Reviewing: The Spell Shop by Sarah Beth Durst

Book in review: The Spell Shop by Sarah Beth Durst

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.

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What did I like about this reading?

I did like how Kiela went about arranging her garden liken to a library’s book scheme or do I mean like the Dewey system in use and the book did end on a happy note as most fantasy books should end with a proposal and happiness ever after; for some it is happiness ever after as if they had not a past but mine is always parlayed around town or brought here to our abode feigning that ‘it’s the law’.

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This story was charming; it's 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 that's to be found in this family.—had lots of magical creatures and fueled with cinnamon rolls and magic.
The spellshop will heal your heart and feed your soul.