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A review by doogsley
The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
peak cozy fantasy. maritime-meets-cottagecore atmosphere. a friend describes this as “stardew valley in book form” and… yes. precisely. 🙂↕️💕 the spellshop honors hopeful community care, valuable bartering, sharing resources with your loved ones to empower each other, choosing kindness just because you can … indeed, these lessons are blooming at a very important time in my life. it was the perfect balm as i watch our world devolve into madness. community, truly, is everything. idyllic in the most uplifting of ways.
my biggest complaint: the cast is missing a lil bit of development across the board. there are so many whimsical and fascinating basis for these characters, but not enough depth for my liking. like i want to know more about the magical dragon deerman!!
kiela is def a complicated fmc, but not unlikeable imo. i kinda wanted to shake her and then immediately pull her into a hug over and over lol. kiela and larran are the neurodivergent power couple of all time. and even larran was a little flat! but the narrative never let me forget that he was very, very tall.
caz is a VERY satisfying mix of jiji and calcifer. great character!! charming af! (did anyone else have difficulty Picturing him? haha)
recommended for those who need a kind swig of societal optimism, raspberry jam enjoyers, taurus-dominants, or anyone looking for a magical, sugar-y sweet palette cleanser.
my biggest complaint: the cast is missing a lil bit of development across the board. there are so many whimsical and fascinating basis for these characters, but not enough depth for my liking. like i want to know more about the magical dragon deerman!!
kiela is def a complicated fmc, but not unlikeable imo. i kinda wanted to shake her and then immediately pull her into a hug over and over lol. kiela and larran are the neurodivergent power couple of all time. and even larran was a little flat! but the narrative never let me forget that he was very, very tall.
caz is a VERY satisfying mix of jiji and calcifer. great character!! charming af! (did anyone else have difficulty Picturing him? haha)
recommended for those who need a kind swig of societal optimism, raspberry jam enjoyers, taurus-dominants, or anyone looking for a magical, sugar-y sweet palette cleanser.