"The Spellshop" is a cozy fantasy centered on Kiela, a grumpy librarian who prefers plants over people. The story is light on fantasy but heavy on cozy elements, making it an enjoyable read for those who love charming, low-stakes adventures.

One of the book’s highlights is the delightful character of Caz, who steals the show with his witty banter and anxious yet endearing personality. The magic system, rooted in nature, feels both enchanting and dangerous. However, while the world-building excels in some areas, it falls short in others. The human characters, including Kiela, are less developed, and the plot is fairly straightforward.

Overall, "The Spellshop" offers a pleasant, if somewhat simplistic, reading experience. The cozy atmosphere and charming non-human characters make up for the book’s flaws, though the story leans more toward comfort than depth. The audiobook, narrated by Caitlin Davies, enhances the experience with a lively performance that brings the characters to life. This book is a good choice for readers who enjoy cozy fantasies and don't mind corny dialogue.

Thank you to Sarah Beth Durst, Tor Publishing Group, and NetGalley for sending me the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Beth Durst's books have been a part of my teenagehood and adulthood. From vampires to fairy tales, each one always contains a surprise. This one has spellbooks, storms, and jam.

A librarian for the Empire finds herself on the run with her assistant, a talking spider plant. Kiela and Caz travel to her home island of Caltrey when the Empire falls and the rebels start burning the books. She hopes to find a new life for herself, but socializing with people is hard. So is starting a business and new way of life. But she has a few friendly neighbors, and one grumpy man to avoid. Plus, she has spellbooks. So it may be time to use some magic to heal the island, discreetly. If she's caught, the Empire is creative about their executions.

I LOVED this book, and was happy to go in detail on Medium. Kiela is a relatable protagonist in the face of COVID, and one who must learn to trust where the wrong loose lips mean death. Caz is a great right-hand plant, and a ringer when it counts. And you can't go wrong with jam on fresh-baked goods!

What a perfect cozy read for the fall months! It was such a cute story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Only complaint would be the pacing at the beginning ( a little slow for my tastes)

This was a perfect end of summer/beginning of fall cozy read. I went into this one not sure what to expect and ended up loving it.

Keila finds herself in a situation she never could have imagined and turns to the only place she could think of. In looking for refuge she finds so much more than she bargained for. I think this book has just the right amount of stakes to keep it interesting but also maintains that coziness.

The fantastical elements we get with the people and also the animals/plants are so great. As a cat lover there being winged cats just made it even better because now I want one in my neighborhood!! Also who could possibly resist Caz?! He’s the perfect slightly sassy sidekick/companion.

If you’re looking for a great read during the transition to fall, I think this is a great option! There isn’t a huge/vast amount of heavy world building, the characters are all wonderful, and like the author said in their author note it truly feels like drinking hot chocolate in that lovely happy cozy way.

Thank you so much to Bramble for the ARC of this book. All opinions above are my own.

3.5 rounded down
I think this book accomplished what it set out to, but the beginning dragged on a bit too long with not a lot happening for me to feel a real connection. I also wish there was just a touch more development in the fantasy elements.

I think as an audiobook I could speed up, this would be an enjoyable read to get lost in while I do chores, but it was a bit too long for a cozy vibe-based book

I learned a new word as I read this book and researched what age level it is an appropriate audience for - cottagecore; the desire to live a more peaceful, simple, bucolic existence. I could not, as I was reading, put my finger on exactly what it was that appealed to me the most, but I think it may be the cottagecore concept.

A touch of magic, a touch or humanity, a touch of rural living all lend a hand in making this book a really simple, sweet story. It is considered adult, sci-fi fantasy with a touch or romance. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and found myself transported to the island of Caltery, where Keila was born. She spent years as a librarian in the city of Alyssium, content with her quiet life among the spellbooks, alongside her best friend, Caz, the talking spider plant. She and Caz have to flee the island as the empire is overthrown by rebels and she winds up back home on the island where she was born. Kelia needs to learn how to make a living and how to co-exist with nature and the islanders and the unstable magic left behind by the loss of magic controlling weather and the island itself.

I love all the characters and the general sweetness that surrounds this book. Captivating and fantastical, what an honor it was to read this book!

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC for review.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

3.5 stars rounded up--- and wowie this has such a rough start. Between how unlikeable Kiela comes off in the beginning to the odd, overly wordy writing style, I nearly dnf'd at 1%, 5%, and 15%. But right around 30%, it started to majorly improve. At the start, you have none of the things you want and it's tough to convince yourself to stick with it.

But then this book comes around with the townspeople, the magical creatures, and Kiela is forced to be a better person or literally starve, and it becomes bearable. The chemistry between her and Larran actually sparks up, the conflict (however small it actually is) starts to blossom, and the world blooms. I can honestly say I enjoyed the middle portion of this book filled with jam, spell craft, and home renovation.

However, it kind of falls apart towards the end. Radane is a raging jerk and no amount of explanation can forgive that. The major stress point feels both rushed and drawn out. The ending falls really flat because it goes on too long after the resolution. And the reminder that Kiela has only been on this island for a few days knocks the wind out of you at the marriage proposal.

Overall, it's not a bad book, and it is very cozy. But it feels far more Young Adult or even Middle Grade than something like Emily Wilde or the Honey Witch, mostly due to the intensely wordy writing style. Sometimes there would be three or four (Kindle) pages between lines of dialogue in a conversation because of all of the exposition being dumped. It was hard to work around and I wish it was refined a little further. One of the best features of this book is that it is a neat and tidy standalone--- no cliffhanger, no threat of a book two, just a simple happy ending. I'll be interested to see what Durst comes out with in the future.

This book felt like cottagecore Animal Crossing and I loved it. I read this entire book with a smile on my face.

This book was adorable and loved it. The sprayed edges are gorgeous on the hardback copy and then the story was very well developed. It was out July book club pick!

Sarah Beth Durst brings the benefits of magic to a small island in The Spellshop. Kiela escaped the burning great library as the emperor and empire falls and returns to her childhood remote island with spellbooks rescued from the library and her plant friend Caz. She opens a jam shop which is backed by spells. Mystical cures help the island, but she has to deal with off island snoops. Gentle fantasy.

'The Spellshop' is a new cozy favorite! I have already recommended it to several friends and fantasy readers. It has heart, atmosphere, and all the cozy vibes you could want. It is exactly what I was hoping for and so much more. If you loved Legends and Lattes, this will be a new favorite for sure.

🍃⋆˚✿˖° The cottagecore + farming game vibes are THE best in this book ˚ʚ 🌱 ₊˚✧ ﾟ.

The Spellshop is a cozy fantasy about a librarian who escapes her city after the rebellion hits and the empire is overthrown. She escapes with a good amount of books (spellbooks) that she isn't supposed to have, so when she arrives to her childhood home on this island, the first thing she does is hide them. But to start over in a new place, she must build it all back up, right? So, she decides to start a new business: JAM MAKING 🍒

Kiela was such a good main character, I felt for her and went through all the different emotions just like her. She comes to this island with her sentient plant named Caz and yeah he talks and is hilarious and helps her out and basically is her best friend. There, she meets so many new people and creates this little family. There's also a living cactus who says "meep" a lot (and is adorable!), a chicken who runs away, tree spirits that look like bears, merhorses, cats that can fly, and even a singing apple tree. This book is the definition of cozy I SWEAR TO GOD. Plus it reminded me of my favorite cozy/farming games like Wylde Flowers and Cozy Grove.

The romance? It's adorable, slow-burn, soft and beautiful. I loved Kiela and Larran together and how they were from the very first time they met. Their dynamic was adorable and I wanted to read more and more about them with each passing page ❀˖° If you like heroes who can't help but blush around the heroines, read this. If you like heroes who are always there for them even if they're hiding secrets that could change everything, read this. I'm obsessed that at one point Larran was like "what do you need from me?" and he didn't care about the secrets, the outcome, anything - only her and her safety.

🎀🍓 I wish I could have my memory erased so I could read this for the first time again! It was that good and I definitely want to get a finished copy so I can put it up in my shelves. I want to revisit and go back to that place and those characters and that romance and the vibes again and again and again. Really, Sarah Beth Durst YOU WROTE A MASTERPIECE. ༘⋆♡⸝⸝💌⊹。°˖➴

Did you read Legends and Lattes? Encyclopedia of Fairies?

This book was right along those same lines, and I want to see it animated as a Disney film.

Everything about this book was cute, slightly mischievous, and gave a quirky mystery. Caz the spider plant hands down was my favorite supporting character, and I would love to have the recipe for the actual jam made in the book. There's a small romance element, but it doesn't overrun the plot, and was awkward at first, because these two people didn't know how to respond to each other, but that's what made it adorable.

This is fun in a similar vein to Legends and Lattes--cozy fantasy with romantic elements. The pacing feels stilted in sections, but the worldbuilding and sense of community Sarah Beth Durst builds is phenomenal.

An absolutely precious book! So sweet and cozy, the cottagecore fantasy of your dreams, with the cutest creatures and an adorable romance. I highly recommend!!

Kiela never expected to return to her hometown after so many years. And yet, she has no choice but to return. There is revolution in the city, and she needs to be safe. Thankfully, her parents still own a house in their hometown. It’s going to be challenging for Kiela because she is going to start over again. 

I truly love Kiela so much. She was so adorable, even though she may be a bit standoffish, but it’s only because she is a librarian. Everyone should know that book lovers are loner people. We always prefer the comfort of our books. And that’s what Kiela represents. 

I also adore the side characters in this book, especially Caz. Who would have expected to fall in love with Caz, the talking plant? Not me, but I love his sassy yet adorable self. He makes the read so much better. And I love Caz even more because he is very protective over Kiela and her love of books. Hell, he loves books as well. 

Honestly, I think everyone needs to read this cozy fantasy book. It’s literally so perfect for the fall season, especially for the book lovers. Best vibes ever!

This book felt like drinking a warm drink by the fire and I loved and needed it. This was a sweet and cozy fantasy to its bones and its core and I loved reading in the acknowledgment that it was “inspired” but a cup of hot chocolate. The story does start off with some heartbreaking destruction of a library but it ends with beautiful found family and the hope for a new future for the island. I will admit at first I wasn’t sure if I was going to like the main character, you could feel her focus on her task and that was it but that ice quickly melted. Larran was also such a cinnamon I loved it.

This book was super cute and cozy! I loved escaping into this world for a while and just enjoying the read. Perfect for the warm weather escapists who wish it was fall!

I loved it! I want to go visit Caltrey and stay in that sweet little cottage, ride a merhorse, play with a merbaby, enjoy tea with the Pinecone Coven and watch Caz and Meep play with the chicken. I'm sure I could be quite happy there. Until then, I'll read books and make jam here. Oh, and hand sell The Spellshop. It really is a wonderful break from reality.

This story was amazing. It works building and character development was on point

A cozy romantasy and standalone that’s a perfect weekend read. Not a ton of action. But that’s why it’s more cozy less adventurous.