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: Trapper Road (Stillhouse Lake, #6) by Rachel Caine and Carrie Ryan

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book review trapper road stillhouse lake 6 rachel caine carrie ryan

Gwen Proctor and Same Cade are back with the rest of the crew in Trapper Road (Stillhouse Lake, #6) by Rachel Caine and Carrie Ryan.  A school shooting happens at the local high school, and Connor's best friend is behind it.  When a teenage girl goes missing in Gardenia, South Carolina, and Gwen is sent to investigate, it's perfect timing for her family to get away from all the publicity from the shooting.

This latest edition in the Stillhouse Lake book series is a bittersweet one.  I am so thankful that Rachel Caine started outlining and writing Trapper Road before her passing and that Carrie Ryan finished it for her.  Rachel would have been proud of the way Carrie finished the manuscript for her.  Based on the acknowledgements at the end of the story, I halfway think that Carrie Ryan may be continuing the series.  One can dream, right?

For those who have yet to read Trapper Road, this book does deal with very real situation of school shootings.  I am thankful that I haven't experienced such a thing and no one I know has either, but the way the shooting and the aftermath was written seemed very realistic.  My heart was pounding throughout the chapters dealing with it, and I don't know how I'd deal with something like this if I were in that situation.  

The other very realistic situation that was written throughout the book was that of a teenage girl that goes missing when she accepts a ride with someone she met online.  I won't reveal what happens, but this whole situation is another that I couldn't imagine and wouldn't wish on anyone.

I tried to savor this novel as long as I could, but once I got halfway through, I couldn't help myself . . . I couldn't wait to find out what would happen and read it as quickly as I could.  There isn't anything I would change about Trapper Road.  It's such a fantastic read. Five out of five stars.

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