The Book Charmer
Paperback, 368 pages
Expected publication: July 30th 2019 by Gallery Books
Goodreads synopsis:
New York Times bestselling author Karen Hawkins crafts an unforgettable story about a sleepy Southern town, two fiercely independent women, and a truly magical friendship.
Sarah Dove is no ordinary bookworm. To her, books have always been more than just objects: they live, they breathe, and sometimes they even speak. When Sarah grows up to become the librarian in her quaint Southern town of Dove Pond, her gift helps place every book in the hands of the perfect reader. Recently, however, the books have been whispering about something out of the ordinary: the arrival of a displaced city girl named Grace Wheeler.
If the books are right, Grace could be the savior that Dove Pond desperately needs. The problem is, Grace wants little to do with the town or its quirky residents—Sarah chief among them. It takes a bit of urging, and the help of an especially wise book, but Grace ultimately embraces the challenge to rescue her charmed new community. In her quest, she discovers the tantalizing promise of new love, the deep strength that comes from having a true friend, and the power of finding just the right book.
“A mesmerizing fusion of the mystical and the everyday” (Susan Andersen, New York Times bestselling author), The Book Charmer is a heartwarming story about the magic of books that feels more than a little magical itself. Prepare to fall under its spell.
***
5 Stars
When I first started this I had no idea it would be a series. By the time I finished, I knew that if it wasn’t going to be a series, it needed to be. So many more stories to tell in this universe.
The Book Charmer series will focus on the 7 Dove sisters of Dove Pond. This book is supposed to be about Sarah. She has a magical ability to know just what book people need to read. The books speak to her. When she was younger, she found a journal that showed Sarah the history of Dove Pond. This journal made Sarah realize that she would be instrumental in saving Dove Pond. Later she is a bit dismayed to realize that she only had a small part in saving the town and that Grace Wheeler would be the one to accomplish that feat.
This book is sort of a community driven book and although it is mostly about Grace Wheeler, her niece Daisy and foster mom Mama G you get to see how one person can effect an entire community for the positive and give them a giant blessing. That is, after they allow her to do that. The scene in the Moonlight Cafe after Grace is splashed by a car sloshing into a giant mud puddle I thought was the turning point of the story. That scene chokes you up and makes you wonder why she didn’t give up right there on the spot.
I wish there had been more scenes between Grace and her neighbor Trav. I felt like I missed out on a lot of stuff that was left unsaid between the lines. The author assures me that any threads left hanging by the Sarah/Blake relationship will be addressed in book two which will be about Ava and her Tea Shoppe and a duct-taped box hiding under her bead trying to get out.
This book was just so sweet and heart warming. I wish all small communities on the brink of dying would read this book and know there is hope out there if they only put their trust in all the people around them and their community spirit.
Highly recommended.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
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