“The Spellshop” is a wholesome, cozy fantasy romance with cottagecore vibes and themes of found family and community.

It’s all a bit twee, and Kiela has a serious case of vocational awe 😭 The writing style feels like the author is making it up as she goes, but it’s kind of fitting.

This felt like a book I would have loved as a child, and for that it grew on me. It’s clichéd and not exactly expertly crafted, but it’s very approachable and I read it quickly.

I’m new to the cozy fantasy genre! I’m not a big reader of romance. This was a sweet palate cleanser.

*Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and to Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC*

A cozy coastal fantasy was *just* what I needed. A bit slow to start, I quickly fell in love with the island and its denizens. That bakery and its cinnamon rolls sounded DIVINE! Caz and Meep were the stars for me, but Kiela definitely grew on me. I also enjoyed the simplicity and natural roots of the magic system. It made it easy to follow and understand why just anyone could cast a spell. I wish we'd gotten a bit more history about the empire and why they banned magic, but it was probably just about control. Regardless, it's a cute read that won't cause you any stress and that's nice every so often.

But I do now need to buy a spider plant and name him Caz, thank you very much.

I love cozy fantasy and this debut with romance mixed in was such a pleasure to read. I really enjoyed the main character Keila, a former librarian turned businesswoman opening a magical jam business set against a small island setting. Returning home is a trope I often read and I enjoyed how this book touched on that with Keila fleeing to her birthplace and adjusting to a new life, community and self-discovery. And can we talk about her companion, a spider plant? Loved it! The world building and cozy magical system brought the exact cozy vibes I was looking for when picking this up.

I really wanted to enjoy this! It was one of my most anticipated reads. I’m definitely in the minority here. Usually I love a good cozy read, but, I need my characters to have depth. I just didn’t find myself caring about Kiela at all. Her character didn’t give me any compelling reason to love her. The entire beginning, with the escape during a revolution fell flat. I would have rather the book start with her arriving at the island, since the scenes of her escape did absolutely nothing for me. When I realized I was skimming massive chunks of paragraphs, I decided it was time to DNF. I’m so sad. But, at least the majority of readers are loving this one, and it is probably just a “me problem”

Thank you to Tor for giving me an advanced readers copy.

I have read Sarah Beth Durst’s middle grade fantasy novels so when I saw Spellshop, I jumped at the chance to read the ARC. My intrigue with reading Spellshop was also encouraged by the beautiful special edition Barnes and Noble is releasing with purple sprayed edges and the most whimsical cottagecore cover I’ve possibly ever seen (complete with a winged cat).

Writing a cozy novel in which the reader truly cares about the characters and is interested enough to continue reading despite the low stakes plot is challenging to say the least. But I enjoyed the world Durst creates in the magic-depleted remote island of Caltrey and loved the addition of Caz, a sentient and verbally communicative spider plant the size of a dog.

Readers meet librarian Kiela as she is saving ancient magical texts and grimoires from a burning city, Fleeing with Caz to the only other home she’s known, she arrives on Caltrey and wastes no time setting up cottage, hiding the secret of where she is from and what she has brought with her. She is very quickly inundated with meeting locals, Larran - a local caretaker of the merhorse herds - chief among them.

Spellshop is marketed as romantasy but be aware that while romance is part of this tale, it is quite chaste (kisses and thoughts about how attractive someone is). This is not a steamy romantasy by any means. It’s cozycore and cottagecore at its finest.

I give this book 4.5 stars and have rounded up here.

Thank you to Durst, Tor Publishing | Bramble, and NetGalley for the ARC.

I absolutely loved this cozy fantasy. The characters, plot, and worldbuilding were very well developed. They immediately sucked me in, and made me fall in love with this story. I especially loved the characters Kiela and Caz, and the cozy atmosphere of Kiela’s cottage. I will definitely recommend this book to anyone and everyone. And especially to lovers of fantasy books.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Cute, cozy, and quick, this was a sweet book that made me smile. A winning combination of lovely characters, a great setting, and a satisfying arc, The Spellshop was a lot of fun to read. I had only some minor quibbles with Kiela's rather silly logic throughout the first two thirds of the book, but it was such a treat that I can absolutely look past those. 3.5/5.

Thank you, NetGalley and Bramble, for my free E-book for review.

The characters in this enchanting tale are undeniably endearing, captivating the heart with their irresistible charm. The bond between Keila, the spirited protagonist, and Caz, the enchanting spider plant, unfurls into heartwarming and often humorous moments, adding depth and warmth to the narrative.

Set against the backdrop of a quaint island, where an eclectic mix of whimsical characters—both human and magical beings—reside, the ambiance exudes an irresistible sense of magic. The close-knit community fosters a profound feeling of belonging, while the presence of a grumpy character amidst the amiable ones adds a touch of delightful complexity.

This delightful fantasy offers readers a cozy refuge, offering a warm embrace. Each character is multifaceted, contributing to a delightful love story and a heartwarming tale of found family. Above all, it is a narrative of new beginnings and the discovery of unexpected kindness in the most unlikely places.

We love a librarian main character! But even more so, we love a character who has to evaluate what home means. How we can find pieces of home, a community, and memories. We don't have to have this idea that to move forwards means we never go back. That we have to burn bridges and can never change our mind. We can open up closed windows and knock on doors. The Spellshop is a charming and tender story about choosing what kind of person we want to be. What we want to stand for.

4.5

Stunning delightful absolutely adored this. This was the perfect balance for me of a cozy romantasy.

Loved all of it.

The Spellshop is an enchanting story that transports readers to a magical realm brimming with merhorses, illicit spells, and budding love. Embark on an exciting adventure where enchantment and romance collide, as we accompany our brave heroes on their daring escapades. I was pulled in from the beginning and could not stop reading. I can't wait to read more from this author soon!

For those seeking a cozy fantasy with a dash of romance, you may enjoy this. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat for me. The book features a fun sidekick (a sassy spider plant), merhorses, learning how to open a magical jam business, and small island vibes. Caz was definitely my favorite character and I enjoyed reading Caz's lines.

The Spellshop is an absolute cozy delight. In a true testament to Durst’s writing, she was able to craft an engaging character in the form of a spider plant as well as an adorable Groot-esque cactus. Don’t get me wrong, almost the entire cast of characters are wonderful, but there’s something about those two that’s just pure perfection. I also really appreciated Durst’s world building and magical system. Additionally, get yourself a partner who will build you bookshelves to store you allegedly stolen spell books. For being a cozy read, I felt that there was plenty of action mixed in to keep the plot moving forward and avoid slowing down too much. I read this via ebook and audiobook. While the ebook is great, the audiobook is phenomenal. Caitlin Davies was superb at evoking peak cozy cottagecore vibes making the story a full experience. I highly recommend adding this to your TBR pile because it’s sheer binge worthy delight.

In the acknowledgments, the author states that she wanted "to write a book that reads like drinking hot chocolate." True to her word, "The Spellshop" offers readers a warm and comforting story centered on Kiela, an introverted and intelligent young woman thrust into an unexpected journey.

Kiela, a dedicated librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium in the heart of the Crescent Islands Empire, cherishes her quiet life surrounded by books. However, her world is turned upside down when a revolution erupts, leading to the destruction of the Great Library. With as many books as she can carry, Kiela flees to her birthplace on a remote island in the outer reaches of the empire.

As she adjusts to life in a small community, Kiela faces the dual challenges of concealing her technically stolen library books and mastering the spells within them. Her journey is one of self-discovery and adaptation, set against a backdrop that feels both familiar and enchanting.

Durst has crafted a story that is a true feast for the senses. The rich, descriptive language brings the natural world and the everyday joys of food, friendship, and found family to life. The characters form a kind, caring community, adding depth and warmth to the narrative.

Fans of Travis Baldree's "Legends and Lattes" and Rebecca Thorne's "Can't Spell Treason Without Tea" will find much to love in this fast-paced tale. The story blends humor, light romance, and low-stakes peril, making it a delightful and engaging read.

Overall, "The Spellshop" is a delectable confection that invites readers to savor its charm and warmth, much like a cup of hot chocolate on a cozy evening. Highly recommended for those seeking a heartwarming and enchanting story.

Just keep on scrollin' by.

I'm sorry to say but as interesting as it was to have fantastical creatures and different-looking people populating this very low-stakes cozy fantasy, set on an island, featuring an introverted and somewhat grumpy librarian and her sentient spider plant friend.. I was so bored.

I didn't need stakes, I didn't need something other than the cozy vibes, so it can't be said I wanted something other than what I was getting into; instead I just needed to care. And I did not.

For those who have been loving this, don't get me wrong, I see why. And for those interested in picking this up, I don't want to sway you to do otherwise. This just wasn't the book for me.

All that to say, this is definitely for the reader looking for something to recapture that LEGENDS & LATTES kind of vibe but is still a little (a lot?) different and very much its own thing.

I couldn’t stay interested in this book so skimmed most of it. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher.

This was cute story. Not great, but good. I struggled a bit and I know this is a classic case of, “it’s not you, it’s me,” since everyone I know that read it, loved it.

“It wasn’t that she didn’t like people. It was that she liked books more.”

With this quotation from The Spellshop, Sarah Beth Durst won my heart. Durst presents her readers with a cozy fantasy novel about a young woman named Kiela who works in the Great Library of Alyssium. When revolutionaries attacking the Crescent Island Empire force Kiela to flee the library toting all the ancient (and heavily guarded) spell books she can carry, she must journey across the sea to the island where she grew up, starting a new life in the old cottage that once belonged to her parents. Although Kiela has spent so much time among books that she has lost touch with her social skills, she soon learns that to survive on the outer islands, she will have to talk to people, make friends, and find a community. She decides to use a spell to bring her parent’s garden back to life, and tensions mount when she opens a secret spell shop to restore magic to the people, disguising her intent by selling jam. Alongside the debate about who should have access to magic is a sweet, budding romance with an old family friend named Larran.

The Spellshop is a book filled with delights! There are mermaids, merbabies, singing apple trees, winged cats, and even merhorses (half-horse, half-fish) who swim in the magical waters around the islands. Kiela’s best friend is a sentient spider plant named Caz, and his quick-witted quips made me laugh out loud: “I’m blushing. You just can’t tell because of the chlorophyll.” In her author’s note, Durst explains that she wanted to write a book that read like drinking hot chocolate, and in this, her novel succeeds. The lovely prose will leave readers longing for cinnamon buns and raspberry jam, and the happily-ever-after will lend a touch of nostalgia to readers weary with the challenges of the real world.

The Spellshop is a lovely, quick escape best enjoyed on the beach or curled beneath a cozy blanket. Its humor, light magic, and optimism reminded me of Diana Wynne Jones Howl’s Moving Castle, and readers (young and old) will find much to celebrate in its pages.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

This was so flipping cute and fun. I loved the world and creatures that the author created, and fell head over heels in love with Kiela and Caz. The author’s note mentioned this book started with hot chocolate, and the book truly did feel like a warm cup of hot chocolate. There were some tense and suspenseful moments that had me wanting to reach through the pages and maybe smack a certain grumpy old man upside the head, and also had my heart-racing, but the resolutions had my heart soaring. This is a super sweet cozy fantasy and it makes for the perfect summer read, especially with the lovely island setting!

This was such a lovely cozy story. The cottage core vibes were off the charts. Our fmc makes jam, saves mermaids, and has a talking plant companion for gods sake. It was the cutest thing on the planet. The low stakes were very comforting and made the perfect book to cuddle up in bed with after a long day. With that said, there were admittedly some flaws. The story kept alluding to a greater political conflict that never quite got addressed. It would've been fine if the conflict was never mentioned but it was so closely tied to Kiela's trauma that I expected a little more follow through. Additionally, our mmc, Larran, felt a bit one dimensional. I don't feel like I really know him or like his relationship with Kiela had a chance to develop. It was giving insta love, which isn't a bad thing but came off a bit odd because Kiela was presented to us as an introvert who shut herself off from people and doesn't trust anyone with her heart.

With that said, I still had a great time reading this one. It gave what it was meant to give.