A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking - T. Kingfisher

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⭐ 8.5/10

(Originally written by Magdalene)

I don't know how anyone could resist a book with that title. Mona is a 14-year-old wizard whose skill lies in manipulating bread and other baked goods. When a dead body is found in her aunt's bakery, she gets mixed up in a plot trying to rid the city of all wizards and against the Duchess. Mona joins the battle with her possibly sentient sourdough starter, a street urchin, and a gingerbread man.

This takes a fairly familiar story and turns into something a lot more fun. It has some darker elements - it does start with a dead body - but it's also very funny and delightfully quirky. Mona doesn't think much of her abilities, but she learns how much she's really capable of. It also raises issues of prejudice, since wizards aren't trusted in her world. It was nominated for both a Nebula and a Hugo, and I think it deserved the nominations.

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