The Spellshop

by Sarah Beth Durst Narrated by Caitlin Davies

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

If you loved the high fantasy and low stakes of Legends and Lattes, allow us to introduce you to Sarah Beth Durst. Combining the coziness of cottage core with the magical thrills of romantasy, this brand new world is one we can't wait to share with readers.

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.

Join Kiela the librarian and her assistant, Caz the sentient spider plant, as they navigate the low stakes market of illegal spellmaking and the high risk business of starting over.

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

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she hasn't had to.

She and her assistant, Caz, a magically sentient spider plant, have spent the last eleven years sequestered among the empire's most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city's elite. But when a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz save as many books as they can carry and flee to a faraway island Kiela was sure she'd never return to: her childhood home. Kiela hopes to lay low in the overgrown and rundown cottage her late parents left her and figure out a way to survive without drawing the attention of either the empire or the revolutionaries. Much to her dismay, in addition to a nosy-and very handsome-neighbor, she finds the town neglected and in a state of disrepair.

The empire, for all its magic and power, has been neglecting for years the people who depend on magical intervention to maintain healthy livestock and crops. Not only that, but the very magic that should be helping them has been creating destructive storms that have taken a toll on the island. Due to her past role at the library, Kiela feels partially responsible for this, and now she's determined to find a way to make things right: by opening the island's first-ever secret spellshop.

Her plan comes with risks-the consequence of sharing magic with commoners is death. And as Kiela comes to make a place for herself among the kind and quirky townspeople of her former home, she realizes that in order to make a life for herself, she must learn to break down the walls she has built up so high.

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.

A Macmillan Audio production from Bramble Books.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

05/06/2024

Durst (The Lies Among Us) celebrates the power of community in this whimsical cottagecore romantasy. Introverted librarian Kiela Orobidan and her sentient spider plant assistant, Caz, escape a populist revolution–fueled fire in the the Great Library of Alyssium by sailing to Kiela’s abandoned family cottage on the small island of Caltrey with only a few crates of irreplaceable spell books in tow. Imperial law restricts the use of magic to scholars, but when she sees the island’s residents struggling with harsh environmental conditions and poverty without assistance from the empire’s sorcerers, Kiela quietly uses her spell books to help the locals, claiming the charms she sells in her new jam shop are “family remedies”. Meanwhile, her handsome new neighbor Larran Maver helps restore her cottage and becomes a friend—with a spark of something more. Durst packs her cozy and colorful tale full of sweet magical creatures, including unicorns, winged cats, and friendly tree sprits that manifest as bears, and her diverse supporting cast exudes a near-uniform air of kindness. The political plot is largely background noise after serving its purpose of getting Kiela home and on a path to using magic, which may frustrate readers looking for more comprehensive worldbuilding. Those who come for the cheery aesthetic and celebration of everyday successes, however, will find this utterly delightful. (July)

From the Publisher

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

Praise for The Spellshop:

"Those who come for the cheery aesthetic and celebration of everyday successes... will find this utterly delightful." —Publisher's Weekly

"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

Product Details

BN ID:	2940159214409
Publisher:	Macmillan Audio
Publication date:	07/09/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged

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