I loved parts of this book so so much. Main character? Love. Her family dynamic? Cute. Our secondary character? Don’t think I’ve related to a character like that one so hard before. Anxiety is a monster all it’s own and if I’d read a book like this as a kid, I might have had the words to describe what I was feeling.

A magical town, enchanters, witches (enchanters who use dark magic), food magic? Oh! And the book comes with recipes that I cannot wait to try!

I loved this book up until the big bad explained their evil plan. There had been so much good writing, even if sometimes the characters were a little flatter than I’d like. I love Alechia Dow’s other books so I fully expected to love this one. And up until that moment, I did.

The big bad’s evil plan just made absolutely no sense to me. I tried so hard to just let it go but the motivation was so weird to me.

I’ll end my review above the spoiler/ It gets3 stars from me. The ending really knocked two stars off. I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to them and the publisher.

This is a spoiler: DO NOT READ AHEAD IF YOU WANT TO READ IT YOUYRSELF

The big bad is a witch. An enchanter who uses dark magic. And her motivation for all she did in the book was to take magic away from the magical creatures who literally already existed with magic…because they didn’t deserve it? She literally is plotting this just to steal magic from creatures she deems unworthy to have it and doesn’t say why they’re unworthy? Aside from just “ew magic creatures don’t deserve magic”. It was such a let down.

It made no sense. There was no reason for her to hate these other things so much. She just did. And yes, I know it’s middle grade. But that doesn’t mean that these kids don’t deserve well thought villains. I’ve read some fantastic middle grade books. With villains that scared me to my core and I’m an adult. This? Wasn’t that. And it was such a disappointment.

Just a Pinch of Magic is the Middle Grade debut by Alechia Dow. Like all Dow’s books, this one is crammed full of important representation: plus sized, anxiety-riddled, broken families, abandonment issues, and LGBTQ+ romance, just to name a few. With two relatable main characters, mystery, and mayhem, it’s an engaging story of friendship and family. It’s also the first book of Dow’s that shows the author’s love of baking.

Anyone who follow’s Dow knows she bakes delicious treats. Sprinkled amid Just a Pinch of Magic are five recipes that are highlighted in the book. So when the delicious descriptions make readers hungry, they can bake themselves a treat!

Winifred Mosley and Calliope Clark are both young enchanters living in a magical town of Honeycrisp Hill. One is the daughter of one of the wickedest witches in history and one is the granddaughter of one of the best witch hunters there ever was. They both could use a friend.

Esmerelda Diaz, head witch hunter of the Enchantment Agency, has come hunting because someone has summoned wickedness to the town and the whole town could be destroyed. Both Wini and Kal are afraid they’re the ones in trouble.

Both Wini and Kal are pushing magical boundaries; both girls are courting disaster. Together, they plot to fix everything before Halloween, without being caught by Esmerelda Diaz.

Just a Pinch of Magic is filled with lovely descriptions like, “streams out like chocolate from a molten lava cake.” It’s also supports mental health by showing a main character who is in therapy, with positive thoughts on anxiety and the lack of self-confidence. It’s a book any young reader can learn from while enjoying a skillfully crafted story.

I look forward to more of Dow’s tasty novels in the future, regardless of the audience or genre.

Life is not always easy, even when magic is involved. Wini has grown up in Honeycrisp Hill her entire life, but even though she lives in a town where magic does not have to hide, she still feels alienated from those around her. Kal, on the other hand, has always had to hide her magic in Boston, so she is thrilled to have the opportunity to move to the haven that is Honeycrisp Hill with her father. Both girls wish desperately to fit in, and both are determined to make life better for their father figures. Little do they know that the choices they make will have far-reaching effects, and the universe is working to bring everyone together to create a masterpiece nobody ever expected.

This charming upper middle grade novel is based heavily in magic realism coupled with the feel-good intrigue of a cozy romance novel and the repercussions of choices made without fully considering the consequences. Both Kal and Wini have atypical upbringings, and neither has a strong mother figure in their lives. Though this is endearing, it does give the two girls a bit of a parallel story arc, which prevents the novel from being as dynamic as it could otherwise be. Additionally, the two girls share the story's narration, but their voices are not distinct enough to make them easily discernible.

Despite the overall predictability of the plot and the lack of dimension in the characters, the story is saccharine and endearing, and the characters are deserving of the outcomes that find them. A delightful component of this novel is the addition of several real recipes that readers can recreate on their own. This helps to bring the story into the real world in ways novels are not always capable of doing. Decent writing and an enjoyable premise make this a good selection for lighter reading, and upper middle grade and newer young adult fans of magic and love stories will appreciate the easy flow to this narrative. This is a magical addition to library collections for young readers.

The perfect cozy and spooky read for fall!

The story follows Wini, a young food enchanter who is trying to save her family's bakery...and may just have brought something wicked to town instead, and Kal, who just moved to Honeycrisp Hill with her father and grandfather to open their enchanted bookstore. The girls bond over their outsider-ness and decide to help each other--Wini will teach Kal more about her magic and Kal will help Wini get rid of the bad energy she brought into town.

I absolutely adored Just a Pinch of Magic from start to finish. Set in an enchanted town, Wini and Kal make the perfect pair as the two of them try to save Honeycrisp Hill. Filled with magic, friendship, delicious foods (recipes included), and the right amount of spookiness, this book should definitely be on your list.

Wini and Kal serve as super relatable protagonists. And the entire cast of characters are fun, quirky, and magical in their own ways. I would happily read more stories to get to know people in the town more!

Dow does a great job of setting the reader right into the page--I swear I could smell the food Wini was baking! There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. And plenty of recipes to keep your belly full!

Overall, I highly suggest picking this one up! You're in for a spooktacular time!

Okay, this is freaking adorable. Will I be pushing this on everyone I know with a middle schooler? Yes, yes I will. Will I be pushing this on everyone I know with an anxious kid in their lives? Absolutely I will. At it's heart, this is a mystery and a story about two girls becoming friends in a small town. Both want to fit in and just be liked. Both find that with each other. I gave the book a hug when I finished it. Also, the way Dow writes about the experience of anxiety is *everything*. No one is ever told to calm down or get over it, the emotions are given proper respect. It's a lesson for everyone on how to talk to people with anxiety.

Just a Pinch of Magic is a cute book with a feel-good vibe. Wini is determined, and her heart is in the right place when she casts a spell, hoping to save her family’s bakery. Kal’s new in town. Her family bought the bookstore. The girls become fast friends, and it’s great to see these lonely pre-teens working together and becoming friends. The voice and story felt a little young for middle grade, but it’s still a satisfying read kids are sure to enjoy.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so much fun! I adored both Wini and Kal. A perfect blend of sweet and spooky! I can't wait to see what Alechia Dow writes next!

tl;dr
Magical baking and witchy vibes build the foundation for a middle grade adventure about love and the many forms it can take.

Thoughts
The pastel cover had me thinking this would be a "friendship is magic tale," (and it is!) but I was delighted to find some serious witchy vibes and scares in the back half as well. Honeycrisp Hill is a place overflowing with magic, and although we only get broad strokes on how the system works, it's clear that things can get dangerous quickly.

Wini and Kal make great leads, bonding over both their similarities and their differences. The unsettling pain of being an "outsider" based on things you can't control really resonated with me, and it was great to see them connect. In that space, I was also happy to see that this book takes the time to explore the many kinds of love - that love can be between friends, or family, or also romantically.

I was not at all surprised to find the author was also a pastry chef because the descriptions of baking are spot-on. The recipes included look great, and I love that Wini's personality that shines through in the instructions. I'm definitely going to have to try some of the recipes for myself.

Heartfelt, sweet, and thoroughly engaging. A recommended purchase for public youth and upper elementary/MS collections.

This was such a great concept in the children’s novel, I enjoyed how everything was created and loved the magical elements in this story. Alechia Dow has a great writing style and the characters were beautifully done.

Loved the cover and the overall premise, but the story didn't pull me in as I had hoped. Still, lots of good things in the story and characters that will likely appeal to many other readers.

Cute but didn’t fully do it for me. Wasn’t expecting the plot to take the turns it did and not sure I loved them, but I liked the world of Honeycrisp Hill.

This new book is just as adorable as it's cover! Kal has just moved to a magical town, whose residents are apparently cursed, but she's just hoping for a new start with her dad and to get a handle on this magic stuff. Wini has been here forever, and sure, everyone blames her for the curse, but all she really cares about is helping her family bakery survive and seeing her dad happy. Kal and Wini make a great team as they fight a spell gone awry and figure out who the real villains are. Told in dual perspective, Kal and Wini are great characters who welcome readers into a wonderful magical world. I'm an absolute sucker for foodie books and there are recipes throughout for kids to try. A PINCH OF MAGIC will appeal to readers of WITCHLINGS and THE NIGHTMARE THIEF.

This is a lovely cover, but it doesn’t tell the whole story that is going on here. Yes, there is magic, but this makes it look benign and it is anything but.

Wini has baking magic. Her new friend, Kal, who just moved to their magical town, has never practiced magic, and has no idea what her abilities are. She thinks, because her dad has word magic, she must have that too.

The town is both protected and cursed, so that the magic people can not leave without losing their magic.

Wini thinks she has made a spell that will bring in doom, but doesn't know how to undo it. Meanwhile, Kal has started to talk to someone in a book, who might or not be a witch.

It turns slightly scary, as both girls try to undo the spell, and do things far beyond their abilities.

I do like how the story turned from being just about ordinary magic, to being sinister, and evil, and threatening.

Quick middle grade read.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. The book comes out the 10th of October.

Summary
Winifred's family's bakery is in dire straits, and even her impressive baking magic isn't enough to bring it back - not when the whole town seems to blame her for a curse her absent mother brought about. Digging out an old volume of unfinished spells, she takes a big risk, only to see it all go wrong, even when she befriends a new arrival with magic of her own.
Review

Just a Pinch of Magic is engaging right from the start. It’s built on some very familiar elements – recipes, two lonely pre-teens, a generally happy background – but it does the right things with them. While for the first half, it feels too light and easy – even for a ‘middle grade’ book – it does get somewhat more tense in the latter parts of the story. The ending is far too easy for my taste, buy not entirely out of line with the age range.

The magic system is on the vague side – individuals have a propensity for a certain kind of magic – and there are some pretty big plot holes here. Both girls are powerful enchanters, but Kal’s ‘type’ is never resolved, and it seemed a little too clear for me that that topic was set aside for a possible sequel. I think the book would have been stronger as a truly self-contained story, but there is certainly room here for expansion.

The ending is somewhat disappointing in that it presumes a foundation of magical creatures that Dow never actually builds, so some of the resolution comes out of left field. That and some of the relationships are essentially just declared resolved without much basis. It makes the ending much weaker than the rest of the book, though it does retain the light tone of the start.

This felt to me like a younger book than the pre-teen audience it seems to shoot for, but it’s a pleasant one nonetheless. A quick, light, positive read, with some nice recipes thrown in to boot. (I tried the hot chocolate one, and it’s a little rich for my taste, but not bad.)

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Gosh. This was such a delightful book, full of yummy food, new friendships, and so much magic!

I keep wanting to read Alechia Dow’s books because the themes are always exactly my jam, but I struggle with scifi, so when I saw she had a contemporary fantasy middle grade coming out, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it!

Wini is from a family of Food Enchanters, but the small town she lives in all seems to hate her because her mother cast a curse that made them all get stuck in the town, to the point that if they try they would lose all their magic. Because of the animosity of the town, the bakery Wini’s family owns is slowly going out of business, so she decides to use one of her grandmother’s experimental spells to create a source of Love to be used in their baked goods. When she casts the spell, though, it doesn’t go the way she expects and suddenly the weather is acting funky and a shadowy figure keeps whispering her name ominously. The only good thing is Kal and her family just moved to Honeycrisp Hill, so have no knowledge of the history, and that gives Wini a chance to make a new friend.

I really loved all the magic and the food (there are like 4 or 5 recipes throughout the book!) and the way Wini and Kal build each other up. This is such a great story of friendship and interrogating what “wicked” even means. There’s a line repeated a couple times that “wickedness is all about perspective,” and that’s absolutely the truth. It’s also dealing with how community views can influence experiences in such a big way. And the way things resolved was really well done. All-in-all this was an excellent read that I highly encourage folks pick up!

[Cannonball will post Oct 10]

Warm and sweet is the perfect way to describe this middle grade. It was heartwarming and lovable and so easy to fall in love with this story and the characters.

Wini's family has owned a magic bakery since always, but business is not booming cause everyone is holding them responsable for the action of Wini's mother who cursed the town and disappeared. It has to be Wini's fault too, right? She wasn't born yet but she definitely should take some of the blame...
Desperate to save her family business, Wini does a little enchantment with big consequences and will do everything to fox it with the help of newcomer Kal.
Kal knows she's an enchanter but has never been able to properly practice since she doesn't live in special enchantment town. But, now, it's finally time! She's moving with her dad... and her grandfather??? No one told her that, no one has told her much actually, but she'll do what she can to help her new friend Wini.

That summary is not great but it is written. That book, however, was amazing. I loved everything about it. The characters were great, the plot was captivating, the setting was enthralling. There were so many things that I didn't see coming and I just loved following these two main characters. I also loved the side characters, they were all layered and so interesting. I also loved the little romance we had between the parents and the family dynamics overall. I really just had a great time from beginning to end. It was also a pretty fast read and I could not recommend this more. For all ages. OH! And I loved loved loved the recipes throughout the book. I can't wait to read more Alechia Dow books.

Starts off slowly but I grew to feel quite invested. The character development was strong but the back-and-forth perspectives between the two protagonists did not always feel smooth. I certainly enjoyed it, especially as a person who grew up in a small Rhode Island town. A good fit for fantasy fans.

Baking up some magic and mischief in this fun adventure about a food enchanter who wants nothing more than to save her family’s bakery and her new friend, a girl just trying to discover her own magic. Wini’s family runs the town’s bakery but they are most known for the fact that Wini’s mother had cursed the entire town and was exiled. They all blame Wini and with her family’s business going under, she wants nothing more than to save the bakery and break the town curse to prove that she might have just made worse... Wini cast a spell to find a love match in order to save her family’s bakery.... but she gets way more than she bargained for. In comes to town, Kal, a enchanter who has spent most of her life with just her dad and who has learned nothing of her magic. Kal wants to learn more about magic and to finally spend time with her dad, and with this new move, hopefully she can get it. But when Kal and Wini meet they realize that this is the start of a friendship and that maybe there is a love match between their dads.... But things soon get out of hand when Wini’s spell brings forth a dark entity and when Kal stumbles upon a magical book with someone inside it who might not be as friendly as she thinks. Can they save the town and everyone they care about before it’s too late or will the magic run wild and the dark forces win? This was such a cute book and I adored the friendship between Wini and Kal, two misfits who found friendship in each oter. I also loved that this book had recipes in it!! I can’t wait to try some of them! This was a sweet and magical read that is definitely one I’ll be recommending for readers!

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*