I loved the premise of this book and had high hopes. Unfortunately the story wasn’t able to keep my attention and I found myself drifting off repeatedly. Trying to pinpoint what the issue was, I assume it was that I wanted or needed more background info. The whole magical system was confusing at first and I would have wished for a bit more explanation.

In contrast to other readers, I didn’t really mind the ending because I actually liked that it was neatly tied up with a little bow.

All in all: the worldbuilding was cool and I loved the bookshop setting but something was missing for me.

3.5-4 stars. This book had me gripped from the start, a bookshop? It was giving me the room of requirement from Harry Potter, but the unique magical system was interesting.

Murder, romance, an enchanted bookshop. A book about books? Loved it.

I also liked that the FMC was the morally grey one here, I thought that was an interesting touch. Good stand alone :)

A story about a magical bookshop is always going to grab my attention, and The Bookshop Below does not disappoint! Set in a magical London with interconnecting magical bookstores; this story will enchant you as you read.

If you have ever picked up a book and stuck your nose right up in there and taken a deep sniff... Georgia Summers wrote this book just for you! (And well, me too, lol!)

The Bookshop Below is a book lover’s fever dream. The world, the words, the plot, all of them together, feed the soul of anyone who has been rescued from real life by a book. Let me explain why.

The premise of this story is based on a secret world of interconnected bookshops that magically provide chosen readers with exactly what they need when they need it. The books themselves contain magic. Magic that can heal, or that can change your life to anything. Both good and bad. The shops, the books, are all filled with a life of their own.

It is a unique magic system that I am very sure we all wish we could be connected to. Taking care of these books and these stores is a sacred calling. One that our FMC, left behind. She is morally grey, and her evolution plays a significant role in the book. Will she make selfish choices? Will she do what is best? What will she decide to do? I enjoyed the pull and tug she felt in every situation, and seeing her sway, while not being able to guess what path she would eventually take.

Then we had our MMC. Oooofffff! He is grumpy and as antagonistic as they come. But he too had a multifaceted life that kind of broke my heart. I am very sure any reader will fall for him as I eventually did. It will take some time though, as this is a true ‘enemies to lovers’ situation.

The Bookshop Below invites readers into a world that will warm their souls with the possibilities of what if’s, and what could be’s. Reading it felt like a warm hug on a snowy day. An adventure, which brought me home.

Georgia Summers gives us pure delightful magic in these pages. A part of me hopes she is telling a secret story and giving us information about a part of the world waiting for those of us who live in our books to dive in and discover.

Without any hesitation, this gets my full yes and recommendation.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DMs6nv9JAcq/?igsh=MW1kaTZvNnJmdWFzeQ==
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7774311355
https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/d4e2bc38-0516-4722-976b-e491ad9cd100

Magical realism for book lovers.

Cass Holt, book thief and ink magic reader, the oh-so promising, oh-so disgraced ex-protégé, banished from the bookstore she grew up in.
Then her mentor, her kind-of adopted father dies. Cassandra knows the bookshop must always have an owner.

Not only does she have to restore the bookshop, deal with magical ink and books, and a dangerous secret society; there is a rival bookseller who might be the most annoying know-it-all ever.

<b>Crack open a book that’s been dipped into the river, and theoretically there’s very little stopping a reader from drawing on its power, or bestowing it on another. Theoretically. But ask for too much, or with vague intentions–well, the river still obliges.
</b>
Found family, teleporting cats, a magical river, LOTS of betrayals and secrets…

This will be perfect to read curled up in front of a fire with the smell of books around you and tea steaming next to you. Oh, and lots of cake.

The ending used a plot device I personally dislike, but, as this is a standalone; I understand why it was used.

Arc gifted by publisher.

After "The city of stardust", who had a promising concept but wasn't as good as I hoped, I was curious to read another book from the author and see if this time the execution would suit me better. I am a bit sad to say that it didn't.

Now, as for her previous book, I'm not saying this book is bad, far from it. The writing is nice, with a nice melody, conveying an atmosphere I should have loved; the characters are promising too, though I find it hard to get invested in them. There is an amelioration on that side, because I was annnoyed at one of the main character in "The city of stardust", since she was a little bit too childish or teenager like for a a grown women. There is something like that here, but it felt a little more mature and so I could handle it better, despite not feeling much about our cast.

Georgia Summers is promising a lot with the title and the back cover. Whimsy with a good dose of fairy tale like cruelty, a sense of wonder mixed with tension. She sets it quite well, with the bookshops, the mysterious magic with just enough grounding for the reader to get a sense of what is possible or not, leaving a great deal unsaid. I liked that. I didn't enjoy the pacing, and the sense of having a protagonist who doesn't do much on the plot. Now, it's not something I dislike all the time, but here it made for a very long first half, even three quarter, leaving only the last quarter to have the punchiness to plot required. The lack of clear direction at the beginning, despite a quite good setup, didn't help. It made for a very slow story to read (and again, I do like slow books, but it's a thin line to walk); the romance, in the background, wasn't very enchanting or easy to get invested in either, I'm sad to say. I think there is something with the timeline, which slipped a little past me, that didn't help on that side.

All in all, good ideas, good prose and nice bits, but it didn't tie well enough together to create the enchanting tale I hoped for.

First of all a big thank you to Netgalley and publishers Hodder and Stoughton for an eArc of this book.
From the author of City of Stardust (which i own but have not read yet lol) comes this fantasy novel involving ink magic (of the deadly sort), bookshops, booksellers, a secret society and a dark force threating the bookshops.
I was intrigued by this book and was not disappointed. I liked the main character and how she grew throughout the book. I really liked the fact its set in London (ive been 3 times as a tourist and love it) and i enjoyed the rivals to lovers romance involved. I would definatly recommend this book.

Thank you Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own and not influenced by others.

This is the second book I’ve read by Georgia Summers, and it’s another book with a great world building.

In this book, we follow Cassandra, a woman who will become the owner of the bookshop after the previous owner dies, because the book shop always needs an owner. Not everyone accepts she is the new owner of this book shop because the book shop has magic and there are many people who want to have this magic for their own.

This book has an amazing world building full of bookshop and books with their own magic and personalities. I had to grow into the characters, especially Cassandra because she really is morally grey in the beginning of this book, but after the first half she and Biron, and Lowell started to grow into me. But the main reason why I kept reading and loved this book so much is because of the world building.

If you’re looking for a fantasy book with books and bookshop that have their own magic and personality like Sorcery of Thorns, than I suggest to read this book.

It has magic, morally grey characters, books and bookshop with their own personality, secret societies, murder and a romance. The ending of this book was something I hoped for, and the writer delivered!

Thank you so much Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape for the arc!

**4,25/5**

„She's seen readers carve fireworks out of words, build entire illusions out of paragraphs."

-book about books
-magical bookshops
-rivals to lovers
-secret bookshop owner society
-ink magic
-ex thief mc / grumpy mmc

What's going on:
Cassandra, a disgraced bookseller turned thief, gets the opportunity to take over one of the best magical bookshops. If one stumbles across the bookshop, one is able to strike dangerous bargains to obtain a unique book. Unfortunately the elusive circle of bookshop owners is in an uproar. Owners are going missing and the magic that sustains the bookshops is rapidly fading.

What I liked:
The worldbuilding with magical bookshops with secret bookshop owner societies, rare book auctions and grand estate sales, is a reader's dream! The bookshops and the books are almost sentient and often volatile, and you bargain for unique books with your most prized possession. Together with a morally grey fme and a grumpy mmc, it's just perfection.

What I didn't like:
I had a hard time understanding how the magic system worked and I'm unsure if I did once l've finished the book.
There are so many components, Lady Fate, the river that's the origin of the bookshop's magic, the magic by reading the books, the magical ink ... It went a bit over my head.

A secret network of magical bookshops has existed for millennia but they are slowly disappearing and no one knows why. A spellbinding story where one dishonoured bookseller can uncover the truth, rewrite her story and attempt to save the magic from disappearing forever. Magical and beautifully compelling.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐫 & 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐨𝐧 | 𝐇𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐲 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬

A whimsical adventure into a work of ink, magic, and thievery (of my heart, for one).

I want to thank Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who utterly adores The Starless Sea and regularly finds themselves reading books like Water Moon, The Night Circus, A Study in Drowning or the Locked Tomb books - it was clear I would enjoy this story. Give me creative magics in fantastical worlds filled with mystery and whimsy and I will, in fact, be obsessed.

The Bookshop Below tells the story of Cassandra Fairfax and Cass Holt - who is the same person. Young protégé turned book thief turned owner of an ancient and powerful bookshop filled with dangerous magic. Side-by-side, we walk the streets of this mystical London with her as she discovers that the source of their bookish magic is, well, drying up - and it's up to Cass(andra) to make things right. Potentially with a badass friend and an annoying (and handsome) rival.

An emotion books like these often inspire is confusion. Same with The Bookshop Below. There is a fine line between "I understand nothing but I am loving every second" and "I need to know more to enjoy this", and to me this story fell slightly on the latter side. The story could have gained a lot from the reader getting to be more familiar with its world, especially considering the ending...

The perfect read for a rainy day!

After loving The City of Stardust, I was excited to read Georgia's new book. Alas, it didn't live up to my expectations.
While the general concept was interesting, it lacked in the execution. The writing style was different from her debut novel, less lyrical and more... basic? Don't know how to explain but it didn't captivate me. Consequently, the story felt a bit boring with lots of repetitions and not much action. The magic system was a bit confusing and the characters needed to be fleshed out more. And the ending... gosh, I hate open endings with unanswered questions.
I'm disappointed and sad to give such a low rating, but I didn't like the story this time.

What bookdragon isnt going to love a book about a magical Bookshop! Especially with a cover like this!

This book was an instant hit for me. I absolutely adored the cuteness of the Bookshop. There was such a clever combination of themes in this story.

You get magical bookish vibes with a book cat, magical reader abilities and sentiant books that react to the characters vibes and their environment. Loved the indoor rain storm issues!

Slow burn, rivals to lovers romance.

Plus you get a dark secret society and murder. This story instantly draws you in with the opening murder.

So many good characters in this. Great set up for rivals, friendships, romance, hidden secrets and slow reveal plot links.

My only issue? The ending. And thats probably a 'me' problem. I need a clear HEA or cliffhanger when there is a next book. And, without giving a way spoolers, I felt this ending left me questioning whether there something had really happened or not. That WILL make sense when you read it!

That aside, this is a book dragons dream bookstore and I need it in my life. And if I can't have the bookstore? Well, this book is a great alternative!

The concept of this book is absolutely wonderful, and what drew me to it.

The characters were fantastic, Cassandra and Lowell were the perfect opposites attract pairing, their meet cute was charming and awkward, just as they are. Byron and Errata were fantastic side characters, and not forgetting Lowell’s sidekick Aloysius.

The bookshop and the river flowing beneath kept my attention. The murder mystery element was unexpected and I didn’t guess who was responsible for Chiron’s murder.

The story itself however fell a little flat for me. The pacing was turbulent and there were times when I was lost - it could have been the formatting of the ARC file, but when we were reading from different POVs it became confusing at times.

The ending was not what I expected and left me incredibly disappointed. The epilogue is ambiguous and leaves the story open, but I understand this is a standalone story so I feel like I’m left deflated.

This will definitely appeal to readers who enjoy a fantasy first story. It’s not the romantasy story I was expecting and based on my personal preferences I’d rate this book 3 stars but I’ve rounded up to 4 stars for the appeal of the story, it’s whimsical, fantastical and magical - just not my cup of tea.

Thank you Netgalley, Georgia Summers and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC.

Magic, bookshops, rivers and a bit of romance and murder mystery. This book is aimed squarely at capturing bibliophilic readers who love cosy stories about books/libraries/bookshops/cats/houseplants but also the romantasy fans based on the blurb. There's a lot to like about this story, but it meanders a bit to an ending that I'm sure will disappoint a lot of readers.

The magic system is novel - if a little confusing at first. The story is set on London, with various magical bookshops with ties to 'the river' which - it turns out - is not the Thames. Or maybe it is. I wasn't clear on that. Each bookshop must have an owner and Cassandra, the heroine, has just unwittingly inherited one from her old mentor, with whom she had a contentious relationship. The themes of trying to fit into a world where you have serious imposter syndrome, with everyone doubting you and undermining you, drives the story at first. There's a few ridiculous moments: Cassandra being a former book thief who went by the name 'Cass', who no one seems to put two and two together, even though it's a small society. And Lowell, who is at once desribed as a stiff, 'funereal pencil' type (love it), but also keeps taking his shirt off, or getting strategically wet, and is then described as very physically fit from 'being a bookseller'. Waterstones staff are well reknowned for their muscular physiques, it's true.

Anyway, brilliantly imaginative, but I have reservations about the tone of the ending and whether that fit the rest of the book.

The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers is a masterfully spun tale—darkly enchanting, beautifully bruised, and fiercely tender. A love letter to the transformative power of stories, it's the kind of novel that feels like it’s speaking directly to the soul of every reader who's ever dreamed of magical bookshops.

Cassandra Fairfax is spellbinding—flawed, fiery, and achingly human. Her return to Chiron’s bookshop after years spent trading in stolen enchantments is not just a journey through shadowy corridors and deadly ink magic, but through grief, guilt, and growth. The reluctant alliance with her rival Lowell Sharpe adds a sharp contrast, grounding the whimsical in heat and heartbreak.

Summers’ worldbuilding is immersive and intimate, wrapped in melancholy and moonlight. The bookshop lives and breathes on the page, filled with secrets and sorrow. Every chapter unfurls with quiet tension and atmospheric grace, like a candle slowly burning down to its core.

This is a book that doesn’t just satisfy—it lingers. It’s tragic and whimsical, romantic yet bitter-edged, and it reaffirms the belief that books can change our lives, especially the ones written in ink that remembers.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hodderscape, and Georgia Summers for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this unforgettable story.

A magical bookshop, deadly ink magic, and secret societies, I’m sold!!

The Bookshop Below blends whimsical fantasy with dark intrigue in a story about disgraced bookseller Cassandra Fairfax, who’s pulled back into a world of enchanted texts and dangerous rivalries.

The magic system, books powered by a mystical river and brought to life through reading, is fresh and fascinating, though I wish we’d seen more of it. Cassandra’s slow-burn dynamic with Lowell adds emotional weight, and the richly imagined setting makes it easy to get lost in the pages.

Some pacing issues and an ending that felt slightly unresolved held it back from being a full knockout, but overall, it’s a compelling standalone perfect for fans of bookish fantasy, morally gray heroines, and magical mysteries. I’ll definitely be back for more!


Thank you for the arc!

The Bookshop Below is a whimsical dive into a world of cursed books, secret societies, and underground literary intrigue, where disgraced bookseller Cassandra Fairfax finds herself caught between rival collectors and a dangerously seductive ink magic. The gothic atmosphere and clever concept offer plenty to love, especially for anyone who’s ever dreamed of hidden libraries and whispered enchantments between the shelves. That said, while the premise is rich and the setting delightfully dark, the story sometimes skims the emotional surface, with characters who feel more like shadows than fully fleshed figures. Still, it’s an enjoyable, genre-blending adventure—equal parts magical mystery and bookish fantasy—that delivers just enough charm to keep the pages turning, even if it doesn’t quite cast a lasting spell.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025, and I’m thrilled to say it mostly delivered. With a world built around magical books, secret societies, and enchanted bookstores, this story blends whimsy and mystery in a way that feels both cozy and sharp, though I wouldn’t quite call it cozy fantasy.

At the heart of the story is Cassandra, a thief with a past steeped in magic and regret.. Once a prodigy, now an outcast, she’s reluctantly drawn back into the bookish world she left behind. As she tries to revive Chiron’s old bookshop, she finds herself pulled into an intricate web of magical politics, mysterious deaths, and dangerous secrets.

Cassandra’s reluctant partnership with the sharp-tongued Lowell evolves in a way that is both compelling and unexpected. Their dynamic, full of friction and reluctant respect, anchors much of the book’s emotional core. Byron, the cheerful and quietly complex bookseller, adds warmth and depth to the cast, and the friendships here shine just as much as the rivalries.

The magic system, based on infusing books with power from a mystical river and bringing them to life through reading, is original and fascinating. I only wish there had been more time spent exploring it in action. The plot juggles several mysteries at once, including magical disruptions, a hidden society, and Cassandra’s past catching up with her, and while not all threads fully land, the overall journey is engaging and full of tension.

While the ending wraps up the major arc, it felt a little emotionally unresolved. Some characters definitely got off too lightly, and I was left wishing for just a bit more closure.

Still, this is a delightful, magical adventure perfect for fans of books about books, morally gray heroines, and intricate magical systems. I’ll definitely be back for the sequel.

A magic bookshop?! I'm in!

A unique magic system with slow burn romance(actual slow burn which is a delightful change)

I do feel the pacing was slow at times and there were times I felt it didn't particularly move and felt a little bit dragged out