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Just a Pinch of Magic
Alechia Dow's middle-grade debut is as warm and sweet as a cinnamon bun, bursting with magic and sure to please the pickiest readers.
Wini's family of enchanters runs a little bakery, but with the prices of magical ingredients skyrocketing, they're going under. Desperate to save her family's business, Wini takes a risk by casting a (sort of illegal) spell that would allow them to gather their own supply of their most needed magical ingredient: Love. But the spell doesn't work. And Wini soon discovers that it didn't just not work, it backfired. Badly. Now the whole town is in danger, and the Enchantment Bureau is sniffing around for whoever cast the wayward spell.
It's just been Kal and her dad for as long as she can remember. They've weathered everything together, including Kal's mental health struggles. But just as they're about to move to a new town for a fresh start, Kal's grandfather—who mysteriously vanished years ago—has suddenly reentered their lives with a desire to make amends. He joins them in opening their bookstore in the new town, but Kal can't help but wonder if he has anything to do with the whispers around her new home about wicked magic. And it's not just the whispers of the magical books in their shop.
When Wini and Kal cross paths—both hoping for the chance to finally make a friend without worrying about their family histories following them—the girls bond over being fellow outcasts. Together they search for the solution to fixing the magic gone awry in their beloved town—and just maybe get their dads to go out on a date.
Wini's family of enchanters runs a little bakery, but with the prices of magical ingredients skyrocketing, they're going under. Desperate to save her family's business, Wini takes a risk by casting a (sort of illegal) spell that would allow them to gather their own supply of their most needed magical ingredient: Love. But the spell doesn't work. And Wini soon discovers that it didn't just not work, it backfired. Badly. Now the whole town is in danger, and the Enchantment Bureau is sniffing around for whoever cast the wayward spell.
It's just been Kal and her dad for as long as she can remember. They've weathered everything together, including Kal's mental health struggles. But just as they're about to move to a new town for a fresh start, Kal's grandfather—who mysteriously vanished years ago—has suddenly reentered their lives with a desire to make amends. He joins them in opening their bookstore in the new town, but Kal can't help but wonder if he has anything to do with the whispers around her new home about wicked magic. And it's not just the whispers of the magical books in their shop.
When Wini and Kal cross paths—both hoping for the chance to finally make a friend without worrying about their family histories following them—the girls bond over being fellow outcasts. Together they search for the solution to fixing the magic gone awry in their beloved town—and just maybe get their dads to go out on a date.
304 pages, Paperback
First published October 10, 2023
21 people are currently reading
922 people want to read
About the author
Alechia Dow
11 books776 followersAlechia Dow is a former pastry chef, food critic, culinary teacher, and Youth Services librarian. When not writing about determined black girls (like herself), you can find her chasing her wild child, baking, or taking teeny adventures.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
October 31, 2023
This was adorable!!! If you're looking for a cozy fantasy with baking magic and a lot of heart, you should absolutely pick up Just a Pinch of Magic. It follows two girls who feel like outsiders.
Wini's family runs a magical bakery that is struggling and she loves her baking magic, but when she was a baby her mom cursed their town and left her behind so everyone kind of hates her. She's determined to save her family's bakery but a spell goes very awry...
Kal has been desperate for more attention from her dad for a long time, and now they're moving to a new town to run a magical bookshop, but her mostly estranged grandfather is coming along and she's not sure how to feel. Kal is new to exploring her magic and befriends Wini as she tries to learn. Also their dads seem pretty into each other... But something wicked is approaching the town and the girls have until Halloween night to fix things!
Super cute with lovable characters, casually queer parents, and great mental health rep & fat rep! Wini is plus-size and that's handled really well. Kal has anxiety and manages with medication and therapy. I love them and I love how this approaches things. The town is charming and the story is perfectly paced. Really enjoyed this and look forward to more! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Wini's family runs a magical bakery that is struggling and she loves her baking magic, but when she was a baby her mom cursed their town and left her behind so everyone kind of hates her. She's determined to save her family's bakery but a spell goes very awry...
Kal has been desperate for more attention from her dad for a long time, and now they're moving to a new town to run a magical bookshop, but her mostly estranged grandfather is coming along and she's not sure how to feel. Kal is new to exploring her magic and befriends Wini as she tries to learn. Also their dads seem pretty into each other... But something wicked is approaching the town and the girls have until Halloween night to fix things!
Super cute with lovable characters, casually queer parents, and great mental health rep & fat rep! Wini is plus-size and that's handled really well. Kal has anxiety and manages with medication and therapy. I love them and I love how this approaches things. The town is charming and the story is perfectly paced. Really enjoyed this and look forward to more! I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
August 10, 2024
A fun and magical story about friendship and family that left me desperately wanting to do some baking (and eating). I’ve adored all of Alechia Dow’s YA books and her MG debut did not disappoint. This was an incredibly charming and sweet read.
August 8, 2024
A cute lil slice of apple pie
March 25, 2024
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Wini's family has owned a magic bakery since always, but business is not booming cause everyone is holding them responsable for the action of Wini's mother who cursed the town and disappeared. It has to be Wini's fault too, right? She wasn't born yet but she definitely should take some of the blame...
Desperate to save her family business, Wini does a little enchantment with big consequences and will do everything to fox it with the help of newcomer Kal.
Kal knows she's an enchanter but has never been able to properly practice since she doesn't live in special enchantment town. But, now, it's finally time! She's moving with her dad... and her grandfather??? No one told her that, no one has told her much actually, but she'll do what she can to help her new friend Wini.
That summary is not great but it is written. That book, however, was amazing. I loved everything about it. The characters were great, the plot was captivating, the setting was enthralling. There were so many things that I didn't see coming and I just loved following these two main characters. I also loved the side characters, they were all layered and so interesting. I also loved the little romance we had between the parents and the family dynamics overall. I really just had a great time from beginning to end. It was also a pretty fast read and I could not recommend this more. For all ages. OH! And I loved loved loved the recipes throughout the book. I can't wait to read more Alechia Dow books.
Wini's family has owned a magic bakery since always, but business is not booming cause everyone is holding them responsable for the action of Wini's mother who cursed the town and disappeared. It has to be Wini's fault too, right? She wasn't born yet but she definitely should take some of the blame...
Desperate to save her family business, Wini does a little enchantment with big consequences and will do everything to fox it with the help of newcomer Kal.
Kal knows she's an enchanter but has never been able to properly practice since she doesn't live in special enchantment town. But, now, it's finally time! She's moving with her dad... and her grandfather??? No one told her that, no one has told her much actually, but she'll do what she can to help her new friend Wini.
That summary is not great but it is written. That book, however, was amazing. I loved everything about it. The characters were great, the plot was captivating, the setting was enthralling. There were so many things that I didn't see coming and I just loved following these two main characters. I also loved the side characters, they were all layered and so interesting. I also loved the little romance we had between the parents and the family dynamics overall. I really just had a great time from beginning to end. It was also a pretty fast read and I could not recommend this more. For all ages. OH! And I loved loved loved the recipes throughout the book. I can't wait to read more Alechia Dow books.
April 11, 2023
This was perfect. The perfect amount of sweetness, the perfect dash of spookiness, the perfect kids trying their best, the perfect fathers figuring their own things out, the perfect bakery, the perfect bookstore, and the perfect recipes to tie it all together. It is completely, heart crushingly adorable, earnest, and everything the best kind of middle grade book hopes to be. It felt like the best kind of hug, the thrust of a warm mug into your hands, and being told that you are alright, as you are and as you will be: sweets, imperfections, unruly magic and all.
November 21, 2023
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
As a long time fan of Alechia Dow, I've been looking forward to this middle grade debut. As my resident baking inspiration, I knew Dow's middle grade would be full of delectable treats including recipes. I'm trying one of them tonight! Just a Pinch of Magic is this dual POV delightful story about friendship. It's about Wini's attempt to save her dad's bakery, to help people, but the unintended consequences and side effects.
As a long time fan of Alechia Dow, I've been looking forward to this middle grade debut. As my resident baking inspiration, I knew Dow's middle grade would be full of delectable treats including recipes. I'm trying one of them tonight! Just a Pinch of Magic is this dual POV delightful story about friendship. It's about Wini's attempt to save her dad's bakery, to help people, but the unintended consequences and side effects.
May 30, 2024
Delightfully adorable!!!!! A cute read anytime but this would be extra perfect to read during the fall season.
June 2, 2024
Wini has spent her entire life being punished for the curse her mother cast on the entire town, but she’s managed to stay mostly happy and be herself. Family is everything to Wini, which is why she’s casting a love spell that’ll allow them to have more access to the hardest ingredient to come by: love. Unfortunately for her, the love spell doesn’t exactly go as planned, and now the entire town is in danger. Now she’s keeping her lips sealed so that she doesn’t scare off her new friend, Kal, who just moved to town with her family. Meanwhile, Kal is dealing with her own problems like her severe anxiety, her dad always ditching her, and making sure no one knows that she’s befriended a woman trapped in a book she found.
We follow Wini and Kal through their rotating perspectives as we’re also introduced to the world of enchanters. The story starts out pretty slow, but we were being introduced to the characters, the town, and the paranormal mythology. Wini has been going to an enchanter school and learning under her family’s watch and guidance while Kal is just starting to learn about her abilities. They’re both very lonely characters for very different reasons, and I think a lot of readers are going to identify with them whether or not they have a lot of friends.
Wini and Kal become friends after they’re assigned a class project together. Kal is the new girl in town, and rather than befriending some of Wini’s bullies, they become fast friends while Kal learns how to use her magic. I really like their friendship, but it did seem rather one-sided at times as Wini seemed to be using Kal to put a stop to the love spell with unintended results. However, it’s a good example of how their age group don’t always realize the full extent of their actions even when they mean well.
Overall, it’s a good story, but the ending was anticlimactic and the villain wasn’t well developed. Even as a middle schooler, I would’ve gotten to the last page and said, that’s it? Without spoiling the story, the villains’ reasoning didn’t make sense and was barely explained. As far as I can tell, this seems to be a stand alone book, but it seems more like the first in a series. There’s so much more storytelling that can be done here, and I’m really interested in Kal’s magic and whether or not her grandpa will realize that there’s something weird going on with the Order he was once an agent for. While I wasn’t happy with the ending, I think there’s a ton of potential here, so I’m hoping there will be a second book at some point.
We follow Wini and Kal through their rotating perspectives as we’re also introduced to the world of enchanters. The story starts out pretty slow, but we were being introduced to the characters, the town, and the paranormal mythology. Wini has been going to an enchanter school and learning under her family’s watch and guidance while Kal is just starting to learn about her abilities. They’re both very lonely characters for very different reasons, and I think a lot of readers are going to identify with them whether or not they have a lot of friends.
Wini and Kal become friends after they’re assigned a class project together. Kal is the new girl in town, and rather than befriending some of Wini’s bullies, they become fast friends while Kal learns how to use her magic. I really like their friendship, but it did seem rather one-sided at times as Wini seemed to be using Kal to put a stop to the love spell with unintended results. However, it’s a good example of how their age group don’t always realize the full extent of their actions even when they mean well.
Overall, it’s a good story, but the ending was anticlimactic and the villain wasn’t well developed. Even as a middle schooler, I would’ve gotten to the last page and said, that’s it? Without spoiling the story, the villains’ reasoning didn’t make sense and was barely explained. As far as I can tell, this seems to be a stand alone book, but it seems more like the first in a series. There’s so much more storytelling that can be done here, and I’m really interested in Kal’s magic and whether or not her grandpa will realize that there’s something weird going on with the Order he was once an agent for. While I wasn’t happy with the ending, I think there’s a ton of potential here, so I’m hoping there will be a second book at some point.
October 7, 2023
I loved parts of this book so so much. Main character? Love. Her family dynamic? Cute. Our secondary character? Don’t think I’ve related to a character like that one so hard before. Anxiety is a monster all it’s own and if I’d read a book like this as a kid, I might have had the words to describe what I was feeling.
A magical town, enchanters, witches (enchanters who use dark magic), food magic? Oh! And the book comes with recipes that I cannot wait to try!
I loved this book up until the big bad explained their evil plan. There had been so much good writing, even if sometimes the characters were a little flatter than I’d like. I love Alechia Dow’s other books so I fully expected to love this one. And up until that moment, I did.
The big bad’s evil plan just made absolutely no sense to me. I tried so hard to just let it go but the motivation was so weird to me.
I’ll end my review above the spoiler/ It gets3 stars from me. The ending really knocked two stars off. I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to them and the publisher.
This is a spoiler: DO NOT READ AHEAD IF YOU WANT TO READ IT YOUYRSELF
The big bad is a witch. An enchanter who uses dark magic. And her motivation for all she did in the book was to take magic away from the magical creatures who literally already existed with magic…because they didn’t deserve it? She literally is plotting this just to steal magic from creatures she deems unworthy to have it and doesn’t say why they’re unworthy? Aside from just “ew magic creatures don’t deserve magic”. It was such a let down.
It made no sense. There was no reason for her to hate these other things so much. She just did. And yes, I know it’s middle grade. But that doesn’t mean that these kids don’t deserve well thought villains. I’ve read some fantastic middle grade books. With villains that scared me to my core and I’m an adult. This? Wasn’t that. And it was such a disappointment.
A magical town, enchanters, witches (enchanters who use dark magic), food magic? Oh! And the book comes with recipes that I cannot wait to try!
I loved this book up until the big bad explained their evil plan. There had been so much good writing, even if sometimes the characters were a little flatter than I’d like. I love Alechia Dow’s other books so I fully expected to love this one. And up until that moment, I did.
The big bad’s evil plan just made absolutely no sense to me. I tried so hard to just let it go but the motivation was so weird to me.
I’ll end my review above the spoiler/ It gets3 stars from me. The ending really knocked two stars off. I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to them and the publisher.
This is a spoiler: DO NOT READ AHEAD IF YOU WANT TO READ IT YOUYRSELF
The big bad is a witch. An enchanter who uses dark magic. And her motivation for all she did in the book was to take magic away from the magical creatures who literally already existed with magic…because they didn’t deserve it? She literally is plotting this just to steal magic from creatures she deems unworthy to have it and doesn’t say why they’re unworthy? Aside from just “ew magic creatures don’t deserve magic”. It was such a let down.
It made no sense. There was no reason for her to hate these other things so much. She just did. And yes, I know it’s middle grade. But that doesn’t mean that these kids don’t deserve well thought villains. I’ve read some fantastic middle grade books. With villains that scared me to my core and I’m an adult. This? Wasn’t that. And it was such a disappointment.
October 12, 2023
This was just SO lovely. I had a long drive and listened to the entire book, and I had so much fun. It's such a fun, heartwarming read. I've loved Alechia Dow's YA books, and I had a feeling middlegrade from her would be GREAT, and I'm so glad I was right. Highly recommend!
March 2, 2025
Chapters alternate between the two girls' perspectives, but they have the same voice. If not for the names at the start of each chapter it'd be impossible to keep them straight. The adults are pretty interchangeable as well. The two dads being gay is nice in theory but doesn't really have much impact.
The "magic gone wrong" makes a little sense in the end but feels random through most of the book.
The "magic gone wrong" makes a little sense in the end but feels random through most of the book.
September 5, 2023
4 1/2 stars
RTC
Thank you to Edelweiss for my earc.
RTC
Thank you to Edelweiss for my earc.
June 15, 2025
3.5⭐️
This was so cute! It gave me the same vibes as Halloweentown in the best way possible. I didn’t love the ending, I found it a little over dramatic. But other than that this was really fun! And also gave me a bunch of recipes to try 👀
This was so cute! It gave me the same vibes as Halloweentown in the best way possible. I didn’t love the ending, I found it a little over dramatic. But other than that this was really fun! And also gave me a bunch of recipes to try 👀
October 7, 2023
Just a Pinch of Magic is the Middle Grade debut by Alechia Dow. Like all Dow’s books, this one is crammed full of important representation: plus sized, anxiety-riddled, broken families, abandonment issues, and LGBTQ+ romance, just to name a few. With two relatable main characters, mystery, and mayhem, it’s an engaging story of friendship and family. It’s also the first book of Dow’s that shows the author’s love of baking.
Anyone who follow’s Dow knows she bakes delicious treats. Sprinkled amid Just a Pinch of Magic are five recipes that are highlighted in the book. So when the delicious descriptions make readers hungry, they can bake themselves a treat!
Winifred Mosley and Calliope Clark are both young enchanters living in a magical town of Honeycrisp Hill. One is the daughter of one of the wickedest witches in history and one is the granddaughter of one of the best witch hunters there ever was. They both could use a friend.
Esmerelda Diaz, head witch hunter of the Enchantment Agency, has come hunting because someone has summoned wickedness to the town and the whole town could be destroyed. Both Wini and Kal are afraid they’re the ones in trouble.
Both Wini and Kal are pushing magical boundaries; both girls are courting disaster. Together, they plot to fix everything before Halloween, without being caught by Esmerelda Diaz.
Just a Pinch of Magic is filled with lovely descriptions like, “streams out like chocolate from a molten lava cake.” It’s also supports mental health by showing a main character who is in therapy, with positive thoughts on anxiety and the lack of self-confidence. It’s a book any young reader can learn from while enjoying a skillfully crafted story.
I look forward to more of Dow’s tasty novels in the future, regardless of the audience or genre.
Anyone who follow’s Dow knows she bakes delicious treats. Sprinkled amid Just a Pinch of Magic are five recipes that are highlighted in the book. So when the delicious descriptions make readers hungry, they can bake themselves a treat!
Winifred Mosley and Calliope Clark are both young enchanters living in a magical town of Honeycrisp Hill. One is the daughter of one of the wickedest witches in history and one is the granddaughter of one of the best witch hunters there ever was. They both could use a friend.
Esmerelda Diaz, head witch hunter of the Enchantment Agency, has come hunting because someone has summoned wickedness to the town and the whole town could be destroyed. Both Wini and Kal are afraid they’re the ones in trouble.
Both Wini and Kal are pushing magical boundaries; both girls are courting disaster. Together, they plot to fix everything before Halloween, without being caught by Esmerelda Diaz.
Just a Pinch of Magic is filled with lovely descriptions like, “streams out like chocolate from a molten lava cake.” It’s also supports mental health by showing a main character who is in therapy, with positive thoughts on anxiety and the lack of self-confidence. It’s a book any young reader can learn from while enjoying a skillfully crafted story.
I look forward to more of Dow’s tasty novels in the future, regardless of the audience or genre.
July 28, 2023
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes; this in no way influences my review.
Gosh. This was such a delightful book, full of yummy food, new friendships, and so much magic!
I keep wanting to read Alechia Dow’s books because the themes are always exactly my jam, but I struggle with scifi, so when I saw she had a contemporary fantasy middle grade coming out, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it!
Wini is from a family of Food Enchanters, but the small town she lives in all seems to hate her because her mother cast a curse that made them all get stuck in the town, to the point that if they try they would lose all their magic. Because of the animosity of the town, the bakery Wini’s family owns is slowly going out of business, so she decides to use one of her grandmother’s experimental spells to create a source of Love to be used in their baked goods. When she casts the spell, though, it doesn’t go the way she expects and suddenly the weather is acting funky and a shadowy figure keeps whispering her name ominously. The only good thing is Kal and her family just moved to Honeycrisp Hill, so have no knowledge of the history, and that gives Wini a chance to make a new friend.
I really loved all the magic and the food (there are like 4 or 5 recipes throughout the book!) and the way Wini and Kal build each other up. This is such a great story of friendship and interrogating what “wicked” even means. There’s a line repeated a couple times that “wickedness is all about perspective,” and that’s absolutely the truth. It’s also dealing with how community views can influence experiences in such a big way. And the way things resolved was really well done. All-in-all this was an excellent read that I highly encourage folks pick up!
Gosh. This was such a delightful book, full of yummy food, new friendships, and so much magic!
I keep wanting to read Alechia Dow’s books because the themes are always exactly my jam, but I struggle with scifi, so when I saw she had a contemporary fantasy middle grade coming out, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it!
Wini is from a family of Food Enchanters, but the small town she lives in all seems to hate her because her mother cast a curse that made them all get stuck in the town, to the point that if they try they would lose all their magic. Because of the animosity of the town, the bakery Wini’s family owns is slowly going out of business, so she decides to use one of her grandmother’s experimental spells to create a source of Love to be used in their baked goods. When she casts the spell, though, it doesn’t go the way she expects and suddenly the weather is acting funky and a shadowy figure keeps whispering her name ominously. The only good thing is Kal and her family just moved to Honeycrisp Hill, so have no knowledge of the history, and that gives Wini a chance to make a new friend.
I really loved all the magic and the food (there are like 4 or 5 recipes throughout the book!) and the way Wini and Kal build each other up. This is such a great story of friendship and interrogating what “wicked” even means. There’s a line repeated a couple times that “wickedness is all about perspective,” and that’s absolutely the truth. It’s also dealing with how community views can influence experiences in such a big way. And the way things resolved was really well done. All-in-all this was an excellent read that I highly encourage folks pick up!
October 17, 2023
Wini comes from a family of enchanters that runs a bakery in a small magical town. She’s a bit of a loner thanks to being ostracized due to her mothers actions years ago. Desperate to save her families business she takes the risk of casting a slightly illegal spell. When the spell doesn’t work, she finds that it actually kind of backfired, drawing the eye of the Enchantment agency. Now terrified that she will be stripped of her magic, she is desperate to find a solution to save not only her magic and bakery, but also her town. When Kal moves to town with her father and recently returned grandfather, she finds her first real friend. But Kal has a secret of her own, since moving to town she started talking to a book, or more a spirit inside a book, who swears she’s not an evil witch. But the more they talk, the stronger the spirit gets, until Kal finds herself in an impossible situation.
This book is so adorably sweet, as the description rightfully says, sweet as a cinnamon roll. It was a quick, enthralling read. It’s the perfect witchy middle grade for the season. The girls are so sweet, with the best fathers. I love the recipes that are included and am excited to try some of them out. I can’t wait to read more, hopefully set in this interesting town.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley and Feiwel Friends in exchange for an honest review
This book is so adorably sweet, as the description rightfully says, sweet as a cinnamon roll. It was a quick, enthralling read. It’s the perfect witchy middle grade for the season. The girls are so sweet, with the best fathers. I love the recipes that are included and am excited to try some of them out. I can’t wait to read more, hopefully set in this interesting town.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley and Feiwel Friends in exchange for an honest review
September 29, 2023
The perfect cozy and spooky read for fall!
The story follows Wini, a young food enchanter who is trying to save her family's bakery...and may just have brought something wicked to town instead, and Kal, who just moved to Honeycrisp Hill with her father and grandfather to open their enchanted bookstore. The girls bond over their outsider-ness and decide to help each other--Wini will teach Kal more about her magic and Kal will help Wini get rid of the bad energy she brought into town.
I absolutely adored Just a Pinch of Magic from start to finish. Set in an enchanted town, Wini and Kal make the perfect pair as the two of them try to save Honeycrisp Hill. Filled with magic, friendship, delicious foods (recipes included), and the right amount of spookiness, this book should definitely be on your list.
Wini and Kal serve as super relatable protagonists. And the entire cast of characters are fun, quirky, and magical in their own ways. I would happily read more stories to get to know people in the town more!
Dow does a great job of setting the reader right into the page--I swear I could smell the food Wini was baking! There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. And plenty of recipes to keep your belly full!
Overall, I highly suggest picking this one up! You're in for a spooktacular time!
The story follows Wini, a young food enchanter who is trying to save her family's bakery...and may just have brought something wicked to town instead, and Kal, who just moved to Honeycrisp Hill with her father and grandfather to open their enchanted bookstore. The girls bond over their outsider-ness and decide to help each other--Wini will teach Kal more about her magic and Kal will help Wini get rid of the bad energy she brought into town.
I absolutely adored Just a Pinch of Magic from start to finish. Set in an enchanted town, Wini and Kal make the perfect pair as the two of them try to save Honeycrisp Hill. Filled with magic, friendship, delicious foods (recipes included), and the right amount of spookiness, this book should definitely be on your list.
Wini and Kal serve as super relatable protagonists. And the entire cast of characters are fun, quirky, and magical in their own ways. I would happily read more stories to get to know people in the town more!
Dow does a great job of setting the reader right into the page--I swear I could smell the food Wini was baking! There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. And plenty of recipes to keep your belly full!
Overall, I highly suggest picking this one up! You're in for a spooktacular time!
June 24, 2024
If you, like me, have followed Alechia Dow on social media, you’re probably not at all surprised to see a book centered around delicious baked goods. I was SO excited for that component of this book. I’ve enjoyed the author’s posts about her baking experiences.
I loved both Wini and Kal’s characters. The story alternates chapters from both girls’ points of view. They both feel isolated from the magical community, Kal because she grew up in a nonmagical world, and Wini because of her family history and its impact on the town.
Both girls are smart and really need a good friend. They tentatively try to be that for each other, but friendship doesn’t happen without its bumps and bruises.
I loved the small magical town where they live, and the way the people relate to one another. It felt rich and interesting, and I would love to revisit the same setting for another story. The last few chapters of the story covered a lot of ground, but I enjoyed every page of this book, especially the recipes included between chapters! I am really excited to try a few of those out.
All in all, I’d say this is a perfect middle grade debut. It’s got magic, friendship, and delicious cookies. Who could ask for more than that?
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.
I loved both Wini and Kal’s characters. The story alternates chapters from both girls’ points of view. They both feel isolated from the magical community, Kal because she grew up in a nonmagical world, and Wini because of her family history and its impact on the town.
Both girls are smart and really need a good friend. They tentatively try to be that for each other, but friendship doesn’t happen without its bumps and bruises.
I loved the small magical town where they live, and the way the people relate to one another. It felt rich and interesting, and I would love to revisit the same setting for another story. The last few chapters of the story covered a lot of ground, but I enjoyed every page of this book, especially the recipes included between chapters! I am really excited to try a few of those out.
All in all, I’d say this is a perfect middle grade debut. It’s got magic, friendship, and delicious cookies. Who could ask for more than that?
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.
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September 2, 2023tl;dr
Magical baking and witchy vibes build the foundation for a middle grade adventure about love and the many forms it can take.
Thoughts
The pastel cover had me thinking this would be a "friendship is magic tale," (and it is!) but I was delighted to find some serious witchy vibes and scares in the back half as well. Honeycrisp Hill is a place overflowing with magic, and although we only get broad strokes on how the system works, it's clear that things can get dangerous quickly.
Wini and Kal make great leads, bonding over both their similarities and their differences. The unsettling pain of being an "outsider" based on things you can't control really resonated with me, and it was great to see them connect. In that space, I was also happy to see that this book takes the time to explore the many kinds of love - that love can be between friends, or family, or also romantically.
I was not at all surprised to find the author was also a pastry chef because the descriptions of baking are spot-on. The recipes included look great, and I love that Wini's personality that shines through in the instructions. I'm definitely going to have to try some of the recipes for myself.
Thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Magical baking and witchy vibes build the foundation for a middle grade adventure about love and the many forms it can take.
Thoughts
The pastel cover had me thinking this would be a "friendship is magic tale," (and it is!) but I was delighted to find some serious witchy vibes and scares in the back half as well. Honeycrisp Hill is a place overflowing with magic, and although we only get broad strokes on how the system works, it's clear that things can get dangerous quickly.
Wini and Kal make great leads, bonding over both their similarities and their differences. The unsettling pain of being an "outsider" based on things you can't control really resonated with me, and it was great to see them connect. In that space, I was also happy to see that this book takes the time to explore the many kinds of love - that love can be between friends, or family, or also romantically.
I was not at all surprised to find the author was also a pastry chef because the descriptions of baking are spot-on. The recipes included look great, and I love that Wini's personality that shines through in the instructions. I'm definitely going to have to try some of the recipes for myself.
Thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
December 14, 2023
I absolutely love that books like this exist, and I wish I'd had one like it when I was a kid! I love the representation and the positive themes about it being okay to be yourself, and okay to ask for help. I loved that there was so much diversity that didn't feel forced or tokenized (to me).
One of the main characters is black and plus sized, but incredibly confident and sure of herself. The other has diagnosed anxiety and sees a therapist and is on medication, and I love how true to themselves they both were throughout. They're definitely kids and act like kids in places (making me want to tear my hair out and tell them to just listen to the adults PLEASE) but it was a delightful ride. And I loved Marcus and Lachlan so much <3
One of the main characters is black and plus sized, but incredibly confident and sure of herself. The other has diagnosed anxiety and sees a therapist and is on medication, and I love how true to themselves they both were throughout. They're definitely kids and act like kids in places (making me want to tear my hair out and tell them to just listen to the adults PLEASE) but it was a delightful ride. And I loved Marcus and Lachlan so much <3
August 31, 2023
A charming and magical tale of friendship and curses and finding a way to undo the magic of their ancestors on their small town. Kal has just moved to town and discovered there are others that can perform magic and is just learning about her own. Wini is trying to find ways to save her family enchanted bakery from going under with new spells but is worried she made the curse on the town worse. How will she tell her new (and only) friend her secret while also fixing it?
I absolutely loved this story which had some spectacularly spooky moments and also sweet friendship moments. The balance really was perfect as if the author cast a spell herself.
I absolutely loved this story which had some spectacularly spooky moments and also sweet friendship moments. The balance really was perfect as if the author cast a spell herself.
December 7, 2023
four stars rounded up because I am always there for magical baking. The need for rounding up came mostly because the book is set in Rhode Island, as am I, and I just don't think a place like the town of Honeycrisp Hill could exist here. For one thing, Honeycrisp apples weren't around till the late 1980s, and every town in RI is a lot older than that, and for another, there just isn't room for a town that isn't a small mill village anywhere, let alone one with a town green, which isn't a RI thing. It would have been better up in Massachusetts. So I kept getting thrown out of the story when I thought about RI, which is of course not what would happen to young readers....
December 25, 2023
Such a heart warming and sweet filled story! This is a great middle grade novel for those struggling to fit in, who love their families fiercely and who are looking for a bit of magic. Honeycrisp HIlls has become one of my favorite small towns and learning about all the different types of magics was a lot of fun. I like the authenticity of Wini and Kal's friendship and the vulnerability of each girl leading to the how and why they found themselves in each of their situations. Awesome magical read!
Thanks NetGalley!
Thanks NetGalley!
October 10, 2023
~ ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion ~
I love Alechia Dow! I love her inclusiveness of queer characters and I especially love that her main characters are usually curvy girls of color. This was so cute and fun for her first middle-grade debut. Different track than YA but enjoyable all the same - the 2 girls and their different but similar struggles - and all the love lol. Super cute witchy debut.
I love Alechia Dow! I love her inclusiveness of queer characters and I especially love that her main characters are usually curvy girls of color. This was so cute and fun for her first middle-grade debut. Different track than YA but enjoyable all the same - the 2 girls and their different but similar struggles - and all the love lol. Super cute witchy debut.
February 25, 2024
This was so cute and so much fun! 🥹 Most of my favorite MG books have been like this one--magical, small-town cozy vibes and pretty low stakes overall. Yes, there's conflict, but it's not end-of-the-world type stuff. Plus, recipes! 🤤
December 23, 2023
Great book for the 10-12 set. Exciting, fast paced, dual perspective, multicultural, LGBTQ+ friendly, female empowerment. Well worth a read and will definitely be looking for more from this author. Hoping this becomes a series!
July 5, 2024
This book was so much fun! I adored both Wini and Kal. A perfect blend of sweet and spooky!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 14, 2023
4.5-5/5
October 7, 2023
Life is not always easy, even when magic is involved. Wini has grown up in Honeycrisp Hill her entire life, but even though she lives in a town where magic does not have to hide, she still feels alienated from those around her. Kal, on the other hand, has always had to hide her magic in Boston, so she is thrilled to have the opportunity to move to the haven that is Honeycrisp Hill with her father. Both girls wish desperately to fit in, and both are determined to make life better for their father figures. Little do they know that the choices they make will have far-reaching effects, and the universe is working to bring everyone together to create a masterpiece nobody ever expected.
This charming upper middle grade novel is based heavily in magic realism coupled with the feel-good intrigue of a cozy romance novel and the repercussions of choices made without fully considering the consequences. Both Kal and Wini have atypical upbringings, and neither has a strong mother figure in their lives. Though this is endearing, it does give the two girls a bit of a parallel story arc, which prevents the novel from being as dynamic as it could otherwise be. Additionally, the two girls share the story's narration, but their voices are not distinct enough to make them easily discernible.
Despite the overall predictability of the plot and the lack of dimension in the characters, the story is saccharine and endearing, and the characters are deserving of the outcomes that find them. A delightful component of this novel is the addition of several real recipes that readers can recreate on their own. This helps to bring the story into the real world in ways novels are not always capable of doing. Decent writing and an enjoyable premise make this a good selection for lighter reading, and upper middle grade and newer young adult fans of magic and love stories will appreciate the easy flow to this narrative. This is a magical addition to library collections for young readers.
This charming upper middle grade novel is based heavily in magic realism coupled with the feel-good intrigue of a cozy romance novel and the repercussions of choices made without fully considering the consequences. Both Kal and Wini have atypical upbringings, and neither has a strong mother figure in their lives. Though this is endearing, it does give the two girls a bit of a parallel story arc, which prevents the novel from being as dynamic as it could otherwise be. Additionally, the two girls share the story's narration, but their voices are not distinct enough to make them easily discernible.
Despite the overall predictability of the plot and the lack of dimension in the characters, the story is saccharine and endearing, and the characters are deserving of the outcomes that find them. A delightful component of this novel is the addition of several real recipes that readers can recreate on their own. This helps to bring the story into the real world in ways novels are not always capable of doing. Decent writing and an enjoyable premise make this a good selection for lighter reading, and upper middle grade and newer young adult fans of magic and love stories will appreciate the easy flow to this narrative. This is a magical addition to library collections for young readers.
February 13, 2025
Winnifred's family bakery is failing because the whole magical community blames Winnie's mom for cursing them. When a new girl moves in across the street, Winnie might finally have a friend, but Calliope is still reeling from her grandfather's sudden reappearance and her dad's promise that things will be better now that they can practice magic openly. The two girls establish a shaky friendship, but things around town start to get stranger, and Winnie admits she cast an illegal love spell while Call admits she perhaps shouldn't have been taking advice from a cursed book. It's up to the two of them to save the town and find out the truth of what happened over a decade ago.
This was quite the action-packed story. I love the characters, even though they make a lot of wrong decisions. The magic system is never thoroughly explained, but there are a lot of fun magical flourishes that made me smile. My only real hesitation is that this book gives mixed signals about good vs evil. Clearly, stealing all the magic from the whole community is bad, but whether that applies to stealing a little magic is never pursued? It's fair to say that good and evil are relative terms, but I think this book would have been heightened if Winnie would have been able to identify which of her actions were harmful, even if the end result was good.
I got the audio version of this book, and it was delightful. I may have to find a text copy, though, since I'm dying to try some of Winnie's family recipes.
This was quite the action-packed story. I love the characters, even though they make a lot of wrong decisions. The magic system is never thoroughly explained, but there are a lot of fun magical flourishes that made me smile. My only real hesitation is that this book gives mixed signals about good vs evil. Clearly, stealing all the magic from the whole community is bad, but whether that applies to stealing a little magic is never pursued? It's fair to say that good and evil are relative terms, but I think this book would have been heightened if Winnie would have been able to identify which of her actions were harmful, even if the end result was good.
I got the audio version of this book, and it was delightful. I may have to find a text copy, though, since I'm dying to try some of Winnie's family recipes.
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