I was at book group recently, for a book about a Confederate woman that shot some people, which none of us liked at all, so we started waxing on about what we’d read that we liked a whole lot better. This book was the comfort read that the younger set there had loved, and the way they were carrying on about it made me want to read it. Apparently there is a genre of called “cozy fantasy,” and this book is a poster child for that.

In this novel, you have a librarian who loves books, and she becomes inspired to help people. She has blue skin and hair and maroon freckles. There are merhorses, cats with wings, centaurs, talking plants, and cinnamon buns. The main character flees the chaos of the world to a sweet island community, and we feel like we escaped for a while too. There is magic here, and friendship, and love, and no sex or violence or complicated world-building, so it is breezy and appropriate for readers of all ages.

While I do not agree that magical thinking will solve our problems, and nor will taking refuge in a storybook cottage jam shop, it did feel like a relief for a while, so I understand the appeal. I liked the author enough that I’ll read another by her when I feel like I need a reprieve from the hard facts of our current world; apparently this is the first of three in this series, while this author has written over 30 books.

The Spellshop is a great diversion, and it was perfect as a “palette cleanser” between other books that promise greater edification. You might find that you enjoy the reprieve too.  I give this story 4 stars.