4.25 ⭐

This was such a great book.
I really loved the characters and the storyline. I have such a strong connection to witches and salem so I was so honoured I received an ARC to read this.

I really loved that there was to things I know and love in our world, such as practical magic. So many fun easter eggs.

If you enjoy fantasy books and books about witches I would really recommend this book to you.

Helen Phifer has written this story in such a thrilling way and I wish there was more to read.

Thank you to Helen Phifer & Bookouture & NetGalley for this arc.

2/5⭐

I was intrigued by the cover, the title and the blurb. However I was disappointed.

I thought that the story will be around the Vanishing bookstore when actually it was mentioned only twice.

There could have been more information on the Salem witch trial.

The romance between Dora and Ambrose seems not well panned and was a bit rushed. As well Dora is supposed to have that powerful abilities but we see them nowhere in use when needed. She as well don't seem to act her age - there is no way with this behavior to be 33! More like 18..

The book starts extremely slowly and I was really to give up there but by the mid of the book it peak a bit. However the ending is one of the disappointments - feels like the author just wanted to finish in a certain number of pages and folded everything in a tiny space. The final battle at the end seemed not so important and resolved in a very unimpressive way.

The book can go without the epilogue.

For a book with witches, curses and supposedly vanishing bookshop I found it misleading, undeveloped and rushed.

I really enjoyed Hades the crow.

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

Dual timelines, curses and witches - yes please!!! This book has it all and was one of those reads that just fully immerses you into the characters and the predicaments they find themselves in from the start! I found it to be really atmospheric and evocative from the start so it throws you straight into the story!

In the past we're in Salem, in 1692, and it's full on witch hunt time! And in the present timeline, we meet Dora who is working in a florist and living with her Aunt, but has a really unsettling feeling about a male customer who badgers her, and this forces her Aunt to take some drastic action as they must return to Salem to rediscover a lost book. NOt that easy when Dora doesn't remember anything of her past lives.

I loved how well paced this story and it did give me Practical Magic vibes - never a bad thing! As Dora learns more about her past and it's a race against time to try and find the lost bookstore before it's too late. A magical read!

Imagine walking into a quaint, forgotten bookstore tucked away on a cobblestone street, only to find it brimming with secrets. Helen Phifer’s *The Vanishing Bookstore* is just like that—a story that pulls you in with its charm and keeps you hooked with its mystery. Phifer weaves an enchanting tale about a small, mysterious bookstore that seems to vanish as quietly as it appears, leaving behind only whispers of its presence. The protagonist, a book-loving sleuth, discovers more than just rare books within its shelves. The story is layered with rich atmosphere, vivid settings, and characters so relatable you almost want to reach out and join them on their quest. The beauty of this book lies in its balance. It's as much about the love of literature and the magic of stories as it is about the unraveling of an intriguing mystery. Phifer’s writing is cozy yet suspenseful, the perfect mix for a cold evening with a warm drink in hand. If you're someone who believes that bookstores have souls and stories have lives of their own, this book will feel like it was written for you. It’s an ode to readers, dreamers, and those who find comfort in the pages of a good book. Helen Phifer captures the timeless magic of books while giving you a puzzle you won’t want to put down. Whether you're a fan of cozy mysteries or just looking for an escape into a world where books truly come alive, *The Vanishing Bookstore* is a treasure waiting to be discovered.

A story that spans centuries, a lost book and a woman who has forgotten who she is and the danger she is in. This action packed fantasy story follows Dora as she travels from London to Salem in search of who she is. With the help of her family can she discover all that has been lost before it is too late?

I really enjoyed reading this with several moments that had me on the edge of my seat. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC.

Witches, different timelines, and a family curse? These are all things that drew me to this book. I enjoyed the pacing in the beginning. However, although the story was interesting and kept me turning the page, I felt almost rushed towards the end. It alternated between different timelines and would jump between our protagonists and antagonist perspectives. All while keeping things easy to follow.

Even though I wish the bookstore had been featured more throughout the story, I still adored the family bond between the characters. Lenny was my favorite character, and I would love to see side stories featuring her in other lifetimes. Ultimately, it was an enjoyable read, and I would recommend this book to people who enjoy cozy, witchy thrillers.

This was a 3.5 star read for me. It was an easy fast read and enjoyable, but there were a few things that I found irritating and which detracted. One was the colour of Dora's hair - silver in scene one and the women of her family being described as being famous for their unusual silver hair. Later on there was an explanation of their hair being black but turning silver when the witch finder was about to find them thanks to the curse - but the curse took place after that first scene. Secondly Dora barely reacted strongly to any of the things going on around her. Her best friend left looking after her shop now missing and lots of blood in the shop? Oh dear, that's not good. Moving on! And this centuries old curse being unable to be broken by repeated incarnations of the four women yet suddenly the answers just come to them and the ending being rushed.
Overall, this has the bones of a fantastic story but the inconsistencies needed to be addressed and a bit more depth given to the characters.

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A review by you!
The Vanishing Bookstore by Helen Phifer
adventurous emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75

Oh how I loved this book! As someone who grew up watching Charmed and loved Practical Magic and Hocus Pocus, this was the PERFECT read. The sisterhood and power of three was like coming home and it was such a new take on a witchy tale that is all its own.

Hades was by far my favorite of all the characters, though the aunts are such a close second. To have a pet bird, let alone a crow, that I could talk to?! Such a dream. I was so thankful that he didn't actually die when we got to the end.

I thought it was so interesting how they all reincarnated each time and was surprised that Dora was the only one who seemed to have trouble recalling her past lives. It seemed initially like maybe Ambrose did struggle in one of his past lives with remembering everything exactly but all of them seemed to have full memories of their pasts when we meet them, while Dora only has bits and pieces.

I do wish there had been a bit more information/closure when it came to Katie back in London and in regards to Dora's father. I would have loved if he had met Lucine after she passed or if maybe he was Hades. The epilogue also slightly confused me as I wasn't sure who the she was that discovered the Book of Black Magic. I wished we'd maybe received some insight into Dora and Ambrose's life now that they finally had the opportunity to actually live, instead. Though I do wonder if the epilogue leaves it open for there to be another book?

Overall I really enjoyed this and highly recommend for anyone with a love of all things witchy and magical look for a read with a touch of romance, the bond of sisterhood, and the journey of discovering who you truly are inside.

I think Helen Phifer has shot to the list of my top 5 authors! She can honestly not write a dud book if she tried! I first met her in all of the Maria Miller books, then the first Annie Graham and now a stand alone.

The Vanishing bookstore is so much more than the title suggests. A dual timeline-ish story set between London and Salem and over many centuries. It involves a cursed family who are doomed to recreate their lives and deaths over and over again throughout the years. The title was slightly misleading as the bookshop didn't get a lot of page space and I thought it would centre more in the story.

I loved the characters and thought recurring characters instead of more and more names to remember was clever. I thought the banter was fantastic and the animals characters stole the show. Who wouldn't want sassy witches who could drink you under the table for aunts?

This would be a great read if you have interest in the Salem witch trials or if you love witches, the paranormal or historical fiction. Bonus if you love all of the above! 4.5 stars from me!

My thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Helen Phifer for putting another excellent ARC in my hands. All opinions are my own.

This is a magical type of story. Be prepared to read it all at once. It was one of those stories that left me with the “what if” feeling. Great story.

Originally I dnf’d this book but I have since gone back and finished it. I had so much hope for this book because it sounded like such an interesting story. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me.
Positives first, it really was a cool concept. It had the potential to be really engaging. The characters were intriguing and I wanted to know more about them and where they came from. I love stories that intersect with the past and this should have made for a suspenseful mystery coming together.
It was the writing that let it down for me. Often I felt like I was just being told events instead of experiencing them. There seemed to be a disconnect from the emotion for me and it kept me from connecting into the story how I would have liked. This had all the potential and stuck the execution but I hope in the future to enjoy other works of the author as I think in terms of plot, they were onto something good.

A witchy novel about a vanishing bookstore set in Salem, Mass?! COUNT ME IN! Unfortunately, this book fell short off what was promised on the cover and title. There is absolutely nothing to do about a bookstore; the title is extremely misleading. It also doesn't vanish and reappear as implied with the title.

I am going to be honest-I DNF'd this book at 54%. It did not deliver on what I was expecting from the title and summary. I also found Dora to be an underdeveloped character and it really bothered me that she just seemed to tra-la-la through the story. Oh, I'm a 1600s witch? Okey Dokey. There is some crazy dude out to kill me? Nah Bro. No big deal. My bestie is missing and there is blood everywhere? NBD, I dont actually need to call the authorities and stress. I got a headache and seizures that sent me to the hospital. Tis ok! They released me in a couple hours.

In general, this book is promising, the outline is so intriguing. It just really fell flat.

The biggest win? I LOVED Hades. I loved the potential of a pink witchy cottage. I loved the sisterhood and family and history.

Due to this being a DNF I will not be submitting a review in Goodreads. I will continue to attempt to read this book and will adjust my review as applicable.

There seems to be a lot of Salem witch trial historical fiction/time travel novels coming out the last handful of years, so Phifer's basic plotline isn't exactly unique. The plot is a little unbalanced with about 70% of the novel being a leadup to Dora finding the lost bookstore and the final face-off, so the ending felt a little rushed. I also didn't love how easy it was for the bookstore to be found - especially since a certain character had been looking for it for decades. So that was a bit anticlimactic. The driving force for everything that happens is somewhat ridiculous... but also realistic (you'll understand once you read it, basically male fragility at it's finest).

Despite that, THE VANISHING BOOKSTORE was an enjoyable quick read that I think people who enjoy slightly witchy historical fictions will like.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review.

Dora owns her own lovely little floral shop in London where she was raised by her Aunt Lenny. When a customer comes in who is decidedly unsettling Dora discovers a family history that reveals her many lifetimes as a witch hunted by Salem witchunter George Corwin and her return home reunited her with her mother and Aunt Sept just in time for a final battle to win back their souls and freedom.

This is the first book I have read by this author, and I want to try more because of this story! Dora became a character that I could easily resonate with, and it was like you could feel the love and trust and familial longing with the English sisters. This story was not only heart warming, but also gives you some of the details of the Salem Witch trials that real people actually endured, making the heart break for the lost souls. It also shows how good a strong family bond can bring you together under any circumstances, and how life can be too short to not go for the things that make you happy or to be authentically you. It also shows you that not only family bond, but the love for a person can last and survive any obstacle thrown your way. I found this book to be eye opening, heart warming, as well as a little bit mysterious and I would definitely recommend it.

I loved, loved, loved the idea behind this one- a magical bookstore and a lead who is trying to uncover family secrets. What should've been an exciting read, I feel like I dragged my feet through majority of the chapters. There was so many missed opportunities to add suspense, deeper characters, and more engaging history. I genuinely thought Helen Phifer's writing style was wonderful and was the most redeeming factor in the book. I just left like I was left wanting so much more from this one, and it wasn't there.

Overall this book was entertaining, way lighter than I expected but had its dark elements.

The story is about a witch family who are all cursed to live out similar lifetimes on repeat with cruel fates, meanwhile hunted by a (cursed as well) witch hunter. The concept is really good, we get multiple POVs so everything becomes clear regarding the trouble they are in real quick.

My main concern was the pacing of the story. It starts out slower, with glimpses from the past, which is great because we get a detailed picture about what happened during the English women's first lifetime. We get to see the betrayal and horror they lived through, and it becomes obvious that their fate (AKA the witch hunter) catches up to them again in their present life. At this point, the pacing gets faster and I have ambivalent feelings about this.
On one hand, I really felt the urgency of everything they did, I almost heard the ticking of the clock and counted down the days with them. On the other hand, with this quick pacing the story didn't have the opportunity to truly reach its potential. For me, at least. There was no time to really feel the tension of some situations, to really play out some key points or grieve over something that happened. Again, I understand the other side and there was an underlying tension throughout the story which (in a good way!) grated on my nerves, but for me, it could've been more.

The FMC, Dora, was a bit childish IMO, despite being 33. She was mainly indecisive and she had a hero complex. Ambrose, the MMC was a secondary character. I'm all girlpower and feminism, but honestly his only role in the story was owning the bookstore, I don't know, I didn't really feel him. Dora's aunts on the other hand were strong and capable figures with funny moments. They tried their best and wanted to guide Dora, meanwhile living through their own personal hell.

I'm unsure about the meaning of the epilogue, maybe it hints about a sequel. I was curious about the "new" chapter of the English women's lives after the curse is broken, maybe they will return in a new book sometime and we get some glimpses :)

All in all, it was an entertaining story, thank you for the publisher and the author for the eARC and the opportunity!

Helen Phifer’s The Vanishing Bookstore is a thrilling and atmospheric mystery that seamlessly blends the charm of a quaint bookstore with the chilling intrigue of a small-town disappearance. This book delivers an irresistible combination of twists, suspense, and emotional depth, making it a standout read for mystery lovers and fans of gripping, character-driven storytelling.
The protagonist is compelling, driven by a mix of personal stakes and a determination to uncover the truth. Their journey is as much about solving the mystery as it is about grappling with their own past and forging new connections.
The supporting characters adds richness to the story, from the enigmatic townsfolk to the bookstore itself, which feels like a character in its own right. Their interactions are authentic and often poignant, adding layers of complexity to the central mystery.
The book’s atmosphere throughout is amazing. The descriptions of the vanishing bookstore are both eerie and enchanting, capturing the allure of books and the creeping unease of something amiss. Helen Phifer paints a vivid picture of the town and its surroundings, immersing readers in its quiet beauty and shadowy secrets.
The Vanishing Bookstore is an engrossing mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. With its compelling characters, richly drawn setting, and expertly crafted twists, it’s a book that will appeal to both seasoned mystery readers and newcomers to the genre. Helen Phifer has created a story that is equal parts chilling and heartwarming—a true page-turner that lingers in the mind long after the final chapter.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Helen Phifer for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Good narration, and voices could differentiate different characters. Enchanting relaxing voice to listen to. As listening to audiobook and read. Enjoyed the story, reminded me slightly of charmed. Wish there was abit more info on past lives and the magic side but would recommend!

Fantasy, even fantasy light, isn’t normally my choice of genre, but there was something about the cover and description that grabbed me. I wouldn’t describe this as a cozy fantasy, but it is on the tame side of world building and situations.

I loved that there was history of the Salem Witch trials tucked away inside Dora’s story. I’ve always been fascinated by this period. It did take me a little while to connect to the story, but once I did I was hooked. For me the romance was a little secondary. I wasn’t really feeling the years of love between the two, but that might be an author choice due to their circumstances. But I wanted to know all there was about the time loop and the family history.

A little bit of magic, a fight for life and some really great characters made this an enjoyable read. I was really a fan of the side characters in addition to the main ones. I was rooting for Dora and her aunt’s and their quest to overcome their curse and escape what might be their fate. This one really lived up to the cover and the description.

Stephanie Cannon Did a great job bringing the suspense and magic to life. She voice matched the aura of the book and was delightful to listen to.