5+ stars!!
I’ve been in a reading slump and then I picked up Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen and all I can say is book slump is over! This book is so beautiful and magical. It’s one of those books the minute you finish it you want to go back and reread it just to see everything that you might’ve missed. Sarah is such an underrated author as are her books. They are beautiful, magical, and whimsical. The characters are complex but relatable and even though I was satisfied I wanted to read more about this eccentric group of lovable characters.
I can’t recommend this book enough. One of my favorites of the year!

“Children, don’t hold on to old love so hard you forget to live. Old love isn’t the only love you’ll ever have. And I can tell you from this side that it never really goes away, anyway. So let go. Whatever you’re holding on to, let go.”

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

I've been a longtime Sarah Addison Allen fan, so I was absolutely thrilled to receive an advance copy of her latest work. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.

This book is quite different from Allen's other works. There is still a thread of magic and wonder weaving through the story, but overall the feel is darker and more sad. I know that Allen wrote the story after her mother and sister passed away, and there are many points of this book that feel like a loving tribute to those who are no longer with us yet have greatly influenced who we are.

While there are parts of the story that are disjointed and didn't quite come together, I still feel like this novel is an excellent comeback after some time away from writing. I still eagerly await everything Allen will write next.

Im in awe. I loved this book and how different it was and loved the magical realism of it. I read this in one sitting. Honestly one of the best books ive read in a while. I cant read to read more from this author because im in shock of how good the plot and climate of the story and the lovely characters

I think this is my new favorite Sarah Addison Allen!
I feel in love with these characters and this setting. I loved that Zoey was a bright light that came in and brought them all together. But I liked that she also had demons she was facing and not afraid to work on them.
I liked the relationship between Mac & Charlotte too.
This is such a feel good novel. With some mysterious ghosts joining the cast too. I liked the ghosts and the background they brought to the story.
I can't wait to share this with everyone I know when it comes out later this year.

Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC!

There is a lot of love that went into the creation of this book, you can feel it in the writing and the characters. I hadn't read any of Allen's books previously, so I wasn't sure exactly what I was getting into. Her story unfolds with whimsy and magic and I didn't want it to end. I'll be ordering several for the library because our patrons are going to devour this one!

I may or may not have squealed a little when I saw that Sarah Addison Allen had a new book coming out! Her whimsical magical realism novels have been some of my absolute favorites in the past, and I often recommended them to patrons when I worked in the public library. This book was no exception! The characters are so solidly developed and you can't help but love each one as their story is told. The relationships in this book were just lovely, and the story of the family you're born into versus the families you find and create along your life path was really heartfelt and poignant. I loved the setting of Mallow Island and the Dellawisp condos, with it's history and interesting design, as well as its unique and entertaining avian residents. Mixing ghost story chapters in with living character story made for a really engaging read, and I had a hard time putting the book down. Highly recommend this one! Be sure to read the acknowledgements at the end - learning about Allen's experiences while writing this book was a special, emotional addition to the story as a whole.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored the latest book by Sarah Addison Allen. Told with all of the whimsy and mysticism her books are know for, we see how family is necessarily to whom you are born but can be whom you choose.

I loved Zoey and her journey of growth and being able to find herself while learning about her mother's life after her death. I enjoyed seeing Zoey learning about the Island what it means to be apart of a loving family. The inhabitants of the Dellawisp are a quirky bunch and they have given each other what they need, without knowing what they needed. Can't wait to buy this book when it comes out.

I have been excitedly waiting for Sarah Addison Allen’s new book, After Sarah’s mother and sister passed away, she took time before completing Other Birds. I received an Advanced Reader copy from NetGalley. Sarah has a talent of creating characters you care about and want to know more about. Each person has a ghost from their past that is helping them in the present. They all live on Mallow Island at the Dellawisp. Young Zoey moves in and changes everyone’s lives. Hidden identities and fragmented family relationships develop a sense of distrust or fear. Things are not what they seem. I highly recommend Other Birds for lovers of magical realism. 5 stars!

Oh how I loved this beautiful book. It's all about how our past can try to make us, but we have to learn to just let go. The characters were wonderful. I always love Sarah's books and this is one of her best yet.

Per usual, Sarah does a beautiful job with weaving her story together supported with magical realism. So many themes are present for great discussions on family, home, etc.

Other Birds was a surprising read. Told from multiple perspectives, the novel follows the lives of a group of residents in a condo complex on Mallow Island. The small town charm of a tourist area provides the perfect setting for the complex lives of each character. Allen does a wonderful job of providing small nuggets of information to progress the novel along, but keep an air of mystery behind what is truly troubling the condo inhabitants. She develops characters so sufficiently that the reader cannot help but become invested in the outcome of each individual. Other Birds is a happy combination of the supernatural and a feel good tale of self discovery that keeps you turning the page to see if these residents will find their peace.

Fans of this author have come to expect stories that pull them in and don’t let go. Her latest does not disappoint. Full of her signature gentle magic and expert storytelling, Other Birds is a lovely, heart touching tale.

This was my first book by this particular author and it didn’t disappoint. Although not my typical genre or taste, I enjoyed the sprinkles of magic within the storyline. It was enough to give the book some extra flair without being too much.
The characters, imagery and symbolism leave room for great discussion points in a classroom setting or book club. The character development was a little lacking throughout the story and I never felt truly connected to any of them. I appreciated the story as a whole and the author’s writing style, I just never felt completely invested in the storyline or characters.

This was my first Sarah Allen book, and I'm interested to see what she comes out with in the future. Other Birds is about Zoey, a teenage girl who travels to Mallow Island to inherit her mother's former apartment. Along the way we meet the reserved and cautious Charlotte, endearing chef Mac, and nearly absent neighbor Lucy. Holding onto the past is embodied in the ghosts that push and pull parts of the story, and each of our characters has their own 'ghost' in some form.

Thanks to NetGalley for this complimentary advance copy of "Other Birds", set to release September 13th, 2022.

This Book was so interesting and clever that it practically readsitself. I couldn’t wait to get to the end. I Enjoyed the fascinating and unique characters and wish I could go visit Mallow Island. This book is a great read. I recommend it for everyone. You will not be disappointed. I plan on adding this book to our library collection and recommending it to everyone.

Sarah Addison Allen does it again. She is brilliant in how she tells a story. I love how Sarah weaves the characters' lives together. How they mesh and mingle to become a community in the end. Her books always comfort me and make me believe in magic. I guess if we look close enough we can find magic in our every day.

I highly recommend this book to comfort you in this crazy world to believe people are good and magic is all around.

I have been waiting so long for Ms. Allen's latest book. OTHER BIRDS is well worth the wait! I think this is her best book yet and I have read them all. OTHER BIRDS tells the story of Zoey, who moves to Mallow Island the summer both college starts to live in her mother's old loft - the mother she lost long ago. Zoey meets the other inhabitants of the building, Mac, a chef who is always covered in cornmeal, Charlotte a henna artist cast adrift by the loss of a romance, Frazier the old, sweet man who acts as the caretaker of the building, and of course, the dellawisps, sweet, tiny birds who inhabit the trees in the courtyard and take note of all the occurs. Each inhabitant has their own story and when they all connect, magic happens. Literally. Beautifully written with characters one cannot help but love, this book was a delight in every way. I will be buying many copies as gifts, once it is published!

Thank you to Netgalley and st. Martins press for providing me with a copy of other birds. This is my first book by Sarah Addison Allen but, it will not be my last. This book is about birds, family, and ghosts woven through the storyline trying to capture something they lost. This book is magical realism at its best.

Words cannot describe how happy I am that Sarah Addison Allen, the Queen of Magical Realism, is back at it with Others Birds.

Each character had a unique voice and an interesting story. I cared for each one of them and enjoyed seeing how their narratives unfolded.

Throughout the story, there were many revelations that surprised me enough to keep me on my toes, eager to read on.

And although the focus of the story was the personal growth of each character, the friendships and subtle romance were enough to keep me happy and satisfied.

If you’re a fan of Alice Hoffman, Heather Webber, or Karen Hawkins; Other Birds is a must read.