Book Review: First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen

Title: First Frost
Author: Sarah Addison Allen
Published: 11th February 2016
Publisher: Hodder

Having 100% fallen in love with Sarah's debut Garden Spells all the way back in 2008, you can imagine my happiness when I found out she was publishing a second book in which we would get to revisit the Waverley women again. I must also mention that Sarah is one of my favourite authors having read all but one (I'm getting there) of her books since. We also have yet another utterly beautiful cover, I honestly can barely tear my eyes away as it is just so lovely.

Although this can be read as as stand alone, I would strongly recommend that you do read Garden Spells. First Frost picks up 10 years on from where Garden Spells left us. Sydney's daughter Bay is now fifteen and and has a magic of her own and a strange man has appeared with a battered looking suitcase and lots of stories. Those stories could change the lives of the Waverley women as they know it.

Reading First Frost brought back the wonderful memories I had of reading Garden Spells and how much I love Sarah's writing. She has a way of pulling her reader in and getting them completely lost within the pages of the story they are reading. This is also enhanced by her vivid and rich descriptions of the surroundings and setting and it almost felt like returning home after being away. 

It was wonderful to get back to the familiar characters of Garden Spells and you can see how Sarah has built upon them from ten years ago, and where they are now in their lives. Although told from multiple points of view and each character's individual stories, Bay's story and her Waverley gift was the one that appealed to me the most. It was lovely to see where she had come in ten years and my heart did ache for her. I think I felt familiar with what she was going through which was why her story appealed to me so much.

As with Sarah's first book, I thoroughly enjoyed getting swept up in the magic of the Waverley's and their little town in North Carolina. Her books always manage to feel like you are dreaming as it evokes such a beautiful atmosphere.

Garden Spells still does remain my favourite out of the two, but this was a unexpected and delightful sequel, with an added chapter at the end which tied things up nicely.

Magical, atmospheric and just wonderful.