The Spellshop and Jammy Muffins
Brilliant Book!
Welcome to the Spellshop! Here you will find jams and jellies that will satisfy every sweet tooth and cure all that ails you. Doesn’t that sound like the best advertisement you can get for a magical hidden shop that sells illegal spells? Well in Sarah Beth Durst’s best-selling book, “The Spellshop,” the poor proprietor can only rely on word of mouth in order to get the word out. But I sense that she is going to be a huge success in her endeavours. Let’s look at how.
The Story
Former librarian Keila and her assistant Caz (who is an animated spider plant) have just escaped the ruined city of Alyssium with the few books that they could save. The two of them set sail to Keila’s childhood home on a remote island in hopes of finding sanctuary. Little does she know that she is going to make a big impact on this small isle.
In an attempt to earn a living, Keila uses some of the spellbooks she has in order to farm her own food. However, this turns out not to be a one-off thing. She finds that her magic makes a huge number of berries that she decides to make jams out of. Thanks to her handsome and goodhearted neighbor with his well-meaning nosiness, she starts a jamming business out of her own home. But wait! That’s not all. After one good deed, Keila discovers that she can help others with these spells even though she is not supposed to use them all. And yet, her spells are just what this island needs in order to bring the life back to it.
As her popularity with the people grows with her jams and “medicines,” so do the questions. Can she still keep all of her activities under wraps? And what about her neighbor? She knows she should send him away but her heart opens more and more when she sees him. What is she going to do?
My Review
Can there be a more fantastic book than this? It was a fun and gripping read from start to finish. I’ll admit that when I first read the synopsis, I wondered: How could jam be magical? After reading this, I realized that how can it not be magical? I have to give kudos to Sarah Beth for opening my eyes and teaching me a lesson.
The characters in the book are absolutely fabulous. Durst’s attention-to-detail in describing her people is in-depth and colourful but also authentic. You can picture them exactly as she describes them and imagine them to be real. My favourite character was Caz the talking plant. Every scene he is in, he brings a lot of light and humour into the story but also, he is the best sidekick that our reserved, cautious librarian could ask for. Not only intelligent and helpful but cheerful and easy-going. All the characters are as unique as they are loveable.
When it comes to the storyline, Durst paints us a beautiful picture with her words. You can see these fantastical events unfolding as if you were watching a movie. And it is a vivid one at that. It offers intrigue with Keila trying to make connections but at the same time keeping secrets. The story also gives inspiration where a cynical person suffers a trauma, learns to open up to the right people, and the rewards she gets out of it. Each word is crystal clear and makes the story come to life right in front of your eyes.
The story’s theme is exceptional. Personally, I think the cottage-core lifestyle that these persons live has a simple, down-to-earth albeit romantic vibe to it. There are many stories out there that have this theme but Sarah Beth has perfected the description of it. I look forward to seeing what else she has planned for future books that may (or may not) have this theme to it.
This book was an adventure for me and it paints so many beautiful pictures in my mind, that I look forward to seeing what’s next. Besides, any author who manages to correct an assumption and make a world of wonder become real deserves the upmost respect.
Jammy Muffins Baby!
The Pairings
Now obviously, we are going to have a snack that has jam on it. However, in this case since this book represents living a simple life, so we are going to keep things unpretentious. In this case, if you are looking for a snack morning, noon, or night, my recommendation is to have a toasted English muffin with crème and (you guessed it) jam.
Any flavour of jam will do especially if it is locally made and not from the grocery store. When it comes to the crème it is your choice but personally, I love whipped cream because it is accessible, inexpensive, and easy to make (if you must). It is also magically delicious (Sorry Lucky Leprechaun)! Now the English muffin is a must just merely because it is mentioned quite a bit in the book. Besides, what could be better and humbler than a plain English muffin?
The Rating/Final Thoughts
10/10
I can see why this is a best seller and urge anyone who is a fan of the fantasy genre (enthusiastically waving arms in the air) to read it posthaste. The characters are enchantingly entertaining, the story so raw and real, and smiles are guaranteed. Now all I need to do is find a spider plant who will get me some jam!
