The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins

The Book Charmer (Dove Pond, #1)

by Karen Hawkins

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.

Reviewed by moraa on

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I really did want to like this but it seemed like the author used too many cliches for it to be interesting enough. One of the main ones was how the youngest daughter did not like to fuss over her appearance too much unlike the other daughters.

This is especially problematic today as it perpetuates the stereotype that people who read books do not care enough about their appearance to wear makeup or something of the sort.

And yes, I am aware this book was set in the late 1800s (at least, this was the setting closest to the line about makeup and whatnot) but these were the narrator's thoughts and not those of the people around them.

I feel like this book had the potential to be something good and somehow it just wasn't.

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  • 7 November, 2019: Reviewed