Winterhouse: Volume 1

Ben Guterson

Jan 2018 · Winterhouse Book 1 · Sold by Henry Holt and Company (BYR)

About this ebook

An Edgar Award Finalist
An Agatha Award Finalist

An enchanting urban fantasy middle-grade debut—the first book in a trilogy—set in a magical hotel full of secrets.

Orphan Elizabeth Somers’s malevolent aunt and uncle ship her off to the ominous Winterhouse Hotel, owned by the peculiar Norbridge Falls. Upon arrival, Elizabeth quickly discovers that Winterhouse has many charms—most notably its massive library. It’s not long before she locates a magical book of puzzles that will unlock a mystery involving Norbridge and his sinister family. But the deeper she delves into the hotel’s secrets, the more Elizabeth starts to realize that she is somehow connected to Winterhouse. As fate would have it, Elizabeth is the only person who can break the hotel’s curse and solve the mystery. But will it be at the cost of losing the people she has come to car for, and even Winterhouse itself?

Mystery, adventure, and beautiful writing combine in this exciting debut richly set in a hotel full of secrets.

Christy Ottaviano Books

Ratings and reviews

BOTTOM-LINE: An okay book, will likely read the next two in the trilogy . PLOT OR PREMISE: A young girl who lives with her aunt and uncle is sent under mysterious circumstances to a resort hotel for Christmas break. . WHAT I LIKED: The story has a bit of a Harry Potter-esque feel to it at the start -- things happening that seem magical, parents dead, not very nice relatives, and leaving on an adventure. The resort hotel is called Winterhouse and is an amazing place to hang out for a vacation. There's another kid like her who enjoys puzzles, and she meets a few interesting characters who either live at the hotel or are other guests. The magical elements are "just right" (not too much, not too little). . WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: I chose it as an Edgar Award nominee, and it was a bit disappointing that there are two plot inconsistencies, almost like no one did a continuity edit on the book for point of view. At one point, Elizabeth doesn't know anything about what's going on or why her aunt and uncle have "sent" her to Winterhouse, and then she reveals that she overheard her aunt and uncle talking about it the previous week and she knows everything there was to know (someone else paid them to send her). In another spot, two characters are revealed as the schemers, but another character knew all about her arrival and some of her backstory, yet didn't know the biggest piece which is the only reason he would know anything about her. Finally, if you have ever read a male-centric story and felt like the woman had nothing to do but be a damsel in distress, you'll feel the same way seeing the other kid be completely irrelevant to the story. He adds a bit of Fifth Busines background info, as do some puzzle guys, but pretty lame. I am not sure the constant word puzzles add anything to the story, they didn't for me, but easily tolerated. . DISCLOSURE: I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.

About the author

Ben Guterson was born and raised in Seattle. Before working at Microsoft as a Program Manager, Ben spent a decade teaching public school on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico and in rural Colorado. He has written features and book reviews for newspapers, magazines, and websites, as well as a nature-travel guide to the Southwest. Ben and his family live in the foothills of the Cascades east of Seattle. Winterhouse is his first book.