I enjoyed this book. The plot is excellent as is the magic system. I loved the characters, the good and the bad. I also found that the book was great at creating tension. My only quibble is that I found the book way too sentimental which ended up interfering with the pacing. Nonetheless, I loved the book. Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the advance reader copy.

I have only recently discovered Helen’s books but she has quickly become one of my favourite authors! I absolutely love the way she writes, you can visualise exactly what she’s writing and you become totally hooked within the first few pages!
This book was just as brilliant! A duel timeline which I loved, part of which is set during the Salem witch trials! Another masterpiece that I highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC

The Vanishing Bookstore had an intriguing title, cover, and description, so I was excited to read it.

The book started out interesting, as it opens with a scene in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692.
The description of the cabin we find ourselves in is so well written one can feel the cozy fire and smell the drying herbs. We are vaguely introduced to a young women, with mention of her 2 aunts and mother.
With a pounding on the door, the young woman is fleeing for her life with an old book that she needs to hide.
Her friend, Ambrose, is helping her escape a sure death as a result of being identified as a "witch" along with her aunts and mother.
She hides the book under the floor boards of Ambrose' bookstore, and they run.

The next chapter opens in London, present day.

The rest of the book toggles back and forth between present day in England and Salem during the times of the Salem witch hunts and present day.

The book held my attention. For a little while.

At some point, the dialogue lost me. It began to seem very shallow and simple. Not really adding much to the story.
At this point, I found it hard to relate to any of the characters and lost interest in the book in general.

While I did finish the book, it was a challenge.

There is some "witchcraft" in the book, but not as much as one would expect, given the title and description.
Also, there really wasn't much about the actual "Vanishing Bookstore".
Others may enjoy the story, I just had trouble staying connected with it.

I have it 3 stars because it started out strong.
I loved the premise of the story.
It just fell flat for me about 1/2 way through.

Set in two time;ines, one present day and one during the Salem witch trials this is a book that was a divine read.

Dora is researching her family history and what she discovers is something I did not expect.

Every character in this book is just fabulous, They all seem to have a magical quality and I loved getting to know them.

This book is a wow wow wow read and I could not guess the outcome but it is absolutely beautifully written and the author is an amazing storyteller...

What a fantastic magical read. This book hooked me right away. I loved learning about the English sisters and both timelines. 1692 and present. I loved all the magical aspects. I learned more about the Salem Witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts. This book is wonderful and I highly recommend it.

Spellbinding heartstopping page turner and unputdownable.
Oh my i loved reading.
The key to survival is hidden in a bookstore that no one has seen for generations.
1692 to the present day.
Dora English and her tiny flower shop Sugared almond pink shop in London, with her business and her life she always felt a little lost.
Till George Corwin appears she knows him from somewhere.
Her aunt Lenny talks her into taking a holiday with her to Salem town in the states, so leaving her shop in her best friends capable hands she is then introduced to her aunt Sephy and finds her special powers.
You can't have your happy ending till you find the bookstore.
A dynamic book full of witchcraft,healers, magic, and with the language of flowers, Dora has a beautiful gift to do good in the world.
I just loved this book, it has everything.
Enchanting story that is just too good to ever put down.
The vanishing bookstore has been left open, for another story to be told.
Readers will love it.

Wow this is Helen Phifer at her spooky best! Really enjoyed this book I smashed it in one sitting. It was written as two timelines, historical and current times, this made it an extremely interesting and enjoyable read. I highly recommend this book it was a really brilliant and entertaining book.

Dora is on a search to uncover the truth about her family’s past. From the 17th century to modern day, Salem, Massachusetts, she’s in a race against time to find a missing key supposedly left in a bookstore that mysteriously seems to have vanished. This book is a lot of fun to read. A great way to take your mind off all the crazy political shenanigans, going on this November

The Vanishing Bookstore by new to me author H. Phifer, published by Bookouture is a breathtaking fantasy romance that gives all the feels, is literally unputdownable. A cover to cover iin one sitting read.
The story tells Dora and her family's story, jumps centuries. Starting out in 1692 in Salem to todays modern world where Dora is looking into her family's history and leading her to an abandoned bookstore.
A bookstore that carries not only books but secrets she can't even imagine too. But danger lauers around the corner.
A story that had me in suspense from start till the very last page. A fantastic 5 stars read.

I enjoyed this concept and thought the two timelines worked well in this historical fiction novel. The concept worked well overall and was engaged with the magic of this world. Helen Phifer has a strong writing style and enjoyed the way the characters worked in this universe. I enjoyed the use of bookstore and was invested in what was happening.

Rezension: The Vanishing Bookstore von Helen Phifer
Helen Phifer entführt ihre Leser*innen mit The Vanishing Bookstore in eine fesselnde Mischung aus Geschichte, Magie und Familiengeheimnissen. Der Roman ist eine meisterhafte Verbindung aus düsterem Märchen, packendem Thriller und emotionaler Familiensaga, die kaum eine Verschnaufpause erlaubt.

Eine Reise nach Salem – Vergangenheit und Gegenwart verschmelzen
Phifer beginnt ihre Erzählung im Jahr 1692, einer Zeit, die für die Hexenverfolgung in Salem bekannt ist. Diese historische Kulisse verleiht der Geschichte von Anfang an eine düstere und geheimnisvolle Atmosphäre. Die junge Frau, die ihr Journal unter den Dielen des Buchladens versteckt, wirkt wie ein Schatten, der über die Jahrhunderte hinweg nachhallt. Die mysteriöse, buchstäbliche „Verschwinden“ des Buchladens lässt den Leser sofort rätseln: Welche Macht steckt hinter diesem magischen Ort?

Der Übergang in die Gegenwart ist fließend und nahtlos. Dora, die Protagonistin, wird durch eine schicksalhafte Begegnung mit ihrer totgeglaubten Mutter in eine Welt hineingezogen, die ebenso faszinierend wie gefährlich ist. Die Verknüpfung von Vergangenheit und Gegenwart gelingt Phifer meisterhaft: Jedes Puzzlestück, das Dora entdeckt, bringt die historische und persönliche Tragödie ihrer Familie ans Licht.

Charaktere: Vielschichtig und emotional
Dora ist eine starke, glaubwürdige Heldin, deren Suche nach Wahrheit und Identität die Leser*innen tief berührt. Ihre Beziehung zu ihrer Mutter ist von bittersüßer Intensität, und die Angst, sie wieder zu verlieren, treibt Dora immer weiter in die Geheimnisse ihrer Familie. Auch die Nebencharaktere – von Doras misstrauischer, aber liebenswerter Tante bis hin zu den zwielichtigen Figuren, die ihre Reise begleiten – sind lebendig und komplex gezeichnet.

Besonders beeindruckend ist die Darstellung des Buchladens selbst. Phifer beschreibt ihn als eine Art lebendige Figur – geheimnisvoll, düster und gleichzeitig magisch. Die verfallenen Bücher, der Duft von altem Papier und die versteckten Geheimnisse zwischen den Seiten schaffen eine Atmosphäre, die man förmlich spüren kann.

Die Handlung: Spannung bis zur letzten Seite
Phifers Erzählstil ist flüssig und fesselnd, mit einem perfekten Gleichgewicht zwischen Spannung und emotionalem Tiefgang. Der Leser wird von Wendungen überrascht, die oft unerwartet kommen, aber immer logisch in die Handlung eingebettet sind. Die Enthüllung des Familiengeheimnisses – und die wahre Bedeutung des Buchladens – ist ein Höhepunkt, der alle losen Fäden zusammenführt und dennoch Raum für Fantasie lässt.

Besonders gelungen ist die subtile Art, mit der Phifer Themen wie Verlust, Vergebung und die Macht der Geschichten behandelt. Die Botschaft, dass jedes Leben – und jede Geschichte – eine zweite Chance verdient, zieht sich wie ein roter Faden durch den Roman.

Magie trifft auf Realität
Für Fans von Büchern wie The Lost Apothecary oder Practical Magic bietet The Vanishing Bookstore genau die richtige Mischung aus Magie und Realität. Phifer gelingt es, die magischen Elemente glaubhaft in die moderne Welt einzubetten, ohne dass sie überzogen wirken. Der Buchladen und seine Geheimnisse sind eine Hommage an die Macht der Literatur und den Glauben an das Unmögliche.

Fazit: Ein magisches Leseerlebnis
The Vanishing Bookstore ist mehr als nur ein Thriller oder ein historischer Roman – es ist eine Einladung, sich in einer Welt zu verlieren, in der Bücher und Geschichten Leben retten können. Helen Phifer hat einen Roman geschrieben, der nicht nur unterhält, sondern auch zum Nachdenken anregt und lange nach dem letzten Kapitel nachhallt.

Für alle, die eine Schwäche für magische Buchhandlungen, düstere Geheimnisse und starke Heldinnen haben, ist dieses Buch ein absolutes Muss. Phifers einfühlsamer Schreibstil und die tiefgründige Handlung machen es zu einem unvergesslichen Erlebnis – ein wahrhaft "unputdownable" Page-Turner!

Bewertung: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I tried several times to get into this book. It’s just not for me. I was hoping more about Salem but I could not connect with the characters. I am sure others will enjoy it.