Forget about fighting monsters. Be a Slime Friend instead!
When Hazel wakes up in a dungeon full of monsters, she’s told to choose a weapon and start fighting. Instead, she picks a grilled cheese, because who needs weapons when you’ve got food?
The system rewards her ridiculous decision with a brand-new class: Culinary Mage. Instead of grinding monsters, Hazel’s winning over slimes with homemade treats and discovering that a good meal can do far more than fill an empty stomach.
With her new food-based skills, Hazel opens a cozy little cafe in the middle of the dungeon. Before long, all kinds of monsters are flocking to her door for treats, slimes are evolving before her eyes, and even other adventurers begin wondering if there’s more to life than fighting their way to the next floor.
But in a dungeon built for battle, can Hazel really change the rules with nothing but delicious food, stubborn optimism, and a pack of hungry slimes?
Featuring found family, whimsical magic, and a sprinkle of romance, Slime Sweets and Dungeon Treats is a cozy LitRPG about building a home in the unlikeliest of places.
Pandora Pierce writes cozy fantasy where the monsters are charming, the magic is whimsical, and the adventures are delightfully low-stakes. She has a weakness for slimes, red pandas, and other adorable creatures that inevitably sneak into her stories.
When she’s not writing, she streams as a VTuber, connecting with readers, writers, and gamers in a space as cozy and lighthearted as her books.
She has written two other cozy fantasy series but this is her first foray into LitRPG. I had a lovely time with Hazel and her slime friends.
Our adventure begins with Hazel on the tutorial level of a dungeon forced to choose a weapon. She has no memory of her life before but little details remained. She knows she doesn't want to choose a weapon, really liked food, and knew how to make it. What happens next is a level of hijinks DMs have nightmares about.
Hazel refuses to fight or hurt monsters. She will find a way to soothe the savage soul with a good meal. Instead of trauma bonding in combat, she forges bonds of friendship by finding the right recipes. When it works, the world is rocked and people around her are inspired. Hazel's refusal to fit into a mold that doesn't suit her causes ripples in the world around her no one could have predicted.
The underlying message of knowing yourself, kindness, growth, change, and acceptance is a beautiful thing. If you have a younger reader who is looking to get into the genre, this would be a great place to start. Pierce's other two cozy fantasies are romances and we do get a bit of that by the end but it's one piece of a much bigger story. The whole is about choosing who you want to be and how it can shape your life and the world around you. In a time like this, we need that kind of hopecore message, especially in our young readers.
In a world blood, battles, and brutality, we need more Hazels. I'm fairly cynical so I have to be in the mood for something this level of sweet and hopecore but fortunately this found me at the right time to appreciate it. It's marked as Book 1 so I'll be watching for the next book. There's quite a few characters I know we should expect more from. 4/5
This book hits the nail when it comes to making you feel cozy and inside a fantastical and welcoming game. It reminded me of the feeling I got the first time I played Genshin Impact. Swayed by descriptions but also very entertained by the main character's thoughts. Overall, in some parts I felt like I wanted more of the world but it definitely deliveres as a litrpg. Very wholesome read.
Slimes? Opening a bakery in a dungeon? Cosy LitRPG? A baker-turned-Culinary Mage solving problems with food and friendship? This is, on paper, engineered in a lab to appeal to me.
But... I know I’m in the minority here... this really didn’t click for me.
This has everything I love in a cosy fantasy. But it just feels like a bunch of tropes stacked on top of each other wearing a trench coat and insisting it’s a personality.
It’s very clearly aiming for that Legends & Lattes brand of low-stakes comfort fantasy, but it misses the mark in almost every way that matters. It’s cute and inoffensive, but it's also weirdly lifeless and busy and boring at the same time.
It leans so hard into “comfort” that it loops back around into feeling completely soulless. There's no heart or spark and no reason to care about anything or anyone happening on the page.
There’s just too much going on and absolutely none of it's explored with any depth. Memory loss! Dungeon lore! RPG mechanics! Slime companions! Café progression! It just skims the surface of everything like it’s afraid of commitment.
And the tension. Oh my god, the tension. The problem with a lot of cosy fantasy is that there’s no real conflict, and fine, I’m not asking for grimdark despair or a surprise murder spree, but something has to happen. The most dramatic moment in this book is literally: “Dammit, the cookies were burning!”
I wish I was exaggerating.
After the cookies burn, one of the slimes gets a little scared which resolves in the next sentence. And it's treated like a big deal.
It’s all so saccharine that it borders on parody. There are no consequences or lingering emotions, just a constant reset to “everything is fine 🥰” like the narrative's afraid of making anyone even mildly uncomfortable.
The pacing's nonexistent and the plot just meanders. Scenes happen, then other scenes happen. Occasionally something that looks like a plot thread appears and then quietly dissolves into the background like it never existed.
If you’re going to have low stakes and a meandering plot, that’s absolutely fine. I have no problem with that. But if that's the case, then your characters need to carry the story.
They do not.
We have: Character who is nice and not afraid of slimes. Character who is nice and follows Character 1 around with undying support. Character who is evil (just kidding! they’re nice) and is scared of slimes. That’s it. That’s the cast. That’s the emotional range.
I love found family. I live for found family. But it actually helps when the found family members have distinct personalities, or conflict, or, dare I say, flaws? Give me a character who annoys me. Give me a character who makes me suspicious. Here, I seriously couldn't pick a single character out of a lineup of one. They’re just… there. Existing pleasantly.
It's aggressively formulaic. And I like formulaic! My life revolves around generic cop shows and medical shows where every episode's a copy-paste of the one before it. Formulaic can be comforting, but every chapter feels like the author ticking off a checklist:
“Okay… slimes did something cute… check! Hazel made a snack… check! Minor ‘conflict’ resolved instantly… check!”
Rinse and repeat for 300+ pages.
Which raises another question: how is this over 300 pages? This should have been a novella. This should have been a cute, tightly written little snack of a story. Instead it drags on like an anime filler arc.
The writing style does it absolutely no favours. It feels very amateur, like early-draft fanfiction that skipped the editing phase. There are constant ellipses, awkward phrasing, and a lot of telling instead of showing. The exposition is especially painful.
There’s so much clunky infodumping that completely kills any sense of immersion. The protagonist is new and confused, which should be a perfect setup for organic, atmospheric worldbuilding. Instead everything is spelled out with the subtlety of a loading screen tip.
"I'm a satyr, half-man, half-goat, and I'm here to welcome you to the Dungeon of Eternal Embers."
Come on, really?
And then, just in case you missed it: the satyr stepped toward me... the satyr's eyes widened... the satyr shook his head... the satyr sighed...
Now, this is just a theory, but I think (and I could be wrong) this dude might be a satyr 🤔
The prose itself is pretty rough."It leaned into my hand as its eyes changed to adorable greater than less than signs, making a squee noise like it was the happiest little jellybean ever."
I understand what this is trying to do. I do. But there has to be a less painful way to write that sentence?
And then the internal logic just gives up entirely:
"Ugh, that's awful. It tastes like cardboard." "What's cardboard?" "It's... How do I know a word but not know what it means?"
Okay, interesting, memory issues. I wonder what we'll do with that?
Then:
"Maybe it was like a magical induction cooktop..."
Oh. So that’s where we’re drawing the line. You can’t conceptualise cardboard but you can reference an induction hob? Sure. Why not. Nothing matters.
Even the food aspect, which is arguably the main draw, gets repetitive fast. It turns into a loop of “new slime + new dessert” with zero escalation or variation.
And yet! there are tiny glimpses of something better buried in here. The idea of resolving conflict through cooking and friendship is genuinely fun, and I LOVED the moment where Hazel picks a grilled cheese as her starting weapon:
"I choose this sandwich." "What? …That’s my lunch." 😂
That’s the book I wanted. I wanted that energy and charm.
But those moments are few and far between, and they’re not enough to carry everything else. At the end of the day, this reads like a first draft that needed serious editing and a clearer vision. The concept is strong. The execution is… not.
I was completely, utterly obsessed with this book from the very first page 😭💛 This wasn’t just a story—it felt like a warm hug wrapped in sugar, magic, and the absolute cutest slimes ever 🫶✨
From the moment Hazel woke up in a dungeon and chose a grilled cheese over a weapon (iconic behavior honestly 🧀😂), I knew this was going to be something special. Instead of fighting monsters, she built something softer, kinder… and so much more powerful 💫
She became a Culinary Mage—and instead of battles, she created a cozy café in the dungeon, winning over slimes and even people with her food 🥹🍰 And I just… I never wanted it to end.
Hazel was such a refreshing main character 💛 She didn’t try to be a hero in the traditional sense. She just wanted to cook, to care, to make things better—and somehow that made her the strongest kind of person 🥺✨
Even with her fragmented memories and being thrown into chaos, she held onto her kindness. She chose connection over conflict. Food over fighting. And I loved her for that 😭🍲
And the SLIMES 😭💖 I could write an entire essay about them.
They were adorable. Silly. Magical. Loyal. Each one felt like a tiny bundle of joy, and watching them grow, evolve, and bond with Hazel made my heart so full 🥹✨
If you love magical companions or “found pets” in stories—this book will absolutely own your soul 🫶
The found family in this book?? PERFECTION 🥰 Hazel didn’t just build a café—she built a home.
Through food and kindness, she brought people together. She inspired them. Helped them become better versions of themselves. And watching that ripple effect unfold through multiple POVs made everything feel so alive and meaningful 💫
There was also a soft sprinkle of romance 💕 Nothing overwhelming—just enough to make you smile and feel things without taking away from the cozy core of the story 🥹✨
This book made me feel safe. It made me happy. It made me want to curl up with snacks, a blanket, and never leave this world 🧁📖💛
And the fact that it kept me hooked while being so gentle and cozy? That’s honestly magic.
✨ Perfect for fans of: 🧁 Cozy fantasy & wholesome vibes 🍲 Food magic / cooking saves the day 🐾 Adorable magical companions (SLIMES!!!) 🫶 Found family that heals your heart 🌸 Soft, low-stakes but meaningful stories 💫 LitRPG with a unique, non-combat twist 💕 Light romance (just a sprinkle!) 🏡 Building a home in unexpected places
By the time I finished, I was already craving more 😭💛 More Hazel. More slimes. More cozy dungeon café moments.
This was easily one of my favorite reads of the year, and I will be adding a physical copy to my shelf the second it’s out 🧁✨
Thank you so much to Pandora Pierce and BookSirens for the ARC opportunity 💌✨ I’m officially obsessed and cannot wait for the next book in this series 😭💛
I am completely obsessed with this book and I can’t wait for the rest of the series! Slime Sweets and Dungeon Treats had me hooked right from the very beginning and I wish that it never has to end because it’s so good. Plus it has a perfectly adorable cover that I will 100% be adding to my shelf when it comes out. This story is so cozy and filled with cooking, found family, and some very interesting dungeon magic. Hazel is an amazing main character who gets thrown into a dungeon unexpectedly with some wonky memories of her life and all she knows is that she doesn’t want to fight and that she can cook. She has an extremely positive outlook even in the face of dungeon monsters and manages to cook herself out of some sticky situations with the help of her slime friends and human friends. I loved how she managed to befriend all the slimes and forge her own path while also helping all the people around her and of course I’m always a sucker for a cozy book centered around food and friends! And believe me when I say the friends in this book are so lovely. Hazel manages to befriend almost everyone she meets by sharing some good food with them but also because she inspires everyone to be the best version of themselves and to do what they love. While this is a very cozy story with baking and adorable slimes it’s also so lovely how everything around Hazel just gets better and the way she helps the people around her be their best. Plus the slimes in this book really are just the best. I could spend the whole review just talking about them because they’re super fun and magical but also very silly and helpful. If you’re like me and love a good pet/support in the form of a magical creature then you’re going to love all the different slimes just as much as I do. I also really enjoyed the sprinkle of romance in this story, while it was very light it was a fun addition and also a very interesting part of the plot. I loved that there were different POVs from different characters throughout the story that really helped you understand the story better while seeing how much change and good Hazel is doing. It’s really hard not to fall in love with this story because it makes you feel good while also keeping you interested in what’s going to happen next. This book is just filled with so many wonderful elements you’ll want to sit down with a drink, snack, and warm blanket so that you won’t have to get up because once you start you won’t be able to put it down. As soon as I finished this book I was already craving more of Hazel and her slime buddies and people buddies. Slime Sweets and Dungeon Treats is one of the best books I’ve read this year and I can not wait to see what will happen next!
This was such an interesting take on the litRPG genre. If you liked Dungeon Crawler Carl and Delicious in Dungeon, but felt they were too crude or violent, this may be for you! It takes the dungeon crawling element but makes it cozy! People wake up in a dungeon with no memories and are told to choose a class.. They will need to battle their way to floor 100 - and many people are successful! In this dungeon, you cannot die - you just lose any progress towards your next level. The goal is to level up by fighting monsters - however our main character Hazel does not want to fight so for her weapon she chooses.....a grilled cheese sandwich? This gives her an all new class of culinary mage. Hazel levels up by "defeating" the monsters with her good cooking/baking, befriending many along the way, and decides instead of fighting her way to level 100, she'll open a cafe for all adventurers who want good food. She meets other adventurers, makes friends of both the monster and human variety, and continues to level up her unique class.
I thought this was a super fun read! I loved how Hazel made friends with her baking - I feel like I'd be her, wanting to bake my way through the dungeon instead of fighting. The slimes were super cute monster companions and I love how the story focused on just a few of them so we got to know them as characters. I was a pretty big fan of some of the side characters as well - including Fiona and Dave, who were well fleshed out supportive of Hazel.
I did find there were a ton of inconsistencies - things like Hazel mentioning a character to another character, even though they hadn't met. I also noticed that Hazel would think things, and the dungeon would immediately give her quests or access to those things, even though as far as I know it could only see her and not read her mind. A lot of things felt really easy, like any time something difficult got in Hazel's way it was solved in an instant, and everything was handed to her on a silver platter. I also felt that Hazel and Fiona were way too lax about Cole - they didn't know him and were suspicious of him, but brushed it off. In reality he'd be a red flag! So things like those bothered me and that's why I feel this book is 4/5 stars. It was an incredibly quick and fun read though, and I will definitely be coming back for the next book(s) in the series!
I don’t do many arc reads, but after reading Pandora’s other cozy fantasy novels towards the end of last year, I jumped at the opportunity to read this early! It will now have a home on my Kindle forever!
This is my first LITRPG novel, and I think a perfect one to start with due to its cozy fantasy and dash of romance. This book is a perfect way to explore a new form of writing with a genre I love. It took me a minute to get used to the different style, but once I did, I fell in love with the details of the leveling up and role systems. It also blended into the story in a way that brought both an interesting twist and a sweet romance.
I found Hazel to be such a ray of sunshine, and I like the fact that she actually considers the perspective of others. She realizes how this system is built against her but finds ways to make the most of it.
I also think that the surrounding characters like Fiona, Marvin, and of course the SLIMES! Round out the story beautifully, and knowing there are more books to come, they bring paths that I want to travel. Especially Fiona and Brennie, who are sort of hinted at in this book.
Once the romance started to pick up, I thought it’d be odd given that it started kind of like a computer system and Hazel being a human, but after the world was explained a little more, it made more sense. (I will leave it there for the sake of avoiding spoilers)
There were moments where I had mixed feelings about Cole, and I do think the romance developed a little too quickly by the end. That being said, I found them a great pair that works well together. This was a lovely fantasy, with a sweet romance and amazing descriptions of tasty food, adorable slimes, and endearing characters.
If you're like me, then you will LOVE this book, and I highly recommend you check out Pandora’s other cozy fantasy books available on Kindle Unlimited, Legends & Librarians, and Myths & Manuscripts.
Slime Sweets and Dungeon Treats: A Cozy LitRPG is exactly what it promises on the tin—but also slightly more chaotic in the best possible way. This is a cosy LitRPG with a whimsical core, but what really made it stand out for me was how it leans into absurdity without losing its grounding. One moment you’re dealing with dungeon mechanics and progression systems, and the next you’re thinking about sweets, slimes, and a strangely comforting sense of building something out of the strange and dangerous. It’s light, but not empty. There’s a really fun contrast at play here between the “cozy life” vibe and the fact that, at its core, it is still a dungeon setting. That blend works surprisingly well. It gives the story a playful energy, like it’s constantly winking at you while still quietly reminding you that this world can bite back if it wants to. The progression elements are satisfying without becoming overwhelming. I liked that it doesn’t drown you in stats or systems—it keeps things readable and focused on the experience rather than turning into a spreadsheet. That said, I did occasionally want a bit more clarity or depth in how some mechanics evolved, especially as things started expanding. What really carried this for me was the tone. It’s warm, slightly chaotic, and has that “found family in a weird dungeon situation” energy that makes it easy to keep reading. Even when not much is happening on a plot-heavy level, the vibe itself is engaging enough to hold attention. If I had a critique, it’s that the stakes stay fairly soft throughout. It fits the cosy direction, but there were moments where I found myself wanting just a little more tension or consequence to balance out the comfort.
Hazel wakes up and is told that she is in a dungeon until she can level and leave. She is offered a choice of weapons on a table, but Dave (the training satyr) has left his grilled cheese sandwich on the table. Hazel doesn't like fighting, so she grabs Dave's lunch as her weapon choice. Since it was on the table and the system core has been bored, he allows the grilled cheese to become her weapon and now the system is in a little bit of chaos as it adds a new class of adventurer for Hazel, a Culinary Mage, and has to come up with quests and rewards on the fly. The system may also have a tiny crush on Hazel adding in another small complication. Hazel is such a likeable character. She doesn't like the idea of fighting to level up and starts off by doing things her way. She gathers friends like a magnet, both human and "monster". She's always happy and never gives up. She can't remember her past life, but baking is a muscle memory for her. The Dungeon Core/Cole is a great addition as well. He keeps evolving and seeing things from a new perspective as Hazel makes her way through the dungeon. I love the Slimes and they are such a cute and adorable addition to this story! But I think that the Daves really take the cake in this book. So rule driven and bothered by the change, but in the end they have a completely different outlook. This was my first foray in LitRPG and it was a good introduction. I love cozy fantasy so this low stakes cozy world was right up my alley. It really was just like walking through a video game. I loved the world building and the focus on the food. I'll never not love focusing on food! I loved the way the quests were integrated into the book and the way that that everything was explained at the end.
I received an advance review copy of Slime Sweets and Dungeon Treats, my very first ARC, and all opinions are my own.
I absolutely adored Slime Sweets and Dungeon Treats. This is one of those rare books that feels like being wrapped in a warm blanket fresh from the dryer while someone hands you a pastry still wearing a little crown of steam. ✨
Hazel is such a joy to follow. Her kindness never feels sugary or overdone. Instead, it ripples outward like pebbles dropped into a pond, quietly changing everything around her. Watching her interact with her slime companions was pure delight. Every slime had so much personality that I found myself grinning at the page like a delighted goblin in a bakery window.
What I loved most was that this is not just a cozy story about sweets and friendship, though it serves both in generous helpings. Beneath the frosting and dungeon dust, there is a beautiful story about building something better. Hazel does not simply arrive in a new world. She transforms it, one small act of care, courage, and cinnamon-scented stubbornness at a time.
The world itself feels rich and magical, like wandering through a lantern-lit market where every corner hides a new treasure. And yet the real magic is in the tenderness threaded through every page.
If you love cozy fantasy, found family, charming non-human companions, and stories that leave your heart glowing like a tiny tavern window on a rainy night, you need this book in your life. A complete delight from beginning to end. 🌙🍰🫧
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you to the author for kindly giving me an ARC.
This was such a lovely and fun cozy read. Hazel, upon being thrown into the starting level of a dungeon, decides her weapon of choice is going to be a half-eaten grilled cheese sandwich because she refuses to do harm. I loved her from the start. Aside from not wanting to harm the monsters in the dungeon, Hazel is the only one who questions the whole system. After bribing a cute slime with food, she proves that the monsters can be friendly, if they're shown kindness first. Hazel was incredibly brave to choose non-violence and to actively question what the rules of the dungeon are. Time and time again she goes against the grain, carving her own path through the dungeons, and setting up a cafe with her friendly slimes.
I also really loved Hazel's dynamic with sweet potato. It only takes one person to break the rules and go against what is usually done to cause other people to start questioning the system too. It becomes clear with the people Hazel meets that not everyone fits into the classes that already exist, not everyone excels at fighting, or even wants to fight.
The slimes and monsters that Hazel met along the way were all so incredibly adorable. I loved Matcha Tea the most, he was so cute. Also little strawberry.
I really liked the system of gaining skill points and levelling up was done. It was so authentic to how an rpg would be and it added to the cozy vibe.
What a fun read! A cosy dungeon setting with adorable monsters and lots of baked goods created in a safe-space Cafe was the perfect place to lose myself for a few hours.
It had a 'finding your place' feel that I loved. That and found family are my favourite tropes and both were used in this story so it ticked major plot boxes for me.
Hazel as FMC was great. I really appreciated her wide stubborn streak and how she applied it to helping other characters become happier by finding the courage to make the choices that would help get them there. She was never malicious, seeing good in everyone, and slowly spreading her 'unusual' world view. That kind of feel good attitude makes reading an absolute pleasure for me.
The team she assembled around herself brought humour, genuine caring and authentic D and D style personalities. I particularly enjoyed the seamstress and blacksmith for the sheer honesty of their natures and blatant pleasure in unexpected change.
This is the first of this genre I've read so I have no idea if the twist at the end is representative of how other LitRPG's play out. I was initially uncomfortable with it but after some consideration can see how it makes sense in a world of levelling up by learning new skills and winning challenges.
I really did enjoy this story, finding myself happily immersed in the shenanigans on page and sharing Hazel's joy in each positive change enacted. I'm so glad this is the first in a new series by this author.
When Hazel wakes up in a dungeon and is told to select her weapon, she selects a grilled cheese sandwich. Now, instead of fighting the monsters in the dungeon, she’s cooking her way as a culinary mage and befriending slimes. Unfortunately her unorthodox approach to the dungeon has long-reaching effects and chaos ensues.
Hazel is sweet but unwilling to stray from her personal morals and goals. As she strives to cook and improve the lives of both the monsters and adventurers around her, you can’t help but cheer for her. Other characters are nuanced with their own hopes and dreams, and Hazel’s determination to find another way to the end of the dungeon changes those around her. The changes to the dungeon and the characters are extremely well written and interesting to discover.
Slime Sweets and Dungeon Treats is an absolute delight of cozy LitRPG full of humor and heart. A great option for fans of Delicious in Dungeon and the I Ran Away to Evil series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy of this book for free, but my thoughts/rating remain my own.
If you want to know if you'll like this story, ask yourself if you like: - Pacifist MC - LitRPG (but not too crunchy) - Cozy - Befriending monsters - Subverting the Dungeon Master's plans - CHAOS!
If you said yes to most or all of those, you should check out Slime Sweets and Dungeon Treats. The main character's antics are entertaining and her dedication to finding peace and happiness in an environment designed to push people through conflict is just a delight. She's a cinnamon roll MC in such a fun way and every time she does something that leads to "Wait, you can't do that. She can't do that, can she?" vibes from other characters it is hilarious. Even when Unexpected Consequences occur, the pluck and grit our gal Hazel displays is satisfying and encouraging. I think I'd like to be a bit more like Hazel in my real life.
Slime Sweets and Dungeon Treats is Book 1 in the Slime Sweets Series, A Cozy Lit R P G by Pandora Pierce. I know this book was going to be light hearted and full of humor when Hazel woke up in a Dungeon and chose a grilled cheese sandwich as her weapon of choice. Hazel became a Culinary Mage! From the baby slime, Jellybean, to the adventures she met, I found this fantasy to be so enjoyable. Hazel turns this Dungeon up side down meeting every challenge with food….who else would use food to battle a fire breathing chicken? The dungeon's name is Dungeon of Eternal Embers. The author has written wonderful characters full of whimsical battles and a dash of romance. The author masterfully takes the story and does a big twist and surprise that I did not see coming! I can't wait to read book 2 and see where the next adventure takes me. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
This was an enjoyable read that pulled me right in. So close to five stars! (Why it wasn't for me will be at the very end in the spoilers section.) Hazel chooses a grilled cheese sandwich to fight monsters with and chaos ensues. It is hilarious and charming. The slow burn romance doesn't make sense at the beginning, but does by the end and is really sweet.
It's unconventional dungeon crawling, so weapons were never going to be a big part… That being said, Fiona's hammer is pretty cool.
****SPOILERS BELOW!!! This is the answer to the only question I really had through the entire book and isn't revealed until the last few chapters.****
I was willing to suspend disbelief for why people were in the game, but did wonder. The answer is the reason I may or may not continue the series. The dungeon is limbo before reincarnation and kind of being run by gods. They don't factor into this story too much, but may later in the series. It was a disappointment that it got religious.
When Hazel wakes up in the tutorial level of an RPG style dungeon, she has no idea that choosing a grilled cheese sandwich instead of a weapon to fight her way through the floors would change not only her life, but the dungeon itself.
This was a fun, cosy read with a light, feel good tone. The premise felt fresh and engaging, and the simple writing style made it easy to get through, I found myself wanting to keep reading.
I didn't find that the spiritual element distracted from the story, and I thought that the "unexpected" romance (you could totally see it coming, but in the best way) just added to its charm.
Overall, this is a sweet and comforting book that I’d recommend to readers looking for something easy, uplifting, and a little bit whimsical.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Perfectly cozy and sweet. If you are looking for low stakes and fun, you will love this book. Its even got a sweet romance that dusts the edges with sugar!
Hazel finds herself in a strange world where she be expected to level by fighting monsters, but, thats just NOT her. A single choise turns the whole system on its head and everything after is a tumble of flour, slimes, and good times.
Sometimes I felt like the wins came too easily. I wanted a bit more emotional pushback from the shock of waking up in a new world, as well as from some of the relationships that are formed and tested, be them friends or others.
But all in all this is a sweet fun, read and if you are looking for gentle game play, this one is for you.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the Author, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
What a wonderful cosy Lit RPG ! I absolutely devoured this cosy little read. I loved all the characters, the world building, the relationships and the themes of friendship and being true to yourself. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book. It's such a glorious read, I couldn't put it down till I finished it! I loved Hazel. She was such a chaos stirrer but in the best way and Fiona was such a good friend! Matcha oh my gosh 😍 we need a matcha and boss plush, I really wish I had some skill in drawing to give justice to those two!
So in conclusion if you love cosy things, video games or Lit RPG what are you waiting for? Go read it and if you don't love those things you will after you've read this book!
A nice grilled cheese is 100% the best effective weapon for a Culinary Mage! The Daves aren’t thrilled, but they’re helpful enough while everyone is navigating this new class. I could hardly put this book down whilst following Hazel's ways of levelling up, exploring the rare ingredients & new skills, and just watching her grow with each new friendship. I love that she shows people new possibilities of what can be done in this dungeon; whether it’s working with someone from a different class to create something new or befriending a creature you used to be wary of. It’s so wholesome and just enhances the slime friend title. I love the food based magic and her adventures in her own special cafe! The system really is a sweet potato.
I received an ARC of this book with a request for my honest feedback.
Wow, this was such a joyful and relaxing tale. Slime Sweets and Dungeon Treats is a cottagecore isekai litRPG that feels like a hug and a warm chocolate chip cookie.
For ages the Dungeon has asked adventurers to fight to glory but when Hazel is brought in, she quickly changes things up. For the first time, she makes the bored Dungeon question why combat is always necessary. Is it possible for people and monsters to get along, for adventurers to have a nonfighting leveling journey?
This tale is so cozy and I'm 100% here for it. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a book to surround you with goodwill and kindness. Looking forward to the sequel!
Slime Sweets and Dungeon Treats is a cozy, warm hug of a book. I love a hardcore LitRPG like Dungeon Crawler Carl, but this book isn’t that, and I mean that in a good way! If you loved DCC, but also love cozy fantasy-this might be exactly the book for you!!
Our FMC Hazel wakes up in a dungeon with no idea what’s going on and has to figure out who she is, what she is doing in the dungeon, and how to get out. Her journey in the dungeon takes a strange turn when she avoids the traditional fight, kill, level up route to get out of the dungeon, and instead feeds and befriends the dungeon creatures. It’s hard to say too much without giving too many spoilers. If you like cozy fantasy this is a great read. The stakes are low, the vibes are cozy, and the awwww factor is superb!
I love this story from start to finish!! It was light, cozy, and over all heartwarming. I love how this isn’t a normal Litrpg book. It keeps you guessing. The only reason I had to pause my reading was because of work. The story line sucks you in and keeps you emerged. I cannot wait to see where this story goes.
This is such a cozy read! I am not a big LitRPG reader, but the premise of this book really pulled me in. I loved both Dungeon Crawler Carl and The Spellshop, and I see elements of both in this book. I hope there will be sequels! The romance and religion in the end of the story both surprised me, but would not put me off of reading future books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I didn't know exactly what to expect with this book. I was kinda expecting a hardcore LitRPG like the others I read recently. What I got was whimsical and magical. Adventure with a twist. I laughed and felt the happiness the main character radiated. Highly recommend for cozy fantasy lovers. I can't wait to read more from this author and series.
Ok… how am I just discovering “cozy RPG fantasy” as a genre?!? This was ADORABLE AND WONDERFUL AND SUCH A DELIGHTFUL READ. Thank you for a preview copy … now I have to devour everything else you’ve written… please give us a certain wannabe character blacksmith’s story 🙏🏼
This was a very sweet LitRPG, isekai story. I appreciate the main character who has the fortitude in a dungeon to say she doesn't want to kill anything and the courage to live up to her convictions. The world was inventive, the characters were likable, and the story was fresh.
This slice of life litRPG is a must have for any fan of wholesome stories. The MC is super sweet and the slimes are adorable and the plot makes you smile and most of all- you want to keep reading.