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Practical Potions #2
Practical Potions and Professional Courtesy
Sella's life is finally coming together.
Her cozy coastal town, Marra, has embraced the quirky charm of her shop and her sarcastic feline familiar. She's been busy fine-tuning her enchanted coffee blends, brewing up cups filled with "compassion" and "inspiration," all while navigating her blossoming romance with Cali—the ghost who never seems to let being dead steal her smile.
As Sella starts to savor the quiet life, a last-minute venue change brings a bustling festival to their sleepy streets, turning her serene days upside down and flooding the town with eccentric tourists. Among them? A society of shifters. And her old rival, another kitchen witch, who’s determined to open a competing shop and put Sella out of business.
Things heat up when the festival's famous Golden Ladle goes missing, sending Marra spiraling into gossip and suspicion. Now, it’s up to Sella and Cali to uncover the mystery before the town’s reputation is tarnished forever.
Everyone’s a suspect. And in need of their own special blend.
Her cozy coastal town, Marra, has embraced the quirky charm of her shop and her sarcastic feline familiar. She's been busy fine-tuning her enchanted coffee blends, brewing up cups filled with "compassion" and "inspiration," all while navigating her blossoming romance with Cali—the ghost who never seems to let being dead steal her smile.
As Sella starts to savor the quiet life, a last-minute venue change brings a bustling festival to their sleepy streets, turning her serene days upside down and flooding the town with eccentric tourists. Among them? A society of shifters. And her old rival, another kitchen witch, who’s determined to open a competing shop and put Sella out of business.
Things heat up when the festival's famous Golden Ladle goes missing, sending Marra spiraling into gossip and suspicion. Now, it’s up to Sella and Cali to uncover the mystery before the town’s reputation is tarnished forever.
Everyone’s a suspect. And in need of their own special blend.
316 pages, Paperback
First published October 17, 2024
18 people are currently reading
200 people want to read
About the author
Wren Jones
4 books80 followersWren Jones lives in the Sonoran Desert with her family and two cats. Like most writers, she has been a storyteller for a long time. After her daughter was born, true crime felt a little too true, and darker fiction felt a little too dark. She started reading cozy mysteries, and after a while, she realized a little dose of fantasy and bi-rep was what she was missing. She figured what better time to research, write, and launch a novel that she’d been procrastinating on than while working full-time and raising a tiny human, so here we are.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 26, 2025
Miss Wren Jones, you took us on a whole journey just like your first book. You had me believing one person was the killer the whole time and then threw several wrenches in that thought process.
It is safe to say, you will never guess who done it and why. I cannot wait for book 3 please hurry I don’t want to be the next victim🤣
It is safe to say, you will never guess who done it and why. I cannot wait for book 3 please hurry I don’t want to be the next victim🤣
November 13, 2024
Such a good cozy mystery, perfect for the season, Sella is such a lovely rounded character and I love how mental health is discussed in this book with such care.
November 19, 2024
these books are SO underrated. i love sella and beejee and cali and lohrna so much, and the set change for the next book has me so excited. they’re cosy with real heart to them, and the recipes all sound wonderful. <3
December 17, 2024
I was a huge fan of Practical Potions and Premeditated Murder in 2023 - the characters, setting, vibes and plot lines were so cozy and endearing that they stuck with me out of the 90 books I read last year - so when a surprise sequel dropped in October I grabbed it immediately and have been slowly savoring it ever since. And great news - it is every bit as wonderful as the first book!
Sella is a kitchen witch in a society distrustful of magic, who also happens to have left town for years following an episode of uncontrolled magic known as ‘the incident’ - but returned to take over her late mother’s potion, honey and coffee shop, which also meant jumping back into a complex series of relationships with the people of the town. This includes her best friend, those distrustful of her and her magic, and everyone in between.
In the first book we met Cali, a ghost whose murder Sella and best friend Lorhna had to solve (with help from Sella’s familiar Beejee). The sequel joins Sella, Cali, and the rest a year later as a major regional festival and competition surprisingly comes to town as a plague breaks out in the intended host city. All of that hustle and bustle means more business, but also brings intrigue - we have a competitor kitchen witch trying to put Sella out of business, a couple of major disruptions to the festival … oh, and of course a murder!
The stories that thread through the book are fun and well done and keep you engaged, but for me it was the characters that warmed my heart. Sella has grown considerably and while she still overthinks everything, her confidence and strength have grown to match her big heart. Beejee has grown in surprising ways as well - don’t worry, he’s still every bit as sarcastic and sassy! Cali has embraced her life as a ghost - and her relationship with Sella is one of my favorite parts of the book!
If I had to make a single nitpick, it would be some minor errors in the early parts of the books - things like typos and swapping out ‘peak’ rather than ‘peek’ a couple of times.
I can’t really explain why I read these books so slowly - I tend to read multiple books at once, so as a result other books have come and gone while I have slowly read and re-read this book, focusing on how much I enjoy the nuances of each interaction. I have come to truly love the cozy genre, and the way Wren writes her stories really makes me pause to focus on being in those moments and savoring the scenes. Love this and can’t wait for the next one!
Sella is a kitchen witch in a society distrustful of magic, who also happens to have left town for years following an episode of uncontrolled magic known as ‘the incident’ - but returned to take over her late mother’s potion, honey and coffee shop, which also meant jumping back into a complex series of relationships with the people of the town. This includes her best friend, those distrustful of her and her magic, and everyone in between.
In the first book we met Cali, a ghost whose murder Sella and best friend Lorhna had to solve (with help from Sella’s familiar Beejee). The sequel joins Sella, Cali, and the rest a year later as a major regional festival and competition surprisingly comes to town as a plague breaks out in the intended host city. All of that hustle and bustle means more business, but also brings intrigue - we have a competitor kitchen witch trying to put Sella out of business, a couple of major disruptions to the festival … oh, and of course a murder!
The stories that thread through the book are fun and well done and keep you engaged, but for me it was the characters that warmed my heart. Sella has grown considerably and while she still overthinks everything, her confidence and strength have grown to match her big heart. Beejee has grown in surprising ways as well - don’t worry, he’s still every bit as sarcastic and sassy! Cali has embraced her life as a ghost - and her relationship with Sella is one of my favorite parts of the book!
If I had to make a single nitpick, it would be some minor errors in the early parts of the books - things like typos and swapping out ‘peak’ rather than ‘peek’ a couple of times.
I can’t really explain why I read these books so slowly - I tend to read multiple books at once, so as a result other books have come and gone while I have slowly read and re-read this book, focusing on how much I enjoy the nuances of each interaction. I have come to truly love the cozy genre, and the way Wren writes her stories really makes me pause to focus on being in those moments and savoring the scenes. Love this and can’t wait for the next one!
May 18, 2025
I like this one, but not quite as much as the first one. I felt like we missed a bit of the banter with Beejee and the cozy atmosphere from the first book. It was still a cozy story that I enjoyed though.
The one thing that bothered me in this book was Cali. I couldn’t get over the fact that she was haunting her old home that these nice people moved into. It seems illogical that she would assume she would be able to keep her old apartment now that she is dead. It felt super shallow and childish. I don’t know, it just made me dislike Cali’s character.
The one thing that bothered me in this book was Cali. I couldn’t get over the fact that she was haunting her old home that these nice people moved into. It seems illogical that she would assume she would be able to keep her old apartment now that she is dead. It felt super shallow and childish. I don’t know, it just made me dislike Cali’s character.
November 8, 2024
This version is just as charming and welcoming as the original! It's another delightful read, ideal for enjoying with a cup of tea and some biscotti. The plot really draws me in, particularly the fascinating story surrounding the old kitchen-witch rival who is trying to undermine Sella's business. Although Beejee is still my favorite character, I admire Cali's ongoing support in assisting Sella to regain her life and reputation, as well as tackling the next mystery of the Golden Ladle!
November 29, 2024
Overall, a nice sequel to the Practical Potion Mystery series. I did enjoy the return of Sella and Cali along with BeeJee but I felt like the characters were not as active in the story nor as exciting to read. The plot itself felt drawn out instead of the whipped-up magical world the previous book brought out. There were also a few spelling and grammar errors that were missed in the editing process. Besides, these few flaws it was still a good cozy mystery book!
January 30, 2025
A cozy continuation in the Practical Potions series! I don't know how Sella keeps it together with so many things falling into her lap because I definitely would have lost it. I was surprised by how things played out and loved the interconnectedness of it all. I just adore this world, the characters, and the sassy familiars!
I really enjoy Sella and Cali's sweet relationship. It just gives me all the melty heart eyes. I really hope there is more to come with this couple!
I really enjoy Sella and Cali's sweet relationship. It just gives me all the melty heart eyes. I really hope there is more to come with this couple!
July 8, 2025
I think I enjoyed this book more than the first because we were able to just enjoy time with our beloved characters in a familiar world. (Also shoutout audiobook narrator... YOU. ARE. FANTASTIC!!!)
My favorite part was getting to see the girlies be girlies together in one of the last scenes. Girlhood is so beautiful in all its forms.
Also the sage wisdom casually dropped "worry is only your brain trying to predict the future" wow!
My favorite part was getting to see the girlies be girlies together in one of the last scenes. Girlhood is so beautiful in all its forms.
Also the sage wisdom casually dropped "worry is only your brain trying to predict the future" wow!
November 6, 2024
Dear authors,
Use an editor! There were so, so many mistakes that would have been caught by an editor. Misspellings, full on erroneous homophones. It could have been so good - but it was ruined by the mountain of mistakes.
Use an editor! There were so, so many mistakes that would have been caught by an editor. Misspellings, full on erroneous homophones. It could have been so good - but it was ruined by the mountain of mistakes.
November 19, 2024
I love seeing the continuation of this series. More cozy mystery with the gang. I love the building romance with Sella and Callie! I can't wait for book 3. This series continues to be warm, cozy, and full of love.
November 26, 2024
I'm a Beejee stan! Just need to put that out there. This book was such a delight to read. Cali and Sella are goals. And I can't wait for the third book!
February 26, 2025
Another lovely cozy mystery from Wren Jones. I just love the characters in these books - so much voice!
July 4, 2025
It was fun seeing the characters from the previous book again! Perfect cozy read for any time of the year.
December 31, 2024
Practical Potions and Professional Courtesy is another fun cozy mystery by Wren Jones. I was so happy when the second book was released. Sella is a kitchen witch trying to make a living in her mom's old shop in a town leary of her magic. In this second book a famous competition comes to town bringing with it a host of outsiders including a rival kitchen witch and of course murder.
I love the interactions of all of the characters. Beejee, Sella's cat familiar, is a delight as always. The budding relationship between Cali the ghost and Sella is so cute. I had a smile on my face the entire time I was reading. I didnt want the book to end. Cannot wait to see what happen's in the next installment.
Highly recommend if you like cozy mystery stories full of magic and a sassy Cat
I love the interactions of all of the characters. Beejee, Sella's cat familiar, is a delight as always. The budding relationship between Cali the ghost and Sella is so cute. I had a smile on my face the entire time I was reading. I didnt want the book to end. Cannot wait to see what happen's in the next installment.
Highly recommend if you like cozy mystery stories full of magic and a sassy Cat
April 5, 2025
I love this cozy fantasy series so much. I think I was just as excited as the characters for the festival that occurs throughout this installment. That was such a clever way of expanding the worldbuilding and introducing new characters. A mystery plot is present, of course, with its own twists and turns. While our beloved cast deals with the chaos around them, there are several lovely, quieter moments between them that explore their relationships. I really enjoy following Sella's journey as she gains confidence as a kitchen witch. I was surprised by the story's ending and am looking forward to the sequel.
July 13, 2025
Another delightful installment to a sweet and lovely story! Can’t wait for the next adventure.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews