In the Shadow Garden

The Shadow Garden is a fun and magical debut full of family drama. If you loved Midnight at this Blackbird Cafe, or any book by Alice Hoffman and/or Sarah Addison Allen, then this book may be for you!

Synopsis:

There's something magical about Yarrow, Kentucky. The three empathic witches of the Haywood family are known for their shadow garden—from strawberries that taste like chocolate to cherry tomatoes with hints of basil and oregano. Their magic can cure any heartache, and the fruits of their garden bring a special quality to the local bourbon distillery. On one day every year, a shot of Bonner bourbon will make your worst memory disappear.

But twenty years ago, the town gave up more than one memory for the year; they forgot an entire summer. One person died. One person disappeared. And no one has any idea why.

As secrets from that fateful summer start to come to light, there must be a reckoning between the rival Haywood and Bonner families. But the only clue Irene Haywood has is in her tea leaves: a stranger’s arrival will bring either love or betrayal…

I love a bit of magic thrown in my books (especially in the fall), so of course I had to grab this whimsical story. I enjoyed the unique and intricate mystery along with the history and mini romance that was woven into the narrative. The alternating points of view among the cast of characters really helped keep this a fast-paced story and I felt way more emotionally connected to the story through each of the characters. I also really liked that the author picked Kentucky as the location of the novel, since you really don’t see books set there.

Overall, this would be a fun and fast book for fall.

Thank you, Forever Publishing, for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.