I tried reading the second book in the Sparrow Sister series a few years ago. I only made it a few pages into Book #2 — The Forbidden Garden — before putting it aside. It was mainly because I just couldn’t get into the story or keep the characters straight.
Now, I know why. I was supposed to read The Sparrow Sisters first.
Whoops.
What’s The Sparrow Sisters about?
The Sparrow Sisters by Ellen Herrick unfolds slowly. It eases you into a lazy, New England summer as you meet the three sisters Sparrow: Sorrell, Nettie, and Patience. The first half of the book is teeny bit slow, as it contains lots of description and background info about the sisters, their family history, and their generational home in coastal Granite Point.
We also learn that the sisters have some incredible abilities, particularly Patience, who works wonders with her herb garden, natural remedies, and healing touch. (Whisper it with me: Witch….)
The story picks up when Patience meets and starts to fall in love with Henry, the new (physically and emotionally) wounded doctor in town.
Why I enjoyed The Sparrow Sisters
You know how I usually say it doesn’t matter if you haven’t read the other books in a series before? Well, I think it matters this time. Herrick builds a world that is so detailed and nuanced that you really need to learn the sisters’ backstory in order to understand just who they are. This will help you understand their special sisterly bond and the magic that seems to follow in their wake.
The Sparrow Sisters fills your senses with the sights, smells, and feelings that surround this trio of women. Herrick delivers beautiful, literary fiction-esque magical realism.
And, if you’re looking for a little drama, hang in there. The idyllic little town erupts into a hotbed of mystery, manslaughter, and a good ol’ Puritanical witch hunt about halfway through the novel.
Should you read The Sparrow Sisters?
You definitely want to add The Sparrow Sisters to your TBR list if you’re a fan of Sarah Addison Allen, Heather Webber, and Lisa Van Allen. Herrick transports you into another world where the possibility of magic — whether real or just in our hearts — reigns supreme.
And, I suspect, you’ll want to throw the second book in the series on there, as well. I think I’m going to enjoy The Forbidden Garden now that I’ve gotten to know and love these intriguing sisters.
What’s the book-inspired recipe for The Sparrow Sisters?
Don’t forget to check back in for my book-inspired recipe: New England Blackberry Cobbler.
Ooh, I love anything to do with magical realism; have you read any of Angela Carter? This book sounds fab; witches, romance and murder are a perfect mix! 😍
I haven’t read Angela Carter, but I’m looking her up right now! Thanks for the suggestion. 🙂