basicallyki's review
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Physical abuse
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Stalking, and Death of parent
allie_ooop's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, and Stalking
Minor: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, and Rape
sj_54's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I struggled with the ending of this one. Up to about 70% all was good but then the protag just stopped... doing anything? About her situation? She went from chasing her stalker down at night with a kitchen knife to . I don't know the lack of agency really took the wind out of my sails on enjoying this one all the way through.
But overall a fun, quirky read that I (mostly) enjoyed!
Spoiler
being outed on social media and just doing nothing about it?? Like he threatens her that she's out of time and she just... goes to the competition like it will sort itself out?But overall a fun, quirky read that I (mostly) enjoyed!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Murder
lulu_canread's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Magic Lies and Deadly Pies is a fantastic, cosy mystery about our entrepid magical pie girl, Daisy, who not only runs a pie business, but has a side hustle in murder. The mystery of this story is not how Daisy makes her magic pies infused with emotions, but on who is blackmailing her with information about her customers and the victims they order pie for.
This is a fun, mostly lighthearted story with a great sense of humour and a strong message about empowering domestic abuse victims and not letting 'victim' define who they are. While some of the dialogue is a little awkward at parts, and the ending was a little predictable. This is still a fun read with a great change of the typical cosy, baking mystery tropes.
This is a fun, mostly lighthearted story with a great sense of humour and a strong message about empowering domestic abuse victims and not letting 'victim' define who they are. While some of the dialogue is a little awkward at parts, and the ending was a little predictable. This is still a fun read with a great change of the typical cosy, baking mystery tropes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, and Misogyny
Minor: Murder and Sexual harassment
This book does contain mentions of domestic abuse (central to the plot of the story), along with some misogyny and mentions of addiction/alcoholism.leanne_miron's review against another edition
dark
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking
Moderate: Murder, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Minor: Addiction, Cancer, Car accident, and Death of parent
mmwilson920's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Physical abuse, and Pregnancy
emmylamptey's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Daisy Ellery and her homemade pie business are more than meets the eye. From a glance, Daisy looks like a sweet, 1950s style housewife who bakes pies for a local diner, farmers markets, support group meetings, and college campuses. Her pies are sweet, delicious and customers swear they feel happier, stronger, or more focused. These customers are right.
Daisy comes from a long line of Ellery women who are all witches. These women’s magic is channeled through traditionally feminine skills like sewing, hair styling, and in Daisy’s case, baking pies. Daisy bakes magic into all her pies to help her customers improve their lives.
However, Daisy also possesses a power her ancestors did not: she is able to kill bad men without a trace with her magical pies (or so she believes). Daisy is a vigilante and passionate about social justice; creating pies to help local women who have been wronged by violent partners, abusers, and rapists. When someone finds out what Daisy is doing and contracts her to bake pies as blackmail, she is put into a compromising position.
While this mystery is not cozy in the traditional sense, the small town, farmers markets, and pie baking certainly are all very cozy plot devices. The book’s themes are likely darker than anticipated due to the nature of the crimes the men have committed and also that the protagonist is a murderer herself.
The writing was quirky and fun and I loved the diversity and inclusion present in the book. The authors politics are quite apparent in the book, which could be a turn off for some but not for me. This book is totally “Witches vs. The Patriarchy” baked up into a pie.
Thank you to Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an Advanced Reading Copy ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Daisy comes from a long line of Ellery women who are all witches. These women’s magic is channeled through traditionally feminine skills like sewing, hair styling, and in Daisy’s case, baking pies. Daisy bakes magic into all her pies to help her customers improve their lives.
However, Daisy also possesses a power her ancestors did not: she is able to kill bad men without a trace with her magical pies (or so she believes). Daisy is a vigilante and passionate about social justice; creating pies to help local women who have been wronged by violent partners, abusers, and rapists. When someone finds out what Daisy is doing and contracts her to bake pies as blackmail, she is put into a compromising position.
While this mystery is not cozy in the traditional sense, the small town, farmers markets, and pie baking certainly are all very cozy plot devices. The book’s themes are likely darker than anticipated due to the nature of the crimes the men have committed and also that the protagonist is a murderer herself.
The writing was quirky and fun and I loved the diversity and inclusion present in the book. The authors politics are quite apparent in the book, which could be a turn off for some but not for me. This book is totally “Witches vs. The Patriarchy” baked up into a pie.
Thank you to Net Galley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an Advanced Reading Copy ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Physical abuse, and Murder
Minor: Rape, Sexual harassment, Cancer, and Trafficking
brie333's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Death, Bullying, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Murder
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