre.

Aubrey Spencer is taking a break from her career as an architect after the death of her father and a problem with one of her buildings. She has always been interested in photographing abandoned places.

When she hears about the abandoned Hotel Seabrink, she is intrigued. There are lots of local legends about the place including ghosts and curses, but there is almost no information about the hotel on the internet.

She meets Dmitri while she is exploring and taking pictures of the old building with its sulphur springs in the basement and largely intact furnishings. He is there exploring the possibility of using the hotel in his upcoming Netflix series. He's a successful YouTuber with lots of followers.

The two hit it off and even spend the night together. But the next morning he's missing from her bed and soon discovered at the base of Dead Man's Bluff. The local police want to write it off as a suicide, but neither Aubrey nor Jasper, the paramedic who repelled down to get the body believe it.

When Aubrey starts getting notes telling her to stop investigating, she calls on her friend Nikki to come be with her. However, Nikki is being trailed by her stalker ex-boyfriend Ty who just adds more complications to the investigation.

This story was spooky but with elements of humor too since Nikki has a vast store of information learned from horror movies that she keeps mentioning. I enjoyed this atmospheric story and its intriguing setting.

The crumbling Seabrink Hotel hung over the coastline in Blackwell's "Asylum Hotel" like it was watching and waiting. I swear, the atmosphere was so thick with dread I could almost taste the salt air mixing with all those decades of secrets.

I couldn't figure out if I should be scared of ghosts or actual killers, and that's what really hooked me. Just when I'd think "okay, this is definitely a ghost story," some very real threat would pop up from the shadows. My pulse went crazy during parts where Aubrey walked through those rotting hallways, floorboards squeaking under her feet while something—or someone—was definitely watching her.

The weather was practically its own character, with creepy fog that rolled in right when you were about to figure something out. Blackwell really knew how to use stormy skies and misty mornings to crank up the tension.

I got totally invested in Aubrey and her bestie Nikki. They'd been through some rough stuff together, and it made their friendship feel real. The way they had each other's backs while dealing with their own baggage added some heart to what could've just been another mystery thriller.

I kept playing detective the whole time—side-eyeing every weird noise, shadow, and sketchy local. Was I dealing with some angry spirit from the hotel's asylum days or just a garden-variety murderer?

The story moved at just the right speed, bouncing between hold-your-breath suspense and quieter moments that were just as unsettling. The reveal of whodunnit left me surprised. Overall, I enjoyed the mix of mystery and supernatural.

Special thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for providing the advance copy, though all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I really like this author. I like the characters and the setting of a haunted building and what was going to happen next kept me reading.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Are you ready for a read that will grip you from the first page and refuse to let go? Because Juliet Blackwell's Asylum Hotel is exactly that, and then some!

From the moment I cracked open Asylum Hotel, I knew I was in for a wild ride. This book isn't just dark; it's chilling, absolutely mind-blowing, and had me holding my breath more times than I can count. Seriously, I was so consumed, I practically inhaled the pages, desperate to know what twisted secret would be revealed next.

Juliet Blackwell masterfully weaves a tale around the derelict Seabrink Hotel, a place brimming with a torrid past and whispers of resident ghosts. Our protagonist, Aubrey Spencer, a photographer with a knack for unearthing secrets in forgotten places, stumbles upon the hotel and a mysterious figure in her photos. What starts as a shared fascination with an online celebrity quickly spirals into something far more sinister when he's found dead.

But this isn't just a simple whodunit. As Aubrey digs deeper into the hotel's dark origins (it was once an asylum, folks!), she uncovers eerie parallels between past and present murders. Someone is clearly desperate to keep the truth buried, and trust me, the suspense will have you on the edge of your seat.

If you're looking for a book that will pull you in, mess with your head, and leave you utterly satisfied (and maybe a little spooked), then Asylum Hotel is your next must-read. It's a journey into the shadows where every creak and whisper feels real. Get ready to be consumed!

I loved the atmosphere of this book—the eerie charm of the old hotel, the coastal decay, the ghostly whispers of its past. Juliet Blackwell paints the setting so vividly that the Seabrink Hotel felt like a character in its own right. That part? Perfection.

That said, the overall story didn’t quite land for me. It read more like a YA novel, which isn’t a bad thing, but it left me wanting more depth,

Still, if you’re in the mood for something spooky but light, with a richly gothic setting and a whiff of ghosts, this is a quick and atmospheric read.

I picked this one up firstly because of the stunning cover. It pulled me in and I needed to find out more. Then the blurb sold me. I had a feeling that this book would be right up my alley and that it was. I loved following Aubrey’s passion for photographing forgotten places, and I felt her curiosity and unease as she stepped into the Hotel Seabrink. I was just as intrigued by Dimitri as she was and I admired Aubrey’s refusal to accept the easy answers. I loved learning about the hotel’s chilling history, especially its origins as an asylum. I was fascinated by the parallels between past and present murders, and I felt the tension ratchet up with every new clue. I

If you’re looking for a read that’s a blend mystery, history, and a touch of the supernatural.

I received an ARC of this book, I also went into this book completely blind. However, what I thought this book was going to be like was not what it ended up being and honestly I’m disappointed! I’m not a huge fan of “historical” thrillers or mysteries, meaning when it’s about a property, land or family and connecting the dots from the past to the present and how that all adds up to what is going on in the present. These types of stories just always seem so slow and just don’t have enough going on to really grab my attention for the entire story! Which sucks, because this story started off really well, but after about the first 10% it really took a turn and bogged the whole story down. Nothing “big” started happening it felt like until 3/4 of the way through the story, and even that wasn’t enough to wow me. I really really wanted to love this one, but I just didn’t. It was just okay and I really wasn’t a fan of the writing style either. If it was up to me, I would say skip this one, I don’t think you’d be missing very much, but give it a try. If you like “historical” thrillers or mysteries then you may love this more than I did!

Asylum Hotel by Juliet Blackwell is a mix of mystery and paranormal elements, set in a hotel with a dark past that adds a spooky, atmospheric vibe throughout the book. What I liked most was the way Blackwell developed the main character and the setting. The hotel itself almost feels like a character, with its eerie history and secrets. The mystery kept me guessing, and I enjoyed piecing things together alongside the protagonist.
The writing style is clear and engaging, which made it easy to stay hooked. Some moments gave me chills, but also some warmth and humor that balanced the darker parts well. The pacing worked for me—it moved steadily without dragging, which kept the tension alive. If I had one critique, it’s that some plot points felt a bit predictable, but overall, the story still held my interest until the end.

It’s been a little while since I’ve read this author, so when I saw this, I had to try her again because I did like her paranormal books. This is definitely on the paranormal side, but it’s more of a light horror. Aubrey is a photographer and architect who is suffering from trauma and is taking pictures of an abandoned hotel that’s about to be renovated. When someone she just met is found dead by apparent suicide, she doesn’t believe it, and she decids to find out what really happened…if she isn’t stopped by the hotel and someone else first. This is a well-written, atmospheric, intriguing book that kept me guessing until the very end. If you like a ghost story with a side of suspense, definitely give this one a try. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

Love the premise, and the atmosphere around the hotel is really well done. Sadly, I had a hard time suspending my disbelief when Dmitri met his untimely demise. I would have liked more between Aubrey and Dmitri before he died — and I felt like her reaction to his death was... unsatisfactory. She didn't feel like she was reacting the way a real person would to the circumstances. And the interactions with the police also felt a little off. The quality of the writing is great, but it wasn't enough to sell me on the story.

I didn't know what to expect while getting into this book. But after reading it, I can clearly say it perfectly blends supernatural and mystery. I love the main character and her motivation and of course her hobby of capturing houses with s history. The ambience was so creepy and at times it really seemed this will turn into a full fledged horror novel. The twist at the very beginning had me gasping. I didn't expect it to go that way. I was really shipping them so hard! Nonetheless it is a great read, albeit a little light who read mostly horror like me.

This was my first book that I've read by Juliet Blackwell and I liked it enough that I'm curious about what else she has released.

This book had everything that I like to read about in it. Our FMC, Aubrey is a photographer who likes to visit and photograph old, abandoned buildings. (Sounds like me) Aubrey visits Hotel Seabrink which is infamous for being haunted by two women who died on the premises. She soon meets Dimitri and kicks it off with him until discovering his "suicide" the next morning. Everything about this blurb immediately caught my attention.

The book started off pretty strong and fast. We immediately got some backstory but also quickly got into the first death with Dimitri. I was hooked once the investigation started and they were speaking about how his wounds weren't consistent with suicide wounds. I love a good sleuthing and I'm all for ghost books so this worked well for me. I thought it was a pretty balanced mix between the two elements. Sometimes when books have a more realistic background (such as a murder investigation), the paranormal will feel out of place. I thought this made sense for the story. Neither side was overbearing.

I really liked both Aubrey and Nikki. I enjoyed their characters and the dynamic that they had together. The male characters weren't as compelling to me but I don't think it took too much away from the story.

Overall, I liked the mystery and the reveal. I thought some spots within this book were maybe a bit overdone. I felt like some of the "extra" could've been trimmed out a little bit more just to make the flow more enjoyable but it was pretty minimal. The plot was easy to follow and the writing was pretty straightforward. I thought this was a solid read and I think a lot of people should enjoy this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for honest review.
Asylum Hotel is a mystery with supernatural elements. The story follows Aubrey who enjoys photographing abandoned buildings and happens upon the Sebrink.
My favorite parts of the book were the scenes within the hotel. They included interesting descriptions and created a spooky atmosphere. I just wish there had been more of them.
The dialogue at times felt clunky and formal, not how people ( especially those just meeting for the first time) would speak to one another. I would have loved more character development, what we got was superficial and not very deep aside from Aubrey and Nikki's relationship. Their banter was entertaining.
Overall an easy read with a good premise. We just ended up with more of the real people being the bad guys and less supernatural than I would have liked.