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sweekune 's review for:
The Spellshop
by Sarah Beth Durst
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
⭐ 4/5 ⭐
Audiobook narrated by Caitlin Davies.
I asked on r/cozyfantasy for a cosy and light book and the kind people there recommended The Spellshop.
Kiela and her sentiment spider plant friend Caz escape a revolution and flee to the island where Kiela lived as a child. Illegally, they set up a spell shop disguised as a jam shop and grow into their new surroundings.
-The setting and descriptions are stunning. You can imagine everything clearly and it all feels so cosy. I wouldn't mind living on the island. The food descriptions were worthy of a Studio Ghibli film.
- I'll be honest that this book is not deep but I wasn't looking for a complex and winding narrative. And whilst it is cosy fantasy and the vibes were 99% on point, the main romance, which is a large plot point, and involved characters had me metaphorically bashing my head against a wall. Just accept you like each other already!
- The friendships in this book were lovely and I enjoyed reading about Kiela finding her people. However, one romance felt extremely rushed and unintuitive. The book is inclusive but the way it is done felt clunky and like it could have been done better.
If you like cosy books, enjoy simple (if mildly frustrating) romances and settings that remind you of Hayao Miyazaki's works, then The Spellshop is well worth a read.
Audiobook narrated by Caitlin Davies.
I asked on r/cozyfantasy for a cosy and light book and the kind people there recommended The Spellshop.
Kiela and her sentiment spider plant friend Caz escape a revolution and flee to the island where Kiela lived as a child. Illegally, they set up a spell shop disguised as a jam shop and grow into their new surroundings.
-The setting and descriptions are stunning. You can imagine everything clearly and it all feels so cosy. I wouldn't mind living on the island. The food descriptions were worthy of a Studio Ghibli film.
- I'll be honest that this book is not deep but I wasn't looking for a complex and winding narrative. And whilst it is cosy fantasy and the vibes were 99% on point, the main romance, which is a large plot point, and involved characters had me metaphorically bashing my head against a wall. Just accept you like each other already!
- The friendships in this book were lovely and I enjoyed reading about Kiela finding her people. However, one romance felt extremely rushed and unintuitive. The book is inclusive but the way it is done felt clunky and like it could have been done better.
If you like cosy books, enjoy simple (if mildly frustrating) romances and settings that remind you of Hayao Miyazaki's works, then The Spellshop is well worth a read.
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief, Death of parent, War