This sweet, spellbinding story follows a librarian named Kiela and her sentient spider plant named Caz. When rebellion hits the Capitol city and the library is set on fire, Kiela and Caz flee the city with precious spell books to save them from destruction. Kiela decides to take shelter in her old childhood home that was abandoned when she and her parents left the island many years prior.

Imperial sorcerors have been neglecting the outlying islands causing the land to become infertile, harming plants, animals, and leaving its people struggling to survive. Kiela is desperate to help, but at the risk of being caught using illegal magic from stolen spell books, she must be crafty (witch-crafty... knee slap!).

This book is so sweet! Cottagecore, feel good, romantasy (closed door), with fun magical creatures and found family. Hallmark, cinnamon roles, and magic! It is such a cozy read and is the perfect book to put you in an uplifted mood.

I received an advanced audiobook copy and the narrator does a fantastic job with enunciation, inflections, and adds lots of emotion and personality to each character. I listened at 1.5 x speed and I felt like it was perfect. My only issue with the audiobook was that there is a volume discrepancy occasionally which is something to take note of if you are using earbuds. I was noticing unexpected volume increases that were sometimes jarring. Otherwise, it is fantastic!

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Sarah Beth Durst for allowing me to review your audiobook!

My thanks for the audio ARC goes to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Cozy Fantasy, Romantasy, Fantasy
Spice Level: Kissing with embarrassed thoughts of more
Language: I don't remember any swearing...
Representation: Gay side characters, and a gender neutral plant
Themes: Found family, love, trust

THE SPELLSHOP is a warm hug of a book, filled with growing plants, making jam, and misunderstandings. There's also a dash of political intrigue, a castaway, fantastical people with blue skin, horns, and other features.

Kiela is our main character, a librarian, who hopes to avoid talking to people. This is certainly relatable for many book lovers. She hits a hard reality when she arrives on the island from her childhood.

Caz, the sentient spider plant, is quite hilarious with all his worries. I enjoyed his character, and especially his concerns about goats.

There's a cinnamon roll neighbor, a bossy bakery shop owner, a supportive centaur, and more!

This is a quick read and a lot of fun.

Happy reading!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this absolutely fantastic audio arc!!

5/5 stars!!

This was WONDERFUL. If you're looking for a cozy fantasy but find all the ones out there a bit boring like I do, then look no further!! This is cozy fantasy to a T, but also with some problem solving, community building, and book obsession - with a little romance thrown in to boot! Caitlin Davies does such a superb job narrating this, from Caz's cute voice to perfectly capturing Kiela's anxiety spirals. I am absolutely going to look up other books she's narrated and give those a listen too! This world was so full of magic and fun characters that it was super easy to clearly see everything as I read it - and dammit I want one of those cinnamon buns! 😂 A few twists, some humorous turns, and this is easily one of my favourite books I've read this year. It's giving everything I've been wanting in cozy fantasy but haven't been able to find until now! Just lovely, bring me more from this world please, Sarah!! PLEASE!!

This was so cute! A perfect cozy fantasy with some found family and fun companions. I now want to check out the authors other works. Clearly a talented story teller!

This is a warm cinnamon roll filled with magic and heartfelt moments. I sat down with a cup of tea and before I knew it, the book was over.

Durst created the perfect combination of cottagecore and magic. You’ll be able to sit back and enjoy every aspect of this story without feeling like it’s being drawn out. Durst manages to keep the tension just enough so that you are on the edge of your seat.

Kiela is our socially awkward mc, she’s the local librarian, which works perfectly for her personality. Kiela is terrified of the outside world and live peacefully within the walls of her library…until the library starts to burn and she races to save as many enchanted books as possible. Racing to escape with these prized possessions is just the beginning of her adventure.

*Socially Awkward Main Female Character
*Cozy Vibes
*Magic
*Fresh Starts
*Character Development and Growth

This adorably cozy romantic fantasy reminded me so much of Legends and Lattes. It's also that enjoyable. Kiela and her assistant Caz, a magically sentient spider plant, have spent the last 10 years sequestered in The Great Library of Alyssium, cataloging spellbooks. When a revolution begins and the library starts to burn, Kiela and Caz make their escape (with 4 crates of spellbooks) to her childhood home island. Kiela is trying very hard to keep the books under wraps, (no one is allowed to possess the books except for the Empire), however her handsome, nosy neighbor keeps showing up to help her fix her old cottage and make sure she's fed.
In need of income, Kiela decides to open a jam shop. That also has magical remedies. Even if they're illegal. But life is sweeter with a little jam and an extra helping of magic.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio e-arc.*

If you like a small town romance with some really cool magic this story is for you! I loved reading about Kiela and Caz's (her sentient plant assistant) return to her hometown and loved seeing her make connections there. I want to visit and ride a mer horse immediately!

I loved reading about Kiela's attempts to learn magic and build her shop. She was so terrible about being secretive but had such good intentions. This book was sweet and cozy while also being romantic and interesting. I loved the magic and the world!

The romance was a smaller plot in this one. The story is all from Kiela's POV and her self-discovery and attempts to make a home really drive the plot. However, fans of a cozy romance will love this one! If you loved The Very Secret Society for Irregular Witches but want the summer version this is it!

I listened to the audio version of this title and thought Caitlin Davies did a great job! Romance readers may know her from Ex Hex. She has a lot of experience with romantasy titles.

The Spellshop is a cozy fantasy novel with a librarian and a talking spider plant. I have been loving reading from this genre so I was excited to dive into this novel which was a joy to read. The narrator also did such a great job and they kept me hooked to keep listening. The writing and descriptions made such a cozy atmosphere and I also really enjoyed this world/plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the e-arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

Audio book was brought to life by this narrator! She really brought the characters to life and made listening fun. This story gives cozy cottage core vibes and the story was beautifully written, makes you want to believe in the magic of a small community.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook of The Spellshop. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Oh my goodness

That was ADORABLE!

Sweet
Whimsical
Magical
Funny

Talking plants. Merfolk. Unicorns. Spells. Found Family. MEEP

Caitlin Davies did an outstanding job with the narration. All of character voices were distinctive and it was easy to determine who was speaking.
I would have enjoyed this one had a read with my eyes but I am so glad I read with my ears.

I LOVED THIS SO MUCH

This book! The content! The cover! The narrator! The WHOLE PACKAGE!
Sarah Beth Durst did an amazing job with this sweet, charming, descriptive, young adult, fantasy, romance. It's typically hard for me to get into a fantasy book, but I wanted to give this one a try because of the gorgeous cover and the description. Immediately into the first few pages I wasn't disappointed.
Sarah's words painted the scenes so vividly. The plot kept me engaged and wanting more. The romance was pure and clean. The topper for me is that Kiela's best friend Caz is a spider plant. Kiela returns to the place she was born only to find things in ruin. She makes the best of it and meets new people, makes new friends and does her best to keep things going and out of the eyes of the Imperials. She does her best to make some income with her jams and secret spell books. When she meets her neighbor who can't seem to take a hint and leave her be, she notices over time that he's handsome.
If you want:
-romcom
-fantasy
-cinnamon roll MMC
-hilarious plant form bestie
-spells, sorcery and magic
-new beginnings
and cozy mystery
then this is the book for you! Please give it a try, I promise you wont regret it.
I listened to the audio version of this. Caitlin Davies does an amazing job portraying Sarah's story. There's enthusiasm, cheekiness and a sense of wonder that Caitlin brings to the audio that does the book justice.

Omg I loved this story so much.

This is not my normal genre. I do fantasy, but not usually cozy. But this was so darn cute and fun. I loved the characters and creatures. It was diverse without being overkill. Just little hints of fantasy creatures and characters and some fun add-ins. Like cloud bears 😍! And how much I need a Caz! Omg, what a fun character, I just adored him so much!

The love aspect was super cute and fun to follow. Keila was a fun character with growth throughout. She at first comes off very "I don't need you" or "how dare you" and is a bit secretive because of where she had come from and what she had done. But ad the story progresses, she learns to let people in and how much she can enjoy those around her and learn to count on them.

There was even some drama/upheaval that the characters went though that was handled in a cute and friendly way.

Highly reccoment to everyone, even if it's not your go-to genre. As long as you enjoy fantasy, it's a fun one.

4.5 rounded up. This is truly a cozy fantasy that left me feeling so good I was bawling happy tears at the end.

This book is marketed as a cozy cottage core fantasy and it lives up to that reputation. This low(ish) stakes story follows Kiela’s as she journeys away from her beloved Great Library of Alyssium to escape civil unrest. She is a librarian, so she dutifully saves a few chests of spell books once she realizes the library is on fire. Kiela, along with her sentient plant companion Caz, sails away with the chests to her childhood home - a small island far away from Alyssium. The problem is, it’s been a long time since Kiela has interacted with anyone. Her job as a librarian does not require much, if any, social interaction and that’s just the way she likes it. Kiela soon discovers the residents at her old island home are VERY friendly. There’s also a slew of problems that need fixing at the island.

Kiela’s character is anxiety and adhd personified. As someone with both, I find her highly relatable. She often goes on tangents, overthinks everything, and is slow to trust anyone. I can see how someone may find her character annoying, but I found her endearing. The plant, Caz, is the perfect amount of comedic relief. I don’t recall any other story that has sentient plants, making this a fun new addition to fantasy. The love interest is sweet, respectful, and has a sad backstory. All of the characters are well developed.

The fantastical Hallmark-esque world Durst created is lovely. Unique is the only way to describe it- horse fish (seahorse?), cloud bears, unicorns, sentient plants, centaurs, and Kiela is even blue. The descriptions are lush without being overdone.

The plot and pacing are great. This book explores a ton of themes. The world is not heteronormative. Kiela struggles with trust and self-doubt. Characters find acceptance, learning what it means to be cherished by others in return for nothing. The book wraps up nicely, much like the sweet endings of tv romcoms.

The narrator was perfect for this type of story. She wasn’t too slow as I often find narrators. She did an excellent job of changing her voice for each character. Make characters were a lower register, but not at that commonly ridiculous low tone I often find with female narrators who are trying too hard to sound like a male. Her “meeps” for a particular character were hilarious.

This is one I’m sure many will reread over and over again. I’m sure I’ll find myself taking comfort in this book every time I need a palette cleanser.

Hello, cozy fantasy goodness! This was like being cuddled up in a soft blanket with my hands wrapped around a mug of hot tea.

A librarian escapes the capital city under siege with her trusty companion, Caz, and crates of spellbooks from her section of the library in tow. With nowhere else to go, she returns to her family’s long-abandoned cottage on the outer island where she grew up.

The more time that she spends there, the more she realizes how the imbalance of wealth and power in the empire has affected those on its outer edges and the more she observes how neighbors in the outer islands care for each other.

With the help of Caz and the spellbooks in her possession, she begins implementing small changes to help the islanders wherever she can.

Highlights for me:
- The budding romance with her neighbor (and how clueless Kiela is about his feelings)
- The found family aspects of the town
- Merhorses
- Caz, the sentient spider plant
- Meep, a sentient succulent with speech patterns that remind me of Groot
- Kiela’s and Caz’s love of books

Warning: This book will make you crave jam and cinnamon rolls.

I adored the narration by Caitlin Davies. She brought these lovable characters (and a curmudgeon or two) to life so well. I especially enjoyed her voices for Caz and Meep. I highly recommend curling up with the audiobook version of this one!

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio. All review opinions are my own.

4.75⭐️

From the get go Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst won my heart. Who knew the Cottage Core Aesthetic could overflow into a book, but it has with her magical new book. Also who knew I would read a fantasy and totally enjoy it, certainly not me, but Spellshop made that happen also =0)

This book is beautifully written, it's cozy, yes, seriously. Yo will want to tuck in with a cup of steaming hot tea and have a long read. It is delightful, sweet, slightly romantic , has small town vibes, a plot that will keep you engaged. The fantasy in the book is even magical and cozy..... you will garden in a magical garden, help a mermaid baby, ride seahorses, and that is only the beginning.

Main character Kiela is much like me, she is not fond of people, she works in a library or she did, but she had to escape to her childhood home on an island to escape death. Have you ever lived in a small town? Well her home town is small and of course there are problems, mostly noisy neighbors. There is conflict of course, but it is fun and resolved quickly. Also, there is a good amount of comic relief in the story from Kiela's sidekick, who happens to be a spider plant names Caz.

Please pick this one up, but don't try and take it seriously- it is not meant to be, it is the escape we all well need right now.

• Cozy fantasy with an engaging plot
• Cottagecore at its best – I think Belle’s village (Beauty and the Beast)
• The most splendidly wonderful and witty sentient plant(s) you could ever hope for
• Big city woes turn into small town vibes
• A very sweet slow burn romance subplot
• Many millennial immersive hobbies are accounted for: gardening, reading/book hoarding, cooking niche things, avoiding nosy neighbors, learning about magical creatures (that might just be a me thing)

This is in the running for best cozy fantasy of the year in my book (and it should be for everyone else too!). It’s the definition of a book warm hug. The cast drives this story for me. The plot is there and is good; however, the personalities of the characters stole my heart. They’re the reason I would pull this book back off the shelf for a reread. The world building is also really good throughout the story; I really liked the magic system. I’m excited to see what Sarah Beth Durst has for us next!

(I LOVED this audiobook - the narrator was perfection in every way.)

Thank you NetGalley, Sarah Beth Durst, and Macmillan audio for this audiobook ARC.

Not my usual go-to genre but a fun palette cleanser between high fantasy and horror novels. I would place this cute book firmly in the “cozy romantasy” category.

When a reclusive librarian, Keila and her magical plant colleague, Caz, flee the burning library, they start a new life in her childhood home. This coastal town used to run smoothly with magic granted by city sorcerers but now that war has broken out in Allysium, this way of life has gotten harder and harder. Risky as may be, Kiela and Caz have a plan to help that involves using the spell books they rescued during their escape from the city fires.

This was such a cute read with a slow burn sweet romance. It had a little more of a YA vibe than o was expecting but I still enjoyed it.

4.5 stars
This book was so freaking cute. It starts with our main character Keila fleeing a revolution in the city. She is a librarian and knows she has to save the spellbooks from the burning library. But with the revolution, they are now basically illegal. She flees to her hometown, a faraway island she thinks is too far from the capital city for them to find her. The only other thing she brings with her is a magically sentient spider plant named Caz. All she wants to do is hide out in her childhood cabin and not talk to anyone. But she soon discovers that she has no means to buy food or any supplies to live. She may need to venture into town and actually speak to people!
Keila was such a relatable character (as an introverted bookworm). She was so dedicated to keep these spellbooks hidden from everyone and she just wanted to keep to herself. My favorite character was Caz. It was so fun to imagine a lil spider plant using his leaves to "walk" around and be sassy to everyone. There were several townspeople that Keila ended up befriending (found family, yay!) and they were just an amazing community.
While the plot was kind of running from this revolution, you would think that it's going to contain a lot of action. But true to the genre, it's so cozy. There is so much just slow, cozy kind of plot and I had such a fun time with it. I was never bored, even when it was slow moving. There was a little bit of action towards the end, but it still felt cozy. The pacing was great.
The audiobook narrator was fantastic. I loved her voice so much. There was just a special quality it had that took the narration to the next level. She brought everything to life and made it so easy to imagine.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an Advance Listeners Copy(is that what it's called?)

I'm not sure if I would call this a romantasy, though the romance was cute (and he respects her boundaries and independence! He's a keeper). This is 100% a cozy fantasy, and it's very well done. It's the sort of cozy where a tight-knit community can be found family, and your foe can become your ally with the power of friendship and kindness. It's almost cloyingly sweet at times, but that's more of my preference as a reader. If you like cozy fantasies, this fits the bill.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6613703501

https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/bf67957a-54d1-42a4-87a6-ae1de762b1ef

Check out this review of The Spellshop on Fable. https://fable.co/review/13fd0540-4bd3-4895-98d0-79bd427f27d9/share

Kiela and Caz stole my heart! This book was everything I needed and wanted from a cozy, cottage core fantasy book. After 11 years as a librarian in the city, a rebellion happens and Kiela and Caz have to escape the city with some of their precious books. They go to Kiela’s home town where her old house still sits on the cliff. She finds that the town is suffering without the sorcerers traveling there to maintain the magic. She is determined to help (even though sharing magic knowledge with commoners is illegal) and opens a spell shop disguised as a jam shop. She quickly learns just how amazing a small town is for supporting each other when times are tough. The book just gave me a warm fuzzy feel and I didn’t want it to end!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of this book.