The Spell Shop by Sarah Beth Durst – Kiela is very happy as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium as she doesn’t have to deal with people!!
She and her assistant, Caz, a walking, talking, anxiety-ridden spider plant, have spent almost all of the past eleven years cloistered amongst the empire’s priceless spellbooks, protecting the magic for the city’s elite.
A revolution is brewing, however, and when the library goes up in flames, Kiela and Caz crate up as many books as they are able and sail to the faraway island where Kiela grew up. Upon arriving, however, they find the town in disarray! Also, to Kiela’s dismay, she has to cope with a curious, but very handsome neighbour.
Kiela soon realises that the empire has been draining power from the island for some time, and has also banned spellmaking. The consequence of performing or sharing magic is death!! And there is someone on the island only too happy to turn her into a nosy Imperial Investigator!
However, Kiela is determined to make things right by opening up her own spell shop, despite the risks. As Kiela begins to make friends, and possibly enemies, among the townsfolk, she soon discovers that she must open her heart and soul to break down the walls she has kept so high . . .
This glorious novel has it all – amazing characters, romance, friendship, magic, suspense, and, most importantly, raspberry jam!!
Take the day off, and read it from beginning to end!
The Spellshop is a wonderful, feel-good, beautifully written book.
ISBN: 9781035042333
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
The Spellshop is available in paperback, hardback and e-book.
About Sarah Beth Durst
Sarah Beth Durst is the award-winning author of more than twenty books for kids, teens, and adults, including Spark, Drink Slay Love and The Queens of Renthia series. She won an American Library Association Alex Award and a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award and has been a finalist for SFWA’s Andre Norton Nebula Award three times. She is a graduate of Princeton University and lives in Stony Brook, New York with her husband, her children and her ill-mannered cat. The Spellshopis her debut adult cosy fantasy.
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