A Spell for Trouble

The start was kinda slow or it took me a while to get into it, but once I did, I was hooked. There is definitely real love amongst the family members. The bad guys are really bad. I was able to pick out who did it and was still surprised by a twist. I liked the Polish details about food and folklore. The setting was the North Carolina coast, but nothing felt especially North Carolinian about it. I will definitely be reading the next one because I want to see what happens next between Aunt Lydia and her rival.

I really enjoyed the magic and mermaid aspect of this mystery – it was well thought out and very fun. One of the best parts of the book was seeing how Alex's family came together, too!

[mild spoilers!] My two issues were that Alex's aunt bothered me at first, and I struggled to feel attached to her. However, her attitude is explained well later in the book. I also felt terrible for one of the romantic interests most of the time, but I am a softie that way.

Aside from that, I would totally recommend this book to anyone who likes some magic in their cozy mystery!