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jjmcgaffey's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Ursula's usual excellent angles on things. The repeated comment that a 14-year-old should not have to have been a hero - matters should have been dealt with before she had to step in - made a good deal of sense. But the adults didn't deal with things, Mona has to stretch her (to her, minor) magical abilities with bread and dough to mend and prevent attacks against her and other "magickers", a coup, and a siege. It does not end badly, but not happily either - not everyone makes it out alive (for that matter, it starts with a dead body, a girl who didn't deserve to die) . Rich story, I think a whole new world and I'd love to see more of it, and of course the story and writing are great (it is an Ursula Vernon, after all). I'll be rereading this one.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Murder, Death, War, Violence, and Gore
thoseoldcrows23's review
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I so wish I could go back in time and hand this book to my pre-teen self because I know it would have immediately become a favorite of all time. As it stands, I loved this book a whole lot. Specifically, the cast of characters really stole my heart. If you're looking for something whimsical and fun with just a splash of darkness, this is a great one to pick up, and I can see it become a comfort read for me moving forward.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Gore, Grief, Murder, Vomit, and War
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Animal death, and Death of parent
mrbean's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Appealing on the outside, yet dry on the inside, A Wizard's Guide To Defensive Baking lacks the passion and panache of the artisanal baker. Although some parts were delectable and accessible, the sweet and savoury recipes falter due to a plot that requires further kneading and proofing, characters that need folding and moulding, and writing that calls for a more intricate manner of scoring similar to that used in naturally leavened bread.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Gore
Moderate: Genocide
Minor: Animal death
novella42's review
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Such a fun, weird, dark-yet-delightful book! I love baking bread and reading fantasy stories, and found this book to be hilarious and just the right amount of snarky. I usually avoid dark/horror themes but I love Kingfisher's style and take on mental health and relationships enough that I keep going back to read a lot of Kingfisher's other books in the Clocktower universe. I kept imagining this story taking place there, too. It's certainly dark enough for it, to the point where I kept feeling surprised that this is a young adult novel. But then Mona would do or say something and I'd have a little argument with myself that of course this is a young adult novel. If Hunger Games is Young Adult, than this can be too, and is a heck of a lot sweeter. (And not just because of all the scones and gingerbread.) I genuinely love Mona and all the people in her life. Kingfisher has a real talent for writing group dynamics and I think that shows here. I was surprised to learn in her afterword that she first wrote this in 2007, as many of the themes are especially relevant in the 2020s. I'd love to read another in a series, and I also think this makes a lovely standalone story too. Well done, Kingfisher!
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death, Hate crime, Police brutality, Excrement, Murder, Violence, Grief, Vomit, Child death, Animal death, and Blood
Moderate: Ableism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Stalking, Body horror, Xenophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Classism, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Confinement
Minor: Genocide, Cannibalism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Medical content
sarah_bookshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Gore, and Death
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