ALL WE HUNGER FOR, by Anna Mercier, Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), June 23, 2026, Hardcover, $22.99 (young adult, ages 14 and up)
A young woman sneaks her way into a magical baking contest and gets pulled into a rebellion in All We Hunger For, by Anna Mercier.
In Anespérer, where magic comes alive through artistic skill, Elara Rousseau knows she’ll never be selected for the Objet d’Art. The high-stakes baking competition will elect a new Souverain to join the ruling council, and someone from the slums would never be considered. But when a brooding figure from her past sneaks her into the Objet, Elara has the chance to compete for a better future… as long as no one uncovers her traitorous secret.
Nikolas Dupont will do whatever it takes to impress his powerful father, a Souverain who hasn’t officially recognized his son―like handpick a contestant to win and become his father’s political pawn. But Elara is more than he bargained for, and she ignites his own subdued passions.
Against all odds, Elara excels and becomes a hero to the city’s poor, all while Nik’s faith in his father crumbles and the sparks between them burn brighter. As the competition heats up, Elara and Nik must choose: fight to win the competition and secure a future of safety for them both, or use the power of Elara’s art to spark a revolution. —Synopsis provided by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
All We Hunger For is a slow burn romance with magic at its core.
The story follows Elara and Nik in alternating chapters as they discover secrets held from those they love most and those pulling strings behind the scenes. Both thought that they knew what they wanted, but as they move further into the cooking competition, they realize life is simpler and more complicated than they first thought.
In All We Hunger For, Anna Mercier has crafted a complicated magical system that mostly makes sense, though it’s not always clear.
I wouldn’t call this a “cozy romantasy,” which is how the book is being billed. It’s a book about rebellion and murder and power struggles. That doesn’t make it bad. But it certainly isn’t cozy.
I wish Mercier had spent more time with the actual food and food competition. The times she does hit on that, and other arts related magic really do sing.
All We Hunger For has all the elements for a fantastic read. While not everything is realized, it is a solid novel with some really lovely moments.
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