Bite-Sized Magic: A Bliss Novel
Gr 4–6—Rosemary Bliss thought it was bad enough that her family's magical bakery had been forced to close but now she's been kidnapped. Taken to the Mostess Corporation compound (the biggest industrial bakery in the country), she must perfect five recipes for the owner, Mr. Butter, if she ever wants to see her family again. Rose soon finds out that the recipes contain evil magic that makes people crave more and more of Mostess's mediocre creations, with dangerous consequences. Scared about losing her family, Rose dutifully creates the recipes for Glo-Balls, Mooney Pyes, Dinky Doodle Donuts, King Things, and The Dinky, all the while secretly creating antidotes for the vile effects they cause. With the help of her talking cat, the chefs under her control in the Mostess kitchen, and her less-than-serious brothers, Rose attempts to disrupt the nefarious plot of Mr. Butter and the International Society of the Rolling Pin to take over the world through mass-produced baked goods. Though, predictably, good magic triumphs over evil, it is not clear until the very end that Rose's plan will succeed. Sure to entice aspiring chefs as well as lovers of sweets and stirring adventures, readers should start with the first book in the series to get the true flavor of the characters, while those who have already taken a bite will enjoy another delightful treat in this third installment. Like a good cup of hot chocolate, this book will leave readers satisfied, but with the hope of another cup soon.—Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA