OTHER BIRDS
BY: SARAH ADDISON ALLEN

This is the first novel that I have read by this very talented Author, Sarah Addison Allen, but it definitely won't be my last. I have had her debut novel, called, "Garden Spells," which I don't have any more, but I will soon remedy that. Reading her newest offering called, "Other Birds," was nothing short of what I felt was a spiritual reading experience after I finished it. It is whimsical but at the same time just absolutely STUNNING! I adored it and when I read the last few lines in the Acknowledgments section it absolutely took my breath away.

The characters are fully fleshed out and contain a real depth to them. The setting is BRILLIANT and a place that is quaint and so charming. This is about finding your own tribe in your friends and in this case the inhabitants who live at the Dellawisp Condo's on Mallow Island, in South Carolina. The place has history. It has a famous author who masquerades his identity by taking an ordinary job which I cannot reveal what that is. It has a lovable character named Zoey, who lands on Mallow Island to move into the studio condo inherited to her by her long deceased mother. Charlotte whom Zoey befriends as they both clean out a hoarder's condo that is wall-to-wall boxes of papers where it just has a path left. That hoarder was named Lizbeth Lime whose reclusive sister Lucy also has her own condo but she never is seen leaving. Lizbeth is killed by having a bookcase topple over her while she was on a stepladder. There is Mac who is the executive chef at the restaurant called Popcorn which is located inside the Mallow Island Resort Hotel, who creates mouthwatering gourmet dishes all of which incorporates the Marshmallow.

The Marshmallow is originally from a leafy green plant that grew in the marshes before Mallow Island was renamed. The Confectioners used to use the root of the marshmallow plant as a thickener to make it. These days, modern marshmallows are mass-produced using gelatin and don't include any part of the marshmallow plant. But the name stuck.

When this novel begins Zoey is just arriving by cab to the Dellawisp Condos. She is due to start College in the Fall. Meanwhile, she meets and bonds with the above mentioned characters and they all become close as if they are family. I know what that is like because I have some very close friends who are like family to me. So I could really relate to how these lovable characters bond over a Summer and become to mean so much to each other. There is the beautiful garden on the Condos estate that is filled with turquoise birds. The garden is beautifully described. ""...a brick pathway lined with short trees bearing clusters of disproportionately large, bell shaped blooms. They gave off a cloying scent like a bottle of dropped perfume". Brugmansia is the name of the flowering trees, but some folks call them the angel's trumpet. These exquisite birds love the Brugmansia trees best. They are everywhere in this center garden some no bigger than ring boxes with their sherbet orange beaks. A veritable feast for the senses, this novel is pleasing, especially visually and taste-wise, not to mention our sixth sense. This is a loving tribute to all of the people we meet in life that are warm and precious to us that we keep them close to us because we value them. This review sadly, I don't feel does this gem of a novel justice. I just want to reiterate again just how much I loved this and it is an all time Favorite and one I will not forget! I highly recommend this and I will be buying this for friends, family and myself, when it is published. Put this one on your TBR list. Now I am so thrilled to know that I have all of this Author's previous work to enjoy.

Publication Date: September 13, 2022

Thank you to Net Galley, Sarah Addison Allen and St. Martin's Press for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#OtherBirds #SarahAddisonAllen #StMartinsPress #NetGalley

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Zoey moves to Mallow Island to live in the studio apartment her mom had once lived in, to feel close to the mother she lost, and to maybe find herself.

I love Sarah Addison Allen’s books, filled with whimsy and love; not just romantic love but self-love, and love for others, and love for the magical moments that make life worth it.

"Second chances are not to be wasted. It is one of the most valuable lessons we can learn in life."

It's been so long since Sarah Addison Allen had a new book published that I forgot just how much I love her stories. And this is a book of stories. Welcome to the Dellawisp Condos, located on Mallow Island off the coast of South Carolina. Our story begins with 18 year old Zoey, who is moving into her new condo the summer before starting college in Charleston. Zoey has left her unhappy life in Tulsa behind and looking forward to starting over in the place her deceased mother has left her. As the novel progresses, we meet the other residents of Dellawisp, and the caretaker, Frasier, all of whom also have pasts they would like to forget. We learn each of their stories as they all struggle with moving on and starting again, creating a new family amongst themselves in the process of healing from the past. And while this book doesn't quite have the magic seen in the author's other books, there is definitely some whimsy - in this case, some resident ghosts, some quirky, thieving birds called dellawisps, and an Zoey's invisible bird Pigeon.

While some of the characters were more likable than others, there wasn't a single one I disliked (well, okay, maybe just one) once I understood them and why they acted as they did. About 3/4 of the way through the book, the twists started coming, one after another, right up to the end. The pacing was perfect and I didn't feel like I had read a 300+ page book when I finished. This book was the perfect one to curl up with on an unseasonably cold, snowy March day.

Thank you to NetGalley and to St. Martins' Press for the ARC.

Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen is a story of neighbors who reside on Mallow Island. The Dellawisp Condos are a place where lost and unloved souls reside. These characters alive and otherworldly; share their stories about loss, rejection and a yearning to find a place to belong. I was pulled in with the pain that each viewpoint felt. The story wove the all the threads together to create a tapestry of connections.

It took quite some time for me to feel hooked into this story. I am glad I kept reading because the ending was full of life and big surprises.

Another beautifully written book by Sarah Addison Adler.I fell in love with the characters the story .I was so absorbed in the story their world I hated to leave and go back to my real world.#netgalley #st.Martins

Dear fellow readers, if you are expecting a sweet and charming whimsical story by the queen of southern magical realism, you are sorely mistaken. Other Birds is a departure from Allen’s previous works. It’s a story about learning to fly away from the past that haunts us, the past that keeps us tethered to a life that we were never meant to hold onto in the first place. There is no beguiling magic in this story, but rather an intriguing spectral and supernatural mystery. Strange birds, a motley crew of apartment building residents, and heartbreaking stories flock together in this strange tale about setting oneself free. Even though I was hoping for classic magical realism story, I kept an open mind reading Other Birds. There was still a unique and unusual flair- eccentric characters, weird goings on, and unexplainable occurrences that brushes the edge of Allen’s magical realism stories. Learning about the tragic journey of writing this story, put it into perspective for me. It felt more personal and meaningful than her previous books, which I appreciate.

Other Birds won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but the message is one of love, freedom, and the ghosts we create when we struggle to forgive, let go, and fly away.

Trigger warning- this story discusses heavy topics such as abuse and addiction.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

“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 rather than just the same old thing.”
Sarah Addison Allen

There really aren’t the words to describe how much I love Sarah Addison Allen’s writing. It is always so lovely and heartfelt. Her characters are likable, beautifully flawed and live in these wonderfully magical “found family” worlds. I want to have a garden with turquoise blue birds that steal my things. Her books make me smile.

I loved this magical story about friendship, family, and belonging. Zoey has come to Mallow Island off the coast of South Carolina to live in the condo at Dellawisp she inherited from her mother. It's hard not to fall in love with Zoey and her eccentric neighbors. Other Birds is a bit of a mystery and ghost story with a touch of the Gullah culture thrown in and you will find it hard to put down. Thanks to author Sarah Addison Allen, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this ebook for an honest review.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Sarah Addison Allen is by far my favorite author. I remember when I was 18/19 years old I was at my little local library at the time and I was looking and found her book "Garden Spells". I was instantly enchanted with the cover and I got it. I was so excited to see that she is writing a new book and I was not disappointed. I went through so many emotions reading this book. You know it is a good book when a book makes you emotional and you don't want the story to end! I loved every single character! Sarah Addison Allen has such a way with writing it is so magical and her writing is like southern comfort food for the soul! Thank you for writing this truly amazing story.

Sarah Addison Allen's Other Birds is a magical, beautiful and beautifully written story of loss and redeeming love of some different and wonderful people who come together in a rental community and become a "family". through their experiences on a little island near Charleston, South Carolina. I've read all of this author's books and this is truly one of her best. You won't be disappointed!

Remember, there are birds and there are other birds. You'll have to read this intriguing story to find the explanation for those birds. And meandering through the story to find that answer will be an adventure you won't want to miss.

Other Birds is absolutely worth the wait. Magical and heartfelt, this book was like coming home. Warm and comforting and full of characters I wanted to be friends with. Even the dellawisps! As always, Sarah Addison Allen perfectly balances the whimsical with heavier topics and emotions, leaving me completely satisfied and utterly charmed.

This is the first book I have read from the author, and I was absolutely charmed by her writing and storytelling.
The reader knows from the beginning that there are both real and imaginary elements of the story, but it’s not always obvious which you’re dealing with or why someone / something is other-worldly. It wasn’t a mystery to be solved, but rather a slow reveal without distracting from the characters and their journeys. When all is explained in the final 15-20% of the book it felt both heartwarming and sad, almost wistful.

In the acknowledgements, the author shared that she lost her mother and her sister days apart while writing this book and that it shaped the story and relationships in it. The book was beautiful, and I hope it brought the author healing.

Thank you again to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve been looking forward to a new Sarah Addison Allen book for so long, and Other Birds did not disappoint! This book was filled with the same magical realism and beautifully complex characters as all of her other novels. I always love the little twists and hint of mystery her writing brings. A unique and enjoyable read that will leave a lasting impression.

I am a fan of Sarah Addison Allen's particular brand of magical realism and food, and Other Birds did not let me down. The book is absolutely charming. I found myself wanting to visit Mallow Island and the quirky residents at the Dellawhisp, to go eat at Mac's restaurant and get henna from Charlotte. And while the book also deals with love, loss, disappointment, and abuse, it still manages to leave the reader feeling hopeful. A poignant read that will be perfect for book clubs.

Sarah Addison Allen is one of my favorite authors and I’m always excited to read her new book. Allen, known for magic realism and wonderful complex characters, is still at the top of her game with Other Birds. Set in a unique condo complex five occupants, along with their ghosts, learn how to finally fully live by being vulnerable, reaching out to each other, and knowing even their “real” selves deserve to be loved. These beautifully written characters carry hurts from their childhood that need to be resolved, and they do so by accepting each other.

This book was so engaging, just like the characters in it. It is beautiful storytelling and so, so magical. A very poignant story which grabs your imagination from page one. I couldn’t put it down as I really wanted to immerse myself in these characters lives and those around them dealing with shifts of existence. We all think about whether the choices we've made were the best ones at the time and this book explores this with a magical, mysterious storyline and I loved it.

This book can go under many genres; new adult, magical realism, paranormal, romance, mystery, women's fiction...the list goes on and on but in a word, it was simply lovely. Beautiful, emotional and so believable. Read it in a couple of sittings. This book is compelling, heartbreaking and thought-provoking all at the same time and I was really pleased with the surprising secrets and twists. The central theme of everlasting hope shines through to the very end, I will miss these characters.

This book blew me away! I was unable to but it down. Perfect, dazzlingly, very well written.
The details the author described throughout the book was so amazing.
The characters and storyline were fantastic.
Truly amazing and appreciated the whole story.

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

St. Martin's Press,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my platforms, blog, B&N and Waterstone closer to pub date.

It’s been several years since her last book, so I was elated when I received an early copy from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

There really is a Queen of magical realism and she’s back. I so missed Sarah Addison Allen’s writing. I’ve read all of her books and was a fan from the beginning.

This novel is exceptional and was well worth the wait. From the very beginning we have a condo in a cobblestone building on an island, a pink kitchen and an invisible bird. The story just keeps getting better and better. The characters are so well written and the descriptive writing was lovely. I swear I could smell and taste the food and feel the atmosphere on Mallow Island and in the garden with the dellawisps. Personally, I want to live at The Dellawisp and visit the bakery and sweet shops with all things marshmallow.

I loved this so much, I have preordered a copy of this novel. Release date is September 13, 2022. Congratulations to the author for this beautiful story.

Sarah Addison Allen is back with a fantastic exploration of found family. This found family has members that have all experienced some rather devastating losses or hardships, sometimes both.

They live in a magical little group of condos with fantastic, other-worldly birds, a ghost or three, and uniquely drawn characters, most of whom are endearing, real, and extremely interesting. Even the two that I didn't much care for I came to understand and have empathy for.

Prepare yourself for beautiful, lush descriptions that are so real you can feel the softness of the air and see the cornmeal in the head chef's hair, more than a little dose of magical realism, and a journey of the heart well worth taking. No one does characters and magical realism like SAA and I simply adore her, her other books, but especially this book.

Take the time to read the acknowledgement at the end. It's worth it. I'm devastated that Other Birds is finished and while I rarely reread books, I do believe this is one I will.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC at my request. All thoughts are my own.

I was so excited to get my hands on this long awaited story by the marvelous Sarah Addison Allen. It was everything I hoped it would be and more.
This tale weaves a spell into the fabric of the readers heart with it’s mesmerizing imagery. The characters are a fascinating menagerie of residents that inhabit of Dellawisp Condos on the charming Mallow Island. These individuals all have a story, the chef, the artist, the caretaker and the sisters. When the newest resident, Zoey, moves in changes abound.
At its heart this book explores the themes of self discovery, found family, and love in a way that is unique to Sarah Addison Allen’s storytelling. I found myself highlighting so many moving phrases and passages and so know I will need to re-read this one. Finishing this book left me feeling both contented and wistful. This is a must read story for fans of magical realism.