The Spellshop – Sarah Beth Durst

Published By: Tor
Pages: 384
Released On: 11/07/2024

Every home needs a little magic . . .

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, Kiela and Caz steal whatever books they can and flee to the faraway island where she grew up. But to her dismay, in addition to a nosy – and very handsome – neighbour, she finds the town in disarray.

The empire has slowly been draining power from the island, and now Kiela is determined to make things right. But opening up her own spellshop comes with its own risks – the consequence of sharing magic with commoners is death. And as Kiela starts to make a place for herself among the townspeople, she realizes she must break down the walls she has kept so high . . .

*****

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

NetGalley said this was perfect for fans of TJ Klune – who I love – and Travis Baldree – who, if I’m honest, hasn’t enamoured me with his books as of yet. So this could have gone either way, really. But I was willing to withhold judgement.

This was most definitely a “oooooooooooh it looks so pretty” choice of books to read, but I’m glad I did.

There are a large number of characters, some with bigger parts than others, but I won’t go into all of them; instead I’ll just mention a few I really liked.

Our main protagonist is Keila, a young woman who works in the Great Library of Alyssium. She is fabulous. Such a well-written character, she’s brave and trustworthy and courageous, but she’s also a bit closed off and frightened. But the thing I loved the most was her love for books and libraries, which was absolutely gorgeous. And I loved the relationship she has with Caz, they are such a good double act.

My absolute standout favourite character was Caz, a sentient spider plant who can walk (using his tendrils), speak, see, hear and feel. He was sarcastic and funny and scared and just gorgeous. Who knew I’d fall in love with a talking plant! But he stole every single scene he was in and I now want a spinoff just for him.

And then we have Larren, the mysterious but handsome neighbour. He wants to help Keila, regardless of her initial reluctance. He’s clearly gone through some stuff but he keeps it to himself. He’s tender and loving and just sounds like the ideal neighbour to have when you’re in a pickle.

The description of the island of Caltrey, Keila’s childhood island, is so gorgeous. I know it’s within this magical world and so of course it would feel magical, but it really does. It sounds like a mixture of a Scottish and Irish archipelago, full or romance, magical myths and legends, and it just sounds so beautiful and I want to visit.

Before I read this, I’d been reading quite a hard-hitting book which took me longer to read than normal, and then I gave up on a book that I just wasn’t enjoying, and so I really had high hopes for this and it did not disappoint.

There are a few illustrations at the start of the chapters. I don’t know if that’s just in the early digital copy or if there will be some in the finished hard copy, but I’m all for it. More illustrations in adult books please!

I’ve said before that I try not to read my Kindle in bed, nor review books (as I feel I won’t concentrate), but I woke up at 5 one morning and just couldn’t get back to sleep, and so I jumped straight back into this.

Yes there’s magic and fun and fantasy, but it’s about more than that. It’s about friendship, about family being more than who you’re related to, about finding yourself and finding a place, about not judging, about trusting, about community, love, and home. It’s so joyful. I can’t fully explain it. I think this is going to be a hit this summer (if we ever get a summer here in the UK) and beyond.

I hadn’t heard of Sarah Beth Durst before and so hadn’t read any previous books. I believe this is her debut romantasy (I think that’s what the youngsters call it) book, but I believe she has written over 20 other books. Either way, she is very good.

It’s not full on action. For a good 70% of it I’d say, there isn’t a very intense plot, it’s genteel and sow paced and allows you to just float along with this story, easy to read, pleasant, and heartwarming. But then you get a bit more action y the end. I like both parts, btu I definitely loved the warmth of the slower sections.

There isn’t a page of this book that isn’t cosy. It’s perfect for all seasons I think. You could curl up in the winter, under a blanket, with the fire on and get lost in its warmth. Or you can read it outside in the summer with a cool glass of wine. It’s joyful. In the acknowledgements, Sarah says she “wanted to write a book that reads like drinking hot chocolate” and I can’t think of a better way of describing it. It is a warm hug, every single word, sentence, and page. From characters to setting to plot, it’s perfect.

There’s magic, books, jam, a handsome neighbour, a cosy cottage, a lovely little island, and a sentient plant – I mean, what more do you want?!

It is so absorbing and all encompassing. You will get lost in this world Sarah has created and fall in love with the characters. It is utterly fabulous. It’s like cosy crime but cosy fantasy. It’s gentle but powerful. It’s so magical, this word she’s built, and I just absolutely love it. Definitely one of my books of the year.