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lastblossom's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
Fans of the first book will be excited to see some great character growth along with hints of a larger plot at play.
Thoughts
I have a confession to make. I'm more a David than a Winnie. Between the energetic girl who tries to life hack her way out of piano practice, and the uptight overachiever who would never skip class, I definitely sit on the never skip class end of the gradient. Which means I spent a good deal of the first book disappointed that Winnie backed down from a challenge so quickly because she didn't believe in herself. I'm pleased to say I had no such feelings in book two. Winnie's back with her (literally) magic baking and a new horde of spirits to take down. And while she still maintains her energy, she's also grown to believe in herself more, and what a growth it is! Stronger communication skills, self-advocacy, and even more baking. Like the first book, plot balances really evenly between Winnie's home/school life, and her work life. That means action scenes can be sparse, but I again appreciated the time spent on her relationship with her sister. The ending has a very "book two" vibe, where the enemy is vanquished, leaving behind an ominous statement and more questions than answers. And of course recipes are again included. Almond cookies are a really easy go-to recipe for beginning bakers, and I imagine that adding chocolate chips like Winnie did will probably be great too.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for an advance copy! All thoughts here are my own.
Fans of the first book will be excited to see some great character growth along with hints of a larger plot at play.
Thoughts
I have a confession to make. I'm more a David than a Winnie. Between the energetic girl who tries to life hack her way out of piano practice, and the uptight overachiever who would never skip class, I definitely sit on the never skip class end of the gradient. Which means I spent a good deal of the first book disappointed that Winnie backed down from a challenge so quickly because she didn't believe in herself. I'm pleased to say I had no such feelings in book two. Winnie's back with her (literally) magic baking and a new horde of spirits to take down. And while she still maintains her energy, she's also grown to believe in herself more, and what a growth it is! Stronger communication skills, self-advocacy, and even more baking. Like the first book, plot balances really evenly between Winnie's home/school life, and her work life. That means action scenes can be sparse, but I again appreciated the time spent on her relationship with her sister. The ending has a very "book two" vibe, where the enemy is vanquished, leaving behind an ominous statement and more questions than answers. And of course recipes are again included. Almond cookies are a really easy go-to recipe for beginning bakers, and I imagine that adding chocolate chips like Winnie did will probably be great too.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for an advance copy! All thoughts here are my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Bullying, Racism, and Colonisation
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