The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst

Synopsis (via Goodreads): After a devastating heartbreak, a teen girl decides to spend her summer helping her eccentric great aunt manage her quaint Vermont inn--but this fixer-upper is hiding a magical secret--in this cozy and irresistable new fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop.

Sixteen-year-old Calisa is desperate for a change of scenery after her lying ex ruins her perfect Brooklyn summer. When her parents suggest she head to rural Vermont to help her great-aunt run her cozy bed and breakfast for a few months, she jumps at the chance.

But when Calisa arrives at the B&B, she's shocked to find a rundown inn with only a handful of guests. And to make matters worse, upon meeting with her great-aunt it quickly becomes clear that Calisa was not invited. Auntie Zee is determined to keep anyone from messing with her beloved inn…even if it is clear she needs the help.

To earn her keep, Calisa sets to work fixing up the inn, enlisting extra help from the groundskeeper's (handsome) son. But the longer she stays, the more it becomes evident that there is something strange about the B&B—and its residents. Something almost…otherworldly.

The inn is keeping a magical secret—but to protect the place she's come to love, Calisa must unravel the truth of it, and her aunt, before it's too late.

I went into this one expecting a cozy fantasy, and that’s exactly what I got. I really enjoyed the B&B setting and the wide variety of guests who passed through. They were all unique and rarely what I expected. I think The Faraway Inn still has a lot of potential, especially when it comes to expanding on the magic of the world and teaching us more about how it works. There are also a lot of opportunities for more complex characters and relationships. 

That said, I did feel like the author only scratched the surface of both the worldbuilding and the character development. Because of that, Calisa came across as a bit immature for her age, which made it harder for me to connect with her. She was also really quick to accept the wild explanations Jack gave her whenever something weird happened at the inn, and I kept expecting her to push back or at least freak out a little more. She never really seemed to react to how strange everything was, and her lack of awareness was alarming. She tried to rationalize everything, when it was clear from the start that the B&B was anything but normal. Her thoughts about Jack also felt a little rushed, especially considering what she was going through. 

The concept of the B&B as a place that connects worlds—a space where people can come to rest and reset—is honestly such an amazing idea. I loved it, but found myself wishing it had been explored a bit more. We’re introduced to so many cool characters, but we don’t get to spend enough time with them or really learn about the worlds they come from. Calisa helps solve some of their major problems, and then they kind of fade into the background.

A few other thoughts: 

1) I found the story to be a bit predictable at times and wished it had surprised me more. 

2) Auntie Zee wasn't the nicest person, despite everyone saying how wonderful she was, and her treatment of Calisa felt a little unfair and not fully addressed beyond a somewhat grumpy apology. 

3) The B&B is  full of magical trinkets that definitely deserved more page time and explanations. PS: Where can I get a magical teapot?

Overall, I did enjoy The Faraway Inn and the story it told, but I think there was room for a little more depth to really make it stand out. (★★★⋆☆)