Initial Thoughts 🎂
I'll be honest, I didn't even know "cozy" and "fantasy" could be combined into a genre, but I'm loving it. I've been reading so much high-stakes fantasy, I didn’t realize how much I missed sweet, soft stories until I picked up this one!
A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic by J Penner will probably be my favorite cozy fantasy book this year. No “the world is going to end” stakes, no characters dying for their loved ones, no one being tortured for the sake of information or entertainment or whatnot. Just beautiful friendships between vastly different characters, a sweet love story, and a journey of self-discovery.
A Taste of the Plot 🤤
Arleta Starstone of Adenashire is a human in a world of magical beings, but with her own unique type of "magic" — baking. The delicacies she makes are top-of-the-line, infused with special herbs from her own garden. She dreams of one day opening her own bakery. But prejudice against her kind and her own lack of confidence prevent her from the success she is capable of as she barely scrapes together a living in her town.
When one of her orc friends secretly enters her into the annual Elven Baking Battle, Arleta hesitates. No magicless person has ever participated in the renowned baking competition before. But if she succeeds, she knows the publicity and reward she'll receive might just be enough to make her dreams come true.
Though sometimes the journey is worth more than the end. Along the way, Arleta meets a cast of unexpected allies, including a lovely dwarf, a Fennex with a tough exterior, and an elf who just might become more than a friend.
Extra Sweet Treats 🍭
Penner is awesome at describing delicious desserts. I could feel my mouth drooling as I read the descriptions of Arleta’s pastries. I’m usually not a fan of descriptive paragraphs, but I could appreciate the detail that went into those. (There are also recipes at the back of the book for our bookworm bakers. 😉😋)
Up Next . . . 🍰
I am so looking forward to A Fellowship of Librarians & Dragons, coming out this November! It will follow Doli the dwarf on her own journey in Adenashire.
It is also my hope that Jez the Fennex will have her own book in the future, maybe after Doli's story has been told.