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.

Aubrey Spencer enjoys spending her free time photographing abandoned places. Something about seeing the loneliness of these places through her viewfinder relaxes Aubrey and gives her the perspective her messy life needs at the moment. When she hears about the Hotel Seabrink, a once famous luxury hotel that catered to the Hollywood elite but that now lays derelict overlooking the sea, Aubrey knows it'll be perfect. But when she gets there she encounters Dimitri Petroff, an online celebrity who shares her fascination with old buildings. The pair hit it off and spend the night together, but in the morning, Dimitri's body is found at the base of a cliff. The local authorities are quick to brush the case off, but Aubrey feels there's more to it, especially when she learns the dark history of the Seabrink. As she digs deeper into the hotel and Dimitri's life, it's clear someone is trying to keep Aubrey from the truth using whatever means necessary.

I love a haunted setting, so I was looking forward to picking this up. The premise sounded so cool. I liked our main character Aubrey, but I wanted more of an emotional connection. The mystery aspect was intriguing enough. I was just as invested as Aubrey was to uncover the truth about what was going on. It kept me flipping the pages and I flew through it in one sitting. Blackwell's writing was descriptive and I appreciated how much research she did to get all the little details just so. However, I felt the book was overwritten and a lot of the dialogue felt unrealistic. The ending also felt rushed and some of the reveals seemed to come out of nowhere. I'd still recommend checking it out if you're looking for a spooky summer read, but it wasn't a new favorite.

This gave me The Shining Vibes and I'm here for it. The YA books are really showing up lately. 1920s cursed hotel that goes abandoned for years. Along comes Aubrey who's hobbies include photography and checking out abandoned buildings. She heads to Hotel Seabrink where she bumps into Dimitri who has a YouTube channel centered around investigating abandoned buildings. One of these 2 will not make it out of this hotel alive.

Juliet brought this story to life. One of the most descriptively eerie books I've read to date. You can tell the author did her research & it really immerses you into this creepy story. I was slightly scared during some parts that seemed like light horror.

The ending felt a little rushed which I was slightly disappointed in, but it was still a great book for me. I'm giving it a solid 4 stars and I would definitely read more by this author.

3/5 stars ⭐️

This books sounded like a good thriller but I honestly wasn't that into it.

This story fully immersed me in the paranormal, haunted and ghostly vibes as the central part of the story was all about the Hotel Seabrink. BUT, I would've wanted to get to see more of the characters personalities and true depths come to play though, as I did feel this novel lacked in that area. As well, closer to the end when the backstory of our character Demitri is explained, I became very confused with the whole dynamic of the family tree and historical past. Not sure if it was just me or what, but I really wish that throughout the novel that backstory was unraveled instead of in just one scene. This would've made the pacing and plot much cleaner.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this as an ARC for review.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to read and review the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Hotel Seabrink was a hot spot for celebrities and the rich in the 1920s. It ended up abandoned after mysterious deaths and now rumored to be not only haunted by those who died but cursed. Photographer Aubrey Spencer has always been interested in abandoned buildings and can’t pass up this mysterious hotel that barely has any mentions in her research before it’s renovated. While on the grounds, she comes across a Dimitri who films abandoned places for his YouTube channel. The next day he’s found dead on the grounds and the police are quick to rule it a suicide. But that may not be the case. The hotel has taken other lives. The author really did their research and I loved how atmospheric and descriptive the book was. I really didn’t care for the ending but I enjoyed it so much up to that point I’m not going to let it affect my rating.

A fun thriller based on an abandoned hotel.

The Hotel Seabrink had been long abandoned but also guarded by the Groff family owners. Aubrey sneaks on to the property to do what she loves most - take photos. While she surveys the 1920's property she runs into other lost souls - including one who is a youtuber scavenger. When the scavenger is found dead the next morning, Aubrey believes foul play is to blame. The local police ignore her and she returns to the Seabrink to find answers.,

What she finds at the hotel kicks off a whole other absorbing mystery that draws you quickly in. #berkley #asylumhotel #julietblackwell

How did Aubrey get into this mess?

One minute she was in an abandoned hotel taking photos, met Dimitri who was also taking photos, spent the night with him, and then found out he was at the bottom of a cliff.

Did the Seabrink Hotel really have a curse if you enter it and see a woman on the top floor?

Did Dimitri see that ghost or was this foul play?

Aubrey has no idea what happened to Dimitri, and then she gets a warning message saying to stop looking for clues or she is next.

What is going on? Then another warning message appears.

Aubrey has so much to deal with and now a mystery to solve about who Dimitri really was and if someone pushed him.

Aubrey starts to investigate with a friend despite the notes and talks to a local historian hoping to find out more, but meanwhile she and her friend get into some hot water inside the supposedly haunted Seabrink Hotel.

Asylum Hotel is enjoyable and is a good mystery, but I am not a fan of paranormal and this book wasn't a favorite of hers for me, and it was bit long.

Her historical fiction books were marvelous and more to my liking. 3/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

👻 F R E A K Y F R I D A Y review 👻 featuring “Asylum Hotel” by Juliet Blackwell!

The Hotel Seabrink was once an exclusive hotel that catered to the elites of society back in the 1920s. With cliffside ocean views and stunning architecture, this was the place to go to when visiting this small coastal town in Northern California.

Now completely abandoned and destitute after closing its doors following the deaths of two young women within its walls, it’s rumoured to be haunted and holds a deadly CURSE!

Aubrey Spencer has always been interested in photographing old and abandoned buildings. While trespassing on the grounds of the Seabrink, she meets a famous YouTuber named Dimitri who films abandoned sites on his channel. The pair hit it off immediately and share many common interests … until the next morning when Dimitri is found dead at the bottom of the cliff. The police are quick to close his case, but Aubrey is nervous that the curse may have gotten him … or something much more sinister.

The more information that Aubrey digs up about the Seabrink and its history, the more haunting and unsettling things become for her. She begins to receive threats to stay away and has no idea how much danger she is in!

💭 I really love how unique this story is and how much research was put into it. The mash up of gothic vibes, atmospheric thriller and small town cozy mystery is beautifully written. I am always down for a haunted setting that comes alive on the pages and has paranormal elements and a dark history that you are desperate to find out more about!

Thank you kindly to @julietblackwellauthor @berkleypub @berkleypub @netgalley for my #gifted advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This book releases on July 29, 2025!

"When a mysterious figure shows up in the photograph an architect takes of the derelict Seabrink Hotel, ghostly encounters and murder are unleashed.

Aubrey Spencer loves photographing classic old buildings and abandoned places that hold old secrets. The Hotel Seabrink, perched overlooking the sea, is one such place. Currently abandoned but scheduled for a major renovation, it has a torrid history. Back in the 1920s it hosted A-list celebrity clientele, and now the locals insist it is haunted by the ghosts of two young women who died there. When Aubrey goes to photograph the site before the renovation begins, she bumps into a man named Dimitri Petroff, a minor online celebrity who shares her fascination with old buildings, the Hotel Seabrink in particular.

When he is found dead the next day at the base of a cliff, the police are quick to close the investigation. But Aubrey feels unsettled by locals who claim he was murdered and that it's not the first time someone interested in the hotel was killed. As she digs deeper into the property's dark history (and its origins as an asylum) as well as Dimitri's professional rivalries, she becomes mired in an unsolved murder case from several decades earlier, one with eerie parallels to the contemporary case. But someone is determined to keep her from discovering the truth - at any cost."

Well yeah, don't go digging for the truth, you've seen what happens to those who do!

Kept me guessing to the end. I could easily envision the beauty of the coast and the creepiness of the hotel. Loved it!

I just wrapped up a book that had me hooked from page one, Asylum Hotel. The cover alone screamed creepy vibes, and it did not disappoint at all. This story dives into the eerie world of an abandoned hotel with a checkered past which is perfect for all you ghost story enthusiasts. Aubrey, our main character who's both a photographer and architect, finds herself exploring the Seabrink Hotel's haunting history. She crosses paths with a YouTuber who’s obsessed with paranormal adventures, leading to some seriously spine-chilling moments. The atmospheric tension and historical depth kept me guessing right until the last page. If you're into abandoned haunts and small-town mysteries filled with twists and turns, this one's definitely worth your time. Mark your calendars because it's hitting shelves on July 29th! Now tell men what’s your most recent atmospheric read?

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

An architect visits an abandoned hotel with a mysterious history of poverty and opulence. In addition, there are several explained and unexplained deaths.

Don't let the title and cover fool you--Asylum Hotel by Juliet Blackwell may start dark (creepy abandoned hotel/asylum, suicide in the night of the main character's one night stand), but it quickly switches into something that I guess I'll call "cozy horror". If that seems like a bad contradiction, that's because it is. Truly.

Aubrey, trained as an architect but now taking photos of abandoned places, has taken a vacation to explore the dilapidated Hotel Seabrink. The first day, she stumbles across a fellow explorer, Dimitri. They hit it off, spend the night together, and the next morning he is found dead at the bottom of a cliff. It's ruled a suicide by a cop who is auditioning to play Barney Fife, so Aubrey starts investigating.

The stories of the Seabrink are chilling, moreso since the curse that it supposedly carries follows anyone who has been to the property. However, Aubrey can't stop digging, even once she realizes that Dimitri may not have been who he said. Evidently the kind of person who is the first to die in a horror movie, Aubrey keeps going back anyway, discovering little bits of the hotel's dark history.

The fluffy aspect of this asylum/suicide/abandoned murder house story really bothered me. It seemed like Aubrey and the rest of the cast of characters had just been dropped in from one of those mysteries about cupcakes and puppies (which, one might note, is where Juliet Blackwell got her name in writing). The horror and the cozy mixed like oil and water, and I could never get the two conflicting sides of the story to come together for me.

I love the concept of the story and just from the title alone, captured my attention! The beginning felt as if it had a lot of set up, detail, history which some people really like but it felt a tad bit slow for me.

The ending was a bit anticlimactic but in general the book had great vibes, was very eerie and thrilling.

Overall, it was an okay read. The descriptions of the hotel were well done but overall the storyline and characters lacked depth, and the ending felt rushed and thrown together.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance reader copy.

The beginning of this book drew me in! I loved the idea of the storyline. The fact that there was this creepy abandoned hotel that could be haunted and figuring out what was going on there. Plus it was set in NorCal when I’m from there also. I felt like this book had so much potential!

It was really repetitive though. I felt like I read the same line about ten times throughout the book. And the story was a bit drawn out. It kept me interested though and I still liked the creepy factor. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I’ve been a fan of Juliet Blackwell’s books for a long time, beginning with her Lily Ivory series and expanding into her later forays in longer fiction. I confess, I was very disappointed to hear that the Lily Ivory series has sunsetted, but I’m very okay with giving that up in favor of this absolute STAR of a book! Turns out Blackwell’s earlier writing was just practice for this full-blown, mysterious, scary, imaginative story.

Everything here works seamlessly to deliver a taut, suspenseful, and very well written paranormal mystery. It’s just the right amount of scary blended with a well-plotted mystery, resulting in a startling and very satisfying conclusion. Blackwell steps into the circle with authors like Simone St. James and Sarah Rayne, delivering a story that will keep you turning pages, albeit with all the lights on.

So well done!

I really enjoyed this thriller. It was one of those that just creeps you out Very addicting!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this book! From the cover, to the characters, to the plot I thought it was fantastic! The book completely blind sides you in the first couple chapters and now you’re done for because you’ll spend the rest of the day reading this book just to see how it ends! I think it had a nice balance of mystery, paranormal, and thriller. I thought the ending was unpredictable. I wish they spent a little more time in the hotel itself as opposed to seeking its secrets outside but in the end it all got wrapped up in a nice little bow.

Release: July 28, 2025
Author: Juliet Blackwell
Publisher: Berkeley Publishing

Rating: 4 ★ 

Aubrey Spencer has a passion for photographing old, abandoned buildings, especially ones with a mysterious past. The Seabrink Hotel, a once-glamorous seaside getaway turned decaying landmark, is just that kind of place—full of eerie stories and local legends, including rumors of ghostly apparitions and tragic deaths. As the hotel is set to undergo renovations, Aubrey visits to capture its crumbling beauty, but her trip takes a strange turn when she meets Dimitri Petroff, a fellow urban explorer and online personality.
When Dimitri is found dead the next morning under suspicious circumstances, Aubrey can’t shake the feeling that something is seriously wrong. Locals whisper about the hotel being cursed and hint that Dimitri’s death mirrors others from the past. Determined to uncover the truth, Aubrey begins digging into the hotel’s dark history—including its days as an asylum—and finds chilling connections between Dimitri’s death and a decades-old unsolved murder. But as she gets closer to the truth, it becomes clear someone is watching her—and will do whatever it takes to keep the hotel’s secrets buried.
Asylum Hotel was an atmospheric, eerie read that completely pulled me in with its setting. The abandoned Seabrink Hotel, once a glamorous hotspot and later an asylum, was the perfect backdrop for a haunting mystery. I loved the creepy vibes, the ghostly rumors, and the sense that the building itself held secrets just waiting to be uncovered.
Aubrey, a photographer with a passion for exploring old, forgotten places, was a relatable and curious lead. Her encounter with Dimitri, a YouTuber with a similar obsession, adds an intriguing dynamic—especially when his sudden death throws her into a deeper investigation. The mystery had me hooked, especially as more of the hotel’s dark past was revealed, including a potential curse and ties to another decades-old murder.
The writing really brought the hotel to life—descriptions were vivid and immersive, making it easy to picture every creaking floorboard and shadowy hallway. I appreciated the light touch of the supernatural—enough to keep me wondering, but grounded enough not to feel over-the-top. That balance really worked for me.
That said, there were a few bumps. Some parts of the story felt a bit scattered or rushed, especially toward the end. I was left with a few unanswered questions and felt the conclusion could have been stronger. Also, while Aubrey was a solid main character, I found some of the side characters more interesting and wished they had been explored more.
Still, this book gave me all the haunted hotel and eerie small-town mystery vibes I was hoping for. If you enjoy a mix of cozy mystery, light horror, and historical intrigue with just a hint of romance, Asylum Hotel is definitely worth a read.

Favorite Quote:
"the walls of a house hold more than just bricks and mortar-they carry the weight of its history."