This was a beautiful book, and I really enjoyed it! I thought that the characters and the plot were created with a perfect blend that made a world I didn't want to step away from!

From the beautiful cover to the magical storyline, I loved this debut! It was just what I needed to pull me out of a reading slump and escape for a bit.

The richly atmospheric and luminous debut about three generations of women whose magic is as much a part of life as love, death, and the rich, dark earth beneath their feet—perfect for fans of Practical Magic and Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe.

As events from that fateful summer start to come to light, there must be a reckoning between the rival Haywood and Bonner families. But untangling the deep roots of this town’s terrible secrets will expose more than they could ever imagine about love, treachery, and the true nature of their power.

Not only did I love the magical story and elements woven throughout, but I also really enjoyed that the book was narrated by a cast of characters, including Jeremy Carlisle Parker, Xe Sands, Patrick Zeller, Christian Drerup, and Nancy Linari.

*many thanks to Forever and Hachette Audio/Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

First off, what a truly whimsical cover! ✨

This was such a stunning debut and oh what a treat it was! 😉

What an intriguing premise Parker created! A garden that takes away pain, heartbreak, guilt and any variety of negative emotions, all with the sip of a bourbon, healing trauma and leaving a gorgeous garden in its wake.

Told from multiple POVS, this one encompasses a compelling cast of characters that can be hard to track at first but each eventually shine incredibly bright!

This IS the definition of a perfect spooky season read! Feuding witchy families, enchanting romance and even some mystery, it definitely packs a magical punch!

I’ve got my eye on Parker now and excited to see what she does next!

I couldn't get into this one. I got about 20% of the way through but I couldnt focus on what the story was about and what the plot lines were.

I had higher hopes for this book. It was marketed to me as a Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic. Which I can definitely see. However I found myself thinking “I just don’t care” I normally don’t read contemporary fantasy, and I should have stuck to my style, this book was not for me. I wanted more magic, more drama, or more conflict to keep me interested. This one missed that mark for me. I got 31% in and will not be continuing.

There are two rival families in Yarrow, Kentucky.
The Haywood family are three generations of witches. They take the community’s pain and pour it into their shadow garden which grows magical fruit. The Bonners run the local bourbon distillery and run the annual memory harvest where once a year you can get rid of your worst memories. But twenty years ago, the entire town forgot a whole summer where one person disappeared and one person died. Why?

I really enjoyed this audiobook. I loved the mystical and sentient shadow garden and the service it provided the community. The Haywood family are a brilliant set of characters and the narrators for each woman did a fantastic job of being them to life for the listener. It’s a cozy small town read but at the same time it’s a gripping, contemplative plot as well. I wanted to sit in Lavender and Lemonbalm and have my tea leaves read and I thought about what memories I would give up to the memory harvest too. I would definitely read more from this author.

The Shadow Garden is the perfect audiobook not only for spooky season but for anyone who is a fan of magical reads and the small town mystery and romance genres.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Gilmore Girls meets Charmed meets Once Upon a Time in this magical mystery story centered on a matriarchal southern family. I won’t spoil it, but this is a great spooky season read for anyone who likes autumn more cozy than scary. Bonus: the audiobook narrators were lovely and added to the depth of the story.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this ALC!

Content Warnings: Alcohol, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Murder

This was a delightful debut! I really enjoyed the multiple points of view. I felt like we got a well rounded story. I loved how the Haywood family used their magic to give back to the community. The ending was amazing!

Thanks to Hachette Audio for this ALC!

WOW!!! Loved this full cast audio - everyone's voice was absolutely perfect and it made me fall even more in love with all the characters. Superb narration by Jeremy Carlisle Parker; Xe Sands; Patrick Zeller; Christian Drerup; Nancy Linari.

In the Shadow Garden is what I would consider a perfect Fall read. It’s full of magic and mystery, really atmospheric and in a small town, follows the generational story of the town’s founding families, and has multiple romance storylines. My favorite characters were Kaden and Irene, whom I fell in love with instantly, but the whole cast is just wonderful. I loved the multiple POVs in this book and the way the flashbacks to the past were done. You’ll be sucked right in for a binge read trying to figure out what happened in the summer 20 years ago and rooting for what’s blossoming in the present.

This book gave me tons of Practical magic vibes!! A small town, a history of magic, dark secrets, second chances and a malevolent presence that is threatening to overturn the well-being of people's lives. Great on audio with a full cast narration, this book is twisty and has something for everybody - from romance, suspense and a few thrills too. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

The Haywood women are witches, not the broomstick kind of witches, the kind who have a rare and special affinity with the earth and its many riches. Their garden provides the best fruits and vegetables and their elixirs can cure almost any ill, be it physical or mental. The Bonner family is also well known in town, their bourbon is said to be the best you can find, helped along by some ingredients from the Haywood gardens of course. There is an uneasy silence between the two families, one that stems back from a long ago summer that left everyone with amnesia and one person missing and another one dead. Magical realism at its best, combined wth a love of the natural world makes this an amazing read

A magical garden that grows witchy herbs and plants is the catalyst for small town generational secrets and intrigue. Set in Kentucky, this multi-point-of-view mystery offers romance and explores grief and guilt. An incredible debut!