Sandy slaughter. An enchanting suspect. Can a magical baker protect her friends from a dangerous paradise? Stranded on Badlands Island, Imogen Banks is driving herself crazy looking for her brother. So when the spell-casting baker’s friends suggest they escape for a luxurious dragon spa treatment, she doesn’t need a second invitation. But her hopes for coastal romance with Hank fall flat when a … fall flat when a resort guest turns up roasted in the sand.
Suspecting murder, Imogen zeroes in on the town’s rumored “black widow” as a possible culprit. But when her friend falls for the beautiful woman despite the deadly track record, Imogen fears he’ll be the next victim to stay buried.
Can Imogen sift through the clues before the killer gives her one final treatment?
Grimoires, Spas and Chocolate Straws is the eighth book in the Spells and Caramels delightful paranormal cozy mystery series. If you like endearing heroines, a touch of romance, and unexpected twists, then you’ll love Erin Johnson’s magical whodunit.
Buy Grimoires, Spas & Chocolate Straws to massage a new mystery today!
more
This review is for the audio book.
Wow!!! I loved this book. The characters are so colourful and a delight to listen to. The author never fails to bring a smile to your face and a giggle to your lips, with her cleverly crafted characters. I have loved this series since the start 8 books ago and I feel like I know the main group of characters so well, from Iggy the flames snarky comments to Sam the shifters shyness, to Maple the head bakers sweetness, even Horace the leader of the bad lands tricks, all of them are a delight to read about and I hops there is more to come because I for one can’t wait for the next book.
Imogen and her friends still haven’t caught up with her brother Horace to find out how to get hone. They decide they need a break from dodging monsters in the forests so agree to the a company the guards to a dragon spa for pampering and while the guards protect the fisherman at night Imogen and her friends would make deliveries around the town and then enjoy the festival. The only catch is they are guests of the black widow, the owner of the spar has buried two husbands and countless lovers but is she really a killer? Imogen believes so when receiving there first treatment they witness the death of a man seen her her presence only minutes before. Imogen is on holiday and has no intention of investigating, until one of her friends falls under the black widows spell and fearing for his life she, Iggy and the gang pull out all the stops to get to the bottom of the murder before there friend become a the next victim.
I really like the narrator and the use of the special effects, it really adds to the story and helps bring it to life magically.
Erin Johnson is quite a prolific author. In about a year, she’s launched eight books in the Spells & Caramels cozy witch series. Part paranormal adventure, part mystery, these books whisk you away to a world like no other. In the latest book, Grimoires, Spas & Chocolate Straws, baker Imogen Banks is stranded on an island after a war began in her non-Earth world. Her boyfriend, Hank’s, royal family was up to no good, and several magical creatures escaped thru a mirror from the scary visiting monsters. Imogen and the gang put their trust in her possibly ne’er-do-well brother, Horace, only to learn, the truth is not what they thought.
Since the last book ended, the crew’s been working and living on this island with their new friends. When they go on a spa / beach trip, they meet The Black Widow, who supposedly kills her husbands and finds a new one on a regular basis. The journey introduces us to fun new characters who run the spa and are romantically linked to the woman whose husbands mysteriously die. What’s really going on? Imogen is determined to find out as the secret has a few layers to it. She’s also searching for Horace but he’s nowhere to be found. Both mysteries come to a head and change the course of the future for these traveling magical friends.
Johnson has created a truly intense and vivid world. From being buried under the sand for a massage and exfoliation treatment to walking through mirrors to reach the past or other worlds, these books have excellent escapes. The characters are all distinct and fun, even when they’re evil or make bad decisions. The ending of this one is romantic and special, and I look forward to what could happen in the next book. I miss the baking contests and fun around the royal castle, but I’m confident it will return one day. I also love meeting different kinds of creatures from vampires to snakes who transform into humans. You never really know what lurks beneath the surface.
I’m excited about the 9th book which I hear might be coming out relatively soon! Thanks for this great series.
This whole series by Erin Johnson is superb. Each book gets better and better. The characters are likeable, have their own strengths and weaknesses, and a wonderful camaraderie that endures through each successive book. You will love them all and also feel for them as they struggle to make it in the various worlds they encounter and the characters they meet. I highly recommend this series.
A day at the spa isn’t quite as relaxing as Imogen has hoped. Imogen, again, finds herself searching for a killer. Can she and her friends remain safe as they try to ferret out who done it?
This is another great installment in this series. I’ve listened to all the books so far, and I haven’t been disappointed. The author puts together great tales that are believable and enchanting. The narrator provides the best kind of storytelling. She makes the characters come to life and draws you into their world.
I had a great time listening to this audiobook. I can’t wait to start the next.
I received an Audible code from the author for this book. I thank her for her generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to listening to this book
Imogen and her friends go to a sea town to help June deliver tea for an important event. But how is it possible danger always follow them? They must find the murder before anyone dies. An importat secret and a happy event will happen too. Wonderful as always. Awesome audiobook.
Still trapped in the Badlands, now living with the people of Kusuri Village – who are *not*, according to them, a part of the Badlands Army – Imogen and friends are trying to figure out what to do, when they are offered the chance to take a mini vacation if they can help deliver some tea. All agree and off they go for some much needed R&R. Unfortunately, they are staying at the spa owned and operated by a woman believed to be a black widow. When a dead man turns up, Imogen tries to refrain from solving his death. But it just seems too suspicious! So the crew all take part in figuring out whodunit. It’s cute and fun and feels like a calm before the storm. I adore Horace’s reveal near the end and the last chapter is a bit of a tear-jerker. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
I was in the mood for a fun paranormal cozy mystery, so I decided to pick up book 8 in this series. It was a joy to be back with Imogen, Iggy and all their friends. In this book they’re still on the island and decide to accompany their guard friends to visit a sea town filled with spas. They’re hoping for a relaxing vacation. Ofcourse things never go that smoothly and they land in the middle of another murder mystery.
The previous book I enjoyed less than the rest of the series and I had hoped this book would be better again, and it was. Now that I know they’re stuck on the island and wasn’t hoping for the overarching plot line to continue as much, I could enjoy it more as it was. Although I am still a bit sad there isn’t much about the overarching plot line that we followed more strongly during the first six books. There is a bit of explanation about that in this book and some interesting reveals regarding Horace, which I was missing in book 7, so I am glad it was present here a bit at least. That first scene with Leo felt like it came completely out of the blue and only made sense later.
I am happy to say that this book was a lot more fun again than the previous book, which is what I am looking for when I pick up one of these books. Now that they’re settled a bit on the island they have a bit of a place and friends too, things seem to go a bit smoother on that front. There also was more character interactions again and some of the side characters we met in the previous book, but mostly the friendly ones are left now. And ofcourse there is more Iggy. I love Iggy he’s such a great character,
The mystery doesn’t start till later in the book, but that kinda works here. They have to go to the town at the sea first before the mystery starts. The scene with the water and when Imogen meets Leo was a bit weird and felt like it slowed the start down a bit, but it all ties in more with the plot later. Then once they’re in the town at the sea the mystery gets rolling. A man dies while having the signature treatment at the spa and Imogen and the rest tries to solve the mystery.
The mystery wasn’t too complex. There are three main suspects sort of and they all have some sort of motive, it’s just figuring out who took it further and actually killed the guy. The strange thing is that for a big part of the book, actually up till the end of the mystery, they aren’t even sure whether the victim got killed or whether it was an accident. I am usually not a fan of those plot lines as I rather know that thing for sure as it always makes the main character seem a bit too suspicious someone with how they’re seeing a murder everywhere without proof.
It was fun to learn a bit about this town and the people in it and there’s also a tie with the monsters. We see a few more monsters, but it still a bit on the background. Besides the mystery plot line, there are some character related plot lines that continue. There are some new romances blooming as well. And there is just a little bit that nods toward the overarching plot line.
One thing that bothered me again in this book was the weird mix of Asian and western. This book is probably set in Japan, it’s never explicitly mentioned, but that seems to be the vibe the author is going for. But then other things don’t quite fit with that vibe, words that are used not quite in the right manner and Asian/ Japanese style thins that get combined with more western things. It was quite confusion and felt off to me. And throughout the book there are multiple such things and it keeps popping up in different situations.
To give an example the seaside town is first referred to as onsen town, when they arrive they only use the word spa suddenly, which does seem to be the right word for what these things are. And then later the word bathhouse is thrown in a few times. All of these words have a different vibe and meaning and it was just confusing how they’re all used for the same thing and how there was no consistent use of only one word. I am not sure whether the author didn’t do enough research or whether it’s done on purpose.
Something I did like about the setting the author creates is how she gives all these towns and happenings a magical touch. There is a monster watching festival and they have these magical themed gifts and items around. There are some magical creatures around and magic is used for some of the treatments at the spa. It’s a lot fun and I like how it;s subtly woven into everyday live, it makes it all feel more real.
I liked reading about Imogen again. I also like how she works closely with hank while solving this mystery. And their romance seems to be going well. It was nice to see Yann take a bigger role in this book with his infatuation with the Black Widow. Then there’s Iggy, who is one of my favorite characters, he’s just so fun to read about. Then there is the usual cats of side characters. It also was interesting to see Sam have a bit of a beginning romance with captain Kenta.
To summarize: This was another fun read in this series. I thought it was better than the previous book, which is partly because my expectations have been adjusted now. This story is again set on the island and there’s very little about the overarching plot line. I now expected this and it didn’t bother me as much, although I am really curious what’s going on with the reveals at the end of book 6. There is an interesting reveal about Horace in this book. And a bit of a weird scene with Leo at the start, which makes more sense later. This book had again that fun vibe I enjoy about these books. There is a mystery to solve and some characters plot lines as well. The mystery is pretty straightforward with 3 possible suspects and they have to figure out which of them is the murderer. I was not surprised when we discover who did it, but it was fun to follow along as the character discover the clues. One things that bothers me is the weird mix of Japanese and western style elements and words, I am not sure whether this is a lack of research or intentional. It’s confusing and feels off to me. I like reading about these characters and following them along as their stories progress. Only two more books to go in this series!
Imogen and the gang are back solving crimes, only this time it’s in Umiri a resort town by the sea, in the Badlands. What’s supposed to be a mini vacation, turns into another murder mystery when a man dies at the spa where they are staying. The spa is run by the local “black widow” Sarah, and Imogen investigates Sarah, when she shows interest in fellow baker Yann. I can’t wait to read what’s in store for Imogen, Hank, and the others in the next book.
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
Yet another fantastic adventure with Imogen and her friends. Still stranded on the island they are struggling to find their place in this strange new place living off the decency of others. They jump at the chance to go on a short trip to help others with their work as well as enjoying a festival. Added bonus is they will be staying at a spa and are free to use their services. This is great until they see a dead guy which leads to another investigation. Amazing world building, quirky details, and a wide group of eclectic characters to give everyone someone to love such as Izzy the hilarious talking flame. A must read for fans of magical cozy mysteries. I totally loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.
Grimoires, Spas and Chocolate Straws by Erin Johnson is the eighth Spells & Caramels novel. Imogen Banks and her friends are still residing in Kusuri on Badlands Island. They are living in Jiji’s guesthouse and earn their keep by helping the guards with their duties and other chores around the house. The group is getting an opportunity to go to the beach with the guards for the manta monster migration festival at Umiru. While the guards will be protecting the fisherman, the bakers will get to enjoy the spa treatments offered by the oriental town. After indulging in the dragon spa treatment at Doragon Spa, there is an uproar when a client is found dead in the sand. Imogen wonders if their hostess, Miss Sara who is referred to by locals as the “black widow” could be the culprit since she was arguing with the victim prior to his death. Things are further complicated when Yann, a fellow baker, falls head over heels for Miss Sara. They do not want Yann to become the next man ensnared in Miss Sara’s web. Imogen and her fellow bakers set out to uncover the truth and get their vacation back on track.
Grimoires, Spas and Chocolate Straws is another entertaining installment in the Spells & Caramels series. I do suggest reading the books in the Spells & Caramels series in order. Each book builds upon the previous one. Grimoires, Spas and Chocolate Straws is a creative cozy mystery with magical elements. Erin Johnson has a vivid imagination. She has created whimsical worlds with quirky characters and plenty of humor. I found Grimoires, Spas and Chocolate Straws easy to read thanks to the author conversational writing style (It has an ease to it). The story progresses along at a steady pace with vibrant descriptions of the forests, the monsters, and the distinctive spa town of Umiru. It is nice to see the various characters pairing up, but they are still maintaining their close friendships. We get to find out more about Imogen’s brother, Horace. I was quite surprised by his revelations. Iggy provides levity with his one-liners (I enjoy his droll commentary). The book has a special ending that will please fans of the series. The mystery is not complex, but I had a good time following the clues and zeroing in on the killer. My rating for Grimoires, Spas and Chocolate Straws is 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). I am eager to find out what happens next with our band of bakers in the next Spells & Caramels tale.
Gosh I love this series!
Another great addition to the series. We find out more about Horace, visit a new town and have another murder! I love the town of Umiru, the description just makes me want to visit this magical place. The writing style in this series is comfortable and so easy to read. And what an ending!! No spoilers, you’ll just have to read it! Can’t wait for the next book, better get writing Ms. Johnson!
I received an ARC. This is my honest review.
Full of whimsy, adventure and, above all, an extremely imaginative read! The gang’s still in the land of monsters, adjusting to their new life. Imogen is constantly on the lookout for her brother despite the fact that he seems to have abandoned them. The group gets the opportunity to take a side trip to a beautiful seaside resort but it ends up being anything but a relaxing vacation with the death of a guest (a hotel critic) and Imogen can’t help but investigate. There’s plenty of that snarky Iggy (I just love him!) as well as a wonderful conclusion to the story that will keep you totally wrapped up in this book.
Note: I did receive an ARC of this book, but my review is voluntary and a total pleasure to share in hopes others will find this great series!
SQUEAL! This book was so magical!! I’ve been team Horace since day one, but this book really solidifies his character. The major theme throughout the story is “not everyone is as they seem or are rumored to be”. Loved the ending! There was a huge uptick in romance in this book though, which was kind of eh. I mean not everyone needs to pair off, but I am so excited to see where this story goes! Spells & Caramels is one of my absolute favorite series.