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: April Fools by Richie Tankersley Cusick

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young adult point horror book review april fools by richie tankersley cusick

April Fools by Richie Tankersley Cusick tells a story about three friends - Belinda, Hildy, and Frank - who attend an out of town party that none of them were supposed to be at. On their way home, they are involved in a horrific car accident. They leave the scene and vow never to speak of it again, but then, Belinda starts receiving disturbing pranks, and she is on a mission to find out who is the culprit.

This is another book I decided to read on my way rediscovery of my childhood. April Fools is one of the first books I read by Richie Tankersley Cusick and was one of the reasons she was my go to author for young adult horror novels. In rereading this novel as an adult, it has stood the test of time and should be a must read for any kid who loves books in the horror genre. The only references that they may not completely get is the mention of a tape deck in the car and a facsimile, or fax for short. And, although this book falls into the horror genre, it does have some romance elements to it. Don't worry though; it's all very chaste.

I know my middle school self didn't guess who was behind all the pranks and remember being blown away by the ending. Even though I remembered most of the storyline before I reread the novel as an adult, it still gave me the creepy crawlies, which goes to tell you how talented Richie Tankersley Cusick is as an author. I loved the fact that there were twists and turns throughout the book to keep the reader guessing.

The character development is what is to be expected for young adult books of the time better. Some of roles are more developed than others, but it doesn't take away from the story. I definitely could relate to some of the characters and became attached to some of them. Others, I couldn't stand.

I gave April Fools by Richie Tankersley Cusick five out five stars and definitely recommend it to all horror fans and is the perfect read for April Fool's Day. If you enjoyed this book, I'd recommend Temptation (Secret Diaries, #1) by Janice Harrell.

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