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New Book ..Garden Spells... Beginning with chapters 1 - 5 by Fri 8/29
Lisa, I just read ch. 1 and am very interested in where this book will go. It seems fun.
4 months ago
Ok Now I am excited. Just went to the library today and got my book. can't wait to start but it has been a long and late night tonight so will probably not start till tomorrow. Glad it looks to be a fun read!
4 months ago
Lisette I finished chapter 5 so I will let you begin the discussion with the first set of questions when you are ready. My week is starting to slow some so I should be back on here more often now.
4 months ago
1.. Will Sydney's husband find her?
Unfortunately, I think he will. I am nervous for her during that encounter. But I think somehow Evanelle will have given her something to help her get rid of him.
2. How did the Waverly magic originate?
I wonder if the magic was in the garden and they moved in and learned to use it. Or if the magic originates in them and they placed magic upon the garden?
3. What will have to happen for Claire to open up to Tyler?
She semms to hard to get to. The wall she has put up is so thick that I have no idea how he will be able to break through. I know he will, but I can't imagine how, only if she eats an apple and sees herself happy with him or something like that.
4. Will Hunter John leave Emma?
I think he is not happy with her. But I do not see Sydney trying to get with him. I think he will stay with Emma, and live unhappily ever after. I believe Sydney will find happiness with someone else.
5. Which Waverly prepared food would you like to eat?
I would like to eat the one that gives you a clear mind. Sometimes I need to clear my mind from so many thoughts and just focus. I'm a major mutiltasker!
6. Do you have any special talents?
I wish I were a great cook who could help peoples mood by providing comfort food. I wish I could play some musical insturment taht would speak to peoples hearts. But I am not exceptionally taleneted in either. I don't have any special talents, but I do try to be a very attentive friend. I make an effort to call, and send cards in the mail, and drop emails. I open my home 24/7 to anyone who may need to talk. Its not a talent, but probably the closest thing I have to one.
I'm really liking the book. I'm reading ch.7 now. How are you liking/or disliking it?
4 months ago
1.. Will Sydney's husband find her?
You think he will huh. I don't think so. I think the author used him and his issues to establish her character and all its quirks etc. But I think it will be more about her learning to stop running and accept her "place" as opposed to him coming back with a big threat.
2. How did the Waverly magic originate?
I think the magic is in them and they enchant the garden. I mean sydney has the ability to do it with hair even when she isn't near the garden just as Bay "knows where things belong" Evanelle is gifted but does not live at the home or tend to the garden. Perhaps they are decendents from witches.
3. What will have to happen for Claire to open up to Tyler?
Funny you should mention the apples. I was thinking he would get her to "see" thier future by making her something to eat using the apples from her garden and when she asks him if that is where the apples came from he lies because sydney or bay have told him the secret of the apples and he has already eaten one himself.
4. Will Hunter John leave Emma?
I disagree. I think Hunter John will leave Emma and will want Sydney but Sydney will decide to live her life without a man in it. I think her life has been a series of men and she is burnt out on men. Hunter John will then crawl back to Emma and she will take him back and the whole town will never know except Emma, Hunter John and Sydney what really happened.
5. Which Waverly prepared food would you like to eat?
I know it is terrible but I want to eat the apple. I am one of those people that can deal with anything as long as I know what it is I am about to deal with. I think I would like to see the most major event that will happen in my life. Clear head would help after that episode of course... lol
6. Do you have any special talents?
Well I think I will call it a special talent as it is the one I possess too. I think I make an excellent nurturer. So I say we have the talent of nurturing as I find without nurturers where would we all be?
1.
4 months ago
1.. Will Sydney's husband find her?
You think he will huh. I don't think so. I think the author used him and his issues to establish her character and all its quirks etc. But I think it will be more about her learning to stop running and accept her "place" as opposed to him coming back with a big threat.
2. How did the Waverly magic originate?
I think the magic is in them and they enchant the garden. I mean sydney has the ability to do it with hair even when she isn't near the garden just as Bay "knows where things belong" Evanelle is gifted but does not live at the home or tend to the garden. Perhaps they are decendents from witches.
3. What will have to happen for Claire to open up to Tyler?
Funny you should mention the apples. I was thinking he would get her to "see" thier future by making her something to eat using the apples from her garden and when she asks him if that is where the apples came from he lies because sydney or bay have told him the secret of the apples and he has already eaten one himself.
4. Will Hunter John leave Emma?
I disagree. I think Hunter John will leave Emma and will want Sydney but Sydney will decide to live her life without a man in it. I think her life has been a series of men and she is burnt out on men. Hunter John will then crawl back to Emma and she will take him back and the whole town will never know except Emma, Hunter John and Sydney what really happened.
5. Which Waverly prepared food would you like to eat?
I know it is terrible but I want to eat the apple. I am one of those people that can deal with anything as long as I know what it is I am about to deal with. I think I would like to see the most major event that will happen in my life. Clear head would help after that episode of course... lol
6. Do you have any special talents?
Well I think I will call it a special talent as it is the one I possess too. I think I make an excellent nurturer. So I say we have the talent of nurturing as I find without nurturers where would we all be?
1.
4 months ago
Grrr I hate that you cannot delete just the comment since it posted it for me before I was done and then posted it twice. Will have to speak to them about the x button like on our comment walls. Anyway I am lovig the book I think I am close to chp 7 or 8. Tyler has just eaten the casserole and it has not worked.
so my questions are
1. Do you think they are really enchanted people the waverly's or do you think thier use of herbs, recipes etc. is similar to those who practice wican or witchcraft?
I think they are more like spiritualists or psychics and they enhance thier skills with things like herbs and recipes similar to those who practice spells and witchcraft.
2. Do you think Sydney should go after Hunter John just to prove to Emma and the town that she is worthy of someone of thier social standing?
I go back and forth on this one. The christian in me says she should just go about her life and not care as they are beneath her and she won't find happiness through revenge but then the little devil in me says she should go after him and convince him to leave Emma and beg for her publically just to reject him like they all rejected her.
3. Do you think that Evanelle's gift and Bay's gift are similar?
4 months ago
Grrr I hate that you cannot delete just the comment since it posted it for me before I was done and then posted it twice. Will have to speak to them about the x button like on our comment walls. Anyway I am lovig the book I think I am close to chp 7 or 8. Tyler has just eaten the casserole and it has not worked.
so my questions are
1. Do you think they are really enchanted people the waverly's or do you think thier use of herbs, recipes etc. is similar to those who practice wican or witchcraft?
I think they are more like spiritualists or psychics and they enhance thier skills with things like herbs and recipes similar to those who practice spells and witchcraft.
2. Do you think Sydney should go after Hunter John just to prove to Emma and the town that she is worthy of someone of thier social standing?
I go back and forth on this one. The christian in me says she should just go about her life and not care as they are beneath her and she won't find happiness through revenge but then the little devil in me says she should go after him and convince him to leave Emma and beg for her publically just to reject him like they all rejected her.
3. Do you think that Evanelle's gift and Bay's gift are similar?
4 months ago
Lisa, Your answer to my #5 made me lol! The clarity would be good after the apple ...
Okay, let's see ....
1. I think they really are enchanted. Like Bay, for example, never came in contact with the herbs and her gift was present even before they moved to Bascom. I agree with what you said above, they have the gifts inside of them and they enchant the house and the garden.
2. No, I don't think she should go after Hunter John. He was a jerk with her in the hair salon. I think that by her not going after Hunter John she is sending a loud message to Emma, she doesn't envy her or want anything that she has.
3. Yeah, I do think their gifts are very closely related.
Don't you find it odd that all the families in this town have traits. Like all the women in family A have 6 kids, all the men in family B marry older women, all the women in family C are great at sex, etc. It makes the whole twon seem extraordinary. I am surprised that the Waverly's feel odd, can't they see that it is peculiar for families to have running traits like that?
So since we are both appraoching ch.10, should we leave it open to whoever gets there first to set up the next set of questions? Perhaps we could do the questions every 5 chapters or so?
4 months ago
Yes I think your idea about the questions and every 5 chapters is a good one. I too think the town all sounds very particular and the waverly's no different. I was thinking about my family and the people I know and trying to see if I too could find patterns. I see alot in my husbands family. Almost All the blood members in his family come across as angry, aloof and very reserved. They all marry very outgoing, nurturing and caring type people and most of them marry people who are older than themselvs as most of them tend to run a bit on the immaturity side. In my family at least with me and my sisters we all seem to marry men with flaws, we all seem to have one particular thing about our spouses that is unchangeable yet the most frustrating part of the marriage. We all are also very strong women taking on the bulk of the responsibilities ourselves. How about you do you notice any patterns in the people in your life?
I know that sydney did not come home for hunter john and that he was a jerk in the salon but don't you think that part of her still loves him. I mean if he were to become the man she loved don't you think it would be hard for her to walk away from that? I think she is still hurt by alot of what Emma and Hunter John says because she still to some degree loves who he was and still feels a bit betrayed that he went right from her to Emma. I think it will be interesting to see how that develops.
What do you think about Bay? Do you think she will grow to embrace and exploit the "enchantments" as Claire has done. Almost like a protective shield, run from it like sydney did or take it to a whole new level where it just becomes this part of her neither character defining or character flaw.
I am curious about what is going on with evanelle and fred arent you? I mean I know he is gay etc. and evanelle older but they never really determine fred's age or evanelles and I wonder if to some degree evanelle and fred will become like fred and his partner were before things went bad. Just one of those "together all the time" couples. Maybe fred needs someone to be with in order to define himself. I've known people like that who are afraid to be alone. Who never really define themselves as they are more comfortable seeing themselves in relation to how they are with another.
4 months ago
My husband's side of the family tend to be very laid back. They aren't anal about things at all. For example, on Thanksgiving they will set out the food and whenever you get there, you get there, and whenever you eat, you eat. You can eat at the table, or not. That is their attitude about everything. If we make plans with them for lunch and something comes up last minute, they take it like whatever, it just rolls off of them. The bad thing about this is that they are not good at keeping track of due dates or times. I have to be a walking talking calender for my husband. But its okay, because I'm good about that.
In my family all the women get divorced at least once. My aunt and I are the ones that have been married the longest (we are also the only ones in a Christian marriage, where both partners share the same beliefes). I hope and pray not to follow in this pattern. I want to grow old with my husband. The women in my family are also very detail oriented and anal about things. We all have to be there on time for Thanksgiving and we all sit at a long table together. We keep track of dates and appointments very punctually. Its kind of a stressful trait, but it seems to work out real nice between my husband and I. He mellows me out a bit and I shape him up a bit. I hope my son will be a nice mix of both of us.
Sydney is definatley still hurt by what happened between her and Hunter John, but I don't think any thing further will happen between them. HUnter John seems to have a decent side to him, but I think he's much too concerned with what he "ought" to do. But you have an interesting prediction which is definatley possible. We shall have to wait and see.
I think Bay will embrace the enchantments in her life. She seems to be at peace when she's in the garden. The fact that the tree throws apples doesn't bother her, she seems okay with it. I can see Sydney and Bay both being quite happy to be Waverlys by the end of the book.
The Fred and Evanelle thing is a puzzle. Claire has said that she doesn't know why, but it bothers her. It makes me think of the catering at Emma's house. She had a bad feeling about that too and she was right. I can see why Fred and Evanelle enjoy each others company, but I just wonder what that bad feeling Claire has is all about. I feel so bad for Fred. He and James had established their lifestyle for 30 years, and then out of the blue James leaves because he isn't happy with it any more. He should have stayed and worked things out.
I think Sydneys husband will come looking for her because when she remembered the photos she soaid something like she had opened a door. And then suddenly the smell of cologne is around her all the time. I think somehow she opened a door that allowed her husband to find those pictures and see the names Bascom, North Carolina in them. I think he will be making an apperance later on. I do not think she will ever go back to him, I am curious as to how she will get rid of him forever. I may be wrong, so again, we shall have to wait and see.
4 months ago
I know when I read about the cologne etc. and how her and claire both smell it I think Oh gosh he's coming for her he's coming for her. I think Bay may be the one to get him gone forever. I don't know why but her ability to see where things need to be all the time. She may see that he belongs in jail for abuse and may report him and have him arrested or something. I wonder if Sydney's story will be revealed to claire before he arrives. I too wonder why Fred did not try and work it out with James or maybe James never came home at all and Fred just didn't want to say anything because he was afraid evanelle would make him leave and he didn't want to be alone any longer. Should all be interesting. I am so glad the weekend is here so I can get to the end of the book. This one is definately holding my interest much better than the last and making me excited about reading further and further.
4 months ago
OKay, for ch. 10 ( I couldn't come up with any new questions, just thoughts):
Wow! What a kiss! I liked the idea that she got images in her head of what he was thinking. I would LOVE to be able to do that!
And then in the garden! He had burn marks on his skin! I don't think he felt any pain, I think he totally enjoyed it.
I fell bad for Claire. She got so emotional at the thought of Sydney leaving and she won't nopen her heart up to Tyler because she fears he might leave. That is no way to live. You know, James left Fred, but I am sure Fred would do it all over again if he had the chance. She needs to learn to enjoy her life now, and deal with what comes tomorrow - tomorrow!
I wonder at what point Bay's dream is going to become reality. I think it won't happen till the end when everything is all wrapped up and happy, you know.
Okay, theres a family with a Pheneus Young who is always the strongest guy in town? Yeah, this town is strange!
Henry and Sydney! I'm excited for her and Bay. This is good, real good.
4 months ago
I am guilty of not being able to stop at chapter 10 so I had to finish the book before I got out of bed this morning. I will say that the end had some expected conclusions as well as a few surprises for me. I cannot imagine being able to see what someone is feeling or seeing when kissing them I think that is sort of like the tree. If it is something good then fine but if it is something bad well then not sure I want to know as I won't be able to enjoy the moment. OH my good and interesting things coming from Emma and Hunter John. I could almost see a sequel book similar to this one althought with alot more lust and passion all about the clark women. I think what I am liking best is while this town is set in its patterns, histories and traditions the patterns appear to be changing with this current generation as if they are trying to change the future course. I think I would be like Bay about the tree, I don't think I would want to eat the apples but I think I would find comfort in knowing there was a tree there who cared about the people it loved. It is like you are never alone as long as the tree is there slinging apples at you. Let me know when you finish so we can discuss the end. My book the last lecture has not come in yet. Maybe if our book doesn't come in soon we should each pick a different book we have or want to read, read it and then share it with each other and what we liked about it as a way to see if we can inspire the other person to read or not read the book based on the other persons synopsis and critique.
4 months ago
Okay, I finished it. So much for ch. 5 by the 29th! hahahaha.
I was really surprised with Hunter John and Emma. When he wanted to talk to her at home I thought he was going to tell her he was unhappy, especially after the fiasco at his office. I thought it was so sweet that he did love her and he told her he had chosen her. I think because Emma didn't feel as intimidated by Sydney is why she called to warn her about David. But its too bad she didn't hear the message, maybe if she were ready for him Henry would not have gotten shot. David is scary! I am so glad I have never been involved with a man like that. I was feeling good about him going to jail until I read Bay's view of him, then I started to feel bad for the jerk. I like how the writer was able to evoke that in me. She was somehow able to make me feel sorry for the character I have been disliking all along. I think she has a gift for writing.
Was it necessary to throw Rachel into the plot? Claire was already going over there to be with him when they introduced her. I didn't feel like her character was necessary, or even that interesting.
Henry and Sydney are great. He was her first friend. I liked how that ended.
So once Fred gets with Steve, where's that going to leave Evanelle. She'll be the odd man out, everyone else has their pair now. I would have liked some glimpse of a relationship possibility for her as well, even if it didnt play out in the book, just the idea that it was possible would have made me feel better for her. Poor thing, no one in town wants her over for dinner.
I loved how this author wrote. I liked the mixture of magic and food. That was really fun to think about. The town sounded like an interesting place to live. I think I would read another book by this author.
Online I found some book recommendations for people who liked Garden Spells. They are Chocolat by Joanne Harris and Like Water For Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments with Recipes, Romance, and Home Remedies by Laura Esquivel. I don't know anything about them other than their titles and that they were a recommendation for people who liked Garden Spells. The author of Garden Spells came out with a new book this year called Sugar Queen. It has mixed reviews. Some people say they liked it as much as Garden Spells and some say it wasn't nearly as believable.
I have really enjoyed doing the book club with you. Because I enjoyed it so much I joined the Book Club at my local library. Last month we read a book called The Scarlet Pimpernel. It's a book written in 1905, I believe. Anyway, its not a book I would have picked out on my own, but it is soooo good. I am glad I read it. I totally recommend it. The leader of the Book Club made a recommendation of her own. She said she is hooked on reading a series called the Twilight series. She is on the third book. She said she can't put these books down. They are about a Vampire. But he's like a normal guy and you can relate to him. It's by Stephanie Meyer. She said she's been leading the book club for 11 years now. So I think she might have a good opinion when it comes to books, but who knows, we're all so different.
4 months ago
I too was shocked by Hunter John's attitude and impressed by it as well. I wonder then why he had the need to go to the salon and act like a Jerk if that is the way he felt about Emma. I went back and forth on my feelings about him and maybe he himself was having inner turmoils and that is why he finally came to the resolution he did. I think Emma was always a good person and with a different mother she may have turned out completely different. I think her mother feeds her bad qualities yet there is a heart in there someplace. I think Hunter John and hers posible future relationship will help the good side of her come out.
I thought Rachel a waste tooo. Thinking she was a filler to drag the book out some. I found her character wasteful too. Evanelle seems happy with her life as an outsider. I think she likes keeping people at a bit of a distance as I worry that when she gets too close like she did with Fred she feels as if she is disappointing them by not having anything "special" to give them. I am sure Fred and Steve will keep her around as having her in his life allows Fred to be clingy with someone outside of the relationship thereby giving his partner some needed "breathing" room. I think that was part of the problem in his first relationship; he needed others to spend time with so he wouldn't suffocate his partner.
I am really enjoying this as well. Our Libraries book club doesn't meet at a good time for me with the kids schedules, charing the PFA social committee and teaching religious ed. I may have spread myself a bit thin this year and hopefully the CD will behave so I don't disappoint anyone. But I do love to read so I am glad to have someone here to discuss the books with. I went to the library tonight before my REP training meeting and I picked up Sugar Queen. I have never been one to go by what others say and always need to read the stories on my own. I saw my library was reading Chocolat too. My Last Lecture is still not in yet so In the interm I may begin reading Sugar Queen. The cover looks interesting and I too liked the way this reader wrote.
I love vampire stories. Don't ask me why I think it is just most of the ones I have read the vampires in the story seem to be normal, caring and people oriented in almost every way except that they are vampires. It is almost like they are both good and evil both and live with that constant internal battle. I will have to look up the series and see if I can get them in to my library.
4 months ago
So how are you liking Sugar Queen?
4 months ago
I have not yet started Sugar Queen and am hoping that maybe come sept. 1st we can get some other members to join us and start a new book and discussion. I am thinking of sending an email to the others people who have joined the group and see about starting to get more involvement. I am taking this week to work on some of my volunteer activities.
4 months ago
Sounds good
4 months ago
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Lisa