Allen, Sarah Addison - Garden Spells - Informal Buddy Read; Start: January 13, 2015

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

This topic is open for discussion of Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen



Book Synopsis:
The women of the Waverley family -- whether they like it or not -- are heirs to an unusual legacy, one that grows in a fenced plot behind their Queen Anne home on Pendland Street in Bascom, North Carolina. There, an apple tree bearing fruit of magical properties looms over a garden filled with herbs and edible flowers that possess the power to affect in curious ways anyone who eats them.

For nearly a decade, 34-year-old Claire Waverley, at peace with her family inheritance, has lived in the house alone, embracing the spirit of the grandmother who raised her, ruing her mother's unfortunate destiny and seemingly unconcerned about the fate of her rebellious sister, Sydney, who freed herself long ago from their small town's constraints. Using her grandmother's mystical culinary traditions, Claire has built a successful catering business -- and a carefully controlled, utterly predictable life -- upon the family's peculiar gift for making life-altering delicacies: lilac jelly to engender humility, for instance, or rose geranium wine to call up fond memories. Garden Spells reveals what happens when Sydney returns to Bascom with her young daughter, turning Claire's routine existence upside down. With Sydney's homecoming, the magic that the quiet caterer has measured into recipes to shape the thoughts and moods of others begins to influence Claire's own emotions in terrifying and delightful ways.

As the sisters reconnect and learn to support one another, each finds romance where she least expects it, while Sydney's child, Bay, discovers both the safe home she has longed for and her own surprising gifts. With the help of their elderly cousin Evanelle, endowed with her own uncanny skills, the Waverley women redeem the past, embrace the present, and take a joyful leap into the future.

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

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[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

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[Shilpa]

Thanx mods! :)

[Mary X]

Hello. I just need to pick this up at the library.

[Mary X]

Is this still starting soon? I probably won't be able to start it tomorrow but I can start it soon.

[Shilpa]

Started reading! Done till chap 4!

I'm really liking it till now.. :)
(view spoiler)[ I'm really curious to know more about the apple tree..
Tyler seems like a nice guy but of course the magical garden and Claire's instincts say otherwise.. Eager to know what happens next.. :)
(hide spoiler)]

[Shilpa]

finished chapter 10.
(view spoiler)[ Curious to know the biggest event of Bay's life.. She is so sweet.. :)
It is nice to see the sisters bonding but I'm feeling a little awkwardness/hostility between the two..like something is just not right.. (hide spoiler)]

[Shilpa]

I finished it! :)

(view spoiler)[ I had so many questions till the end that I was expecting a cliff-hanger.. like why David ran away, Bay's dream and a few more.. BUT then came the last chapter.. It was a tiny one..but enough to answer my questions. :)

Overall I liked the book.. It was a feel good book.. Seeing them happy at the end made me feel so good.. It is a good thing there is a second book coming out this year! :D (hide spoiler)]

[Shilpa]

All you guys.. get your copies soon! Will be here to discuss! :)

[Apoorv]

I am gonna start this towards the end of the week.. thanks to Shilpa's excitement, I have to bump this up the list ! :)

[Shilpa]

@Apoorv: Yay!! :D

[❀Tea❀]

Shilpa wrote: "Started reading! Done till chap 4!
"

Chapter 5
(view spoiler)[I love that apple tree. It's trowing apples around. That hilarious. It's like it chose Tyler for Claire. And Sydney is setting them up. I'm just waiting for Evanelle to start... ☺
Emma's party - I knew her mom is going to hire Clare. It's was so obvious. Best way 'to show' Sydney that Emma won, and to Emma's friends that she's too good and too proud and secure in her husband's love. But I see him running away at first opportunity :P (hide spoiler)]

[❀Tea❀]

Chapter 9

So far this book is so sweet. I'm grinning all the time.
(view spoiler)[I do hope Sydney will end up with Henry. And Claire is so funny trying to 'change' Tyler's mind ☺ (hide spoiler)]

[RachelvlehcaR]

Hey everyone. I didn't realize there was a thread over here for the book. I just read it. :)

[RachelvlehcaR]

Here are the notes I made about the book.

I started reading the book. I've read to the 25% mark, which is in chapter 4. This has a very magical/herb atmosphere. I know that sounds kind of odd but with all the garden and herbs in the foods that are made.

(view spoiler)[It's so funny that they put all kinds of plants, flowers, weeds (dandelion), herbs in the foods. How some they have to make plain for their friends because they don't like it like that. When she said she made lavender bread that grossed me out. We have lavender festivals here and everyone puts lavender in everything. I can't stand it. I avoid town for the week. Lavender bread just gives me bad memories.

Oh my goodness, the whole good at sex thing. How Emma knows that she is good at it and her family is, lol. How she has Hunter John under her sexual manipulation for the red dress. (hide spoiler)]

[RachelvlehcaR]

I'm at the 75% mark, which is in Part 2, Chapter 13.

(view spoiler)[It's really funny about the apple tree and how it made the women feel really good and sexual. How they are jealous of the Waverly's apple tree. I want an apple tree like that. ;)

I didn't think this book would work focus so much about subduction. I like the book. I didn't know if I did, especially when it started. I felt like it kind of dragged on a little bit but then things started to happen between the two families.

I liked that Emma felt compelled to contact Sydney about the man that was asking about her and Bay. I thought that was in good character.

(hide spoiler)]

[❀Tea❀]

RachelvlehcaR wrote: "Hey everyone. I didn't realize there was a thread over here for the book. I just read it. :)"

Yeah, most of the books are in both places :)

[RachelvlehcaR]

I finished the book.

I really enjoyed the book. It was a pleasant surprise for me because I didn't like it at the beginning but then as I went along I really enjoyed it. I think it has some similarity of Like Water for Chocolate, which is one of my favorite books. I loved that there was so much magical elements going on with plants and the food. It just brought out something special. There was also some action involved.

(view spoiler)[I know that it was a fuzzy warm ending for the book. Even with some of the action David brought towards the climax of the story. I also enjoyed the very sexual seduction of the story. She did it just right. It was too overly done. Very nice. (hide spoiler)]

[RachelvlehcaR]

I gave the book 4 stars. Wonderful book. :) I think I will continue on in the series.

[RachelvlehcaR]

❀Tea❀ wrote: "RachelvlehcaR wrote: "Hey everyone. I didn't realize there was a thread over here for the book. I just read it. :)"

Yeah, most of the books are in both places :)"

I was like ohhh, why not.

[❀Tea❀]

RachelvlehcaR wrote: "Here are the notes I made about the book.

I started reading the book. I've read to the 25% mark, which is in chapter 4. This has a very magical/herb atmosphere. I know that sounds kind of odd ..."

(view spoiler)[I love that part about plants. OK, maybe not really lavender bread, but how different things give different emotions or how combinations gets you different behaviors.
Emma or her mom are really overdoing it. I don't even think Hunter John is interested in Sydney any more. Maybe like nice memory, but not to leave his family for her. (hide spoiler)]

[RachelvlehcaR]

❀Tea❀ wrote: "RachelvlehcaR wrote: "Here are the notes I made about the book.

I started reading the book. I've read to the 25% mark, which is in chapter 4. This has a very magical/herb atmosphere. I know th..."

I do too, in the back of the book, there is a list of all the plants and their powers. I thought that was neat.

[❀Tea❀]

Chapter 10

(view spoiler)[tree wrote Thank you?! *giggles* So funny!
Fred is breaking my hart! (hide spoiler)]

[❀Tea❀]

I'm finished reading.

It was lovely book. Had me grinning most of the time. Since I've read The Peach Keeper I knew what to expect from it. Although if I'm not wrong, I should read this one first. Claire shows up in Peach Keeper as caterer everyone wants to hire. ☺

(view spoiler)[I liked that in the end Emma done right thing and warned Sydney. Her mom was still set upon ruining Sydney, but Emma changed. All those seducing plans were funny. I knew Hunter John wasn't really interested in Sydney any more but I did expect him to use her as excuse to leave Emma.
And tree. It's great. Trying to 'force' everyone to eat an apple. And moving tables....
Fred - I'm glad he (kinda) got over James and started dating Steve. I can't believe he moved in with Evanelle so he can be close in case she wants to give him something!
Sydney and Henry - for a moment I thought Sydney ruined everything with her 'I'll set you up with...' so I'm glad they worked things out. (hide spoiler)]

I think I'm going to check library if next one is free :)

[Shilpa]

RachelvlehcaR wrote: "Shilpa wrote: "Congrats! :)"

Thank you!

I started reading the book. I've read to the 25% mark, which is in chapter 4. This has a very magical/herb atmosphere. I know that sounds kind of odd ..."

Omg! Lavender festivals? Where do you live!? :)

[Shilpa]

RachelvlehcaR wrote: "I'm at the 75% mark, which is in Part 2, Chapter 13.

"

Yeah.. (view spoiler)[
Clark Women! ;)
Hating on a family coz you can't have sex dreams! :P

At one point I really could not understand why so muchwas being said about the Clarks! :|

It was really good to see Emma finally being able to put Sydney away from their relationship. :)
(hide spoiler)]

[Shilpa]

@Tea: (view spoiler)[ I thought the tree loves Claire and so was wanting to protect her since she had bad vibes about Tyler.. but it seems the tree had totally different reasons.
It wanted Tyler to see Claire is the one for him! :)

Emma: Hunter John knows all her ways by now it seems! :P (hide spoiler)]

[Shilpa]

@Tea: this was my first SAA book! Glad I picked it up.. :)
Next in order is Peach Keeper I guess..

[Jackie]

May I join in? I've been waiting on the book from the library and just got it.

[❀Tea❀]

Jackie wrote: "May I join in? I've been waiting on the book from the library and just got it."

Sure you can. :)
We'll be here to chat with you.

[Mary X]

I finally really got into this yesterday and I'm about 1/3 of the way through. Might even finish it today. I got the audio and print from the library. Listening as I'm at work doing the mindless stuff like filing. (I'm here alone on Fridays)

First I love Evanelle. Love her name love her strange gift.

The garden: (view spoiler)[I want an apple tree that hurls apples at people! (hide spoiler)].

I'm not finished with this book yet but so far I think it would make an awesome movie.

[❀Tea❀]

Mary: Harry Dresden's Love Slave wrote: "I finally really got into this yesterday and I'm about 1/3 of the way through. Might even finish it today. I got the audio and print from the library. Listening as I'm at work doing the mindless..."

I did same thing. Listening while on comp, then reading when I was away. ☺

Evanelle is great. It took me some time to really figure out her name since I started with audio. I kept thinking narrator is reading it wrong :P

The garden: (view spoiler)[Do the apples also need to predict future? :P Every time that tree was mentioned I was imagining it like Whomping Willow (with apples of course and not trying to hurt people) from Harry Potter (hide spoiler)]

[Jackie]

I've read through Chapter 4 and am loving this book. It has the same feel as The Peach Keeper which is the only book I've read by Sarah Addison Allen.

I agree about Evanelle. What a interesting gift to have!

(view spoiler)[Bay has an interesting gift too. She knows where things belong. I wonder if and how that will be significant in the book. Also, I wonder what Sydney's gift is. I have to think that she has one since she's a Waverley. (hide spoiler)]

[❀Tea❀]

Jackie wrote: "I've read through Chapter 4 and am loving this book. It has the same feel as The Peach Keeper which is the only book I've read by Sarah Addison Allen.

I agree about Evanelle. What a interesting gi..."

(view spoiler)[Agree about Bay. And all I'm going to say about Sydney is that she is Waverley :) (hide spoiler)]

[Mary X]

I finished last night but I don't have time to read everyone's spoilers to comment. I'll do that later today.

[Jackie]

I finished. This was a quick, enjoyable read and I'll definitely read more of Ms. Allen's works.

(view spoiler)[I was dreading David's showing up but that was taken care of - mainly by the tree. Gotta love that tree! I'm glad that Bay found her dream. I usually get annoyed when everything just winds up so perfectly - all the couples end up together, etc. But in this book, I felt it was done well. Someone else mentioned Emma and that she did the right thing by calling Sydney. It was good to see that she had a good heart after all. (hide spoiler)]

[ilovebakedgoods (Teresa)]

RachelvlehcaR wrote: "I gave the book 4 stars. Wonderful book. :) I think I will continue on in the series."

Glad you enjoyed the book, Rachel!! I have never tasted lavender but I have wondered what it might taste like. This book has a lot of unusual herbs in the foods and I keep wondering what they taste like, are they good, nasty, etc. I like that the different herbs serve a different purpose in the recipes.

[ilovebakedgoods (Teresa)]

I'm finished with Chapter 2. Just started Chapter 3.

First off, I really need to buy this book because there are so many quotes that I love and want to highlight! For now, I'll just keep borrowing it from the library or take time to copy every favorite quote into a notebook. The writing is exquisite.

Secondly, love that apple tree so much!

Thirdly, I just love the magical elements to this story. Little things, like Claire's frustrating singing the tips of her nightgown. So creative. Books like this are a comfort to me somehow.

So... I love all of the characters that have been introduced, thus far. Except for (view spoiler)[ Sydney's stupid husband! Or whatever he is. I can't even remember if they were married. He's a grade-A jerk. I'm being nice. I can't remember much about him from the first time I read this. (hide spoiler)]

Love Bay and can't wait to get to know her again and to see what she brings into Claire's life. What a sweet little girl!

Love Evanelle, of course. She cracks me up (view spoiler)[ when she talks about the male posterior, LOL!! (hide spoiler)]

I like Tyler and can't wait to see what develops there. Man, it's been so long since I read this, I feel like it's the first time.

I wish I could infuse my baked goods with magical elements.

[ilovebakedgoods (Teresa)]

Jackie wrote: "I finished. This was a quick, enjoyable read and I'll definitely read more of Ms. Allen's works.

[spoilers removed]"

One of my favorites of hers is . I have it out from the library right now for a re-read. I would love to do a buddy read on it but nobody seems interested, so far. Would you be interested? i'm not sure when I would start. I need to see when it is due and I have to fit in a few other books first.

[Mary X]

I liked the Peach Tree a lot.

I just put First Frost on hold at the library. Surprisingly I am only #3 in line which is odd for a such a new book. Is it even out yet? It's still showing as "on order" at the library. But that's for the audio version which doesn't always come out with the hardcover.

[Mary X]

So did this book make anyone else crave apples? Especially not that I keep seeing this all over goodreads:

[❀Tea❀]

Mary: Harry Dresden's Love Slave wrote: "So did this book make anyone else crave apples? Especially not that I keep seeing this all over goodreads:

First Frost"

No not really and I do love apples. But I did finish off a chocolate while reading it. For some reason, when someone in book is cooking and there are lots of tastes and aromas, my brain only goes chocolate...

My library still doesn't have First Frost and I'm not in a hurry to read it. Unless I need apple on the cover for some challenge. :)

[ilovebakedgoods (Teresa)]

Yes, when I look at the cover of First Frost, I crave apples.

Like Tea, I seem to want something chocolate when reading books like these. Of course, with Garden Spells, I really wanted a white cake with white frosting.

The Sugar Queen made me hungry a lot, too, from what I recall.

I'm going to re-read all of SAA's books this year, I think.

[Jackie]

ilovebakedgoods (Teresa) wrote: "Jackie wrote: "I finished. This was a quick, enjoyable read and I'll definitely read more of Ms. Allen's works.

[spoilers removed]"

One of my favorites of hers is [bookcover:The Girl Who Chased t..."

I'd like to do a BR of The Girl Who Chased the Moon with you. Probably couldn't start it until January 27 though. Would that work for you?

[ilovebakedgoods (Teresa)]

Sure would!

[Jackie]

Great! If okay with you, I'll go ahead and ask the mods for a thread.

[Mary X]

I'll read Girl. Just requested it from my library.

[Jackie]

Great, Mary! I requested a thread.

[Mary X]

I might not get by the 27th but I can catch up. Unless there's no wait for the ebook. I'll check tomorrow. I'm going to bed to read now.