NetGalley Review: A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic by J Penner

Hey all, Sam here

I guess I’m just reading and reviewing a bunch of books that started off as indie pub novels and then made the transition to trad pub. You know what, that’s fine. Hey, it’s even totally fine that I actually already reviewed this book because I never got around to reviewing the rest of the released books in the series. Don’t worry, those reviews are coming in the very near future because I did a binge-read of the first three books in the series. I do still need to read the fourth one, so that’ll maybe happen before the end of the year. We’ll see

Okay, I’m not going to take a lot of time for an intro here… because honestly I want to get back to the book I’m reading. It is not a NetGalley read, but it is a book I’ve been wanting to pick up. I’m only like 100 pages in so far and really enjoying it so far.

So let’s get into today’s review so I can get back to reading more books (which I’ll then review). It’s a lovely cycle.

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.

My Thoughts

Rating: 4.5 stars

My biggest gripe on this one continues to be that there wasn’t enough of the baking competition. Arleta didn’t even reach the capital for the competition until like the 40% mark and then it felt like each round of the competition only took like one chapter each time. And I guess considering the premise of the book that it would have been a little bit bigger of a story element.

The descriptions of the recipes did make me hungry though, so I do recommend having a snack (and even a nice cup of tea) while reading.

I did like the couple days of travel with Theo and Arleta to reach the baking competition. It did help their relationship start to develop. And of course, I loved Arleta meeting Jez and Doli and forming friendships with them. It’s really the creation of a solid friendship group/found family dynamic thay I adored in this story.

The overall plot was fairly straightforward and simple, but there’s nothing inherently wrong with that. Not every book (especially not every fantasy tale) needs to be intense and filled with deep lore and worldbuilding with lots of characters and countries and plotting to piece together and map out. It’s okay to have an easy read.

My second read of this book was just as quick and lovely as the first time. I also enjoyed the bonus short story in this edition. It was adorable to get Arleta as a child with her parents. This is just a cute and easy cozy series and makes a lovely palate cleanser between some thick, long, deep and expansive, fantasy reads. The Adenashire series still has a decent amount of establishing the world and hinting towards future installments. (The fifth one has been announced and should be coming soon enough, and I am very excited for that one).

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Well that is all from me for today. Once again, thank you so much for stopping by, and I’ll be back soon with more geeky content.