The Enchanted Greenhouse (Spellshop #2) by Sarah Beth Durst

Just earlier this month I read The Spellshop, which is the first book in the Spellshop series by Sarah Beth Durst. It was just cozy enough for me immediately download the second book in the series, The Enchanted Greenhouse, as soon as I finished the first one. 

You may recall that there was an enchanted sentient spider plant named Caz in the first book. Caz was created by Terlu, a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium. She was convicted of illegal magic and sentenced to be turned into a wooden statue who was displayed in the library as a warning to others. Well, you may also remember from the first book that the empire fell. When that happened, the spell holding Terlu stopped working and Terlu wakes up to find herself on a mostly deserted island filled with greenhouses in the freezing cold of winter. 

And then there are more magical plants. And a grumpy gardener who bakes. I am verklempt. These books are so nearly perfect. I just wish Terlu had a bit more of an edge to her. She's kind of too nice and perfect and forgiving, which is a great tone for this type of cozy fantasy, but does sort of annoy me a tiny bit after awhile. 

But! You know what? If you like cats with wings, talking plants, ghosts of sorcerers, and a dream of living on island with just one other person, you'll like this book. 4.5/5 stars

Lines of note:

But Terlu had pushed too hard to be friends and had ended up pushing her away. You’re a lot, Eilia had told her, after she’d asked to meet up for the third time in the same week and baked her a tray of ginger cookies with orange zest. It’s nothing personal, Eilia had said, but at this point in my life, I don’t have the time and energy for a lot. (location 1186)

I think I'm a lot? Probably.

A tiny dragon, about the size of a teacup, shot between the stalks. It breathed a candle-size spurt of fire at Lotti and then soared upward. (location 1989)

TINY DRAGONS! Bestill my heart. I didn't even know this was going to be a dragon book, but here we are.

After Laiken died, my father said his spirit lingered to lecture him about the care of orchids for three hours, before finally falling silent.” “Orchids are fussy,” Lotti said, dismissing the one she’d paused beside. (location 2300)

I knew reading The Orchid Thief would pay off for me eventually.

Thing I looked up:

halophyte (location 3175) - a salt-tolerant plant that grows in soil or waters of high salinity, coming into contact with saline water through its roots or by salt spray

Hat mentions (why hats?):

On top of a pile of watering cans, gloves, hats, pine cones, and various glittering rocks—the dragons’ treasure—was the little resurrection rose. (location 2093)

The child, wearing a new hat and mittens, was skipping through the snow. (location 6354)

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If you could have a tiny dragon the size of a teacup as a pet, would you? Or would you prefer a cat with wings? They don't get along, so you have to choose.