Winterhouse: 1 Paperback – Illustrated, 30 Oct. 2018

This book was brilliant! I loved the characters and the setting. The plot was brilliant with twists and turns. Mysterious and very enjoyable!! 🙂

Very good, well written, captivates a young girl. Illustrations are good, in black and white, and support the mystery story. My granddaughters loved it.

The oft-used protagonist of the orphan again comes into play here, as Elizabeth Somers', who lives with her neglectful aunt and uncle, is unexpectedly sent to a hotel for Christmas. Finding a delightful library she can revel in, and meeting a like-minded cruciverbalist (puzzle enthusiast), finding the Winterhouse Hotel a fascinating and mysterious place, they stumble across a mystery with clues to unlock... Though some other residents seem determined to dislike and even hinder her.The draw for me was the constant referral to word puzzles, the games Elizabeth and Freddy compete in, and the use of such puzzles in the clues they find to try and solve the mystery.It's fresh and different, as well as an unusual setting for a children's book - I've recently enjoyed other hotel-set novels for adults (A Gentleman in Moscow, Hotel Alpha) and found this the same. Lovely to see puzzles feature so strongly and positively.A fine audio read as well, easy to listen to, and enthusiastically read. A book to recommend to ages 9-13 in particular.

Very, very atmospheric read. The reader is drawn in from the start and falls in love with Winterhouse at the same time as Elizabeth, and how exciting to discover all the secrets surrounding her!

Very nice read! Couldn’t put it down actually!

Lovely book, great illustrations.

Elizabeth is an orphan and she lives with her uncaring uncle and aunt. They only watch television and don't show much of an interest in Elizabeth. She loves to read and tries to stay away from the negativity her uncle and aunt usually bring her as much as possible. When they have the chance to go on holiday together they don't hesitate and leave Elizabeth behind. She's being sent to Winterhouse Hotel to spend Christmas by herself. The hotel is owned by a magician named Norbridge. He promises Elizabeth to personally look after her. Will the initial nasty situation of having to spend Christmas on her own turn into something good for Elizabeth and can this be the Christmas she's always dreamed of. Will she find happiness for once, instead of having to get through another dreadful event with her uncle and aunt?Winterhouse Hotel has an impressive library that greatly fascinates Elizabeth. She's eager to do a thorough search and when she finds a book that calls out to her, she takes it. It's a book about games, puzzles, codes and riddles that has a connection to Norbridge's family. When Elizabeth learns about Winterhouse's legend she's determined to do as much research as she can. Will she be able to find the key behind the mysteries that have captivated the family for many generations and what's the price she'll have to pay to go as far as she's able to?Winterhouse is a brilliant intriguing story. I was dazzled by the enchanting hotel from the start and couldn't wait to find out more of its history. Elizabeth is smart, curious and inquisitive and she manages to gather a lot of information in the short time she's there. She fits right in and feels more at home in her hotelroom than with her uncle and aunt. Her sad home situation made me tear up, but Elizabeth is incredibly strong and she doesn't back down from any challenge. She can stand up for herself and doesn't let anyone make her a victim. I admired her courage and fabulous fierce spirit. She's a truly remarkable main character and I enjoyed every single page of her story.Ben Guterson has a gorgeous descriptive writing style. He makes Winterhouse Hotel come to life in a terrific vibrant way. It's a magical place filled with many delightful secrets. I could easily understand Elizabeth's curiosity and loved her limitless desire to sleuth. Each attempt brings something new and I equally enjoyed all of her adventures. Ben Guterson's sentences are beautiful, they're laced with longing, hope, conundrums and predictions. They make Winterhouse compelling and alluring and that's exactly the way an excellent fantasy story should be. Winterhouse Hotel is a story that will stay with me for a very long time, it's a fantastic gem of a book.

Very enjoyable