10.21.2022 | Friday

Sprinkles and Sea Serpents

category: Book Reviews
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Sprinkles and Sea Serpentstitle: Sprinkles and Sea Serpents
author: Danielle Garrett
series: Sugar Shack Witch Mysteries #1
published: 24 September 2020
publisher: self-published
genre(s): cozy mystery, paranormal
pages: 260
source: Kindle Unlimited
format: eBook
buy/shelve it: Amazon | Goodreads

rating: four-stars | series rating: four-stars

the blurb

In Winterspell Lake there are things darker than midnight…
They say you can’t go home again … oh, if only that were true.
Thanks to a series of unfortunate events—and one backstabbing frenemy—home is exactly where I’m headed. Back to Winterspell Lake, the small community in Eastern Washington, where magic runs rampant and humans are outlawed.
Faster than you can say hocus pocus I’m unpacking my bags and settling into the guest room of my parents’ house, trying to ignore the creeping sensation that I’ll never break free again.
The one thing Winterspell has going for it is the sweets shop in the center of town, a bakery filled with magical creations designed to enchant the tastebuds and charm even the pickiest of connoisseurs. Luckily for me, I get the friends and family discount since my parents own the famous Sugar Shack. If I want room and board I have to frost cupcakes and sling macaroons with the rest of the fam.
Unfortunately, things in Winterspell aren’t all sugar cookies and rainbows. According to the local news, a dangerous sea serpent has claimed the lives of three missing girls. The journalist in me has to have a look for myself, and what I find is something far more deadly.
Something that makes me wish I’d stayed in the bakery.
***Sprinkles and Sea Serpents is the first book in a brand new paranormal cozy mystery series by Danielle Garrett. This series features magic, mystery, family squabbles, sassy heroines, and a mysterious monster hunter—all with a little sugar sprinkled on top.***


a few notes

cover notes: perfect cozy witch mystery vibes
keywords/phrases:
magic, witch, elements, ostracism
mood reading:
in the mood for magical mysteries
bonus points:
some real-world issues with the magic
related series:

  • Beechwood Harbor Magic Mysteries
  • Beechwood Harbor Ghost Mysteries
  • A Touch of Magic Mysteries
  • Nine Lives Magic Mysteries

my review

This was an enjoyable read! It’s got everything a good witch cozy mystery should have, with a slightly darker edge to both the mystery and some of the characters. And the setting for it was absolutely ideal for sleuthing… a small, magical town where everyone knows everyone else.

Ella is a very complex character, not really sure where she fits in or what she wants to do with her life going forward. She’s at a crossroads in her life, put there through no fault of her own. She’s never been truly comfortable in her own hometown because of how others perceive her magic, but being magical keeps her from fully fitting into the mundane world either. There’s a depth to her character that I really love, even if it is a bit edgier than one usually finds in this genre.

And the mystery… there’s a backstory that has some incredibly dark implications, and it really made the resolution that much more poignant and interesting.

There’s also a hint of romance… a faint hint, but a hint nonetheless. Coming home means seeing her old boyfriend, Jake. That stirred up a lot of emotions for both of them, and it hinted that there might still be feelings there. But there was also Orion, an agent who works for the magical law enforcement, an attractive guy who is clearly into her.

All in all, I can’t wait to read more.

book flights & matchmaking

::click covers to go to Amazon::

About Danielle Garrett

From a young age, Danielle Garrett was obsessed with fantastic places and the stories set in them. As a lifelong bookworm, she’s gone on hundreds of adventures through the eyes of wizards, princesses, elves, and some rather wonderful everyday people as well.

Danielle lives in Oregon, and while she travels as often as possible, she wouldn’t call anywhere else home. She shares her life with her husband and their house full of animals, and when not writing, spends her time being a dedicated servant for three extremely spoiled cats.

Rating Report
plot
four-stars
characters
four-stars
writing
four-stars
pacing
four-stars
Overall: four-stars

reading challenges:

::spread the love::

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