I adore this read . Simple as that . The dynamic between the two families and the town of Yarrow .. the past , the present , everything left me on edge . I had no idea how it was going to play out and it did NOT disappoint! This has opened up a whole new world for me literary wise . The way the pain and emotion is described in the book is beautiful and raw. The realism in all the aspects of the book is so great. What a way to transition to the fall! Read it you won’t regret it!

What a story. I truly loved this story from the beginning. The elements of magic, the familial connections, and the small town dynamics were all excellently done and made the story truly enjoyable. The characters were well developed and likable. I liked how the story was told from the "good" characters perspective and the "bad" characters were there but didn't really take up a lot of the story and allowed for the group to come together while still trying to solve the problems.

I’ve been gradually branching out into different genres. I really enjoyed the magical realism In the Shadow Garden.
Yarrow, Kentucky is renowned for its bourbon and the Haywoods’ healing. I loved all the reading the rest leaves and how the shadow garden took the pain away and turned it into produce.
It would be a blessing sometimes to have certain memories taken away, but then that would take away the very essence of who a person is as well.
One thing besides the family bonds that is appealing about this story is the healing the earth can do. I love playing in the dirt as it is therapeutic and productive.

This was a cool fall read with a natural witchy feel. There's a small town aspect with town fairs, festivals, and dueling families. There's a lot of the novel that feels abstract as the author tries hard to keep us all in the dark with how the magic of the Haywoods works. However, you lose some of the momentum of the story as you try to decipher how everyone is connected and why people forget things. I did like the Haywoods and there was a strong mystery that needed to be solved. But I would have liked to see more of the characters interact instead of having things happen in flashbacks.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this novel.

I stopped reading this book at about twenty percent. I think it’s a “not right now” situation, because it does seem like I might eventually enjoy it. But when I’m twenty percent in and don’t care at all about the characters and am rolling my eyes at the magical realism instead of enjoying it like I normally would, it feels like it’s time to move on. Gorgeous cover, though.

An incredible story that pulls you in and keeps you guessing- I loved it!

This debut blooms chapter after chapter into a vibrant story following a family of witches and their rivals in the small town of Yarrow, Kentucky. The Haywoods suspect something is wrong with their magic and the garden they tend, and begin to question what's happening. But this story reaches new depths as it takes us on paths of what it means to not only heal, but also to find ourselves in the face of others' expectations, what it means to take a chance on new love. It nurtures the idea of what family is and who family is.

The pacing was perfect for me, and it quickly became a page-turner! I loved the multiple points of view- it was easy to keep track of everyone since it was in the third person, plus the shadow garden itself gets a few chapters! You betcha there are strong female characters. And the romance is so sweet! I'd be remiss to forget mentioning how smoothly all the elements come together, too!

Make sure you have some tea available, because you'll want some when reading this book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for the advanced copy.

I don't know what I was expecting from this book, but whatever it was, this book gave me so much more. In the Shadow Garden is part mystery, part witchy power family, part romance, part coming into your own, part dueling families, part strong female characters, and part awesome. If that doesn't convince you to give this book a try, allow the cover to speak for itself.

But seriously, this story dealt with familial relationships really well, especially family pressure and insecurity when you aren't living up to the family name. The main romance was between an older couple, which hardly happens, and it ended up being super rewarding. There are a lot of plot twists, and this book gripped me the whole time. Definitely recommend it for fall cozy witchy spooky vibes!

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever Publishing for the e-ARC and physical ARC!

This was such a cozy and atmospheric novel - the perfect read to kick off fall!

(Yes, fall begins on September 1st)

This book was witchy and I thought the plant witch magic was a really interesting concept. The author did a wonderful job of describing things - from the flowers and plants in the shadow garden to the different types of teas in the tea shop. I really felt transported into this dreamy small town. Initially, I didn’t love the romance between Irene and Kaden, and thought it was distracting from the rest of the plot. It all makes sense though as the story comes together. The mystery was intriguing and I had a fun time trying to figure out what was going to happen next.

If you love small town stories with a hint of magic and mystery I would definitely recommend checking out In The Shadow Garden.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for an advance copy.

Out September 13, 2022 [Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!]

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

The Haywoods are three generations of women with a special power—they can pull suffering from others and use it to fuel the special magic of the shadow garden. But their magic isn’t the only power in town—mysterious memory powers circle the Bonner Bourbon distillery, and may lie at the root of a years-ago murder and a long-forgotten summer.

A generational story about magic that also involves bourbon, small towns, and an unsolved murder? The second I heard about IN THE SHADOW GARDEN I was on board, and I’m SO happy to say that not only did the book not disappoint, it exceeded my expectations. This novel is refreshing, unique, genre-defying, and wholly enthralling, and I loved every second of it. By the end, I was so hooked into the story that it actually took me a minute to “wake up” after I finished reading—the absolute best kind of bookish hangover.

I adored each of the characters, although if I had one small critique it would be that there are a lot of viewpoints and it took me a minute to learn who everyone was. That said, there’s a super helpful family tree included (which I definitely referenced a lot), and once I got the hang of things the cast felt like it was the perfect size. I truly wish I could go visit (and yes, I did Google to check whether Yarrow, Kentucky, was a real place!)

If you are looking for a witchy book, a feminist book, or really just a refreshing and unique book with a brilliant core concept (that the pain we feel can eventually transform to something beautiful), look no further.

Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: generational witchy stories; magic Bourbon; ensemble casts

CW: Murder/death; gaslighting/manipulation; physical/domestic abuse; infidelity; alcohol; grief.

Thank you Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the chance to read an advance copy of In the Shadow Garden by Liz Parker. The cover was what drew me to this book but with the tag... perfect for fans of Practical Magic and Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe how could I not request it? And I am so glad I did. A town that comes together every year to forget about their one worse memory; a family of women, witches who tend a magic garden and bring comfort and peace to those in grief and sorrow and their decades feud with a family who brew the bourbon that allows the town to forget... But why did the entire town forgot an entire summer twenty years ago? The story seemed to flow so quickly and was not only magical it was often very emotional. I loved the characters of Addison and her mother, Irene and their link to the garden. I totally recommend reading In the Shadow Garden; it is one of my favourite books this year!!!

This book had a wonderful atmosphere. Between shadow garden itself, the tea leaves, the flower auras, it all came together to make for an absolutely captivating and enchanting read. This doesn’t suffer from purple prose or overwrought descriptions either, the writing just hits the perfect balance for maintaining that feeling all the way through.

I really enjoyed how the shadow garden worked overall - taking sorrow and healing it, to make emotionally strengthened harvest. It’s such a lovely metaphor the author chose for healing and growth and hope.

The mystery had so many pieces, and learning more bit by bit was done in such a smooth way. With the memory loss the town participates in yearly, it made it even higher tension when the reader and the characters are trying to figure things out. I got suspicions throughout the book here and there, which only served to ratchet up the tension even more for me as I read more.

I think my main criticism really is that I had trouble keeping track of characters. I am bad at it to start with, and trying to remember the three main families, generations, who’s related to who, even appearances at times was too much for me. I fuzzed out a couple of side characters by the end. I think it would have helped me if the family trees in the beginning of the book (they’re not that large but it doesn't take much to confuse me) had relative ages/birth year or the relationships between them.

Overall, this was a very lovely read, and great for an autumn witchy-nature vibe. The story really pulled me in, the mysteries just kept opening up even as some were solved, with perfect pacing. I definitely recommend this one!

This is a debut?! Whhhhat?! Wow wow wow. In the Shadow Garden was such a happy surprise for me. It was magical, dreamy, atmospheric and absolutely perfect for spooky season. I enjoyed the family dynamics in this book, the mystery and surprises in the story and the unique magical elements that really brought this book to life. And have you seen this cover?! It’s so beautiful. Highly recommend this book for your fall TBR!

4.5

Thank you to Forever Publishing for sending me an ARC of this book to read and review! This was the perfect book to start off Fall with. It was a bit witchy, definitely mysterious and dealt with the harvest and plants. I loved the multiple perspectives from both families and I thought it really brought the story together nicely. The romance subplot entwined with the mystery of forgetting certain memories was really well done. I thought the flashbacks were vulnerable but they provided a great insight as to why things were happening in the present. The small town vibe was immaculate and I adored the family dynamics. I loved the familial story telling and overall this was just a really beautiful book!

oh geez, i wanted to like this book. I've heard great thing about it, but it did not do it for me. it fell so flat and i'm kinda sad about it but also, like, every book doesn't work for every person, so. thanks netgalley for the e-arc!

Within the town of Yarrow, Kentucky, magic is embedded in life. The women of the Haywood family can relieve a person’s pain, and when freely given by customers it is then fed to the shadow garden. The shadow garden grows fruits, herbs, and vegetables that are as complex and beautiful as every emotion poured into their soil. It is also responsible for the corn that makes Bonner bourbon special. But as the annual bourbon festival nears, trouble with the magic and garden are becoming increasingly obvious, and the mysteries of a previous summer begin to clarify as previous residents come home to Yarrow.

Tea leaves, magical auras that show blooming plants, and mysterious magic that is deeply connected to the earth - this is the perfect book to kick off fall! Most of the main characters have their own chapters, providing charming perspective and insight, but it was never too much that I lost track of any person or the plot. I particularly enjoyed the generational storylines and character groupings. When the “kids” all got together to discuss details without the older generations, or the parents were all together without the need to show a front for the kids, I found myself loving their relationships and stories so much more. Romance is a bit of a side plot in this one, and the family dynamics and overall mystery were top notch!

Thank you to Forever and the author for my gifted copy! Thank you also to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

4.2 Stars
One Liner: Entertaining

Yarrow in Kentucky is a magical place. The three generations of the Haywood family heal people’s pain and feed it to their shadow garden. The shadow garden gives them rich fruits, herbs, vegetables, and flowers in return.
The Bonner family owns the local bourbon distillery and brews a different kind of magic. On one day every year, a shot of Bonner bourbon can make a person’s worst memories go away. The lives of the Haywood and Bonner family are more entwined than the Haywood ladies would care to admit.
Something happened twenty years ago. No one remembers what made everyone willingly give up the memories. A person died, and no one remembers how. As the secrets from the past come to light, The Haywood ladies have to make decisions that can affect their future.
The story comes in the limited third-person POV of many characters.

My Observations:
Since I didn’t reread the blurb before starting the book, I was surprised to find it heavier than expected. Yet, I enjoyed the sense of intrigue and drama it created.
The first 35% is slow. The last 25% is super fast. The second half worked better for me as I wanted to read to the end and could do it by staying up a few minutes extra.
The book started with three family trees. Yep. I recreated those on paper (as I always do), but the relationships between some characters are still confusing (‘is’ because it’s still messy in my head).
There wasn’t enough breathing space in introducing characters and changing POVs from one character to another. Lucky that all of them didn’t have a chapter with their name.
The concept of the shadow garden was wonderful. I loved how it is an integral part of the story from start to finish. A book with magic should have magic as one of its characters, and this book does that.
But… the story was too elaborate for a 330 page-book. That meant one thing happened after another, and with different POVs in each chapter, you had to pay full attention to keep up. IMO, the premise deserved more. I’d have loved it if the whole story was divided into two books (220-250 pages) with proper character development and optimum utilization of the setting.
While I decided to go with the flow, I didn’t know if I should root for Irene or Addison. The chapters whizzed by before I could make up my mind. In fact, there’s still a chance for a prequel. Give us more details about the past, about why Maura didn’t like Bonners and Addison’s childhood.
Despite the lack of character development, the book was entertaining and enjoyable. The mystery wasn’t much of a mystery after 50%, but I sure wanted to know how they would connect the dots.
What I loved the best was how the Haywood ladies weren’t all goody-good. They had their faults and weren’t perfect parents/ grandparents. There are subtle lessons in the book about family relationships, supporting the younger generation, and trusting them to make their own decisions.
Another important lesson is how a person can end up pushing away their loved ones by prioritizing their hate for a third party over loving/ supporting their own. I so wish this was given enough space for the gravity of the act to sink in.
The LGBT side characters are delightful and cute, as adorable as the lovely cover and the drawing of flowers at the beginning of the chapters.
There’s a glossary for reading the shapes in tea leaves. Tea leaves are a big part of the book. I’m yet to get into it (just started learning tarot), but seems like destiny has it lined up for me. I’ve read quite a few books with magic, witchcraft, and tea leaves reading as major themes since I started learning. Though the glossary is limited, I loved that I could save a copy of it (along with the meanings for different flowers).

To summarize, In the Shadow Garden is an engaging book about magic, tea leaves, flowers, mystery, love, families, and choices. Pick it up when you want something light (as long as you keep track of the characters).
Thank you, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I will admit that it took me a moment to get into this story, mainly due to the number of characters (even with the handy family tree at the start). However, once I got a handle on the family- the story rolled along nicely. There’s a mystery that permeates the story and centers around two families and an event so awful that the entire town gave up their memories of that summer. More than that, it’s a story about healing the pain and trauma of memories. A story about family. A story about magic.

**I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early.**

When I read the synopsis for Liz Parker’s In the Shadow Garden, it seemed to have everything I like about fantasy set in contemporary times: multiple POVs, magic, a small town, family secrets, grudges, betrayal, and a forgotten summer. There were parts I really enjoyed about In the Shadow Garden, and some that I was a little more lukewarm about.

My main frustration with the story doesn’t detract from how well it was written, because it had a certain flow to it that kept me reading. I was, personally, a little frustrated by Addison. She was fine, but I feel like I spent a lot of time waiting for her to learn from her mistakes. When she did, it was great, and I wish there had been more of those moments. The rest of the characters, however, were good, but it was Kaden and Irene who were my favorites. I really loved what Parker did with them. That was something I have to highlight too: the emotional stakes were just as consequential as the magical ones.

I did like the overall themes and messaging, about family and healing over time as well its foil within the story: how forgetting wasn’t the easy solution (or relief) it was originally portrayed to be. The sinister nature of what was happening was like a weed the town, Yarrow, never realized it needed to get rid of. There was a sense of foreboding connected to it, which steadily built over the course of the story. It made sense too, considering how secrets could stay buried forever when there was no one to remember why they were ever important. It all tied back in with the magic, the garden, the bourbon, and the people who made them a focal point within their lives. I’d describe it as a calling. And it was one of my favorite things about In the Shadow Garden.

All-in-all, In the Shadow Garden was good. Besides a few hiccups, I really appreciated certain character arcs, as well as the give-and-take necessary for the magic of the titular shadow garden to flourish. It was pretty cool. I would definitely read another book by Liz Parker.

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Forever) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

In the Shadow Garden is what you would get if you took a witchy Alice Hoffman novel to a small town in the South, mashed it up with a Romeo-and-Juliet-style family feud, and topped the whole thing off with a bottle of bourbon.

"But beneath the earth, the garden was hard at work…"

I loved the seamless blend of the Haywood family’s light & healing magic, with the dark magic happening at the Bonner family’s bourbon distillery. The Haywoods use the products of their garden to help people heal, cope, and grow—especially after trauma. Conversely, the Bonners offer an escape from reality by brewing specialty bourbons that will make you forget your unpleasant memories.

"It was a slow, messy, lifelong process of starving the roots of the pain, and even then, the grief didn’t always die. That’s what her family was there for, to pull those feelings free and ease that heartache."

The story is breathtakingly atmospheric, with lush descriptions of flowering plants, glowing fireflies, humming cicadas, and lively community festivals & parades. I felt completely transported to small-town Kentucky as I read. The book offers something for everyone, seamlessly blending elements of mystery, fantasy, and romance.

"People gave up their darkest moments to our bourbon and found peace. It was its own sort of healing."

I’ll admit that the magic system is very confusing, and not fully explained, which left me feeling like I was missing something. Adding to the confusion for me was the way that the mystery unfolds slowly, through flashbacks. Eventually, enough came together for me to appreciate the ending, even though I never really did get an explanation of how/why the magic works.

"I think some pain we’re meant to keep. To remind us who we never want to be."

Highly recommend this one for fans of The Once and Future Witches , These Violent Delights , or The Bourbon Thief .

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A huge thank you to Liz Parker, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wow! Just when I think I can't read a new take in magical realism, another author comes and blows me aways. I loved the whole concept of this story, it's magic and its people. Definitely hits the top of the best reads of 2022. If you're a fan of mr I totally suggest. ♡