Nothing Fancy: Recipes and Recollections of Soul-Satisfying Food
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Diana Kennedy is the world's preeminent authority on authentic Mexican cooking and one of its...
The Ultimate Guide to Smoking Meat, Fish, and Game: How to Make Everything from Delicious Meals to Tasty Treats
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In an easy to follow manner, writer-outdoorsman Monte Burch explains how to properly preserve meat...
Smurfs' Village
Games and Entertainment
6.0
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The evil wizard Gargamel and his ever present cat companion, Azrael, have finally found the...
10000+ Cake Recipes
Food & Drink and Lifestyle
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If you're looking for that perfect Chocolate Cake recipe you've certainly come to the right place,...
Cake Decorating Tips
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The Cake Decorating app is the ultimate app for everything related to cake decorating. The Cake...
Stolen Goods (To Catch a Thief #2)
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Catch Me If You Can meets Tangled in this funny and feel-good romantic comedy, new from bestselling...
Contemporary Romance Comedy
Never Have I Ever
8.5
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Have you ever done something so bad, so shameful that you would do anything to keep it secret? What...
ClareR (6256 KP) rated Sweetness in the Skin in Books
Mar 18, 2025
Pumkin has a dream to follow her aunt to live in Paris and open a Patisserie. She just has to get the grades at the school paid for by her aunt. But things conspire against Pumkin, and she has to work harder to get what she wants. She works hard at school, and on top of that, she has to make money by baking and selling her frankly delicious sounding cakes.
I couldn’t help but cheer Pumkin along and hope that she would achieve what she wanted. She’s such a strong character, with some of that fiery teenage attitude (particularly towards her French teacher!).
I listened to this and read it in parts, too, which I’m glad I had the opportunity to do. The spoken Jamaican English was much easier to understand when I listened to it, spoken by Deja Bowens (the narrator). I think it’s important, when possible, to hear the rhythm and cadence of a language and/ or dialect to really understand it.
This was a really strong story with some serious themes - if it’s a YA book, I would be inclined to keep it to older teenagers. Pumkin does suffer some physical abuse at the hands of her mother.
I loved reading about Pumkin’s determination to leave a difficult life behind her - she’s an admirable, courageous character.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2662 KP) rated Bake Offed in Books
Dec 1, 2022 (Updated Dec 1, 2022)
Since the fest is out of town, we don’t see much of the other series regulars, but the series usually focuses on Val and Granddad, so it’s not too big of a loss. This also gives us plenty of time to get to know the new characters, who rise to the occasion. And there is a return appearance by a character from early in the series that is fun. The plot is wonderful. It is intricately plotted, yet it holds together at the end. As someone who complains about the timelines in books when they don’t work, I have to praise this one for holding together perfectly. I got a kick out of the mystery fest setting. The recipes at the end are great fun as well, but I’ll leave that for you to explore on your own. Fans of the series will be happy with this book. If you are looking for a fun culinary cozy series, I definitely recommend you check this one out.
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Amish Cooking Class : The Celebration in Books
Feb 25, 2019
I loved seeing the Troyers and Marsha and Randy again. They are wonderfully chiseled characters and really come to life with each story. The other characters that Mrs. Brunstetter created for this one really stole a piece of my heart, too! Being married to my own firefighter, I loved seeing Darren Keller's character worked in there. It was definitely an added bonus to an already amazing novel.
I loved the way Mrs. Brunstetter made this novel about the kids. It was such a refreshing change from the first two, though they were amazing, as well. The different familes that Mrs. Brunstetter created really made the story pop. Each family had a different circumstance, different struggles, and they all felt real to me. The inspiring ways that Heidi Troyer helps each family, really shines.
This is definitely a 5 star worthy addition to a fantastically created 5 star series by the Queen of Amish Fiction. Mrs. Brunstetter adds yummy sounding recipes to the book, making this a tasty treat for all Amish fiction lovers everywhere. While this could easily be read as a stand alone, I don't recommend that you read it as one. Grab this one, along with the first two, and take a trip to the Troyer's farm, to the fun of cooking and baking, and to where God is foremost the center of the story! You won't be sorry!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*