Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst

Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst

The third installment in the Spellshop series follows Marin, a supply runner who sails throughout the Crescent Islands, as her regular routes becomes more fraught in the aftermath of the uprising at the capitol city. Marin enjoys a life of solitude onboard her boat, with her only constant companion being a sea serpent named Perri, and a smattering of friendly acquaintances along their routes.

Things I really liked:

• Perri was my absolute favorite character! Closely followed by Ree.
• The world building of the Crescent Islands really expanded since we were able to travel around with Marin's ship. Lots of new magical animals, mostly cozy, but some are admittedly a little more intimidating.
• The tension, upheaval, and recovery in the capitol was explored more with Marin making occasional visits there to deliver messages.
• The theme of finding your crew, and allowing oneself to be known and loved is always worth reading.
• Ree (sentient shrub from The Enchanted Greenhouse) getting to take to the high seas. His enthusiasm is infectious.
• Once Dax is onboard, Marin starts to soften, plus we get a fun look at music and musical instruments in this world.

The thing I didn't like: 

• Internal conflict as a result of just not communicating with anyone else is one of my least favorite things to read, and this book does have a little bit of that. It's not overwhelming, and there's enough else going on to keep things interesting, but I did roll my eyes at it a couple of times all the same.

In summary, this book is a cozy adventure on the high seas that reminds us that we all need to find our people. And it is definitely worth the read solely for how that is executed, but I also really enjoyed the broader view we get of the whimsy of the islands and their creatures, and the growing cast of characters. This book works well as a standalone, but will also add to the greater story of the Spellshop books for those who are following the series. 

”I see you, truly, deeply, I see you, inside and out, I see your fears, your doubts, your shame, your guilt, I see your joy, your hope, your dreams, And I love you.”

“Books are like the sea, with depths and secrets and currents and moods.”