Below the streets of London, a secret network of magical bookshops has existed for millennia. But they’re slowly disappearing, and no one knows why. Only one dishonored bookseller can uncover the truth and rewrite her story—in this spellbinding standalone fantasy novel from the author of The City of Stardust. 

S.K. Reviews–The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers

Cassandra left the bookshop years ago. She never felt like she belonged, and Chiron, the owner, made it clear she didn’t live up to his expectations. When a letter arrives stating that, in the event of his death, she will inherit Chiron’s bookshop, she almost doesn’t believe it. And it seems that Chiron is missing, the bookshop deserted.

Now, it’s important to note that this isn’t just any bookshop. It is part of a network of bookshops that sell books of a magical nature and are tended by dedicated owners who know the catastrophic power of the books they sell.  And, according to the owners of other bookshops, Cassandra still doesn’t measure up.

What follows is a tale of mystery, murder, betrayal, and a little unexpected romance. Not to mention the magic.

The Bookshop Below takes a minute to set up the world, but by the middle chapters, intrigue and danger grow for Cass as she finds herself immersed in the sometimes dark magic of the books and the bookshop itself.

I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the concept. I thought the pace was a bit slow at the beginning, but that isn’t unusual in a fantasy as the world is being built, and the middle chapters and end are just right. The world and lore of the bookshop are shrouded in mystery. Though a more thorough explanation of the world might have been nice, I kind of liked the dreamy, intangible quality of the bookshop and its history. I also liked the poetic quality of the prose—lovely imagery and soulful philosophies. I appreciate that.

I highly recommend The Bookshop Below.

Once Upon a Tarot Card

In which I choose two tarot cards that reflect the soul of the book.

For The Bookshop Below, I choose the High Priestess and Death.

🌙 The High Priestess is the soul of the story.

The High Priestess’s domain is of esoteric knowledge and thresholds, the guarded world of lore and secrets. Beneath the surface of London is a hidden world where magic runs in a river and makes its way onto the streets through books. Knowledge is power, but the books in the Bookshop Below wield chaotic magic. They can grant wishes, or they wreak havoc.

The books choose their readers, and the bookshop chooses its owner. But nothing is perfect.

Cassandra herself mirrors the card: an outsider standing at the gate of mystery, forced to trust intuition rather than permission.

🕯️ Death

Not an ending, but a reckoning and rebirth.

Chiron’s death is the catalyst, but the more profound transformation is Cassandra’s.

Ownership passes, identities dissolve, and the magical system itself threatens to unravel.  Death heralds necessary endings.

This card reflects the book’s core question: what must die so something truer can take its place?

Death here is about inheritance, legacy, and rewriting a story that once rejected you.

The High Priestess + Death tell a story of hidden knowledge revealed only through loss. Secrets surface, old guardians fall, and a new keeper must step forward—not because she is perfect, but because the world has changed.

The Bookshop Below moves through the veiled wisdom of The High Priestess and the transformative reckoning of Death, where hidden worlds demand new guardians and nothing can remain as it was.

Breaking News

I’m jonesing for reviews for my Zoraida Grey series and as such, the whole series has been available on NetGalley. Right now, the last of the trilogy, Zoraida Grey and the Pictish Runes, is up on NetGalley.

If you want to read the first book for free, here’s a link to a free copy.

And, yes, I’m working on a new book. It’s too soon to say when it will be out, but I’m excited about the story, and this one is moving pretty quickly, so maybe by spring. The working title is Claws in the Will, so make of that as you may.