The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst, narrated by Caitlin Davies, is a cozy magical fantasy romance that will keep your serotonin levels high and stress levels low.

Kiela expected to live her whole life lost in the stacks of her library. When a revolution kicks off, the empire and her dear library is set ablaze. She’s forced to escape with her assistant Caz, a sentient spider plant, and as many magical books she could grab before fleeing. Back in the small island she was born on, she must find a way to help the people with illegal magic while finding a way to also help herself.

I found this absolutely adorable and cozy and just the perfect read for me. I believe this has similar themes to Legends & Lattes, but I’m still in line at my library for that one. The narrator was so perfect and really drew you into the story.

I loved Kiera’s development as she transitioned to being alone in her own little world to having to fend for herself and make friends. Caz was also a very sweet and caring character who goes through his own little growth.

This is without a doubt one of my top reads of the year. Don’t forget to pick up your copy as it’s in stores meow! ❤️ Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this lovely audio ARC!

A cozy fantasy with the best mix of characters! I loved them all and how they help the island come alive again. A touch of romance, lots of found family and amazing magical creatures. This story gave all the warm and fuzzies!

I adored this story. It’s fantastical and whimsical and just all around a wonderful summer cozy read. It gave me all the warm fuzzies with the found family vibes and the little sprinkle of a slow burn romance. There fantastical creatures and the setting is beautiful and did I mention a talking plant?! I just loved this. I have to purchase my very own copy for my shelves so I can revisit this place and these characters again.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early recording of the audiobook. I adored the narrator and am so glad I was able to listen to this story!

All opinions are my own!

I absolutely adored this audiobook. I think if I had read the physical copy it would have been a bit slow for me, but I thought the narrator did a great job with the material. Story and characters were cute and easy to digest. Definitely a great cozy fantasy.

OMG! This book is amazing, it’s cozy, cute and totally swoon worthy. This was a perfect low stakes summer read that feels like a mini vacation. Keila is a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssum, a revolution happens, and she must flee the city with a cache of stolen spell books and a sentient spider plant named Caz. They travel by boat and watch the city burn not knowing where they will go and what they will do, until Kiela remembers her parents’ house back on the island of Caltrey. When they arrive, they must start to build a new life and forge new friendships on an island with unstable magic. Slowly they develop a plan to survive with some funny things happening along the way. The small-town vibes create a fast found family with a brooding handsome love interest who happens to be the neighbor. The fantastical creatures abound in this book and bring a smile to my face every time I think about them. The banter was believable, but I favored the smart aleck dialogue of Caz. The world building was on par with higher stakes fantasy novels and it’s definitely a world you want to get lost in. I listened to the Audiobook production by Caitlin Davies, and she knocked it out of the park. She brought The Spellshop to life and made the story feel like magic.

After escaping the empire’s burning library with crates of spellbooks, librarian Kiela returns to her hometown to sell jam, as a front for a secret spellshop. Can she overcome her distaste for socialization to revive the town? What’s the deal with that ruggedly handsome neighbour who keeps trying to help her fix up her childhood house? Can she keep forbidden magic a secret when the empire catches up with her?

Truthfully labelled as “cottagecore romantasy”, the author has created a diverse world where merehorses, mythical neighbours, and a sentient spider plant don’t feel out of place. The cute slow burn romance was also just right. This does have some intensity, and I had to keep reading to find out if it would turn out ok, but don’t worry: the ending was very satisfying. The audiobook narrator did an excellent job at providing just the right emotiveness and intensity for my listening taste.

I really appreciated the magical, cozy world the author created - this is one of those books I wish I lived in! If you're looking for a cozy cottage fantasy with a hint of romance, then this book might be fore you!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you love the whimsy and cozy charm of Kiki’s Delivery Service, I highly recommend this book. It’s a low-stakes fantasy with a genuinely sweet romance, the perfect magical setting of a small island town, and it has my absolute favorite trope of all time: found family. Now that is the heart of The Spellshop, despite it being advertised as a romantasy. The romance is there, but it’s not the central point of the book.

From the cottage core vibes to the plethora of magical critters and very interesting (and lovable) island neighbors, this story is brimming with all kinds of magic. The main character, Kiela, is so very relatable and her sentient spider plant named Caz is the best friend we all need in our lives. I found every character to be unique and they all fit around Kiela like the perfect puzzle pieces. By the end of it all, I found myself missing the lot dearly. And while the story itself was quite simple, I can’t imagine it being more perfect.

This is my 50th book of the year and it may very well be my favorite so far! It was perfectly cozy, whimsical, and full of enough light magic to make one’s soul sparkle while reading it! It’s the kind of story I’d like to climb inside of and live in.

Kiela was relatably awkward and book-obsessed. The townsfolk (aside from grumpy meddlesome Federer) made a splendid found family. Caz and Meep were wonderfully adorable. The tree spirits and unicorn and winged cats and merhorses— all the magical creatures mentioned in this book made the magic come alive and be filled with color! And Larran was the most flawless cinnamon role MMC a reader could ask for! A man who builds bookshelves without being asked?! Heck yes. Sign me up!!

I truly loved this book from the first page to the last and immediately pre-ordered a physical copy upon finishing the ARC audiobook. Thank you to the author for a free audio copy of the book via NetGalley. This honest review was written of my own accord.

I enjoyed The Spellshop for the most part. What I liked most about this book are the cozy fantasy vibes within the setting, the writing, which is full of lovely imagery, and the community of townspeople in Kiela's hometown.

However, this book did take some time for me to get into. The beginning felt very slow, which I usually don't mind, but there were times when I felt quite annoyed with the main character. I thought she was silly for not wanting help from her neighbor, especially when he had proven multiple times to be a nice, helpful person (like offering to do repairs, give her food, clean her house, etc.). Also, the idea of her trying to maintain her once very isolated life in a new, small village when she just arrived felt a bit ridiculous and made her a bit unlikable to me. People would naturally notice her arrival and wonder about her. Not to mention the village is in need of extra food and repairs from chaotic weather events and yet she only seemed to care about hiding in her house.

Thankfully, that part didn't last too long. The story got better with Kiela slowly warming up to the community and when she started secretly helping the village by using the knowledge within the books to improve their (and her own) quality of life. Oh, the power of jam and magical pinecones! Every time a villager came by to gush about their newly revived fruit trees or bought Kiela's jam I got so happy. And every scene that involved Kiela learning spells, the appearance of fantasy creatures like mermaids and unicorns, Caz simply existing, or the townspeople and the male lead coming to interact with Kiela were my favorite. Especially the male lead. I loved pretty much every one of his scenes. He was so kind and a genuine sweetheart. His love for his merhorses and the way he saw the goodness within the main character and liked her (admittedly before I did) was heartwarming to read.

With that being said, once the story shifts its attention to everything involving the imperial inspector and the government stuff, my enjoyment kinda tanked. I wish the story kept the stakes low and the vibes cozy and wholesome more than it actually did. And as much as I appreciated how well everything wrapped up, the things that annoyed me were hard to ignore and hindered the reading experience, but the things I liked were major highlights.

I really wanted to like this book but it just fell flat for me. It’s sweet and quirky and gives all of the best cozy fantasy vibes, so I think this is just a case of “it’s me, not you”
A beautiful addition to this book though is Caz. He added such a fun touch to the book. As a magically created sentient spider plant, Caz is the equivalent of a talking dog, although he’d be aggrieved to be spoken about like that lol. He has a very unique relationship with Kiela that was so endearing.
This is a heartwarming and wholesome story filled with wacky wonderful creatures, love and friendship. I’m sure many people will adore this book, there is a lot to love. I just unfortunately never felt a real connection to the story and was continually finding myself bored.

Thank you NetGalley for this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Bramble and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

The Spellshop is a cozy fantasy featuring charming characters and an intriguing magical world. Kiela is a librarian striving to save books from destruction. And she is assisted by her spider plant, Caz, who can think, talk, and move on his own.

The book features a sweet romance with a childhood acquaintance, a bit of mystery and danger, and absolutely amazing creatures. The merhorses were my favorites. I also loved the way that spells and magic worked in the world.

Part of Kiela's motivation/fear didn't make sense to me. It seemed to me that she saved, rather than stole books. And I also found the story a bit long and rambling at times. It could have ended a bit earlier.

Caitlin Davies narrated the 12 hour book beautifully. She captured the many different characters (even the plants) well.

I really enjoyed the vibes and world. If I am going to be transported to another dimension for a long time, then this is a lovely fantasy world to visit.

3.5 stars rounded up

Over all this book was good, but it wasn’t a good book for me.

The characters were written well, and the overall story line was enjoyable. But I struggled to get into it and stay hooked.

This book is like a warm hug 🤗 This is not my typical type of fantasy read. There is no extreme war or fighting BUT there are lots of wonderful creatures, magic and kindness. I definitely loved the description of the world & it made me ready to dive into this book and live in it.

Thank you to the publishers & author for this ARC!

The Spellshop is an incredibly lovely story! The characters are charming and relatable. Kiela is a librarian who doesn't have any (human) friends or family at the start of the story. When she is forced to flee the library and city where she has lived most of her life, she chooses to go back to the island where she was born and spent her childhood. In order to survive on this island, she has to learn to trust people and make friends. Even though she is an adult, due to all of the personal growth she experiences, the story reads a bit like a coming-of-age tale.
There is a bit of romance in the book, but it doesn't overtake the whole plot which I appreciate.
I listened to the audio book and the narrator did a fantastic job!
Thank you to #netgalley and #macmillan audio for a free copy of the audio book in exchange for an honest review.

The Spellshop may easily snuggle into my reading history to claim the spot of “Coziest Book EVER”. A jam shop, a transient spider plant, cloud bears, found family, and a main character whose love for books rivals my own…yup, I don’t think it could have been any cozier!

Written by Sarah Beth Durst, The Spellshop’s main character has blue hair, a passion for books and independence, an adorable sense of humor, and an incredibly tender, wise heart. Couldn’t find fault with her and absolutely adored her. The love interest was endearing, kind, gentle, and adorable, so he was easy to swoon over, too. Can character’s be too cute? I can’t decide, but wouldn’t never speak ill of these too precious characters.

This is the perfect book for a bit of a mental break or when you need something that is simply good, sweet, wholesome vibes!

The audiobook was absolutely fine. Caitlin Davies is able to achieve a lovely range of voices for each character. Surprisingly, the one voice I didn’t love was the one she did for Caz, the sentient spider plant. It just wasn’t what I’d imagine for…talking flora. Regardless, her reading was enjoyable. Just make sure to have the volume up so you can hear the soft, low register of the handsome neighbor’s voice.

A big, cozy thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me the privilege of listening to the ARC of this super sweet book.

The Spellshop was published July 9, 2024.

3.5⭐️ This story wraps you in a magical hug, filled with endearing characters, magical creatures, sentient plants, heartfelt moments & a cute love story.

I do think that being in the right reading mood is essential for fully appreciating this book, especially given its low-stakes and cozy vibes.

Despite the captivating setting and cast of characters, I was hoping for a bit more with the romance plot. Even just some more scenes between the main characters to deepen their chemistry and connection. The sparse romantic moments left me yearning for a more developed and satisfying love story.

While the story itself is enchanting, the audiobook narrator’s performance was sometimes a bit over the top, which detracted from the overall experience. The exaggerated voices and dramatization occasionally overshadowed the story’s whimsical charm and nuanced emotions. I do think this will be better read as a physical copy book.


Perfect for those seeking an enchanting escape, it’s a delightful journey that warms the heart.

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for an audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars!

A charming and cozy fantasy romance set in an absolutely lovely world perfect for fans of cozy fantasy like Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries and Legends & Lattes!
--
Summary:
Kiela is perfectly content in her job at the capital library, watching over a collection of spell books and passing her days in quiet solitude with only her assistant--a sentient spider plant named Caz--for company. However, when a revolution in the capital sets the library ablaze, Kiela has no choice but to grab as many of the spell books as possible and flea the city with Caz. With her parents gone and no place to go now that her home for the past decade is engulfed in flames, Kiela heads to the only other place she knows.

Retreating to her family's abandoned home on the island where she was born, Kiela is determined to lay low, keep her head down, and avoid attracting any attention to herself or the crates of very illegal spellbooks she has in her possession. Sure the people are nice, and her neighbor is... interesting. But relationships are not worth the risk of getting caught with the books. Except that, the more she gets to know the island's inhabitants and their struggles, the more she finds herself wanting to help, and she can't help but wonder if all of their answers could really be found just inside a book.
--
I really enjoyed this book! It took a little while to get invested as the beginning moves slowly, and Kiela took a few chapters to grow on me, but once I started meeting the villagers, I was won over! I love the cast of characters in this book, which is good because it is a very character-centric story. While there is a plot, of sorts, the main focus of the storyline is on Kiela, her relationships with other characters, and her journey of finding her place. While I felt that some part dragged a bit, the slow, cozy pace and focus of the story was part of its charm, and I really enjoyed getting to know the island alongside Kiela!

I listened to the audiobook version of the novel, and I really enjoyed the recording! Caitlin Davies did an excellent job with the narration and bringing all the characters to life. I really enjoyed the way she gave all the major characters a distinct voice, making it easy and natural to follow group conversations and tell who was speaking. I definitely recommend giving the audiobook a listen!

What I Loved:
- Super cozy fantasy vibes!
- A great cast of characters! I absolutely adored the core group of villagers!
- A very sweet, cozy, slow burn romance storyline!
- I didn't know sentient plants was a trope I needed, but I loved it.
- A really well done audiobook recording!

What I Didn't Like:
- The beginning was slow and it took a bit for me to get invested.
- The last 20% of the book started to drag for me, but it was quick enough to get through, and I liked the ending overall.

In all, I really liked this book a lot and highly recommend it to cozy fantasy readers!

This book was cute! I wasn't 100% sure what to expect when I requested this book but was looking for a lighter read than what I had been reading recently so wanted to give it a try. Kiela and Caz are trying to figure out how to live life outside the library on a remote island. This book has magic, romance (very light on the romance in my opinion), personal growth, and found family. Not to mention mer-horses, mermaids and a talking spider plant.

f I had to describe this book in one word it’s FUN.

This was just straight FUN FUN FUN from start to finish.

A librarian that has to flee her library home for a cottage in the woods on a remote island and can only bring along the magic books she’s saving and her sentient spider plant/best friend? Then decides to open a secret spellshop where she also makes & sells jam? Yes, just yes to all of that. It’s my fantasy really.🪴🍒💜

I found myself smiling to myself multiple times while listening, just amused and so glad I could listen to this book.

If you liked Legends and Lattes you will love this book, the narration is fantastic! @caitlindaviesny just knocks this audiobook out the park! Anxious Caz! Meep the Cactus! 🌵All of it. I wish I could listen again for the first time.

I really hope @sarahbethdurst writes more books set in this world and with these characters. 💜💜💜

Thank you so much to @macmillan.audio for the ALC.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC Audio Copy!

I will start off by saying that the audiobook of this is wonderful. The Narrator does a wonderful job with the story and characters.

When it comes to cozy fantasy I want to love it so much but sometimes it just doesn't hold my attentions. This is not one of those. I loved every moment of this story. The stakes were high enough to keep me interested but also not so high that it took away from the coziness. I loved every character, the island, even the "villain" was scary but also redeemable.

If you are a fan of cozy fantasy, or just wanting to try it out I definitely recommend this story.