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: The Dare by Natasha Preston

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Book Cover of The Dare by Natasha Preston
The Dare by Natasha Preston is a young adult horror novel centered on Marley and her friends Atlas, Lucia, and Jesse, all seniors in high school. What begins as harmless, lighthearted senior pranks quickly takes a dark turn when Rhett starts assigning dares that are far more serious and dangerous. As the stakes rise, the question becomes whether Marley and her friends will survive the consequences of playing along.

A huge thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced readers copy of The Dare by Natasha Preston. The last book I read by this author was well written and engaging, so I was excited to dive into her latest young adult horror story.

From the start, the novel feels reminiscent of R.L. Stine’s Fear Street series, which instantly brought back a wave of childhood nostalgia. Unfortunately, that initial excitement didn’t last. Before long, the plot shifts into territory that felt eerily similar to the movie I Know What You Did Last Summer. At that point, my interest started to wane, and I nearly stopped reading. There were also elements that reminded me of The Secret Diaries by Janice Harrell. Because of these similarities, The Dare ultimately didn’t feel very original as a YA horror novel.

The relationships between the characters also left me confused. The dynamic between Marley and Rhett, the student orchestrating the dares, felt strange and underdeveloped, and their connection didn’t make much sense. Marley's friendships with Atlas, Lucia, and Jesse were equally puzzling. Several interactions and events between them seemed to come out of nowhere, making it difficult to fully connect with the characters or understand their motivations.

Overall, I was disappointed in The Dare by Natasha Preston. While it had moments that hinted at the classic teen horror vibe I usually enjoy, the lack of originality and confusing character relationships held it back. I ultimately gave this young adult horror book three out of five stars.

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