This collection of excerpts from Sarah Addison Allen's novel Garden Spells introduces the Waverley sisters, Claire and Sydney, and their lives in a small North Carolina town. Claire lives in their grandmother's old house, where she runs a catering business using magical herbs and flowers from their enchanted garden that influence the emotions and actions of those who consume them. Her estranged sister, Sydney, returns unexpectedly with her young daughter Bay, seeking refuge from a dangerous past and navigating the complex dynamics of family, love, and the town's peculiar residents. The excerpts showcase the town's unique characters, the impact of the garden's magic, and the sisters' intertwined journeys of healing and finding belonging.