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Breadknives and Broomsticks #1
Breadknives and Boomsticks
Runa is meant to be ferrying heroes to their next adventure, not fighting a tiny fire lizard over stolen scones.Take one half-troll who can't tell a croissant from a crossbow.
Add one quaint village perched on the edge of the most densely cursed volcano in the realm.
Sprinkle with a distractingly dashing damsel in frequent distress, and a mysterious creature who likes lurking in ovens.
Mix well, and watch the sparks fly...
Breadknives and Boomsticks is a cozy fantasy for readers who love heroines whose domestic skills have always taken a back seat to their ability to hit monsters with a big stick, set in a world where half the wildlife is the result of wizardly experiments gone wrong, the geography has an attitude, and good customer service means not letting your clients get eaten by either.
Add one quaint village perched on the edge of the most densely cursed volcano in the realm.
Sprinkle with a distractingly dashing damsel in frequent distress, and a mysterious creature who likes lurking in ovens.
Mix well, and watch the sparks fly...
Breadknives and Boomsticks is a cozy fantasy for readers who love heroines whose domestic skills have always taken a back seat to their ability to hit monsters with a big stick, set in a world where half the wildlife is the result of wizardly experiments gone wrong, the geography has an attitude, and good customer service means not letting your clients get eaten by either.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2026
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Did Not Finish
October 1, 2026I went into this one really hoping to love it, but I ended up putting it down around the 40% mark. On paper, the setup sounds very intriguing: Runa, a half-troll wilderness guide, has to escort a bickering pair of wizard clients through the Cauldron, a volcanic wasteland formed by literally every curse thrown around during an ancient war between lich lords. Unfortunately, the execution just didn't quite work for me. Instead of feeling like a cohesive story building toward a bigger goal, it felt more like an episodic series where the characters just survived one cursed region before moving on to the next. The dangers started to feel like more of the same rather than increasingly threatening, and because the stakes never really picked up, I never felt genuinely worried for anyone.
To make matters worse, by the time I hit 40%, Severine, the supposed love interest, still hadn't even shown up. Without that emotional thread to keep me hooked, and without feeling particularly attached to Runa's clients, the survival aspect alone couldn't hold my attention. It started to feel less like a real story and more like checking quests off a to-do list.
That said, I can absolutely see this working better for readers who adore immersive, highly detailed fantasy worlds. The whole concept of the Cauldron is really unique, and I definitely appreciated how much thought went into the setting. If you don't mind taking your time settling in with a big cast of characters before the romance kicks off, this might be more up your alley than it was mine.
Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
To make matters worse, by the time I hit 40%, Severine, the supposed love interest, still hadn't even shown up. Without that emotional thread to keep me hooked, and without feeling particularly attached to Runa's clients, the survival aspect alone couldn't hold my attention. It started to feel less like a real story and more like checking quests off a to-do list.
That said, I can absolutely see this working better for readers who adore immersive, highly detailed fantasy worlds. The whole concept of the Cauldron is really unique, and I definitely appreciated how much thought went into the setting. If you don't mind taking your time settling in with a big cast of characters before the romance kicks off, this might be more up your alley than it was mine.
Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I was really excited for this. I love cozy fantasies, so I was pumped to start reading Breadknives and Boomsticks. However, I was disappointed. I found it hard to keep up with the world and what happens in it. Runa is on a guide in the beginning of the story and up until about the halfway mark, she is stuck in a town and bakes horrible bread while waiting to be able to get to her clients. This was incredibly boring to me. I’m not going to lie, I skimmed through a lot of it because none of it was exciting or caught my attention. I actually thought of DNFing it around the 30% mark, but I hate doing that to ARCs.
I thought it would get better when the woman in the beginning returned, but it was more baking. I get that we have to build the world, the plot, etc but I think I could’ve done without half of the first 60% of this book. After the 60% it did get more interesting and I started to enjoy the characters and plot.
I’m glad there’s a sequel since there is a lot that was left unanswered. I don’t think I’ll read it though.
I was really excited for this. I love cozy fantasies, so I was pumped to start reading Breadknives and Boomsticks. However, I was disappointed. I found it hard to keep up with the world and what happens in it. Runa is on a guide in the beginning of the story and up until about the halfway mark, she is stuck in a town and bakes horrible bread while waiting to be able to get to her clients. This was incredibly boring to me. I’m not going to lie, I skimmed through a lot of it because none of it was exciting or caught my attention. I actually thought of DNFing it around the 30% mark, but I hate doing that to ARCs.
I thought it would get better when the woman in the beginning returned, but it was more baking. I get that we have to build the world, the plot, etc but I think I could’ve done without half of the first 60% of this book. After the 60% it did get more interesting and I started to enjoy the characters and plot.
I’m glad there’s a sequel since there is a lot that was left unanswered. I don’t think I’ll read it though.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks NetGalley for an ARC copy for my honest review.
2.75 Stars.
I wanted to fall in love with this book, but it didn't happen.
There are a lot of great characters but the issue is the pacing of the book. We spend the entire 45% of the book building Runa's background and experiences in the Cauldron. We see the secondary FMC, Severine, very briefly within the first 40% of the book. Sadly, she doesn't reappear until the almost 60% mark.
I couldn't care less about the town of Pothollow and it's cast. I really wanted, by this point, to have our two FMCs interacting and building their relationship and however that looks. Even with the last 35% of the book, we still aren't getting a romantic feel between the two, and it's a huge missed opportunity, IMO.
If Cardno had flipped the amount of time spent in the world, I think it would have been so much better. I sort of wish I wouldn't have backed the tier I did on Kicstarter.
2.75 Stars.
I wanted to fall in love with this book, but it didn't happen.
There are a lot of great characters but the issue is the pacing of the book. We spend the entire 45% of the book building Runa's background and experiences in the Cauldron. We see the secondary FMC, Severine, very briefly within the first 40% of the book. Sadly, she doesn't reappear until the almost 60% mark.
I couldn't care less about the town of Pothollow and it's cast. I really wanted, by this point, to have our two FMCs interacting and building their relationship and however that looks. Even with the last 35% of the book, we still aren't getting a romantic feel between the two, and it's a huge missed opportunity, IMO.
If Cardno had flipped the amount of time spent in the world, I think it would have been so much better. I sort of wish I wouldn't have backed the tier I did on Kicstarter.
October 1, 2026
3.75⭐
I actually quite enjoyed the story though there were a few things I didn't like. I think it would have been better if it was dual POV instead of single. Too much emphasis was placed on Runa and the second FMC only makes a significant appearance almost halfway through the book which I think was poorly handled by the author.
Putting all the focus on Runa also made her somewhat annoying since she felt a little too immature and wishy-washy.
Apart from that the story overall was entertaining enough and quite funny in places.
I received a free ARC from Netgalley.
I actually quite enjoyed the story though there were a few things I didn't like. I think it would have been better if it was dual POV instead of single. Too much emphasis was placed on Runa and the second FMC only makes a significant appearance almost halfway through the book which I think was poorly handled by the author.
Putting all the focus on Runa also made her somewhat annoying since she felt a little too immature and wishy-washy.
Apart from that the story overall was entertaining enough and quite funny in places.
I received a free ARC from Netgalley.
October 1, 2026
Unfortunately I just didn’t particularly like this one. Its…. fine in many ways I suppose. The first half-ish was slow and repetitive and felt like an introduction to the real story in the second half, which is not something you want to say about 200ish pages of a novel. It felt like random disjointed events took place one after another without any real throughline of plot or indication it was going anywhere. Elements of the worldbuilding were interesting but that wasn’t enough to keep me engaged in the story; I couldn’t find it in myself to care about any of the characters.
This was also advertised as a romance (or at least with that being a main element) but the second character is absent from over half of the novel; not a good look. Once she did show up, what we got wasn’t enough to make up for the time absent.
There was potential here, and maybe if I was expecting something different going into the novel it could have been a better experience. I don’t think this was terrible, but I personally had to struggle to get through it. The writing/editing its self was fine.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
This was also advertised as a romance (or at least with that being a main element) but the second character is absent from over half of the novel; not a good look. Once she did show up, what we got wasn’t enough to make up for the time absent.
There was potential here, and maybe if I was expecting something different going into the novel it could have been a better experience. I don’t think this was terrible, but I personally had to struggle to get through it. The writing/editing its self was fine.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Don't let the slightly shonky cover put you off. The writing is much better.
I'm used to cozy fantasy having extremely minimal worldbuilding, barely (or even not quite) enough to enable the story. This is a welcome exception; in fact, the worldbuilding is essential to the plot, which is what I feel should preferably be the case with any kind of speculative fiction. The setup is that there was a war between liches long ago, and after it was over, one of the survivors cast a spell which causes all cursed things to be drawn to a single place, a volcano crater known as the Cauldron. Our protagonist Runa is not a world-weary warrior or (conventional) adventurer, as in so many fantasy cozies, but a guide who takes people, mainly wizards, into the crater and protects them from the many deadly dangers there while they study whatever it is they're interested in, or try to take things from the crater that have got caught up and dragged along with some curse or other.
The inciting incident is that Runa is flung out of the crater and has to recuperate in a cozy village just outside the rim (which was dragged there by a passing curseland). Everyone is nice to her, and nothing is trying to kill her, which is an odd experience for her after so long as a crater guide. She keeps thinking about an attractive woman she'd rescued shortly before her ejection from the crater, and (about halfway through the book) that woman turns up through a portal, adding complication to Runa's life. She already has some complications, in that she's living in the abandoned bakery, which has a mysterious inhabitant most of the villagers are wary of, and in order to try to contribute to the village that's being so generous to her, she's trying to bake.
She's terrible at it, which is another welcome departure from the cozy formula. Realistically, unless you've been developing some skill as a hobby for years, you will be terrible at it when you start trying to do it. She does, very gradually, get better, despite not understanding most of the instructions in the recipe book she finds, which is directed at journeyman bakers who already understand the basics which she has no idea about.
The story is Runa getting to grips with who she is if she's not being a cauldron guide, and indeed who she is in general (she's half volcano nymph and half troll, and didn't fit in with either group), and where she belongs, and if she belongs there with the woman she keeps rescuing, who has her own secrets and conflicts going on. It's a gradual unfolding, where nothing is too easy, or reliant on coincidence, or on people being idiots or acting out of character, which is also refreshing.
Another thing I'm used to with cozy (and with books in general) is terrible copy editing, and again I was pleasantly surprised. Sure, the pre-publication version I had for review via Netgalley does have a very small number of minor errors - an excess apostrophe, a couple of missing periods, a typo. But that's vanishingly little compared with most books I see, and can easily be fixed before publication.
The writing isn't just tidy, it's capable, with a wry sense of humour and a knack for expression that doesn't draw too much attention to itself. Overall, it's at the standard I always hope for, and very seldom find, in books I pick up from contemporary authors. It's what I wish cozy fantasy was all the time.
One way in which this is like many other cozies is that it's full of queer people. That may be a plus or a minus for you; I just mention it, though the subtitle should have tipped you off already.
I'm used to cozy fantasy having extremely minimal worldbuilding, barely (or even not quite) enough to enable the story. This is a welcome exception; in fact, the worldbuilding is essential to the plot, which is what I feel should preferably be the case with any kind of speculative fiction. The setup is that there was a war between liches long ago, and after it was over, one of the survivors cast a spell which causes all cursed things to be drawn to a single place, a volcano crater known as the Cauldron. Our protagonist Runa is not a world-weary warrior or (conventional) adventurer, as in so many fantasy cozies, but a guide who takes people, mainly wizards, into the crater and protects them from the many deadly dangers there while they study whatever it is they're interested in, or try to take things from the crater that have got caught up and dragged along with some curse or other.
The inciting incident is that Runa is flung out of the crater and has to recuperate in a cozy village just outside the rim (which was dragged there by a passing curseland). Everyone is nice to her, and nothing is trying to kill her, which is an odd experience for her after so long as a crater guide. She keeps thinking about an attractive woman she'd rescued shortly before her ejection from the crater, and (about halfway through the book) that woman turns up through a portal, adding complication to Runa's life. She already has some complications, in that she's living in the abandoned bakery, which has a mysterious inhabitant most of the villagers are wary of, and in order to try to contribute to the village that's being so generous to her, she's trying to bake.
She's terrible at it, which is another welcome departure from the cozy formula. Realistically, unless you've been developing some skill as a hobby for years, you will be terrible at it when you start trying to do it. She does, very gradually, get better, despite not understanding most of the instructions in the recipe book she finds, which is directed at journeyman bakers who already understand the basics which she has no idea about.
The story is Runa getting to grips with who she is if she's not being a cauldron guide, and indeed who she is in general (she's half volcano nymph and half troll, and didn't fit in with either group), and where she belongs, and if she belongs there with the woman she keeps rescuing, who has her own secrets and conflicts going on. It's a gradual unfolding, where nothing is too easy, or reliant on coincidence, or on people being idiots or acting out of character, which is also refreshing.
Another thing I'm used to with cozy (and with books in general) is terrible copy editing, and again I was pleasantly surprised. Sure, the pre-publication version I had for review via Netgalley does have a very small number of minor errors - an excess apostrophe, a couple of missing periods, a typo. But that's vanishingly little compared with most books I see, and can easily be fixed before publication.
The writing isn't just tidy, it's capable, with a wry sense of humour and a knack for expression that doesn't draw too much attention to itself. Overall, it's at the standard I always hope for, and very seldom find, in books I pick up from contemporary authors. It's what I wish cozy fantasy was all the time.
One way in which this is like many other cozies is that it's full of queer people. That may be a plus or a minus for you; I just mention it, though the subtitle should have tipped you off already.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC 🥹🎀🫶🏻
I picked up this book mostly because of that gorgeous cover 😍
I went in expecting a cozy fantasy, and I really enjoyed how much worldbuilding and adventure there was too. This was my first Marie Cardno book, and she has such a beautiful, poetic writing style.
Runa and Severine’s interactions had me so giddy!! They were so cute together, and I lived for their little moments 🫶🏻
“I'm Runa. Remember?”
There was a pause like the universe breathing in.
Severine pushed her hair off her face... Finally, her eyes settled back on Runa, where they lit up. Not silver anymore, but cheerful dark brown. “I remember,” she said, her voice like flames licking over fresh wood.
Runa's heart did a thing.
It took me a while to get into the story, but I really enjoyed the second half of the book.
If you love cozy fantasy or sapphic romance, or you’re curious about trying either, I’d recommend this one.
I picked up this book mostly because of that gorgeous cover 😍
I went in expecting a cozy fantasy, and I really enjoyed how much worldbuilding and adventure there was too. This was my first Marie Cardno book, and she has such a beautiful, poetic writing style.
Runa and Severine’s interactions had me so giddy!! They were so cute together, and I lived for their little moments 🫶🏻
“I'm Runa. Remember?”
There was a pause like the universe breathing in.
Severine pushed her hair off her face... Finally, her eyes settled back on Runa, where they lit up. Not silver anymore, but cheerful dark brown. “I remember,” she said, her voice like flames licking over fresh wood.
Runa's heart did a thing.
It took me a while to get into the story, but I really enjoyed the second half of the book.
If you love cozy fantasy or sapphic romance, or you’re curious about trying either, I’d recommend this one.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was privileged to read several versions of this book on its way to publication, and I’m thrilled that it’s finally about to be out in the world for everyone else to enjoy! The worldbuilding high concept here is simply so much fun: all the world’s cursed patches of land were long ago dumped into one enormous caldera, around which an entire industry of guides and treasure hunters has since sprung up.
Our heroine, Runa, is a guide who ends up temporarily stuck in a tiny village on the rim of the cursed caldera, trying to figure out both her life and how to make bread. Her terrible attempts at baking had me in absolute stitches.
The world feels lived in, and every character vividly realised. The found family vibes are immaculate. From its patchwork curselands to the moth-cat messengers to the mysterious oven-dwelling creature in Runa’s bakery, this book is brimming with delightful details.
The slow-burning sapphic romance had me simultaneously cackling with glee and wanting to bang these two idiots' heads together. The yearning! The adorkable awkwardness of them both!
This book is a warm hug in book form, full of wry humour, whimsy, and characters you wish you could befriend. Highly recommended, and I cannot wait for the next instalment!
Our heroine, Runa, is a guide who ends up temporarily stuck in a tiny village on the rim of the cursed caldera, trying to figure out both her life and how to make bread. Her terrible attempts at baking had me in absolute stitches.
The world feels lived in, and every character vividly realised. The found family vibes are immaculate. From its patchwork curselands to the moth-cat messengers to the mysterious oven-dwelling creature in Runa’s bakery, this book is brimming with delightful details.
The slow-burning sapphic romance had me simultaneously cackling with glee and wanting to bang these two idiots' heads together. The yearning! The adorkable awkwardness of them both!
This book is a warm hug in book form, full of wry humour, whimsy, and characters you wish you could befriend. Highly recommended, and I cannot wait for the next instalment!
November 7, 2026
I wanted to like this one. I enjoyed her Monster Girlfriend series and in the beginning, I enjoyed this one too...but then the book became intensely repetitive with interiority that constantly interrupted every action and conversation. Cardno has a fantastically quippy and sarcastic writing style and her stories are wonderfully imaginative, but I think she got in her own way on this one after about 25%
Still cute, still cozy, still an intriguing premise and a fun cast of characters, but it was a slog to finish and by the end I was skimming and pretty much only reading the dialogue for the last 15-20%
Thank you to the author for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Still cute, still cozy, still an intriguing premise and a fun cast of characters, but it was a slog to finish and by the end I was skimming and pretty much only reading the dialogue for the last 15-20%
Thank you to the author for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2.5 ★ Unfortunately I found this book to be boring, I don’t mind that the romance wasn’t the focal point but a lot of this book felt like world and plot building which was hard for me to get through because it was barely holding my attention. I did have trouble keeping up with the world and everything, I feel like if I understood stood it better in the beginning then it would be a very strong start for me.
I did find some moments funny and I liked the writing, I definitely think Runa’s struggles were well written, and I did also like her backstory.
The secondary fmc didn’t appear again until halfway through so the romance didn’t have a lot of time to develop but overall it was cute, there is going to be a second book which I have a lot of hope for because this did at least feel like a good set up for it!
I did find some moments funny and I liked the writing, I definitely think Runa’s struggles were well written, and I did also like her backstory.
The secondary fmc didn’t appear again until halfway through so the romance didn’t have a lot of time to develop but overall it was cute, there is going to be a second book which I have a lot of hope for because this did at least feel like a good set up for it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Book out on the 1st of October!
Mythical creature x human will never get old.
Cosy found family mythical and with a slow burn romance subplot. This is the perfect late autumn/winter read for fantasy lovers.
I adored how Runa quickly adapts and finds her way in her new life, discovering a curiosity for baking that she pursues even if it doesn’t come naturally.
The fist half was a little too slow paced for me, considering the length of the book too I felt not much happened action wise, although the MFC’s character development was nice. I’m looking forward to book 2.
Books by the Author have been on my TBR for a while, I’m so happy this was the one I got to read first. Will be for sure seeking other titles as a fellow Kiwi.
Thank you NetGalley and the Author for the advanced copy! Book comes out tomorrow so add this to your TBR if you are craving a slow burn comfort fantasy to read.
Mythical creature x human will never get old.
Cosy found family mythical and with a slow burn romance subplot. This is the perfect late autumn/winter read for fantasy lovers.
I adored how Runa quickly adapts and finds her way in her new life, discovering a curiosity for baking that she pursues even if it doesn’t come naturally.
The fist half was a little too slow paced for me, considering the length of the book too I felt not much happened action wise, although the MFC’s character development was nice. I’m looking forward to book 2.
Books by the Author have been on my TBR for a while, I’m so happy this was the one I got to read first. Will be for sure seeking other titles as a fellow Kiwi.
Thank you NetGalley and the Author for the advanced copy! Book comes out tomorrow so add this to your TBR if you are craving a slow burn comfort fantasy to read.
Did Not Finish
October 2, 2026I didn’t get far into this before deciding it might not be for me. The writing is sort of clunky and all over the place, and I just wasn’t vibing with the world. But, I didnt want to DNF that early on, so I decided to read a bunch of reviews and when the only positive one is from a guy who seems to have very different taste from me, it’s probably a sign.
October 6, 2026
A wonderful cozy sapphic adventure with low stakes and questionable bakes.
This is a fun enjoyable book, love interest is met fairly soon but then not again until about 60% through. Which I actually really liked.
This has romance and that does take up a chunk of the second half but it's also a good solid (chill ish) adventure.
No spice, couple of kisses, very wholesome
This is a fun enjoyable book, love interest is met fairly soon but then not again until about 60% through. Which I actually really liked.
This has romance and that does take up a chunk of the second half but it's also a good solid (chill ish) adventure.
No spice, couple of kisses, very wholesome
Review of advance copy
How is this not plagiarism on Travis Baldree’s series? All she did was tweak the names and places.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars
Thank you to Marie Cardno and Netgalley for the ARC!
A charming cozy fantasy with a surprising amount of action and adventure!
It was admittedly hard for me to get into this book at the start because of how many things were happening all at once. There was a lot of world building, characters, and information being introduced that I felt like I couldn't really keep up with. I probably would have enjoyed the beginning more if I already had a good grasp of the world, but instead it took me a while to settle into the story. Once Runa ends up in Pothollow though, the story shots into a much cozier atmosphere. I really liked the characters we were introduced to and the community that she finds there. Something I especially appreciated was how there was so much queer people in the story, which is always a delight to read about. And despite its cozy premise, the story is filled with action and adventure.
Unfortunately, this was also where the pacing started to drag for me. After the initial busyness of the beginning, the story slowed down quite a bit and I felt like it lost some of its momentum. There were definitely a lot of moments I enjoyed, especially the interactions between Runa and her "roommate", but I found myself wishing for the story to pick up again.
I did really like the writing though. It's my first Marie Cardno book and she has a really lovely way of describing things, with a wry sense of humor that I enjoyed. There were also a lot of details charming details in the world building which made it feel unique. The writing made the whole world feel whimsical while still allowing the darker elements of the story to come through.
I also enjoyed Runa and Severine's relationship. Their interactions were really sweet. I do wish Severine wasn't absent for half the book though, because it ended up making me feel like their romance was a little bit underdeveloped. It was very cute though, I just wish I had more time to see it grow.
Overall, this was a charming and imaginative cozy fantasy with a unique world, lovely writing, and lots of adventure. While the pacing didn't always work for me, there were still a lot here that I enjoyed.
Thank you to Marie Cardno and Netgalley for the ARC!
A charming cozy fantasy with a surprising amount of action and adventure!
It was admittedly hard for me to get into this book at the start because of how many things were happening all at once. There was a lot of world building, characters, and information being introduced that I felt like I couldn't really keep up with. I probably would have enjoyed the beginning more if I already had a good grasp of the world, but instead it took me a while to settle into the story. Once Runa ends up in Pothollow though, the story shots into a much cozier atmosphere. I really liked the characters we were introduced to and the community that she finds there. Something I especially appreciated was how there was so much queer people in the story, which is always a delight to read about. And despite its cozy premise, the story is filled with action and adventure.
Unfortunately, this was also where the pacing started to drag for me. After the initial busyness of the beginning, the story slowed down quite a bit and I felt like it lost some of its momentum. There were definitely a lot of moments I enjoyed, especially the interactions between Runa and her "roommate", but I found myself wishing for the story to pick up again.
I did really like the writing though. It's my first Marie Cardno book and she has a really lovely way of describing things, with a wry sense of humor that I enjoyed. There were also a lot of details charming details in the world building which made it feel unique. The writing made the whole world feel whimsical while still allowing the darker elements of the story to come through.
I also enjoyed Runa and Severine's relationship. Their interactions were really sweet. I do wish Severine wasn't absent for half the book though, because it ended up making me feel like their romance was a little bit underdeveloped. It was very cute though, I just wish I had more time to see it grow.
Overall, this was a charming and imaginative cozy fantasy with a unique world, lovely writing, and lots of adventure. While the pacing didn't always work for me, there were still a lot here that I enjoyed.
September 9, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Breadknives and Boomsticks is a super fun and cute fantasy romance that manages to be both cosy and to touch on darker themes, while giving the main characters a great arc each. The cosy fantasy vibes of this novel are immaculate! We have some cool action sequences in the Cauldron, the area of wild magic landscape through which our main character guides people, but for the most part the action centres on the bakery she stumbles into during a storm, and her attempts to create the perfect loaf of bread. It's genuinely impressive how Cardno manages to make repeated experiments (and failures) at doing the same thing interesting! I loved the fact that Runa and Severine found this accepting community where they could rest and heal. All the characters felt well-realised and unique, and I loved the MC and her love interest's character arcs, and their really interesting backstories.
The worldbuilding was also a real highlight of this novel. Cardno takes a fairly simple concept - a patch of cursed land contained in a caldera - and puts so much variety and interesting detail into building the weirdness of this place, and showing how it affects the people and towns around it, that this world really feels unique and alive.
My only minor quibble with this novel is that it feels a little odd that the love interest, Severine, is only properly introduced halfway through the book. Runa, the MC, briefly interacts with her at the beginning, but then she doesn't turn up again until the book is halfway done. This means the romance doesn't have much time to develop, and although Runa being pretty quick to be ride or die with Severine does make sense with how her character is presented, it definitely is on the edge of being an insta-love story. This makes the romance the least convincing part of the book, which is a bit of a shame.
Still, overall the romance is cute, the vibes are cosy, and the writing is really engaging on a technical level. And, most important, I had a huge amount of fun reading this book, and would highly recommend it!
Breadknives and Boomsticks is a super fun and cute fantasy romance that manages to be both cosy and to touch on darker themes, while giving the main characters a great arc each. The cosy fantasy vibes of this novel are immaculate! We have some cool action sequences in the Cauldron, the area of wild magic landscape through which our main character guides people, but for the most part the action centres on the bakery she stumbles into during a storm, and her attempts to create the perfect loaf of bread. It's genuinely impressive how Cardno manages to make repeated experiments (and failures) at doing the same thing interesting! I loved the fact that Runa and Severine found this accepting community where they could rest and heal. All the characters felt well-realised and unique, and I loved the MC and her love interest's character arcs, and their really interesting backstories.
The worldbuilding was also a real highlight of this novel. Cardno takes a fairly simple concept - a patch of cursed land contained in a caldera - and puts so much variety and interesting detail into building the weirdness of this place, and showing how it affects the people and towns around it, that this world really feels unique and alive.
My only minor quibble with this novel is that it feels a little odd that the love interest, Severine, is only properly introduced halfway through the book. Runa, the MC, briefly interacts with her at the beginning, but then she doesn't turn up again until the book is halfway done. This means the romance doesn't have much time to develop, and although Runa being pretty quick to be ride or die with Severine does make sense with how her character is presented, it definitely is on the edge of being an insta-love story. This makes the romance the least convincing part of the book, which is a bit of a shame.
Still, overall the romance is cute, the vibes are cosy, and the writing is really engaging on a technical level. And, most important, I had a huge amount of fun reading this book, and would highly recommend it!
September 21, 2026
Runa is a guide to the curse-infested wasteland known as the Cauldron. When she's flung out of the Cauldron while protecting her clients (and a mystery woman she saved at the same time), she finds herself in the village of Pothollow and she needs time to recuperate before she can try again. The abandoned bakery was the first building she came across and she soon finds herself attempting to bake for the village, while trying to identify her mystery "ghost" housemate. And then the mystery woman from the Cauldron shows up, and things become interesting.
There's a lot to enjoy here. I do like a cosy, low-stakes story, and I really liked the various villagers of Pothollow, from the Millers (who are millers) to Junilla, the landlady of the local tavern. But when actual plot happens, I found it a bit confusing. The confrontation between Junilla and Severine, for example, needed me to reread several pages and even then I was still confused. I think another pass from the editor would have helped here.
I did like Runa as a protagonist, someone desperate to find her place in the world, and who should have a way to actually know it, but who is rejected again and again until the only peace she can find is in the chaos of the Cauldron. That means she's never entirely at ease in Pothollow, as long as she thinks that only her magic can tell her where she belongs, and it takes, well, a whole book before she realises that she's wrong.
The editing issues might have dragged it down a bit, but I enjoyed Runa's character enough to make that back up again. There's a little sting in the epilogue for a sequel, but while I enjoyed this, I suspect I'll not bother with the next book.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion.
There's a lot to enjoy here. I do like a cosy, low-stakes story, and I really liked the various villagers of Pothollow, from the Millers (who are millers) to Junilla, the landlady of the local tavern. But when actual plot happens, I found it a bit confusing. The confrontation between Junilla and Severine, for example, needed me to reread several pages and even then I was still confused. I think another pass from the editor would have helped here.
I did like Runa as a protagonist, someone desperate to find her place in the world, and who should have a way to actually know it, but who is rejected again and again until the only peace she can find is in the chaos of the Cauldron. That means she's never entirely at ease in Pothollow, as long as she thinks that only her magic can tell her where she belongs, and it takes, well, a whole book before she realises that she's wrong.
The editing issues might have dragged it down a bit, but I enjoyed Runa's character enough to make that back up again. There's a little sting in the epilogue for a sequel, but while I enjoyed this, I suspect I'll not bother with the next book.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This has become one of my top reads for the year and I'm glad I've got a trophy copy coming 🏆
Now onto the review.
I was lucky enough to be provided an ARC copy.
The story starts out with Runa (she's the one on the left of the cover) dealing wrangling with a couple of wizard clients in the Cauldron. An area due to a long ago magical war that's in a state of flux with bits of different lands all mashed together. Runa's job is a guide in this place trying to keep the clients safe and get them back alive so she can get paid.
Something unexpected ends up happening and she is seperately from the wizards and just before she is Runa saves a mysterious women clinging to the side of a mountain. Runa ends up outside of the Cauldron in this random village on the edge where she ends up inhabiting the bakery and finding calamities happening when she tries to make it back to save the mystery woman and the wizard clients.
This book was a real cozy fantasy. I totally understood the character of Runa and questioning your place or purpose in life. Her interactions and thoughts about the other characters build such a picture of the village and it's eclectic inhabitants.
One of my favourite bits was the titles to each chapter. I love a hint or tease that has you wondering especially when it doesn't go the way you may think. Starting with chapter one being 'In which an expert in her field is unexpectedly thrown out of it'.
My brain until near the end where the title fully makes sense kept making me thinking it was broomsticks not boomsticks. It had no problems with breadknives for some reason.
This is now going on my fantasy recommended list - funnily enough other than Terry Pratchett who will always remain one of my favourite recommendations, they're all kiwi authors.
Now onto the review.
I was lucky enough to be provided an ARC copy.
The story starts out with Runa (she's the one on the left of the cover) dealing wrangling with a couple of wizard clients in the Cauldron. An area due to a long ago magical war that's in a state of flux with bits of different lands all mashed together. Runa's job is a guide in this place trying to keep the clients safe and get them back alive so she can get paid.
Something unexpected ends up happening and she is seperately from the wizards and just before she is Runa saves a mysterious women clinging to the side of a mountain. Runa ends up outside of the Cauldron in this random village on the edge where she ends up inhabiting the bakery and finding calamities happening when she tries to make it back to save the mystery woman and the wizard clients.
This book was a real cozy fantasy. I totally understood the character of Runa and questioning your place or purpose in life. Her interactions and thoughts about the other characters build such a picture of the village and it's eclectic inhabitants.
One of my favourite bits was the titles to each chapter. I love a hint or tease that has you wondering especially when it doesn't go the way you may think. Starting with chapter one being 'In which an expert in her field is unexpectedly thrown out of it'.
My brain until near the end where the title fully makes sense kept making me thinking it was broomsticks not boomsticks. It had no problems with breadknives for some reason.
This is now going on my fantasy recommended list - funnily enough other than Terry Pratchett who will always remain one of my favourite recommendations, they're all kiwi authors.
October 13, 2026
Breadknives and Boomsticks — Marie Cardno
3.5 stars
Give me anything with magic, magical creatures.
I absolutely love cosy fantasy so I was really looking forward to this one, especially with the baking and romance thrown into the mix.
Overall I thought this was a cute little read and there were definitely things I enjoyed about it.
I really liked the whole idea of the story. The combination of baking, magic and a half-troll main character was something a little different and I thought it was such a fun concept.
The magical side of things was probably my favourite part. I love anything involving magical creatures and I really enjoyed the cosy vibes and the little bits of humour throughout.
I also liked that it wasn't a super serious fantasy. Sometimes I just want something fun and easy to read without having to remember 500 different characters and an entire history of a fantasy world.
I also wanted a little more from the characters and romance. It wasn't bad by any means, I just didn't find myself as invested as I would have liked.
But overall I still had a good time with it.
It was cute, magical, a little chaotic and definitely had some fun moments.
Tropes & vibes
- Cosy fantasy
- Magical creatures
- Half-troll FMC
- Baking and food
- Sapphic romance
- Magic and chaos
- Small-town secrets
- Quirky characters
- Humour
- Cosy magical vibes
If you love cosy fantasy with a bit of romance, magical creatures and some chaos thrown in, this could definitely be one for you.
A huge thank you to Marie Cardno and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review Breadknives and Boomsticks.
3.5 stars
Give me anything with magic, magical creatures.
I absolutely love cosy fantasy so I was really looking forward to this one, especially with the baking and romance thrown into the mix.
Overall I thought this was a cute little read and there were definitely things I enjoyed about it.
I really liked the whole idea of the story. The combination of baking, magic and a half-troll main character was something a little different and I thought it was such a fun concept.
The magical side of things was probably my favourite part. I love anything involving magical creatures and I really enjoyed the cosy vibes and the little bits of humour throughout.
I also liked that it wasn't a super serious fantasy. Sometimes I just want something fun and easy to read without having to remember 500 different characters and an entire history of a fantasy world.
I also wanted a little more from the characters and romance. It wasn't bad by any means, I just didn't find myself as invested as I would have liked.
But overall I still had a good time with it.
It was cute, magical, a little chaotic and definitely had some fun moments.
Tropes & vibes
- Cosy fantasy
- Magical creatures
- Half-troll FMC
- Baking and food
- Sapphic romance
- Magic and chaos
- Small-town secrets
- Quirky characters
- Humour
- Cosy magical vibes
If you love cosy fantasy with a bit of romance, magical creatures and some chaos thrown in, this could definitely be one for you.
A huge thank you to Marie Cardno and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review Breadknives and Boomsticks.
October 19, 2026
Breadknives and Broomsticks was one of my most anticipated reads. I love cozy fantasy and sapphic romance, so this should have been a perfect fit for me. Unfortunately, I ended up DNFing it at around 40%.
My biggest struggle was the pacing. For much of the portion I read, Runa is stranded in Pothollow, baking terrible bread while waiting to continue her journey. While I understand the need to establish the world and characters, it felt like very little of the plot was actually moving forward. The story became repetitive, and I found myself skimming sections because nothing was holding my attention.
I also had difficulty following the world-building. There were interesting ideas here, but I often felt confused about how the world worked and what was happening. Events seemed disconnected, with little sense of momentum or a clear narrative direction.
The romance was another significant disappointment. Despite being marketed as having a sapphic romance, Severine is largely absent from the first 40% of the book. We spend extensive time learning about Runa's background and life in the Cauldron, but very little time developing the relationship between the two leads. Since their interactions are so limited in the portion I read, I never became invested in the romance.
Overall, Breadknives and Broomsticks had all the ingredients of a book I should have loved, but the slow pacing, confusing world-building, and lack of focus on the central romance made it a miss for me. Sadly, I couldn't stay engaged long enough to see where the story ultimately went, and I chose to DNF at 40%.
My biggest struggle was the pacing. For much of the portion I read, Runa is stranded in Pothollow, baking terrible bread while waiting to continue her journey. While I understand the need to establish the world and characters, it felt like very little of the plot was actually moving forward. The story became repetitive, and I found myself skimming sections because nothing was holding my attention.
I also had difficulty following the world-building. There were interesting ideas here, but I often felt confused about how the world worked and what was happening. Events seemed disconnected, with little sense of momentum or a clear narrative direction.
The romance was another significant disappointment. Despite being marketed as having a sapphic romance, Severine is largely absent from the first 40% of the book. We spend extensive time learning about Runa's background and life in the Cauldron, but very little time developing the relationship between the two leads. Since their interactions are so limited in the portion I read, I never became invested in the romance.
Overall, Breadknives and Broomsticks had all the ingredients of a book I should have loved, but the slow pacing, confusing world-building, and lack of focus on the central romance made it a miss for me. Sadly, I couldn't stay engaged long enough to see where the story ultimately went, and I chose to DNF at 40%.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I wish I could erase this book from my mind simply so I could experience reading it for the first time again.
Breadknives and Boomsticks hooked me immediately, and I genuinely could not stop reading. There wasn't a single character I didn't love. They felt like actual people rather than characters who existed just to move the story along, and the found-family dynamic was easily one of my favorite parts.
The entire premise was unique, intriguing, and incredibly well thought out. I loved the magic system, I loved the romance, and I especially loved Nobody. The pacing was perfect, the writing was fantastic, and there wasn't a point where I felt bored or wanted the story to move along faster.
There were some surprises along the way, but this is a cozy fantasy, so it doesn't rely on huge twists to keep you invested. It doesn't need to. I was completely invested in these characters and their story from beginning to end.
And that ending! It was the perfect cliffhanger—the kind that left me desperate for book two rather than frustrated that the story wasn't finished.
I genuinely don't have a complaint. This was such a fun, comforting, wonderfully written book, and I already want to read everything else Marie Cardno has written.
I'd recommend this to cozy fantasy lovers, anyone looking to dip their toes into fantasy for the first time, or really anyone who's just looking for a genuinely good read.
I wish I could erase this book from my mind simply so I could experience reading it for the first time again.
Breadknives and Boomsticks hooked me immediately, and I genuinely could not stop reading. There wasn't a single character I didn't love. They felt like actual people rather than characters who existed just to move the story along, and the found-family dynamic was easily one of my favorite parts.
The entire premise was unique, intriguing, and incredibly well thought out. I loved the magic system, I loved the romance, and I especially loved Nobody. The pacing was perfect, the writing was fantastic, and there wasn't a point where I felt bored or wanted the story to move along faster.
There were some surprises along the way, but this is a cozy fantasy, so it doesn't rely on huge twists to keep you invested. It doesn't need to. I was completely invested in these characters and their story from beginning to end.
And that ending! It was the perfect cliffhanger—the kind that left me desperate for book two rather than frustrated that the story wasn't finished.
I genuinely don't have a complaint. This was such a fun, comforting, wonderfully written book, and I already want to read everything else Marie Cardno has written.
I'd recommend this to cozy fantasy lovers, anyone looking to dip their toes into fantasy for the first time, or really anyone who's just looking for a genuinely good read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Sapphic cozy fantasy reminiscent of Legends and Lattes, with more adventuring and a cursed caldera of land?
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the advance reader copy! All opinions are my own 🖤
My TBR is overflowing but I picked this up because reading through the reviews I saw a repeat of what happened to Legends and Lattes, people saying there was too much focus on cooking, baking, and mundane day to day running the shop. In a cozy fantasy, I eat that stuff up and I wasn’t disappointed! As a home baker who occasionally battles with bread, the numerous attempts to bake it and figure out how to use “mother of bread” were so relatable!
The romance was not the focal point of this and I didn’t mind. Ryan’s struggle to let herself feel at home and stay where she was welcomed and wanted even when she wanted to is well written and that theme wove throughout several characters. The secondary FMC didn’t appear again until halfway through, but knowing there is already a sequel in the works helps reassure me that what we missed seeing after the HEA will be shown later!
Also, a big shout out to the background characters! They all felt interesting and added to the ambience and charm of the town, pig moonshine and all! Tam, Dragon apothecary guy, and Nobody especially have my heart.
Eagerly awaiting the next one in the series and eyeing some of the sapphic monster romances from the authors backlog in the meantime, highly recommend this one to cozy fantasy fans!
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the advance reader copy! All opinions are my own 🖤
My TBR is overflowing but I picked this up because reading through the reviews I saw a repeat of what happened to Legends and Lattes, people saying there was too much focus on cooking, baking, and mundane day to day running the shop. In a cozy fantasy, I eat that stuff up and I wasn’t disappointed! As a home baker who occasionally battles with bread, the numerous attempts to bake it and figure out how to use “mother of bread” were so relatable!
The romance was not the focal point of this and I didn’t mind. Ryan’s struggle to let herself feel at home and stay where she was welcomed and wanted even when she wanted to is well written and that theme wove throughout several characters. The secondary FMC didn’t appear again until halfway through, but knowing there is already a sequel in the works helps reassure me that what we missed seeing after the HEA will be shown later!
Also, a big shout out to the background characters! They all felt interesting and added to the ambience and charm of the town, pig moonshine and all! Tam, Dragon apothecary guy, and Nobody especially have my heart.
Eagerly awaiting the next one in the series and eyeing some of the sapphic monster romances from the authors backlog in the meantime, highly recommend this one to cozy fantasy fans!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
★★★☆☆
This was a cute and cozy read, and I can definitely see why people enjoy this kind of fantasy. I don’t read a lot of fantasy myself, so I went into this one a little unsure, but I really liked the sapphic romance. Runa was probably my favorite part of the book. I loved seeing her trying to figure out what she actually wants outside of the life she thought she was supposed tand her kind of chaotic way haha.
I also really enjoyed the relationship between Runa and Severine. Their chemistry was sweet. I reallyy found myself looking forward to their moments together. The little magical creature was also adorable and definitely added to the cozy feeling of the story.
Where I struggled a bit was the worldbuilding. There were quite a few things happening with the magic, locations and I sometimes found myself a little lost. I think because fantasy isn’t usually my genre, I needed a bit more time to understand how everything worked. The pacing also felt a little slow in places, which made it harder for me to stay completely immersed.
Overall, I think this is a nice choice if you’re looking for something cozy, sapphic, especially if you already enjoy cozy fantasy. It just didn’t completely click with me personally, which is probably partly down to my own reading preferences.
For me, a little more clarity around the worldbuilding and magic, as well as a slightly tighter pace, would have pushed this closer to four stars.
Thank you to NetGalley for this book :)
This was a cute and cozy read, and I can definitely see why people enjoy this kind of fantasy. I don’t read a lot of fantasy myself, so I went into this one a little unsure, but I really liked the sapphic romance. Runa was probably my favorite part of the book. I loved seeing her trying to figure out what she actually wants outside of the life she thought she was supposed tand her kind of chaotic way haha.
I also really enjoyed the relationship between Runa and Severine. Their chemistry was sweet. I reallyy found myself looking forward to their moments together. The little magical creature was also adorable and definitely added to the cozy feeling of the story.
Where I struggled a bit was the worldbuilding. There were quite a few things happening with the magic, locations and I sometimes found myself a little lost. I think because fantasy isn’t usually my genre, I needed a bit more time to understand how everything worked. The pacing also felt a little slow in places, which made it harder for me to stay completely immersed.
Overall, I think this is a nice choice if you’re looking for something cozy, sapphic, especially if you already enjoy cozy fantasy. It just didn’t completely click with me personally, which is probably partly down to my own reading preferences.
For me, a little more clarity around the worldbuilding and magic, as well as a slightly tighter pace, would have pushed this closer to four stars.
Thank you to NetGalley for this book :)
Review of advance copy
Baffled at the review complaining this is a copy of Legends & Lattes. It takes inspiration ofc but I find all the cozy fantasies have done so. Finding your place and people in the world seems to be the consistent theming.
In terms of characters and world building though, this is significantly different and it's great.
Runa is a woman who is struggling to find her place in the world. She is a child of two different races who have significantly different cultures, and sadly it seems neither parent knew what to do with her as she wasn't enough like either.
For 20 years she made her living in the Cauldron which is where every curse in this world ends up. The curses constantly move around and battle against each other. This causes the cauldron to be a very dangerous place to travel but also very attractive to thrill seekers and knowledge hunters.
We follow Runa as she's turfed out of the cauldron by some kind of battle between curses. She ends up in an abandoned bakery and the possibility of finding her place and a new life opens up to her. If she will reach for it.
This was a breeze to read to read and seeing Runa grow and start thinking about what she wants, was awesome.
Severine was a delight. Girlie truly had her dreams come true at being saved by a BIG STRONG woman 😂
In terms of characters and world building though, this is significantly different and it's great.
Runa is a woman who is struggling to find her place in the world. She is a child of two different races who have significantly different cultures, and sadly it seems neither parent knew what to do with her as she wasn't enough like either.
For 20 years she made her living in the Cauldron which is where every curse in this world ends up. The curses constantly move around and battle against each other. This causes the cauldron to be a very dangerous place to travel but also very attractive to thrill seekers and knowledge hunters.
We follow Runa as she's turfed out of the cauldron by some kind of battle between curses. She ends up in an abandoned bakery and the possibility of finding her place and a new life opens up to her. If she will reach for it.
This was a breeze to read to read and seeing Runa grow and start thinking about what she wants, was awesome.
Severine was a delight. Girlie truly had her dreams come true at being saved by a BIG STRONG woman 😂
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for sending me an Advanced copy to read and review :)
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Such a wonderful read. Beautiful settings, and character personalities that make you laugh.
Never read a book like this before and it exceeded my expectations a lot. The book gets straight into the action which i love in a book, and the settings are described perfectly so you don't feel confused where you are while the action is taking place at the same time.
There was a lot of suspenseful and intense scenes, but then is soon balanced with the humour of the villagers.
The plot twist was also a wonderful part to the story, and the relationship between the main FMC and the love interest was interesting to read. Runa is such a YEARNER. I see a lot of myself in Runa too, which is why I believe i connected more to the story than I thought I would have.
DON'T let the page count scare you...the style and format was so easy to read and made me fly through this book in two days.
Thank you :)
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Such a wonderful read. Beautiful settings, and character personalities that make you laugh.
Never read a book like this before and it exceeded my expectations a lot. The book gets straight into the action which i love in a book, and the settings are described perfectly so you don't feel confused where you are while the action is taking place at the same time.
There was a lot of suspenseful and intense scenes, but then is soon balanced with the humour of the villagers.
The plot twist was also a wonderful part to the story, and the relationship between the main FMC and the love interest was interesting to read. Runa is such a YEARNER. I see a lot of myself in Runa too, which is why I believe i connected more to the story than I thought I would have.
DON'T let the page count scare you...the style and format was so easy to read and made me fly through this book in two days.
Thank you :)
October 2, 2026
Many thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC.
I have liked the author’s previous books and I also really enjoy cozy fantasy. The premise of this sounded really interesting - the main character ends up separated from her clients in one of the most dangerous places in existence and lands in a village where she ends up making really bad bread as she tries to find her way back to her job.
This book has a slower pace (which is fairly standard for all her books) and feels quite “slice of life” which I enjoy as a general rule. I also liked the world building (I wonder if something is going to happen to The Cauldron) and the magic system particularly as it related to The Cauldron. My favourite character was definitely Nobody, but I found myself getting really involved in the struggles of the two main characters, the secrets that they’ve been keeping, and the burdens they’ve been carrying.
I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a slow paced cozy fantasy with some yearning, lots of secrets, the cutest secret sidekick, and an interesting setting. I’m looking forward to the continuation of the story!
I have liked the author’s previous books and I also really enjoy cozy fantasy. The premise of this sounded really interesting - the main character ends up separated from her clients in one of the most dangerous places in existence and lands in a village where she ends up making really bad bread as she tries to find her way back to her job.
This book has a slower pace (which is fairly standard for all her books) and feels quite “slice of life” which I enjoy as a general rule. I also liked the world building (I wonder if something is going to happen to The Cauldron) and the magic system particularly as it related to The Cauldron. My favourite character was definitely Nobody, but I found myself getting really involved in the struggles of the two main characters, the secrets that they’ve been keeping, and the burdens they’ve been carrying.
I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a slow paced cozy fantasy with some yearning, lots of secrets, the cutest secret sidekick, and an interesting setting. I’m looking forward to the continuation of the story!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received this ebook ARC from the publisher via Netgalley.
What a fantastic cozy fantasy about finding your place in the world. Yes, there's romance and friendship and secrets... but the heart of the story is Runa and her resignation to never fit in and never belong somewhere in the same way her parents do.
I liked that Severine doesn't fully appear until about halfway through the book - though we get a glimpse of her in the beginning. This gives time for Runa to heal and slowly start to experiment with baking... since she landed in the bakery, anyway.
I thought the Cauldron and the backstory of it was really interesting, and how pieces of it shift around and break apart and come together. The Nobody in the bakery oven was so much fun, and the ending of the book was really pretty perfect. All the folks in the village were a lot of fun, hiding their own secrets yet coming together as neighbors to help each other at. Even grumpy Corvin.
Looking forward to seeing this series continue!
What a fantastic cozy fantasy about finding your place in the world. Yes, there's romance and friendship and secrets... but the heart of the story is Runa and her resignation to never fit in and never belong somewhere in the same way her parents do.
I liked that Severine doesn't fully appear until about halfway through the book - though we get a glimpse of her in the beginning. This gives time for Runa to heal and slowly start to experiment with baking... since she landed in the bakery, anyway.
I thought the Cauldron and the backstory of it was really interesting, and how pieces of it shift around and break apart and come together. The Nobody in the bakery oven was so much fun, and the ending of the book was really pretty perfect. All the folks in the village were a lot of fun, hiding their own secrets yet coming together as neighbors to help each other at. Even grumpy Corvin.
Looking forward to seeing this series continue!
Review of advance copy received from Author
What is an outcast to do?
A lifetime of being out of place leads to going to the one place thats always out of place: the cauldron
Runa is a troll and something else, navigating the curses and Cursed lands of the Cauldron for people who brave its depths- but what happens when even the cauldron rejects her?
Hurt, ashamed, and hopeless, she holes up in PotHollow, brimming with secrets and crazy characters.
But those eyes - the woman she saved from a cliff face before she got thrown out of the cauldron - and why are they in a circle of green fire on the bakery wall??
The found-est of family, the hardest won of emotional epiphanies, and so many truths tugged from deep inside people running from their past.
Packed with nerdy references like fire breathing fanged geese and dwarf bread, there is so much joy and heart packed into the pages you'll be surprised it doesnt leap right out of your hands!
For anyone who has felt out of place, or less than perfect, or needed a place to just exist.
A lifetime of being out of place leads to going to the one place thats always out of place: the cauldron
Runa is a troll and something else, navigating the curses and Cursed lands of the Cauldron for people who brave its depths- but what happens when even the cauldron rejects her?
Hurt, ashamed, and hopeless, she holes up in PotHollow, brimming with secrets and crazy characters.
But those eyes - the woman she saved from a cliff face before she got thrown out of the cauldron - and why are they in a circle of green fire on the bakery wall??
The found-est of family, the hardest won of emotional epiphanies, and so many truths tugged from deep inside people running from their past.
Packed with nerdy references like fire breathing fanged geese and dwarf bread, there is so much joy and heart packed into the pages you'll be surprised it doesnt leap right out of your hands!
For anyone who has felt out of place, or less than perfect, or needed a place to just exist.
September 18, 2026
This was SUCH a fun book! if your a fan of Legends & Lattes, The Tomes and Tea Series, or The House Witch, then this is absolutely a book you should pick up! it was absolutely packed with some of the coolest world building, amazing characters, hilarious situations and best of all, found family, romantic slow burn, and the long arduous process of learning where you belong, and what you want for yourself. i absolutely need more of this book, i need a dozen adventures in the wild places that exist here. i need more lore of the once gods and the spirits that took their place. i need more of everything! It was charming, warm, and cozy and let me tell you, i DEVOURED this book. i was absolutely furious with real life interfering with my reading time because i was OBSESSED. this is 100% a new favorite author, and i will be adding this one to my comfort read roster for sure.
Also, i love how we only got a decent edible piece of bread at the END of the book xD which i hope to mean that the author plans to write many more of these.
Thank you to Marie Cardno and Netgalley for this ARC
Also, i love how we only got a decent edible piece of bread at the END of the book xD which i hope to mean that the author plans to write many more of these.
Thank you to Marie Cardno and Netgalley for this ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of Breadknives and Boomsticks: A Sapphic Cozy Fantasy bout Terrible Baking
Cozy, Cute and Queer!
"This...is my boomstick" Ash Williams, Army of Darkness
If you love Legends & Lattes (one of my all-time favs), you need to pick up Breadknives and Boomsticks by Marie Cardno ASAP! It is the definition of cute, cozy, and queer. 🌈✨ I was excited to find out that Mari Cardno is the author of How to get a Girlfriend (When You're a Terrifying Monster). Now i have two series to follow!
This was such an easy, comfy read and the absolute perfect palette cleanser to break up my usual high-stress, anxiety-inducing horror and thriller books. It honestly felt like a warm hug. Found family is a trope that I will go for every time.
My only complaint is that the tangle of the Cauldron was a bit confusing to follow at times. I found that I had to not think about it too hard and just go with the flow or I was pulled out of the story.
If you need a low-stakes, magical breath of fresh air, absolutely read this! 💖
Cozy, Cute and Queer!
"This...is my boomstick" Ash Williams, Army of Darkness
If you love Legends & Lattes (one of my all-time favs), you need to pick up Breadknives and Boomsticks by Marie Cardno ASAP! It is the definition of cute, cozy, and queer. 🌈✨ I was excited to find out that Mari Cardno is the author of How to get a Girlfriend (When You're a Terrifying Monster). Now i have two series to follow!
This was such an easy, comfy read and the absolute perfect palette cleanser to break up my usual high-stress, anxiety-inducing horror and thriller books. It honestly felt like a warm hug. Found family is a trope that I will go for every time.
My only complaint is that the tangle of the Cauldron was a bit confusing to follow at times. I found that I had to not think about it too hard and just go with the flow or I was pulled out of the story.
If you need a low-stakes, magical breath of fresh air, absolutely read this! 💖
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