Sunday, July 3, 2011

Kelly's Review: THE PEACH KEEPER

Happy Sunday everyone! I'm sorry I've been awol for a bit, and unfortunately it hit at a time when Donna could have used my presence because she was awol. Anyway, I hope we weren't missed too terribly much. I think things will be back on track now after this weekend.

Speaking of weekends, I hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July weekend! I was just telling one of my friends that 4th of July celebrations are my favorites. It sort of heralds in summar and all the fun things you can do during summer seem to happen in this one weekend. I personally am celebrating by doing NOTHING. I'm staying in a cool house, reading, catching up on some sleep, bbqing some damn good food, catching up on some internet stuff, watching tv and movies and reading. ::satisfied sigh::

So here's my latest review of The Peach Keeper. I hope you enjoy it. I welcome your comments too if you would like to comment.

________________________________


THE PEACH KEEPER

By Sarah Addison Allen

Published by: Bantam Books

First Printing: 2011

ISBN: 978-0-553-80722-6Link

Amazon; Barnes and Noble; Goodreads

Concept: “The New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Chased the Moon welcomes you to her newest locale: Walls of Water, North Carolina, where the secrets are thicker than the fog from the town’s famous waterfalls, and the stuff of superstition is just as real as you want it to be.

It’s the dubious distinction of thirty-year-old Willa Jackson to hail from a fine old Southern Family of means that met with financial ruin generations ago. The Blue Ridge Madam, built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather during Walls of Water’s heyday, and once the town’s grandest home - has stood for years as a lonely monument to misfortune and scandal. And Willa herself has long strived to build a life beyond the brooding Jackson family shadow. No easy task in a town shaped by years of tradition and the well-marked boundaries between the haves and the have-nots.

But Willa has lately learned that an old classmate - socialite do-gooder Paxton Osgood, of the very prominent Osgood family – has restored the Blue Ridge Madam to her former glory, with plans to open a top-flight inn. Maybe, at least, the troubled past can be laid to rest while something new and wonderful rises from its ashes. But what rises instead is a skeleton, found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, and certain to drag up dire consequences along with it. For the bones – those of charismatic traveling salesman Tucker Devlin, who worked his dark charms on Walls of Water seventy-five years ago - are not all that lay hidden out of sight and mind. Long-kept secrets surrounding the troubling remains have also comes to light, seemingly heralded by a spate of sudden strange occurrences throughout the town. Now, thrust together in an unlikely friendship, united by a full-blooded mystery, Willa and Paxton must confront the dangerous passions and tragic betrayals that once bound their families – and uncover truths of the long-dead that have transcended time and defied the grave to touch the hearts and souls of the living.

Resonant with insight into the deep and lasting power of friendship, love, and traditions, The Peach Keeper is a portrait of the unshakeable bonds that-in good times and bad, from one generation to the next, endure forever.” [From book sleeve insert.]

Review: Every once in a while, you’ll pick up a book by an author that you love so much that every word they write is like some sort of magical salve to ease your literary wounds. You read a story that comes together so nicely, you don’t see anything negative about it. You enjoy characters so much that you never want the book to end and you want an invitation to the wedding and you’d attend the wedding with the biggest smile on your face and the true glow of love in your heart. That’s what happens for me with this author and her books. The Peach Keeper is her latest installment and it is just as lovely as all of her books. This story introduces us to Willa and Paxton who becomes the type of friends you want in your life. Willa becomes involves with Paxton’s brother and a romance blooms. Paxton has her own romance with a man that nobody can ever seem to figure out if he is gay or not. And the matronly women are as adorable and charming as their granddaughters.

The story moves along so nicely. There are moments of mystery where you will actually gasp. First kisses that will make YOUR heart beat faster. Times too, where you will laugh true belly laughs. I want a movie from this book. I can see a Practical Magic type movie done tastefully and with real stars that can do it justice. I want to *see* what my imagination thinks. Anyway, The Peach Keeper is a true gem of a book and one that absolutely everyone should read because of how lovely it is.

What I liked: I’m prejudiced. Sarah Addison Allen has been and continues to be my favorite author of all time. Her books just make my heart smile and I close each one feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. This book is no different. There was a scene where characters from The Sugar Queen played a part which was interesting and it was cleverly written into the story. You rock Ms. Allen. You just rock.

What I disliked: That it ended. Truly. I wanted more from these characters. I just loved them so much.

My rating: 5 Feathers




Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

3 comments:

Jo K said...

I liked Allen's Garden Spells, ao I guess I'll have to read this. Great review!

Alexis @ Reflections of a Bookaholic said...

I enjoyed this one as well. It is my first and only read by this author. I have to read more. Great review.

Denise Z said...

Thank you for sharing your lovely review.

Post a Comment