MY RATING:
Synopsis:
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…
- Pages: 334
- Genre: Fantasy/YA
- Publication date: July 21, 2020 by Argyll Productions
- Format: Paperback, Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook
- Source: owned
PURCHASE LINKS:
AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE
THE REVIEW:
OK, this book was something else! I will begin by saying that the writing is refreshing and very unique. Easily, the writing style was my favourite part of the whole book.
The plot was engrossing indeed, and the magic system and the world were interesting enough. However, I had my issues with it. The whole ordeal with Mona being a 14-year-old and having to deal with everything she went through was a bit of a stretch, and as for the adults, well, they were not really adulting… Dutches, I am side-eyeing you in particular!! Honestly the politics and the conflicts were not done properly but given the targeted audience it is understandable. I just wish it was dealt with in a different way and we had more information on this side of the story.
This definitely reads more like middle grade than YA, and maybe that’s why I was having these issues, since I thought we’d be dealing with older protagonists. I knew nothing about the book, and maybe I had slightly higher expectations, but it was still enjoyable nonetheless. I’d love to check out Kingfisher’s other books.
My favourite characters are Bob and I wanted to see more of him (it) and Knackering Molly! I really liked these two, too bad there was not much of them.
Overall, this was a cosy, fun read that I would recommend. While it does touch on some darker themes, such as death, grief, injustice, and mild violence, it also explores important topics like friendship, standing up for what’s right, and not being afraid to take a stand.
A 3.5-star read for me!
Lin's Perspective 
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