Grimoire Girl by Hilarie Burton Morgan

 

I read Hilarie Burton Morgan's The Rural Diaries when it first was published and absolutely loved her memoir about meeting her husband, finding their home in rural New York State, and raising a family together. 

Now she's returned with another kind-of memoir about the magic of every day life and how we can recognize it in all the infinite ways it weaves through our lives. 

This is in parts a how-to with gentle guidance on cultivating  friendships, building memories, and discovering the simple ways we can bring the magic of nature and synchronicity into our lives. It can be as simple as burning a specific colored candle, or recognizing the language of flowers and being intentional in how we cook with love and purpose for those we care about. 

Most of all, it is about seeing how everyone creates their own grimoire--or magic spell book. It can be a physical book you put together yourself, full of memories, notes, incantations, recipes, photographs. It can, in one instance, be an estate with acres of gardens with a hidden message that speaks of a lifetime of grief and love. It's paying attention to the people and places that come into your life at certain moments--it's all the magic of the universe, and it's there for you if you just start paying attention. 

I enjoyed this book and it inspired me to start paying attention to what's going on around me--what patterns are there that I'm just not seeing, because I'm too busy? 

I guess I've already started my own grimoire with the books I keep at home; the books that make my home my special place and tell the story of my life. It's in the things I keep at home that remind me of my loved ones who are gone, and special places I've been. Instead of looking at these items as things I have to dust, I have a new appreciation of them.

So burn the candles, set up your mini altar at home. Play with the cards, write in that journal. Gather things that have meaning to you, and open your eyes. The world is a magical place, and we need to bring that positive energy back into being. 

Rating: 5/6 for an interesting book about myth, magic, creating a home, and taking care of your well-being. A call to remind ourselves we are magic. 

Available in hardcover, ebook and audio. 

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Grimoire Girl by Hilarie Burton Morgan

June Read: The Enchanted Hacienda by J. C. Cervantes

 

I'm a sucker for a novel that involves gardens, flowers, and magic. 

Harlow Estrada is fresh off a break up with her loser boyfriend on the same day she loses her job.  She leaves New York City for the family farm and business in Mexico. Run by her mother and aunt, the Hacienda Estrada is a magical place. And I mean magical in every sense of the word. Acres of flowers, a fantastic hacienda, and yes, a bond with the land courtesy of a goddess. 

Harlow is the only woman in her family that has no apparent magic. Everyone else has a way with flowers that amplifies their gift. Now Harlow is back to stay for a few weeks while her mother and aunt take a vacation to Italy. It's just the break Harlow needs to find her creative spark and maybe, just maybe, her magical gift. 

There's also a gorgeous man she meets in the local village--Ben. He's drop dead hot, and seems to be interested in Harlow. But wow, their relationship is a bit of a hot mess, and it's the main romance of the novel. Harlow's emotions get in the way of her heart and cause a lot of trust issues with Ben.

This was a cute read; I was mostly interested in the farm and the magic used with the flowers. I found that all fascinating and dang if I wouldn't like to live on a magical flower farm. I thought the story dragged a bit and Harlow's questioning herself and Ben over and over was a bit annoying. 

I hope there are more stories involving Harlow's sisters and cousins--they each have magical gifts and none of them are in relationships--so many possible sequels to this novel. 

I don't have a deep introspective review of this novel. It was enjoyable; I'll be honest I went outside to my lavender pot and swept my hand over the buds to inhale the scent. Too bad I don't have a magical bone in my body! But this was a great reminder for me to see the magic in the flowers I have in my backyard. 

Themes about starting over; ending something can mean the beginning of a great new life; embracing being creative, trust yourself and your feelings. 

Fans of Sarah Addison Allen and Heather Webber will enjoy this magical novel.

Rating: 3/6 for a novel that will take you away from everyday life for just a bit, to a place where the flowers bloom and magic is all around. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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June Read: The Enchanted Hacienda by J. C. Cervantes

In the Middle of Hickory Lane by Heather Webber

 

I thought I'd finally post something for November! It's been a very busy month at work and then I immediately got sick for a week. On the backside of that, and finally feeling better. I did read a few books while I was at home and I'll review those later. They are both YA historical novels for a high school library project. 

This is another delightful magical novel by Heather Webber. I've read all of her novels: Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe, South of the Buttonwood Tree, and The Lights of Sugarberry Cove. She's an author I immediately buy, no questions asked. I'm guaranteed a satisfying read. 

This novel takes place in Sweetgrass, Alabama. A typical small Southern town with old homes, solid lifetime friendships, and secrets that are bound to come to light. 

Emme Wynn arrives with just a suitcase to her grandmother Glory Wynn's home. Emma has lived her short life with a mother who was a con artist, always on the run. As soon as Emme turned eighteen, she was on her own. Now twenty-six, she yearns for a family and home to call her own. Emme's got an interesting gift-she can immediately see a person's strongest characteristic. In Glory, she sees loving. In Cora Bee her cousin, she sees softhearted. It's a talent that has saved Emme from some bad situations in her past. She doesn't feel like she belongs, and is a fake, but Glory and her friends immediately draw Emme into their circle. 

What's interesting about this special neighborhood is the garden that exists smack dab in the middle of, you guessed it, Hickory Lane. It's a magical place, complete with a bubbling spring water pool that sometimes reveals the past to those who stop to gaze. There's a vibration in the earth, and flowers that bloom way beyond their lifespan. It's also the place where a sinkhole opened up, revealing the skeletal remains of someone who died long ago. Could it be Bee Gipson, who disappeared fifty years before? Bee is the sister of Glory, and the grandmother of Cora Bee. She's the one who began the magical garden on Hickory Lane. 

Using bits of Bee's diary, her story slowly unfolds as Emme slowly lets her guard down and begins to enjoy living and learning with Glory, and becoming friends with Cora Bee. Each character's secrets slowly come to light--with a little help from Cora Bee's special skills at reading people's colors. You might say the women in the family all possess some magical skills, and all help them navigate their way into new possibilities.

I thoroughly enjoyed this mix of gardening, bees, family, sweet treats, and healing. I'm a sucker for any kind of magical tale that involves flowers, gardens, and, of course, bees. Emme is a character who definitely grows in confidence and opens up in spite of her terrible childhood. Cora Bee is also on a path of healing and has a chance at happiness, too. Glory is the glue that holds everyone together through it all. 

If you're looking for a gentle read, this is it. Perfect for gifting to a friend, or for yourself. Settle down, take a break from the whirlwind of the holidays, and enjoy! You'll want to have a sweet treat, FYI. 

Rating: 4/6 for a novel that doesn't hold many surprises, but was a delight to read. The setting, the characters, and the plot all flowed easily and it was a refreshing break from a busy month. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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In the Middle of Hickory Lane by Heather Webber

Summer Reading 2022: The Cherry Robbers by Sarai Walker

 

This was one odd, haunting, dysfunctional family wallop of a novel. 

It's 1950, and we're introduced to the Chapel sisters: Aster, Rosalind, Calla, Daphne, Iris, and Hazel. The Chapel family is famous for gun and rifle manufacturing that has helped settle the West and win wars. Their father works every day, and they live in the town of Bellflower Village in an ornate Victorian home surrounded by acres of land. 

Their mother sees the ghosts of all of the victims of the Chapel firearms. She screams, like clockwork, every night. She hates her husband, but loves her daughters even though she's clearly got a lot of issues and can't be a very good mother. 

On their annual trek to the Atlantic Ocean, Aster meets a handsome young man, and after dating for a bit, they become engaged and plan a big wedding. Only problem is, the closer the wedding approaches, the more mother gets worked up, claiming if the wedding isn't postponed, something horrible will happen. Iris believes her mother, and does her part (as much as a small child can do) to try and disrupt and postpone the wedding. 

Well, it doesn't work, and Aster's wedding proceeds. It seems mother was wrong. 

Except the next morning, Aster's new husband returns with Aster, clad in a honeymoon nightgown, clearly not well. What follows is a horrible nightmare for the Chapel family, as Aster dies one day after her wedding day. To prevent a scandal, the doctor claims it was simply the flu, and Aster is buried less than a week after she walked down the aisle. 

Okay, weird. However, the pattern repeats itself...until it's very clear the Chapel sisters are cursed, somehow. There are possible explanations, of course, that go back through their mother's line; however, there's just enough fuzzy-wuzzy info to make you wonder if it's all real or just horrible bad luck. 

One daughter escapes this fate. The novel begins in 2017, when she receives a letter from someone claiming to know who she really is; her current name and fame as a well-known feminist artist are fake and she's actually a Chapel girl. It's been sixty years since those horrible days, and now she will be outed. Is it time to relive those memories, and spill the story of her bizarre family curse?

I was fascinated by this novel. The sisters were all definitely different characters and I felt they were well-drawn and strong women. The atmosphere of the entire novel was what really grabbed me: haunting, melancholy, and slightly off-kilter. Kind of gothic in flavor; I had to remind myself this took place in the 1950's. There's a lot to unpack in this novel and it would make a great book discussion novel. There's much to discuss about female sexuality, mental health, family issues, sisterhood, LGBTQ, and so. much. more. 

Rating: 5/6 for a novel that had me captivated and wondering just what the heck was going to happen next. The Chapel sisters are quite simply unforgettable, and this is one tale that will leave you pondering and thinking about it for days after you've turned the last page. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio book. 

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Summer Reading 2022: The Cherry Robbers by Sarai Walker

The Rural Diaries: Love, Livestock, and Big Life Lessons Down on Mischief Farm by Hilarie Burton Morgan

 

I cannot resist reading about women who move to the country and live a farming life. I guess it's because I think they're very brave. And they're so darn handy at creating something out of nothing, or using very little to create that something. Hilarie Burton Morgan joins my list of women I admire, who roll up their sleeves and jump in with a brave heart. 

The Rural Diaries is about Hilarie and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (you know, that heartthrob of a guy from Grey's Anatomy, and the nasty Negan from The Walking Dead), and their decision to move to Rhinebeck, New York and live on a farm.  After meeting in L.A. through mutual friends, their connection was pretty quick and deep. Driving through Rhinebeck, they immediately felt at home and wanted to put down roots away from the craziness of Hollywood. And so they did. 

But this story is not all fairy tale and happy ending; at least not for a few years. Hilarie recounts their beginnings, with their young son Gus, in a little cabin by the woods. Their happiness at finding home, and becoming part of the community. Hilarie is a whiz with power tools and gardening; she learned a lot of skills from her parents and had always longed for a special place to call home. Her attitude of just jumping in and doing the hard work, and the satisfaction of making a home are inspiring. 

Hilarie and Jeffrey find a farm with 70 acres nearby and move there after a few years. More hard work, with the addition of chickens, alpacas, donkeys, and dogs. Hilarie recounts her heartbreaking miscarriages, and the strain they put on her relationship with Jeffrey. Healing from that, and finding their way back to each other. Community is also huge in this memoir; the friends and family that surround the couple and their son Gus are amazing, and I'll admit to being a little bit envious of their little piece of heaven!

Hilarie is a breath of fresh air. Her openness at the ups and downs of her relationship with Jeffrey, her obsession with getting pregnant again and the strain it caused; her heartbreak at losing her pregnancies. Her willingness to get on with the work and not be afraid of failure (in gardening, especially), and her big heart make this a charming read. Her brief inside look at Hollywood and her experiences as an actress are certainly interesting, too. 

This read certainly brightened a dismal February for me. My partner's Mom passed away last week after a very long illness. It was crushing to see her slowly getting worse over the past few years, the past six months have been hard; the past few months were profoundly sad. I was blessed to spend the last few weeks with her, helping my partner to care for his Mom and spending the days with her. It was not easy, and boy oh boy I cried so many tears my face hurt and my eyes were a mess. I'm taking some time to just be home, support my partner in his grief, and yes, grieve myself. So this memoir actually reminded me that the sun will shine again, flowers will bloom, and Spring will arrive. Life keeps going, and we will keep moving forward. 

Rating: 4/6 for an utterly open and honest look at the ups and downs of creating a life together, taking a leap and deciding to live that dream. Anyone who loves farm life, homemaking, and the country life will enjoy this memoir. A reminder that family, friends, and home are most important. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Rural Diaries: Love, Livestock, and Big Life Lessons Down on Mischief Farm by Hilarie Burton Morgan

The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly

 

I needed to escape from my October reading for a bit and found the perfect book to do just that. This novel will be out in January, 2021 so if you're a fan of Julia Kelly you'll have a few months to wait. 

I'm one of those people who love all things gardening-especially flower gardens. I am, however, not one to be out in a garden working on it every chance I get. I love the results, but not so much all the work to get there. I used to have a lot of flowers in my yard, but I've scaled back massively the past few years because I don't have the time, and I've realized that whomever follows me in my house may not want a lot of flower beds around. I still have perennials, but I've gone to simple, easy to care for summer flowers and plants in pots. I still have a wish for a forever home with a field of wildflowers somewhere on the property. My partner has agreed on this, so hopefully in the future I'll have that gardening wish come true. 

This novel has quite a few characters-five women-that each have a tale, and three different time periods. It may sound complicated, but it's really easy to follow. 1907 is Venetia Smith, a woman who is one of the few female gardening experts in England making a name for herself. She's been hired to create a huge garden for a newly wealthy couple at their estate Highbury House. Her reputation is on the line, both professionally and personally. She must walk a fine line between pleasing her employers and creating a stunning garden with her knowledge and experience. 

1944: Britain is in the middle of World War 2, and Highbury House is now a convalescent hospital for wounded soldiers  Diana Symonds is the widow who owns the home, living there with her son Robin and spending time in the run down gardens when it is all too much. Her cook, Stella, has lived in the area all her life, and all she wants to do is leave to work and travel. She feels trapped, especially since her sister has brought her young son to Stella to stay in the country, away from London. Stella is not at all the motherly type, and has a hard time connecting to her nephew. And there is Beth, who is a land girl for the British Government. She has come to the country to help out on a farm, doing whatever needs done to produce food and keep the farming community running. An unlikely trio of women, but somehow they all connect and rely on each other. 

2021: Emma Lovett has been hired by the current owners of Highbury House to recreate the gardens Venetia Smith created in 1907. With not much to go on but rough outlines of garden "rooms" in the lawn, a few notes and a few photos, Emma has her work cut out for her. She also has to decide if keeping her small business going is worth the hard work. Emma admires Venetia's work, and uncovers unknown facts about Venetia and Highbury House while working on the garden. 

All three stories connect neatly and I had no trouble going back and forth between each time period. The garden descriptions were fascinating and interesting, I only wish I had a visual while reading! It's hard for me to say which part of the plot I enjoyed the most; each story was compelling and had a few surprise elements. 

All in all, a satisfactory historical fiction novel about love, family, gardening, choices, and finding your happiness in the midst of the worst circumstances. I did also appreciate the focus on the gardening angle, especially during the World War 2 portions of the novel. I'm a bit weary of war novels, and while it did figure prominently in this novel, it was more about the war at home and how women were discovering their strengths and talents to create new lives. 

Rating: 4/6 for a solid historical novel about gardens, England, women who rise to challenges, and the continuing history of a home that saw much love and sorrow. 

This novel will be out in hardcover in January, 2021 in the United States. 

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The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly

The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman

This book has been so patient with me. I bought it in 2017, and it has had a place of prominence on my bookcase. The bookcase that I walk past multiple times a day; the one just outside my kitchen. The bright cover always catches my eye, and I think "I've got to read that someday".  It took a pandemic, but here we are--it's read, and I'm so glad I waited until now to dive into it. 

I read Abbi's novel The Bookish Life of Nina Hill  last August (click on the title for my review) and loved Abbi's style of writing: a bit of snark, a bit of humor, and a whole lot of heart. Contemporary women's fiction that I really enjoy, and sometimes have a hard time finding just the right fit. Abbi's writing fits me perfectly. So when I realized this was the same author, I really wanted to read it--and I needed something a bit lighter, and something that had to do with gardening. 

Lilian Girvan is a single mother of two young girls: Annabel and Clare. Her husband died in a terrible car accident right in front of their house three years before. Lillian had a breakdown and was pretty out of it for a year. Her sister Rachel took care of the girls and kept things together until Lilian was home again. Now life is as normal as it can be; Lilian is a book illustrator, the girls are thriving, and Lilian is taking one day at a time. 

Lilian's latest illustrating assignment is a book about vegetables. Part of the job requires her to attend a local gardening class for six weeks. She talks Rachel into going along with her and the girls. This class will change their lives in ways they can't begin to imagine. 

Lilian has no intention of ever dating again. She's planning on being single for the rest of her life. She misses Dan, her husband, so much, and can't begin to imagine ever wanting anyone else. Besides, she's got her girls to raise.  Enter Edward, the man who is leading the gardening class.He's pretty cute. And smart. And charming. And gets along with Annabel and Clare. And likes Lilian a lot. 

All of the class participants are pretty wonderful characters, and Lilian forms friendships with all of them pretty quickly. It's a group of people brought together for a reason, and as the weeks go by, they lean on each other, support each other, and eat a lot of pizza. Life throws lots of changes at all of them as the garden grows and flourishes under their care and attention. 

Yes, this book was just what I needed. Absolutely enjoyed every bit of it. Abbi has a new book coming out: I Was Told It Would Get Easier in June and you betcha I'll be reading it--and not take three years to do it. 

Rating: 4/6 for a delightful read about moving on after losing someone you love; all the gifts of gardening, finding love, and opening up your heart. 

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio. 

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The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman

The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes by Ruth Hogan

I was surprised and super happy to have this novel arrive in my mail from Crooked Lane Press. I always say books find people at the right moments, and somehow, the folks at Crooked Lane Press knew I needed this book. Never doubt the magic of books.

Ruth Hogan's first novel, The Keeper of Lost Things, was published in 2017 and I happily reviewed it. She has a remarkable gift for writing that captivated me, and I'm happy to say her second novel cast a similar spell over me. Whomever designs her book covers, sheesh! They are amazingly beautiful. Can't help but pick it up just based on the cover art. 

Masha is a woman who lives with grief. Twelve years before, she lost her toddler son, Gabriel, in a freak accident. More horribly, his body was never recovered from the little creek it was presumed he fell into and drowned. Masha punishes herself by going to the local swimming pool all year round (it's outside) and dives into the deep end and holds her breath. She wants to feel what her son felt as he drowned. Masha's life is pretty colorless, except for her beloved dog Haizum and her daily walks in the local cemetery. This is a cemetery that only the English can do: a Victorian wonderland of meandering paths, glorious headstones dedicated to long lost souls, and a peace that begs people to sit and reflect. Masha sees Sally Red Shoes, an elderly woman who always wears--you guessed it--red shoes, feeds the crows, and bursts out in operatic songs. She also swears like a sailor-you just never know what you're going to get with Sally. She's a character most people would dismiss, but Masha soon forms a friendship with this wise woman. 

Masha's growing friendship with Sally has her realizing she's punished herself enough, and it's time to start living again. As Sally tells her, Masha stopped dancing to life when Gabriel died, and she owes it to Gabriel to keep dancing for him. 

Masha's slow re-entry into life means as much to her as it does to her friends and parents, who have had to change their behavior over the years to protect Masha's grief. She realizes she's done a great disservice to everyone by her unending grief, and the barriers she's placed around herself to prevent anymore pain. 

This was such a wonderful book-the characters are all so well drawn out. They're people I'd want in my life! There is another large storyline  in this novel that runs in and out of Masha's story, but I want you to discover that yourself. It's not hard to figure out what's going on, but I don't want to spoil your discovery. 

Colorful characters, a mother's slow climb out of grief, and beautiful writing all make this a charming read. It's not a sad tale at all. As Mr. Rogers said, "Look for the people who help" and there are plenty of people who help Masha regain her joy for life. This will be one of my top reads for 2019, and Ruth Hogan is definitely an author I will read again and again. 

A huge thank you to Crooked Lane Press for a chance to read and review this gem. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

Rating: 5/6 for a novel that captures a woman's journey through an endless grief. When it seems all is lost, there is always a path to happiness and peace. 

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The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes by Ruth Hogan

Flowers and Foul Play: A Magic Garden Mystery by Amanda Flower

The theme for January's book club is Mystery.  We can read any mystery we want, and when you think about it, there's an overwhelming amount of mysteries to choose from, and it can be hard to decide. Do you go classic, with Agatha Christie, or Sherlock Holmes? Do you go with historical, or contemporary? Cozy, noir, or police procedural? What if you just want to read a stand alone mystery? Do they even exist anymore, in a genre that is mostly built on series? 

Phew. A lot to think about. I started reading the second in Louise Penny's series, after reading Still Life last year and falling in deep like with everything about her writing and storyline. Then I was perusing through my stacks of books, and found a few cozy mysteries that I had received from a publisher last year and hadn't read yet. So I read Bad Neighbors by Maia Chance and it got me on the cozy mystery bandwagon. I've read them before, but mysteries have never been a huge part of my reading life. I've attempted over the years to dig in, and I always get distracted. 

I have discovered that I do love a good cozy mystery. And yes, it is weird to think of a novel that involves someone being murdered as cozy, but essentially they are pretty cozy. They usually involve a main character who isn't a detective; but generally a female who runs a cafe, a bakery, a quilting shop, a bookstore, an antique shop...you get the picture. They're usually set in a small town or village, and there isn't any graphic violence; there's just a dead body that appears to throw a wrench into the everyday happenings of the main character. I find myself gravitating towards cozy mysteries that involve a bit of magic, and that's how I picked up Flowers and Foul Play. I was checking in returned books at the library one day, and thought it looked intriguing AND it met my mystery requirement for January. 

So, a quick synopsis: Fiona Knox has come to Scotland to claim her inheritance from her godfather, who was killed in an overseas military battle. Duncreigan is a little stone cottage and one interesting garden, a few miles from the village of Bellewick, near the coast of Scotland. Running from a failed flower shop, and an ex-fiancee who ditched her for another woman, Fiona is heartbroken at her Uncle Ian's death, but welcomes the chance to get away from Tennessee for awhile. She's only arrived at Duncreigan and greeted Hamish, the elderly groundskeeper, when she stumbles upon a dead body in the garden. Not the welcome she was expecting!

What follows is a mystery revolving around Alastair Croft, the village lawyer who  was murdered by someone in Bellewick, but who? Chief Inspector Neil Craig has everyone on the suspect list, including Hamish. Can Fiona clear Hamish's name, and find out who killed Alastair and left him in her garden?

Oh--the garden is magical, by the way. As soon as Fiona arrives, what was a garden full of dead plants, trees, and ivy begins to transform into a beautiful, blooming wonder. Fiona is confused, and a letter explaining all sent by her Uncle Ian never arrived, so she's clueless about the magical garden. What's in that letter?

Aside from a few editing boo-boos, this was an entertaining read over the weekend. I will definitely read the second in the series, Death and Daisies. 

I can't wait to see what else unfolds for Fiona at Duncreigan. I've found a delightful series that will keep me exploring cozy mysteries all year long. 

Rating:  4/6 for a fun cozy that was a quick read. The setting, the potential romance between Fiona and  Chief Inspector Neil Craig, and the characters who populate the village of Bellewick all make this a series I'll continue to enjoy. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio.

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Flowers and Foul Play: A Magic Garden Mystery by Amanda Flower

First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen: A Sequel to Garden Spells

If you haven't read Garden Spells, go no further.  You must read it before you read First Frost.  Alright.  Now that I've got the warning out of the way, I'll tell you about First Frost.

The Waverly sisters are back:  Claire and Sydney.  It's been ten years since the end of Garden Spells, and a lot has happened.  Yes, they're still in Bascom, North Carolina.  And yes, the apple tree in the back yard still throws apples at people (most specifically men).  But I can't tell you anymore because that would spoil Garden Spells!

As you may have guessed from previous posts over the years, I love Sarah Addison Allen.  Her books sprinkle a bit of magical realism into my life, and
mixed into that is a heap of Southern charm that I can't resist.  Add in the complexities of sisterhood, and I'm hooked.  I wish Bascom really did exist, because I'd probably live there.  First Frost  is charming and delightful, and leaves me thinking maybe, just maybe, there could be third book featuring the Waverly sisters.  I was happy to leave Garden Spells where it ended; but clearly that was silly of me.  As soon as I found out about First Frost, I was counting down the days before I could grab a copy and dive back into Sarah Addison Allen's enchanting world. 

 My blog didn't exist when Garden Spells was published in 2007, so here's a quick rundown:  Claire Waverly lives in Bascom, North Carolina and runs a catering business.  Her sister Sydney arrives back in town with her young daughter, Bay, on the run from an abusive husband.  It's been years since Sydney left town, and there's a divide between the sisters.  Add to this the reputation in town of the Waverly women.  It's rumored (and true) that each Waverly woman has some kind of peculiar "gift".  For Claire, it's her ability to create dishes that use flowers.  Each flower's specific meaning results in a dish that will evoke certain feelings in anyone who eats it.  Sydney's gift is quirky:  she can give you the best hair cut and style you've ever had.  It will fill you with confidence, and have everyone give you a second glance.  It may change your life.

Can the sisters forgive and forget the past?  And what about love?  Garden Spells  was such a delightful read that it still remains one of my favorite books. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves cooking, flowers and gardens, whimsy, books about sisters, and contemporary novels with a touch of something special.  And when you're done reading it, dive into First Frost.  It doesn't have the same punch of Garden Spells, but it is a sweet novel that will answer questions and have you enjoy revisiting the Waverly sisters.  You probably won't want to leave, either. 

Rating:  7/10 for a welcome visit with the Waverly sisters.  Happily ever after takes work, and that's what I loved about this novel.  

Available in hardcover, audio, and e-book.  

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First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen: A Sequel to Garden Spells

A Tale of Gardening Madness: Backyard by Norman Draper

I think this is the third day of below 0 temperatures in Cedar Rapids.  All I know is the wind is blowing, it's snowing again, and our current temperature is 9 degrees (with windchill -11).  This immediately turns my head towards gardening, sunny skies, and lush landscapes.  

Backyard is a hilarious tale of a gardening competition that sets neighbor against neighbor in a bid to have the best garden in Livia.  The characters are all a hoot:  Dr. Phyllis Sproot, a self-proclaimed expert on gardening (who gets her PhD from a six-week mail-order course in horticulture), Marta Poppendauber, who has a garden that is a beautiful mess (and drives Dr. Sproot nuts), and George and Nan Fremont, who spend all of their time working in their glorious backyard garden, or sitting on their deck sipping gin and tonics and staring at their glorious backyard garden.  These characters are such fun in their dysfunction.  And we all know people like this, too. 

I was laughing out loud at the hijinks that happen in Livia as the day of judging draws near  and the competition escalates.  Dr. Sproot guilts Marta into spying on the Fremonts and engaging in secret forays to destroy their garden, little by little.  I'll leave you to discover just how comical Marta is--let's just say she's no Jane Bond.  And best of all, the Fremonts are completely oblivious to Dr. Sproot's machinations.  

So who wins the competition?  Is Dr. Sproot's sure-fire garden combination of yucca-coreopsis-salvia-hollyhock destined to be the winner?  Or will Marta's English countryside garden take the top spot?  Or do the Fremonts win the big pot?  

This really is a fun book to read.  Anyone who loves to garden will completely understand this book.  Anyone who wants a good laugh will enjoy this book.  And anyone stuck under a blanket of snow will certainly read this book and immediately start perusing the seed catalogs and planning their garden. It's a lighthearted look at people's obsessions and just how far we will go to be number one.  Sit back, enjoy and dream of summer.  

Rating:  7/10 for a very funny look at gardening and competition.  The characters are a stitch!  

Available in paperback and e-book. 

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A Tale of Gardening Madness: Backyard by Norman Draper

The Look of Love by Sarah Jio

If you've been following my reviews for a while, you know I love Sarah Jio.  I believe I've read all of her novels.  When Penguin's First Read program offered up this one, I immediately hit the download button and actually read it on my laptop.  This is something I never, ever do.  I am firmly in the "holding a book in my hand" camp and miss the connection I have with a story when I'm reading it on a device.  

But I digress.  I've had a chance to mull over this book for a few days, and the more I think about it, the more it takes on a rosy glow in my head and I realize I enjoyed the whole idea of it.  It's not the usual Sarah Jio, where she mixes a dual storyline and a bit of history.  This is firmly contemporary and yes, you could say a holiday novel.  Jane Williams is 29, runs a wonderful flower shop in Seattle, and is a bit wary of love.  She finds out on her 29th birthday that she has a special gift:  she can actually see love.  All her life she's had "neurological" problems that come and go, affecting her eyesight.  Her doctor tells her she must have brain surgery to correct the problem, or it can result in permanent brain damage.  Jane, however, believes the surgery will ruin her gift, and she has until her 30th birthday to identify six types of love.  If she doesn't, she will lose her chance of ever finding a love of her own.  

Luckily, Jane's friends and her brother are all deep in the throes of major love issues, so there's no shortage of finding the six types of love.  Her brother Flynn is in love with a woman he sees only through his apartment window; her friend is having an affair with a married man, and her hairdresser finds herself connecting with a man working on her kitchen while her husband continues to put his career before his marriage.  Oh, there are more!  I found myself getting sucked into all of these love dramas, and by the end, I was reading with my fingers crossed.  Not everything works out perfectly, people make choices.  But what's important is Jane's quest:  does she make it?  Does she herself find love? 

This is a quick read, and a sweet treat to enjoy during the holidays.  It will have you looking around at people you know, and trying to figure out just what kind of love, if any, they have with their special someone.  If you're a fan of Sarah Jio, be prepared for something a little different that her usual fare.  But you will love it!  

Rating:  7/10 for an imaginative plot line and characters you will cheer on in their quest for love.  

Available in paperback and e-book.
 

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The Look of Love by Sarah Jio

Blog Tour: The Memory Garden by Mary Rickert

The Memory Garden by Mary Rickert is a story filled with two things I love:  ghosts and gardens.  Stir in three old friends who have a secret that's kept them apart for 60 years and you've got a story that keeps evolving.  

Bay is 16; her mother, Nan, is in her 80's.  Bay came into Nan's life one day when she was left on Nan's porch as a baby.  Up until then, Nan had lived alone, tending to her garden and having a reputation as  a witch.  She's got shoes all over her garden, each filled with flowers.  Somehow these flowers survive and thrive living in shoes. 

 Nan also has a few ghosts:  Grace Winters and Eve.  Each make appearances in the garden, and Nan does all she can to ignore them.  But now Bay is seeing ghosts in the garden--and doesn't realize that's what they are.  Nan gets up the nerve to contact her two oldest friends: Ruthie and Mavis, whom she hasn't talked to in more than 60 years.  It's time they all gathered together to face what happened all those years ago, and to protect Bay from potential bad mojo in the garden.  But can these women find it too impossible to speak about Eve, and what they know about her death?  

I enjoyed this novel.  It took a bit to get into it, but the lure of the garden and ghosts kept me going.  Add into that flower lore that graces every chapter, and once again it's hard to put down.  The secret that is revealed really did surprise me, and was quite powerful.  Guilt can haunt you and keep you from enjoying life.  Nan, Ruthie, and Mavis find out the hard way.  Full of regrets and sadness, they lost their friendship  and never found their way back.  This is their last chance to make things right for themselves and for Eve.  

This book is part of a blog tour, and I'm on this tour with the following blogs:

Blog Name	Blog Link
Linus' Blanket	http://www.linussblanket.com/
Royal Reviews	http://theroyalreviews.blogspot.com
Book Bag Lady	http://bookbaglady2.blogspot.com/
Lesa's Book Critiques	http://lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com/
The Bibliotaphe Closet	http://zaraalexis.wordpress.com/
Bookalicious Babe	http://bookaliciousbabe.blogspot.com/
Mirabile Dictu	http://mirabiledictu.org/
Story Matters	http://katherinescottjones.com

The Memory Garden will be released in May by Sourcebooks and is available in paperback and e-book.

Rating:  7/10 for flowers, ghosts, and a secret that's a surprise.  

Here's my flower:

Lavender is my favorite!  Hope this novel will reawaken a love of flowers and all their magical properties in you, and inspire you to plant something beautiful in your yard.

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Blog Tour: The Memory Garden by Mary Rickert

The Wedding Bees by Sarah-Kate Lynch

I read Sarah-Kate Lynch's Blessed are the Cheesemakers a few years ago and fell in love with her writing style.  I can't get enough of what most people call "magical realism".  I firmly believe life is full of magical moments, people, and things and any book that includes this belief of mine is destined to find its way into my home and on my bookshelves.

So goes The Wedding Bees.  It has actually given me an idea for a paper I have to write for school.  I have a cousin who lives in the 'burbs of Chicago who is raising his own bees;  the combination of this book and Steve's beginning phase of "suburban farmer" have peaked my interest in all things bees and honey.  

Sugar Wallace is a young woman who travels around the US with her bees.  Her queen bee, Elizabeth the 6th, is placed on a map and wherever she stops, that's where Sugar moves to for exactly one year.  Then she pulls out the map and moves again.  This time she's landed in New York City, in the Alphabet City area known for it's quirkiness.  She lives in the top floor of an apartment building filled with people who are all doing what Sugar does:  hiding from what they could be and should be.  This group of people are wonderful and you'll fall in love with each one of them and want to live in this apartment building.  And there's Theo, the Scottish lawyer who meets Sugar on her first day in New York City and immediately knows they are meant for one another.  But the path to love and happiness is not easy, and Sugar struggles with her attraction to Theo and her reasons for being on the run from Charleston for 15 years.  Thankfully, Theo is not one to give up.  

I adored this novel.  I love the South; so combine that with some interesting tidbits about bees, beekeeping, honey, and a colorful, vibrant city, and I've got a novel that made me smile.  

Highly recommend this sweet novel.  Yep,  I said it.  Sweet.  Sweet as honey.

Rating:  8/10 for a great setting, colorful characters, and just enough information about bees and beekeeping to make it all interesting.  

Available in paperback and e-book.

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The Wedding Bees by Sarah-Kate Lynch