Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this novel; all opinions are my own.

DNF at 50% - the audiobook was great and well-narrated. I was just bored. Each new fantastical element added to the story only made me wonder what was going on. I didn't love our main character and I think this just wasn't for me.

This book is all vibes and not a lot of plot (which is 100% fine but just not what I was into at this time).

What a fun and entertaining way to do a cozy fantasy book.
In a time that cozy fantasy is pretty copy and paste this coming home/finding yourself story really stands out.
The world was full of vibrant characters and creatures, including the best character in my opinion, Caz, the slightly murderous talking house plant.
I found myself laughing out loud (that doesn't happen often for me with books) and really connecting with the characters who all felt familiar to me.
There were a few things this book could have really done without, like the full chapter of cleaning... but overall was such a good time.
The romance was sweet and just enough for a book like this (imo).

“I like to be alone…”
“You can be alone with me.”
🥲🥺🥹

🫐Well sugar, spice, and everything nice, this book was DARLING.
🍊We’re talking a pine cone (coven) society, sweet jam jars tied with fabric and ribbon, and a plant that is more alive than the one on your windowsill.
🍓 I loved Kiela’s personality, and the way she was honest about being a very set introvert while wanting to make a difference in a little community.
🍋Helping people and creatures alike through the magic of a jam shop was heartwarming, and this book left me with extra spoonfuls of joy.
🌵Meep (if you want to learn the cuteness behind that, please read the book)

I loved this one. I loved all the cozy fantasy/magical elements to it, especially all the fun creatures throughout the story! I also loved the author’s writing style which I can be picky about so that’s definitely a plus.

This is a very low-stake, charming and cozy book. The world building isn’t super elaborate but it is creative and engaging. Kiela is a bit of a lonely librarian whose people skills are not the best. She can be prickly not realizing she is being rude but overall her heart is kind. Her assistant, Caz is a sentient spider plant, and is able to smooth things a bit and is a perfect friend to Kiela. The residents of Caltrey, her hometown island, all have their unique personalities and add to the color of the town. Larran, Kiela’s neighbor and someone from her childhood, is a sweet, quiet presence that adds to the story. If you are interested in romance, it is here, but it is definitely slow burn and not the main focus of the story. If you are looking for a delightful, low angst story about a librarian fleeing back to her hometown and selling jam and low-key selling magical home remedies then this is for you. It’s all about quiet bravery. You can finish it in one sitting.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group|Bramble for sharing this book with me in exchange for my honest review.

This book was magic. Pure, simple, cozy vibes and fresh ripe raspberry magic. I love the characters in this book, from Caz to Larran to Eidith, and Meep. There wasn't a character in this book that I didn't want to introduce myself and make friends with. Even the secondary cast of beings was amazing. The tree guardians, the seahorses, mermaids, and the flying cats! Kiela is an amazing MC, she started out so timid and stuck in her comfort zone. As more fantastical things started to happen around her it was great to see her grow and become such an integral part of the island. I enjoyed the romance between her and Larran and how sweet and awkward it was, Caz's remarks on such were hilarious and i found myself giggling at the banter. I also loved that there was so much representation in this book, some kinda disguised and fantastical but it was there none the less. I love this idea that with the right mid set and a little magic anything can be accomplished. The determination, sense of community, and loyalty all made this such a cozy read. One that i will reread and keep on my shelf .

This was a cozy, quick, non-spicy romantic fantasy read. The characters are cute and sassy - love Caz and Meep, the sentient plants. The fantasy elements of weather magic are interesting - I think the cloud bears were my favorite. Light and fluffy but felt like there was more substance than any of the Legends and Lattes books, for sure.

Thank you to the publisher and to netgalley! A cottagecore fantasy romance YES PLEASE. The Spellshop follows MMCS a librarian Kiela and a spiderplant Caz as they are running away from the city and the political unrest to her home on a small island. If you enjoy fantasy and are looking for a wholesome and magical story to be transported into, try this book!!

Years ago I read The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst and enjoyed it. I always meant to continue with the series, but I never did, and then I kind of forgot about it. But then I saw The Spellshop on Bookstagram and it sounded so sweet, and knowing I already liked some of the author’s other work, I decided it was a must-read for me.

And I’m so glad I gave it a shot! I honestly didn’t expect to love it. I love cozy things, and while I sometimes want a sweet, cozy story, they usually stay firmly in the “liked it” category. But this book was so good. It was well written, the atmosphere was lovely and vivid (a summery cottage-core island with gardens and cinnamon rolls and jam), the characters were sweet (as was the romance), there are awesome creatures (a sentient plant and merhorses and cloud bears 🥹), and it’s filled with magic and books.

If any of that sounds good to you I definitely recommend this one ☺️💛

Thank you to NetGalley and Bramble for the eARC of this book.

A charming and cozy romantasy! With cottages core vibes, magic, and a sassy, sentient plant sidekick— what's not to love?!

Sarah Beth Durst is both prolific and talented. Her mastery of story is further emphasized by this lyrical cozy adventure that will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you want to dive into her whole backlist.

The Spellshop reads the way a sunbeam illuminates dust in the air on a sunny day.

Is it simple? Yes. Is it beautiful and mesmerizing and sweeps you out of your tangled thoughts for a moment suspended in sunlight? Absolutely.

Sarah Beth Durst has created a world of comfort and quiet peace between these covers. It is warm and luminous and will be perfect for anyone searching for the sweet and sweeping heartstring melodies of Howl's Moving Castle (Kaz gives such fun, joyful Calcifer vibes) or yearning to step into their soft cottagecore era. Durst's writing is gentle and bright and the plot progresses at a steady but forward-focused pace. There are hijinks and treats and recipes and spells interwoven into a story that had me grinning for pages on end. My soul felt happier after having read it.

Overall, this is a well-rounded and delightful romantasy debut that leaves me expecting more wonderful things from this author in the future.

You're not supposed to judge a book by its cover but "The Spellshop" is exactly what you think it would be: cozy, charming, gentle and imaginative.

Kiela and her plant friend Caz have fled the city after the library is destroyed. Saving as many spellbooks as she could, she heads to her hometown for safety. Determined to do everything alone so she doesn't endanger anyone, Kiela finds that it's a bit more difficult than she expected.

Finding small ways to help the island, Kiela discovers that help may not be so bad....especially if it's coming from Larren, the merhorse caretaker who remembers her from their childhood. As she tries to build a life in her old cottage and surreptitiously offer spells as remedies to help the island, she realizes that maybe she could stay here for good.

This was so sweet, and had all the good feels from found family.

Over all this book was good, but it wasn’t a good book for me.

The characters were written well, and the overall story line was enjoyable. But I struggled to get into it and stay hooked.

This is such a lovely fantasy! I loved all the characters and the small island setting was a perfect place for this story to take place. Kiela is a librarian and she has a friend named Caz who is a funny and sassy sentient plant. When unrest comes to the capital city and the library begins to burn Kiela and Caz escape to the only place she thinks will be safe. The place she grew up.

I loved how Kiela went from laying low and not wanting anyone to bother her, to helping not only the people that live on the island but also the island itself. From start to finish this book gave me that warm fuzzy feeling and I knew as soon as I finished that this is a book I would want to read again and again.

4.5 stars!

A charming and cozy fantasy romance set in an absolutely lovely world perfect for fans of cozy fantasy like Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries and Legends & Lattes!
--
Summary:
Kiela is perfectly content in her job at the capital library, watching over a collection of spell books and passing her days in quiet solitude with only her assistant--a sentient spider plant named Caz--for company. However, when a revolution in the capital sets the library ablaze, Kiela has no choice but to grab as many of the spell books as possible and flea the city with Caz. With her parents gone and no place to go now that her home for the past decade is engulfed in flames, Kiela heads to the only other place she knows.

Retreating to her family's abandoned home on the island where she was born, Kiela is determined to lay low, keep her head down, and avoid attracting any attention to herself or the crates of very illegal spellbooks she has in her possession. Sure the people are nice, and her neighbor is... interesting. But relationships are not worth the risk of getting caught with the books. Except that, the more she gets to know the island's inhabitants and their struggles, the more she finds herself wanting to help, and she can't help but wonder if all of their answers could really be found just inside a book.
--
I really enjoyed this book! It took a little while to get invested as the beginning moves slowly, and Kiela took a few chapters to grow on me, but once I started meeting the villagers, I was won over! I love the cast of characters in this book, which is good because it is a very character-centric story. While there is a plot, of sorts, the main focus of the storyline is on Kiela, her relationships with other characters, and her journey of finding her place. While I felt that some part dragged a bit, the slow, cozy pace and focus of the story was part of its charm, and I really enjoyed getting to know the island alongside Kiela!

What I Loved:
- Super cozy fantasy vibes!
- A great cast of characters! I absolutely adored the core group of villagers!
- A very sweet, cozy, slow burn romance storyline!
- I didn't know sentient plants was a trope I needed, but I loved it.

What I Didn't Like:
- The beginning was slow and it took a bit for me to get invested.
- The last 20% of the book started to drag for me, but it was quick enough to get through, and I liked the ending overall.

In all, I really liked this book a lot and highly recommend it to cozy fantasy readers!

Welcome to Kiela’s and Caz’s jam shop…with some secret old family remedies that definitely aren’t magic spells. I loved this story! Kiela a librarian at the great library of Alyssium and her assistant Caz, a sentient spider plant flee when a revolution strikes. They pack up whatever spell books they can from the great library with intention of hiding out until they can return the books back to the library. Unfortunately or maybe fortunately it isn’t so easy. What if holding on to magic books for just the elite is wrong? After planning on hiding out on an island Kiela grew up on they start to experiment with the spell books and start doing some good. But magic always is a power balance and they must keep what they are doing a secret.

This was the perfect cozy fantasy. I never realized how much I would love cozy fantasies until I started reading them. They feel like a warm hug and this was no exception. It was such a sweet read. I loved it from start to finish.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of The Spellshop. I will be purchasing this one immediately 🥹💖

I thoroughly enjoyed The Spellshop! It was a cute, magical adventure that started out as Kiela running away from her issues to standing up and fighting for what she cares for all while finding true love. Ahhhh! A good read!
Thank you to Sarah Beth Durst, Tor Publishing Group, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.