Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst
Sea of Charms (Spellshop #3) by Sarah Beth Durst
I read my first Sarah Beth Durst book earlier this year, and I've since flown through the rest of her books. So, I was incredibly excited to receive an ARC of her newest release—not just to read it early, but to gush about it afterward.
Every Sarah Beth Durst book feels like a cozy hug. They center on characters finding where they belong in the world while building meaningful friendships along the way. Add in magic, sentient plant companions, and a cast of wonderfully unique and colorful characters, and you're in for such a charming reading experience.
I somehow find myself loving each of her books even more than the last. It certainly helps that the Spellshop series continues to have brief cameos from earlier characters.
In Sea of Charms, one of the main characters is Marin, whom we first met in The Enchanted Greenhouse. As a supply runner, she plays a vital role in supporting a remote island community, and this story gives us her perspective while expanding her journey in a meaningful way. Reading this during the summer made it feel even more magical—I could practically feel the sea breeze alongside Marin and her crew. This book was much more action-packed than the previous installments in the series. The crew embarks on several exciting adventures at sea and spends more time in the heart of the city during the revolution. While I've enjoyed every book in the series, this one was my favorite so far because of its fast-paced plot and memorable adventures.
I especially enjoyed watching Marin begin to truly heal and move forward from the wounds of her past. Dax’s wide-eyed wonder as he experiences the world for himself for the first time is heartwarming, and seeing him learn to make his own choices with Marin's encouragement made their relationship all the more rewarding to follow.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Synopsis: Her boat. Her rules. His music. Their hearts . . .
Marin has always belonged on the great blue sea. Betrayed by love, she lives and works as a supply runner, sailing from island to island, delivering an array of goods with Perri the sea serpent and Ree the sailor shrub as her crew.
On one of her routine trips to the capital, Alyssium, Marin finds a revolution underway ― and a friend in the line of fire.
What starts as a rescue evolves into a deal: Marin will keep Dax on as a member of her crew if he pretends to be her boyfriend at the End-of-Harvest Festival back home.
But against her better judgment, Marin finds herself intrigued by his stubbornness, his passion for stories, his charming smile ― and realizes that perhaps she isn’t saving him. Maybe it’s the other way around.