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Garden Spells

By Sarah Addison Allen

(31)

| Hardcover | 9780553805482

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Book Description

In a garden surrounded by a tall fence, tucked away behind a small, quiet house in an even smaller town, is an apple tree that is rumored to bear a very special sort of fruit. In this luminous debut novel, Sarah Addison Allen tells the story of that enchanted tree, and the extraordinary people who tContinue

Critics

'Garden Spells' by Sarah Addison Allen

I know you shouldn't judge books by their covers, but when this one came thudding through the door, courtesy of the publisher, I practically salivated over this soon-to-be published paperback, not so much because I was dying to read the story, but be ... (read full critics)

readingmatters published on Tue, 28 Sep 2010

Garden Spells By Sarah Addison Allen

For readers hopelessly smitten by Southern writers, North Carolina native Sarah Addison Allen's Garden Spells should arrive with a gentle warning: Proceed with caution once you start reading, this book is impossible to put down. To be sure, Allen's l ... (read full critics)

bookpage published on Wed, 15 Sep 2010

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6 Reviews

Another enjoyable easy read by Sarah Addison Allen

Good easy to read book that you'll enjoy if you feel like a nice and somewhat magical story

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Sarah W said on Mar 30, 2012 about the eBook edition | Add your feedback

It tries to follow the "magical reality" style of "Afrodite" by Isabel Allende or " Like Water for Chocolate" by Laura Esquivel but lacks the emotional depth and the detailed, genuine complex characters from those novels.
Still a very charming, easy and delightful read.
3 1/2 stars!

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Nini said on May 18, 2011 | Add your feedback

*** This comment contains spoilers! ***

This amazing book is given as another birthday gift. Not only is the cover eye-catching, the story is incredibly interesting. I'm a very polarized reader. If the story is based on reality, I expect it to be as real as possible; anything too good to be true, I won't be convinced. If the story is base ... (continue)

This amazing book is given as another birthday gift. Not only is the cover eye-catching, the story is incredibly interesting. I'm a very polarized reader. If the story is based on reality, I expect it to be as real as possible; anything too good to be true, I won't be convinced. If the story is based on legends, make it as magical as possible, just bring me into a magical world and I will be totally absorbed.
This is how the book affects on me. I was totally absorbed...... couldn't let go and finished it in a few days (yet complaining in heart that it's too short). It's a story about an old town in North California where people have heavy sense of family names. Each family has its own uniqueness. For instance, the Clark women are born to be pretty and sexy. They always marry well and keep their men's hearts by their bedroom skills. On the other hand, the Hoptinks men always fall in love with older women. The Waverleys - protagonist in the story, owns a mysterious garden where grow magic plants and an apple tree. The apple tree grows apples which tells you the biggest event in life. The story develops from 2 Waverley sisters who had been apart for 10 years. One day, the younger one returned with her daughter and she tried to rebuild her sisterhood while overcoming a lot of overwhelming rumors and gossip among the neighbours.
The story touches me because it's part of a love and family story, it's yet realistic and magical. Even the apple tree plays a very characteristic role in the fiction!

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Bus Reader said on Sep 2, 2009 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

Pure Southern Fun

I read this book in less than 24 hours. It wasn't an intense read and I didn't have to do much thinking or analyzing. The story of the Waverly sisters was just pure Southern fun. Who wouldn't want a special power as a cook in the kitchen or a hairdresser? I would especially love an aunt like Eva ... (continue)

I read this book in less than 24 hours. It wasn't an intense read and I didn't have to do much thinking or analyzing. The story of the Waverly sisters was just pure Southern fun. Who wouldn't want a special power as a cook in the kitchen or a hairdresser? I would especially love an aunt like Evanelle. If you like just a hint of magic in your reading, this book is an easy must read.

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Bibliophile said on Sep 13, 2008 | Add your feedback

Enchanting, whimsical and delightful. One of my favorites!

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Branflakez said on Jun 25, 2008 | Add your feedback

Great book! A little bit of magic inhabits the life of the Waverly sisters but the book is really about families coming together. This book has everything- romance, suspense, serious issues. I would highly recommend it.

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Icedream said on Jun 5, 2008 | Add your feedback