Scan barcode
A review by a_h_haga
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
5.0
DISCLAIMER: The ''disability rep'' is more of a personal shelving than actual. While there is a disabled side character, I'm not always sure if that's enough for the shelving or not. In this case, it was a combination of the Grandfather and Tayler that did it. We never get a diagnosis for Taylor, but it looked A LOT like ADHD to me. At least from what my husband has told me about it.
Just getting that out there right away.
Otherwise, this book was a lot of fun. It was what I hoped [b:The Book of Magic|56898179|The Book of Magic (Practical Magic, #2)|Alice Hoffman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631120142l/56898179._SX50_.jpg|88976021] would be. Witchy and filled with witchy lore. But this book topped that! Not only was there a fair amount of ''atmospheric magic'', but there was real, touchable magic as well, which I really enjoyed! The step over [b:Practical Magic|22896|Practical Magic (Practical Magic, #1)|Alice Hoffman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1629464836l/22896._SY75_.jpg|4030671], but beneath a lot of more modern witchy books I read.
Other than that, there were other things I enjoyed as well. The writing was light and easy, and the story was interesting. While it does bear resemblance to Practical Magic, I think that this story makes much more sense in how the sisters interact and how they've changed from childhood until now. At least this felt much more realistic to me, who haven't had the easiest relationship with a younger sister. And the story in this book is honestly more about the characters growing than the hiding of a crime. There are a lot of characters here who are on opposite sides of things, but they all have one thing in common: they've always been what they were told to be, but am now learning that they may be happy as themselves. And some are happy as who they've been told to be, for that's who they are!
All in all, I felt like this book was a step above Practical Magic in many ways, and I'm so happy I gave it a shot! I wish it was a movie...
Ps: I love the apple tree!
Pps: I won't be reading book 2, as this one felt finished to me and the sequel seem to focus on some things that don't really interest me.
Ppps: I may have to buy a physical copy of this book, only to double-check some of the flower-magic. I would love to learn more Witchy Kitchen stuffs!
Just getting that out there right away.
Otherwise, this book was a lot of fun. It was what I hoped [b:The Book of Magic|56898179|The Book of Magic (Practical Magic, #2)|Alice Hoffman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631120142l/56898179._SX50_.jpg|88976021] would be. Witchy and filled with witchy lore. But this book topped that! Not only was there a fair amount of ''atmospheric magic'', but there was real, touchable magic as well, which I really enjoyed! The step over [b:Practical Magic|22896|Practical Magic (Practical Magic, #1)|Alice Hoffman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1629464836l/22896._SY75_.jpg|4030671], but beneath a lot of more modern witchy books I read.
Other than that, there were other things I enjoyed as well. The writing was light and easy, and the story was interesting. While it does bear resemblance to Practical Magic, I think that this story makes much more sense in how the sisters interact and how they've changed from childhood until now. At least this felt much more realistic to me, who haven't had the easiest relationship with a younger sister. And the story in this book is honestly more about the characters growing than the hiding of a crime. There are a lot of characters here who are on opposite sides of things, but they all have one thing in common: they've always been what they were told to be, but am now learning that they may be happy as themselves. And some are happy as who they've been told to be, for that's who they are!
All in all, I felt like this book was a step above Practical Magic in many ways, and I'm so happy I gave it a shot! I wish it was a movie...
Ps: I love the apple tree!
Pps: I won't be reading book 2, as this one felt finished to me and the sequel seem to focus on some things that don't really interest me.
Ppps: I may have to buy a physical copy of this book, only to double-check some of the flower-magic. I would love to learn more Witchy Kitchen stuffs!