I desperately wanted to love this book. The cover is beautiful, it’s got all the Hotel Magnifique, The Night Circus, and Caraval vibes I wanted, and it was set in Vegas! I breezed through the first half of this book but I found the plot plateaued and it was a struggle to finish. The world building / magic made less sense as the story progressed and there were many things left unaddressed by the end. Writing these things off as “part of the magic” just wasn’t an option. It seemed unfinished.

There were things I did like. I thought the romance was sweet and overall, the story was appropriate for a younger YA reader. I liked the whimsical setting so much and would want to read another book set in the Houdini.

I went in with very high hopes for this one and it was good but not great.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read another Goodreads review of this that questioned "do we need another book with this plot" and my answer is a resounding yes. I am a Delilah Dawson fangirl from her Star Wars books, but I'll now be reading everything else she's written because this was a delight. 16 year old Anna finds herself captive in a magical hotel one stormy night, and may not be able to escape. The history of the hotel slowly unfolds throughout, as you get snippets of Anna's father's business and the hotel's intimidating matriarch. Who also happens to have a 16 year old son in the hotel as well. Max and Anna cross paths, and Max warns Anna that guests of the Houdini don't check out. Escape attempts ensue.

While reading, I thought "oh this reminds me of The Night Circus" and two pages later, Anna references The Night Circus.. This book brought the exact same magic for me. Incredible world building - I'd stay at The Houdini (the magical version) in an instant.

This book was absolutely enchanting. I loved this! I was mesmerized by this story it was so good!
I just reviewed Midnight at the Houdini by Delilah S. Dawson. #MidnightattheHoudini #NetGalley
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The plot of Midnight at the Houdini is a delightful blend of mystery and fantasy. Dawson expertly intertwines historical events and real-life figures with her own imaginative twists. The pacing is brisk, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as the story unfolds, and the clues are cleverly scattered, inviting readers to piece together the puzzle alongside Clara.

Moreover, the author's prose is elegant and evocative, creating an ethereal ambiance that perfectly complements the magical elements of the story. The dialogue is witty and engaging, capturing the unique personalities of each character. Dawson's writing style is both enchanting and accessible, making the book a pleasure to read for both young adult and adult readers alike.

However, while Midnight at the Houdini captivates with its enchanting world and compelling characters, some readers might find certain plot twists predictable. Additionally, the book occasionally introduces concepts or magical elements that could have been further explored or developed to enhance the story's depth.

Overall, "Midnight at the Houdini" is an enthralling read that combines mystery, magic, and historical fiction with finesse. Delilah S. Dawson's masterful storytelling transports readers into a world where nothing is as it seems and invites them to unravel the secrets of the Houdini'. With its compelling characters, atmospheric setting, and an engaging plot, this book is sure to leave readers spellbound until the very last page.

When I first read the summary for Midnight at the Houdini, I thought it would be a whole lot like Hotel Magnifique or The Splendor. While this book shares some of those magical hotel elements, it is wholly its own story.

This story is pretty dark, but I couldn't put it down.

When Anna escapes a tornado by fleeing into a hotel, she realizes that leaving isn't easy. She has to unravel a mystery to free herself and others by midnight. I loved the eerie, magical hotel, but like Anna, I didn't feel like we could slow down to enjoy it because of the underlying current of time running out.
I recommend this fast paced adventure to all the magic loving readers out there.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Children's for an early copy for review.

“The night is perfect and glorious and sparkling, too beautiful to be real. Like magic.” Dare to enter the magical and mysterious hotel - The Houdini. This story was filled with whimsical detail and intrigue, similar to ‘The Splendor’ and ‘Hotel Magnifique.’ The main character’s journey followed a similar path as ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ also conveying a sense of eerie loneliness similar to that in ‘Passengers.’
This book appeals more to a younger YA audience, and it may be for that reason that the plot felt slow at times. The romance was light and clean - another reason I would recommend this book to a younger audience.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children’s Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I really enjoyed the adventure that "Midnight at the Houdini" brought me on, it very much brought me to the happy place that stories like Narnia, Caraval, and Alice Through the Looking Glass always held me. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

A storm, a hotel called Houdini, and a girl seeking shelter. Except, all is not as it seems at the Houdini. Anna finds herself at a race against time if she ever wishes to leave the magical hotel and possibly, the beautiful boy residing in it.

The cover for this book is quite fun! As is the plot for it. It’s similar to a few other books I’ve read, and like many readers out there, I do enjoy “same story, different font.” It certainly maintained its own uniqueness and storyline, enough to keep me reading.

The writing was a little different than I’d envisioned it to be, but I suppose it helped capture what the story was. I did love the little nods to stories like Alice in Wonderland and Narnia.

It was interesting getting to see a little bit inside of other characters in the book, their backstories and such and how they allowed it to influence them.

All in all, it was an enjoyable story, deserving of 3.5-4 stars for sure!

Thank you NetGalley, Children’s Random House and Delacorte press for the e-arc!

Ten year olds having crushes on each other while drinking beverages that look like alcohol in swimming suits at a pool party is not my kind of YA or middle grade reading.
Do not recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to preview this title before its publication.

3 stars

I want to start by saying: I absolutely love the idea, and the author did an excellent job with the storyline. The romance was really light and sweet!

However, it did take me a while to get into and understand what was going on, and by the time that happened, the quest had become less exciting and fell flat. The characters were underdeveloped and I felt like the book was unfinished. There were too many things that weren't wrapped up at the end.

Because of the writing style, I don't think this is YA but middle grade, Overall, I liked it but wasn't in love, which is disappointing because I had high hopes! Thanks, NetGalley and Random House Children’s, for this ARC for an honest review.

Delilah S. Dawson’s MIDNIGHT AT THE HOUDINI is best described as a YA mash-up of classic tales gone bad.

I want to first acknowledge that I can see how readers may enjoy the ongoing nods to other works, but I personally could not connect with the reimagined story, or its many characters. Don’t get me wrong, this book does have some redeeming charm, but the overall direction and structure of MIDNIGHT AT THE HOUDINI just didn’t do it for me.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.*

This book reminds me of a game simulator! Each door Anna opens is a different level or an adventure, which is what I call it.
The style of writing, however, made it more difficult to get into the game or simulation or whatever you want to call it. I had to read it like past tense but still really couldn't get into the book.
I love the idea, and the author did a wonderful job with the storyline.
The cover of the book was enticing and honestly that's why I picked it up.
For the most part the story went with cover.
I'm giving this book 3 stars for the writing style of 3rd person or present tense style. Made it too hard to get into.
However someone else may give this book the love that I simply couldn't
I'm sorry. It just wasn't my cup of tea.
I will still recommend this book.

This was a pretty fun and kind of eerie portal fantasy! The storyline was a quest to find an object before time runs out. It drew heavy inspiration from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and also nods to The Wizard of Oz, Narnia, the Labrynth, and other classic portal fantasies which give a feeling of nostalgia. It also contained lots of pop culture references to books and music, if you like that kind of thing.

The Criticism.
- The quest gets a little boring/uninteresting about halfway through. I find this can be pretty typical of quests, and even Tolkien fell victim to this pitfall.
- The characters were very underdeveloped. I would have liked to have motivations and behaviors better fleshed out.
- There was very little tension around romance and conflict, and so a lot of things resolved easily and conveniently.
- Certain points of conflict were a bit strange. I'm thinking of very specific things, but don't want to spoil.

Despite my criticisms, I really liked this story. The atmosphere was simultaneously creepy and whimsical. The romance was charmingly sweet, with that very new quality. I would heavily recommend this to young teens, and find that this would work well as a middle grade to YA crossover.

Content is squeaky clean. Kissing, plotting violence, I don't recall any profanity.

About a third of the way into Midnight at the Houdini, I understood what was really happening with the plot. At this point there is a conversation between Anna and Max where she references her favorite novel, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern; everything then falls into place. The author has attempted to recreate the fantastical elements of the Night Circus within the walls of the Houdini, which is out of time and place. This is an incredibly lofty goal for any fans of Morgenstern’s work.

The writing style is a bit below YA which I would categorize as appropriate for ages 9-12. As such the world creation is tampered down and the relationships between the main characters may feel incredibly juvenile to an adult. However, keeping the lower age range in mind I do not feel these relationships detract from the story.

Anna, very mature for her age of sixteen, has found herself locked inside an otherworldly casino and hotel. At first, she feels there must be a mistake to the hotel’s layout. Once she meets Max she is let on to the fantastical reality of the Houdini. Upon her journey to find her father, also lost within, she encounters an ethereal spirit/star and learns the true creation of the Houdini. Anna is now in a race against time to unlock the binds holding the Houdini together and escape with her father before it is too late. She enlists the help of Max who has grown up within the hotel and knows how to navigate some of its tricks. Together, Max and Anna work to take down the villain of the story, his mother Phoebe.

Overall, this was a light quick read. I would not recommend it for adults or more advanced teen readers, but I would recommend it for middle grade readers.

Really surprised this wasn't in any way marketed as a retelling of The Tempest? Because it was so in your face with it! Alonso (and Anna), Sebastian, and Tony get stuck in a freak storm that traps them at a magic hotel, run by Phoebe (Prospero) and her son, Max (Miranda). Their employees are Collin (Caliban) and Ariel (this one's a given). The hotel is full of spirits.
Aside from that being a fun little surprise, I did not like this book. The references included didn't feel relevant for a YA age range. Additionally, the writing style felt more middle grade than true YA, which made the references feel more out of place.
Cute concept! Love a modern Shakespeare retelling, this one just didn't work for me.

I embarked on this literary journey with no prior knowledge, eager to be whisked away into a world where being trapped in a place after the stroke of midnight holds more enchantment than transforming into a pumpkin. The combination of Alice in Wonderland and Haunted Mansion elements, sprinkled with Caraval and Starless Sea vibes, piqued my curiosity and filled me with excitement. However, as I delved deeper into the story, I discovered that the execution of this intriguing concept didn't quite live up to my expectations.

The magical world-building and descriptions of Houdini's realm lacked the enthusiasm and vibrancy I had hoped for. The third-person narrative coupled with the present tense writing style also felt somewhat disconnected from the overall execution. The story unfolds within a span of twelve hours, with a multitude of characters crowding the pages. While multiple perspectives could have been a valuable tool to engage with the diverse cast, including the less-than-likable protagonist, Anna, the absence of such perspectives left the characterization feeling underdeveloped.

As a devoted reader of fantasy books, I could have potentially enjoyed this novel more if the characters had been more fully fleshed out, allowing me to forge a deeper connection with their journeys. Additionally, the inclusion of multiple perspectives could have added layers of depth to the story. Regrettably, these elements were missing, leaving me with a sense of semi-satisfaction and flatness throughout.

With a heavy heart, I am compelled to assign this novel a three-star rating, as it fell short of my expectations and left me somewhat disappointed. However, I remain hopeful that my next encounter with the author's work will be more promising, offering an experience that resonates with me on a deeper level.

I extend my gratitude to NetGalley and Random House Children’s / Delacorte Press for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this digital copy. My honest opinions are a reflection of my personal reading experience, and I appreciate the chance to engage with new works of literature.

this was a really good! I liked the characters, and they were super well-developed. the plot was super cool and fun to read, and the writing was also smooth and easy to understand
highly recommend

While I enjoyed the premise of "Midnight at the Houdini" I really struggled with the writing style. I am not a fan of reading stories told in third person typically, I think it's harder to form connections with the main characters. I want the inner dialogue and to experience an adventure through their eyes, to be shown rather than told.

I do think the author crafted a very intriguing story and it will likely find it's audience, it's just not for me.

Thank you Delilah S. Dawson, Net Galley and Random House Children's - Delacorte Press for providing an ARC of this book.

Thank you to Delacorte Press for the arc in exchange for review.

First lets address the elephant in the room, this concept of a magical hotel has been done better if not actually in the realm of YA vs what this was.

Midnight at the Houdini reads like a badly narrated upper middle grade novel., i went in expecting a rich magical world but what i got was a ripoff of other fantasy books that are more popular. This almost felt like the author read those books and ripped off the concept.

if the writing was not in third person and the characters were actually developed and written in YA like its being advertised as, then i might've enjoyed this more.

I received an E-ARC from Netgalley. This is my honest opinion about the book.

First I give it like 2.5/5. The writing style isn't for me and reads like a voice over in a movie. There is sometimes weird commentary that seems out of place about the character along with the present tense writing. I'm not sure the target audience it reads like lower ya but has "adult" (probably mid-20s) pop culture references that a 13-16 yr old probably wouldn't get unless their parents showed them. The plot itself is like the movie Haunted Mansion met Alice and Wonderland with a dash of Hotel Magnefique. It does not give caraval vibes (which I love). The main character is okay but kind of annoying. The live interest way of speaking is very odd but I guess goes with the book. It's a book that goes over 12 hours and goes through multiple POVs. It's not the best book the story line was alright and kind of got boring.