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American Stories for Gutsy Girls
Five Days at the Hotel Adams
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.
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.
272 pages, Paperback
Published May 26, 2026
About the author
Hailey Alcaraz
4 books75 followersHailey 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 3, 2026
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 any 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* ; Luisa feels hopeless at the thought of her life being only ever working at the hotel); *Major 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
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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.
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 any 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* ; Luisa feels hopeless at the thought of her life being only ever working at the hotel); *Major 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
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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.
July 12, 2026
Five Days at the Hotel Adams is a compelling historical audiobook about friendship, courage, and overcoming the social barriers that divide us.
Ruth and Luisa are born into completely opposite socioeconomic worlds, yet they discover they share many of the same hopes, fears, and emotions. Despite society frowning upon their friendship, the two girls develop a bond built on mutual admiration and respect. I appreciated that Luisa initially struggled with the privileges Ruth enjoyed simply because of her birth, making their relationship feel honest and believable.
The story becomes especially intense when Ruth overhears a plot to set fire to the Hotel Adams. Watching the girls work together in an effort to prevent disaster kept me completely engaged. There were several suspenseful moments that had me eager to see how everything would unfold.
Both Ruth and Luisa are memorable, personable characters whose growth throughout the story was a joy to witness. The narrator delivered an outstanding performance, bringing the characters and the tension of the story to life. The excellent narration made this a truly immersive listening experience.
I was blessed with an ALC. Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
Ruth and Luisa are born into completely opposite socioeconomic worlds, yet they discover they share many of the same hopes, fears, and emotions. Despite society frowning upon their friendship, the two girls develop a bond built on mutual admiration and respect. I appreciated that Luisa initially struggled with the privileges Ruth enjoyed simply because of her birth, making their relationship feel honest and believable.
The story becomes especially intense when Ruth overhears a plot to set fire to the Hotel Adams. Watching the girls work together in an effort to prevent disaster kept me completely engaged. There were several suspenseful moments that had me eager to see how everything would unfold.
Both Ruth and Luisa are memorable, personable characters whose growth throughout the story was a joy to witness. The narrator delivered an outstanding performance, bringing the characters and the tension of the story to life. The excellent narration made this a truly immersive listening experience.
I was blessed with an ALC. Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
June 25, 2026
Cute story about two girls from different classes who become friends at the Hotel Adams. They work together to stop a tragedy from occurring at the hotel, though most of the action happens offstage and it felt anticlimactic after the buildup to the event. I liked how Alcaraz worked in the Hotel Adams, which was a hotel for those who were visiting the Arizona Territory, and its place in the history of Arizona statehood as well as the suffragist movement. A good starting place for younger readers who want to learn more about these subjects.
Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy.
Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
“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!
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!
July 11, 2026
As a middle school English teacher, my daily existence involves convincing eighth graders that books are, in fact, cooler than TikTok. It is a grueling, often thankless campaign. But Five Days at the Hotel Adams by Hailey Alcaraz just handed me a massive victory!
I picked up this historical mystery expecting a decent ride, and instead, I got completely swept away by the 1910 Phoenix desert heat.
I loved the "Odd Couple" friendship between Ruth and Luisa. Ruth is a politician’s daughter trapped in fancy, itchy dresses, and Luisa is a independent and observant hotel housekeeper. On paper, the social divide of 1910 should keep them miles apart. But when they overhear an arson plot to burn down the hotel, they team up. Their partnership is built on mutual respect, sharp minds, and a shared frustration with being underestimated. It’s exactly the kind of ride-or-die sisterhood young readers need to see. It was such an engaging and wholesome read!
Alcaraz doesn't just describe the past; she drops you right onto the dusty streets of pre-statehood Arizona. I am not from Arizona, but I am a history teacher. My exploration of these events showed that the historical scaffolding here is rock solid, woven with real-world stakes like the fight for women’s suffrage and the construction of the Roosevelt Dam. The setting of the real Hotel Adams feels like its own living, breathing character, complete with the strict social hierarchies of the era. My inner history nerd was absolutely thrilled.
Don't mistake "wholesome" for boring—the pacing is incredibly fast, and the countdown-to-arson element keeps the pages turning. But the core of the story is refreshingly pure. It deals with real issues like prejudice and classism without losing its warm, hopeful center. It teaches kids that trying your absolute best matters, even when the odds are stacked against you.
The Verdict: If you are a parent looking for a fantastic read for your tween, or a fellow educator trying to spice up a historical fiction unit, buy this book immediately. It has all the charm of classic historical adventures but with an Own Voices authenticity that makes it relevant for modern readers. We need more books like this!
I listened to this on audiobook, and I must say that I found the narrator experience a bit lacking. I would have preferred the book on this one.
I picked up this historical mystery expecting a decent ride, and instead, I got completely swept away by the 1910 Phoenix desert heat.
I loved the "Odd Couple" friendship between Ruth and Luisa. Ruth is a politician’s daughter trapped in fancy, itchy dresses, and Luisa is a independent and observant hotel housekeeper. On paper, the social divide of 1910 should keep them miles apart. But when they overhear an arson plot to burn down the hotel, they team up. Their partnership is built on mutual respect, sharp minds, and a shared frustration with being underestimated. It’s exactly the kind of ride-or-die sisterhood young readers need to see. It was such an engaging and wholesome read!
Alcaraz doesn't just describe the past; she drops you right onto the dusty streets of pre-statehood Arizona. I am not from Arizona, but I am a history teacher. My exploration of these events showed that the historical scaffolding here is rock solid, woven with real-world stakes like the fight for women’s suffrage and the construction of the Roosevelt Dam. The setting of the real Hotel Adams feels like its own living, breathing character, complete with the strict social hierarchies of the era. My inner history nerd was absolutely thrilled.
Don't mistake "wholesome" for boring—the pacing is incredibly fast, and the countdown-to-arson element keeps the pages turning. But the core of the story is refreshingly pure. It deals with real issues like prejudice and classism without losing its warm, hopeful center. It teaches kids that trying your absolute best matters, even when the odds are stacked against you.
The Verdict: If you are a parent looking for a fantastic read for your tween, or a fellow educator trying to spice up a historical fiction unit, buy this book immediately. It has all the charm of classic historical adventures but with an Own Voices authenticity that makes it relevant for modern readers. We need more books like this!
I listened to this on audiobook, and I must say that I found the narrator experience a bit lacking. I would have preferred the book on this one.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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...
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...
May 25, 2026
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 ✨
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 ✨
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
July 7, 2026
Very thoughtful story.
Ruth and Luisa friendships was so cute in this. Ruth a privelaged just move into town with her father. Luisa, a working and resident in this southwest territory. Ruth finds out family secrets and learning about herself. A nice coming of age story for both.
While there is a great msytery to be solved the story also teaches a historical lesson for the residents in the Arizona territory.
The mystery along with the historical context within the southwest community and impact of Native Americans in Arizona. This story introduced passing in the community that hasn't been talked about enough for other races/ethnicities. The story reads well and flows well to include the political and social justice during that time. Appreciation to bringing to story line.
The perfect book for kids that are interested in history, investigative and fact finding mysteries. So, its not your typical mystery but it will start discussions with your kid and hopefully lead them to learn something new. I can always appreciate a lesson with entertainment.
Also the narration was great.
There is also an education guide that’s free which I find dope
Ruth and Luisa friendships was so cute in this. Ruth a privelaged just move into town with her father. Luisa, a working and resident in this southwest territory. Ruth finds out family secrets and learning about herself. A nice coming of age story for both.
While there is a great msytery to be solved the story also teaches a historical lesson for the residents in the Arizona territory.
The mystery along with the historical context within the southwest community and impact of Native Americans in Arizona. This story introduced passing in the community that hasn't been talked about enough for other races/ethnicities. The story reads well and flows well to include the political and social justice during that time. Appreciation to bringing to story line.
The perfect book for kids that are interested in history, investigative and fact finding mysteries. So, its not your typical mystery but it will start discussions with your kid and hopefully lead them to learn something new. I can always appreciate a lesson with entertainment.
Also the narration was great.
There is also an education guide that’s free which I find dope
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
July 26, 2026
I won a copy with goodreads giveaway
Posting to my usual platforms and blog with therearenobadbooks
An historical fiction series with high educational values. Apart from taking us to Arizona 1910 we get two girls solving a mystery and trying to stop a fire from happening at the hotel where they live. Although they come from different life situations they had a lot of relatable issues. One is an employer, the other a guest, they both love solving a good mystery and are both homescholled (for different reasons). The novel speaks of many political, social, economical (in general society and way of living and dealing with things, actions, doing right thing or not. It's a starting point for investigation and learning more about the period. The activities provided by tye publisher are interesting and an extra layer for studies. Example: writing a journal/diary page, or creating a limerick poem. Great for a comparison of before or now to discuss in the classroom the different perspectives as well.
Posting to my usual platforms and blog with therearenobadbooks
An historical fiction series with high educational values. Apart from taking us to Arizona 1910 we get two girls solving a mystery and trying to stop a fire from happening at the hotel where they live. Although they come from different life situations they had a lot of relatable issues. One is an employer, the other a guest, they both love solving a good mystery and are both homescholled (for different reasons). The novel speaks of many political, social, economical (in general society and way of living and dealing with things, actions, doing right thing or not. It's a starting point for investigation and learning more about the period. The activities provided by tye publisher are interesting and an extra layer for studies. Example: writing a journal/diary page, or creating a limerick poem. Great for a comparison of before or now to discuss in the classroom the different perspectives as well.
March 22, 2026
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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
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
July 6, 2026
This was a wonderfully charming historical mystery that is nicely tailored for younger readers.
The rich cultural nuances and the careful handling of history were nice to experience. The author weaves in informative historical facts very well, approaching difficult themes with a level of realism and clarity that makes them accessible for a young audience.
I enjoyed getting to know the different characters and their POV’s. While I personally would have loved to see the central mystery fully solved, I completely understand and appreciate why the author chose a different direction to serve the broader story. It’s a very cute, thoughtful, and realistic read that serves as a fantastic introduction to historical fiction.
The rich cultural nuances and the careful handling of history were nice to experience. The author weaves in informative historical facts very well, approaching difficult themes with a level of realism and clarity that makes them accessible for a young audience.
I enjoyed getting to know the different characters and their POV’s. While I personally would have loved to see the central mystery fully solved, I completely understand and appreciate why the author chose a different direction to serve the broader story. It’s a very cute, thoughtful, and realistic read that serves as a fantastic introduction to historical fiction.
July 6, 2026
3.5 rounded down.
This reminded me quite a lot of the Dear America books and the American Girl books I had growing up. That being said, it was also very short and didn’t really dive hard into any specific topic - nor did it feel like these girls would have been that involved in the topics that were told here. I feel like the American Girl books in particular felt more like “books for kids about kids” - this just didn’t feel quite the same. It was quite a bit of high level discussion about topics. It may just be my feelings as an adult reading this that push the agendas there - maybe a middle grade reader would just enjoy it as it stands.
That being said, I do love Hailey Alcaraz’s books and highly recommend her YA books. This one just wasn’t my favorite.
This reminded me quite a lot of the Dear America books and the American Girl books I had growing up. That being said, it was also very short and didn’t really dive hard into any specific topic - nor did it feel like these girls would have been that involved in the topics that were told here. I feel like the American Girl books in particular felt more like “books for kids about kids” - this just didn’t feel quite the same. It was quite a bit of high level discussion about topics. It may just be my feelings as an adult reading this that push the agendas there - maybe a middle grade reader would just enjoy it as it stands.
That being said, I do love Hailey Alcaraz’s books and highly recommend her YA books. This one just wasn’t my favorite.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
Thank you to Tommy Nelson for the free eARC! I post this review with my honest opinions.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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.
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.
May 29, 2026
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.
July 21, 2026
Five Days at the Hotel Adams (American Stories for Gutsy Girls)
by Hailey Alcaraz
This is a good resource for upper elementary school reading choice. The book shows some of the history of Arizona. Specifically the building of the Theodore Roosevelt Dam on the Salt River. Allowing the reader to understand the politics of the time, and the dynamic social and cultural relationships during the process of gaining statehood. The characters are attractive to young girls in particular as the main characters are that age.
by Hailey Alcaraz
This is a good resource for upper elementary school reading choice. The book shows some of the history of Arizona. Specifically the building of the Theodore Roosevelt Dam on the Salt River. Allowing the reader to understand the politics of the time, and the dynamic social and cultural relationships during the process of gaining statehood. The characters are attractive to young girls in particular as the main characters are that age.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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.
I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, and I'm sure young readers will be too.
July 4, 2026
I found this middle grade novel inconsistent. Sometimes there was a depth to the two main characters and the history they were part of and I was drawn into the story; sometimes the characters seemed very formulaic and I was a bit bored. And, I was very disappointed in the ending. All that being said, overall I did enjoy the book, and I suspect it will be more engaging for young readers in Arizona, where the story takes place.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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!
Review of advance copy received from Author
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.
July 13, 2026
The theme of the story is good and you can engaged with it easily , I listen to it and love the narrators and enjoy a sprinkle of spanglish, would like to see it brought to live on tv. really like the friendships and mystery that it had.
July 2, 2026
fun, educational and gutsy
July 7, 2026
This is a very good book for middle grade children. It is wholesome and a fun mystery. Recommended.
I won an advanced reader copy through the giveaways.
I won an advanced reader copy through the giveaways.
July 10, 2026
Two girls that unexpectedly become friends and then try to solve a mystery together. Their friendship come with unexpected challenges and surprises! Very good and heartwarming!!
June 5, 2026
This was such a fun middle grade historical mystery! Before I picked it up, I didn't realize it was set in 1910 Phoenix, so as an Arizonan, all of the Arizona issues were so interesting to read about. I loved the premise and the characters, and I can't wait to read more in this series of American Stories for Gutsy Girls!
(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)
(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)
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