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Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet
Maire is a baker with an extraordinary gift: she can infuse her treats with emotions and abilities, which are then passed on to those who eat them. She doesn’t know why she can do this and remembers nothing of who she is or where she came from.
When marauders raid her town, Maire is captured and sold to the eccentric Allemas, who enslaves her and demands that she produce sinister confections, including a witch’s gingerbread cottage, a living cookie boy, and size-altering cakes.
During her captivity, Maire is visited by Fyel, a ghostly being who is reluctant to reveal his connection to her. The more often they meet, the more her memories return, and she begins to piece together who and what she really is—as well as past mistakes that yield cosmic consequences.
From the author of The Paper Magician series comes a haunting and otherworldly tale of folly and consequence, forgiveness and redemption.
When marauders raid her town, Maire is captured and sold to the eccentric Allemas, who enslaves her and demands that she produce sinister confections, including a witch’s gingerbread cottage, a living cookie boy, and size-altering cakes.
During her captivity, Maire is visited by Fyel, a ghostly being who is reluctant to reveal his connection to her. The more often they meet, the more her memories return, and she begins to piece together who and what she really is—as well as past mistakes that yield cosmic consequences.
From the author of The Paper Magician series comes a haunting and otherworldly tale of folly and consequence, forgiveness and redemption.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 28, 2016
2888 people are currently reading
11873 people want to read
About the author
Charlie N. Holmberg
53 books8,800 followersCharlie N. Holmberg is a Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling author of fantasy and romance fiction, including the Paper Magician series, the Spellbreaker series, and the Whimbrel House series, and writes contemporary romance under C. N. Holmberg. She is published in over twenty languages and is a Goodreads Choice Award, ALA, and RITA finalist. Born in Salt Lake City, Charlie was raised a Trekkie alongside three sisters who also have boy names. A BYU alumna, she discovered in her thirties that she’s actually a cat person. She lives with her family in Utah. Visit her at www.charlienholmberg.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,379 reviews
December 21, 2019
Review first posted on Fantasy Literature:
Maire, a baker in the small village of Carmine, is notable for two unusual characteristics. First, other than her name, she has complete amnesia about everything in her life up to the time she appeared near the village four and a half years ago. And secondly, Maire has the magical gift of infusing her baked goods with feelings and abilities that will be absorbed by the person who eats her food: strength, love, mercy, patience … even, it seems, some magical abilities.
One day a pale, translucent man, with strange wings that look more like sunlit water than feathers, appears and talks to Maire briefly. He orders her to run for her life, but it’s too late: marauders on horseback are storming the village and killing or capturing everyone in sight. Maire is taken and soon sold as a slave to a very odd and sinister man, Allemas, who finds out about her magical cooking abilities. He makes several strange demands of her ― for example, make a life-sized gingerbread house in the woods for a customer ― in between mistreating and neglecting her. Allemas changes his name several times during the course of this tale, indicative of his inconsistent and broken nature.
The only thing that comforts Maire (though it frustrates her as well) is the occasional visits of Fyel, the winged man who appeared to her earlier. Fyel knows Maire’s past but is afraid to share more information with her, concerned that if he tells her before she is ready to wholly believe what he says, she will be “lost.” But Fyel’s visits are gradually starting to open a crack in her memories and even changing Maire physically.
The pace is, for the most part, rather slow and contemplative. Told in first person present tense, most of the time is spent with Maire in a state of confused frustration, cudgeling her brain to try to remember who she is, and attempting to figure out a way to escape from Allemas. Several clues foreshadow the big reveal at the end, so it wasn’t really a surprise for me, though some of the pertinent details were. Fittingly, it was both bitter and sweet.
The plot relies a bit too heavily on coincidence for a few key developments in the story, such as Allemas finding Maire and being able to purchase her as a slave, and Maire finding a certain crystal in an entirely random place. The world-building is a bit thin as well; this land is a rather typical medieval-level society, not given a lot of depth or detail. Charlie N. Holmberg does, however, weave in some significant themes in Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet. Ideas and thoughts regarding the paths we choose to follow in pursuing our desires, the mistakes we make and the consequences we bear as a result of our choices, whether ultimately for good or ill ― bitter or sweet, or both ― add resonance to this mythical and, in the end, rather spiritual story.
Initial thoughts:
This new fantasy novel, just released at the end of June 2016, is one that will appeal to readers who enjoy angel types of beings in their fantasies.
The pace of Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet is a bit slow at times. I'm not sure if it's a YA novel, but personally I'd put it in that category, though there are some parts involving Maire's slavery that may be difficult reading for some readers. I did like the way a few fairy tale threads were woven into this novel. The big reveal at the end wasn't totally a surprise, though some of the key details were.
I received a free copy of this ebook from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a review. Thanks!
Maire, a baker in the small village of Carmine, is notable for two unusual characteristics. First, other than her name, she has complete amnesia about everything in her life up to the time she appeared near the village four and a half years ago. And secondly, Maire has the magical gift of infusing her baked goods with feelings and abilities that will be absorbed by the person who eats her food: strength, love, mercy, patience … even, it seems, some magical abilities.
One day a pale, translucent man, with strange wings that look more like sunlit water than feathers, appears and talks to Maire briefly. He orders her to run for her life, but it’s too late: marauders on horseback are storming the village and killing or capturing everyone in sight. Maire is taken and soon sold as a slave to a very odd and sinister man, Allemas, who finds out about her magical cooking abilities. He makes several strange demands of her ― for example, make a life-sized gingerbread house in the woods for a customer ― in between mistreating and neglecting her. Allemas changes his name several times during the course of this tale, indicative of his inconsistent and broken nature.
The only thing that comforts Maire (though it frustrates her as well) is the occasional visits of Fyel, the winged man who appeared to her earlier. Fyel knows Maire’s past but is afraid to share more information with her, concerned that if he tells her before she is ready to wholly believe what he says, she will be “lost.” But Fyel’s visits are gradually starting to open a crack in her memories and even changing Maire physically.
There is a whole other world of spells and sorcery coexisting with my own. Alger knows it. This woman in the woods knows it. I believe, somehow, that Fyel knows it. I am completely ignorant about this hidden realm, but when I bake, I scrape my nails beneath its door.Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet is itself an unusual confection, where there are fanciful details, such as Maire’s angel-like visitor, the delightful bakery foods steeped in magic, and fairy tale references, mixed together with the bitter, painful life of a slave. There are some cruel and brutal events related to Maire’s slavery (not, however, including any sexual violence against Maire) that may be difficult reading for young or sensitive readers.
The pace is, for the most part, rather slow and contemplative. Told in first person present tense, most of the time is spent with Maire in a state of confused frustration, cudgeling her brain to try to remember who she is, and attempting to figure out a way to escape from Allemas. Several clues foreshadow the big reveal at the end, so it wasn’t really a surprise for me, though some of the pertinent details were. Fittingly, it was both bitter and sweet.
The plot relies a bit too heavily on coincidence for a few key developments in the story, such as Allemas finding Maire and being able to purchase her as a slave, and Maire finding a certain crystal in an entirely random place. The world-building is a bit thin as well; this land is a rather typical medieval-level society, not given a lot of depth or detail. Charlie N. Holmberg does, however, weave in some significant themes in Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet. Ideas and thoughts regarding the paths we choose to follow in pursuing our desires, the mistakes we make and the consequences we bear as a result of our choices, whether ultimately for good or ill ― bitter or sweet, or both ― add resonance to this mythical and, in the end, rather spiritual story.
Initial thoughts:
This new fantasy novel, just released at the end of June 2016, is one that will appeal to readers who enjoy angel types of beings in their fantasies.
The pace of Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet is a bit slow at times. I'm not sure if it's a YA novel, but personally I'd put it in that category, though there are some parts involving Maire's slavery that may be difficult reading for some readers. I did like the way a few fairy tale threads were woven into this novel. The big reveal at the end wasn't totally a surprise, though some of the key details were.
I received a free copy of this ebook from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a review. Thanks!
May 1, 2022
Almost passed this due to mixed reviews, but so glad I didn’t!
I loved this book. The main character Maire bakes a bit of magic into her confections. You want a little Love, some extra Strength, a bit more intelligence or compassion. She has a cookie, cake, biscuit or tart for that. Though she has no idea where her special baking skills came from. She appeared in town 4 years ago with amnesia.
When Marauders come to town and capture her, she is sold as a slave to a volatile man who seems to know her but will not tell her anything about who she is or how he know her. She also begins seeing a ghostly man who also knows her from before but will give her little information.
The story gets truly interesting when her buyer starts taking baking jobs. For example she is asked to make a gingerbread house in the enchanted forest for an old lady who loves children, and gingerbread cookies shaped as boys who will be real for a lonely widow, plus more. I like the mix of genres in the book, it was unexpected.
As the book goes on we find out more about who Maire is and who Fyel, the ghostly man is, as well as how the man who bought her knew who she was and how she ended up losing her memories. I cried, quite a bit. But you gotta love that in books sometimes. It means it stirs emotions in you!
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I loved this book. The main character Maire bakes a bit of magic into her confections. You want a little Love, some extra Strength, a bit more intelligence or compassion. She has a cookie, cake, biscuit or tart for that. Though she has no idea where her special baking skills came from. She appeared in town 4 years ago with amnesia.
When Marauders come to town and capture her, she is sold as a slave to a volatile man who seems to know her but will not tell her anything about who she is or how he know her. She also begins seeing a ghostly man who also knows her from before but will give her little information.
The story gets truly interesting when her buyer starts taking baking jobs. For example she is asked to make a gingerbread house in the enchanted forest for an old lady who loves children, and gingerbread cookies shaped as boys who will be real for a lonely widow, plus more. I like the mix of genres in the book, it was unexpected.
As the book goes on we find out more about who Maire is and who Fyel, the ghostly man is, as well as how the man who bought her knew who she was and how she ended up losing her memories. I cried, quite a bit. But you gotta love that in books sometimes. It means it stirs emotions in you!
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
July 19, 2018
I really liked the way the magic worked in this book. The main character Maire bakes pastries and she can infuse her creations with feelings like love and contentment. The plot is also different and if you liked Charlie's other books, you'll enjoy this one as well.
April 19, 2016
I went into reading this book with only the vaguest idea of what it was about. Magical baked goods? Sounded like my kind of story. Whimsical, unusual, and compelling? Bring it on. And Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet definitely delivered all the above and more. What caught me off guard was the level of emotion I felt as I read. This book rubbed me raw in beautiful ways. I've read all of Holmberg's other books and despite already being at a high level, she leveled up with this one.
I CRIED, people. I actually cried. And this is NOT a normal thing for me.
Not only is the story beautifully crafted and the world-building exquisite, the emotional authenticity was so powerful that while I immediately wanted to read the book again once I finished, I needed to recuperate for a few days before I could tackle it again. THAT is how you earn five stars. Wow.
Highly recommend this read to anyone who loves magic, moving stories, and surprise endings that take your breath away (literally--I gasped, and I'm the person who ALWAYS guesses the ending).
I CRIED, people. I actually cried. And this is NOT a normal thing for me.
Not only is the story beautifully crafted and the world-building exquisite, the emotional authenticity was so powerful that while I immediately wanted to read the book again once I finished, I needed to recuperate for a few days before I could tackle it again. THAT is how you earn five stars. Wow.
Highly recommend this read to anyone who loves magic, moving stories, and surprise endings that take your breath away (literally--I gasped, and I'm the person who ALWAYS guesses the ending).
September 10, 2016
A very prettily written book, with many clever allusions. However, I just did not enjoy the plot as much as I hoped I would. I have a hard time with stories like this, that withhold everything from the reader until the main character herself discovers the truth - it has to be very well done indeed, and with a good payoff.
May 25, 2021
Rating: 3.5* of five
MAY 2021 UPDATE! $1.99 ON KINDLE!
MAGIC BITTER, MAGIC SWEET is an unusual fantasy novel, but not for the usual reasons. 47North did a great job on Charlie N. Holmberg's stand-alone fantasy novel.
My review is live at Expendable Mudge Muses Aloud, better known as "my blog."
MAY 2021 UPDATE! $1.99 ON KINDLE!
MAGIC BITTER, MAGIC SWEET is an unusual fantasy novel, but not for the usual reasons. 47North did a great job on Charlie N. Holmberg's stand-alone fantasy novel.
My review is live at Expendable Mudge Muses Aloud, better known as "my blog."
June 27, 2016
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Two things, ONE...this book made me REALLY hungry for cake. TWO, that cover is really awesome.
I enjoyed this one, but it didn't WOW me. The writing is gorgeous, no doubt about that. It's whimsical and fairytale like and It started off great, but then I found myself losing interest halfway through and struggling to finish it. The story just seemed to peter out and take a strange turn and I didn't really like the direction it went in.
Overall this had beautiful writing, and I enjoyed the first half of the book a lot and it was a solid 4 stars. Unfortunately the last half lost me and was only a generous 2 stars.
Two things, ONE...this book made me REALLY hungry for cake. TWO, that cover is really awesome.
I enjoyed this one, but it didn't WOW me. The writing is gorgeous, no doubt about that. It's whimsical and fairytale like and It started off great, but then I found myself losing interest halfway through and struggling to finish it. The story just seemed to peter out and take a strange turn and I didn't really like the direction it went in.
Overall this had beautiful writing, and I enjoyed the first half of the book a lot and it was a solid 4 stars. Unfortunately the last half lost me and was only a generous 2 stars.
August 9, 2016
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I read the first two books of Charlie Holmberg's Paper Magician series and then decided I'd had enough. While the concepts behind the series were fun, the romance aspect felt naive and kind of creepy and it felt like the author had some maturing to do. So I thought I'd give her new book a try because I hoped that she'd matured a bit as a writer.
This book is like a strong, dramatic perfume- you'll either love it or hate it. I hated it, at least what I read of it. The author decided to create a main character who narrates the book in the present tense, who is an amnesiac, and who is an ethereal flake. She can't remember anything longer than four years ago, but doesn't really care and seems perfectly content to bake away while turning as minimal a profit as she can (because she's nice and doesn't want to take money from her customers), giving what she earns to her two caretakers. She's so peaceful and calm that she feels like she'd taken about a dozen Valium.
So, the baking part. I still am on the fence about exactly how much this author knows about cooking and baking. She likes to write about it, but I'm not sure how good she actually is at it. The baking part is fun, I'll admit it, because who wouldn't want to read about a cake flavored with chocolate and black pepper and infused with love? Who wouldn't want to taste a cake touched with lavender and hope? But I think that the baking is not really the point of the book. It's just a signal to the reader that Maire, the protagonist, is extraordinary in some way. Her dreamy unworldliness is really what we're supposed to take away from reading about her. And I fear that this too-good-to-be true character is going to get swept up into breathless Love and Tragedy that's larger-than-life. The book reminded me of the sort of Magical Realism that uses magic as a way to make everything more special, more emotional, more...over the top. Example: "The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender." What do you get from that title? Everything is weird, everything is very pretty, and Ava Lavender must surely be very Special. I didn't care for that book for pretty much the same reasons that I didn't care for this one.
It just felt too fraught, too much like it wanted to be a Tale for the Ages. And an amnesiac character is just begging to be the victim of one of my least favorite plots- the "we can't tell you what you need to know because.. reasons" plot.
I read the first two books of Charlie Holmberg's Paper Magician series and then decided I'd had enough. While the concepts behind the series were fun, the romance aspect felt naive and kind of creepy and it felt like the author had some maturing to do. So I thought I'd give her new book a try because I hoped that she'd matured a bit as a writer.
This book is like a strong, dramatic perfume- you'll either love it or hate it. I hated it, at least what I read of it. The author decided to create a main character who narrates the book in the present tense, who is an amnesiac, and who is an ethereal flake. She can't remember anything longer than four years ago, but doesn't really care and seems perfectly content to bake away while turning as minimal a profit as she can (because she's nice and doesn't want to take money from her customers), giving what she earns to her two caretakers. She's so peaceful and calm that she feels like she'd taken about a dozen Valium.
So, the baking part. I still am on the fence about exactly how much this author knows about cooking and baking. She likes to write about it, but I'm not sure how good she actually is at it. The baking part is fun, I'll admit it, because who wouldn't want to read about a cake flavored with chocolate and black pepper and infused with love? Who wouldn't want to taste a cake touched with lavender and hope? But I think that the baking is not really the point of the book. It's just a signal to the reader that Maire, the protagonist, is extraordinary in some way. Her dreamy unworldliness is really what we're supposed to take away from reading about her. And I fear that this too-good-to-be true character is going to get swept up into breathless Love and Tragedy that's larger-than-life. The book reminded me of the sort of Magical Realism that uses magic as a way to make everything more special, more emotional, more...over the top. Example: "The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender." What do you get from that title? Everything is weird, everything is very pretty, and Ava Lavender must surely be very Special. I didn't care for that book for pretty much the same reasons that I didn't care for this one.
It just felt too fraught, too much like it wanted to be a Tale for the Ages. And an amnesiac character is just begging to be the victim of one of my least favorite plots- the "we can't tell you what you need to know because.. reasons" plot.
May 31, 2016
Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet surprised me.
I expected a mere fairy tale about a girl that could infuse her baked goods with emotions for those that eat them. Instead I found a deeply complex story that wasn't afraid to go dark in order to get to the light.
Maire doesn't remember who she is but has made herself a new life in a small village with new friends. When their village is attacked, she sees many die brutally and is among many sold as slaves.
While Maire tries to come to grips with her new cruel reality, she is occasionally visited by someone ephemeral and familiar in some way. He helps guide her gently through her returning memories so that she will be strong enough to understand the whole picture.
Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet book pulled me in, turned me inside out, broke me, and healed me along with Maire.
Thank you Netgalley for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
I expected a mere fairy tale about a girl that could infuse her baked goods with emotions for those that eat them. Instead I found a deeply complex story that wasn't afraid to go dark in order to get to the light.
Maire doesn't remember who she is but has made herself a new life in a small village with new friends. When their village is attacked, she sees many die brutally and is among many sold as slaves.
While Maire tries to come to grips with her new cruel reality, she is occasionally visited by someone ephemeral and familiar in some way. He helps guide her gently through her returning memories so that she will be strong enough to understand the whole picture.
Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet book pulled me in, turned me inside out, broke me, and healed me along with Maire.
Thank you Netgalley for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 12, 2016
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and 47North in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to both!
I stopped reading this book at 41%, and was tempted to stop a few times earlier. I had been attracted to it because I'd heard good things about The Paper Magician by the same author. It was listed as fantasy and adult fiction, but for me it was more of a YA read.
My biggest frustration is the author's continued "description" of people, places, and feelings as indescribable or impossible to describe. To me, this is an author and editor cop out. The whole point of writing a book is to describe the characters' experience, no matter how different that is from our world here on Earth.
Speaking of worlds, this book's world-building was weak. I wasn't fascinated by the setting because it didn't have enough detailed descriptions. For example, marauders are described only as marauders. We don't know how they dressed, how they looked, or other details. They are primarily referred to with that one word - marauder. Get this author a thesaurus.
Also, the characterization were stilted and shallow. We had a heroine, a villain, a love interest, and a mystery. Each character was as flat and uninteresting as the next.
I had high hopes for this book, and am terribly disappointed.
I stopped reading this book at 41%, and was tempted to stop a few times earlier. I had been attracted to it because I'd heard good things about The Paper Magician by the same author. It was listed as fantasy and adult fiction, but for me it was more of a YA read.
My biggest frustration is the author's continued "description" of people, places, and feelings as indescribable or impossible to describe. To me, this is an author and editor cop out. The whole point of writing a book is to describe the characters' experience, no matter how different that is from our world here on Earth.
Speaking of worlds, this book's world-building was weak. I wasn't fascinated by the setting because it didn't have enough detailed descriptions. For example, marauders are described only as marauders. We don't know how they dressed, how they looked, or other details. They are primarily referred to with that one word - marauder. Get this author a thesaurus.
Also, the characterization were stilted and shallow. We had a heroine, a villain, a love interest, and a mystery. Each character was as flat and uninteresting as the next.
I had high hopes for this book, and am terribly disappointed.
February 8, 2019
Wow! I just absolutely loved this book!! Absolutely recommend.
March 6, 2019
Loved this. Such a uniquely twisted book. I was so pulled in by the characters.
I have to say I'm having to think over the ending a bit to get my head round it!
I loved so much about the book , never has a book made we want to bake cakes!
Very well written.
I have to say I'm having to think over the ending a bit to get my head round it!
I loved so much about the book , never has a book made we want to bake cakes!
Very well written.
June 18, 2016
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is an amazing story. It’s very well written, the plot is creative and the characters are greatly described. I loved Maire and her magic. While I was reading, I really needed to know where she came from and what happened to her. I liked the mix of this story with a few fairytale elements. And the ending was perfect <3
Those with a taste for the olive oil cake crave strength, while those who come back for the berry tarts are, unknowingly, seeking wisdom.
Although this story is a very sweet story, it is also a bitter one. A big part of this book deals with some heavy themes and therefore it wouldn’t be appropriate for children.
★★★★★: I enjoyed this story very much and I will definitely get my hands on a copy when it’s published. I recommend it to everyone who is in love with magic. The cover is also stunning!
This is an amazing story. It’s very well written, the plot is creative and the characters are greatly described. I loved Maire and her magic. While I was reading, I really needed to know where she came from and what happened to her. I liked the mix of this story with a few fairytale elements. And the ending was perfect <3
Those with a taste for the olive oil cake crave strength, while those who come back for the berry tarts are, unknowingly, seeking wisdom.
Although this story is a very sweet story, it is also a bitter one. A big part of this book deals with some heavy themes and therefore it wouldn’t be appropriate for children.
★★★★★: I enjoyed this story very much and I will definitely get my hands on a copy when it’s published. I recommend it to everyone who is in love with magic. The cover is also stunning!
June 19, 2016
I vascillated for at least the 1st third of this about abandoning it, toward the end of the 2nd third it began to improve, however I don’t feel it ever achieved anything above a rating of “okay.”
The premise of this story is a bit of a mix between something like “Like Water for Chocolate,” with something maybe like “Heaven Can Wait,” (book by Leonore Fleischer, although I only saw the movie), with a healthy dash of evil. Having said that, it’s only part of the premise of the first two books that is, in part, the premise of this story.
Pub Date: 28 June 2016
Many thanks to 47North – an imprint of Amazon Publishing, NetGalley and author Charlie N. Holmberg for providing me with an advanced copy for reading and review
July 4, 2016
I received this book via NetGalley, compliments of 47thN Publishers. I had no idea what I was about to read, no familiarity with the author and have been upbeat with my review.
When a book invites me to experience its fantastical magic AND that magic appears in concoctions charmingly baked, I'm hooked on those ingredients before I open the first page.
Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet is that book. The tale opens in Carmine where Maire works for her friend Attrice in the bakery, mixing together spiced, savoury, chocolate, lavender cakes and pastries which award their purchasers with what they might need or seek. Olive oil- someone needs strength; berry tarts- wisdom; cocoa beans and pepper - Mmmmm, the favourite of all, seekers of love.
However, Maire herself is a bit of a mystery. Found bruised and disoriented four years earlier, she had no memories beyond that of her name. She knows that she is not from this place because she resembles no one in skin tone and hair colour but the rustic village accepts her and Cleric Tuck is showing keen interest in her too.,
Suddenly their peace is murderously interrupted by a gang of attackers, killing and looting and taking prisoners. Maire and Tuck are assaulted when they refuse to be compliant but are chained; they are to be sold as slaves.
Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet takes a dramatic, dark and very grim twist at this point in the novel. Maire is bought by Allemas, a bizarre looking man with bluish ,wild red hair, chartreuse eyes and long uncoordinated limbs. "You, you!" he says, "I knoooow you!" She does not know him...but there is something familiar... He commands her to bake; she thinks of mercy. After a mouthful of cake, he throws the plate to the floor. "I do not FEEL this way." Allemas is mercurial and merciless. Maire will make money for him baking cakes for his clients while he keeps her captive. The reader is transported to scenes evocative of familiar fairy tales as they travel to these projects; Maire bakes gingerbread to cover a house and Allemas comments that he feels sorry for the children, after she wonders who will eat it. She is jailed in a cellar, wears a cuff and chain around her ankle.
In the midst of her hopelessness, Maire has visitations from a winged apparition, Fyel. As Allemas grows increasingly more violent, Maire begins to access past memories with Fyel and finds an important crystal. In order to find her memories, to be free of Allemas and return to her own home, Maire must find the second crystal. She must know her story; why she is able to craft cakes with intention but not her own life.
This little novel has a great deal of sparkle, huge imagination behind its fantasy world and is a heartfelt concoction from author Charlie N. Holmberg. With many, many overlapping strands, and thus subplots, the tension of Maire's search for answers somewhat flattened the excitement unfortunately. Holmberg descriptions of her settings are marvellous, and perhaps her greatest strength. As well, anywhere that Maire baked and thought through the process were almost palpable scenes, redolent of aromas, sensual with hands in dough and lips on batter; happily, for me, she baked often. Along my way through this book, I found myself in the company of villages akin to those of the treasured Hobbits, from the novel and reminded of their quest which was a turtle-paced affair. Allemas stood in my mind as a shockingly coloured Straw Man from Oz (another quest) but whose truncated sentences became babbling of a Gollum-like thing. I think that if Charlie Holmberg managed to trigger these shadows of such classic characters for me in her novel's magical quest, she'impacted my imagination a great deal. 3.5 stars
(I would classify this novel as New Adult/Young Adult. I think it would have a great deal of appeal for young women in these groups.)
When a book invites me to experience its fantastical magic AND that magic appears in concoctions charmingly baked, I'm hooked on those ingredients before I open the first page.
Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet is that book. The tale opens in Carmine where Maire works for her friend Attrice in the bakery, mixing together spiced, savoury, chocolate, lavender cakes and pastries which award their purchasers with what they might need or seek. Olive oil- someone needs strength; berry tarts- wisdom; cocoa beans and pepper - Mmmmm, the favourite of all, seekers of love.
However, Maire herself is a bit of a mystery. Found bruised and disoriented four years earlier, she had no memories beyond that of her name. She knows that she is not from this place because she resembles no one in skin tone and hair colour but the rustic village accepts her and Cleric Tuck is showing keen interest in her too.,
Suddenly their peace is murderously interrupted by a gang of attackers, killing and looting and taking prisoners. Maire and Tuck are assaulted when they refuse to be compliant but are chained; they are to be sold as slaves.
Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet takes a dramatic, dark and very grim twist at this point in the novel. Maire is bought by Allemas, a bizarre looking man with bluish ,wild red hair, chartreuse eyes and long uncoordinated limbs. "You, you!" he says, "I knoooow you!" She does not know him...but there is something familiar... He commands her to bake; she thinks of mercy. After a mouthful of cake, he throws the plate to the floor. "I do not FEEL this way." Allemas is mercurial and merciless. Maire will make money for him baking cakes for his clients while he keeps her captive. The reader is transported to scenes evocative of familiar fairy tales as they travel to these projects; Maire bakes gingerbread to cover a house and Allemas comments that he feels sorry for the children, after she wonders who will eat it. She is jailed in a cellar, wears a cuff and chain around her ankle.
In the midst of her hopelessness, Maire has visitations from a winged apparition, Fyel. As Allemas grows increasingly more violent, Maire begins to access past memories with Fyel and finds an important crystal. In order to find her memories, to be free of Allemas and return to her own home, Maire must find the second crystal. She must know her story; why she is able to craft cakes with intention but not her own life.
This little novel has a great deal of sparkle, huge imagination behind its fantasy world and is a heartfelt concoction from author Charlie N. Holmberg. With many, many overlapping strands, and thus subplots, the tension of Maire's search for answers somewhat flattened the excitement unfortunately. Holmberg descriptions of her settings are marvellous, and perhaps her greatest strength. As well, anywhere that Maire baked and thought through the process were almost palpable scenes, redolent of aromas, sensual with hands in dough and lips on batter; happily, for me, she baked often. Along my way through this book, I found myself in the company of villages akin to those of the treasured Hobbits, from the novel and reminded of their quest which was a turtle-paced affair. Allemas stood in my mind as a shockingly coloured Straw Man from Oz (another quest) but whose truncated sentences became babbling of a Gollum-like thing. I think that if Charlie Holmberg managed to trigger these shadows of such classic characters for me in her novel's magical quest, she'impacted my imagination a great deal. 3.5 stars
(I would classify this novel as New Adult/Young Adult. I think it would have a great deal of appeal for young women in these groups.)
July 6, 2016
This was a mixed bag. The first third of so was full of suspense and moved swiftly. The second third slowed down to a crawl and the final third had me wondering when it would all be over
Good premise, thoughts and feelings baked into things. I didn't like the amnesia trope. I'm sure it is to build suspense but it gets annoying.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Good premise, thoughts and feelings baked into things. I didn't like the amnesia trope. I'm sure it is to build suspense but it gets annoying.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
July 12, 2016
Charlie Holmberg is an author I don't know quite what to say about, still, after the fourth book of hers that I've read, "Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet"
. She is a good writer and has many excellent turns of phrase, but her characters are bizarrely and inadequately drawn in this and her other novels. She relies on events and inner thoughts to define her protagonist and leaves the rest up the this character's perspective, which is narrow, anyway, but in this novel, amnesiac and confused.
Also, and this is my complaint about many current authors, her plot and tone are too dark. Why do modern authors believe they have to have such graphic displays of violence, horrific mangling and assaulting done to characters, tragic circumstances and homicidal villains for a story to be "interesting"? I strongly disagree. These things can be hinted at, happen "off stage," or in the past, can't they?
The major premises of this particular book of fantasy (and all her books involve not-Earth, magic and wizardry in some forms) do not work for me, particularly since she waited until the very last few chapters to explain anything at all and the explanations were paltry and murky, at best. I still don't entirely understand how Maire, her protagonist, ended up in the circumstances and conditions she did at the beginning or at the end of the story or why the other fantastical characters are the ways they are or even who they all are.
The author alludes to the roots of Grimms and other ancient (DARK) fairy tales with some of the subplots but never continues those threads and leaves us all hanging. Why? What were the points of those detours, exactly? She also makes some forays into her own "world-building" and origins' cosmologies, venturing into science-fiction, but never fully explicating any of that, either.
This is not the way I want to feel when I finish reading any book: unsatisfied and confused, that my time was wasted.
Good writing is more than putting together good sentences and drawing on creativity well. The author has a responsibility to the reader--an unwritten but sacred contract--to fulfill the original promises seemingly made in early chapters and/or by the title and/or by previous books.
This author broke her contract with me/with readers by her rendering of this book. Off my list, now.
. She is a good writer and has many excellent turns of phrase, but her characters are bizarrely and inadequately drawn in this and her other novels. She relies on events and inner thoughts to define her protagonist and leaves the rest up the this character's perspective, which is narrow, anyway, but in this novel, amnesiac and confused. Also, and this is my complaint about many current authors, her plot and tone are too dark. Why do modern authors believe they have to have such graphic displays of violence, horrific mangling and assaulting done to characters, tragic circumstances and homicidal villains for a story to be "interesting"? I strongly disagree. These things can be hinted at, happen "off stage," or in the past, can't they?
The major premises of this particular book of fantasy (and all her books involve not-Earth, magic and wizardry in some forms) do not work for me, particularly since she waited until the very last few chapters to explain anything at all and the explanations were paltry and murky, at best. I still don't entirely understand how Maire, her protagonist, ended up in the circumstances and conditions she did at the beginning or at the end of the story or why the other fantastical characters are the ways they are or even who they all are.
The author alludes to the roots of Grimms and other ancient (DARK) fairy tales with some of the subplots but never continues those threads and leaves us all hanging. Why? What were the points of those detours, exactly? She also makes some forays into her own "world-building" and origins' cosmologies, venturing into science-fiction, but never fully explicating any of that, either.
This is not the way I want to feel when I finish reading any book: unsatisfied and confused, that my time was wasted.
Good writing is more than putting together good sentences and drawing on creativity well. The author has a responsibility to the reader--an unwritten but sacred contract--to fulfill the original promises seemingly made in early chapters and/or by the title and/or by previous books.
This author broke her contract with me/with readers by her rendering of this book. Off my list, now.
August 8, 2016
Arc Provided by 47 North through Netgalley
Book Status: Already Released (June 28th)
I'm afraid that the only positive remark I can write about this story (without revealing the WHOLE PLOT)... is that it didn't make me want to set it on fire. -_-
In the same state of mind, I have to mention that it never pissed me off... much.
No, wait there was that time in which the character... you know what? Never mind.
Truth is, I found it incredibly boring and many were the times in which I almost DNF it.
The beginning, and really, I am talking about the very first pages weren't bad: I like a mystery
just like every one else, but then things got so strange in a,
There were no tangible facts: no world building. There was also a strange mish mash of stories, and concepts, to which I never warmed up to.
The characters, with the exception of Maeve, were pretty forgetful, and the whole abstract feel of the story, didn't help the matter.
The romance was dealt in a pretty meh way, especially for people who are supposed to be... who they are. Yes, I am being vague on purpose.
In the end, when I found out about why our character had done what she did _ ????_ was when I got a little pissed off, because I felt that different concepts had been completely mixed ( human and not so human)... and I don't know how to be more clear without spoiling the whole thing. But I felt that I was being somewhat preached ( as a woman) and I had a huge problem with that.
Not for me, I'm afraid: for me, strange does not a book make.
And here it is: a confusing book review for a strange story concept.
July 5, 2016
Rating: 1.5/5
(I received a free copy from the publisher, 47North, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
***Minor spoilers***
Maire is different. She's lost her memory of who she was, and she is able to infuse the baked goods she makes with certain emotions that she brings forward while baking. Then, whenever a person eats it, they experience that emotion. On a walk home one day, Maire notices a strange spirit who nobody else could see. Not long after, that spirit tells her she needs to run. It isn't long before she finds out why - her town is being looted by marauders. Unfortunately, Maire didn't have enough time to hide herself away properly, and she is taken in as a slave to be sold. She is bought by a man named Allemas who knows the magic she has and is using it for himself. While with Allemas, the spirit returns and tells her she needs to get away from Allemas, and that he is a bad man. She wants to escape and return to the couple who took her in when she had no known family, but how?
Anybody who has read some of my reviews would probably know that I really dislike when not enough information is given over the course of the novel. I'm all for big reveals at the end of the book, but I hate when absolutely everything is confusing until the end of the book. I guess it would be more tolerable if this book was shorter, but during the middle of the book it was just a lot of the same thing over and over again without the plot progressing much at all. I think I could've taken either the standstill OR the confusion without a huge hit to my rating, but when both are present it's just boring, confusing, and not fun at all.
Everything came together in the end and made enough sense, but to me it didn't really excuse the confusion in the middle. It's a bit hard to write a plot progression when the main character has lost their memory and isn't getting it back, but I've seen it done before and I've seen it work. Maire does get some brief memories back along the way, but I think this would've been better and more interesting if she got either more memories back, or longer ones. Then she could've started piecing everything together faster, and we could've enjoyed knowing what was going on sooner.
Overall, this wasn't a terrible book, but the confusion is what really got to me. Paired with the plot not really moving between 25-75% I didn't enjoy this very much at all. Of course, some people may find the lack of information suspenseful and enjoy it, so I'm not saying you definitely shouldn't pick up this book. But if you're like me and you find that a bit annoying, this book most likely isn't for you. If you're interested in getting this book, it's available on Netgalley until July 12th, so act quickly: https://s2.netgalley.com/catalog/book...
(I received a free copy from the publisher, 47North, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
***Minor spoilers***
Maire is different. She's lost her memory of who she was, and she is able to infuse the baked goods she makes with certain emotions that she brings forward while baking. Then, whenever a person eats it, they experience that emotion. On a walk home one day, Maire notices a strange spirit who nobody else could see. Not long after, that spirit tells her she needs to run. It isn't long before she finds out why - her town is being looted by marauders. Unfortunately, Maire didn't have enough time to hide herself away properly, and she is taken in as a slave to be sold. She is bought by a man named Allemas who knows the magic she has and is using it for himself. While with Allemas, the spirit returns and tells her she needs to get away from Allemas, and that he is a bad man. She wants to escape and return to the couple who took her in when she had no known family, but how?
Anybody who has read some of my reviews would probably know that I really dislike when not enough information is given over the course of the novel. I'm all for big reveals at the end of the book, but I hate when absolutely everything is confusing until the end of the book. I guess it would be more tolerable if this book was shorter, but during the middle of the book it was just a lot of the same thing over and over again without the plot progressing much at all. I think I could've taken either the standstill OR the confusion without a huge hit to my rating, but when both are present it's just boring, confusing, and not fun at all.
Everything came together in the end and made enough sense, but to me it didn't really excuse the confusion in the middle. It's a bit hard to write a plot progression when the main character has lost their memory and isn't getting it back, but I've seen it done before and I've seen it work. Maire does get some brief memories back along the way, but I think this would've been better and more interesting if she got either more memories back, or longer ones. Then she could've started piecing everything together faster, and we could've enjoyed knowing what was going on sooner.
Overall, this wasn't a terrible book, but the confusion is what really got to me. Paired with the plot not really moving between 25-75% I didn't enjoy this very much at all. Of course, some people may find the lack of information suspenseful and enjoy it, so I'm not saying you definitely shouldn't pick up this book. But if you're like me and you find that a bit annoying, this book most likely isn't for you. If you're interested in getting this book, it's available on Netgalley until July 12th, so act quickly: https://s2.netgalley.com/catalog/book...
May 12, 2017
There are so many spoilers.
I will go into this stating that I am not a huge fan of romance, but the romance was not the issue that I had with this book. It was everything else. I can’t even really justify it getting a star, because it was so weak on so many levels. I liked the idea of magical cakes and pastries being imbued with spells to improve the person who ingested them. That is it. It could have been executed so much better than it was.
The characters in this book were all incredibly flat. The heroine, Maire, has no real discernable flaws aside from memory loss. MAIRE-Y SUE. This also feels like an overdone trope, especially since it happens in this book three times, and not just with Maire. Only one character in the book stands out to me, and that is because he is a poorly characterized “broken” character who comes across as someone with a disability. Alamus, this character, could have been a great opportunity to make a gray area antagonist that you aren’t quite sure is the bad guy. Instead, the author did a botched job of it and just made him a mess. It seems like a poor portrayal of someone with problems that seem to be mental health related. (It may be an unfair call on my part because his issues are magical related since Maire created him, and she did a poor job of it. But, it’s how he comes across, and I didn’t like how it was done.)
There is a stab at a love triangle that falls flat since none of the relationships in the triangle are well developed. Maire has a “love” from her former life who just flits in and out of existence and can’t give her a straight answer to any question for no reason. It is more or less just done that way to build a mystery and to try to keep the reader reading. No explanation why he can’t tell her anything, which is how I want my relationships to be. BUILT ON SECRETS AND WITHHOLDING INFORMATION THAT I WANT.
Since we’re on the topic of things I didn’t like about this book, how about the plot? Or really even the lack thereof. The structure of this story was flimsy at best, with many side stories and turns that didn’t really need to happen. I was excited when she tied in other fairytales - the house that appeared in Hansel and Gretel, and the Gingerbread Boy, but she didn’t build much on them. They were just little side tangents that felt lacking.
Really, this book just felt undeveloped for me - LIKE AN UNDERBAKED CAKE. :B
I will go into this stating that I am not a huge fan of romance, but the romance was not the issue that I had with this book. It was everything else. I can’t even really justify it getting a star, because it was so weak on so many levels. I liked the idea of magical cakes and pastries being imbued with spells to improve the person who ingested them. That is it. It could have been executed so much better than it was.
The characters in this book were all incredibly flat. The heroine, Maire, has no real discernable flaws aside from memory loss. MAIRE-Y SUE. This also feels like an overdone trope, especially since it happens in this book three times, and not just with Maire. Only one character in the book stands out to me, and that is because he is a poorly characterized “broken” character who comes across as someone with a disability. Alamus, this character, could have been a great opportunity to make a gray area antagonist that you aren’t quite sure is the bad guy. Instead, the author did a botched job of it and just made him a mess. It seems like a poor portrayal of someone with problems that seem to be mental health related. (It may be an unfair call on my part because his issues are magical related since Maire created him, and she did a poor job of it. But, it’s how he comes across, and I didn’t like how it was done.)
There is a stab at a love triangle that falls flat since none of the relationships in the triangle are well developed. Maire has a “love” from her former life who just flits in and out of existence and can’t give her a straight answer to any question for no reason. It is more or less just done that way to build a mystery and to try to keep the reader reading. No explanation why he can’t tell her anything, which is how I want my relationships to be. BUILT ON SECRETS AND WITHHOLDING INFORMATION THAT I WANT.
Since we’re on the topic of things I didn’t like about this book, how about the plot? Or really even the lack thereof. The structure of this story was flimsy at best, with many side stories and turns that didn’t really need to happen. I was excited when she tied in other fairytales - the house that appeared in Hansel and Gretel, and the Gingerbread Boy, but she didn’t build much on them. They were just little side tangents that felt lacking.
Really, this book just felt undeveloped for me - LIKE AN UNDERBAKED CAKE. :B
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2017
This book might be a little glum, but it goes so well with cocoa and a warm blanket. Why? A non-comprehensive list:
✬ cake
✬ more cake
✬ ...so the book is primarily dedicated to cake
✬ love
✬ mystery
✬ fairytales
✬ magic (cake magic..?)
All of this goes with cocoa for me. Granted, the main heroine suffers more than enjoys herself in her journey through this story, but it's well worth it, in my eyes. It's written beautifully, and it keeps its mystery throughout pretty much all of the book, as the main characters suffer from amnesia, so you don't really get to find out what happens, before... you do. Which is... Right at the end. I've heard of people struggling with this bit, but I didn't – to me, this book was an intricately woven canvas of emotions, all colorful, and all imbued with taste, particularly expressed through different kinds of confectioneries the main character concocts. And the frosting on top? Hints of fairytales are interspersed through the story, all connected through magic and... cake. What's not to love?
This book appears in the list of Books To Go With Cocoa And A Warm Blanket. Check out the others!
Read Post On My Blog | My Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
✬ cake
✬ more cake
✬ ...so the book is primarily dedicated to cake
✬ love
✬ mystery
✬ fairytales
✬ magic (cake magic..?)
All of this goes with cocoa for me. Granted, the main heroine suffers more than enjoys herself in her journey through this story, but it's well worth it, in my eyes. It's written beautifully, and it keeps its mystery throughout pretty much all of the book, as the main characters suffer from amnesia, so you don't really get to find out what happens, before... you do. Which is... Right at the end. I've heard of people struggling with this bit, but I didn't – to me, this book was an intricately woven canvas of emotions, all colorful, and all imbued with taste, particularly expressed through different kinds of confectioneries the main character concocts. And the frosting on top? Hints of fairytales are interspersed through the story, all connected through magic and... cake. What's not to love?
This book appears in the list of Books To Go With Cocoa And A Warm Blanket. Check out the others!
Read Post On My Blog | My Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
June 18, 2016
Review first published on my blog The Fictional Reader
When I saw this book on Netgalley, I immediately requested it. I have read Charlie N. Holmberg’s Paper Magician trilogy before, and really enjoyed it. So I was curious to see what she would bring next. Plus, the premise of this book sounds amazing. Note: I edited the synopsis from Goodreads. I removed a bunch of stuff, that isn’t really a spoiler. Yet I feel like it is more fun to read, just knowing this (that’s what I did).
WORLD
This seems to play out in a medieval sort of fantasy setting -as most fantasy novels do. It has horses, carriages, slaves and blacksmiths. I absolutely love it. The main character starts out living in a small town, where she owns a bakery shop. She lives with a married couple whose children have left. Throughout the story, she travels a lot of the land -though not trekking through it necessarily.
I did enjoy the world of this story, although I have to admit that I only started to get really into it by the last quarter of the story. That’s when you discover a lot more about the whole world, in general. I definitely enjoyed that part, and the discoveries Maire makes. I thought it was so intriguing, the link with her magic and her memories!
I also loved the tiny references to other (fairy) tales throughout! I don’t know whether I picked up on every single one, but I do remember 2 or 3 references at least? That was such a fun addition!
I do wish I would have had a map. I don’t think there was one in the Kindle arc I received. Without a map, the towns they visited were just names, you know?
PLOT
I don’t really want to say much here. Like I mentioned before, this is one of those books you should go into knowing as little as possible. Because the main character Maire has lost two decades of memories, there is much she doesn’t know. Therefore, there is much that you as the reader don’t know. You get to discover the world, and her past, along with her.
I have to admit that I was confused for a while, thinking: where is this going? And I also have to admit that I did not see the twist coming. And the ending left me a tad confused -but maybe that was just me?
Overall, I really liked the story line of this book. Slowly piecing together the past and the truth is an appealing way of reading.
CHARACTERS
So, obviously I have to talk about Maire. She is the main character, after all. I loved her gift, let me just say that. Maire makes cakes. Not just any cake. No, she infuses them with emotions. For example, she makes a lavender cake while thinking about all the minor acts of hope she has seen in the past years. When someone eats from this cake, they will feel a burst of hope. Isn’t that amazing? She makes cakes like this for hope, love, strength, endurance, silliness and so on. Isn’t that just FANTASTIC? I want them! Lavender cakes, chocolate cakes, gingerbread, basil -you name it. So many different choices.
I liked how Maire didn’t give up easily, but knew when to let go as well. She felt like a true person to me. How she looked for answers, often leading to her being hurt. How she was always kind, even though people didn’t really deserve it at times.
There are many other characters in this story. but I don’t want to spoil any surprises for you. I think Fyel was super sweet. I think Allemas was incredibly creepy, but I also felt bad for him. I don’t like Cleric Tuck. I have no clue why. I just don’t.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend this story. I think it was a fun and interesting fantasy read. Beware though, because all I wanted to do was eat cake after reading this.
When I saw this book on Netgalley, I immediately requested it. I have read Charlie N. Holmberg’s Paper Magician trilogy before, and really enjoyed it. So I was curious to see what she would bring next. Plus, the premise of this book sounds amazing. Note: I edited the synopsis from Goodreads. I removed a bunch of stuff, that isn’t really a spoiler. Yet I feel like it is more fun to read, just knowing this (that’s what I did).
WORLD
This seems to play out in a medieval sort of fantasy setting -as most fantasy novels do. It has horses, carriages, slaves and blacksmiths. I absolutely love it. The main character starts out living in a small town, where she owns a bakery shop. She lives with a married couple whose children have left. Throughout the story, she travels a lot of the land -though not trekking through it necessarily.
I did enjoy the world of this story, although I have to admit that I only started to get really into it by the last quarter of the story. That’s when you discover a lot more about the whole world, in general. I definitely enjoyed that part, and the discoveries Maire makes. I thought it was so intriguing, the link with her magic and her memories!
I also loved the tiny references to other (fairy) tales throughout! I don’t know whether I picked up on every single one, but I do remember 2 or 3 references at least? That was such a fun addition!
I do wish I would have had a map. I don’t think there was one in the Kindle arc I received. Without a map, the towns they visited were just names, you know?
PLOT
I don’t really want to say much here. Like I mentioned before, this is one of those books you should go into knowing as little as possible. Because the main character Maire has lost two decades of memories, there is much she doesn’t know. Therefore, there is much that you as the reader don’t know. You get to discover the world, and her past, along with her.
I have to admit that I was confused for a while, thinking: where is this going? And I also have to admit that I did not see the twist coming. And the ending left me a tad confused -but maybe that was just me?
Overall, I really liked the story line of this book. Slowly piecing together the past and the truth is an appealing way of reading.
CHARACTERS
So, obviously I have to talk about Maire. She is the main character, after all. I loved her gift, let me just say that. Maire makes cakes. Not just any cake. No, she infuses them with emotions. For example, she makes a lavender cake while thinking about all the minor acts of hope she has seen in the past years. When someone eats from this cake, they will feel a burst of hope. Isn’t that amazing? She makes cakes like this for hope, love, strength, endurance, silliness and so on. Isn’t that just FANTASTIC? I want them! Lavender cakes, chocolate cakes, gingerbread, basil -you name it. So many different choices.
I liked how Maire didn’t give up easily, but knew when to let go as well. She felt like a true person to me. How she looked for answers, often leading to her being hurt. How she was always kind, even though people didn’t really deserve it at times.
There are many other characters in this story. but I don’t want to spoil any surprises for you. I think Fyel was super sweet. I think Allemas was incredibly creepy, but I also felt bad for him. I don’t like Cleric Tuck. I have no clue why. I just don’t.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend this story. I think it was a fun and interesting fantasy read. Beware though, because all I wanted to do was eat cake after reading this.
August 2, 2020
Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet. A cake filled with magic, it sounded like a recipe for success (pun definitely intended).
Maire is a baker with a troublesome past (in the sense that she can't remember it). Her cakes are magical - literally so - as they can convey feelings to the eater. I guess more intense than when I bake a cake and spread happiness around ( ;) ). One day on a raid she is sold as a slave and when they found out about her baking skills, they are put to use in rather dark schemes.
It sounds like a fairy tale and to some extent it was, but the story flowed more slowly I found. I had expected to like it more than I did because for me it was missing something special. I never really connected with Maire and therefore was not fully invested in the outcome. It was still a nice way to pass the time but it was missing this 'secret ingredient' (for want of a better term) that made it something special.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Find this and other reviews on http://www.urlphantomhive.com
Maire is a baker with a troublesome past (in the sense that she can't remember it). Her cakes are magical - literally so - as they can convey feelings to the eater. I guess more intense than when I bake a cake and spread happiness around ( ;) ). One day on a raid she is sold as a slave and when they found out about her baking skills, they are put to use in rather dark schemes.
It sounds like a fairy tale and to some extent it was, but the story flowed more slowly I found. I had expected to like it more than I did because for me it was missing something special. I never really connected with Maire and therefore was not fully invested in the outcome. It was still a nice way to pass the time but it was missing this 'secret ingredient' (for want of a better term) that made it something special.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Find this and other reviews on http://www.urlphantomhive.com
October 11, 2016
This was a really good read! This is not just about cake... There is a mystery hidden in this book, and I had a wonderful time discovering it! Although... at times in the beginning, I was confused. The ending was worth it. And just a little hint... The sentences at the beginning of each chapter mean something!! Be prepared for confusion, sadness, and an all together fantastic book!:)
September 10, 2016
This had so much potential and in a way is a clever little tale but I struggled to keep reading. I tired of the constant cake and biscuits. The first-person narrative, not knowing anything until just after the protagonist irked me too.
July 9, 2016
“I promise it will make a difference.”I wasn’t really prepared for this story; I wasn’t expecting something so dark and unsettling, but that’s what I got. It was magical too, and romantic and mysterious.
And weird. It was kinda weird.
The writing is great though. Just be prepared for creeeepy, like insects crawling on your skin creepy. All in all, it was something different, and I enjoyed it.
side note: there was something about this that sorta reminded me of Hatchling by Laini Tayor (except not as good -sorry).
3.5 stars
(not rounding up cuz it was a tiny bit boring)
January 25, 2018
Around 5 years ago, Marie was found dazed and confused on the side of the road by a woman named Arrice. Arrice, along with her husband Franc, take Marie in. Together, they live in a small village named Carmine, where Marie runs a confectionery shop. She has a gift with baking, where she can infuse her desserts with emotions, creating cakes and chocolates infused with hope, strength, endurance, and love. The people in the village don't know about her gift, which is for the best, because Marie doesn't know much about herself.
Things in Carmine never tend to stray far from the norm, but one day Marie finds herself dealing with a world turned upside down. First she meets a spirit like man who advises her to "run", and then things take a dark turn when marauders attack the village. Marie then finds her self a captive of a very bizarre character named Allemas.
The whole book has a very fairy tale like appeal to it. Magic, wonder, adventure, and just the right amount of darkness. It's very neat to see how Marie's powers are used by her in cunning ways, but are also made to be used by her captor in odd jobs that he is able to find for them.
I do have to say that the ending was not one that I saw coming. Things that I didn't realize I should have been asking were answered, and I think that I had I been asking them, I still might not have known.
It was a nice fun read, and I'm glad to have experienced another magical world from the mind of Charlie Holmberg.
Things in Carmine never tend to stray far from the norm, but one day Marie finds herself dealing with a world turned upside down. First she meets a spirit like man who advises her to "run", and then things take a dark turn when marauders attack the village. Marie then finds her self a captive of a very bizarre character named Allemas.
The whole book has a very fairy tale like appeal to it. Magic, wonder, adventure, and just the right amount of darkness. It's very neat to see how Marie's powers are used by her in cunning ways, but are also made to be used by her captor in odd jobs that he is able to find for them.
I do have to say that the ending was not one that I saw coming. Things that I didn't realize I should have been asking were answered, and I think that I had I been asking them, I still might not have known.
It was a nice fun read, and I'm glad to have experienced another magical world from the mind of Charlie Holmberg.
July 10, 2016
Wow, wow, wow. I did not want this book to ever end. I don’t give out 5 stars easily, but this was a winner from the beginning.
Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet starts off innocently enough in a bakery with a woman named Maire who has magical powers that allow her to embed feelings/emotions/abilities into her goods. Strength, love, hope, peace, agility…all are things she bakes into her cakes and cookies and scones. However, you quickly learn that Maire has very little memory of her life and is only clear on the past four years when she was found by a kind couple on the side of the road. When a group of bandits take over her town, she is taken into slavery and sold to a man named Allemas. Somehow, Allemas knows about her abilities and forces her to bake concoctions for his “clients.” Throughout all of this, Maire does not know if her friends are alive or if she will ever see them again. A mysterious ethereal being keeps appearing to her (who knows who she is and all about her past but won’t tell her) and her appearance starts changing for seemingly no reason. In the end, Maire discovers all of her abilities, who she is, and what she did to lose her memory.
There are so many details and nuances to this story that it would be an absolute shame to give them away here and not let you experience them for yourself. Instead, I’m going to talk about a few things that I absolutely loved and that are the reasons why I gave this book 5 stars.
[ S P O I L E R A L E R T] I am going to talk about some things in the following portion that will spoil it for you. PLEASE don’t read any further without reading the book first! I promise, it’s worth it!
Holmberg’s characters are electric, particularly Allemas, the “villain.” I was almost disappointed when he suddenly goes silent about 3/4 through the book simply because the writing was so excellent. His desire to be understood, obeyed, and even loved by Maire throughout the story is palpable. He made my skin crawl, but you can also see such a childlike intensity in his character. Allemas is a confusing mix between horrendously cruel villain and pathetically ignorant victim. In the end, when you learn that Allemas is actually Maire’s “son,” all of the actions and attitudes that he adopts throughout the story suddenly makes sense and your heart breaks for him. Specifically the habit of constantly changing his name was a brilliant way of indicating (without outright saying) that he was desperately searching for his identity. He really did want to be loved – but no one taught him how to pursue that love. His character is redeemable in a way that I’ve never experienced in a fictional text.
I also absolutely loved Maire. Holmberg writes her as an incredibly strong character without sacrificing a level of compassion and grace (that later makes total sense because of her role as a creator, particularly of Allemas!). She is scared but brave, lost but searching, timid but fiercely loving. She thinks of others so easily (although the scene was only a few sentences long, I cried when she sent the two children to live with Daneen, a woman whose desire for a child resonated so deeply with Maire). Holmberg was not scared to approach the desire and inability to have children with Maire. This is such an important topic that I believe the author handled with incredible grace and tact, making it a strength in Maire instead of a weakness. This desire influenced her to love Arrice as a mother, to give Daneen children of her own, to help Allemas’ soul be reconciled, and ultimately (as seen in the epilogue!!!) to have a family of her own.
There are not many books where I can’t guess the ending. This was one of the few. Near the end, I began to suspect that Allemas was one of her creations (maybe a gingerbread boy gone wrong?) but it never ever crossed my mind that he was Maire’s “son.” The way that Holmberg weaves her tale gives you zero indication that this is the case, but when you realize what is going on and think back through the rest of the book, it all starts to become clear. I was so impressed by the writing style and the way it firmly kept my attention through the entire book (I read it in less than 24 hours, if that tells you anything). It hits 90 miles an hour from the very beginning and doesn’t stop ’till the last page. It is a magical,mysterious, spell-binding story that I may as well have devoured.
I have two small complaints. The first has to do with the clients that Allemas forces Maire to create for. I assume after reading the book and skimming some of the acknowledgements that mention this genre of research, that these were meant to be fairytale characters. I was clear on the gingerbread house (Hansel and Gretel), but the others were not clear. Was Daneen meant to be a version of the gingerbread man? Who was the man with all the servants he wanted “anti-fatigue” cookies for? Maybe Beast from Beauty and the Beast? Carrying this “fairytale” theme all the way through was the only thing I felt she dropped the ball on (I mean, come one, you could have had a flying fondant carpet for Aladdin, pulled sugar “glass” shoes for Cinderella, a candied apple for Snow White, etc.).
The second complaint is just a small loose-end that I don’t feel was addressed. Fyel (ethereal being and “husband”) tells Maire several times that if she denies anything about her true identity, she will no longer be that thing (a “creator). The clarity for me just never came on why that was or what would happen if she did deny it. Because she was a creator, did her words have more powerful meaning? Would she “create” her identity again if she denied it? Or would she forget her identity forever? The implications of denying her identity could have been a little clearer.
All-in-all, I loved this book. I will read it again. I will read it multiple times. I will probably add more to this review. I am obsessed with it. I’ve been talking about it non-stop and probably won’t for a while. Kudos and many thanks to Charlie Holmberg for weaving this fantastical tale and sharing it with the world.
Many thanks to NetGalley and 47North for providing an Advanced Reader’s Copy in return for this honest and original review.
Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet starts off innocently enough in a bakery with a woman named Maire who has magical powers that allow her to embed feelings/emotions/abilities into her goods. Strength, love, hope, peace, agility…all are things she bakes into her cakes and cookies and scones. However, you quickly learn that Maire has very little memory of her life and is only clear on the past four years when she was found by a kind couple on the side of the road. When a group of bandits take over her town, she is taken into slavery and sold to a man named Allemas. Somehow, Allemas knows about her abilities and forces her to bake concoctions for his “clients.” Throughout all of this, Maire does not know if her friends are alive or if she will ever see them again. A mysterious ethereal being keeps appearing to her (who knows who she is and all about her past but won’t tell her) and her appearance starts changing for seemingly no reason. In the end, Maire discovers all of her abilities, who she is, and what she did to lose her memory.
There are so many details and nuances to this story that it would be an absolute shame to give them away here and not let you experience them for yourself. Instead, I’m going to talk about a few things that I absolutely loved and that are the reasons why I gave this book 5 stars.
[ S P O I L E R A L E R T] I am going to talk about some things in the following portion that will spoil it for you. PLEASE don’t read any further without reading the book first! I promise, it’s worth it!
Holmberg’s characters are electric, particularly Allemas, the “villain.” I was almost disappointed when he suddenly goes silent about 3/4 through the book simply because the writing was so excellent. His desire to be understood, obeyed, and even loved by Maire throughout the story is palpable. He made my skin crawl, but you can also see such a childlike intensity in his character. Allemas is a confusing mix between horrendously cruel villain and pathetically ignorant victim. In the end, when you learn that Allemas is actually Maire’s “son,” all of the actions and attitudes that he adopts throughout the story suddenly makes sense and your heart breaks for him. Specifically the habit of constantly changing his name was a brilliant way of indicating (without outright saying) that he was desperately searching for his identity. He really did want to be loved – but no one taught him how to pursue that love. His character is redeemable in a way that I’ve never experienced in a fictional text.
I also absolutely loved Maire. Holmberg writes her as an incredibly strong character without sacrificing a level of compassion and grace (that later makes total sense because of her role as a creator, particularly of Allemas!). She is scared but brave, lost but searching, timid but fiercely loving. She thinks of others so easily (although the scene was only a few sentences long, I cried when she sent the two children to live with Daneen, a woman whose desire for a child resonated so deeply with Maire). Holmberg was not scared to approach the desire and inability to have children with Maire. This is such an important topic that I believe the author handled with incredible grace and tact, making it a strength in Maire instead of a weakness. This desire influenced her to love Arrice as a mother, to give Daneen children of her own, to help Allemas’ soul be reconciled, and ultimately (as seen in the epilogue!!!) to have a family of her own.
There are not many books where I can’t guess the ending. This was one of the few. Near the end, I began to suspect that Allemas was one of her creations (maybe a gingerbread boy gone wrong?) but it never ever crossed my mind that he was Maire’s “son.” The way that Holmberg weaves her tale gives you zero indication that this is the case, but when you realize what is going on and think back through the rest of the book, it all starts to become clear. I was so impressed by the writing style and the way it firmly kept my attention through the entire book (I read it in less than 24 hours, if that tells you anything). It hits 90 miles an hour from the very beginning and doesn’t stop ’till the last page. It is a magical,mysterious, spell-binding story that I may as well have devoured.
I have two small complaints. The first has to do with the clients that Allemas forces Maire to create for. I assume after reading the book and skimming some of the acknowledgements that mention this genre of research, that these were meant to be fairytale characters. I was clear on the gingerbread house (Hansel and Gretel), but the others were not clear. Was Daneen meant to be a version of the gingerbread man? Who was the man with all the servants he wanted “anti-fatigue” cookies for? Maybe Beast from Beauty and the Beast? Carrying this “fairytale” theme all the way through was the only thing I felt she dropped the ball on (I mean, come one, you could have had a flying fondant carpet for Aladdin, pulled sugar “glass” shoes for Cinderella, a candied apple for Snow White, etc.).
The second complaint is just a small loose-end that I don’t feel was addressed. Fyel (ethereal being and “husband”) tells Maire several times that if she denies anything about her true identity, she will no longer be that thing (a “creator). The clarity for me just never came on why that was or what would happen if she did deny it. Because she was a creator, did her words have more powerful meaning? Would she “create” her identity again if she denied it? Or would she forget her identity forever? The implications of denying her identity could have been a little clearer.
All-in-all, I loved this book. I will read it again. I will read it multiple times. I will probably add more to this review. I am obsessed with it. I’ve been talking about it non-stop and probably won’t for a while. Kudos and many thanks to Charlie Holmberg for weaving this fantastical tale and sharing it with the world.
Many thanks to NetGalley and 47North for providing an Advanced Reader’s Copy in return for this honest and original review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2019
Another very interesting world and magic system from Ms. Holmberg. So far everything I have read by this writer has been enjoyable. I am looking forward to trying more of her stand alone books. Recommended
May 17, 2016
Disclaimer: I received this free book from NetGalley in exchange for an un-biased review.
Is it wrong to review a book you pretty much knew you were going to love before you started it? I swear by my own sweet tooth that I did approach this book in an un-biased manner. Of course, it fulfilled my expectations. Of course, it did.
The book description on Amazon reads in part, “Maire is a baker with an extraordinary gift: she can infuse her treats with emotions and abilities, which are then passed on to those who eat them. She doesn’t know why she can do this and remembers nothing of who she is or where she came from.”
There’s a reason I knew I’d love this book, I’ve read the other books by this author and loved them. Also, I love cake. There is so much cake in this book! Ms. Holmberg has a talent for description, and it shines through in particular when she talks about the treats that Maire makes. Reading this book is delicious. It’s like watching an episode of Unique Sweets. Cakes, cookies, and tarts galore. Maire can infuse them with flavor AND feeling. “I smile and take a bite of the caramel, only just soft enough not to hurt my teeth … the sweetness makes me grin, and I stifle a laugh with my knuckles. Ah, yes. I was feeling silly when I made these.” It’s a delightful idea, silliness instilled in a piece of candy. To be put away, and used on a rainy day. I love it!
I don’t want you to think this book is just a trifle though. Maire’s past is complicated. The book reflects on how desire for something out of our reach can lead us to make oh so many unwise decisions. The consequences for those decisions are inevitable, but kindness, compassion and forgiveness can win the day. One of the things I love about Ms. Holmberg’s books is their positivity. It isn’t that bad things don’t happen, or that bad people don’t exist in her books. However, as I tell my children ad nauseum, we each have a responsibility to work hard to become the better version of ourselves. It’s easy to wallow in our faults, be a Real Housewife, stop trying to be a moral person. But we can do better than that. In her last novel, Followed by Frost, Ms. Holmberg’s main character was a real piece of work. She was cruel and capricious, but watching her change and grow as a person was very satisfying. Character development is strong here in Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet as well.
I really have to stop talking now, because it would be a real shame if I spoiled something by talking too much. Unlike her Paper Magician books, this one is not part of a series, but it is a world all unto itself. It’s a satisfying read and you won’t feel like you’re missing out because there isn’t another book to come. Come for the food, stay for the message. I fully recommend this book. It’s delicious.
Spotify song for this book – Sophie by Bear’s Den
Is it wrong to review a book you pretty much knew you were going to love before you started it? I swear by my own sweet tooth that I did approach this book in an un-biased manner. Of course, it fulfilled my expectations. Of course, it did.
The book description on Amazon reads in part, “Maire is a baker with an extraordinary gift: she can infuse her treats with emotions and abilities, which are then passed on to those who eat them. She doesn’t know why she can do this and remembers nothing of who she is or where she came from.”
There’s a reason I knew I’d love this book, I’ve read the other books by this author and loved them. Also, I love cake. There is so much cake in this book! Ms. Holmberg has a talent for description, and it shines through in particular when she talks about the treats that Maire makes. Reading this book is delicious. It’s like watching an episode of Unique Sweets. Cakes, cookies, and tarts galore. Maire can infuse them with flavor AND feeling. “I smile and take a bite of the caramel, only just soft enough not to hurt my teeth … the sweetness makes me grin, and I stifle a laugh with my knuckles. Ah, yes. I was feeling silly when I made these.” It’s a delightful idea, silliness instilled in a piece of candy. To be put away, and used on a rainy day. I love it!
I don’t want you to think this book is just a trifle though. Maire’s past is complicated. The book reflects on how desire for something out of our reach can lead us to make oh so many unwise decisions. The consequences for those decisions are inevitable, but kindness, compassion and forgiveness can win the day. One of the things I love about Ms. Holmberg’s books is their positivity. It isn’t that bad things don’t happen, or that bad people don’t exist in her books. However, as I tell my children ad nauseum, we each have a responsibility to work hard to become the better version of ourselves. It’s easy to wallow in our faults, be a Real Housewife, stop trying to be a moral person. But we can do better than that. In her last novel, Followed by Frost, Ms. Holmberg’s main character was a real piece of work. She was cruel and capricious, but watching her change and grow as a person was very satisfying. Character development is strong here in Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet as well.
I really have to stop talking now, because it would be a real shame if I spoiled something by talking too much. Unlike her Paper Magician books, this one is not part of a series, but it is a world all unto itself. It’s a satisfying read and you won’t feel like you’re missing out because there isn’t another book to come. Come for the food, stay for the message. I fully recommend this book. It’s delicious.
Spotify song for this book – Sophie by Bear’s Den
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