Are you looking for the perfect relaxation read ? Look no further - this is it !
Aside from romance and fantasy this book is filled with cinnamon rolls and raspberry jam and just so very escapist and sweet.
Kielah lives the secluded life of an imperial librarian, researching sources for scholars and taking care of precious books when her life is upended by a revolution and she narrowly escapes with crates of the most precious books and her best friend a sentient spider plant. She returns to the only place she can think of a part from the library, a cottage on the outer islands far away from the burning capital (or so she thinks).
Trying to make a life there also means opening her home and heart to others, trusting that they do not mean her or „her" books harm.
This book explores themes of found family, community and knowledge as power, access to knowledge and books.
Talking and singing plants, merhorses, cloud bears, spells this book has it all.
I listened to the audio and Caitlin Davies' narration is fantastic. All of character voices were distinctive and it was easy to determine who was speaking - down to the „meep-ing" cactus.
I attended the launch event at Phoenix Books in Essex, VT yesterday, Sarah Beth Durst was interviewed by Katherine Arden and it was fantastic hear more about her writing process but also see how much she enjoyed sharing this hopeful story of a community coming together.

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst book is unlike any genre I’ve personally read. It is cozy fantasy romance or cottagecore romantasy and it is lovely. The fantasy I have read has had a very dark side, with scary creatures and violence. This book is SWEET. It is PRETTY. It is VISUAL. There are “bad guys” but they don’t seem to feel AS bad? This book begs to be a movie, because readers will want to SEE what they are hearing/ reading about.

Kiela and her best friend/ assistant, sentient spider plant Caz, must flee Alyssium due to a revolution. The only place she can think to escape to is the island cottage where she and her parents lived during part of her childhood. From there we have endless fascinating creatures, tea and jam, spells (I mean, remedies), found family, some drama and a little bit of romance. Of course I could always have a little more of the latter!

This is my first low stakes fantasy book and let me tell you, I'M IN LOVE! I was a little worried at first because the pacing felt a little slow but when the main characters connect, the action begins, and all the puzzles start to fall into place, I was OBSESSED! I got pulled into the story and plot so quickly and I REALLY didn't want the story to end! I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that we get more books in the series, maybe picking up with Kiela (FMC) and Lauren (MMC) OR an interconnected series?!? I don't know I just know I need more!!!
In a Princess Bride style of a description, I would say it has action, suspense, romance, a librarian, stolen magic books, forbidden magic, merhorses, AND a sentient spiderplant sidekick named Caz?!?!
What more could a person want!?! I really loved that it had so many aspects and was so enjoyable at every turn!
Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for an early copy of this audiobook in exchange for an unbiased review!💖

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This was wonderfully cozy and delightful. It had all the ghibli vibes I needed right now. I just loved this. I can't stop grinning it was so cute and I want to dive into this world and hang out with merhorses and eat cinnamon buns. If you want something that will just feel warm and lovely, then read this book.

Macmillan Audio ALC
I knew this book would be delightful from the moment I started it. I love a cozy fantasy story and this one give me such hope for the characters in the beginning, even though the set up was a bit scary for them. I fell in love with the island and all of the quirky characters there. I loved how they showed what community looks like and how they take care of each other. I also adored how they came together to welcome Keila and Caz. I liked all of the little aspects of magic, the seahorses, and the underlying mystery/worry here. I thought there was a great balance between the sweetness of the story, but also the reality of making a new place your home, when all you’ve ever known is something completely different. The narration was wonderful and I could easily see myself listening to this book again.

https://onereadingnurse.com/2024/07/05/alc-review-the-spellshop-by-sarah-beth-durst/

Also posted to GoodReads, Amazon (when it approves), X, and Instagram @OneReadingNurse - Thank you!

I have always been a huge fan of Sarah Beth Durst for her readable and engaging writing style. She is good at capturing magical worlds and creating likeable characters.

Clearly I needed to get my hands on The Spellshop asap. I haven’t read that many cozy books and I tend not to be a fan, so I am pleased to say this is BY FAR the best one I’ve read so far.

Everything is magical from the setting to the characters to the entire world itself. I love the descriptions of the island and cottage and people. A magical storm taking the shape of animals in the clouds? Sure, sounds like that scene from Aladdin but I’m down. The stakes and sentiments of sharing knowledge and magic with everyone are high enough that I managed to get behind the plot too.

The characters are fun too. Spells, jam, wholesome romance, the book has everything. What does a sentient spider plant want in life? A meep-ing little cactus? I liked Kiela and Caz working through their individual issues to build the life they want. The book is full of nosy and well-meaning characters who come together and save, well, a lot.

All in all if you’re looking for fast paced cozy fantasy with wholesome romance and cottage core everything, this is the book for you. Don’t forget the winged cats and overly presumptuous sea horses ♥️

Last but certainly not least, since this is an advanced listening copy review, Caitlin Davies was wonderful. I love her voices of just about everyone and she is always very clear and easy to understand. There is so much personality in the audiobook and I would 100% listen to more by this narrator!

4.5★
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst is a cozy cottagecore novel about an introverted librarian and her sentient spider plant taking refuge in her old cottage on an island.

This audiobook was so much fun! It is probably one of my favorite cozy fantasy novels so far. There are whimsical creatures like winged cats and merhorses and beautiful nature scenery. Despite being a cozy fantasy, there were still enough action to keep it interesting.

The romance is fluffy. Kiela and Larran make such a cute couple, but I wanted a little more romance. Romance felt secondary to the story which was honestly okay.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for this ARC. I very much enjoyed my time listening to this book.

This book was cute! I wasn't 100% sure what to expect when I requested this book but was looking for a lighter read than what I had been reading recently so wanted to give it a try. Kiela and Caz are trying to figure out how to live life outside the library on a remote island. This book has magic, romance (very light on the romance in my opinion), personal growth, and found family. Not to mention mer-horses, mermaids and a talking spider plant.

In terms of the audio book, this was my first time listening to a full book with audio and I had no complaints.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillian Audio for this audio book in exchange for an honest review.

Cozy fantasy can be a hit or miss for me. Sometimes there’s just not enough to keep my attention. The Spellshop didn’t have that problem & I adored it. This story is perfect for cuddling up with a cozy blanket. But make sure you have snacks because this one made me hungry.

I’m always a sucker for a library story. Keila was a great main character. A complete introvert who works in a library, with books and Caz are her best friends. And Caz? An amazing sentient spider plant with anxiety who helped provide comic relief. I love the island feel, the townspeople, and the romance with her helpful neighbor.

Caitlin Davies did a wonderful job narrating this story. There was enough excitement and the narration kept me engaged throughout. I had such a fun time with this one. I definitely recommend the audiobook.

Thank you to Macmillian Audio for my advanced listening copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio through #netgalley for the ALC of The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst. Happy pub day/ book birthday today, 7/9/24!

This book is unlike any genre I’ve personally read. It is cozy fantasy romance or cottagecore romantasy and it is lovely. The fantasy I have read has had a very dark side, with scary creatures and violence. This book is SWEET. It is PRETTY. It is VISUAL. There are “bad guys” but they don’t seem to feel AS bad? This book begs to be a movie, because readers will want to SEE what they are hearing/ reading about.

Kiela and her best friend/ assistant, sentient spider plant Caz, must flee Alyssium due to a revolution. The only place she can think to escape to is the island cottage where she and her parents lived during part of her childhood. From there we have endless fascinating creatures, tea and jam, spells (I mean, remedies), found family, some drama and a little bit of romance. Of course I could always have a little more of the latter!

Narrator Caitlin Davies voices the innocent Kiela nicely, and all the other characters as well. This is a sweet (it’s the perfect word for this book), relaxing, no-stress listen.

4/5 stars
12 hours 11 minutes at 1x on audio
Kisses only
Locations: Alyssium and don’t make me try to spell the island name- I listened to it!

If you enjoyed Legends and Lattes or The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, wrap one of those into a very cozy Sherpa sweater and you have The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst.

In The Spellshop, we meet our main character Kiela, a semi agoraphobic librarian that prefers books over people. With her city near ruins, she and her assistant Caz (a sentient spider plant) flee with a crate of spellbooks to the only other place she’s ever called home. But the island is not what it once was with magic missing and Kiela- with the help of the sweetest cast of side characters- is determined to save it.

I wasn’t exactly sure what cottage core was, but this is it. Not only was The Spellshop heartwarming, but it was full of magic, friendship and a little bit of romance. Where could you go wrong? When all the action filled fantasy gets a bit too intense, nothing will calm the heart like reading The Spellshop.

I have to admit that I was initially drawn to this book by its cover. However, what was inside was just as delightful! I absolutely adored this book!! Loveable characters (I want a sentient plant friend), good magic system (plenty of it), a plethora of magical creatures and a charming island. The plot moved right along. My only complaint about this book is that there isn't a sequel!! Not that it needs one, everything was tied up nicely, but I just enjoyed this book so much! I hope this author writes more like this. An absolutely charming 5 star read!

I love, love, love the cute familiars and creatures who populate this world. There were some characters that I really hated when they first came about, but they weren’t who I thought they were. So I really liked the way they developed. Kiela and Caz are wonderful in what they are learning. I love the way the magic had to be learned and used carefully. The other people in town became a wonderful found family for her and the romance is very sweet.
This was a great cottagecore cozy fantasy! I received a copy via NetGalley and all opinions are my own.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to review this ALC!

Cozy as a warm hug, sweet as raspberry jam, and an absolute delight from start to finish, this book was everything my heart needed. I adored Kiela and her dedication to keeping books and knowledge accessible to all. Her introverted tendencies had me saying, “Yep, that’s me!” SO many times! And I loved seeing her grow and overcome social anxiety while honoring her boundaries.

Then there’s Caz, the adorably nervous and magical sentient spider plant. He is officially my favorite sidekick EVER! The number of times I laughed out loud when he kindly called out Kiela or got excited about doing some research…I’m obsessed and want him to be my BFF, too!

The overall story, following Kiela and Caz as they open a secret spellshop, featured wondrous creatures, like merhorses, winged cats, and cloud bears, plus enchanting "remedies" to help the island thrive. I kept thinking, “Can this story actually get MORE magical?” And then, it DID!

I had the honor of listening to the audiobook and loved how the narrator, Caitlin Davies, brought the charming residents of Caltrey to life. Without question, it was one of the most enjoyable listening experiences I’ve had in a long time!

I could go on and on (and on) about how much I loved this book. It captured my heart and I already want to experience it again!

I thoroughly enjoyed this whimsical, warm hug of a book! I absolutely loved the lush, fantastical setting filled with mystical, wild imagery and quirky characters.

I highly recommend this for cozy fantasy readers who enjoy:
🪴 found family
🍓 mythical creatures {MERHORSES!!}
🪴 talking plants
🍓 small towns
🪴 baked goods, jams and other comforts
🍓 some adventure

Caitlin Davies absolutely nailed the narration! She brought the characters to life and added both flavor and feeling to the world.
𝘔𝘺 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨: 4.25⭐️

Thank you so much @macmillan.audio for the #gifted ALC!

I'm not often a fantasy reader, unless it's romantasy, so I've been trying to branch out *some* with my @macmillan.audio picks. (This book is listed as romantasy on some sites but I'd call it more fantasy with a sprinkle of romance.)

The Spellshop was the tale of an empire with fantastical creatures and sorcery, but only by approved sorcerers. Kiela and her sentient plant Cas escape their capital city when it's taken by revolutionaries and the library Kiela works at to go back to her home island. They save several crates of spellbooks from the burning library and capital, and they work together to find ways to use magic for good, to help the citizens of the island.

The story was whimsical and heart warming, with a little sprinkling of both romance and suspense. It was a nice listen overall.

I thought this was a delightful read, made all the better by a great audiobook reader. I found the main character completely neurotic, but charming, along with her incredibly creative plant partner. I was cracking up from the very start, our MC's complete and total disconnect form her reality was met with a rude awakening, and her growth throughout the book makes for a lighthearted and cozy journey.

I didn't know I needed a book with a sentient spider plant but now I don't ever want to go back!

The Spellshop was a very cute read, I was kicking my feet at a couple moments. A fun story of mid-stakes magic, talking plants, romance, and friendship.

"You shouldn't argue with a woman with hooves" is excellent advice and my favorite line from the book!

The audiobook was well done, the narrator had cohesive voices for the characters and fun sound effects when needed. Overall a pleasant listen!

In the past, I've read a couple low-stakes, cozy fantasy books like Books and Lattes and felt they were okay. However, The Spellshop drew me in with its librarian and talking spider plant. And overall, I'm really glad I picked it up! The plot was interesting, and I loved the world of this book and the characters. The world building and setting are really cute, but not overly complicated. And I really liked the main character and her plant companions. It was a fun read. I enjoyed Caitlyn Davies narration and would definitely listen to more books with her as a narrator. I also look forward to finding more books by Sarah Beth Durst. This was just a fun fantasy book and would recommend to students.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audio ARC to review!

For fans of Legends and Lattes and cozy fantasies, The Spellshop hits all the right notes of sweet, humorous, and light-hearted. I loved reading about Kiela and her best friend a sentient Spider Plant, Kaz, who definitely needs therapist for his anal-retentiveness 😂 I enjoyed all the side characters and well, merhorses included.

I listed to this via audio but pre-ordered a physical copy as well, this has all the classic features of a easy-breezy comfort read and I look forward to reading this again in the future.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the advanced listeners copy, all opinions are my own.