A Baker's Guide to Robber Pie

by Caitlin Sangster

A clever young girl looking for adventure gets more than she bargained for when she stumbles into a nest of robbers in this tale baked with magic, fun, and friendship!

Evie Baker is a great story-teller, an avid prankster, and a fantastic baker. And while she loves her parent’s bakery, she has no plans to stay in their small town and become stuffy or static. Evie wants to go on adventures and she knows just what she needs to do it!

With her best friend, Cecily, by her side, Evie sets off into the Old Forest to find one of the Fel, a group of crow-like magical creatures who can’t lie. She is sure her family’s irresistible raspberry tart and a carefully crafted deal will get them to take her on a magical adventure―without getting her eaten or worse. But the forest hides many dangers and when they finally find their Fel, they also discover a nest of robbers!

Having seen the Robber Lord’s face, Evie is whisked away into hiding for her own protection. But even in the queen’s own city, trouble has a way of finding her…

YA novelist Caitlin Sangster makes her middle-grade debut in A Baker's Guide to Robber Pie , a fun fairytale filled with adventure, friendship, baking, and the power of a tale well-told.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Magic, Childrens, Food, Audiobook

336 pages, Hardcover

First published February 8, 2022

About the author

Caitlin Sangster is the author of the Last Star Burning Trilogy, She Who Rides the Storm, and A Baker's Guide to Robber Pie.

She grew up in the back woods of California and would rather go hiking, running, swimming, or general outdoorsing than just about anything else. If there aren’t any mountains, it doesn’t count as a real place. At eighteen, she moved to XinJiang, and at twenty-one it was Taiwan. She did eventually buckle down and graduate from Brigham Young University with a BA in Asian Studies and is now that person you avoid at parties because she'll probably start talking about Shang dynasty oracle bones.

Caitlin has been writing since middle school. She always thought of it as a silly sort of compulsive habit until she realized that people like reading stories and she liked writing them and there wasn’t much silly about that.

She currently lives in Montana with her husband and four children.

Reviews

[Caitlin]

UPDATE:
A Baker's Guide to Robber Pie is now available for request on Netgalley and Edelweiss!!

***********
So, I might be biased, but this is the quirky, girl-power book of my heart. AND NOW WE HAVE A QUIRKY AMAZING COVER TO GO WITH IT.

There will be many raspberry tarts eaten in celebration.

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the title of this and the cover is so fun! The premise is good, with interesting characters and a sweet friendship. There's plenty of adventure and magic, plus the most delicious raspberry tart in existence. I'm sure many readers will enjoy this fantastical story.

For me, the plot was a bit slow in the middle and there were times I felt like things weren't explained as well as I'd like. Sometimes it felt like Evie was making all these leaps to figure things out and I didn't quite follow along. Other times, I wasn't sure why Evie didn't see what was happening right in front of her, like the letters from Cecily or how horrible Rory was.

This is a bit dark at times and Evie encounters some pretty bad creatures. I liked that it wasn't too fluffy and made me a bit worried for Evie and her friends. I did like this overall and the audiobook has great narration for the story.

[Stephanie P (Because My Mother Read) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as part of a family read aloud and it is a fun one for that format!

The story has a classic fairytale feel, an adventure seeking heroine, quirkiness, an enchanting setting, and plenty of intrigue. The plot was engaging, the characters were fun to cheer for or try to question, and there was some yummy baking included throughout as well.

[Kaley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick Stats
Age Rating: 9+
Over All: 4 stars
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 5/5

Thank you so much Caitlin Sangster for hosting the giveaway of this book that I won! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.

This was a fun, cute, and quick read. A good middle grade debut. There were some plot holes, some aspects of the magic that were never really explained, and some actions that didn’t quite make sense in the character’s context. Also, the “plot twist” near the climax didn’t surprise me in the least.
However, I think this will be a lot of fun for a fantasy-loving preteen. This is a book I’d have loved in middle school, and despite some holes, I did quite enjoy. Plus, the cover is adorable, and the world can always use more fantasy standalones.

[Carolyn Bragg · Rating 3 out of 5]

An adventure story about a storyteller baker girl and her unsuspecting friends, who become mixed up in bigger and darker events than any of them could have imagined.

The Fel, magical beings, seem to have joined forces with the Robber Lord and his band; smuggling and stealing mysterious items and people, like coach wheels and young girls. But why?

The queen has the Fel King imprisoned--to protect the lives of the royal family--but the bonds preventing his interference may have weakened or changed.

One small delicious kind of pastry made by a certain baker and his talented daughter--not jewels and gold--is at the center of greed and jealousy. What will dark forces do for a raspberry tart?

This is a very fanciful story of dark magic, danger, and hiding from robbers (and worse?). Be aware that it is not a daylight romp or a quick look into a basement.

As an other-worldly dark adventure, it was entertaining, but confusing at times. I needed more description to tell me what was happening; some touches of realism to give the story traction. Action is great, but a blind flurry that takes me from points A to B, is less interesting than a path I can see (or sense some other way). Rather than "cutting" to another scene, I felt a "whip-cam effect" often enough to feel dizzy. I'm familiar with this type of story and hope the author decides to fill in this tale to give it the full life it deserves.

3/5 Stars (Good frame, needs work!)

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the free preview of this book!

#NetGalley

Notes made to the publishers.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like The Ghoul of Windydown Vale, which I reviewed a couple of weeks ago, this is another winning middle-grade mystery. Evie is a spunky character, and her mystery-solving sometimes misses the mark, but in the end, she is able to sort it all out, make friends, and pretty much save the kingdom.

There are a couple of big reveals here, and they are carefully telegraphed—visible if you’re looking, but Evie’s discovery of these truths is nonetheless satisfying.

There are some important lessons here, particularly about how important home really is to her, and how you can’t always believe what the stories say about people. She is able to make new friends while keeping her best friend—always a nice thing when one’s circle expands.

I’ve read Sangster’s YA trilogy, and this middle-grade venture shows that she is able to write at multiple levels quite successfully. Her characters are strong, with their own strengths, weaknesses, and clear voices. I would definitely read more of Evie and company’s adventures!

Possible Objectionable Material:
Sneaking around, peril, stealing, blackmail, lying.

Who Might Like This Book:
Those who like mysteries, spunky heroines and faithful friends. And raspberry tarts.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book also reviewed at biblioquacious.blogspot

[Dixie C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Baker’s Guide to Robber Pie was a fun read. I appreciate a simple, fun story that ends happily- which is exactly what this was. Evie is a fun character. Her fear of being “boring” and the way she views everyday objects in terms of baked goods makes her a fun character to follow. I love watching her realize that a real life adventure doesn’t really look like a fairy tale story- and that perhaps so many other things aren’t exactly the story she’s been told about them. I love Max and his desire to follow the rules. I loved that even though Evie is separated from Ceceily - her best friend- for much of the story, Cece remains such a part of the story. I did see the “big reveals” coming, but that didn’t make them any less satisfying as Evie makes the discovery herself.

[Eileen Winfrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Evie lives in a small town outside the Old Forest with her baker parents and dreams of magical adventures. She accidentally gets all she ever hoped for when she stumbles upon a dangerous group of robbers that only a few other people can see. Her life now in danger, she is forced to hide in a city far from home. Here she tries to untangle the mystery of the identity of the robbers which seems to be tied up in age old lore. I really enjoyed the main character’s spunk and self-examination, but was a bit confused by the world building- thought I was reading a sequel for a bit, like I should have understood more about these magical creatures called Fel. Oh well. Decent read. Longish.

[Teresa Grabs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This middle-grade read is a whirlwind dark adventure featuring storytelling-loving baker girl and her friends. It is a fast-paced book that provides just enough setting to let the reader create it to their specifications. Fantastic dark read.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the opportunity to read an advance reading copy.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I do not remember why I found myself so distracted while I read but I do remember frequent distractions that hindered my ability to craft an adequate review. I could likely easily pick up this book again in a few years and feel like I read a new book. I do remember that I found myself amused enough to keep this in my collection and will likely attempt a reread eventually.

[Malorie Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book oddly reminds me of Anne of Green Gables. The way the characters talk and the friendships between them are precious and so engaging. I was fully engaged and loved the story line. It is definitely a kids book but it is written in a way that any age can enjoy its wholesome content.

[Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book of 2021 thus far! A fantastic read. Highly recommend.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

solid mg

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, lots of fabulous characters and great story line.

[Pam Christison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, there’s a lot going on in this middle grade adventure. 3.5 stars rounded up for many clever features.

[Zach Mussett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful story of baked goods and fae. I wanted something fun and light-hearted to read and this hit the spot perfectly.