Spellshop: A Heart-Warming Cottagecore Fantasy about First Loves and Unlikely Friendships | 
pickThe Spellshop follows Kaz a sentient spider plant and the librarian he assists Keila. They are librarians in the great library of Alyssium, a place where the empires knowledge is stored and protected only allowed to the elite few. That is at least until the revolutionaries set fire to the library and they are forced to flee with the few books they are able to rescue.
pickKiela and her talking spider plant Caz escape the burning of their great library in the huge city where they live. They find refuge on the island where she was born, along with the spell books they smuggled to safety. They decide to create a jam shop and soon they are surrounded by new friends like the merhorse herder and the local baker. Cozy to the max and a lovely read. (Warning: the book will make you want to eat toast and jam.)
pickDefinitely should be sleeping but I stayed up to finish this one! Whimsical is a good way to describe this book and the characters. A story of hope, friendship and community! I can‘t wait to read The Enchanted Greenhouse!
pickDefinitely fits the cozy category. Doesn‘t mean there weren‘t moments of distress but satisfying ending. A lot of cute for people who love books, baking, gardens, and magic. Love the designation of garden plants as book genres. That chapter with the tree spirit bears was beautiful. Initially the narrative felt kind of cold to me. Like I couldn‘t really connect with Kielan but didn‘t even think of it by the middle and through the end.
Started this one on my lunch break and I have The Enchanted Greenhouse on deck! I had to bail on The Bewitching because it was due back to the library and I was having a hard time getting into it. I‘ll give it another try when my hold comes back around.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In the acknowledgments, Durst says she wanted to write a book that felt like drinking hot chocolate and then says, “We‘ve all been through a lot over the past few years. This book is my gift to anyone who wants to escape and sink into a world filled with kindness and enchantment.”
And those two ideas really show exactly what she‘s done here. I loved every cozy page of this and am looking forward to reading more from this author!
I couldn‘t resist this when I got the email that it was the Barnes and Noble pick for the month. I already added it to my TBR, but when I saw the purple edges. 😍
pickThis was a sweet book, much like the jam it features. I loved the characters, especially Caz, and the warmth they brought to the story. And warmth is all through it, from the people to the setting to the conclusion — it‘s all like a warm hug. Themes of found family and finding one‘s true self run through the text, and there‘s a little adventure in there too. A wonderful escape into a lovely world. I mean, LOOK at that cover😍
Something soft and cozy for a cool and cloudy Sunday morning — and recovery from the Handmaid‘s Tale😅
pickThis was a fun fantasy, heartwarming, and charming albeit a bit hokey for my tastes. Kindness should be the way of the world and we should all have a friend like Caz.
First Quarter Fiction #ReadingBracket2025
This was a tough decision. I had to sit with the finalists for a bit to decide what went on. Ultimately I decided on this cozy fantasy, which was like a warm hug in book form.
Thank You @TheSpineView for creating this fun play-card & Thanks for the tag 💕🐎📚💝.
1- Since I was around 13 years old 📚💝.
2- The Spellshop 🪄📚💝💝💝.
#Two4Tuesday
#thespellshopreviewedbyanncrystal
#litsycommunitylittenanncrystal
pick#Read2025
Finished last week, this book was sweet & cute & exactly what I needed for a crazy week at work & the insanity of the world. It was a good mood enhancer in between some tougher books too. I love the escape of cozy fantasy where good prevails. Caz & Meep were adorable & it made me crave tea with bread and jam. A hug in book form. 💚💚💚
#two4Tuesday Thanks @TheSpineView for the tag!
1) paper crafts, pet my cat, go to museums, picnics, memorable trips, thoughtful gifts, when someone else cooks, watch movies, listen to music, Litsy, play dominoes with my parents (I used to take long walks but my back pain won‘t let me)
2) tagged: the feel good book of 2024
so-soSweet, cute, but I don't know if I will remember much of this novel in a couple of weeks. Good break from all the awful news in the US and the world.
pickI need, NEED cinnamon rolls and raspberry jam after reading this book. Cozy and comfy, absolutely charming.
Going on sick day number 🖐🤧. I've taken 3 days off from work so I feel like I have to go in tomorrow even though I could probably use a few more days in my couch cocoon. This suuuucks. Thankfully the book is pretty cute.
Aaand I'm laid up in bed with a flare up that feels like the flu, so I'm diving right into this cozy little fantasy. 💜
pickI had a few quibbles with this (relationships rather rushed), but I loved Meep and Caz, and the details of the work, and it was a fun cosy read.
pickI had a proper book hungover after Bookshops and Bonedust and looking around, noticed that I have a thing for „cozy fantasies“. So I started this one. And it soon became one of those books when you count the hours until you can continue reading it. So much love for the storytelling, the world-building and the characters.
Also I am now actually considering getting a spider plant.
Didn't manage to finish The Spellshop yet, it's taken me forever, but maybe this evening? I have no other plans, as long as I finish up studying. I love Meep!
Taking a bit of a break right now and looking at my January stats. It felt like I wasn't reading much, but that was really just in comparison to December, when I read 66 books (total includes manga, graphic novels, novellas etc).
Maybe I will sneak myself back on the #BookSpin wagon too...
[sneaks in quietly: long time no see!]
I've been partway through this for... uh, too long. I don't even know why; I guess it wasn't a good match for my mood. Anyway, I want to finish it up today, because I really love Caz (the sentient spider plant) and I want the cosiness.
pickIntrovert-to-the-extreme Kiela has found purpose in her job as a librarian but when rebels set the building on fire, she escapes with 5 crates of spellbooks and Caz, her only friend who is also a sentient spider plant. Without a place to go, she returns to the island where she was born.
Short on funds and skills, she turns to the spellbooks and builds herself a successful jam business and life.
So cozy and delightful.
pickThis cozy fantasy oozes comfort and kindness. I‘ll admit I bought this book for its gorgeous cover and the escapism, but my immersion in the story was interrupted by several continuity errors, and there was A LOT of repetition. Overall, I enjoyed my time in The Spellshop. Now, to fulfill this craving for raspberry jam and/or cinnamon rolls…
#OffMyShelf (newest book)
From the Acknowledgements page, “We've all been through a lot over the past few years. This book is my gift to anyone who wants to escape and sink into a world filled with kindness and enchantment.”
With cozies, I like to read the Acknowledgments first because, often, I find a little backstory or context, which adds to the vibes while reading the story.
#currentlyreading
#OffMyShelf (newest book)
I started a book club with my coworkers! This is the first pick. 📚
I need this so much right now. I just finished Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, which was an amazing book that bruised my soul. Now I need the book equivalent of a hug 😅💗
This book is pure magic, with one incredible scene after another. If I had to select one chapter to favorite, or one scene, it would be this one 😍💝 just amazing!
#thespellshopreviewedbyanncrystal
pickI think this was on the books that feel like a hug list? I read about it somewhere and it‘s just the loveliest magical escape from reality ( ish cuz there were a few passages when I thought they could be talking about Cheetos man and his peeps)
If you like TJ Klune, girl protagonists, choosing the right thing over the easy and a bit of magic - this is a book for you ❤️❤️❤️
As posted about, I've been reading, yet lately, been finding it difficult to keep myself fully entranced by the words.
I hadn't wanted to finish reading this while I was only able to half immerse myself into the story.
And I'm glad. I wouldn't have been able to truly appreciate the last few chapters if I hadn't hit the pause button for a weekend rechargeathon.
👇
This world! This story is just too lovely! Plan to finish this weekend, although I really, really want this story to go on for at least a thousand more pages 📚👏🤩📚💝.
pickThis was a warm hug of a book and a great way to start my reading year! I will say I did feel a bit called out in the beginning though because I am also a librarian with antisocial tendencies that would much rather be kept in an archive and only come out to help with research lol.
pickMy first read of 2025 in the books! This was a nice light read about forbidden magic and baking jam.
October was quite the month! I had so many 5-star reads and some of the worst books I read all year as well. But this little book—which took me forever to read—is a balm for my soul. Such a sweet lovely adorable gorgeous book. Vying for best book of the year. Many second place books in this month. #12booksof2024 @Andrew65
I was all set to start my BookSpin pick today but my hold came in at work so I guess I need to read this first. (I own my BookSpin pick so there‘s no due date on it.)
pickThis book is lovely. It‘s a great, but slow read. Perfect for when you need a break from angsting over characters in trouble and dramatic plot twists. Reading the Spell Shop is like reading Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing. Read it. #SarahBethDurst #TheSpellShop #cozyfantasy #romantasy
so-soI guess this book just wasn‘t my jam(ha ha). We were rushed through what I thought was a possibly really interesting story about Kiela evacuating her post as a librarian in the big city because of a revolution taking place. Her character was very weak and helpless for most of story which is not how I like my female leads. The supporting characters of Caz and Meep were the best part. Oh, and the cover and purple sprayed edges.
These days, my family exclusively shops in person to support local businesses...yet when I came across these today on Goodreads, I have to admit that I was tempted 🤩☺️📚💝.
pickAn absolute delight! The epitome of cozy fantasy with a romance and a lovely cast of characters. 5⭐️
Read in November 2024...
16 Books
Three 5-Star reads this month:
• The Spellshop
• Dead Souls
• The Importance of Being Earnest

#Goodreads #Bookstagram #OUABC #Litsy #Libby #Everand #Audible #Kindle
Another book I am continuing slowly...love, love, loving these characters (especially Caz) and this magical world where the incredible exists as everyday reality 🪄📚💝💝💝. Using my Christmas books to keep me from gobbling up this incredible read 🪄🎄📚💝.
#thespellshopreviewedbyanncrystal
#20in4 @Andrew65
