I’ve waited years for a new book by Sarah Addison Allen and Other Birds was worth the long wait. We are treated to a cast of diverse characters who are all going through some sort of pivotal change in their life. Sprinkled in to the storyline is Allen’s signature dusting of magic that seems as if it could be real. I savored ever page and will revisit it again soon. Welcome back Sarah. We missed you.

Since her mother died and her father remarried, Zoey hasn’t really felt like she fit at home. She leaves Tulsa for Mallow Island, South Carolina, where she’s inherited a studio apartment that her mother had owned. A mysterious invisible bird named Pigeon travels with her. The apartment building is small – just five units – and the courtyard is populated with tiny turquoise birds called dellawisps, after which the building is named.

Shortly after Zoey’s arrival, a crotchety resident named Lizbeth Lime dies. She was a bit of a hoarder, and Frasier, the apartment manager, asks Zoey to take on the task of cleaning out Lizbeth’s apartment. As she cleans, Zoey gets to know the other residents: Lizbeth’s reclusive sister Lucy; Charlotte, a young woman reluctant to trust anyone, who may not be who she says she is; big-hearted chef Mac; and of course, Frasier, although he doesn’t live onsite. Oh, and then there are the ghosts, too. Everyone has secrets, and no one is entirely what they appear to be. But Zoey, with her perpetually cheerful nature, manages to befriend the other residents and begin to learn their stories.

Allen’s writing style is just beautiful. She draws word pictures that you can almost touch, and it makes it easy for me to envision the setting, the characters, the action as I read. Her characters are flawed, but the more endearing for their flaws. I was absolutely invested in what happened to them, even the ghosts.

At its heart, this is a story about coming home. A story about love and loss, and how either or both can sometimes keep folks earthly or ethereal trapped somewhere far longer than we need to be. It’s also about the beauty of found family, and people learning to love and belong to the family they’ve found. I absolutely adored it, and I highly recommend it.

Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. All of the opinions here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t actually like.

I truly loved this quiet yet confident book set in a hidden condo complex on Mallow Island, South Carolina. I kept seeing all the characters as if in a movie. It would truly be a perfect television series.

A BOTM pick! I was happy to get this as an ARC and recommend it to friends for their Sept box. Beautifully written and well done in the realm of magical realism (one of my favorite genres. Difficult to pull of but such a wonder when it is). A true gem of a story.

✨Review✨

Other Birds
By Sarah Addison Allen
Genre: Magical Realism
Rating: 4.5/5⭐️

“A dream, a story, an invisible bird—it was all the same thing really. Not everything has to be real to be true.”

I thoroughly enjoyed this beautifully unique book! Filled with delightfully whimsical characters and heartwarming moments, this was a true joy to read. At its core, this is a character study of found family and what tethers us to one another.

If you love magical realism I think you’ll enjoy this!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Addison Allen is a favorite author whose stories I remember details too, long after the book has been closed. Other Birds is her newest release that takes us to Mallow Island off the coast of South Carolina, to the Dellawisp, a sanctuary for birds and lost souls.

I loved the island and the Dellawisp, a horseshoe cobblestone building with a courtyard that’s been converted to condos. It’s tucked away beyond the main streets and provides a sanctuary for tiny turquoise birds who flutter about observing the tenants as they go about their day.

The author introduces us to the island and Dellawisp along with young Zoey. Zoey is a recent high school graduate who is spending the summer in the condo she inherited from her mother. It’s her first time alone, and she wants to reconnect with the memories of her mother, but also experience life at the Dellawisp and is hoping to meet its residence. Like the birds, she is curious, tentative and eager to a part of the community.

Zoey is not traveling alone. Pigeon is with her. Pets aren’t allowed, but no one can see Pigeon. They never have. As Zoey integrates herself into life at the Dellawisp, we meet her neighbors. A chef who wakes up covered in cornmeal each morning, a henna artist running from her past, and two sisters who have not spoken in over twenty-five years.

This was a magical tale, and I loved getting to know each of the characters, including the manager who oversees the Dellawisp. Talk of food, friendships and the return of a resident quickly pulled me in. Together they form a friendship, heal and perhaps find home.

Addison delivers magical realism and complex characters who you cannot help but root for. Even the broken ones will tug at your heartstrings. I wanted to pack my bags and immediately visit this island. I wanted to take the tours, sample the food and meet the residence of the Dellawisp.

I highly recommend Other Birds and all of Allen’s books. They are keepers. If you don’t already do so, I recommend following the author on Facebook. On Sundays, she shares short stories that hook me every time. #SAAShortShortStorySunday

4.5/ 5 stars

Other Birds is my first book by this author. I would categorize this as Contemporary Magical Realism.

The book takes place on Mallow Island, off the coast of South Carolina. and features a bunch of 3rd person POVs (plus a few short chapters from some ghosts).

Almost 19 year old Zoey is getting ready to start college. She arrives in Mallow Island to claim her mother's apartment.

This apartment complex has tiny turquoise magical birds. The book is very character driven. There are a group of neighbors, all with their own stories. We get to see: Charlotte, Lucy, Lizbeth, Mac along with Frasier and Oliver (who are also connected to this apartment complex).

This book was super different. At times it was quite slow with not too much happening. But I adored Zoey and Charlotte's friendship. And I really loved getting to know Mac and Oliver.

There was definitely a bit more happening towards the end (some things I predicted and some things I did not see coming). The book is about friendship. I can't stop thinking about the end and about the acknowledgments.

Very slow start. It took me half the book to understand what was going on. I was lost about what the story was about . Once I finally figured it out (around chapter 15) It turned into a nice story. I would recommend reading it.. Don't give up on it.. #NetGalley #ARC

Welcome to amazing Mallow Island, home of the marshmallow, the incredible dellawisp birds, and some unique, quirky characters that are sure to linger in your heart forever. There is definitely magic in the Dellawisp complex where a young 19 year old from an unfortunate childhood meets people that gradually become her family. Each resident has their own unique story that serves to bind them together as the reader learns more and more about their lives and also their secrets. There is magic in the air, particularly in the form of Pigeon.
Sarah Addison Allen brings these unique characters to life as they walk off the pages and into your life. They brought a full range of emotions with them…trepidation, anger, jealousy, abandonment, fear, hatred, love, wonderment, and hope are only the first emotions that come to mind. The words flowed so smoothly and I never wanted to leave the Dellawisp complex.
Many many thanks to Sarah Addison Allen, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for affording me the delightful opportunity to read an arc of this incredibly moving story.

Mallow island, a cute quaint town outside of Charleston South Carolina, is the home of The Dellawisp, an apartment complex named after the famous birds is houses. When Zoe comes to go through her deceased mothers apartment, she starts making friends with the locals. A chef, a runaway, the landlord, the mysterious older woman, they all have a story. There are even some ghosts thrown into the mix who are visiting a for their own reasons.

This book isn’t my typical cup of tea. I’m not huge on character development stories. This one kept my interest more than others, I think maybe because I actually enjoyed the ghosts point of views. Each person had their own struggles that made them unique. I enjoyed how each story came together.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin Publishing for this eArc. Other Birds is out now, go get your copy!

Zoey has recently left her father’s home to go to college. She has moved to a condo she inherited from her mother on Mallow Island, South Carolina. She meets all the weird neighbors and absolutely falls in love with the place. But, can she heal and overcome her past?

I fell for Zoey on the very first page. She is so young, but yet, she has some wisdom about her and she is so full of kindness. She is just one of the many characters which create this lovely story. I loved them all! They each bring their own tragedies and insecurities into this tale but they also bring their strengths.

No one does magic like Sarah Addison Allen. I have loved this author since her very first book and if you have not read her…you are missing out! All her books have characters which are damaged in some way or another. And there is alway just a touch of magic which just helps everyone see where life is supposed to lead them. This book tops the list!

Need a book which will make you smile and tug at your heartstrings…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

4.5/5

Other Birds is a book that will stick with me for a long time. A strong cast of characters all meet one another at an off the beaten path condo complex and share their lives and troubles with one another. It’s a book about creating your own family, letting people into your life, and letting go of the past.

There are some magical/supernatural components in Other Birds. Quite a few ghosts hang around the Dellawisp complex. I felt a similar vibe to Under The Whispering Door. I almost wished there were more supernatural components with the setting and dellawisp birds. Each character was well developed, however, the jumping from character to character in the middle of the chapters lost me a few times. I enjoyed the unique storyline and learning how each characters past made them who they are. Very unique novel with a great emotional theme!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for granting me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Sweet story. Not enough happens though until the very end, and it wasn't enough to redeem it in my eyes.

https://robinshelley.com/2022/09/02/other-birds-by-sarah-addison-allen/

SEPTEMBER 2, 2022 BY ADMIN
Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen
Robin’s Rave Reviews – 2022

Sarah Addison Allen fans have waited patiently for seven years for a new book since she took time away to deal with personal and family needs. Other Birds, her newest novel, was worth the wait. For readers new to SAA, each book she writes has a unique magical realism element or two.

By page two, I already admired Sarah Addison Allen’s skill for painting beautiful word pictures.

“Zoey nodded, distracted now because the small sea island had just appeared on the horizon and she didn’t want to miss a moment of it. It was rising from the marshy coastal water like a lackadaisical sea creature sunning itself, not a care in the world.”

The Setting
Fictional Mallow Island sits off the coast of Charleston. A popular novel set there, written by longtime resident Roscoe Avanger, as well as the island’s history of making marshmallow and candy, draw tourists to this small community. From the sales of his book, Avanger bought an old building, called it The Dellawisp, and renovated it into five condos. They surround a courtyard full of noisy, thieving, dive-bombing birds of the same name as the complex. The quirky characters who live here begin to bond after the death of one of the tenants.

The Cast
LizBeth is a paper hoarder and the old lady busybody, who spoils everyone’s fun. Her sister Lucy is a recluse. Henna artist Charlotte is running from her past, believing she can never settle or it will catch up with her. Executive chef Mac is grieving the loss of the woman who took him in and raised him, who fed cornbread to the island’s poor children, and who taught him that making and sharing food is love. Frasier is the building manager, often found with a Dellawisp named Otis sitting on his head. And Zoey, the most recent tenant, has just graduated from high school. She inherited the condo and hopes to learn more about her mother there. Zoey is the magnet that attracts the other tenants and bonds them together. Now add a touch of magical realism by adding ghosts (not scary ones), cornmeal sprinkled over Mac every night, doors seeming to unlock themselves, and an invisible pigeon to the mix.

These characters have all been broken and are burdened with secrets, but in time, they create a family. They help each other let go of the past to focus on a better future.

Other Lovely Quotes

“The building revealed itself to be like a geode—rocky on the outside but sparkling with unexpected decadence inside.”

“The mist was moving like someone taking a deep breath and blowing it away.”

“The sudden quiet made Charlotte’s bedroom feel as if it had been plunged underwater. Even the small glass ball ornaments she’d hung by fishing wire from the ceiling gave the impression of air bubbles floating to the water’s surface.”

“Some customers didn’t like when books were marked, like it was a crime against literature. But Zoey thought it was a far greater crime to forget passages like this, so beautiful they made you breathless.”



Other Birds was a charming, light read. If you’re looking for something different and haven’t read Sarah Addison Allen, pick up Other Birds. If you read and enjoyed The Kindred Spirits Supper Club by Amy Reichert (see my review from last fall), you’ll like Other Birds.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book. The review above states my honest opinion.



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Discovering the Dellawisp, an old horseshoe-shaped building on an island off the coast of South Carolina, and the Dellawisps, birds from the island. Many amazing characters make this a magical book, well worth the read!

I really wanted to be enchanted and swept away by this book but it just fell flat for me personally. Somewhere at the 30% mark I just lost interest and struggled with wanting to pick it up. Eventually I finished and the ending was good.

There are hints of magic to come from the very first line, as : "The empty wicker birdcage beside her began to rattle impatiently."

The empty birdcage is occupied by Pigeon, Zoe's invisible bird. Zoe, at 18, will be starting college in the fall, and in her last summer, she has travelled to Mallow Island to live and work in the condominium left to her by her mother. There, she will act as a catalyst for several love stories and the development of a found family among the residents of the complex. I thought this line was a perfect metaphor for Zoe's effect on the people around her; "Everything around her was suddenly stitched together by unseen threads, as thin as gossamer."

I was completely surprised by the final chapter of this book, but it was a totally fitting ending to this lovely story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

t took me awhile to get into the story of "other Birds" but once I became invested in the characters and the ghosts of the story I could not put it down. A mixture of magical realism, and the pain of being a forgotten child are mixed together in these pages. The other theme that plays throughout is food as love and caring for another. The characters in the story are all tied together by a mysterious apartment house in Mallow Island - an island off the coast of South Carolina. The story begins with Zoey Hennessy coming to the "Dellawisp" to claim her mother's apartment, which has held in trust for her since her mother died twelve years ago. Not long after she arrives, one of the long time tenants, an older woman named Lisbeth Lime, dies. The caretaker of the building, a man named Frasier, hires Zoey to go through Lizbeth's apartment to clean it out - Lisbeth was a hoarder. Zoey begins to befriend the other tenants, Charlotte, who is on the run and suffering from a mysterious heartbreak, a young chef named Mac who creates magical meals with cornmeal inspired by the woman who took him in as a young boy when he was homeless, and Jane - the mysterious reclusive sister of Lizbeth Lime. Of course all of the characters have tragic backstories, but will love and magic heal all wounds? Welcome back, Sarah Addison Allen - I have missed you.

Sarah Addison Allen is one of my favorite authors. Her gentle, lyrical prose and soft magical elements are so soothing to the soul. I have been eagerly awaiting this novel, but unfortunately, this one fell a little flat for me.
Zoey, a recent high school graduate, moves into her late mother's apartment on Mallow Island, where she meets a trove of characters who each have their own mystery and trauma surrounding them. As Zoey tries to learn more about her late mother, she realizes she doesn't know much about herself, or how to really be an adult. Her neighbors, whose stories we learn bit by bit, of course help Zoey understand how to live and how to love.
There was not as much magic realism in this book as her past ones, and I think that is why I felt it a little lacking. Zoey seems too naïve, and to me, it seems the instant friendships were forced just to get the plot moving. I still enjoyed the book for its beautiful language, but it won't stick with me.

This title just didn't work for me. Given the promo, I'd thought this would be a title I would love, but it all felt a bit twee and not really fresh.