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Friday, September 25, 2015

The Sparrow Sisters by Ellen Herrick

Fall's here and for me that means Halloween is just around the corner. Pumpkin bread, paranormal shows on TV, and books with an element of magic are on tap for this gal. The Sparrow Sisters fits neatly into my Fall reading frame of mind, and makes a great new addition to book club lists that may have gotten a bit stale over the summer. 

The Sparrow sisters:  Sorrel, Nettie, and Patience, are as much a part of their hometown Granite Point as the sea and the seasons.  Their family goes back generations, to the beginning.  The three sisters own and operate a nursery that is famed for producing the most enticing flowers, fruits, and vegetables year round, and out of season.  They each have a gift, but Patience is the most gifted as the town healer.  She's been the unofficial caretaker of ills and issues for townsfolk who still paid lip service to the medical doctor in town.   But now he's gone, and a new doctor has taken his place:  Dr. Henry Carlyle, a handsome man who walks with a limp and carries an air of sadness and compassion with him.  He's fleeing from the memories of combat and what he feels was his most devastating failure as a doctor.  He's not one to believe much in potions and tinctures, but he's heard about the Sparrow sisters and is intrigued.  

As you can imagine, Henry and Patience meet, and it's instant attraction on both sides--and neither is much happy about it.  Their relationship is a pretty big part of the story, but the biggest story involves Patience and her friendship with a local young boy.  What happens causes a major upheaval in Granite Point.  There's finger pointing, a whirlwind of gossip, accusations of witchcraft, and a town in danger of repeating history it would rather forget.  

Loved this book.  Right up my alley as far as magic, romance, gardening, and interesting characters.  It also addresses the issue of gossip and how damaging it can be to a community.  People taking ignorance and turning it into fear and hate.  This would make an excellent book club book; so many topics to dig into and discuss.  Anyone who likes contemporary women's fiction with a dab of natural magic and an interest in natural cures and remedies should add this to your reading list.  

Rating:  7/10 for a first novel that is well written with lush images of gardens, fruits, and flowers. Multi-layered story-lines all come together quite well.   Interesting characters with the hope for a sequel to tell Sorrel's story.   

Available in paperback and e-book.

1 comment :

  1. Hello, just wanted to ask if you are allowed to post a picture of a book that you have review that you have taken yourself. Kind regards

    ReplyDelete