Book Review: The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

 

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."

Alyssium is burning due to unrest in the community and along with it, its gorgeous library, filled to the brim with manuscripts and books. Kiela has worked there for over ten years along with her assistant, a  spider plant, and this is the only world she knows. But things are really unsettled on Alyssium, so they embark on the open ocean for Caltrey, a small island she grew up on. Once Kiela arrives, her family's cottage is still there, so they get to work freshening it up. She wants to lay low and not draw too much attention, but the island is small and its inhabitants start to recognize that the once abandoned cottage is  now being restored. Larran, a good looking and helpful neighbor, has also started stopping by and helping out when needed, much to Kiela's initial dismay. Caltrey is suffering from the lack of magic though and Kiela recognizes this. She has taken spell books from the burning Alyssium library and intends on using some spells (illegally!) to restore Caltrey and help its people. She opens a storefront that sells a variety of  berry jams grown from her garden's berry bushes (with the help of spells), but also secretly provides "remedies" for the people of Caltrey and the land.  Sarah Beth Durst's The Spellshop is a sweet fantasy that is comforting - like a long day in the sunshine in your garden without a cloud in the sky.

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.