Sarah Addison Allen

from Laura:

Light and fun, but I felt this lacked the magic from the first book. The buildup took too long and I missed the wonderful descriptions of Claire's food. The end wrapped up a little too neatly for me, but I still devoured the whole thing in a weekend, pun intended!

Favorite quotes:

When school had started in August, she'd seen Josh in the hallway on that first day, and suddenly she'd had honey in her veins.

It had taken her a long time to realize that a prison sometimes isn't a prison at all. Sometimes it's simply a door you assume is locked because you've never tried to open it.… (more)

from Lorinda:

Quick read and never a dull moment. Kate and her daughter Devin are dealing with the loss of their husband and father when Kate comes across an old letter sent by her great Aunt Eby telling about her resort camp that she owns in the southern Georgia swamplands. Kate and Devin decide to pack up and go for a visit to see if aunt Eby’s resort, aka, Lost Lake is still around. What they find is an almost abandoned struggling summer camp and their great aunt who has decided to sell out.

Kate and her daughter meet up with a whole cast of misfit characters who all have their own stories of love and loss but in the end they will find that with the help of each other they can find their way back to happiness. This story is not depressing but magical and heartwarming with a little touch of a supernatural alligator! I have read all of Allen’s books so far and haven’t found a one that I didn’t enjoy.

from Laura:

Sarah Addison Allen is so good at atmospheric descriptions. They often involve food: “The bell over the restaurant door rang, and yellow light from inside melted into the fog like butter.” While I enjoyed Allen’s Garden Spells a little better, I liked Lost Lake too. Taking place in Georgia near the beginning of summer, it was a nice escape from our still-hanging-on Ohio winter.… (more)

The Waverly sisters are outsiders in the N.C. town where they have lived in their whole lives. As the story unfolds, we learn why and watch the characters grow in their independence with confidence. Although I really loved Other Birds, I was not enthralled with this earlier offering from the same author. My opinion seems to be the opposite of many readers. The magic was a bit too much for me. I like my magical realism to be more subtle. Allen managed it well in Other Birds which came after her initial Waverly series. I will look out for some of her later books. She is a fun follow on Instagram where she delights with tiny vignettes. I'd like to find another of her books that works for me.… (more)