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

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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...
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Book Review: The Advice Column Murders (Oakwood Mystery, #3) by Leslie Nagel

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The Advice Column Murders (Oakwood Mystery, #3) by Leslie Nagel was a phenomenal read and had me guessing throughout the book. It wasn't until I was two thirds of the way through the book before I began to suspect who the real killer was and ended up being correct with that guess. Prior to that I was thinking it was one of two people. When it came to figuring out who was writing the advice column, I had absolutely no clue to who the real identity of Jackie was and was absolutely surprised beyond belief.

This installment of the Oakwood Mystery series was by far my favorite yet! I loved the fact that the romance between Charley Carpenter and Marcus Trenault began getting more serious and that Charley's father called her out on it. Bobby basically told her that she would lose Marcus if she didn't get it together. Fingers crossed that they get married in the fourth installment.

What is great about this series is that you don't have to read the previous books in the series to be able to read The Advice Column Murders as a stand alone book. It does mention a few things in previous books but doesn't take away from anything. And, as far as the murders / mysteries, those are solved in each book, so the reader isn't left hanging, which makes me happy. Additionally, even though this book series is in the cozy mystery genre, it is heads above most of the other books in this genre because of how well written it is.

I've had discussions with other people about where books take place in a real life place. What surprised me is how many people hate when a book takes place in a real city. However, I love it when it takes place in a real place and especially when the author makes mention of real life places in the area because I either know where those places are, or a lot of times, I will make a point of visiting some of the places in my travels.

My rating of The Advice Column Murders (Oakwood Mystery, #3) by Leslie Nagel is a five out of five stars. I definitely recommend this book to people who want a good mystery that isn't too gory.

Synopsis of The Advice Column Murders (Oakwood Mystery, #3):  In Oakwood, Ohio, everyone knows everyone and their business. That is with the exception of Charley's next door neighbors, the Sharps. Paxton and Judith Sharp keep to themselves for the most part, except when Paxton decides to scream and berate his wife from the street. When Sarah, Judith's adult daughter, is found dead in the Paxton's basement and Marcus Trenault in Chicago, Illinois, Charley decides to take things into her own hands and start investigating the murder.


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