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A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking
Fourteen-year-old Mona isn’t like the wizards charged with defending the city. She can’t control lightning or speak to water. Her familiar is a sourdough starter and her magic only works on bread. She has a comfortable life in her aunt’s bakery making gingerbread men dance.
But Mona’s life is turned upside down when she finds a dead body on the bakery floor. An assassin is stalking the streets of Mona’s city, preying on magic folk, and it appears that Mona is his next target. And in an embattled city suddenly bereft of wizards, the assassin may be the least of Mona’s worries…
But Mona’s life is turned upside down when she finds a dead body on the bakery floor. An assassin is stalking the streets of Mona’s city, preying on magic folk, and it appears that Mona is his next target. And in an embattled city suddenly bereft of wizards, the assassin may be the least of Mona’s worries…
306 pages, Paperback
First published July 21, 2020
About the author
T. Kingfisher
52 books18.3k followersT. Kingfisher is the vaguely absurd pen-name of Ursula Vernon. In another life, she writes children's books and weird comics, and has won the Hugo, Sequoyah, and Ursa Major awards, as well as a half-dozen Junior Library Guild selections.
This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups.
When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.
This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups.
When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,934 reviews
January 4, 2024
Jakie to było fantastyczne!!
4.3
4.3
July 27, 2020
Really, how can any baker resist a title like that, along with the lure of an enthusiastic but somewhat unreliable sourdough starter named Bob? But what at first seems to be a murder mystery when a young baker named Mona finds a body in the bakery morphs fairly quickly into a coming-of-age story, in the setting of a politically unstable landscape.
"You’re making their lives better, just a little tiny bit. It is nearly impossible to be sad when eating a blueberry muffin. I’m pretty sure that’s a scientific fact."
There were two problems here, both of which will vary tremendously depending on the reader. One, the lead is a very timid sort. While she does grow into her magic, I would hesitate to say she grows significantly into her personhood power. While that is entirely alright, the mileage one gets out of this may vary. She's a young, rule-follower, trusting sort of young person, and that's fine. Her emotional breakdowns are in line with this persona, as are her worries. And I kind of applaud Kingfisher for trying to tell a story about someone who doesn't want to be a hero, and who doesn't get powered-up and stomp all over the story. But. But not my favorite kind of lead character. I might have liked her better if I was ten.
The second challenge--perhaps like much in baking--was one of scale. Had Kingfisher been content to keep it a smaller story like in Minor Mage, it would have worked better for me. But I found myself puzzled, supremely, by dual ideas (spoilery) of a large enough city that
That said, there's plenty to enjoy here. The baking is probably the most fun. Bob the sourdough starter is hilarious and steals every scene (and that ranks right up there with things I never thought I'd say about a book, along with spiders are cool). I kept waiting for the little gingerbread man to run down the road shouting, "you can't catch me," but that could be because I just read The Big Over Easy.
"In Bob’s case, it was easy. I stuck both hands into the soup tureen and tried to convince him that what the world needed was a whole lot more Bob. As this coincided with what Bob himself had always believed"
It's a decent Kingfisher, which means the characterization feels solid. There's a few standard characters rolled in (pushy, loving aunt, a thief) as well as some intriguing ones (the uncle, the horse witch). It's ethics and world-building are probably geared a little simply compared to some of her other works, which may be why it feels a little younger. Still, it's a Kingfisher, and the writing is occasionally quite perfect.
"Nobody said anything to me, and they didn’t exactly stare, but they knew I was there, and I knew that they knew, and they knew that I knew that they knew, all in a creepy, crackling tangle of mutual awareness."
On the scale of Kingfisher, I'd say Nine Goblins < Defensive Baking < Minor Mage < The Tomato Thief.
"You’re making their lives better, just a little tiny bit. It is nearly impossible to be sad when eating a blueberry muffin. I’m pretty sure that’s a scientific fact."
There were two problems here, both of which will vary tremendously depending on the reader. One, the lead is a very timid sort. While she does grow into her magic, I would hesitate to say she grows significantly into her personhood power. While that is entirely alright, the mileage one gets out of this may vary. She's a young, rule-follower, trusting sort of young person, and that's fine. Her emotional breakdowns are in line with this persona, as are her worries. And I kind of applaud Kingfisher for trying to tell a story about someone who doesn't want to be a hero, and who doesn't get powered-up and stomp all over the story. But. But not my favorite kind of lead character. I might have liked her better if I was ten.
The second challenge--perhaps like much in baking--was one of scale. Had Kingfisher been content to keep it a smaller story like in Minor Mage, it would have worked better for me. But I found myself puzzled, supremely, by dual ideas (spoilery) of a large enough city that
That said, there's plenty to enjoy here. The baking is probably the most fun. Bob the sourdough starter is hilarious and steals every scene (and that ranks right up there with things I never thought I'd say about a book, along with spiders are cool). I kept waiting for the little gingerbread man to run down the road shouting, "you can't catch me," but that could be because I just read The Big Over Easy.
"In Bob’s case, it was easy. I stuck both hands into the soup tureen and tried to convince him that what the world needed was a whole lot more Bob. As this coincided with what Bob himself had always believed"
It's a decent Kingfisher, which means the characterization feels solid. There's a few standard characters rolled in (pushy, loving aunt, a thief) as well as some intriguing ones (the uncle, the horse witch). It's ethics and world-building are probably geared a little simply compared to some of her other works, which may be why it feels a little younger. Still, it's a Kingfisher, and the writing is occasionally quite perfect.
"Nobody said anything to me, and they didn’t exactly stare, but they knew I was there, and I knew that they knew, and they knew that I knew that they knew, all in a creepy, crackling tangle of mutual awareness."
On the scale of Kingfisher, I'd say Nine Goblins < Defensive Baking < Minor Mage < The Tomato Thief.
September 12, 2020
4.5 stars! Review first posted on FantasyLiterature.com:
A dead body is an awful thing to find on the floor of a bakery, especially when you’re a fourteen-year-old baker’s assistant with just a minor talent in magic, enough to make gingerbread men dance and biscuit dough turn fluffy on command. It’s worse when the city inquisitor decides to accuse you of the murder, for no particularly good reason. It’s even worse when you realize that there’s a mysterious assassin on the loose, targeting people who have magical powers, no matter how insignificant.
Mona is an orphan who works in her Aunt Tabitha’s bakery, using her talent with baking (and a little magic) to help with her job. It’s not an easy life, but Mona loves being an apprentice baker … and there’s the fact that her magical powers only work with bread products. But the city government and constables are turning against wizards, even minor ones like Mona, and the assassin seems to have a nose for tracking down and killing anyone with magical powers. Soon all wizards, great and small, are abandoning the city, and Mona is on the run.
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking is T. Kingfisher’s latest in a run of excellent middle grade fantasies featuring intrepid children and young teens, including Summer in Orcus and Minor Mage. The baking details give this fantasy an unusual and down-to-earth spin. It’s fun to see Mona bringing a rather stale gingerbread man to life, but to have the gingerbread man unexpectedly develop its own personality is, well, icing on the cake.
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking is, like Minor Mage and Summer in Orcus, somewhat darker than may be the norm for middle grade fantasies. While people (even good ones!) die and those adults who should be in charge are fallible, this is still ultimately an uplifting and empowering tale. It’s about people who don’t really want to be heroes — who shouldn’t even have to be heroes — but still rise to the occasion when others have failed, because they’re needed.
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking is whimsical and dark and imaginative and fantastic. It gets my enthusiastic recommendation for readers both young and old.
Thanks so much to the author for the review copy!
A dead body is an awful thing to find on the floor of a bakery, especially when you’re a fourteen-year-old baker’s assistant with just a minor talent in magic, enough to make gingerbread men dance and biscuit dough turn fluffy on command. It’s worse when the city inquisitor decides to accuse you of the murder, for no particularly good reason. It’s even worse when you realize that there’s a mysterious assassin on the loose, targeting people who have magical powers, no matter how insignificant.
Mona is an orphan who works in her Aunt Tabitha’s bakery, using her talent with baking (and a little magic) to help with her job. It’s not an easy life, but Mona loves being an apprentice baker … and there’s the fact that her magical powers only work with bread products. But the city government and constables are turning against wizards, even minor ones like Mona, and the assassin seems to have a nose for tracking down and killing anyone with magical powers. Soon all wizards, great and small, are abandoning the city, and Mona is on the run.
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking is T. Kingfisher’s latest in a run of excellent middle grade fantasies featuring intrepid children and young teens, including Summer in Orcus and Minor Mage. The baking details give this fantasy an unusual and down-to-earth spin. It’s fun to see Mona bringing a rather stale gingerbread man to life, but to have the gingerbread man unexpectedly develop its own personality is, well, icing on the cake.
Something patted my cheek. I looked down and saw the gingerbread man on my shoulder. He was steadying himself with a hank of hair in one hand, and with the other he reached up and caught the tears I hadn’t known I was crying.Kingfisher’s fantasies are reminiscent of Robin McKinley’s work, with whimsical details and amusing parenthetical remarks. The main characters are well-rounded and come alive on the page. Often charming and personable animals are part of both authors’ formulas, but here instead of an animal sidekick we have animated gingerbread men and other bakery products with minds of their own, not to mention Bob the belching sourdough starter. Bob is a scene stealer, which is something I never would have guessed I would say about a gloppy bucket of yeast and dough that extends tentacles.
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking is, like Minor Mage and Summer in Orcus, somewhat darker than may be the norm for middle grade fantasies. While people (even good ones!) die and those adults who should be in charge are fallible, this is still ultimately an uplifting and empowering tale. It’s about people who don’t really want to be heroes — who shouldn’t even have to be heroes — but still rise to the occasion when others have failed, because they’re needed.
A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking is whimsical and dark and imaginative and fantastic. It gets my enthusiastic recommendation for readers both young and old.
Thanks so much to the author for the review copy!
January 30, 2021
Buddy Read With My MacHalo’s! Although I finished first as I don’t have a life, mostly 🤨
These characters were so wonderful!! Well, not the twats...
*Bob, who is not your ordinary dough boy or otherwise
*Molly and Nag
*Gingerbread Man
I loved the MC Mona and and her bread making abilities, Spindle and his thieving abilities. Aunt Tabitha and her bakery. Let’s just say there are great characters, awesome creatures and stuff, so read it 😉
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
These characters were so wonderful!! Well, not the twats...
*Bob, who is not your ordinary dough boy or otherwise
In the darkest, warmest corner of the basement, a bucket bubbled slowly. Every now and then bubbles would, pop and exhale a damp, yeasty aroma.
"C’mon, Bob..." I said, using sugary tones you’d use to approach an unpredictable animal. "C'mon. I’ve got some nice flour for you..."
Bob popped several bubbles, which is his version of an enthusiastic greeting.
*Molly and Nag
Anyway, you can spot Molly easily. She rides around the city on Nag. Nag’s been dead longer than I’ve been alive, and he’s mostly bones now, so she pads him with rags and straw and old flour sacks. He looks like a magpie nest with hooves.
*Gingerbread Man
The gingerbread man on my shoulder waved to our pursuer as we drifted out of sight.
***
The gingerbread man crouched on my shoulder, icing eyes narrowed
I loved the MC Mona and and her bread making abilities, Spindle and his thieving abilities. Aunt Tabitha and her bakery. Let’s just say there are great characters, awesome creatures and stuff, so read it 😉
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
December 19, 2021
“Death by sourdough starter. Not a good way to go.”Disclaimer: I don’t bake (unless burning something to a crisp can be considered baking), and apparently neither does T. Kingfisher — but she “bought a Kitchenaid mixer and began grimly following recipes” for the research purpose — and that’s some respectable admiration-worthy dedication. All to write a kids book about a young wizard who can magic bread — featuring carnivorous sourdough starter and feisty militarized gingerbread man cookie.
I don’t even care about pastries, but think I may sell my soul for a freshly baked sweet bun right now.
“The great wizards, the magi that serve the Duchess, they can throw fireballs around or rip mountains out of the earth, heal the dying, turn lead into gold. Me, I can turn flour and yeast into tasty bread, on a good day. And occasionally make carnivorous sourdough starters.”
Mona is fourteen, and has what she sees as a very minor wizarding talent — her skills are, as she describes, mostly limited to “making bread rise and keeping the pastry dough from sticking together”, and at times animating cookies and making gingerbread men dance — and therefore is quite unprepared when her skills are needed to save the city. It all starts with a dead body in the bakery — “I haven’t seen a lot of dead bodies in my life—I’m only fourteen, and baking’s not exactly a high-mortality profession” — and from there eventually leads to some life-or-death stakes for the entire city-state. Just like that.
“You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a cookie look smug.”
Mona is a very reluctant hero, wanting “to make really good sourdough and muffins and not get messed up with assassins and politics” — and she would much rather not have to do anything heroic because really, that’s something required of adults. Kids should not be saving the world and fixing mistakes of careless adults, and yet sometimes life does not care what you think, and adults make stupid choices and let you down — even if you are young and careful and try your best to be sensible and follow the rules. Sometimes you have to rise up to a challenge when those in charge have failed in their responsibilities, and hope that you are not alone.
“Hero. It should never have come down to me. It was miserably unfair that it had come to me and Spindle. There were grown-ups who should have stopped it. The Duchess should have found her courage and gone to the guards. The guards should have warned the Duchess. The Council, whoever they were, should have made sure the Duchess knew about the proclamations. The Duchess should have had people on the street who reported back to her. Everyone had failed at every step and now Spindle and I were heroes because of it.”
It’s a pretty young story, with some inconsistencies and contradictions that can annoy an adult reader, but I’m pretty sure would not bother a child in the slightest. It’s fun and snappy and the gingerbread cookie and Bob the sourdough starter steal every scene they are in. (And no, until I read this book, I did not have much of an idea of what exactly a sourdough starter is. It’s a bucket of gloopy yeast stuff, in case you want to know. In this case, it also eats rats, fish and maybe - if it’s really pissed off - invading soldiers.)
I just wish that the book had stuck to a smaller story - more minor magic, more sourdough starter and animated cookies, less of full-scale enemy invasion and magical powerhouse displays. I think Kingfisher is at her best when she sticks to quieter, smaller stories, the ones that do not involve medals for bravery handed out in the end.
“When you’re different, even just a little different, even in a way that people can’t see, you like to know that people in power won’t judge you for it.”
But I did love that at fourteen, Mona is still basically a kid, with young (and snarky) voice and zero contamination with romance that seems to plague so many books aimed at the youngsters. We have our kids grow up too fast in stories, and although Mona does a fair bit of this given the responsibilities thrust upon her, I love that in the end she’s still a kid at heart.
3.5 stars that I’m perfectly fine rounding up.
Now pass me a slice of cake, please.
———————
EDIT: Aaaaaand — it won Andre Norton Award a.k.a. Baby Nebula!!!!!
EDIT # 2: And it also won Lodestar Award which I choose to view as a Baby Hugo.
———————
My Hugo and Nebula Awards Reading Project 2021: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
December 20, 2023
I definitely felt way too old for this book but the magic system was fun.
January 14, 2024
4,5/5
Uwielbiam.
Uwielbiam.
September 26, 2020
Pure unadulterated fun seemingly aimed at middle school aged children who like some darkness in their reading or adults who still enjoy some magic in their lives.
The magic in A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking is delightful. Just take a look at the cover with that aggressive little gingerbread man waving a knife. And he is the least thing our fourteen year old magician dreams up when asked to defend her whole town from flesh eating savages. Her magic lies in baking so her defenses range from angry gingerbread men, through giant, bread golems to a carnivorous sourdough starter called Bob.
The book is inventive, very funny and a totally entertaining read. Now I am off to find more books by this author!
The magic in A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking is delightful. Just take a look at the cover with that aggressive little gingerbread man waving a knife. And he is the least thing our fourteen year old magician dreams up when asked to defend her whole town from flesh eating savages. Her magic lies in baking so her defenses range from angry gingerbread men, through giant, bread golems to a carnivorous sourdough starter called Bob.
The book is inventive, very funny and a totally entertaining read. Now I am off to find more books by this author!
January 18, 2024
Przeczytam wszystko, co ta kobieta napisze
Read
July 26, 2020A pure delight. Mona is 14 and has a magical gift for baking, which she has to repurpose into self defence and then defence of the city in the face of danger. It's beautifully developed, absorbing, with a spectacular and moving ending. T Kingfisher really does make everything better.
December 20, 2022
4.5 stars - How is a book so cozy and yet still a gut wrenching exploration of the impotence of the government machine & the cost of war on the "little guy"? Ugh, I hope we get more in this world!!
June 12, 2023
Una novela juvenil entrañable, adictiva y con una chispa especial gracias a su genial narradora, su ambientación es realmente lo que hace la lectura un poco de "lugar feliz" al menos para mi (la ciudad medieval con magia, hechiceros y conspiraciones) pero también tiene momentos bastante oscurillos y sorprende con alguno de sus giros y reflexiones.
April 22, 2024
reading vlog: https://youtu.be/MGyP_ytoU1Q
what a lil cute cosy fantasy!! particularly loved the second half of this it was so fun!!
what a lil cute cosy fantasy!! particularly loved the second half of this it was so fun!!
July 9, 2022
4.5 Stars
This book is ridiculous beyond belief.
I loved it.
Mona is an apprentice baker whose magical powers only extend to doughs and baked goods. Her familiar is a particularly nasty batch of sourdough and she can animate gingerbread cookies to the delight of customers. When a body is discovered on the floor of the bakery her life is flipped on its head as she flees from a sinister figure determined to get rid of all wizards. Think of all the scenes in Shrek that involve gingerbread people and you have a glimpse into this absurdly entertaining, totally charming novel. I feel guilty but I craved bread and gingerbread throughout this even though eating them would have felt tantamount to murder...*whispers*...it did not stop me. I thoroughly recommend this totally quirky and entertaining YA book! I think it would be okay for some intermediate/middle school students who like a little bit of dark but not scary humour.
This book is ridiculous beyond belief.
I loved it.
Mona is an apprentice baker whose magical powers only extend to doughs and baked goods. Her familiar is a particularly nasty batch of sourdough and she can animate gingerbread cookies to the delight of customers. When a body is discovered on the floor of the bakery her life is flipped on its head as she flees from a sinister figure determined to get rid of all wizards. Think of all the scenes in Shrek that involve gingerbread people and you have a glimpse into this absurdly entertaining, totally charming novel. I feel guilty but I craved bread and gingerbread throughout this even though eating them would have felt tantamount to murder...*whispers*...it did not stop me. I thoroughly recommend this totally quirky and entertaining YA book! I think it would be okay for some intermediate/middle school students who like a little bit of dark but not scary humour.
January 16, 2022
I feel bad giving this such a low rating but this was really good at first and then it just dragged on and on. It didn't need to be as long as it is so I'm disappointed as I usually enjoy Kingfisher.
December 31, 2021
Now THIS was great!
One day, while 14-year-old wizard Mona is working in her aunt Tabatha's bakery, she finds a dead girl on the kitchen floor. But that is just the start of her troubles because there is a killer in the city and this assassin seems to be targeting magicas - minor ones like Mona. So the holy water creating zombie frogs really is the least of her problems.
I LOVED the quirkiness of this book's magical world. I mean, how many witches or wizards have a sourdough starter (named Bob) as their familiar?! Bwahahahahahaha! Unfortunately for Mona, her magic ONLY works on baked goods like bread or gingerbread men. So her fight for survival was ... interesting. *snickers*
Just as interesting as her allies what with their reanimated horse corpses and stuff (those minor magic folk certainly had highly unusual talents). Muhahahahahahaha.
This wasn't my first book by this author but definitely the first/only one I was smitten with. A great atmosphere, hilarious worldbuilding, snappy dialogues and vivacious characters all mix together to create a delicious adventure with colourful magic as icing on top.
One day, while 14-year-old wizard Mona is working in her aunt Tabatha's bakery, she finds a dead girl on the kitchen floor. But that is just the start of her troubles because there is a killer in the city and this assassin seems to be targeting magicas - minor ones like Mona. So the holy water creating zombie frogs really is the least of her problems.
I LOVED the quirkiness of this book's magical world. I mean, how many witches or wizards have a sourdough starter (named Bob) as their familiar?! Bwahahahahahaha! Unfortunately for Mona, her magic ONLY works on baked goods like bread or gingerbread men. So her fight for survival was ... interesting. *snickers*
Just as interesting as her allies what with their reanimated horse corpses and stuff (those minor magic folk certainly had highly unusual talents). Muhahahahahahaha.
This wasn't my first book by this author but definitely the first/only one I was smitten with. A great atmosphere, hilarious worldbuilding, snappy dialogues and vivacious characters all mix together to create a delicious adventure with colourful magic as icing on top.
March 25, 2023
7.71 on CAWPILE
December 19, 2021
Winner of the Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book at Worldcon 2021!
WINNER OF THE 2021 MYTHOPOEIC AWARD FOR YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE!
The 2021 Dragon Award for Best Young Adult Novel WINNER!! https://www.tor.com/2021/09/07/2021-d...
I USED MY LIBRARY TO PROCURE THIS BOOK...THEN I WENT OUT AND BOUGHT ONE. A YA NOVEL ABOUT A TEEN. AND IT ***just*** WON A 2021 LOCUS AWARD!!
My Review: First, read this:
What I'd like you to know is that I cherry-picked those lines for their content, not their felicity of construction or their stand-out euphony. That should give you an idea of the quality of Author Ursula Vernon's (pseudonymously known as Kingfisher) prose overall.
Why would a grouchy old fuffertut like me buy a (Kindlesale, to be fair) copy of a library book he's already read? Because he plans to re-read it. Yep...I want to have it so that I won't need to fuss my drawers procuring it when I am most in need of a laughing, weeping, cheering-my-fool-lungs-out read that doesn't have the effrontery to wink at me or let me know it's clever-clever. Story gets told, ideas get presented, world gets saved, and just keep the sourdough starter firmly in place or it'll get weird ideas.
Simple enough, surely.
WINNER OF THE 2021 MYTHOPOEIC AWARD FOR YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE!
The 2021 Dragon Award for Best Young Adult Novel WINNER!! https://www.tor.com/2021/09/07/2021-d...
I USED MY LIBRARY TO PROCURE THIS BOOK...THEN I WENT OUT AND BOUGHT ONE. A YA NOVEL ABOUT A TEEN. AND IT ***just*** WON A 2021 LOCUS AWARD!!
My Review: First, read this:
Nobody said anything to me, and they didn’t exactly stare, but they knew I was there, and I knew that they knew, and they knew that I knew that they knew, all in a creepy, crackling tangle of mutual awareness.
–and–
“You didn’t fail,” I said. “They wouldn’t let you succeed. It’s different.”
–and–
When you're different, even just a little different, even in a way that people can't see, you like to know that people in power won't judge you for it.
What I'd like you to know is that I cherry-picked those lines for their content, not their felicity of construction or their stand-out euphony. That should give you an idea of the quality of Author Ursula Vernon's (pseudonymously known as Kingfisher) prose overall.
Why would a grouchy old fuffertut like me buy a (Kindlesale, to be fair) copy of a library book he's already read? Because he plans to re-read it. Yep...I want to have it so that I won't need to fuss my drawers procuring it when I am most in need of a laughing, weeping, cheering-my-fool-lungs-out read that doesn't have the effrontery to wink at me or let me know it's clever-clever. Story gets told, ideas get presented, world gets saved, and just keep the sourdough starter firmly in place or it'll get weird ideas.
Simple enough, surely.
December 18, 2021
I admit that I thought T. Kingfisher (U. Vernon)'s other works were anywhere between pretty good and pretty okay. Before I began this one, I only really knew the title and liked the idea of it, but I didn't know what to really expect.
Fortunately, the proof is in the baking, and the baking, indeed, was really good. YA, light magical effects (at first), and a real love of baking and making her gingerbread men. So far, so good, but with the evil wizard hunting down ALL the mages, no matter how quirky, it becomes a matter of survival.
And that's where it gets really good. Food can, after all, defeat an army. Muahahahaha
Very cute, delightful.
Fortunately, the proof is in the baking, and the baking, indeed, was really good. YA, light magical effects (at first), and a real love of baking and making her gingerbread men. So far, so good, but with the evil wizard hunting down ALL the mages, no matter how quirky, it becomes a matter of survival.
And that's where it gets really good. Food can, after all, defeat an army. Muahahahaha
Very cute, delightful.
August 10, 2021
"Walk careful, bread girl. Little people like us, we're not safe these days. Watch your back."
Young Mona has a way with bread. She can keep it from burning, or make it taste fresher (or staler, if need be.) She can even make gingerbread men dance the can-can. 'Cause she's a wizard, you see. A 14-year-old wizard who's about to have her life turned upside-down.
I squeezed my eyes shut - it was going to be a cold bright pain, I just knew it, and then I was going to die, and that would be the end of a bread wizard named Mona who just wanted to make really good sourdough and muffins and not get messed up with assassins and politics and -
Someone is killing magic folk, and suddenly it's up to Mona to figure out who's doing it, AND why . . .before she turns out to be the next victim. She just needs to keep in mind that in magic, creativity is as important as knowledge.
I can't begin to describe how much I loved this absolutely delightful book featuring silly shenanigans, leavened with some serious undertones. Imagine that Julia Child met Terry Pratchett, and together they created this calorie-free morsel. Yum!
Young Mona has a way with bread. She can keep it from burning, or make it taste fresher (or staler, if need be.) She can even make gingerbread men dance the can-can. 'Cause she's a wizard, you see. A 14-year-old wizard who's about to have her life turned upside-down.
I squeezed my eyes shut - it was going to be a cold bright pain, I just knew it, and then I was going to die, and that would be the end of a bread wizard named Mona who just wanted to make really good sourdough and muffins and not get messed up with assassins and politics and -
Someone is killing magic folk, and suddenly it's up to Mona to figure out who's doing it, AND why . . .before she turns out to be the next victim. She just needs to keep in mind that in magic, creativity is as important as knowledge.
I can't begin to describe how much I loved this absolutely delightful book featuring silly shenanigans, leavened with some serious undertones. Imagine that Julia Child met Terry Pratchett, and together they created this calorie-free morsel. Yum!
April 25, 2021
4.5 stars - this is a very funny, but also sometimes sad and slightly dark fantasy tale about a baker's assistant who discovers a dead body one morning as she enters the bakery. She's also a wizard whose magic works only on dough and various forms of bread. She has a lump of sourdough and a gingerbread man as funny sidekicks, and also makes friends with a street kid who teaches her how to survive when things suck.
The story is about a murder mystery, there are dark echoes of totalitarianism and ethnic cleansing , and finally there's an army threatening the city while its usual defenders are away. And our heroine has only bread magic and sourdough. Can you defend a city with that?
For me, this was 4.5 stars, almost 5, and I can very much recommend it, especially as a winter holiday read: there's lots of yummy baking going on and despite of its dark themes, it always manages to maintain a warm and lighthearted tone.
This was also a very fast read for me: I practically flew through this book and was incredibly well entertained on every page.
Why not a full 5 stars? I felt that it had such rich themes and such a wonderful premise that even more could have been made of it, we could have gone into much more detail concerning the magic system, the world, etc. But maybe this will become a series, it certainly has the potential.
The story is about a murder mystery, there are dark echoes of totalitarianism and ethnic cleansing , and finally there's an army threatening the city while its usual defenders are away. And our heroine has only bread magic and sourdough. Can you defend a city with that?
For me, this was 4.5 stars, almost 5, and I can very much recommend it, especially as a winter holiday read: there's lots of yummy baking going on and despite of its dark themes, it always manages to maintain a warm and lighthearted tone.
This was also a very fast read for me: I practically flew through this book and was incredibly well entertained on every page.
Why not a full 5 stars? I felt that it had such rich themes and such a wonderful premise that even more could have been made of it, we could have gone into much more detail concerning the magic system, the world, etc. But maybe this will become a series, it certainly has the potential.
August 10, 2024
I now have a newfound love for angry gingerbread men
July 23, 2020
Super! I loved it--that perfect mix of whimsy and wisdom.
P.S. As per author's note at the back on publication issues, IMO editors strongly underestimate children's taste. If they think this book is too harsh (or whatever) to be published for children, then how the heck would Roald Dahl. et al ever get published now?!? Kids love this kind of thing. And it's good for growing minds to realize real life is full of challenges. It certainly doesn't hurt anyone to be told fictionally that evil should not ultimately succeed, that they can't leave it for others to fight, good people do die, and that, by inference, the hero, as well as the reader will have to work hard to defeat their own particular evil/s.
P.P.S. I really appreciated the author's thoughts on heroes. That gave me something to think about. Kind of supplemental to Mr. Roger's advice to look for the helpers maybe?
P.P.P.S. No, we really don't do enough societally to recognize the real quiet heroism demonstrated daily in ordinary (unglamourous) people fighting against incredible odds. We should do better.
P.S. As per author's note at the back on publication issues, IMO editors strongly underestimate children's taste. If they think this book is too harsh (or whatever) to be published for children, then how the heck would Roald Dahl. et al ever get published now?!? Kids love this kind of thing. And it's good for growing minds to realize real life is full of challenges. It certainly doesn't hurt anyone to be told fictionally that evil should not ultimately succeed, that they can't leave it for others to fight, good people do die, and that, by inference, the hero, as well as the reader will have to work hard to defeat their own particular evil/s.
P.P.S. I really appreciated the author's thoughts on heroes. That gave me something to think about. Kind of supplemental to Mr. Roger's advice to look for the helpers maybe?
P.P.P.S. No, we really don't do enough societally to recognize the real quiet heroism demonstrated daily in ordinary (unglamourous) people fighting against incredible odds. We should do better.
August 23, 2024
T. Kingfisher is one of my favorite authors and one of my favorite things about her work is her versatility. Her ability to write stories for people of all ages is unsurpassed.
A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking, which follows 14-year old Mona, won prizes in both the Young Adult and Children's Literature categories. I honestly couldn't tell you which age group this would be more fitting for, as I truly feel it can be enjoyed by Readers of all ages.
I have had this delightful little novel quietly lurking on my TBR for years, but recently was urged to pick it up when it was selected as the monthly read for a Book Club I participate in. I'm so glad it was chosen.
Our discussion was on a Saturday afternoon and I had no problem getting through the audiobook that morning just prior. It read so quickly, and kept me fully-engaged while doing my Saturday deep house clean.
I loved meeting Mona and, surprising me not for a moment, her narrative voice was quirky, witty and fun. I also enjoyed the journey her character went on over the course of the story, as she goes from mere baker's aid to the magical girl with the power to save a kingdom.
As usual, Kingfisher infused this story with her humor and heart. She has such a fantastic ability for creating lovable and memorable characters, including some of the best animal, and inanimate object, characters that I've ever read.
I feel like there is some great messages in here for younger readers as well. I can see how this could feel like an empowering story for them, where they're shown they can do big things, and important things.
Mona's baking magic was super cute and I liked watching her confidence grow throughout the story. Her differences, which once made her self-conscious, ended up being what qualified her to succeed where others couldn't.
I laughed, stressed when characters were in danger and I fell in love with Mona and friends. Overall, this is a lovely read. Fast-paced, funny, wildly-entertaining, pure Kingfisher joy.
I'm so glad that I finally made time for this one. I definitely recommend it to anyone, of any age, who loves a fun and magical fairy tale-feeling romp!
A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking, which follows 14-year old Mona, won prizes in both the Young Adult and Children's Literature categories. I honestly couldn't tell you which age group this would be more fitting for, as I truly feel it can be enjoyed by Readers of all ages.
I have had this delightful little novel quietly lurking on my TBR for years, but recently was urged to pick it up when it was selected as the monthly read for a Book Club I participate in. I'm so glad it was chosen.
Our discussion was on a Saturday afternoon and I had no problem getting through the audiobook that morning just prior. It read so quickly, and kept me fully-engaged while doing my Saturday deep house clean.
I loved meeting Mona and, surprising me not for a moment, her narrative voice was quirky, witty and fun. I also enjoyed the journey her character went on over the course of the story, as she goes from mere baker's aid to the magical girl with the power to save a kingdom.
As usual, Kingfisher infused this story with her humor and heart. She has such a fantastic ability for creating lovable and memorable characters, including some of the best animal, and inanimate object, characters that I've ever read.
I feel like there is some great messages in here for younger readers as well. I can see how this could feel like an empowering story for them, where they're shown they can do big things, and important things.
Mona's baking magic was super cute and I liked watching her confidence grow throughout the story. Her differences, which once made her self-conscious, ended up being what qualified her to succeed where others couldn't.
I laughed, stressed when characters were in danger and I fell in love with Mona and friends. Overall, this is a lovely read. Fast-paced, funny, wildly-entertaining, pure Kingfisher joy.
I'm so glad that I finally made time for this one. I definitely recommend it to anyone, of any age, who loves a fun and magical fairy tale-feeling romp!
August 10, 2023
Kingfisher pisze najmagiczniejsze baśnie ❤️
January 20, 2024
Muy bonita historia! 🥺🥰
Manual de panadería mágica para usar en caso de ataque es un libro middle Grade, muy reconocido y entretenido de leer.
Nuestra protagonista Mona es una maga menor y solo conoce la magia a través de su oficio, la panadería. Puede hechizar masa, pan y hombres de jengibre y cuando la ciudad en la que vive empiece a correr peligro va a darse cuenta que con eso va a tener que ser suficiente para defender lo que ama.
Fue un libro adorable de leer, me gusta como puede estar dirigiendo a un público de 10-14 años y aún así tener escenas de acción increíble, muerte y guerra. Creo que la autora llegó a un buen balance de lo que es dirigir un libro a niños/pre adolescentes pero no por eso endulzarlo de más.
Disfruté mucho y lo recomiendo, una historia bonita y original y con muchos mensajes para compartir.
Yo leyendo manual de panadería mágica para usar en caso de ataque: 🥺😱🥰😳🙃
Manual de panadería mágica para usar en caso de ataque es un libro middle Grade, muy reconocido y entretenido de leer.
Nuestra protagonista Mona es una maga menor y solo conoce la magia a través de su oficio, la panadería. Puede hechizar masa, pan y hombres de jengibre y cuando la ciudad en la que vive empiece a correr peligro va a darse cuenta que con eso va a tener que ser suficiente para defender lo que ama.
Fue un libro adorable de leer, me gusta como puede estar dirigiendo a un público de 10-14 años y aún así tener escenas de acción increíble, muerte y guerra. Creo que la autora llegó a un buen balance de lo que es dirigir un libro a niños/pre adolescentes pero no por eso endulzarlo de más.
Disfruté mucho y lo recomiendo, una historia bonita y original y con muchos mensajes para compartir.
Yo leyendo manual de panadería mágica para usar en caso de ataque: 🥺😱🥰😳🙃
August 10, 2021
🍪 Warmongering Cookies For The Win Buddy Read (WCFTWBR™) with the MacHalos and stuff 🍪
No, my account hasn't been hacked (I think). Yes, this is really my little nefarious self reading(and slightly enjoying) a not-so despicable piece of not-so revolting YA.
Yeah yeah, I know. Now get over it, will you? Thank thee kindly.
Oh, and, for the record, I don't actually hate YA as a wholethat much. (Okay, it may say so on my profile but it just a cunning scheme to deceive my enemies and stuff.) What I do hate quite very much indeed—and with a murderous vengeance—is crap stuff like this, crap stuff like this and crap stuff like this. You’re welcome.
Moving on and stuff.
So. Yes, this is a Slightly Very Good Book (SVGB™) indeed. Why, you ask? Well because Mona, the MC, is revoltingly young but not a complete twat, for one. She’s also funny as fish, for two. And happens to think that dying with mismatched socks on is not very cool at all (which I am sure is something we can all wholeheartedly agree on), for three. Oh, and Mona is an “apprentice baker and half-baked wizard of dough,” which doesn’t sound nearly as titillating as “nefarious breeder of murderous crustaceans” but is actually quite very scrumptious indeed. (For four.)
The story, in typical Kingfisher style, is packed with most creatively delicious (and deliciously creative) ideas. I mean, zombie crawfish! Bloody shrimping ZOMBIE CRAWFISH!! Now if that isn’t the most eco-friendly way to recycle killed-in-combat crustaceans, I don’t know what is. Not to mention it’s a much more vegan-friendly option than using the poor babies as paella ornaments.
See what I mean? Such utter disrespect for my brave little ferocious warriors is quite unacceptable, if you ask me. Where the fish is PETA when you need them, anyway?
Other most creatively delicious (and deliciously creative) ideas featured in this book include Bob the homicidal—and somewhat carnivorous—sourdough starter (note to self: take up baking and incorporate a bunch of wild yeast platoons to your homicidal troops post hate), cookies that boogie on down and perform wonderfully lewd dance numbers, and Gingerbread men with delightfully aggressive military tendencies (it’s the cardamom that did it).
Oh, there are skeletal zombie horses that double as magpie nests, too (pretty cool, that). And inquisitors who look like constipated vultures (scary, that). And red stuff that isn’t necessarily raspberry filling (a shame, that).
Let’s see, what else? The story is abominably fluffy at times, but it is quite marvellously darkly dark for the most part. And what do we say to that? Why, YUM, of course. The villains are magnificently villainous, too. So YUM again. Talking about appetizing stuff, second-hand breakfasts are regularly on the menu in this book. (And no, you don’t want to know that they’re made of.) There are also super savory and most delectable garderobe expeditions. (No, you don’t want to know about these either.) That’s it for the appetite-stimulating side of this story, I think. Unless you consider people who “look like the ass end of a seagull” as being particularly mouthwatering, that is.
Go, Spockie! That’s my boy!
➽ Nefarious Last Words (NLW™): not all YA stories are created equal.Most Some are crappy as fish, while a few others are bloody shrimping NOT. And that, my Little Barnacles, is a scientifically proven fact.
P.S.: watch out for fleas. You’re probably not aware of this, but the diminutive bastards are actually the ghosts of ancient philosophers and will try to suck out the truth from your ankles at the first opportunity. I kid you not.
P.P.S.: Have you read Kingfisher’s Clocktaur War duology yet? No? NO?! Oh, you are so asking for it.
No, my account hasn't been hacked (I think). Yes, this is really my little nefarious self reading
Yeah yeah, I know. Now get over it, will you? Thank thee kindly.
Oh, and, for the record, I don't actually hate YA as a whole
Moving on and stuff.
So. Yes, this is a Slightly Very Good Book (SVGB™) indeed. Why, you ask? Well because Mona, the MC, is revoltingly young but not a complete twat, for one. She’s also funny as fish, for two. And happens to think that dying with mismatched socks on is not very cool at all (which I am sure is something we can all wholeheartedly agree on), for three. Oh, and Mona is an “apprentice baker and half-baked wizard of dough,” which doesn’t sound nearly as titillating as “nefarious breeder of murderous crustaceans” but is actually quite very scrumptious indeed. (For four.)
The story, in typical Kingfisher style, is packed with most creatively delicious (and deliciously creative) ideas. I mean, zombie crawfish! Bloody shrimping ZOMBIE CRAWFISH!! Now if that isn’t the most eco-friendly way to recycle killed-in-combat crustaceans, I don’t know what is. Not to mention it’s a much more vegan-friendly option than using the poor babies as paella ornaments.
See what I mean? Such utter disrespect for my brave little ferocious warriors is quite unacceptable, if you ask me. Where the fish is PETA when you need them, anyway?
Other most creatively delicious (and deliciously creative) ideas featured in this book include Bob the homicidal—and somewhat carnivorous—sourdough starter (note to self: take up baking and incorporate a bunch of wild yeast platoons to your homicidal troops post hate), cookies that boogie on down and perform wonderfully lewd dance numbers, and Gingerbread men with delightfully aggressive military tendencies (it’s the cardamom that did it).
Oh, there are skeletal zombie horses that double as magpie nests, too (pretty cool, that). And inquisitors who look like constipated vultures (scary, that). And red stuff that isn’t necessarily raspberry filling (a shame, that).
Let’s see, what else? The story is abominably fluffy at times, but it is quite marvellously darkly dark for the most part. And what do we say to that? Why, YUM, of course. The villains are magnificently villainous, too. So YUM again. Talking about appetizing stuff, second-hand breakfasts are regularly on the menu in this book. (And no, you don’t want to know that they’re made of.) There are also super savory and most delectable garderobe expeditions. (No, you don’t want to know about these either.) That’s it for the appetite-stimulating side of this story, I think. Unless you consider people who “look like the ass end of a seagull” as being particularly mouthwatering, that is.
Go, Spockie! That’s my boy!
➽ Nefarious Last Words (NLW™): not all YA stories are created equal.
P.S.: watch out for fleas. You’re probably not aware of this, but the diminutive bastards are actually the ghosts of ancient philosophers and will try to suck out the truth from your ankles at the first opportunity. I kid you not.
P.P.S.: Have you read Kingfisher’s Clocktaur War duology yet? No? NO?! Oh, you are so asking for it.
December 6, 2024
I picked this up not knowing it was a YA or even middle grade. And I had such a great time! This is a cozy fantasy and a warm hug through the beginning of the book and is edge-of-your-seat excitement and high-stakes adventure the rest. Our protagonist, Mona, is a 14-year-old girl, but she is very independent and wise beyond her years. I feel like she could have been any age but making her 14 just adds to the magical wonder, as well as the commentary about children having to suffer the mistakes of adults. I would recommend this to anyone, regardless of age.
I love how this author gives life to objects and animals. From the hostile gingerbread men to the loyal
sourdough starter, Bob 🍞. ♥💗 I cared about all these characters.
I would love to see a sequel to this book, because I would be first in line to revisit this world and these characters again.
I love how this author gives life to objects and animals. From the hostile gingerbread men to the loyal
sourdough starter, Bob 🍞. ♥💗 I cared about all these characters.
I would love to see a sequel to this book, because I would be first in line to revisit this world and these characters again.
September 10, 2021
This is supposed to be a children's fantasy novel that is apparently too dark for kids?! Corpses and assassins are no doubt old hat to kids these days. Personally I found Bob, the carnivorous semi-intelligent sour bread starter dough, hilarious and the Nag, the horse skeleton, rather cute. And that one Ginger Bread Cookie has more personality than most authors give to their main characters. The protagonist is a 14 year old girl who is a wizard with bread (just bread!!), who manages to still be a (sensible) teenager (mostly) with all the shit that is going on in her life, without all the whining usually associated to these types of books. The "step-parents" actually manage to be likeable, decent people. This is a another great adventure/detective/save the city story with Ursula Vernon's original brand of humour and imagination.
August 18, 2024
A todos nos gusta enamorarnos. Para eso necesitamos que el objeto ese amor tenga “algo”.
Pueden ser los ojos o una conversación inteligente o una cara bonita o ser divertida o las piernas o el carácter o…”algo”, en definitiva. Si meramente es alguien agradable, no hay amor.
Y aquí en GR nos pasa lo mismo con los libros. Tiene que tener “algo” que realmente atraiga. La trama o la ambientación o personajes carismáticos o un estilo de escritura poderoso o que enganche cosa mala…”algo”.
Y eso me ha fallado con este libro. Me aburría, era simplemente “agradable” pero sin interés. Ñoño incluso. Y claro, no ha habido enamoramiento.
Por ello al 33%, unas 100 pags, he decidido buscar un nuevo amor.
5/10 y 2 estrellas, que para eso lo he abandonado
Pueden ser los ojos o una conversación inteligente o una cara bonita o ser divertida o las piernas o el carácter o…”algo”, en definitiva. Si meramente es alguien agradable, no hay amor.
Y aquí en GR nos pasa lo mismo con los libros. Tiene que tener “algo” que realmente atraiga. La trama o la ambientación o personajes carismáticos o un estilo de escritura poderoso o que enganche cosa mala…”algo”.
Y eso me ha fallado con este libro. Me aburría, era simplemente “agradable” pero sin interés. Ñoño incluso. Y claro, no ha habido enamoramiento.
Por ello al 33%, unas 100 pags, he decidido buscar un nuevo amor.
5/10 y 2 estrellas, que para eso lo he abandonado
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