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A whimsical story about enchanted fruit, magic and a pot a basil. This story starts out a bit slow but once you get going the author finds new ways to surprise you at every turn. Having read many stories that feel like a copy paste this was a breath of fresh air. If you are looking for a quick fun story I highly recommend picking up this book

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Isabella Nagg is a grumpy, unhappy homemaker with a useless, equally grumpy husband. Until her husband brings home a wizard’s tome and she accidentally gives sentience to a donkey and a pot of basil. Throw in some goblins and a whimsically sinister plot, and you have your story!

This was a quick read with some plot points that didn’t quite make sense to me but was enjoyable nonetheless. I’m anticipating the author setting some future stories in this world as well, which I will definitely give a try.

Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil is a funny, quirky little book, perfect for those who are in a cozy fantasy mood. 3.5 stars.

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(Disclaimer: I received the audiobook from the publisher, but this has in no way influenced my review. My thoughts are entirely unbiased and honest.)

I went into Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil completely blind and was surprised and pleasantly mortified by everything that unfolded.

Giving this an almost 4-star rating is only my preference. If I hadn’t felt underwhelmed by the ending, this could easily have been a 5-star read.

It’s ridiculously funny and disturbing at the same time. Definitely a good recommendation for those looking into a dark cozy fantasy.

Read this if you're craving unusual heroines (in this case, a bitter housewife with a love of reading and creative... composting).

I had so much fun, and if there are more books set in this world, it would be an instant buy for me!

Kudos to the author for the narration too! I would never look at basil the same way again because as Lorde sang... what was that. 🙂‍↔️

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I received an audiobook ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

While I'm doing my due diligence, it feels worth pointing out that when I saw the name Oliver Darkshire appear on NetGalley, I was particularly intrigued as back in the day when he was a the edgy boi of D&D5e I was a fan of his DMs Guild adventures and supplements. I did a lot of DMs Guild reviews at the time and reviewed a book of familiars or something of the like that Oliver and others worked on, which may have even included a grimalkin, that I enjoyed very much. Some bitter individual who was also publishing on DMs Guild took great exception to this book and decided that the good reviews were a conspiracy. They accused us of having an affair...presumably for food reviews?

I can firmly say that we've never had any kind of relationship, beyond being the loosest TTRPG Twitter acquaintances. Also, Oliver is a gay man and I am a trans femme disaster, so it wouldn't work anyway lmfao.

With that out of the way, let's actually talk about the book itself...

I have had a difficult relationship with cozy and/ or humorous fantasy, which is a polite way of saying I have thoroughly not had a good time dabbling in that area, so I was a little apprehensive when I read the blurb. I don't know if reading Someone You Can Build a Nest In by Josh Wiswell changed something in me or if Wiswell and Darkshire's writing is just that much better than everything I had tried and failed to enjoy, but I that and this were an absolute treat.

Frankly, this book is almost offensively charming.

The plot is a simple case of a AWOL wizard and an unhappily married woman coming into possession of the magical tomes and familiar of said absent wizard with ridiculous and disastrous effects, including a variety of talking flora and fauna, the complex economic and labour practices of goblin markets, the dead refusing to stay buried, and other magical marital misery.

I've already said this book is almost offensively charming, but it's also insidiously funny and deceptively clever. The reason I've chosen these negative adjectives that I'm applying positively is because it seems like it shouldn't work and absolutely shouldn't work as well as it does. I am confused and vaguely annoyed by just how much of a good time I had with this.

I know that I'm positively gobsmacked by the next thing I'm going to say about this book that I couldn't help thinking throughout reading...

The tone and quality, not to mention the individual Grammar asides, reminded me of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett. I was transported back to reading the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the Nome Trilogy as a kid and then moving onto Dirk Gently and Discworld. There is just something bizarrely British and magical about this kind of nonsense (complimentary).

The other memory that kept coming back was of a professor when I was university banging on about how [That Transphobic Windbag] was incredible because of all her fantasy and mythological references in the [Boy Wizard Cop] book, which is frankly an enditement on them at the not so venerable institution I attended. Darkshire's book is actually crammed with allusions to all manner of fantasy, folk, and fairytale works and creatures throughout from the odd amusing aside to the capitalistic reimagining of Rossetti's Goblin Market. More often than not, each reference is given a fresh twist or perspective that is both thoroughly amusing and sets the fictional setting of East Gradsby firmly within a world where hobbs, Fates, goblins, and more all live...not exactly happily ever after, but at least in some bizarre perpetuity.

Darkshire reads the audiobook himself and does a cracking job fitting the tone of his writing just right.

I had a bloody good time and will have to continue watching this space and track down Once Upon a Tome.

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A lovely, cozy fantasy with warm vibes reminiscent of The Spellshop and The Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping—though I must say, those titles pulled it off just a bit better. Isabella Nagg & the Pot of Basil doesn't quite reach the same emotional depth or character development, but it more than makes up for it with delightful British humor and charm. It’s a gentle, whimsical read that fits right into my current cozy fantasy era. Definitely keeping Oliver Darkshire on my radar for future reads.

I would recommend the audio version as it is read by the author and the voices of each character are a lot of fun!

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This was a lovely, whimsical, fantasy story.

This follows Isabella as she discovers her aptitude for magic, even if by larceny. It also helps to distract her from having to deal with her husband, who she despises almost as much as he despises her. There are rules to becoming a wizard though, luckily there's the ancient, eldritch, cat-like creature to help show her the ropes.

As the previous wizard of the area has "died", there are rituals and rites that must be maintained to preserve the small farm community where Isabella and her husband reside. The ever present danger of the mycelial goblins selling their poisonous fruits, the possibility of the dead rising, and a strange woman intent on bringing capitalism to the countryside all need to be kept in hand.

The cast of characters is an eclectic group of magical and magicked beings, each bringing their own unique, and sometimes vulgar, voices to the story.

The donkey and his friend are nearly impossible not to adore.

The style of storytelling reminded me strongly of Angie Sage's Septimus Heap books with the silly litte magical explanations scattered between chapters, and the general vibe from the tone of the story.

I listened to this on audio and while I loved Darkshire's narration of his memior, "Once Upon a Tome", I felt like he should have used a voice actor for this story. It was good, but I think the right narrator could have elevated it to the next level.

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It always feels bad when you just do not vibe with an indie book but boy this was just not the book for me... it wasn't my brand of humor and I really hated the husband's POV. That being said it seemed to be written well. I would recommend using a more experienced voice actor for the next audiobook but it's always nice to see the actual author doing it because it shows how much this was a labor of love.

I'm giving it a 2.5 and rounding up... I'm sorry...

Thank you NetGalley and Oliver Darkshire for the ALC of this work in exchange for my honest review.

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I made it about 23% through this audiobook before immediately recommending it to people. Whitty, satiric, and original, Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil warrants nothing but praise from me.

This book captures exactly how I have always imagined magic to be - silly, curious, chaotic, and fun.

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I echo what other reviewers have expressed: Oliver Darkshire shouldn't have narrated his own novel. It is at least 50% responsible for why I DNF'd the audiobook. Interstitial background music aside (that's a preference thing, personally I dislike it), I strained to listen to what was being said--or rather, what was being mumbled.
The other unpleasant half was the plot itself. Clearly, the author has created a rich world, but the pacing suffered from the amount of exposition, which made the beginning feel particularly unfocused. It was distracting and made me lose the narrative thread more than once. The hard-to-understand narration certainly played a role here too.
It wasn't until the 8% mark we finally switch to Isabella's POV. Based on the description, I figured she was the sole protagonist, and hated every second I had to listen to the intolerable husband--whose POV reappears, unfortunately. "Men hating their wives" isn't a genre I enjoy.
Overall, the awful narration with misogynistic overtones didn't match the vibes the description promised. I eventually DNF'd.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Isabella Nagg has long resigned herself to the hum drum drudgery that is the life of a wife to a disrespected, unambitious, and short sighted fool. It could be worse. At least he hasn't been able to tarnish her beloved Basil plant. When his latest scheme sends her on a trip to see their local wizard's abandoned house she comes away with a cat like companion, a whole wealth of knowledge at her fingertips to match her intellect, and dare she say...magic? Well that is a change of tune!

Absorbed by this influx Isabella fails to notice just how uncanny an autumnal event is this year. Slowly her husband, her experiments, and her town are swallowed by fungal chaos exasperated by an unscrupulous entrepreneur. Yet again, Mrs. Nagg must cleaning up after him. If she manages it, she might just find herself dusting out her own closet and find something tucked in the back she only dreamed of having there. Talk about a crash course!

This book has in its favor a style of humor that absolutely resonates with me. It's sharp, slightly 'punny', sometimes rather random, and addresses the fantastical with complete solemnity. For this alone it probably would be an entertaining read for someone.

There is also the underlying theme of coming into your own as Isabella breaks out of the molds she's followed through life. Also for a donkey. Yes a donkey. The supporting characters and town folk are quirky. There is a plethora of different mythologies and fantasy elements that are given an interesting new spin.

Two things dropped this book off a little. It shoved to too many different pieces into play. These additional characters and their motivations provided great opportunity for jabs but dragged down my experience of the story as a unit. I think could have been just as fun and poignant - maybe even more so- if it had a few less antagonists.

As a concept she was entertaining, I really don't feel the need for the entrepreneur to have been in here at all. I think Mr. Nagg could have filled that role easily. His his lack of thinking things through and early established greed would have been enough to compensate for the lack long range thinking skills. Maybe not the most original, but efficient. His own foils could have led him into a similar situation to result in Isabella's final actions.

To be frank I was annoyed with the Basil's involvement the moment experiments were involved. I found the traits in the revelations here were over the top and in a lot of ways repetitive of functions other characters could and were serving towards Isabella's development. As it was the only difference I can see with the role of Mr. Nagg is that he lacks the same self boldness.

I don't mind all of the little detours. I adored all the little book intercepts. I found the tinderbox interesting. I was delighted in it bringing forward that herbology was so often the basis for things that would be misconstrued as magic. Except in this world they work hand and hand with it.

My other big issue is a lack of connection to the characters or interest in most. All the banter between our feline friend and Isabella was engaging. The villagers really did give you a good picture of the life she'd been living. The issue is that when you're using this slightly dry wit it's really difficult to make them sound one-note. Given that, as I said above, many seemed to serve a similar purpose at times the others started to become stale.

Given his bio and this production, I assume the author doesn't have an extensive narration background. I don't mean to imply this was a bad narration. You can tell it's a person who's used to telling stories and has a lot of potential. In fact for the most of the story he really nailed the tone that made the style so entertaining. The weak link is actually something I hear a lot of pros even struggling with at times. For the majority of the time there was little distinguishing in either the speech patterns or vocal types for the others. This contributed in part to why the Basil irritated me as much- the only consistent difference was sharp for many reasons. Falsetto is a beast to use well.

Despite convention, my well...nagging... is a sign of admiring a potential. There were many things I enjoyed immensely. There were more than one set of giggles to be had. The things that frustrated that it's not quite where this storyteller can be. I absolutely would be interested in giving this author, even this world, another shot.

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This one just didn’t work for me, even though I really thought it might. The description sounded like the kind of cozy fantasy I usually enjoy humor and a dash of magic, but unfortunately, I struggled to finish this one. The pacing felt slow, and while I didn’t mind the droll tone at first, the plot and characters didn’t pull me in enough to keep me invested.

Isabella and Mr. Nagg live this miserable little life, which is definitely the point, but it ended up feeling more depressing than funny. I didn’t connect with any of the characters, and Mr. Nagg in particular just grated on me. I know he’s meant to be awful in a humorous way, but instead of laughing, I just wanted to skip his scenes.

I listened to the audiobook version, and that might’ve made the experience tougher. The narration was very hard to understand, the clarity and enunciation were not great which made it garbled and hard to understand. It seemed as though the narrator didn’t have the professional vocal training needed for this sort of reading. After finishing the audiobook I found out the narration was done by the author, and while that can sometimes feel personal and intimate, here it just didn’t work and it made sense as to way the narration didn’t sound as clear as it would have with a professional voice actor. I honestly think a professional female narrator could’ve made a huge difference, especially with Isabella being the heart of the story,and very likely would have changed my feelings on the book.

Overall, I can see what this book was going for, and I think readers with a very specific sense of humor will probably love it. But for me, it missed the mark.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for sending this ALC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

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Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil by Oliver Darkshire.

Thank you to NetGalley for my audio ARC which releases today, 13 May 2025. The narration is done by the author himself in a quirky way – I loved hearing the Basil speak.

This is a reimagining of the Decameron heroine Isabella in a world of goblins, wizards and talking plants.

This was a very light book to listen to and made me smile on my journey to and from gym a couple of mornings.

Isabella Nagg lives in a loveless marriage with Mr Nagg (I don’t think I ever heard his name mentioned in the book, other than being called Mr Nagg). They live in a hovel on a tiny farm at the edge of a horrible village called East Grasby. Nothing much ever happens in this village except once a year the goblins come scurrying to town trying to sell their goblin fruit, which is poisonous to humans but very tempting
.
The only crop that Mr Nagg is able to grow on his patch of land is mandrake which forms part of the deadly nightshade family. He sells his mandrake leaves to the local wizard who keeps the villagers safe from the goblins. This year when Mr Nagg goes to sell his leaves the wizard is nowhere to be seen. He ends up taking a spell book (The Gramarye) from the wizards house which he wants to present to Isabella as a gift. However, Mrs Nagg is not happy with the gift and wants to return it to the wizard. Things happen and she ends up trying out a spell from the Gramarye and ends up enchanting her pot of basil (called Pot of Basil) and her donkey (called Bottom). The enchantment enables them to speak.

Lots of silly and funny things ensue with a few nasty goblins and a headless corpse thrown in for good measure.

Publisher: NetGalley and Dreamscape
Releasing: 13 May 2025
Listening time: 6:32

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What happens when a miserable farm wife gains access to a wizard’s books of magics and thinks “why not”? Chaos. And then you add a sassy familiar, the goblin market getting introduced to capitalism, and a talking plant.

This was such a fun listen! You can really tell this is a writer raised on Terry Pratchett. The humorous one liners that are also reflective of the world, the excerpts from in world magical texts, all would not have felt out of place in an early Discworld novel.

In addition to the humor that kept making me laugh out loud, there’s also a moving story of a woman deciding what she’s worth.

I do wish that the side characters hadn’t been quite so one dimensional, and there were a few too many threads left unresolved. But Darkshire is definitely going to be an author that I look into more, and he did an utterly delightful job at narrating this book.

My thanks to both NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to review this arc!

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4.5 stars (rounded up for magical basil and emotionally overwhelmed donkeys)!

Some books gently invite you into their world. This one kicks open the door with a headless corpse and a wizard’s stolen book, then hands you a sarcastic cat, a sentient pot of basil, and a talking donkey grappling with sudden, complex emotions. Needless to say, I was immediately on board!

Our heroine, Isabella Nagg, is stuck in a deeply unfortunate marriage with Mr. Nagg—a man so astoundingly incompetent he makes wet cardboard look charismatic. He tries to win her approval by stealing a spell book from the local wizard (because nothing says "Please don't scold me this time" like petty larceny), and instead sets off a chain of events involving talking cats, dangerous fruit, and a basil plant that... well, you'll see!

Isabella is sharp-tongued, prickly, and gloriously done with everyone’s nonsense. I adored her! While the tone is frequently hilarious, she still felt real; frustrated, clever, and a little wounded underneath the snark. I do wish we got more backstory on how she got stuck with Mr. Nagg (because... how?), but otherwise, she’s a fantastic lead!

Despite being labeled “cozy,” this book doesn’t shy away from death, walking corpses, and cursed fruit, all handled with the kind of dry, deadpan humor that had me grinning in public like a lunatic. Oliver Darkshire has mastered the art of sounding Very Serious while describing something utterly ridiculous, and I respect that.

Pacing-wise, this was a standout for me. Where some cozy fantasies meander, this one leaps forward, starting strong (again: headless corpse!) and never losing steam. The multiple POVs (including said donkey) keep the pacing lively, and each character has such a distinct voice that I never once had to backtrack to figure out who was talking, which is even more impressive in the audiobook, narrated by the author himself! Darkshire’s performance brings out every ounce of charm and exasperation, with bonus background effects when we read magical texts, like pen scratching, music, all the good stuff.

And yes, there are actual plot twists. For a book packed with humor and whimsy, it delivers surprising emotional depth, especially near the end. The world is richly imagined, full of goblins, hobs, wizards, and enchanted odds and ends. It gave me some T. Kingfisher vibes, but more chaotic, like her slightly tipsy twin.

So, if you like dry humor, messy magic, cranky heroines, and fantasy that doesn't take itself too seriously (until it suddenly does), Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil is one to add to your shelf... or cauldron. Or possibly cursed spice rack.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

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I didn't enjoy this book. It was fine and there were a few things that made me snicker. Overall, though, I was BORED the entire time. I wasn't connected to ANY of the characters, and I didn't care about what was happening. I think that "cozy" books have a fine line that they must toe between providing enough conflict to keep the reader interested and being bland as dry toast. This one, unfortunately, did NOT toe that line. It was bland as dry toast the entire time.

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Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil is a cozy, whimsical read. The concept is creative, the tone is delightfully odd, and my biggest complaint is that the pacing is super slow. 3.50

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the chance to listen to this title in exchange for my opinion.

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The premise for this sounded like a lot of fun and it started off cute but I found it really slow moving and decided to pause on it. Might pick it up again at another point but I'd still recommend for fans of cozy fantasy stories with quirky characters and magic. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

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'Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil' is a humorous, cozy fantasy with a magical fairy tale atmosphere.

The book is funny, especially when the characters of the Donkey and the Basil shared their thoughts. These two were true gems.

The other characters were interesting as well, though the main character, Isabella, was only touched on the surface.

Also, the story had many plotlines that all came together in the end, which was masterfully done. In addition, it had many magical elements to it, and some of them were quirky and fun.

Finally, the audiobook was enjoyable.

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3.75🌟 rounded up

In the dismal village of East Grasby, Isabella Nagg endures a grim routine with her useless husband, odd farm animals, and a beloved pot of basil. When a stolen spell book brings magic into her life, she’s swept into a strange quest to stop a goblin-fruit Ponzi scheme. Oliver Darkshire’s debut is a witty, folkloric fantasy filled with talking plants, undead mischief, and unexpected enchantment.

The description of Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil immediately intrigued me. It was a fun and fairly amusing tale. I lost the plot thread here and there, but I still found it enjoyable overall. I listened to the audiobook, which the author, Oliver Darkshire, narrated. His various voices are entertaining, and his dry humor shines through. If this does turn into a series, I’d happily pick up the next installment.

Recommended for anyone looking for a funny, quick, cozy fantasy novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC.

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This book had me at sentient plants.
But then there's also a donkey, a cat that's not a cat, and goblins along with their damn fruit.

And there is Isabella at the heart of it, dabbling in magic, because what's the harm, right?
And while Isabella is out on her adventure, Mr. Nagg has to make his own bed (oh the symbolism!).

What starts as cozy fantasy, develops a depth that I did not expect. And albeit being a very short story, there is a lot in there to unpack.
It took me by surprise, and I will never look at basil the same way ever again.

The audiobook is narrated by Oliver Darkshire himself, and it took me a little while to get used to his narrative voice. The moment he gave the Pot of Basil a voice however, (yes I capital-lettered it out of respect), I was all in. And I swear I caught him giggling a little while narrating.

4,5/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @Dreamscape_Media for the eARC!

#IsabellaNagg #Netgalley #Bookstagram

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