A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

Published on January 19, 2022

Reviewed by Kerrin Graul

In this novel, we meet a girl named Mona who has a very unique magical power, the ability to control bread. She starts off small. Telling the bread that it cannot burn or asking it to be warm and fluffy. Then Mona starts making gingerbread men dance. Mona lives in a community that is very welcoming to wizards, but once a dead body shows up in her aunt’s bakery Mona finds herself in a very bad situation. What is going on in Mona’s community? Who is this dead body? Is Mona safe staying in this city, or should she flee with the rest of the magical community?

Kingfisher did an amazing job with this novel, and any fan of fantasy should give this book a try. Mona is a likeable character whose adventure starts on page one. In no time at all you find yourself drawn into the storyline and going on an adventure. When first reading about Mona’s magical ability, I couldn’t see a world in which it would be useful outside of baking, but Mona makes a name for herself with this unique power. With the assistance of a supporting character, with or without magical powers, Mona attempts to save herself and her community. Amazing book, award winning, highly creative, and filled with likeable characters and evil villains