By Cynthia Bujnicki

Wren was happy with her life as she knew it. Underpaid sure, but at least she had a home. Until she was ripped from it and revealed to have the gift of imbuing food with her good luck. But caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and framed for murder, Wren must race against the clock and find the real murderer before she loses her head.

Published October 23, 2018 by Live Edge Publishing The Confectioner’s Guild by Claire Luana is the first in her YA fantasy where pastries are the star…and the weapon.

Who doesn’t love a good novel about deserts? Honestly, this book made me crave some delicious pastries that were indeed worth dying for I’m sure, especially if it gave me some good luck. Who doesn’t love a little luck in life?

The Confectioner’s Guild is a delightfully yummy novel that is so unique in the way it combines delectable deserts and magic. It’s great to see how intricate desert making is but what’s also unique about this novel is how seriously this is taken. There is so much discipline that goes into confections that to see it brought to life in this novel is delightful. The fact that there is a guild dedicated strictly to overseeing it makes it not only fun but impressive as well.

Following Wren, a girl who was once a street urchin turned confectioner; the novel unfolds as much to the reader as it does for her. There are so many politics and intricacies that, in a way, mirrors that of dessert making. That’s part of what makes this novel so riveting. The fact that it works to this end, to keep true to its essence as a story while it builds layers upon layers of mystery, humor, and romance into the storytelling.

Now, Wren was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, used as a scapegoat, her magical cupcake the culprit for murder. So really, on some level, this story is a murder-mystery type story, following Wren as she tries to unravel the politics of the game she has unwittingly entered. There are so many culprits and a strong sense of misdirection that keeps the reader on the edge of their seats. It makes for an intense read, a riveting one because while the story is unique, the idea thrill of unraveling this mystery alongside the reader makes for an enthralling read.

So, the story is excellent, of that, there is no doubt, but the characters themselves are also fantastic. Wren starts as quite ordinary, but as the story unfolds, her strengths, her spunk, everything about her begins to shine and flourish. Wren flourishes and grows alongside the story, and the way she develops makes her captivating. She goes from being a girl scared of her own shadow to a woman who can face death with her head held eye, unwilling to give up.

Overall, it’s a strong fun story that will surely leave the reader eager (and hesitant) for a cupcake. (★★★★☆ | A)

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