2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

Tell us what you thought of the book! You can leave your review here. Even if you read the book outside of the group, please feel free to let us know what you thought of it.

What was enjoyable or not-so-enjoyable about this book?
Did this book change your perception about anything, either within the book (character development) or in real life?

Please make sure to mark your spoilers by typing [spoiler] at the start and [/spoiler] at the end but replacing the [] with <>.

I just finished the audiobook!

It's not really my kind of book, but I'm sure it's really good if you like light, cozy, cute stories.
You can read my review here!

Just finished. I had a lot of the same thoughts as Carri.

I don't usually like super cutesy feel-good things. But I do like fantasy and cutesy magic things. This book dances on the line of what is tolerable cute and annoying cute. I liked the magic and all the different characters. It was a perfectly fine story. It just felt a little Hallmark Christmas movie to me (and I don't watch those... for a reason).

All of the conflict is minimal and only starts happening on page 240 out of 380 pages. I don't mind a comfy/cozy setup, but I really do like there to be some kind of detrimental obstacle for the characters for more than a few pages at a time.

More spoilery thoughts. (view spoiler)[The conflicts were: Kiela is using illegal magic and spellbooks to help this island that's dying because no one is helping it with magic anymore. She assumes it's so far out of the way no one will care, which is basically true. Then Radane shows up pretending she's an investigator. Which may have been very bad! Except she's actually the heir to the throne and she just wants a normal life. So the conflict wasn't even conflict. In fact, it was silly she even thought to pretend to be an investigator. Just say she's there to settle down and start a new life instead of bringing attention to yourself. Then soldiers come but the captain guy has a crush on Radane and doesn't want to find her so he turns a blind eye to all of the egregious magic-using. And soon the laws will change anyway. Yay.

As for the romance, I never really *felt* it. It's sweet and everything but it was a very shallow connection from the beginning.

I loved the spirit cloud bears and would read an entire book about them. Perhaps Kiela will write one. (hide spoiler)]

Okay, so... How do I explain this book.

The beginning was not my favorite. The main character was so antisocial and rude that I was nervous she was irredeemable. I rooted hard for Larron because he seemed like a good guy, so I stuck through it. And the main character became way less annoying. Hallelujah.

The middle was more enjoyable. If you take the book for what it is, and just accept that all the spells work pretty darn well for a librarian and her sentient plant who just want to fix the town for the better, and don't dive deeper than that, it was fun. However, I think the book should've ended with the Radane arc.

The ending.... (view spoiler)[ While I enjoyed the Radane arc and the nerves it brought, I think the book would've been better if it had ended after Radane agreed to her simple life on the island. The Captain Varrick super quick villain introduction, then resolution, then storm introduction, then super fast resolution, back to Varrick has returned oh no, then to that resolution, then to four merhorses giving birth at the same time... (hide spoiler)] Whew that was a lot for the last fifty pages or so. It would've been a way more enjoyable, cutesy, cozy, take-it-for-what-it-is book without all of that, in my opinion. The too-quick whiplashy back-to-back climaxes at the end really soured the book in my eyes.

I agree that the conflicts weren't really actually conflicts. I feel like the author tried to rush in some conflict really fast at the end but also wanted everything tied nicely with a bow, but only wanted that done in the last fifty pages? Idk, it was weird.

3 stars... I wanted it to be 3.5 cozy stars leaning up to a 4, but man I can't get over that rushed ending. Honestly the more I think about it, it may be a 2.5 star book for me.

I did enjoy it as a cosy fantasy read with magical creatures, but the romance was my least favourite part of the book. I didnt mind Larran himself, but the romance didnt feel very real to me, just sort of an afterthought. Also wonder why if the island is so isolated (view spoiler)[that they have no idea theres a revolution going on in the city, all these ships found it immediately without even trying. (hide spoiler)]

I just finished. While I usually go for fantasy books that have a lot more action, this book was surprisingly fast paced enough for me not to get bored and I loved it! Caz is my new favorite book character and made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion

Nice and very cozy reading! I liked the magic characters and I could see this story in a anime.
Good ideas like (view spoiler)[ the cloud bears, Caz, the cactus, the magic experiences, the storms, the horsemaids... (hide spoiler)], I was a bit less into the romance, but all in all an unusual reading for me that I enjoyed while it's snowing outside!
Makes me crave for more Fantasy readings.

Finished reading this yesterday and felt like it was a quick, easy read without much depth. I don't typically read Fantasy, but enjoyed the overall story. I really liked Caz and found myself wishing that my spider plant would talk, lol. I gave the book 3 stars, I don't think it rates any higher than that for me.

Just finished it! I did enjoy it even though there were a few things that could have been executed better.

The romance wasn´t romancing for me - (view spoiler)[I think the author intended that we would´nt feel a spark as Kielas Dad told her that the spark isn´t a necessity but instead her partner should be her best friend. However I think there would have been ways to make the romance part feel more alive (hide spoiler)]

I would have loved a little more depth on the revolution and the conflicts - they were overcome so unreallistcly easy.

I liked the cozy vibe though and now definetly want a talking plant in my life.

I just finished also, and can say "finally" because it was a bit of a slog for me even though I expected a lot of this book. I mean I still enjoyed some of it, and like many I really loved Caz, but in general the book lacked depth for me. I write a bit more in my review here.

Carri Carey wrote: "I just finished the audiobook!

It's not really my kind of book, but I'm sure it's really good if you like light, cozy, cute stories.
You can read my review here!"

I agree a lot with your review Carri! Especially the eye rolling about the non existent non conflicts. 😂

Done! This book was certainly cute and cozy. Not really my kind of book most of the time, but I was in the mood for something light. Thankfully, it was more fantasy than romance, though neither is my go to genre.

I'm also not a fan of books that rely on magic spells to save the day. However, Durst's storytelling is enjoyable. I liked the neighbors helping neighbors storyline, and I absolutely loved Caz. Plus, winged cats.

While I totally understand what everyone is saying in their reviews about the book being super cozy and not really having conflict, that’s really what I loved about it. As someone who reads mostly mystery and thrillers that are super fast paced & sometimes pretty dark.. this was such a refreshing change of pace. I genuinely enjoyed reading about Kiela and her little cottage-living jam-making adventures. I loved the magic and all the characters, I could have read 500 more pages just of Caz, the locals & Kiela making more jam.

My review:
Let me just start off by saying I don’t think a book has ever made me feel this warm and fuzzy before. In her acknowledgments Sarah Beth Durst mentioned wanting The Spellshop to feel like a warm hug… you hit the nail right on the head girl.

This book is cozy vibes from the start. I took my time with it because I don’t usually read fantasy, and I want to really let my imagination run wild with the descriptions. Honestly, it was beautiful. The imagery is absolutely fantastic, every single one of the characters is lovable (except he who I will not name, IYKYK). The themes and messages of the importance of friendship, following your heart, the importance of community, and finding yourself were so comforting.

Sara Beth, I’m a new fan.

I literally just bought like 3 pounds of raspberries to make jam…

Update to message 13

I made the jam! And some raspberry cream cheese pastries with it too, so delicious. Totally inspired by Kiela & her spelled raspberry bushes

Anna Rachel wrote: "Update to message 13

I made the jam! And some raspberry cream cheese pastries with it too, so delicious. Totally inspired by Kiela & her spelled raspberry bushes
"

Wow that's amazing!

Anna Rachel wrote: "Update to message 13

I made the jam! And some raspberry cream cheese pastries with it too, so delicious. Totally inspired by Kiela & her spelled raspberry bushes
"

Wow, that's amazing! They look so good. Also, that's a nice way to continue engaging with a book you liked.

I just realized that I never did post my final review of this book:

I liked it. I liked it more than I had expected. Typically not the type of book that I usually read but it was a nice change and not hard to get through at all. It was very well-rounded. My biggest fear at the halfway mark was that it would have to be rushed at the end in order to wrap up all of the loose ends. Surprisingly, even though it maintained its pace to the end, I felt like everything was properly ended. And I really liked the secondary characters - I did not form a deep attachment to them but I liked them a lot.

Cozy still is not my favorite genre and this was far from one of my favorite books but it was enjoyable.

Anna Rachel wrote: "Update to message 13

I made the jam!"

Love this!

The Spellshop isn’t my usual kind of read - normally I’m all about dark thrillers - so I went into it knowing that I wasn’t its target audience. I’ll admit, it was nice to dip my toe into a different genre.

I feel like I would’ve loved it as a teenager. Caz was a fun sidekick, and probably had the most personality of any of the characters.

As a non-binary person (who has admittedly not read as much queer literature as I’d like), it did make me laugh that the first non-binary representation I’ve seen in a novel is a sentient plant. Shout out to Meep!

I absolutely loved it. It was so cute and Kiela was so relateable. Caz is, by far, my favorite character.

It did remind me of the Studio Ghibli movies though, which was probably why I liked it so much. Very whimsical.

Just finished the first monthly book challenge. Not my usual genre either so a bit out of my comfort zone! Mermaids, unicorns, singing apple trees, walking and talking non-binary plants- all great fun! A light easy read (was it a YA book?)
3/5 for me
Looking forward to next month's read too