Publishers Weekly
05/06/2024
Durst (The Lies Among Us) celebrates the power of community in this whimsical cottagecore romantasy. Introverted librarian Kiela Orobidan and her sentient spider plant assistant, Caz, escape a populist revolution–fueled fire in the the Great Library of Alyssium by sailing to Kiela’s abandoned family cottage on the small island of Caltrey with only a few crates of irreplaceable spell books in tow. Imperial law restricts the use of magic to scholars, but when she sees the island’s residents struggling with harsh environmental conditions and poverty without assistance from the empire’s sorcerers, Kiela quietly uses her spell books to help the locals, claiming the charms she sells in her new jam shop are “family remedies”. Meanwhile, her handsome new neighbor Larran Maver helps restore her cottage and becomes a friend—with a spark of something more. Durst packs her cozy and colorful tale full of sweet magical creatures, including unicorns, winged cats, and friendly tree sprits that manifest as bears, and her diverse supporting cast exudes a near-uniform air of kindness. The political plot is largely background noise after serving its purpose of getting Kiela home and on a path to using magic, which may frustrate readers looking for more comprehensive worldbuilding. Those who come for the cheery aesthetic and celebration of everyday successes, however, will find this utterly delightful. (July)
From the Publisher
"Sarah Beth Durst is the hidden gem of the fantasy world." —Book Riot
Praise for The Spellshop:
"Those who come for the cheery aesthetic and celebration of everyday successes... will find this utterly delightful." —Publisher's Weekly
"A story full of love, magic, plants, books, and mutual aid, for those who love to see heroes fight for a gentle life and a cozy corner of the world to call their own." —Booklist
"Kindness is king in this soft and breezy low-stakes cottagecore fantasy." —Kirkus
"The Spellshop sweeps readers into a world of merhorses, illegal spells, and first loves… it’s as comforting as homemade jam on a fresh baked muffin!" —Rebecca Thorne, author of Can't Spell Treason Without Tea
"Thoroughly enchanting! The Spellshop is brimming with cozy charm, endearing characters, and reminders that sometimes the biggest risks lead to the sweetest rewards. I’m looking forward to reading more of Sarah Beth Durst’s magical books." —Heather Webber, USA Today Bestselling author
“The Spellshop is about believing in the kindness of people, even when you’ve seen nothing but cruelty. There is beauty in Kiela’s building of a new and brighter world. There is courage in the love of this found family.” —J.R. Dawson, author of The First Bright Thing
"Reading this book was like sitting in the sun, watching bees in the foxgloves; a warm, peaceful delight of a novel. You can almost smell the jam, and hear the ocean. I finished the book smiling." —Katherine Arden, New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale
"The Spellshop is snuggling up in your favorite chair with a cozy blanket, a mug of hot chocolate, and a beloved pet sleeping on your lap. Every fan of cozy fantasy should give it a read." —FanfiAddict
Library Journal
06/07/2024
When revolutionaries set fire to the library where Kiela lives and works, she and her friend Caz, a sentient plant, pack up spell books and quickly leave the capital island. With nowhere to go, Kiela decides to return to her childhood home island of Caltrey, where she has inherited her parents' old house. Once there, Kiela and Caz must keep the stolen spell books hidden because magic is restricted to trained wizards only. However, the longer both stay on the island, the more they realize magic is needed to keep the island and its inhabitants thriving, so they come up with remedies to sell to the local population, secretly sharing their illicit spells. Eventually, magic is reported to the emperor's guards, who arrive on Caltrey to inspect the community of any magical wrongdoing. Can Kiela, Caz, and their newfound friends fool the guards and evade punishment? VERDICT Durst's (The Bone Maker) cottagecore romantasy takes place on an island of fantastical creatures and people, with romances among found family and friends and illicit spellcasting adding a dash of suspense to the mix. An excellent match for fans looking to take a break from epic fantasy for some feel-good humor and happiness.—Eve Stano
Kirkus Reviews
2024-05-17
As the city of Alyssium and its vast library crumble and burn around her, a young librarian who’s spent 11 years sequestered among dusty bookshelves—with only a sentient, research-loving spider plant to keep her company—finds herself on the run.
After leaving the ruins of Alyssium’s great library behind—keen-eyed readers might notice the distinct parallels with the ill-fated Library of Alexandria—Keila makes her way across the open ocean to Caltrey, the picturesque island where she grew up, carrying Caz the spider plant and a boatful of spellbooks she could be punished for having taken. Hoping to lay low for a while and keep out of the locals’ hair, Keila moves into the long-abandoned cottage where her late parents raised her. What she doesn’t expect is to be welcomed by the locals with open arms; to meet her kind—and incredibly handsome—merhorse-riding neighbor, Larran; or to learn that the empire she left behind is draining the magic from her new home. The use of magic is strictly prohibited by the empire and is a punishable offense if you’re a member of the general population caught using it, but, determined to return some of the kindness that’s been shown to her, Keila decides to utilize her rescued spellbooks and opens a secret spellshop under the guise of making different berry jams. She proceeds to use the spells herself to help slowly return the island to its much more magical state. While Durst’s novel boasts a wide array of fantastic characters of both the human and nonhuman variety—Keila is described early on as having blue skin and hair—if readers are looking for any high-stakes conflict, intense political intrigue, or action-packed battle scenes in their fantasy novels, they won’t find them here. Similarly, the romance in this book is sweet but somewhat shallow. With this in mind, it’s a delightful, easily digestible palate cleanser with a story that feels like a whimsical, warm hug.
Kindness is king in this soft and breezy low-stakes cottagecore fantasy.
