Skip to main content
close
Font size options
Increase or decrease the font size for this website by clicking on the 'A's.
Contrast options
Choose a color combination to give the most comfortable contrast.
Image for event: Thursday Afternoon Book Discussion

Registration now closed

Thursday Afternoon Book Discussion

"Garden Spells" by Sarah Addison Allen

2024-03-07 13:30:00 2024-03-07 14:30:00 America/New_York Thursday Afternoon Book Discussion Do you have afternoons available? Join us at the library for some coffee, confections, and conversation about the newest titles on our shelves! James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library - Beth Patridge Meeting Room

Thursday, March 07
1:30pm - 2:30pm

Add to Calendar 2024-03-07 13:30:00 2024-03-07 14:30:00 America/New_York Thursday Afternoon Book Discussion Do you have afternoons available? Join us at the library for some coffee, confections, and conversation about the newest titles on our shelves! James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library - Beth Patridge Meeting Room

James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library

Beth Patridge Meeting Room

Do you have afternoons available? Join us at the library for some coffee, confections, and conversation about the newest titles on our shelves!

This month we will be reading a book club classic, "Garden Spells" by Sarah Addison Allen....

"In a garden surrounded by a tall fence, tucked away behind a small, quiet house in an even smaller town, is an apple tree that is rumored to bear a very special sort of fruit. In this luminous debut novel, Sarah Addison Allen tells the story of that enchanted tree, and the extraordinary people who tend it.…

The Waverleys have always been a curious family, endowed with peculiar gifts that make them outsiders even in their hometown of Bascom, North Carolina. Even their garden has a reputation, famous for its feisty apple tree that bears prophetic fruit, and its edible flowers, imbued with special powers. Generations of Waverleys tended this garden. Their history was in the soil. But so were their futures.

A successful caterer, Claire Waverley prepares dishes made with her mystical plants—from the nasturtiums that aid in keeping secrets and the pansies that make children thoughtful, to the snapdragons intended to discourage the attentions of her amorous neighbor. Meanwhile, her elderly cousin, Evanelle, is known for distributing unexpected gifts whose uses become uncannily clear. They are the last of the Waverleys—except for Claire’s rebellious sister, Sydney, who fled Bascom the moment she could, abandoning Claire, as their own mother had years before.

When Sydney suddenly returns home with a young daughter of her own, Claire’s quiet life is turned upside down—along with the protective boundary she has so carefully constructed around her heart. Together again in the house they grew up in, Sydney takes stock of all she left behind, as Claire struggles to heal the wounds of the past. And soon the sisters realize they must deal with their common legacy—if they are ever to feel at home in Bascom—or with each other.

Enchanting and heartfelt, this captivating novel is sure to cast a spell with a style all its own…."

Be sure to put this title on hold in advance either in book, e-book, or audiobook form by clicking on the book title above or by downloading the Libby App! 

👈 Register for book club reminders! 

James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library

kpayne@alexlibraryva.org
Phone: 703.746.1705
Fax: 703.746.1785
Branch manager
Kayla Selsky

Hours
Skip Opening Hours widget
We're closed Thursday November 27 due to Thanksgiving Day
We're closed Friday November 28 due to Day After Thanksgiving Day
Mon, Nov 24 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Tue, Nov 25 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Wed, Nov 26 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Thu, Nov 27 Closed
(Thanksgiving Day)
Fri, Nov 28 Closed
(Day After Thanksgiving Day)
Sat, Nov 29 10:00AM to 5:00PM
Sun, Nov 30 1:00PM to 5:00PM

About the branch

Parking: There is a small lot with 9 spaces.  On street parking is available.

Public Transit:

  • Metrorail: Yellow and Blue lines at Braddock Road (1.3 miles) and King Street Stations (1.5 miles)
  • Metrobus: A11, A12
  • DASH Bus: 33

For reasonable disability accommodation, contact jgregorio@alexlibraryva.org or call 703.746.1701 or TTY 703.746.1790.

Upcoming Events

Skip Upcoming Events widget
Wed, Dec 03, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Beth Patridge Meeting Room
¡Únase a nosotros para una introducción básica gratuita a las computadoras y cómo hacer un currículum! (Join us for a free basic introduction to computers and how to make a resume!)

Mon, Dec 08, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Beth Patridge Meeting Room
The Friends of Duncan Library's Board Members discuss the Duncan Branch activities, fund raising actives supporting the Duncan Branch programs, collection needs and Alexandria Library community goals.

Wed, Dec 10, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Beth Patridge Meeting Room
¡Únase a nosotros para una introducción básica gratuita a las computadoras y cómo hacer un currículum! (Join us for a free basic introduction to computers and how to make a resume!)

Thu, Dec 11, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Join us at "The Company of Books", where we discuss what we're currently reading. Bring something to write with, you are always going to leave with a list of things to add to your TBR pile!

Thu, Dec 11, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Beth Patridge Meeting Room
Using fresh pine branches, berries, and bows, create a dazzling seasonal wreath to decorate your space! ❄️ ADULTS ONLY ❄️
This event is full

Cancelled
Sat, Dec 13, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
It's almost 2026 which means new intentions, energy, and focus. In this collaborative workshop we’ll explore and discover intuitive archetypes and how they show up in daily life

Wed, Dec 17, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Beth Patridge Meeting Room
¡Únase a nosotros para una introducción básica gratuita a las computadoras y cómo hacer un currículum! (Join us for a free basic introduction to computers and how to make a resume!)

Thu, Dec 18, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Beth Patridge Meeting Room
Using fresh pine branches, berries, and bows, create a dazzling seasonal wreath to decorate your space! ❄️ ADULTS ONLY ❄️
This event is full