Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen
Sarah Addison Allen has to be one of my favorite authors. All of her stories combine Southern charm and magic. I fell in love with this book after the first couple of chapters, and it is one of those books I could read again and again. This book is about Claire and Sydney Waverley. They each have gone their separate ways once they had reached adulthood. Claire remained in her grandmother's house following in her footsteps to become a renowned caterer in the town she grown up in. She often isolates herself from the town people, until Tyler Henry moves in next door. While Sydney grew up to follow in the footsteps of her mother, who had left Claire and Sydney when they were very young. Sydney returns with her daughter Bay, after deciding to leave her abusive husband. Claire and Sydney go through these life changes, but they are also put some magic into what they do best. Claire is able to use her cooking skills to provide an emotion to those eating her food. And Sydney is able to provide the perfect hair style suitable to the person. I definitely recommend Garden Spells for anyone who loves magic, romance, and sisterhood stories.
The Dress Shop of Dreams by Menna van Praag
The Dress Shop of Dreams came to my attention after my interest of realistic fantasy novels. This book had introduce me to Menna van Praag, and lead me to read The Witches of Cambridge. Cora Sparks is very talented when it comes to science experiments. She even uses her knowledge to try and solve the mysterious death of her parents. But her grandmother, Etta, thinks she spends too much of her life being studious. Etta decides to try and mend together Cora and the bookseller not far from her dress shop, Walt. Unbeknownst to Cora, Walt has had a long time crush on her, and when he makes his intentions clear, Cora brushes him off. Feeling hurt after her rejection, Walt turns to another woman for the love and attention he seeks. All is not lost when Etta works her magic to try and bring the two together. van Praag was able to keep the reader on their toes throughout the story. As I was reading this book, I was feeling hope and excitement in wanting to have a perfect resolution for all these characters. And for the author to put that magical element into the story really made it a lot more interesting.
The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury
Do you love the story of Aladdin? Jessica Khoury is able to input her own twist on the classic tale. Told from the perspective of Zahara, jinni of the lamp, she is offered the chance to be free by the King of the Jinn. The only problem is that she begins to fall in love with her master, Aladdin. Zahara's relationship with the young boy causes her to be torn between wanting her freedom or to give up her love for him. This is not the only problem. Zahara lives in a kingdom where magic is forbidden, and she might hide her abilities so she doesn't get caught. Another story filled with loads of magic, The Forbidden Wish is an enjoyable read for those that love the original classic tale and hope that love prevails in the end.
The Little Witch of Italy by Suzanne Palmieri
I had come across this little treasure after I had seen a recommendation on Sarah Addison Allen's Facebook page. The Little Witch of Italy tells the story of the Amore women, who have a special ability known as "The Sight". Eleanor Amore returns to the Bronx neighborhood that she had frequented when she was 10 years old after finding out she is pregnant. Although, when she left, all of Eleanor's memories had vanished. Her once childhood sweetheart begins to help her put together the memories she had forgotten and the family secrets that remain unsolved. While it was difficult to get into, I really did enjoy this book as it has the same magical elements of Allen's stories. There are themes of romance, magic, and mystery all tied into one.
Second Star to the Right by Mary Alice Kruesi
Here is another classic tale retold. Second Star to the Right is a perfect read for those that enjoyed reading Peter Pan as a child. I had come across this book when I was interested in reading classic fairy tales retold. Faye O'Neill is a single mother of two children who recently moved into a two story flat in London. Having lost her faith in finding love, Faye has closed off her mind to anything with fairy tales. That is until a suspicious light begins to make an appearance into her children's bedroom. Faye's life begins to change as she opens up her mind to love and all things magical. As a fan of the Peter Pan story, I really enjoyed reading Kruesi's modern interpretation into the Neverland tale. Filled with laughter and romance I would definitely recommend this book to someone who is willing to open their minds and hearts.
Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon
Now, the above titles have very light heart and romantic themes. Don't Breathe a Word will actually take you in the opposite direction. McMahon takes fairy tales and gives them a dark and twisted story. Phoebe is in love with Sam, who does not fear the dark and distills any nightmares that she has from time to time. However, Sam's past comes back to him in the form of a woman who claims to be his sister, Lisa, who disappeared fifteen years ago. While Sam has often been viewed as a practical man, Lisa can be seen as the opposite as she had told him that she went to meet with the King of the Fairies. By the time I had ended this book, I was left in a state of "What the heck just happened?". Don't Breathe a Word is filled with many surprises. It leaves you feeling different than how the book started.
If I had missed any of your favorite books with magic, please feel free to comment below. Also, be on the look out for my review of The Witches of Cambridge.
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