Book Review: Murder in the Mystery Suite (Book Retreat Mysteries, #1) by Ellery Adams

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Murder in the Mystery Suite (Book Retreat Mysteries, #1) by Ellery Adams is the first book in the Book Retreat Mysteries series and is set in western Virginia at a charming resort called Storyton Hall. This unique resort is designed specifically for book lovers who want to escape, unwind, and immerse themselves in their favorite stories. The resort’s manager, Jane Steward, decides to host a themed “Murder and Mayhem Week” inviting mystery enthusiasts to gather, role-play, and solve fictional crimes. However, the event takes a dark turn when one of the guests is found dead in his suite and a valuable prize goes missing. Jane must uncover which guest is responsible for the murder before the retreat is ruined . Before picking up this novel, I had only read one other book in the series. I decided to start from the beginning as part of my New Year’s resolution to finally read books I purchased years ago. I’m so glad I did. Starting with the first installment allowed me to fully appreciat...
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Book Review: Witchycakes #1, Sweet Magic by Kara LaReau

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The Running Bibliophile's Children's Picture Book NetGalley ARC Book Review of Kara LaReau
Witchycakes #1:  Sweet Magic written by Kara LaReau and illustrated by Ariane Moreira is a children's picture book for kids between the ages of six and nine with an expected publication date of August 5, 2025. The story is about a magical bakery and a kid named Blue who delivers the baked goods to businesses around town, and they like to help people out. What adventures does Blue help out with?

A huge thank you goes out to NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) for providing me with a copy for free in exchange for my honest review. I loved the synopsis of this book, and I love most anything that involves witches.

This is a super cute picture book about a child named Blue that uses the pronouns of they/their. They like to help out people by practicing magic that they've learned. When the magic doesn't always go according to plan, Blue must find other ways to help out.

Children will enjoy this heartwarming story. A recipe is included at the end of the book, and parents can help their kids make the dessert. It's a perfect way for parents to have a discussion about something that may not have gone their children's way and other ways to fix it.

There were times that I did find some of the transitions a little clunky, but other than that, I found it to be an endearing and fun story. Additionally , the illustrations are beautiful. Four out of five stars.

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