As an adult reader, this is not something that I would normally pick up. But as the mother of a new and enthusiastic reader, I was excited about this title. It is a sweet, easy to read story that is a wonderful introduction to mysteries for young readers.

The story is of an 8 year old girl, but the story reads for the bedtime routine of a younger child. A short story with a lot of misses on plot and writing skills.

ARC Copy...felt it short + ended quick but the setting of the hotel was promising along side the photographs to illustrate the mood.

This is a book I know my niece's would love and also my own children in a couple of years. A lovely mystery, well written, touching and with a fantastic ending. One for horse lovers and mystery lovers.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I gave this book 3 stars. It was a fun and cute story. On her 9th birthday, Libbie is given a present that leads her to a hotel where she solves a trail of clues her grandmother left her.

This may have just been me, however, the title including “and the looking glass” and the description indicating an “enchanted hotel” and "adventures" put me in a headspace that this would be a fantastical adventure, kind of Alice in Wonderland-esque. It definitely is not, so don’t go into it thinking that it will be. It's very straightforward, this book is about a girl who loves horses and goes to a hotel wanting to learn more about her grandmother.

There’s not much conflict in this book and solving each clue is rather easy for Libbie. That being said, it’s a nice, cute, and heartfelt story. It’s short and I think that you will know whether or not this is the book for you very early on.

I didn’t see this in any of the descriptions that I read, but this book takes place in the 1950s (I believe in 1954 if I did that math correctly) and that’s useful to know going into this book. This is a 9 year old in 1954, not current day.


Libbie is fun and she really loves horses. This would be a great book for young children with a love for horses as well.

A review is now posted on GoodReads and I will have a shortened one on Instagram the week of 11/18/2019.

A very unusual story which very closely follows the story of a young girl and her family as they holiday on an island, only to discover a mystery relating to her grandparents who had stayed at the hotel in the past. It is full of atmosphere from the past and there is a much slower pace of life that is strangely enticing. This makes for a really enjoyable story that is great to relax to.

A lovely short book for elementary to middle grade. A good mystery but not too much for anyone of that age to handle. Similar to Nancy Drew but for a bit younger crowd.

Overall this story was lovely. The ending was so heartfelt and it did have me in tears. The emotional connection I felt in the end to Libbie was something special and I applaud the author for this. Libbie really is the star of the show.

So you may now be asking me why then did I only give this 4 stars and not 5. The first half whilst good did not grip me in the same way and I did put this down a few times. Due to the length of this book it could be easily read in one sitting and the second half I did read non-stop as the story finally drew me in.

I think this story really is great. Children and Adults will love it in equal measure. If you like the sound of the synopsis give it a try, I really do not think you will be disappointed.

This is a short, sweet read about Libbie and her family. Libbie feels as though she has been given a chance to save her Grandmothers wedding dress by following a set of clues left for her.
For her birthday, her family have taken her away and it happens to be the same place where the dress is on display. A series of events and clues ensures Libbie gives her family an amazing surprise.
Libbie meets the owner of the hotel, who remembers her Grandmother, and knows more about the clues left. He helps Libbie solve each clue to get her to the happy ending.
I found it to be sweet and would make a lovely book for a young girl. The plot is simple and easy to follow. The ending is happy and all gets resolved throughout the story.

This is a great mystery story for younger readers who might be new to the genre. I found that it was a little to simple for me as an adult, but could see the enjoyment that a younger reader would get out of this story. The story followed a young girl following a trail of clues, much like a young Nancy Drew might have.

This was a fun short story for children. It would be particularly suitable for those who love horses. The main character is 8, and solves a trail of clues left for by her grandmother.

As an adult, I found this book a little to saccharine for my personal taste, and one or two plot points didn’t quite seem logical to me. However, I can imagine that I would have loved it as a young child.

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A nice and well written story that can be appreciated by adults and children.
I liked the style of writing and the plot.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.