Review: A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic (Adenashire #1)

A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic, Book 1 in the Adenashire Series by J. Penner

Published By: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: November 13, 2023
Date Read: November 10, 2025
Genre: Adult – Cosy Fantasy
Source: Bought
Format: Paperback
Pages: 288

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She doesn’t need to have magic in order to be magic…

In the heart of Adenashire, where elvish enchantments and dwarven delights rule, human baker Arleta Starstone works twice as hard at perfecting her unique blend of baking with apothecary herbs. So, when her orc neighbor (and biggest fan) secretly enters her creations into the prestigious Langheim Baking Battle, Arleta faces a dilemma. Being magicless, her participation in the competition could draw more scowls than smiles. And if Arleta wants to prove her talent and establish her culinary reputation, she’ll need more than just her pastry craft to sweeten the odds.

Though Arleta may not yet believe in herself, she makes her way to Langheim―with the help of a very attractive woodland elf―and competes. While on a journey of mouthwatering pastries, self-discovery, heartwarming friendships, and potential romance, Arleta will have to decide whether winning the Baking Battle is the true prize after all. But win or lose, her adventure is only beginning…

Although this book is part of a series it can only be read as a standalone. Escape to Adenashire for a delightful cozy fantasy where every twist is a treat and every turn a step closer to home.

“Sometimes it’s the people that make a place a home.”

I’m such a huge fan of cosy fantasy books, and after discovering A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic, I couldn’t wait to dive into this book. It sounded like something I would absolutely love… and I was correct. This is one of the best cosy fantasy books I have read to date. Right from the start I was absolutely obsessed with this book. I couldn’t put it down.

A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic follows the story of Arleta Starstone, a human baker who dreams of owning her own bakery one day. When she receives an invitation to participate in the elusive baking competition, Langheim Baking Battle, she journeys off to participate. I really loved this concept. It’s such a great storyline. It’s low stakes, as is usual for cosy fantasy books, and I just loved following Arleta and her friends throughout the baking competition. It was just so much fun. I would dub this book as the Great British Bake Off if the contestants were elves and dwarves. I really loved the whole concept that Arleta was the only human who had ever been invited to participate. Although this is cosy fantasy and just low stake cute vibes, it still challenged some real hard hitting issues, such as discrimination but where the humans are the ones experiencing it. I thought this was a really clever way to incorporate this into the book.

This book is filled to the brim with friendship and found family, which is my all time favourite trope. So naturally, I absolutely loved it. Arleta herself doesn’t have any biological family of her own, but she has two adopted dads who are orcs, and while at the baking competition finds herself becoming friends with a dwarf and a fennix. It was just such a cute journey into looking at the fact that family doesn’t have to be blood relations. Honestly this book was just filled to the brim with different magical creatures who all just really loved to bake. It was cute and cosy and a perfect autumnal/wintery read. I really loved every single moment. I raced through this book, I couldn’t put it down and it just made me want to bake all of the sweet treats.

If you’re a fan of books with a cosy, found family feel with lots of heart, then this series is definitely for you. I truly cannot recommend it enough. Although it’s the start of a series, this series can be read as standalones. Each book follows a new main character, but they are all friends so the books are interconnected. I can’t wait to dive into book 2 which is set around a bookshop/library. A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic was everything I needed at the time of picking it up. It just lifted my spirits and made me feel all warm and fuzzy. A definite must-read for any cosy fantasy fan and one that I would definitely re-read when I need a little bit of a pick me up.

“Human or not, Arleta Sandstone, your life is steeped in magic. You’re surrounded by it. You just can’t see it yet, but it’s out there, waiting.”