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The Sugar Queen

by Sarah Addison Allen (Goodreads Author)

3.96 of 5 stars 3.96 · rating details · 21,662 ratings · 3,211 reviews

In this irresistible novel, Sarah Addison Allen, author of the New York Times bestselling debut, Garden Spells, tells the tale of a young woman whose family secrets—and secret passions—are about to change her life forever.

Josey Cirrini is sure of three things: winter is her favorite season, she’s a sorry excuse for a Southern belle, and sweets are best eaten in the privacy...more

Paperback, 294 pages

Published April 14th 2009 by Bantam (first published May 20th 2008)

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May 06, 2013 Amanda rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Sugar Queen is a book clearly written for a particular type of woman. And that woman is not me. I'm not immune to the charms of chick lit, but I do require it to be witty, have quirky characters, present a plausible and realistic relationship (notice I did not say a "romance") that is not the axis upon which the main character's world turns, and a strong female lead. After reading Garden Spells by the same author last year, I knew that Sarah Addison Allen did not meet this criteria. Alas, I...more The Sugar Queen is a book clearly written for a particular type of woman. And that woman is not me. I'm not immune to the charms of chick lit, but I do require it to be witty, have quirky characters, present a plausible and realistic relationship (notice I did not say a "romance") that is not the axis upon which the main character's world turns, and a strong female lead. After reading Garden Spells by the same author last year, I knew that Sarah Addison Allen did not meet this criteria. Alas, I had bought The Sugar Queen from the bargain bin before my disappointing experience with Garden Spells and felt compelled to at least give it a whirl. After dutifully trudging through it, I can report that I was every bit as underwhelmed as I expected to be.

Josey Cirrini has a secret--a deep, dark secret. One that could ruin her life. She's embarrassed and humiliated by what she hides from the world. Want to know what it is? Come closer and I'll tell you. It's--are you sure you can handle this? I'll understand if you're not ready for such a shocking revelation. Okay, well, you're still here, so it's . . . a closet full of candy and romance novels. Hey, don't blame me if you weren't ready for that kind of dark and twisty. You were forewarned! And now Della Lee Baker, the lovable town skank has claimed squatter's rights on Josey Cirrini's closet. You see, Della Lee is on the run from a man that she can't resist and, like one does in such a situation, she immediately runs to the nearest stranger's closet. Della Lee professes her desire to help the shy, awkward Josey find a way to free herself from her overprotective mother and take charge of her life. Secrets are revealed, new loves are forged, old loves are rekindled, and a kind of awkward magical realism is sprinkled throughout. I could go on, but if you're rolling your eyes by now, then I think you get the gist of what Allen is peddling here.

Allen's books have been described as "light" and "fluffy"; I would add "saccharine" and "predictable" to the list of adjectives. I did not like nor identify with this group of characters and, while there's nothing offensive enough to warrant a one star rating, the novel certainly isn't exceptional in any way. It's a romance, plain and simple, written for women in their 20's and 30's who have forgotten the thrill of a first love and want to vicariously reconnect with that, but preferably not in a way that involves a creepy emo vampire. And, if that's your bag, baby, then groovy--go ahead, pick up a copy, make yourself a nice cuppa tea, grab a blankie and have an estrogen fest. Right now, I'm going to try to restore balance in my reading life by seeing if there's anything on my bookshelf that might involve someone's jugular being ripped out.

Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder (less)

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Apr 12, 2008 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: recommended-reads

While this is a good read, its storyline is too pat, its conclusion to easy, and its writing too forgettable to earn more than three stars. Would I read it again? Probably not. Would I want to reread parts of it years from now? Possibly. Would I read a sequel? Quite probably. You can draw your own conclusions from that :-)

Our heroine struggles with self-perception and a lack of self-esteem. Josey is supposed to be a Southern belle...living in a ski resort town in the mountains of North Carolina....more While this is a good read, its storyline is too pat, its conclusion to easy, and its writing too forgettable to earn more than three stars. Would I read it again? Probably not. Would I want to reread parts of it years from now? Possibly. Would I read a sequel? Quite probably. You can draw your own conclusions from that :-)

Our heroine struggles with self-perception and a lack of self-esteem. Josey is supposed to be a Southern belle...living in a ski resort town in the mountains of North Carolina. She suffers from a domineering mother who for personal reasons really doesn't like her, an unbelievable amount of guilt for tantrums thrown before she became a saint at the ripe old age of nine, a town of busybodies who all remember the tantrums (perhaps I should have reserved "unbelievable" for this portion of the plot), and isolation resulting from all of the above.

The point of The Sugar Queen is how Josey resolves all of these issues with the help of her polar opposite who shows up unexpectedly in her closet at the beginning of chapter 1. At the same time, various other people affiliated in some way with Josey or her family are going through their own, somehow completely related, problems. The book also contains a smattering of magic, which seems to have been included for no other reason than to help the reader suspend disbelief throughout a string of improbable events. Once you've suspended disbelief, it is possible to enjoy the book in all of it's feel-good splendor :-)

At it's heart, that's all this book is, a feel-good novel. A sad woman (and we know she's sad because at least four different people show up to say so and then disappear from the plot) finds happiness and love, a true love is saved, family problems are resolved, and death is established as an okay place.

If you have some extra time, like feel-good novels (and I personally do), and desire to learn a little about self-perception and a lot about why to not live your entire life in the same small town, you should give this book a chance :-) (less)

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Jul 22, 2012 Linda (Miss Greedybooks) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, chic-lit, fiction

I enjoyed this more than Garden Spells. I liked the chapter titles! And the way books inexplicably appear when Chloe needs them (or when the book thinks Chloe needs it). The relationship between Josey, Della Lee & Chloe develops. And the big laugh I got from the Cirrini's new maid near the end! I recommend it!

7 likes · like · see review

Aug 26, 2010 Robin (RBBR) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, author-sarah-addison-allen, mystery, favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Like Garden Spells I've recommended this book to some people. The way it ends you can almost see it coming but only shortly before it happens so its not predictable. I remember eating some of the candy mentioned when I was younger and trying some of them in recent years and I didn't find them as good as I remembered.

Josey is not your typical Southern Belle much to the distress of her mother. At some point I don't recall when she discovered a small room at the back of her closet and in it she ha...more

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Sep 15, 2010 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: belovedbookshelf, magical-realism

My lovely book-gifting mother gave me a nice, healthy stack of books for Christmas and among them was THE SUGAR QUEEN. I read and loved Sarah Addison Allen's first novel, Garden Spells, last year on the recommendation of my good friend Michelle. Incidentally, I actually gave my mom Garden Spells for Christmas so there was some fun karmic reciprocity goin' on there. Garden Spells was the perfect autumn read and I finished it itching to get my hands on Allen's second book, which, as it turns out,...more My lovely book-gifting mother gave me a nice, healthy stack of books for Christmas and among them was THE SUGAR QUEEN. I read and loved Sarah Addison Allen's first novel, Garden Spells, last year on the recommendation of my good friend Michelle. Incidentally, I actually gave my mom Garden Spells for Christmas so there was some fun karmic reciprocity goin' on there. Garden Spells was the perfect autumn read and I finished it itching to get my hands on Allen's second book, which, as it turns out, is the perfect winter read. I love it when my book and the season serendipitously mesh. Set in a small ski resort town in North Carolina with magical snowflakes falling and the smell of peppermint in the air, I had no interest in resisting its spell. I just sat back and let THE SUGAR QUEEN carry me away for a couple of wintry nights.

Josey Cirrini loves candy. And I mean Josey LOVES candy. Sweets, snacks, baked goods of any kind. She keeps them in a stash in her closet and retreats there whenever she's feeling particularly anxious or down. Which is pretty much every day, several times a day. You see Josey lives alone with her aging, patrician mother in their aging, empty mansion. And every day her mother reminds her how plain she is, how she should never wear anything but black or white but for-the-love-of-all-that-is-holy no RED, and how she was such a trying child and should spend the rest of her life making it up to her poor, beautiful, widowed mother. Gah. The only bright spot in her day is the moment when their mailman Adam walks up to her door to deliver the mail. Then there's Chloe. Lovely, orphaned, loves to read, lost in love Chloe. She runs a small fast food stand in the local city courthouse lobby, lives with her lawyer boyfriend Jake, and dreams of owning her own home one day after having had to sell the only home she'd ever known when her grandparents passed away. Neither of these girls sees her life changing anytime soon. But on one fateful day a local tramp shows up in Josey's closet and Chloe discovers her boyfriend cheated on her but won't tell her with whom. And, just like that, everything changes.

Like its predecessor, THE SUGAR QUEEN is one part magical realism, one part fairy tale, and one part contemporary fiction. And like before, I fell immediately under its spell. I don't know if I was just in the mood for something pretty and sweet and romantic in the dead of winter, or if there's something about Allen's kind, honest characters that speaks to me, but I absolutely loved this book. Possibly even more than Garden Spells, I think, because I liked Josey so much. With her unselfconscious awesomeness, her straightforward goodness, she was vulnerable but never beaten. The slow, pleasantly-deceit-free way she and Adam negotiated their relationship was delightful to me. And Josey and Chloe's friendship, in particular, was extremely well done. I love how helping and being needed by Chloe makes Josey brave. How Chloe recognized Josey for what she was and took her in even when she was the one who was slowly but surely drowning. In a Sarah Addison Allen book, you can always count on a little organic magic and my favorite instance of this in THE SUGAR QUEEN was undoubtedly the way books literally popped up around Chloe whenever she needed them. For example:

She could remember very clearly the first time it happened to her. Being an only child raised by her great-grandparents on a farm miles from town, she was bored a lot. When she ran out of books to read, it only got worse. She was walking by the creek along the wood line at the end of the property one day when she was twelve, feeling mopey and frustrated, when she saw a book propped up against a willow tree.

She walked over and picked it up. It was so new the spine creaked and popped when she opened it. It was a book on card tricks, full of fun things she could do with the deck of cards her great-grandmother kept in a drawer in the kitchen for her weekly canasta game.

She called out, asking if anyone was there. No one answered. She didn't see any harm in looking through the book, so she sat under the tree by the creek and read as much as she could before it got dark. She wanted to take it with her when her great-grandmother called her home, but she knew she couldn't. The owner of the book would surely want it back. So she reluctantly left it by the tree and ran home, trying to commit to memory everything she'd read.

After dinner, Chloe took the deck of cards out of the kitchen drawer and went to her bedroom to try some of the tricks. She tried for awhile, but she couldn't get them right without following the pictures in the book. She sighed and gathered the cards she'd spread out on the floor. She stood, and that's when she saw the book, the same book she'd left by the creek, on her nightstand.

For awhile after that, she thought her great-grandparents were surprising her with books. She'd find them on her bed, in her closet, in her favorite hideouts around the property. And they were always books she needed. Books on games or novels of adventure when she was bored. Books about growing up as she got older. But when her great-grandparents confronted her about all the books she had and where did she get the money to buy them, she realized they weren't the ones doing it.

The next day, under her pillow, she found a book on clever storage solutions. It was exactly what she needed, something to show her how to hide her books.

She accepted it from then on. Books liked her. Books wanted to look after her.

You can imagine the smile of contentment on my face after I read that passage. It was clear this book and I would get on well. And we did. I absolutely loved it. And you can bet I will be picking up Ms. Allen's upcoming third novel, The Girl Who Chased the Moon, the day it comes out.(less)

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Apr 24, 2011 Kei rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone who loves sweet tales with hints of romance and magic.

Recommended to Kei by: No One

Shelves: favorites

I love this story! It's a very strong character-driven tale with all of the ingredients I personally enjoy in a book, a little magic, a little fantasy, romance, conflict, and dream fulfillment. The author chose a very simplistic style of writing and spent very little page space describing the weather, the people's description, and atmosphere which doesn't bother me one bit, since she mastered the storytelling element. She DID describe the main characters enough for you to get a good picture of e...more

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Jun 09, 2008 Ewelina rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Josey is a 27 year old that lives with her mother and likes eating sweets in her closet and reading romantic books. At a diner, she meets a waitress, Della, who becomes her fairy godmother and agrees on her closet getaway. When she finds love, Della decides to move on! Fictional!!

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Mar 16, 2013 Nikolitsa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Η ρομαντική πένα της Σαρα Αντισον Αλλεν έκανε κ πάλι τα μαγικά της. Αυτή την φορά δημιούργησε μια ιστορία πιο ώριμη από αυτή του Μαγικού κήπου. Ένα κόσμο πιο ωμό και σκληρό, μητέρες εκδικητικές, άντρες που κερατώνουν, θλίψη, μελαγχολία, πορνεία και hangover μετά από μεθύσι. Που όμως περιπλέκονται πολύ αρμόνικα με την γλυκιά αδυναμία της Αλλεν, την αφελή ελπίδα ενός μικρού παιδιού πως εκεί στα καθημερινά και απλά πράγματα κρύβεται μαγεία, το θαύμα. Αλαφροΐσκιωτες υπηρέτριες, κυνηγούν φαντάσματα σ...more

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Dec 13, 2008 Judy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'd really like to give this book three-and-a-half stars if possible! I did enjoy it but took a while to get into it - I wasn't too keen on the beginning, but became hooked about halfway through.

There are a lot of similarities with her other book, 'Garden Spells' - again it is a story with elements of magic realism, where the magic seems benevolent and determined to help people, but this time there are also some darker moments and it isn't pure escapism. I discovered this author because Laura r...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Alexandria rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So I read this book when it came out in 2009. I remember picking it up and immediately relating to the protagonist, Josey Cirrini. Josey, a 28 year old woman lives alone with her cold, wealthy mother. She is guilty of her horrendous behavior as a child, so as repentance she stays to care for her overbearing mama. Over the years she becomes Dickensian, very reclusive, pining over gorgeous mailmen, gorging herself on her secret candy treasure to make herself feel better. The story gets interesting...more

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Mar 09, 2013 La Rosy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-favourite, ebooks

E' la storia di una ragazza come noi, una ragazza come tante. Josey è intrappolata nel piccolo paesino natale dal senso di colpa verso la madre e dalla necessità di stare con lei e accudirla fino a quando ne avrà bisogno. Josey è una ragazza tormentata dalla madre perchè assomiglia troppo a quel marito che tanto ha disprezzato. Ma Josey è anche una ragazza che ha voglia di vita: voglia di viaggiare, uscire,avere amiche, fare esperienze e invece resta dietro le finestre della sua stanza accontent...more

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Dec 01, 2011 Belle Forcible rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourites

My most favorite Sarah Addison Allen sweet treat so far...

I didn't find Josey's character as charming as Emily and the Waverleys at first. And Bald Slope, not as enchanting as Mullaby and Bascom. The beginning of the story didn't impress me as much as the first ones did. I was afraid this is going to be some typical chick lit with the typical drama queen with their typical problems and all that typical lame stuffs going on. But now I feel guilty. I can't believe I ever doubted Sarah in this, eve...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Splash Of Our Worlds *Yiota* rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a normal book. Almost normal, for telling the truth. I only knew that after I read it. I had it on my bookshelves for a year and I took it with me when I went on vacation.

It's telling the story of Josey. She's a young woman on her 30's. She's leaving with her mother on her parent's house-her father is dead-and she's dreaming to leave that life, every single day, since she hates it. She is in love with Adam, the postman, but she's to shy to talk to him more than few seconds. Josey is find...more This is a normal book. Almost normal, for telling the truth. I only knew that after I read it. I had it on my bookshelves for a year and I took it with me when I went on vacation.

It's telling the story of Josey. She's a young woman on her 30's. She's leaving with her mother on her parent's house-her father is dead-and she's dreaming to leave that life, every single day, since she hates it. She is in love with Adam, the postman, but she's to shy to talk to him more than few seconds. Josey is finding joy by eating sweets, which are hidden in her closet. But one day a woman, named Della Lee, moves in her closet and desides to change Josey's life.

The story doesn't tell only about Josey's, Adam's and Della Lee's life, but it concludes other peoples' lives too, such as Josey's mother who struggles trying to keep her image untouched, Adam's best friend who has troubles with his girlfriend and Della Lee's really mean ex-boyfriend.

It's an easy book to be read. It concludes so many people and events from the past and the present that you will have to wait until the end to figure out what will happen. Because of the variety of the characters on it, you can find yourself in one of them. The characters have been through a lot, deaths, troubled relationships and changes, that at the end you will care for them and you will find yourself anxious to find their own happiness.

I said in the beggining that it's almost normal and that's true. Although, you figure it out at the end, so there is no point to describe it paranormal or whatever. It's a simple book that most of you wouldn't like. But it's a nice choice if you want to have a break from vampire worlds, etc.

Last thing I want to tell you: I don't know you personally to judge you and tell you what to read or not, but if you're into all those vampires, angel VS demons, worlds etc, then it's not a book that will surprise you and make you read more. But if you're one of those that read everything then it's a nice choice, really simple and easy.(less)

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Nov 17, 2009 Tammy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2009-reads, chick-lit, contemporary-romance, keepers

Wow! Another magical novel by Sarah Addison Allen. Beautifully written. Much like her debut novel Garden Spells, this book contains a blend of interesting food and magic realism.

Josey Cirrini is a chubby, shy recluse who lives with her overbearing mother. She consoles herself with junk food and romance novels that she keeps hidden in her closet. One day her boring life is turned upside down when she discovers local bad girl, Della Lee, hiding in her closet. Desperate to be rid of Della Lee, Jos...more

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Mar 08, 2009 Leslie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Let’s see…a story about a young single woman who hoards sweets and trashy romance novels in a cache hidden in her closet. Hmm...I’m on board! I’ll take chocolate and passion on the page over my problems any time. And so we have Josey Cirrini, the twenty-seven-year-old heroine of The Sugar Queen. She’s an almost over-the-hill Southern belle without a life or a date, no privacy from a domineering mother, and now has the town harlot camping out and black-mailing her in her bedroom closet. What’s a...more

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Jul 26, 2008 Grace rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I requested this book at the library when a friend informed me it had been released. I didn't read anything about the story beforehand...I just knew it was a new book by the author of _Garden Spells_. I'm glad now that I didn't read any information or reviews, because it made the whole story all the more fresh.

Allen seems to be developing a theme between her novels in regard to characterizing a non-human object and giving it a magical and charming life and influence on the other characters. In...more

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Jun 16, 2008 Britt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, identity, magical-realism, relationships

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book has a lot of the same problems as Garden Spells and I don’t think Allen’s writing has improved much, but I enjoyed it much more. I think what made me like this one better is that I can relate to the main character. She has two qualities that are very important to me: She is a 20-something woman still living at home and desperate to get away, and she loves to eat. While my home life is not as sad as hers and the people around me don’t judge me for the brat I was as a child (which I was,...more This book has a lot of the same problems as Garden Spells and I don’t think Allen’s writing has improved much, but I enjoyed it much more. I think what made me like this one better is that I can relate to the main character. She has two qualities that are very important to me: She is a 20-something woman still living at home and desperate to get away, and she loves to eat. While my home life is not as sad as hers and the people around me don’t judge me for the brat I was as a child (which I was, absolutely), there’s still that desire to escape from the town I grew up in and not end up settling and sucked into a monotonous life. Also, I love food. I don’t hide mine, but I have stashes all around. I like to snack in my room, in the car, at work, wherever. So, I guess these things helped me to understand and appreciate the story more.

I love that Chloe randomly has books appear to her when she needs them. I love how persistent they are, how alive they are. I love that Josey has someone randomly appear in her closet and live there while helping her grow. I enjoyed watching Josey grow. I enjoyed the development of her relationship with Adam. I also like how Allen uses a food-related motif throughout the novel. That could seem a bit too cutesy and overdone, but for the type of book it is, it works.

I was a little annoyed that Chloe and Jake got back together. Allen made a big deal about how Chloe had never gotten to know herself, she had gotten lost in Jake, and how she needed to find herself. But I don’t think one month on your own and buying a house constitutes finding yourself. I guess it’s not as annoying since Chloe realizes this and vows to not lose herself again, but that’s hard to do when you’re focusing on someone else.

Something else that bothers me in most books is the way the main female character is portrayed. Often the main character will initially be described as plain or ugly or fat, but what we gather from the descriptions of the character and the responses of the other characters in the book, is that they are actually gorgeous and thin. Either the main character just thinks they are ugly or the author is using the Hollywood definition of ugly. Or, even better, nobody finds the main character in anyway attractive until she puts on makeup or loses lots of weight. So, Josey is initially described as, “pale and plain and just this side of plump” (p. 5). But once she starts wearing makeup, suddenly everyone realizes what a beauty she is. Bad message to send Ms. Allen! And “just this side of plump” is really not as bad as it could be, is it? This book is really not the worst of the offenders in this regard, but it’s the latest one I’ve come across. Just once I would like to find a book in which the main female character is described in a way that is very clearly unattractive in our society yet ends up finding someone who thinks she is beautiful. Why can’t we have stories like that?

I did think the book was predictable, I called some things that happen later in the novel before it was even half through. I also think that the characterization is not great. Each character has a back story that explains why they are the way they are, and they are interesting stories. But I felt it was too flat. It wasn’t real enough. I felt like she was following a formula for characterizing these people instead of trying to make real people. The whole book was a little underdeveloped, like Garden Spells. It could be much better if she tried to flesh out the characters and the story a bit more.(less)

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Jun 13, 2008 Abby Johnson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

27-year-old Josey Cirrini lives with and takes care of her elderly mother in their expensive house. She's docile and obedient. And any spare moment she gets she spends in her bedroom closet where she's hidden a stash of romance novels and candy. Having no friends and no life outside the oppressive house in which she lives, the novels and food are her only comfort. Then one day an unexpected visitor arrives. Della Lee, a somewhat trashy woman who has obviously run away from someone, takes up resi...more

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Jun 04, 2008 Jeanne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of Alice Hoffman

I have really mixed feelings about this novel. On the one hand, I almost quit reading it after only a few pages. The writing is so over the top cheesy. In the first two pages, the author mentions the "feathery frost" and the "sugary frost." Too much.

But then the silly descriptions decreased (or I just skimmed them, I don't know), and the story picked up. This is the story of Josey Cirrini. She is 27, her mother's personal slave, and extremely wealthy due to her deceased father, the late, great M...more

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Nov 02, 2008 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-books

This treacly romance was lauded by reviewers, but I found it as difficult to swallow as a spoonful of raw sugar. Two young sheltered women in their twenties struggle with their pasts and their current romantic relationships in a small North Carolina resort town. Nothing unusual there, except the author adds elements of magical realism that are not quite successful. For example, there is a strange woman living in the closet of one of the women who may or may not be real. When her presence is hurr...more

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Aug 27, 2008 Liisa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-adored, vampire-werewolves-witches-mystical, books-i-want-to-read-again, books-that-moved-me-to-tears, all-time-favourite-authors

Quite simply, I adored "The Sugar Queen" by Sarah Addison Allen. It was an absolutely delicious read and I was bereaved when it finished.

I stumbled upon Sarah Addison Allen quite by accident after being "drawn" to the cover of her debut novel, "Garden Spells". I enjoyed her debut so much, I pre-ordered "The Sugar Queen" but it was still with hesitance that I picked it up. I LOVED "Garden Spells" ~ what if this wasn't up to par?

There was no reason to fear. Within moments of picking up "The Sugar...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Nicole Perez rated it 3 of 5 stars

I wanted to love this book, but I just couldn't. Around the halfway point, I looked up the author. The chapters named after candy, the girl who smells like peppermint, the woman living in a closet - it was like some sort of candy land fantasy that I thought was written by a teenage girl. Nope. Sarah Addison Allen is definitely an adult.

When I looked past the sugary-sweet references, I saw a good story. It was impossible for me to look past them when they were mentioned on practically every page....more

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Feb 25, 2008 Elisa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The more days that go by, the more I realize how much I liked this book. The right mixture of magic (books that show up just when a girl needs them...my kind of magic), romance, community, messiness and mystery.
I have thought about these characters often since finishing it. They are well developed and friendly. A 28 year old girl stuck with a society loving mother, a dead father who owned the town and a stranger in her closet. That is not even talking about the maid, who calls her "Oldsey" (ins...more

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May 27, 2011 Jeanette rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: all-fiction, magical-realism

This one wasn't as magical and playful as Garden Spells, but I still enjoyed it. I'm not into romances, but Sarah Addison Allen throws in some magical and humorous elements, and she doesn't get too mushy or graphic with the romance stuff. The pieces of the puzzle fit together a little too neatly in this story. It could have used a little more complexity.

I especially liked the way books intervene in Chloe's life in a magical way. They won't leave her alone! And she never has to pay for them. The...more

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Feb 27, 2011 Kara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit, favorites, magic, north-carolina

Sarah Addison Allen, where have you been all my life? I have been looking for an author like you forever. You are everything Alice Hoffman isn't. This is the first book of yours I have read but I have two others in my possession which I will be reading as soon as I possibly can. Your writing is magic. Your characters flawless. Even the nasty and mean ones. Your settings are amazing. I could not put this book down. I tried to accomplish other things today but I failed miserably. I cannot believe...more

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Nov 08, 2009 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: busy-as-a-bee-books, literature-fiction, magical-realism, library-books, 2009-reading-journal

Another satisfyingly sweet read by Allen, but not too saccharine. How can I resist a character that keeps a secret cache of candy and romance novels and another character has books that magically appear in her presence? I like the touches of magical realism, where water boils and eggs fry in the company of a couple in love. The story was a wonderful contrast between innocence and understanding. I wanted to let out a satiated sigh when I finished The Sugar Queen; it was lipsmacking good.

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Dec 18, 2010 Capri rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone who liked Garden Spells

I really enjoyed this book. It was silly at times, made me laugh, but still had enough depth of characters and plot to not seem shallow. I read a few other people's reviews of the book and was suprised by how poorly they rated it. I loved how the chapter titles were all candies and treats that somehow related to the events in the chapter. I loved how Josey thinks of everything in terms of which food it is like and how that makes her feel. I enjoyed the other characters as well. (I don't want to...more

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Jul 13, 2008 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed this a lot. There are two things that stood out - first that although it was pretty obvious how this would end - that it was really fun to get there. Also, one of the characters has books that follow her around - the right book at the right time... I love that. I wish the right books would follow me around!

Sometimes I read a book that has a plot twist (say, a special unstated relationship between the characters) and I can see it coming a mile away. This one snuck up on me and only when...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Camie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this. I really like her writing. I always get hooked right away. She always has some magical element to her stories, but its never too over the top. i loved the characters in this book. The main character who could always sense when her love was around, the girl who has books show up in her path (!) and also makes water boil when she kisses her man. Fun! She always has pretty sweet endings with some twists and turns. There were a few bad words and a couple kissy parts in this. I'd say pr...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, romance, adult

Josey is 27 years old. She lives at home and takes care of her mother. One morning she wakes up and Della Lee Baker is hiding in her closet. Della Lee says she needs a place to hide for a few days before she leaves town. Josey reluctantly lets her stay. That one small act starts to change her life. Della Lee sends her to a deli to pick up a sandwich and she meets Chloe who becomes her friend. She starts spending time with Chloe, leaving the house more, and gaining some independence. This new ind...more

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Chick Lit Book Club: * The Sugar Queen - Chit Chat	7	34	8 hours, 37 min ago
Chick Lit Book Club: The Sugar Queen: Chapters 1 - 4	5	27	May 17, 2013 05:35pm
Bookworm Bitches : November 2012: The Sugar Queen	104	272	May 06, 2013 02:35pm
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About Sarah Addison Allen

New York Times Bestselling novelist Sarah Addison Allen brings the full flavor of her southern upbringing to bear on her fiction -- a captivating blend of fairy tale magic, heartwarming romance, and small-town sensibility.

Born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Allen grew up with a love of books and an appreciation of good food (she credits her journ...more

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Quotes from The Sugar Queen

“Books can be possessive, can't they? You're walking around in a bookstore and a certain one will jump out at you, like it had moved there on its own, just to get your attention. Sometimes what's inside will change your life, but sometimes you don't even have to read it. Sometimes it's a comfort just to have a book around. Many of these books haven't even had their spines cracked. 'Why do you buy books you don't even read?' our daughter asks us. That's like asking someone who lives alone why they bought a cat. For company, of course.” — 540 people liked it

“I think Heaven will be like a first kiss.” — 196 people liked it

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