Category Archives: v) The Shelf of Wonders

Reviews, recommendations and reflections on witchy fiction, magical non-fiction, oracle and tarot decks, plus films and TV shows worth adding to your watchlist.

Books and Betwichment

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Title: Books and Bewitchment
Author: Isla Jewell
Publisher: Titan Books
Publication Date: 3 February 2026
Genre: Cosy Fantasy / Romantasy / Witchy Fiction / Small Town Fantasy / Chick Lit

Because some bookshops have a little bit of extra magick.

Witchcraft and bookshops are two of my favoutite things so a stroyline surrounding both of these things meant I couldn’t leave this book on the shelf.

Rhea Wolfe is living a fairly ordinary life in Alabama with her pet parrot when her estranged grandmother dies, leaving her an inheritance in the magical mountain town of Arcadia Falls. Along with discovering she’s descended from witches, she inherits a run-down old video store from her Grandmother that she decides to turn into the bookshop she’s always dreamed of owning.

Of course, things are never quite that simple. The shop needs a lot of work, and luckily Hunter Blakely, the handsome local handyman, is there to help bring Rhea’s dream to life. The only problem? He’s the grandson of her grandmother’s sworn enemy, because apparently even witches can’t escape a bit of family drama. Not to mention the fact that Rhea’s pet parrot now holds the spirit of Grannie dearest.

I really enjoyed Rhea as a character. Her ability to find a book quote or pun for almost every situation added so much humour and felt very true to her personality. I loved watching her slowly find her place in Arcadia Falls, build new friendships and realise that family isn’t always just about who you’re born to, but the people who choose to stand beside you.

Being from the UK and never having visited the Deep South, I do now have one very important question… what exactly are boiled peanuts? They were mentioned so many times that I now feel like I need to try them just to understand what I’ve been missing!

My only slight issue was Rhea’s relationship with her sisters. I couldn’t really understand why she felt responsible for two grown women who who should have been taking accountabiliy for their own lives. In fact, I didn’t really see why they needed to be in the story at all, unless there’s going be a sequel or a whole Arcadia Falls series in which the sisters come in to it more and have theit own story arks and this was just a way of introducing their characters…

In essence, this was a cosy comfort read filled with charm, magic and the promise of new beginnings. I won’t lie, it left me wanting to visit Arcadia Falls… and secretly hoping a long lost relative might leave me a magical inheritance too.

The First Witches Club

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Title: The First Witches Club
Author: Maisey Yates
Publisher: Montlake
Publication Date: 1 March 2026
Genre: Cosy Fantasy / Women’s Fiction / Romance / Witchcraft / Chick Lit

Because every woman deserves to find her coven.

I’ll be honest, it’s very rare that you’ll find me watching a feel good comedy, I’m much more of a horror girl but every now and again, I’ll be in the mood for something light and I absolutely loved The First Wives Club when I watched it, maybe due to the fast it has such an iconic cast, so when I stumbled across this book, the title alone had me interested, and thankfully this clever play on words didn’t disappoint.

The story follows three former high school frenemies – Nora, Daisy and Soraya, who find their way back to each other in their 30’s after their marriages fall apart. Somehow they all end up working at the mysterious, Lady’s Mantle Apothecary that seems to have popped uo in town out of nowhere, and from there the magic really begins.

This is a story about women lifting each other up and finding the support system they didn’t know they needed. Their little coven becomes a place of healing, friendship and second chances and I loved watching those relationships grow.

There are plenty of spells, a few disastrous consequences, lots of working through personal baggage, and, of course, the comforting feeling that everything will work out for the best in the end.

I really enjoyed the tarot aspect, woven throughout the story. It especially resonated with me because I’m on my own tarot learning journey at the moment and I’ve started spotting tarot personalities in people I meet. If that sounds a bit odd, keep reading, it’ll make perfect sense by the final chapters!

Was it a little predictable? Yes. But then, what cosy comfort read isn’t? Sometimes that’s exactly what you want. I closed the book wishing I could pop into that apothecary for a cup of tea… and maybe leave with a spell or two.

A charming, magical read full of friendship, healing and just enough witchy fun to leave you smiling.