Pages: 384
Genre: Adult Fiction
Pub. Date: July 9, 2024
Publisher: Tor
Source: Personal Copy
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads says, "Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people, and as librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she hasn’t had to.
She and her assistant, Caz, a sentient spider plant, have spent most of the last eleven years sequestered among the empire’s precious spellbooks, protecting the magic for the city’s elite. But a revolution is brewing and when the library goes up in flames, she and Caz steal whatever books they can and flee to the faraway island where she grew up. She’s hoping to lay low and figure out a way to survive before the revolution comes looking for her. To her dismay, in addition to a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor, she finds the town in disarray.
The empire with its magic spellbooks has slowly been draining power from the island, something that Kiela is indirectly responsible for, and now she’s determined to find a way to make things right. Opening up a spell shop comes with its own risks—the consequence of sharing magic with commoners is death. And as Kiela comes to make a place for herself among the quirky townspeople, she realizes that in order to make a life for herself, she must break down the walls she has kept so high."
Kiela is an interesting character in The Spellshop. She's a bookish introvert, so I think many readers can relate to her desire to hide away in this gorgeous cottage, make jams, read books, tend to her garden, and relax. Enter Larran, who stirs things up a bit for her, and has her questioning what she wants out of her life. My favorite friendship in the novel is with her spider plant, Caz, who walks, talks, and is all-around a funny character. There are plenty of other fantasy creatures in The Spellshop which adds to the whimsical element.
The Spellshop is my first cozy fantasy novel (some refer to it as cottagecore fantasy) and I wasn't sure if it was going to be for me. Honestly, I needed a palate cleanser after an extremely suspenseful thriller and this book was the perfect option. Sometimes you just want a low key story without too much stress, right? The Spellshop doesn't have any intense battles, edgy romantic scenes, or major conflicts, which at the time, was just what I needed. So, if low-key fantasies are for you, give The Spellshop a try this summer. I was pleasantly surprised by how happy I was to be lost in this fantasy world that was downright adorable.
Are you a fan of Sarah Beth Durst? Is The Spellshop on your summer TBR list? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
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This does sound adorable, and I agree, sometimes you need a low-stakes book!
ReplyDeleteIf this is a duplicate comment, you can delete - technology has not been my friend this week o.O
ReplyDeleteI've been super excited about this one since the first promo photo I saw on Insta, and preordered a copy -- that has been looking dreamy on my shelf for a couple weeks because other things have gotten in the way. But I plan to read ASAP.
I've read several "cozy" fantasies before without realizing what they were, lol. As much as I love the more intense ACOTAR-type fantasy, I am a huge fan of the cozy/cottagecore versions too (and my life motto is basically to live as much like a hobbit as possible).