A Baker's Guide to Robber Pie by Caitlin Sangster

A Baker's Guide to Robber Pie Reviews

• 
  Caitlin

  UPDATE:
  A Baker's Guide to Robber Pie is now available for request on Netgalley and Edelweiss!!
  
  ***********
  So, I might be biased, but this is the quirky, girl-power book of my heart. AND NOW WE HAVE A QUIRKY AMAZING COVER TO GO WITH IT.
  
  There will be many raspberry tarts eaten in celebration.
• 
  Aly

  I love the title of this and the cover is so fun! The premise is good, with interesting characters and a sweet friendship. There's plenty of adventure and magic, plus the most delicious raspberry tart in existence. I'm sure many readers will enjoy this fantastical story.
  
  For me, the plot was a bit slow in the middle and there were times I felt like things weren't explained as well as I'd like. Sometimes it felt like Evie was making all these leaps to figure things out and I didn't quite follow along. Other times, I wasn't sure why Evie didn't see what was happening right in front of her, like the letters from Cecily or how horrible Rory was.
  
  This is a bit dark at times and Evie encounters some pretty bad creatures. I liked that it wasn't too fluffy and made me a bit worried for Evie and her friends. I did like this overall and the audiobook has great narration for the story.
• 
  Stephanie P (Because My Mother Read)

  I read this book as part of a family read aloud and it is a fun one for that format!
  
  The story has a classic fairytale feel, an adventure seeking heroine, quirkiness, an enchanting setting, and plenty of intrigue. The plot was engaging, the characters were fun to cheer for or try to question, and there was some yummy baking included throughout as well.
• 
  Kaley

  Quick Stats
  Age Rating: 9+
  Over All: 4 stars
  Plot: 3/5
  Characters: 4/5
  Setting: 4/5
  Writing: 5/5
  
  Thank you so much Caitlin Sangster for hosting the giveaway of this book that I won! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.
  
  This was a fun, cute, and quick read. A good middle grade debut. There were some plot holes, some aspects of the magic that were never really explained, and some actions that didn’t quite make sense in the character’s context. Also, the “plot twist” near the climax didn’t surprise me in the least.
  However, I think this will be a lot of fun for a fantasy-loving preteen. This is a book I’d have loved in middle school, and despite some holes, I did quite enjoy. Plus, the cover is adorable, and the world can always use more fantasy standalones.
• 
  Carolyn Bragg

  An adventure story about a storyteller baker girl and her unsuspecting friends, who become mixed up in bigger and darker events than any of them could have imagined.
  
  The Fel, magical beings, seem to have joined forces with the Robber Lord and his band; smuggling and stealing mysterious items and people, like coach wheels and young girls. But why?
  
  The queen has the Fel King imprisoned--to protect the lives of the royal family--but the bonds preventing his interference may have weakened or changed.
  
  One small delicious kind of pastry made by a certain baker and his talented daughter--not jewels and gold--is at the center of greed and jealousy. What will dark forces do for a raspberry tart?
  
  This is a very fanciful story of dark magic, danger, and hiding from robbers (and worse?). Be aware that it is not a daylight romp or a quick look into a basement.
  
  As an other-worldly dark adventure, it was entertaining, but confusing at times. I needed more description to tell me what was happening; some touches of realism to give the story traction. Action is great, but a blind flurry that takes me from points A to B, is less interesting than a path I can see (or sense some other way). Rather than "cutting" to another scene, I felt a "whip-cam effect" often enough to feel dizzy. I'm familiar with this type of story and hope the author decides to fill in this tale to give it the full life it deserves.
  
  3/5 Stars (Good frame, needs work!)
  
  Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the free preview of this book!
  
  #NetGalley
  
  Notes made to the publishers.
• 
  Vicky

  Like The Ghoul of Windydown Vale, which I reviewed a couple of weeks ago, this is another winning middle-grade mystery. Evie is a spunky character, and her mystery-solving sometimes misses the mark, but in the end, she is able to sort it all out, make friends, and pretty much save the kingdom.
  
  There are a couple of big reveals here, and they are carefully telegraphed—visible if you’re looking, but Evie’s discovery of these truths is nonetheless satisfying.
  
  There are some important lessons here, particularly about how important home really is to her, and how you can’t always believe what the stories say about people. She is able to make new friends while keeping her best friend—always a nice thing when one’s circle expands.
  
  I’ve read Sangster’s YA trilogy, and this middle-grade venture shows that she is able to write at multiple levels quite successfully. Her characters are strong, with their own strengths, weaknesses, and clear voices. I would definitely read more of Evie and company’s adventures!
  
  Possible Objectionable Material:
  Sneaking around, peril, stealing, blackmail, lying.
  
  Who Might Like This Book:
  Those who like mysteries, spunky heroines and faithful friends. And raspberry tarts.
  
  Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
  
  This book also reviewed at biblioquacious.blogspot
• 
  Eileen Winfrey

  Evie lives in a small town outside the Old Forest with her baker parents and dreams of magical adventures. She accidentally gets all she ever hoped for when she stumbles upon a dangerous group of robbers that only a few other people can see. Her life now in danger, she is forced to hide in a city far from home. Here she tries to untangle the mystery of the identity of the robbers which seems to be tied up in age old lore. I really enjoyed the main character’s spunk and self-examination, but was a bit confused by the world building- thought I was reading a sequel for a bit, like I should have understood more about these magical creatures called Fel. Oh well. Decent read. Longish.
• 
  Teresa Grabs

  This middle-grade read is a whirlwind dark adventure featuring storytelling-loving baker girl and her friends. It is a fast-paced book that provides just enough setting to let the reader create it to their specifications. Fantastic dark read.
  
  Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the opportunity to read an advance reading copy.
• 
  Jenna -

  solid mg
• 
  Deanna

  Great book, lots of fabulous characters and great story line.
• 
  Zach Mussett

  Delightful story of baked goods and fae. I wanted something fun and light-hearted to read and this hit the spot perfectly.