Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers. I liked Summers’ debut last year despite having a hard time with certain aspects of it. So, I was curious to see how this book would land for me. Read on to find out all of my thoughts!

In this extraordinary standalone from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The City of Stardust, a disgraced bookseller is offered the chance to restore a magical bookshop to its former glory, and enters a dark underworld of unscrupulous collectors, deadly ink magic and shady societies.

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 deadly bargains and powerful, magical books.

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 looking for power money can’t buy.

Then Chiron dies. And if Cassandra knows anything, it’s the bookshop must always have an owner.

To restore the shop, she’ll need the help of Lowell Sharpe, a rival bookseller who is everything Cassandra is not – and knows it, too.

But as she is plunged into a world of unscrupulous collectors, deadly ink magic and shady societies, a dark force threatens to unravel the bookshops entirely . . .

***Thank you to Redhook/Orbit Books for providing an advanced copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

I really, really enjoyed reading The Bookshop Below. It had so many elements that I typically love, magical books, secret societies, a bookshop setting, rivals to lovers romance, and a healthy dose of mystery. So, I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I ate this story up. Summers did a great job of weaving those elements into a narrative that I cared about with thought-provoking themes and interesting characters.

Cassandra was a great protagonist. She was trying to leave her shady past behind while also carving out her own path as the new proprietor of the magical bookshop. I liked how bits and pieces of her past were revealed slowly with intention over the course of the story. It helped keep my interest in her piqued from start to finish. I also just really liked experiencing things from her POV because she was a bit of a mess. lol. Characters like that are always fun.

The plot of The Bookshop Below was good and had a steady, if sometimes languid, pace that kept me engaged. There was quite a bit going on in this book with the murder mystery, Cassandra ingratiating herself into the world of the bookshop owners, the shenanigans of the secret society, the quest to save the magic, and the evil douche from Cassandra’s past hell bent on screwing everything up out of greed. Then, of course, there was the rivals to friends to lovers romance, which I just completely adored, especially since it was a buttoned-up/chaotic pairing. The author did a pretty great job of balancing all of the story threads, and I was pleasantly surprised by how the pieces came together in the end.

The Bookshop Below also managed to explore some pretty interesting themes. The ramifications of greed and lust for power were on vivid display, especially in the end. I also liked how the conflict with the bookshop owners illustrated how those in charge of the flow of information basically gatekeep reality. Finally, the story really dove deep into the dichotomy of fate versus free will, especially with Cassandra’s story. So, there was plenty in the narrative that made me think, which I always appreciate.

Unfortunately, The Bookshop Below couldn’t be perfect. Very few books ever are. My main qualm with this book was the world-building. While I found it all fascinating, I’m still not 100% sure that any of it made sense. lol. This was my main complaint about Summers’ last book, too, but I didn’t mind it as much in this one. I thought things here made enough sense for the logic to work even if I wanted more about the history of the bookshops and exactly how all of the magic worked.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with The Bookshop Below. Despite wanting a bit more from the world-building and magic system, there was a lot here to love. Magical books and bookshops are undeniably a soft spot for me, and I really liked the characters and enjoyed seeing their relationships develop. Therefore, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

There you have it! My thoughts on The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers! Have you read this one yet (or plan to)? Let me know down in the comments!