I received both a digital and physical copy of this book, and OMG!

Right I like comparing some of my books to games, think dnd meets stardew valley (both of which I am super obsessed with atm). This was so cozy and cute! I need more books in this universe. I don’t wanna spoil anything for anyone, I will say there are really cute companions in this book. (Notice I didn’t just say animals) 🤐

If you like Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree and Bookshops and Bonedust. Pick this book up!

Rating: 4 1/2 stars.

I have been a big fan of Sarah Beth Durst for a long time and once I heard she had a cozy fantasy coming out with a librarian main character I was immediately sold.

The writing is marvellous and the setting magical and I absolutely adored every minute of this book. Also how can you not love a book that includes a sentient spider plant. Like what is not to love?
I connected immediately with out main character Kiela - both as a slight introvert and also as a book lover - and just wanted to join her on her adventures.

The plot is very forward and it is an easy world to make yourself comfortable in.
I ideally would have loved a slightly more encompassing plot and further stakes but it is sweet and slow (like its romance!) and the perfect book to read if you need a warm hug.

Highly recommend and would love more from this fantasy world.

A lovely, whimsical, cosy, fantasy read.

There is a surprising amount of plot fit into this book, which surprised me. I could happily read more books set in this world, it is so charming.

Think sassy sidekicks, magic, farming and love in all it's glorious forms. I just felt so warm reading it, and it's so sweet. There is low stakes, but an over arcing message of not standing for oppression, and protect those you love, and found family.

Perfect for people who love cosy fantasy, this book certainly doesn't disappoint.

Perfect for people who love -

Books such as:
Legends and lattes,
Can't spell treason without tea,
Flowerheart,
Emiy Wilds,
The house witch.

Games such as:
Witchbrook
Sun Haven
Stardew Valley,
Animal crossing

This was lovely!! I love the cosy fantasy genre and I love a sassy sidekick! If plants were really like Caz and Meep then I would have sooooo many! I really hope to see more of this world!
Sarah's writing makes for easy reading and she built the characters up wonderfully.

3.5 ★

The Spellshop is a sweet and heartwarming cozy fantasy with just the right amount of romance and mystery and the best sidekick a witchy bookworm could ask for.

We follow our main character Kiela, an introvert librarian in the big city of Alyssium, who flees the city during a revolution and ends up on her way to the island where she grew up. With her escape Caz, a sentient spider plant, and crates of spellbooks that were not supposed to leave the library. As she tries to start a new life, she finds herself caring more and more for her very good looking neighbor, the fading town and its inhabitants. Bur in order to survive, live and prosper she'll have to open up, to learn to ask for help and to receive it freely.

I absolutely loved the first 70% or so of the book. The author took her time with the settings and introducing the characters which i appreciated so much, the magic was explained as we went along and I really had the feeling of settling in with our mc to a new magical and slow life which was exactly what i needed and wanted from a witchy cottage core novel.

We had diversity in the characters and a very sweet romance - which was expected but not any less cute. Caz was a great side character, witty and so wholesome in his own peculiar way and the found family trove was all that i wanted.

I, unfortunately, was not a fan of the last 30% of the book. I personally didn't like nor cared for the new town arrival and her arc and that's when for me it went from cute and whimsical to cheesy and over the top. All the action was packed there and i lost the slow pace that i was looking for. Everything felt rushed, things stopped making sense and inconsistencies and mistakes showed up, especially in the time frame.

I wish we could have had a slower, less busy ending and simply continued to discover the magic, creatures and townsfolk but if you love cottage core and witchy vibes with lots of gardening and adorable romance this book is for you 🤍

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A politically fuled and delightful romantasy with cosiness at its heart The Spellshop was truly a heartwarming read full of hope and love in many shapes and forms from start to finish, I was nestled within that warmth. This book is truly what a cosy fantasy should be from its magical world and beautiful descriptions of it, the sweet romance and the way the writing invokes such a warm feeling almost inviting me to uproot my life settle on the island of Caltrey myself.

Honestly, I'm speechless. This is probably the exact kind of cosy, magical fantasy that anyone interested in the genres would be looking for.

It has adorable talking plants, it has books, it has a man that will willingly suggest and offer to build bookshelves for said books and most importantly it has a mer-baby. Adorable, tiny tail mer-baby.

This is one of the best cottagecore, cosy fantasies that I have read. It was all very wholesome, with the main character opening up to people and settling down when she once came from. This will definitely be a treat for those with a sweet tooth, since there's so much of it around.

"It wasn't that she didn't like people. It was only that she liked books more."

I was given an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a cosy and comforting read - I tore through it in half a day, and was drawn into every moment of Kiela's story. I loved the magic of Durst's world - but what I particularly liked was how domestic the whole book was. Political upheavals and magical systems, while explained well, were far less important to the plot than the characters and their evolving friendships. Honestly it made for a refreshing change, and there was something so heartwarming about watching this fantastical community build throughout the novel.

Because this is so focussed on being a cosy read, the story itself can seem a little simple at times - the problems the characters face tend to be softened by the general tone of the book, which is definitely something to consider if you're looking for a more dramatic read.

But overall this read like watching a Studio Ghibli film, and I loved the comforting atmosphere of this wholesome little world.

Books with similar vibes - Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree, Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne, Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree, and The Winter Witch by Paula Brackston.

The most excellent cosy fantasy! I had so much fun with this, it's perfect, romantic TREAT. I will be recommending to everyone!

The Spellshop is the perfect cosy fantasy for fans of books like Legends and Lattes.

My favourite character has to be, Caz, the sentient spider planet. His back and forth with Kiela made me smile. I have to admit, being an introvert myself I found Kiela's personality relatable, from her awkwardness to her anti-socialness. The romance was very sweet, and if you're a fan of the he falls first trope you'll enjoy it. The food descriptions made me crave jam and cinnamon rolls, two things I love. As a bookworm I of course 100 percent understood Kiela's love of books and wanting to protect them at all costs. Again relatable. They were her comfort in the absence of human companions.

The Spellshop is the ideal read with a big cup of your preferred hot beverage!

This is a beautifully written, serenely cosy cottage core fantasy book of dreams. I loved the characters, the island setting, the world building and the magic system. This book feels like a huge warm cosy hug. I would love more books in this series if possible! The very definition of cosy fantasy. An incredible read.

I overall enjoyed this book - it's whimsical and pretty, and I always like to read books that explore non-human peoples. I think the setting was lovely, the Isle of Caltrey was so sweet and idyllic. The book fulfilled everything you want in a cosy fantasy, while managing to be heart-warming but not sickly sweet. I love any book about books and librarians, and this definitely scratched that itch. Caz was wonderful, too, and Larran was genuinely so wholesome it was adorable.

I do have a few complaints - you need to have a passing understanding of the things you write about. Chickens really shouldn't be kept alone (Kiela is neither cruel nor stupid, and I refuse to believe Larran would have agreed with a solo chicken), and I have questions about whether all the fruits and vegetables mentioned truly are harvested at the same time. My suspension of disbelief has no trouble with magic, but does not include agricultural mis-deeds, apparently. It made some aspects of this book seem under-researched, especially when a lot of this can be checked by a simple google search.

I wish we could have explored the world and the city a bit more, but needs must, and this book packed a really nice amount of plot into the book for its length. I enjoyed the book, and I'd read another one set in this world. A nice cosy read perfect for summer.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book felt like a comforting hug! It doesn't get much more cottagecore than a Librarian - and a sentient spider plant - using magic to restore the balance of nature. That's alongside aiding forest spirits and growing berries to make jam too! Not to mention the gorgeous small town romance sub-plot.

This is the perfect read for people who love:
- cosy games like animal crossing
- enchanting magic
- fantasy creatures (see: winged cats and merhorses)
- found family
- cinnamon rolls

This is a cosy fantasy read. I enjoyed everything, from the world building to the characters' relationships.

Kiela is an imperial librarian who loves books more than anything else. She spends all her time in the library, together with her talking plant. When the rebellion against the king affects the library, Kiela flees together with a few crates of books, back to the island where she was born. Here, Kiela starts meeting a multitude of people, and she wants to try to help them. The only problem is that magic is prohibited—only the imperial sorcerers can use magic and if anyone else tries, they can be imprisoned. However, Kiela can't let her island die now that she has finally found a home, so with the help of some long-term residents and an attractive childhood almost-friend, Kiela will do everything in her power to protect what she has come to love.

I enjoyed this book so much. I loved how Kiela grows in her own confidence and how she starts opening up to people. Caz, the talking plant, is amazing as well. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor for a digital ARC of this book.

Ahhh this was SO lovely! This is the definition of a cosy fantasy. I was so in love with the little island and it's inhabitants. True Cottage core cosy.

Honestly, this is the best book i've read so far in 2024. I started reading it during a really turbulent period in my life and it brought me peace when I didn't think that would have been possible!

The vibes, the romance, the found-family, the island of Caltrey and THE JAM are PEAK cosy fantasy! I feel like i've been on this beautiful island with the characters and I was so invested in the story that it was a huge stuggle to put my Kindle down each night. I don't want to ruin any part of the plot but if you are a fan of Legends and Lattes then this is 100000% the next book you should pick up!

I really hope we hear more from these characters or get another book from this author because I am OBSESSED!

10 out of 5 stars!!

I didn’t know I needed to read more cottage core fantasy until I read this book. Everything in this story was cozy, warm and inviting. I didn’t read the blurb and pretty much went into this blind and I’m so glad I did.

We meet Keila who has escaped the Alyssium after it was taken over by revolutionaries, as well as her precious spell books from the library and her assistant, the spider plant, Caz.

We see her arrive back in her home village and try to start a new life as well as helping the now failing island come back to life. I loved everything about this. The characters, the found family and Larran. I want my own Larran.

But it was Keila, Caz and Meep who made the whole book for me. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more books by this author.

A fun cozy fantasy book, with a solid main character and compelling secondary characters. Felt a bit repetitive at times but it was very cute in a fluff and sugar kind of way.

This book creates a world that's very cozy and lived in, and getting to spend time in this universe felt like staying the night in a friend's house, in safety and good company. I had a great time relaxing into this book!

The Spellshop follows a young woman called Kiera as she returns to her hometown of Caltrey with a spider plant..

This is the first book I’ve read in this in genre and I can’t say I’m a fan, the story is crosses the line between whimsical and urgent while keeping up with the high stakes tension. There was lots of talk of the politics and magic going on in the world

I would have liked to see a bit more exploration of the politics within the world.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC.