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The Spellshop
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Romantasy (2024) The Spellshop is Sarah Beth Durst’s romantasy debut–a lush cottagecore tale full of stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, sweet jams, and even sweeter love.
Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she and her assistant, Caz—a magically sentient spider plant—have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite.
When a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she’d see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor who can’t take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she’s fed and to help fix up her new home.
In need of income, Kiela identifies something that even the bakery in town doesn’t have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries.
But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela risks the consequences of using unsanctioned spells and opens the island’s first-ever and much needed secret spellshop.
Like a Hallmark rom-com full of mythical creatures and fueled by cinnamon rolls and magic, The Spellshop will heal your heart and feed your soul.
Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she and her assistant, Caz—a magically sentient spider plant—have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite.
When a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she’d see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor who can’t take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she’s fed and to help fix up her new home.
In need of income, Kiela identifies something that even the bakery in town doesn’t have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries.
But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela risks the consequences of using unsanctioned spells and opens the island’s first-ever and much needed secret spellshop.
Like a Hallmark rom-com full of mythical creatures and fueled by cinnamon rolls and magic, The Spellshop will heal your heart and feed your soul.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published July 9, 2024
About the author
Sarah Beth Durst
39 books3,975 followersSarah Beth Durst is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty-five books for adults, teens, and kids, including cozy fantasy The Spellshop. She's been awarded an American Library Association Alex Award, as well as a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. Several of her books have been optioned for film/television, including Drink Slay Love, which was made into a TV movie and was a question on Jeopardy! She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat. Visit her at sarahbethdurst.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 10,204 reviews
September 2, 2024
screw capitalism i want whatever this is (a cute shop where i sell spells and make jam + a hot man builds me floor to ceiling bookshelves)
August 9, 2024
''She and her assistant, Caz, a sentient spider plant..''
Ok. Sold.
Wish I had enjoyed this more but, sadly, I felt like nothing was happening. I get that's part of the cozy fantasy genre but it doesn't mean I have to like it. I think I would enjoy a story like this more as a movie, cause it was more vibes than anything.
Also, there were winged kittens. If I could see those on screen, I would care less about the lack of plot.
Ok. Sold.
Wish I had enjoyed this more but, sadly, I felt like nothing was happening. I get that's part of the cozy fantasy genre but it doesn't mean I have to like it. I think I would enjoy a story like this more as a movie, cause it was more vibes than anything.
Also, there were winged kittens. If I could see those on screen, I would care less about the lack of plot.
July 26, 2024
In a Nutshell: A cosy fantasy with an unlikeable protagonist who redeems herself along the way. A whole load of cosy, a little less of fantasy. Interesting (but flat) humans, outstanding non-humans, decent but straightforward storyline. A nice light option for those who prefer cute fantasies and can read without overanalysing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Bookish Yays:
🌳 Caz – Kiela’s assistant and spider plant extraordinaire. He goes so much more than being a talking plant, acting as an overly anxious friend and guide. His banter with Kiela is great fun. The biggest and best reason to read this book is Caz. (Technically, I should put this as a Mixed Bag. The downside of this is that I’ll never be happy with my ordinary, boring, non-talking plants now. I want Caz! 😢)
🌳 The fantastical creatures in the book, which include some we already know as well some innovative new ones. Winged cats and merhorses, anyone? 😍 I also include Meep in this category, and leave it for you to discover who or what Meep is.
🌳 The magic in the book, heavily rooted in nature and hence appearing even more delectable. I loved all the magic of the book, even when it wasn’t friendly.
🌳 The food references, from berry jams to cinnamon buns. My salivary glands rarely get affected by mention of Western dishes in fiction, but the descriptions in this one were yummm!
🌳 All things books – the magic of them, the value of them, the importance of treating them with care. Kiela’s person skills might be zero, but her librarian skills were top notch. Caz was the perfect assistant, being surprisingly passionate about books though he probably knew they are made from dead trees.
🌳 Because of the remote island setting, the story offers nice small-town feels, where neighbours can be helpful as well as inquisitive. The found family trope is used fairly well.
🌳 The indirect focus on the perils of resource hoarding by a select few, climate change affecting ordinary citizens, animals and nature suffering because of human misdemeanours, and parental abuse affecting children – all minor arcs but important and intriguing enough.
🌳 Can’t forget that stunning cover! It is almost like a painting. Don’t miss the adorable winged cat!
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌱 While this is a cosy fantasy, it is heavily tilted towards the cosy side than the fantasy side. I like cosy fantasies so I was somewhat prepared for what I would get going into this novel. But I wish the writing had not worried so much about making things cosy that it forgot many other necessary requirements of a satisfying reading experience.
🌱 Kiela is a complicated protagonist, and not exactly a loveable one. She is quite grumpy and annoying at the start. She is also too impulsive, naïve, and a short-term thinker. While I don’t mind unlikeable characters (I think they offer far more depth to stories than goody-goody characters), the conversion of Kiela’s people-shirker persona to town saviour and friend is a bit too instant to be convincing. If you necessarily want novels to have likeable leads, this book might not work for you.
🌱 Larran and the other citizens of the town are much better and hence more likeable than Kiela, but their character dev is somewhat surface level. They are either 100% likeable or detestable, no in-between greys. This gets boring. Larran, being the male lead, deserved better character development, but we don’t even know what he looks like, except that he is huge.
🌱 The basic storyline is too simplistic. Except for the fantastical characters and the references to magic, the plot has a typical romcom storyline: a city girl moving to a small village, finding love in various forms, and deciding that her new location is way better than the life she left behind. I wish there had been some novelty to the plot, though the magical beings were imaginative enough to save the book.
🌱 The approach to the story is somewhat episodic, with several conflicts coming and going over the course of the 384 pages. Once a conflict is settled, it doesn’t pop up again. This works well in continuity, but it also feels formulaic after a point. I’m surprised that the major historical event at the start of the book – a revolution in the empire that ends with the emperor being killed and the city overtaken by rebels – is chucked aside after Keila moves to her hometown. Even during later mentions of the rebellion, there are no major details provided. If you begin with a political plot-point, surely that needs to be settled better.
🌱 The world building is highly developed on some points, and lacklustre on others. The townspeople (when they are non-human) and the fantastical creatures get exceptional description, but the ordinary humans barely get any detailing. We get great descriptions of the island setting, but hardly anything about its magical backstory. We know the whats of the magic, but it is taken for granted that we also know the hows and whys.
🌱 This is tagged as a fantasy romance. So I can’t really complain about the dominant presence of the romance, but I will complain that the romance was a bit too insta for my liking. It had elements of grumpy (Keila) vs sunshine (Larran), and was clean, so no steam-related worries.
Bookish Nays:
🍂 Though the writing is in third person, there are a lot of inner monologues, which also leads to loads of repetition. The proceedings are also somewhat slow because of this, though I didn’t mind the slow part.
🍂 Some plot points are too convenient to be convincing. A cottage that has been abandoned in the wild for more than a decade still has everything in working order and the bed isn’t even dusty? A character changes their stance on a topic at the most opportune moment? People pop up exactly when they are needed?
🍂 I think the book should have had a different title. Not only is it a spoiler (because Keila doesn’t take a call about “selling spells” until much into the book, but it is also inaccurate, since there is no actual “spell shop’ in the book.
🍂 The second relationship introduced at the end comes out of nowhere. I think it was introduced just to tick off one item on the inclusivity checklist, but it simply wasn’t needed. A similar forced inclusion is the mention of the pronoun preference of a talking plant. I’m not kidding! (At times, I feel like we are going too far with the inclusivity rep in fiction. Yup, I said it! Yes, we need to be inclusive and treat all gender and sexual orientations equally, but do we need to shove it into every single plot, even when it doesn’t even make sense?)
🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 12 hrs 11 min, is narrated by Caitlin Davies. Her exuberant performance matches the cosy tone of the story. She does go a bit over the top during dialogue delivery, but I don’t mind this because it adds greater emotional depth and excitement to the conversations. Her voices for Caz and Meep were fabulous. If you want to give this book a go, I’d definitely recommend the audio version to audiobook aficionados. It would also be a great option for audio newbies as the timelines are straightforward and the characters, limited.
All in all, there are a few gaps in the writing approach of this novel, but there is also enough to enjoy. Caz alone should be a strong reason for you to pick up this ‘cottage-core’ (so many new labels these days!) fantasy-romance.
Recommended to cosy fantasy readers who don’t mind an extra bucketload of cutesy in their novels. This is Twee with a capital T! Be prepared to leave logic aside to enjoy it better.
3.5 stars, rounding up for Caz, Meep, and the audiobook.
My thanks to Pan Macmillan and Tor for providing the DRC, and Macmillan Audio for providing the ALC of “The Spellshop” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Kiela hates dealing with people. Thanks to her job as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium in the capital of the Crescent Island empire, she avoids people at all costs, with her sentient spider plant Caz being more than enough company. But when the rebellion strikes and the library is up in flames, Keila has no choice but to escape with Caz and whatever books she can carry. The only destination that seems safe is her late parents’ home in the faraway island where she had spent her childhood years. She hasn’t been to this abandoned old cottage in more than a decade, but even then, she can sense that something is not right on the island. Luckily, Kiela worked in the ‘spell books’ section of the library, so the books she carried to safety contain magical spells. Yes, it is illegal for any non-sorcerer to cast spells, but this far away from the capital, no one would know, right?
The story comes to us in Kiela’s third-person perspective.
Bookish Yays:
🌳 Caz – Kiela’s assistant and spider plant extraordinaire. He goes so much more than being a talking plant, acting as an overly anxious friend and guide. His banter with Kiela is great fun. The biggest and best reason to read this book is Caz. (Technically, I should put this as a Mixed Bag. The downside of this is that I’ll never be happy with my ordinary, boring, non-talking plants now. I want Caz! 😢)
🌳 The fantastical creatures in the book, which include some we already know as well some innovative new ones. Winged cats and merhorses, anyone? 😍 I also include Meep in this category, and leave it for you to discover who or what Meep is.
🌳 The magic in the book, heavily rooted in nature and hence appearing even more delectable. I loved all the magic of the book, even when it wasn’t friendly.
🌳 The food references, from berry jams to cinnamon buns. My salivary glands rarely get affected by mention of Western dishes in fiction, but the descriptions in this one were yummm!
🌳 All things books – the magic of them, the value of them, the importance of treating them with care. Kiela’s person skills might be zero, but her librarian skills were top notch. Caz was the perfect assistant, being surprisingly passionate about books though he probably knew they are made from dead trees.
🌳 Because of the remote island setting, the story offers nice small-town feels, where neighbours can be helpful as well as inquisitive. The found family trope is used fairly well.
🌳 The indirect focus on the perils of resource hoarding by a select few, climate change affecting ordinary citizens, animals and nature suffering because of human misdemeanours, and parental abuse affecting children – all minor arcs but important and intriguing enough.
🌳 Can’t forget that stunning cover! It is almost like a painting. Don’t miss the adorable winged cat!
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌱 While this is a cosy fantasy, it is heavily tilted towards the cosy side than the fantasy side. I like cosy fantasies so I was somewhat prepared for what I would get going into this novel. But I wish the writing had not worried so much about making things cosy that it forgot many other necessary requirements of a satisfying reading experience.
🌱 Kiela is a complicated protagonist, and not exactly a loveable one. She is quite grumpy and annoying at the start. She is also too impulsive, naïve, and a short-term thinker. While I don’t mind unlikeable characters (I think they offer far more depth to stories than goody-goody characters), the conversion of Kiela’s people-shirker persona to town saviour and friend is a bit too instant to be convincing. If you necessarily want novels to have likeable leads, this book might not work for you.
🌱 Larran and the other citizens of the town are much better and hence more likeable than Kiela, but their character dev is somewhat surface level. They are either 100% likeable or detestable, no in-between greys. This gets boring. Larran, being the male lead, deserved better character development, but we don’t even know what he looks like, except that he is huge.
🌱 The basic storyline is too simplistic. Except for the fantastical characters and the references to magic, the plot has a typical romcom storyline: a city girl moving to a small village, finding love in various forms, and deciding that her new location is way better than the life she left behind. I wish there had been some novelty to the plot, though the magical beings were imaginative enough to save the book.
🌱 The approach to the story is somewhat episodic, with several conflicts coming and going over the course of the 384 pages. Once a conflict is settled, it doesn’t pop up again. This works well in continuity, but it also feels formulaic after a point. I’m surprised that the major historical event at the start of the book – a revolution in the empire that ends with the emperor being killed and the city overtaken by rebels – is chucked aside after Keila moves to her hometown. Even during later mentions of the rebellion, there are no major details provided. If you begin with a political plot-point, surely that needs to be settled better.
🌱 The world building is highly developed on some points, and lacklustre on others. The townspeople (when they are non-human) and the fantastical creatures get exceptional description, but the ordinary humans barely get any detailing. We get great descriptions of the island setting, but hardly anything about its magical backstory. We know the whats of the magic, but it is taken for granted that we also know the hows and whys.
🌱 This is tagged as a fantasy romance. So I can’t really complain about the dominant presence of the romance, but I will complain that the romance was a bit too insta for my liking. It had elements of grumpy (Keila) vs sunshine (Larran), and was clean, so no steam-related worries.
Bookish Nays:
🍂 Though the writing is in third person, there are a lot of inner monologues, which also leads to loads of repetition. The proceedings are also somewhat slow because of this, though I didn’t mind the slow part.
🍂 Some plot points are too convenient to be convincing. A cottage that has been abandoned in the wild for more than a decade still has everything in working order and the bed isn’t even dusty? A character changes their stance on a topic at the most opportune moment? People pop up exactly when they are needed?
🍂 I think the book should have had a different title. Not only is it a spoiler (because Keila doesn’t take a call about “selling spells” until much into the book, but it is also inaccurate, since there is no actual “spell shop’ in the book.
🍂 The second relationship introduced at the end comes out of nowhere. I think it was introduced just to tick off one item on the inclusivity checklist, but it simply wasn’t needed. A similar forced inclusion is the mention of the pronoun preference of a talking plant. I’m not kidding! (At times, I feel like we are going too far with the inclusivity rep in fiction. Yup, I said it! Yes, we need to be inclusive and treat all gender and sexual orientations equally, but do we need to shove it into every single plot, even when it doesn’t even make sense?)
🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 12 hrs 11 min, is narrated by Caitlin Davies. Her exuberant performance matches the cosy tone of the story. She does go a bit over the top during dialogue delivery, but I don’t mind this because it adds greater emotional depth and excitement to the conversations. Her voices for Caz and Meep were fabulous. If you want to give this book a go, I’d definitely recommend the audio version to audiobook aficionados. It would also be a great option for audio newbies as the timelines are straightforward and the characters, limited.
All in all, there are a few gaps in the writing approach of this novel, but there is also enough to enjoy. Caz alone should be a strong reason for you to pick up this ‘cottage-core’ (so many new labels these days!) fantasy-romance.
Recommended to cosy fantasy readers who don’t mind an extra bucketload of cutesy in their novels. This is Twee with a capital T! Be prepared to leave logic aside to enjoy it better.
3.5 stars, rounding up for Caz, Meep, and the audiobook.
My thanks to Pan Macmillan and Tor for providing the DRC, and Macmillan Audio for providing the ALC of “The Spellshop” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
Want to read
October 15, 2023I need more cottagecore fantasy romance in 2024🌸
November 19, 2024
✩ 4 stars ✩
“I want to know you better."
"No, you don't. I'm not friendly. I like to be alone."
"You can be alone with me.” 🫶🏻
What to Expect:
➼ Island Cottage
➼ Cinnamon Roll MMC
➼ Booktrovert FMC
➼ Found Family
➼ Small Town
➼ Cozy Fantasy
➼ Magic
➼ Talking Plants
➼ Winged Cats, Unicorns, Mermaids, Etc.
➼ Third Person POV
This was such an enchanting read! I always love the idea of a cozy fantasy, but it’s rare that I truly feel the magic like I did while reading The Spellshop. The synopsis likens this story to a “Hallmark rom-com filled with mythical creatures,” and that description is spot on. The author gave us the coziest small town found family vibes and then gave us unicorns and winged cats to sweeten the deal.
The booktrovert FMC is frankly all of us. “It wasn’t that she didn’t like people. It was only that she liked books more.” 😅 Socializing is hard. I’m much more comfortable at home with my books and my faithful plants, so obviously I found Kiela’s character to be extremely relatable. The MMC honestly reminded me of my father which I can assure you is a rave review. He showed his love in very practical ways by fixing things that needed fixed and just continually showing up for her. He seemed like he would be a very steadfast and dependable person to have in your corner and it was refreshing to see a more steady depiction of love.
The third person narrative made me feel slightly detached from the characters, but if this had been written in first person POV, I think it would have been an easy 5 stars. Such a sweet and wholesome story! The quintessential fall read. 🤍 Highly recommend!
“I can’t lose books; I’d lose me.”
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: Is that a WINGED CAT on the cover?! How am I just now noticing this?!!! 😱 I was already excited to read this, but guys… it’s a WINGED CAT! 😍🐈🪽🤗✨
“I want to know you better."
"No, you don't. I'm not friendly. I like to be alone."
"You can be alone with me.” 🫶🏻
What to Expect:
➼ Island Cottage
➼ Cinnamon Roll MMC
➼ Booktrovert FMC
➼ Found Family
➼ Small Town
➼ Cozy Fantasy
➼ Magic
➼ Talking Plants
➼ Winged Cats, Unicorns, Mermaids, Etc.
➼ Third Person POV
This was such an enchanting read! I always love the idea of a cozy fantasy, but it’s rare that I truly feel the magic like I did while reading The Spellshop. The synopsis likens this story to a “Hallmark rom-com filled with mythical creatures,” and that description is spot on. The author gave us the coziest small town found family vibes and then gave us unicorns and winged cats to sweeten the deal.
The booktrovert FMC is frankly all of us. “It wasn’t that she didn’t like people. It was only that she liked books more.” 😅 Socializing is hard. I’m much more comfortable at home with my books and my faithful plants, so obviously I found Kiela’s character to be extremely relatable. The MMC honestly reminded me of my father which I can assure you is a rave review. He showed his love in very practical ways by fixing things that needed fixed and just continually showing up for her. He seemed like he would be a very steadfast and dependable person to have in your corner and it was refreshing to see a more steady depiction of love.
The third person narrative made me feel slightly detached from the characters, but if this had been written in first person POV, I think it would have been an easy 5 stars. Such a sweet and wholesome story! The quintessential fall read. 🤍 Highly recommend!
“I can’t lose books; I’d lose me.”
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: Is that a WINGED CAT on the cover?! How am I just now noticing this?!!! 😱 I was already excited to read this, but guys… it’s a WINGED CAT! 😍🐈🪽🤗✨
June 6, 2024
This was EXACTLY what I wanted out of a cozy fantasy romance!! It's precisely the right amount of coziness and small town vibes, but with high enough stakes that there's an engaging plot, and a cute slow-burn romantic subplot. Also the main character has a sentient spider plant named Caz as a companion!
The Spellshop follows Kiela and Caz as they flee the city and political unrest to her childhood home on a small island. Kiela had been a librarian and brought with her crates of forbidden spellbooks to save them. She's not great with people, but she's going to have to learn to be, what with a handsome neighbor dropping by to be helpful. In order to survive, she decides to open a jam shop from her cottage, while secretly offering useful but illegal spells as "remedies" to do things like heal trees and make berry bushes grow. It's incredibly delightful and one of my favorite things I've read this year! the audiobook also hits exactly the right notes. I received a copy of this book for review via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
The Spellshop follows Kiela and Caz as they flee the city and political unrest to her childhood home on a small island. Kiela had been a librarian and brought with her crates of forbidden spellbooks to save them. She's not great with people, but she's going to have to learn to be, what with a handsome neighbor dropping by to be helpful. In order to survive, she decides to open a jam shop from her cottage, while secretly offering useful but illegal spells as "remedies" to do things like heal trees and make berry bushes grow. It's incredibly delightful and one of my favorite things I've read this year! the audiobook also hits exactly the right notes. I received a copy of this book for review via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
October 7, 2024
the cozy vibes were sooo cozzzzyy🤍☁️🫶🏼
December 11, 2024
➸ 4 stars
if i had to describe this book in a few words, i’d say it’s enchanting, magical, cozy, and heartwarming. this book feels like a warm hug. the kind of book you read with a delicious baked pastry, a warm cup of coffee or tea, and of course, raspberry jam!
this book is for the introverts, the book lovers, the readers who wish to escape to a magical fantasy world.
🧚 “Books should be shared with everyone who wants to open their minds and hearts to them.”
ꫂ➺ kiela - the introverted librarian who loves books and doesn’t like socializing with people!! i loved her tbh, she was so real and i saw myself in her <3 i loved seeing her slowly start to open up to people and letting them in! it felt like a warm hug!
🌿 “Are you ever lonely?”
“How can I be? I have books.”
ꫂ➺ caz - a talking spider plant as a best friend?! yeah i need one of those! i loved caz!! he was hilarious and never failed to make me laugh and just brought so much happiness onto the page <3
🪵 “You know, plants aren’t nearly as emotionally exhausting as humans. You should try to be more plant.”
🪻“I can’t lose books, I’d lose me.”
i absolutely loved the friendship these two had! it was so heartwarming and it gave me such joy!!
🌷“Larran thinks you’re the answer to every question he’s ever had.”
ꫂ➺ larran - UGH THIS MAN. he’s the most sweetest, caring and kindest soul ever. he’s awkward, he’s clumsy; everything he did, he did without asking and out of the kindness of his heart. he built kiela bookshelves, he fixed her stairs, he fixed her chimney, he always helped her without asking and just had so much love for those he cares about! i need someone like him!!!!
🌸 “but he’s careful with his heart. Never lets himself become close to anyone.”
“Until you.”
“You can hear it in the way he talks about you,”
🧺 “He was looking at her as if she was all that existed on the entire island.”
🌱 “He turned his head and smiled at her as if she’d gifted him with the sun, the moon, and all the stars.”
I LOVED KIELA AND LARRAN SO SO MUCH!!!! the most precious slow burn ever and they have my entire heart!!!!
“It wasn’t that she didn’t like people. It was only that she liked books more. They didn’t fuss or judge or mock or reject. They invited you in, fluffed up the pillows on the couch, offered you tea and toast, and shared their hearts with no expectation that you’d do anything more than absorb what they had to give.”
if i had to describe this book in a few words, i’d say it’s enchanting, magical, cozy, and heartwarming. this book feels like a warm hug. the kind of book you read with a delicious baked pastry, a warm cup of coffee or tea, and of course, raspberry jam!
this book is for the introverts, the book lovers, the readers who wish to escape to a magical fantasy world.
🧚 “Books should be shared with everyone who wants to open their minds and hearts to them.”
ꫂ➺ kiela - the introverted librarian who loves books and doesn’t like socializing with people!! i loved her tbh, she was so real and i saw myself in her <3 i loved seeing her slowly start to open up to people and letting them in! it felt like a warm hug!
🌿 “Are you ever lonely?”
“How can I be? I have books.”
ꫂ➺ caz - a talking spider plant as a best friend?! yeah i need one of those! i loved caz!! he was hilarious and never failed to make me laugh and just brought so much happiness onto the page <3
🪵 “You know, plants aren’t nearly as emotionally exhausting as humans. You should try to be more plant.”
🪻“I can’t lose books, I’d lose me.”
i absolutely loved the friendship these two had! it was so heartwarming and it gave me such joy!!
🌷“Larran thinks you’re the answer to every question he’s ever had.”
ꫂ➺ larran - UGH THIS MAN. he’s the most sweetest, caring and kindest soul ever. he’s awkward, he’s clumsy; everything he did, he did without asking and out of the kindness of his heart. he built kiela bookshelves, he fixed her stairs, he fixed her chimney, he always helped her without asking and just had so much love for those he cares about! i need someone like him!!!!
🌸 “but he’s careful with his heart. Never lets himself become close to anyone.”
“Until you.”
“You can hear it in the way he talks about you,”
🧺 “He was looking at her as if she was all that existed on the entire island.”
🌱 “He turned his head and smiled at her as if she’d gifted him with the sun, the moon, and all the stars.”
I LOVED KIELA AND LARRAN SO SO MUCH!!!! the most precious slow burn ever and they have my entire heart!!!!
Read
December 17, 2024basically a bedtime story
November 11, 2024
W•I•N•G•E•D-C•A•T•S
« He was looking at her as if she was all that existed in the entire island » 💗
This was the most heartfelt, wholesome, coziest and cutest book I’ve ever read 😭 I never wanted this to end. This was everything I never knew I needed 🥹 it’s honestly such a happy book. I smiled the whole way through.
🐱🪽 WINGED CATS 🪽🐱
🪴 A TALKING PLANT
🐎 Horse-fish
🦄 UNICORN
🧜♀️ Mermaids and their babies 🥹
❤️ Slow burn romance
🫖 Cozy fantasy
« I like to be alone.
- You can be alone with me »
« He was looking at her as if she was all that existed in the entire island » 💗
This was the most heartfelt, wholesome, coziest and cutest book I’ve ever read 😭 I never wanted this to end. This was everything I never knew I needed 🥹 it’s honestly such a happy book. I smiled the whole way through.
🐱🪽 WINGED CATS 🪽🐱
🪴 A TALKING PLANT
🐎 Horse-fish
🦄 UNICORN
🧜♀️ Mermaids and their babies 🥹
❤️ Slow burn romance
🫖 Cozy fantasy
« I like to be alone.
- You can be alone with me »
Shelved as 'dnf'
September 15, 2024pains me to dnf this bc i was so excited but i can’t force myself to finish 😭 might revisit later idk
introverted librarian & her talking spider plant?? sign me tf up
introverted librarian & her talking spider plant?? sign me tf up
September 20, 2024
This book was great! This was such a heartwarming and sweet cozy fantasy about family, friendship, community, love and finding home. The Spellshop follows Kiela, a librarian who must flee after the library catches on fire during the revolution. Kiela goes to the island where she grew up and she discovers friends and love that will last a lifetime.
I was completely swept up in this wonderful cozy fantasy from the very first page. I loved the cozy vibes in this book and I loved that this book focused on friendship and love. The fantasy creatures in this book were great especially the mermaids, merhorses, talking plants, a centaur, and more. I loved the world building in this book, the author explained the world but it wasn't complicated. The plot kept for interesting for most of the book and the pacing was well done. This book felt like a warm hug and a cozy blanket. I was smiling and giggling during most of the book, it was so wholesome. I enjoyed the characters immensely! I love Kiela so much, she is brave, caring, closed-off at first but once she opens up she is so kind, hardworking and resilient. Kiela's character development was great, I enjoyed watching her become more comfortable around other people and find a home for herself. I'm in love with Larran, he is such a sweet cinnamon roll character with a heart of gold and I loved how he treated Kiela. Larran made me blush at all the sweet things he did for Kiela including building her a bookshelf. I really liked Caz (a plant who can talk), he is so funny, helpful, sweet, and caring. I enjoyed the side characters a lot too, especially Bryn, Eadie, and Ulina. I love Larran and Kiela's relationship, they understand each other and caring toward one another. I loved the romantic scenes between Larran and Kiela. I will definitely remember the message of this story and the great characters for a long time.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves cozy fantasy, awesome characters and cozy vibes.
I was completely swept up in this wonderful cozy fantasy from the very first page. I loved the cozy vibes in this book and I loved that this book focused on friendship and love. The fantasy creatures in this book were great especially the mermaids, merhorses, talking plants, a centaur, and more. I loved the world building in this book, the author explained the world but it wasn't complicated. The plot kept for interesting for most of the book and the pacing was well done. This book felt like a warm hug and a cozy blanket. I was smiling and giggling during most of the book, it was so wholesome. I enjoyed the characters immensely! I love Kiela so much, she is brave, caring, closed-off at first but once she opens up she is so kind, hardworking and resilient. Kiela's character development was great, I enjoyed watching her become more comfortable around other people and find a home for herself. I'm in love with Larran, he is such a sweet cinnamon roll character with a heart of gold and I loved how he treated Kiela. Larran made me blush at all the sweet things he did for Kiela including building her a bookshelf. I really liked Caz (a plant who can talk), he is so funny, helpful, sweet, and caring. I enjoyed the side characters a lot too, especially Bryn, Eadie, and Ulina. I love Larran and Kiela's relationship, they understand each other and caring toward one another. I loved the romantic scenes between Larran and Kiela. I will definitely remember the message of this story and the great characters for a long time.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves cozy fantasy, awesome characters and cozy vibes.
August 21, 2024
If you ever played one of those cozy magical farming games and always wished there was a book like it: look no further. It reads exactly like a cottage core game. Girl comes back to the island she was born on at has to restore the overgrown family cottage, learn how to regrow berries and trees with the right spells and open a magical little jam shop (give me the Switch version, now!). This book did exactly what it needed to do. It was cozy, magical, heartwarming and a perfect escape. There were magical creatures like winged cats, a sentient and sassy spider plant, a hot bookshelf-building neighbor and cinnamon buns.
It wasn’t perfect, in terms of writing. The plot was all just a little too convenient, with minor crises and their solutions following each other up on rapid speed. The main character’s character development happens a little too abruptly (from town grump to town savior and friend of all) and most of the other characters (except Caz! He has my heart) are quite flat. The inclusivity elements felt forced and a little preachy. The first half of the book is an absolute delight, and the second half lost some of its strength as it attempted to touch upon bigger and more difficult themes, but only managed to touch the surface.
But when I grab a book like this, I don’t go to it for the good writing (and this definitely was one of the better ones within the genre!) I go to for it the way it will make me feel. So this one I rated purely for my enjoyment of it and I enjoyed it A LOT.
It wasn’t perfect, in terms of writing. The plot was all just a little too convenient, with minor crises and their solutions following each other up on rapid speed. The main character’s character development happens a little too abruptly (from town grump to town savior and friend of all) and most of the other characters (except Caz! He has my heart) are quite flat. The inclusivity elements felt forced and a little preachy. The first half of the book is an absolute delight, and the second half lost some of its strength as it attempted to touch upon bigger and more difficult themes, but only managed to touch the surface.
But when I grab a book like this, I don’t go to it for the good writing (and this definitely was one of the better ones within the genre!) I go to for it the way it will make me feel. So this one I rated purely for my enjoyment of it and I enjoyed it A LOT.
October 13, 2024
Caz & Meep carried the whole book🥹
Buddy read with the beautiful Kendall!
Buddy read with the beautiful Kendall!
November 12, 2024
4.5 stars
I’m in book love. And I’m beginning to realize romantasy may be more up my alley than I thought.
This time, it’s the romantasy-ness of Sarah Beth Durst's The Spellshop that swept me off my feet, though it’s much closer in style and theme to what TJ Klune is writing these days than Sarah J. Maas. And my body needed it right now – the book is nothing short of a big, warm hug from your most favorite person in the world, comforting and safe.
The love story between Kiela and Larran is sweet, not steamy. Kiela’s best friend is a talking spider plant, and the story is set on a far-off island filled with such mystical creatures as mermaids and merhorses. Durst also gives us books, magic, and mouth-watering food – everything our bookish hearts could ever want – and then tops it all off with a full-cast of lovable characters to round out Keila’s found family.
Keila’s problems, however, are solved too easily at the end. Cozy romantasy or not, Durst would’ve served the book well to increase the tension of the mess in which Keila finds herself. I craved a heightened sense of desperation in the final moments of the story and complexity in its wrap-up instead of a simple little bow.
Caitlin Davies is the audiobook narrator, and she’s divine. I'm struggling to explain how she does it, but her voicing somehow gives the story even more of a fairy-tale feel.
A 2024 favorite for sure, I may just turn right around and listen to The Spellshop a second time, it’s so good.
I’m in book love. And I’m beginning to realize romantasy may be more up my alley than I thought.
This time, it’s the romantasy-ness of Sarah Beth Durst's The Spellshop that swept me off my feet, though it’s much closer in style and theme to what TJ Klune is writing these days than Sarah J. Maas. And my body needed it right now – the book is nothing short of a big, warm hug from your most favorite person in the world, comforting and safe.
The love story between Kiela and Larran is sweet, not steamy. Kiela’s best friend is a talking spider plant, and the story is set on a far-off island filled with such mystical creatures as mermaids and merhorses. Durst also gives us books, magic, and mouth-watering food – everything our bookish hearts could ever want – and then tops it all off with a full-cast of lovable characters to round out Keila’s found family.
Keila’s problems, however, are solved too easily at the end. Cozy romantasy or not, Durst would’ve served the book well to increase the tension of the mess in which Keila finds herself. I craved a heightened sense of desperation in the final moments of the story and complexity in its wrap-up instead of a simple little bow.
Caitlin Davies is the audiobook narrator, and she’s divine. I'm struggling to explain how she does it, but her voicing somehow gives the story even more of a fairy-tale feel.
A 2024 favorite for sure, I may just turn right around and listen to The Spellshop a second time, it’s so good.
July 8, 2024
Just keep on scrollin' by.
I'm sorry to say but as interesting as it was to have fantastical creatures and different-looking people populating this very low-stakes cozy fantasy, set on an island, featuring an introverted and somewhat grumpy librarian and her sentient spider plant friend.. I was so bored.
I didn't need stakes, I didn't need something other than the cozy vibes, so it can't be said I wanted something other than what I was getting into; instead I just needed to care. And I did not.
For those who have been loving this, don't get me wrong, I see why. And for those interested in picking this up, I don't want to sway you to do otherwise. This just wasn't the book for me.
All that to say, this is definitely for the reader looking for something to recapture that LEGENDS & LATTES kind of vibe but is still a little (a lot?) different and very much its own thing.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
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This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
I'm sorry to say but as interesting as it was to have fantastical creatures and different-looking people populating this very low-stakes cozy fantasy, set on an island, featuring an introverted and somewhat grumpy librarian and her sentient spider plant friend.. I was so bored.
I didn't need stakes, I didn't need something other than the cozy vibes, so it can't be said I wanted something other than what I was getting into; instead I just needed to care. And I did not.
For those who have been loving this, don't get me wrong, I see why. And for those interested in picking this up, I don't want to sway you to do otherwise. This just wasn't the book for me.
All that to say, this is definitely for the reader looking for something to recapture that LEGENDS & LATTES kind of vibe but is still a little (a lot?) different and very much its own thing.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
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This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
November 21, 2023
I wanted to like this book so much. I really did. Cottagecore romantasy with a pretty cover and GORGEOUS lavender-sprayed edges? Sign me up! Unfortunately, this book fell short in practically every category that I use to judge books. Maybe my expectations were too high? I was hoping, as a bookseller, to be able to recommend this as my go-to romantasy that people may not have read. Instead, I’ll likely feel disappointment any time I see it. I’ll try to keep this review major spoiler-free, but there may be some small ones, so read at your own risk.
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First off, let’s dive into the main character. I haven’t had a main character feel so un-relatable since I read How Does It Feel. Kiela has lived in a library for years, with a sentient plant as her sole companion, completely avoiding other librarians and patrons. She cherishes every single book in the library. I don’t disagree with her opinion there, as I can usually find SOME thing I like about a book, but it’s her complete and utter SOLITUDE in this library that I have an issue with. She continuously reminds the reader (and I mean CONTINUOUSLY) that she hates any interaction with any other person and would just as soon live her life without ANY interaction at all. Besides the plant. He’s a cool plant, but really? Indeed, when the plot forces her to retreat to the island of her birth, she honestly believes that she can do it without any help, and maybe even without the island residents knowing she is there. Sure, I guess? Listen, we all have our delusions. But this one is a little far fetched, even for fiction.
Enter Mr. Love Interest! This lovely, selfless person, evidently remembers her from her childhood, and starts spoiling her with free food and labor. While she objects to his company, his gifts, and his attention, it is QUITE repetitive in her inner monologue. She wanted to live off the grid without help from anyone! And this handsome stranger keeps bringing her EGGS!! She is VERY awkward and rude when it comes to pushing him away, and while I love a good socially-inept main character, I’d like it to remain at least a BIT believable?
Here’s where small spoilers may occur. Don’t worry, they’re all in the synopsis, actually the TITLE, so they shouldn’t be crazy.
Once she realizes she can’t live completely off the grid, her mentality of “protect and hide the books I saved at any and all costs” to “well maybe I can help the island thrive by using the spells in the books to remedy some of the misfortune” which is CRAZY considering the first THIRD of the book is her (repeatedly) saying how she has to protect this secret at all costs. I’m really just confused here, but whatever. She hardly puts any thought into this idea before enacting it, which is completely at odds with her “logical” thinking in the beginning.
Not only does she decide to sell these “remedies” to select customers, she TELLS SOME ISLANDERS HOW TO MAKE THEM. As in, A COMPLETE ABOUT-FACE FROM HER ORIGINAL PLAN. Again, with NO FORETHOUGHT. I won’t tell any of the plotline past this, but this is the point where I threw my hands in the air and said “OKAY WHATEVER”
Lastly, I also have issues with the writing style. The main character is very repetitive, reclusive, and has a habit of going far left to far right then back again within the span of one chapter. It left me unable to read more than 50 pages at a time because I was just losing interest every time.
All in all, while I really wanted to like this book, and despite my best efforts (and I mean BEST), this book was a disappointment on multiple levels. 1.5/5, rounded up to 2/5, mostly because of Meep, the bat-cats, and the herds of Merhorses. You’ll get it when you get it.
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First off, let’s dive into the main character. I haven’t had a main character feel so un-relatable since I read How Does It Feel. Kiela has lived in a library for years, with a sentient plant as her sole companion, completely avoiding other librarians and patrons. She cherishes every single book in the library. I don’t disagree with her opinion there, as I can usually find SOME thing I like about a book, but it’s her complete and utter SOLITUDE in this library that I have an issue with. She continuously reminds the reader (and I mean CONTINUOUSLY) that she hates any interaction with any other person and would just as soon live her life without ANY interaction at all. Besides the plant. He’s a cool plant, but really? Indeed, when the plot forces her to retreat to the island of her birth, she honestly believes that she can do it without any help, and maybe even without the island residents knowing she is there. Sure, I guess? Listen, we all have our delusions. But this one is a little far fetched, even for fiction.
Enter Mr. Love Interest! This lovely, selfless person, evidently remembers her from her childhood, and starts spoiling her with free food and labor. While she objects to his company, his gifts, and his attention, it is QUITE repetitive in her inner monologue. She wanted to live off the grid without help from anyone! And this handsome stranger keeps bringing her EGGS!! She is VERY awkward and rude when it comes to pushing him away, and while I love a good socially-inept main character, I’d like it to remain at least a BIT believable?
Here’s where small spoilers may occur. Don’t worry, they’re all in the synopsis, actually the TITLE, so they shouldn’t be crazy.
Once she realizes she can’t live completely off the grid, her mentality of “protect and hide the books I saved at any and all costs” to “well maybe I can help the island thrive by using the spells in the books to remedy some of the misfortune” which is CRAZY considering the first THIRD of the book is her (repeatedly) saying how she has to protect this secret at all costs. I’m really just confused here, but whatever. She hardly puts any thought into this idea before enacting it, which is completely at odds with her “logical” thinking in the beginning.
Not only does she decide to sell these “remedies” to select customers, she TELLS SOME ISLANDERS HOW TO MAKE THEM. As in, A COMPLETE ABOUT-FACE FROM HER ORIGINAL PLAN. Again, with NO FORETHOUGHT. I won’t tell any of the plotline past this, but this is the point where I threw my hands in the air and said “OKAY WHATEVER”
Lastly, I also have issues with the writing style. The main character is very repetitive, reclusive, and has a habit of going far left to far right then back again within the span of one chapter. It left me unable to read more than 50 pages at a time because I was just losing interest every time.
All in all, while I really wanted to like this book, and despite my best efforts (and I mean BEST), this book was a disappointment on multiple levels. 1.5/5, rounded up to 2/5, mostly because of Meep, the bat-cats, and the herds of Merhorses. You’ll get it when you get it.
July 14, 2024
I thought I was getting something with a cosy fantasy vibe and I feel like I've been duped into reading a very basic romance. Sorry but if I'm reading "Oh he can't possibly like me!" on repeat by 30% I'm out.
July 29, 2024
I am absolutely in love with the cozy fantasy genre that's exploding in popularity, and I think it's fair to say that Sarah Beth Durst is one of the most practiced and reliable authors in that lane. I think what I love most about the genre is how heavily the plot must rely on the characters, and 'The Spellshop' is no exception. Set amidst the backdrop of a revolution against a tyrannical Empire, the plot doesn't revolve around heroic revolutionaries, or an heir to the throne desperate to escape the fate of the empire...instead we meet Kiela, a junior librarian of the empire's library, who rescues as many books as she can from the flames devouring her beloved stacks. Fleeing with her assistant, Caz, who is a sentient spider-plant, the two abscond to Kiela's home island to wait out the revolution while keeping the tomes they rescued safe. Their initial plans on keeping a low-profile are spoiled by the neighborly denizens of the island who are eager to welcome home their wayward citizen. And Kiela soon cannot resist the siren call of the books she rescued, diving into their spells to attempt to fix the problems plaguing her new home.
I recommend this book to anyone seeking a delicious comfort read.
I recommend this book to anyone seeking a delicious comfort read.
Want to read
March 13, 2024As if I wasn't already sold on the premise of this cozy fantasy, there's also some sort of winged cat??? on the cover and I'm just going to eagerly and hopefully assume it's a pet/companion character I can obsess over 🥹
Want to read
July 9, 2024ONE MORE DAY✨✨✨
I am so excited to read this! I need all the sweet and cozy cottage vibes!💓
Not to mention look at this cover😍😍
I am so excited to read this! I need all the sweet and cozy cottage vibes!💓
Not to mention look at this cover😍😍
November 23, 2024
This was everything I could have wanted and more ❤️
Rating: 4.25 ⭐️
MERMAIDS. I LOVE MERMAIDS. 🧜🏽♀️
The Spellshop is everything I want from a cozy fantasy. Beautiful scenery, wonderful characters, found family, romance, and fantasy creatures 🥰 It’s the small town vibes where everyone sticks up for each other.
This book opens on Keila, a librarian, fleeing from a city on fire, her favorite spellbooks and talking plant, Caz, in tow. She goes to the safest place she can think of, her old family home on a remote island. There she opens a jam shop as a front for selling (magical) “remedies” to try to help the town that’s struggling without magic. And then, of course, friendship and romance ensue 💕
The romance was so sweet 😭 I love how socially inept Larran and Kiela are. They like each other but are just so bad at showing it.
Overall, this was a lovely book. It had me full-face smiling. There is something so satisfying about a cozy fantasy and this was one of the best I’ve ever read.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Pre-read:
I’ve been wanting to read this for a while and since it’s one of the nominees for the Goodreads Choice Awards this seems like the perfect opportunity!!!
And I just love that cover 🥰
Rating: 4.25 ⭐️
“…this was a good place with kind people who cared about one another … there was a unicorn in the woods, mermaids in the coves, and the best raspberries she’d ever tasted.”
MERMAIDS. I LOVE MERMAIDS. 🧜🏽♀️
The Spellshop is everything I want from a cozy fantasy. Beautiful scenery, wonderful characters, found family, romance, and fantasy creatures 🥰 It’s the small town vibes where everyone sticks up for each other.
”Family isn’t always the people you’re related to.”
This book opens on Keila, a librarian, fleeing from a city on fire, her favorite spellbooks and talking plant, Caz, in tow. She goes to the safest place she can think of, her old family home on a remote island. There she opens a jam shop as a front for selling (magical) “remedies” to try to help the town that’s struggling without magic. And then, of course, friendship and romance ensue 💕
The romance was so sweet 😭 I love how socially inept Larran and Kiela are. They like each other but are just so bad at showing it.
“Thanks for stopping by.”
“Uh, okay. If you’d like…”
“You just need to bury it between the roots of the tree, that’s all.”
“Sunset should be pretty today, if you…”
“Oh, and you should do it soon,” Kiela said. “I don’t know how long the remedy will stay potent … Better to just bury it now.”
Overall, this was a lovely book. It had me full-face smiling. There is something so satisfying about a cozy fantasy and this was one of the best I’ve ever read.
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Pre-read:
I’ve been wanting to read this for a while and since it’s one of the nominees for the Goodreads Choice Awards this seems like the perfect opportunity!!!
And I just love that cover 🥰
October 8, 2024
4.5 stars rounded down
I’ve thought about this for a couple days now and discussed it with a friend who also read it. In the author’s note, she said that she asked herself if each chapter made her smile while she wrote it and that’s the largest takeaway for me, I smiled so big and so often as I read this cozy, fantastical treat. It brought rich depth in setting, dialogue, and characters, this right here brought me joy. Plus there are so many fantastical creatures, peoples, and magic.
The book begins with Kiela (h) at the capital of the empire of this fantasy world. She works as a librarian and that library is under attack by rebels who are overthrowing the emperor. Kiela and her sentient plant assistant, Caz, load up as many books as they can and are forced to make a run for it to ensure their survival. The trauma of what they’re running from and what they see and hear as they escape is carefully worded so the sense of loss is present without being triggery, I feel.
They head to the island of Kiela’s birth. Kiela and Caz have no idea how they’ll make a living, what to expect, and the feel of being a refugee and being lost, but determined was strong. They also don’t want to talk about what was happening with the empire because they’re keeping their books a secret, afraid of repercussions. What also ends up being kept a secret? Their use of magic in those books to start laying the foundation of their new life, because magic is forbidden from all but sanctioned sorcerers. Cause if you have a secret, you should totally double-down on it right?
The island is brimming with characters, from a neighbor who’s constantly there offering a hand (and some blushes) to the baker who’s immediately offering friendship to mystical beings who need assistance to the crochety old island man who’s the constant downer. This is such a cozy and atmospheric read that you can sink into and the side characters genuinely add to that. The descriptions of some of those characters though are weaker, like the neighbor who becomes a love interest, who has fine eyes and is large, but I don’t think we got any more than that. A lot of description about his merhorses though, who were adorable.
The heart of this book is Kiela’s journey and growth from being very isolationist in her library niche to having to people all the time and sort out how to do basic living skills and also processing these huge changes in circumstances. Kiela is pushed out of her comfort zone constantly as she adjusts and eventually she changes herself and ends up altering everything around her too.
My only itty bitty wish was that the romance was more central because as fantastic as I found this, and as thrilled as I was with the growth of Kiela, I don’t read many books lighter on romance and I do find myself thinking of how easily X could be added here or maybe Y in that scene. I can’t help it. There is romance and it’s sweet (some kissing only) with a supportive and blushing mmc, it just wasn’t the main point of the story.
The third act drama was an interesting addition too, it felt a little out of place. It did give Kiela assurance I think that she could stay forever, without the weight of possibly being pursued for the books having over her. It also brings some extra support that makes more magic possible, but it was still incorporated in a clunky way (to me). Still, I’d recommend this because the book is a squee inducing kind of cuteness, great for the fall season, and the ending does have a short jump ahead that ends in this HEA way for Kiela.
I’ve thought about this for a couple days now and discussed it with a friend who also read it. In the author’s note, she said that she asked herself if each chapter made her smile while she wrote it and that’s the largest takeaway for me, I smiled so big and so often as I read this cozy, fantastical treat. It brought rich depth in setting, dialogue, and characters, this right here brought me joy. Plus there are so many fantastical creatures, peoples, and magic.
The book begins with Kiela (h) at the capital of the empire of this fantasy world. She works as a librarian and that library is under attack by rebels who are overthrowing the emperor. Kiela and her sentient plant assistant, Caz, load up as many books as they can and are forced to make a run for it to ensure their survival. The trauma of what they’re running from and what they see and hear as they escape is carefully worded so the sense of loss is present without being triggery, I feel.
They head to the island of Kiela’s birth. Kiela and Caz have no idea how they’ll make a living, what to expect, and the feel of being a refugee and being lost, but determined was strong. They also don’t want to talk about what was happening with the empire because they’re keeping their books a secret, afraid of repercussions. What also ends up being kept a secret? Their use of magic in those books to start laying the foundation of their new life, because magic is forbidden from all but sanctioned sorcerers. Cause if you have a secret, you should totally double-down on it right?
The island is brimming with characters, from a neighbor who’s constantly there offering a hand (and some blushes) to the baker who’s immediately offering friendship to mystical beings who need assistance to the crochety old island man who’s the constant downer. This is such a cozy and atmospheric read that you can sink into and the side characters genuinely add to that. The descriptions of some of those characters though are weaker, like the neighbor who becomes a love interest, who has fine eyes and is large, but I don’t think we got any more than that. A lot of description about his merhorses though, who were adorable.
The heart of this book is Kiela’s journey and growth from being very isolationist in her library niche to having to people all the time and sort out how to do basic living skills and also processing these huge changes in circumstances. Kiela is pushed out of her comfort zone constantly as she adjusts and eventually she changes herself and ends up altering everything around her too.
My only itty bitty wish was that the romance was more central because as fantastic as I found this, and as thrilled as I was with the growth of Kiela, I don’t read many books lighter on romance and I do find myself thinking of how easily X could be added here or maybe Y in that scene. I can’t help it. There is romance and it’s sweet (some kissing only) with a supportive and blushing mmc, it just wasn’t the main point of the story.
The third act drama was an interesting addition too, it felt a little out of place. It did give Kiela assurance I think that she could stay forever, without the weight of possibly being pursued for the books having over her. It also brings some extra support that makes more magic possible, but it was still incorporated in a clunky way (to me). Still, I’d recommend this because the book is a squee inducing kind of cuteness, great for the fall season, and the ending does have a short jump ahead that ends in this HEA way for Kiela.
July 27, 2024
What an absolutely wonderful book - like a big warm hug in paper form! (Or like a soft hug from the hilarious and deeply endearing sentient spider plant sidekick in this novel.) The Spellshop is deeply, deeply cozy, but with a sharp enough edge (as the heroine flees the bloody aftermath of a revolution she supports in principle - but that would kill her if she stayed - and then sets up an illicit spell shop that will definitely HELP people, but that could get her executed if the wrong people find out) that it's never saccharine. Instead, it's like the tart, incredible raspberry jam she makes (in scenes that made my mouth water as I read). And I looooooved the lowkey romance subplot, too! There was so much in this book about vulnerability and courage and community, and none of it felt simplistic - it was all carefully thought through, which made its themes really powerful.
I loved the characters - I loved the story - and I finished the book with a huge smile on my face. I'm glad I got it in hardcover, because there will definitely be MANY comfort re-reads of it in the future.
I loved the characters - I loved the story - and I finished the book with a huge smile on my face. I'm glad I got it in hardcover, because there will definitely be MANY comfort re-reads of it in the future.
Want to read
December 19, 2023
August 29, 2024
truly, i adore this book. i did not go into this story thinking it was going to be the best book i ever read, and it wasn’t, HOWEVER, it was perfect for what it was written for. and it was written to feel like a pastry with jam on it and a cup of hot coco (as the author stated in her acknowledgements) and that is EXACTLY how this book feels.
it is a very wholesome story following a woman, Kiela, who pretty much discovers the power of community and what it means to pour into people and have them pour into you. and she does it all with an absolute gem of a character, a sentient spider plant named Caz. who may be one of the greatest fictional characters ever.
i will say, i would have loved a bit more romance. this book is marketed as a romance but, honestly, the love story felt a little pushed to the side. i wasn’t too bothered by this because i enjoyed all the scenes with various characters, but i’m a romance girlie at heart and i felt like they simply didn’t have enough scenes together, nor enough “get to know each other” moments. regardless, their story was sweet and i enjoyed it. it was refreshing from the heart pounding earth shattering romantasies that i typically read lol, it did feel a bit more tangible and realistic, and for that, i do greatly appreciate it.
I ALSO WOULD’VE LOVED MORE SCENES WITH THE FLYING CATS. LIKE SARAH. YOU MADE FLYING CATS. WHY ARENT THEY A VITAL PART OF THE STORY?!
anywaaaaaaay…
overall, this was a book that i could read during a stressful week, and it felt like taking a break. i’m pretty sure it cured all my headaches the past week and a half i spent reading it. every time i opened it, Caz said something hilarious and i got a dose of serotonin and BOOM headache cured. also, i want to live in a cottage with many many bookshelves. so i’d like to jump into these pages and live there.
if you want a cozy, cottagecore, fantasy read, i HIGHLY recommend this. it’s low stakes, but still keeps the pages turning. truly, i’m so glad i picked this up.
ALSO, i like to pick theme songs that i read for books (songs that just seem to fit the vibes) and this is the one i chose for the spellshop:
“Getaway Cabin” by Sidney Bird
ENJOY
xx
it is a very wholesome story following a woman, Kiela, who pretty much discovers the power of community and what it means to pour into people and have them pour into you. and she does it all with an absolute gem of a character, a sentient spider plant named Caz. who may be one of the greatest fictional characters ever.
i will say, i would have loved a bit more romance. this book is marketed as a romance but, honestly, the love story felt a little pushed to the side. i wasn’t too bothered by this because i enjoyed all the scenes with various characters, but i’m a romance girlie at heart and i felt like they simply didn’t have enough scenes together, nor enough “get to know each other” moments. regardless, their story was sweet and i enjoyed it. it was refreshing from the heart pounding earth shattering romantasies that i typically read lol, it did feel a bit more tangible and realistic, and for that, i do greatly appreciate it.
I ALSO WOULD’VE LOVED MORE SCENES WITH THE FLYING CATS. LIKE SARAH. YOU MADE FLYING CATS. WHY ARENT THEY A VITAL PART OF THE STORY?!
anywaaaaaaay…
overall, this was a book that i could read during a stressful week, and it felt like taking a break. i’m pretty sure it cured all my headaches the past week and a half i spent reading it. every time i opened it, Caz said something hilarious and i got a dose of serotonin and BOOM headache cured. also, i want to live in a cottage with many many bookshelves. so i’d like to jump into these pages and live there.
if you want a cozy, cottagecore, fantasy read, i HIGHLY recommend this. it’s low stakes, but still keeps the pages turning. truly, i’m so glad i picked this up.
ALSO, i like to pick theme songs that i read for books (songs that just seem to fit the vibes) and this is the one i chose for the spellshop:
“Getaway Cabin” by Sidney Bird
ENJOY
xx
October 15, 2024
Is it weird my favourite character is a talking plant?
This is a cozy, cottagecore fantasy, following Kiela, a fugitive librarian from the magical Great Library of Alyssium and her plant assistant Caz trying to start afresh on the island she left as a child.
Trying to deal with her fear, grief, anxiety, and PTSD, Kiela must learn how to socialise and integrate herself into a community again, trading in illegal magic under the guise of a jam shop.
It felt like nothing happened and yet I never felt bored. The townsfolk are a delight, Kiela is a mess of inexperienced chaos, and her delightfully handsome and kind neighbour delivers her pastries and fixes her house.
It wasn’t that she didn’t like people. It was that she liked books more. They didn't fuss or judge or mock or reject.They invited you in, fluffed up the pillows on the couch, offered you tea and toast, and shared their hearts with no expectation that you'd do anything more than absorb what they had to give.
Was this perhaps too wholesome? Too easy? Very unbelievable in how tensions are handled and the climax resolved? Absolutely.
But sometimes you just want to read a magical book where the instigating stakes are background to town gossip, meddling friends, and rude customers.
The politics are a mess, the world building questionable, but Caz is an anxious sentient plant that says some very relatable things.
Bookstagram
This is a cozy, cottagecore fantasy, following Kiela, a fugitive librarian from the magical Great Library of Alyssium and her plant assistant Caz trying to start afresh on the island she left as a child.
Trying to deal with her fear, grief, anxiety, and PTSD, Kiela must learn how to socialise and integrate herself into a community again, trading in illegal magic under the guise of a jam shop.
It felt like nothing happened and yet I never felt bored. The townsfolk are a delight, Kiela is a mess of inexperienced chaos, and her delightfully handsome and kind neighbour delivers her pastries and fixes her house.
It wasn’t that she didn’t like people. It was that she liked books more. They didn't fuss or judge or mock or reject.They invited you in, fluffed up the pillows on the couch, offered you tea and toast, and shared their hearts with no expectation that you'd do anything more than absorb what they had to give.
Was this perhaps too wholesome? Too easy? Very unbelievable in how tensions are handled and the climax resolved? Absolutely.
But sometimes you just want to read a magical book where the instigating stakes are background to town gossip, meddling friends, and rude customers.
The politics are a mess, the world building questionable, but Caz is an anxious sentient plant that says some very relatable things.
Bookstagram
September 29, 2024
Charming. Adorable. So, so fun and heartwarming. I adored this.
Also SEAHORSES!
Also SEAHORSES!
August 9, 2024
It is precious to me.
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