Book Review: Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

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Mad Mabel  by Sally Hepworth  is a domestic thriller about the youngest person convicted of murder in Australia, Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick. Now 81 years old, Elsie is living on Kenny Lane and has been for the past sixty years. When a mother named Roxanne moves into Mabel's neighborhood with her seven year old daughter, an unlikely friendship forms between Elsie and the seven year old child named Persephone. As Elsie's secrets come to light, her world comes crashing down.  Having read quite a few novels by Sally Hepworth, I requested an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Mad Mabel  without reading the synopsis of the story. I was thrilled when NetGalley and St. Martin's Press approved my request. The expected publication date of the book is April 21, 2026. Not knowing anything about the storyline before I started reading Mad Mabel  made the story much more interesting to me as I had no preconceived ideas. The tale was told from Mabel's perspective in alternating timeli...
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Book Review: Avocado Magic by Taltal Levi

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book review avocado magic taltal levi kids book

Avocado Magic by Taltal Levi is a children's book about a young girl named Ellie celebrating her birthday under the family avocado tree and how unhappy she is that she hasn't grown any.  Ellie's father teaches her about how she is like an avocado pit and how slowly it seems to grow but how patience is a virtue.

A big thank you goes out to NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of Avocado Magic by Taltal Levi. I'm always looking for great children's books to recommend to friends and family with little ones, so I was excited to read this book and will definitely be recommending it.

I love that Avocado Magic by Taltal Levi helps kids understand that all things come in time with a little patience. Another thing that I liked about the story is it shows a family that has its own traditions like having birthdays under their avocado tree . . . a tradition that is shown to continue when the child starts their own family.

Five out of five stars is what I gave Avocado Magic by Taltal Levi. Even though I am an adult, I enjoyed this picture book, and I know I would have absolutely loved it as a little kid. This is a definite read for kids between the ages of three and five.


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