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Loading... Garden Spells: A Novel (Waverly Family) (original 2007; edition 2008)by Sarah Addison Allen (Author)
Work InformationGarden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (2007)
  
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  ) beebeereads | Nov 27, 2024 |  what a fun little story! A whole town that's a little off. Families with built in quirks that you either embrace or run from. Claire was the sister that embraced their "oddness" while Sydney was the one who ran away. I love the story of the apple tree, the lighter, Evanelle, Fred, Bay and Tyler. A very cute read. I'm definitely reading book 2. (  ) Trisha_Thomas | Nov 14, 2024 | Not to say that I didn't enjoy this book, I actually loved the atmosphere and mood! But! The more you learn about the characters, the more 1-dimensional they feel, which is a huge downside. Every plot twist or character background neatly fit into a dusty literary stereotype. I wish that the author played with the characters a bit more and didn't conform to predictable traits because it would have been that more interesting. However, like a Hallmark movie, you don't read this for intricate discussion, you read it because you have a particular craving for cozy entertainment. I whole-heartedly loved Fred's part in the story, especially as a gay man that was accepted in Southern community AND had his own character growth! As a gay woman, it warmed my heart. I've always loved Southern culture and seeing my kind accepted (at least fictionally) was beautiful. ( ) flickering.lights | Nov 12, 2024 | I've read more than enough Fannie Flagg and Kate di Camillo and a few other all-too-forgettable. Buh-bye. (Fyi, I did get to more than 1/2way. And it's a short book with large print. But, just, I've too many other books calling my name. I do wonder, though, how this got on my list.) Cheryl_in_CC_NV | Oct 18, 2024 | I’m still not the biggest fan of Claire and Tyler’s romance, the pacing just doesn’t entirely work for me, they have a somewhat “magical†immediate connection and because of that their attraction/relationship escalates with very few scenes of them actually getting to know one another. I do love the other magical bits in this, the knack for knowing just what someone will need or where something belongs, the apple tree and its tempermental personality, the food from the garden affecting how people feel and act, etc., I just really enjoyed that sense of whimsy sprinkled throughout, and how each woman in the Waverly family has her own unique sort of power. While there is some darkness in this story (Sydney and her daughter are fleeing an abusive relationship), and some sexual content that maybe some would say counts this out as cozy, to me though, this is very much a cozy, heartwarming, feel good story about a small Southern town and a loving female centered family, its something I’d reach for if I wanted a comfort read. ( ) SJGirl | Sep 1, 2024 | Belongs to SeriesWaverley Family (1) Is contained inHas the (non-series) sequelIs abridged inAwardsDistinctions
Fiction.
Literature.
HTML:In a garden surrounded by a tall fence, tucked away behind a small, quiet house in an even smaller town, is an apple tree that is rumored to bear a very special sort of fruit. In this luminous debut novel, Sarah Addison Allen tells the story of that enchanted tree, and the extraordinary people who tend it. . . . The Waverleys have always been a curious family, endowed with peculiar gifts that make them outsiders even in their hometown of Bascom, North Carolina. Even their garden has a reputation, famous for its feisty apple tree that bears prophetic fruit, and its edible flowers, imbued with special powers. Generations of Waverleys tended this garden. Their history was in the soil. But so were their futures. A successful caterer, Claire Waverley prepares dishes made with her mystical plants—from the nasturtiums that aid in keeping secrets and the pansies that make children thoughtful, to the snapdragons intended to discourage the attentions of her amorous neighbor. Meanwhile, her elderly cousin, Evanelle, is known for distributing unexpected gifts whose uses become uncannily clear. They are the last of the Waverleys—except for Claire’s rebellious sister, Sydney, who fled Bascom the moment she could, abandoning Claire, as their own mother had years before. When Sydney suddenly returns home with a young daughter of her own, Claire’s quiet life is turned upside down—along with the protective boundary she has so carefully constructed around her heart. Together again in the house they grew up in, Sydney takes stock of all she left behind, as Claire struggles to heal the wounds of the past. And soon the sisters realize they must deal with their common legacy—if they are ever to feel at home in Bascom—or with each other. Enchanting and heartfelt, this captivating novel is sure to cast a spell with a style all its own. . . . BONUS: This edition contains excerpts from Sarah Addison Allen's First Frost and The Girl Who Chased the Moon.. No library descriptions found. |
LibraryThing AuthorSarah Addison Allen is a LibraryThing Author, an author who lists their personal library on LibraryThing. Current DiscussionsNonePopular covers
 Google Books — Loading...GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.6Literature American literature in English American fiction in English 2000-LC ClassificationRatingAverage: (4.03)
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light fiction romance novel/older lady gives gifts before needed
Wikipedia in English (1)
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