Sunday, February 20, 2011

Book Review: Garden Spells

blog widget 52 books 2011

I tried my best to get through 100 Years of Solitude but I just couldn’t!  I had no desire at all to finish it but felt bad that I had spent so much time getting half way through.  Then I reminded myself that I was 40something years old and not in college or high school any more and did not have to finish the book.  It wasn’t the end of the world that I would miss a few weeks of the 52 Books in 52 Weeks challenge.  Whew, what a relief. 

51MEclXKCfL__BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_ This one I had no problem at all finishing.  In fact, I hated to see it end, just like The Sugar Queen and The Girl Who Chased The Moon (also by Sarah Addison Allen.)  In true Sarah Allen fashion, Garden Spells centers on women with mysterious traits and the conflicts these bring to their lives.  In fact, the town featured in Garden Spells is full of families with such mysterious abilities.  The Waverly sisters are our main characters.  They work to overcome the abandonment issues brought on by a “free wheeling” mother, and to learn to accept their own special “gifts” while trying to lead somewhat normal lives. 

Allen’s easy to read and colorful writing style has you connecting with the characters from page one.  This is a book that you don’t want to put down, but also one you are able to pick up and get right back into at any point.  What I like most about Allen is her ability to add the little mysteries and oddities into her story and make them completely believable and well, normal.  The worlds she writes about are perfectly normal everyday scenes out of anywhere in America, but she spices them up with “magic realism.”

This book is not hard hitting literature but is certainly far enough from “fluff” to qualify as a good read to me.  There are some detailed romantic encounters but they are brief and integral to the storyline.  I highly recommend this book and all others by author Sarah Addison Allen.

4 comments:

  1. The last one I didn't finish was The Confederacy of Dunces for my book club. I came to the meeting and it turned out I wasn't the only one. I think it's awesome that you didn't finish the book! More power to you! And thank goodness we're not in high school anymore :-) Thanks for visiting my blog!

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  2. Hmm, this looks interesting. I've got a stack of 40 books to read but I've bookmarked this review for later.

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  3. I've read two of the three books she's written. I read this book and loved it. I also just put Sugar Queen on hold at the library.

    Also don't feel bad about not finishing the book, I've not finished my fair share that's for sure.

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  4. I have never heard of this author, I'll have to check her out! I'm also participating in 52 books and loving it. Thanks for the suggestion and thanks for stopping by my blog! :-D

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