I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I enjoyed this book. If you like cozy fantasy, I recommend it. However, it’s also been referred to as fantasy romance and I don’t think that is accurate. There is a sweet romance, but it is not a major part of the story.

The characters are wonderful. I had no idea how a sentient spider plant would work, but I loved Caz. The fact that Kiela had lived on the island when she was a child made the quick bonds she formed believable. And as a librarian myself, I loved that aspect of the book. I completely related with her desire to just hide away from the world with her books.

The plot dragged a bit for a while, but an event caused it to pick and I enjoyed it much more after that. I was happy with the ending and will definitely read more books by Sarah Beth Durst.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bramble for providing me with the eARC for this book.

✨The Spellshop Review✨
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Rating: 4.5/5 stars
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The Spellshop is such a wonderful and cozy story! It features Kiela, a librarian, and Caz, a sentient spider plant and Keila's best friend. They work at the Great Library of Alyssium until it is burned down during a revolution. Kiela and Caz save as many spellbooks as they can and flee to a tiny rural island where Kiela lived as a child. Forced to adapt to a rural lifestyle, Kiela and Caz learn new skills (including gardening and making jam), figure out how to make friends (difficult as Kiela has social anxiety), and discover how they can contribute to the overall wellbeing of their new community.
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Things I loved:
- Caz was hands down my favorite character. He's sarcastic and sassy, and his friendship with Kiela was adorable and heartwarming.
- Kiela's introversion and social anxiety were relatable, and I loved following along as she reconnected with the island community and become friends with her new neighbors.
- The romance subplot - this book is marketed as a romance, and it is, however I found the romance to be secondary and complimentary to the main plotline vs. being the main plotline, which I quite liked. The grumpy (FMC)/sunshine dynamic was well done, and their journey from neighbors to friends to romance was very sweet. (Note: for those who are curious, there is no spice.)
- The cozy feeling throughout this story - the author notes that she set out to make a story that reads like drinking hot chocolate, and she succeeded.
- The way this story explored community, starting over, learning new skills/self-discovery, and reexamining your assumptions.
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I didn't quite love:
- it did feel like the ending was rushed, with a higher stakes plotline suddenly emerging and then being solved in a very sshort amount of time. It felt a bit abrupt and like it wasn't allowed to breathe and develop naturally the way the rest of the story did.
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This was one of my favorite reads and I would highly recommend it to those looking for a cozy fantasy with relatively low stakes and a sweet romance. If you like slice-of-life or cute cottage-core stories, this would be a great book for you.
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I would not recommend this to anyone who is looking for a story with a ton of action or high-stakes. This is a very sweet book, so if you're in the mood for or prefer heavier fantasy books, this one probably isn't going to work for you.
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*Thank you to Netgalley and Bramble for the eARC, which was given in exchange for an honest review*

🎧 THE SPELLSHOP by Sarah Beth Durst
Genre: fantasy
3 stars

💭: i think if i read the physical i would’ve loved it so much, but the audio didn’t do it for me. It was the definition of a cozy cottagecore light fantasy read with magic and spells and woodland forests. Great vibes but not for me

I absolutely adored this cozy fantasy read. It's definitely a must-read for those who want to curl up on the couch for the night with a blanket, a cup of tea, and be transported into the wonderful world that Sarah Beth Durst has created. The characters are so much fun, and who would have thought I'd fall in love with a talking spider plant? But Caz is the best! I need a Caz in my life!

Sarah Beth Durst’s The Spellshop is the perfect cozy romance pick me up to cure your summertime sadness!
Set in a magical world where only the elite are permitted to wield magic, The Spellshop is a heartwarming tale of social justice, found family, grief, and community. Durst delivers beautiful landscapes, colorful characters, and an emotional journey many will relate to. Reading this book felt like taking the first bite of a freshly baked cookie. It is warm, sweet, and leaves you wishing there were more.
The story follows a surly librarian named Kiela. When a revolution breaks out in the capital city of Alyssium, Kiela is forced to flee with a stockpile of forbidden magical tomes before she and the books burn in the chaos. Kiela and her library assistant, a talking, sentient plant named Caz find their way to Kiela’s remote childhood home on the remote island of Caltrey. There, she cleverly disguises the stolen texts in a seaside cottage left to her by her dearly departed parents.
Soon after arriving on Caltrey, Kiela realizes she’ll need to forge relationships with the islanders in order to survive. With little knowledge on how to live in a world outside of the library, she must rely on the kindness of her neighbors to survive and thrive on the island. All while hiding from the unrest in the capital. One of those neighbors is a handsome merhorse herder named Larran who has a tragic past of his own.
While Kiela may have escaped the death and destruction in the capital, it was only a matter of time before it would make its way to Caltrey and test the bonds of her new relationships and threaten the safety of the entire Island.
Hurst does a fantastic job of keeping heavy topics such as grief, loss, and social unrest relevant without bogging the reader down. The Spellshop is an enjoyable read that tugs just enough at your heartstrings while leaving you feeling fulfilled by the end. Kiela is such a relatable character for any introverted book nerd. You can’t help but root for her. When Kiela’s secret is threatened to be exposed she delivers one of my favorite quotes of the book: “Whoever cast this spell clearly cared more for what was right than what was the law.”
Another aspect of the book I thoroughly enjoyed was all of the personalities of the neighbors. While they have fur, antlers, blue skin, and even some with wings, they distinctly represent people we might find in our own neighborhoods. The elderly woman who knows everything there is to know about the town, the welcoming rebel who befriends you without asking, the grumpy old man who hates change and wants you to stay off their lawn, they’re all in this book.
If I could change anything about the book, I would have liked to see a bit more context for the revolution. The hoarding of resources is something I think we can all understand, but I think a little more background information on how the imperial family came into power, how the laws for the use of magic were written, and how the rebel cause came to power would have given the book more depth.
I would have also liked a little spice when it comes to Kiela and Larran’s love story. Maybe I’ve been reading too much smut, but the lack of spice was a tiny bit disappointing and made the ending seem rushed. Overall, I still find the emotional growth they share to redeem the lack of spice.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Spellshop! It’s the perfect book to take on a summer roadtrip, to sit by the pool or beach and soak up some sunshine, or anytime you need a literary hug. I think the book is great as a standalone, but I wouldn’t mind returning to Caltrey for more adventures with Kiela and Caz.

What a delightful, cozy little book. This was just a fun and sweet read from start to finish. Fantastic characters that had me rooting for them from the start and the perfect amount of conflict. If you are looking for oodles of angst this isn't the book for you but if you like your fantasy low stress and you enjoyed the House in the Cerulean Sea, you should definitely give it a read.

If you haven't read a cozy fantasy, this is a great one to start with. It gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling and I didn't want to put it down. Who knew I'd fall in love with a sentient spider plant (Caz often steals the show) and an island community of unique personalities? The magic, the hope, the connections, the friendships, the romance, and the growth. I loved it all!

This is the exact sort of cozy magical book that is perfect for autumn reading--full of sweet treats and positive vibes.

3.5 ⭐️

In The Great Library of Alyssium, Kiela has always preferred the company of books over people, making her role as a librarian a perfect match. But when a revolution disrupts her quiet existence, she must flee with her quirky sentient spider plant, Caz, and a handful of cherished books. Returning to her childhood island, Kiela discovers a landscape in decline, starved of the magic that once nourished it.

Determined to make a difference, she opens a spell shop, transforming from a reclusive, blue-skinned librarian into a beloved figure within her community. The whimsical world brims with diverse creatures—merhorses, flying cats, and adorable cloud-like bears—which adds an enchanting flair to Kiela’s journey.

While the cover is a visual delight, the pacing of the story leaned more toward slice-of-life than the cozy fantasy I typically enjoy. The stakes felt low, making it challenging to stay fully invested. However, Caz’s sassy antics were a saving grace, infusing humor into the narrative. Plus, the mouthwatering food descriptions—especially the cinnamon rolls—were a treat for the imagination.

Though it didn’t fully resonate with my reading preferences, this charming tale offers a warm, gentle escape for those who appreciate a slower-paced story. If you’re a fan of cozy worlds and character-driven narratives, Kiela’s adventure may just be the cozy escape you’ve been looking for.

This book was so good! I was sucked in immediately when I realized that Kiela was just as passionate about books as I am. A librarian who wants to spend all her time reading and researching is immediately a protagonist I want to succeed. From saving multiple crates of books from a revolutionary fire, to starting a new life on an island she half remembers, Kiela and Caz handle everything with so much energy it's great to see. I also loved the side characters, they all felt like they had their own lives to live and not like they were only there because of the story, but genuinely had things to do that just so happened to bring them in to the story. The pacing was also really enjoyable, and I finished this book so quickly because I wasn't able to put it down, that's how good it was! I want to know more about Kiela and Caz and Meep's lives on the island, how much better they've been able to make it with their "remedies" and what changes have been made now that the political situation has shifted. I also loved learning about the merhorses, and how they impact the health of the island. Honestly, all of the facts made my nerdy little heart so happy, mostly because I also just blurt out random facts when nervous. Not only do I want more, I want all my friends to read this so that we can all discuss our favorite bits.

This book had me at librarian and kept me engaged until the end. Kiela is quickly shown to be more than just a librarian lost in the stacks, although she doesn't seem to know it herself. Her desire to see see valuable knowledge saved and willingness to help others with that knowledge are what make her a compelling character. The community in which she finds herself is full of caring and close-knit, which makes it all the better to see Kiela earn their trust and connect with them. Fans of cozy fantasy and romance will not be disappointed. I would love to see this become a series as the world building and characters are grade A.

This was my very first cozy fantasy and I have to say the genre is not for everyone. I can see how people can adore this book but for me personally, it fell a bit flat and was quite boring at times.

Thank you @brambleromance and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted book and audiobook.

2.5 stars

Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. I knew going into this that it was a cozy but it was… too much. What start off as an adorable story ended up feeling saccharine. I know that probably sounds ideal for a good light read but it was akin to eating too much [insert your favourite sweet here] and feeling sick after a while. Also, it was a little too long, by the 83% mark I was ready for it to be done. I may have dnf’d but I was buddy reading with @reliablebookgirl_rbg and wanted to finish it so I was grateful for the audio to help me along. Caitlin Davies was the narrator and nailed the sugary sweet tone of the story. If you’re in the mood for a hallmark style fantasy, then this one’s for you.

This was so cute. I loved it so much. Kiela's growth was amazing to see. I loved seeing her come out of her shell more and realize she wanted more. And Caz. Sweet and vicious Caz. He took the show. He had me cracking up multiple times. Very much looking forward to more from this author.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

Fun cottagecore fantasy with some serious cosy vibes. A little thin on the ground in terms of character building (some of the folks start out flat and don't gain too much dimensionality as they go), but the world and creatures created are fantastic. Might benefit from a different format rather than prose - audio for some voice acting or graphic for the aesthetics. Would love to see a graphic novel adaptation of this.

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst is a delightful foray into a world brimming with magic, creativity, and adventure. The story follows a young witch determined to save her family’s struggling spellshop, weaving themes of resilience and self-discovery throughout. Durst’s writing is vibrant and engaging, painting a vivid picture of a fantastical realm filled with whimsical spells and memorable characters.

The balance of humor and heartfelt moments makes the narrative truly enjoyable, and the protagonist’s journey resonates with anyone striving to carve out their own path. With its clever twists and charming atmosphere, The Spellshop is a captivating read that will enchant fans of fantasy and magic alike.

5 stars! This book encapsulates everything I love about cozy family. All my favorites were included like found family, homespun magic and sentient animal companions (of a sort). I loved the setting and the characters! Sarah Beth Durst gave us a wonderful warm hug of a book that was perfect as a weekend read while snuggled up on the couch. I devoured this book in 2 days. I cannot wait for her 2025 release of The Enchanted Greenhouse about a character that is mentioned in The Spellshop, I already pre-ordered it for next July! The characters were so adorable and charming in The Spellhouse and the low stakes typical to cozy fantasy were just enough to keep me on the edge of my seat. Could not put this book down, highly recommend!

Books described as “cozy” have been hit and miss with me; however The Spellshop is simply delightful! I loved Kiela and her plant sidekick Caz! The townspeople are so fun and entertaining, and I think the points of tension within the story are interesting. Great read - especially for a fall evening!

If you are a fan of cozy reads with some whimsy and spells, this book is for you! It was a quick read that put me in the spirit of fall and cant wait for more in the series!