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.

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.

The Spellshop is full of cozy fantasy vibes. Kiela is a librarian in a library full of magical spellbooks. Her assistant Caz is a talking spider plant who I loved so much. The library is set on fire during a revolution, and Kiela and Caz grab all the spellbooks they can and flee to the island that Keila grew up on. While there, Kiela decides to try out some of the spells to help the town. I loved how cozy this book was and all of the mythical creatures that were included. Caz was my favorite character. The world building was easy to understand, and there was a sweet little romance included. I do wish there had been a bit more romance included, but that's just my personal preference.

I listened to the audio which was fantastic. The narrator did a great job adding to the cozy vibes of the story.

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advance copies.

This book proves once again why I love cozy fantasy. This book is magical and gives off the best vibes. I absolutely love Caz, the magically sentient spider plant and all of the consequences that can happen from spells that are done wrong. I love to see how the cost of magic is sometimes paid off.

For me cozy fantasy is a nice escape from the extreme battles and prophecies of high fantasy, which I do love. But sometimes you just want to know what that random person is doing in the town and how a revolution might be impacting their life. And we get that with Kiela, who was the librarian of the Great Library of Alyssium, protecting and cataloging the empire’s spellbooks. She escapes the revolution with some spellbooks and Caz to the island she was born on, which is usually far enough away that the empire does not come to bother them.

But of course you cannot have cozy fantasy without a little bit of conflict, which I felt was nicely done in the story by first having Kiela need to find a way to make money and fix up her home, then by someone coming to the island who may mean big trouble for her and her use of magic. The tension is so good, in both the plot and the romance, as Kiela comes to realize the comfort of her neighbor may be just what she was looking for. He is certainly a cinnamon roll MMC (and he literally brings her cinnamon rolls!).

The narrator was everything when reading this book. Caitlin Davies did such a good job of immersing me into the cozy island and world of The Spellshop. There was a certain magic to the way this book was narrated.

thank you to netgalley and macmillan audio for providing an alc in exchange for an honest review!

absolutely adored the audiobook of this - the narrator did a fantastic job of voicing the different characters and creatures in this, and also for bringing the book to life!

now for the contents of the actual story which was a complete disappointment for me. this definitely is what it's marketed as - a cozy cottage core fantasy with loveable magical creatures and a low to medium stake plot.

while it definitely did give those cozy vibes, this was a lot longer than i think it needed to be. towards the end, because it took so long to get to the bigger conflict of the plot, i lost all interest in it. besides the pacing, a big part of that was because of the main character.

kiela was a main character that i couldn't connect to or even really liked. because she's been secluded living in a library for most of her life, she was hesitant to interact with the citizens of her hometown that she's fled back to. and because we are in her mind, she reminds us again and again and again how much she hates socializing with others, how she doesn't trust a single soul, and wants to do things on her own. in reality, she literally can't do a single thing by herself without succumbing to the aid of others and, again, she reminds us that she H A T E S this.

and then of course the hero swoops in to save her - literally - multiple times, and she's actually pretty rude and kind of a jerk to him because of her distrust of strangers and lack of social skills. which okay, i understand but to a certain degree. after he's proved multiple times that he genuine just wanted to help her without any hidden agenda, her inner monologue constantly berating herself for trusting him got old REAL quick. she keeps pushing him away and making him apologize for doing the nicest things for her and at no point does he take a hint that she doesn't want him around, and continues to be kind to her. couldn't be me babes.

i also just didn't understand her logic. she knows that she'd get in trouble for having magic books, does everything she can to keep anyone from discovering her magic books (that she STOLE, by the way), and yet, sets up a jam shop as a front for giving homemade magical "remedies" to help the local townsfolk to random problems using the magic books? girl, what? do you want to get caught or not??!??!?!?

yeah. towards the end, with the amount of repetition in the writing, the dialogue, and the inner monologue of the main character, i was completely taken out of the story that no longer felt cozy, lol. really sad about this one!

This was a nice cozy, fantastical listen about Kiela, a spell book librarian who flees a revolution in her city and finds her self back on the little isle she was born on, trying to provide for herself and hide the spell books to keep them safe. The majority of the story is about the people of the small-town island who become her found family. Kiela is a loner with many quirks, and her only friend is a talking plant, so watching her grow into her self and into friendship was endearing. The adventures/plot builders had some gaps, but overall it was enjoyable for the coziness. I feel like the ending was leading into a part two, which I would definitely read. As an audiobook it was an easy listen and well done. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

this book was such a pleasant surprise!!! the most glorious, magical, feel-good, cozy, fantasy filled with so much charm and heart!!!! the spellshop truly played out like a whimsical disney movie in my head and i had such a fun time. this one’s for the cottage core girlies. imagine frolicking in your garden, with your little sidekick that is a plant (!!!), on a cozy little town set on an island, while your busy making jam, and quite possibly having a crush on your neighbour! i couldn’t get over how beautifully this author created a world that i instantly wanted to immerse myself in (and live in it lol). i got gifted a physical/finished copy and it has lavender sprayed edges!!!! so beautiful.

if you loved legends & lattes, are looking for a calming and cozy novel with the most perfect escapism then you MUST pick this one up!!

pub date: july 9th!!!!

REVIEW

A lot of people are gonna like this one I feel. It’s got the vibe of a Legends and Lattes type cozy fantasy, but with a lot more drama and a lot more sentient plants.

Positives:
The World. I love the casual magic. Despite unlicensed sorcery being illegal (a big plot point throughout the book), everyone is basically some form of magical creature. There’s four-armed harp players, sentient plants, centaurs and merhorses. Even our resident FMC is a blue skinned, magenta freckled being.
-Caz: 10/10 would recommend a sentient, book loving spider plant. He brought a bright humor and charm to this story and was absolutely my favorite part.
-along with the creatures, the spell usage was really cool. I love the unique spell ingredients and experimentation trying to figure out how much of something to use or if air from your lungs worked the same as wind blowing east. Such a cool premise.
-Kiela and Caz’ relationship felt developed and like they had a history together. They were like goofy sibling colleagues.
-love the idea of hiding your transgressions in a secret jam shop. Selling home remedies on the side even though she’s trying not to get discovered holding stolen spell books. I did expect more of the shop—but it was a pretty small part of the book. I think she was only open for 3 days.

Negatives
-I know this is a cottagecore cozy fantasy. It’s supposed to be wholesome and low stakes and sweet. There were times that the tension was raised—but it almost felt forced. Keila is certain no one will find her and the books she stole on her remote home island with few residents. But of course who should show up but the imperial guard and the heir to the throne by happenstance. (I know of course this is for plot reasons, but it just felt a bit convenient.)
-the lack of resolution with the revolution and overthrowing the empire plot?? Like, the book starts with them fleeing a burning city being overthrown. They occasionally say “oh the resistance took over and killed the emperor” but like—tell me why?? There’s a whole revolutionary plot I’m very interested in and would at least like to know more details about it if you’re gonna toss it in there. Surface level teasing political intrigue.
-weird complaint, but everyone felt too nice. Every single person (except one crotchety old guy) was overly helpful and over the top nice. The love interest was a hit too insta for me.

Overall, I think this would’ve been better if the author had either dropped the political angle and committed to more of a Legends and Lattes style “curl up by the magical fire” cozy fantasy instead of teasing these threads that weren’t fleshed out.
I do think there’s a lot of people who will still like this for the vibes and the romance. Personally I think my cozy fantasies need to be few and far between—I like a bit more tension! Still a gorgeous cover and good vibes.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor for the early audiobook!

“It wasn’t that she didn’t like people, it was only that she liked books more.”

What an amazing story! I absolutely loved it!

This is the story of Kiela, an introverted librarian, who is forced to leave her library sanctuary when it becomes collateral damage in a rebellion waged against the empire in which she lives.

Taking ancient magical tomes and her steadfast friend, a sentient spider plant named Caz, she makes her way by boat back to her abandoned childhood home on Caltrey, an eastern island.

There she learns via friendly island inhabitants and a certain cinnamon roll neighbor that people can be just as necessary to life as her beloved tomes.

This cozy cottage Romantasy is full of lively characters, magical creatures, sweet jam shops, and sweeter romance.

There isn’t any spice and, although it’s listed as adult, I feel it could certainly be categorized as YA. But it’s perfect for those who love Found Family and He Falls First with plenty of diversity representation and a HEA ending! With perfect pacing and so many amazing quotes, don’t miss this sweet treat!

The audiobook is flawlessly narrated by Caitlin Davies and I immensely enjoyed her performance!

5⭐️0🌶️
This book was absolute perfection IMO. I was lucky enough to get the audible version from NetGalley. Sarah Beth Durst couldn’t have written a more clean, cozy fantasy. I devoured this book in 2 days and I hardly ever read/listen to audiobooks.

I loved how relatable the FMC was. And the MMC Lauren (not sure about spelling as I listened to the audiobook) is the best cinnamon roll I could ever ask for.

Add that to mermaids, merhorses, unicorns, and the best assistant (Caz) anyone would love to have and you have a perfect “lower” fantasy novel!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for sharing this with me.

This was very lighthearted and sweet but not overly boring. Cottagecore at its finest. The romance is not at all spicy but it's endearing. Loved the world-building and the found family element. I'd definitely read a sequel if there is one.

I requested this audiobook from NetGalley because the cover, reminiscent of Thomas Kinkade's art, and the witchy title, 'The Spellshop,' immediately drew me in. I was looking for a light, cozy fantasy, and that's exactly what I found. This romantasy, with its low spice level, offers an enjoyable, playful, and easy listen. Overall, it was a delightful experience.

ARC Review

Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🧚‍♀️🧜‍♀️🧙

This was a super cute cozy cottage core read. Loved the magic and creatures. It had such a great ending and found family aspect. Would definitely read something by Sarah again if it was like this.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is peak cozy, and I am 100% here for it.

I adore the role of magic, the research and experimentation that ensue to get it right, and the sometimes fun and unexpected results that follow amateur magical spellwork.

One of the central themes focuses on finding and building home. Between Kiela's parents' past expectations and the potential of the future at hand, Kiela struggles to figure out what she wants after she's uprooted, let alone whether or not she can obtain it.

Part of building home in this book is developing a strong found family, not just for Kiela but for other characters as well. I loved meeting the quirky, diverse characters as Kiela did; the sentient plants, bear-shaped tree spirits, a baker, a flying healer, a four-armed harpist, merpeople, merhorses, winged cats, and even a chicken are all treated as equally important. The found family grows in branches and strength very organically and satisfyingly throughout the story, culminating in the safety net that gets everyone through the challenges they face, stronger together.

Another central thread I like is the importance of kindness. Fortunately the book doesn't promote toxic kindness no matter how horrible people are—it doesn't excuse/ignore characters' terrible actions—but it does show how kindness as the flip side of that coin is a choice that can and often should be made.

It's a delight to watch Kiela, our socially awkward main character, come into her own as she builds her connections, her survival strategy, her confidence, and her convictions. She doesn't inherently change who she is—she's still a socially awkward introvert—but she has the opportunity to really define herself and finds a place that welcomes her as she is. Her internal monologue as she considers how to respond to situations resonates very strongly with me and probably will to any other socially awkward introvert.

The romance is woven in with all the other plotlines and is very cute and satisfying. The amount of times Kiela mentioned Larran's tallness could have been reduced.

I appreciate that the book pushes against oppressive institutions in a gentle way without hiding the negative impacts such institutions have on individual and systemic levels.

The deftness with which building home, finding family, showing kindness, being yourself, resisting oppression, and doing magic unfold gradually throughout the book really makes it shine. The more I reflect on the story, the more I realize how subtly well crafted everything is.

I enjoyed every moment of reading and actively looked forward to picking the book back up again (considering I'd been in a reading rut, this is huge for me). The audiobook narrator is excellent. Highly recommend for a cozy happy time.

You might like this if you like: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree, Witchful Thinking by Celestine Martin, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

4.5 ⭐️ Don’t miss out on this perfect cozy fantasy summer read. This brought me back fond memories of why I loved reading magical books as a child. I enjoyed all the enchanting creatures and sweetness of this book. The audiobook and voices are so fun to listen to.🧜‍♀️🍓🏠

Summary:
Kiela, an introverted librarian with a talking plant assistant named Caz, flees to her childhood island when a revolution begins, taking spell books with her. The island, deprived of magic by the Empire's strict rules, struggles without it. Kiela uses the spell books to start a jam shop and helps the island despite facing various challenges. Along the way, she learns the value of friendship and community.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for an arc!

I'm so overwhelmed.

This was so lovely, so cozy, so delightful like this is the kind of advanced cozy fantasy read ive been craving since..... Welp forever.

Tired of reading high fantasy? Need a break? Well you've come to the right place. Come and rest at Kieras delightful cottage, where for 384 pages (that will pass in the blink of an eye) you get to :

- ride your (hot), kindhearted, and socially awkward neighbors (who might have a huge crush on you) seahorses by the sea

- see and help a mermaid- baby!

- take care of your garden ( DEFINITELY without the use of any magic! Nope. No magical garden around here!)

- transform your cottage into being capable of supporting your cozy little business shop (that JUST sells jam! No books to be found here folks! Noone is sharing any magical remedies around these places!)

- Create delicious raspberry jam (in collaboration with the villages friendly baker of course!)

- With the encouragement of your talking, low-key murderous, book loving, spider plant companion ( it's a long story) , find your own little place in the village slowly yet surely with a unique found family the friendship of which is so heartwarming to read of.

- Help the nature of the village and in turn have cloud- made bear spirits AND a unicorn show their gratitude to you.

Overall? This was excellent and at its core a story centered around the importance of sharing knowledge, appreciating / caring about books and nature, and accepting yourself as well as finding acceptance from the community around you.

This book was absolutely incredible. It reminded me a lot of Jenna Wolfhart’s books without the spice. There was the perfect amount of drama and oozy and baking and plants and spells and magic. It was like being wrapped in a warm hug. I preordered the book the second I finished the audiobook. Definitely pick this one up for the cozy vibes with some drama, magic, and found family mixed in.