#The Spellshop

[a-ramblinrose]

JOMP BPC || August 13 || Published This Year: The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

[sarahbethdurst]

THE SPELLSHOP comes out today!!!

I am over-the-moon excited to share with you that today is the book birthday for my newest book, THE SPELLSHOP! It's a cozy fantasy about a rogue librarian and her best friend, a sentient spider plant, who take on the low-stakes market of illegal spellmaking and the high-risk business of starting over. And it's for anyone who is looking for a slice of joy, a bit of comfort, or just a deep breath.

I wrote this book to feel like a warm hug. Or like drinking hot chocolate. Or like eating really good raspberry jam. Or a cinnamon roll, with hot chocolate and maybe some raspberry jam on the side…

We've all been through a lot over the past few years, and I wrote THE SPELLSHOP for anyone who wants to escape into a world filled with kindness and enchantment.

Thank you to everyone at Macmillan/Tor/Bramble for bringing this book to life and gracing it with Lulu Chen's beautiful cover art and such lovely lavender sprayed edges!

If you'd like to learn more about the book or read the first chapter, please visit my website: http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/Spellshop.htm

I'm also going on book tour starting today, and I'm so excited!! If you'd like to join me at any of my tour stops, I'd love to see you! For details, see the Events page of my website.

Happy reading!!!

[derpcakes]

Comfort and Catharsis: Or, What Even Is “Cosy Fantasy” and Why Does It Work?

I recently finished Sarah Beth Durst’s The Spellshop, a fantasy novel about a runaway librarian setting up a new life on an island: selling jam, refurbishing a rundown cottage, befriending the neighbours despite her bookish awkwardness, and using a cheeky bit of magic to heal the island’s failing natural resources. It’s all very quaint and comfy—definitely earning it the label of “cosy fantasy” that I’ve seen applied to it. Well, except for the bits where the librarian flees a burning city destroyed by revolution, has to reckon with the ways that she’s been complicit in the elitist rule of the Empire, discovers how many of her new friends have deeply tragic backstories, and lives in near-constant worry that she could be hunted down and arrested for the use of technically illegal magic at any time.

That all doesn’t sound super cosy, does it? But then again, what defines a book’s cosiness? Is cosiness antithetical to darker and more serious themes and dire plot moments… or does the comforting feeling a cosy fantasy novel leaves you with actually come from them, in some cases?

Keep reading...

[marinaslibrary]

Fans of Emily Wilde's encyclopedia of faeries.... Boy oh boy have I found your next book to obsess over

[nzbookwyrm]

July 2024

[jruthphipps]

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst ✨️

[dr-dendritic-trees]

Tiny Book review: The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

Durst has done it! She's produced a cozy fantasy that both has real worldbuilding that doesn't make me want to do violence because its so nonsensical (this is an attack on Travis Baldree) or creates implications so unsettling I actively hope war will break out in act two (this is an attack on Becky Chambers).

It was cute! It was fun! There was food! Everyone was basically well intentioned and yet the stakes still felt real! There was a very sweet romance without it being A Romance Novel in fantasy clothes! I recommend it!

[mercerislandbooks]

Book Chats: The Spellshop

Summer is here. The days are warm and long, and the evenings are perfect for sitting outside and reading (or listening and crocheting, in my case) as the sun goes down. The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst is an amazing choice for this kind of relaxing evening. The narrator was excellent, the descriptions were lush, and the setting was idyllic. A librarian and her sentient spider plant seek refuge from a bloody revolution—with crates of books in tow—by heading to Caltrey, a small island on the outskirts of a nation made of islands. All Kiela wants is to protect her books and live unnoticed in the cottage her parents left her. (Un)fortunately for her, that's not how small villages work. With an attractive next door neighbor and a friendly baker determined to welcome her into their small community, as well as a suspicious old man who is set on driving her out, Kiela has to decide if letting people in is a chance she's willing to take. Warning: you will want baked goods slathered with jam by the end of this book.

Becca: Kiela was such a fun, unique character. Her love of books obviously resonates with me as an avid reader and a bookseller, and her habit of overthinking what she says and does was also very relatable. What did you think about her as the main character and voice of the story? Lori: I loved Kiela. For the same reasons as you but also, I loved the way circumstances kept pushing her beyond her comfort zone and then, because of getting to hear her overthinking inner voice, the reader knows what choosing to be brave costs her. But she does it anyway. It's not comfortable to acknowledge that those moments are what bring growth. Also, she has blue skin. And blue hair. And lots of blue clothes. I approved of all the blue. What did you think about Kiela's scheme to barter homemade jam for the supplies she needs? Becca: Making jam is not necessarily the occupation I would turn to for survival, but I also don't live on a little island surrounded by merhorses and abundant fruit trees and bushes. Well, maybe the bushes; our blackberry brambles are out of control. I loved how she took what she had available to her and, with much determination, figured out a way to keep moving forward. Lori: She did. No matter the obstacles, she kept trying. I think we need to discuss Caz, though, the sentient spider plant! Becca: So...a talking plant research assistant. I wouldn't mind that. Maybe then I'd finally know how to care for one without it slowly fading away on me. And Caz has such an excellent personality. Lori: He stole the show in my opinion. I thought he had all the best lines. His friendship and support of Kiela really brought home to me how careful Sarah Beth Durst was to give all her characters, and the environment they inhabit, a nuanced worth. She also created an interesting magic system. Becca: I do love it when magic is something accessible to everyone in a book, instead of just the chosen few who are born with it. But with all of the impressive feats that can be accomplished with spells, I think it was the little magics scattered throughout the book were my favorite. Yes, Kiela wanted to do big magics to help her community, but the little ones that encouraged plant growth and water to flow were the ones that resonated with me. And it's the small magics that she was determined to share with those around her as a way to make their lives better. Lori: It really shows how little things, that maybe don't seem like they matter that much, actually have more of an impact than one might think. It's encouraging that making small choices towards the good does make a difference in the world. Becca: It is. And I appreciated how Kiela came to believe that sentiment because she observed Larran, her always-willing-to-help neighbor, put forth the effort to do so. Lori: I loved watching the spark between Kiela and Larran grow. She started out so wary and standoffish, but as she continued to see how good he was (and how good he looked shirtless), she started to admire him, until she found herself unable to resist.

This sweet book is perfect for summer, with its cottagecore vibes and berry-filled island. The first printing has beautiful sprayed purple edges to add to the appeal. So, stop by to pick up a pretty book, whip up (or purchase) some scones with jam (preferably raspberry), and settle in for a gentle adventure full of plants, jam, and slightly illegal magic.

— ​Becca & Lori

[sleepy-timaeus]

The Spellshop

i'll probs make a youtube video on this eventually cause i love this book so much and wish i had made a reading vlog for all my real-time reactions and comments 💔 like, yall have no idea just how precious these two are to me and how obsessed with them i am rn. theyre just so sweet and cutie patootie, ya kno?

[realitys-abore]

💌 Book Mail! 💌

I’m about to dive so much deeper into my cosy fantasy era 😅

Isn’t it pretty? There’s so many details on the cover art, it just screams cottagecore and if you look super close there’s a winged floof too!

Not to mention:

🍄 Cosy vibes

🍄 Stolen spellbooks

🍄 A sentient spider plant

🍄 Illegal spell-selling market

🍄 Sweet romance

Did I mention our mc Kiela is also a librarian? Or, former librarian at least 😅

Unfortunately for her, she has to flee that life when the Great Library protecting the city’s magic burns as a revolution sweeps in! Luckily enough, however, she DOES manage to pinch as many spellbooks as she can carry first and after witnessing how the empire has sapped the magic from the land, she opts to open up her own spellshop to make things right!

BUT, it’s not as easy as it sounds especially when the punishment for sharing magic with commoners is death!

I’m kind of envisioning this having similar mid-stakes to Treason Without Tea, but I’m already highly intrigued by the world! Not to mention the sentient spider plant?!

[a-ramblinrose]

Hello! Hello!! It's a Book Haul!!!

Between Target having a sale and a quick visit into the comic shop I've utterly failed at my book buying ban. 🙃 😅 🙂

[quillandqueer]

✨Interesting New Releases | 9th July

All This And More: an inventive new novel about a woman who wins the chance to rewrite every mistake she’s ever made… and how far she’ll go to find her elusive “happily ever after.” But there’s a twist: the reader gets to decide what she does next to change her fate.

Bury Your Gays: Misha is a jaded scriptwriter who has just been nominated for his first Oscar. But when he's pressured by his producers to kill off a gay character in the upcoming season finale, Misha discovers that it's not that simple.

The Coin: A bold and unabashed novel about a young Palestinian woman's unraveling, far from home, as she gets caught up in a scheme reselling Birkin bags

DallerGut Dream Department Store (US Release): Each floor in the department store sells a special kind of dream, including nostalgic dreams about your childhood, trips you've taken, and delicious food you've eaten, as well as nightmares and more mysterious dreams.

Goodnight Tokyo: Set over several nights, between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 4:30 a.m., in and around Tokyo, this mind-blowingly constructed book is an elaborate, energetic fresco of human nocturnal existence in all its mystery.

Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder: Lenny Marks is very, very good at not remembering what happened the day her mother and stepfather disappeared when she was still a child. The day a voice in the back of her mind started whispering, You did this.

The Spellshop: a cottagecore cosy fantasy following a woman's unexpected journey through the low-stakes market of illegal spell-selling and the high-risk business of starting over...

State of Paradise: A heart-racing fun house of uncanniness hidden in Florida’s underbelly, from a reality-warping storyteller.

Toward Eternity: In a near-future world, a new technological therapy is quickly eradicating cancer. At the same time, literary researcher Yonghun teaches an AI how to understand poetry and creates a living, thinking machine he names Panit, meaning "Beloved," in honor of his husband.

[sarahbethdurst]

The Spellshop ARCs!!!

My SPELLSHOP ARCs arrived!!! I'm so in awe of the cover artist, Lulu Chen. I can't even imagine how gorgeous the finished hardcover is going to be, with its lovely lavender sprayed edges. I'm picturing that scene in Pulp Fiction when John Travolta opens the glowing briefcase….. *faints in anticipation*

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 3/5

Book Blurb:

An Indie Next pick! A gorgeous hardcover edition featuring lavender sprayed edges! 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.

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.

Like a Hallmark rom-com full of mythical creatures and fueled by cinnamon rolls and magic, The Spellshop will heal your heart and feed your soul.

Review:

A librarian on the run returns to her childhood home and begins a new life filled with new friendships, cottagecore fun, and a sweet neighbor who she's falling for. Kiela is an introvert, she's never liked dealing with people and has been content to work alone with just her talking plant assistant... but when her job as a librarian is jeopardized and she is forced to go on the run, where better to hide than her old childhood home. Kiela takes the books that she can and returns to her home to start a new... but that means being forced to talk to her neighbors, make friends with the townsfolk, and actually having to try and socialize as well as set up a shop and fix her old home. While using unsanctioned spells is illegal and could spell out trouble for her, Kiela can't help but want to make things better and use some magic. The more time she begins to spend making friends and socializing the more she is beginning to realize that she doesn't want to be alone anymore and that sometimes a little magic can go a long way. This definitely was a cozy fantasy that would be perfect for fans of Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing. Its a slow day to day kind of vibe where you get to see the character make their home, interact with villagers, and work. Theres a bit of romance but not a lot, and if you like slow cozy fantasies such as Legends and Lattes then I think this would be perfect for you!

Release Date: July 9,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group | Bramble for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[shallansolem]

ARC Review: The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

The Spellshop is everything I've ever wanted from a cozy fantasy. I am so in love with the island of Caltrey and the wonderful cast of characters. This story is brimming with fantastical creatures including winged cats, a sentient spider plant, seahorses, and mermaids. The story itself was so cozy and delightful while still keeping me entertained and wanting to read more. The stakes were high enough that the story wasn't boring and not too high that it was stressful. This book feels like being wrapped in a hug and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a cozy fantasy book with romance and found family. Perfection.

This book will be out on July 9th, 2024!

[thatpunkmaximoff]

Story: 5 out of 5 Smut: 0 out of 5

Okay, listen. If you’re looking for a book to finally dip your toe into fantasy or looking for a book to show your teenager that has absolutely zero spice, then pick this up. Seriously, pick it up!

This is such a cute read that tells a wonderful story, introduces characters that will quickly become a favorite, and might just make your heart race just a little. The magic and creatures and food will also have you turning page after page.

The Spellshop is a nice little escape and will make you fall in love with these islanders, hoping for more once the story ends.

* An anxiety prone spider plant? Yeah, I identify as Caz 😂

* Man, they set the library ablaze. That sucks.

* Um, I want a cottage. Even if I have to fix it up a bit, I want it. Along with the hot neighbor and talking plant.

* Awe. Larran brought her food and a welcome home note. How adorable.

* Ohhh. The people of the island are.. interesting. Why did her parents leave?

* Damn. Okay, so the emperor pretty much fucked everyone who wasn’t rich over by hoarding magic. The islanders think Kiela is a Big Bad City Dweller who helped hoard the magic, and well… they’re not far off. She was a librarian- a librarian who now owns the only books left in existence with magic. This won’t end well.

* Caz spoke to Larran 😂

* Aww. He was just trying to be helpful and Kiela had to go and be mean.

* Please help the people!

* Jam shop? Let’s go!

* Gosh dang it. Tobin is so adorable.

* They’re so awkward- Larran and Kiela. Adorable, really.

* Damn. Larran wants to go to the city that Kiela fled from 😬 Just tell them what’s going on!!!

* Aww. I hope she can fix Halio’s spring.

* The cloud bears. Oh my god. And she healed the tree! And saw a unicorn. Why am I so happy? 😂

* Who the hell traveled to the island during a storm?! And please don’t cause issues with Larran and Kiela. I’m invested in them!

* Aww. What’s wrong with the merbaby 🥺

* Caz named the cactus Meep 😂

* Is Radane friend or foe? 🤔

* Oh no. She saw Kiela heal Sian. At least Larran is happy.

* Aww. She shared the “remedy” with three others. And then promptly had a scare when she thought she saw Radane. Fuck. This woman better not be trouble.

* Fuck you, Radane.

* All. Larran and the ladies are supporting Kiela, even though they know she’s the one doing illegal magic 🥹

* Fuck Larran’s father. He was cruel.

* THEY KISSED! Oh my god 😭

* She’s not a fucking inspector. Still don’t like her.

* Oh my heart aches for Bryn. Her uncle killed her wife/girlfriend.

* Fuck. Just when I think they’re safe… goddammit.

* Can someone punch Fenerer..?

* Aww. The captain doesn’t wanna find her. He’s going along with the lie.

* lol. Well at least Fenerer is gone now. He was a raging dillhole.

* Oh damn. The spelled the storm away!

* Four babies were born!

* HE ASKED HER TO MARRY HIM!