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Truly Unfortunate (Welcome To Knollville #1) by C.A. King — Review by Cynthia Ayala

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Truly Unfortunate (Welcome To Knollville Book 1)Truly Unfortunate by C.A. King
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Truly Unfortunate is a quick read for a novel, a tale about the weird and unusual in one small town following Truly, a girl who works three jobs and still is unable to make ends meet with a landlord who harasses her at any given moment. It is a relatable read, following Truly on her day to day excursions as she goes from job one to the next as she struggles to make ends meet, suffering the injustices that surround her. However, the kicker in all this, what makes this story, so riveting is the fact that it goes back in time, flashing back to the memories Truly had forgotten, memories of abuse and bullying. That is the power of the novel that injustices happen, that bad people are going to do bad things but that there is some karmic justice in the world to make everything right.

Once again, it is a short read at just under 200 pages, making it a quick one, but that is not all that makes it a quick read. The fact that the novel moves so effortlessly to build the tension and the intrigue keeps the reader on their toes. Other than that, Truly is a pretty forgettable character, her history and origins are what make her stand out, but her personality, nothing about it stands out. Jeff, on the other hand, his obsession with the weird and the connections he makes to fortune telling, now his actions and reactions, that is what makes him appealing to read. His motives and the way his arc in the narrative moves and intertwines with Truly’s from the past to the present, that makes him interesting.

Overall, it is a good read, and as a starter to something bigger, it works.

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The Confectioner’s Exile: The Confectioner Chronicles Prequel Novella by Claire Luana – Review by Cynthia Bujnicki

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The Confectioner's Exile: The Confectioner Chronicles Prequel NovellaThe Confectioner’s Exile: The Confectioner Chronicles Prequel Novella by Claire Luana
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Confectioner’s Exile is a speedy read. It’s short and sweet and captures who Hale was before he met Wren and got swept up in a murder mystery. As fun as Hale is as a character, it’s hard to see him carrying his own novel. Much of his story is already told in The Confectioner’s Guild. It’s nice to meet his family and see the familial dynamics unfold in the story throughout the pages (honestly, his mother is pretty amazing) but there’s not much else to it.

Hale is a great character, of that there is no doubt, but the story is lacking something that the series lacks: a unique quality to it. This story is far too familiar, to see a rich spoiled kid ripped from everything he knows, seeking refuge in a foreign land. There’s a lot of adventure, but it’s all very rushed and condensed. It is a novella; it is supposed to be short, but, again, Hale isn’t a strong enough character to carry on his own story leaving the energy somewhere else. There are some great characters that pop up, particularly Griff whose personality will surely catch the reader off guard, and we can only hope to see more of Griff, but other characters are short lived.

The story would have done better if it were just a little longer and if Hale’s mother was shown off more. She’s a fantastic character who is there in the beginning and the end, but missing for much of the middle of the novel. To see their relationship grow would have helped the story flourish just a little more and create an extra level of depth considering what readers know happens to her in the Guild. But overall, the story is entertaining, but Hale, he’s just Hale, his life verges a little on cliché, but he’s still fun to read, that is for sure.

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The Confectioner’s Guild (The Confectioner Chronicles, #1) by Claire Luana – Review by Cynthia Bujnicki

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The Confectioner's Guild (The Confectioner Chronicles, #1)The Confectioner’s Guild by Claire Luana
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Who doesn’t love a good novel about deserts? Honestly, this book made me crave some delicious pastries that were indeed worth dying for I’m sure, especially if it gave me some good luck. Who doesn’t love a little luck in life?

The Confectioners Guild is a delightfully yummy novel that is so unique in the way it combines delectable deserts and magic. It’s great to see how intricate desert making is but what’s also unique about this novel is how seriously this is taken. There is so much discipline that goes into confections that to see it brought to life in this novel is delightful. The fact that there is a guild dedicated strictly to overseeing it makes it not only fun but impressive as well.

Following Wren, a girl who was once a street urchin turned confectioner; the novel unfolds as much to the reader as it does for her. There are so many politics and intricacies that, in a way, mirrors that of dessert making. That’s part of what makes this novel so riveting. The fact that it works to this end, to keep true to its essence as a story while it builds layers upon layers of mystery, humor, and romance into the storytelling.

Now, Wren was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, used as a scapegoat, her magical cupcake the culprit for murder. So really, on some level, this story is a murder-mystery type story, following Wren as she tries to unravel the politics of the game she has unwittingly entered. There are so many culprits and a strong sense of misdirection that keeps the reader on the edge of their seats. It makes for an intense read, a riveting one because while the story is unique, the idea thrill of unraveling this mystery alongside the reader makes for an enthralling read.

So, the story is excellent, of that, there is no doubt, but the characters themselves are also fantastic. Wren starts as quite ordinary, but as the story unfolds, her strengths, her spunk, everything about her begins to shine and flourish. Wren flourishes and grows alongside the story, and the way she develops makes her captivating. She goes from being a girl scared of her own shadow to a woman who can face death with her head held eye, unwilling to give up.

Overall, it’s a strong fun story that will surely leave the reader eager (and hesitant) for a cupcake.

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