Okay so… imagine falling into a world where books aren’t just magical because they’re books—they’re literally pulsing with spells, secrets, and a whole lotta drama. That’s the vibe here, and honestly? I was hooked. Like, morally-gray heroine with baggage? Check. Brooding rival who's way too polished but weirdly endearing? Double check. A dusty magical bookshop that may or may not be falling apart and hiding sinister secrets? Say less.

I loved the whole undercurrent of danger and mystery laced through the story—it gave everything this sense of urgency, like something big was always about to happen. And the ink magic? It's giving fresh, eerie, and a little gross, in the best possible way. I kinda wish we’d gotten even more scenes with it because it was so different from other magic systems I’ve read lately.

Things did drag a tiny bit in the middle, but not enough to lose me—just enough that I wanted to nudge it along. Still, I was totally invested in the bookshop’s fate, the tangled alliances, and watching the characters try (and mostly fail) to trust each other. It’s one of those reads that feels like sipping something dark and strange in a cozy chair, knowing it’s gonna punch you in the feelings eventually.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

In The Bookshop Below, the author offers a captivating narrative that merges the quotidian with the fantastical, constructing a literary landscape in which the boundaries between the real and the magical are intentionally blurred. From the outset, the novel immerses the reader in a richly imagined world anchored by a central location—the titular bookshop—which functions not merely as a retail space but as a symbolic and metaphysical locus of transformation.

The narrative foregrounds a community of book lovers—proprietors, readers, and a clandestine society devoted to the safeguarding of literary secrets—whose lives are inextricably intertwined with the power and presence of stories. The bookshop is rendered with almost reverential detail, serving as both a sanctuary and a liminal space where characters confront their pasts and reimagine their futures. In this regard, the author succeeds in crafting a setting that operates on multiple levels: as a literal space, a metaphorical construct, and a thematic nucleus.

Characterization throughout the novel is handled with notable care. The ensemble—ranging from the idiosyncratic bookseller to the enigmatic newcomer—is depicted with emotional nuance and narrative empathy. These characters are not merely narrative devices but function as avatars through which broader themes—such as healing, second chances, and the enduring significance of literature—are explored.

The magical elements, while fantastical in nature, are employed not for spectacle but as metaphors for the deeply human experiences of loss, connection, and personal evolution. The romance that develops over the course of the novel is restrained yet poignant, unfolding organically in a way that complements rather than overshadows the central themes. Particularly compelling is the author’s ability to imbue books themselves with agency, casting them as dynamic forces capable of altering the trajectory of a life or even reshaping reality.

At its core, The Bookshop Below is a meditation on the redemptive and transformative power of narrative. The text invites readers to consider stories not merely as entertainment, but as tools for introspection, healing, and social connection. This metafictional awareness permeates the novel, elevating it beyond conventional genre boundaries and positioning it as a celebration of the cultural and personal significance of literature.

In sum, The Bookshop Below is an elegantly constructed work that blends emotional resonance with literary homage. It will undoubtedly appeal to bibliophiles and readers attuned to the quiet magic found within well-told tales. By the novel’s conclusion, one is left affected by and reflective of the author’s conviction in the enduring power of stories to enchant, uplift, and transform.

5/5 stars
Recommended if you like: bookshops, magic, cozy(ish) fantasy, rivals to lovers, messy MCs

This review has been posted to Goodreads as of 6/27 and my review blog as of 7/15, and will be posted to Instagram 7/18.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025, so I'm excited to have gotten an ARC of it! It's a whimsical read with a lot of cozy aspects (though I wouldn't call it cozy fantasy), and I loved the combination of magic and books and exploring how they interact together to shape things in the world.

Cassandra is a thief, but she wasn't always a thief. No, once she was a brilliant protégé, welcomed into the world of books and ink that she now steals from. Naturally, she can't resist being pulled back in, no matter how much she tells herself she just needs the bookstore running again before she can take off.

It's clear from all this that Cassandra is a complicated character. She was thrust into responsibility young, very young, and as people's expectations in her rose, so did their disappointment. It was a toxic mix, and naturally a teenager who feels like she's always disappointing someone, always in trouble, is eventually going to start disregarding the rules entirely. Why bother trying when no one is ever satisfied? When Cassandra does the thing that gets her kicked out of Chiron's, she turns to stealing magical books, and she's good at it, in part due to how she was raised and the magic at her fingertips, and in part due to her seeming lack of scruples. But at the same time, Cassandra has a lot of regrets, and those regrets only grow louder once she's back in the world of booksellers and magic ink. She clearly loves the bookshop and does her best to get it up and running again, though she's more than a bit over her head at first. What's also clear pretty quickly is that, despite her seeming ruthlessness, Cassandra has a big heart and clearly cares deeply about the people she lets in.

Enter Lowell. Like Cassandra, he too got a letter from Chiron, but unlike Cassandra, Lowell has remained within the close circle of booksellers and bookstore owners, and is desperate for Chiron's bookshop. Lowell is, in many ways, everything Cassandra is not. The perfect protégé, had he been under Chiron's tutelage, and he knows it. Lowell is sharp and cutting from the minute we meet him, looking down on Cassandra (and, frankly, everyone else) and doing little to hide it. But...over time he becomes more bearable. I think Cassandra's stubbornness wins him over a little, and the weird goings-on they seem to continually walk into make them natural allies. Both outcasts, both for different reasons, but somehow the two grow on each other and just work.

Byron is someone else who fortuitously enters Cassandra's life when Cassandra takes over Chiron's bookshop. Bookshop owners need booksellers, and Byron is conveniently needing a position. She's bright and cheerful, and has also been raised in this world, so all the weird magical things are just another Tuesday. Like Cassandra, Byron clearly loves the bookshop and she and Cassandra are quick to make friends. I enjoyed their friendship and was glad it managed to survive Cassandra's past coming to haunt....well, frankly everything. Not that Byron herself doesn't have secrets too.

Plotwise, there's a lot going on in this book. First there's Chiron's death. Cassandra takes it as natural, but we readers know it isn't, and other people in the magical bookstore world also know it. Then, there's a secret society (yes, a secret society within a secret world) who are clearly planning something, though we only get bits and pieces of what. There's also weird goings-on occurring with bookshops, and with the magical books themselves, and people across the bookstore world are starting to notice. And then there's Roth. Irritating, but persistent Roth, who was once a regular customer of Cassandra's back when she was acting as Cass Holt, notorious thief and magical reader (though, Cassandra actually is still a magical reader).

It was really interesting to see how all these different threads did or didn't connect with one another, and I was definitely kept on my toes throughout the book. I liked following Cassandra and Lowell as they chased down leads, both the human and book kind, and they each get a chance to save each other more than once. I also really liked getting to see Cassandra work the reading magic.

That's definitely an element I wish we saw more of. The magic system in the book is premised on books getting dipped in the river, which imbues them with various kinds of magic, allowing anyone (I think) to enact that magic when they read the text. A reader is a specific person who is able to read magic into existence from a book, though depending on what they're doing, they might have to give blood and drink ink first. That being said, readers can also read straight from books that already exist, without the extra elements. The magic system is quite fascinating and makes much more sense when reading about it, lol, but I still would've liked to see more of it in action.

I will say, while the ending was satisfactory, it wasn't wholly satisfying. I was hoping for something more. Something a little closer to a happy ending than we got, though I suppose the implication is there (and Errata!). Also, and this is fairly minor, but I don't think anyone ever properly scolds Edmund for his role in things, especially regarding Roth. Cassandra or Byron should've given him a good yelling at.

Readers seek out stories for a multitude of reasons. Some of us are in search of an escape and adventure, to be challenged, experience a story we have never encountered before, or settle into a comfortable, familiar feeling. Georgia Summers’ novel of a bookshop owner finding a second chance and love in a magical bookshop appeals to romantasy and bibliophiles alike, even if it is a bit too beholden to the conventions of the genre.

At the outset of The Bookshop Below, Cassandra Fairfax finds herself the inheritor of a magical and mysterious bookshop where she was once seen as the heir apparent before her falling out with the owner, Chiron. Their rift was the result of her second life as the book thief Cass Holt, which is repeatedly mentioned throughout the course of the novel. Despite her past, rife with tragedies that continue to reemerge during the story, Cassandra is determined to revitalize the bookshop, figure out the mystery behind Chiron’s death and understand the motivations of her rival bookseller, Lowell Sharpe.

If you’re familiar with grumpy men in romantasy novels, you can probably guess the direction that Cassandra and Lowell’s relationship will take, but there is enough shading to offset the coziness of the bookshop. Summers adds enough wrinkles in her characters and the plot to keep things interesting as they move along familiar plot beats, and I won’t rob anyone of their Act II misunderstandings or ‘enemies to lovers’ conventions to gripe about them. Romantasy is a genre that revels in conventions and structure; to forgo them would be a disservice to fans who come to these books with a set of expectations they wish to see fulfilled.

Plot aside, which is pretty well telegraphed after the first few chapters, the other major genre — if I could go as far as to call it one — that The Bookshop Below dwells in is the ‘book about books’. I’m an admitted fan of novels about the magic of reading and bringing familiar stories to life in unexpected ways. There were early touches of this magic in Summer’s novel, with a memorable house call for Cassandra and Lowell, but these touches are forgotten as the plot rolls on and settles back onto its rails, drawing ever closer to the final conclusion. I wish there were more of these moments, as they worked to show the allure of the world that Cassandra was entering rather than making it seem like an obligation she needed to fulfill. There was no need to ground the magic system in schematics and jargon, but where it could have been wild and intoxicating, it felt like a set of tools that was brought out occasionally to push the story along.

Nearly every character feels like a walking Chekov’s gun, as they all circle back to become important in the ever-overlapping identities of Cass Fairfax. Some loose threads or characters residing on one side of Cassandra’s life would have been welcome, though Summers deals out these revelations at a reasonable pace to not overload readers with twist after twist. By the final act, I was distracted by trying to figure out how every remaining character would factor into a story from Cassandra’s past or her other life, and they all did in one way or another.
The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers reminded me of Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart with a Romantasy twist. The novel is more than recollections of a childhood favourite with the popular fantasy tropes of today, though its uneven worldbuilding and third act left me wishing that more could have been done with the central conceit.

This book was a fun and captivating read. The magic system was unique and clever, and the story definitely kept me reading. At times, it felt like a cozy fantasy; and at others, it seemed like a dark fairy tale or an ancient myth. I think it will be an entertaining read for those who enjoyed Morgenstern's The Starless Sea or similar reads.

It did seem to fall somewhere between Adult Fantasy and YA Fantasy, though. The protagonist frequently seemed younger than she is, both in action and in speech. While confusing at times, because I kept forgetting how old she was supposed to be, it didn't really affect my overall experience of reading the book.

Ultimately, I enjoyed the mystery and suspense of this story, and I appreciate when books don't over-explain every mysterious detail and leave some things up to interpretation.

I can’t put into words how absolutely blown away I was by this book. It has everything! A fierce & flawed heroine, stunningly unique magic system, enemies to lovers, whodunnit, thrills, twists, and of course, a magical bookstore. A spellbinding novel for those who long to lose themselves in a world of layered secrets, ancient magic, and unforgettable characters.

Thank you to Orbit Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

3.5 ⭐ rounded up
I can't decide if this is a murder mystery or a fantasy or what, but regardless the plot was interesting. I found the characters to be well thought out and engaging and I particularly liked Byron. I did feel like the magic system needed more explanation as I frequently found myself a bit confused on how everything worked and some parts felt rushed, like there should be a second book coming. What really threw me off was the use of 3rd person, present tense. I found it very distracting, but that could be a personal preference. Overall, the entire premise is very good and it's definitely worth a read.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this e-arc!

Cassandra was a thief turned bookshop owner in the cut-throat, underground world of rare and magic booksellers. Powered by a mystic river, what happens in the bookshop above, will alter the bookshop below. Mystery, magic, and a unique magic system, this book should have hit it out of the park for me.

The Bookshop Below takes you on a journey through the world of rare bookselling, secret societies, magic, and murder. However it didn't quite hit the mark as the writing felt a little juvenile. My issues lie primarily within the writing of the MC Cass. The "Cass = thief" and "Cassandra = bookseller" felt a little silly, why would she select a name for a thief's persona that is just the shortened version of her name? She is written as headstrong but her character feels a bit, unintentionally, wishy-washy in her actions and why she is so gravely disliked in the booksellers world. Her relationship with Lowell felt predictable and didn't leave much to look forward to. The book did drag quite a bit with it's YA-style writing, I will give kudos to the unique magic system though. I would have loved to explore that more than the central plot.

I think this book is for someone, I just didn't find it did anything new or exciting. 2/5 stars.

Thank you for the ARC!

This book kept me on my toes throughout. I was never bored and I was never entirely certain which direction we were going. This was so immersive, I didn't want it to end. While the magic system could perhaps be a tiny bit confusing at times, it was so unique, and the thoroughly written characters and environment made any confusion I felt be secondary and almost unimportant. Cass and Lowell were wonderfully written and I enjoyed their progression.

I love a magical bookshop story. I love the allure of the books that our protagonist wants to take care of when the owner dies. I loved the mystery of the vanishing bookshops. The danger lurking was always just over my shoulder. I liked the touch of romance. This was a well plotted unique fantasy story

A world where there are bookstores they sell magic books. Where the words on the page can change your life or future. Where people give up their first borns for a taste of its power. Cassandra grew up in New me of these bookstores, the power of the river that gives the books their magic running through her veins. Her mentor has been murdered and he left his bookstore to her. But there are others who aren’t happy about her becoming the new owner and others who would do anything to take it from her.

The book started out slow. I wasn’t sure what the premise actually was for the first 15 chapters or so. But once you understand what’s happening and it’s like a freight train to the end.

And speaking of the end, I was not happy with this ending at all. I really hope there is a second part to this with the way this ended.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cass may be a thief but she's a very unique kind. She deals in books and readings and magic, all stemming from her youth growing up in a magical tributary bookshop. After being exiled, her life took a turn for the worse but her past never truly left her. As Cassandra follows a letter towards that very past, she learns something that shakes her foundation and changes her life, forcing her to give up thievery and take up the helm of owner of the very bookshop she was once exiled from. But it's never that simple, is it?

This book is full of intrigue and mystery. Nothing is as straightforward as it seems at first and, as the reader, we are just as clueless to everything as Cassandra is. Each character that shows up has their own meaningful backstory that plays in the eventual conclusion of this novel, which was a beautiful touch given the importance of stories in the plot. There's something so uniquely satisfying about reading a story featuring character who love books. All that being said, there were a few things I didn't love. The main one was the story being written in present tense. It was quite jarring for me as it always is and took longer than usual to get used to. It also gave this book a more YA feel than I think was intended. The story also dragged a bit at certain points. I found myself getting lost or confused in various details that never went anywhere. However, this was a really interesting premise and I think the magic itself was so intriguing in this story!

The Bookshop Below is such a fun and fast-paced read with just the right mix of magic, mystery, and bookish charm. Cassandra is a bit of a mess in the best way, and watching her get pulled back into the world of magical books and shady deals is a total blast. Her banter with Lowell, the rival bookseller who’s basically her complete opposite, adds a lot of spark to the story.
Georgia Summers does a great job creating this underground world where books can literally change your life or ruin it. The magic feels fresh, the pace keeps things moving, and the whole vibe is just really cool without trying too hard. If you like stories about messy characters, enchanted bookshops, and a little danger mixed in with your fantasy, this one’s definitely worth checking out.

Unfortunately I just couldn’t get into this book the way I wanted to. I’ll try again when I’m in a different reading mood!

The cover was what caught my eye and I was so excited to be chosen to read this book.

However, the story was very confusing to me? The world building was lacking and that played a huge part of me not liking this book. I don’t consider myself a huge fantasy reader, it’s just one genre I enjoy so maybe that’s why it was confusing to me?

The book also felt very dragged out and it took me awhile to want to pick this book back up to read again.

I did enjoy the magic system and the magical books and it was giving me major The Page Master vibes (if you know, you know)

For the future, I’d love more back story surrounding the magic system and a little more world building. Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books/Redbook for the free eARC!

This book is a sweet cozy read that is full of heart and emotion. While I loved all the magical elements, I felt that the magic system wasn't properly fully explained.

The Bookshop Below had all the keywords I gravitate toward - magic, hidden worlds, books, etc etc. Yet, the execution of the concept fell flat for me, which was not helped by the layout and formatting choices.

It took a long time for me to care about our protagonist - I think we would have had a better experience as readers if the prologue had been about Cass instead of Chrion and the mystery was *kept* a mystery for longer. I also think the unending reminders about Cass's past were unnecessary - it was fine when we were learning new details about it, but the majority of it was unneeded. I also felt the final confrontation between Cass and The River was difficult to follow, even for an avid fantasy reader.

All in all - I think this book should have either committed to the romance and cut the murder mystery, or committed to the murder mystery and cut the magic books. Juggling both winds up feeling claustrophobic instead of intriguing.

This was wonderful! I really enjoyed the world of these booksellers. The main characters were dark and twisty and the right amount of flawed. This was a true enemies to lovers story with a very edgy conspiracy lingering around the edges.

The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Release Date: November 18, 2025

Thank you Orbit Books|Redhook and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC! The Bookshop Below follows Cassandra as she takes over the running of a magical bookshop after her mentor passes away and leaves it to her. Cassandra navigates the polictics of the bookshop's world, makes new friends, and fights to save the magic that makes her bookshop special.

I was immediately drawn in by the title and description of this book. Overall, I did enjoy reading it. The characters are what makes The Bookshop Below a fun read. Cassandra and Lowell are both very relatable characters. They have believable flaws and personalities that they recognize and work on throughout the book. Some of the magic is fun and quirky like the book/cat, Errata.

The magic system can be a little confusing in this book. I think a few things could have used some more explanation or examples. I definitely had to reread a few parts and pause to think things over while trying to understand how the magic of the bookshops, reading, and the ink worked. The plot moved a little slow in a few places and then very quickly towards the end but still held my attention.

Overall, this was a fun, quick read with likable characters. It would be a nice palette cleanser to read between series.

The Bookshop Below

From the very first page of The Bookshop Below, I found myself dipping my toe into a magic river—one that swept me away into a world where the ordinary and the extraordinary blend seamlessly. This enchanting novel invites readers to dive deep into the lives of bookshop owners, readers, devoted booksellers, and the whisperings of a secret society that guards the mysteries of stories themselves.

The author crafts a setting that feels like a love letter to every bibliophile. The bookshop at the heart of the story is more than a store; it’s a portal, a sanctuary, and a crossroads where destinies are rewritten. Each character, from the quirky proprietor to the mysterious newcomer, is drawn with warmth and depth, making the reader feel like a cherished guest among stacks of well-loved tomes.

Magic pulses through every chapter, not just in the spells and secret societies, but in the way books themselves become catalysts for change. The romance is tender and genuine, blossoming in the quiet corners of the shop and the thrilling shadows of hidden passageways. At its core, the novel explores the universal longing for redemption and the hope that, no matter how lost we feel, a second chance is always within reach—sometimes found in the most unexpected of places.

What truly elevates The Bookshop Below is its celebration of the transformative power of stories. Books here are more than objects; they are living, breathing forces that shape hearts, heal wounds, and even influence the fate of the world. The narrative reminds us that every reader, every bookseller, and every story has the potential to change the course of a life.

The Bookshop Below is a dazzling blend of whimsy, heart, and hope—a must-read for anyone who believes in the magic of stories and the possibility of new beginnings. So, do you believe in magic? After reading this, you just might.


Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for a copy to review. All opinions are my own.