Review: The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

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.

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📌 Disclaimer: I received an e-arc for review from the publisher  
📌 Publication date: 11/07/2024 

The Spellshop is the perfect cosy fantasy for fans of books like Legends and Lattes.

My favourite character has to be, Caz, the sentient spider planet. His back and forth with Kiela made me smile. I have to admit, being an introvert myself I found Kiela's personality relatable, from her awkwardness to her anti-socialness. The romance was very sweet, and if you're a fan of the he falls first trope you'll enjoy it. The food descriptions made me crave jam and cinnamon rolls, two things I love. As a bookworm I of course 100 percent understood Kiela's love of books and wanting to protect them at all costs. Again relatable. They were her comfort in the absence of human companions.  

The Spellshop is the ideal read with a big cup of your preferred hot beverage!

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