It may be Monday, but you're getting a double dose of bookish fun to start your week off right! OUr second tour of the day comes to us via Rockstar Book Tours and stars the work of author Senta Rich. Check out
my review, our special GUEST POST, and make sure to enter the giveaway before you jet off to the next site!
Title: HOTEL 21
Author: Senta Rich
Pub. Date: May 16, 2023
Publisher: Union Square & Co.
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 336
Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/HOTEL-21
A sharp and warm-hearted debut novel
with an unforgettable protagonist you can’t help but root for.
Noelle is an efficient, friendly hotel cleaner—a model employee. Or so she’d
have you think . . . trouble is, she can’t help but take little “souvenirs”
from the rooms she cleans. Nothing of value—a lipstick, a hair clip, some
tweezers. By the time the guest has noticed, she’s long gone. As Noelle begins
work at her twenty-first hotel, she’s determined to last longer than her record
of one month in the job. But then she meets her new colleagues. These women are
real: they live lives full of happiness and worry, pain and joy. They make her
wonder what it might be like to have true friends, people to stick round
for—and someone to love. . . . Will they give her the courage to claim the life
she deserves, or will her old habits come back to haunt her?
Reviews:
“Those who enjoyed Nita Prose’s The
Maid will enjoy the setting and draw comparisons between Noelle and that
novel’s protagonist.” —Booklist, starred review
“Senta Rich’s debut novel Hotel 21 tackles some big themes,
from self-discovery, sexuality, and mental health to the complex bonds of
female friendship.” —Paste Magazine
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Alrighty guys, time for a little PRE BOOK BIRTHDAY review love to wet your whistle just in time for publication!
This was certainly a unique story...can't say I've run across a character like Noelle before, especially to the extent that her "obsession" or impulsive behavior veers...but it stood out for more reasons than one. First, the kleptomania-ish habit, as just mentioned, and the detail to which it is explained, experienced, and exposed. I feel it went that extra mile to give us a chance to give HER a chance and not judge her simply based on the little thefts. Second, the LGBTQ+ friendly atmosphere lets readers truly find themselves in the characters, while experiencing the awakening of one in particular to their romantic inclinations. It's not dwelled upon, nor the full focus, but it's there, just as it would be in real life, and the manner in which it's handled was refreshing. Third, the storyline. So, it has the common theme of hotels as a setting, and yet the actual place changes SO MUCH. The title is a nod to the number of hotels she's worked at...21...is your jaw dropping, because mine sure did...and that "bouncy" nature of her employment obviously ties in to her habits, and yet it's not the only thing that drives her to move on, as we learn the more we get to know her. I was surprised at Noelle's choice by book's end, and in some ways...not. It felt RIGHT. It felt like it was time. It felt like there was more to explore, learn, and grow from, and I was definitely glad to see her take that next step, no matter how hesitant.
Along the way, we meet some rather memorable characters aside from our leading lady, and while I could pre-introduce you now, it's best to experience first hand. Trust me on this one...they make quite an impression, especially this last group. I didn't know whether I was coming or going with them, but by the final page turn, you could see their motley crew for what they truly were...a family.
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~~~ GUEST POST ~~~
A day in my writing life...
...with Author Senta Rich
On an ideal day (and now that my son is away at college), I wake up, exercise, get ready for the day, eat breakfast and then sit down to write at about 9.30am. It doesn’t really matter what I’m writing, as long as I’m writing. It might be paid work, or a spec TV pilot or now, more recently, a novel. I try to split my time 50/50 between paid and unpaid work. Sometimes, if my husband is working from home we will both work at the kitchen table together. He’s an architect. And if my son is home from college, he joins us. He’s a music producer. I like to have a few projects on the go at once, so I’m never stuck for something to jump into should I need to. I then write until I get hungry when I’ll break for an hour for lunch. I’ll try to get out for a walk, rain or shine, and when I return I’ll write again until about 6.30pm. I’ll have dinner with my husband and then watch TV, for work and pleasure, and then read in bed before falling asleep. But like I said, that’s an ideal day. Life can easily get in the way. But if I can have a full week like this, or two, with few interruptions, I get into the most incredible flow.
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About the author...
Senta
Rich began her
career as an advertising copywriter. During this time, she also wrote radio
plays and magazine articles, before moving into the world of screenwriting. She
now writes regularly for film and TV. Rich lives in Dublin with her husband and
son.
Goodreads | Amazon
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~~~ GIVEAWAY ~~~
1 winner
will receive a finished copy of HOTEL 21, US Only.
Ends May
23rd, midnight EST.
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Special thanks to the Rockstar Book Tours team for the chance to bring this tour to you, the publisher for the copy for review, and the author for our guest post. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available TOMORROW, so click on over to your favorite online store, or plan a trip to your local brick and mortar! Catch the rest of the tour for more!
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
Week Two:
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
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