The Springsweet

The Vespertine #2

by Saundra Mitchell

Heartbroken over the tragic death of her fiancé, seventeen-year-old Zora Stewart leaves Baltimore for the frontier town of West Glory, Oklahoma, to help her young widowed aunt keep her homestead going. There she discovers that she possesses the astonishing ability to sense water under the parched earth. When her aunt hires her out as a “springsweet” to advise other settlers where to dig their wells, Zora feels the burden of holding the key to something so essential to survival in this unforgiving land. Even more, she finds herself longing for love the way the prairie thirsts for water. Maybe, in the wildness of the territories, Zora can finally move beyond simply surviving and start living.

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Historical, Paranormal, Magic

275 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Saundra Mitchell is the author of SHADOWED SUMMER, THE VESPERTINE, THE SPRINGSWEET, THE ELEMENTALS, MISTWALKER, and ALL THE THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK. In non-fiction, she’s the author of the non-fiction THEY DID WHAT!? series for middle grade readers. Her first adult novel, THIS SIDE OF GONE, will be published by William Morrow in January 2026.

She’s also the co-author of the CAMP MURDERFACE series with Josh Berk, and the editor of four YA anthologies: DEFY THE DARK, ALL OUT, OUT NOW, and OUT THERE. She also adapted the hit Broadway Musical THE PROM for teen readers!

Mitchell writes under multiple pen names, including Jessa Holbrook (WHILE YOU’RE AWAY,) Alex Mallory (WILD,) and Rory Harrison (LOOKING FOR GROUP.)

SHADOWED SUMMER was the 2010 winner of The Society of Midland Authors Book Award for Children’s Fiction and a 2010 Edgar® Award Nominee. It was chosen as a Junior Library Guild selection and an ALAN Pick in 2009. In 2020, ALL THE THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK was a Lambda Finalist, and the winner of the Indiana Authors Award for Young Adult Fiction.

Her short story “Ready to Wear” was nominated for a 2007 Pushcart Prize after appearing in Vestal Review Issue 27. Her short fiction and non-fiction has appeared in anthologies including TRANSMOGRIFY!, FORESHADOW, YOU TOO?, A TYRANNY OF PETTICOATS, FORETOLD, and DEAR BULLY.

For twenty years, she was the head screenwriter and an executive producer with Dreaming Tree Films on their various teen filmmaking programs, including the largest teen filmmaking program in the United States, Fresh Films. They produced more than four hundred films from her screenplays, and she earned Academy Award eligibility ten times during her tenure.

In other arenas, Ms. Mitchell was interviewed by the New York Times and the BBC for her part in exposing the Kaycee Nicole hoax, and she’s been tapped by morning radio shows all over the United States as a guest expert on Urban Legends & Folklore.

In her free time, she enjoys fandom, studying history, playing ttrpgs and video games, and spending time with her wife and daughters. Her pronouns are she/they.

Reviews

[Jess M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this review on my blog! --> The Springsweet by Saundra Mitchell

The Vespertine was one of my favorite books last year, and with that ending, of course I was dying for a sequel! It completely stole my heart...and trampled it. I was incredibly heartbroken! In The Springsweet, Saundra Mitchell has redeemed my heart by mending our Zora’s.

The most stand-out quality I’ve come to love about Saundra Mitchell’s writing is the vividly realized atmospheres. In The Vespertine, I could see myself sitting around with the girls, getting ready for the ball and talking about the boys they would dance with in Baltimore. In The Springsweet, I could feel the hot winds of Oklahoma blowing on my face!! I could see the sparse, dry countryside for miles on end. I was there, next to Zora, seeing and feeling everything she was, so vividly. I absolutely love that. If any book can transport me like that, it’s a winner in my book.

We first meet Zora in The Vespertine. She is Amelia’s cousin and gets her heart shredded in that book. I mean, absolutely destroyed! Blown to pieces. Her whole world crashes down. So you can imagine how this book in no way starts with the best of tones. It’s rather depressing at first, and many times I wanted to curl up with it and cry because it made me so sad for her. It isn’t until and unfortunate 3rd meeting with the very handsome and rich Mr. Theo de la Croix that things start to turn around. Then she gets sent to Oklahoma...where she meets the rugged, sexy Emerson Birch and things really start to get interesting! Ms. Zora Stewart now has to make a choice between the two, but I think there’s never really a contest.

Zora’s ability was unique and I can see now how all the elements -- earth, water, fire, air -- come into play in this series. I just can’t imagine how it will all come into play in the final book, Aetherborne, but I’m extremely excited to find out.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming historical-supernatural romance that's slow to start

In Saundra Mitchell's The Springsweet, seventeen-year-old Zora finds herself stuck in Baltimore - both emotionally and physically - as she grieves the tragic loss of her fiancé. When a rash choice provides a way out, she takes it and finds her way to the wind-swept prairies of Oklahoma to live with her aunt. Once there, Zora discovers that she has the power to sense water under the ground and that her skill is in much demand in a drought-ridden land. While burdened with the responsibility of locating water (and hope) for others, Zora finds that her own heart may be awakening again.

Overall, The Springsweet was a charming historical romance with a light dash of the supernatural. The novel was short and succinct, and it was easy to sit down and devour it in one sitting. Zora, though a bit selfish, was a sympathetic character given her experiences and loss, and side characters like aunt Birdie and her young daughter helped flesh out the story. One of the love interests was also very likeable, and the romance, though quick and not entirely explainable, had some swoony moments. The greatest strength of the novel, however, lay in its detailed and beautiful descriptions of prairie and frontier life; these vivid mental images provided the story with an excellent sense of place and time.

Despite these positives, the novel was slow to start, and the writing felt a bit awkward in a few places. This novel is also not a good choice as someone's first foray into a historical/period novel, as there were words or descriptions, such as Zora lifting up the "combination" under her dress, that didn't mean anything to me and left me confused. Some of the supernatural elements weren't clearly explained either. The romance also developed too quickly and without much substance. This was one of the few times that I wanted a book to be longer, instead of shorter. It seemed like a lot of my concerns about the romance and the supernatural elements could have been cleared up with a few more pages about each topic. Though it's advertised as a companion novel, not a sequel, there were also times I wished I had read Mitchell's first book, The Vespertine, before this. The story does a good job of filling in the gaps, but I still felt like I was missing something.

Even though I found things I didn't like in The Springsweet, I found a lot that I did, and those strengths are enough to make me want to catch up on the first book The Vespertine and read the next (Aetherborne) when it comes out. In the coming book, I hope Mitchell continues to create a memorable sense of time and place while also providing readers with more insight into the supernatural ways and romances of her characters.

Note: This review refers to an advance review copy.

[Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enthralling story about heartbreak, second chances, love, and learning to find yourself, The Springsweet is the perfect sequel to Saundra Mitchell's The Vespertine. Starting off where Amelia's story ended, Zora's story is one fans of this series will quickly fall in love with. Zora not only has to come to terms with her broken heart, but she learns as she heads out west, leaving the comforts of her home behind to carry on and find herself again. Zora's an enchanting character with a voice that's just as beautiful as Amelia's. She's courageous, endearing and strong in her own right as she learns to adapt to her new life in the Wild West, learns to let go, and delicately balances the fine line between being a respectful young women in her society vs being true to herself.

Saundra has done such a suburb job creating compelling characters in this series. No matter how great or small their roles is, how lovable or horrible they are, they each have a purpose in this story's rich plot line. I thoroughly enjoyed the presence of a few characters from The Vespertine and quickly fell in love with a few new characters. Emerson Birch is one of those characters. Though Saundra created two wonderful, yet completely different love interests, Emerson grabbed my attention from the moment Zora meets him. Like Zora, he's lively, flawed, goes against the norm during this Victorian era period, and intriguing. There's something about Mr Birch that draws you in and leaves you wanting to know more about him. I loved the way Saundra carefully peeled back the layers of this rugged character.

As much as I love the characters in The Springsweet, it's Saundra's passionate writing that completely swept me off my feet with this book. Saundra has a way with words that just pull me into her story. She made me feel as though I was there with Zora through out her entire book seeing what she was seeing, and experiencing what she was. Whether it was standing in a cool spring in the middle of the hot Oklahoma prairie during a scorching day, or slowing learning to over come the heartbreak from The Vespertine and learning to love again, everything Zora does is described so beautifully. Saundra's words are poetic, beautiful, and so elegant. Her attention to detail and her ability make me visualize the rich setting left me longing for so much more after I finished this book.

I loved this book. It's one of those books that completely whisked me away during the duration I read. The writing is flawless, the romance is sigh worthy and the setting was enchanting to say the least. Plus I'm a sucker for this time period and absolutely love of this book. Much like The Vespertine, The Springsweet has a rich feel to it with a voice that reads like a classic and leaves you wanting much, much more. I highly recommend picking up this book for the writing alone. It's breathtaking and mesmerizing all at the same time! The Springsweet is a fabulous, clean cut read that both YA and adult readers will enjoy.

[Autumn✌🏻P4L✌🏻 · Rating 4 out of 5]

My older sisters all read this book when they were 16 so I decided that I needed to carry on with that tradition and read it before I turn 17 in December! So I did! And I enjoyed it!

Ignore how long it took me to finish this mere 278 page book, I was pretty busy so I didn’t read a whole bunch, unfortunately…

I loved how it was written, the way everyone and Zora spoke, it’s fun to read that way.

I absolutely LOVED Emerson, I never really liked Theo…he was fine, but I was like…iiiihhh…lolll but it’s fine😊😊

I didn’t read the first book before this, neither did any of my sisters, lol, but it didn’t feel like I was terribly missing out on anything…I might end up going back to read it though cause it seems really interesting…😊

Also the ending?? I guess I might need to read the next book too, after I read the first book…😏

Anyways, this is a cute fun bingeable read (which I obviously didn’t do🙄 lol) that I would recommend!

If you choose to read it, HAPPIEST OF READING TO YOU!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book my only problem was it was too short! I could have kept reading a lot longer. This book is a sequel but I didn't know that before I picked it up. The beginning was a little like starting a story all ready in progress, but I picked up very quickly on what was going on. But I will say after reading this I will go back and read the first book, I liked the writing so much. This book has three big pluses for me love, magic and the old west. 3 things I love to read about and I got all of them in this book. My favorite was the main character who I loved immediately even tho we catch her at a really low point in the beginning I love how she mourned, it was just perfect for who she was. The writing tho put this book over the top for me. The dialog and the description of the way the characters felt and reacted was great. This book had some kissing and implied sex before marriage (nothing detailed) more of older teens read 15 and up.

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: City girl Zora Stewart moves out west to search for who she is and what she wants to do with her life after the tragedies she experienced in this companion novel to The Vespertine.

Opening Sentence: That I went a little mad, I could not deny.

The Review:

The Springsweet is Saundra Mitchell’s second novel featuring the character of Zora Stewart. Zora has been mourning for a year, and can’t find the will to move on with her life in Baltimore. She starts looking for an escape by marriage answering ads for widowed farmers out west, but cannot go through with it once she is faced with the reality of what that life would entail. Instead, Zora decides to move to the sparsely populated Oklahoma Territory to help her recently widowed aunt with housework and raising her young cousin. I read The Springsweet before The Vespertine, so I did not fully appreciate this book and the character of Zora until I had finished both. This novel is a complete turn from The Vespertine because we now have a new narrator that we had only seen through Amelia’s eyes before, and it is set as far from a city as possible. The strong and eloquent writing style is still very evident in this sequel.

The Zora we see in this novel has experienced terrible tragedies from losing friends, family, and loved ones. I won’t say who so I don’t spoil The Vespertine, but Zora is a changed young woman. She is no longer carefree and playful, but somber and reserved. There is a spark of her former self that comes out when she encounters male characters like Theo de la Croix and Emerson Birch that gets her into trouble with her family and society. When Zora goes to a dance in the beginning of the book, Theo surprises her and she falls into a well. She surprises him by kissing him, ruining her reputation in Baltimore, and catalyzing her move to the Oklahoma Territory. This is a book about Zora finding who she really is after her former life is taken from her as she sets out to make her own way in the world.

Once in West Glory, Zora realizes that her whole life has been easy compared to living in a soddy and hauling water from the well multiple times a day. Her main job is to look after her three-year-old cousin Louella so her Aunt Birdie can take in washing and mending for money. Since travel was expensive and time consuming, Zora has never met her aunt and cousin that she is sent to live with. She learns about them, and comes to understand how much life has hardened her aunt, but that she is still kind. The girl Louella is a stereotypical young girl who has the whole prairie to play in. One thing I found interesting was how well Zora mothers Louella even though she has no younger siblings or much experience with children that we know of. She treats Louella as if she was her own daughter. This raised my esteem of Zora since it showed that she has evolved to be able to take care of others.

In the vast prairie, Zora finds that she has a talent for finding water underground. The magic within her works so she can see and sense where water is, and her aunt sets her up to find potential well spots on other people’s land for money. Her talent turns sour when some people are unhappy with her discovery (or lack of) on their property. She finds a kindred spirit in Emerson Birch because he has the ability to make plants grow. Zora isn’t new to the paranormal. In The Vespertine, her cousin Amelia could predict the future. Zora and Emerson’s paranormal talents complement each other just like Amelia and Nathaniel’s did in The Vespertine.

Zora has two love interests in The Springsweet. The first is Theo de la Croix, the young man from Baltimore that Zora kissed after falling in the well. He followed her all the way to the Oklahoma Territory to unsuccessfully court her. Zora doesn’t dislike Theo, but she is not interested in pursuing a relationship with him. She doesn’t feel like she would be a good match for him, and wants him to do better. It works out well for both of them in the end. The other love interest is Emerson Birch, the scorned solitary Sooner. When her stagecoach is robbed and leaves Zora stranded on the side of the road, Emerson takes her in for the night and gets her to her aunt’s house the next day. The town, and especially her Aunt Birdie, all look down on Emerson since he cheated when getting his land in the land run. This was humorous to me as an Oklahoman since Sooner is a revered mascot for my University’s rival, the University of Oklahoma. It shows how much times have changed when the stigma attached to the term initially kept Zora from pursuing a relationship with Emerson, and now is a source of pride for many people. Besides being a Sooner, Zora cannot find fault with Emerson. He is just a quiet and thoughtful young man who wants to live his life, and Zora can understand this very well.

The novel ends with Zora making up her mind about what she wants to do in life and she goes for it. In the last few pages, Zora receives a letter from someone she thought she would never see again, and now I honestly can’t wait for the next installment in the series. I would recommend this novel for anyone interested in historical romances based in rural mid-America with a taste of the paranormal to tie it all together.

Notable Scene:

Whim clicked in me, like the pin in a door finally catching. Raising my skirts, I stepped onto the fountain’s wide, low wall and closed my eyes. The water sang now, breathing soft against my face.

A thousand icy pinpoints touched my cheeks, the well-deep chill streaming over me in waves. To the strains of a waltz, I walked the edge of the fountain. No peeking, my imp insisted. My chest felt full of bees, all buzzing wildly as I covered my eyes with my hand.

One step, and then a second. The little danger thrilled me and my senses turned keen. Intimately, I knew the water, the sureness of the stone — I wouldn’t fall in, I couldn’t –

I did, when Theo de la Croix called out to me.

Deceptively deep, the fountain swallowed me entirely. My beaded gown dragged me into the depths, and night, so appealing in the air, seemed a dark cap when filtered through icy water.

And yet, I felt peace. The cold, so sudden, the loss of breath, so complete — I struggled just once against it, then sank in grace.

Hard hands found me. They pulled me from he frigid water that seemed not so much cold as tight around me. It was leaving it that racked me with a chattering, shuddering convulsion.

Laid on the lawn, rolled on my side, I felt very much a rag doll and coughed helplessly when the water drained from my nose and mouth.

The Vespertine Series:

1. The Vespertine

2. The Springsweet

3. Aetherborne

FTC Advisory: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt provided me with a copy of The Springsweet. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[starryeyedjen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars. Loved it so much, I practically read it straight through and forgot to take any notes. D'oh. Review soon.

***

I hate staring at a blank piece of paper when I’m trying to write a review. Conversely, I love that I was so engrossed in the novel that I neglected to take a single note. Luckily, I’m caught up on reviews and not having to write this three weeks after I read it, so this should be relatively painless.

I loved Saundra Mitchell’s The Vespertine when I read it last year. I hadn’t read much in the way of historical fiction up to that point, but I was blown away with how easily the story pulled me in, and it turned me into a massive fan of the genre. The companion novel to The Vespertine was no different. You don’t have to have read the first novel in this series, but it will help explain some things that the author touched on in The Springsweet.

I didn’t fully appreciate Zora’s character in the first novel. She seemed pushy and flighty, and when things turned out badly for her, she withdrew into herself. That’s the Zora you first meet in The Springsweet. It’s been a year since her beloved Thomas was taken from her, and she’s still depressed and at a loss for what to do with herself. Her mother doesn’t know what to do with her sullen, yet impetuous daughter either. When things take a turn for the worse, Zora is shipped off to Oklahoma to help her young, recently-widowed aunt sustain her homestead.

Zora doesn’t believe she deserves happiness without Thomas. She doesn’t believe she will, nor should she ever, find love again. And so she is content with the manual labor necessary to maintain her aunt’s farmland, and for the most part, it keeps her from dwelling on the past much. But along the way, she unearths some things about herself. She is a springsweet, a water witch, a dowser. Zora can put this previously latent power to good use for other homesteaders and help support her aunt and cousin in the process. But as she learned from her cousin Amelia’s situation in the first book, powers of this nature can be taken for granted…and used against you.

Zora also discovers that she is still alive. That her heart can belong to another, even after the tragedy she has survived. She only has to let herself want it. But there are two boys vying for her heart, and though her aunt pushes her toward the better match, Zora is pulled much more strongly to the boy deemed the wrong choice in the eyes of her aunt.

The characters in The Springsweet are so well-written, so believable that I could envision them perfectly and could almost hear them speaking in a Southern drawl or in a genteel manner, depending on the speaker. Zora narrates the book, and she is from a respectable background, but she has a mouth on her, a tenacity that I found endearing. Her new locale only aids in the loss of her more refined manner. West Glory isn’t quite what she expected, but through the beautiful prose, I could picture it quite clearly. And it made me yearn to go back and read the Little House on the Prairie series.

This isn’t a throw-you-for-a-loop kind of book, and I did find some situations a little predictable, but it wasn’t irritatingly so. As I was reading, it felt as if the book kept growing shorter. I wasn’t ready for it to end! And now that it has, I want the next book, especially after that ending. I expected it, but even so, I’m glad to have my suspicions confirmed and can’t wait to see how it plays out. From gorgeous gowns and balls to open prairie and yummy cowboys, this series just keeps getting better!

This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn’t quite live up to the first novel in this series, but still quite good.

[Vikki VanSickle · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is no secret that I love Saundra Mitchell.Her prose is beautiful but rather spare (much like the landscape she is writing about) but her skill is such that it doesn’t take a lot of words to conjure a rich story. She is rather like Zora, a ‘word’ sweet summoning a story that is clear and simple with no frippery. The characters use period language and sentence construction which added to the authenticity of the book, but contemporary readers won’t balk at this at times formal or unfamiliar manner of speech.

I was in desperate need of something fresh and this book did not disappoint. I was more than happy to try something other than dystopian, paranormal, or speculative fiction.To be fair, there is obviously an element of magic in The Springsweet, but amazingly Mitchell so completely naturalizes the magic that it just feels like a highly specialized skill, like athleticism or musical ability. Plus the book isn’t about magic, it’s about the thrill and freedom of frontier life.

Lovers of historical fiction like facts and details. There is plenty of that here. I also appreciated how Mitchell did not glorify the grueling pioneer lifestyle. There is nothing romantic about having to do hard labour on an empty stomach. Living in a soddy (literally a house made of sod) is dirty. Carrying a yoke and buckets of water to and from the well is exhausting and painful. All of this is well-represented, but so are the moments of satisfaction, relief and joy that Zora and Birdie have in their hard-won lifestyle.

Even in grief, you get a sense of how feisty Zora is at the beginning of the book and she continues to come into her own as she discovers her skill as a springsweet, learns to fend for herself in the prairie and care for Louella, and comes to terms with her feelings for Emerson. Emerson is the ‘bad boy’ corner of a love triangle that also includes the aristocratic and more formal wannabe poet from Baltimore, Theo de la Croix, who follows Zora to West Glory in order to win her hand. I generally dislike love triangles but this one worked for me. Emerson and Theo are both worthy- though very different men- representing changing attitudes in America at the time. When Zora makes her choice, she is also making a statement about who she wants to be, and I liked this.

Obviously lovers of historical fiction will eat this up and clamor for more, but The Springsweet will also appeal to readers who like a strong female heroine or have a taste for fine writing. At times I was reminded of Bones of Faerie, partially because the writing is so great, but also because the magic is naturalized in a similar manner. Teens who hate magic will probably still love this book. While not totally wholesome, it isn’t racy, so younger readers can enjoy it, too. There is awesome witty repartee, plenty of sexual tension and a few good kisses to swoon over.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Springsweet is a young adult historical fantasy set in the late nineteenth century, mainly in the Oklahoma Territory. It’s also a sequel to Saundra Mitchell’s 2011 novel The Vespertine, though I didn’t realize that when I ordered it. So the caveat to my review is that I read The Springsweet without that background. How does it hold up on its own? Quite well, actually.

The heroine is Zora Stewart, a secondary character from The Vespertine, whose fiancé died tragically a year ago. Zora’s mother and friends think it’s high time she returns to society and starts mingling with young men again. Zora wants no part of this; she’d rather offer herself up as a mail-order bride and consign herself to a loveless marriage, or barring that, become a recluse in the attic. Finally, in desperation, she does something impulsive that causes her mother to send her away to live with widowed Aunt Birdie in Oklahoma.

I didn’t always understand Zora’s actions in the early chapters of The Springsweet, but she says herself that her grief made her “a little mad.” Once she lets go of her death wish and realizes she is glad to be alive, she becomes a relatable and likable character. Life in Oklahoma takes some getting used to, but Zora tries so hard and works so hard that it’s impossible not to admire her efforts. She also learns that she is gifted with a magical power: she’s a “springsweet,” a dowser or water witch. Birdie sees Zora’s gift as a way for her to earn her keep and begins to hire her out to the neighbors.

Mitchell paints a vivid picture of the Oklahoma setting, bringing to life both its beauties and its harshness. Zora’s gift is a double-sided coin too. Using her power brings her joy, and sometimes she is able to bring joy to others through its use. But other times she has to deal with unscrupulous people or, even worse, break to someone the bad news that there is no water on their land. Birdie is yet another example of this duality. She reminds me of a (much younger) version of characters like L.M. Montgomery’s Marilla Cuthbert — no-nonsense, hard, practical, but well-meaning and loving at heart.

Along the way there’s romance. The Springsweet contains the usual YA romantic triangle, but it didn’t annoy me as much as it sometimes does. I liked the way it worked out. There’s a subtle message here about female agency: just because a guy is a decent person and likes you doesn’t mean you’re obligated to choose him; you don’t owe him. He can be a nice guy but still not be the right one for you.

Lovely writing adds to The Springsweet’s appeal as well. Overall, I really enjoyed The Springsweet and plan to go back and read The Vespertine soon.

Review originally written for FantasyLiterature.com

[ILoveBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second in The Vespertine series, The Springsweet focuses on Zora. Depressed after the events of the past year, Zora is desperate to get away from her home and all reminders of her departed friends and deceased love. When an opportunity to escape presents itself, Zora takes it. The eventful ride to her aunt’s home in West Glory, Oklahoma, leads to Zora discovering her rare talent. After finding underground water for Emerson, a man she wishes she was not so attracted to, Zora realizes she is a springsweet. Being springsweet is having the ability to sense underground water.



Zora tells Birdie, her aunt, about her talent and soon Birdie begins hiring Zora out to help others find water. Thomas, a boy in love with Zora from her hometown, accompanies her on these trips and Zora’s aunt is hopes Zora will marry him. The prairie is parched and farms are failing. Zora could be the answer to everyone’s hopes, but what if someone’s land does not have any water?



The Springsweet is exciting and draws the reader into Zora’s story. The main character, Zora, is kindhearted and impulsive. She often does not think about consequences and acts without thinking. Zora is kind though, and wants to help others with her talent. Aunt Birdie is young, but experienced much throughout her life. Trying to run a farm with only her very young daughter Louella for company is tough, but Birdie survives and is a good person. Sending Zora to find water for her neighbors earns her money and helps Zora’s customers survive the drought. Emerson is strong, good-looking, humorous, and possesses a magic talent as well. He has the ability to make plants grow. Zora is attracted to him and wonders if her feelings for Emerson are a betrayal to her lost love. The man Aunt Birdie wants for Zora is Thomas. Chivalrous, wealthy, and good, Thomas would be a good husband for any woman. Zora cannot return Thomas’s feelings though, and hopes she will not ruin his kind heart.



Saundra Mitchell is a talented author whose books appeal to teen female readers. The author did a great job using the language of the time period and Mitchell’s descriptions are excellent. Mitchell is able to create a mood and feeling in the reader through her words. This book receives five out of five stars. It is an excellent novel.

[#ReadAllTheBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

After having read and liked the previous book in the series, The Vespertine, I was pretty happy to be able to get my hands on this book. Many of you coming into this book will be familiar with Mitchell's style, but for those of you who aren't I do have to warn you that the magic in this story will not be as heavily played up as it usually is in some of the other YA books out there. It's more of a secondary plot element than a major one, although it does feature heavily in the story.

First let me talk about what I liked about this book. I liked that Mitchell seems to have done her research about what life in the wilds of Oklahoma would be like during this time period, complete with sod houses and all. It's a touch of realism that serves the story well. I have to say that my favorite character in all of this had to have been Birdy. She's a tough, no-nonsense woman and at times I couldn't help but wish that the story had been centered around her more than Zora. Zora isn't an unlikable character, but she just seemed a little underdeveloped at times.

Now for what I felt was a bit lacking. I can't help but feel that the story and characters should have been a little more fleshed out. Everything happens so quickly that I didn't think that many of the romantic developments felt like they unfolded as naturally as they should have and I think that if there'd been more fleshing out of the characters, the story's fast pace wouldn't have been as bad otherwise. I liked Zora for the most part, but I just couldn't entirely buy her chemistry with a certain male character. There was definitely enough there to make it interesting, but not enough to give the whiz-bang feeling that I crave from romance in my stories. I would be more ambivalent about this, but since this is the second book in the series I couldn't help but want more from a second entry.

Overall though, this is still a nice book and fans of the first entry will be sure to enjoy it. If you haven't read the first book then you absolutely should, but it's not a necessity since most of Springsweet can be understood without it.

3.4 out of 5 stars

(ARC provided by Amazon Vine)

[Charlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
In an attempt to escape a wounded heart, Zora Stewart packs a bag and heads West. Robbery, rescue and the occasional tumbleweed follow. Being a fan of the Vespertine inspired me to pick up the companion novel, The Springsweet. The setting shifts from Balitmore to the hardships of prairie life along the great frontier. Because of the setting, the book has a western country feel and for those readers who enjoy American settler stories, The Springsweet will be a pleasurable and clean read. It's appropriate for most ages and has a hint of mysticism, but mostly is grounded in the historical fiction of the time period. This book definitely has a different appeal than the The Vespertine and I wasn't as intrigued or connected to Zora as I became to the heroine, Amelia. The attraction and sweet love story is well-scripted. However, given the title of the book, I felt the actual areas where springsweet was involved should have been dimensionally developed. This portion of the story was skimpy and lacked detailing and information that could have contributed to the books depth by creating more of a shadow similar to that found in The Vespertine. Readers have certain elements they love about a series, and this specific string would have strengthened my personal fascination in the book. I felt a bit cheated and was left to figure out, or rather guess about what happened to Mr. Larsen. It was too vague and because of this, lacked impact. Emerson was the most developed character and will likely be memorable. Zora, she's a sweet girl, but does not come with the same force as the beloved Amelia. Good. Beach read. Summer read, and if you want clean and innocent -- this is a safe bet.

[Tabitha Olson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saundra Mitchell is a master of setting. All of her books have had a vivid and palpable feel to them, and this book is no exception. I could taste the dust of the road, smell the grass on the prairie, feel the water between my toes, etc. Whenever I want to feel like I’m in another world, I pick up one of Saundra’s books.

Zora is a great character. Her grief is tangible and drives her to do selfish things because she can't see beyond it. That rang true to me. Desperation also drove her to find her inner strengths, which also rang true. And the guilt she felt from her attraction to Emerson was fantastic. I really liked Emerson, too. all his actions made sense according to his personality, and I had a good feel for who he is.

The shape of the story wasn't as effective as I was hoping. It was pretty even throughout, and I kept looking for more surprises. The foreshadowing of complications from the wells was natural and needed, but I was hoping for something on top of that—completely different, yet related. This story kind of seems a vessel to find the earth and water elements, and then the next book will have the actual conflict. Which is a bummer because I thought there were a few missed opportunities for conflict. For example, I wasn't sure of the point of the stage robbing, especially since we don’t see Ellis again and the conflict with Royal doesn’t really amount to anything. I am hoping it's not setup for the next book.

The ending, however, is superb. I loved how it ties the two books together while setting up for the third, which I will most definitely be reading.

[Christina (Reading Extensively) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Springsweet is a companion novel to The Vespertine but the story has a different feel to it partly due to the setting and partly due to the protagonist Zora. I think this is a much more thoughtful book and I actually prefer it to The Vespertine. Zora struggles with grief and guilt but she is also a determined and hardworking girl which I found admirable. Even though an Oklahoma soddy is a far cry from what she is used to, she pitches in and does her best to not be a burden to her aunt. The romance is sweet and although there are magical elements, the book reads more like historical fiction than paranormal romance or historical fantasy.

It did seem that Zora adjusted to her new life rather quickly and she has no problem accepting her unusual abilities but that did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. The Springsweet is not described as a sequel to The Vespertine but it is best to read it in order or there will be major spoilers for The Vespertine. For fans who miss Amelia in this book, she will be back in the third book. The Springsweet combines adventure, prairie romance, and a hint of the supernatural to provide an entertaining read. I am quickly becoming a fan of this series and would suggest it to those who enjoy YA historical romance.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saundra Mitchell has an incredible knack for rendering vivid settings. It's my favorite thing about all three of her books. I felt like I was right in dusty, wild Oklahoma along with Zora (and wished I were there for the trysts at the stream with Emerson). I love how Zora grows; she starts out the book heartbroken, mourning her fiance, and grows into a strong, stubborn woman ready to move on, find her own destiny, and fall in love despite past heartbreak. There's a bit of a love triangle, but it's solved very happily; Zora always knows her own mind, and at the heart of it is an incredibly swoony romance. As much as I enjoyed the Baltimore setting of THE VESPERTINE, I think I enjoyed THE SPRINGSWEET even more; the hero was more my cup of tea, and the paranormal gifts of both hero and heroine were fascinating and felt more tightly entwined with both character and their setting. Highly recommend!

[Soarin Soraya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though I haven’t had the joy of reading The Vespertine I was instantly grabbed by the story of The SpringSweet. The narrative style was simple in an elegant way that didn’t hold anything back, revealing truths and moments with an unflinching clarity and endearing honesty. Zora’s character, though at first a little… out of touch with the consequences of her decisions, goes through a stunning transition from a young woman lost to herself to a strong character who is willing to step out of the roles she once defined as ‘hers’ and forge a new path for herself. With an interesting cast of characters who spring to life from the page and, more often than not, elicit a wince or a laugh with their antics, and a steady plot that reveals the determination and despair that can be found in the human spirit, this is one book that will entertain even readers who avoid fantasy.

[Kelly]

The covers for this series are SOOO pretty.

[Shantelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started with this book, and i really loved it. im going to have to read the other 2 in this series. I loved that i read this and could see the scenes. It really paints a picture of how life could be like in the 1800s. It wasnt romanticized, and there was hard work involved. it does leave you wondering a bit at the end. I liked how she made the magic believable. she went into detail of Zora making sense of what happened and how to deal with it. the love triangle was good too. I liked that Nora made the decision for herself in who she chose. Great read!

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

1890. A year has passed since Zora Stewart lost her beloved Thomas in a tragic shooting; a year since her best friend Amelia returned to Maine. Though she’s grieved her fiance for a socially acceptable amount of time, Zora’s heart remains broken. She remains isolated, buried in her sorrow for a love and life that will never be. Her mother, worried about her daughter’s depression, encourages Zora to start living again. Zora knows she must move forward, but she doesn’t know how she can go back to a life of balls and frivolity — she’s lost her innocence. She decides that a life of service to others, in memory of her dear Thomas, is what would be most appropriate for her.


Her family and friends are not so convinced, and after being tricked into attending Baltimore’s Sugarcane Ball, Zora is afforded the opportunity to find herself “ruined” before her peers. Gladly done with Baltimore, she’s packed up and sent off to the Oklahoma territories to live with her recently widowed Aunt Birdie. Once in Oklahoma, she discovers that she has a unique connection to water – she can sense it and see where the water runs beneath the earth. Her aunt, hardworking yet struggling, sees Zora’s gift as an unexpected boon in hard times, and Birdie encourages Zora to hire out her singular, elemental talent. Zora – all too aware of the dangers and consequences of magical gifts – reluctantly agrees. With a new life in the territories, her new-found power and two intriguing young men vying for her attention, will Zora find herself in over her head once again? Or is this new path exactly what her shattered heart needs?


Zora. I was excited to discover that The Springsweet features Zora as the main character. She is a very prominent figure in the first book of this series, The Vespertine – her character already beautifully developed in that story. I was absolutely heartbroken for her at the end of the first book, and I desperately didn’t want that to be the end of Zora’s story. In The Vespertine, Zora is portrayed as effervescent, quick-witted, beautiful, intelligent, impulsive, popular amongst her circle of friends, yet she’s also kind and welcoming. Despite their many differences, Zora and her cousin Amelia become fast friends.


In the aftermath of that glorious, disastrous, preternatural summer, The Springsweet finds Zora much changed – a shell of what she once was. She’s withdrawn, lost, and doesn’t know how she can ever recover from the loss of Thomas. However, underneath her grief, she still retains many of those qualities. They’re just tempered with a healthy dose of reality and a better understanding of consequences. Moving to the plains of Oklahoma, she’s no longer surrounded by the things that ceaselessly remind her of what she’s lost, and her mind and hands are kept busy by the day-to-day labors of eking out a living on the land. Zora in The Springsweet is hardworking, is still kind and caring. She knows her mind, has a matured confidence and has little tolerance for injustice. She just needs to rediscover who she is in the wake of her tragedy. I especially love Zora’s scenes as she works through the emotions she’s been running from. They aren’t heavy-handed, “wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am” epiphanies, but rather gradual realizations on Zora’s part about where her life has led her, who she is and what she wants.


As previously stated, once in Oklahoma, Zora discovers her gift to sense water. To the farmers who claimed their plots in the Land Rush of 1889, water is vital. It’s everything toward ensuring their livelihood and the future ownership of their stake of land. As a result, Zora’s talents as a springsweet are much in demand, for those who cannot locate a viable source of water for their family and crops. I’ll admit, I was extremely curious to see why, when things ended so badly when Zora pushed Amelia to use her powers as an interesting parlor trick, why Zora would willingly go along with her Aunt Birdie’s plan to be hired out as a “dowser.” Zora knows all to well how quickly people can turn from enraptured to rabid when the magic isn’t agreeable to them. She’s witnessed herself how the magic isn’t just a fun diversion – people’s lives are inevitably altered because of using it. However, Mitchell’s reasons for having Zora agree to Birdie’s suggestion, despite the dangers, makes sense in the context of this story and their situation.


In The Vespertine, I was impressed by Mitchell’s lyrical writing, her descriptions, her dialogue. It all came together so well to create a beautiful historical piece. The Springsweet is no different. Her style is just so lovely, every phrase evocative, so vividly descriptive. I had no problem picturing the glittering ballrooms of Baltimore, cramped, smelly stagecoaches, or the vast windswept prairies. I love a well-researched historical, and one that can stay in period with the dialogue and prose, and this series does that beautifully. However, though Mitchell’s writing is historically believable and achieves a wonderful emotional depth, it’s not at all dense. It’s actually a fairly fast read.


Overall, The Springsweet is a beautifully penned, magical story about a girl on the cusp of adulthood – her story of self-realization and emotional healing – set against the fascinating historical backdrop of the Oklahoma territories. I loved this book more than the first and I am anxiously awaiting Aetherborne!

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

At 40% through, I was pretty annoyed with the way that people of color weren't there in for a historical fiction book about the West (the "great" American tradition), but I'm glad I kept reading. White washing and racism get called out later, even if I did feel it could have come sooner. I enjoyed the magic, the romance, and most especially the protagonist's strong voice. I'll be looking for the other books in the series.

[Libby Ames · Rating 2 out of 5]

I realized partway into this that it was the second in a series. I wasn't feeling captured enough by the story to go back and read the first. I was able to follow the story just fine. It was an interesting alternate history--Oklahoma Land Settlement with hints of magic. The characters were ok, but the development was weak. I'm not feeling motivated to finish the trilogy.

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like I really would have loved these books as a kid. They’re short period pieces with zero flowery language, light romance, and magic~ which makes them quick, easy reads, that still capture interesting times in history.

I’ll admit, I liked this one a bit better than The Vespertine because Zoe’s is my favorite. She’s so fun and practical.

[Holly Henderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t connect with this author’s writing style so it was hard for me to get into the story. I got this book as a gift and was not aware it was a sequel so it was also confusing for me to catch up everything, so don’t make that mistake!

[Kes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book that develops at a slow burn; good description of depression at the start. Slow romance; a bit modern in take, but okay. Still enjoyable.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sweet historical romance suited for any age!

[Becky Seielstad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was great. I read it in 2 days because I couldn't put it down.
I did not read the 1st book, but you don't have to to understand the second.

[Whatchyareading]

Last year, I bought Saundra Mitchell’s The Vespertine because I thought it had a pretty cover and I’m shallow like that. Of course, as I said in my review at the time, I ended up really liking it, in large part because of the characters. When I found out we’d get sequels/companion novels with more of these characters, I was pretty excited and so when I got an ARC of The Springsweet, I was even more stoked. As I’ve said a million times on tis blog, I’m a sucker for historical fiction, and anything to do with homesteading/ranching/wilderness is right at the top of my list, second only to Victoriana. And here? I pretty much get both! I’m going to try to talk about The Springsweet without spoilers, but some from the Vespertine will inevitably sneak in here so be warned!

I was nervous when I realized this book was about Zora. Zora kind of broke my heart in the last book, and I was afraid it was maybe too soon for me to be ready to see her again – that she wasn’t ready to face life yet. But I was wrong. I think one of the things that made me like The Springsweet so much was Zora’s strength. From the get go, she knows what she doesn’t want. She knows what she will refuse to allow to happen to her, and she takes her fate into her own hands. She may not always make smart decisions or even well thought out ones, but she also refuses to be a passive participant in her own life. Watching her grow from the spoiled socialite she was in the first book to the woman she is at the end of The Springsweet was a satisfying progression. She learned from her mistakes and she carried her knowledge forward so that each and every thing that happened to her was an experience she drew from.

Zora’s growth is incredibly important in this book because it is, in a lot of ways, the whole plot. At its essence, The Springsweet is about a city-girl who needs a new life and finds it on the frontier. And she finds it with a gift she never knew she had. I actually love d the “springsweet” aspect of this story because it was supernatural in a way that didn’t feel hokey (not that Amelia’s powers felt at all hokey in The Vespertine). It fit with both the setting and with Zora. More importantly, it was written in a way that made a strong visual impression, for both the reader and Zora.

I also really liked Emerson. I especially liked that we got to see all of his best qualities in a roundabout way. Zora finds out so much about him from local gossip, which gave the small town setting a lot of charm. It was also interesting because most of the people talking to Zora are trying to convince her he’s no good, so we get to see not only Emerson’s awesome but also the problems that come with the time period. Emerson, though, was great because he was such a compliment to Zora (and you’ll see what I mean when you read the book). He was steady and patient, but also funny and charming. You could see why Zora was drawn to him and appreciate that he let it come to her so slowly.

If I had a real complaint about this book it would have to be that The Springsweet is too short. The Springsweet is only forty pages shorter than The Vespertine, but I kind of missed those forty pages. The book was well paced, but I don’t think more detail would have changed that. There were details I’d have liked to see more of, especially as it concerned background characters like Theo and Aunt Birdie. I think there were a few plots with these characters that, though fun, could have been something more (both less predictable and less surprising, if such a thing is possible) with a little more backstory. Even the town itself that I think could have benefitted from a little more page space, because scenes like the barn raising were charming and cute, but I wanted more from them. I think, in the end, The Springsweet was a story about Zora and Emerson and I had everything I needed for that story, but I also felt like Saundra Mitchell wanted to tell me more and it just didn’t make it to the page.

The Springsweet comes out on April 17, and I’m reviewing it now so that if you haven’t read The Vespertine yet you can get on it and catch up before release day. The Springsweet is one of those period pieces that leaves you happy when you’re done reading it, and I can’t wait for more from Zora and Amelia and their friends.

Reviewed at WhatchYAreading on April 2nd, 2012.

[Joy (joyous reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hope springs eternal.

Mourning the death of her beloved, Zora Stewart decided she needed to escape. What better way to forget about the tragedies in her life but to occupy herself with back-breaking labour? Ruined in Baltimore by her own devices, her mother shipped her off to a stead in Oklahoma where farming life flounders due to the scarcity of water. Little did she know, within her lies the ability to call on its sources. But as soon as she availed herself of the remuneration for being "springsweet", guilt and worry soon burdens her as she recognizes hope in the people's eyes and the responsibility of being the person who can possibly give it. But among all things, she hopes that her stay in Oklahoma will ease some of the grief for the loss of Thomas.

In the brusqueness of the West, she meets Emerson, a recluse who alleviates some of the pain simply with his presence. Slowly but surely, she starts to find a reason to keep going and finds the pathway toward a life she's meant to live.

Much like its predecessor The Vespertine, The Springsweet is a historical romance with a touch of paranormal. I wouldn't call it subtle, but certainly the characters' abilities are pretty tame in relation to the other books that I've read in this genre (paranormal). Basically, Amelia's, Nathaniel's, Zora's and Emerson's powers are natural by origin. As in, Amelia's is fire, Nathaniel's is air, Zora's is water and Emerson's is earth/soil.

Nope. Amelia does not breathe fire. She sees the future only in the backdrop of a burning sunset.

No, Nathaniel does not create super storms. He simply 'jumps' and he can be wherever he wanted to be. He's like air. He can be anywhere.

Zora cannot summon a tsunami of water but she knows where she can find them.

And no. Emerson cannot direct earth to open up and swallow his proverbial nemesis. He can grow anything on his command.

Theirs was almost primitive and basic and totally appropriate in the era in which the author chose to tell their stories.

The Vespertine has the Austenesque feel to it while The Springsweet will take you back to the old Frontier. Saundra Mitchell excelled, quite spectacularly in whisking me away to these worlds while staying in the same period. How did she do it? Well, I imagine an incredible amount of strenuous research and profound imagination were involved. Call me insane, but she romanticized the wild, wild West for me.

Zora was a completely different character here compared to who she was in The Vespertine. She suffered losses in which a girl her age would consider impossible to overcome. But she grew up a lot. She lost a lot of her spright but she gained a lot more resolve and strength in spite of all the hardships, both physical and emotional she'd had to endure.

There were two love interests in this book but I wouldn't be so quick to say it's a love triangle. For the first time ever, I'm actually torn that the other guy didn't have a prayer. He was sweet, gentlemanly and had the guts to chase her across the country. And his counterpart - the other guy was a force in which Zora's abilities made more sense and therefore, a part of her that I don't know she can live without...and he's incredibly hot. *sigh* So what's a girl to do? I say it's not a love triangle because Zora didn't really feel anything for the other guy so there wasn't a moment when she vacillated between the two.

The Springsweet is a take off from the other books from my shelves and I loved what Saundra has given us so far. I'm dying to read the next book!

VERDICT: Sweeping plains, barn-raising, yokels, horse-drawn wagons. The setting was, again highly imaginative yet somehow scarily accurate. If I was turned off by historical romance then, Saundra Mitchell single-handedly changed that for me.

[Rhiannon Ryder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Amelia's fire was enjoyable, I have to say, I was elated to find out The Springsweet was entirely about Zora. I adored Zora, and her ending was not one I wanted to leave her with, so it was entirely satisfying to find her in the very first pages, with no preambles.


Mrs. Stewart, sadly, wasn't in this one as much. However, she's in the beginning and continues on just as I expect, in the most satisfying combination of proper mom for the time period, and one who understands the confines of their society and is willing to work around them. In a word, she's delightful, and I'm relieved we get a bit more of her before Zora leaves for Oklahoma.


Growing up in the prairies, I read a great many stories about homesteaders both in Canada and the States. Wonderful books like The Doll, by Cora Taylor, filled my imagination with the struggles, the heat and the hardships of those plucky people. I'm not sure if it's my Saskatchewan roots, or something else that appeals to me about the whole thing, but I find I'm still drawn to these stories. The Springsweet is an excellent YA entry into the category. Mitchell describes the hardships, the community and the struggles but she balances them nicely by paying tribute to good moments too. I loved the Barn raising scene, it so beautifully showed how people came together, and it's a sense of group spirit that exists still today in the prairies. I've always thought of that feeling of community, as a defining characteristic of being a prairie person. I was charmed she caught, and expressed the feeling in so many ways.


Unlike The Vespertine, The Springsweet has a small love triangle. This one is about the proper gentleman versus the improper, and I liked how Mitchell rolled it out, how very un-prepared for Zora Theo is and how very capable of handling her Emerson is. Their play against each other shows so many of the strange rules of the time to good advantage, and it highlights so many of the limitations in place for people to do the "proper" thing. Of course Zora's modern notions expressed this well too.
Theo relaxed a bit, washed over with vindication. " I believe in chivalry." "oh, I don't," I replied. "A knight always gets to have his cake and eat it too, doesn't he? 'Hello, my lady, I love you- but I must run off to find the Holy Grail now. Wait for me!" Cross, Theo considered me from the corner of his eye. "That's not chivalry at all. And finding the Grail would be an honorable quest." "Says the man who would get to ride after it and savor all sorts of adventure in the search," I shrugged; I had hardly designed the way of the world. I was simply subject to it. "I assure you, there are absolutely no epic ways to make a sampler or roast a lamb shank." "So you're a suffragette," Theo declared. I stopped and turned to him. "What if I were?" And amazingly, Theo quailed. He honestly lost a shade of color from his handsome face, and his brows tented ever so slightly in horror, as if I had pulled open my coat to reveal a clockwork heart, or perhaps a second head growing just beneath my breast. It lasted just a minute, but the impression lingered, even as he recovered. "I don't see why women shouldn't have the vote." "That's very generous of you," I said..."But I don't believe we were talking about the vote."
Like The Vespertine, The Springsweet is both a lovely character piece and a fascinating look at a time period and place in history. It was witty and engrossing, and although it doesn't have the mystery of The Vespertine I was completely swept away by the adventure of it. I will be awaiting the final part of this series, The Elementals, with baited breath.