Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an early copy of this book in an exchange for my honest review.

DNF at 35%

Actual rating: 2,5⭐️

I don't even know where to begin. I was so excited to read this book ever since I heard about it. So you can imagine how dissapointed I am now. I didn't want to finish this book. And even though I did not read the whole thing, I still wanted to write a review, because I have a few things to say.

This is a cozy fantasy. The only other cozy fantasy I've read is Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. And I enjoyed that book. It was a nice, comforting and lovely story. So, based on that, I thought I would love The Spellshop. Sadly, that is not the case. I think my main problem with The Spellshop lies in the the protagonist. I am not against unlikable or morally grey characters. I think they are interesting to follow, but at the same time, this is not a regular epic fantasy with large plot, politics and all that shenanigans. This is cozy fantasy, and in my opinion, in this subgenre the characters have to be likable. Because you have nothing else - no complicated plot or worldbuilding - you have just the characters and their day to day lives.

We follow Kiela - an anti-social librarian moving back to her childhood home on a small island. As an avid reader I absolutely love books about librarians, booksellers and readers. So, you can imagine my surprise when I immediately didn't click with her. It's mainly because she is flat out rude to people (her love interest) and kind of whiny. It's okay to be anti-social, I am too, but that's not an excuse to be rude to people who are just trying to be nice. Larran (the love interest) brings her gifts and does a lot of work for Kiela and never asks for anything, but she is still rude to him, because she wants to do everything by herself. Even though, she doesn't have the slightest idea how to do it. She acts like a teenager despite being an adult - I have never found out her true age though. She also constantly talks in her head about the same things over and over, and that's just annoying to me. When I finaly could find something I can relate to, she would immediately say or think something that would annoy me again.

But I absolutely loved all the side characters that live on the island. They were amazing. Shout out to Caz the sentient spider plant. Awesome sidekick. And there are merhorses too. And I love that we have a lot of different fantasy races - centaurs, satyrs, merfolk, Kiela has blue skin and hair... You know something else from just regular humans, elves and dwarwes we usually see in fantasy literature. But what I find interesting is Larran, the love interest, is never described. What does he look like? Is he a regular human? Everyone else is described but Larran. We only know he is tall and has a lot of muscles. Also this does the annoying thing where the main character is small and the love interest tall, and the author would constantly remind you of that in case you somehow forgot.

Also, I didn't love the romance. I think this is supposed to be like a reversed grumpy (Kiela) x sunshine (Larran). But Kiela is just rude not grumpy and Larran just completely overlooks that several times. And it felt a lot like insta-love. I don't know for sure because I stopped reading about 130 pages in, but the relationship was progressing a bit to quickly for my own taste. Compared to the minimal romance in Legends & Lattes, The Spellhop felt more like a cozy romantasy. And I have nothing against romantasy, it is just not my preffered genre.

But let's end with something positive. Sarah Beth Durst definitely knows how to write a good atmosphere. I felt transported to this world when I was reading and the imagery was colorful, joyful and just beautiful. The descriptions of the forest and sea and the small town... You really feel like you are experiencing it too.

The Spellshop seamlessly blends the charm of a cozy fantasy with the whimsy touch of romance, creating a delightful world where magic intertwines with love and friendship. I especially enjoyed the way this book was written, I liked how the scenes were blended so smoothly and how most chapters ended with cliffhangers which made me want to read more! The characters were written and pictured so beautifully that I already miss them after reading the last page of the book – if I could, I'd like to meet them all personally, especially Caz, Bryn, and Sian!! This book brought me to a place I've never been and it gave me an unforgettable experience which I will treasure forever. The Spellshop is definitely the perfect escape into a world where anything is possible. This book is now part of my top list and I'd highly recommend it to everyone!

Thank you Pan MacMillan and NetGalley for a E-arc copy of this book.

In this story we follow Kiela as she escapes the library she works at due to a revolution and ends up at her abandoned childhood home alongside Caz, a very anxious spider plant. While seeking refuge here she must learn to open up to the rest of the island inhabitants, and what better way to do so than selling jams? Or “remedies”?

I really enjoyed this book. The overall atmosphere was super relaxing and peaceful and the entire cast of secondary characters both in animal and human forms were absolutely great. Caz was the absolute best, I felt represented and I never thought I could relate to a plant, but here we are.

The plot was not super complex, but considering this is a cozy fantasy I think it was the perfect amount of plot versus vibes, so I had no problems with that.

The main issue I had with this book was the romance. It felt super insta-love and I personally felt like it was super rushed. The characters themselves said they knew nothing about each other while “being in love” so definitely ruined the rating for this a bit.

Overall this was a solid read and I enjoyed most of it.

This book was everything I wanted out of a cozy fantasy romance!
It is a cozy hug from a quaint village, spiced up with just the right amount of drama to keep you hooked, plus a sweet romance subplot.
While the romance storyline was enjoyable, the themes of friendship and found family truly shine in this story.
The intricate world-building introduces so much whimsy, including sentient house plants, winged cats, merhorses, mermaids, unicorns, and spirit bears, I wanted nothing more than to escape into this story.
Kiela, the protagonist, is a lovable character reminiscent of Emily from Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Her socially awkward, prickly, and homebody nature adds depth to her character development as she gradually opens up to the community, forms meaningful friendships, and earns their unwavering loyalty.
Caz, the spider plant, was easily my favourite character, full of the best witty banter.
A must-read for those who enjoy stories like Legends & Lattes / Bookshops and Bonedust.

this was the embodiment of a cozy fantasy story, i loved every single second of it. i would totally leave my entire life behind if it ment that i could live on that island with Kiela.
i truly loved her friendship with Caz, it was more "family" than friendship most of the time. and i loved how beautifully the small love-story was woven into the main plot, without overpowering kielas. seeing her become herself without hiding made me feel like a proud mom.
in addition to that, the world build was great, i immediately felt like i knew the world like Kiela did.

overall this was a fantastic book!

this book was written for everyone who wants to live on an island in animal crossing or on a farm in stardew valley

The subgenre cosy fantasy is here to stay. It was popularized by authors such as Travis Baldree, Sangu Mandanna or TJ Klune, and now we must add Sarah Beth Durst to the list, not doing so would be a disservice to this genre that has created a welcoming safe place for many readers.

“The Spellshop” is a slice of life rather than pure action based fantasy. Its main character, Kiela and her spider plant companion Caz arrive into the island after fleeing the revolution that ended with the assasination of the emperor. Kiela and Cath lived in the library of sorcerers at the high capital, and they managed to take a few crates full of books with them. Now they’re living in Caltrey, in the little cottage by the sea and the forest where Kiela was born and raised. At the village where she grew up Kiela witnesses hunger and decay and desperation caused, according to the villages, for the lack of help from the sorceres whose magic made life possible there. The emperor took the sorcerers a few years ago and the place is dying. Kiela can’t tell her secrets, of course, but she and Caz start a shop that apparently only sells raspberry jam but behind the scenes they sell spells to heal trees, help the fields grow with produce, help the forest come back to life and heal magical creatures.

This book is full of wonders. Kiela and Caz are fantastic main characters, a bit reluctant to mingle with the locals but getting close to them and making friends eventually, one step at a time. There’s all kids of people here. Caz herself is blue skinned and blue haired, she makes friends with a centaur, there are cats with wings, there’s a bakery where the patros are shaped in all the ways you could imagine, and there’s Larran, Kiela’s closest neighbor, a man who trains and looks after merhorses, half horse, half dolphin… there are mermaids and people with several arms… this book is overflowing with imagination.

The pages are wonderfully written and the reader will enjoy the slow paced story even if nothing seems to happen. And I must remark that there are books everywhere, talk of books, love for books, for both Kiela and Caz are bookworms, librarians, book scientists, dreamers.

This is a book without age target. It can be enjoyed by young children and old people equally. It’s perfect for cuddling up with a nice mug of cocoa, or cofee, or anything comforting. You won’t be disappointed by this book, it’s compelling and heartwarming yet it doesn’t come with its dose of adventure, risks, a little bit of darkness, but also love and found family. It is magical.

This is a love song to books, to imagination, to magic, to exploring different worlds encapsulated in words, sentences, paragraphs, this is a love song about sailing the universe on a ship made of books.

Thank you to @netgalley and @panmacmillan for the arc of The Spellahop by Sarah Beth Durst in return for an honest review.
☆☆☆☆
This is the perfect cosy, cottage-core, low stakes fantasy for snuggling up with with a good cuppa and some tasty treats!
With a great cast of characters, a sweet romance sub-plot, and lots of incredible magical creatures, this was a fun and easy read. I absolutely loved Caz, the sentient spider plant, and all of his witty dialogue!
When revolution comes to her doorstep, Kiela, a librarian with no time for people, must flee, taking as many magical tomes with her as possible. With no where else to go, she and Caz set sail for her home island, which isn't quite the way she remembers leaving it. The story follows Kiela and Caz and they learn how to make a life for themselves doing something completely new. Along the way they meet a cast of characters that were a delight to read, with Lorren the seahorse herder and her neighbour playing a key role. I loved their awkward conversations and budding relationship. I definitely reccomend this for fans of Legends and Lattes, as it gives all of the same cosy fantasy vibes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sarah Beth Durst for sending me an ARC of The Spellshop!

Kiela is a librarian in the Great Library of Alyyssium alongside her sentient spider plant assistant Caz. A rebellion is going on in the city so they've been packing away books ready to get them to safety, when a fire reaches the library so they do the only thing they can do as the last two left, grab what they can and run. Luckily they were able to get on their boat with some supplies too and escape to the sea, with nowhere to go Keila decides to take them to her home island.

This story follows Keila and Caz as they start a new life in a cozy small island where everyone knows everyone and everything, redecorating her old family home and finding a way to survive while making friendships with the range of people around and nosy neighbours. In a place where magic is practically forbidden Keila plays a risky game hiding the truth of what she is doing.

This is the perfect cottage core romantasy book, with an awkward introverted fmc, sentient plants and a very nosy, close-knit community. I absolutely loved the characters and their different personalities, Caz and Meep honestly in my opinion the best in this. The feel of this book was just so comforting and cozy, really felt the welcoming vibe of the island and the people there. Keila encountered so many different experiences after arriving on the island and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how she approached each and every one of them. I would've loved a chapter from Caz' point of view i feel it would've been so entertaining getting his thoughts on everything based off of his pure sassiness.

Every character was so well written, I liked how everyone was so welcoming to them and instantly made them part of the community-wide family. Also finding out about their experiences and how they approached the conflict in the book.


TROPES:
- sentient plants
- nosy neighbours
- sweet romance
- cottage core vibes
- found family
- small town romance
- fresh start
- magic

In The Spellshop we follow Kiela as she flees the city and her job as spellbook Librarian when a revolution hits. As she returns to the place she grew up she discovers that magic has been drained from the island, but what people don't know, is that Kiela has rescued some spellbooks from being burned and with the help of Caz, a talking spider plant, she intends to bring magic back.

The Spellshop was such a wonderful cozy read and I'll be recommending it to everyone. One of my favourite reads this year!

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for the chance to read The Spellshop.

Oh my goodness, this is just what I needed. In her acknowledgments, SBD says that ‘we’ve all been through a lot these past few years. This book is my gift to anyone who wants to escape and sink into a world filled with kindness and enchantment.’ And that is exactly what it does.

If you’re a die hard thriller reader this is not for you - it’s cozy fantasy and there are a few tense moments, but it’s ultimately like sinking into a cloud.

Keila is a librarian, living in the city of Alyssium. When revolution takes hold she flees back to her childhood island home of Caltrey, taking with her a talking spider plant and some books. There’s merhorses, there’s jam, there’s romance. But all in all this is a warm hug of a book and I couldn’t get enough - I’m really hoping this will become a series.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this.

This was the perfect book for October but I am so glad for the chance to read this in advance

Such a cozy read that I just wanted to be in the book

I am a fan of Cozy Fantasy and this book was as lovely and warm as a cup of tea with sweet honey.

We enter with this story in a world of books, where Kiela our main character who is very comfortable living away from people as a library manager, suddenly she has to flee because of a fire.

This is how, together with Caz, her best friend, who happens to be a very peculiar spider plant, they find themselves back on the island where Kiera was born.

The adventures they go through on the island and the characters that are shown throughout the story, give it the wonderful touch, they are so varied and with unique personalities that you will surely end up falling in love with them.

The cover gives you all the vibes of what the book is about, so feel the tranquility of watching a peaceful sunset while reading this incredible story.

Do I recommend it? Super yes!!! if you are one of those who enjoy Cozy Fantasy I assure you this one feels like a nice cup of chocolate on a cold autumn afternoon with sweet bread for dessert!!!

Thank you Netgalley and Pan MacMillan for this beautiful ARC.

#TheSpellshop #NetGalley.

I liked The Spellshop and enjoyed its warm, fuzzy, happy feelings, though I’m starting to think that cosy fantasy may not always be for me. It took me a little while to get into this one because of how slow it was, but once I got into it I flew through it and didn’t want it to end. I think this was entirely because of my mood, as one day I was struggling and the next day I was invested. The life of a mood reader, eh?!

I’ve been reading Sarah Beth Durst’s books for a long time, and it’s nice to see that they’re finally getting more recognition. They’re always brimming with great ideas and magical creatures, and that’s no different with The Spellshop. Caz the sentient spider plant was my absolute favourite, and I thoroughly enjoyed his sarcasm, loyalty and ability to run as only a plant could. He was the epitome of a memorable character!

I liked Kiela too, though I did think her romantic relationship progressed a bit too quickly. I didn’t personally feel the chemistry between her and the no-spoilers mystery man, and it all seemed rather rushed, but that could just be me. The rest of the inhabitants of Caltrey were all brilliant additions, and I loved their camaraderie and how they looked out for each other. My favourite part of this book were the aforementioned fantastical creatures, especially the winged cats. I want one!

The Spellshop is a nice, cosy fantasy that will be perfect for fans of these kinds of stories. The stakes are a little higher than I was expecting, which I really appreciate when it comes to this sub-genre. I would definitely read a sequel if there ever is one, but, if not, this is still a lovely standalone novel that I would be happy to have on my shelves.

3.5/5.

The coziest of cottagecore romantasy books! The FMC is an isolated book lover with a plant companion. I absolutely loved this plant and needed much more of them! The story is essentially a misfit finding their home with some mild peril thrown in. The plot was ok and things conveniently fixed (as occurs in a cozy fantasy - so that’s not a major criticism). I really loved the spell crafting and also some of the other magical elements. The cloud bears for example are something out of a Studio Ghibli movie. Overall it’s a lighthearted read that’s super cozy and fun. Definitely one to recommend to lovers of this sub-genre. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

4.5 rounded up to 5

Thank you to Bramble Romance, Macmillan, Tor, and NetGalley for an eARC of this perfect cosy fantasy romance book!

The Spellshop is such a well-crafted cosy fantasy book, with some high stakes moments that keep the plot intriguing but also lots and lots of cosy elements that I found simply perfect: a cottage overlooking the sea, island life, baked goods, lots of jam, sentient plant friends (Caz was my spirit anim... sorry, plant!), cute winged cats, found family, spell books, books in general, academic research and practical magic. The romance was also heart-warming and sweet. I have loved immersing myself in the world of this book so much and recommend it to all cosy fantasy fans! Kudos to Sarah Beth Durst for writing about what she loves. I'm so excited for The Enchanted Greenhouse, a standalone set in the same world as The Spellshop coming out in summer 2025!!

You'll like this if you liked: Emily Wilde trilogy; Legends & Lattes series; Six of Crows duology.

Loved it! Cozy and sweet! 100% recommend.
I love books about books and since this started with library I was hooked since first chapter. The jam making, the love, the danger circling around and magic. All merge together in great writing.

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

When I picked up The Spellshop, I was in the mood for something easy and cosy. And let Me tell you, it's like being wrapped in a warm, comforting hug!

Kiela, the main character, is a true introverted book lover. She's a librarian who adores books and even has a sentient spider plant as a companion. Her preference for solitude over socialising is something many of us can relate to. When a fire breaks out in the city, she's forced to leave the safety of the library and return to her childhood home with her friend and a few precious spellbooks.
Little does she know that the remote island that is her childhood home is a place where everyone takes care of each other. This book has everything: found family, small-town vibes, an engaging plot, delicious foods, and a cute slow-burn romance. Also, sentient plants, winged cats, merhorses, and many other interesting creatures help make this cosy story as magical and sweet as it is.

And every book lover knows that any man willing to build you bookshelves is worth keeping ;)

"Maybe this was something that could last.
How often did you meet someone who offered to build you bookshelves?"

Thank you to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan, and Tor for a review copy. My review is my honest thoughts and opinions, and I was not influenced by receiving a free copy.


#Spellshop #PineConeCoven #Netgalley #Bookstagram

The Spellshop is cosy fantasy meets cottagecore. Kiela is a librarian in the Great Library of Alyssium when she is forced to flee with her assistant Caz, a sentient spider plant, as a fire engulfs the library during a revolution overthrowing the monarchy. She saves several cratefuls of the library’s spellbooks and sails to the remote island she was born in. Her attempt to lie low in her parent’s old cottage is thwarted, however, by a handsome but nosy neighbor and her own pesky need to somehow support herself. Things become more complicated when she decides to open a jam shop as a front for selling illegal spells disguised as folk remedies to sabe the dying island.

This was just the perfect cosy fantasy. From the few pages of the first chapter, I knew I was going to love this book, and I was indeed utterly charmed by it. This cosy fantasy delivered charming characters in a wholesome setting, a sweet slowburn romance, and a welcoming found family. It was just very cute, joyful, and delightfully heartfelt. I like to have a bit more stakes in my own cosy fantasy reads, and this one gave me while not having it be too great to alienate fans of low stake cosy fantasies.

I just loved Kiela because I just completely meshed with her introverted personality and her love of books. She is socially awkward, overanalyzes things, and reads for fun. What’s not to love? I also loved her relationship with her sentient plant assistant Caz who was just a sheer delight. Oh Caz, for a plant, he is so full of personality, helpfulness, playful antics, and even some snark and sarcasm. And then there’s Larran—the kind, handsome, and gentle man who raises merhorses, has a bit of a boundary/personal space issue, and is utterly lovesick over oblivious Kiela. Their awkward and sweet romance could not have been more perfect.

The Spellshop gave me everything I could want from a cosy fantasy.

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC. This was more of 2.5⭐️ read for me at its best, but overall a dull read for me hence the rounding down.

I have to preface that I do enjoy reading cozy fantasy in general, and am not put off by low stakes in a story. Yet, The Spellshop never seemed to captivate me the way others in this sub-genre did. I was often so bored at times that I ended up skimming chapters past the second half. While the storyline holds some charm—strengthened by its theme of community and looking out for one another—the prose felt so lackluster that I wasn't moved by the book as much as I knew I could've.

It didn't help that it took a while for me to warm up to protagonist Kiela. An introverted librarian who wants to be left alone with her books should be up my alley, and I don't even mind prickly characters. What grates me is incompetent ones who refuse fairly reasonable help offered, and at times it felt like I was reading about a naive teenager rather than an adult. Fortunately, she does go through some much needed character development, and my irritation at her is practically gone by book's end. The romance she has with her neighbor Larran also did her no favors. It was rushed and felt like she's just falling for the first man that shows her even the slightest bit of kindness, due to her abysmal history of having no other friends other than Caz, her sentient plant assistant.

Caz, by the way, was such a great character that his inclusion added a whole .5 to the rating. A literal spider plant was more interesting than the main character.

For #womeninsff day 3 we celebrate fictional female friendships with an arc that got me out of a readingslump: The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was the ultimate cottage core fantasy book. With a very introverted librarian bookworm Kiela as a main character, and a sentient plant companion Caz that will make your heart melt.🪴💕

For me this book has the right amount of coziness with small town vibes, magical creatures, and enough stakes to keep you turning the page.
After the Library Kiela works for burns down she goes back to her small island town to live in the overgrown cottage in the woods. The people are very interested in her, but she is quite the introvert hiding in her shell.
When she realizes she needs to build a life and provide for herself (and Caz) she starts making jam for the local bakery using spellbooks from the library.
Because the town is winning over her affection, and her friends want to support her she starts a coven to provide "remedies" to the town in order to help them flourish.

If you love cosy fantasy with beautiful female friendship, weird plant companions and a dash of romance pick this book up next week!