Alexis:
Welcome to my last book review of the year! The Bookshop Below was also my last read of 2025. This year felt like the longest year ever, yet somehow December is already coming to a close. Time is weird that way.
Look out for my top 10 books of the year, and Anna’s, as well! My nephew is 9 months old now, and I know Anna is hoping to write more book reviews next year.
When I read The City of Stardust, Georgia Summers’ debut, I remembered being shocked at how low of a rating it has on Goodreads. This is a reminder that if a book sounds interesting to you, pick it up and try it! Some of the most underrated books I’ve read have 3.50-3.70 star ratings on Goodreads and Storygraph. Sitting at 3.62 stars, The Bookshop Below is similar.
It starts off with a bang, and I immediately thought that this was a story right up my alley.
Synopsis from Goodreads:
If you want a story that will change your life, Chiron’s bookshop is where you go. For those lucky enough to grace its doors, it’s a glimpse into a world of powerful bargains and deadly ink magic.
For Cassandra Fairfax, it’s a reminder of everything she lost, when Chiron kicked her out and all but shuttered the shop. Since then, she’s used her skills in less ethical ways, trading stolen books and magical readings to wealthy playboys and unscrupulous collectors.
Then Chiron dies under mysterious circumstances. And if Cassandra knows anything, it’s this: the bookshop must always have an owner.
The Bookshop Below has:
- Magical bookshops
- Unique ink/reading magic
- Feuding bookshop owners
- A morally grey main character with a history of thieving
- A magical cat
- A murder mystery
- A romantic subplot
Summers’ writing style is gorgeously lyrical and literary. I love her descriptions, and the cozy atmosphere of Chiron’s bookshop is perfect. The overall atmosphere of the story leans more on the dreamy, mysterious side and turns a little more sinister with the murder mystery and feuding bookshop owners.
Cassandra is a fascinating character, and I enjoyed her character arc and watching her backstory unfold and come back to haunt her. Likewise, a bookseller named Lowell was an interesting side character with a compelling character arc. (Did I mention there’s a magical cat?)
While this story isn’t perfect, no story is. The middle of this book dragged a little. Summers’ writing works best when character-driven, so the plot suffered for a bit.
I saw a few reviews mentioning that the magic system was confusing. However, the magic system is definitely a soft and not hard magic system, and I enjoyed the way Summers’ integrated it into the story without chunks of exposition. I figured it out with context clues, and I think that worked best with the mysterious vibes of the book.
In conclusion, I love Summers’ writing. The beginning and ending of this book packed a punch. And I’m still thinking about it. If you’re looking for a story with plenty of book magic and don’t mind a slower, more mysterious story, then this one might be up your alley, too.
VERDICT: 📚📚📚📚/5
takes two to book review 