Marin is a sailor and supply runner, fetching and delivering anything requested of her to the islands around Alyssium. It's just her and her trusted friend, a sea serpent named Perri. One delivery takes her to Alyssium itself, and she arrives to find the city in the midst of a revolution. Even though she likes to sail alone, Marin rescues whom she can, including her friend Dax, a composer and some of his colleagues, and she discovers that maybe having company might not be so bad...

When I learned that we were getting a third Spellshop book, I was very excited, and then thrilled to learn it would be following Marin, whom we met in the previous books. Marin was an interesting character to follow - in the last book, our brief encounter with her painted her as a confident and sure individual, but that is not quite the case. She's hurt and full of self-doubt, and to watch her gradually learn to believe in herself was really lovely.

The side characters were wonderful too: Sarah Beth Durst really knows how to make a found family! I don't know why I didn't expect to fall in love with another sentient plant, but of course I did.

The plot in this book is further-reaching than in the previous two, and we really get to see the effects of the revolution from a wider perspective. What we learned in the first two books is a great background for understanding what happens in this third one. Even though it is definitely a cosy fantasy, there are actual stakes, and we touch on politics and economy alongside the sweeter things.

My favourite thing, however, is the world. The author is brilliant at writing magical and imaginative places. All the islands we visit are lovely, and honestly, I'd be happy to see any of them myself! I really loved seeing more than one place in this instalment, and I hope that we get to know more about these other places in the future.

Overall this was a lovely book. Sarah Beth Durst has perfected the cosy fantasy imo, and I think this might have been my favourite instalment yet. I loved the characters and exploring the wider world this time around, and I am so excited to see where we go next. Thank you SO much to the publisher for sending me an ARC to review!

what an absolute DELIGHT!! imo this is definitely one of those rare “gets better the more books come out” series.

the spellshop and the enchanted greenhouse didn’t hit for me but this one did and i’m so excited about it. i think the higher stakes and journeying aspect really made the story, and it’s the first time i truly cared about the characters and felt that their relationships were realistic. learning more about alyssium was wonderful and answered a lot of lingering questions i had from the previous books. thrilled to say that i’m super excited to continue reading the series as they’re released!!

out july 28th — i received an ALC of this book via libro’s bookseller program!

As the third installment in the series, one would think I'd be used to or "numb" to the very cute, lovable characters and cozy charm of Durst's writing... but I'm not and I'm already craving book 4!!! This is probably my favorite book to-date in The Spellshop series and it is HUGELY in part to the characters & found family aspects of this story. In my opinion, more so than either of the books before this, this book handled the coming together and blossoming of friendship, family and romance so wonderfully. I loved the high seas adventures, island-hopping and surplus of magical creatures; honestly, I'm sad to see our sea-faring family leave!

Caitlin Davies, AS ALWAYS, was simply magical with the narration. I hope they do the entire series, forever!!!

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for giving me the opportunity to listen to this book early and share my honest review. All reviews will be posted to my socials (Netgalley, Goodreads, Fable, Pagebound, IG).

OMG. THIS BOOK!! I AM IN LOVE WITH SARAH BETH DURST.

⛵ cozy adventure 💕 kissing-only romance ✨ found family 🍃 self-healing

Sea of Charms is the third book in the universe of The Spellshop. You do not need to read the other books to enjoy this standalone, but there are crossovers that are a fun treat if you have read the previous two. We start off with lone-wolf Marin, who quickly finds camaraderie after saving a sea serpent named Perri. Marin feels guilty about the debt she believes she brought upon her parents from her last relationship, so she sails for passion and revenue, delivering items across a handful of different islands.

One of her more lucrative stops is the capital, which is currently undergoing a revolution. One of her frequent regulars in the capital is a prodigy musician named Daxicend (Dax). Through a series of events, Marin ends up with a crew she never thought she wanted but desperately needed.

This book was so fun! I loved the adventure we had visiting all the new islands we discovered as readers. It was wonderful learning about the unique cultures on each island and seeing how they played into the story. My absolute favorite island was Marin's hometown of Flicker. SO MANY FLYING CATS.

I cried more than I thought I would while reading this. The ending—especially one of Dax's monologues—really hit home for me, making me realize that our passions can change throughout our lives, and we can take hold of those moments to make a change! Thank you so much for such a fantastic read, Sarah!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for a chance to review!

This review is based on an advance listening copy kindly provided by the publisher.

I enjoyed Sea of Charms more than the previous two novels!

I particularly liked how it tied together the previous two stories and also offered some hints about the next book.

But more than anything, I loved the found family Marin created for herself. It was truly touching reading about her process of accepting her past and healing. Her companions provided both emotional depth and a dash of humor when things grew intense.

I feel like Sea of Charms is the best book of the three!

I must also give praise to the voice actor, who did an amazing job bringing uniqueness to all the individual characters.

SEA OF CHARMS by Sarah Beth Durst [ Tor Books #netgalley ]

SEA OF CHARMS is the third book in the Spellshop series. One thing I really enjoy about series like these is that each book could potentially be a standalone but if you read it sequentially, you get to see and revisit characters from past books. And the character arcs and plotlines really line up and deepen, especially in SEA OF CHARMS, where we follow Marin’s adventures as a supply runner. It’s full of charm, found family, and passion. Sarah Beth Durst is a sorcerer of words and magic as she continues to bring readers back to the Crescent Islands.

Sarah Beth Durst has mastered the art of balancing cozy vibes with just enough stakes to make the journey feel worthwhile.

I enjoyed Sea of Charms just as much as the previous books in the series, though for different reasons. While every book has memorable side characters, I think the found family in this one is the strongest yet. Perri is an absolute highlight, and I loved how such an important role was given to a non-human character. Add in Dax, a lovable talking magical bush, as the rest of Merin's crew, and you have a cast full of personality.

Another aspect I really appreciated was Merin's relationship with her parents. Family conflict is often used to create tension, but that isn't the case here. Her parents genuinely love and support her through everything life has thrown her way, and it was refreshing to read.

There are several moments that tug at your heartstrings, along with others that feel all too relatable. Merin's personal growth felt natural, as did the progression of the romance. While I didn't become quite as attached to Merin and Dax as a couple as I did to the romance in The Spellshop, I still enjoyed both of them as individual characters.

The audiobook narrator was also fantastic, no notes! I'd happily listen to more books narrated by her.

I also loved the little connections to previous books in the series, along with the small tease of the next location we'll get to visit. Each installment ties its story together beautifully while still making the overall world feel connected.

Sarah Beth Durst continues to cement this series as my go-to recommendation for cozy fantasy, and I'll absolutely be picking up the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was adorable and charming and definitely one of the better cozy fantasies I've read. Others within this micro-genre seem to stray a little bit towards the boring end of the spectrum, as they neglect any sort of plot or action in the name of the coziness. This book suffered none of that nonsense. There's movement to the story, characters do develop, and relationships are forged. They might forge a touch too quick for my tastes, which is a large part of the reason for my rating in addition to the immaturity of the FMC in some ways, but I still greatly enjoyed this read.

Fans of cozy fantasies or even just cozies in general will be absolutely feral for this one, and they should! It's such a cute, cozy perfect little summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bramble for this free eARC in exchange for my honest review!

A magical adventure through the uncharted seas with freedom and finding eventually finding a family.

This book is a must read if you like: Spellshop, found family, cozy fantasy, adorable sidekicks, sentient plants.

Like all the books in the Spellshop universe, this one feels like bright colors and warm fuzzy feelings. The main character takes a wonderful journey through finding herself and her place.

I binged this book and then reread it again. I could read this book over and over and over. It seemed like every other chapter there was a quote that hit me in the feels.

I’m a huge fan of the Spellshop books and they just keep getting better and better!

The scope of this book was bigger than the other two. Just when you thought you knew the world, she makes it even bigger.

I usually don’t like romance. At all. But that is because romance books aren’t like this book. If you are a fan of cutesy romance you will love the main relationship in this book. But there is a 8 minute clip at 74% that I have listened to at least 25 times. It is the most romantic quote I have ever read. Ever. Here is a non-spoiler clip.

“love is choosing to spend your day with someone. And then choosing to spend another and another until at last you’ve spent a lifetime and there are no more days left. …I don’t regret a single day I spent with her. Only the days that I didn’t.”

I thought the narration was fitting to the story.

This is my favorite of the Spellshop books. The characters are amazing, the setting is stunning, and the journey is incredible.

3.75 ⭐️

this was cute like the spellshop was cute. however, unlike the spellshop, i also think that the addition of extra adventures (which go hand in hand with sailing) gives it a really good blend of plot/stakes and coziness/heartwarming moments. therefore, i think that i liked this even a bit more than the spellshop, and im happy to have read it.

thank you to Bramble for the ARC copy

"What was it about wealth and power that made people so very small?"

This story is so lovely and so full of whimsy. The Spellshop was so good I was afraid how this one would line up, but it is just as magical.

I loved Marin and watching her character development. Ree and Perri are perfection, and Dax is a green flag MMC all the way, and honestly, we need more of those in the world.

There were so many good lines in this book that really made you think. Overall, I laughed, I got teary-eyed, and I found another reason to love the world that Durst has created with these books.

I happened to be reading The Enchanted Greenhouse at the same time, and it works as an especially good tandem read if you haven't read it yet. Highly recommend!

4.75 stars - Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for my ARC (still dying inside that I actually got approved).

My favorite book in the series so far, due to the larger world building in this book, but this was my least favorite romance of the three books.

Mariner's tumble(sea)weed life was a perfect way to escape her pain and prevent her from establishing roots again until Ree's sweet plant-self came in to her life, rootball and all. Another adorable plant sidekick with winged cats galore, Sea of Charms continues the spell that Durst starting in The Spellshop. I devour these books like I would devour Mariner's dad's peach pie.

My only critique is that I didn't feel the romance between Marin and Dax. They seemed more like friends to me which is a great foundation for a partnership, and I realize that not all relationships are built on sexual intimacy. It was just a little too said and not enough shown for me.

However, I read Durst's cozy fantasy books for the world, found families, loveable but realistically flawed characters and the romances are a just a plus for me. I hope we get an infinite amount of stories in this world so it doesn't have to end.