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Chefs of the Five Gods #1
İntikam İçin Binlerce Tarif
Adamantine Garland'ın yiyecek ve şarapla empatik bir bağlantısı, aromalar, tatlar ve malzemeler konusunda sihirli bir algısı var. Kraliyet sarayının paha biçilmez mülkü olan Ada adaletsizliğe, kan dökülmesine ve kendi kaderini çizmeye çalışarak terkedilene kadar Beş Tanrı'ya ve Verdania hükümdarlarına hizmet ediyordu. Gizemli suikastçılar, yıllarca saklandıktan sonra onu ortaya çıkardığında artık serseri bir şef olan Ada ve büyükannesi canlarını kurtarmak için kaçarlar, ancak kendilerini beklenmedik bir müttefike doğru giden bir yolda bulurlar.
Tuhaf bir sarayda yabancı bir prenses olan Solenn, bilmeden Ada'yla epik bir hediyeden daha fazlasını, kanı paylaşıyorlar. Yeni keşfettiği büyülü algısıyla nişanlısı olan prensi öldürmeye yönelik bir komplonun farkına varır. Bu, rakip ülke Albion'daki düşman güçlerin çatışma yaratmaya yönelik bir hilesinin parçasıdır ve Solenn bu suçu üstlenmeye hazırdır.
Ada ve Solenn'in yolları kesişirken bir anne ve uzun süredir kayıp olan kızı ortak bir amaç doğrultusunda yeniden bir araya gelir ve Ada'nın geçmişinden gelen intikam peşindeki karanlık bir düşmana karşı birleşir. Peki nasıl fedakarlıklar yapılmalı? Güçlü Tanrılar, patlamak üzere olan bir savaşta taraf seçtiğinde umut var mıdır?
Tuhaf bir sarayda yabancı bir prenses olan Solenn, bilmeden Ada'yla epik bir hediyeden daha fazlasını, kanı paylaşıyorlar. Yeni keşfettiği büyülü algısıyla nişanlısı olan prensi öldürmeye yönelik bir komplonun farkına varır. Bu, rakip ülke Albion'daki düşman güçlerin çatışma yaratmaya yönelik bir hilesinin parçasıdır ve Solenn bu suçu üstlenmeye hazırdır.
Ada ve Solenn'in yolları kesişirken bir anne ve uzun süredir kayıp olan kızı ortak bir amaç doğrultusunda yeniden bir araya gelir ve Ada'nın geçmişinden gelen intikam peşindeki karanlık bir düşmana karşı birleşir. Peki nasıl fedakarlıklar yapılmalı? Güçlü Tanrılar, patlamak üzere olan bir savaşta taraf seçtiğinde umut var mıdır?
476 pages, Paperback
First published June 13, 2023
3982 people are currently reading
13702 people want to read
About the author
Beth Cato
131 books694 followersBeth Cato hails from Hanford, California, but currently writes and bakes cookies in Red Wing, Minnesota. She usually has one or two cats in close orbit. A 2015 Nebula finalist, she is the author of the cozy mystery CHEDDAR LUCK NEXT TIME as well as fantasy like A THOUSAND RECIPES FOR REVENGE. Her short stories can be found in publications ranging from Beneath Ceaseless Skies to Uncanny Magazine. In 2019 and 2022, she won the Rhysling Award for short speculative poetry. Her website BethCato.com includes not only a vast bibliography, but a treasure trove of recipes for delectable goodies. Find her on BlueSky as @BethCato and Instagram as @catocatsandcheese.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 574 reviews
November 29, 2024
A Thousand Recipes for Revenge
By Beth Cato
Really enjoy the layered plot, entertaining characters, unique ideas, and strange imagery. It is a refreshing and fascinating new fantasy in a world of overdone plots and themes. Definitely plan to read the next book.
By Beth Cato
Really enjoy the layered plot, entertaining characters, unique ideas, and strange imagery. It is a refreshing and fascinating new fantasy in a world of overdone plots and themes. Definitely plan to read the next book.
June 9, 2023
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
This book started out looked like it would be a historical romantic fantasy.
The world was analogous to The Three Musketeers - early 17th century, muskets and wigs, court intrigue.
The romances looked like they would be arranged marriage to lovers and a potential second chance romance.
The magic was a hard magic system with rules around edibles and food. Chefs were the magicians who used these on others and themselves to various effects. This magic was believed to come from the 5 gods mentioned in the title. Cooks did not use magic to make meals, brew beverages, or perform minor healings.
It seemed like a quiet little low stakes tale with princes and princesses, parties and equestrian rides, pretty dresses and fancy palaces.
Around 45% through the story the whole thing blew up. People were not who they seemed to be (even to themselves). The world was not what it seemed to be and was a lot more violent. The magic system was not as hard and rule driven as the characters believed.
And then it ended abruptly. Kind of a cliffhanger but I definitely was unsure where things would go next.
I was kind of stunned by that abrupt end, to be honest. It is a long wait till the next installment and I will need to assess my feelings about continuing when it releases.
I do want to say, I liked the characters. They were mostly rather ordinary and I found it kind of refreshing that they weren't obvious superheroes or psychopaths. I liked that there were very young characters (teenagers), middle aged characters, and elderly characters all playing a part. It was good to see representation across age groups.
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Violence, not too graphic but pretty horrifying.
Addiction, also pretty horrifying.
Some animal abuse.
No sex, no swearing. More French than most stories.
This book started out looked like it would be a historical romantic fantasy.
The world was analogous to The Three Musketeers - early 17th century, muskets and wigs, court intrigue.
The romances looked like they would be arranged marriage to lovers and a potential second chance romance.
The magic was a hard magic system with rules around edibles and food. Chefs were the magicians who used these on others and themselves to various effects. This magic was believed to come from the 5 gods mentioned in the title. Cooks did not use magic to make meals, brew beverages, or perform minor healings.
It seemed like a quiet little low stakes tale with princes and princesses, parties and equestrian rides, pretty dresses and fancy palaces.
Around 45% through the story the whole thing blew up. People were not who they seemed to be (even to themselves). The world was not what it seemed to be and was a lot more violent. The magic system was not as hard and rule driven as the characters believed.
And then it ended abruptly. Kind of a cliffhanger but I definitely was unsure where things would go next.
I was kind of stunned by that abrupt end, to be honest. It is a long wait till the next installment and I will need to assess my feelings about continuing when it releases.
I do want to say, I liked the characters. They were mostly rather ordinary and I found it kind of refreshing that they weren't obvious superheroes or psychopaths. I liked that there were very young characters (teenagers), middle aged characters, and elderly characters all playing a part. It was good to see representation across age groups.
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Violence, not too graphic but pretty horrifying.
Addiction, also pretty horrifying.
Some animal abuse.
No sex, no swearing. More French than most stories.
December 30, 2022
Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this eARC!
To be transparent, I DNF'd at 48%. I did not like this book. I found all the characters to be annoying, it was either incredibly boring or incredibly over emotional and...cringe. It is a unique concept, with chefs beinh highly regarded in this world and the world building was fantastic...it just...I couldn't get into it.
To be transparent, I DNF'd at 48%. I did not like this book. I found all the characters to be annoying, it was either incredibly boring or incredibly over emotional and...cringe. It is a unique concept, with chefs beinh highly regarded in this world and the world building was fantastic...it just...I couldn't get into it.
December 27, 2022
Different story and a unique universe. Though I enjoyed the premise and the story somewhat, the themes of what amounted to veganism were a bit heavy handed and that is coming from a vegan. I also hate stories with no real conclusion and instead just reads like half the story. It's ok but could have been more.
Full disclosure - I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Full disclosure - I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
February 6, 2023
Do you love the video game Battle Chef Brigade?
Then this book is for you!
From the cover, this wasn't exactly what I expected. I imagined something more intimate, a little like a fantasy cozy mystery... this wasn't it. It really was an Iron chef battle of god powers and army fighting linked to food and taste. The magic system is amazing for someone who loves food and cooking like me. But the tone was just too young. I couldn't quite believe the main character was not a teen and that made the plot difficult to work, which is sad because it's a good one. I think this is really a question of reading preference, and this one just wasn't for me, I didn't manage to get into it and kept putting the book down.
Then this book is for you!
From the cover, this wasn't exactly what I expected. I imagined something more intimate, a little like a fantasy cozy mystery... this wasn't it. It really was an Iron chef battle of god powers and army fighting linked to food and taste. The magic system is amazing for someone who loves food and cooking like me. But the tone was just too young. I couldn't quite believe the main character was not a teen and that made the plot difficult to work, which is sad because it's a good one. I think this is really a question of reading preference, and this one just wasn't for me, I didn't manage to get into it and kept putting the book down.
February 13, 2023
4.5 stars, rounded up
This was a very interesting take in food magic; a recentering of Chefs as magicians blessed by the Five Gods.
The author has created a lush, well-realized world with tons of lore and little interesting tidbits, as well as an unexpected twist well into the second middle of the book. While I am not the best audience for court intrigue plots (in one of the POV character arcs) the book quickly went beyond that and it really managed to cover a lot of ground—and I say this with fascination because there's still so much to happen in this world, and we're left well-poised for a sequel.
I really enjoyed the sprawling cast of characters, as none of them felt two-dimensional, and I found the conversations about what motherhood can look like to different people very interesting. Solenn and Ada, the two main POV characters, were refreshingly real and complex on page. I do wonder however if revealing the nature of their relationship to the reader could have been done a bit later, to increase the tension—and I found Erwan's interactions with one of them (spoilers) to somewhat lack the expected chemistry.
But overall, I would definitely recommend this book!
This was a very interesting take in food magic; a recentering of Chefs as magicians blessed by the Five Gods.
The author has created a lush, well-realized world with tons of lore and little interesting tidbits, as well as an unexpected twist well into the second middle of the book. While I am not the best audience for court intrigue plots (in one of the POV character arcs) the book quickly went beyond that and it really managed to cover a lot of ground—and I say this with fascination because there's still so much to happen in this world, and we're left well-poised for a sequel.
I really enjoyed the sprawling cast of characters, as none of them felt two-dimensional, and I found the conversations about what motherhood can look like to different people very interesting. Solenn and Ada, the two main POV characters, were refreshingly real and complex on page. I do wonder however if revealing the nature of their relationship to the reader could have been done a bit later, to increase the tension—and I found Erwan's interactions with one of them (spoilers) to somewhat lack the expected chemistry.
But overall, I would definitely recommend this book!
June 12, 2023
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
A Thousand Recipes for Revenge is the first book in the Chefs of the Five Gods series, told from the PoVs of a mother and her daughter. Both women have been touched by a god to be able to sense epicurea (magical ingredients) in different ways. This makes them god touched and very special to different people in power.
Ada was conscripted into service after it was discovered she was touched by one of the gods. She became a Chef for the army while her country of Verdania was as war. She spent years in service/slavery for King and country. Chefs make the most extraordinary food and Ada is blessed with a tongue that tastes sympathetically so she always knows how her meals taste to others' preferences. She is one of the best Chefs Verdania has ever had. She lost everything of importance to her when the king broke an alliance with another country and she deserted 16 years ago, leaving her daughter in care of her husband and sent to a different country where she couldn't be used as a slave if she was god touched as well. On the run ever since, she has just been found and will need to go back to some of her roots if she is going to stay alive.
Solenn is now a princess of Braiz, she has come to Verdania for the marriage alliance brokered by her family to try and bring peace and unity between Briaz and Verdania. Her intended is a few years younger than her but she is trying to build some kind of bond with him. Solenn didn't know she was god touched until she discovered a poison intended for the Prince. The thing is both of her parents do not have a history of Chefs in their line which means Solenn's parentage is not what she thinks it is. As she discovers how she became hidden as a princess and what this new talent means to her life, she also needs to try to keep the Prince alive. Not because of love but to keep her country from being thrust into another war.
I enjoyed a good portion of this book. I liked how cooking the food with epicurea could enhance attributes of the people who ate it. Being stronger, able to run faster or see better. It also was interesting all the different things that could be concocted and how good Ada was at it. I didn't expect the shift in the middle when we learn what epicurea really is. Beth Cato surprised me with that one for sure. The world building was great and I liked the set up of the story overall with tidbits of the histories of the gods and their role in the daily lives of the people of the different lands. The ideas in story remained very interesting and I like Solenn's character.
Overall this is a solid YA story with good characters, interesting premises and a decent plot. I would have liked to get a little more knowledge about the gods and Hesta in particular due to her part in this story but I liked the animal twist the story took that stepped everything a little sideways from where I expected the story to go. Good start to a series.
Narration:
Elizabeth Knowleden has a pretty prolific catalog to her name. She maintains the voices of her characters well and was able to put emotion into the story. I enjoyed her performance overall. Her voice lent well to the age of Solenn's character being young and innocent yet determined to do her duty. It was all captured well. I was able to listen to the story at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
A Thousand Recipes for Revenge is the first book in the Chefs of the Five Gods series, told from the PoVs of a mother and her daughter. Both women have been touched by a god to be able to sense epicurea (magical ingredients) in different ways. This makes them god touched and very special to different people in power.
Ada was conscripted into service after it was discovered she was touched by one of the gods. She became a Chef for the army while her country of Verdania was as war. She spent years in service/slavery for King and country. Chefs make the most extraordinary food and Ada is blessed with a tongue that tastes sympathetically so she always knows how her meals taste to others' preferences. She is one of the best Chefs Verdania has ever had. She lost everything of importance to her when the king broke an alliance with another country and she deserted 16 years ago, leaving her daughter in care of her husband and sent to a different country where she couldn't be used as a slave if she was god touched as well. On the run ever since, she has just been found and will need to go back to some of her roots if she is going to stay alive.
Solenn is now a princess of Braiz, she has come to Verdania for the marriage alliance brokered by her family to try and bring peace and unity between Briaz and Verdania. Her intended is a few years younger than her but she is trying to build some kind of bond with him. Solenn didn't know she was god touched until she discovered a poison intended for the Prince. The thing is both of her parents do not have a history of Chefs in their line which means Solenn's parentage is not what she thinks it is. As she discovers how she became hidden as a princess and what this new talent means to her life, she also needs to try to keep the Prince alive. Not because of love but to keep her country from being thrust into another war.
I enjoyed a good portion of this book. I liked how cooking the food with epicurea could enhance attributes of the people who ate it. Being stronger, able to run faster or see better. It also was interesting all the different things that could be concocted and how good Ada was at it. I didn't expect the shift in the middle when we learn what epicurea really is. Beth Cato surprised me with that one for sure. The world building was great and I liked the set up of the story overall with tidbits of the histories of the gods and their role in the daily lives of the people of the different lands. The ideas in story remained very interesting and I like Solenn's character.
Overall this is a solid YA story with good characters, interesting premises and a decent plot. I would have liked to get a little more knowledge about the gods and Hesta in particular due to her part in this story but I liked the animal twist the story took that stepped everything a little sideways from where I expected the story to go. Good start to a series.
Narration:
Elizabeth Knowleden has a pretty prolific catalog to her name. She maintains the voices of her characters well and was able to put emotion into the story. I enjoyed her performance overall. Her voice lent well to the age of Solenn's character being young and innocent yet determined to do her duty. It was all captured well. I was able to listen to the story at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
June 26, 2023
An intriguing fantasy where there's more than meets the eye - or the tongue - in a story of lovers, enemies, loss, revenge, magic and struggles for power and justice.
Ada is a renowned "Chef", whose tongue has been blessed by one of The Five - gods that watch over, and direct, the people of this world. Her powers have been weaponized to increase soldiers' skills in battle and to overwhelm her enemies through the basic necessities of food and drink. But after the reigning monarch forced her to make an unforgivable choice, she swore revenge on him and his henchman and disappeared into the shadows to elude her would-be jailers. But 17 years of hiding make for lonely business and Ada's guard begins to relax just in time for an old enemy to arise and seek his revenge. Will she be able to uncover the illegal sources of magic being used against her, her family, and her friends in time to stop the world from discovering something beyond anyone's control? And will The Five help or hinder the very survival of the human race?
I just reviewed A Thousand Recipes for Revenge by Beth Cato. #AThousandRecipesforRevenge #NetGalley
Ada is a renowned "Chef", whose tongue has been blessed by one of The Five - gods that watch over, and direct, the people of this world. Her powers have been weaponized to increase soldiers' skills in battle and to overwhelm her enemies through the basic necessities of food and drink. But after the reigning monarch forced her to make an unforgivable choice, she swore revenge on him and his henchman and disappeared into the shadows to elude her would-be jailers. But 17 years of hiding make for lonely business and Ada's guard begins to relax just in time for an old enemy to arise and seek his revenge. Will she be able to uncover the illegal sources of magic being used against her, her family, and her friends in time to stop the world from discovering something beyond anyone's control? And will The Five help or hinder the very survival of the human race?
I just reviewed A Thousand Recipes for Revenge by Beth Cato. #AThousandRecipesforRevenge #NetGalley
January 31, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley & 47North for the ARC!
I really enjoyed this book - the magic system curated through food was inventive and complex. I, as possible the World’s Worst Cook™️, would fare terribly in this world.
The characters are the real standout here: every one of them felt developed and had their own personalities beyond their ability to move the plot along. The history & worldbuilding of the novel was incredibly interesting (though some of the select texts to start the chapters were a bit on the nose).
Two main callouts here: the whole novel felt like YA, even though Ada was somewhere in her 40s. Not that I expected the tone to change drastically between POVs but I did expect some more change in maybe sentence structure or complexity. And the final battle ended semi-dramatically but the aftermath felt a bit rushed.
Overall - cannot wait for the next installment! Already have some friends in mind for recommendations.
I really enjoyed this book - the magic system curated through food was inventive and complex. I, as possible the World’s Worst Cook™️, would fare terribly in this world.
The characters are the real standout here: every one of them felt developed and had their own personalities beyond their ability to move the plot along. The history & worldbuilding of the novel was incredibly interesting (though some of the select texts to start the chapters were a bit on the nose).
Two main callouts here: the whole novel felt like YA, even though Ada was somewhere in her 40s. Not that I expected the tone to change drastically between POVs but I did expect some more change in maybe sentence structure or complexity. And the final battle ended semi-dramatically but the aftermath felt a bit rushed.
Overall - cannot wait for the next installment! Already have some friends in mind for recommendations.
June 8, 2023
Interesting concept, but lopsided execution.
My daughter and I listened to this story (as I read along).
It started strong enough to grab our attention and pull us in. The magic system was fascinating.
However, much of the foreshadowing was obvious; we were not as surprised by some of the reveals.
Still, we enjoyed the tale -- until the adults started getting in the way.
Why spend a good 75-80% of the book building the young protagonist's autonomy to have the one who should be her most potent ally undermine her efforts in the end?
How can one so loved be left so unprotected?
Despite these disappointments, we like the characters as a whole and are still curious about what will happen next. We plan to check out the sequel next year.
Therefore, we give this book 3.5 Stars, rounding up to 4 for keeping us interested.
My daughter and I listened to this story (as I read along).
It started strong enough to grab our attention and pull us in. The magic system was fascinating.
However, much of the foreshadowing was obvious; we were not as surprised by some of the reveals.
Still, we enjoyed the tale -- until the adults started getting in the way.
Why spend a good 75-80% of the book building the young protagonist's autonomy to have the one who should be her most potent ally undermine her efforts in the end?
How can one so loved be left so unprotected?
Despite these disappointments, we like the characters as a whole and are still curious about what will happen next. We plan to check out the sequel next year.
Therefore, we give this book 3.5 Stars, rounding up to 4 for keeping us interested.
May 27, 2023
Must pay precise attention to follow each recipe with focus on details of every ingredient as a guide to move onto the next fantasy concoction to be created.
October 23, 2023
arc received in exchange for an honest review
i was taken by surprise while reading this book, and i'm absolutely delighted about it!
from the cover and title, i thought the vibes were cosy/comforting, but that is absolutely not the case. i stuck with it though because the magic system of gods giving their blessing to chefs who then have food-related enhancements, and consuming magical ingredients to gain powers, was just too good. i loved seeing how the powers manifested in different characters and how they dealt with the political implications of it.
another fantastic element of this book was the characters and the way familial tensions were explored. there's a variety of mother daughter, father daughter relationships and all of them were done brilliantly. they were tender and tense and everything in between.
the ending of this book was absolutely superb, and i am absolutely itching to read the follow up.
i was taken by surprise while reading this book, and i'm absolutely delighted about it!
from the cover and title, i thought the vibes were cosy/comforting, but that is absolutely not the case. i stuck with it though because the magic system of gods giving their blessing to chefs who then have food-related enhancements, and consuming magical ingredients to gain powers, was just too good. i loved seeing how the powers manifested in different characters and how they dealt with the political implications of it.
another fantastic element of this book was the characters and the way familial tensions were explored. there's a variety of mother daughter, father daughter relationships and all of them were done brilliantly. they were tender and tense and everything in between.
the ending of this book was absolutely superb, and i am absolutely itching to read the follow up.
January 15, 2023
I picked up this book not knowing what to expect. Honestly, it was the cover that drew me in, it’s so beautiful and I just couldn’t stop thinking about it. I was a bit concerned to see that so many readers had DNF’ed this book but decided to give it a chance anyway. And I’m so glad I did!
I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. I generally enjoy fantasy books, but many of the big epic series’ tend to be slow paced to the point that I struggle to make progress in them. By contrast this story is extremely fast paced! We start the first chapter with a kidnapping attempt and it never lets up from there. I am also a fan of stories that focus on court intrigue and political manoeuvring which this book has loads of.
The cast of characters was great, I loved to see the middle aged and elderly protagonists represented but we also get an empowering teenage girl who does not (!) fall for a boy or make stupid decisions out of immaturity.
Honestly I fell in love with the first narrator, rebel chef Ada, from the moment I watched her interact with her senile grandmother. Their bond was beautiful and their interactions were at times heartwarming and at times hilarious. Ada’s backstory was heartbreaking and I really hoped for her to get to a better place over the course of the book.
And princess Solenn was another excellent narrator, a girl with a massive diplomatic weight on her shoulders, trying to make the best of a bad situation. She has a great mind and strong character but in the misogynistic society where she lives is only valued for who she might marry. It was great to see some of her potential realised throughout the book.
Unlike many books with multiple narrators I did not find myself preferring one over the other, although it was unclear for most of the book how they would converge I enjoyed the two parallel storylines equally. The story mostly went where I though it was going but there were several surprises and plot twists along the way, all of which only made the book better. It’s clear this book is setting the stage for a series, it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger but leaves several threads loose for future instalments.
I can’t finish off without commenting on the world-building, the story is set in a fantasy version of 18th century France which I think was well done. There are enough similarities that I can appreciate the historical and geographical inspirations, but it’s still a unique fantasy realm. The magic system is based around cooking magical ingredients with blessings from five deities. I found it really well done and loved the more insight into the gods that we get towards the end of the story. The little intros of lore and recipes at the beginning of each chapter were also interesting.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fast-paced fantasy books with strong female protagonists. It’s also an excellent choice for anyone that wants to transition from YA fantasy to start reading adult fantasy.
I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. I generally enjoy fantasy books, but many of the big epic series’ tend to be slow paced to the point that I struggle to make progress in them. By contrast this story is extremely fast paced! We start the first chapter with a kidnapping attempt and it never lets up from there. I am also a fan of stories that focus on court intrigue and political manoeuvring which this book has loads of.
The cast of characters was great, I loved to see the middle aged and elderly protagonists represented but we also get an empowering teenage girl who does not (!) fall for a boy or make stupid decisions out of immaturity.
Honestly I fell in love with the first narrator, rebel chef Ada, from the moment I watched her interact with her senile grandmother. Their bond was beautiful and their interactions were at times heartwarming and at times hilarious. Ada’s backstory was heartbreaking and I really hoped for her to get to a better place over the course of the book.
And princess Solenn was another excellent narrator, a girl with a massive diplomatic weight on her shoulders, trying to make the best of a bad situation. She has a great mind and strong character but in the misogynistic society where she lives is only valued for who she might marry. It was great to see some of her potential realised throughout the book.
Unlike many books with multiple narrators I did not find myself preferring one over the other, although it was unclear for most of the book how they would converge I enjoyed the two parallel storylines equally. The story mostly went where I though it was going but there were several surprises and plot twists along the way, all of which only made the book better. It’s clear this book is setting the stage for a series, it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger but leaves several threads loose for future instalments.
I can’t finish off without commenting on the world-building, the story is set in a fantasy version of 18th century France which I think was well done. There are enough similarities that I can appreciate the historical and geographical inspirations, but it’s still a unique fantasy realm. The magic system is based around cooking magical ingredients with blessings from five deities. I found it really well done and loved the more insight into the gods that we get towards the end of the story. The little intros of lore and recipes at the beginning of each chapter were also interesting.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fast-paced fantasy books with strong female protagonists. It’s also an excellent choice for anyone that wants to transition from YA fantasy to start reading adult fantasy.
May 31, 2023
This was off the charts!! Fast paced from start to finish, bit of war, kingdoms, magic, and the world building was amazing.
I was nearly put off by the low reviews but seriously these people shouldn't be reading this genre, think they were expecting some kind of cozy fantasy, but no, this is hardcore, ignore them all!
I couldn't foretell at any point where this story was going, totally unique and I'm quite upset I have to wait for 2024 for the next book in the series :)
I was nearly put off by the low reviews but seriously these people shouldn't be reading this genre, think they were expecting some kind of cozy fantasy, but no, this is hardcore, ignore them all!
I couldn't foretell at any point where this story was going, totally unique and I'm quite upset I have to wait for 2024 for the next book in the series :)
December 4, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley and to the Editor. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
This book was surprising in so many ways, and all of them good. It has an original magical system, something unique, because in the universe this author creates the mages are chefs. They can conjure things up from nothing, they can't make fireballs or lightning or whatever, but they are the ones who possess magic. Their tongue is a gift from the Gods, they can perceive tastes in a unique manner, and they can use magical ingredients that contain epicurea to create food with somehow magical proprieties. I know, I am not doing the best job of explaining things here, but trust me, if this sounds even remotely interesting to you, try the book out! It is way less complicated when the author shows and explains it to you, and it is well worth your time.
Then we have the Gods, that are real. And I discovered lately that I appreciate books in which the Gods are real. I am not talking about books where the Gods are the main characters, but about books in wich the Gods are still real and influence the story. And sure, at one point here we have a couple of Gods that become characters but... my point still stands, it was a thing that I really appreciated.
And then we have the characters. And if it's true that I didn't love-love any of them, I can surely say that I really enjoyed their company, and Solenn was, by far, my favorite. She is a gem. And she is well worth meeting. I love that even if she is young, and in a really bad position, she always tries to do her best to be a decent person. Always, and with everyone. She surprised me more than once, and I really really liked her.
And we have some other pretty good characters to keep her company .
Usually, the characters are what make or break a book for me, and the characters here are pretty good, but the best part was the story itself. The author takes unexpected turn after unexpected turn, and the story keeps going in a direction that I didn't see coming. It was bliss!
We have also a couple of really gory scenes that I didn't see coming at all, toward the end of the book, because the book as a whole is pretty free of violence on the page (I mean, it is not all rainbows and unicorns, mind me, we have war, assassinations, attempted kidnapping and more, there are bad things happening all around, but you don't get the gory parts usually until you do. And it was unexpected. A lot! But in a good way, too).
It was really hard to predict what would happen next, and the book constantly kept me curious. I had a great time with it!
This book was surprising in so many ways, and all of them good. It has an original magical system, something unique, because in the universe this author creates the mages are chefs. They can conjure things up from nothing, they can't make fireballs or lightning or whatever, but they are the ones who possess magic. Their tongue is a gift from the Gods, they can perceive tastes in a unique manner, and they can use magical ingredients that contain epicurea to create food with somehow magical proprieties. I know, I am not doing the best job of explaining things here, but trust me, if this sounds even remotely interesting to you, try the book out! It is way less complicated when the author shows and explains it to you, and it is well worth your time.
Then we have the Gods, that are real. And I discovered lately that I appreciate books in which the Gods are real. I am not talking about books where the Gods are the main characters, but about books in wich the Gods are still real and influence the story. And sure, at one point here we have a couple of Gods that become characters but... my point still stands, it was a thing that I really appreciated.
And then we have the characters. And if it's true that I didn't love-love any of them, I can surely say that I really enjoyed their company, and Solenn was, by far, my favorite. She is a gem. And she is well worth meeting. I love that even if she is young, and in a really bad position, she always tries to do her best to be a decent person. Always, and with everyone. She surprised me more than once, and I really really liked her.
And we have some other pretty good characters to keep her company .
Usually, the characters are what make or break a book for me, and the characters here are pretty good, but the best part was the story itself. The author takes unexpected turn after unexpected turn, and the story keeps going in a direction that I didn't see coming. It was bliss!
We have also a couple of really gory scenes that I didn't see coming at all, toward the end of the book, because the book as a whole is pretty free of violence on the page (I mean, it is not all rainbows and unicorns, mind me, we have war, assassinations, attempted kidnapping and more, there are bad things happening all around, but you don't get the gory parts usually until you do. And it was unexpected. A lot! But in a good way, too).
It was really hard to predict what would happen next, and the book constantly kept me curious. I had a great time with it!
February 27, 2023
This book wasn't what I expected at all. For some reason (based on the title I guess) I thought this would be akin to the assassin's that take out their targets with food. That DOES happen but not in the way I would think. The title in fact simply refers to a saying regarding the Five Gods that the characters in the book revere. chef's are considered those who can commune closely with the Gods via their food preparation.
There's a lot more here but I can't do too much w/o giving away major plot points. The book was a lot of plot and needed a moment to breathe explain, world build, etc just a smidge more. I'm assuming based on the ending theres more to come and hopefully more world building happening..I will say this book did not play it safe with sacrifice; the protagonists were not looking for easy ways out.
The story intriguing but the writing and story need some tightening up particularly with two POVs. 2.5 stars.
There's a lot more here but I can't do too much w/o giving away major plot points. The book was a lot of plot and needed a moment to breathe explain, world build, etc just a smidge more. I'm assuming based on the ending theres more to come and hopefully more world building happening..I will say this book did not play it safe with sacrifice; the protagonists were not looking for easy ways out.
The story intriguing but the writing and story need some tightening up particularly with two POVs. 2.5 stars.
July 30, 2023
The base of this book has a lot of promise. People that can turn food into magic? Awesome!
But there was a thing that made so little sense to me.. and it kept coming back in the story. It kept me from really letting go and just enjoying the book up until the last few chapters where the closing of the tale finally grabbed my attention over the issue.
The issue was that it made absolutely zero sense to me that if a group of people is super duper special and important for your army supplies, whyyyyy would you waste time training them in the art of combat, that makes this group harder to supress and control! And why why whyyyyy would you actually make them fight in the war? Risking these valuable skills?
At no point is this explained at all. It's even brought into the story as ann Offcourse it is the only logical option to train us in combat and make us fight..
All in all after i finally got past that thorn in the story i enjoyed it. But it does still bother me...
But there was a thing that made so little sense to me.. and it kept coming back in the story. It kept me from really letting go and just enjoying the book up until the last few chapters where the closing of the tale finally grabbed my attention over the issue.
The issue was that it made absolutely zero sense to me that if a group of people is super duper special and important for your army supplies, whyyyyy would you waste time training them in the art of combat, that makes this group harder to supress and control! And why why whyyyyy would you actually make them fight in the war? Risking these valuable skills?
At no point is this explained at all. It's even brought into the story as ann Offcourse it is the only logical option to train us in combat and make us fight..
All in all after i finally got past that thorn in the story i enjoyed it. But it does still bother me...
June 2, 2023
There are a thousand quotes about revenge and most of them are not kind to the person seeking it. But it’s possible that the one in the world of these particular five gods is the most bitter, literally and figuratively. “There are a thousand recipes for revenge, and they all taste like scat.”
In other words, revenge tastes like shit. In a world where the ability to perceive and even enhance the qualities of every single thing a person might eat or drink is the highest form of magic, that has to be one of its world’s greatest curses.
And a warning that entirely too many people have refused to heed in this fantastic story that has only just begun.
At first, we’re following two women who don’t seem to have much to do with each other. And even though we don’t know it yet, someone’s revenge has reached out, seemingly from beyond the grave, to do its best to turn both their lives into shit.
Or perhaps something a bit worse but surprisingly edible – even if it really, really shouldn’t be. Which is where this world’s magic comes in.
Ada Garland is one of the chefs blessed by Gyst, the God of Mysteries and Unknowns. Her tongue is literally magic. She can tell whether something is clean or polluted, poisonous or just badly prepared, too salty, too sweet, or perfectly balanced. Her magic allows her to make the dish that a person wants and needs most in that moment – and do it perfectly every time.
And she has the power to turn certain special ingredients, called epicurea, into magical items that will pass their magic on to whoever eats them.
It’s a gift and a curse at the same time, as all blessed chefs in her country are automatically conscripted into the royal service the moment their talents manifest. It’s a service that led Ada to her husband and their child. And it’s a service that split them apart when the alliance between their countries dissolved.
Ada is on the run, and has been for over a decade, taking care of her increasingly unstable grandmother while avoiding the grasping, greedy mother who wants to use her and her talent for ends that are even more unsavory than Ada first believed.
The revenge that reaches out for Ada, her friends and her family threatens to expose all of her secrets – and theirs. If it doesn’t get them all killed first. Or worse. Much, much worse.
Escape Rating A+: I picked this up because I was looking for something else with magical cookery after The Nameless Restaurant. Both stories do feature cookery as Magic with a Capital “M”, but that is the only thing they have in common. I’m still grateful for the push from the one to the other, because A Thousand Recipes for Revenge is just plain awesome and I’m so glad I read it, even if it is making me give the side-eye to pretty much everything I eat.
The magic system here is both fascinating and unsettling at the same time, because it’s all wrapped around magical foods, the ability to create them and the ability to taste them. This is a world where many people can cook, and unsurprisingly so or everyone would starve, but where it takes a gift from the actual gods to be a chef. But the silver lining of that gift comes with plenty of cloud wrapped around it, as both Ada and Princess Solenn discover to their cost.
This is also definitely one of those stories about being better off – or at least sleeping better at night – if one did not know how the sausage was made. It’s a secret that has been brutally suppressed in this world for excellent if entirely terrible reasons.
At first, this seems like a rather typical military type, gaslamp set fantasy. Ada is AWOL from her military service, while our second perspective on this story, Princess Solenn, is in the midst of being married off for a political alliance.
But then Ada’s old comrades start getting killed, Ada’s hidden existence is suddenly under threat, and it seems like she’s on the run from awful but otherwise mundane forces. Until things go completely pear-shaped and the gods start getting involved. At which point it’s off to the races – against time, against death, against the forces of oppression and most especially against petulant beings who would rather play with their food than either nurture it, treat it as a pet or kill it as prey.
And then things get really complicated.
I thought I knew where this was going. And then I thought I knew where this was going. But it didn’t go any of the places I thought it would, but where it did end up was both head spinning and stomach churning as well as a tremendous tease because there had to be more and at first I didn’t realize there was, but there is and oh thank goodness!
Ada and Solenn give readers two heroines to route for, as this is both Ada’s story of picking up the pieces of the life she left behind and Solenn’s coming of age story and both are fantastic. The world’s setup at first seems fairly standard epic fantasy and then goes to places that are fresh (if occasionally rotting) and new and unexpected. There are bits of Bujold’s World of the Five Gods and Jenn Lyons’ A Chorus of Dragons in the way that the gods of this world operate, as well as Guy Gavriel Kay’s and Jacqueline Carey‘s use of real world geography and history as a way of creating a fantasy world’s map and political divisions, but the magic system is just completely off a new wall and it’s marvelous in the way it suffuses the story.
Which, as I squeed earlier, thankfully isn’t done yet. There’s a second book in the Chefs of the Five Gods series, A Feast for Starving Stone, coming in January. And I can’t wait!
Originally published at Reading Reality
In other words, revenge tastes like shit. In a world where the ability to perceive and even enhance the qualities of every single thing a person might eat or drink is the highest form of magic, that has to be one of its world’s greatest curses.
And a warning that entirely too many people have refused to heed in this fantastic story that has only just begun.
At first, we’re following two women who don’t seem to have much to do with each other. And even though we don’t know it yet, someone’s revenge has reached out, seemingly from beyond the grave, to do its best to turn both their lives into shit.
Or perhaps something a bit worse but surprisingly edible – even if it really, really shouldn’t be. Which is where this world’s magic comes in.
Ada Garland is one of the chefs blessed by Gyst, the God of Mysteries and Unknowns. Her tongue is literally magic. She can tell whether something is clean or polluted, poisonous or just badly prepared, too salty, too sweet, or perfectly balanced. Her magic allows her to make the dish that a person wants and needs most in that moment – and do it perfectly every time.
And she has the power to turn certain special ingredients, called epicurea, into magical items that will pass their magic on to whoever eats them.
It’s a gift and a curse at the same time, as all blessed chefs in her country are automatically conscripted into the royal service the moment their talents manifest. It’s a service that led Ada to her husband and their child. And it’s a service that split them apart when the alliance between their countries dissolved.
Ada is on the run, and has been for over a decade, taking care of her increasingly unstable grandmother while avoiding the grasping, greedy mother who wants to use her and her talent for ends that are even more unsavory than Ada first believed.
The revenge that reaches out for Ada, her friends and her family threatens to expose all of her secrets – and theirs. If it doesn’t get them all killed first. Or worse. Much, much worse.
Escape Rating A+: I picked this up because I was looking for something else with magical cookery after The Nameless Restaurant. Both stories do feature cookery as Magic with a Capital “M”, but that is the only thing they have in common. I’m still grateful for the push from the one to the other, because A Thousand Recipes for Revenge is just plain awesome and I’m so glad I read it, even if it is making me give the side-eye to pretty much everything I eat.
The magic system here is both fascinating and unsettling at the same time, because it’s all wrapped around magical foods, the ability to create them and the ability to taste them. This is a world where many people can cook, and unsurprisingly so or everyone would starve, but where it takes a gift from the actual gods to be a chef. But the silver lining of that gift comes with plenty of cloud wrapped around it, as both Ada and Princess Solenn discover to their cost.
This is also definitely one of those stories about being better off – or at least sleeping better at night – if one did not know how the sausage was made. It’s a secret that has been brutally suppressed in this world for excellent if entirely terrible reasons.
At first, this seems like a rather typical military type, gaslamp set fantasy. Ada is AWOL from her military service, while our second perspective on this story, Princess Solenn, is in the midst of being married off for a political alliance.
But then Ada’s old comrades start getting killed, Ada’s hidden existence is suddenly under threat, and it seems like she’s on the run from awful but otherwise mundane forces. Until things go completely pear-shaped and the gods start getting involved. At which point it’s off to the races – against time, against death, against the forces of oppression and most especially against petulant beings who would rather play with their food than either nurture it, treat it as a pet or kill it as prey.
And then things get really complicated.
I thought I knew where this was going. And then I thought I knew where this was going. But it didn’t go any of the places I thought it would, but where it did end up was both head spinning and stomach churning as well as a tremendous tease because there had to be more and at first I didn’t realize there was, but there is and oh thank goodness!
Ada and Solenn give readers two heroines to route for, as this is both Ada’s story of picking up the pieces of the life she left behind and Solenn’s coming of age story and both are fantastic. The world’s setup at first seems fairly standard epic fantasy and then goes to places that are fresh (if occasionally rotting) and new and unexpected. There are bits of Bujold’s World of the Five Gods and Jenn Lyons’ A Chorus of Dragons in the way that the gods of this world operate, as well as Guy Gavriel Kay’s and Jacqueline Carey‘s use of real world geography and history as a way of creating a fantasy world’s map and political divisions, but the magic system is just completely off a new wall and it’s marvelous in the way it suffuses the story.
Which, as I squeed earlier, thankfully isn’t done yet. There’s a second book in the Chefs of the Five Gods series, A Feast for Starving Stone, coming in January. And I can’t wait!
Originally published at Reading Reality
May 30, 2023
Adamantine “Ada” Garland has an empathic connection to food and wine, a magical perception of aromas, flavours, and ingredients. Invaluable property of the royal court, Ada was in service to the Five Gods and to the Gods-ordained rulers of Verdania—until she had enough of injustice and bloodshed and deserted, seeking to chart her own destiny. When mysterious assassins ferret her out after sixteen years in hiding, Ada, now a rogue Chef, and her beloved Grand-mère run for their lives, only to find themselves on a path toward an unexpected ally.
A foreign princess in a strange court, Solenn unknowingly shares more with Ada than an epicurean gift. They share blood. With her newfound magical perception, she becomes aware of a plot to kill her fiancé, the prince. It’s part of a ploy by adversarial forces in the rival country of Albion to sow conflict, and Solenn is set up to take the blame.
As Ada’s and Solenn’s paths converge, a mother and her long-lost daughter reunite toward a common goal, and against a shadowy enemy from Ada’s past who is out for revenge. But what sacrifices must be made? What hope is there when powerful Gods pick sides in a war simmering to eruption?
Thank you to Author Beth Cato, 47North Publishing and @netgalley for providing this ARC. All opinions are my own, but the blurb above is taken from Netgalley (there was no way I could summarise such an incredible book any better)!
I absolutely loved this book; the world building was epic and all of the magical elements really drew me in. Each of the main characters had real depth and learning about 'Chefs', the Five Gods and how everything intersects had me on the edge of my seat.
This book is the first in the 'Chefs of the Five Gods' series and will be publishing on June 1st 2023. If you like enjoy the fantasy genre, I would highly recommend giving this book a read!
A foreign princess in a strange court, Solenn unknowingly shares more with Ada than an epicurean gift. They share blood. With her newfound magical perception, she becomes aware of a plot to kill her fiancé, the prince. It’s part of a ploy by adversarial forces in the rival country of Albion to sow conflict, and Solenn is set up to take the blame.
As Ada’s and Solenn’s paths converge, a mother and her long-lost daughter reunite toward a common goal, and against a shadowy enemy from Ada’s past who is out for revenge. But what sacrifices must be made? What hope is there when powerful Gods pick sides in a war simmering to eruption?
Thank you to Author Beth Cato, 47North Publishing and @netgalley for providing this ARC. All opinions are my own, but the blurb above is taken from Netgalley (there was no way I could summarise such an incredible book any better)!
I absolutely loved this book; the world building was epic and all of the magical elements really drew me in. Each of the main characters had real depth and learning about 'Chefs', the Five Gods and how everything intersects had me on the edge of my seat.
This book is the first in the 'Chefs of the Five Gods' series and will be publishing on June 1st 2023. If you like enjoy the fantasy genre, I would highly recommend giving this book a read!
August 19, 2023
A really unique magic system, with the added dimension that it devolved from interesting to mildly horrifying. Something about chefs being magical just felt really fun, and the blatantly French cultural inspiration made it easier to process. The ending was genuinely surprising and works as an intriguing setup for the sequel.
February 3, 2024
We read this book for book club and it was pretty much the only reason I didn’t DNF it.
For me, it was just a little too much. I felt like there were a lot of concepts and ideas that got crammed together. The idea of magic and food mixing did originally intrigue me, but the build up for the story was very drawn out.
I felt that once it started to pick up, it was almost like a wild animal running from a predator. The story had almost too much going on. I listened to this one and I’m not going to lie, if I didn’t I think I would have been lost.
It wasn’t a terrible story, just not my forte.
For me, it was just a little too much. I felt like there were a lot of concepts and ideas that got crammed together. The idea of magic and food mixing did originally intrigue me, but the build up for the story was very drawn out.
I felt that once it started to pick up, it was almost like a wild animal running from a predator. The story had almost too much going on. I listened to this one and I’m not going to lie, if I didn’t I think I would have been lost.
It wasn’t a terrible story, just not my forte.
July 6, 2024
Okay if you've ever talked book reviews with me you know how rare it is for me to give a book a full five stars, but good lord! I got to about 80% and panicked because I did not understand how this book was going to wrap up so much in so little time but WOW. THAT ENDING THO!
June 1, 2023
For me A Thousand Recipes for Revenge by Beth Cato was a book of two halves. I loved the idea of blending magic and food , that was what initially drew me to the book, alongside the beautiful cover of course. The idea of using cooking ingredients to create magic sounded like a lot of fun, and I was all in when I read the dramatic and exciting opening chapters where we are introduced to Ada, a magician in hiding because she deserted the army of Verdania where she was forced to use her magic in battle as property of the Royal court. We are also introduced to Solenn, a foreign princess newly arrived at the Verdanian court as the betrothed of the Crown Prince. She had no idea of the magical heritage she shares with Ada until a strange experience at a court banquet causes her to realise that she has magical abilities, and even worse that she is being set up to take the fall for the assassination of her husband to be.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book, which seemed to be set in a version of historical Europe not so different from our own, apart from the magic of course , but in the second half of the book it veered into an almost more high fantasy style with talking magical creatures and living Gods, and I have to admit that this just did not work quite so well for me. The plot seemed to drift away from the original ideas in a way that meant I struggled to maintain interest.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book, which seemed to be set in a version of historical Europe not so different from our own, apart from the magic of course , but in the second half of the book it veered into an almost more high fantasy style with talking magical creatures and living Gods, and I have to admit that this just did not work quite so well for me. The plot seemed to drift away from the original ideas in a way that meant I struggled to maintain interest.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
June 28, 2023
I found this new series fascinating! I loved getting to know chef's and what gifts the 5 gods bestowed. The idea of tasting everything to clearly, even sensing poison without actually drinking something was such an interesting idea and felt unique.
I liked the 2 POV and mc's and found their connection, as it was revealed, a good pull to keep me in the story. I ended up flipping to an audiobook and the narrator really helped pull the story along. I thought it would slow down as it hit the middle but it built steady and the plot moved quick as each new turn had an interesting reveal.
The ending was definitely shocking but also left it open for another one in the series. I'm glad I started this one, I'll definitely be looking for book 2!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
I liked the 2 POV and mc's and found their connection, as it was revealed, a good pull to keep me in the story. I ended up flipping to an audiobook and the narrator really helped pull the story along. I thought it would slow down as it hit the middle but it built steady and the plot moved quick as each new turn had an interesting reveal.
The ending was definitely shocking but also left it open for another one in the series. I'm glad I started this one, I'll definitely be looking for book 2!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
February 28, 2023
*I have received an ARC from NetGalley for a fair review of the book*
I’ve read a few of these ‘food based’ magic systems and whilst they make for an enjoyable enough read, I didn’t find this one different or unique enough to hold my interest.
I got half way through and decided to skim the rest as the characters just weren’t well drawn enough to hold my interest.
The world building was overly complicated and there were a lot of characters introduced in the beginning, which made it
1. A bit difficult to keep track of people
2. Hard to relate and therefore care about any of the characters.
Overall I think there are probably better examples of this kind of book already on the market.
It also had a very YA feel to it which I don’t believe was the intended market.
I’ve read a few of these ‘food based’ magic systems and whilst they make for an enjoyable enough read, I didn’t find this one different or unique enough to hold my interest.
I got half way through and decided to skim the rest as the characters just weren’t well drawn enough to hold my interest.
The world building was overly complicated and there were a lot of characters introduced in the beginning, which made it
1. A bit difficult to keep track of people
2. Hard to relate and therefore care about any of the characters.
Overall I think there are probably better examples of this kind of book already on the market.
It also had a very YA feel to it which I don’t believe was the intended market.
March 12, 2023
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!
Being entirely honest - I DNF'd at 45%. I'm so sorry! I just couldn't get on with the characters or the story. I adored the idea of the magic and how it works. Reminded me a little bit of Mistborn. As other reviews have mentioned, world building was amazing and I could fully picture each character in my mind when reading, their different personalities shined through. I just couldn't get fully absorbed into the story.
Being entirely honest - I DNF'd at 45%. I'm so sorry! I just couldn't get on with the characters or the story. I adored the idea of the magic and how it works. Reminded me a little bit of Mistborn. As other reviews have mentioned, world building was amazing and I could fully picture each character in my mind when reading, their different personalities shined through. I just couldn't get fully absorbed into the story.
August 31, 2023
This wasn’t a bad book. I just didn’t connect with any of characters. The story was unique and vaguely interesting. It just didn’t hold my attention.
May 17, 2023
This is an amazing start in a new series from Beth Cato. From beginning to end it's clear we're in the hands of a master storyteller, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel.
Cato has a tremendous ability to seamlessly blend disparate elements, providing a variety of settings and different types of tension, while always finding ways to give the occasional respite to characters and reader alike.
Speaking of readers, it’s clear the author has a high level of respect for us -- she knows we’re familiar with novels that we might be expecting the story to unfold in certain ways. Cato tears into those expectations, shattering stale tropes and redirecting the story into unanticipated and delightful directions.
A Thousand Recipes for Revenge is a fantastic book, and deserves a spot on every fantasy reader’s shelf.
Cato has a tremendous ability to seamlessly blend disparate elements, providing a variety of settings and different types of tension, while always finding ways to give the occasional respite to characters and reader alike.
Speaking of readers, it’s clear the author has a high level of respect for us -- she knows we’re familiar with novels that we might be expecting the story to unfold in certain ways. Cato tears into those expectations, shattering stale tropes and redirecting the story into unanticipated and delightful directions.
A Thousand Recipes for Revenge is a fantastic book, and deserves a spot on every fantasy reader’s shelf.
May 14, 2023
My Mom and I started an Amazon First Reads book club between the two of us, because we have similar tastes. We are both obsessed with this book. The sequel comes out next January (2024), that’s the level of our obsession.
Ada is a chef in a world where “chef’s” have god blessed talents in the kitchen, their food is always amazing. They can cook in epicura and create magic with their cooking.
Solene is the princess of another country, who weeks before her wedding has her own tongue awaken proving she is a chef.
The two have a very cute connection and begin to unravel age old practices and prejudices in their own way.
The ending, ya’ll the ending is phenomenal, I had to sit with it for a few hours because wow. I cannot wait to read more of this amazing story and world.
Ada is a chef in a world where “chef’s” have god blessed talents in the kitchen, their food is always amazing. They can cook in epicura and create magic with their cooking.
Solene is the princess of another country, who weeks before her wedding has her own tongue awaken proving she is a chef.
The two have a very cute connection and begin to unravel age old practices and prejudices in their own way.
The ending, ya’ll the ending is phenomenal, I had to sit with it for a few hours because wow. I cannot wait to read more of this amazing story and world.
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