The Hotel Between

The Hotel Between is a captivating adventure about a boy finding out how to do the right thing in a hotel where doors open up to any place in the world. Imagine riding waterfalls that spit you out half way around the world from where you jumped in. The author, Sean Easley, has clearly spent some time working out how this fantasy world operates with “pins” and “plugs” to make the door hinges function and other imaginative details.

I was immersed throughout the whole book and enjoyed the different personalities of the characters. The main character, Cameron, is always worried about his disabled sister, finding his parents, and learning who to trust, but his new friends (especially his carefree blood-brother, Nico) teach him there is more to life than worrying and that sometimes you have to take risks for people you care about.

This books tackles a lot of heavy material including family members dying, a sister who coughs up blood, and children who are stolen from their families, so it might not be appropriate for younger readers, but 9-15 year olds who can navigate a sometimes-confusing plot will love The Hotel Between. Fans of N. D. Wilson’s 100 Cupboards series will see similarities to this book.