Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Hello again, my friends! The forecast shows a rainy week on Cape Cod, so it is the perfect time to read. First up this week is my review of the newest book in Sarah Beth Durst’s Spellshop series, Sea of Charms. This audiobook was another one from NetGalley and Macmillan Publishers. Sea of Charms is book 3 in the series, and while this one is not available for two more months, if you have not read The Spellshop or The Enchanted Greenhouse, now is the perfect time to read them. Sea of Charms will be available on July 28th.
This is the story of some familiar characters, starting off with Marin, the captain of the boat Silver. She is a supply runner, and after a case of trusting the wrong person, has decided she is better off alone. That is, until she comes across a sea serpent, Perri, who is beached and needs her help. After freeing him, he becomes part of her crew, and soon Ree joins them as well. I loved how this scene from The Enchanted Greenhouse gives us Marin’s perspective. Then she heads back to Alyssium, which is in unrest as a revolution is happening. You will remember this from The Spellshop. Marin has to go back and help the composer she met in her travels, Dax, and when she does, she finds herself drawn to his smile, his outlook on life, and his stories. Against her better judgment, she realizes that maybe she is not the one saving him. Maybe it is the other way around. Dax decides to travel the seas with Marin, and together the crew helps her pay off her parents’ debt through supply runs, ferry trips, and plenty of shenanigans along the way.
This novel nicely ties together moments you have already read in the first two books in the series, and if you look ahead to book four, there is a nice tie-in with the next book in the series, The Magical Cheese Emporium. I will not say anymore about that, though.
The narrator from the first two books, Caitlin Davies, returns for this third installment and does a wonderful job bringing the story to life. She has a great range of voices, and I especially loved Ree’s childlike enthusiasm, which Caitlin did a phenomenal job of bringing to life. She is an exceptional voice artist.
Friends, I just adored this book and this story. If you are looking for a cozy fantasy to explore this summer, then pick up Sea of Charms when it releases on July 28th. It will be the perfect read while you are sitting on the beach and imagining your own adventures.
Until next time, my friends, I wish you a great week and hope you find your own 5-star read.