Friday, May 25, 2012

Bliss by Kathryn Littlewood


Bliss was a semi-predictable but nonetheless lovely fantasy story. Rose Bliss, the most responsible of the four Bliss children, is left with the task of running the family bakery while her parents are out of town. While this would normally be an overwhelming job, it's made even more so since this is no ordinary bakery. It's a magical bakery whose confections seem to clear up everything from heartbreak to the flu. But not while the 'rents are away! For now, the magical cookbook is locked away and only Rose has the key. However, no sooner have Mr. and Mrs. Bliss driven away than mysterious Aunt Lily arrives on her motorcycle, claiming to be a long-lost relation and vowing to help lift the burden of running the bakery from Rose's shoulders while her parents are gone. There's something odd about Aunt Lily, though, if only Rose could figure out before it's too late...

Tween readers will enjoy this tale of a girl who's burdened with more than her share of responsibility and has a few insecurities about her appearance and self-worth. Mayhem and mischief abound, and many of the recipes reminded me of Mrs. Piggle Wiggle's "cures" from Betty MacDonald's classic tales. I enjoyed this book, and the cliffhanger ending was just enough to peak my interest in a sequel.