The Looking Glass

Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Sarah Dessen, Janet McNally's imaginative story of sisterhood shows that the fiercest of loves are often the ones that exist outside of happily-ever-afters.

GIRLS IN TROUBLE. That's what Sylvie Blake's older sister Julia renamed their favorite fairy tale book, way back when they were just girls themselves. Now Julia has disappeared—and no one knows for sure if she wants to be away, or if she's the one in trouble.

Then a copy of their old storybook arrives with a mysterious list inside, and Sylvie begins to see signs of her sister, and their favorite fairy tales, everywhere she goes.

With the help of her best friend's enigmatic brother and his beat-up car, Sylvie sets out to follow the strange signs right to Julia and return to New York with her in tow. But trouble comes in lots of forms—and Sylvie soon learns that the damsel in distress is often the only one who can save herself.

But in a world blurring with fairy tales, where does the story end and real life begin?

• A Missing Sister Mystery: Sylvie’s ballerina sister Julia is gone. To find her, Sylvie must decode the clues left behind in a cryptic list and a world that no longer makes sense.
• Modern Fairy Tale Retelling: When signs from their childhood storybook, GIRLS IN TROUBLE, start appearing in real life, Sylvie must question where fantasy ends and a dangerous reality begins.
• A Poignant YA Road Trip: With her best friend’s enigmatic brother at the wheel, Sylvie embarks on a journey to follow the trail of breadcrumbs Julia left behind.
• Complex Sisterhood: A lyrical and heartfelt exploration of the fierce, complicated love between sisters, and the realization that some people can only save themselves.

GIRLS IN TROUBLE

That’s what Sylvie Blake’s older sister, Julia, renamed their favorite fairy tale book, way back when they were just girls themselves. Now Julia has disappeared—and no one knows if she’s in trouble.

Sylvie is trying to carry on Julia’s impressive legacy at the prestigious National Ballet Theatre Academy, turning fouettés until the spinning in her head can be blamed on ballet alone. But Julia, ever the star of the show, can’t stay hidden forever. And when she sends Sylvie a copy of their old storybook with a mysterious list inside, Sylvie begins to see signs of her sister everywhere she goes.

She may be losing her grip on reality, but Sylvie has to find out if the strange, almost magical things she’s been seeing—a figure in a red cape walking a wolf, a silver shoe abandoned by a fleeing girl in blue—have anything to do with Julia’s whereabouts.

With the help of her best friend’s enigmatic brother and his beat-up car, Sylvie sets out to the beat of a Fleetwood Mac playlist, determined to return to New York with her sister in tow. But what Sylvie doesn’t expect to learn is that trouble comes in lots of forms—and that the damsel in distress is often the only one who can save herself.

PRAISE FOR GIRLS IN THE MOON: “McNally is a polished storyteller, her prose alive with vivid descriptions, the excitement of romance, and an artist’s yearning to create.” - Publishers Weekly

“Girls in the Moon is a beautiful, heartfelt novel about following your own path and finding your voice. Janet McNally’s stunning debut is a lush, lyrical paean to mothers, daughters, sisters, and the music that weaves them together.” - Kathleen Glasgow, author of Girl in Pieces

“In her luminous prose, Janet McNally renders the moments—quiet and loud, in the spotlight and in the dark—that shape us and wound us and make us fully human.” - Nina LaCour, award-winning author of Everything Leads to You

“A powerful story of secrets, sisters, mothers and daughters-of a family fractured and pieced back together across time, with love, pain, passion, and music. GIRLS IN THE MOON will stay with you like a song you can’t get out of your mind.” - Amber Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be

“With lush, lyrical prose and nuanced storytelling, Girls in the Moon is a gorgeous coming-of-age story that sings of sisterhood, secrets, and the ties that both bind and bond us.” - Jessi Kirby, author of Things We Know by Heart

“Laced through with drumbeats and heartbeats, GIRLS IN THE MOON is pure indie rock and even purer poetry. A luminous story of love, art, yearning, and connection.” - Jeff Zentner, author of The Serpent King

“A poignant, beautifully-woven story, THE LOOKING GLASS explores all the complexities of love, loss, family, and healing, as we follow one girl on a powerful journey of self-discovery.” - Amber Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be

“A lyrical and heartfelt tale of love, family, and self-discovery that will sweep you up in its magic right from the very first page.” - Caleb Roehrig, author of Last Seen Leaving

“McNally’s vivid imagery and exquisite, poetic language—with an ever so slightly sinister undercurrent—weave shimmering, slow-building tension throughout. This ode to sisterhood and strength leads up to an unexpected and thoroughly satisfying conclusion.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“With a deft hand, McNally traces the physical and emotional journey of a distressed 16-year-old trying to find answers... compelling and slightly surreal.” - Publishers Weekly

“Reading this book feels like standing in a sunbeam and watching the dust glitter. McNally transforms the mundane into the extraordinary, expertly pairs life’s bitter with its sweet, and coaxes her readers into a world they won’t soon want to leave. The Looking Glass is pure delight.” - Emily Henry, author of The Love That Split the World

“Janet McNally’s The Looking Glass is gossamer woven with gold and glass: a fairytale of a novel rooted in the heart of real life. An absolute beauty of a read.” - Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces

“Janet McNally’s writing glows like your best memory, sensuous and alive with moonlight and the smell of flowers.” - Jeff Zentner, award-winning author of The Serpent King and Goodbye Days

“Janet McNally’s writing glows like your best memory, sensuous and alive with moonlight and the smell of flowers.” - Jeff Zentner, author of The Serpent King and Goodbye Days

“Much like her ballerina heroine, Janet McNally makes her effervescent writing seem effortless. But there’s grit beneath the glitter of this charming road-trip fairytale. Stock up on highlighters: you’ll want to underline every perfect sentence.” - Harriet Reuter Hapgood, author of The Square Root of Summer

“Similar in concept, though softer in tone, to Melissa Albert’s The Hazel Wood... A bittersweet modern fairy tale, tinged with magical realism, that will touch hearts.” - Booklist (starred review)

“Sophisticated, dreamy, and gorgeously written, Girls in the Moon is like spending a summer night reminiscing with old friends.” - Heidi Heilig, author of The Girl From Everywhere

“McNally’s first novel shows an appreciation of poetic phrasing, as well as plenty of musical references. Recommend this introspective novel to readers who enjoy stories about music and musicians.” - Booklist

“Narrator Phoebe excels at capturing a moment’s emotional nuances... her reflections on independence and acceptance of people’s flaws are genuine. Understated but astute narration makes this family snapshot a worthy read.” - Kirkus Reviews

“[McNally] employs lyrics and poetry to great effect, while her rich musical knowledge propels this realistic novel to its hopeful conclusion.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

“McNally crafts a compulsively readable family narrative that revolves around the kind of celebrities people wonder about… Phoebe’s story holds appeal for people who have no interest in music or fame, given that we all have families with secrets, choices, and mistakes that we have to confront in our search for a distinct sense of self.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Set against the backdrop of a soulful, hipster New York summer, this coming-of-age novel features relatable heroes with good hearts… Perfect for fans of Gayle Forman’s If I Stay.“ - School Library Journal