- Dates Read: 8/11/24 – 8/13/24
- Date Published: July 9, 2024
- Publisher: Bramble
- Length: 384
- Genres: Fantasy, Romance
- My Rating: 4/5
The coziest, cottagecore rom-com you could ever want
I picked this book up at Barnes & Noble because it was three dollars off and had purple sprayed edges. I didn’t have super high expectations for it, but to my surprise I absolutely loved this! We follow Kiela, an antisocial librarian of spellbooks, as she flees the political revolution in capital city Alyssium to her quaint hometown island of Caltrey – with numerous, “stolen spellbooks in tow. She starts selling jams and bits of magic, learning how to be social after years of self-isolation in the library. Of course she has a very handsome neighbor and antics ensue as she tries to bring magic to Caltrey despite strict laws against unsanctioned magic.
This book was the perfect mix of low-stakes conflict, casual magic, small town charm, and overall quirkiness. Kiela has a sentient spider plant assistant and we meet so many more charming creatures and spirits throughout the story. I thought this book had the perfect amount of plot and atmosphere for a cozy fantasy – you may not find the most detailed magic system or the most developed characters, but it was all enough together that it made me want to move away and sell jam out of my house. I loved the writing and how clear the picture of Caltrey was in my mind.
Our cast of characters
Kiela comes across a bit unlikable at first. Prickly, unfriendly, and generally averse to any form of human interaction. However, I feel like the pace at which her cold exterior melts makes sense within the pacing, and I felt like I most understood why she began to warm up to Caltrey. I think we could have explored a bit more into her background with why she was so independent and solitary in the first place – it was briefly mentioned, but it would’ve been more believable with a bit more context.
Larran is our male lead, and yes he is unreasonably tall like every other male lead in a romance book. Similar to Kiela’s background, the scene in which we learn more about Larran’s he isn’t in the conversation. I would have loved to have Kiela and Larran speak about his background together instead of Kiela finding out this information from some other Caltrey residents. But overall, Larran is sweet and non-offensive, though I wouldn’t say he is the most magnetic male lead I’ve read.
Overall thoughts
If you want a light romp through a magical island and love anything cottagecore, you will love The Spellshop! It was the perfect read coming after Brandon Sanderson’s Warbreaker – super sweet and straight to the point.
