Paige wonders where she will find a guy who not only embodies everything that she wants in a boyfriend, but will also understand her witchy lifestyle. When she meets Micah, heir to a huge fortune, Paige feels that all her dreams have come true and that she's in a fairy tale. But Micah is no Prince Charming. He is the demon Vandalus and is determined to trap Paige in his enchanted garden of evil.
While rescuing a girl from a nasty demon, Paige meets the victim’s boyfriend. There’s something about him and she quickly starts to date him. But Phoebe and Piper are suspicious of the guy. Why was he with his girlfriend when the demon attacked her? And why didn’t he even try to do anything to stop it?
Quite a straight forward and simple plot. It’s an easy and fast-paced read. It’s not at all a bad story but there’s one incredibly annoying thing that really hurts the story as a whole in my opinion. We’re not even halfway through the book and the Charmed Ones find the demon they’re looking for in the Book of Shadows. Phoebe literally tells Paige her boyfriend is a demon. And Paige is like: “no, he isn’t. You just don’t want me to be happy.” Then she goes to her boyfriend’s house and guess what? He turns out to be a demon. And she’s legitimately shocked! She’s like: “who could have seen this coming?” The answer is of course: literally everyone.
This book in Dutch could have the possibility of getting four stars if there weren't so many mistakes. not only were there mistakes in words. Sisters were switched and even an <> mistake. It was really annoying and every time again I think well if official translators can do this, than so can I. Maybe even better!! (Only in this case).
my theory of which sister is getting into trouble based on the cover is not really working for this book. But all three of them are standing at the same height and next to each other. However based on the fact I read this before and knew it was Paige, I thought maybe you can see it is her because she is behind Piper and Phoebe. This however is very exploited and I wouldn't agree with my own reasoning. So in this case it means the book doesn't give a good answer.
Reading Garden of Evil was like watching an episode of the show. I thought the characters behaved nearly exactly as they do on TV, which was nice. Paige has never been a favorite of mine, but I could definitely see her falling into what she did in the book. I thought it took Piper, Phoebe, and Leo an extremely long time to decide to do what finally worked. I had thought they should try that immediately after they learned what they tried didn't work. All in all, this was a book I'm glad to have read.
I am so dissapointed. The story was nothing special but felt like an episode of the show. But I read the dutch version. And multiple times I had to switch the names the translator put in the books around so they would be the right names. Instead of Piper Paige and Phoebe somethimes out of nowhere apearing in the others place and swap personalities, age, thought patterns and way they looked. Wich was really annoying. And I think verry unfair to the writer
Looooved the story, just couldn't put my book down. I've always loved the Halliwell stories, but this one would have been perfect for a TV adapation to be honest. The sisters use less magic than usual but hey from time to time that's ok :)
The only thing that bothered me, were the spelling mistakes in the Dutch version. I had read on Goodreads that a few people were annoyed by it but I wasn't excepting so many spelling errors.
I'm a serious Charmed fan and really miss the show. This book was like getting to watch an unaired episode of season 4. The writer really had the attitudes and actions of the Charmed ones down. I could picture Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Leo, and Cole really doing and saying all the things that happened in this book as I read it.
Dit keer is het aan Paige om in de problemen te geraken. Ze voelt een gebrek aan vertrouwen van de kant van haar halfzussen. En denkt de liefde van haar leven te vinden. Dit blijkt een demon te zijn, de gevaarlijkste waar tegenover de Halliwell-zusjes tot nu toe al gestaan hebben. Op de cover, zoals gebruikelijk, prominent de drie zusjes tegen een achtergrond die naar de titel verwijst, in dit geval een mooie maar toch een beetje dreigende tuin. 230 bladzijden in een makkelijk leesbaar lettertype laten toe om dit boek in 1 of 2 keer uit te lezen. Dat dit zonder moeite kan is natuurlijk de verdienste van de schrijfster. Een Onschuldige wordt belaagd door een demon, de zusjes sturen die naar de vergetelheid. Paige wordt verliefd, haar zussen zijn zich er al snel van bewust dat dit niet de ware is, integendeel het is een heel gevaarlijke demon. Die is naar de aarde verbannen in een menselijke gedaante maar heeft ondertussen al heel wat krachten verzameld. Zijn aartsvijand is de demon die de zusjes net vernietigd hebben. Paige sluit zich af van haar zussen en die besteden de rest van het boek aan het opsporen van Paige. Die wordt ondertussen gevangengezet en komt volledig onder de macht van de demon. Een kus uit liefde zal diens volledige macht herstellen en Armageddon afroepen. Piper en Phoebe kunnen niet meer tot Paige doordringen en roepen de hulp in van hun echtgenoten. Cole, ook een demon, kan wel in de Tuin van het kwaad doordringen, met de zusjes, en daar zal de uliteme strijd plaatsvinden. Phoebe heeft wel een spreuk maar daar is de Macht van Drie voor nodig, met een verliefde en koppige Paige gaat dat niet. Dit boek is opgebouwd volgens de vertrouwde structuur van de andere delen in deze tweede reeks over de Halliwell-zusjes. De domon is anders, de val, De Tuin van het Kwaad, is ook anders, maar verder is het gewoon meer van hetzelfde. Het is natuurlijk een steengoede ondergrond en dus leest het boek nog altijd als een trein, toch stelt zich de vraag hoelang dit nog top blijft als er geen drastische vernieuwing komt. Een deel van de focus ligt op de verhouding tussen de zussen, waarbij Paige toch nog niet volledig aanvaard, lees vertrouwd, wordt. Dit is een spannende reeks met een postieve ondergrond, dus de zusjes komen eruit met een versterkte familieband - symbool wordt het gebruik van de familieauto. De locatie is als vanouds, de basis blijft het huis van de Halliwells, nu met uitbreiding naar een eenzame streek niet zo ver weg, waar er plaats is voor een groot landhuis met een nog veel grotere tuin. Er is een verwijzing naar de vertrouweling en rechterhand van Piper als zou die onder invloed van de demon staan, samen met heel veel andere verwaarloosde en weeskinderen. Maar daar wordt in dit boek nog niets mee gedaan. Mogelijk voor een van de volgende boeken uit de reeks. Heel erg spannend weer, toch met een vleugje humor, niet zo superveel aktie. De aktie beperkt zich vooral tot het op- en afrennen van de trappen in huize Halliwell.
This is my thirteenth book of year and the 13 in Charmed series. I tried to love this book but I just didn't. Paige seemed so unlike her character on the show in this book that it was not funny. She falls under a spell and won't listen to her sisters. I know this has happened to Piper and Phoebe before but it seemed so horrible and annoying on Paige's front.
There are two demons that are enemies and over the years they have never been on the same playing together because when one takes the other out the other one comes to power until the other one does the same again to the former. However the elders banished one to Earth in human form.
The sisters take on this demon at the beginning of the book however Phoebe had still felt evil in the vision inside the room. They later find out that Micah the guy that they also rescued is not all that he seems. He's had three former girlfriends die in his house but cannot be linked to the crimes
The problem is he lures Paige into wanting to go out with him. After a couple of dates she ends up trapped in his garden. It's up to her sisters to get her out of there. If you get one kiss from a true love then no more human form is his army of all the people that he's helped will follow him into whatever destruction to does. Thankfully they find a way to get into the garden and take over the demon with help from Cole.
I just couldn't get into it no matter how much I tried. I was happy we got some Cole and Leo time, but the rest of the book wasn't hitting on much for me. It's sad too cause I've enjoyed most books. Paige's back and forth annoyed me some too and she is my favorite character. The author of this book didn't capture her well in my opinion.
One of the first Charmed tie-in novels that I ever read and yes it is still good!
We are in Season 4 not long after Paige has joined with her half-sisters, Piper and Phoebe, as the new Charmed Ones. She lives at Halliwell Manor and we get some beats that follow the show.
Piper is married to Leo and Phoebe has her half human-half demon boyfriend Cole so Paige is feeling like a fifth wheel even as the couples try not to be so lovey-dovey around her.
I have been there as a third wheel so can completely understand, Paige.
It also isn't just that, however.
Piper forgets to pack some chocolate covered pretzels for Paige on the picnic they are all out on together and no one ever saves her the part of the morning paper she likes to read. Piper won't let Paige drive her car and both Phoebe and Piper give Paige some well-natured sisterly teasing about her fixation with lollipops and sweets in general.
Paige doesn't like being treated like a baby even though she technically is but she is also a powerful witch and for the longest time, an only child with a rebellious streak that use to get teenage Paige in trouble.
Phoebe takes Paige for an ice cream from the hunky vendor in the park and a Frisbee zooms at them. A college age girl runs up to get the Frisbee back and Phoebe picks it up to get a vision of the girl getting attacked by an ugly and vicious demon. Paige takes note and tries to feign that the girl looks familiar to learn her name and she tells the girls her name is Regina and she is in college.
The Charmed Ones keep an eye out for Regina and Phoebe says it is her dorm where she will be attacked. That night, they see Regina coming back from a date with her boyfriend and Paige can't help but notice how handsome he is.
They all feel awkward until the demon shows up to put a stop to Regina and the guy kissing but rush into action to freeze the demon, get Regina and her boyfriend to safety and then vanquish the ugly creature. Regina and her boyfriend, Micah, are grateful for being rescued and there seems to be a spark between Paige and Micah.
Having saved two innocents, the sisters leave but Phoebe can't help but feel uneasy because she didn't see Micah in the vision...and still has a feeling of lingering evil.
The next day, Micah shows up at the front door of the manor to see Paige but gets a curious audience with Phoebe and Piper at first. Micah tells Piper that he knows her because he has been to P3 because a friend of his named Tyrell works as Piper's manager and introduces himself as Micah Grant.
It wins Piper over a little but Phoebe still has her doubts yet it is clear that Paige is over the moon about Micah. They do give them some privacy and then learn that Micah has asked Paige out on a date because he felt a spark between himself and Paige more than he has in a handful of dates with Regina.
Wary as older sisters, Phoebe and Piper don't score many points with Paige and she goes off on the date with Micah. They have a romantic dinner and Paige learns that Micah does charity work at orphanages and halfway houses with all of his money, even taking her to one to check on a few of the kids.
Paige is completely smitten but the way she is smitten seems a little...off to Piper when Paige comes to P3 the next day. Her concern seems more like snooping to Paige and she leaves to go get ready for another date with Micah and barely saying two words to Phoebe.
Phoebe still can't shake her bad feelings concerning Micah and does a little more digging into the Book of Shadows about the demon they vanquished...
Paige heads back to Micah's home after going to a movie premiere and he insists that he show her the garden as it is his favorite part of his home but a call from home whisks Paige away from her fairy tale night back to the manor. It is there that Piper and Phoebe tell Paige that they believe Micah is a demon.
The other demon they vanquished, Aplacam, was after Regina as a way to get at Micah, who they believe to be the dangerous demon named Vandalus, its sworn enemy. Paige doesn't believe them and storms out of the house with a few barbs thrown at Piper and Leo and Phoebe and Cole's relationships as not being normal.
Paige heads straight to Micah's arms and he is able to finally show her his garden and it soon becomes a beautiful prison that Paige can't escape. She can't orb out and Micah has no plans to let her go anytime soon as back at the manor, Phoebe and Piper learn from Leo with his checking what the Elders know about Vandalus.
He was banished to Earth as a human so long ago that his powers are slowly coming back but will be at full strength if he can get a kiss of true love. No human woman has been able to turn him back because Aplacam killed them all but knowing that Paige is a witch...her kiss may just be powerful enough to return him to his true demonic form.
Not being just any witch but a Charmed One, Piper and Phoebe have to find a way to get Paige away from Micah before he can sway their sister into giving him a kiss that will put the world in danger...
I don't know what else to really say about Garden of Evil because it would just spoil so much but we also get to the core of dealing with all that has been going on in having a new sister enter the lives of Piper and Phoebe as the older ones.
To shows growth in their characters but also points out how naive and rebellious Paige can be yet keep her from being a complete brat. Most of it is brought out by Micah being good at manipulating people to get what he wants but again, hitting that button of is it duty and destiny or do they actually real care about Paige through the way Piper and Phoebe treat her?
We all say and do things we don't mean and it is a good contrast because does Micah really love Paige or is he just using her to turn back into a hideous and powerful demon?
Not amazing but at least there is substance behind the story to keep Garden of Evil from being just a Charmed cash-grab.
If you enjoyed the Charmed TV show, I'm sure that you'll enjoy this YA novel from 2002. Emma Harrison has done an excellent job in capturing the feel of the Charmed Ones, in this case Paige, Phoebe, and Piper. Their speech patterns and actions are what I would expect from the TV show. This novel centers on the "baby" of the family, Paige. She's been feeling unloved by her sisters, and getting to feel as if she'll never find a partner in life. And then HE shows up. Micah, the perfect man. But this is the Halliwell sisters, and nothing goes easily. This is a very enjoyable Charmed story.
Not in the mood to write a full review yet, even though I have a lot of thoughts BUT I wanted to clarify that 2 stars does not mean that I did not enjoy this book.
It's more of an "objective" ranking, as all of these novels are not special in the literary sense, there are many flaws, But they are special if you are a fan of the show, as they will definitely give you the same feeling of an episode. They are a quick read, with new adventures for your favorite characters, in conflicts you may have never seen them in. I could not ask for more, as the show has ended 19 years now.
--- Charmed novels I've read so far: Whispers from the Past (2000) Changeling Places (2005) Garden of Evil (2002)
This isn't over, a little voice in Phoebe's mind warned. The Aplacum was just the beginning. P. 61
"Because, you know that thing you said about finding his weaknesses?" "I know," Phoebe replied, her stomach twisting. "We haven't exactly found any." P.131
Fantastic book that put me right back into the TV Show. Well, it made me feel like I was watching an episode at least. The characterizations were spot on, it was very well written, and it sincerely felt like it was an important story, or episode.
The story never felt like it was there to cash in to the popularity of the show, as it was every bit as good. I can seriously say that this fits in perfectly into cannon for me. It's like an episode of Season 4.
The plot of this volume was kinda obvious but that didn't stop me from enjoying it. Paige really is a lot more fun in the books then she is in the tv series and Phoebe, Piper, Leo and Cole are all also very nice characters. You could feel the despair the sisters had in the last couple of pages but we all know that it ends well (enough). Time to pick up the next volume.
Although this book was nice, i didn't like the way that Paige treated her sisters. She didn't believe them and chose a guy that she barely knew over her own sisters. She did learn a lesson and her sisters were right.