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petuniarhubarb 's review for:

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
4.0
lighthearted reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I think cozy fantasy gets a bad rap because "it has no plot," but that's missing the point. So if you're looking for depth and grand adventure, look elsewhere. But if you want friendship, magic for the sake of magic, nature, and a hug of a story, you've found the right book.  

For me, the story just clicks.

The Spellshop struck my nature, magical animal, witchy-loving cord. I loved everything. Sure, half the story had no conceivable plot, but do I care? No.

I wish more books leaned into the fantastical worlds they create. I get tired of grand-scale adventures and magic as a means to an end. I want to see characters stopping to pet a merhorse or sitting down to have tea with their new friends. Just because. (Is it too much to ask??) So I love that everything is lovely and magical for the sake of it. There's no reason for the Main character to be blue, she just is.