Thank you NetGalley for the ALC of this novel.

Wow! I knew based on the blurb alone that I would love this. It more than delivered. 4.5 stars ⭐️

Witch? Curses? Salem Witch Trials? Endearing familiar? Strong female family relationships? Check!

The only place this novel fell short for me was the romance aspect. Ambrose and Dora had such a strong bond that lasted through lives centuries, but we didn’t get to see much of it. Romance isn’t at the forefront of the plot though so I’m willing to overlook that. However, if there’s any chance of a look into more of their story I am READY!

The narrator on the audiobook was lovely. I listen at 2.5 speed regularly, but had to slow down to 2.0. Probably could have gotten away with 2.25, but the NetGalley app doesn’t allow. *sigh*

Really enjoyed this! I would be so surprised if this doesn’t take off in popularity. So fun!

What an interesting story.
Parts kinda dragged and others kinda rushed but overall an enjoyable book.
Will definitely read more by this author.

This book is a bit out of my usual genre but I am finding the storyline compelling. A group of women who had been accused of witchcraft during the Salem witch trials are reincarnated, generation after generation, and try to rewrite their tragic end. Enchanting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was given the opportunity to listen to the audiobook before it was released. Thank you NetGalley and Bookoutoure Audio.

The narrator for this was Stephanie Cannon. I am always in awe by the different voices that any narrator can present when reading a book. She did such a wonderful job with the differentiation and she is very understandable. Her voice was pleasant to listen to.

This book was not what I was expecting. It has witches, magic, dual timeline, witch hunting and is set in Salem Mass. Their lives span over many centuries and they are cursed. They die and come back. Dora can only live to 35 and dies a different way each time. She comes back never remembering her past lives. The others believe she is the key to breaking the curse. They are on the run from this certain witch hunter and he seems to find them at some point in each lifetime.

This goes between current day and back to 1600 Salem during the witch trials. It was action packed and very easy to follow. I really enjoyed this book!

First of all I want to say thank you for the ARC, this is my first!

The plot takes place over many generations, in which the English sisters evolve and keep coming back to try to break the curse that began back in Salem during the witch trials.

What I liked: I was hooked on chapter one and wanted to read to know what would happen next. I loved the prose and figurative language that the author used. I loved reading about the historical aspects and enjoyed learning more about the witch trials.

What fell short for me: It started to get very predictable and hokey toward the middle through the end of the book. Maybe this was because I was reading the audiobook version and the reader's voice didn't match the story, in my opinion. The author developed the characters well over the course of the book, but at the beginning I found it confusing to keep up with, which again could have been due to the audiobook version. And I wish the actual vanishing bookstore was developed more. Throughout the book it was referred to as a cabin with a missing book hiding inside it but the bookstore part wasn't clear or an essential part of the story.

Overall, it has potential, but I would have recommended an alternate title such as The Immortal English Sisters or The Salem Sisters or The Language of Flowers or even The Blood Witch. The Vanishing Bookstore title gave it an erroneous expectation for the plot of the book. Readers who love historical fiction, witch trials, or time-travel type books will enjoy this book.

This story was a unique change of pace for me. After the Christmas season, a witches tale was definitely needed.

1692. On the outskirts of Salem, a bookstore stands covered in overgrown vines. Inside, a young woman hides a linen-wrapped journal under a loose floorboard and runs away, panicked by the sound of hounds barking in the distance. The bookstore vanishes into thin air…

Present day. Stepping inside a pale-pink house on one of the oldest streets in Salem, Dora can’t believe she’s about to finally meet the mother she thought died tragically when she was just a child. But the excitement is short-lived. Dora’s mother has fear in her eyes, and with a trembling voice she whispers: ‘my life is in danger, and now so is yours…’

I love these dual timelines, and believe me, there is action in each one. It is hard to pick which timeline I liked the most. The 1692 in Salem is so interesting but the present day is more intense.

Dora is a character I enjoyed…heck I enjoyed all of them. They are quirky and serious all at the same time. Add in the pet crow and you have a fun, intense and unique story.

The narrator, Stephanie Cannon, is pretty good. There were places that I felt she was a bit overly dramatic. But that could have been me.

Need a good witchy tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

The Vanishing Bookstore by Helen Phifer was a spellbinding story about a family of women accused of being witches during the Salem Witch Trials. This book has wonderful magical realism. The characters were complex and dynamic. The writing was beautiful. There were so many enjoyable aspects to this story that totalled up to being a fantastic historical fiction read perfect for fantasy lovers. The audiobook was wonderful. The narration really immersed me in the story.

Thank you to Bookoutoure Audio and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I always enjoy a good witchy book. This was no exception. This book is a very reminiscent of a Louisa Morgan or Alice Hoffman. I liked that it talked about places in modern Salem, because I was able to envision it as if I was there.
I enjoyed the sibling dynamics, not a perfect relationship but love each other through and through.
I think the main character, Dora, questions things for slightly too long for a logical mindset but it wasn’t so annoying that I was yelling at her to just believe them already. I’ve read books like that and they’re instant DNFs. This was not the case, just when I thought she was going to question things again, she said she believed.
The love story was cute and not overdone. The main part of the story was about Dora and her sisters.
This probably could have been a series too. Breaking down their trials and struggles across time, but this was a nice condensed version.
Overall, I would love to read this again during the fall season. It’s a bit strange to have this released in January but still good just the same.
I wish I could give half stars because I’d rate this a 4.5. It would have gotten a 5 if I was more emotionally invested in the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for this ALC in exchange for an honest review!

Anticipated Release date: Jan 7th 2025

Thoughts:
This is a standalone adult low fantasy book, that had so much potential but just fell a little short for me.

While this is technically a high-stakes story, it reads like a low-stakes/cozy read. This is being released in January but takes place in Salem, MA during October, so this would be a perfect cozy fall read. It also felt more ya/new adult rather than an adult story (32 y/o FMC).

The imagery was vidid and immersive and I could so clearly see the town of Salem, MA. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book.

Something that I had an issue with is how we as the reader was presented information. The multiple POV’s throughout the story gave us insight into Dora’s history and the past lives she has lived. We would then learn the same information again alongside Dora in her POV just a chapter or 2 later. So while the information was dramatic for Dora to learn, it felt underwhelming to me as the reader because i already knew this information. This seemed to happen a few times through the story.

Something else that came up short for me was the romance. Dora and the love interest, Ambrose were supposed to be destined for each other in every life they lived. At first Dora does not remember Ambrose but when she does start to remember him, the emotional reunion felt… lackluster.

I also wish we could’ve seen more of her memories throughout her different lifetimes (we get small glimpses) I feel like those would have been short storytelling diversions that would have been fun to read out.

If you liked a very secret society of irregular witches, I think you would enjoy this story.

Tropes:
✨Magical realism
⚔️Witch x Witch Hunter
🕰️Dual timelines
👯‍♀️Multiple POVs

Witches & Mystery, Good vs. Evil, there is adventure & magic in this dual timeline story. Captured me right from the start. The narrator brought everything to life. This was my first book from this author and I will definitely be reading more from her. Thank you netgalley for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the digital copy of this audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was a great listen. A family of witches is cursed, and they have to live their lives over and over again, with the same fate in each timeline. The women retain their memories from one lifetime to the next That is, all except Dora, who is in the present timeline. Her beloved aunt takes her to Salem to jog her memories, because Dora holds the key to breaking the curse.

Another thing I really liked about The Vanishing Bookstore is the connection between Dora and Ambrose. They have a love across the ages, great respect for each other, and you could just feel the emotion jump off the pages.

Another thing I liked was the way the author described things, down to the tiniest detail for some things like the setting. There’s so much written about Salem, but I finally got a real feeling for the place from this book. It’s both enchanting and spellbinding in a way. (See what I did there?)

Will be purchasing this book for my bookshelf. The narration was great and the storyline even better. Across 300 years, echos remain and strength is mustered from memory! A must if you are interested in historical women's fiction, witchiness, or redeeming stories.

I thought this book was a good mix of historical fantasy and mystery. The multiple stories told were blended together well, and the ending was satisfying.

I am disappointed that the witchcraft in this tale is so realistic. It went against my personal beliefs. While this book is well-written, and the story is quite unique and interesting and the book is completely entertaining, I just had a terrible feeling of guilt looming over my head as I was reading this book. I felt that the book could have been better if the "magic" in this book was more like fiction instead of fact. As a previous witch myself, and I was someone who studied magic in the real world, this book brought me to feel my past sins more than I would have cared to feel. This book does have some frightening moments especially when read through the audiobook. If you are interested in magic, then this might be the book for you, but I couldn't fully enjoy it myself based upon my own beliefs. This books language feels less like an adult novel and more like young adult fiction as well. That wasn't a problem for me as I prefer young adult fiction to adult novels, however I would have enjoyed a more fictional type of magic being introduced in the book, akin to Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings. This book does remind me of "Beautiful Creatures" but more of a magical realism. I also enjoyed how this book takes notes from "The Crucible" and real witch hunts, but sadly, you find yourself rooting for the witches in this book instead of non-magic people. This book also suggests that the murders that have happened are more realistic as well, instead of just killing witches for no reason, the witch hunter is fueled by a personal vendetta against the main characters. There are some loose ends in this book where a sequel could be made, but while I truly enjoyed this book, I'm not sure I would read the second one due to guilt.

Big thank you to both NetGalley and Helen Phifer for sending me this ALC. this was a really entertaining historical fantasy! This is a great pick for anyone who enjoys Practical Magic and the Salem Witch Trials. Dora must unravel her family history all while discovering who she really is and being reunited with the mom she thought died when she was young. She quickly is taught the strength of the English Women and is guided by those close to her to protect not only their history but their very own lives. The narrator was perfect and I really thought this was a great book!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review of this novel.

The Vanishing Bookstore by Helen Phifer is a multi-timeline novel that combines historical fiction and fantasy.

The Good:
A unique storyline and vivid descriptions of old (Salem witch trial era) and contemporary Salem. Strong female characters. Prose that is often poetic and a mystery that connects the past and present.

The Not-So-Good:
The story started strong, but I wanted to know more about the bookstore itself, and the ending seemed rushed. I also found the plot (and twists) to be fairly predictable, and the writing felt like it was geared towards a YA audience, although this could also have been more obvious in the audiobook format, with a reader who was a bit too perky for my taste which probably also made it hard for me to appreciate the story (although she was so much better than the reader of Book of Doors, who sounded depressed about everything).

Overall, I felt this book had potential, and I think readers who enjoy historical fiction and witchcraft will like it. Personally, I struggled to finish it and would probably have abandoned it if I hadn't received the ARC for free from the publisher (I felt obligated to give it a chance so I could provide an honest opinion). If a friend was interested in reading it, I'd suggest they try the book rather than the audiobook.

When a book is hidden and lost in 1692, six people's lives are altered for centuries to come. Dora uncovers family secrets and has to figure out her role in it all. A very intriguing backstory that leads to more questions and surprises makes this a fun, witty, witchy listen! I also enjoyed the references to pop culture witch depictions and the comparison of those to the witches in our story.

"But you know what all great story needs, don't you? Likable characters, great plots, and a villain everyone hates? Well those are important too. And we definitely have all of those ingredients, but a really good story has to have a happy ending, Izzy. I can't write our story until we have our happy ever after."

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ARC audiobook!

I absolutely loved this book, it has all the elements for such a great witchy read. I loved that there's a little mystery, and a little murder, and a lot of curses and drama. I found the English women to be really likable and enjoyed the way that they interacted with each other and other characters in the story. I am always a sucker for a good generational curse and really liked the way that this one was set up. The world building was fun and I did enjoy the time hops back to the women's pasts lives. I am secretly hoping that there is going to be another book in this universe based on the ending!

I loved the narrator of this audio. I think that she was the perfect fit to bring the story to life. The audio quality is seem less and it really made for a pleasant listening experience!

The Vanishing Bookstore is a spellbinding blend of historical fiction and fantasy that transports readers between the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and the present day. The narrative begins with a young woman in 1692 hiding a journal in a vine-covered bookstore before it mysteriously disappears. In the present, Dora reunites with her mother, whom she believed dead, only to uncover a family curse linked to the elusive bookstore. As Dora delves into her family's past, she embarks on a quest to locate the vanished bookstore, unraveling secrets that intertwine magic, survival, and the bonds of family.

Phifer's atmospheric writing vividly captures the mystique of Salem and the enduring legacy of its witch trials. The dual timelines are seamlessly interwoven, enriching the narrative with depth and intrigue. The novel's exploration of family secrets, curses, and the supernatural makes it a captivating read for those who appreciate a touch of magic in historical settings.

This book is recommended for fans of historical fantasy. Its blend of mystery, magic, and historical elements will appeal to those seeking an immersive and enchanting story

The Vanishing Bookstore by Helen Phifer. Releasing 7 January 2025. Thank you to NetGalley for the audio ARC of this book. Stephanie Cannon is a lovely narrator.

The book opens up in the outskirts of Salem in 1692 with a young woman running away from a group of men and dogs chasing her. She grabs a special journal wrapped in linen and runs to the secret bookstore with Ambrose. They hide the journal beneath a floorboard and when they run away the bookstore vanishes from sight.

Sisters Sapphy, Lennie and Lucien English and Lucien’s daughter Dora (Isadora) are witches. They are doomed to live each lifetime over and over running away from a dreadful man called George. In each lifetime they are trying to find the bookstore and the journal as they know that is the key to breaking the curse.

Present day Dora is the owner of a flower shop, but her mother and aunts have kept her in the dark about her witch background. Until a sinister man appears in the flower shop and she has to flee to Salem with her aunt.

I loved the Salem setting and would love to visit if I ever get to America. The only negative I have is the supposed love story between Dora and Ambrose. They are connected in each lifetime but I think more could have been written about it as it didn’t come across very loving, just a random appearance now and then.