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Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

8 reviews

hexmexhideout's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

In Bascom, North Carolina the Waverleys have a shared legacy of extraordinary gifts. Unsurprisingly the last three Waverleys couldn’t be more different. Claire uses her garden to create culinary works of magic and to keep people at a comfortable distance. Evanelle doesn’t know why you need something or when, but she knows what you need and she can’t rest until you have it. Sydney is the rebel of the family. Unhappy with the expectations of being a “Waverley” she leaves home as soon as she can. Life moves on, but soon the comfortable bubble Claire has built back home is disrupted when a new neighbor is drawn to Claire, despite her standoffish nature, and Sydney returns home with a young daughter in tow. With nowhere else to go, Sydney needs Claire’s help to hide herself and her daughter from their past. Forced back together these sisters must overcome old hurts and combine forces to protect themselves and their family.

If you’re a fan of Practical Magic, you will find a friend (or two) in this book. Though there are similarities between Garden Spells and Practical Magic, including sisters with opposing views and goals, a town filled with small-minded folk, and magic woven into the underbelly of both stories, they are still different enough to distinguish themselves. Garden Spells is an easy and mildly fluffy read. There are some darker parts at the beginning, including death and domestic abuse, but the majority of the book is spent in beautiful Bascom with the Waverleys as they rebuild their relationships with the town and each other. Many of Claire and Sydney’s thoughts were slightly too self-aware to feel natural. The romances were easily spotted, and I didn’t think either of them was really necessary to the plot, but they were sweet enough to let that part go. The ending was rushed, and wrapped up so tightly it felt more unrealistic than the magical catering. Overall Garden Spells is a fun and quick read that is most-likely available at your local library.

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erindoublee's review

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Content Warnings

davianareads's review

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emotional funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

twoweeeeks's review

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

kelly_e's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Title: Garden Spells
Author: Sarah Addison Allen
Series: Waverley Family #1
Genre: Magical Realism
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: August 28, 2007

T H R E E • W O R D S

Enchanting • Delightful • Atmospheric

📖 S Y N O P S I S

The women of the Waverley family -- whether they like it or not -- are heirs to an unusual legacy, one that grows in a fenced plot behind their Queen Anne home on Pendland Street in Bascom, North Carolina. There, an apple tree bearing fruit of magical properties looms over a garden filled with herbs and edible flowers that possess the power to affect in curious ways anyone who eats them.

For nearly a decade, 34-year-old Claire Waverley, at peace with her family inheritance, has lived in the house alone, embracing the spirit of the grandmother who raised her, ruing her mother's unfortunate destiny and seemingly unconcerned about the fate of her rebellious sister, Sydney, who freed herself long ago from their small town's constraints. Using her grandmother's mystical culinary traditions, Claire has built a successful catering business -- and a carefully controlled, utterly predictable life -- upon the family's peculiar gift for making life-altering delicacies: lilac jelly to engender humility, for instance, or rose geranium wine to call up fond memories.

Garden Spells reveals what happens when Sydney returns to Bascom with her young daughter, turning Claire's routine existence upside down. With Sydney's homecoming, the magic that the quiet caterer has measured into recipes to shape the thoughts and moods of others begins to influence Claire's own emotions in terrifying and delightful ways.

As the sisters reconnect and learn to support one another, each finds romance where she least expects it, while Sydney's child, Bay, discovers both the safe home she has longed for and her own surprising gifts. With the help of their elderly cousin Evanelle, endowed with her own uncanny skills, the Waverley women redeem the past, embrace the present, and take a joyful leap into the future.

💭 T H O U G H T S

Sarah Addison Allen's debut novel Garden's Spell was one of my 12 recommendations from 12 friends for 2023. I honestly didn't know what to expect, yet the magical atmosphere and vibes made October the ideal time to pick it up.

The descriptions of the garden, the beautiful old house and the food instantly drew me into this magical world. I loved learning about each of the flowers and plants. Sometimes authors try to insert too much magic into their stories, but that was not the case here. In fact, I loved how the apple tree was such a huge part of the story, and it was definitely my favourite character. I became invested in the characters' lives, and appreciated learning about their past in order to understand everything.

My main issue was the ending. It was all a little too quick, which felt like a bit of let down after such a whimsical journey. I think things could have easily planned out in a slower fashion and served the same purpose, especially with the way the rest of the novel is paced.

Overall, Garden Spells is the perfect cozy, rainy day read with just the right amount of magic. Perfect for readers in need off being whisked away from reality for just a little while. I'll be looking to pick up more of this author's novels in the future.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of Southern fiction
• readers who likes sister stories
• magical realism devotees

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"When you're happy for yourself, it fills you. When you're happy for someone else, it pours over."

"Memories, even hard memories, grew soft like peaches as they grow older."

"Love always hurts. That’s one thing I know you know. But it’s worth it. That’s what you don’t know. Yet."

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