By Michelle Tanner
mtanner@decaturdaily.com· 340-2450

If you are looking for a cookbook this isn’t it, but if it’s a fun and engaging read you want, then “Garden Spells” by Sarah Addison Allen is worth the time.

The novel is set in Bascom, N.C., a town filled with the typical small town characters. For generations, the Waverley family has been known for having “intuitive gifts.” There is Aunt Evanelle, who has spent her entire life doling out items to the townsfolk for reasons she doesn’t understand, but know she has to do it because they will need it soon. Then there are the tales about the special mystical soil on the Waverley property that produces magical herbs and an apple tree that tells your future.

Claire Waverley has spent most of her childhood on the run with her mother Lorelei. After her mother’s death she found comfort in the small, steadfast town and has never left. Claire’s sister, Sydney, hated Bascom and everything the Waverley family represented. Sydney got out of the small town as soon as she could and has been running ever since, just like her mother did.

Claire is a reclusive woman who runs her own catering service. The thing is, Claire’s food seems to have a knack for bringing out the best or worst in people, depending on the ingredients she uses. While catering a local college function, she is introduced to Tyler Hughes, who turns out to be her new neighbor. After tasting one of the apples from the Waverly tree, he can’t seem to get Claire off his mind.

Return to Bascom

Sydney has returned to Bascom. She’s escaping the life she’s grown to hate and returning with a daughter to the shelter of the Waverley homestead. Sydney’s homecoming is met with snide remarks, petty jealousies and drama from all sides. Sydney also seems to be the only one who never inherited any of the Waverley talents — or so it seems.

Bay is Sydney’s daughter, who is a constant in their lives and while not a main character, provides a charming sideline as she delves into her own developing abilities. Bay seems to understand what’s going on better than the grownups and has “real sense of belonging.”

Other minor characters provide some storylines along the way, but the one standout character is the apple tree. It’s alive with personality and has its own agenda to make the Waverleys the happiest family in town.

It’s rare to find fairy tales these days that aren’t Disney-oriented or filled with sugary sappiness, but in “Garden Spells” I found a modern-day treasure. Just like any fairy tale, “Garden Spells’ weaves a story filled with magic, drama and some minimal danger. While not exactly profound literature, it most likely will fall into the category that some might call a “beach read.”

The book is interesting and lighthearted, with dramatic revelations sprinkled throughout. It’s also a culinary wonderland for anyone interested in herbs or edible flowers and how they are used in cooking.

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