🎧Mermaids and Meringue is the second book in the paranormal cozy Sugar Shack Witch Mystery series. It takes readers back to the magical town of Winterspell, while giving them the opportunity to catch up with Rosella and Orion. Readers also get the opportunity follow them on their newest adventure, where mermaids play an essential role.
It’s New Year’s Eve and Rosella Midnight has a date with danger.A handsome date for New Year’s Eve? Check. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
Title: Mermaids and Meringue
Author(s): Danielle Garrett
Series: Sugar Shack Witch Mysteries #3
Also in this series: Grimoires and Gingerbread: A Sugar Shack Witch Mystery Christmas Novella, Sprinkles and Sea Serpents
Narrator(s): Amanda Ronconi
Published by Tantor Audio on February 15, 2022
Pages: 270
Length: 5hrs 52mins
Genre(s): paranormal cozy mystery
Source: Publisher
Format: Audiobook 
Purchase: Amazon|Audible|Audiobooks.com
Reading Challenges: 2023 Audio Book Challenge, 2023- Coyer
Rating: 
Series Rating:
Red lipstick and a killer party dress? Double check.
A kiss when the clock strikes twelve? Undecided.
If I’m going to be stuck in Winterspell a little longer, I may as well have fun with it. But you know what they say about the best laid plans...
When my romantic evening turns into a kidnapping investigation, I can’t wait around to watch the ball drop. There’s a mermaid-snatching monster on the loose, and it’s up to me to stop them.
Luckily for me, my date always comes loaded for dragon.
Sprinkles and Sea Serpents introduced readers to Rosella’s unique magical ability to speak to any magical creature or animal. The residents of Winterspell treated her poorly out of fear of her abilities. Unable to tolerate the prejudices, she left Winterspell to live in the human world. However, she would learn no matter how far one runs, one can never run from their past. An accusation of plagiarism left her without a job forcing her to return home. Even after the events of Sprinkles and Serpents, she still harbours uncertainties about her place in Winterspell. Meanwhile, she works in the family bakery. While making a delivery to the bakery on New Year’s Eve, she stumbled on her next adventure. An adventure involving the capture of mermaids for nefarious intentions. With the help of the monster hunter and her prospective love interest, Orion, an investigation is launched.
Although 🎧Mermaids and Meringue focuses on a different mystery, it would be best to read the books in order because of the ongoing relationships between the characters.
I enjoyed the mystery, and I loved how well Orion and worked together to solve it. In the previous installment I sensed a growing chemistry between them, Garrett built on their chemistry in 🎧Mermaids and Meringue. Throughout the course of the investigation they grew closer….. and we see Rosella taking a chance on a relationship with Orion despite her fears.
The author focused not only on the mystery but also on the characters’ relationships, as well as their personal struggles. This added depth to the story.
The mystery concluded on a happy note, especially for the mermaids, and Orion and Rosella are both in a good place regarding their relationship.
Amanda Ronconi continues to do an excellent job with the narration. She has an uncanny ability to bring the story to life. The story has a large cast, which Ronconi seems to handle well, and her voices fit the personalities of the characters. This is a narrator I would listen to over and over again.
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Running Time: 1 hour and 39 minutes I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
Title: Sugar Cookies and Sirens
Author(s): Danielle Garrett
Series: Sugar Shack Witch Mysteries #4
Also in this series: Grimoires and Gingerbread: A Sugar Shack Witch Mystery Christmas Novella, Sprinkles and Sea Serpents
Narrator(s): Amanda Ronconi
Published by Tantor Audio on March 22, 2022
Pages: 67
Length: 1hr 39mins
Genre(s): paranormal cozy mystery
Source: Publisher
Format: Audiobook
Purchase: Amazon|Audible|Audiobooks.com
Reading Challenges: 2023 Audio Book Challenge, 2023- Coyer
Rating:
Series Rating:
The witch who can talk to animals meets the witch with a talking cat. What could go wrong?
It's Valentine's Day in Winterspell, but not everyone appears to be feeling the love. And no, I'm not talking about my dateless self.
Instead of being wooed by candlelight, I'm working in a candle shop. Cora Hearth, Winterspell's magical chandler, has teamed up with Sugar Shack to create party favors for the lucky couples, and they're counting on us to spark some magic for their special night.
So, when a thief breaks into my delivery van and swipes the goodies, Cora and I-and her persnickety talking cat-have to join forces to track down the culprit in time to save Valentine's Day. 
Sugar Cookies and Sirens delivered another exciting installment in the Sugar Shack Witch mystery series. This time around the mystery surrounds the theft of valentine’s gift bags.
This novella gave fans a crossover with another of the author’s series, Nine Lives Magic Mysteries. Now the Sugar Shack series is the only thing I have read for Garrett. So, it was interesting to receive a peak into another series of hers. A peak which left me wanting more.
I enjoyed meeting the characters from the Nine Lives Magic Mysteries, Cora and her familiar, Selene. Of course Selene stole the show with snark and feisty comebacks.
Cora and Rosella worked well together in solving the mystery. Honestly, I never expected the outcome, which was funny depending how one looks at it. Overall, Cookies and Siren was a fast paced and light read.
Amanda Roconni continues to narrate and once again she proves why she’s the perfect narrator for this series.
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About Amanda Ronconi
Amanda Ronconi is an actress and narrator who divides her time between New York City and upstate New York. She has a BFA from NYU, where she studied at the Stella Adler Conservatory. She has performed in theaters around New York City and regionally at the Alley, Capital Rep, and many productions at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. Her Off-Broadway solo comedy, Shirley at the Tropicana, received critical acclaim and was subsequently featured in the New York Times. Film and TV credits include Daydream Believer (Slamdance 2001’s Best Dramatic Feature winner), The Understudy, Deadly Sins (ID Discovery), and IFC’s Get Hit and Chasing Paradise. National network and regional commercials include Chase Bank, Sony, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Her voice-over work encompasses nearly 100 audiobooks available on audible.com. She is a member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors’ Equity.
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 now 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 house servant for three extremely spoiled cats.
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- Good Half Gone : Tarryn Fisher - April 3, 2024
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
I enjoy this series for something fun and light. Her magic is so unique.
This one sounds interesting. Glad you enjoyed it and delivered on a good mystery storyline.
Excellent review, Nadene! I like the combination of baked goods and murder.
I love the title of these books. They sound good.
I always enjoy these type of mysteries with Amanda Ronconi narrating.
I know Sophia likes this author a lot too. She’s on my list to try. Glad to see you enjoyed it!
This is an author that I really do want to try and I do love this narrator. I am glad that you had a great time with this one.
I enjoy this author and this series sounds like it has her hallmark elements I love. Great reviews Nadene!