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: Stinetinglers 2 by R.L. Stine

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NetGalley ARC Book Review of Stinetinglers 2 by R.L. Stine
Stinetinglers 2 by R.L. Stine is a fun and spooky collection of ten horror short stories, each inspired by eerie events from the author’s life or his family’s experiences. Much like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, this collection is sure to thrill young readers looking for a good scare.

Thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of Stinetinglers 2. I was especially excited to receive it, having devoured R.L. Stine’s Fear Street books growing up.

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. It’s surprisingly creepy for a kids’ book and instantly put me in the Halloween spirit. I also loved that many of the stories end on cliffhangers; it keeps the tension high and lets readers’ imaginations run wild.

I gave Stinetinglers 2 four out of five stars. It’s a fantastic choice for readers ages eight to twelve who enjoy spooky stories with just the right amount of chill.


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