I was so very excited to get my hands on Ms. Allen's newest book, "Other Birds", having sorely missed her work for some time. (I have read her entire back-list some 8 or 9 years ago). Like many of us, the author has been through some things in that time, so this book is a bit darker & different from her earlier works - there is a palpable sense of grief interwoven throughout. But the stories of the residents of the Dellawisp condo's are worth learning, they are flawed characters who come together in the best of ways. I loved young Zoey, and Mac, the chef, best - but they're all interesting, if a bit broken, creatures. Speaking of creatures - the birds interwoven thought was creative & a great plot device. Recommend strongly to most all readers - be aware however, this book is a bit different than her other stories & there are a few trigger warnings (abuse mostly). My sincere thanks to the publisher, author and Net Galley for the complimentary DRC, the exchange of which did not effect my opinions.

Ugh! I am having a hard time writing this review. This author is new to me and I was very intrigued by the synopsis of this book as well as all of the 5-star reviews. Who can resist secrets, ghosts and magic, right? Unfortunately, this story took a long while before it even peaked my interest. I almost DNF it twice, but I toughed it out. I neither loved it nor hated it. It was just ok. I liked the characters, but was unable to feel any kind of connection with them. I was also disappointed in how minor a role the ghosts played. I was hoping for more paranormal activity. But, please don't let my review discourage you!! I can see why many readers rated this so highly. I just didn't feel the same way.

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to preview this eARC!

Sarah Addison Allen is one of my favorite authors and I'm so glad I got to read this one. This is a beautiful story with beautiful imagery. It's about love and loss and finding oneself. There is a bit of magical realism and ghosts too.

OTHER BIRDS by Sarah Addison Allen follows Zoey who shows up on Mallow Island to claim an apartment left to her by her mother when she passed away. Now 18 years old, she heads there hoping to find out more about her family and instead finds that family is not always who you are related to. This band of extraordinary neighbors will have you laughing, hoping, crying, and believing that the power of connection is a magic all of us are capable of.

OTHER BIRDS carries Allen’s trademark themes of magic and family carried along by her melodic writing style and unforgettable characters. There are so many good lines in this book! For a book so many of us have been waiting for, it will not disappoint and provides a lot of insight into the writer’s journey outside of the pages. Some sections have an air of melancholy about them, which is expected as she was writing about mother figures while processing her the loss of her own mother. But the overall impression of the book is positive and makes you feel like a warm hug after being apart for so long.

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Other Birds is an enchanting novel that touches on healing through community, chosen family, and ultimately letting go of the past. While the book initially appears to focus on Zoey moving into her mother's old condo in search of some kind of connection to her, Other Birds weaves you through the fabric of the other residents in the complex - their families, their history, and how their connection with one another ultimately bonds them together to create a new kind of family that values each of them because of — rather than in spite of — their struggles.

The book was written so delicately and with such care that by the end of the novel, I felt truly connected to each and every one of the characters and felt deeply for each of them. There were clearly points being made about loss, letting go, and family — but it all washed over me gently, letting me as the reader experience the feelings of the characters without being taken out of the story.

This was a beautiful book, and probably my favorite read of the year so far. Now I'm searching through Allen's books to add them to my list.

"Not everything has to be real to be true."

Ugh, this beautiful, whimsical, heartbreaking, heart-building book. It reminded me a lot of Pat Conroy, with the Low Country setting and the way Sarah Addison Allen explores issues of family trauma, but minus the sometimes gratuitous descriptions of violence and exorbitant page count. So many things about this story - the island, the book that is a central part of the character's conversations, the characters themselves - are not real, but they are SO very true in all the ways that really matter. There are many separate narratives taking place here, but Allen does a masterful job of weaving them together in a way that feels serendipitous, never cluttered. I will be purchasing this book when it releases so that I can read & re-read over and over.

*Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martins Press for this complimentary advance copy of "Other Birds", which has a current release date of September 13th, 2022*

Oh my goodness. It’s simply a pretty perfect book.

As a member of the dead mom’s club-a theme of the people woven together in the story-it resonated so strongly. It’s funny and beautiful. And her ability to capture what it’s like to be a young person learning how to adult-just *chef’s kiss*.

Sarah Addison Allen does it again, this time pulling at our hearts like never before. We follow Zoey on an adventure to find herself and along the way we meet characters who knew her Mother, before she passed and how all of their journeys relate. This is a story about living and holding onto those we’ve lost, while they too sometimes struggle to let us go. Absolutely a must read! I am forever changed by this beautiful book, thank you Sarah.

Ah, another magical book why Sarah Addison Allen. It always impresses me how much emotion and love for characters she can create in such a short amount of time. I could read another book about these characters and not got sick of them. She's an auto-read author for me.

This book is honestly difficult for me to review. In the end I’m glad I read it, but it took a long time to get there. I’m not even sure it’s the book’s fault or just where my head was at, but at least the first half felt like a slog. I’m not sure I would have finished it if I hadn’t been given it as an ARC and felt like I should review it. But by the end, I’m really glad I did.

The plot is a really tightly woven story. It borders on slightly too twisty, but lands on the right side of it, which is such a satisfying place to be.

The style of the writing isn’t bad but I think it’s just not my style. It’s very descriptive in places, but then it makes it all the more odd when it leans on telling rather than showing. There was one line that really irked me where it said something like “he hilariously described…” - either say something funny or don’t, but don’t tell us that it’s hilarious. Even just changing it to “he cracked them up by describing…” would have been an improvement because then you’re showing us how the other characters reacted to his alleged hilarity rather than just telling us that it was. The biggest problem with the book as a whole is that a major plot point centers around a brilliant celebrated novel, which is always a difficult thing to pull off. If you’re going to show something that is supposed to be incredible and life-changing, now you have to write something incredible and life-changing. Anything from fine to good isn’t going to cut it.

If you like magical realism and the found family trope, you’ll probably enjoy this. But you may have to push through a slow start to get there.

This was a very good read. It had likable characters, each with their own story waiting to be told. It took place on Mallow Island which you will want to visit, if only to meet the birds. Oh! And the ghosts. Easy reading, a feel good book. I recommend it as a vacation for our busy minds, as a way to unwind and appreciating the joy of curling up with a good book. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC (kindle format) in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the advanced digital copy of Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen in return for an honest review.

I have missed Sarah Addison Allen’s novels. She is a gifted, unique storyteller, creating relatable, likable characters, in interesting settings, with a touch of magical realism. Her stories are good for your soul; they fill you up, make you smile, and lift your spirits. Other Birds is no exception.

It is amazing the people that touch our lives and impact us for the better. Those that touch our hearts never truly leave us; their legacy carries us through life’s journey. Zoey, Charlotte, Mac, Lucy, Elizabeth and Fraser all have their secrets, upbringings that will break your heart, and whether it is by the kindness of others or through their own inner strength they are survivors. Together they become a family by choice. I am not sure if it was purposeful, but how lovely that these characters that have experienced so much suffering and ugliness find themselves living in the same condo complex, the Dellawisp, set in charming, quirky Mallow Island, off the coast of South Carolina, where initially marshmallows dominated the local cuisine.

Reading a Sarah Addison Allen novel is like a warm embrace, relieving you of your worries for awhile as you escape into her magical worlds. Read the acknowledgement to get a better understanding of what the author has been through these past few years. I hope writing this book provided her with some healing. I know it gave me a reprieve from the worries of the day, and for that I am forever grateful. I already can’t wait for her next book to be written. That being said, The Girl Who Chased the Moon remains my absolute favorite of her books, but all of them are to be savored.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a requested copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Reading a Sarah Addison Allen book is like coming home. You have no idea how much you missed it until you finally open the book, turn the pages, and let the magic wash over you. You might initially have forgotten where everything is supposed to go, having been away so long, but you find your place soon enough. This was so beautiful. It was perhaps a little more emotionally raw than per previous books given her recent losses, plus the themes are around love, family, letting go, learning that your past does not define you, and learning how to embrace the future.
Each character was quirky, damaged, sweet (ok Lizbeth wasn't sweet), and I just wanted to give each of them a tight hug. I love how SAA incorporates food and smell into all her books--never have I wanted marshmallows so much! And I always love the subtle magic in each book. The ghosts packed a really big emotional punch in this one. I cried quite a bit honestly.
I really loved this book and I hope we don't have to wait so long for another one!

4.5 stars

The Dellawisp is home to Zoey and her quirky neighbors, each haunted by their own ghosts. When Zoey returns to the Dellawisp to claim her late mother’s apartment, she has no idea the people she will meet and what she will discover.

This story is beautifully written and the characters masterfully developed. The Dellawisp and Mallow Island are places I wish to go - to sit in the haunting magic Allen has crafted in the pages of this novel.

𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘪𝘳𝘥𝘴 is truly a story of discovering oneself and letting go of the past. I was moved by the ending and unabashedly shed a tear — it’s not often I can connect with characters this way, but this felt like magic.

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

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC - I will be thinking of this story for a long time to come.

Oh Sarah Addison Allen, how I have missed your magic. The characters, the setting, and the stories are so interesting and well-written.

One small thing that I hope gets corrected before the final publication was that Charlotte gave Mac a witch ball and then a few chapters later she gave him one again, but it made it seem like he never received the first one.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received this as an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love Sarah Addison Allen. Her books are magic and never fail to introduce me to something new!

This book is mostly about the relationships we hold onto for too long and letting them go. It's relatable and heartbreaking in ways her previous work has not been. It's timely for me, and I know I'll carry this book in my heart till I fly away.

Other Birds was absolutely magical. Sarah Addison Allen wrote a story that was so well written I found myself flying through the pages, unable to put the book down, pondering what would happen next. My favorite piece of this entire story was how believable the characters were.


The writing is clear and clean, and very immersive. The book hums along at a good clip, but the pacing makes sure we're given time to breathe between plot-intensifying moments. The story was absolutely engaging and the work that went into the settings was noticeable and superb. I felt absolutely transported and I'm so incredibly glad I was able to read an arc of this story.

I've been a fan of Sarah Addison Allen since Garden Spells came out in 2007. She's one of the authors that I'll read no matter what she writes, because I know I'll love it. When I saw this book being released, I was THRILLED - it has been a while since I've read one of her books. Worth the wait!
A band of misfits, creating their own family, a bit of mystery and the little touch of magical realism in all her books - this one kept getting better and better as I read.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

It's been seven years since Sarah Addison Allen released her last book, and it's been well worth the wait. The author is beloved for her unique and beautiful stories, tinged with a dose of magical realism. This book is no exception.

It's all about "found family," bringing together a small and disparate cast of characters who have struggled throughout their lives to feel loved. They all live now on Mallow Island, SC at the Dellawisp Condos, named for the tiny turquoise birds that surround them, and many of them are visited by the ghosts of those who have played meaningful roles--some positive, some negative--in their lives. Writer Roscoe, now a recluse, put the island on the map 50 years ago with his bestseller, Sweet Mallow, but has never had another literary success. Frasier manages the condos where the Lime sisters, Lizbeth and Lucy, live separately because they can't stand the sight of each other. Charlotte is a henna artist on the run from her childhood in a cultish religious community where she lost her best friend. Mac is an executive chef who was taken in as a child by an elderly woman when his parents abandoned him. Zoey is searching for memories of her late mother, who owns the condo where Zoey will live during college breaks. And Oliver is the son of one of the Lime sisters, who is looking for his first post-graduate job and remembers how Frasier helped him when his mother made his life difficult and lonely.

The details in this heartfelt story--from the evocative food Mac cooks, to the beautiful witch balls Charlotte hangs in her condo, to Lizbeth Lime's huge paper collection, to Zoey's invisible "Pigeon"--are original and expressive, poignantly demonstrating that "other birds" doesn't refer just to the island's actual bird population, but to the otherness of the inhabitants of the Dellawisp Condos. There is a lot of darkness in the characters' lives, but hope and positive emotion shine through as the story comes to a most satisfying conclusion. And best of all, there is more than one revelation that made my jaw drop, even as it made perfect sense. I can't recommend the book highly enough.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for affording me the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

I love reading anything by Sarah Addison Allen, so I was so excited to see that she had a new book called “Other Birds” coming out this year. “Other Birds” is a beautifully written story about a group of misfit people who live at a condo building owned by a famous writer, tucked away from view on Mallow Island, where each resident does not mix with each other. That is until Zoey moves in and makes it her mission to make friends with her quirky neighbors. There are the estranged sisters, a girl who is a henna artist, a chef, and the caretaker Frazier. In essence, they make their own little family. In the midst of all that are the Dellawisps, special birds who flit about in the courtyards. But they each have a story that hasn’t been yet told. And then there are the resident ghosts, as we hear their stories, that only the caretaker can see, along with an invisible bird, Pigeon, owned by Zoey.

I loved the magical realism of this story. Allen has a way of telling her magical stories, rich in character and emotion that make them joyful. Not to spoil this, but at 3/4 of the way, all of a sudden, I went “Whoa!” I love when a story takes me by surprise and I don’t see something coming. Talk about a plot twist. I also liked Zoey very much as she was so joyful and the ray of hope for all the dysfunctional residents, helping them to let go of their past in order to move forward. Frazier was also a favorite and I loved his outlook on life.
“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’d much rather be an ‘other bird’ than just be same old thing.”
Once I started this, I could not put it down. One of my favorites so far this year. LOVE this book!

Many thanks to #netgalley #sarahaddisonallen #otherbirds for the opportunity to read and review this book.