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Read advance reader review of First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen, page 3 of 4

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First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen

First Frost

by Sarah Addison Allen

  • Published:
  • Jan 2015, 304 pages
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There are currently 25 member reviews
for First Frost
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  • Deborah D. (Old Forge, NY)
    Delightful
    Once again an enjoyable read with characters you would like to know. A good book to cozy up with a bit of a mystery, a bit of romance and a delightful dash of magic. The only fault being it ended much to soon.
  • Susan G. (Charlotte, NC)
    Return to Bascom
    The beloved characters from Garden Spells return to entrance us again with their unusual gifts that they themselves barely understand. Addison makes magical realism accessible to readers who love warm and cozy stories. The writing was a bit stilted this time and occasionally repetitive, but still a delight.
  • Chris G. (New Albany, OH)
    Magical Read
    Garden Spells was my first introduction to Sarah Addison Allen and she instantly pulled myself and my book club into her magical web with her story of the Waverley sisters and the small town of Bascom, North Carolina. We loved that novel and made it a point to read each of Allen's books since. As much as I have enjoyed each book, I always felt a need to know what became of Claire, Sydney and Bay Waverley. First Frost has provided me with that opportunity and it didn't disappoint!

    When we return to Bascom we find the Waverley women living in their family home. Sydney's daughter, Bay, is a teenager and the two are struggling to find footing in their relationship. Bay longs for someone she is not sure knows she exists and Sydney longs for another child to fulfill her new family.

    Claire has started her own new ventures as both a mother and a business owner. But she has also begun to question her gifts. As all of this drama unfolds, a stranger arrives in Bascom. One who makes all of the Waverley women question everything they know and the bonds that they feel.

    I truly love Addison's stories. The words somehow always feel lyrical and I can almost hear the "music" flow from the books as I read them. I also appreciate the relationships she creates between family members and friends. Always a well done story and a book I look forward to getting my hands on each time.
  • Cold in Tn
    Frost on the Pumpkin
    I really enjoyed this book. I love all of Sarah Addison Allen's books! I always hate for any of her books to end. I judge a book by its ability to shock me at the end. The imaginary friend was great. I want a Waverly house and apple tree of my own. I already have the eccentric relatives. Can't wait till next book. Thank you BookBrowse!
  • Marion C. (Litchfield, NH)
    The Year Everything Changed
    First Frost is a delightful story about the Waverley women in Bascom, North Carolina. They each have strange powers and the women in the community take wide berths around them so their strangeness does not rub off on them, unless they need something like a special mixture that stops a child's cough. Just before the first frost the Waverley women become restless, unsettled and hope they can last until that frost without making any mistakes. This year the Waverley women question their gifts. Are they really gifts or just stories told many times?

    The Waverleys have a large family feast in the back yard the afternoon after the first frost of the season when their apple tree bursts with apple blossoms and then apples that the tree throws at the men if they get too close to it. No one knows why this tree acts that way, and the Waverley women do not know how or why they have special skills. Their family history is sparse but this year's first frost clears the atmosphere, everything settles down, and answers come to some of their questions about their past.

    First Frost is a refreshing novel and Sarah Addison Allen's prior books are now on my wish list.
  • Elise B. (Macedonia, OH)
    First Frost
    First Frost is creative and beautifully written. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of reading about the Waverly family and the charmed and magical world they live in. The book description entails a "magical stranger" who I felt added nothing to the story. For more than half the book, his purpose is unclear. The story of Violet, an unwed teen mother, is beautiful; however, the author devotes little to her story. In summary, I enjoyed the writing, but found the story line lacking.
  • Laure R. (Fresno, CA)
    FIRST FROST - WARM IMPRESSION
    I found it an enjoyable read. Characters were off-beat and well fleshed out. I found it completely useless to second guess how the plot might unfold, particularly with the author's sprinkling of paranormal activity thrown in. I recommend this to younger readers as well. Several teens play a major role in this story, and the author shows great insight portraying their feelings and conflicts.

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