Shelf Life — Sweet Silius Island Honey is a Tasty Dollop of Adventure
GDB I’m still stuck in my cozy media era, apparently. Given the state of, well, everything as I write this, it’s not hard to imagine why. Still, I didn’t really plan to read three comfy, cozy books in a row, it just sort of happened.
And to be clear and fair, Sweet Silius Island Honey by Alex Scott does actually have an adventure at the center of its plot in addition to the charming vibes. It just happens to be a charming adventure with some warm vibes, some interesting worldbuilding, and a story that genuinely took me by pleasant surprise more than once.
The story follows Owen, a teenage street urchin who gets by working at the docks and signing aboard the occasional ship. This lifetime of varied nautical expertise catches the eye of Wanda, a young witch with familial ties to the city where Owen lives who’s just moved back into town and could use someone to repair, maintain, and sail the family’s old yacht.
So far, so cozy, but the adventure part kicks in when Wanda and Owen put their heads together to realize that a mysterious, hard to sail to island just off the coast — one that Wanda can see is practically glowing with magic — is probably the secret source of the titular honey being sold in town, which is literally magically delicious and currently being monopolized by a single merchant who won’t disclose where he finds it. Said island also happens to be the site of a traditional magical ritual which, if Wanda can find and complete on her own, might grant her access back into the witch society that ostracized her and her family.
Read more of what the buzz is about