Batter Royale: A Graphic Novel

by Leisl Adams

In Leisl Adams’s fun debut graphic novel, Batter Royale , a talented young chef is selected to participate in a baking reality show and finds herself mixed up in spicy competition, bitter rivalry, and sweet romance.

When 17-year-old small-town waitress Rose impresses a famous food critic, she and her best friend, Fred, find themselves thrust into the tough world of competitive baking. The contest is an intense 10 days of bizarre challenges, and the competition is cutthroat. Some competitors are willing to lie, cheat, and sabotage their way to the top. Rose may be in over her head, but she is determined to show that she can become a top chef.

Batter Royale is a fish-out-of-water-style romantic comedy about climbing out of the circumstances you’re in and making your dreams come true.

“The story is fast-paced and exciting, and both Rose and Fred are likable, relatable characters . . . This fun, engaging graphic novel will have readers eager to discover the winner of the contest. Budding pastry chefs will be inspired to follow suit and prepare delicious desserts of their own.” — School Library Journal

Genres: Graphic Novels, Young Adult, Romance, Food, Contemporary, Comics, Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published June 7, 2022

Reviews

[Hannah]

This was so incredibly disappointing I want to cry. Nothing about it makes any sense. Even if I suspend my disbelief about two teenagers being invited to a reality show overnight and going to a foreign country alone--I kind of did that when I was 17 for a Model UN conference and I turned out okay--I just can't sit with the idea that this reality show is shot in one week. There are no producers anywhere until they are randomly mentioned when there is some kissing people want to keep a secret, which is a waste because all the drama and manipulation that producers engage in on reality shows would actually add some depth. I was so excited to see a brown girl character who is just existing without a trace of trauma porn, but an international cast with no language barriers whatsoever? Challenges like fucking trap doors in the floor that just open up and drop competitors? Statistically impossible that there wouldn't be a broken ankle or concussion.Squid Game's glass bridge was more believable! Swinging on literal rope over a ring of fire? No production like this would ever be insured. And the cast was so one-sided that I couldn't care about any of their arcs because they didn't have any. Nobody learned anything. Nobody changed. Nobody grew. Nobody was any different.

This had all the elements necessary for a really kickass book that could have gone soapy and over the top yet still possible in our world and its limitations (such as linear time) OR make some interesting statements about manipulation and conniving your way to your dreams OR the perils of searching for 15 minutes of fame OR any combination thereof, but there's no there there.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

The positives to this one is that it had the cutest art style and I loved all the recipes included in the graphic novel. The negatives, it was just a bizarre storyline in my opinion. The craziest stuff kept happening and I was just like what? Overall it was cute.

[Ms. Woc Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rose is a waitress working in a small town restaurant. She has big dreams of attending culinary school and becoming a pastry chef. But her parents are seperating and they don't have the money to send her to her dream school. When a critic is impressed by a bold dessert choice she sneaks to her at the restaurant, she gets the opportunity of a lifetime to participate in a reality baking show.

Rose flies to London with her best friend, Fred to compete against teams from around the world. The challanges are a little crazy, one of the constestants is trying to sabatogue teams, and their friendship gets tested. During the competition Rose and Fred also have to acknowledge the feelings they have for each other.

This was a cute story with great artwork. I loved how little recipes for various desserts were included. I thought that was a unique touch. I did want some more drama though. Rose's parents announce that they're seperating and she doesn't even get to really deal with any of that before she flies to London for the competition. Fred's mother is in danger of losing her restaurant but we only see that a little bit. The reality tv show filming goes by so fast the other contestants aren't that developed. So I would've loved to see a little more time spent on the behind the scenes of the competition.

I think younger teens will enjoy this one because it's a quick and easy read. The little romance between two best friends is cute. And the recipes are easy enough to inspire any young baker.

https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....

[aarya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing in this graphic novel makes sense, sorry. Read via library.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

not all these reviews saying this book is unrealistic.....pls....it's just a sweet lil graphic novel for teens about a baking competition. it was FUN

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Idk who thought it was a good idea to have an unmasked character handling food while having a cold. He was sneezing in the kitchen and an outdoor scene shows his disgusting, dripping nose. In fact, none of the characters are masked up when preparing food. I get that it's fiction and the book can be set in any time period and showing everyone's full faces is more compelling... fine. But why the need to show a sick character? His illness wasn't even integral to the story, just portray him as fatigued or burned out instead. Pandemic or no pandemic, I don't want a germ hub anywhere near my food.

Such a shame because I did enjoy this graphic novel but cannot overlook its red flags! Read this if you like:

👩‍🍳 Eating food
👩‍🍳 Preparing food
👩‍🍳 Watching food shows
👩‍🍳 Funny food puns
👩‍🍳 A blend of action, adventure and romance
👩‍🍳 Underdogs fighting for their dreams
👩‍🍳 Bright, vibrant artwork

✨ "Only the cream of the crop, will rise to the top!

[Christina Close · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book.
The graphics were done super well. Loved that the recipes were added into the novel and not just stuck at the end of the book like most novels do.

The fact that there is a little bit of a romance mixed in with the baking battle is great. I like the take off a survival show with traps, twists and turns. And of course there always has to be a villain or bad guy in the books.

The characters were all a different height, weight and mixed ethnicity which I really liked because it shows that the author isn't afraid to mix things up. I feel like there was also some LGBTQIA+ representation in this book but wasn't really highlighted.

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh this was too cute!

Baking and reality tv and a dash of romance and an abundance of dessert and death-defying competition!

[Jaime · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmmm….where do I start. I was hoping this would be a fun addition to our library but I think we will pass. I had such high hopes.

Pros:
I love books about baking
There are recipes included
I love Rose’s enthusiasm for baking
Rose learns how to encourage others to use their strengths

Cons:
I hate how Rose had no respect for Fred and his mom’s restaurant. Talked him into doing things he knew were wrong.
When the we’ll respected food critic says “that damn cabbie making the two of you late.” Just didn’t seem believable.
Ummm, the food show felt like survivor…not a cooking show.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute food based graphic novel. Not sure what the message was other than cheaters never win, but the art was cute and the recipes were really neat! The bully didn't get justice other than losing the competition and I would have loved to see a redemption of their character.

Overall, good for foodies but otherwise meh.

[Libby · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely nonsensical book on every level. And, please, if you’re going to write a book with its entire premise based on baking, stop having every character refer to baking as cooking. The first time it happened I wasn’t surprised because it seems like an editor didn’t touch the book at all. But it happens at least 3 times.

Overall, the character design was inconsistent, multiple characters were just plot devices (someone tell me where the food critic went), there was no character development from either main character, the dialogue was badly written, the plot simultaneously moved so rapidly and seemingly not at all, and the “sabotage” from one of the characters was entirely unbelievable (sorry, but if someone put WHOLE brussel sprouts into the cake batter that I have in my kitchen aid mixer, I think I would notice on like…so many levels).

[Chandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cute, recipe filled, drama laced, interracial romance! Long time friends Fred and Rose get the opportunity to make their dreams come true by joint a baking challenge in London. Who knew they would learn about London, cooking, teamwork and each other. They did not let the problems left in the US distract them from their goals. The illustrations are beautiful! The recipes make me want to be a chef…HA! Maybe just a little bit.Let the game begin!!!

[J MaK · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.3) A good underdog story with cute artwork! Some elements are more memorable like the fast paced drama and the obvious romance. But perhaps there was too much drama including the mercurial host of the competition that continuously places the contestants lives in danger for the sake of entertainment.

[Toya (thereadingchemist) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the recipes interspersed throughout the story, but the competition was just way too over the top for me. I know that was the point, but I would’ve rather have focused on the two MCs without all of the shenanigans.

[Priya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been reading books with some heavy themes this week so I wanted something light and fluffy. This book was good for that even if it required a suspension of disbelief that is usually only needed when reading thrillers!
An aspiring teenage chef,a chance to win big on an international reality show and all the drama that comes along with it and of course, lots of delicious desserts that made my mouth water. The contest part of it was more than a little unbelievable with so many hazardous challenges included.

I loved the vibrant art and Rose and Fred and their bonding as well as the yummy recipes. This being a cure graphic novel,I was not really looking for much more than that!

[LeaBeth | BookTime · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this one! Super cute & fast paced! Lots of drama & feels wrapped up in a graphic novel ❤️

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley, but read the hardcover final edition for this review. All words, thoughts, and opinions are my own.

This is a delightful, fun graphic novel. I love food competitions and the ways food can bring people together, so I was very excited when I first saw this graphic novel. The competition is a little bonkers and weird, but the food puns from the show’s host are pretty delightful. I also really enjoyed the friendship between Rose and Fred and their growth and better understanding of their goals and strengths over the course of the competition. All around a really fun graphic novel and I highly recommend if you enjoy stories featuring baking competition and a little added sweetness of romance.

[Carla Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up for the artwork
This was a cute lighthearted graphic novel. The recipes included between the cooking scenes was a nice touch. The romance felt a little randomly incorporated. The artwork was what drew me in more than the story. Overall a quick low stakes read.

[Liralen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed the art here (and the illustrated recipes), but the plot didn't really get the job done. Too many improbabilities (filming a reality show in a week? A prize of $500,000, but the contestants are housed in a grody hostel? Booby traps and literal rings of fire as part of the competition? On-camera food fights?), and there's virtually no character development throughout the book. I think a lot of this might be improved if the beginning had been shortened so that we saw more time at the competition—they don't get to London until a third of the way through the book, and we don't even learn all the competitors' names—but as it is, as far as Great British Bake-Off ripoffs go this ends up being much more Where There's a Whisk than Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake.

[Chelsea 🏳️‍🌈 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty cute, but not super memorable for me personally.

Rose is an aspiring chef who needs to earn money for culinary school. So, she convinces her friend Fred to enter as her partner in a cooking competition in London. They fight to win the competition with sabotage from their other teammates, the emotional weight of Rose's parents' marital issues and hidden romantic feelings.

I think, even if I was younger, this wouldn't have been a hit for me. Everything was just a little too bland, for my tastes. The other teammates, except for the saboteur, all blended together. The romance was seen from a mile away, but I also didn't really feel like they had any chemistry at all. Rose annoyed me, to be honest, because I hate when stories set up a character with a dream that consistently doesn't work hard to accomplish that dream. They set up that she's always late to her job working for Fred's mother and she doesn't plan well or know how to crack eggs?

Anyway, a younger person might like this more than me. I was not impressed.

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, wholesome lil romcom baking adventure

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Harry N. Abrams & Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC of Batter Royale in exchange for an honest review!

!!! this graphic novel is the perfect mix of growing up, following your dreams, BAKING!!!! and a cute friends-to-lovers romance! the art is SO CUTE. the characters are lovely! & there are even recipes you can follow throughout! also, the baking competition show in Batter Royale is so off-the-rails, it's a blast.

[Brianna - Four Paws and a Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really cute and the art style is adorable. It just felt like really low stakes and the plot moved along too continently.

[Lilian♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

I really enjoyed this graphic novel!!! so cute, makes me want to bake!!!

[Amy Pickett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rose has just been accepted at her dream school, Fieldberry Culinary School in Toronto, but her recently separated parents aren’t sure if they can swing the tuition. When an influential food critic visits the Quayga Diner where she works, Rose presents her with a strawberry shortcake (her own creation) and scores an invitation to participate in a televised baking competition called Batter Royale. The prize is a life-changing $500,000 and a book deal. However, the taping is in London and Rose needs a teammate. She convinces her longtime friend Fred - whose mom owns the diner - to join her in hopes that the publicity will help the struggling Quayga, and the pair jet off across the pond. Will their friendship blossom into something more, or will the pitfalls of a reality TV show (including booby traps, sabotage, and flirty competitors) drive a wedge between them? Exciting competition scenes, a heartwarming friends-to-romance trope, and adorable characters make this graphic novel a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!

[Elizabeth Mellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Abrams Kids for the ARC of this! I will say off the bat something was wrong with the formatting that made it really difficult to read and stay immersed because I had to keep stopping to try to decide what was being said. As that will probably not be an issue in the final product, I rounded up.

I thought this was overall a cute, fun story. It was pretty fluffy and surface level, but sometimes that’s what you want. For fans of Space Battle Lunchtime and Pumpkinheads, this friends to lovers cooking show graphic novel is full of tasty looking food and fun competition.

[Carey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really cute read! I loved the art style, the recipes, and the baking competition shenanigans. I wish there had been a bit more character development and much more time and space given to rounding out the story as it tended to jump from one scene to the next without much depth given to the storylines. This is a graphic novel where I would love to see a series develop where we can see more from these characters and their storylines. This would be great for younger readers who are interested in baking - especially with recipes they can make right alongside the characters!

[Cress · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn’t like the majority of this book. I didn’t like most of the characters, I didn’t like the competition or the baking aspects, I definitely didn’t like the way the TV show was set up, I didn’t care about the romance. I just didn’t care or didn’t like the majority of the elements. I wish I had, because I love my baking competitions, but this one was not for me.

[Dinnu Reads Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little graphic novel with a simplistic plot interspersed with dessert recipes. Easy to read and has a very adorable art style. 😊

[✨Veruca✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit all over the place and the romance felt a little pushed. This would have been better if it was longer but I did love all the recipes in it!