The Soul of the Stacks, by Castellia Dane, completely won me over. It starts with a likeable underdog who suddenly finds herself called—quite literally—to one of the most unique bookshops, the Waystation, which has a soul, a personality, and a presence that would right into any Harry Potter book.
One of the things I loved most was that I had no idea where the story was going at first, and that mystery made the early chapters so much fun.
Then the book takes a sharp turn—wow. When the “reveal” comes, I love the premise and find it very creative.
Castellia Dane
From there, the stakes ramp up quickly. The characters are fantastic. Nora is relatable, August and Mrs. Harrow are delightful, and Sir Chompington has a lot of charm, and I could see him in a movie adaptation of the book! Each one feels alive, much like the Waystation itself. And I could totally imagine this place tucked away on a side street off Diagon Alley.
This book also has some wonderful, memorable quotes that stuck with me—my favorite being:
“The hardest part of limbo isn’t the waiting—it’s remembering what life used to be like.”
“Enough is what remains when fear has spoken, and you keep going anyway.”
“I am also tired of pretending that being in limbo is peace.”
By the end, I was fully immersed and genuinely sad that the story ended. I loved the premise of Waystation, and I really hope there is a sequel that explores more of that lore.
If you love whimsical, atmospheric fantasy with heart, humor, mystery, and a world that feels magically alive, you gotta check this one out.
