Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst

Spellshop #3

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🖉Rating: 5/5

🖉Spice: 0/5

🖉Plot: 5/5

🖉Primary Genre: Cozy Fantasy Romance

🖉Blurb: 

Marin is a supply runner with her own boat that she sails from island to island, delivering whatever anyone will pay her to deliver: letters, flour, even the occasional enchanted lemur. It’s a lonely life, but it’s hers, and she wouldn’t trade the freedom of the sea for anything. Her only companion is a sea serpent, Perri, whom she saved from a fisherfolk’s net.

One day, she sails to Alyssium and discovers the city is on fire. There’s been a revolution, and the empire has fallen. Marin, with Perri, begins transporting refugees, finding them new homes where they can start over. One such refugee is Dax, a composer who refuses to leave behind his instruments, no matter how much she tries to emphasize the gravity of the situation. Intrigued by his stubbornness, his passion for stories, and his charming smile, Marin discovers perhaps she isn’t saving him ― maybe it’s the other way around.

From the acclaimed author of The Spellshop, Sea of Charms is a delightful cosy fantasy for fans of Travis Baldree and TJ Klune.

🖉My Thoughts:

This book marries the plot of books 1 and 2 in the cutest of ways. Marin's storyline parallels the stories of the first two books and she interacts with our first two MCs. This can most definitely be read as a standalone if you haven't read those, however. This book read as the most poetic and politically charged and exasperated to me. The love story was filled with trepidation and longing. A lot of the story takes place on a ship which is a big difference from the first two books but it definitely doesn't detract in the cozy vibes for me. They bounce around to different islands and meet different magical creatures and beings. Still very fantastical and whimsical. I will say that this book has a bit more action that the other 2 and I did really enjoy that aspect of it, it made the story a bit more lively. I loved the dialogue between the FMC and the head librarian regarding books and the government, I think it really fits what's happening in the world today in addition to what's been happening since book banning became a thing. All in all, a wonderful addition to the series. I can't wait to see what she does in book 4 with a magical cheese shop!

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