The Spellshop - by Sarah Beth Durst

Book Synopsis

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 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.

Then 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 help fix up her new home.

In need of income and reluctantly inspired by the beauty and people of the island who have welcomed her into their hearts, Kiela discovers 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 that become the town's, and her handsome neighbor's, new favorite confection.

But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela decides to open the island's first-ever and much-needed secret spellshop.

Her plan comes with risks--the empire condemns the use of unsanctioned magic, and the consequence of sharing spells with commoners is death. But Kiela has only just found a place that feels like home and people who feel like family, and she'll risk anything for a chance at happiness.

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

Review Quotes

"Sarah Beth Durst is the hidden gem of the fantasy world." --Book Riot

Praise for The Spellshop:

"The Spellshop sweeps readers into a world of merhorses, illegal spells, and first loves... it's as comforting as homemade jam on a fresh baked muffin!" --Rebecca Thorne, author of Can't Spell Treason Without Tea

"Thoroughly enchanting! The Spellshop is brimming with cozy charm, endearing characters, and reminders that sometimes the biggest risks lead to the sweetest rewards. I'm looking forward to reading more of Sarah Beth Durst's magical books." --Heather Webber, USA Today Bestselling author

"The Spellshop is about believing in the kindness of people, even when you've seen nothing but cruelty. There is beauty in Kiela's building of a new and brighter world. There is courage in the love of this found family." --J.R. Dawson, author of The First Bright Thing

"Reading this book was like sitting in the sun, watching bees in the foxgloves; a warm, peaceful delight of a novel. You can almost smell the jam, and hear the ocean. I finished the book smiling." --Katherine Arden, New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale