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Strangebrew Apothecary: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 8 Dec 26Legends & Lattes meets The Lost Apothecary in this debut adventure fantasy following a potion maker who must hide her powers under the cover of a crew of conmen, only to lean on each other for comfort, safety, and even love.
When Ellastaria Strange joins a ragtag crew of con artists and serpent-oil salesmen, she’s just trying to escape the slow death of poverty, not sell fake cure-alls in dinky rural villages. Yet Ella harbors a dangerous secret. Unlike her crooked co-workers, she's the real thing; an apothecary with supernatural abilities, hiding from a world fearful of such powers, covertly helping people when she can.
Ella’s life of deceit takes a terrifying turn when her team swindles the wrong town and Ella accidentally reveals her true nature to fanatics with no tolerance for the supernatural. On the run from obsessed vigilantes, Ella and her crew find refuge with a beer brewer who wants nothing to do with crooks or occultists, and his starry-eyed sister who wants in on all of it.
For any hope of a future, the scrappy misfits must band together, embrace what makes them outcasts, and trust in each other’s talents—no matter how strange.
When Ellastaria Strange joins a ragtag crew of con artists and serpent-oil salesmen, she’s just trying to escape the slow death of poverty, not sell fake cure-alls in dinky rural villages. Yet Ella harbors a dangerous secret. Unlike her crooked co-workers, she's the real thing; an apothecary with supernatural abilities, hiding from a world fearful of such powers, covertly helping people when she can.
Ella’s life of deceit takes a terrifying turn when her team swindles the wrong town and Ella accidentally reveals her true nature to fanatics with no tolerance for the supernatural. On the run from obsessed vigilantes, Ella and her crew find refuge with a beer brewer who wants nothing to do with crooks or occultists, and his starry-eyed sister who wants in on all of it.
For any hope of a future, the scrappy misfits must band together, embrace what makes them outcasts, and trust in each other’s talents—no matter how strange.
- GenresFantasyCozy Fantasy
363 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 22, 2026
About the author
Rustin Lovewell
2 books6 followersA life-long reader of speculative fiction, Rustin’s love of epic tales spurred a desire to write his own. His work has appeared in Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores and the Volume 35 Writers of the Future anthology. He is beyond excited to share STRANGEBREW APOTHCOCARY with the world—his debut fantasy novel about a magic potion-maker hiding within a crew of snake-oil salesmen.
Rustin can often be found in a Maryland coffee shop, where he’ll be tapping on his laptop and completely lost in his own head. He resides near Washington D.C. with his wife, two young daughters, and a mini-dachshund known as Lady Little Legs.
Rustin can often be found in a Maryland coffee shop, where he’ll be tapping on his laptop and completely lost in his own head. He resides near Washington D.C. with his wife, two young daughters, and a mini-dachshund known as Lady Little Legs.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Hanover Square Press for providing me with a gifted ebook copy of Strangebrew Apothecary through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Strangebrew Apothecary hit all of my feels for a cozy, Fall read. The found family in this one was a highlight of the book for me, and Kimmie was definitely one of my favorite characters. I really liked Ella as the main FMC and she had great character growth through her potion making.
The other side characters were also very well developed and the religious fanatics obsession with capturing Ella kept up a good pace and brought some great tension to the story. While most of the book is fairly mild, it does tend to go a bit darker for a few things that happen in the story.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Potion Maker
* Con Artists
* Found Family
* On the Run
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥: 🚫
Strangebrew Apothecary is definitely one I would recommend for your Fall TBR if you love magic, quirky characters, and cozy vibes mixed with some high stakes tension.
Strangebrew Apothecary hit all of my feels for a cozy, Fall read. The found family in this one was a highlight of the book for me, and Kimmie was definitely one of my favorite characters. I really liked Ella as the main FMC and she had great character growth through her potion making.
The other side characters were also very well developed and the religious fanatics obsession with capturing Ella kept up a good pace and brought some great tension to the story. While most of the book is fairly mild, it does tend to go a bit darker for a few things that happen in the story.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Potion Maker
* Con Artists
* Found Family
* On the Run
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥: 🚫
Strangebrew Apothecary is definitely one I would recommend for your Fall TBR if you love magic, quirky characters, and cozy vibes mixed with some high stakes tension.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I think this story is just the exact right mix of high stakes with a cozy vibe, putting it as a great adventure fantasy that's a bit cozy but isn't afraid to get dark enough to make you care what happens. There's humor and romance. Villains chasing heroes. Heroes outsmarting villains. Lots of found family and small town mixed with touches of magic and characters who abound with personality. It's just a joy to read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I really enjoyed Strangebrew Apothecary. It was action-packed from beginning to end, with strong character development that kept me invested in the story. One of my favorite aspects was the rich detail of the world-building that included an Earth-like setting that feels familiar but hides supernatural elements beneath the surface. The blend of fantasy, mystery, and adventure made for a compelling read, and I can’t wait to spend more time in this world.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and Rustin Lovewell for the ARC.
Strangebrew Apothecary was such an enjoyable read!
There was a fantastic cast of characters, and they absolutely made the book for me. The pacing was great and the mixture of high stakes and cozy were blended perfectly.
A great debut, and I'll certainly be looking out for future releases by the author.
Strangebrew Apothecary was such an enjoyable read!
There was a fantastic cast of characters, and they absolutely made the book for me. The pacing was great and the mixture of high stakes and cozy were blended perfectly.
A great debut, and I'll certainly be looking out for future releases by the author.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I happened to be the lucky editor of STRANGEBREW--a profoundly important book with a delicious found family, a powerful sense of community, and ultimately a reflection on what we think is right and the lengths we go to make the right things happen.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I had a fun time with this one!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Strangebrew Apothecary was a delight. It's a fun, fast-paced read that isn't afraid to venture into darker territory when it needs to. And Kimmie is the magic-obsessed kid that I will always secretly be.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews