This was what I would call a cozy book with magical realism woven throughout. It follows the English sisters (and niece) from their violent deaths in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 to the modern day. They have been destined to follow the same paths in multiple lifetimes until Dora (Isadora, the niece) is able to reclaim a book she hid and discover her powers. It reminds me of Practical Magic with some of the characters but lacks Alice Hoffman's talent. Still it was an enjoyable read and definitely good for an escape.

The writing is exquisite. It feels like you are living in the book. Such a great story.
The ending was AMAZING I cannot wait to read more from this writer, definitely a book I will revisit many times and get a paper copy

I usually enjoy Helen Phifers writing but I think she should stick to thrillers. I really didn’t like The Vanishing Bookstore, the first chapter set in the past was good but the recent day second chapter was like something from a Disney film. I couldn’t carry on.
Sorry to the author but this was not for me.

Hundreds were tortured and executed during the Salem witch trials of 1692. Isadora English was just a small child when her mother and three aunts were accused of witchcraft. All four women were given a death sentence. They were also cursed to liver their lives over and over again.

This story has a dual timeline - the past, 1692 and the present day. Dora English is hoping to find the vanishing bookstore so that the curse that was put on her family can finally be broken. The chapters alternate between the past and the present day. The book has been well-researched and it's descriptively written. Although all of the loose ends were tied up, I did feel the ending was a bit rushed.

Published 7th January 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley #Bookouture and the author #HelenPhifer for my ARC of #TheVanishingBookstore in exchange for an honest review'

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early eARC of this book!

I had high expectations for this as I've read all of Helen Phifer's books and I always enjoy them. The dual storyline was great and it made it easy for me to go back in time to the Salem Witch trials.

Dora as a main character was not ideal ( or more her description ). I was confused when I remembered she should be 33. She felt like a naive teeny. Also her connection to Lenny - yes it is your aunt, but she raised you since you were a baby - so you basically are like her daughter! It felt weird that she never accepted any of Lennys help "to not take advantage" .

Thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read & review this book.

3.5 * I just loved the idea of this book. A family of witches cursed to live their lives over & over again, unable to clear this curse & move on whilst regaining the memories the past lives have left them with.
All the cozy witch vibes, set in Salem & a dual timeline. What's not to love?

The dual timeline fell a little flat around 50% of the way through the book & the narration became a little stilted too. I did care for the characters, so I continued with the story as I wanted to know the outcome.

I did struggle with our main characters, Dora & Ambrose. Their love is described as one across the age's but i just couldn't feel that between them? Sure, there was attraction & great respec, but I didn't feel that great love from within these pages.

Although there are a few things that left me confused, The Vanishing Bookstore did hold my attention. Helen Phifer has written a story that is a combination of fantasy and supernatural events combined with mystical images and populated with mythical people and creatures. The storyline was fun. I found it best not to ask too many questions, but it is likely that readers will have plenty of questions.

Although the actual content had little to do with the title, The Vanishing Bookstore did contain many good descriptions. The characters included Dora, her mother, two aunts, a long time beau, and an evil villain. They all seem to have some variation of mystical powers. There are two timelines and two locations, but Phifer does label the chapters clearly enough. The focus of The Vanishing Bookstore (and don't look too hard for the bookstore) is women's lives. This novel is also a form of the coming of age novel, with a slight variation, as Dora discovers her story. Some scenes are too brief, when readers will want more than a paragraph, while other scenes are too long. I would have liked better balance.

Overall, I did like The Vanishing Bookstore and I am recommending it. For people who like witches, myth, and a supernatural world, The Vanishing Bookstore is perfect. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing this ARC. The comments above reflect my honest thoughts.

This is a story about Dora, a florist who lives in London with her only family, her aunt Lenny. One day, a creepy guy called George appears in her shop and raises all kinds of red flags for her aunt, who convinces Dora to go visit Salem.

There she finds not only that they are witches, but that she has two more family members, a beloved pet and a long-lost love.

With all of their help, she embarks on a voyage of self-discovery and the process of learning about her blocked magic powers. She has to do it fast in order to recover the book that will save them from a curse to relive their lives over and over, hunted by the witch-hunter, George Corwin.

I highly enjoyed the story; it’s very entertaining and fun in the right places. There are flashbacks to tell the story about their several past lives, but they are not the typical flashback chapters, instead appearing as passages where the main character regains her memory. I found it very original and beautifully accomplished.

Overall, it was a beautiful and entertaining read. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys stories filled with magic, self-discovery, and a touch of romance!

This book was a quick, enjoyable read that didn’t demand too much of my brainpower—which was perfect for what I needed. The characters were fun, though the FMC felt like she could’ve used a bit more dimension. The story itself was interesting enough to keep me turning the pages, but I’ll admit there were moments where I had to ignore some of the plot’s less logical elements. If you’re the kind of reader who loves a good hand-wave for the sake of moving the story along, you’ll probably enjoy this.

The battle at the end felt anticlimactic, almost like the author was leaning toward a cozy vibe instead of high-stakes drama. Honestly, I couldn’t tell if that was intentional, but it definitely felt low-pressure. The whole thing kept reminding me of TV shows like Charmed or Buffy—fun, a little campy, and not particularly deep. If that’s your jam, this might be right up your alley!

3.5 rounded up to 4.

This was a DNF at 25%. It was compared to Wayward and The Lost Apothecary both of which I really enjoyed. It didn’t hold my interest and I kept forcing myself to continue reading. I’m sure many will find it enjoyable but it wasn’t for me. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

The Lost Bookshop was a very enjoyable book.
When reading a book, I want to get lost in the details and get a mental image of what I'm reading.
This book did just that without over doing it.
This is my first book by Helen and I will surely be reading more.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this.

Helen Phifer is one of my favourite authors and I didn’t know what to expect but I was disappointed ‘The vanishing Bookstore’. It is a fabulous mystical read.
It’s set in two timelines 1692 in Salem and preset day. Dora English runs a flower shop in London when a mysterious stranger arrives at the shop. Saying that he is buying flowers for his girlfriend that has just died. But as Dora finds out his name is George. But he seems familiar, and she wonders if she has seen him before.
Her Aunt Lenny asks her to take a trip to Salem which she agrees, where she meets her other aunt that she has never met before. This introduction delves into the family history, which includes the Salem Witch trials and all things magic.
This is a great mystical read for all fans of with the vibe of Practical magic and Sabrina the teenage witch. Even though the protagonist is older. It has great characters and full of suspense with the storyline. I couldn’t put this down. I am just wondering if there is more to tell of this story to come. 5 stars from me.

This book was so much fun. I loved all the witchy and historical elements that were tied into the story. The story also kept me wanting to figure out what was going on. Highly suggest reading this book.

The concept behind this book was interesting, and I expect it should do well just because of the number of people with an interest in witchcraft and the Salem trials. For me, the execution was lacking: there were many spots where I noticed clunky writing (telling, repetition, factual errors) that distracted me from the story. I also feel the title is manipulative; it's meant to pull in readers with an interest in bookstores and magical books when actually the "bookstore" in question can hardly be called that and the way the story returned to it at the end felt gratuitous.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read a digital ARC in advance of publication.

3.5/5 ⭐️

"You are honourable, brave and courageous, Dora, the way you always have been"
I definitely felt this way about our main character, and I especially enjoyed the short litlle moments she had with her mother.
I really liked the dual timelines and they fleshed out the story more, but I do feel like some of the story was lacking. I think the moment when Dora found the bookstore was way to short and should have been longer compared to some other aspects of the story.
But overall this was an interesting story and i could really feel the author's interest in the Salem witch trials and how much time she had spent researching for all the information.
So I would highly recommend this if you have an interest in witches and the trials of them in 1692.

I absolutely loved this read! What a fun and unique plot leading to a lot of suspense. I enjoyed the main character, and the writing is very descriptive, you feel immersed into the story! The magic was so fun and it turned into a heartwarming story! Would definitely recommend.

I would like to start out this review by thanking Bookouture and Helen Phifer for allowing me to read this book, The Vanishing Bookstore, via #netgalley. All opinions following are my own.

Wow. This book. Just wow. It had a lot of historical fiction, a lot magic, some badass females, a little mystery, and a little romance. All ingredients for an amazing read. The story follows Dora English, her mom, her two aunts, and a man who will stop at nothing to kill them... in any lifetime. The story begins in Salem in 1692. Dora and her family are to be hung as witches. She is saved by Ambrose, and all he tells her is that she needs to go before they kill her. In her haste, she hides her mother's spellbook in Ambrose's bookshop. They escape, and admit they love one another.

Fast forward to modern-day, Dora is living with her Aunt Lenny in London, as both of her parents died when she was a baby. She runs a flower shop. She has a very pleasant, easy existence until someone shows up in her shop and changes everything. Soon, she will be back in Salem with the mother she thought was dead, and the other aunt she never knew existed, fighting for her life and her family's.

This book was just magical. It took me on a journey, and I never wanted it to end. I definitely gave this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, and I can't wait to see if more comes from this story!

#brenbreathesbooks #brenreviewsbooks #5starreads #netgalleyreviewer #helenphifer #historicalfiction #badasswomencharacters #ARCReader #fantasy #mystery #romance #bookouture #bookish #bookcommunity #bookworm #booknerd #reader #readerlife #140 #readingchallenge #decemberreads #almostthere #10toGo #goodreadschallenge #bookstagram #bookstagramcommunity #thevanishingbookstore

“The Vanishing Bookstore” is a historical fantasy (possibly magical historical?) book by Helen Phifer. The summary of this book - and that amazing cover - caught my eye. Salem witches? History of that time period? Repeated people in multiple lives? A bookstore somehow involved? Yes, please! I liked how this book started - it instantly grabbed my attention. But somewhere along the way, the book felt … flat. The story progressed, but that initial detail (granted, sometimes repeated) and capturing of my attention was missing. The dialogue also felt off - more like it was intended for a YA audience - not a more mature audience as the main character is in her early 30s. I liked the idea of this book, but it also seemed like a lot of build-up for the fight and then things resolved rather quickly. Sadly, the “vanishing bookstores” didn’t make a lot of appearances - as it was more one particular book that was being looked for. I’m really torn about what rating to give this book - three stars seems a bit too low, but four stars seems too high due to the flatness. So, a solid 3.5, rounded up to 4 because I did finish the book and I do think the idea was interesting - along with the historical research Ms. Phifer did.

I did enjoy this book. I think people who love things like Hocus Pocus, Practical Magic, and Charmed will also enjoy it. There's a lot of pop culture references (especially Hocus Pocus and Practical Magic) which makes it fun and there are some scenes in here that directly reflect that.

The beginning of the book could be a little over descriptive and sometimes felt a little repetitive, so things like that are why I have lowered the rating a bit. And also just random scenes thrown in for characters to have sex that felt so out of place.

I also thought we didn't get to feel as much emotion as I would have expected to during certain scenes. And, unless I just wasn't paying attention enough, there seemed to be some disconnect in how the relationship between Ambrose and George was described. Sometime as cousins and sometimes as his uncle? I'm not sure if that was on the book or on me.

A longer fight scene would have been nice. The book made it feel as though the characters were taking up a lot of time to get things done, but things resolved much faster. And calling it a bookstore just felt a little off the whole time.

I did still enjoy this book, though. I loved the idea of it and it was a quick read. I probably could have finished it all in one day if I actually sat down to it.

What a wonderful book! The plot is so cool, and I really felt like the author poured her whole soul into this book. One minor thing is that the writing style really threw me off. I don’t know what it was, for some reason I just couldn’t connect with it.