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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
Mermaid Fins, Winds and Rolling Pins by Erin Johnson is the third book in Caramels and Spells series. Imogen Banks has been practicing her magic work with Prince Harry (Hank) since Horace escaped while trying to kidnap her from Bijou Mer. Extra precautions have been put in place to ensure that Horace, leader of the Badlands Army, cannot get onto the grounds of castle. Now, though, the staff of the Royal Bakery are off to the Mermaid Kingdom to bake for the engagement party of Queen Aerwyna (known as Winnie the Finnie) and her fiancé, Captain Charles Walker, the pirate king (known as Good Time Chuck). The first evening the bakers are invited to the Club (a pirate nightclub) and instructed by Bubbles, a close friend of Queen Aerwyna’s, to make brandy balls with a very special pirate brandy. After a long night of drinking and dancing, all Imogen wants to do is sleep the next day. Unfortunately, Queen Aerwyna wants to find out more about humans and summons Imogen. Imogen ends up witnessing the discovery of Bubbles in a ship’s fishing net and becomes embroiled in another murder investigation. Imogen, Prince Harry, Maple, Iggy and their fellow bakers dive into the case and cast their nets to capture a killer.
Mermaid Fins, Winds and Rolling Pins (that’s a mouthful) is a delightful and entertaining cozy mystery. I do recommend reading the prior two books in the series before embarking on Mermaid Fins, Winds and Rolling Pins. The series has great characters that develop and improve with each installment in the series. I am a fan of Iggy, the magical flame, and his witty dialogue. I am especially glad that we are finally getting more details on Imogen’s biological family. The mystery had several elements to it and it was creative (the brandy sounded disgusting). I did identify the killer (and victim) before the crime, but I still wanted to continue reading the story to see how it would unfold. I found the magical elements refreshing and intriguing. The story is nicely written and has a good pace which makes it easy to read and delight in. There are wonderful descriptions of the Mermaid Kingdom, mermaids, pirate ships, unique contraband, sea creatures, the Water Kingdom library and so much more. There is humor sprinkled throughout the story with unique analogies (and innuendo). I did find the romance a little too prominent for my taste. I am happy to see Prince Harry and Imogen’s relationship progress. I am eager to read the next installment in the Spells and Caramels series which will be Cookie Dough, Snow and Wands Aglow.
Mermaid Fins, Winds and Rolling Pins (that’s a mouthful) is a delightful and entertaining cozy mystery. I do recommend reading the prior two books in the series before embarking on Mermaid Fins, Winds and Rolling Pins. The series has great characters that develop and improve with each installment in the series. I am a fan of Iggy, the magical flame, and his witty dialogue. I am especially glad that we are finally getting more details on Imogen’s biological family. The mystery had several elements to it and it was creative (the brandy sounded disgusting). I did identify the killer (and victim) before the crime, but I still wanted to continue reading the story to see how it would unfold. I found the magical elements refreshing and intriguing. The story is nicely written and has a good pace which makes it easy to read and delight in. There are wonderful descriptions of the Mermaid Kingdom, mermaids, pirate ships, unique contraband, sea creatures, the Water Kingdom library and so much more. There is humor sprinkled throughout the story with unique analogies (and innuendo). I did find the romance a little too prominent for my taste. I am happy to see Prince Harry and Imogen’s relationship progress. I am eager to read the next installment in the Spells and Caramels series which will be Cookie Dough, Snow and Wands Aglow.
dmnich's review
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
sleepgoblin's review
3.0
I got out of the habit of reading with my eyes instead of listening, and this book languished unfinished for sooooooo long.
hugbandit7's review
5.0
Another hit in this magical cozy mystery series.
The gang from the Water Kingdom travels to the Mermaid Kingdom to make the pastries and such for the wedding of the Mermaid Queen (Winnie) to the Pirate King (Chuck). To do this, Imogen and the others have to transform into merpeople to be able to get around their world since most of it is under water. It is a new twist for Imogen, as she is still getting used to having magical powers. While there they come across a mermaid that was murdered and Imogen has to solve the crime. I will have to admit that I never guessed who killed Bubbles and the reason why was quite fascinating. So much history between many characters. And there is some interesting twists when it comes to Imogen and Hank and their attraction to each other. Oh and we do learn a little bit more about Imogen’s past and how she didn’t know she was magical. There is still a lot more to come with that aspect, but what we discover is quite shocking – or at least to me it was!
I still can’t explain why I really like this series. Maybe it is the creativity in the characters, worlds and magic; maybe it is the humorous situations; maybe it is the burgeoning love between Imogen and Hank; or maybe it is just the right book at the right time. But whatever reason, this is a must read series for me and I can’t wait for book four that will be out sometime this month.
The gang from the Water Kingdom travels to the Mermaid Kingdom to make the pastries and such for the wedding of the Mermaid Queen (Winnie) to the Pirate King (Chuck). To do this, Imogen and the others have to transform into merpeople to be able to get around their world since most of it is under water. It is a new twist for Imogen, as she is still getting used to having magical powers. While there they come across a mermaid that was murdered and Imogen has to solve the crime. I will have to admit that I never guessed who killed Bubbles and the reason why was quite fascinating. So much history between many characters. And there is some interesting twists when it comes to Imogen and Hank and their attraction to each other. Oh and we do learn a little bit more about Imogen’s past and how she didn’t know she was magical. There is still a lot more to come with that aspect, but what we discover is quite shocking – or at least to me it was!
I still can’t explain why I really like this series. Maybe it is the creativity in the characters, worlds and magic; maybe it is the humorous situations; maybe it is the burgeoning love between Imogen and Hank; or maybe it is just the right book at the right time. But whatever reason, this is a must read series for me and I can’t wait for book four that will be out sometime this month.
socorrobaptista's review
4.0
Se tem uma pessoa que parece atrair confusão é a protagonista desta série. Neste livro, cheio de magia, e muitas criaturas míticas, como sereias e tritões, não poderia ser diferente. Divertido de ler, sempre regado a muita comida gostosa, e bebidas não tão saborosas assim.
tigermomnc's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
mrose21's review
4.0
Quick Info
Standalone/Cliffhanger?: Standalone
Part of a Series?: Yes
----------------------------------
Meeting the Characters
Imogen
Hank
Iggy
----------------------------------
What happens?
Imogen and Hank are working together to try and train her powers and teach her magic. During this time they have to go down to the water kingdom to bake a cake for the Mer-queen's engagement to the Pirate king.
Nothing goes smoothly and Imogen ends up investigating a murder of the queen's best friend with the most likely suspects being the queen, her grandmother (the old queen) and the pirate king!
Final thoughts
This was a good mystery to me. I had my suspicions but I really loved the mix of magic and mystery.
I'd like the Hank situation to be resolved. I don't like the fact hes going to marry someone else and they'll all have affairs. Even if that really happens in royalty its not very romantic!!!
Would I read again?: Yes
Would I read this author again?: Yes
Would I continue on with the series?: Yes
Standalone/Cliffhanger?: Standalone
Part of a Series?: Yes
----------------------------------
Meeting the Characters
Imogen
Hank
Iggy
----------------------------------
What happens?
Imogen and Hank are working together to try and train her powers and teach her magic. During this time they have to go down to the water kingdom to bake a cake for the Mer-queen's engagement to the Pirate king.
Nothing goes smoothly and Imogen ends up investigating a murder of the queen's best friend with the most likely suspects being the queen, her grandmother (the old queen) and the pirate king!
Final thoughts
This was a good mystery to me. I had my suspicions but I really loved the mix of magic and mystery.
I'd like the Hank situation to be resolved. I don't like the fact hes going to marry someone else and they'll all have affairs. Even if that really happens in royalty its not very romantic!!!
Would I read again?: Yes
Would I read this author again?: Yes
Would I continue on with the series?: Yes
lolasreviews's review against another edition
4.0
I am really enjoying this series so far and it has quickly become one of my favorite cozy mystery series. Mermaid Fins, Winds & Rolling Pins is another great book in this series. In this book Imogen and her friends travel to the mermaid kingdom to bake there. I liked the new setting for this book and it also gave the opportunity for Imogen and Hank to discover what was between them without the whole water kingdom watching.
The mystery takes a while to start and I thought the mystery was a bit less intriguing than in previous books, but it's still a decent mystery. I did predicted who the murderer was, even with few clues in that direction. I wouldn't have minded a few more clues and hints regarding the mystery. But even tough I suspected this person, I wasn't sure of the motive, so it was interesting when that came to the surface.
This was another fun book in this series. Besides the mystery there's a lot of other things going on, Maple and Willy clash again, Imogen learns more about her magic, there's the riddle they got at the end of the previous book and there's a bit of romance. I like seeing how Imogen learns a bit more magic in each book, but I also appreciate that she is still so new to this and doesn't learn everything at once. She masters a few spells in this book, but also struggles with some other aspects of her magic. It was well done. It also was neat to see the plot line about the Badlands Army advance a bit.
It's always fun to spend some time with Imogen and the other bakers and side characters. I like seeing them interact and how the dynamics shift a bit in each book. There's also more Iggy again, I really like his character. And I was happy with how the romance progressed a bit in this book. It's been very slow building and I felt like this book marked a big step in their relationship. There are some great Imogen and Hank scenes.
I liked the underwater setting and learning more about the mermaids and pirates. Although the mermaids were a bit over the top flirty at times, they got drunk a lot and flirted and joked. But I also kinda liked how the author gave her own twist to the mermaids, it sure didn't feel cliché. I didn't like queen Winnie at first, but there were some scenes where I did appreciate what she did and stood up for what she believed in. While this isn't my favorite of the book of the series so far there was still a lot to like and I enjoyed reading this book
To summarize: This was another fun read! I like the mix of paranormal and mystery elements. In this book we get to visit the mermaid kingdom and learn more about the mermaids and pirates. The new setting was fun and we meet a bunch of new characters as well. I did predict who the murderer was, but couldn't figure out the motive, so it was nice to see how everything tied together in the end. There is a bit of romance as well, which I liked. And Imogen learns more about her magic, a bit about her family and the plot line about the Badlands Army advances. I am looking forward to the next book in this series!
The mystery takes a while to start and I thought the mystery was a bit less intriguing than in previous books, but it's still a decent mystery. I did predicted who the murderer was, even with few clues in that direction. I wouldn't have minded a few more clues and hints regarding the mystery. But even tough I suspected this person, I wasn't sure of the motive, so it was interesting when that came to the surface.
This was another fun book in this series. Besides the mystery there's a lot of other things going on, Maple and Willy clash again, Imogen learns more about her magic, there's the riddle they got at the end of the previous book and there's a bit of romance. I like seeing how Imogen learns a bit more magic in each book, but I also appreciate that she is still so new to this and doesn't learn everything at once. She masters a few spells in this book, but also struggles with some other aspects of her magic. It was well done. It also was neat to see the plot line about the Badlands Army advance a bit.
It's always fun to spend some time with Imogen and the other bakers and side characters. I like seeing them interact and how the dynamics shift a bit in each book. There's also more Iggy again, I really like his character. And I was happy with how the romance progressed a bit in this book. It's been very slow building and I felt like this book marked a big step in their relationship. There are some great Imogen and Hank scenes.
I liked the underwater setting and learning more about the mermaids and pirates. Although the mermaids were a bit over the top flirty at times, they got drunk a lot and flirted and joked. But I also kinda liked how the author gave her own twist to the mermaids, it sure didn't feel cliché. I didn't like queen Winnie at first, but there were some scenes where I did appreciate what she did and stood up for what she believed in. While this isn't my favorite of the book of the series so far there was still a lot to like and I enjoyed reading this book
To summarize: This was another fun read! I like the mix of paranormal and mystery elements. In this book we get to visit the mermaid kingdom and learn more about the mermaids and pirates. The new setting was fun and we meet a bunch of new characters as well. I did predict who the murderer was, but couldn't figure out the motive, so it was nice to see how everything tied together in the end. There is a bit of romance as well, which I liked. And Imogen learns more about her magic, a bit about her family and the plot line about the Badlands Army advances. I am looking forward to the next book in this series!