✨ Cozy, Mysterious and Absolutely Fantastical! ✨

First things first: Can we take a moment to admire this STUNNING cover??! I don’t think I’ve ever had as much of an urge to jump into a cover and explore a magical world as I do when I see this one! Cozy fantasy perfection!!

This book warmed my book-lover heart! It’s adorably bookish and full of the cutest companions. Also - it made me want to start baking and gardening lol! New fall hobby?? 👩‍🌾

🥐 Baked Goods
📚 Bookish
🪴 Sentient Plants
🐾 Adorable Creatures
✨ Magic
💖 Romance
🫖 Cozy
🧺 Cottagecore

I enjoyed The Spellshop so much and I’m looking forward to see what Sarah Beth Durst comes up with next!

Thank you Bramble & Macmillan Audio for sending me advanced copies!

This was absolutely delightful. The epitome of cozy fantasy. Cute, fun, exciting, heartwarming. This was such a whimsical and light story, and I loved each and every character. For those who want a low stakes fantasy, a light and fun read, or something to read while relaxing in a cottage, then this book is for you.

"The Spellshop" is a cozy fantasy centered on Kiela, a grumpy librarian who prefers plants over people. The story is light on fantasy but heavy on cozy elements, making it an enjoyable read for those who love charming, low-stakes adventures.

One of the book’s highlights is the delightful character of Caz, who steals the show with his witty banter and anxious yet endearing personality. The magic system, rooted in nature, feels both enchanting and dangerous. However, while the world-building excels in some areas, it falls short in others. The human characters, including Kiela, are less developed, and the plot is fairly straightforward.

Overall, "The Spellshop" offers a pleasant, if somewhat simplistic, reading experience. The cozy atmosphere and charming non-human characters make up for the book’s flaws, though the story leans more toward comfort than depth. The audiobook, narrated by Caitlin Davies, enhances the experience with a lively performance that brings the characters to life. This book is a good choice for readers who enjoy cozy fantasies and don't mind corny dialogue.

Thank you to Sarah Beth Durst, NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for sending me the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been loving the cozy fantasy genre - these are such nice stories in between heavier or steamier reads that just feel like a warm blanket and hot cup of tea.

I chose The Spellshop on NetGalley 1000 percent because of the cover (how cozy is this cover), but I wound upon loving this book so much. There is just enough world building to draw you into the story, but I still wanted more because I loved Kiela’s small town.

I do wish there had been more depth to some of the side characters. That said, set me up with some toast, jam, tea, and books at Kiela’s cottage.

I listened to this as an audiobook thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, but loved it enough to buy a trophy shelf copy.

The Spellshop was cozy perfection! I loved every minute of this dreamy escape! I wish I could jump into this world! Who wouldn’t want to be friends with a sentient plant and make fabulous jam?

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

2.5!

The Spellshop is a cozy fantasy that is very cute and cottagecore. The world is filled with all sorts of things that feel very escapist, like the fun sort of world you’d actually want to spend hours in. Kiela’s character arc involves trying to find her place in the world while also navigating the fact that magic is illegal. While there were parts that I really loved, like Caz and the descriptions of the natural world, I’m just not really that cut out for cozy fantasy. I’d hoped that I’d like this a lot more than I did, and I think I would have had it been maybe two thirds the length it actually is. This would be an excellent Ghibli-esque movie, but for a book I just couldn’t get myself to stay attentive for more than a couple of short bursts at a time, which is why I only pick up a couple of cozy reads a year. In many ways, it’s not necessarily the book, it’s me, but well, it is what it is. I don’t regret having read this, but I’m not sure I need to read it more than once.

I did like Caitlin Davies as a narrator, and I think without her I would’ve had a harder time staying engaged.

This may be in the top 10 novels of the year for me. This novel was absolutely delightful and brought me the coziest few days of reading. I really enjoyed every page. I don't think I could do this novel justice in this review. However, I can try to wax poetic about it. This novel is filled with magic, jam, merhorses, a beautiful cottage in the woods, a mouthwatering bakery, some flying cats and cloud bears. If you need a book to just make you happy, this is it. I never stopped smiling while reading it.

What I loved most:
A sentient spider plant -> how cool is that idea!
A sentient cactus -> Meep is adorable
All the books!!! And all the talks about books. And all the reading of books. The magic of books
Merhorses! What a fun and whimsical idea. I want one.
Cloud bears!
Unicorns
Trees that can hide someone in a pinch
Mistaken identities
A cozy romance -> it truly is heartwarming

Basically, I loved it from cover to cover! A must-read of the year!

For fans of:
- Legends and Lattes

This book follows a librarian as she is forced to escape her beloved library and return to the remote island where she was born. With just a few crates of books and her sentient plant bff, she is tasked with the guardianship of the only surviving books, many of which have ancient and forbidden magic.

This book includes:
- kooky townsfolk (think Stars Hallow in GIlmore Girls)
- a silly sidekick
- forest spirits, mermaids, unicorns, and magical creatures galore
- cozy romance
- magic storms
- a gentle, kind MMC

"The Spellshop" is such a sweet and comforting tale. Kiela is the ultimate academic introvert and it was so fun watching her come out of her shell, despite her awkwardness and propensity for unintentional rudeness. The romance was simple but enjoyable. I am a huge fan of gentle, sweetie pie MMCs, so it was so refreshing to read about such an innocent love. The audiobook reader also had a lovely, soothing tone that I really enjoyed.

I received this audiobook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Sarah Beth Durst for the opportunity to review this book. This review is also available on my GoodReads - check out my profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863

Thank you, Net Galley and MacMillian Audio for this e-arc. The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst is a whimsical cozy fantasy about a librarian escaping a revolution. Kiela our main heroine is experiencing PTSD as well as trying to figure out what to do with her life now that her beloved library is destroyed. Kiela with her sitient plant Caz goes back to her hometown and makes a life for themselves as a jam/spell maker. This book is adorable, and cozy, and explores themes of love, found family, loneliness, and finding your purpose in life. This book is cute with an amazing cast of characters as well as amazing imagery. I would suggest this book to anyone looking for a cozy read.

Loved this super cozy cottage fantasy!! Perfect to curl up with on an autumn day. Will make you want to eat all the tarts and jams and goodies.

Kiela always got along better with books than people, with the exception of her parents and the spelled with sentience spider plant, Caz. But now that the rebellion has succeeded, they have stormed the library: a symbol of status and classism that only allows appropriately trained magic users, otherwise known as the city's elite, to research and learn. In a desperate fly by night escape, Kiela and Caz take sanctuary on the island she was born on. A distant island far from the city center, where the sorcerers no longer visit and the people are losing more every year to the unpredictable weather. She must try to keep her secret while also helping the island that has so easily welcomed her among its ranks. Her hunky, and overly helpful, neighbor is a bit of a wrench in the plan though.

A perfect example of cozy fantasy. The stakes can seem high at times, but are quickly dispersed and found to be easily remedied. The small town is small towning, and the hunky neighbor is a secret childhood connection she's forgotten about. As she has most of her childhood memories, which is never fully explained. But it was a joy to read with a happy ending tied up with a bow.

I would love to read more about the world this takes place in one day, as it feels like there's so much to explore. The world building, politics, and magic system all are so intricate and vivid despite not a lot of time being spent on them. It really has left me wanting more. Also that captain deserves a happy ending of his own.

Cozy. Fantasy. Romance. Do I even need to say more?

An awkward and lonely librarian, Kiela, and her anxious magical plant best friend, Caz, flee the great library as the capital city is sacked by rebels. They save as many books as they can and set off for Kiela's childhood hometown on a small island. Trouble is it's illegal for regular citizens to have these books and she didn't exactly have permission to take them. So now she must figure out how to build a new life and keep the books hidden.

Gosh, this one was such a warm hug in a book. The romance is so sweet and wholesome. Larran is a cinnamon roll who raises merhorses. Who doesn't love a man that cares for animals? And I really liked that Kiela starts off a little bristley and standoffish because she's just not used to interacting with people. So you get a little dash of grumpy sunshine before she starts to come out of her shell.

And can we talk about her sentient spider plant assistant, Caz? I am Caz, Caz is me. Sooo anxious about everything and prone to worry spiral. Caz is my favorite character for sure.

I listened to this on audiobook and really enjoyed it. The world and story are not overly complex, so it was easy to follow along. This was a really relaxing and pleasant listen for me. I'd definitely recommend it. Thanks so much Macmillan Audio for the free advance copy.

I have shared my review on Goodreads and StoryGraph, and will be posting to IG soon

I really liked the premise of this but I just didn't like the audio narrator! I' gonna give this another try in ebook form because it sounded really good but I had to quit the audiobook.

I am absolutely devouring everything in the cozy fantasy genre I can get my hands on, and this was another fun one! The star of the show was the sentient spider plant, who surprised me at every turn in a great way! While the main character's internal struggle didn't really capture me as much as I hoped, I loved the worldbuilding, the love interest, and all the townspeople so much!

Not sure why but I just couldn't get into this one. I guess it just wasn't for me this time around. What a bummer. It wasn't a bad book though, I just didn't connect

#thespellshop:⁣
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Thank you @macmillan.audio #MacAudio2024 & @brambleromance for my gifted audio copy!⁣
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“Some people are like that. They derive joy from sapping other people’s joy. The trick is not to let them. Just keep playing your own song.” Just keep playing your own song”⁣
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This was such a big hug cozy fantasy. Honestly, I felt like Caz was like Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast with his wit and genuine concern for others. I loved Caz and Meep (who will forever be a Pokémon in my eyes) ⁣
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Also, isn’t this @owlcrate edition just perfection? I love purple books, and this one definitely takes the cake. (Err.. or jam) ⁣
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Audio was phenomenal. Caitlin Davies is a favorite and just brings everything I needed in this ride.⁣
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A hug, a love, a fun and cozy small town. Ugh, adorable. Out now.⁣
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Predict Text: The Spellshop is…

This was such a cute book! I had a really good time with it. While the narrator wasn't my favorite at the beginning, she did start to grow on me and eventually felt like the right fit for the MC that was telling this story.

The exciting beginning was just right for me to get me invested and then I liked the slow settling into the world as the MC got to know her new surroundings and its inhabitants. The world building and cozy feel were fun and it was easy to picture everything as the story unfolded. Some of it did feel a little... extra... when it came to the magic but it wasn't anything that really took away from the fun of the book. I liked the MC and the supporting characters, the relationships that developed between them, and the trust that was slowly build as the plot unfolded. The story did feel a little slow in some parts but overall had a good pace with an exciting and heart-warming ending.

Overall, I had a really good time, some good laughs, and really enjoyed the magical creatures. The cover for this book is just absolutely magical and I hope I can add a special edition of this to my shelves eventually.

3.5 stars.

This was cute and sweet, and I liked that it varied from some other cozy fantasies by having a couple strong plot threads. However, true to its genre, problems that arose were quickly solved in a convenient and happy way.

I of course loved Caz, and later, Meep. Kiela, well... she was extremely naive and oblivious. It made it difficult for me to connect with her. Also, there were several times when the trauma of escaping the library was mentioned and she just kind of brushes it away - these moments could have added just a liiiittle more depth to the story if they were focused on for a longer (which I would have appreciated).

Also, aside from Kiela being oblivious, the romance in the story is front and center. It's very tame (just kisses) and sweet.

If you like cozy fantasy, The Spellshop is for you!

This started out so promising but quickly became interminably boring. I love a cozy fantasy, but the romance was beyond a slow burn. We're talking 75% through they hadn't even kissed. In audiobook, the story turned into a dull drone that continued to lose my attention, and I've been trying to finish it for am month. Unfortunately, this wasn't a win for me especially since the book itself is such a beautiful edition!

For fans of cozy fantasy! The Spellshop felt like a warm hug wrapped in a magical blanket. I loved these characters from the first page! Caz, the magically sentient spider plant, is probably my favorite, but I loved them all! Sarah Beth Durst has created a wonderfully magical world full of fun creatures, friends, interesting places, and that's just the beginning of all the things to love in this book. The world is so unique. I really hope more books come in this world, there's so much to explore.