YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

Fourteen-year-old Mona isn’t like the wizards charged with defending the city. She can’t control lightning or speak to water. Her familiar is a sourdough starter and her magic only works on bread. She has a comfortable life in her aunt’s bakery making gingerbread men dance.

But Mona’s life is turned upside down when she finds a dead body on the bakery floor. An assassin is stalking the streets of Mona’s city, preying on magic folk, and it appears that Mona is his next target. And in an embattled city suddenly bereft of wizards, the assassin may be the least of Mona’s worries…

I started this book and devoured it in two days. Looking forward to chatting about it with you :)

Oh wow!! That’s awesome! I haven’t had a chance to start it yet. It took me forever to find this thread, it’s so impossible to navigate this site on my phone lol. I’m hoping to start maybe in 2 days. I just wanted to let you know, but I’ll post updates when I’m reading :)

Have you read any other T Kingfisher?

Navigating the site on the phone is so cumbersome. I remember camping last year, trying to work the site on my phone, and finally abandoning it until I returned cause it is more work, so I feel for ya.

This is the first book I've read from this author, but I really liked the writing style, world-building and characters so have placed a few other books onto my TBR. Hopefully, they will be as or close to enjoyable as this book.

No rush in reading, I took notes, ha. I just needed a lighter book to read ASAP as my go-to genre is murder mysteries/thrillers and it was getting pretty dark for the last 4 books I read. I hope you enjoy this story.

It really is! I probably should have tested it out before signing up for a bunch of buddy reads and then going on vacation lol. Live and learn! Hopefully they will improve the app at some point!

Sorry for my little hiatus :( has not been an easy week but I am going to start this today!

I read Nettle and Bone earlier this year and it was so good! I loved it! I would definitely recommend, and its a super quick read as well :)

Up to chapter 10

(view spoiler)[T Kingfisher is such an interesting writer. She writes dark topics in such an endearing way that its also just so cute and cozy. I'm really enjoying the world building so far, very interesting to learn about the lesser magics that these characters have. I hope the dead horse raiser is more in the story lol, she seems very interesting and quirky lol (hide spoiler)]

chapter 12

(view spoiler)[lol escaping on slices of bread (hide spoiler)]

Brianna wrote: "Up to chapter 10

[spoilers removed]"

I agree. The author's writing really does bring you into the world and I am enjoying the humor of Mona and her pieces of bread. Bob is a favorite along with Knackering Molly.

Brianna wrote: "chapter 12

[spoilers removed]"

Not only a delicious treat is bread, but I've learned that bread can also be a floatation device and a rat-eating monster. The writer's creativity in using bread and making it multidimensional, deadly, and funny all at once really drew me into the story while having a great time with this adventure that Mona is on.

This book!! I adored it.

This was my official review "I honestly love T Kingfishers writing. You can definitely tell that she writes children's stories, this book had all the wonder and whimsy, adventure and quirkiness of a fairytale; but with darker themes and a lot more death. There were points in this novel I was laughing out loud. I can not recommend this book enough and is definitely going into my favourites."

(view spoiler)[If I didn't have other stuff going on I 100% would have devoured this in a day. I absolutely love everything about this book. I was laughing out loud as Mona was trying to climb up the toilet to the queens chambers. Her descriptions of the war were amazing, I love how she described the dough and baking and magic.
One thing I do wish that knackering Molly was in the story more, I feel like her death would have hit harder. But wow, I loved all of the characters. I loved her little gingerbread sidekick lol.

I had such a great time with this one, I will absolutely be reading more of her stuff. :) (hide spoiler)]

ellen wrote: "Brianna wrote: "chapter 12

[spoilers removed]"

Not only a delicious treat is bread, but I've learned that bread can also be a floatation device and a rat-eating monster. The writer's creativity i..."

(view spoiler)[HA! I almost forgot about their great escape floating away on slices of bread. This book was so great and imaginitive loool (hide spoiler)]

ellen wrote: "Brianna wrote: "Up to chapter 10

[spoilers removed]"

I agree. The author's writing really does bring you into the world and I am enjoying the humor of Mona and her pieces of bread. Bob is a favor..."

(view spoiler)[I do wonder what happened to Bob. I'm sure he would have survived but would have been a great addition to have a bit about he happily bubbles about in the basement, or if they erected a Bob statue to commemorate his part in saving the city. (hide spoiler)]

Brianna wrote: "This book!! I adored it.

This was my official review "I honestly love T Kingfishers writing. You can definitely tell that she writes children's stories, this book had all the wonder and whimsy, a..."

Great minds think alike! This was essentially my review as well. (view spoiler)[ Climbing up the palace outpost was a hilarious misadventure that I also took note of. I loved the twist with the Dutchess already knowing about the coup takeover. (hide spoiler)] I too was laughing out loud throughout this book and want more stories like this one. It was just perfect.

Definitely going to be adding more of her works to my TBR!
@Ellen, I would absolutely recommend

Added!