A delightfully dark gothic feeling thriller. I really enjoyed the characters development throughout this story, definitely one to recommend!

Oooh this was a scary good one! Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!
Mabel is a struggling performer in 1920s New York City who usually steals from the rich until one day she steals from the wrong crowd: Demons! I wont say more but if you like horror with an historical atmosphere I definitely recommend it!
4 stars

ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, it will be brutal.

So many typos and editing errors, including spelling the lead’s name wrong twice within the span of two pages. And I know some of that can be adjusted still, but there was one part where a paragraph didn’t make sense and clearly the paragraph before it had been edited in such a way to remove the context for the next one. And I love a good fragmented sentence, but some areas felt like a chopping room floor with viscera left everywhere and no clean up crew.

Speaking of viscera, I actually did enjoy how gory and bloody this book was. It couldn’t decide on Christian or Greek religious imagery, but that’s a different problem.

I feel like I walked in expecting a heist book with some supernatural elements, and about 40% of the book was heist that… didn’t end up mattering? Basically at all?

I walked into this book excited for historical fiction with supernatural elements and a heist and was left with a lackluster cast of characters, plot convenience thrown in at every turn, and actually a really banger ending if we’d cut out kind of the entire middle of the book, tbh.

Kinda just every element that could’ve worked for me flopped HARD. What did pull through nicely is how much emphasis is on artists/creators and their souls and how their work is so intricately tied to their humanity, and I think if that had been stronger throughout, I would’ve really resonated with Mabel more.

I think this would’ve been much cooler as a graphic novel.

Mabel accidentally loses her soul to a demon after a pick pocketing gone wrong
Frank offers her a chance to get it back if she preforms in his Grand Hotel, collecting 100 souls for hers, the catch: she slowly becomes a demon the longer it takes to collect
With other workers warning her of the future horrors that the hotel holds for her
Mabel uses her stealthy skills to uncover the gothic horrors
Cat Scully thrusts you back in time with this seat gripping story!

The setting and premise were really unique and interesting. The setting, both in terms of the era and the grand hotel itself, felt lush and very fleshed out. I found the ending fairly satisfying, but I felt like there was a bit of a time skip towards the end of the book that maybe needed a bit more attention. Mabel's motives seem to flip between wanting to be a "good person" and desiring the fame and luxury the hotel could offer a bit too easily. As well as her affections fluctuating between the two main male characters she interacts with.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, and will handsell it to folks interested in that time period or looking for something a bit different, but I wouldn't consider it a favourite myself.

Firstly, thank you, NetGalley and Clash books, for the e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Secondly, I'm sorry I didn't like this more...

So here's the thing: as someone else said here, it's fine. The book had an interesting premise, but the execution made the book feel rushed, while the story's pacing felt a little sluggish. It kind of felt like I was having whiplash. Though to the book's credit, the ending had a nice little payoff.

It wasn't super neat and tidy, but that would have felt disjointed with the rest of the tone of the book. So, ultimately, if you have to catch a flight or need something to read on the beach, this is a cute little book to pick up *if* you finish it.

I do think the book was also starting on an uphill battle when the author played their hand before chapter 3. We were all in on the secret, the suspense felt more or less gone, and then it was kind of a struggle to hang in there. Personally, I didn't really connect with the characters, but it looks like many other people did, so that may just be a me thing.

Overall, I'm selecting the 3-star rating to round up because, genuinely, I think the ending did a lot of heavy lifting, but really, this is a 2.75 from me...

I do think the story is a cute idea, but I think the book needed a little more time to bake.

The Great Gatsby meets Hellraiser in Below the Grand Hotel, where ambition and darkness collide in a world run by demons. Mabel Rose Dixon dreams of stardom as a Ziegfeld girl, but when she picks the wrong pocket, she’s trapped in the twisted world of The Grand Hotel.

In the hotel, Mabel’s wish is granted—she becomes the star of the show every night, surrounded by adoring patrons. But her newfound fame comes at a terrifying cost: her soul. Now, she must steal it back before the hotel's May Eve Ball or risk becoming a demon forever.

This atmospheric debut, with gorgeous art deco illustrations by the author, is a darkly beautiful tale of desire, betrayal, and horror. If you love gothic horror with a touch of glamour, Below the Grand Hotel is your next obsession.

I thought the premise was great and couldn’t wait to read the book, but this is rough. The first 10-15 percent is running at a clip, throwing 1920s references and slang out as fast as possible without actually making it feel like the twenties. There’s no time to build the tension this story needs to pull off the horror of a demonic hotel. There’s some very distracting continuity issues and some discrepancies. I know this is an uncorrected copy and I don’t generally worry too much about smaller issues but this feels more like a draft than an ARC. It’s a hugely promising draft, though, so I’m going to wait until I’ve gotten a final edit copy to share reviews elsewhere.

I will start off by saying, I really loved the premise of this book. I thought it was super unique and the time period the author used was perfect for this particular story line.

Our FMC is relatable, witty, and lovable. If you aren’t cheering Mabel on, may be yer a demon. The other cast of characters are equally entertaining and there is a personality in this group for every one.

The hotel itself was a character and a complex one. I love a novel that includes the atmosphere and setting in its line up. It went beyond just setting the mood.

I do think this book could have use another edit. It seemed to ramble on in the middle, there were a couple inconsistencies with the timeline and character details. Nothing glaringly obvious, but something to look into.

This book was a DNF for me. I sadly just couldn’t get into the story. I enjoyed the thought behind the premise though. It sounded up my alley. I will try recommending and see what other people thought. Thank you for the opportunity to read.

Thank you NetGalley and Cat Scully for the chance to read and review this book.

I honestly really enjoyed this book. It gave me Great Gatsby crossed with Supernatural vibes which was awesome. The selling your soul to the devil plotline is always a fun time to watch how the characters navigate out of the situation they put themselves in. It really shows how inherently selfish human nature is while at the same time can be beautifully self sacrificing.

The negatives: Can use more editing. There is some incomplete sentences, grammar issues and time period inconsistencies. Other than that I highly recommend the read.

This book was a perfectly fine, gruesome horror story filled with demons, blood lust, glitz and glam, and adventure. The Grand Hotel was very reminiscent of the hotel season of AHS. While I did get some of the Gatsby vibes, it really didn’t feel Gatsby to me except for the 20s type of elements thrown in. I thought the overall plot was interesting, but it slowly started to drag as we got closer to the end. For a short book, it should’ve flown by with the task that Mabel and Will had to free all the lost souls. There were some elements of the story that kind of came out of left field and it took me out of the story quite a bit. The characters also felt a little one dimensional and I couldn’t bring myself to root for them in the end. It was mostly an enjoyable read, but wasn’t a favorite of mine.

Thank you NetGalley and Clash books for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Mabel is drawn into the glitzy, dangerous world of the Grand Hotel which offers up her most precious dreams in exchange for her soul. What follows is a descent into hell itself filled opulence amd gore. I'm not sure I've read anything quite like this book. I didn't see any of the twists coming. The world building was fascinating in an almost locked door scenario in a prison that feels expensive and neverending. Horrifying, delightful, and even insightful at times with its discourse on art and fame. I had a great time reading this. Thank you to Netgalley and Clash books for the ARC.

I really wanted to like Below the Grand Hotel, but I found the various proofreading issues more and more distracting as I went along. In many places there seemed to be words missing. In others I struggled to discern the author’s intent. When the author couldn’t even keep the characters’ costumes straight from scene to scene…or worse, in the same scene, I was ready to throw in the towel. I made it through the entire novel, but found it unsatisfying. I realize that the publication date is still some months away, and only hope that someone proofreads the work prior to publication. I am, nonetheless, grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the eARC.

Easily a 5 star read for me!

Demons, starlets, 1920’s New York, The Art Deco Grand Hotel. Mabel finds herself in New York trying to make it on stage. Failing, Mabel is dragged into the allure of The Grand Hotel, but not everything is as it seems.

This book gave me stranger things and labyrinth vibes.

The setting of this story was combined with a devilish plot. This story that will appeal to fans of occult fiction and horror. I appreciate being given the opportunity to read an ARC of this book and will be recommending it to other fans of YA horror.

The Great Gatsby meets Hellraiser?!? The 1920s, demons, glitz and glam?!? I was hooked from the get-go!!! Mabel Rose Dixon picked the pocket of the wrong person and now is singing every night at a hotel for a sold-out crowd. Sounds perfect, right? Nope. She crossed a demon and risks becoming one herself if she doesn't escape. This was such a fun adventure and fast paced. I love the time period, especially the description of art deco, and had many twists and turns that kept me guessing! This is a must read for horror fans!

This books was an excellent mix of great gatsby vibes. I’ll be honest as a fan of F Scott Fitzgerald it was hard not to feel like putting this down and picking up one of his classics. The pace was a bit slow for me but I did enjoy the story and the writing was quite good.

Art Deco and demons? Count me in! The cover is stunning and matches the era of the book perfectly. I was captivated by the plot and the Faustian theme and find the whole selling of your soul so interesting. It kind of translates in to our society and the ways young people go to be accepted. I received a free eARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity.

What wasn’t to love about this book! It had everything for a YA horror book, scary demons, the roaring 1920s aesthetic, and a young woman who is embarking on a mission in a spooky maybe even haunted hotel!!
Mabel is literally my favorite! She had it all and then some, she as a main character was so satisfying to read about!

Thank you for the early ARC!