The Running Bibliophile

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...

The Price of Honey (Deadly Ambition #1) by Liane Moriarty is an Amazon Original Stories short story scheduled for publication on April 1, 2026. This short mystery story opens with Honey Beckett riding in an Uber on the way to her husband’s funeral, struggling to process the shocking reality that he is actually gone. The situation feels surreal to her, and as she arrives at the service, the emotions surrounding the day only become more complicated. Honey ultimately decides she needs to sit with Barney’s previous three ex-wives, and the gathering of these women creates a moment filled with tension, curiosity, and one final sense of betrayal that ties them all together. Because I am an Amazon Prime member, I received a digital copy of The Price of Honey for free through the Amazon First Reads program . A huge thank you goes out to Amazon for providing the opportunity to read this short story early before its official release. Programs like First Reads are a great way for readers to ...

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...

A Whiff of Murder  by Angela M. Sanders  is a spinoff of her Witch Way Librarian  series and opens with the reader meeting Lise Bloom, who works at the Lucky Lotus and can smell emotions. Hoping to learn more about her special gift, clairalience, she's suddenly thrust into the spotlight when she discovers the dead body of her boss, Dyann, in the back room of the store and becomes one of the prime suspects. With the help of her roommates, Lise sets out to prove her innocence and find out who could have a motive to kill her boss. I knew right off the bat that I had to read Sanders' latest novel without even reading the synopsis because I absolutely love her Witch Way Librarian  series. Additionally, I wanted another story by her to tide me over until the next installment of that series. A huge thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for approving my request for an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of  A Whiff of Murder  by Angela M. Sanders. I was ecstatic...

X Marks The Haunt  by Lindsay Currie is a chilling middle grade horror novel that begins with Will Stone conducting genealogy research at Graceland Cemetery, where his mother works. When an old crypt key goes missing, it unleashes a sinister force within the cemetery, draining the lake and slowly sucking the life from the surrounding trees. As the eerie presence grows stronger, Will and his friends must rely on his unique knowledge and investigative skills to uncover the truth and put a stop to the dangerous energy wreaking havoc before it consumes everything in its path. I'd like to thank NetGalley, Random House Children's Books, and Delacorte Press for approving my request for an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of X Marks The Haunt  by Lindsay Currie. All I knew about the novel before I read it was that it was a children's horror book, and I loved the cover! I received a digital copy for free in exchange for my honest review. First and foremost, the story was exceptionally a...

Nightmare On Nightmare Street by R.L. Stine opens with Joe Ferber, his sister Sadie, and their parents moving into a haunted house on Nightmare Street. Their house has a creepy doll, a cemetery in the basement, and voices in the walls. Joe has trouble falling asleep that first night. As he tries to fall asleep, strange things keep happening, and when he finally dies catch some shut eye, he has nightmares. We also meet Shawn and his little sister named Addie, and it appears that they live in the same house. Shawn is having terrible nightmares, and strange things are happening to him. Can Joe and Shawn figure out what is real and what isn't before it's too late? I'd like to extend a huge thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for approving my request for an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this middle grade novel. As a tween and teen, I was a huge fan of R.L. Stine's Fear Street series, so I was absolutely thrilled to receive a copy for free in exchange for my hon...