The Spellshop

Name: The Spellshop
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.4 (12100 reviews)
Author: Sarah Beth Durst

4.4

About this book

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. Join Kiela the librarian and her assistant, Caz the sentient spider plant, as they navigate the low stakes market of illegal spellmaking and the high risk business of starting over. “Sarah Beth Durst is the hidden gem of the fantasy world.” —Book Riot Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she hasn’t had to. She and her assistant, Caz, a magically sentient spider plant, have spent the last eleven years sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite. But when a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz save as many books as they can carry and flee to a faraway island Kiela was sure she’d never return to: her childhood home. Kiela hopes to lay low in the overgrown and rundown cottage her late parents left her and figure out a way to survive without drawing the attention of either the empire or the revolutionaries. Much to her dismay, in addition to a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor, she finds the town neglected and in a state of disrepair. The empire, for all its magic and power, has been neglecting for years the people who depend on magical intervention to maintain healthy livestock and crops. Not only that, but the very magic that should be helping them has been creating destructive storms that have taken a toll on the island. Due to her past role at the library, Kiela feels partially responsible for this, and now she’s determined to find a way to make things right: by opening the island’s first-ever secret spellshop. Her plan comes with risks—the consequence of sharing magic with commoners is death. And as Kiela comes to make a place for herself among the kind and quirky townspeople of her former home, she realizes that in order to make a life for herself, she must learn to break down the walls she has built up so high. Like a Hallmark rom-com full of mythical creatures and fueled by cinnamon rolls and magic, Sarah Beth Durst’s The Spellshop will heal your heart and feed your soul. A Macmillan Audio production from Bramble Books.

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What readers are saying

Nicole Soper Gorden

Loved this cozy fantasy with a bit of romance!

"Oh my gosh, I loved this book! It's so cute and sweet and cozy, with creative worldbuilding. Librarians having to make a new home for themselves was such a nice angle - loved preparing the cottage for living again, and the jam idea, and the hidden spells to help the island, and the partnership with the "coven," and basically everything else about this. Keila and Caz are so cute as friends and co-workers, and I love their banter together. The romance with Larran is slow burn, but so sweet by the time it comes fully to fruition. The world politics related to hording magic was subtle enough not to feel preachy but still very important and sympathetic. I also loved the other characters (Meep especially!) and the tree spirits and how everything wraps up at the end. Honestly, just a really good all around cozy fantasy novel that everyone who likes cozy fantasy should read. ["

April 28, 2026 Verified Purchase

Rachel

Fantastical coziness and character growth

"4.5 stars rounded down In the author’s note, the author said that she asked herself if each chapter made her smile while she wrote it and that’s the largest takeaway for me, I smiled so big and so often as I read this cozy, fantastical treat. It brought rich depth in setting, dialogue, and characters, this right here brought me joy. Plus there are so many fantastical creatures, peoples, and magic. The book begins with Kiela (h) at the capital of the empire of this fantasy world. She works as a librarian and that library is under attack by rebels who are overthrowing the emperor. Kiela and her sentient plant assistant, Caz, load up as many books as they can and are forced to make a run for it to ensure their survival. The trauma of what they’re running from and what they see and hear as they escape is carefully worded so the sense of loss is present without being triggery, I feel. They head to the island of Kiela’s birth. Kiela and Caz have no idea how they’ll make a living, what to expect, and the feel of being a refugee and being lost, but determined was strong. They also don’t want to talk about what was happening with the empire because they’re keeping their books a secret, afraid of repercussions. What also ends up being kept a secret? Their use of magic in those books to start laying the foundation of their new life, because magic is forbidden from all but sanctioned sorcerers. Cause if you have a secret, you should totally double-down on it right? The island is brimming with characters, from a neighbor who’s constantly there offering a hand (and some blushes) to the baker who’s immediately offering friendship to mystical beings who need assistance to the crochety old island man who’s the constant downer. This is such a cozy and atmospheric read that you can sink into and the side characters genuinely add to that. The descriptions of some of those characters though are weaker, like the neighbor who becomes a love interest, who has fine eyes and is large, but I don’t think we got any more than that. A lot of description about his merhorses though, who were adorable. The heart of this book is Kiela’s journey and growth from being very isolationist in her library niche to having to people all the time and sort out how to do basic living skills and also processing these huge changes in circumstances. Kiela is pushed out of her comfort zone constantly as she adjusts and eventually she changes herself and ends up altering everything around her too. My only itty bitty wish was that the romance was more central because as fantastic as I found this, and as thrilled as I was with the growth of Kiela, I don’t read many books lighter on romance and I do find myself thinking of how easily X could be added here or maybe Y in that scene. I can’t help it. There is romance and it’s sweet (some kissing only) with a supportive and blushing mmc, it just wasn’t the main point of the story. The third act drama was an interesting addition too, it felt a little out of place. It did give Kiela assurance I think that she could stay forever, without the weight of possibly being pursued for the books having over her. It also brings some extra support that makes more magic possible, but it was still incorporated in a clunky way (to me). Still, I’d recommend this because the book is a squee inducing kind of cuteness, great for the fall season, and the ending does have a short jump ahead that ends in this HEA way for Kiela. ["

January 21, 2025 Verified Purchase