Book Review: All the Ice Cream in the Land by Emmy Kastner

-
Image
All the Ice Cream in the Land  by Emmy Kastner  is about a princess, the kingdom she lives in, and her loyal subjects. Full of twists and turns, children will surely delight in this story about ice cream. When I saw the title and cover art of this kid's book, it made me instantly think of my childhood and how I would've loved a book like this one. A huge shout out and thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for approving my request to read this book. I received a copy for free in exchange for my honest review. The storyline is very easy to follow, making it especially suitable for toddlers, preschoolers, and early readers, particularly children between the ages of two and six. Its straightforward narrative and clear structure make it an excellent choice for read-aloud sessions at home, bedtime stories, or classroom story time. While there is limited character development, which is typical for a picture book format, the princess is still an intere...
Post a Comment

Book Review: Time of the Witch by Mary Downing Hahn

-
Time of the Witch by Mary Downing Hahn Book Cover
When I was a kid, I used to dread reading chapter books because I often found them boring and hard to get into. That all changed during the summer between 5th and 6th grade when I discovered two series that completely transformed me into an avid reader: Sweet Valley Twins by Francine Pascal and The Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin. These books sparked a love of reading that stayed with me for years.

Unfortunately, my middle school library didn’t have these series in stock, so I began exploring the shelves, hoping to find something else that would capture my interest. That’s when I stumbled across The Time of the Witch by Mary Downing Hahn. The synopsis immediately caught my attention, and I decided to give it a try. I instantly fell in love with the story. It was this book that ignited my fascination with paranormal fiction:  witches, vampires, demons, and other supernatural mysteries became my new favorite subjects.

My enthusiasm for The Time of the Witch led me to check out as many of Mary Downing Hahn’s books as I could find from the school library. Unfortunately, they didn’t have a wide selection, and the public library near my house had none of her books at all, so I eventually had to start buying them myself. Honestly, that wasn’t a bad thing; it was an excuse to build a small personal collection of her work.

The magic of this book recently came back to me in a surprising way. While on vacation in Charleston, South Carolina, this past June, a crow flew by and perched nearby, letting out a loud squawk. Immediately, I thought of The Time of the Witch, which features a crow as a mysterious and recurring presence throughout the story. When I returned home, I dug out my old copy and reread it, and it was just as enchanting as it had been in middle school. Mary Downing Hahn’s writing remains engaging and well-crafted, even years later.

mary downing hahn
Despite the fact that the story doesn’t mention modern technology like cell phones, I think today’s kids and tweens can still relate to the themes and characters. The scenes involving the crow are genuinely eerie, even for me as an adult, which shows how well Hahn builds suspense and atmosphere. I truly believe this book deserves a spot on every child’s reading list, particularly for readers between the ages of eight and twelve.

I gave The Time of the Witch by Mary Downing Hahn a full 5 out of 5 stars for its magical storytelling, memorable characters, and timeless appeal.

Synopsis: Laura and her brother are sent to live with their aunt in the country while their parents are going through a divorce. Hoping to reunite her parents, Laura confides in her Aunt Maude about her wish, unaware that doing so could have dangerous and unintended consequences.


Follow The Running Bibliophile On Social Media

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Book Review: The Dare by Natasha Preston

-
Image
The Dare by Natasha Preston is a young adult horror novel centered on Marley and her friends Atlas, Lucia, and Jesse, all seniors in high school. What begins as harmless, lighthearted senior pranks quickly takes a dark turn when Rhett starts assigning dares that are far more serious and dangerous. As the stakes rise, the question becomes whether Marley and her friends will survive the consequences of playing along. A huge thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced readers copy of The Dare by Natasha Preston. The last book I read by this author was well written and engaging, so I was excited to dive into her latest young adult horror story. From the start, the novel feels reminiscent of R.L. Stine’s Fear Street series, which instantly brought back a wave of childhood nostalgia. Unfortunately, that initial excitement didn’t last. Before long, the plot shifts into territory that felt eerily similar to the movie I Know What You Did Last Summer . At that point, my interest started ...
Read more

Book Review: The Writer by James Patterson and J.D. Barker

-
Image
The Writer by James Patterson and J.D. Barker  was published on March 17, 2025. It opens with Detective Declan Shaw at a closed subway station trying to work up the nerve to commit suicide when he receives a call from his partner about a break in and homicide at the home of a true crime author. Shaw makes his way to the crime scene to work the case, and in a turn of events, Declan comes under scrutiny in another case loosely connected to this new case. I received an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Writer  from NetGalley and Little , Brown, and Company for free in exchange for my honest review. I'm appreciative that my request for this book was approved. With this story opening with the main character trying to commit suicide, I almost didn't go any further with the book. However, I am glad I stuck with it as it took me on a fantastic ride and had my emotions all over the place. There were so many twists and turns that just when I thought I had it all figured out, there was ...
Read more

Book Review: Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum, #30) by Janet Evanovich

-
Image
Book Review: Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum, #30) by Janet Evanovich Dirty Thirty (Stephanie Plum, #30) by Janet Evanovich is the latest installment in the long-running and beloved Stephanie Plum series, and it opens with Joe Morelli asking Stephanie to dog-sit his famously quirky dog, Bob, while he’s out of town testifying at a trial. As expected, things quickly spiral into chaos when Stephanie has to bring Bob along while attempting to apprehend her usual lineup of FTAs. Between chasing fugitives, dodging danger, and juggling her complicated personal life, Stephanie also finds herself seriously questioning whether marriage is something she truly wants. Each book in the Stephanie Plum series tends to follow a familiar and comforting formula, with everything wrapped up in a neat, tidy bow by the end. That predictability is actually one of the main reasons I keep coming back to these books. I always know Stephanie will get herself into trouble, Ranger or Morelli will step in to help,...
Read more