The title and concept of this book were what caught my attention and the dual timelines helped to hold your attention throughout the book. I do wish that there was a bigger focus on the bookstore and the magical elements for the reader to explore.
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Thank you Bookouture & NetGalley for this complimentary ARC - all thoughts are my own! 📚
Publishers release date 1/7/2025

The synopsis of this book hooked me immediately. <b>A magical bookstore lost in time, a centuries-old mystery, and a protagonist uncovering her family's secrets—what’s not to love? </b><i>Unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to the promise of its premise. </i>

The story starts strong but as the plot unfolds it’s riddled with inconsistencies and missed opportunities. The most glaring issue is how the main character learns about her history. Rather than unraveling her past through a thrilling journey of discovery, the information is simply handed to her. This lack of intrigue diminishes the emotional impact and suspense.

Some twists left me scratching my head. We’re led to believe certain characters have lived for centuries, yet they fail to figure out seemingly obvious truths? It’s hard to suspend disbelief when the story’s internal logic feels shaky.

That said, I couldn’t put this book down. The writing style is engaging, and the pacing is quick enough to keep the pages turning. While it’s not the deeply immersive tale I had hoped for, it’s an entertaining read for those who can overlook its flaws.

If you’re a fan of books like Practical Magic or A Discovery of Witches, you might still enjoy the atmosphere and premise here. Just don’t expect every thread to be neatly tied up.

Every story needs a happy ending. And you can’t have yours until you find the bookstore.’

1692. On the outskirts of Salem, a bookstore stands covered in overgrown vines. Inside, a young woman hides a linen-wrapped journal under a loose floorboard and runs away, panicked by the sound of hounds barking in the distance. The bookstore vanishes into thin air…

Present day. Stepping inside a pale-pink house on one of the oldest streets in Salem, Dora can’t believe she’s about to finally meet the mother she thought died tragically when she was just a child. But the excitement is short-lived. Dora’s mother has fear in her eyes, and with a trembling voice she whispers: ‘my life is in danger, and now so is yours…’

Desperate not to lose her mother all over again, Dora digs into her family’s mysterious past, and stumbles upon a seemingly impossible secret: the key to their survival is hidden in a bookstore that no one has seen for generations.

Losing herself amongst thorny brackens and twisted ferns, Dora eventually finds the path that leads to the bookstore. But someone is watching her. They’ve been waiting for her.

As she pushes open the beautiful blue door hidden amongst the sharp brambles, and stands in front of rows of crumbling leatherbound books with faded pages, she has no idea of the secrets she is about to uncover. Or that her life is in more danger than ever before…

I really liked this book! I am a HUGE fan of Helen Phifer-especially the Morgan Brookes series. I was a bit apprehensive about reading this book since it is not my usual genre. However I was pleasantly surprised at how it hooked me in and kept me wanting to keep reading! I would absolutely recommend this book, and would read any subsequent books with the same characters!

Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture, and Helen Phifer for the ARC of this beautiful book.

This book was a nice cozy read with dual timelines to begin the year. The writing was nice enough and this spin on the Salem Witch story was unique but it fell short for me. I think that I expected it to be about the Bookstore and it was in my opinion, more about the family of witches than the bookstore, that was a bit of a letdown for me. It was an enjoyable read and I wanted to know how it would end. I would definitely recommend this book more to a YA audience.

I am voluntarily leaving this honest review without coercion.

The Vanishing Bookstore by Helen Phifer is a fantasy story about witches.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions):
This is the story of the English women.

Dora English lives with her Aunt Lenny in England.  She owns her own small flower shop, and one day a strange man enters her store asking for a funeral bouquet for his deceased girlfriend.  He says his name is George Corwin. Nothing seems right about this man, who doesn't even seem to be grieving.  Shortly after telling her aunt about this strange man,  Aunt Lenny announces a business trip she must take to the U.S., and hopes Dora will accompany her.  Dora agrees.

It is in Salem, that Dora finds more members of her family, and the secrets that have been buried.  Her memories start to return, but she will have to remember more quickly if the entire family can survive.  She will have to find the book that she and Ambrose hid in 1692, just before she, her aunts, and her mother, were all hung for being witches.  This will be their 8th attempt.  It has been a vicious circle of living, trying to find the book, and dying at the hands of George Corwin.

 

My Opinions:
This book started out "iffy" for me.  The beginning sounded like a book for a pre-teen.  The writing in the first few chapters was a little "off".  However, that changed, and the story soon became much, much more.  

I became fully immersed in this book of magic and witchcraft.  A lot of information about the Salem Witch Trials was interspersed with the fiction of this story.  The author definitely researched the topic, bringing the real atrocities to light.

The English women had depth.  Their love for each other shone through with humour, warmth and gentleness. Ambrose was a great addition to their family.

I didn't think the Epilogue was necessary and it didn't really fit with the story, so I was somewhat disappointed with that.

Overall, this was a heart-warming tale of magic and love.  So, it may have had a rocky start and finish for me, but I really enjoyed that middle!

2⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of The Vanishing Bookstore.

Dora owns a flower shop and lives with her aunt Lenny. One day Lenny asks Dora to accompany her on vacation to Salem which Dora happily accepts. Once they arrive Dora finds out she has another aunt named Sephy and a mother she thought was dead. She also finds out that this current life is not the only lifetime she has lived. They have brought her back home because it is time to fight against the man who has been hunting them for decades.

At first I was really enjoying this book and I liked that was different from any other book I have read. But then about halfway through it just really started to drag for me. The storyline started to get really confusing and kind of ridiculous. I really wanted to like this book but I just do not think it was for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishing house, and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review, based upon my honest opinion.

This had such a good witchy feel, I loved the mixing of historical events and fiction to create a story about these witches who live the same lifetime over and over again, trying to break a curse and allow them to live out their lives.

Dora doesn’t know that she has lived many lifetimes, this time her aunt Lenny took her away from Salem and raised her in the UK, hoping that this distance will allow her to survive longer than she hasn’t any other lifetime. But the curse placed upon them in 1692, finds her Lennie and Dora return to Salem in the present day where Lennie ‘s sisters await. Will Dora remember who she is in time to find the final clue needed to save them. The last book in the vanished bookstore.

This was a really interesting book, it was told in a dual timeline story. I really enjoyed it. I like this author’s style and would recommend this book.

Unfortunately, this just didn't work for me. The writing felt choppy and strange. I know it is an uncorrected copy, but man some things were hard to read because of the typos and run on sentences.

The Vanishing Bookstore is a new genre for myself and it did not disappoint. This story has a really good storyline that is enjoyable to follow. While I am not one typically drawn to the fantasy side of the book world, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This book follows Dora, who is a witch but doesn't quite know it to start with. Her world is turned upside down when her aunt brings her to Salem to meet some family members as they are needing to find a long lost hidden book in a vanishing bookstore to save them from the Witch Hunter.

The characters were relatable and easy to connect with. More focus on the vanishing bookstore and the ending of the story would have made it a 5 star for me.

Helen Phifer is an amazing author and you will not go wrong with picking up The Vanishing Bookstore. I read it quickly!

Thank you to NetGalley, Helen Phifer and Bookouture for the eARC!

This is a great book about witches, past and present.
We follow Dora who lives in present day London and who runs her own flower shop. A man comes into the shop and whilst she is strangely drawn to him, her instincts tell her he is dangerous.
Dora lives with her aunt Lenny and when she takes home some flowers given to her by this man, Lenny knows it’s time to take Dora home to Salem.
Dora has no memory of her past lives but when she sees the house where her family live in Salem, small flickers of memories start to come to the surface.
Her Aunts explain about their past and the danger that they are all in from the man who came into Dora’s flower shop and Dora is initially overwhelmed, but then realises they need to fight him.
This is a gripping magical story that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book.

I really liked the three main female characters and their love for one another, but other characters were thrown in and they really didn’t add anything to the story. The plot felt slow in some spots and rushed and out of sync in others. It was fine but not fantastic.

I love a Salem setting, so I was super interested in this book going in. I feel like this book gives the PERFECT fall/ cozy spooky season vibe. If you like cozy fantasy, I think you will enjoy this one. I like the different time jumps that this book had, and I didn't find it hard to follow.
Overall, I enjoyed this read and think I might pick it back up again in the fall.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Fantasy and supernatural books can be very hit or miss for me, but I was intrigued to read this as I have read, and loved, some of Helen Phifer's brilliant thrillers. I was completely immersed from the very start of this incredible story and safe to say this was absolutely a big hit!

From 1692 until the present day, a family of cursed Salem Witches live their lives on repeat, whilst being hunted down by the same evil, reincarnated form of the man who tried to harm them in 1692.

In the present day, Dora is the focus of the story, oblivious to her chequered history, the secrets her family hold and the real reason her mother gave her up. As Dora's family nurture her and guide her to recover her buried memories, the women are once again in danger as they strive to triumph against evil and break the curse that hangs over them all.

The writing was captivating and I loved the descriptions, the characterisation and the magical story.

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Helen Phifer and Bookouture, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I was so excited to be approved for this book, I love stories with dual or multiple timelines and was intrigued that this one involved the Salem witch trials and a hidden bookstore lost to time. While I did overall enjoy the story and characters, I felt that it was a little dragged out. Up until about the 60% mark, the story is just building to the climax. I found that I was having difficulty dedicating time to reading this book as it felt like it was taking forever to get to the point. That being said, I still enjoyed parts up until that point, I just feel that some details and scenes could have been omitted to shorten the story. Overall, I really loved the character development most in this story; reading about Dora coming into her powers was really beautiful and inspiring, as well as seeing the relationship between Dora, her aunts, her mother, and Ambrose unfold. I would recommend this book to those looking for a mix of historical fiction, reincarnation, and a touch of magic and badass witches.
Thank you for the advanced copy!

Really interesting read, duel timeline but easy to follow a little of the “ The Witches of Eastwick / Hocus Pocus but all in all I really enjoyed the book. Characters were really well written and it’s based around a girl who comes back to Salam on the pretext that her aunt has to take a work trip but is happy to go,home to Salam to see her family. Story about history, witches and revelations
My thanks as always to NetGalley for the early read and too corse to the publisher Bookouture for granting the early read.

Salem Massachutes is one of my favorite places to visit and reading a book set in Salem with a vanishing bookstore was just what I was looking for. I enjoyed the cast of characters, the sisters had such a strong bond throughout the years. This book definitely has cozy fantasy vibes, so if that is something you like then you will like this book. I thought the magic was just enough and I was kept interested throughout the book. I could visualize Dora traveling through Salem and seeing The Witch House because I had been there many times so that really added an immersive element to the story for me.

My only critique is there wasn’t much about the vanishing bookstore, I thought there would be more to that since it is the title of the book. Also, I thought some parts were a bit redundant (constantly talking about traveling back to London, staying in Boston etc..) and parts could have been edited out. I also thought the part where Lenore goes to the airport and sleeps with the bartender was very odd and didn’t seem to fit the story. I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it to cozy fantasy readers.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this! I raced through this to get to the satisfying conclusion. Lots of historical info meshed with the magical story. I particularly loved the sisters story and the over the centuries romance of. Dora and Ambrose. One of the best magic stories I have read.. Alice Hoffman obviously had an influence but the author made the story complex and all hers.

1692: On the outskirts of Salem, a bookstore stands covered in overgrown vines. Inside, a young woman hides a linen-wrapped journal under a loose floorboard and runs away, panicked by the sound of hounds barking in the distance. The bookstore vanishes into thin air…

Present day: Stepping inside a pale-pink house on one of the oldest streets in Salem, Dora can’t believe she’s about to finally meet the mother she thought died tragically when she was just a child. But the excitement is short-lived. Dora’s mother has fear in her eyes, and with a trembling voice she whispers: ‘my life is in danger, and now so is yours…’

Desperate not to lose her mother all over again, Dora digs into her family’s mysterious past, and stumbles upon a seemingly impossible secret: the key to their survival is hidden in a bookstore that no one has seen for generations. Losing herself amongst thorny brackens and twisted ferns, Dora eventually finds the path that leads to the bookstore. But someone is watching her. They’ve been waiting for her.

Lovely cozy read. I'll read anything about the Salem witch era and anything to do with bookstores or books, so this was right up my alley! It has just enough of the magical element while still seeming relatable to me. I definitely recommend this if you enjoy books about book, anything to do with Salem, or cozy reads in general. 4⭐

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

A hidden bookstore, a family secret, and a touch of Salem’s magic make this an enchanting and suspenseful read. Dora’s journey to uncover her past is filled with twists and eerie moments that keep you hooked. While some parts feel familiar, the atmospheric writing and intriguing premise make it a worthwhile escape.