The Spellshop is Sarah Beth Durst’s romantasy debut–a lush cottagecore tale full of stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, sweet jams, and even sweeter love.
Title: The Spellshop
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Published: July 2024
Pages: 384
Publisher: Pan Macmillan (audiobook)
Rating: 8/10
Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she and her assistant, Caz—a magically sentient spider plant—have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite.
When a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she’d see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor who can’t take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she’s fed and to help fix up her new home.
In need of income, Kiela identifies something that even the bakery in town doesn’t have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries.
But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela risks the consequences of using unsanctioned spells and opens the island’s first-ever and much needed secret spellshop.
Let me be brutally honest with you… I didn’t like the book at first. I actually dnf’d the book. But the thing about the book I didn’t like at first was the reason I also picked it back up. Sometimes you’re simply not in the mood for a slow paced story, and other times you can have a craving for it. The Spellshop is an uplifting cottage core fantasy that’s perfect for those cosy nights in.
The main character, Kiela, lives, works and breathes in the Great Library of Alyssium, home to an array of spell books. It’s her life’s mission to care and protect these books for the use of only the Emperor’s elite. Kiela loves her life just the way it is: in solitude, being surrounded by words and knowledge and most of all she loves never having to be in contact with people. But of course a fantasy is never complete without a sassy sidekick. In Kiela’s case she found companionship in Caz, a sentient spider plant who loves books just as much as Kiela. When the revolution takes hold of the library, Kiela and Caz are forced to flee, taking with them as many books as they can.
This leads Kiela back to Caltrey, the secluded island where she spent her childhood years. Here though, Kiela will face her worst nightmare: people. Kiela is a character forced to reinvent herself and adjusting to a new life does not come easily. But we all crave connection in life and The Spellshop showcases this desire perfectly. You can feel the kindness in each page and Kiela slowly learns that this change in her life is not a bad thing, that she can let others into her life and accept friendships. Durst made sure there are many wholesome and endearing characters in this story.
The backdrop of a revolution, the effects that a corrupt government has on the global environment and the struggles of the common people to make worthwhile lives are weaved into this story. The stakes feel tangible without entirely taking over Kiela’s own story. I must applaud the author for this!
In the end, The Spellshop exceeded my expectations and delivered a very enjoyable read. The characters are charming and the setting is amazing. The various plot threads interact well, all of them given space and time to develop at reasonable paces. It might not be the most unpredictable tale you will ever read, but it is still entertaining. If you want a sweet, cosy fantasy, but also want some substance, this is the book for you! I’ll definitely look for the second book in the series that will come out this summer.
Love,
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