Review of Batter Royale

Book:  Batter Royale by Leisl Adams

Source: I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher: Abrams

Release Date: June 7th, 2022

Pages: 240

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In the past year or two, there have been quite a few books published centering food, restaurants, and all sorts of cooking competitions! So when I saw a graphic novel that featured a baking competition, I just had to request it, in order to complement all the novels I was reading with similar elements!

There were a few issues with the e-file I was given through NetGalley, so I ended up waiting until this book was published to get it from my library to read and review it, which is why this review is going up a lot later than I originally planned!

Batter Royale follows Rose who loves to bake and dreams of going to culinary school. She’s always messing around in the kitchen, and when she hears that a famous food critic is coming to the café where she works as a server, she takes a chance to sneak in a dessert she thinks the critic will like into the spread of desserts that the critic requested. Her daring takes off, and she’s invited to London to take place in a culinary competition!

Firstly, before I even get into the story and my more detailed thoughts on that aspect, I need to discuss how much I loved the art style! Everything was clear, bright, and colorful, and the panels worked so well to highlight different expressions and focus points. I had a feeling I would enjoy the art based on the cover, and I was definitely right!

As for the story itself, it was lots of fun to watch unfold! Rose has to convince her friend and co-worker, Fred to accompany her on the show, and I appreciated how both of them had their own motivations for wanting to win. The competition itself had lots of antics, with ridiculous diversions and challenges set by the producers and host, as well as fierce competition from some of the other contestants on the show. There’s even a small romance component that I could have done without, but since it’s merely a thread in the overall story, and not the main plot, I didn’t mind it too much.

4 Stars

Overall, I ended up giving this book 4 stars. It’s not quite a new favorite, but it’s definitely one I enjoyed! If you’re craving both a graphic novel and some baked goods, this is definitely the story for you, especially since the author includes recipes for all the delicious creations Rose and Fred make throughout the graphic novel!

What’s your favorite book that centers food? Do you watch culinary competitions? Have you ever tried recipes that are included in books?

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