Thank you to Macmillan for the audio ARC of this book. The narrator does an awesome job voicing all the characters and differentiating them. I also greatly appreciate her pace as a lot of narrators talk very slowly.

I love me some cozy fantasy, and I had been seeing this one everywhere, so I was excited to give it a try. Sadly, it was not for me.

This story has a decently cozy and interesting premise– a revolution destroys the great library where Kiela is a librarian and she flees to her home island with her sentient spider plant assistant Caz and a few crates of stolen spellbooks. Kiela decides to open up a combination jam / spell shop in order to help her homeland that’s fallen onto hard times back into the place she remembers from her childhood. Add in a burly, all-too-happy to help love interest, some magical mystery, and a few surly islanders to win over, and it could be the plot of Nintendo’s next Harvest Moon game.

Instead we have an inconsistent heroine who’s positively irate that anyone would have the AUDACITY to *gasp* bring her a basket full of goodies to welcome her back to her family’s cabin. In fact, after she lights a fire without checking the chimney in her previously ABANDONED house and fills it with smoke, the MMC comes to check on her (and you know, make sure she’s not dead in a burned out cabin) and is roped into some repairs by Caz, and is telling her stories of how they knew each other before she left the island. Innocent, right? Well our FMC loses her mind on him because he “embroiled her in his emotions without her consent” and then on the next page justifies her actions as trying to protect him from being an accomplice to the theft of the spell books that he doesn’t know she has. In fact, no one knows she was even a librarian so this argument feels so forced.

I won’t lie, I was going to DNF this around 15% because I despised the FMC so much. She’s been through trauma and is definitely autistic coded, but that doesn’t excuse her being such a bitch. However, after her blow up with our MMC, her talking plant becomes the voice of reason and tells her that she needs to calm the heck down and start believing that people can just be *NICE*. She seemed to change her attitude and actually *try* a bit to break out of the stereotypical zero social skills only books trope, so I continued on. And then... nothing happens. She decides to use the aforementioned illegal spell books to help the island and I found myself zoning out and having to repeat sections of the audiobook. I gave up at 56% because I was bored and life is too short to continue on with books you're not vibing with.

What a fun and entertaining way to do a cozy fantasy book.
In a time that cozy fantasy is pretty copy and paste this coming home/finding yourself story really stands out.
The world was full of vibrant characters and creatures, including the best character in my opinion, Caz, the slightly murderous talking house plant.
I found myself laughing out loud (that doesn't happen often for me with books) and really connecting with the characters who all felt familiar to me.
There were a few things this book could have really done without, like the full chapter of cleaning... but overall was such a good time.
The romance was sweet and just enough for a book like this (imo).

5/5 all of the way! This is such a wonderful and cozy fantasy read. I am all for a nice cozy book! It is more than I could’ve hoped for and definitely worth the read. I have officially added the physical copy to my shopping list. The book is beautiful.

***I received this copy in return of an honest review via NetGalley

When the Great Library of Alyssium is set ablaze due to the revolution, the librarian Kiela must flee with her talking spider plant Caz. Kiela takes as many books as she can and returns to her childhood home. She finds the home abandoned after her parents passed. What Kiela didn’t expect to find was some nosy neighbors who are a little too helpful. Kiela finds the town in despair and decides to help it by using some of the magic spell books that she stole from the library. Even though magic is banned Kiela secretly creates spells for the town while selling jam out of her home.

Cozy fantasy is a new genre for me this year and I’m loving it. I loved the author’s writing. She creates beautiful imagery and it put me there. I felt like I could visualize the story. I also love how she created a cute little jam shop.

The characters and Kiela’s hometown are charming. There are a ton of interesting characters and creatures in this story. How can you not love Caz?! He’s such a sweet little worry wart who will do anything to protect the people he cares about. I love how the town (most of it at least) embraced Kiela as their own and supported her. Once Kiela got over her skepticism she was an amazing friend and partner.

My main issue with the book is how long it is. For the first 65% of the book there are no major conflicts, just minor inconveniences. I think some of the filler parts could have been cut down to get to the real issue in the book.

I highly recommend if you like cottage core, cozy fantasies and enjoyed Legends & Lattes!

A cute and cozy cottagecore fantasy with likeable characters and, of course, a happy ending.

Kiela is relatable but frustrating at times, as the constant miscommunication and catastrophizing became a bit tiresome. At least Caz was there saying what we all wish we could. I loved how ride-or-die the ladies of the Pinecone Coven are, they definitely gave this story a bit more life and kept things interesting for me.

I found myself wanting to know more about all the character's histories, about the different races described (was there this much diversity in Alyssium and elsewhere?), or more on the magical creatures of the island - the cloud bears and winged cats, etc.
The plot was mostly predictable but in a comforting way, not too many surprises .
This was an easy read/listen, especially with Caitlin Davies' great narration and voices, and I would definitely look out for another book by this author set in the same world!

Thanks NetGalley for the free advanced copy

3.75 rounded up.
Kiela the librarian and Caz, her assistant, a sentient spider plant, flee the library in Alysium during rebellion and unrest and sail away. They land on the Caltre, the island she was born on, and try to settle in quietly with the books they spirited away from the library, but the locals have other plans.

What a cozy book! Yes, there are some serious themes in the background and Kiela and Caz seem to be suffering from fleeing unrest. Otherwise, the stakes are much lower while still a fantasy. You might enjoy this if you liked Bookshops and Bonedust or Legends and Lattes. Caitlin Davies does a great job with narrating and her voices are enjoyable

Thank you to Macmillian Audio for an ALC on NetGalley. All opinions are my own. This book is due to be published 7/9/24.

This book was a splendid treat.

If you want a cozy low stakes fantasy, this book is the perfect fit.

Our main character, Kiela, finds herself in a precarious situation when the library she worked and lived in is burned and raided. She seeks refuge in a small village that was her first home as a child and is now the place where she keeps some of the worlds most precious objects... books. But these are no ordinary books, they are spell books that contain forbidden magic. In her mission to protect the books, she uses them to help the people of the village and that's when things go a little haywire...

I loved everything about this. It was such a warm read that made me excited to jump back into fantasy after a long hiatus (I've been on a romance binge as of late). I absolutely recommend this book especially to people just starting out with fantasy. I think it's the perfect intro.

As for the narrator, Caitlin Davies did a fantastic job!

4/5

This book didn't end how I thought it would, that being said it also didn't start how I thought it would. I was gripped from the second the story began in a library then thrown into the sea with Caz and Keila and along for the journey. I loved the growth Keila showed, and all of her depth of character. Caz was a delight, the merhorses were wonderful and all the fantastical world building.

What a treat of a story!
I don't have much familiarity with cozy fantasy books, but to me, this is such a wonderful example of one!
Sarah Beth Durst infuses this story with such incredible and vivid descriptions of the town, surrounding environment, and a lovely tiny cottage home, making the setting a vital character to the story. She really transports the reader to the island of Caltrey, providing the perfect backdrop for our characters to play off of.
While I felt like our main character went through some growing pains upon her arrival in Caltrey with regards to her treatment/approach with others on the island, she does become such a sweet and endearing character. As the reader, you spend the entire book wanting her to succeed in each and every one of her ventures, following her explorations and experimentations with true investment in the outcome.
While reading this story I was so impressed with the way Durst executed the development of each and every secondary/side character. These characters are fun, funny, and don't feel two dimensional. They have histories that enrich the way they interact with our main character and add so much to the overall story.
For me, the one stumbling point in this book is the romance. I initially really enjoyed the way it was developing and evolving as the story progressed and our characters became involved with more and more high jinks, but I do think Durst pushed the relationship a bit too quickly towards the end. Sometimes less is more and I feel that sentiment would have improved the execution of the romance in this story.
Overall, I absolutely adored this story! The audiobook was so much fun with a narrator whose voice breathed brightness and sunshine into the written words. If you're in the mood for a cozy fantasy or want to give this genre a try you can't go wrong with The Spellshop.

This book was magic. Pure, simple, cozy vibes and fresh ripe raspberry magic. I love the characters in this book, from Caz to Larran to Eidith, and Meep. There wasn't a character in this book that I didn't want to introduce myself and make friends with. Even the secondary cast of beings was amazing. The tree guardians, the seahorses, mermaids, and the flying cats! Kiela is an amazing MC, she started out so timid and stuck in her comfort zone. As more fantastical things started to happen around her it was great to see her grow and become such an integral part of the island. I enjoyed the romance between her and Larran and how sweet and awkward it was, Caz's remarks on such were hilarious and i found myself giggling at the banter. I also loved that there was so much representation in this book, some kinda disguised and fantastical but it was there none the less. I love this idea that with the right mid set and a little magic anything can be accomplished. The determination, sense of community, and loyalty all made this such a cozy read. One that i will reread and keep on my shelf .

The Narrator did an amazing job of bringing to life my tandem read!

Thank you Netgalley for this entertaining romantasy novel about a girl and her plant trying to escape the town they live, while also saving as many books as possible from the library she works at. When a revolution takes over their quait, happy town, Kiela and Caz flea with what books they can carry to her childhood home. There she finds a cute but nosy neighbor and a host of other people who will do whatever it takes to protect Kiela and Caz. The romance was sweet, but Kiela did drive me a bit crazy with some of her antics. She second guessed everything and her inner dialog was not necessary in this readers opinion, but over all absolutely adorable!

Even though I enjoy an occasional magic realism story I am realizing that cozy, fantasy books are not my thing. Much to my disappointment, I couldn’t get into this one, however, it looks like my feedback differs greatly as many have enjoyed The Spellshop immensely. The narrator did a wonderful job and Caz the spider plant made me smile and chuckle. The story wasn’t meaty enough or as fulfilling as the delicious cinnamon rolls. It didn’t keep me fully invested as I found my thoughts wandered frequently. I wonder if I would have enjoyed this more if I read it instead of listened. I am thankful to Bramble Publishers and the author, Sarah Beth Durst for this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was downright delightful
In the spell show we follow librarian Kiela as she rebuilds her life in the wake of a revolution that left he beloved library burned down. Having no where to go, she takes several cases of highly controlled magical books and her assistant, a sentient spider plant named Caz, to her childhood home. Upon her return home she finds her home massively over grown and dusty but much like she remembers. Despite her suspicion of others and desire to keep her book secret she finds herself befriending locals and deciding she wants to do her best to make life better for everyone in town.

I really loved this, it was very cozy and really what I’ve been looking for when people describe a book as cottage core. Kiela’s character development from anti-social librarian to a friend to many of the locals was really wonderful to witness. All of the relationships were delightful and wonderful to watch unfold, I really loved seeing Kiela learning to trust Larran.

The narration was delightful and consistent, the narrator does a great job with the various voices they use for all the characters along with imparting the feelings that Kiela is having throughout the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review

Caitlin Davies is a lovely narrator with a voice that perfectly matches the type of story The Spellshop is. It's a cute coming-of-age story as Kiela discovers that having people in your life can enrich it in ways you didn't expect.

Cozy fantasy is NOT my thing, so I don't know what I was expecting here. Personally I'm not sure if it's a 3 star read, but I gave it that rating because I think people who enjoy cozy and/or cottagecore fantasy will very much like this! I feel like this is a mismatch of book & readers, so it's not the book's fault that it didn't land for me. The imagery and the island is super dreamy, though.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for this wonderful, beautiful, perfect, ALC.

Caitlin Davies was a brilliant reader! Meep!

This story was absolute perfection. Meep. It is definitely staying in my top ten of the year. Meep. I loved Caz, Meep, and the magic. I adored Kiela and Larran and all the jam. I loved the found family!
Meeeep! I am so glad I pre-ordered a physical copy!

The Spellshop is a story about a woman who escapes the capital city in the middle of a violent revolution to the small, outer island where she was born. She has been in the city since she was 9 years old and has spent most of her time in the library. She is awkward around people and doesn't know how to interact with them. When she gets to the island she moves back into her family home that has been abandoned all these years but is afraid she will starve. She uses illegal magic to help her survive and to help the other people on the island who have been struggling for years. This book explores her interactions with the people who live on the island and how she learns some social skills. I really enjoyed the world building and pacing of this story. Watching Kiela figure out her life was interesting and fun. I really enjoyed this book but thought it was spoiled by a sentient plant who wanted to be referred to as a plural and the addition of a homosexual relationship that was not approved of by the women's families. I felt that these unnecessary additions did not add to the story and, in fact, took away from it in a pretty stark way. After the point in the story where these things came up the story fell flat as well. It became predictable and lacked the depth I felt had been developed earlier in the story.

What an adorable, fun, perfect cozy magical romance. All the characters were so enjoyable to follow. I love the dynamic between Kiela and her sentient snake plant assistant. This definitely gave magical hallmark vibes.

Caitlin Davies was such an enjoyable narrator. Great voice, pace, and flow. Her voice was perfect for this character and did a great job changing her voice for each character.

What an enjoyable read! Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Sarah Beth Durst for the ARC of the audiobook.

Absolutely delightful. The cover doesn't do it justice. A librarian flees the capital during a revolution and hides out in the remote island cottage from her childhood; the locals are a charming cast and the island setting is vibrantly drawn. Despite the "cozy" label, there's action and unexpected conflict to propel the plot. I thoroughly enjoyed this, despite the very predictable happy ending. The audiobook is adequate, with some differentiation of voices.

Thank you very much to Tor Books who kindly sent me an ARC to review and NetGalley for the audiobook access.

I loved this so much, the characters are amazing, fantastical creatures, and imagery. The storyline is one of my favorite ,a librarian and her talking spider plant ,flee for their lives saving crates if spell books , going home and starting over .I encourage readers to listen on Audio as the Narrator brings this story to life .