First Frost - Sarah Addison Allen - 3 stars

[JoLene]

First Frost takes place 10 years after Garden Spells and continues the story Waverly sisters, Sydney and Claire of Bascom, NC. Both are happily married, but are unsettled. This is partly due to the coming first frost, where their apple tree blooms out of season. This time, Bay, Sydney's daughter plays a much bigger role as she seems set up to make some of the same mistakes that her mother made when she was a teenager.

Sarah Addison Allen definitely has a formula: mild family drama set in the South East with a touch of magical realism. This is a formula that works for me --- I find her books refreshing reads and she is a master of capturing life in the small Southern town. That being said, Garden Spells was my least favorite of her books I've read --- not because it was bad, but I felt it was rushed. I liked this story a bit more, but still felt like perhaps there were too many story-lines going on. I do recommend the audio -- the narrator was excellent.

[Nicole R]

Have you read Lost Lake? I adored that book!

I liked Garden Spells, was less enchanted with First Frost, and haven't read anything else despite my saying multiple times that I am going to.

[Barbara M]

I enjoyed First Frost. Like you, JoLene, I find her books refreshing, a nice break from some deeper reads. Like Nicole, I enjoyed Garden Spells more and really liked Lost Lake a bunch.

[Nicole R]

Barbara, have you read others by her? Which would be your next favorite?

[JoLene]

I have read Lost Lake -- I gave that one 4 stars. My favorite book of hers is The Sugar Queen. I also liked The Peach Keeper.

Having grown up in the south, I think that she captures the lifestyle and attitudes really well! Plus, I do like the little touches of magical realism --- not too much but enough to make it a bit of a fairy tale.

[Lisa]

I read Lost Lake, and enjoyed it, but I think Garden Spells is my favorite so far. I enjoyed First Frost as a continuation of a story I already loved, but like Nicole, I felt Garden Spells was better.