The Spellshop

Durst’s romantasy debut introduces a cottagecore world filled with food, magic, and kindness. Librarian Kiela and her assistant, a sentient spider plant named Caz, must flee their home in the great city library because of civil unrest. With crates of magical spellbooks in tow, they go out to sea to wait out the turmoil, landing on a remote island that Kiela recognizes as her childhood home. Despite Kiela’s dislike of people, it proves difficult to alienate herself from the island’s residents, especially with her handsome and overly helpful neighbor hanging around. As she learns of the scarce resources on the island, she uses the spellbooks in secret, an act strictly forbidden, as magic is illegal. Caitlin Davies is a familiar narrator of quirky fantasy romances, having previously narrated Erin Sterling’s The Ex-Hex. Davies shows off her range by performing Kiela’s evolving demeanor, morphing from grumpy and standoffish to more welcoming and open. Additional characters all have unique voices, with the most entertaining being the dramatic and high-strung Caz.