Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Purr-fect Potions by Danielle Garrett Narrator: Amanda Ronconi
Series: Nine Lives Magic #4
Published by Tantor Audio on May 17, 2022
Genres: Cozy Mystery, Paranormal
Length: 5 hours, 11 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm
After unearthing Aunt Lavender’s secret, we may finally know why she was abducted. Unfortunately, it also means the stakes are higher than ever.
We’re making headway, but we need help to navigate the elusive world of magical treasure hunting. So, when famed adventurer Tabitha Blake arrives in Winterspell, offering to help, I jump at the chance to work with her.
Tabitha is the key to many doors, but will one of them lead to Aunt Lavender? Or are we going in circles yet again?
The Nine Lives Magic series is one I found easy to love from the beginning. I loved the setting, the magical world, the mysteries, the main character, her love interest, and even her cranky cat familiar.
Purrfect Potions is fourth in the Nine Lives Magic series that are strongly connected so don’t read as well standalone. This particular one really won’t since it is left in an interesting lead-in place for the next book.
Picking up not long after the events of the previous book, Cora and Selene are on the hunt for the missing Aunt Lavender with little luck. A famous treasure hunter, Tabitha Blake, comes to town determined to get in on the hunt. Meanwhile, Cora’s love life hits a snag and doesn’t look good because of Cliff’s mom.
Purrfect Potions left me with mixed feelings for the first time in the series. This book felt different from the past series entries and not just because it doesn’t have a new local mystery for Cora to be involved in, which was disappointing. I liked that they were making progress on their search and the Tabitha character was interesting and left me as suspicious as the others of what she was up to. I was just as taken with the setting and the narration.
But, there were issues for me.
I’m not a fan of exploding a relationship that has felt settled and good, especially the way it happened here. Clint’s mom is horrid. I suspect this will be a rough patch and there is more to that story so I was more irritated than disappointed since I love Clint for her. But, what really got me muttering was Selene. I’ve been fine with her snotty attitude toward Cora and everything else up until now and at times it has been funny. This time, she dialed up the attitude right into mean territory. What exactly does Cora have to do further to earn a little respect from the demanding furball?
So, I still love the series and I really want to get to the finish line with all the exciting bits surrounding Aunt Lavender’s disappearance and why she disappeared. This was a transition book, for sure, so leaves series fans needing the next book and that includes me. This is a series I’d recommend to readers/listeners who enjoy paranormal cozy mysteries.
Narration:
I love listening to the series because Amanda Ronconi has made it even better with her voicing the characters including a feline character and connection with the tone of the books.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Amanda Ronconi
Amanda 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), IFC’s Get Hit and Chasing Paradise. National network and regional commercials include Chase Bank, Sony and Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Her voiceover work encompasses nearly 100 audiobooks available on Audible.com. She is a member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors’ Equity.
Amanda’s new solo show, Kempner, will debut in 2016.
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.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing.Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators.Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance.Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
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I do want to give her books a try so I will keep in mind that they really need to be read in order. I am not a fan of relationship trouble that is unnecessary either but I do like the sound of the series.
I think you’d enjoy these for a light fun paranormal mystery between heavier books. 🙂
The cover is so cute. This sounds good.
I think you’d get a kick out of this series when you’re in the mood for lighter stuff, Mary.
That kitten on the cover is just adorable. I”m going to have to look for Amanda Ronconi when I’m choosing audiobooks, she sounds like a wonderful narrator.
I’ve had a good time with the works she’s narrated for some time. 🙂
Transition books can be difficult and I hate it when an author messes with a solid couple. I hope things get more sorted in the coming books. Still, sounds like a fun series. Fab review, Sophia!
You said it, Rachel. Here’s hoping. 🙂
I’d forgotten about this series since it feels like it’s been forever since I listened to this one. But your review is 100% in line with mine. I was very disappointed, but I’ll still grab the next one in hopes it will be better. The author writes such fun, creative stories, so I have hope!
Yeah, the author warned in her newsletter that she was taking a sabbatical. I put this one off a bit knowing that. Now, I just want the next book and hopefully a cleanse from how I felt about this one. 🙂
I am so thrilled Sophia that this one was able to work for you in some ways. I can see why you had issues though but I hope the next book ends up being a better experience.
Lovely review….as always!
Yes, this one was irritating to me, but series sometimes have that one book and then go back to being fab. 🙂 Thanks, Renee!
This sounds fun. I kind of got burned out on Garrett, but will probably pick up a series again one day.
Yeah, there was an explosion of new releases in four series over the last few years. I wasn’t surprised when the author announced she needed some time away from writing.