Karen Hawkins is not Alice Hoffman.

But what she writes, is certainly practical magic!

It is practical because within the novels (I’m on my third!) is genuine, heartfelt, unique, old-and-new-school insight. There are wise and tender observations about life, loss, love, hope and the economy. I really enjoyed “The Book Charmer” – although, I did feel that she was more charmed by books than they by her – I guess The Book Charmee does not have the same feel, though!

It is magic because there are gift-endowed sisters who have a special power: this might be an ability to grow healing teas; cook intuitively; listen to books; attract birds and influence nature. Thus, they are not magically-endowed like witches, but they all have a particular skill or psycho-spiritual-literary-horticultural talent. And things do NOT always go as planned.

I love the Dove sisters because they are – like all of us – flawed and fumbling at times; fantastic and fatastical at others. And I love Dove Pond because, like small towns (and big) it reminds us that we are all connected. “The Book Charmer” – the first in the series – could well teach many struggling small towns several valuable lessons about change and economy. Imagine if every struggling community (village, suburb, dorpie) had a unique fair to generate income, promote its identity and create jobs! I love the focus on books and how some books are meant to be read by specific people at a specific time.

And in the second one, “A Cup of Silver Linings” we see the after effects of a long-held secret, and the stormy consequences. The more literary (high-brow) among you may feel that this is a bit Mills and Boon-ish, and I can see why but there’s so much more here.

Look:

Observations on grief: “Grief wasn’t eased from the outside in, but from the inside out.” That is profound! Observers – even friends – cannot assuage grief. “Grief was tricky. It came and went like the surf, knocking a person off their feet when they least expected it…”

Olde School wisdom: “Loord love you, child. Tears are a testament to the strength of a person’s memory. I hope y’all weep for months when I decide to float up the golden ladder.”

Anxiety: “I don’t have a reason for feeling anxious, I’ll start looking for one.” How true is that! Anxiety is something we feel… it need not have a specific cause. In fact, being asked WHY can often heighten the sense of anxiety because how odd are you that you don’t have a reason!!

Books: “Books are warriors. If you let them, they’ll fight off boredom, pain, fear, even loneliness.”

Advice to/ from parents: “I was taught not to be overemotional and to leave the past in the past.” “OH Mom. Your past isn’t a memento you can store in a box. You carry it with you everywhere you go. It’s there, Mom. It’s in your irritation with anything you consider disorderly, in your determination to never fail, and your need to control everything and everyone.”

For the critics: “cold hard criticism that could maim if not kill fragile spirits.”

I usually gravitate towards murder mysteries but there is something about Karen Hawkins that holds me spellbound. It could be the advice, the insight, the deft observations… or simply the fact that I can imagine a tv series, rather like “Northern Exposure” or “Everwood.”

Sample. Enjoy. Savour.

(Yes, I have just started “The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove.”