The Faraway InnReview posted May 6, 2026.
Listening Library, 2026. 11 hours, 2 minutes.
Review written April 21, 2026, from a library eaudiobook.
Starred Review
I've loved Sarah Beth Durst's books for years, so I'm delighted that now they're hugely popular at the library. The only catch is that it takes longer for a hold to come in. Today I ordered more print copies for the library than my initial purchase because demand was so high - I'm happy that others have found this wonderful author.
The Faraway Inn is an inn deep in the wilds of Vermont. Sixteen-year-old Calisa hasn't been there since she was very small, when her Mom Kate had a falling-out with Calisa's great-aunt, Auntie Zee. But now Calisa needs a refuge after she discovered her long-time boyfriend cheating on her. She needs to rethink her whole future and where she'll apply to college - because it's not going to be with him. Mom Kate suggests Calisa stay at the Faraway Inn and help out Auntie Zee for the summer.
But apparently Auntie Zee was not in on the plan. She tells Calisa she's going to have to leave, then gives in that she can stay three days. This is despite the fact that she can obviously use some help. The yard and garden are completely overgrown, inside is rundown, the front porch breaks when Calisa steps on it, and the only staff is Jack, the son of the groundskeeper. The groundskeeper left on a supply run and hasn't returned.
Auntie Zee tells Calisa there are two rules in the inn: No opening doors without permission, and no asking questions. Calisa quickly accumulates lots of questions. She tries asking Jack, but he's evasive.
The beginning of the book felt slow to me, because it took Calisa forever to figure out there was magic going on. I had to remind myself that she didn't know she's a character in a fantasy novel, so she wasn't primed for it like I was as a reader. But the book becomes delightful after the magic becomes impossible to ignore, and it's more a matter of finding out how it works to solve some tough problems - like finding Jack's dad. And getting the inn in better shape for guests. Yes, there's some romance, but it stays sweet and low-key.
There's also some fun magic wildness in the guests from other realms, and it ends up being a happy story full of magical possibilities. And like Sarah Beth Durst's other books (Go back and read them if you're only discovering her now!), it's a whole lot of fun.