First Thoughts On First Frost

I finished Sarah Addison Allen's First Frost last night and as I write this review, it occurs to me that I have several strong thoughts/opinions to share. But first, a bit of background: First Frost picks up the story of the Waverley sisters, Claire and Sydney, back home in Bascom, NC, living settled, mostly happy lives in the shadow of their family legacy and the same, spirited apple tree living in the back yard. While all seems mostly well, there are undercurrents of dissatisfaction, and not just between the sisters: Bay, now 15, has revealed her feelings to Josh Matteson, who doesn't reciprocate, and nine year old Mariah, who has suddenly developed a friendship with a girl no one knows. There is also the presence of a mysterious stranger who doesn't seem to have the Waverley interests at heart.

So, on to my thoughts:

1) This book is filled with beautiful, luxurious statements that had me pausing to savor the words. A couple of my favorites: "...happiness isn't a point you leave behind. It's what ahead of you. Every single day." "...it was like she's brought the entire month of July with her." Gorgeous writing.
2) A story doesn't have to be about a big, sweeping tragedy or event to make it worthwhile. It can be about a series of small events that resonate with your life and cause you to think.
3) A touch of magical realism never hurts anything and generally helps.
4) We believe what we choose to believe.
5) Visiting with old friends, even old friends who need a good lecture, is always a welcome thing.
6) Sometimes, all it takes to get you out of a reading slump is one fantastically engaging book. This is it.

I loved this story, even if I did get frustrated at times, especially with Claire. I love all the characters, especially Evanelle and Fred; their interactions were genuine and touching. If I'm still not sure about the ending with Violet and Sydney (no spoilers here), I can still believe in it. Allen's writing is so vivid and alive, I would probably go along with an ending that involved unicorns and talking frogs (neither of which make an appearance, thankfully).

Every time Sarah Addison Allen releases a new book, I'm practically giddy until I finish it, and this is no exception. My biggest problem is that now I'll have to wait more than a year for her next entry. First Frost is as good as it gets, and I suppose I'll just have to bask in its glow until the next one.

~taminator40

Lost Lake

One thing is for certain: Sarah Addison Allen knows how to tell a story. So much so, that even when you know where you are headed, you are sucked in and absorbed as if you had no clue.

Lost Lake, the author's fifth book, is the story of Kate, who has lost her young husband to an accident, and her daughter, Devin. Kate has allowed herself a year to be "asleep": she's gone through the motions but wasn't entirely aware of anything. But just as she's about to move into her mother-in-law's home, Kate takes Devin on a totally random trip to visit her Great Aunt Eby, who owns a run down camp in Florida. Upon arrival, they discover that Eby is about to sell the camp, and this is the one last fling for her regular three campers and Eby's friend Lisette. Allowing themselves to be taken in by the atmosphere and sense of belonging, Kate and Devin come to realize that they cannot allow the direction they've been taking in life, especially once Kate is reunited with childhood love Wes. Add in a magical alligator and an attempt to overcome a childhood tragedy, and you have the gist of a story that is so much more than that.

Lost Lake is filled with little gems of wisdom and the sense of finding yourself, no matter your age or circumstances. There is a backstory to Eby that's fascinating (even if I didn't especially care for Lisette's dependence upon her friend). I adore the magical elements, which are just enough that you can believe that they might actually be true. The stories of Selma and Bulahdeen, two of the regular campers, add to the tale in that it's clear that no matter what your age, it's not too late to find friends and be useful. But this is mostly Kate's tale of coming back to life, and it's here that the story really shines. Devin is a delight and Kate finding her backbone is the best part.

I'm convinced that Sarah Addison Allen could write the phone book and I'd find it fascinating. This story is a wonderful tale of hope and love and I highly recommend it.

~taminator40

Peachy Keen

I heart Sarah Addison Allen.



Whew, glad to get that off my chest. I've read her three previous novels and enjoyed all three, so my expectations were high for The Peach Keeper. I have to admit, I was a little concerned when I saw how small this novel is because honestly, I enjoy spending time with Allen's characters so much that I felt I wasn't going to get my money's worth. And while that still remains my main complaint about this novel, I am definitely pleased to say that my expectations were met just fine...not something that happens frequently with beloved authors.


The Peach Keeper is set in Walls of Water, a sleepy little mountain town in NC. In high school Willa was the silent class joker; Paxton was the goody goody popular girl; Sebastian was the oddball outcast; and Colin, Paxton's twin, was the slightly stiff hunk. Fast forward and they are all now in their early 30s, and life hasn't turned out to be what any of them had envisioned in high school. In fact, their days rarely if ever intersect until Paxton, a captive still to her mother's wishes, decides to renovate the Blue Ridge Madam, a stately home that was once the family seat of Willa's family before they became impoverished in the 1930s. Willa is reluctantly drawn back into the house when Paxton wishes to honor their grandmothers' friendship by including Willa in the opening gala. When a body is discoverd on the grounds, events take a more curious turn--why is the body buried with a fedora? What are the old newspaper clippings about?


In my estimation, there isn't as much magic in this story as in the previous novels by Ms. Allen, but that doesn't mean the spark isn't there. The author excels at tentative romance, and this book has some moments that shine between the main characters. I do believe the story could have stood a bit more fleshing out--I would like to have learned more details of the grandmothers' relationship,for example,but all in all, this is a gem of book. Ms. Allen has once again delighted this reader with her unique characterizations and her interesting settings. Recommended.
 
~taminator40

Read This Book. Really. I Mean It.

When seventeen year old Emily Benedict's mother dies, she finds herself going to live with Vance, the grandfather she's never known, in a small town called Mullaby. She's expecting change and struggles to fit in, but what she gets far exceeds her wildest dreams. First off, her kindly grandfather is a literal giant of a man, measuring eight feet tall. Then there are the mysterious lights which linger outside her house after dark. And then there is Win, son of the local town's leading family, whose interest runs hot and cold and oh so frustrating. But most odd of all is the legacy of her mother Dulcie, who apparently left Mullaby behind after causing mayhem and meanness, none of which translates into the caring mother Emily knew. It's gonna be a long transition.

Meanwhile, while Emily is facing her own problems, her next door neighbor Julia is still exorcising her own from her high school years. Though twenty years have passed, Julia's heart still belongs to the handsome Sawyer, but their history is so complicated that Julia keeps running from his advances. Her plan is to pay off the mortgage on the restaurant she inherited from her father and get back to her "real" life in Baltimore. But Sawyer's determined to find out her secrets and regain her trust; Julia's just as determined not to let him.

This fabulous, wonderful, engaging book stole my heart from the opening pages. The characters are so real, so alive, that I had to keep reminding myself that this was fiction. I loved Mullaby and its small town atmosphere; I loved the characters and their faults; I loved the magical realism that Ms. Allen so easily imbues into her novels. Building steadily toward its climax, the tension in this story kept me up late looking for a stopping point which never came. I'm enchanted, I'm transfixed, I'm delighted. Ms. Allen's works have become auto-buys for me. Highly recommended!

~taminator40

The Sugar Queen

I finsihed Sarah Addison Allen's The Sugar Queen last night. After reading and liking Garden Spells by the same author, I was hoping this one would be just as good. And it is good, but somehow I didn't feel as engaged with it as I did with Garden Spells. It's not really anything I can put my finger on; the writing is similar, and the story's similar, with magical realism and failed relationships driving the plot. I get the feeling that I should have enjoyed it more than I did. Still, I gave it four stars on my amazon review, rounding up from the 3.5 I actually feel it should have earned. You can check out that review by visiting http://www.amazon.com/review/R23CD7ZWO6I3UC/ref=cm_cr_rdp_p. And keep in mind that it could just be me with my very high expectations and not the book itself at all.

~taminator40