Review of Other Birds:

I must say that Sarah Addison Allen is one of my very favorite authors so I was super excited to get this NetGalley ARC.
It was a delicious read.
A story of love and how it transcends life and death.
A young girl Zoey going off on her own for the first time with her imaginary pigeon and all of the beautiful interactions that ensue once she arrives on Mallow Island. She arrives to a place that once was her deceased mother and begins her soul journey.
A character open, beautiful, and so sweet, my heart melts thinking about her.
This book reminds me how all of us are just threads of each other, wandering, finding, and losing one another.
I loved every single character.
If you want a read to warm any cold spots you may have inside your heart right now, this is the one for you.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sarah Addison Allen perfection!

This is my first book from this author and I am definitely interested in reading more, especially after seeing that her previous novels have more magical elements in them. I did want a little more from this novel in regards to the magic but overall ended up enjoying it. It did start out a bit slow for me. I enjoyed the found family in this as well as the inclusion of ghosts as their own characters with their own chapters and perspectives. I appreciated that there were a few little reveals that happened that I wasn't quite expecting. Overall an enjoyable read and would definitely recommend to those interested in picking it up!

I am so glad Sarah Addison Allen finally has another book out! I was thrilled to see this title available as a galley to review. Admittedly, it took me a little while to get into the story; and there's was less whimsy and romance than I remember from past titles. This book is more tinged with loss and sadness and insecurity... which hit me hard with my own grief. However, Sarah Addison Allen is a master storyteller, and I enjoy being immersed in her words and her world-touched-by-magic. And in the end, there is hope. "Because going doesn't mean all gone. We'll meet again one day."

Sarah Addison Allen does it again--this author has created another book with great characters, a well-drawn setting, and storytelling that keeps the reader engaged. I truly enjoyed getting to be in the world of Mallow Island, full of whimsy that enchanted and imagery that was truly spellbinding.

I feel like this book was a hybrid of My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry & The Astonishing Color of After, both of which are some of my favorite books. I'm excited to incorporate this book into my classroom in the fall!

This was the first book by this author that I’ve read, and it was lovely. The way the secrets were revealed throughout the book, the style of writing, and the characters were all enjoyable. I’ll definitely look to read her other books.

Poignant with a bit of enchantment. That is always how Sarah Addison Allen's books are for me. A tapestry of souls dealing with unresolved trauma and it's effects. Finding their nest and letting go. It did drag a bit in certain parts but the ending was lovely. #otherbirds #sarahaddisonallen #netgalley #goodreads

Once again Sarah Addison Allen has written a magical tale that draws the reader in. Her characters are warm, real and you want to be friends with them. A wonderful story to curl up with and enjoy. Well done!

Zoey is out on her own finally , hoping to connect with the memories of her mother, who left her the condo on Mallow Island. Mallow Island is a magical place of marshmallow candy, fresh seafood, the sparkling ocean and lots of tourist near Charleston, S.C. The island has its history and its ghosts, and is peaceful and beautiful.
The author weaves a beautiful story with characters who all have their secrets and their ghosts who haunt them. As the characters are approached and unfolded by Zoey's youthful exuberance we see them change slowly letting go of some of their fears.
The book is similar to other books by the author in the stunning atmosphere and the wonderful characterizations that make the reader fall in love with them. The magical qualities are there as well. This book seems more somber, the emotional secrets revealed are more real life. It will definitely pull on your heartstrings and maybe wish for a place like the Dellawisp to escape to.

’There are birds, and 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.’

Whimsical and mysterious with a sense of hope. I was intrigued from the beginning. I loved the setting at The Dellawisp and all the birds. Loved how each character was unique. It made my heart happy that Zoey found her people. I was able to imagine the setting and the characters from Sarah Addison Allen's descriptive detail. I felt as if it could have been set in a different time if not for the reference of phones and messages. I've never read a book quite like this before and definitely want to read Allen's other books.

This isn’t my first Sarah Addison Allen novel and it won’t be my last. SAA has a unique way of storytelling with beautiful imagery that guides you through the book, tasting, feeling and sensing the words on each page.

Other Birds is a story of a young girl named Zoey who inherits her late mother’s apartment on Mallow Island, South Carolina. Upon Zoey’s arrival, she is determined to form relationships with each of her neighbors in the Dellawisp building. It’s a beautiful story of friendship, family, grief and letting go of the ghosts of their pasts.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Other Birds will be released on September 13, 2022. Pre-order your copy now so you don’t regret missing this magical story.

Many thanks to Sarah Addison Allen, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. The setting is an island near Charlston SC and an off the beaten path 5 apartment building complex called the Dellawisp, named after the birds who only reside there. There is a magical element to the setting, the island, and the birds that sweeps you up as you read. Zoey, getting ready for college, moves into one of the apartments that she inherits from her mother. While there, she becomes involved with the other residents and their lives become entwined. This is the story of the residents, the past and present that haunt them, and bring them together to form their own unique family, with a touch of romance, and a few ghost stories thrown in to bring it all together. Absolutely a much welcomed feel-good story.

Other Birds is such a wonderful story. I absolutely loved it! It tells of a young woman named Zoey who inherits her mother's condo in a unique place Mallow Island. There she meets a really interesting cast of characters who all bring something special to the story. There is a bit of mystery, some magic realism, and ghosts, pretty much all one can ask for in a perfect book. I laughed, I cried, and I loved every minute of it.

A lyrical and beautifully woven tale of lives weathered alone, until they converge, intertwine and heal. The characters are well developed and quirky, the threads of suspense woven into the novel builds intrigue, and the ending is both surprising and perfectly sewn together. Recommended!

I loved this book! The imagery, the ghosts, the every day magic that makes our world so splendid. Addison has a way of drawing each sense into her book, from the lush visuals, to the heavenly aromas, the sounds of the birds. She is a phenomenal writer and just what I needed in the gloomy end of winter.

Sarah Addison Allen is one of my favorite authors, and this book is as magical as her others. A lovely story of choosing your own family and letting go to chose your way forward.. The story is set on an island that smells of the sea and sweet marsh mallow, a place that isn’t just a place where the characters live, but by the end, a place that feels like home. Each character has a past, Mac and Camille’s cornmeal laced relationship is particularly sweet.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Zoey moves to Mallow Island, off the coast of South Carolina, to take over her deceased mother’s apartment in an unusual horseshoe shaped complex known as The Dellawisp. The building is owned by a mysterious author who named it after the tiny, almost magical, turquoise birds who inhabit the complex. Zoey soon meets her eccentric and secretive neighbors who each have an unusual story to tell.

Other Birds is the fantastic new novel by author Sarah Addison Allen. I was so excited to see that she had written a new novel as I am a big fan of her writing. Like many of her stories, this was a heartwarming tale with flawed characters trying to find their path. This was the perfect novel with just the right amount of magic that I desperately needed after a few not so great reads. The story involves several characters who, at first glance, appear to have nothing in common but as their relationships grow their connections become more apparent. I love that the novel gives perspectives from each of the characters including a few ghosts that have unfinished business. This was a beautifully written novel about human connection, loss, and learning to let go. A must read for 2022!

Reading this book felt like getting a gentle yet solid hug. Zoey's moves away for her first year of college. She moves into the apartment her mom got in the divorce. From there, it's a matter of meeting the neighbors and learning about all of their lives. And my word, those are interesting neighbors. Each character's backstory unfolds carefully, like they are slowly opening up and letting us get to know them. You want to be friends with these people, eventually. They each have a trauma they have survived, and they will each be stronger for knowing each other. It's so beautiful and uplifting. It's the kind of book you wish you could read again for the first time as soon as you finish it.

This is a story of connections of both family and friends- which bonds hold tighter and which are the hardest to let go of. While there are little magical bits here and there, this story is probably the most grounded in reality that I've read from this author. It's as if she's saying, sometimes there can't be an easy quick fix to get through pain or heartache.

This was my first Sarah Addison Allen Book, and it won't be my last. There was so much I enjoyed about this book. I really liked that stories and secrets revealed themselves throughout the book. And I really liked the overall feel of the book. I felt like I was a part of their world. I do wish there was more back story on Paloma. I have questions! But, all in all, I loved spending time with these characters and was sorry for it to end. I will miss them.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I devoured this book. To be fair, I love the author and read anything I can that's written by her. She's amazing. But, this book is amazing all on its own. It's such a beautiful story. I loved hearing about the stories of the different people living in the housing complex. I live in Charleston, so I know the magic of the Low Country. This book captured all of that magic. I can imagine the dellawisps and the ghosts flickering around. The writing was so well done. I would read this book over and over again.