The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins

Sarah Dove is not your typical librarian.  A a member of the founding family of Dove Pond, NC, she and her sisters seem to have special abilities.  These abilities seem to be able to help the residents of Dove Pond whether they know it or not.  Sarah knows when Grace moves to the small town with her niece, Daisy, and Miss G, that Grace is meant to help the town.  Problem is Grace doesn't intend to stay long and wants no part of saving the town. 

The story evolves around their growing relationship and those of the other members of the Dove Pond Social Club.  The story is centered around the planning of the town's annual Apple Festival.  It quickly becomes much more than that.  As the committee plans and Grace grows to accept her role in the town of Dove Pond, the characters and their relationships do too.  As the reader, I felt I got to know the characters and was really rooting for them.

 Each chapter of the book is written from a different character's perspective.  The storyline it told from their point of view for a chapter and then moves on to another character.  The story continues in a chronological fashion and doesn't tell the same event from different characters' perspectives unless it is through dialogue with another character reflecting on something that happened previously.  I found this an enjoyable approach to narration that developed the characters into likeable well rounded individuals.

The story is one about growth and learning to let go and trust others.  There are some comical moments and a bit of underlying romantic tensions, but it is not all rainbows and unicorns.  The book deals with some sad and poignant issues but is not a tear-jerker. 

When I started the book it began slowly and I initially put it aside to read another book.  I am glad I pushed through and read the book.  It is real joy and one of the more enjoyable books I have read thus far this year.


The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was an unexpected winner for me. It started out slowly- I put it down and then retried a week or so later. As I got past the beginning the storyline seemed to pickup pace and interest. This is a story about people who are "lost" and find their ways. There are plenty of unexpected challenges and successes presented in the book. Most of all though, you come to know and enjoy the characters of the town of Dove Pond, NC. You cannot help but find your self rooting for them and hoping everything will work out for them. Karen Hawkins, writes in the style where each chapter is from a different character's perspective. The story flows in a chronological order but the different scenes and plot points are shown from one character's perspective, it is just a rotating perspective. I don't mind the style as I think it adds to the development of the characters and our relationships with them.

Note, this is not a book full of only happy scenarios, there are many sad and thought provoking moments in the book and we watch the characters struggle with life's hardships. There is a little bit of unexplained magic that helps them along the way but nothing that isn't a beautiful way of expressing faith in oneself, others and the power of people working together.

This is a great read and I am glad I pushed through my initial reluctance to give the book is well deserved effort.


View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #44
2. Literary Escapes-  NC
3. Around the Year in 52 Books- #35 A book with a geometric pattern or element on the cover
4. NJM #NJMBookChallenge2020  #22 a spec-fic book
5. Wizading World Tour  possible categories
• Koldovstoretz: Read a book involving potions
6. Monthly Keyword-  #MonthlyKeyWordChallenge-   "Book"