"A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking" by T. Kingfisher (BR)

[Cheryl]

Wow, ok, thank you, Eva, for the heads up about the darker aspects! I'd be really annoyed if I discovered that after starting to read! Though I guess the cover with the frowny face and dagger? sword? should be a bit of a clue.

[Anna]

I wouldn't call this book dark. Yes, it has darker elements, but it's essentially a children's book, with so much humor, heart and sweetness. Vernon/Kingfisher always has bodies in her fluffy books, so if you've read one, you'll know to expect them.

[E.D.]

Also finished it (view spoiler)[Particularly enjoyed the siege and battle especially the giant gingerbread men with barrels for feet so that they can balance, plus the problem with trying to damage creatures created from dough when your sword keeps getting stuck.
I didn't expect a herd of dead horses to save the day. (hide spoiler)]
I can see why it wasn't published as a children's story

[Melanie, the neutral party]

This was delightful to read. Thanks to the group for promoting it.
I liked the puns, the thoughtful magic system, and the heartwarming story arc.

Is it book 1 of a series or a stand alone?

[Anna]

I think it's a standalone?

[E.D.]

Perhaps the author's just testing its reception? I can see plenty of openings for at least one sequel if the response justifies it (I'd certainly read it).

[Eva]

I also think it read like a potential series opener:
(careful, serious spoilers)
(view spoiler)[The open ending with the swoonilicious royal wizard (possible future romance?) and the implication that more challenges are sure to come (and that the villain's body wasn't found and now He'll Be Back like the Terminator)... all that made me convinced that it could easily be continued. (hide spoiler)]

[Melanie, the neutral party]

Eva wrote: "I also think it read like a potential series opener:
(careful, serious spoilers)
[spoilers removed]"

I think the significant age gap would prevent a romance, but it seems Mona does have a future as a Royal Wizard. She certainly has more ways to grow into her talent.

[Eva]

I had assumed he was around 20-25. :-)

[Melanie, the neutral party]

Eva wrote: "I had assumed he was around 20-25. :-)"

I got the impression he was more middle aged. I don't think the text actually says.

[Gabi]

Finally finished (too little time for eye reading at the moment) and another book for my list I-hope-this-will-get-translated-cause-my-boys-need-read-it. They would love it so much! Perfect mix of absurdly cute ideas (and sidekicks) and some serious musings.
(view spoiler)[ The battle part was a bit too long for my taste. I get easily bored by those descriptions. But other than that it was a perfect book for younger readers. And THANK YOU for omitting a romance.
I got a bit of Star Wars vibe with Mona as Luke and Spindle as Han. Somehow this image came to my mind and wouldn't leave me. Especially the ceremony felt so familiar. (hide spoiler)]

Anna's tagged comments:

Chapter 25: NO :( (view spoiler)[ I'm team eggplant and I will defend the most elegant of vegetables till the end ;-p (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 33: This was precious! I laughed so hard.

[Anna]

Just say no to (view spoiler)[ 🍆 (hide spoiler)] !

😜

[Eva]

Luke and Han! Now that you said it I can't unsee it. As you said, so many parallels!

[Anna]

I also was reminded of (view spoiler)[ Star Wars when gingerbread man got new buttons, it was a very Chewbacca with medals moment! Forgot to comment on that in my eggplant revulsion :P (hide spoiler)]

[Anna]

I didn't want to get into it yesterday, because I'm not an expert on how Vernon's mind works, but I have to comment on the romance thing!

I can't imagine Ursula ever betraying me so badly that she'd write (view spoiler)[ a 14yo falling in love with an adult! She was awed and maybe a bit infatuated in the way a teenager can be, but it had zero romantic feels for me. (hide spoiler)] Ursula writes romance with mature, adult characters, who have seen the world, and who are equals. She would never pair a teenage girl with an adult man. Yes, she has written a romance subplot where the protagonist is young, but then the romantic interest was the same age. And of course there is a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but that's kind of impossible to write without that part. But Swordheart and Paladin's Grace, which are her two romance books, have very adult protagonists. (If anyone wants to read those, you can without reading anything else, but the world is introduced and explained in Clockwork Boys and The Wonder Engine, which is one book split in two.)

And again, not an expert on anything Vernon/Kingfisher, but I don't think she currently has plans to continue this as a series. If you read the acknowledgements of this book, you'll see how long it's taken for her to get this published. I'm 100% sure she has at least 342 new ideas already percolating in her brain, and it seems to me that the Clocktaur world is the one where she is sort of doing a "series" of connected books that can stand alone. Would I read a sequel to this? Absolutely! (I mean I'll read her shopping list if she publishes it.) But am I expecting to get it soon? Not really. I'm looking forward to whatever comes next in the Clocktaur world (another romance maybe?) and The Hollow Places. And whatever new spooky idea she next jumps on in the children's fantasy realm, no matter if it's in any way connected to Bread Wizard or Minor Mage. But on the other hand, this book has sold more (pre-orders) than any of her other self-pubs, so of course it's possible people clamouring for more will make her want to continue it. With Vernon, who could ever know! :D

[Kristin B.]

Started last night and would have finished last night if I didn't start watching TV with the hubby. Finished it today.

Why am I not just reading Kingfisher books all the time? They are so satisfying. So fun and warm and humorous. But still important and serious and sad. I laughed out loud and I cried near the end. Anytime a book manages to get me to do that it's almost immediately a five star for me.

I would read an entire series each about Knackering Molly, The Gingerbread Man, Spindle and Master Gildaen. Oh. And Bob. I would read all about Bob.

[Anna]

Kristin B. wrote: "Why am I not just reading Kingfisher books all the time?"

Because she doesn’t come out with a new one every day? That’s the only reason I can think of.

[Kristin B.]

This is only my second book by her that I've read. I don't know what is wrong with me!

[Eva]

Anna wrote: "I didn't want to get into it yesterday, because I'm not an expert on how Vernon's mind works, but I have to comment on the romance thing!

I can't imagine Ursula ever betraying me so badly that she..."

Wow, sheesh, I never said anything about there being romance in this novel, only that I thought there was potential for future romance when she's older. Wow!

[Anna]

Eva, I know, I was just explaining why I didn’t see it myself.

Kristin, that just means you have so much more loveliness left to read for the first time! 😊

[Gabi]

Kristin B. wrote: "This is only my second book by her that I've read. I don't know what is wrong with me!"

It's my third book by her and I, too, will certainly read much more of the good stuff!

[Raucous]

I had mixed feelings about this book. I loved the language and the little baking-related observations that she sprinkled throughout the text. The gingerbread familiar was amazing (merchandise tie-in needed!). But I struggled to make steady progress in the first half of the book. That part felt very bleak to me and I wasn't happy seeing that happen to a kid.

Overall I liked the book anyway but this wouldn't be one that I'd recommend as a T. Kingfisher introduction. She mentioned Minor Mage as a "kid's book that was also too dark to really be a kid's book." I'd start there instead if someone asked for a book in the dark kids genre.

[Anna]

re: preorders

Here is Ursula kissing an ox 🐃🐂

https://twitter.com/ursulav/status/13...

[Leonie]

I've just finished this! And loved it!

The (view spoiler)[ gingerbread man familiar was delightful, and I was really worried he'd end up squashed, munched, or other potentially nasty ending along the way. Fortunately he survived. And Bob...🤣🤣🤣 (hide spoiler)]

[Carro]

Re-read Wizard's Guide just last month and re-loved it.

Ursula kissing an Ox reminds me of her editor for her self-published books
https://kbspangler.com/editing/
The quote at the top of that page is
" I once watched this woman take a live falcon to the face. After that, I wouldn’t dream of any other editor for my self-published books.
T. Kingfisher, Hugo award-winning author"

KB Spangler's series starts with Rise Up Swearing the story starts in graphic novels, mid-section is novels, continuing in graphic novels and still growing - a lot of the graphic novels can be read free online. (Also Patreon donations etc). Fun quirky near future thrillers -not a T Kingfisher close cousin at all, but I can see overlaps the type of thinking - and it is firmly adult - the start of the graphic novel has the main character with ADHD and attitude backed up by Judo skills. There is a genetically engineered highly intelligent Koala in there - but intelligent does not mean nice or polite

ETA hope this post is OK in this thread, it was just the link from Ox to falcon really leapt out at me.

[Anna]

I love "watching" Ursula and KB banter on Twitter. The editing commentary is especially hilarious!

[Carro]

Coo - I *must* go and find that.

[Anna]

They pop up sporadically in their feeds, usually while/after KB is editing a Paladin book (discussion here). I'm not going to go looking for them to link them for you, but if you're following one or both on Twitter, you'll eventually see a new one start :)

[Raucous]

The winner of the 2020 Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction is... A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking!

https://nebulas.sfwa.org/award-year/2...

[Eva]

Wonderful, well-deserved (in terms of it being very good, I almost never read MG so I have no idea how good the competition was).

[Mel]

Bought this months ago, but like a stash of cookies, was saving it for a treat.
Little quotes and bits that I liked so far:

Chapter 1
(view spoiler)[I dumped the flour in on top of Bob, and he glubbed happily in his bucket and extended a sort of mushy tentacle.
I already love Bob. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 2
(view spoiler)[The last batch did waltzes, and the one before that had performed a decidedly lewd little number that had made even Aunt Tabitha blush. A little too much spice in those I think.
Heehee, envisioning ginger cookies performing their dirty seductive dances makes me titter. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 5
Then there was a soft hiss and a familiar splattering, and I looked down at an increasing number of little grey splotches all over the pavement.
I liked how I could hear the distinctive hiss of oncoming rain in my ears when I read this.

Chapter 6
(view spoiler)[I stared into the face of a dead horse and nearly fainted with relief.
Nice little cliffhanger there. :)
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 7
(view spoiler)[There's a girl at the farmer's market and we nod to each other, but that's as far as it goes.
This is such a familiar aspect of minority solidarity. Passing on the street, or sitting in a waiting room. The eye contact, the little twitch of the mouth, and the nod. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 8
(view spoiler)[When I walked in the door, Aunt Tabitha made all the proper noises and sat me down with a mug of hot tea and made me tell the story three times, and then snapped at Uncle Albert to stop pestering me about it, couldn't he see I was exhausted (the only thing he'd said all afternoon was "Good Heavens!") and sent me home.
I just love that "all the proper noises" bit. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 9
(view spoiler)[I called his name, but he wasn't a dog, and he didn't come back. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 10
...I'd lean my forehead against the cool stone wall and let the thoughts bubble and ferment like yeast at the bottom of my mind.
... I wasn't exactly thinking if that makes any sense. I wasn't looking at the thoughts. I just knew they were there, roiling around underneath. Problem was that, like yeast, the thought were growing. Pretty soon they'd overflow the edges of my skull, and I wouldn't be able to ignore them any longer.
As someone who regularly lets thoughts and anxieties ferment at the bottom of my mind, this spoke to me.

[Anna]

Thanks for the quotes, makes me remember when I was reading this :)

[Mel]

Finished, and had a lot of fun with it. Between this and Elatsoe, it's been interesting to read YA again. (Minor quibble: I noticed they both used that "I felt so much older than that innocent girl from yesterday" sort of cliché line - not my favorite, since it often feels unearned.)

But very cute - every gingerbread scene was simply scrumptious! And there were some timely and resonant themes, although in the afterword I see that it has been in the works since 2007.

More random bits:

Chapter 24
(view spoiler)[I was never going to be easy with constables again, no matter how many scones they bought. That's right girl. All Constables Are Ba....d News! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 25
(view spoiler)[My gingerbread man got very jealous. I went downstairs and found him giving orders to the lesser gingerbread men. One by one, they climbed up a shelf and did a swan-dive into Bob's bucket. OMG. Hahaha! I should probably be more horrified at the forced cookie suicide, but that's... kind of adorable? Hilari-adora-horrifying? (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 26
(view spoiler)[Spindle, I need you to go back to my room and get the book on the nightstand, and a change of clothes...
But... What about Bob?? The best little sourdough starter in town? (Plus, you'd think that they could have let her grab her things first.) (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 27
(view spoiler)[He had a voice like stones grinding wheat, and his hands were scarred and hideous and he didn't act like it was strange at all to be taking orders from a fourteen-year-old girl.


And yay, it's Bob! (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 30
(view spoiler)[My faithful gingerbread man was standing in the center of the table, clanging a spoon against a cookie sheet like a gong. ... When he was sure he had everyone's attention, he set the spoon down and waved his arms, stomping back and forth and glaring.
Heeheeheeheehee! Generally everything involving Gingerbread Man is delightful, but this has me wiggling my fingers and giggling with glee! (hide spoiler)]

[Anna]

This is coming out on audio on October 12th! ^_^

(Yes, I preordered it, of course I did.)

[Raucous]

The winner of the 2021 Mythopoeic Award for Children's Fantasy: A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking.

If you'd like to see her garden (as a backdrop) check out the acceptance video linked at: https://www.mythsoc.org/awards/awards...

[Mel]

Thank you for the link to the award presentation. Ursula Vernon is so adorable in her acceptance video.
"Wow, I get a little lion statue! Eee!"

[Raucous]

Melissa wrote: "... Ursula Vernon is so adorable in her acceptance video. "Wow, I get a little lion statue! Eee!""

The acceptance is described in the transcript as "delightfully delivered remarks." I can't argue. It's clear that she has a great fondness for the event and was truly honored to receive the award. So much fun.