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My Synopsis:
The mysterious Waverley apple tree is currently dormant, waiting for the first frost before bursting into bloom. This time of year always causes the Waverley women to get restless. Sydney’s hair is turning red as she yearns to give Henry a son, Claire is following dollar signs but not her heart as she launches Waverley Candies, and Bay is unhappy because she’s found the boy her Waverley magic tells her that she’s supposed to be with but he doesn’t even know she exists.
My Review:
It’s been so long since I read Garden Spells that I felt just a bit lost as I started this. The outlines settled in quickly for me though.
My favorite chapters were the ones about Bay. That nameless longing for something, knowing it’s out there, just not being able to reach it–I think we all felt something like this as teenagers. Sarah Addison Allen described it perfectly. I also love the way that Bay fully embraces her Waverley nature. She is who she is and that’s it. I admire that self-confidence and self-knowledge.
While I enjoyed checking in with Sydney and Claire, I felt like I knew where they were going to end up almost as soon as the book started. There is one wild card thrown in but that storyline resolved so easily that it felt like a lot of buildup for a little payoff. I did like the new character these chapters introduced though. Maybe he’ll be in a spin off novel? It was nice to check in with the sisters but I wish their stories had been a bit meatier. I feel like I’ll forget most of this book within a week.
And I think that’s all I have to say. I definitely love and recommend any of Sarah Addison Allen’s books, but I don’t feel that this is one of her strongest ones. Read it if you’ve read and enjoyed Garden Spells.
Book Launch:
Read my description of attending the First Frost book launch.
Similar Books:
If you liked First Frost, you might also like my reviews of
- The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
- How to Tell Toledo from the Night Sky by Lydia Netzer, read by Joshilyn Jackson
- The House at the End of Hope Street by Menna van Praag
Reading Challenges
Purchase:
Buy First Frost from Malaprop’s Bookstore in beautiful Asheville, NC
2 Comments
Garden Spells is my favorite of her books, so I'll put this on my reading list, but it's good to know ahead of time that it doesn't quite measure up. I find that sequels are often a bit disappointing.
I've only read two books by the author….and I have Garden Spells, but haven't read it yet. My plan was to read it before buying this one. I love the sound of First Frost…and that cover! Thanks for sharing.