THE SPELLSHOP

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
Book 1 in the Spellshop series
Narrated by Caitlin Davies
Genre: fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About The Spellshop:

Every home needs a little magic . . .

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. But, as librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she hasn’t had to.

She and her assistant Caz, a sentient spider plant, have spent most of the last eleven years sequestered among the empire’s precious spellbooks, protecting the magic for the city’s elite. But a revolution is brewing, and when the library goes up in flames Kiela and Caz steal whatever books they can and flee to the faraway island where she grew up. To her dismay, in addition to a nosy — and very handsome — neighbour, she finds the town in disarray.

The empire has slowly been draining power from the island, and now Kiela is determined to make things right. But opening up her own spellshop comes with its own risks — the consequence of sharing magic with commoners is death. And as Kiela starts to make a place for herself among the townspeople, she realizes she must break down the walls she has kept so high . . .

Source: Info in the "About The Spellshop" was taken from amazon on 26/10/2025.

Buy Link(s):

 

My Thoughts:

I'm so happy that I stumbled upon this author! I like the way she tells the story.

The story is more like a collection of events in Kiela's life with an over-arching theme of her escape to freedom. There is no multilayered plot with a twist at the end. However, this is a fantasy book, not a crime fiction or thriller. So, I was not expecting twisty anything.

This is also my first Caitlin Davies and I would listen to her again.

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4.5
Writing Style = 4.5
Ending = 4.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = (12 hrs and 10 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Spellshop Series:

 

Meet The Author

About Sarah Beth Durst:

Sarah Beth Durst is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty-five books for adults, teens, and kids, including cozy fantasy THE SPELLSHOP. She's been awarded an American Library Association Alex Award, as well as a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. Several of her books have been optioned for film/television, including DRINK SLAY LOVE, which was made into a TV movie and was a question on Jeopardy! She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat.

www.sarahbethdurst.com | twitter | facebook author page | facebook | instagram | tiktok | bluesky | threads | tumblr | blog | amazon | wiki | goodreads

The Narrator

About Caitlin Davies:

Caitlin Davies is a New York City–based actress, director, and award-winning audiobook narrator. She has narrated a number of popular series and has been nominated for multiple Voice Arts Awards. She was also part of the full cast recording of The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone, which received an AudioFile Earphones Award. Audiobooks she's narrated have been Top Ten selections for YALSA's Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults and have received starred Booklist reviews and Parents' Choice Awards. Caitlin holds a BA in English from Vassar College and an MFA in acting from Brown University/Trinity Repertory.

caitlindavies.com | twitter | instagram | goodreads

FTC Disclosure:
The ebook and audiobook were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.

THE CAGED DRAGON

The Caged Dragon by Dan Michaelson and D.K. Holmberg
Book 1 in the Cycle of Dragons series
Narrated by Brian Holden
Genre: dragon fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook

About The Caged Dragon:

A young man wanting to protect his family begins an epic journey.

Life on the farm at the edge of the kingdom is anything but routine for Ashan. The plains around Berestal suffer from severe storms, making travel to the city difficult, with the threat of an attack from the people of Vard always looming. He long ago abandoned dreams of serving as a dragon rider, caring for his injured father and brother, but everything is about to change.

A Vard attack forces Ashan to risk everything to protect his sister. Doing so brings him closer to the dragons than he had ever imagined, but brings him into a war he never intended to join. Somehow, Ashan and his best friend might be the only ones able to prevent the Vard from reaching a prize they’d long sought, if only they can survive the dangers of the forest, the mysterious Djarn people, a terrifying creature chasing them, and the power of a dragon mage.

Source: Info in the "About The Caged Dragon" was taken from amazon on 11/12/2025.

Buy Link(s):

 

My Thoughts:

I bought this book because... dragons!

This is my first Dan Michaelson and D.K. Holmberg read and I am not very impressed with their story telling quality because they have the tendency to make the characters act stupid to give the story some drama. I am not very tolerant of stupid. Plot building is not this authors' forte. In fact there is no plot. Just the beginnings of one. Which of course ended in a cliffhanger.

The world building though was beautiful! It is just sad that these authors could not create a convincing dramatic scene nor a fight scene.

Brian Holden did a good job of bringing this book to life. Would listen to audiobooks by him again.

Quantitative Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 3.5
Character development = 3.5
Story itself = 2.5
Writing Style = 3
Ending = 2
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (7 hrs and 19 mins listening time)
Plot = 1
Narration = 4.5

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 cherries

Books In The Cycle of Dragons Series:

 

Meet The Authors

About Dan Michaelson:

Dan Michaelson grew up reading loving dragons, magic, and all things fantasy. He's got dozens of stories in his head and now tries to get them out so others can read them.

dan-michaelson.com | facebook | amazon | goodreads

About D.K. Holmberg:

D.K. Holmberg lives in Minnesota and is the author of multiple series including The Lost Prophecy, The Cloud Warrior Saga, The Dark Ability, The Teralin Sword, and The Lost Garden. When he's not writing, he's chasing around his two active children.

www.dkholmberg.co | twitter | facebook | amazon | goodreads

The Narrator

About Brian Holden:

Brian Holden grew up in Traverse City, Michigan, went to college in Ann Arbor, and lived in Los Angeles just long enough to forever hate the winters in Chicago. In addition to running his theater company, StarKid Productions, he performs improv comedy. But no, he can't tell you a joke. Only by responding truthfully in the moment is he absolutely hilarious. He loves reading and is happy that he's gotten to lend his voice to some great stories so far.

hellobrianholden.com | twitter | facebook | instagram | linkedin | goodreads

FTC Disclosure:
The ebook and audiobook were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.

WHAT VENGEANCE COMES

What Vengeance Comes by Anthony M. Strong
Book 1 in the John Decker series
Narrated by Jet Malakai
Genre: supernatural thriller
Format: ebook & audiobook

About What Vengeance Comes:

John Decker left Wolf Haven, Louisiana, to escape the memories of his troubled past, believing he would never return. But after twenty years working for a big city police department, he suddenly finds himself back in Wolf Haven, taking the reigns as the town’s sheriff. Expecting to spend his time dealing with the trivialities of small town life, the occasional drunk, cats stuck in trees, and domestic altercations, he instead finds a vicious killer picking off the residents one by one. Scrambling to find answers before anyone else dies, Decker stumbles across an age-old superstition, a terrifying creature conjured from the depths of hell to seek revenge.

Source: Info in the "About What Vengeance Comes" was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28248204-what-vengeance-comes on 19/07/2022.

Buy Link(s):

 

My Thoughts:

I was looking for another supernatural thriller good read after reading Counting Crows by Joe Talon. I was having a post-good-read-hang-over.

There is a big, scary monster in front of you who already killed a lot of people you knew. So, what do you do?! You stand around and make conversation! **face-palm**

Fight scenes and plot building is not this author's forte.

Jet Malakai reads with just a tiny bit of sing-song. I do not like sing-song narrators. However, I soon forget about the sing-song as I get pulled into the story.

Empirical Evaluation:

Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4
Story itself = 3
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 3.5
World building = 4
Cover art = 4
Pace = (5 hrs and 40 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 4

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries

Books In The John Decker Series:

 

Meet The Author

About Anthony M. Strong:

Anthony M. Strong is a British-born writer living and working in the United States. He is the author of the popular John Decker series of supernatural adventure thrillers.

Anthony has worked as a graphic designer, newspaper writer, artist, and actor. When he was a young boy, he dreamed of becoming an Egyptologist and spent hours reading about pyramids and tombs. Until he discovered dinosaurs and decided to be a paleontologist instead. Neither career panned out, but he was left with a fascination for monsters and archaeology that serve him well in the John Decker books.

Anthony has traveled extensively across Europe and the United States, and weaves his love of travel into his novels, setting them both close to home and in far-off places. Anthony currently resides most of the year on Florida’s Space Coast where he can watch rockets launch from his balcony, and part of the year in beautiful New England, with his wife Sonya, and two furry bosses, Izzie and Hayden.

anthonymstrong.com | twitter | facebook | amazon | goodreads

The Narrator

About Jet Malakai:

I’m an audiobook narrator and all around voiceover artist based out of South Florida. I can alter my voice to suit many tones and many characters, from booming announcements to the deep and dark. Whether its an audiobook ready for the world to listen to, a commercial, or a voiceover for your presentation, my sound will bring it to life.

jetmalakai.com | goodreads

FTC Disclosure:
The ebook and audiobook were bought with private funds.
No money received for this review.