Garden Spells
Ratings70
Average rating4
I read this book in one day, which is rare for me, but I just couldn't put it down. Imagine having a “magical” garden or a family with a “magical” ability that results in food that opens your soul or hairstyles that you can't repeat or the ability to just know what a person will need before that person even knows. That's this book.
I read this book right after finishing The Sugar Queen, and I was not disappointed with it either. The Waverly's are a wonderful family and the characters in this film are extremely well developed and easy to like. They are human and have the same flaws and hang ups as all the other people out there and I think that's why I liked them so much, especially Claire. Claire has been so hurt in the past by those she loved who later left her,that she has built a wall so that she won't ever hurt when another person leaves. Then, one day her daughter shows up, after 10 years of being away.
Sydney returns home to try to recover from the abusive relationship she had to run away from in the dark of night. She also tries to discover the secrets her sister has held onto all these years, about the garden and apple tree in the yard. Sydney also must try to reacquaint herself with her sister, who she believes hates her and try to giver her own daughter, Bay, a normal and safe life.
Claire and Sydney both learn how to heal and love and share secrets. They also discover there are some secrets that you cannot runaway from no matter how hard you try, and there are some secrets you should never know of.
A whimsical book that feels like summer. There were some dark spots in this book but overall I loved it. The characters were so well written and even the side characters were well thought out. The story ended abruptly yet exactly how I thought it would. A very quick read. If you like Practical Magic then you'll like this as well!
There were parts of this book that were cute, but others that needed to come with trigger warnings. I liked Sydney and Henry's relationship, but Tyler was pushy with Claire in an uncomfortable way. Even though we knew that Claire wanted him, his forceful kissing and backing her into the wall several times was cringey. I loved Bay, Evanelle, Fred, and of course the Tree. It was mostly fluffy and mildly witchy. It would make a great tv show with all the different characters. I love the index in the back of all the plants and flowers Claire cooked with to evoke specific feelings. Overall, it was okay.
This is a story of two witch sisters. One stays at home, the other runs the world, until she meets a very bad man, gets a daughter and comes back home to get away from him. Of course he finds her...It has a very, very happy ending. Made me cry.I liked this book. There are some things that make me like it less than 5 or even 4 stars, but I'm a little picky when it comes to such details. Don't let that stop you from reading this book :-DI liked the story. I liked the garden. I liked the Waverley family magic. I liked all the individual gifts the Waverley girls had. I like it that they were rewarded fairly for it. I didn't like the pettiness of the society, but I suppose that's just the way people are. I LOVE the happy ending. I love the love stories. Even Hunter and Emma's.Now, it's a bit too like [b:Practical Magic 22896 Practical Magic (Practical Magic) Alice Hoffman https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1490354120s/22896.jpg 4030671] for me to like it more, and there are some... tropes that irritate the heck out of me. Like, I have never understood the point with French kissing. I don't want someone else's tongue in my mouth, thank you. Another thing is that “good in bed” is mostly a myth.
LOVED THIS. It was like Practical Magic... only better. And minus an angry ghost.
What can I say about this book that hasn't already been said?
This book is just what you need when you're burnt out on reading. It's quick, lighthearted, and charming. The Waverly's are odd. They have a magical tree that shows you the best or worst moment of your life. If you've ever seen “How to Train Your Dragon” the tree is like Toothless. Full of sass and heart. It was my second favorite character.
The story centers around two sisters.
At 34, Claire is still living in her grandmothers house. She lives alone, but spends her time baking items from her garden for her catering business.
Her younger sister Sydney is running away from an abusive relationship with her young daughter in tow. They seek refuge with Claire, keeping their past hidden.
The book centers mostly around the two sisters as they work to overcome their fears and learn what it really means to be family. Including the two sisters and their daughter are
- Fred, the local grocery store owner who is struggling with the end of a relationship with his partner of 30 years.
- Evanelle, a widowed relative who gives people things that they will need. (She was my favorite).
- Emma/Hunter John, old friends of Sydney's who are married. Hunter John and Sydney were High school sweethearts.
- Bay, Sydeny's 5/6 year old daughter.
- Tyler, the cute guy next door
- Henry, a childhood friend of Sydney
This book is fiction mixed with magic realism. If you don't like magic then you wont appreciate this book. The recipes make your mouth water and you the author has you glued to the pages.
This is a really charming read that was worth the afternoon that took to read it. Yes, I read this whole book in a day.
It was a good quick read. Some of the major characters were not as developed as I would have liked. I liked the tree had a personality.
This was the perfect book to read after my last book left me in a sad slump. It was amazing - the perfect amount of magical realism mixed with southern town drama mixed with love stories mixed with family - leaving me happy and hopeful.The story centers around the Waverley family - Claire and Sydney, two estranged sisters, each with their own secrets and past. My favorite character was their great aunt/cousin Evanelle (great name!) who is the perfect quirky old lady that is compelled to give gifts to everyone... out of her Waverley magic. The Waverley house has an apple tree with a ton of personality, and a garden that grows magic. I love magic! I wholeheartedly believe in fate and magical every day happenings... which is probably why I love this book so much.There's also a bit of southern small-town drama that has stuck around for several generations, but not overdone. And the guys that are the side plot and come to love the Waverley women in their own special way are perfectly written into the story without taking over the main theme of Claire and Sydney reuniting.This story is a treat. I love a book that really makes you reflect on your own life through the different characters, and this one definitely did that. The ending was perfect and left you with a satisfied hopefulness, especially for Bay, Sydney's little girl that has a magic all her own.I would say this book made up 100 percent for the fact that I did not like [b:The Girl Who Chased the Moon 5126859 The Girl Who Chased the Moon Sarah Addison Allen https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320483463s/5126859.jpg 5193717]. Sarah Addison Allen is a great story teller, and I now count her among my favorites.
Garden Spells reminds me a lot of Practical Magic (the movie, I've never read the book). Sisters, an abuser, magic, love...
I drank up every word. I didn't skim like I usually do and I desperately, desperately didn't want this book to end.
I absolutely loved this book. It was fast moving and entertaining. The premise is very different from what I have read in the past. I put it off for quite a while and now I don't know why. I have to read her other books. I was so happy that Claire finally found love. She really deserved it. I kind of saw David coming into the picture and trying to ruin everything but I didn't expect the outcome that happened. I think he saw himself going to jail and becoming someone's bitch LOL.
Sweet story and an easy read. Loved the apple tree - probably my favorite character (second favorite is Evanelle). I do wish the author had been a little less...vague when it came to Sydney and Henry's relationship. A few more details would have been nice instead of just the assumption that they live happily ever after.
I wanted to read this book after finishing her other novel (The Sugar Queen) and because it was on sale at Barnes and Noble. It was a quick and easy mindless read but not a book I would read again.
Her story is intriguing - the main family in the novel has a garden that grows herbs and such that have the ability to affect moods and evoke certain feelings in people. Only one person in that family understands how to utilize this garden and the other two Waverlys each have their own gifts - one older woman randomly feels an unavoidable urge to give people random items that will inevitably come in handy for the receiver at one time or another.
The romance element is slightly predictable and formulaic, and I was not comfortable with how graphic the author was at times with the intimacy between one of the couples in the novel.
Overall, a great summer read and easy to pick up and put down if you have free time and just want something to distract you for a while.
I LOVED this one! It very much reminded me of Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman. I know your not suppose to judge a book by it's cover, but man did this one just suck me in. I knew I was going to really enjoy this book just by looking at it! lol I thought the characters were charming and quirky, the plot lovely and the writing just magical! Is it going to win any awards, no, but if you want to curl up and spend an afternoon reading something sweet and yummy, then this is the book for you.
This is definitely a light reading kind of book. There are no surprises or crazy twists. But when I was sick at home for two days it was just the kind of fun book I needed to read. It reminded me in a way of the movie Practical Magic but I like this book much more. Claire is a happy caterer who has a secret, a family secret about their magical tree. I find it interesting that the author never comes out and says they are witches but you get the idea. Then her run away sister Sydney, who has been gone for ten years, shows up with her daughter Bay which brings back some painful memories for Clair of being on the road with her mother and then being brought to her grandmother's house when Sydney was born. Claire always resented Sydney for being important enough to be born in Bascom. Sydney is running from an abusive husband. The sisters are able to talk about the past and develop a true sister relationship. Things kind of fall into place a little too easily but like I said it is a light easy fun read so I didn't worry about it too much.
This book was recommended as a book group read. It fits into the magical realism genre. A family in North Carolina has various magical gifts - one sister has a gift with creating magical food, and one sister has a gift of magical hair styling . . . It was a fun and quick read - I really enjoyed it.
I love how things are described in this book. It presents a different way of viewing the world around us that fills everything with magic.