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Adenashire #1
A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic
A human, a dwarf and an elf walk into a bake-off…
In the heart of Adenashire, where elvish enchantments and dwarven delights rule, human baker Arleta Starstone works twice as hard at perfecting her unique blend of baking with apothecary herbs. So, when her orc neighbor (and biggest fan) secretly enters her creations into the prestigious Langheim Baking Battle, Arleta faces a dilemma. Being magicless, her participation in the competition could draw more scowls than smiles. And if Arleta wants to prove her talent and establish her culinary reputation, she'll need more than just her pastry craft to sweeten the odds.
Though Arleta may not yet believe in herself, she makes her way to Langheim―with the help of a very attractive woodland elf―and competes. While on a journey of mouthwatering pastries, self-discovery, heartwarming friendships, and potential romance, Arleta will have to decide whether winning the Baking Battle is the true prize after all. But win or lose, her adventure is only beginning…
Although this book is part of a series it can only be read as a standalone. Escape to Adenashire for a delightful cozy fantasy where every twist is a treat and every turn a step closer to home.
In the heart of Adenashire, where elvish enchantments and dwarven delights rule, human baker Arleta Starstone works twice as hard at perfecting her unique blend of baking with apothecary herbs. So, when her orc neighbor (and biggest fan) secretly enters her creations into the prestigious Langheim Baking Battle, Arleta faces a dilemma. Being magicless, her participation in the competition could draw more scowls than smiles. And if Arleta wants to prove her talent and establish her culinary reputation, she'll need more than just her pastry craft to sweeten the odds.
Though Arleta may not yet believe in herself, she makes her way to Langheim―with the help of a very attractive woodland elf―and competes. While on a journey of mouthwatering pastries, self-discovery, heartwarming friendships, and potential romance, Arleta will have to decide whether winning the Baking Battle is the true prize after all. But win or lose, her adventure is only beginning…
Although this book is part of a series it can only be read as a standalone. Escape to Adenashire for a delightful cozy fantasy where every twist is a treat and every turn a step closer to home.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published November 13, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,949 reviews
April 18, 2024
My twisted humor make him laugh so often / My honeybee, come and get this pollen (Espresso – Sabrina Carpenter).
Hey, this was great! It’s a fun, cute, and sweet (ha ha this is a book about bakers) Cinderella story that covers all its bases without falling into tired or trite territory. I’ve always found the idea of smaller stories set in a fantasy universe really interesting, and I’m happy to report that that’s definitely what I got here! It can’t all be world-ending plots, right? This isn’t really important, but you should know that I did read this on my phone. A small-scale story for a small screen. It was like a pocket full of sunshine! I know I’ve said that I hate reading on my phone before, but I guess it just depends on whether or not a book is good. Huh, this is a revelatory moment for me. I liked this enough that I’d read it etched in stone if I had to. Rosetta Stone style. Also, I was super excited to read something about folks cooking that good, good food! It had my stomach rumbling, that's for sure. And I don’t even have much of a sweet-tooth, but reading all the descriptions of the desserts was very… sweet. Sorry, I have one joke. Anyway, I’ll be honest and say that I originally picked this up because I thought it was gay. I think maybe I was blinded by the fact that the guy on the cover kind of looks like Zevran from Dragon Age, and just started reading this in a desperate frenzy. When I realized that Theo, the love-interest, couldn’t be more different from good old Zev... well, it took the wind out of my sails a little bit. He's a bit dull in comparison. In a story full of fully realized characters, it was a bit disappointing that the love-interest was on the 2-dimmentional side. Turn him sideways and he’d look like Mr. Game & Watch. I feel bad because in one book I’ll complain about the love-interest being too much of a jerk, and then in others (like this one) I’ll be mad that they’re too boring. What the hell is my problem? Maybe I'm just like my mother, she's never satisfied. My usual excuse is that I’ll say that there should be a delicate balance to these things. And that's true, but I think the simpler answer is that sometimes I’m just wishy-washy. What can I say? I like the things I like until I don’t. I always like to switch it up like Nintendo, keeps things interesting. Also, in the end, these differences did end up being a good thing, because while he was a bit of a bore at first, his honesty ended up being refreshing. The fact that he’s got all the good looks and status that the "boyfriend character" usually has in these kinds of stories, but none of the swagger, ended up making him charming in his own way. He was a dorky flop in the romance department, and that’s why it works. Besides, I think portraying him as being painfully earnest was the right move because if he’d been full tilt in the other direction, he'd evoke imagery of Prince Charming from Shrek 2. Yikes. This was for the best.
Now on to the next part of this called “The-Thoughts-I-Thought-About-This-Book-That-Didn’t-Affect-My-Enjoyment” … I think. This book kind of follows video game logic for its fantasy races. You know the kind, overly simplistic and borderline questionable. Now, this normally wouldn’t be something I take note of, considering all I said up there about this being a light and happy story, but the fact that the main message of this story is “racism is bad” makes for a few odd discrepancies between the Ultimate Message and certain dialogue and descriptions that I could only read as microaggressions. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good “racism is bad” story (because racism is bad), but when the narration is constantly pointing out “facts” about what each race can do (Forest Elves can talk to plants and animals etc. etc.), and said “facts” being taken at face-value, I have to raise an eyebrow. Just one though. While I don’t think that there’s anything inherently problematic with this approach to fantasy writing, when you assign “abilities” to different races, especially when those races often mirror our own, at best it can seem lazy, and at worst… has some uncomfortable implications. It reminds me of how back in the day there was this zombie video game called Resident Evil 5 that was dismissive of its own imagery. I wasn’t very good at it, but I remember it was surrounded by controversies claiming that it was racially insensitive. I remember all the Gamers™ at the time were pissed at the accusation that their favorite game franchise could be called racist. “How can shooting zombies be seen as racist!? It’s not that deep!” they’d exclaim. The audacity, right? Yeah well, if people can’t see how playing as a cop entering a village and killing monsters, most of which being people of color who are depicted as “savage and mindless” is a terrible look, especially with added historical context, then there’s really nothing else for me to say. Am I saying that this book is racist? Absolutely not! …I’m saying that Resident Evil 5 is racist. In all seriousness though, This book wants to explore discrimination with how our main character is treated, but doesn’t seem too interested having any kind of in-depth or meaningful discussion about bigotry. Does this book need that? Nah, not really. But sorry, you can’t have your cake and eat it too (this is a book about baking hehe). I just think it could have been an interesting angle to take if Arleta could take the time to examine her own prejudices as well. But otherwise… this was great! Didn’t mean to end on a dower note, my bad. This was a nice book! Sure, I only loved it lowercase when I was hoping to LOVE it, but it still filled me with all kinds of warm feelings. Like a pecan pie on thanksgiving! Was it that sweet? I guess so.
“What if it were true that accepting that she was fated to the elf simply came down to a willingness to just say yes?”
…Like, substitute “elf” with any real-world race. “Fated to the Asian.” See what I mean? I’m just saying.
Hey, this was great! It’s a fun, cute, and sweet (ha ha this is a book about bakers) Cinderella story that covers all its bases without falling into tired or trite territory. I’ve always found the idea of smaller stories set in a fantasy universe really interesting, and I’m happy to report that that’s definitely what I got here! It can’t all be world-ending plots, right? This isn’t really important, but you should know that I did read this on my phone. A small-scale story for a small screen. It was like a pocket full of sunshine! I know I’ve said that I hate reading on my phone before, but I guess it just depends on whether or not a book is good. Huh, this is a revelatory moment for me. I liked this enough that I’d read it etched in stone if I had to. Rosetta Stone style. Also, I was super excited to read something about folks cooking that good, good food! It had my stomach rumbling, that's for sure. And I don’t even have much of a sweet-tooth, but reading all the descriptions of the desserts was very… sweet. Sorry, I have one joke. Anyway, I’ll be honest and say that I originally picked this up because I thought it was gay. I think maybe I was blinded by the fact that the guy on the cover kind of looks like Zevran from Dragon Age, and just started reading this in a desperate frenzy. When I realized that Theo, the love-interest, couldn’t be more different from good old Zev... well, it took the wind out of my sails a little bit. He's a bit dull in comparison. In a story full of fully realized characters, it was a bit disappointing that the love-interest was on the 2-dimmentional side. Turn him sideways and he’d look like Mr. Game & Watch. I feel bad because in one book I’ll complain about the love-interest being too much of a jerk, and then in others (like this one) I’ll be mad that they’re too boring. What the hell is my problem? Maybe I'm just like my mother, she's never satisfied. My usual excuse is that I’ll say that there should be a delicate balance to these things. And that's true, but I think the simpler answer is that sometimes I’m just wishy-washy. What can I say? I like the things I like until I don’t. I always like to switch it up like Nintendo, keeps things interesting. Also, in the end, these differences did end up being a good thing, because while he was a bit of a bore at first, his honesty ended up being refreshing. The fact that he’s got all the good looks and status that the "boyfriend character" usually has in these kinds of stories, but none of the swagger, ended up making him charming in his own way. He was a dorky flop in the romance department, and that’s why it works. Besides, I think portraying him as being painfully earnest was the right move because if he’d been full tilt in the other direction, he'd evoke imagery of Prince Charming from Shrek 2. Yikes. This was for the best.
Now on to the next part of this called “The-Thoughts-I-Thought-About-This-Book-That-Didn’t-Affect-My-Enjoyment” … I think. This book kind of follows video game logic for its fantasy races. You know the kind, overly simplistic and borderline questionable. Now, this normally wouldn’t be something I take note of, considering all I said up there about this being a light and happy story, but the fact that the main message of this story is “racism is bad” makes for a few odd discrepancies between the Ultimate Message and certain dialogue and descriptions that I could only read as microaggressions. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good “racism is bad” story (because racism is bad), but when the narration is constantly pointing out “facts” about what each race can do (Forest Elves can talk to plants and animals etc. etc.), and said “facts” being taken at face-value, I have to raise an eyebrow. Just one though. While I don’t think that there’s anything inherently problematic with this approach to fantasy writing, when you assign “abilities” to different races, especially when those races often mirror our own, at best it can seem lazy, and at worst… has some uncomfortable implications. It reminds me of how back in the day there was this zombie video game called Resident Evil 5 that was dismissive of its own imagery. I wasn’t very good at it, but I remember it was surrounded by controversies claiming that it was racially insensitive. I remember all the Gamers™ at the time were pissed at the accusation that their favorite game franchise could be called racist. “How can shooting zombies be seen as racist!? It’s not that deep!” they’d exclaim. The audacity, right? Yeah well, if people can’t see how playing as a cop entering a village and killing monsters, most of which being people of color who are depicted as “savage and mindless” is a terrible look, especially with added historical context, then there’s really nothing else for me to say. Am I saying that this book is racist? Absolutely not! …I’m saying that Resident Evil 5 is racist. In all seriousness though, This book wants to explore discrimination with how our main character is treated, but doesn’t seem too interested having any kind of in-depth or meaningful discussion about bigotry. Does this book need that? Nah, not really. But sorry, you can’t have your cake and eat it too (this is a book about baking hehe). I just think it could have been an interesting angle to take if Arleta could take the time to examine her own prejudices as well. But otherwise… this was great! Didn’t mean to end on a dower note, my bad. This was a nice book! Sure, I only loved it lowercase when I was hoping to LOVE it, but it still filled me with all kinds of warm feelings. Like a pecan pie on thanksgiving! Was it that sweet? I guess so.
“What if it were true that accepting that she was fated to the elf simply came down to a willingness to just say yes?”
…Like, substitute “elf” with any real-world race. “Fated to the Asian.” See what I mean? I’m just saying.
November 25, 2023
"She might only be human, but at least her baked goods tasted magical."
Listen, let's be honest: the most memorable thing about this book is the descriptions of baking and food. I was starving the whole time I was reading, even if I'd just eaten. And there are only two other authors in the history of everything I've read to succeed in making me feel hungry with their food descriptions--Brian Jacques in his Redwall series and Savanna Roberts in her Nottingham Trilogy.
There's a necessary finesse to describing food where an author needs to describe it well enough to make people connect to the food and think they'd enjoy it without the descriptions feeling like they sideline the story and are unnecessary. Penner managed to succeed in this area, primarily because baking was part of the main plot line, but also because they gave precise details without going into overboard and extravagant detail. (Listen, I love Tolkien as much as anybody, but even I can only listen to him wax eloquent about leaves for so long before I lose my damn mind.)
Anyway, back to the point. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this book at first. A lot of people had advertised it to me as being "better than Legends and Lattes." For me, L&L was a really top notch book (and I'm really looking forward to the sequel which is currently collecting dust in my kindle *side eyes*), so I feel like it hurt my perspective of this book because I came into the reading experience with REALLY high expectations for this story. And while I DID enjoy "A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic" I really didn't feel like it came anywhere close to hitting the same quality bar that many of the other cozy fantasies I've read lately have.
Was it fun? Absolutely. But was it a 4-5 star read that I'd come back to and read again because I enjoyed it so much? ...sadly, not really.
The first problem for me was that I really didn't connect much with the main character. (She did like tea and made me lemon bars straight away, so I can't hate her too much.) However, she's not a character I was sympathetic to or that I related to. I found her whiney and wishy washy. She was constantly changing her mind and emotions in a manner that kind of gave me whiplash. And it made her arcs with other characters (and within herself) hard to follow.
What I absolutely LOVED in this book though were the side characters. From the main characters adoptive dads (we all need slightly nosy, very protective and loving orc dads who own a bookshop, okay?) to the surly fennec fox friend who'd rather throw things at you than accept a compliment, they were hands down the best part of this story. I loved the animal sidekicks. I loved the best friends the main character made at the bakeoff. And I really did love what the author was trying to attempt with the romantic interest. There was so much lovely banter and soft conversations that honestly did give me a lot of feelings. I felt like these side characters were more lovable and offered more enjoyment to me as a reader than a lot of the main characters.
The biggest problem I had with this book though is that a lot of the relationship arcs at the ending didn't feel earned. The romance felt shoehorned in, as did aspects of the found family relationship and the weird interactions with the two "villain" characters who the main character supposedly makes up with (?). It felt like there were a lot of loose strings and suddenly two chapters from the end the author freaked out and decided they had to solve everything and then did a rush job of it so that most of what happened didn't feel earned and didn't make sense. If we'd spent more time getting to know those characters and developing the arcs and relationships, it probably would've come off less forced.
So--that's my mild ten cents on the subject. I think if you like cozy fantasy, this is a book you can read in an hour or two and enjoy. But it's also nothing that's going to stick with you. (If I wasn't writing this review immediately after reading, I'd probably have to leave myself notes because I wouldn't remember jack about what I read if I waited until tomorrow.) I do think I'll come back to the story world if Penner continues to write books though. Because even if they're not amazing reads, they're still pretty fun and it's nice to read something sometimes that doesn't use all of my remaining braincells. :P
Listen, let's be honest: the most memorable thing about this book is the descriptions of baking and food. I was starving the whole time I was reading, even if I'd just eaten. And there are only two other authors in the history of everything I've read to succeed in making me feel hungry with their food descriptions--Brian Jacques in his Redwall series and Savanna Roberts in her Nottingham Trilogy.
There's a necessary finesse to describing food where an author needs to describe it well enough to make people connect to the food and think they'd enjoy it without the descriptions feeling like they sideline the story and are unnecessary. Penner managed to succeed in this area, primarily because baking was part of the main plot line, but also because they gave precise details without going into overboard and extravagant detail. (Listen, I love Tolkien as much as anybody, but even I can only listen to him wax eloquent about leaves for so long before I lose my damn mind.)
Anyway, back to the point. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this book at first. A lot of people had advertised it to me as being "better than Legends and Lattes." For me, L&L was a really top notch book (and I'm really looking forward to the sequel which is currently collecting dust in my kindle *side eyes*), so I feel like it hurt my perspective of this book because I came into the reading experience with REALLY high expectations for this story. And while I DID enjoy "A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic" I really didn't feel like it came anywhere close to hitting the same quality bar that many of the other cozy fantasies I've read lately have.
Was it fun? Absolutely. But was it a 4-5 star read that I'd come back to and read again because I enjoyed it so much? ...sadly, not really.
The first problem for me was that I really didn't connect much with the main character. (She did like tea and made me lemon bars straight away, so I can't hate her too much.) However, she's not a character I was sympathetic to or that I related to. I found her whiney and wishy washy. She was constantly changing her mind and emotions in a manner that kind of gave me whiplash. And it made her arcs with other characters (and within herself) hard to follow.
What I absolutely LOVED in this book though were the side characters. From the main characters adoptive dads (we all need slightly nosy, very protective and loving orc dads who own a bookshop, okay?) to the surly fennec fox friend who'd rather throw things at you than accept a compliment, they were hands down the best part of this story. I loved the animal sidekicks. I loved the best friends the main character made at the bakeoff. And I really did love what the author was trying to attempt with the romantic interest. There was so much lovely banter and soft conversations that honestly did give me a lot of feelings. I felt like these side characters were more lovable and offered more enjoyment to me as a reader than a lot of the main characters.
The biggest problem I had with this book though is that a lot of the relationship arcs at the ending didn't feel earned. The romance felt shoehorned in, as did aspects of the found family relationship and the weird interactions with the two "villain" characters who the main character supposedly makes up with (?). It felt like there were a lot of loose strings and suddenly two chapters from the end the author freaked out and decided they had to solve everything and then did a rush job of it so that most of what happened didn't feel earned and didn't make sense. If we'd spent more time getting to know those characters and developing the arcs and relationships, it probably would've come off less forced.
So--that's my mild ten cents on the subject. I think if you like cozy fantasy, this is a book you can read in an hour or two and enjoy. But it's also nothing that's going to stick with you. (If I wasn't writing this review immediately after reading, I'd probably have to leave myself notes because I wouldn't remember jack about what I read if I waited until tomorrow.) I do think I'll come back to the story world if Penner continues to write books though. Because even if they're not amazing reads, they're still pretty fun and it's nice to read something sometimes that doesn't use all of my remaining braincells. :P
December 5, 2023
I binged this one! So freaking cute!!
If you liked Legends and Lattes, you're going to love this!
If you liked Legends and Lattes, you're going to love this!
December 9, 2023
I wanted to love this book. I follow the author on instagram and the premise was totally up my alley. But then I started reading and almost from the get-go was not thrilled. The FMC is quite frankly the most negative of Nancy's I've ever had the displeasure of reading. Now don't get me wrong, she has every right to be negative, she essentially deals with blatant racism daily (since she is human and has no magic) and is living a rough life... but that being said this book promised 'cozy' and none of that is cozy. Not the negativity, the racism nor the hard knock life the FMC is leading. Add on top of that the FMC stubbornly refusing any help she can from people and constantly veering between anger and sudden tears, I was not having a good time (and the FMC certainly wasn't either).
The Bake Off competition starts at the 40% mark of the novel. AT THE FORTY PERCENT MARK. The big ticket item/challenge of the book starting at 40% really to me suggests a pacing issue for the rest of the book so couple that with my extreme lack of connection for the FMC so I decided to put that book down. Someone else can love and care for it, but it isn't my baby and I don't want to deal with the aggravation anymore (that was a weird metaphor, I don't hate babies). I don't think I'll be picking this book back up again any time soon.
The Bake Off competition starts at the 40% mark of the novel. AT THE FORTY PERCENT MARK. The big ticket item/challenge of the book starting at 40% really to me suggests a pacing issue for the rest of the book so couple that with my extreme lack of connection for the FMC so I decided to put that book down. Someone else can love and care for it, but it isn't my baby and I don't want to deal with the aggravation anymore (that was a weird metaphor, I don't hate babies). I don't think I'll be picking this book back up again any time soon.
December 16, 2023
i liked the premise but the whole thing felt, to put it thematically, underbaked. the whole plot and each character felt one-dimensional and lacking real substance. also i didn’t like the direct rip-off of GBBO terms. also the main character cried all the gd time. also i hate the soulmates trope.
so this one was just not for me, unfortunately, though it could appeal to other readers who are looking for something very light. the bakes that were described all sounded very delicious and there were recipes at the end, so that was nice.
edited to add: the whole point is that arleta is the first contestant without magic to be in the competition but when the fuck does anyone actually use magic in the competition?? i can’t remember anyone actually using magic so what was going on with that
so this one was just not for me, unfortunately, though it could appeal to other readers who are looking for something very light. the bakes that were described all sounded very delicious and there were recipes at the end, so that was nice.
edited to add: the whole point is that arleta is the first contestant without magic to be in the competition but when the fuck does anyone actually use magic in the competition?? i can’t remember anyone actually using magic so what was going on with that
March 29, 2025
A lighthearted, wholesome cozy fantasy with no stakes, some adorable side characters, found family, animal companions, lots of baking, and a dash of sweet romance. Perfect for Ghibli fans and readers who enjoyed Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst.
At this point, I have to yield and admit to myself I'm not and never will be a cozy fantasy girlie. Cozies are always a great opportunity for lovable characters and the found family trope, but rarely do they hit for me because it all feels too superficial for me to care.
The writing is very good, and let me tell you - if you pick the book up, do it in a café with some baked goods on hand because damn do I crave some cake! Some parts I really liked - Jez (one of the side characters), the baking, Nimbus the horse, Arleta's (MC) relationship with the two fatherly orc husbands. And I was very pleasantly surprised by how the baking contest ended!
My main gripe was with Arleta herself and the whole romance aspect. I couldn't get a read on Arleta. Her main characteristic seemed to be stubbornness. Pig-headedness, actually, sometimes to the point of stupidity. She was also very self-conscious and anxious, constantly wavering between "Oh I could actually win this!" and "Oh no I don't belong here I don't even deserve to win!" and I was slowly getting annoyed. That, unfortunately, carried onto the romance part.
Theo the elf was kind, patient, generous, oblivious to his own beauty... He was literally perfect. And I found him a bit boring, but after the hot-and-cold emotional rollercoaster Arleta put him through, I wanted him to turn around and find himself some hot man-elf instead 👀
There was this entire conflict of "I'm infatuated with him but I simply can't be with him!" that was based entirely on Arleta's wrong assumption - which can work if the author makes the assuming character and their reasons sympathetic enough to the reader. That didn't happen, I'm afraid, but that's entirely subjective to me. I don't have much patience for this kind of behavior, not now. I have to completely adore the character to tolerate nonsensical self-sabotage and whining.
Not to say, the romance was insta with fated mates. One of my least favorite tropes ever. Enough said.
Nevertheless, I would love to see this story animated!
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this as an e-arc.
At this point, I have to yield and admit to myself I'm not and never will be a cozy fantasy girlie. Cozies are always a great opportunity for lovable characters and the found family trope, but rarely do they hit for me because it all feels too superficial for me to care.
The writing is very good, and let me tell you - if you pick the book up, do it in a café with some baked goods on hand because damn do I crave some cake! Some parts I really liked - Jez (one of the side characters), the baking, Nimbus the horse, Arleta's (MC) relationship with the two fatherly orc husbands. And I was very pleasantly surprised by how the baking contest ended!
My main gripe was with Arleta herself and the whole romance aspect. I couldn't get a read on Arleta. Her main characteristic seemed to be stubbornness. Pig-headedness, actually, sometimes to the point of stupidity. She was also very self-conscious and anxious, constantly wavering between "Oh I could actually win this!" and "Oh no I don't belong here I don't even deserve to win!" and I was slowly getting annoyed. That, unfortunately, carried onto the romance part.
Theo the elf was kind, patient, generous, oblivious to his own beauty... He was literally perfect. And I found him a bit boring, but after the hot-and-cold emotional rollercoaster Arleta put him through, I wanted him to turn around and find himself some hot man-elf instead 👀
There was this entire conflict of "I'm infatuated with him but I simply can't be with him!" that was based entirely on Arleta's wrong assumption - which can work if the author makes the assuming character and their reasons sympathetic enough to the reader. That didn't happen, I'm afraid, but that's entirely subjective to me. I don't have much patience for this kind of behavior, not now. I have to completely adore the character to tolerate nonsensical self-sabotage and whining.
Not to say, the romance was insta with fated mates. One of my least favorite tropes ever. Enough said.
Nevertheless, I would love to see this story animated!
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this as an e-arc.
March 30, 2025
Utterly enchanting and deliciously creative, A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is the perfect cosy fantasy to savour! 🍰✨
Set in the charming land of Adenashire, this story blends mouthwatering baking competitions with whimsical magic and heartfelt friendships. Arleta Starstone, a determined human confectionist, dreams of making her mark in a world ruled by elven and dwarven culinary magic. When she’s unexpectedly entered into the prestigious Elven Baking Battle, she faces not only enchanted rivals but also her own self-doubt. What follows is a spellbinding journey of pastry, perseverance, and self-discovery.
I absolutely adored the vibrant world-building and the creative, magical bake-offs — the cakes and pastries were so imaginative and utterly drool-worthy! 🍪🧁 The added bonus of the recipes at the end made my bookworm heart sing — I’m genuinely tempted to try baking some of them myself. Arleta’s journey was as heartwarming as it was inspiring, and the friendships and budding romance added just the right amount of sweetness.
If you’re craving a cosy, feel-good fantasy brimming with charm, creativity, and cakes you’ll wish you could taste, A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is an absolute must-read. I’ll be first in line for whatever J. Penner whisks up next! 🌟
Set in the charming land of Adenashire, this story blends mouthwatering baking competitions with whimsical magic and heartfelt friendships. Arleta Starstone, a determined human confectionist, dreams of making her mark in a world ruled by elven and dwarven culinary magic. When she’s unexpectedly entered into the prestigious Elven Baking Battle, she faces not only enchanted rivals but also her own self-doubt. What follows is a spellbinding journey of pastry, perseverance, and self-discovery.
I absolutely adored the vibrant world-building and the creative, magical bake-offs — the cakes and pastries were so imaginative and utterly drool-worthy! 🍪🧁 The added bonus of the recipes at the end made my bookworm heart sing — I’m genuinely tempted to try baking some of them myself. Arleta’s journey was as heartwarming as it was inspiring, and the friendships and budding romance added just the right amount of sweetness.
If you’re craving a cosy, feel-good fantasy brimming with charm, creativity, and cakes you’ll wish you could taste, A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is an absolute must-read. I’ll be first in line for whatever J. Penner whisks up next! 🌟
January 10, 2025
4 stars because the writing seems a bit childish at times and also because the fmc is annoying and fillip floppy. Good thing is that the side characters made up for it though.
June 3, 2025
Cozy Magical Fantasy
📖 Bookish Thoughts
Very cute and cozy gaslamp fantasy! It’s filled with magical pastries, found family vibes, and a charming baking competition setting that I really enjoyed.
I immediately liked Theo! The more we got to know him, the more I loved him.
Our FMC was a bit wishy-washy throughout, which was frustrating at times. And her stubbornness near the end? Definitely tested my patience.
That said, the overall coziness really worked for me. I was happy with the story and the warm cozy fantasy vibes, even if I wanted just a little more from the main character.
💫 What You Can Expect:
• Magical baking competition
• Fated mates
• Found family
• Queer rep
• Whimsical small-town setting
• Cozy Gaslamp fantasy
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.
📖 Bookish Thoughts
Very cute and cozy gaslamp fantasy! It’s filled with magical pastries, found family vibes, and a charming baking competition setting that I really enjoyed.
I immediately liked Theo! The more we got to know him, the more I loved him.
Our FMC was a bit wishy-washy throughout, which was frustrating at times. And her stubbornness near the end? Definitely tested my patience.
That said, the overall coziness really worked for me. I was happy with the story and the warm cozy fantasy vibes, even if I wanted just a little more from the main character.
💫 What You Can Expect:
• Magical baking competition
• Fated mates
• Found family
• Queer rep
• Whimsical small-town setting
• Cozy Gaslamp fantasy
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.
March 6, 2024
Overall: The story is cute but not great. The world building is semi cozy (ignoring the racism), with really cute side characters, but I find that the cozy vibe the author is putting out is being drowned out by the stupidity of the mc like a pair of off-pitch bagpipes.
The good: The recipes sound delicious and i appreciate the author putting the recipes in the back of the ebook and all the side characters (except Taeyna) are really well written and seem sweet! I love her friends, and the ML is truly swoon worthy, and the two orc dads who try (really try) to take care of the MC are adorable. You can tell the author loves food from the way theyre able to talk about food pairing and their descriptions are so delectable.
The bad: Theres no great antagonist so the greatest threat to the MCs peace is honestly her lack of self confidence and anxiety.
The entire story she has people on her side telling her shes great and deserving of better but she just doesnt believe them because shes human and magic-less?
And then after a minor chapter villain she finally understands it in the end??
Also she cries and whines about being discriminated for being magicless far too often. Is this what the author thinks minorities do when theyre discriminated against for something they cant control?
Especially for something like baking! When they havent even talked about if there was any benefit to baking with magic- meaning that theres literally no difference to who is making the recipe, and the fact that no one brings this up in the book is insane to me. If theres no magic added or used with the baked goods then who cares who is baking it? They could have added world building to show how being magic less is truly a detriment otherwise the MCs complaints of being magic less feel whiny.
This book isn’t very long but it took me longer to read because I had to roll my eyes and pause every-time the MC self-sabotaged her own happiness.
So the ending didn’t feel very well deserved where it all just clicks in their mind where they do deserve love and happiness.
The good: The recipes sound delicious and i appreciate the author putting the recipes in the back of the ebook and all the side characters (except Taeyna) are really well written and seem sweet! I love her friends, and the ML is truly swoon worthy, and the two orc dads who try (really try) to take care of the MC are adorable. You can tell the author loves food from the way theyre able to talk about food pairing and their descriptions are so delectable.
The bad: Theres no great antagonist so the greatest threat to the MCs peace is honestly her lack of self confidence and anxiety.
The entire story she has people on her side telling her shes great and deserving of better but she just doesnt believe them because shes human and magic-less?
And then after a minor chapter villain she finally understands it in the end??
Also she cries and whines about being discriminated for being magicless far too often. Is this what the author thinks minorities do when theyre discriminated against for something they cant control?
Especially for something like baking! When they havent even talked about if there was any benefit to baking with magic- meaning that theres literally no difference to who is making the recipe, and the fact that no one brings this up in the book is insane to me. If theres no magic added or used with the baked goods then who cares who is baking it? They could have added world building to show how being magic less is truly a detriment otherwise the MCs complaints of being magic less feel whiny.
This book isn’t very long but it took me longer to read because I had to roll my eyes and pause every-time the MC self-sabotaged her own happiness.
So the ending didn’t feel very well deserved where it all just clicks in their mind where they do deserve love and happiness.
December 3, 2023
Everything about this story is tired. The main competition/conflict is a direct ripoff of GBBO. The love story is another rehash of "two different species drawn together and one is too in their feelings to let it happen" with a dash of controlling mother thrown in. The protagonist doesn't really grow or evolve even though the story tries to make it seem like she does. I like the growing genre of "cozy fantasy", but this isn't a great example.
April 9, 2024
3.8 ⭐️
cozy fantasy is becoming one of my favourite things 🫶🏻
if you like bake off shows, read this book! if you like pastries (who doesn't) read this book! if you like old fantasy magic with elves, dwarves, orcs in a wholesome setting.. do i even need to say it? read this book!! The romance was wholesome and cute even though it was slowburn and drove me crazy. The description of the pastries were delectable, and the addition of the recipes at the end was such a nice touch.
Reading this felt like getting a warm hug from a book :)
cozy fantasy is becoming one of my favourite things 🫶🏻
if you like bake off shows, read this book! if you like pastries (who doesn't) read this book! if you like old fantasy magic with elves, dwarves, orcs in a wholesome setting.. do i even need to say it? read this book!! The romance was wholesome and cute even though it was slowburn and drove me crazy. The description of the pastries were delectable, and the addition of the recipes at the end was such a nice touch.
Reading this felt like getting a warm hug from a book :)
November 17, 2023
I now have a new standard for cozy fantasy. This was absolutely everything to me. I had a feeling I knew how the story would go and I was correct about some things, but Penner had plenty of surprises. The last 100 pages were my favourite. So many cute lines, so many precious scenes…this has fully ignited my love for soft, cozy books again.
January 7, 2024
DNF at 58%
________________________________
Altough "cozy fantasy" is a subgenre that lights up my interest, until now I have read only a couple of books that could fit in the category.
I am an avid fan of Masterchef Australia and I have seen a couple of seasons of The Great Brittish Bake Off and I like to cook and bake myself. So, you could say I was very intrigued by this book. Unfortunately, it didn't delivered.
The descriptions of the foods and the baking processes are really good! The overall concept was very original as well! However, the execution... was... not very good.
My biggest pet-peeves:
- This is a book with insta-love (relies on "Fated", which is just another word for "Mate") and insta-friendships. That's a big "nope" for me in every book. If the author had played the childhood sweethearts/friends card, maybe I could have bought it.
- Arleta is supposed to create such divine and out of this world desserts... Yet, in a competition with the best bakers of the realm, she is able to go through round 1 with some simple lemon bars. It doesn't make sense.
- I get that the author took "inspiration" from The Great Brittish Bake Off, but this is fantasy!... She could have created the most luxurious, decadent, intricate and fantastical baking competition! Instead, we got a mundane copy of any cooking show.
- I know this is a self-published book, so I will not be to harsh, but I didn't really liked the writting. It needed editing.
So, sadly, it's a DNF. I skimmed some pages ahead and I noticed that every cliché I thought would happen, it actually happens. :/ Pity.
If this book ever gets a traditional publishing, I may pick it up again, though.
________________________________
Altough "cozy fantasy" is a subgenre that lights up my interest, until now I have read only a couple of books that could fit in the category.
I am an avid fan of Masterchef Australia and I have seen a couple of seasons of The Great Brittish Bake Off and I like to cook and bake myself. So, you could say I was very intrigued by this book. Unfortunately, it didn't delivered.
The descriptions of the foods and the baking processes are really good! The overall concept was very original as well! However, the execution... was... not very good.
My biggest pet-peeves:
- This is a book with insta-love (relies on "Fated", which is just another word for "Mate") and insta-friendships. That's a big "nope" for me in every book. If the author had played the childhood sweethearts/friends card, maybe I could have bought it.
- Arleta is supposed to create such divine and out of this world desserts... Yet, in a competition with the best bakers of the realm, she is able to go through round 1 with some simple lemon bars. It doesn't make sense.
- I get that the author took "inspiration" from The Great Brittish Bake Off, but this is fantasy!... She could have created the most luxurious, decadent, intricate and fantastical baking competition! Instead, we got a mundane copy of any cooking show.
- I know this is a self-published book, so I will not be to harsh, but I didn't really liked the writting. It needed editing.
So, sadly, it's a DNF. I skimmed some pages ahead and I noticed that every cliché I thought would happen, it actually happens. :/ Pity.
If this book ever gets a traditional publishing, I may pick it up again, though.
January 28, 2025
As a fan of both cozy fantasy and the Great British Baking Show (there’s even has a technical and a showstopper in this competition) I knew I wanted to read this book. Arleta is the only non-magical person in her village, and her baking talent is often marginalized because of this. Unbeknownst to her, her kind Orc neighbor submits her work to the Baking Battle, and she is selected as a contestant. A handsome elf, Theo, comes to pick her up, and she is delighted to make friends with two of the other bakers. Can a non-magical person win the competition? Will the judges even give her a fair chance? And could Theo be the one for her? A feel good read for fans of the genre, and recipes are included. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the opportunity to review this advance copy.
February 18, 2025
THE CUTEST, FLUFFIEST, MOUTH WATERING EXPERIENCE I EVER HAD. I loved it all! The talking lynx, the small ice fairies, the food, the bake off, the diversity of creatures, the found family, Jez and Doli’s grumpy vs sunshine friendship, Theo and Arleta’s MOST slow burn cutie bootie romance ( I don’t know how many times I have said “GIRL IF YOU DONT KISS HIM RN” like ugh!!!!) the way this book had me giggling was so cute! 10000% recommend.
Read
February 2, 2024Dnf at 53% I had started skimming hard. It’s totally fine if not a little heavy-handed. But there are to many books out there for me to be wasting time skimming something I didn’t connect with 🤷♀️
February 21, 2025
This was the perfect cozy read. It was well paced and I enjoyed all of the characters. I couldn't stop thinking about the yummy treats during it lol! I love competitions in books and a bake off? Sign me up!
I loved the diverse creatures. The descriptions were excellent and the magic was great! Also, fated mates and slow burn? Soo good! I really liked Arleta's character. Her growth was very nice. Plus Theo was 🤌🏻
I can't wait to see what else this author brings to the table!
Thank you Poisoned pen press for the gifted arc
I loved the diverse creatures. The descriptions were excellent and the magic was great! Also, fated mates and slow burn? Soo good! I really liked Arleta's character. Her growth was very nice. Plus Theo was 🤌🏻
I can't wait to see what else this author brings to the table!
Thank you Poisoned pen press for the gifted arc
March 7, 2024
I discovered this book by pure luck while scrolling through TikTok! The algorithm gods favored me that day, because I was able to fall in love with an indie/debut author's new cozy fantasy! Ever since I read Legends and Lattes, I have been craving more of this delectable genre. J. Penner is so skilled at developing a cozy setting and writing likeable characters-- I read the entire book in one sitting! (I also may have eaten an entire platter of tarts while reading. Don't read this while you're hungry... Or just have a bunch of pastries ready to satisfy you.)
This has everything I want in a cozy fantasy. The author describes A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic as the Hobbit meets the Great British bakeoff vibes, which turned out to be 100% true. There is plenty of build-up, drama, and angst, but it is resolved beautifully by the end of the book. This is a true fantasy world with humans, elves, and animal hybrids all living together in community, and I cannot get enough of it. I'm going to need J. Penner to write really, really fast so that I don't have to wait took long for the next book. I am so grateful we have authors who are expanding the cozy fantasy microgenre, and I hope to see it become a full-blown niche in the future.
The foods/treats described in the story sound so good, I cannot wait to attempt some of them. J. Penner also lists a few recipes in the back of the book, which is such a nice touch! This book will be part of a larger series with other cozy settings, so I stay tuned for those release dates. We don't have to say goodbye to the people of Adenashire, and for that, I am incredibly grateful.
I read this book on Kindle Unlimited, but the author currently has signed copies available in their TikTok shop! Give yourself a gift and go order one, because the cover art for this book is stunning and deserves to sit on your shelf.
This has everything I want in a cozy fantasy. The author describes A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic as the Hobbit meets the Great British bakeoff vibes, which turned out to be 100% true. There is plenty of build-up, drama, and angst, but it is resolved beautifully by the end of the book. This is a true fantasy world with humans, elves, and animal hybrids all living together in community, and I cannot get enough of it. I'm going to need J. Penner to write really, really fast so that I don't have to wait took long for the next book. I am so grateful we have authors who are expanding the cozy fantasy microgenre, and I hope to see it become a full-blown niche in the future.
The foods/treats described in the story sound so good, I cannot wait to attempt some of them. J. Penner also lists a few recipes in the back of the book, which is such a nice touch! This book will be part of a larger series with other cozy settings, so I stay tuned for those release dates. We don't have to say goodbye to the people of Adenashire, and for that, I am incredibly grateful.
I read this book on Kindle Unlimited, but the author currently has signed copies available in their TikTok shop! Give yourself a gift and go order one, because the cover art for this book is stunning and deserves to sit on your shelf.
June 5, 2025
3.5
Charming, cozy story for fans of Legends&Latte and D&D. We have baking competion with many and I mean MANY descriptions of food. I wish I could cook them. MC is human baker Arleta Starstone who takes part at that competition among magical creatures and she finds friends and love. Big plus for divercity.
Tropes:
- Underdog in a competition (she is magicless in room full of magic)
- Grumpy/sweet slow-burn romance with one bed moment and a little "mates"
- Found family
- Herbal alchemy meets pastry magic
What personaly wasn't for me? Last 15% Like we have result of competiotion and it must be end? Nope. Last chapters felt a little too sweet for me. I get that it's cozy fantasy and everything must have HE, but it all felt like Disney cartoon. Plus all "mates" thing. I wanted more romance and last chapters just didn't give me that, we have so many hints and it all leads to that discussion of true mates and fate. Can please books have love not by fate and by choise?
Anyway, It was fun chill read, and I think that book would e perfect for cartoonor anime!!!!
Charming, cozy story for fans of Legends&Latte and D&D. We have baking competion with many and I mean MANY descriptions of food. I wish I could cook them. MC is human baker Arleta Starstone who takes part at that competition among magical creatures and she finds friends and love. Big plus for divercity.
Tropes:
- Underdog in a competition (she is magicless in room full of magic)
- Grumpy/sweet slow-burn romance with one bed moment and a little "mates"
- Found family
- Herbal alchemy meets pastry magic
What personaly wasn't for me? Last 15% Like we have result of competiotion and it must be end? Nope. Last chapters felt a little too sweet for me. I get that it's cozy fantasy and everything must have HE, but it all felt like Disney cartoon. Plus all "mates" thing. I wanted more romance and last chapters just didn't give me that, we have so many hints and it all leads to that discussion of true mates and fate. Can please books have love not by fate and by choise?
Anyway, It was fun chill read, and I think that book would e perfect for cartoonor anime!!!!
April 9, 2024
I LOVED this book. It feels like bake-off meets cozy fantasy with a sprinkle of magic! A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic centers around Arleta, a highly skilled baker living in the town of Adenashire, who is also... human. As a human living among magical creatures, Arleta has had to work extra hard at her craft. After being invited to the coveted Elven Baking Battle, Arleta must prove herself as she competes amongst elves and other magical bakers. This story is filled with friendship, a little bit of romance, found family, and of course--lots of baking!
As a fan of cozy fantasy, I found this book to be exactly what I'd hoped it would. With the highest stakes being centered around a baking competition, this really does feel like a cozy comfy read. I eagerly await the next book in the Adenashire series and cannot wait to read more from this author. If you are a fan of Legends & Lattes (and baking competitions), you will likely love this one!
As a fan of cozy fantasy, I found this book to be exactly what I'd hoped it would. With the highest stakes being centered around a baking competition, this really does feel like a cozy comfy read. I eagerly await the next book in the Adenashire series and cannot wait to read more from this author. If you are a fan of Legends & Lattes (and baking competitions), you will likely love this one!
June 22, 2024
The premise of A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic is basically "The Great British Bake Off as romantasy", which is an incredible premise for any cosy fantasy/romance book! I thought, when I borrowed the book from Kindle Unlimited, that I would give it easily 4 ⭐ or 5 ⭐! Unfortunately, the book fell utterly flat for me and lower in its rating with each chapter.
My main issues
1) The writing style and the world-building
The writing and the world-building are so clunky and underdeveloped that it hurts. Of course, I don't expect the fine-tuned world-building from an epic fantasy for a cosy romantasy but if you plan to write a book (especially a series): give your reader some information about your world aside from: "here's a map, humans are magicless and therefore at the bottom of the society, and the bake-off is an elven tournament that only opened to non-elves in the last years". Why are humans without magic (unless they are wizards and therefore, by that logic, not humans anymore)? Why did the bake-off only include elves for the majority of their 100 years of existence? Why did the elves create the bake-off in the first place? Why is it common that only magic users are included in the bake-off? What is common magic for each race and how would it help them in the tournament?
As for the writing: it does need another round or two of editing to make it smoother. An editor (or beta reader) should be included at one point because the author's choice of how to describe skin colour is ... questionable. Especially when the main characters are portrayed on the cover. The male character, Theo, is described as "ecru-skinned", which is an off-white with a slightly yellow undertone. It is commonly used to describe fabrics (especially leather) and not skin colour. The female character, Arleta, is described as "tawny beige", which is an orange-brown with ... well beige, which is generally a yellow-tinted white. If there wouldn't be cover art of the two, I would have pictured him as a sickly white elf and her as a ginger-coloured human when he's supposed to have a "golden tan" while she is "sun-skinned" (the latter is something that the author uses to describe Arleta too). Aside from the main characters, there's also "umber" and "alabaster" for side characters. While alabaster is relatively easy, umber is such a difficult colour because it ranges from orange/red (burnt umber) to a light grey-hued brown (the pale end for raw umber, which can also be a dark brown but can also have a greenish hue). Do you see my issue? There are tons of better ways to describe skin colours, and while I'm glad that it didn't end up with food comparison, the current way is awful as well.
Arleta, the main character
She has absolutely no confidence in her own abilities and whenever something (slightly) unfortunate/bad happens to her, she is like "woe is me, it is because I am human and have no magic". Yes, she suffers from occasional racism as humans are at the bottom of society (Why though? No one knows.) but on average, all her issues are tiny and are mostly in her head. Her lack of self-esteem and self-worth is exhausting to read and it gets to the point where she has several panic attacks about participating in the tournament because she believes that they will disqualify her for being a magic-less human. Despite, her love interest telling her multiple times that no rule forbids it. It is just uncommon for humans to participate because it used to be a purely elven tournament. Aside from her immense lack of self-esteem: she feels guilty for everything and everyone (even when it has nothing to do with her) to the point where she suffers a panic attack because her friend got kicked out of the tournament, which leads to Arleta being the centre of the attraction instead of being there for her friend. And when she doesn't feel guilty for shit, she allows people to push her around because she has no backbone and uses the "I am human and without magic and therefore worth nothing" excuse again. Whenever she isn't negative or letting someone push her around, she is just stupid. She's 100% the saying: "the lights are on but nobody is home". She only starts to find her backbone when her love interest backs her in one scene.
The love interest and the side characters
Underdeveloped and walking stereotypes. I cannot tell you anything about Theo aside from the fact that he's an elf who can talk to plants and animals. Please, don't get me started on the main side characters Doli and Jex. Or the "antagonists", which come out of nowhere and have no actual reason to dislike Arleta (aside from racism when it comes to one side character).
The entire romance is very insta-lust and insta-love but, of course, Arleta struggles with her confidence here as well despite being introduced to the fact that fated mates exist. Instead of believing her love interest, or even going to the library to read up on the concept, she believes everyone else and her own fears. I hate her so much.
The tournament
The bake-off is the plot point and the main premise of the book. For some reason, it starts at 40%, which is already bad enough, is only on-page a topic for 30%, and that's it. In the 30% where it should be the main premise, it is barely there as well. All rounds, where Arleta has to bake, are finished within two paragraphs. There are three rounds before the final round and that's it ... Aside from the tournament rounds, there is a masked ball but Arleta flees it after 5 minutes into it. Why include it if your main character doesn't use it to dance/find confidence or have some sweet moments with her love interest?
Also: WHY IS IT SUCH AN ISSUE THAT SHE IS A MAGIC-LESS HUMAN WHEN MAGIC HAS NO INFLUENCE ON THE TOURNAMENT!? There is only one moment, which is brushed off in two sentences, that Jex has scent magic and therefore, an incredible sense of smell (to the point of smelling emotions), which can give her an advantage. That's it. Otherwise, there's no mention of why magic is important in the tournament and why Arleta believes so much that she will be disqualified because she has no magic.
TL;DR: It could have been a sweet and cozy romantasy with The Great British Bake Off vibes but it turns sour rather quickly as the main character has pick me energy but lacks the self-esteem to pull it off while everything else is underdeveloped and cringy. Incorporates several tropes (fated mates, one bed, found family) in the attempt to carry the plot.
My main issues
1) The writing style and the world-building
The writing and the world-building are so clunky and underdeveloped that it hurts. Of course, I don't expect the fine-tuned world-building from an epic fantasy for a cosy romantasy but if you plan to write a book (especially a series): give your reader some information about your world aside from: "here's a map, humans are magicless and therefore at the bottom of the society, and the bake-off is an elven tournament that only opened to non-elves in the last years". Why are humans without magic (unless they are wizards and therefore, by that logic, not humans anymore)? Why did the bake-off only include elves for the majority of their 100 years of existence? Why did the elves create the bake-off in the first place? Why is it common that only magic users are included in the bake-off? What is common magic for each race and how would it help them in the tournament?
As for the writing: it does need another round or two of editing to make it smoother. An editor (or beta reader) should be included at one point because the author's choice of how to describe skin colour is ... questionable. Especially when the main characters are portrayed on the cover. The male character, Theo, is described as "ecru-skinned", which is an off-white with a slightly yellow undertone. It is commonly used to describe fabrics (especially leather) and not skin colour. The female character, Arleta, is described as "tawny beige", which is an orange-brown with ... well beige, which is generally a yellow-tinted white. If there wouldn't be cover art of the two, I would have pictured him as a sickly white elf and her as a ginger-coloured human when he's supposed to have a "golden tan" while she is "sun-skinned" (the latter is something that the author uses to describe Arleta too). Aside from the main characters, there's also "umber" and "alabaster" for side characters. While alabaster is relatively easy, umber is such a difficult colour because it ranges from orange/red (burnt umber) to a light grey-hued brown (the pale end for raw umber, which can also be a dark brown but can also have a greenish hue). Do you see my issue? There are tons of better ways to describe skin colours, and while I'm glad that it didn't end up with food comparison, the current way is awful as well.
Arleta, the main character
She has absolutely no confidence in her own abilities and whenever something (slightly) unfortunate/bad happens to her, she is like "woe is me, it is because I am human and have no magic". Yes, she suffers from occasional racism as humans are at the bottom of society (Why though? No one knows.) but on average, all her issues are tiny and are mostly in her head. Her lack of self-esteem and self-worth is exhausting to read and it gets to the point where she has several panic attacks about participating in the tournament because she believes that they will disqualify her for being a magic-less human. Despite, her love interest telling her multiple times that no rule forbids it. It is just uncommon for humans to participate because it used to be a purely elven tournament. Aside from her immense lack of self-esteem: she feels guilty for everything and everyone (even when it has nothing to do with her) to the point where she suffers a panic attack because her friend got kicked out of the tournament, which leads to Arleta being the centre of the attraction instead of being there for her friend. And when she doesn't feel guilty for shit, she allows people to push her around because she has no backbone and uses the "I am human and without magic and therefore worth nothing" excuse again. Whenever she isn't negative or letting someone push her around, she is just stupid. She's 100% the saying: "the lights are on but nobody is home". She only starts to find her backbone when her love interest backs her in one scene.
The love interest and the side characters
Underdeveloped and walking stereotypes. I cannot tell you anything about Theo aside from the fact that he's an elf who can talk to plants and animals. Please, don't get me started on the main side characters Doli and Jex. Or the "antagonists", which come out of nowhere and have no actual reason to dislike Arleta (aside from racism when it comes to one side character).
The entire romance is very insta-lust and insta-love but, of course, Arleta struggles with her confidence here as well despite being introduced to the fact that fated mates exist. Instead of believing her love interest, or even going to the library to read up on the concept, she believes everyone else and her own fears. I hate her so much.
The tournament
The bake-off is the plot point and the main premise of the book. For some reason, it starts at 40%, which is already bad enough, is only on-page a topic for 30%, and that's it. In the 30% where it should be the main premise, it is barely there as well. All rounds, where Arleta has to bake, are finished within two paragraphs. There are three rounds before the final round and that's it ... Aside from the tournament rounds, there is a masked ball but Arleta flees it after 5 minutes into it. Why include it if your main character doesn't use it to dance/find confidence or have some sweet moments with her love interest?
Also: WHY IS IT SUCH AN ISSUE THAT SHE IS A MAGIC-LESS HUMAN WHEN MAGIC HAS NO INFLUENCE ON THE TOURNAMENT!? There is only one moment, which is brushed off in two sentences, that Jex has scent magic and therefore, an incredible sense of smell (to the point of smelling emotions), which can give her an advantage. That's it. Otherwise, there's no mention of why magic is important in the tournament and why Arleta believes so much that she will be disqualified because she has no magic.
TL;DR: It could have been a sweet and cozy romantasy with The Great British Bake Off vibes but it turns sour rather quickly as the main character has pick me energy but lacks the self-esteem to pull it off while everything else is underdeveloped and cringy. Incorporates several tropes (fated mates, one bed, found family) in the attempt to carry the plot.
October 8, 2024
3.5🌟🌟!
This was a really cute and easy fun read! It's simple to understand and the magical DND elements are just perfect!
The main character tho 😭 🙏 girl plz I need more somewhat of a personality 😞
Anyways I loved the side character and the food that was described sounded RLLY good 🤞
I'll probably not continue this trilogy tho!
This was a really cute and easy fun read! It's simple to understand and the magical DND elements are just perfect!
The main character tho 😭 🙏 girl plz I need more somewhat of a personality 😞
Anyways I loved the side character and the food that was described sounded RLLY good 🤞
I'll probably not continue this trilogy tho!
February 28, 2025
This was my first cozy fantasy and I loved it! The vibes were immaculate and I was swept away by the world instantly. When Theo first appeared I was picturing him as a sort of little imp like elf and then I realised he was actually the love interest and I went oh okay he's supposed to be a beautiful elf 🤭✨ which made perfect sense, because he was - I mean come on he was so sweet and gentle. The baking contest didn't begin till closer to half way and I didn't really mind that. I do however wish there was more to the ball scene - it was far too short. I also loved how everything came together in the end, and how there was growth from many characters including Arleta (although a lot of her growth felt very surface level to me and could have been developed further). Doli was by far my favourite character, how could she not be! I adored the found family trope and I find myself looking forward to future publications in this world.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 11, 2025
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange of an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
3,5 stars
Previously self-published self-named cozy fantasies are getting a platform with the publishers and that is never a bad thing. A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic is one of those. It is a cute fun read but I missed a bit of depth.
We meet Arleta as she dreams of opening her own bakery in the empty building in her town. But as a non-magical human she is often looked down on and has to pay higher rent prices. Secretly her neighbors enter her in the most prestigious baking competition. When she is accepted a world opens up for her outside of her little town.
This story is a cute feel good read that will leave you hungry (and thank you author for the recipes in the back of the book). The depictions of the baked goods was great and made me hungry. I could also appreciate that in a world that has such a focus on magic, magic was not allowed in the bake. And this way we as reader can also recreate what was being baked. I think that also made it easier to be drawn to all the baked goods.
My biggest complaint about this book is that it is all a little too perfect and it does not have enough depth. You have to wonder about the reality of these characters. And of course, elves, dwarves etc. But I mean how real they feel as characters. Arlette feels a little too perfect. She doesn't think about herself even once. Not really. As soon as there is a chance to push something towards someone else, she does it. She does not at all improve on this either. Adding on to that, I missed a bit of depth in the characters personality which probably makes them feel too perfect. While Arlette clearly still mourns her parents, I would have liked to have there to have been more in her personality. More will to fight. And this also really counts for the love interest. What was his personality, really?
Regardless I did still enjoy this read once I didn't focus on what I mentioned above. But it is a shame because it could have been amazing.
3,5 stars
Previously self-published self-named cozy fantasies are getting a platform with the publishers and that is never a bad thing. A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic is one of those. It is a cute fun read but I missed a bit of depth.
We meet Arleta as she dreams of opening her own bakery in the empty building in her town. But as a non-magical human she is often looked down on and has to pay higher rent prices. Secretly her neighbors enter her in the most prestigious baking competition. When she is accepted a world opens up for her outside of her little town.
This story is a cute feel good read that will leave you hungry (and thank you author for the recipes in the back of the book). The depictions of the baked goods was great and made me hungry. I could also appreciate that in a world that has such a focus on magic, magic was not allowed in the bake. And this way we as reader can also recreate what was being baked. I think that also made it easier to be drawn to all the baked goods.
My biggest complaint about this book is that it is all a little too perfect and it does not have enough depth. You have to wonder about the reality of these characters. And of course, elves, dwarves etc. But I mean how real they feel as characters. Arlette feels a little too perfect. She doesn't think about herself even once. Not really. As soon as there is a chance to push something towards someone else, she does it. She does not at all improve on this either. Adding on to that, I missed a bit of depth in the characters personality which probably makes them feel too perfect. While Arlette clearly still mourns her parents, I would have liked to have there to have been more in her personality. More will to fight. And this also really counts for the love interest. What was his personality, really?
Regardless I did still enjoy this read once I didn't focus on what I mentioned above. But it is a shame because it could have been amazing.
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April 11, 2025
I received an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is probably the quickest I have finished a book this year. I absolutely devoured it. I'm going to try my best to make this reviewlengthy brief and spoiler-free [I am absolutely dying to just straight-up rant].
Note: There might be minor spoilers.
The characters
➵ Arleta Starstone
I loved her character development, particularly with what she did in the final round of the Baking Battle [even though I was initially upset about it and part of me feels like she could've helped Taenya some other way]. I guess it was necessary though, for the storyline.
My one [and possible only] complaint about Arleta was how she handled everything with Theo. Forget the Baking Battle, she was more likely to win a contest for "most mixed signals sent". I understand where she was coming from and why she did and said some of the things she did but it would not have been necessary if she had just shown a bit more maturity and tried to communicate. It was off-putting but negligible so it didn't ruin the book for me.
➵ Theodmon Brylar
The way I could describe this man to anyone with no additional context and they'd immediately guess that he's fictional because hello?? Wife me up??
I loved that he always put Arleta first—even when he didn't have to—and how he never questioned her thoughts or her hesitance regarding their relationship, choosing to put her comfort over his own feelings. And when he stood up for her in front of his mother?? I was practically shouting at Arleta to claim him before I did😭🙏
“...And my garden?” “It's so large because every time I plant something new, it is for you.”
“I have known and loved you for a hundred lifetimes.”
“And I will be yours whether or not you want me, until I am no more.”
[I tried uploading an image for the very first time and it didn't work out so just pretend I'm squealing and kicking my legs in the air.]
“You are everything I will ever want. You are magic—more than magic...Being with me or not is your choice. I cannot and would never attempt to make it for you.”
💘
Not necessarily a complaint, but I could not connect with his appearance, meaning I had no idea how to imagine what he looked like. This is particularly a fault on my part because when I first read that he was an elf I immediately pictured Santa's elves and the image just stuck 😭
The plot
I don't really have much to say on the plot because I feel the book was more character-driven than plot-driven. I do wish the writing was a bit more descriptive regarding the plot and the world-building but it honestly wasn't that noticeable since the book was a smooth [and very cozy] ride.
I haven't really read many books that contain "found family" but this book made me realize just how enjoyable this trope is and that I need to pick up more books like this.
Oops I think I've said too much now 🤫 my ARC reviews aren't usually this long but I needed to get it all out [I didn't even scratch the surface].
A big thank you to NetGalley for the book. I would definitely recommend this.
This is probably the quickest I have finished a book this year. I absolutely devoured it. I'm going to try my best to make this review
Note: There might be minor spoilers.
The characters
➵ Arleta Starstone
I loved her character development, particularly with what she did in the final round of the Baking Battle [even though I was initially upset about it and part of me feels like she could've helped Taenya some other way]. I guess it was necessary though, for the storyline.
My one [and possible only] complaint about Arleta was how she handled everything with Theo. Forget the Baking Battle, she was more likely to win a contest for "most mixed signals sent". I understand where she was coming from and why she did and said some of the things she did but it would not have been necessary if she had just shown a bit more maturity and tried to communicate. It was off-putting but negligible so it didn't ruin the book for me.
➵ Theodmon Brylar
The way I could describe this man to anyone with no additional context and they'd immediately guess that he's fictional because hello?? Wife me up??
I loved that he always put Arleta first—even when he didn't have to—and how he never questioned her thoughts or her hesitance regarding their relationship, choosing to put her comfort over his own feelings. And when he stood up for her in front of his mother?? I was practically shouting at Arleta to claim him before I did😭🙏
“...And my garden?” “It's so large because every time I plant something new, it is for you.”
“I have known and loved you for a hundred lifetimes.”
“And I will be yours whether or not you want me, until I am no more.”
[I tried uploading an image for the very first time and it didn't work out so just pretend I'm squealing and kicking my legs in the air.]
“You are everything I will ever want. You are magic—more than magic...Being with me or not is your choice. I cannot and would never attempt to make it for you.”
💘
Not necessarily a complaint, but I could not connect with his appearance, meaning I had no idea how to imagine what he looked like. This is particularly a fault on my part because when I first read that he was an elf I immediately pictured Santa's elves and the image just stuck 😭
The plot
I don't really have much to say on the plot because I feel the book was more character-driven than plot-driven. I do wish the writing was a bit more descriptive regarding the plot and the world-building but it honestly wasn't that noticeable since the book was a smooth [and very cozy] ride.
I haven't really read many books that contain "found family" but this book made me realize just how enjoyable this trope is and that I need to pick up more books like this.
Oops I think I've said too much now 🤫 my ARC reviews aren't usually this long but I needed to get it all out [I didn't even scratch the surface].
A big thank you to NetGalley for the book. I would definitely recommend this.
April 25, 2025
What an adorable book! If you love cozy stories, as I do, then this boom will be right up your alley…
The book is unique which is hard to do with the current boom in cozy fantasy literature… The baking competition, the various species (You’ll never ever forget the Castor family), the world-building… It’s all quite excellent. This is a book about connections between sentient beings and how ultimately, that’s what life is… We see connections created, nurtured, and blooming…
Lastly, there are three recipes in the back of the book… I was delighted. You probably will be, too.
In difficult times, reading books like this can shine a light into the darkness…
The book is unique which is hard to do with the current boom in cozy fantasy literature… The baking competition, the various species (You’ll never ever forget the Castor family), the world-building… It’s all quite excellent. This is a book about connections between sentient beings and how ultimately, that’s what life is… We see connections created, nurtured, and blooming…
Lastly, there are three recipes in the back of the book… I was delighted. You probably will be, too.
In difficult times, reading books like this can shine a light into the darkness…
December 28, 2023
This book was cute and cozy, which is what it promised. I will probably read more from this series and author. That being said, it was nothing amazing and full of flaws. It needed an editor/better editor as there were many technical errors - grammar, spelling, contradictions about what had happened. The main character had no positive traits beyond a bland flavor of kindness. Her “amazing” bakes were so simple I think I could pull them off. These are the bakes that ***spoilers*** earned her second place. Lemon bars, bergamot flavored scones, sea salt chocolate chip cookies, and a vanilla showstopper cake with blackberry jam. Pretty boring stuff. The romance wasnt developed at all. I don’t mean instalove - I actually enjoy instalove. It was just like…they barely spent any time together and when they were together there was nothing that showed why they might fall in love. Overall, a mediocre book but it was, indeed, cozy and very quick so not a waste of time.
June 20, 2024
**DNF at 70%**
I expected a cozy fantasy similar to "Legends & Lattes" when I picked up "A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic." Instead, I got a Bake Off (if it were produced in America, aka the opposite of relaxing) mixed with Dungeons and Dragons (except a boring version of it).
The book didn’t deliver the cozy and charming fantasy experience I was hoping for. It felt more chaotic and less engaging than I anticipated. Unfortunately, it wasn't for me, and I couldn't bring myself to finish it.
I expected a cozy fantasy similar to "Legends & Lattes" when I picked up "A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic." Instead, I got a Bake Off (if it were produced in America, aka the opposite of relaxing) mixed with Dungeons and Dragons (except a boring version of it).
The book didn’t deliver the cozy and charming fantasy experience I was hoping for. It felt more chaotic and less engaging than I anticipated. Unfortunately, it wasn't for me, and I couldn't bring myself to finish it.
April 28, 2025
I received an advance copy via NetGalley.
This is my kind of cozy fantasy: a secondary world tribute to the Great British Bake Off, wherein beings like elves, dwarves, and humans are competing for the prize. Lead character Arleta is a human struggling to sell her amazing baked goods, and often facing bigotry because of her magicless nature. She has no confidence whatsoever, and this is one of the book's main flaws: she can't commit to anything and is outright exasperating. She's almost too realistic, and that drags out the plots (especially the romance subplot) in a way that feels forced instead of organic. But when her ADORABLE surrogate dads--the two gay orcs who live next door--submit her as a candidate for the baking bout, she makes the cut, and then has to practically be kidnapped into participating by the super-hot elf Theodmon who works on behalf of the tournament.
The book has an awesome vibe. The descriptions of food are amazing--and the book has several recipes at the back! The sense of found family is wonderful, too. Arleta makes two close friends out of fellow contestants, and they have great banter. This isn't a book where you want to think too hard about the worldbuilding because it won't hold up at all, though this book deals with that better than some other cozy fantasies because it completely ignores the issue of ingredient origins. I just wish Arleta hadn't been quite so aggravating, that she had more external conflicts that gave her pause.
This is my kind of cozy fantasy: a secondary world tribute to the Great British Bake Off, wherein beings like elves, dwarves, and humans are competing for the prize. Lead character Arleta is a human struggling to sell her amazing baked goods, and often facing bigotry because of her magicless nature. She has no confidence whatsoever, and this is one of the book's main flaws: she can't commit to anything and is outright exasperating. She's almost too realistic, and that drags out the plots (especially the romance subplot) in a way that feels forced instead of organic. But when her ADORABLE surrogate dads--the two gay orcs who live next door--submit her as a candidate for the baking bout, she makes the cut, and then has to practically be kidnapped into participating by the super-hot elf Theodmon who works on behalf of the tournament.
The book has an awesome vibe. The descriptions of food are amazing--and the book has several recipes at the back! The sense of found family is wonderful, too. Arleta makes two close friends out of fellow contestants, and they have great banter. This isn't a book where you want to think too hard about the worldbuilding because it won't hold up at all, though this book deals with that better than some other cozy fantasies because it completely ignores the issue of ingredient origins. I just wish Arleta hadn't been quite so aggravating, that she had more external conflicts that gave her pause.
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