A Spellbinding Odyssey Through Time and Love, Enchanted by Stephanie Cannon's Magical Narration

The Vanishing Bookstore by Helen Phifer is a Historical Fantasy Romance narrated by Stephanie Cannon that took my breath away and stole my heart.

The narrator's performance was absolutely magnificent. Stephanie Cannon gave every character their own voice and aura, making them come alive as if you could see them. The rhythm of her narration is so smooth and soothing that I could listen to it all day long.

The book itself is marvelously written. The world-building is exquisite and immersive, and all the characters are crafted so artfully that I felt as if I was right by their side, watching them grow and evolve throughout their quest. The story kept me enthralled from start to finish, and nothing could distract me until the explosive and utterly satisfying ending.

The pace was perfect, and though action-packed, it never felt overwhelming. Despite the narrative moving back and forth from past to present, which I normally dislike, it was so delicately woven that it made the story even more impactful.

Overall, this audiobook is a masterful blend of exceptional narration and captivating storytelling. It’s a mesmerizing journey that I highly recommend to anyone looking for an engaging and unforgettable listening experience.

Immense thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the Advanced Listening Copy. Your kindness gave me the chance to immerse myself in this magical story.

This story centers around what appears to be an ordinary bookstore with a dark and enigmatic history. The MC is a determined investigator with a knack for solving the unsolvable.

Thank you, Helen Phifer and NetGalley, for this ARC.

Rating: 4.5/5
Recommendation: Perfect for readers who love atmospheric mysteries with a hint of the supernatural and a touch of bookish charm.

I just could not get into this book.. I have read two of the three Maria Miller novels by this author, and enjoyed them, so was intrigued enough by the concept here to give it a try. Unfortunately I neither cared for the narrator nor the direction of the story, and it quickly became apparent that this was not a good book for me. I just didn't enjoy the writing or the insta-connections between the characters...

#NetGalley #ARC #TheVanishingBookstore
The Vanishing Bookstore by Helen Pfifer was my first ARC (advanced reader copy) ever, and I will always be grateful for that. This does not mean I will not be critical in my review, however. After all, why bother reviewing a book if you're not going to be honest? So don't worry, dear reader. everything in this post is my honest opinion. It was also my first book from Helen Phifer, but hopefully not the last, as I am rather interested in some other works by her.






I must confess, I wasn't really sure about the book in the beginning. The story opens in 1692 and right there, in Salem, America, the family of definitely-not-witches has a pet raven named... Hades? That name just threw me off. It's edgy, and I am really not sure if the Greek gods were known in 17th century America, so even though it is possible (I really, really don't know this one, though my better learned friends support me in my disbelief, please let me know if you know better), it felt like a pointless anachronism to me. As you might be beginning to gather, I can really get stuck on tiny details like this and it hurts my final review, usually. Btw, pro tip, if you don't want to be persecuted for being a witch, maybe don't keep pet ravens? And don't name them after gods of underworld? That should be common sense, right? And don't go "Oh he told them that was his name," because if they _spoke_ with him, they have no right to claim they were not witches then and it beats the entire point. The fact this never gets adressed was kind of meh to me.

Which is a pity, because for the next several hours I was listening to the audiobook I was very much buying what the author was selling. A curse through time, fated love that doesn't jumpscare you in the first chapter, a very reasonably explainable mystery of a "vanishing", or rather vanished, bookstore... A very pleasing listen to be sure. Creepy witch hunters always a plus, apparently! And even though Gucci was namedropped so many times they better be sponsoring this book, it felt plausible (unlike a certain ravens name, sorry...)

The intimacy was tasteful, but placed in a really, really distasteful place. I mean, sure, given the info the heroine had she didn't have a sence of urgency, but still, wouldn't it be better to wait after the looming evil was dealt with? How was she in the mood, knowing there was a lunatic after her and her aunt(s)? And how did he get it up, when he oh so loves her and she was still in constant danger?

All that being said, the atmosphere was on point, the tiny looks at the sad history of Salem interesting but not patronizing or shallow. the magic wasn't too indepth, but I felt like that was not the point of the book - family, love and bonds crossing time, but also the need to let go and let things end was. And those themes were lovely in the way the author decided to present them in.

All in all, I very much enjoyed the book, even though it wasn't my all time favourite. A solid 4/5 stars, and a great first read of this year.

Hope you pick this book up and enjoy it as I did.

Stay kind

Cyan

The Vanishing Bookstore was atmospheric and gave similar vibes as Discovery of Witches and Spells for Forgetting. If you loved those books you will love this one too.
A legacy of Salem witches forced to relive their tragedies over and over until the spell can be broken and the bookstore found.
Dora has no memory of her previous lives or her own mother until it's almost too late. Dora has a lovely little flower shop and a friend named Katie who is helping her out while Dora goes to Salem to finally meet her mother who she thought was dead. This turn of events unleashes an old terror and a race to find the long buried answers.

If you like books with magical realism, I would definitely recommend The Vanishing Bookstore by Helen Phifer. It reminds me of Weyward by Emilia Hart and The Witches of El Paso by Luis Jaramillo. This novel hooked me from the start, keeping me guessing about what mystery was waiting around the next corner. It blends historical elements from the Salem witch trials with a touch of magic, telling the story of women cursed to relive their lives across centuries, always meeting the same tragic fate.

In 1692 Salem, a young woman hides a journal in a mysterious bookstore before fleeing into the night. Moments later, the bookstore vanishes without a trace. Centuries after, Dora arrives in Salem to meet the mother she thought had died, only to learn their lives are in danger. As Dora digs into her family’s past, she uncovers secrets tied to the vanished bookstore and must face the dangers that await her.

I found the book imaginative and loved how the magical elements carried throughout the story. However, the epilogue left me a bit confused—does it set up a second book? If not, it felt a little random. Despite that, it was a compelling read that I highly recommend for fans of historical fiction with a mystical twist.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ALC!

Fantasy and supernatural books can be very hit or miss for me, but I was intrigued to read this as I have read, and loved, some of Helen Phifer's brilliant thrillers. I was completely immersed from the very start of this incredible story and safe to say this was absolutely a big hit!

From 1692 until the present day, a family of cursed Salem Witches live their lives on repeat, whilst being hunted down by the same evil, reincarnated form of the man who tried to harm them in 1692.

In the present day, Dora is the focus of the story, oblivious to her chequered history, the secrets her family hold and the real reason her mother gave her up. As Dora's family nurture her and guide her to recover her buried memories, the women are once again in danger as they strive to triumph against evil and break the curse that hangs over them all.

The writing was captivating and I loved the descriptions, the characterisation and the magical story, which was beautifully and realistically brought to life by Stephanie Cannon, one of my favourite voice actors.

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Helen Phifer and Bookouture, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

A witchy romance perfect for fans of Practical Magic!
I enjoyed accompanying Dora as she discovered her magical heritage and grappled with dark family secrets. There were plenty of sinister twists and turns and a truly scary villain. I would have preferred less POVs, sticking to just Dora and Ambrose so that their love story would have more screentime. Other that than, this is a fast-paced book with likeable characters and oodles of magic!

This was my first witch book as an adult. I remember doing research in high school about the Salem Witch Trials. It was interesting.

I thought by the title that this would involve the bookstore a little bit more. It was a good story about witches, curses, bad people, and history. The English sisters have lived several lives trying to break a curse put upon them. You follow them in their most current life. They have kept the youngest niece out of the mix this time to see if history wouldn't repeat itself. Unfortunately, it has kinda backfired on them because she doesn't remember her past until the very last minute. I feel like the Ambrose part was forced. I would have liked for that relationship to be built up a bit.

The story flips between the 1600's and present day but it moves around in a bit of hap-hazard way that feels disjointed. The premise sounded interesting but it's hard to describe why this book wasn't a good fit for me. The narrator is pretty good but so it's got to be the writing that feels stilted and lacking depth. I just felt like too many characters were introduced quickly and all over the place with the flashback and forward. I almost felt like I entered the book halfway through at the start. I'm sad to say that I DNF.

An enjoyable if somewhat predictable story about a family of witches forced to live their lives over and over again until they can defeat a witch hunter. I felt slightly underwhelmed by the characters, none of them felt fully developed to me. I would have liked a bit more back story regarding the origins of their magic. At some points it felt like the reader was thrust into a story in the middle without knowing what came before which is, I suppose, the way the main character feels given her lack of memories at the beginning. The ending was satisfying but felt a bit rushed. All in all an entertaining read but not terribly memorable.

I listened to the audiobook of The Vanishing Bookstore and found it an easy escape into the witchy lives of the English sisters. The narrator was good although the English accents were a bit lacking. I couldn’t correlate the character of Dora being in her 30s so I read the book pretending she was in her early 20s instead. Despite this, I really enjoyed the story and the writing and look forward to reading more from Helen Phifer.
Thank you to NetGalley & Bookouture for my digital copy to review.

The Vanishing Bookstore blends the generational mystery of Wayward, with the familial bonds of Practical Magic.

I really enjoyed the mystery. I thought the plot and characters were compelling, and I remained interested the entirety of the story. At times the plot would turn a little cozy, a little silly, which removed me from the eerie thrill and why this book fell into a 3-star "I liked it" rating.

It had all the witchy elements: a family curse, nature spells, secrets, hidden grimoires, familiars, and fated loves, making this a great choice for fans of all things witchy.

I had a good time, but I don't know that anything about this story will linger on in my mind. There were not any unique ideas or quotes that jumped out at me.

I enjoyed my audio experience as well. It was clear and easy to understand the narrator. There were a few character voices that sounded very similar, but there were also a lot of characters to create voices for.

Thank you to NetGalley for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved everything about this. Salem witches. Reincarnation.
Animal familiars!!!! And love that finds them every lifetime.
Absolutely beautiful and the audiobook was done so well. I felt like it kept me interested and engaged in the story the whole timeeeee. I need more.

The Vanishing Bookstore by Helen Phifer
Release Date: January 7th
3.5 Stars.

What was wonderful about coming across this title was that it was recommended to me by a friend who had received the ALC before I had, knowing that I enjoyed books fantasy books that feature witches. The description reminded me of stories I had already read, in particular Weyward and The Once and Future Witches, and I was keen to apply.

I found Dora’s story quite enchanting, from being a young woman running a floral shop in London, to stumbling into a century’s old family mystery. I enjoyed the two timelines (1692 Salem and Present Day) and thought that it added a good sense of intrigue. The female characters in this book were also enjoyable, and in particular I enjoyed the bond between members of the family. Also, Hades was the best addition.

I did find issue with some of the plot (mostly being I found it difficult to conceptualise reasoning behind some of the actions that took place) and I would have liked a tad more romance, but overall, it was a well-done story.

The reader, Stephanie Cannon, also did a superb job and I would definitely listen books she has read again in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for giving me the opportunity to listen to the ALC.

This sounded like such a fascinating read, and I loved that I got to read this in audiobook form. It was narrated by Stephanie Cannon. She’s new to me, but was wonderful with this story, adding just the right touch of emotions to make this a believable story, despite it involving elements of fantasy or magical realism.

I was captivated by the story instantly. I was already prepared to love it, but the writing and characters sold me on this book, as if I needed more to be sold on. The idea of a vanishing bookstore and a family of witches with a hidden past was already appealing to me, but how Phifer wrote the story sucked me in from the start to the end.

The story is told in two timelines—the present day focusing on Dora and her journey, and a historical timeline that takes place just outside Salem in 1692 and focuses on a family of witches. Both timelines were equally appealing, which I don’t find often. I tend to enjoy one or the other more, but in this book, I couldn’t find one that I enjoyed a bit more. I loved the historical aspect of the past timeline, and watching how the story unfolded. I also loved how the present-day timeline incorporated elements from the 17th century yet made them thoroughly modern.

Dora was one of my favorite characters. Her ability to just accept strange things as normal was impressive, as she learned more about her family and who she is. I enjoyed watching her get to know her mother for the first time, and seeing her aunts interact with each other, showing how much alike the sisters are. Her aunts are wonderful as well, although we don’t really get to know her mother very much.

Basically, the main conflict in the book is women who very much love living together, and don’t want to do anything that will cause them to lose their autonomy. In today’s world, a woman who works and lives independently is an accepted thing in America and England, while in the 17th century, especially in Salem, it could get you labeled as a witch, with disastrous consequences. And that’s exactly what happens—a woman retaining control over her own life turns down a man who is smitten with her and won’t accept no for an answer.

There’s a lot of tensions in the story and it made this a fast-paced, exciting read. I finished it in less than 24 hours, and you know it’s a knockout read when I don’t even get distracted while listening to an audiobook for long periods of time. The story flows so smoothly it felt like I was experiencing it with the characters, and my heart was pounding by the end of the book.

Overall, I have so many positives listed, and I’m sure I forgot a few because that’s what always happens when I have to write a review for a book I loved. But the important thing here is that I didn’t notice any negatives. Everything about this story was wonderful, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. You might like this book if you like stories about witches, Salem, the witch trials, learning more about witch finders, books featuring a historical mystery, and stories with a touch of romance.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC of this audiobook.

It was part Hocus Pocus, part Practical Magic, and totally cozy. I enjoyed it. Would be a perfect October/Fall read!

Fantasy and romance are typically genres I avoid, but this novel was realistic enough to hold my interest throughout. It also includes a sprinkling of historical fiction, as it moves back and forth in time from the days of the witch hunts in Salem, MA to modern day London where the main characters live in the present day.

The three English sisters, Leonora, Sapphora, and Luciene, describe themselves as healers but are accused of witchcraft and were tortured and hanged in the 17th century, when the community of Salem was in the throes of witch hunts. Leonora's spurning of George Corwin's romantic overtures had led him to curse her and her family with a spell that both caused her early death and also immortalized them; the women's bodies died over and over, but their spirits returned to a new life, generation after generation. In present day London, the Luciene's daughter Dora is living with her aunt Lenny and working as a florist when Lenny persuades her accompany her on a business trip to America. The trip's real purpose is to return Dora to the home she has forgotten in order to put an end to the curse that plagues the family, but to accomplish that, Dora must find the book of magical spells that she hid when she fled Salem centuries before.

The title of the novel is somewhat misleading. Though a bookstore does play a part in the story, little of the novel's action takes place there, and it's hardly a focus of much of the plot. But this quibble aside, it's an engaging story that will probably appeal to those who enjoy low fantasy, witchy tales, and historical fiction. 3-1/2 stars. Thank you to the publisher and #NetGalley for providing a complimentary audiobook download in exchange for an objective review.

(3.5 stars)
First let me say that I really enjoyed this story! This was my first book by Helen Phifer and I will be looking to read others in the future.

The Vanishing Bookstore takes place mostly in two time periods: 1692, Salem, Massachusetts (yes, the witch hysteria) and current day in both London, England and Salem. Three sisters are considered witches and are arrested and hanged in 1692, along with one of the sisters’ daughter. Somehow - and for this you need to suspend your disbelief and go with the flow - they are cursed to live over and over again and die over and over again at the hands of a witch hunter from 1692.

The three sisters have distinct personalities, which was great. Dora/Isadora is the daughter of one of them and in present-day, is around 30, running a small flower shop in London. She lives with one of her aunts, nicknamed Lenny, who is a doctor. When Lenny receives a frantic message from her sisters in Salem, she convinces Dora to come with her on a “holiday” - since Dora knows nothing about her history.

George Corwin is the witch hunter and makes an excellent villain. And I loved Hades, the crow, who was the sisters' familiar. They referred to him as their "watcher."

I did have a few issues with the book, starting with its title. The bookstore aspect is barely there, and it wasn’t even really a bookstore at all. The magic wasn’t described well, and it took almost to the end of the book to explain how the women were able to be reincarnated over and over again and how George Corwin managed to seem immortal. There was another character, Ambrose, who tried to save Dora in 1692 and somehow he kept getting reincarnated too, but that never really got explained. Also, while the audiobook narrator did a lovely job, I missed having authentic accents for the characters from England and from Massachusetts. No one had any particular accent at all - and accents, for me, truly make audiobooks come alive. In addition, the epilogue didn’t add anything to the book, unless it was supposed to be a hint about a future sequel.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

*The Vanishing Bookstore* is an enchanting tale about Dora, a Salem witch who has lived for centuries but has lost all memories of her past life. Now, she must rediscover where she hid a powerful book long ago—a book that could hold the key to saving herself and her loved ones.

This novel is perfect for readers who adore cozy witchy vibes and the nostalgic charm of '90s classics like *Practical Magic* and *Hocus Pocus*. From the very first page, Dora’s story draws you in, plunging you into the suspense of her daring escape from the town folk.

The ending, while satisfying, left me craving just a bit more—a testament to the compelling world the author has created. Aunt Lenny was by far my favorite character and reminded me of the actress Stockhard Channing from Practical Magic.

The audiobook, narrated by Stephanie Cannon, is a true delight. Her performance brings each character vividly to life, and even the male voices are skillfully done. I usually cringe at most narrators male voices.

I would definitely recommend *The Vanishing Bookstore* to all my fellow witchy friends. It’s a spellbinding journey you won’t want to miss!