A cozy fantasy romance, The Spellshop, was a delight. Kiela and her sentient spider plant Caz have barely escaped the burning library of Alyssium as it burns. Together they flee to the small island where Kiela grew up with nothing but some boxes of magical books that she was in charge of protecting at the library. Having spent the majority of her adult life isolated in the library, and arriving with very sensitive magical material, Kiela is not interested in being friendly. But of course, she soon learns the importance of community, friendship, and love.
This is a sweet tale and Kiela's journey was lovely.

The audiobook narrator gave the characters personalities, each one distinct. While listening to the story, I was pulled in by her storytelling.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest review.

The absolute COZIEST of fantasies. It's like a warm fuzzy blanket that you want to snuggle with forever.

Kiela is an introverted librarian who is happiest left alone with her books in her little corner of the Great Library of Alyssium. However, when the revolution comes to Alyssium and the library is set aflame, Kiela is forced to flee. Armed with as many books as she could grab and her assistant Caz, a sentient spider plant, they set sail in search of sanctuary. When they come across the island of Kiela's childhood, she decides there is no better place to hide. What she didn't account for was the overly friendly neighbor and nosy community. As Kiela settles into her new home she is faced with the challenge of hiding her true reasons for returning, making a new life, and overcoming her discomfort with social interactions.

So without a doubt, Caz is my favorite character. He's witty and outspoken and I love him dearly. He has so much anxiety which adds a lot of the comedic relief throughout the book.

Kiela, our FMC, is a very dynamic, extremely realistic character. Her distaste for social life had me giggling and saying "Me too, girl." She's truly clueless about the social cues of others which leads to some funny misunderstandings. I just want to hug her and call her "bestie".

The romance is secondary to the plot. I wouldn't really label this a romantasy, as I feel the romance isn't a big focus. It is a slow burn, that's present throughout the book, but if it was removed, the story would be more or less the same. The moments we get are sweet but if you're looking for a romance, you may be a bit underwhelmed.

This is a cozy fantasy, with even pacing and few surprises. It's a great comfort read if you want something soft on your soul. It's one that I will think back fondly on.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing this audiobook for my honest review.

"The Spellshop" has a great premise. A woman escapes back to the island she hasn't seen in years and restores her childhood house.

Unfortunately, the main character, Kiela, has few redeeming qualities. She is incredibly incompetent but somehow manages to do everything easily and on the first try. At the beginning, she is presented as a recluse who hasn't left her library home/job for years. She hasn't been back to her childhood island since she was nine and has no plans to ever go back. However, when she finds herself in a boat in the middle of the ocean, she somehow is able to pilot her ship directly there with no maps or compass or any experience with navigation. It was also unclear if she was rowing this boat or if it ran on gas or spells or how it maneuvered.

Many things in this book are underdescribed. Kiela immediately finds her abandoned childhood home without any wrong turns, and although there are sticks and leaves inside, there are no animals or mold or water damage or any form of lasting destruction. It's unclear how long this house had been abandoned since we never find out Kiela's age. The island is lush yet humidity-free, and Kiela slides by every difficulty on her obliviousness and rudeness, all the while complaining in her head.

The one redeeming aspect of this book is Caz, the talking, walking plant. Although I wish he was in a pot and not walking around as a ball of loose soil spilling all over everything.

I listened to the audio version of this book read by Caitlin Davies, who does an excellent job with the material she is given.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for access to an early audio version of this book.

The Spellshop is the ultimate low-stakes, cozy fantasy book. It was such a lovely read, and the narrator did a fantastic job. I mean, there is a talking plant, magic books, and a little bit of romance. I love it so much. Thanks to NetGalley for the audio arc. I'll post my review closer to the publication date.

Thank you NetGalley and Sarah for the opportunity to read an arc of your upcoming book. In exchange for an honest review ❤️

I want to start out by saying that this book is a good book, but I don’t think that it was made for the intended audience. Although this book is rated Ya there really wasn’t much that in my eyes made it considered YA. besides, some moments with the background story for the main male character, other than that, I just kind of felt like the female character was a little annoying. She did have a character ark later on but in the beginning of the book, it was really hard not to DNF. I am glad that got better. I am glad I finished the book however, I don’t think that I would ever read it again , that being said this is strictly my opinion. And I always encourage you to try it out. You might love it 😊 as for me, though it was a solid 3.5 stars.
I did LOVE the plant familiar ❤️❤️❤️😍

I really thought it would take my much longer to listen to this audiobook because it was around 12 hours long. Pleasantly it took me 4 days almost because I couldn't stop listening to it. It's a very cozy story which is my favorite type of books these days. I really enjoyed Caz he was my favorite of the whole story. The voice created for him was perfect too.

I was gutted when I was turned down for an ARC of Durst's new cozy fantasy novel, given what a huge fan I am of her writing. So I was (pendulum swing!) thrilled to then be approved for an ARC of the audiobook, which was very well narrated by Caitlin Davies. This book was just a hug of a story, complete with Durst's usual assortment of wonderful characters and interesting world-building. Kiela is an introverted librarian who works (hides) in the empire's grand library, along with her assistant Caz, a sentient spider plant. When there is a revolution, Kiela and Caz flee the burning city with as many magic books as they can rescue, ending up on the distant island Kiela was born on. There's a hot neighbor, new friends to be made, jam to be created, spells to dabble in, so many magical creatures, and a tiny and rather inane conflict that is quite easily resolved. This book was exactly what I needed, and the themes of sharing knowledge and supporting people - even those you disagree with - are ones to take to heart. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a review copy.

Loved the narrator and the story. It was a cozy cottage core fantasy romance. It has a love story, fun sentient plant companions, a chicken, found family and books. What else could you want?

3.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review!

I’ve been quite conflicted about this one. I was SOOO looking forward to it because I love cozy fantasies. However, I almost DNFed early on. I found the FMC to be insufferable. This felt like a Disney movie - meaning written for a child or very young YA. There was nothing in this book that would make it considered adult, other than maybe the discussion about the MMC’s abusive father. I enjoy YA, but this felt young for me, and I don’t think it should be marketed as an adult fantasy.

I am glad I stuck it out until the end because the FMC does end up with some character development.

Other things I liked: a plant familiar/sentient plant (not something I’ve seen before), the cottagecore vibes with preparing homemade spells and remedies for the village, and the creative creatures featured.

Some things I did not like: the repetitiveness and the FMC one track mindset. I became very annoyed with her rumination about wanting to be left alone and how upset she was that the MMC was being NICE and showing up to help her without being invited. Also, I wish the world building was a bit more extensive, as I feel like it just presented these different villagers of different species without explaining anything about them, like why the FMC was blue, etc.

I felt that the narrator did a really good job with this on the audiobook side of things!

I absolutely adored this book, which is honestly no surprise, as it is my most anticipated book of the year.

The Spellshop is exactly what I'm looking for in cozy fantasy. Kiela, a librarian who has lived and worked in a magical library for most of her life, is forced to flee when a brewing rebellion results in the library burning down. Suddenly homeless, Kiela returns to her island home, accompanied by her assistant, a wise-cracking, sentient plant.

While the stakes are quite high at the beginning of the book (Kiela flees the library as it burns down, rescuing as many books as she can in the process), once she reaches the island where she grew up, the story takes on a decidedly cozy atmosphere. Her home has been swallowed by vegetation and Kiela doesn't know how she will survive without food and the support of the (suspicious) townsfolk. So, aided by the spellbooks that she *stole* from the library, and a handsome stranger, Kiela tries to carve out a place for herself on the island.

This is very much a slice-of-life story as Kiela learns how to survive on the island, both physically and emotionally. She is in constant fear of someone learning about her past as a librarian and about the books that she salvaged. As she comes to know more about the village and the villagers, she also learns that the world outside the library might have been a much darker place than she once realized. The romance is so sweet and satisfying, and I loved every minute I spent reading this.

Also, this was an audio ARC, and the narrator was fantastic. I'm very picky with narrators for audiobooks (a voice that doesn't click can turn me off of a book entirely), but Caitlin Davies was able to inject so much humor and heart into her narration that I never found my attention wandering while I was listening.

I can't thank the publisher and Netgalley enough for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was like sitting in front of the fire with a cozy blanket on a snowy day. It just felt warm and inviting and made my heart happy. From the beautiful cover art to the whimsy imagery, The Spellshop was five stars all day for me. I loved the FMC, Kiela and the growth she showed throughout. While she was a kind and thoughtful person from the beginning, watching her open her heart to new people and a new place was really heartwarming. Her supporting cast were absolutely charming, even the grumpy, unlikable neighbor (every small town has to have one!) Kiela and Larren were such a cute match and I loved watching them get to know each other. His sweet gestures like helping build her shelves, etc. were a lovely way for him to show his feelings for her in the best way he knows how. I have seen some reviewers complain that the book didn't dive further into the politics and magic that was introduced, but that definitely wasn't the point of the book and I was fine with the author keeping it simple here. Overall, the book was very well written, imaginative, and inventive. I would recommend this title to patrons looking for a sweet, cozy read with a magical twist.

I absolutely loved this book. I could not stop reading it!! I really hope this story continues because I would love to read more!!! This is a must read!! Pick it up today!!

What a sweet read! Magic, romance, and found family all wrapped up in a cozy setting.

I am new to cozy fantasy, so it was a bit hard for me not to have epic battles or agnst. However, the world building was beautiful and leaves you with that warm feeling. You have a villain, but you also have a village, and although I wanted a deep dive into the awesome systems of this world, I understand that cozy fantasy is beautiful worlds that make you feel good.

If you are looking for a whimsical summer read with fun creatures and characters, a light romance with a library/apothecary setting, this book is your jam!

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio/Bramble Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!
4.5 Stars!
I. AM. OBSESSED.
This was everything I wanted in a cottagecore, cozy fantasy. With high enough stakes, there was a strong plot that pulled you right alongside Kiela and her sentient spider plant-Caz on a magical adventure.
I loved how Kiela felt the conflicting emotions of wanting to be alone with her books and wanting to make friends and be social. What book worm has not felt that way??
The magic was very unique, and it was adorable to read all the sentient plants come to life, especially with how Caz interacts with them. Caz has got to be one of the best side-kicks in any book ever. He is a tightly wound soil ball of anxiety and sass and he's easily the best part of this book.
There are magical/mythical creatures, talking plants, a cute and adorably awkward romance, and Sarah Durst did a great job of tossing in discussion of identity and pronouns and the importance of accommodations for all types of individuals.
Caitlin Davies does an incredible job telling this story. Her voices for all the unique characters stood out easily, and she's a pro at using inflection for emotional build-up and giving these characters dynamics. Caitlin gave so much personality to each character that there never felt like there was a lull or a pause in any of the storytelling. There were long pauses between chapters but since it's an early audiobook, I'm thinking that'll be fixed before pub but just wanted to note it here!
Team Caz! :)
Cannot recommend this one enough! If you loved Legends and Lattes and Honey Witch-this one is for you!!

This was the cozy fantasy I've been waiting for. Kiela is a strong character and I loved Caz's humor. There was just enough action to make the story flow, but the character development that I find cozy fantasy provides. I liked the wild created in The Spellshop, Durst thrust you into it, but it felt natural and believable all at the same time

Wonderful cozy fantasy. Absolutely loved the narrator for the audiobook. Her voice for Caz was one of my favorite parts of listening because it suited the character so well! Caz is absolutely the most wonderful side kick. Also found myself smiling hearing about the cactus as well! I loved the magic in this book and how Kiela used it to help others. Speaking of Kiela… her character was strong and kind. I loved how she slowly opened up to the people around her but still stayed herself.

What if you were a girl with blue skin and blue hair and you had a talking little plant pet and you went back to your childhood home and got cozy with your bob the builder neighbour and started making jams and cozying up to the rest of the village with magic? What if you were kind of shy and blunt and socially awkward and fumbled with being social a lot?

This was so freaking fun and sweet. I adored the cottagecore vibes in this.

Kiela and Caz (her animated spider plant sidekick) have to flee the Great Library of Alyssium when a revolution gets a tad out of hand. With five crates of books, and very limited other supplies, they escape to the tiny island Kiela grew up on, and never expected to see again. Thankfully, the locals are more than happy to help, because Kiela… well, she’s very book-smart but otherwise not exactly worldly, so attempting to cook dinner nearly sets her house on fire. You get the gist.

Magic is *technically* only allowed to be performed by sorcerers, but with no food, no relevant skills (the island doesn’t have a library full of grumpy scholars for her to assist), and limited time to adjust, Kiela and Caz decide some *small* illicit magic might be worth it - no one will notice after all. 👀

I absolutely loved the host of quirky characters, the tiny island they call home, and the grumpy x sunshine romance that develops through the story. If you’re a fan of cosy fantasy, I would absolutely recommend The Spellshop, and I can’t wait to read more from this author! 🤩

This cozy fantasy novel is perfect for bookstagrammers. It is sweet, has a love interest, and an obsessive love for books
The main character is an introvert who escapes a revolution that burns the capital and the library where she works. She returns to her cozy island to live in her cozy cottage where she was born. She saved the spell books. Although it's forbidden to cast spells, because authorities want to keep power and knowledge to themselves, she uses magic to help.
First, she needs to hide, but she also needs to survive and decides to make a jam shop infused with secret spells to help the people of the island, to improve their lives. Cas is an amazing (talking) spider plant assistant and the cactus is adorable. 

The book is a bit longer than it probably needed to be but as an audiobook, it's a great companion and escapism read. 

The narrator is perfect to this book giving the main character a Disney princess voice.

Found family, friendship, falling in love, character growth, accepting help, return of magic, sense of community, loyalty, paying it forward, cozy books, pastries, good food, tea, childhood friends, memories, neighbors, talking plant, introvert, anxiety, diverse characters, magical creatures, cottage, welcoming village, magic, books spell, garden... jam.

Thank you publisher , and netgalley for the audio copy.

I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I love cozy fantasies, especially when the writing is beautiful. And when I saw one of my favorite authors was doing a cozy fantasy, I knew I had to read it. Let me just say, this book was my JAM. (Get it? Because, she sells jam??)

There were times when it seemed like things weren't going to go Kiela and Caz's way, but they were always quick with their solutions and, even when the stakes seemed high for something cozy, they seemed to stay on the softer side of things.

I loved the romance, the way the shop was created, the different magical creatures, the magic/spellwork, the world building, the plot... literally, I felt myself wanting to just snuggle up with some tea and toast with jam while listening.

And the best thing for audiobook lovers: the audio narrator did a wonderful job making you really feel cozy while listening. Highly recommend.