Arleta Starstone is a human living in a fantasy world filled with elves, orcs, dwarves, and other magical beings. She may not have magic herself, but everything she bakes feels magical. When she discovers that she has been entered into the prestigious Langheim Baking Battle, Arleta begins to wonder how a magicless human could possibly compete against contestants with actual magical abilities, and what will happen if everyone discovers she’s “just” human. Despite her doubts, Arleta travels to Langheim with the help of a very attractive elf and enters the competition. What follows is a cozy journey filled with self-discovery, friendship, possible romance, and, of course, mouthwatering pastries.
You know how I recently broke my reading streak and fell into a bit of a reading slump? Well, while trying to figure out what to read next, I remembered that I had actually started this book last year for my book club, but never finished it because the group never ended up meeting. I remembered enjoying what I had read, so I dug it out of my reading pile and gave it another try.
At first, I picked up where I had left off, but then I realized I couldn’t fully remember everything that had happened, so I decided to start over from the beginning. Honestly, I’m glad I did because this story completely pulled me in. I ended up finishing the book in a day and a half.
This was such a cozy, fun read and exactly what I needed. A fantasy world, baking, lovable characters, and low-stakes drama centered around a baking competition? Truly the perfect comfort read.
The only thing that got a little repetitive for me was how often Arleta put herself down because she didn’t have magic. At times, she came across as a little whiny or unsure of herself, and I found myself wishing she had more confidence. But at the same time, if that’s something she has been told her entire life, it makes sense that those insecurities would be difficult to overcome.
And oh my gosh, the desserts in this book sounded so good. The descriptions of the pastries and baked goods genuinely made me hungry while reading. I would have absolutely bought treats from Arleta’s baking stall. I also loved that my edition included recipes for some of the bakes featured in the story, which felt like such a fun extra touch.
I’m so glad I pulled this one out of my reading pile. It was exactly the kind of cozy, engaging story I needed to help pull me out of my reading slump. Here’s hoping my next read is just as good.
This sounds very sweet!
It was super cute and cozy!