SECRETS, SPELLS, AND CHOCOLATE, by Marisa Churchill, Page Street YA, Dec. 9, 2025, Hardcover, $18.99 (young adult)
A girl tries to prove her skills and win a place at a magical cooking school in Secrets, Spells, and Chocolate, by Marisa Churchill.
Sylvie Jones has been dreaming of attending her mom’s alma mater, Brindille School of Culinary Arts and Magic, since she was old enough to reach the stove. Unfortunately, her last name has a horrible stain on it, something that could destroy her dream. So, when Sylvie is given the chance to prove her skills and put an end to the rumors that her mother cheated her way to victory at the most prestigious magical cooking competition, The Golden Whisk, she takes it.
But the opportunity may not be all that it’s cracked up to be. If Sylvie truly wants to make her own mark and earn a place at Brindille, she needs to uncover the truth about what happened all those years ago. But some will go to great lengths to ensure Sylvie fails, and she soon finds herself tangled in a web of deceit.
With the unlikely help of frenemy Georgia Shaw and rising-star student Flora Jackson, Sylvie must find a way to get to The Golden Whisk All-Stars competition and uncover the past before time runs out. Will she be able to redeem her family’s name and save her future, or will it all end in burned butter and broken dreams? —Synopsis provided by Page Street YA
Secrets, Spells, and Chocolate is a upper-middle grade, lower YA fantasy novel that’s an ode to the culinary and fantastical worlds all packaged together.
The book follows the basic “school recipe” in that Sylvie joins an incoming group of students, is learning specialized skills, has a “enemy” of sorts, develops friendships, and looks up to a strong, but comforting, head of school.
Sylvie is a bright protagonist. She’s been dealt a bad hand, and she’s going to do everything she can to make things work out. She’s likeable, and she becomes more interesting as the story progresses.
The star of Secrets, Spells, and Chocolate has to be the food. It’s clear that author Marisa Churchill, who was a competitor on Top Chef season two, and competed multiple times on Food Network Challenge, is passionate about food. Some readers may not know all the terms (think quenelle), but the context at least helps them know its importance.
Secrets, Spells, and Chocolate is a fun read that has series potential. My one quibble is the font size, which is smaller than standard text and could limit the audience. That said, it’s a book that has broad appeal, especially with readers who love to cook.
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