I really enjoyed this book! It was a little mystical, but you really learned to love the characters. It was about a girl trying to find her way after her mother died. I really thought It was a cute read!

Charming, spellbinding, and entertaining!

Some books come along once in a blue moon that you want to climb in the pages with the characters, visit with them, hang out in their quaint setting and just be for a while.

Sarah Addison Allen's OTHER BIRDS is one of those enchanting, memorable, and magical books. Everyday magic awaits to be discovered in the unlikeliest places.

I have adored Sarah Addison Allen's books since her debut and every one since. Each book features unforgettable characters, and OTHER BIRDS is one of my favorites.

The author herself has experienced grief and hardship from cancer to the most recent passing of her mother and sister. Her author's note is heart-rendering and makes you want to reach out and hug her for sharing this beautiful story with her fans and readers worldwide.

"I go now to settle in a place where there is always happiness. But how can I be happy when my soul still needs to fly?"

A dream. A story. An invisible bird named Pigeon.

"Stories aren't fiction. Stories are fabric. They're the white sheets we drape over our ghosts so we can see them."—Roscoe Avanger, Sweet Mallow

Meet Zoey Hennessey, eighteen years old. She is starting college in Charleston, SC, in the fall. She is headed to her new home on Mallow Island with a birdcage in hand.

Mallow Island is a tourist spot due to the book by Roscoe Avanger. Nearby, The Mallow Island Resort Hotel, The Sugar Warehouse, and Historical Trade Street. The town is famous for its marshmallow candy over a century ago.

More importantly, she is moving to Dellawisp Condos (once horse stables) near the Sugar and Scribble Bakery. A beautiful old cobblestone building shaped like a horseshoe with a wrought iron gate.

Her mother, Paloma, used to live here surrounded by the exquisite little turquoise birds called dellawisps. Paloma and her brother had been raised by their grandfather, a birdkeeper. She and her brother left Cuba on a small boat when he died. Her brother died after a storm. She drifted on a boat and finally met Zoey's older father once in America.

Paloma had only lived in SC four years before Zoey's father retired, and they moved to Tulsa. But Paloma returned with baby Zoey to the same condo that Zoey's father had gifted her.

She has since died and left Zoey the condo and a trust. Her father has remarried a woman who is not so nice. Zoey is glad to be moving away to a new family she will soon meet that is not blood family, but they are often the best kind.

Once she arrives, she meets a quirky cast of neighbors that will become her new family. Frasier, the building manager, Lizabeth Lime, her estranged sister Lucy Lime, Charlotte Lungren (an artist), Mac Garrett, a lonely talented chef, a legendary writer, and a few ghosts. Plus, Oliver, a son, will return home. Lucy never leaves her condo and does not like being around people.

Each of Zoey's eccentric, quirky, bohemian-style neighbors has a past and secrets. Then Lizbeth died. She agreed to help clean out the condo for Frasier.

Everyone at the condos is changed by knowing Zoey. There are those haunted by their past and those who cannot move on. They learn from one another and develop a bond. They become family.

Each character has baggage and secrets that have shaped their lives. They soon realize they have a connection between friendship, trust, healing, love, loss, and forgiveness.

What a beautifully written, unique book that transports you to a world of believing there is good and kindness in this world if we take a chance on others.

Magical realism is woven throughout like most of Sarah's books, and the food, the stories, the birds, the love, and the characters will warm your heart and soul.

Atmospheric, whimsical, and enigmatic. Sarah Addison Allen shows us that between the real and the imaginary, there are stories that take flight in the most extraordinary ways. For fans of author Karen White. Highly recommend.

A special thank you to #StMartinsPress and #Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #SMPInfluencers

Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: 09/13/2022
Sept 2022 Must-Read Books

“Right off the coast of South Carolina, on Mallow Island, The Dellawisp sits—a stunning old cobblestone building shaped like a horseshoe and named after the tiny turquoise birds who, alongside its human tenants, inhabit an air of magical secrecy.

When Zoey comes to claim her deceased mother’s apartment on an island outside of Charleston, she meets her quirky and secretive neighbors…and three ghosts.”

I love it when a book meets my expectations. I enjoyed GARDEN SPELLS (2007) and had high hopes for a charming found-family story with a bit of magical realism. OTHER BIRDS was a perfect summer read, lounging by the pool. Allen’s writing pulls the reader into the story, and her characters are unique, well-rounded, and likable. The plot is interesting without being too heavy—a lovely book.

Of course, now I want a sketch of “old man Otis,” the cutest of the Dellawisps, and something cooked with cornmeal.

Thanks, NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Sarah Addison Allen, for the opportunity to review OTHER BIRDS.

In a captivating story centered around Mallow Island in South Carolina, we find a flock of individuals who are so unique, but have ties that bind them together through the catalyst that is Zoey Hennessey. Allen has created a novel that is as beautiful in its themes as it is the imagery of the town of Mallow Island. As a reader, I felt immediately drawn to the beautiful southern landscape, the description of Mallow Island being so vivid that I could almost sense the Spanish moss hanging from the trees and the sweet mallow scent. The characters, while so incredibly different, were so delightful to get to know and became acquainted with. I cheered when Zoey got together this seeming ban of misfits, and was thrilled with the sense of family that they developed.

This was a truly an astonishing novel. I felt all the feels; the intrigue when slowly learning the characters stories and past, the fear when some of that past becomes part of the present, , and the overall sense of contententment and joy when a new family begins together. This is a novel that will stay with me for a long time to come, and I look forward to falling in love with these characters again and again when I inevitably reread.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for a copy of this advanced reader copy of this breathtaking book. The opinions in this review are all my own.

I can see how the magic of this book.could pull you in. For me not so much. Not enough backstop on the characters to make me feel like I really knew them.
Was expecting more...sadly just wasn't for me.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

It was so good to be back in a world of Sarah Addison Allen's creation!! I've missed the magic and the intimacy that she brings to her books! The characters come to life and make you feel like you're a part of their world. This book is a beautiful reminder that there's always room in this world for the Other Birds like me.

Right off the coast of South Carolina, on Mallow Island, The Dellawisp sits—a stunning old cobblestone building shaped like a horseshoe, and named after the tiny turquoise birds who, alongside its human tenants, inhabit an air of magical secrecy. Zoey inherits her mother's condo and decides to move there and attend college nearby. The chapters are divided into the other tenants and the ghosts who live there. Ms Allen always has a touch of magic in her books and I adore that aspect of her writing. As the people get to know each other the birds and the ghosts sense the change that is coming. Loved this one.

4.5 STARS

Read if you like:
✔️ Magical realism
✔️ Quirky characters
✔️ Coming-of-age stories

"There are birds, and then there are other birds. Maybe they don't sing. Maybe they don't fly. Maybe they don't fit in. I don't know about you, but I'd much rather be an other bird than just the same old thing."

I was thrilled to discover Sarah Addison Allen had a new book coming out, and even more pumped when I was approved for the ARC! Other Birds is a ghost story of sorts, but in a whimsical and fun way where the characters aren't afraid and you read snippets from the ghosts' perspectives. Zoey was an easy character to root for, and I was invested in her quest to learn more about her late mother, her mysterious invisible bird, and her longing for relationships. The pacing was good and Allen did a great job tying together all the stories. Though we read from many different perspectives, I felt like each story was wrapped up satisfactorily and I had a warm, happy feeling when I finished.

This is a wonderful book about found families, opening yourself up to love and new possibilities, and grief. There were also several twists that I didn't see coming, so it kept me guessing as well as being heartwarming. I definitely recommend Other Birds, which comes out next week!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Sarah Addison Allen creates fantastical worlds based in reality and buried in small town Carolinas. In complete candor, "Other Birds" need more fleshing out. While the ending is able to tie all the various storylines together, it is a disruptive, and at the same time a surface level, read.

There are too many characters introduced throughout out the story and none of them get enough time to fully develop and ensnare the reader. The Ghost excerpts could potentially be removed throughout the narrative and added just before the ending, to give the reader that "Ah Ha!" moment.

I wanted more from "Other Birds" and I wanted to give the characters more humanity. At times, Charlotte seems a foil of herself and while this comes together in the end, it's more frustrating because I wanted to love Charlotte more. She is really the driver of the plot line, whereas Zoey is the assumed protagonist. It feels almost like we have the beginning and end of the story but no real concept of the journey they went on to get to the end.

Other Birds is Sarah Addison Allen's newest book and it does not disappoint! I have loved all her books--the magical realism entwines the characters, the ghosts, their pasts and futures--- binding all in love. This is what draws me to Ms, Addison's books, her ability to pull emotions from her characters and surroundings in such a way, that I gain new perspective on living.
The blurb does a good job of setting the storyline, I will say that the unfolding of each character's story kept me reading this book straight through. The feel good vibes last long after the last page is read. This book was definitely worth the wait.

A magical read, on a small island, found family, connecting to those you've lost and healing from the past.

Zoey has just graduated high school, and decides to move into the apartment her mother left her on Mallow Island before starting college in the fall. Just after moving in, a neighbouring resident dies and Zoey is thrust into all the mysteries and history of the island and The Dellawisp apartments and the mysterious man who manages them.

I was not sure what to expect going into this one but the magical realism elements were the perfect touch. The found family was so heart warming. The only thing that i felt was not up to par was some of the backstory of the characters, they book needed more detail, it should have been longer.

Thank goodness Sarah Addison Allen is back! And this novel is full of Southern charm and the magical realism we've come to expect from Addison Allen. It's perfect in its simplicity. On tiny Mallow Island, sits the Dellawisp, a condo complex named for the teeny turquoise birds that flit around the complex and its inhabitants. When Zoey comes to claim her deceased mother’s apartment, she meets her quirky and secretive neighbors, including a girl on the run, two estranged middle-aged sisters, a lonely chef, a legendary writer, and three ghosts. Each with their own story, not yet written.
Note to the author: PLEASE KEEP WRITING MORE BEAUTIFUL NOVELS! We've missed you.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-arc of this novel.*

I am so glad Allen is back. I have always loved her stories, and this one is no exception.
This book is about a grieving daughter looking for closure. What she finds is a new family to belong to. Every character has flaws but in a real and relatable way. You feel for them all . Allen's books always feature magical realism and she does it the best. So much heart and whimsy were infused into this story.

Ill be buying it as soon as it comes out.

Read this gem of a book ALL DAY yesterday so if course here’s another…

✨Book Review✨
Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen
5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Stories aren’t fiction. Stories are fabric. They’re the white sheets we drape over our ghosts so we can see them.” - Roscoe Avanger, Sweet Mallow🕊💕

First, thank you so so much to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this ARC copy. I am so happy to have gotten the chance to read this sooner rather than later!

Oh you guys, 🥰 I absolutely LOVED everything about this book! This is a book my heart didn’t know I needed right now!

It’s been a couple of hard weeks, emotionally recently and this book put me all in my feels and said all the things I cannot put into words. I definitely shed some tears! 🥲

I stayed in my room all day yesterday flipping through these pages because I was captivated by every single character in this book!

From Zoey, to Pidgeon, to Lucy and Lizbeth. Mac and Camille, to Charolette, and Oliver and oh Frasier you all stole my heart 🥰 I will forever remember this book!

One of my favorite books of the year!

Did I do any responsibilities yesterday , aside from the bathroom and taking care the pup you ask? Nope and I’m okay with that 🤷🏽‍♀️ Nothing negative to say.

This was my first @sarahaddisonallen read and I will be looking for more after this one hands down!

Be on the lookout for this at times funny, whimsical, magical, all in the feels book coming to your shelves August 30th 2022!

And as always friends, happy reading 💕 Xx

Sarah Addison Allen is one of those authors that is an instantaneous, no-questions, I don't even read the synopsis, I'm going to read her books. 

The way she blends magical realism with real-life emotions and scenarios is nothing short of brilliant. She uses the magical elements to bring about situations and responses in her characters that are beautiful, poignant, and--at times--devastating. 

I don't think I've read a book by her that hasn't left me with quite the book hangover. And, of course, Other Birds is absolutely no exception. 

A story of a group of people who all have, not much more than, their residence in common. They all live at the whimsical Dellawisp--a condo on the lovely Mallow Island. 

Even though they have nothing in common, many of them build a bond based upon loneliness, kindness, and heartache of all different kinds. 

The wonder of this book is wrapped up in the secrets, the beautiful island, and, of course, the crazy group of Dellawisps that live at the condo. 

Addison is forever going to be a go-to author. One who manages to always evoke emotional responses--both sadness and joy--through her words. 

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book. My review will be live, at the link given, on 8/24/22.

"We all want to think we're worth the trouble."

Other Birds is a character-driven story that centers around the people that live at the Dellawisp. With a bit of otherworldly at play, the author focuses on Zoey, whose remaining family is less than stellar. So she heads to college early to stay at her mother's condo in the Dellawisp. Her bubbly personality might be just the thing the other residents need.

Zoey is a fount of positivity. She's been through so much in her young life, but her personality draws people in. This is a sweet story about friendship and found families. The characters are flawed and unique, and they're healing. With the added birds, both ones you can see and those you cannot, there is a touch of whimsy in the storyline. Overall, this is a thoughtful and touching read. Thank you, St. Martin's, for sending this along.

I received a digital ARC from St Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

This is the first book I have read by Sarah Addison Allen, and I will now make sure to find her other novels, too. Other Birds is a story about family at its core. It is beautifully written. The story unfolds in such a way that I felt like I was inside of it.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me approval to read Sarah Addison Allen’s new book. Though it’s been awhile, she hasn’t changed. Her writing is specifically full of wonder. She has created another lovely story filled with magnificent characters with hints of magical plot lines along the way. One of the things (among many) that I love about Allen, is that she always writes mystical mysterious stories. There is always a magical moment. As continuous reader I am able to just go with it. The acknowledgements at the end brought sweet understanding and closure. A genuine special read. No sexual content. No swearing.

I couldn't get into this book. i picked it out because it was one of the monthly reads for a book group that I am in. It wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't the one for me. One thing I did like was how one of the characters was a ghost. I am grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, anyone who knows me knows I love a good magical realism book. This one is definitely at the top this year. It's been some time since I've read one of SAA's books - The Sugar Queen. Just like that one, which has stuck with me all these years this one will too. It was just so heart warming and you couldn't help but want to be a part of the Dellawisp community. ♡