This is the coziest cottagecore fantasy. It’s like a love note to Mother Nature and the song Imagine. It let me vicariously live out my dreams of residing in a peaceful cottage, selling jam or crafts with the help of light magic and nice neighbors who all share.

The main character is an introverted librarian whose best friend is a sentient plant. She flees the city when rebellion turns violent and returns to her childhood home on a remote island. There she opens up a jam shop and sells spells to heal the island in secret. There are merhorses, nature spirits, mermaids, unicorns, flying cats, light romance, magic, baking, gardening, books. It’s just so cute!

The Bookish FMC and Cinnamon roll MMC are both so lovable. Please let me go live with them on the island. It was such an uplifting and healing read. Like living inside a cozy farming video game sprinkled with humor. The style of the story and writing felt YA to me, not a problem, but something to consider - I’m thinking that may be the combo of the romcom and cozy style and the fact that is just so dang wholesome. I listened to this, and the narration is excellent. The cover art is gorgeous, and I feel it’s a story I would have enjoyed even more reading it. It just begs to relished with real page turning. So maybe I need to order myself a physical copy.

Check it out for a refreshing read or if you need a hug in book form. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy. This is set to publish next Tuesday, July 9th!

This was so cute. I think I'm in the majority when I say that Caz was my favorite character. The romance was really cute and the vibes were amazing. I don't typically read cozy books, but I wanted to give The Spellshop a try because OwlCrate seems to be doing it for their July book pick. I really enjoyed taking it all in for a fun fantasy read that I didn't have to think too hard or try to make any predictions. This was fun and quick and I'll be picking up a copy.

Sarah Beth Durst's "The Spellshop" is a cozy, heartwarming fantasy that will delight fans of cottagecore and sweet romance. The story follows Kiela, a librarian, and her sentient spider plant, Caz, as they flee a rebellion and take refuge in Kiela’s abandoned childhood home on a small island. Kiela's journey to self-sufficiency, aided by kind neighbors and magical creatures like centaurs and merhorses, is both relatable and enchanting. The romance between Kiela and her sweet, caring neighbor is a refreshing change from typical tropes, adding to the book's charm.

The audiobook is wonderfully narrated, bringing each character to life with perfect inflections and emotions. Though there are occasional volume discrepancies, the overall experience is fantastic. "The Spellshop" is a delightful escape filled with found family, magical creatures, and a touch of clean romance. It's a perfect read to lift your spirits and immerse yourself in a whimsical world. Highly recommended for a cozy, feel-good experience!

Oh, how I'd love to live alone in a cottage or library with a talking spiderplant. My introverted dream!

This cozy fantasy gives the warm and cozy small-town vibes with a touch of sweet, clean romance (no smut here, yall. Sorry! 🌶)

As someone who dreams of homesteading but has absolutely ZERO homesteading knowledge and abilities, the whole beginning of the book I can relate to Kiela so much. She refuged to her abandoned childhood home in a small village on a small island but she will have to be 100% self-sufficient and she has no idea how! Thank the clouds and unicorns for kind neighbors ;)

Love all the mythical magical creatures. Centaurs, men with scales instead of skin, merhorses, talking spiderplants. Kiela and her blue skin 😍 The image on the cover of this book is exactly how I would envision this story playing. Side note: Can we talk about how beautiful that cover is?! Wow! I want to live there, please!

Another thing I really liked was that the male love interest was actually sweet and as caring as could be. No jerkish dude who treats women like trash only to have the female lead lust over him. *eyeroll* I'm so sick of that trope in so many books! This is not the case in The Spellshop. He is the sweetest and is officially my new book boyfriend. 😍

The narrator of the audiobook was phenomenal. I found myself saying "Awww 🥹🥰" out loud while listening/reading this book. She nailed it. Even her voices for the magical plant creatures were on point!

I do love stand-alones, but wish there was going to be a book 2 on this one! (It doesn't leave on a cliffhanger at all. I'm just so invested in the characters in this cute story that I selfishly want another one!)

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Sara Beth Durst for sending me this audiobook for review consideration.

I have to admit, I didn't finish this one. It was a cute premise but there wasn't enough to hold my interest throughout the entire book. Cozy fantasy is a lovely idea, but it might just not be my thing.

✨Cozy Fantasy✨

A warm and delightful escape: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

🎧This story was super sweet, funny, and heartwarming. I thoroughly enjoyed Kiela’s emotional and social growth a throughout the story. Kaz, the sentient spider plant, is a great sidekick and the love of knowledge him and Kiela share is so much fun. This book is a slow cozy read perfect for fans of first love romance, found family, and character growth!

Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Publisher: Bramble Publishing
Audio: Macmillan Audio

Great audiobook production from Macmillan Audio. Thank you to NetGalley for a copy this book for review!

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⭐️