Reviews

The Confectioner's Guild by Claire Luana

parmpotato's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

danzemacabre's review

4.0

Really enjoyed this book! The romance was laid a bit too thick on the get go, but other than that I found myself rooting for everyone.
I've always thought that infusing food with magic is one of the most entertaining ways to use magic to begin with, so this was a hit with me right away. Add the cozy mystery factor and you've got a winner.
Definitely will go for the next book as soon as I'm feeling peckish for a lucky cupcake again.

emilyyjjean's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

I really like the magic in this book. It’s an interesting way for people to be gifted. 
The story kept me engaged for the most part; there was a moment in the middle where nothing was really moving along in the investigation and it felt kind of slow. Once the story picked back up though, I finished this in no time. 
I didn’t really see the twist coming, so the ending was interesting. I’m intrigued on seeing how the rest of the series plays out, so I probably will be continuing this at some point. 

avidbooknerd2028's review against another edition

5.0

Thank you netgalley for providing me with an earc to read and provide an honest review.

There are many words to describe this book: magical, beautiful, lyrical, comical....I could go on. This book exceeded my expectations drastically.

Claire Luana has a majestic and magical way with words. Her characters are strong and lifelike. The world is even better. I cant say enough good things.

I will have a full spoiler free review up on my blog (courtney2028.wordpress.com) on October 17th. Be sure to check it out, also PICK UP THIS BOOK ASAP!!!!!

13_dear_reader_13's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

5.0

charlscozybookcorner's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A

3.5

ketutar's review against another edition

4.0

So... both bouquets and brickbats, here.

It was an enjoyable read, kept me entertained and interested through the whole story and I do intend to read the rest of the series.

BUT

I hate the constant "everyone betrays me! I'm always alone!" whining
I hate the "you lied to me!" "technically not..." "yes, you did!" "Ok, I'm sorry I lied to you". He didn't. And why he didn't spread out his life on you on the first meeting was totally understandable and rational, and absolutely no reason to get your knickers in twist for. You are being unreasonable, Wren.
I hate the "it's my life so I need to push my nose into it! I can't let people who know better do their jobs without me interfering, because it's my life!" No!
I hate the "I can't forgive him, because he thought I was lying!" Come on, why wouldn't he think you were lying? He's known you for a week!
I hate the "how dare you believe that of me!" He wasn't "believing" anything of you.
Or "Could she truly set aside all resentment at --- for the part they'd played" Excuse me, what? HOW DARE YOU!!!
I hate the "she bit back a sarcastic comment" - always protesting against any negative said about her, how ever justified. Never taking responsibility of her own actions and choices.

I hate it that she's always the one who's right, righteous, in the right, when it's obvious to me that she isn't. To me Wren comes across as an entitled, self-centered bitch, quite often, and I hate that. I hate that attitude, and it's shown in so many YA novels, romance novels, TV-series... I don't want to be right because I'm a woman, I want to be right because I'm right!

Also, she's 16. SIXTEEN. Just google "16 years old girl" if you have forgotten how it was when you were 16. SHE IS SIXTEEN YEARS OLD!!! She's not a woman, she's a kid!


There were a lot of funny bits, some delicious descriptions that tickled my imagination, and she seems to really love food :-D (Though I would love her to expand her ideas of confectionery. I was expecting Marie Antoine Carême, and I got a home confectioner. Seriously. Not even the chocolate raspberry tart was anything spectacular.)

"Wren had heard that the inquisitor had once served a man a plate of ladyfingers in an effort ot break him. Not the spongy biscuit kind. The kind that came from the man's own wife."

"from aristocratic Apricans swathed in silk and leather to a dark-haired Centu clansman heading to his ship nestled in the Port Quarter to grubby Tamrosis in their flowing patchwork cloaks, refugees from the Red Plague or Aprican occupation. She even saw to Magnish children, their dark skin and inky hair decrying their heritage even more than their matching starched uniforms."

I like the religion/mythology.

The Sower, first among the gods, plowing fields to provide for humanity, and his wife, the Beekeeper, the goddess worshiped by her guild, collecting nectar and pollen from the flowering things of the earth. The Carpenter and the Seamstress, providing shelter and clothing for humanity, and the Midwife and the Brewer, presiding over swelling life and birth and celebration. And then there were the panels with the gods who presided over death - the Piscator and the Huntress with her hellhounds, keeping balance in the world, pulling those who did wrong into the furnace of hell."

sarahlreadseverything's review against another edition

4.0

A solid 3.5 stars, rounded up. I picked this up as a freebie, having read other excellent reviews, and I'm glad I did. I'd have enjoyed it for the magic system alone, which is unique and well-built (the world-building is good full stop, with political intrigue and a fun parthenon of interesting Gods). Fantasy murder-mystery is also not a combo I've read much of, and I enjoyed this aspect too. There were definitely enough breadcrumbs to guess the killer if you thought about it (I guessed correctly at about the 2/3rds mark) but it was mysterious enough not to destroy enjoyment of the story.

Personally, I found the supporting characters more interesting than Wren herself (she was a bit flip-floppy for me, confident and fearless one minute, hiding in corners the next) - forgivable because the secondary characters were numerous and fun.

Spoiler

Docking points for the insta-love romance, which was a truly terrible/excellent example of the aforesaid trope. This is the worst example of it I've read in a while, and I would have docked more, if it wasn't for the fact that the romantic scenes are well-written are pretty swoonworthy despite their circumstance.

hanseah's review against another edition

4.0

Fun, Intriguing, a good read

The Confectioner’s Guild is a fast paced read that draws you into characters you can relate to and a plot that keeps the pace of the story moving. A fun read.

jenlynnhill's review

3.0

This book was hard to get into at first, but it eventually picked up and I enjoyed it, I would gladly read the rest of the series.