Five Days at the Hotel Adams

American Stories for Gutsy Girls

by Hailey Alcaraz, Alisha Monnin (Illustrator)

From Hispanic author Hailey Alcaraz, this historical tale of arson, sleuthing, and finding friendship in unlikely places is based on the real Hotel Adams fire of 1910. It's up to two Latina girls to turn their knack for being overlooked and underestimated into their greatest strength as they unravel a complex web of suspects, clues, and motives.

Ruth and Luisa live very different lives within the dusty desert town of Phoenix. Ruth is the only child of a political official. She spends her days stuffed into scratchy dresses and smiling prettily in the ballrooms of the Hotel Adams. Luisa is a young housekeeper. She looks at the Persian rug and thinks, I also know what it feels like to be walked over, barely noticed, and covered in other people's dirt. The girls stumble into a partnership when they overhear a plan to set fire to the hotel, a political hot spot for the growing western town. As they race to figure out who is behind the plot--and how to stop them--they must not only overcome what other people expect from them but what they've grown to expect from themselves.

Part of the Own Voices historical series American Stories for Gutsy Girls Five Days at the Hotel Adams ...

Transports children into the past with a compelling story full of secrets, subterfuge, and sisterhood;Encourages tweens to look for friends in unexpected places;Is perfect for fans of Pam Muñoz Ryan and Erin Entrada Kelly; andIncludes black-and-white illustrations.Enjoy this fast-paced adventure story in which two girls race against the clock to stop a crime as they learn that good always comes from trying your best--even if the outcome is the last thing you expected.

Genres: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Historical

272 pages, Paperback

Published May 26, 2026

About the author

Hailey began her writing career in the sixth grade as a kid reporter for Time for Kids magazine, and has been addicted to storytelling ever since. Born in California and raised in Arizona, she's a Southwest girl through and through who loves stories about fellow multicultural girls finding their way in the world.

She currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with her husband, two daughters and precocious German Shepherd. Connect with her online at haileyalcaraz.comand @alcarazbooks on both TikTok and Instagram.

Reviews

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars, personally ⭐️ Middle-Grade Mystery

About this book:

“Ruth and Luisa live very different lives within the dusty desert town of Phoenix. Ruth is the only child of a political official. She spends her days stuffed into scratchy dresses and smiling prettily in the ballrooms of the Hotel Adams. Luisa is a young housekeeper. She looks at the Persian rug and thinks, I also know what it feels like to be walked over, barely noticed, and covered in other people's dirt. The girls stumble into a partnership when they overhear a plan to set fire to the hotel, a political hot spot for the growing western town. As they race to figure out who is behind the plot--and how to stop them--they must not only overcome what other people expect from them but what they've grown to expect from themselves.”


Series: Part of the “American Stories for Gutsy Girls” series, but does not seem connected to another other book.


Spiritual Content- Ruth thinks that the only place she gets to go beside the hotel is to church and has no enthusiasm to walk there on a day that is not a Sunday; Ruth comments that she is praying when trying to avoid telling her governess something (which was a lie), but realizes that prayer “isn’t a bad idea at all” with how she is feeling lately; Mentions of church & church going; A few mentions of praying; A mention of God resting someone’s soul; A mention of the Catholic Church;
*Note: Religious phrases like “saints preserve us”, “Heavens if I know”, and “for heaven’s sake” are all said once or twice; Each chapter starts with an illustration of a phoenix; Luisa often gets “corazonada” (Spanish for hunches or premonitions) with feeling that something going to happen (described as a “prickly feeling at the back of her neck, the tug in her gut, the sensation that something is just not right”) and Ruth also has hunches about something not being right; Later, Luisa calls these hunches as “gut instincts—or heart instincts”; Ruth feels like there is an “air of sanctity” when her father has time for her; Someone comments on everyone’s fates being “up to the bigwigs”; A couple mentions of luck & being lucky; A mention of a story about someone going mad from the ghosts at a haunted hotel.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blimey’, a ‘doggone it’, a ‘drat’, a ‘good grief’, two ‘golly’s, and five ‘blasted’s; A secret code includes the word “right aSS rain” (misspelled on purpose); Eye rolling; Eavesdropping (and feeling some guilt over it); Harsh words are said between the girls (mainly about one’s parents and implying suspicion on one); A fire, smoke, pain, an injury, & blood/bleeding (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Ruth grieves her mother and not knowing her (she passed when Ruth was little); Luisa steals the hotel’s ledger to find out an answer about the mystery by tricking a hotel employee (not said that she returns it, but she does feel guilt over doing it); Ruth lies to her governess (about a handful of times; once calling it “thinking…creatively”) and sneaks out without her (twice); Later, Ruth goes to tell another falsehood, but tells the truth to her governess instead after her governess was honest with her; Luisa also sneaks out (which requires her to cross town by herself at night); Luisa wants to keep the mystery a secret from her mom as she knows she would disapprove of being involved in it; Many mentions of fires, possible fires and an arsonist, arson, destroyed buildings, & possible deaths/murder; Mentions of deaths & grief (including Ruth for her mother & a wife for her husband); Mentions of alcohol, drinking, drunks, a drunk driver that killed someone, & saloons/bars; Mentions of cigars, pipes, tobacco, & smoking; Mentions of eavesdropping; A few mentions of a (white male) writer hoping to write about “gunfights with Indians”, “savage Indian skirmishes”, and “deceitful Mexicans”; A few mentions of gossip & rumors; A couple mentions of lies & lying; A mention of the Civil War; A mention of gunfights with Indians; A mention of gambling;
*Note: The racial differences between Luisa and Ruth are highlighted often throughout the book (such as: Ruth thinking about “the rules of society are ugly, but they are firm…in nearly all matters, [Ruth] comes out on top [compared to a Mexican maid like Luisa]”; Luisa being unable to tell if the “powerful white men” are loud because they are angry or celebratory; Luisa wonders if people will listen to her about something important if a “white girl [like Ruth] is on her side”; Luisa tells Ruth about loving going to school even if it wasn’t as fancy as the school where the “Anglo children went” and pauses because she’s not sure if she should have said that out loud (Ruth doesn’t think Luisa says this to make her feel bad though she still feels guilt and thinks that perhaps they are “both powerless” but “it is clear that Luisa’s life has additional challenges due to her race and class”); *Spoilers, but mentions an “entitled request” from Ruth to Luisa* When not getting far in the mystery, Ruth tells Luisa that they need to get into the rooms of the suspects, which makes Luisa irritated at this “bold and entitled request” and says that it would be breaking the law, could get her arrested, and her mother in trouble as well; The girls apologize to each other later; Towards the end, Ruth realizes that her comment was unfair and it was a mistake to say it *End of Spoilers*; Luisa feels hopeless at the thought of her life being only ever working at the hotel); *Major Spoilers* Halfway through, Ruth is told by her governess that Ruth’s mother was Mexican and they grew up together (which is a complete shock to Ruth); The governess comments about some people from Mexico are “more fair-skinned than you’d expect. It’s…a complicated privilege, as I’m sure you’ll come to see, passing as white while hiding our heritage.”; Ruth’s governess tells her that “mixed marriage is…complicated” and her parents constantly faced judgement and danger & were concerned about people’s prejudices holding Ruth back, so her father concealed her Mexican heritage; Ruth’s father had dreams of taking her to Mexico one day once it’s safe “from outside invaders and political corruption”; At the end, Ruth is learning about her newfound culture from Luisa’s mother and her governess and while she feels envious at Luisa knowing all the connections to her heritage that she won’t have, Ruth also knows about the “privileges” her light skin and mixed heritage affords her; Ruth calls that “ugly and illogical and infuriating” but knows that passing as white “does present her with opportunities” even if she feels split into two (adding that it’s a “luxury to contemplate theses facets” instead of having to face “the harsh, hateful rules of society” that are dictated by skin color that Luisa and her mother face daily *End of Spoilers*; Other comments about race and property are said and mentioned (such as: Luisa noting her mother’s often grumbling about when the Arizona land was a part of Mexico; Luisa being “constantly mystified” by politicians who believe they rule the land and are “all-powerful” because of what they own; Luisa not thinking that Arizona becoming a state will affect her or other workers’ lives; Luisa noticing a group of “powerful white men” at a gathering; Luisa talking to a Native American man who works at the hotel about “painful things” like when “white settlers who moved onto his tribe’s farmland and never left”, the children of his village going to boarding schools “to learn the customs of white people” and forget their own, and how he doesn’t allow “the Anglos” at the hotel to call him by his true tribal name because others ignored his tribe’s name; An Irish immigrant busboy at the hotel grumbles about the visitors to the hotel barely registering workers like him as people and feeling degraded by them; Luisa notices the contrast between a picture of construction workers being a mix of Apache, Mexican, and immigrant men (later called “brownskinned workers”) as those are the people that “usually end up in those sorts of grueling jobs” around her area & a group of “white men in clean suits” near them; Ruth overhears a guest at the hotel talk about being in Arizona first (compared to newcomers) and thinks that it’s “quite another kind of attitude to pretend that they are the original residents” and feels uneasy at the disregard for “the Mexicans who had claim to this land seventy years ago and the Indians tribes who have lived here for hundreds of years more”; Luisa’s mother comments on the world not being fair to people like them; A Native American man warns Luisa that it’s dangerous to poke around “powerful people, white people”; The man also says that the (white) settlers do not care about or see people like him and Luisa (adding about unfair business loans that would make his people have to sell their land and will have to start over on new lands); At the end, a boy comments about it being a fine balance between being aware of injustice and wrongdoing, but also believing in the good in people); Ruth and Luisa comment about it being awfully hard to get people to listen to girls, that “no one pays any attention to girls”, and that they are told to be quiet; Luisa and Ruth talk about never having the chance for their voice to matter & that girls like them are “practically invisible”; Ruth’s father is often busy with his work so she feels like she’s just in the background in his life and tries not to let it bother her, but it does and she feels pressured to make good impressions on him (at the end, he tries to pay more attention to her); Ruth’s father comments on her becoming a “fine lady or a wife” and she holds back her opinion that she has no interest in becoming either of those and hates wasting her time on “girlish, meaningless frivolities”; Ruth says that others only want girls to learn about “pretty things” like paintings and pianos, but she likes “real things” (Luisa argues that pretty things can be real too; At the end, Ruth has realized that indulging in things that some people would think are “girlish” or “silly” doesn’t detract from the important things she wants to do); Luisa thinks about how women aren’t often left with many options unless “they’ve got a man to lead the household”, but it seems like to her that marriage has its “own array of challenges”; Luisa and Ruth dream of a world where the words of girls are taken seriously; Partially shared poems by Edgar Allen Poe & José Martí are shared; Mentions of the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz of Mexico; Mentions of the women suffrage, wanting the right to vote, having every right to be treated as equal to men, & group of suffragettes destroying buildings; Mentions of books, fictional characters, & authors (‘The Call of the Wild’, ‘The War of the Worlds’, ‘The Island of Doctor Moreau’, ‘An Odyssey into the Exotic Unknown’, ‘Up from Slavery’, Sherlock Holmes, Mark Twain, Robert Frost, Charlotte Brontë, H.G. Wells, Walton Orville, & Emily Dickinson); Mentions of doomsday prophecies about the end of the world; A few mentions of Ida Tarbell.


Sexual Content- A boy about the girls’ age acts smitten around Ruth (mentions of him looking starry-eyed and moony when seeing her, blushing when she speaks to him, & him looking swoony and attentive to every word she says); Luisa teases Ruth about the boy and him being “head over heels in love” with Ruth, but Ruth thinks that while they are too young for courting, she doesn’t mind his affections (first thinking that she hated the idea of being a “silly girl with a silly crush”, but now thinks she could be a girl with a crush in addition to being an aspiring journalist); Luisa’s mother makes sure that Luisa isn’t “holding a candle” for a waiter at the hotel as it isn’t appropriate and he is too old for her (concerned he is “laying on the charm” on her), but Luisa says it’s not like that and her mother is satisfied and warns her that while Luisa loves her romance stories, this isn’t one of them; A newly married couple show “pure displeasure” when talking to each other or sharing a kiss & the man snaps at her and leans in “menacingly” when she brings up her late husband; A few mentions of crushes.

-Luisa Bravo, age 12
-Ruth Fremont, around the same age
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1910
272 pages

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Pre Teens- Two Stars
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Two Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars

While published by Thomas Nelson (a publisher that is known for being originally a Christian one), there was not any faith content in this book and reads more like a mainstream middle-grade book. Usually, I only review Christian books on BFCG, however with this one being published by Thomas Nelson, I decided to go ahead and review the first two books of the series on here. Based on research prior to reading this first book, I figured there wasn’t going to be faith elements in this story. Had I expected Christian content in this book, I would have been very disappointed. There could have been naturally added-in comments or discussions about God making us all different and unique with special talents—which I think could have lightened the heavier topics of races, racial divides, and discrimination. Because of the lack of faith content, I view this book more as a secular/middle-grade story and rated it similar to what I would have had I randomly picked it up at the library.

The cover can’t help but reminded me of Samantha and Josephina from the American Girl books with this story and main characters. Set prior to Arizona becoming a state, I found different elements of this book and mystery interesting. I was curious who the potential arsonist was and trying to find clues with Lucia and Ruth (even if the mystery did end in a lackluster kind of way). I can’t say I loved either of our main characters, though I appreciated the scene of them apologizing to each other in a sincere way after sharing hurtful words previously.

Due to not having an adult that has time to listen to their concerns, Lucia and Ruth investigate their mystery by themselves and no adult is involved—this includes Ruth lying to her governess and both girls sneaking out. There’s no said consequences for these actions, as a note for parents.

I do have mixed feelings on some of the…comments and reveals that were in this book. There was a bit of a political message added in—mostly about white people/men taking over the land that belong to others. While it’s definitely true that this was a hard and awkward time in Arizona’s history with the class and race differences—and I’m sure there were greedy and powerful men aiming for statehood for their own benefits—it did feel like most all of the white male characters had an agenda that only benefited them; plus that most immigrants shown were being mistreated or treated as less-than often by these white men. If this book was written and published many years ago, I don’t think I would have picked up on it as much as that was probably true to a degree for the time period, but in today’s political climate, it feels a little heavy-handed and intended to share a message. Perhaps I read too much into it, but it was noticeable to me and makes me hesitate to recommend it as every race has their “bad apples” so to speak and I don’t think it’s right to paint a group of people as being all the same way. Maybe these comments were meant innocently and intentionally for the time period, but in the current world, it feels a little off.

Overall, I found the historical time period interesting and did research after finishing this book, but I wish a few things had been a bit different—mainly the ending to the mystery as it felt like a very unsatisfying conclusion and how I struggled at times with keeping my attention on the book due to the third person, present tense writing style. My rating is based on these two elements, especially as I was disappointed about the ending to the mystery.



Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...



*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Tommy Nelson) for this honest review.

[Pine Reads Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The hotel will be packed that night. The night of the Desert Club’s banquet. ‘Five Days,’ Luisa repeats. ‘Five days,’ Alfie confirms.”

In 1910, the largest hotel in the Arizona Territory, the Hotel Adams, is preparing to host the Desert Club Banquet, and the hotel is aflutter with governors, politicians, artists, and two gutsy girls—Luisa and Ruth. Luisa is a maid at the hotel, dreaming of poetry, art, and her bright future in Arizona. Ruth is the daughter of a lawyer who recently moved to Phoenix. She misses her home, longs to dip her toe in the political scene, and utterly despises poetry. Through a chance encounter and a little spy work (on Ruth’s part), the girls begin to uncover a plot that threatens to destroy the famous hotel. Only they know it’s going to happen, and only they can stop it. But how can two girls stop an arson plot?

I am not usually one to read middle-grade fiction, but when I found the upcoming anthology series, American Stories for Gutsy Girls, I knew I had to check out the first installment. Hailey Alcaraz is clearly passionate about the Southwest: the history of the Hotel Adams is little known, and Alcaraz writes a wonderful story about it. My favorite thing about this story is the characters. Luisa and Ruth are very different; one loves poetry, and the other loathes it, but they are both gutsy girls. Furthermore, even though this book is geared towards a younger audience, it doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to the hard subjects surrounding the formation of a state. The girls come across suffragists, advocates for Native American rights, and environmentalists, all while also dealing with grief, identity, and their own futures. Even though these characters end up in different places, they are perfect examples of the many different types of gutsy girls. For me, the only thing missing from this book was more action. A lot of the conversations surrounding the girls were about their age and their inability to stop something from happening at the hotel. And in the end, they contributed very little, and that wasn’t even told on the page. There was already a lot of character in the plot—I just wanted more action, too.

Five Days at the Hotel Adams releases on May 26th, 2026.

Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Tommy Nelson for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.

Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview, and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1910, this book takes a look at two very different girls and throws them into an exciting adventure.

Luisa is a very young housekeeper for the Hotel Adams and has a tendency to get side-tracked from her work...and this often gets her into trouble with the head maid. There's a lot going on at the hotel, especially with several big ordeals and very wealthy and prominent people involved. Ruth is about Luisa's age, and she's the daughter of one of the wealthy men staying at the hotel. Unlike many of the others from the upper class, Ruth finds it more important to see people for who they are rather than what they are. When she literally runs into Luisa, she finds her interesting right away. So, when Ruth accidentally overhears two unseen men whispering about setting the hotel on fire and knows no one will believe her, she decides right away who she wants to turn to for help, Luisa. Luckily, Luisa is all about mysteries and determined to stop the possible disaster.

This is a read wrapped with wholesome goodness. It begins with Luisa and her work as a maid, and she comes across sympathetic from the get-go. She's clever, has a good heart, but also tends to cause a little bit of clumsy trouble, which makes her very easy to connect with and root for. Ruth carries a tad bit more of astuteness thanks to her family's wealth, and yet, she's just as fun to meet. It's this forming friendship between two completely different girls, which gives this book its heart and inspiration.

While friendship is key, history and mystery roll right in as well. The setting is well done with natural descriptions to let readers sink right into the time frame. The novel has a steady pace, allowing the scenes and characters to unfold with grace. It brings readers into the scenes and life of that time smoothly. The mystery aspects add tension and urgency, which builds as the chapters progress. The clues are well laid, keeping readers guessing, and it's not clear how the two are going to work things out.

It's an enjoyable read for mystery fans, who enjoy a wonderful tale of friendship along the way.

[clara_herondale · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75

Haily Alcaraz hasn’t let me down this time either: this is the third book of hers I’ve read, and I’ve enjoyed this one too.
I’m certainly no longer in the target audience, given that the book is a middle-grade novel, but I enjoyed it immensely all the same, and I think I would have loved it even as a young girl. The story of Ruth and Luise combines friendship, mystery and social issues, the latter being very dear to the author,all perfectly woven into a carefully crafted, sophisticated and fascinating historical setting.

Personally, I really appreciated the realism of the book: not only in the plot itself, which is based on a true story, and the very precise historical and social setting, an element Hailey Alcaraz always pays great attention to and which I love very much, but also in the characters and their relationships. In particular, I’m referring to the two female protagonists because their relationship struck me as very believable: they become friends quickly despite the social differences between them, and when their opinions happen to differ, they argue just like any two girls their age but make up just as quickly. They aren’t perfect characters, and that’s precisely why I think the target audience can easily identify with them.

Above all, what makes Hailey Alcaraz’s books consistently fascinating and far from trivial is the theme of racism directed by Americans towards Latin Americans. In this book, compared to her other works, this theme is handled more delicately and in a manner appropriate to the book’s target age group, yet it is neither ignored nor forgotten; on the contrary, it remains a fundamental element of the story, something the characters, particularly the protagonists, are inevitably forced to confront with.

Thank you Netgalley and Tommy Nelson for a Digital Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Per leggere la recensione in italiano: https://theharborlibrary.blogspot.com...

[readcomolaflor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you @netgalley and @tommynelsonbooks for the e-arc!!🫶🏼

5🌟

"...because that's how life is. There's always give-and-take, steps forward and steps back. No progress is gained without hardship - without perseverance and starting again..."

Once again, I am blown away by Hailey's literary prowess. Branching away from the YA genre, her new historical children's novel manages to create a delightful story for young readers with its mystery, friendship, and approachable focus on socio-political issues.

Something that stays true throughout all of Hailey's books is her extraordinary ability to utilize historical detail to create an immsersive setting and to amplify marginalized voices. Reading this book felt like being transported directly to the Hotel Adams in 1910s Arizona, from Halley's Commet, to the political conversations around Arizona's statehood and the building of the Roosevelt Dam, the story flawlessly addressed deeper issues such as the water and land theft of Indigenous tribes, cultural erasure and forced assimilation, mixed-racial identity and passing, women's right to vote, prohibition, and workers rights.

Despite not being the target demographic for this book, I enjoyed it immensely and think it would appeal greatly to older audiences, too. The illustrations in Hotel Adams were also soo pretty! I'm hoping I can do a re-read and share this reading experience with my daughter in a couple of years.

I'm such a fan of Hailey's books and Five Days at Hotel Adams is no exception. I'm really looking forward to reading more from this author, and if you haven't already, I highly recommend you read her books, too, including Up In Flames and Rosa By Any Other Name ✨

[Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Middle grade historical fiction has my whole heart. As someone whose lifelong interest in history began with the American Girl books of my childhood, I was elated to receive an ARC for the first installment in the upcoming American Stories for Gutsy Girls series.

Five Days at the Hotel Adams is an enthralling tale about two unlikely friends working together to uncover a suspected arsonist. In 1910, the luxurious Hotel Adams in Phoenix, Arizona, burned to the ground and was subsequently rebuilt the following year. While this book is a work of fiction, the reality of the fire is incorporated into the mystery.

Although I loved both of the main characters, I had an immediate soft spot for whimsical, poetic Luisa. Ruth’s arc was also very compelling as she came to learn about her Mexican heritage and start to connect with it. Alfie, Luisa’s friend and aspiring journalist, was a delight every time he appeared on the page and a wonderful ally to the girls.

Five Days at the Hotel Adams is a thrilling and immersive tale, one that is unafraid to explore heavy topics and treats its audience with respect. I can’t wait to read more books in this series, and I’ll be on the lookout for more Hailey Alcaraz in the future.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

As someone who grew up with the American Girl series and is now looking back on it more critically regarding representation, these books are a delight. I wish I had them when I was growing up, because I would have loved them.

It kind of makes me wish for a series where I could see Ruth and Luisa as they go about more adventures. I think the book brings a lot of historical issues to light in a way that is accessible to children. It may seem a little heavy-handed to an adult, but I think for children, it is just right. I also think it could open the door to conversations that are harder to have, such as 'What is white privilege and what does that look like?', which I could imagine would be a difficult subject for a parent to broach.

I love the historical information at the end. I went into the book hoping for a section like 'A Peek into the Past' from the American Girl books, so that was really fun for me.

I hope this series just grows and grows because I know I will happily read them all.

[Sarah Ainslee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was a joy and a thrill from start to finish! Walking into it with little knowledge of the history behind the Hotel Adams, I was not only engrossed in the unfolding mystery (which is fictionally incorporated into the reality of the actual fire), but equally blown away by how tactfully and informatively the social issues of the time were peppered in, showcasing just how pivotal a moment in history it was for Luisa and Ruth to be coming of age in. Aside from witnessing their blossoming friendship, what I appreciated most was how fleshed out their individual character arcs were and how they lent to the writing of the book itself. It's rare to see a middle-grade novel that treats its audience with respect the way this one does. It doesn't shy away from heavier subjects but makes them digestible and still treats readers as capable thinkers.

This is an absolute gem of a book that I finished in just a few sittings. And it sets a high bar for how historical fiction—especially for kids—should be approached.

[Tiffini Ritterbusch · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️ read for the categories of middle-school readers + historical fiction + mystery. This new series, “American Stories for Gutsy Girls” reminds me of the stories I grew up on as a kid- “American Girl Books” and “Dear America Books”.

This enthralling story of two friends- Luisa who works at the Hotel Adams as a maid & Ruth whose family is staying at the Hotel- join together to solve a mystery. Who is plotting to burn down the Hotel Adams, and why? Against all odds, these two girls who started as strangers become quick friends and detectives committed to saving the Hotel and all its suspects, I mean guests!

I found this story to be an enjoyable and fast paced read. The imagery that’s created throughout the story had me easily picturing in my mind what this novel would appear like on screen. This is a perfect mystery/historical fiction novel for middle-school readers that has a lot to offer the imagination for a 1910’s Territorial Arizona setting.

[Farah G · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this well rendered historical tale, youthful protagonists Ruth and Luisa could not be more different - one is the privileged daughter of a white politician and the other is the Hispanic daughter of a hotel cleaner, who works alongside her mother.

When they stumble across a conspiracy aimed at burning down the hotel, which plays an important part in the political life of the Arizona frontier town, an unlikely partnership comes into being, demonstrating that friends can be found in the most unexpected places.

This is an enjoyable story and an excellent choice for tweens, encouraging them to engage with the world around them and explore with curiosity the mysteries that life may have to offer.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an engaging and educational novel for middle-grade readers. Ruth and Luisa’s friendship feels realistic, and the premise was intriguing. The mystery aspect was a bit disappointing to me (though that, too, was realistic) and the pacing sometimes felt a bit jarring. However, I still definitely enjoyed this book and would recommend it to middle-grade readers interested in American history and brave girls. It’s great for fans of American Girl or Dear America. The book has inspiring characters and great historical research.

Thank you to Tommy Nelson for the free eARC! I post this review with my honest opinions.

[Magen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic historical mystery about friendship and girlhood. I adored it, I absolutely would have been obsessed when I was a kid and plan to get my library to purchase physical copies. I'm not sure how the American Stories for Gutsy Girls is planning out their books, if they are all one shots or there will be sequels for certain stories, but I really would love more of Ru and Lu.

This is definitely in the realm of the Dear America and American Girls stories and I love the revival of history for kids.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tommy Nelson for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Mona Hodgson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prepare to be pulled into Ruth and Luisa's world and adventure in Five Days at the Hotel Adams. I couldn’t help but turn page after compelling page to see what the improbable friends would think up or do next. Despite or perhaps because of their differences these two gutsy girls share the same goal: To solve a mystery threatening a landmark hotel and countless people they care about. With undeniable heart and carefully layered history as the vehicle, author Hailey Alcaraz takes readers on a journey packed with twists and turns, and plenty of discovery and delight as part of the ride.

[Linda Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The "Gutsy Girls" series (The Four Seasons of Florence Wallace/Five Days at the Hotel Adams) is off to a really great start. I enjoyed Luisa's and Ruth's story as much as I enjoyed Florence's. This is a solid middle-grade read with an intriguing plot and well-developed characters and setting. Young readers will get a thrill out of seeing the story unfold from both Luisa's and Ruth's perspectives.

I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, and I'm sure young readers will be too.

[Laura Mullins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book for many reasons! Strong girl characters with unique personalities, historical fiction setting that cleverly informs the reader without slowing down the storyline, a mystery to drive the plot forward, and meaningful representation of people from multiple backgrounds. I will be recommending this book to all the young readers in my life!

[Kirstie Myvett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luisa and Ruth, AKA Lu and Ru, are amateur sleuths set upon stopping a conflagration from happening at the Hotel Adams. The historical details, limericks, burgeoning friendship between the duo, and sensory details make this story a special one that readers will surely delight in.

[Hailey Alcaraz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about effort.

Sure -- it's also about clues and mystery, arson, friendship, art and poetry, being both feminine and strong, listening to the lived experiences of others, land rights and environmental conservation, labor movements and equal rights, and claiming your heritage. But, at its core, this is a book about trying your best. Even when it's hard. Even when others doubt you. Even when the odds are stacked against you.

Five Days at the Hotel Adams is set 126 years in the past in a world many of us would scarcely recognize. Indoor plumbing wasn't widely available yet. Air conditioning was fashioned out of blocks of ice and circulating fans. Bathing suits were made of wool. And yet, I found so many modern parallels as I crafted Ru & Lu's story, which is one of the best parts of reading and writing historical fiction. In a lot of ways, I feel like this story is my response to AI and this obsession we have with efficiency and automating and multitasking. I think there is so much value in trying and failing, in struggling, in learning from your missteps, in taking the time to listen and learn and I'd hate for young people to miss out on all of that discovery because it's quicker to type a query into a chatbot.

I first came up with the idea for a locked-room mystery set at the Hotel Adams when I discovered old pictures of the hotel while researching my sophomore novel, Rosa by Any Other Name. If I hadn't spent months poring over old pictures and newspapers -- if I'd outsourced my research to speed it up -- I may never have stumbled upon this fascinating building and all of its lore. I may never have been part of this wonderful series and Lu and Ru might not be here for you all.

I learned so much about myself as a writer as I embarked on my first middle grade novel, and I learned even more about the history of Arizona. There were many parts of this story that weren't initially part of my plan -- particularly related to the Roosevelt Dam and the O'odham people -- but once I learned about them, I couldn't imagine a story that didn't include these essential parts.

I read a wide variety of middle grade books, ranging from my beloved Dear America series, History's Mysteries from the American Girl books, and setting-driven gems from Tiffany Jackson and Pam Munoz Ryan and Stacey Lee. I spent countless hours scanning old issues of the Arizona Republican on Newspapers.com. I exchanged emails with our state historian, geeking out together with our mutual fascination with the Hotel Adams and the search for elusive pictures of the original interior. And I collaborated endlessly with one of my favorite historical institutions in Phoenix, the Square and the Rosson House Museum, who did everything from consult on Ruth's clothing on the cover to answering my niche questions about popular cosmetics at the turn of the century. Each of these things were so vital to the story I wrote, and as I mention in my author's note, are my own version of asking questions and making discoveries, just like Ruth and Luisa.

Just like I hope gutsy girls and readers of all kinds continue to do as well.