The Story Collector is the 2nd book I have read by Evie Woods. I love the storyline. Ireland, dual time-lines and fairies what’s not to love.

Sarah Harper is leaving her marriage and a tragedy that tore her and her husband apart. She is headed to her family in Boston from New York when she sees an article about a motorway in Ireland that was moved to save a Hawthorne tree that is home to the good people or fairies, the story intrigues her and she takes a unscheduled side trip to Ireland on Christmas Day of all days. Once in Ireland she discovers that she has nowhere to stay, Marcus a worker at a local hotel hooks her up with a cottage in the village of Thornwood. The cottage once owned by the Butler family is now rented out. While investigating the Hawthorne tree, Sarah finds the diary of Anna Butler dated before WWI. Anna was hired to help an American anthropologist who is traveling through England, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany, the Isle of Man and of course Ireland to gather stories and first hand accounts of people’s interaction with fairies. The book is told through dual times, 2010 Sarah and 1910-1911 Anna, Both have unusal happenings that hint that the fairies may not be quite as much a myth as thought. Along the way Sarah and Anna have their lives irreparably changed.

This was a magical story with some drama and some heartache, but a lovely story.

Thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and the author for the chance to read and review this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! The Story Collector by Evie Woods is a tale of a woman, who after surviving heartbreak, takes a sudden leap of intoxicated faith and heads to Ireland. There, she meets people in a quaint small town who teach her how to heal and forgive herself for things that were out of her control. Though, I found the story a little hard to get into with the talk of fairies, I rather enjoyed it in the end. Sometimes life takes us on an unexpected journey that we follow blindly and which, in turn, helps us discover that we end up right where we were meant to be.

I was really looking forward to this book. The Lost Bookshop was one of my favorite reads, especially because it was a beautiful story with a little touch of magic. Since I read the first book through Netgalley I got an e-mail from the publisher, One More Chapter, with an invitation to also read this second book through Netgalley. Of course I didn't hesitate. I was therefore really excited to finally start reading this week.

When adding this book to Goodreads I discovered that this book was actually before the Lost Bookshop. I'm not entirely sure if the author has simply grown a lot since writing this book, but this book somehow didn't touch me as much as the Lost Bookshop did. I can't really explain why. I think the main issue lies with the characters. I especially had issues connecting with Sarah, the American girl ending up in Ireland after divorcing her husband.

Does that mean I didn't enjoy this book at all? No, of course not. I really loved the magic in this book. I especially loved how we can never know for sure if things are really magical or not. There are a lot of rumors, some weird things are going on and there are clearly moments not making complete sense and yet, it's hard to know for sure how trustworthy the narrators of this story are. Emotions are strong, but they can also be deceiving after all.

I was however not entirely convinced of the two stories really coming together. There are of course quite some similarities between these two ladies. Both are dealing with heavy emotions, both have some mysterious experiences and there is something going on with traveling tickets. However, the final link between those two stories feels a little missing. As if there is no true moment where the past and the present really meet.

Maybe my expectations were simply too high, because it's still a well written book. I just think The Lost Bookshop was a lot better.

Sarah, reeling under the pain of a recent separation, decides on a whim to fly to Ireland instead of to her family in Boston. She finds herself renting a cottage in Thornwood, a tiny village known for fairy activity, where she unearths a hundred year old diary, of a former resident, Anna.

Told from both Sara's POV in 2011 and through Anna's diary in 1911, we learn the history and secrets of Thornwood and the tales of the Fair Folk are woven throughout. Stories within stories within stories. And through these stories Sarah finds healing and finds herself once more.

This was a delightful, heartwarming read, full of warmth and magic, grief and solace, the mischief of fairies, and, ultimately, healing. Anna's story centres around the collection of fairy stories and anecdotes with a visiting scholar and the impact the fairies have on her; Sarah's story centres around healing and moving forward.

There are some trigger warnings for readers that should be flagged - attempted SA, child loss, animal cruelty, suicide, murder. Some of these are within the fairy stories themselves, but readers should be aware of them.

~Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~

I read the Lost Bookshop last year and loved it. So when I saw the@author had brought out another book, I couldn’t wait to search for it!! 📕📕📕📕📕📕📕📕📕📕📕📕📕📕📕. The Story Collector is a dual time storyline (personally I love a dual time). This book was just lovely,magical and I devoured it. Definitely becoming a fan of this author. 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷. #thestorycollector #eviewoodsthelostbookshop #eviewoods #ireland #irelandreading #netgalley

This is a dual-timeline story that alternates between the two timelines. The book begins with Sarah Harper leaving her husband on Christmas after their marriage implodes. Her plan is to hop on a plane to her sister's house, but she gets drunk at the airport waiting for her plane, changes plans because of an article she read in a newspaper, and wakes up in Ireland, completely bumfuzzled as to how she got there. Her sister is mad at her because she spent the day getting everything ready for her, and her husband has been waiting at the airport for her. Everyone thinks she is having a breakdown, but she assures them she just needs some time away to regroup and think. She decides to do just that and she rests a cottage for a few weeks. At the cottage she discovers a diary from 1910, belonging to someone named Anna. This is where the second timeline comes in at. The diary tells about how Anna, a young farm girl, volunteers to help an intriguing American visitor, Harold Griffin-Krauss, translate 'fairy stories' from Irish to English. They travel around Thornwood Village together, collecting personal accounts of interactions and sightings of the fae. Sarah becomes fascinated by all of the folklore and superstition and decides to start sketching pictures of the fairies in the stories she is reading about.

I love this author's books. She never fails to draw me in and keep me captivated. I loved all of the stories about the fae, and enjoyed the dual timeline and the way the two tied together. When Sarah finally broke down and confessed what had happened to break up her marriage with her husband, I will admit I shed a tear or two for her. Whether you are a fan of fantasy fiction or just love fiction, I think you will love this book regardless. I highly recommend it!

Imaginative story telling at its best. Sarah is having a crisis in her life and in a crazy moment boards a plane to Ireland from America to spend a solitary Christmas and perhaps rediscover her true self. A modern fairy story intertwined with one from many years before aided and abetted by the faery folk.

Another fantastic page turner from Evie Woods
I was gripped practically from the first page,she knows how to take something unbelievable into something you can almost see! The story was good with wonderful characters
I love the way she writes
Thank you NetGalley

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to read this novel, having devoured The Last Bookshop last year. The Story Collector does not disappoint. A magical whimsy throughout Ireland, folklore and fairies - this novel is not to be missed.

I have always been fascinated by stories about fairies. The folklore of each region regarding these creatures is very interesting. Especially the folklore of Ireland as presented in this book. With special respect and kindness for these creatures, the author mentions local stories about fairies and how they interact with people. These stories combined with the superb descriptions of Ireland's landscapes make this book a must-have for those who enjoy the folklore and culture of each country.
That's why when I read the description of the book I chose it immediately and of course it didn't disappoint me. This is an easy to read book with great descriptions of Ireland in 1910 and 2010 and realistic characters who deal with life with all the emotions, fear, anxiety, courage, strength and love. It is a book that offers exactly what its title promises, a collection of stories.
I highly recommend it!

The Story Collector is a compelling and immersive novel about the transformative and healing power of stories. I am very partial to these types of stories, particularly when they have magical realism and incorporate Good Folk (I have Julliet Marillier to thank for this).

The narrative follows Sarah Harper and her spontaneous travel to Ireland, where she ends up discovering a diary from 1910, written by Anna, who volunteered to help an American translate fairy stories to English. From this, we get to two timelines, and two different self-discovering journeys.

Evie’s writing is captivating and beautiful, and while I did prefer Anne’s storyline (I really can't resist fairies and fairytales), I appreciate how flawlessly intertwined both timelines were.

Similarly to The Lost Bookshop, I wasn’t in love with the romance in this book, which is mainly what made me drop one star. There are stories that need, and benefit, from the existence of romance, and others that the central focus needs to be introspection, self-understanding, and self-healing. In my perspective, Sarah was nowhere near ready to be in a new relationship. We need to stand firm on our own to be able to be in a good relationship, and I wish we were shown this more often.

I’m certainly going to keep following Evie’s career, and I feel honored to have been an advance reader to both of her books.

Please be aware of trigger warnings: loss of child, grief and alcoholism.

<i>I would like to thank HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest an honest review.</i>

I love the alternating timelines in this novel. I was immediately drawn to this book due to the cover and title. It did not disappoint. When Sarah takes off to Ireland on a whim when her marriage dissolves, she has no idea the surprises she is in for. This was not her intended destination but while at the airport getting ready to fly to her sisters, she sees signs that Ireland is where she needs to be. It is a place she has always wanted to go anyway and she figures the signs are there so why not? She finds a diary that links some of those signs together and takes her on an adventure in the past of Anna, a young girl who gets the opportunity to assist a scholar visiting Ireland to document local stories about fairies. While reading about Anna's adventures, she starts having some adventures of her own. A beautiful story about the importance of storytelling!

My first time reading a Evie Woods book. Maybe my expectations were too high but I struggled. I couldn't connect with the characters and I wasn't grabbed by the story. I won't give up on her, will try another one that I have heard great things about.

Maybe I will come back to this one in audio when it releases and update this review.

This is a story with dual POVs/dual timelines, and I adored both. Main character Sarah finds herself at a bit of a loss when the book opens, Christmas day 2010. Her marriage has ended and she doesn't seem to know what her next step should be, until fate and some Irish whisky step in and deliver her to Shannon Airport in Galway, Ireland. I absolutely love this because while I haven't made that rash of a decision, I am definitely someone who knows how incredibly healing it can be to take a foreign break while you remember who you are.
While walking in the forest of a nearby village, Sarah discovers a diary from 1910-11 and immediately becomes invested in the life of the author. I can't blame her, so did I. The diary writer, Anna, has just met Harold, a visiting American scholar who is seeking out stories of the Good Folk (fairies) for his university thesis. Serving as his translator and guide, Anna helps Harold navigate village life to collect stories for his study.
I loved Sarah's story of self-discovery, but it was Anna's tale that kept me riveted. I loved the various legends and superstitions the village people had about fairies. I lived in Ireland as a child, so some of the myths and legends are familiar to me, but most were new and I just loved them. And I love Woods' blending of historical fiction with a wee bit of magical realism to tell this tale.
This was my second book by Woods and I really appreciate that she tells stories of women in various points of history and really illustrates some of realities these women faced. Anna describes the hardships of village life, where wages were hard earned and options incredibly limited.
I also really admire the world building in this novel. I felt so immersed in the village of Thornwood, both past and present. I could just picture the cottage Sarah stays in, and the lush forest that it neighbors. So many descriptions and phrases from the characters took me back to my own days in Ireland and I loved it!
I will admit that it took me a few chapters to feel invested in the full story. But once I did, I was able to see how Woods had laid out the groundwork for this whole story to come together, and really enthrall her readers. I devoured half the book in a day, and honestly my heart was racing by the last chapters, desperate to know everyone's fate. I enjoyed Sarah's story, but I loved Anna's and could probably have spent another hundred pages following her and Harold around the village.
Overall I found this charming and beautiful and I will definitely be looking for more works by this author in the future.

This was a lovely read with a bit of everything in it - mystery, magic, folklore, romance - written in dual timelines. In 1911 we meet Anna, a teenager working on her family farm, and 100 years later American Sarah Harper who, just before Christmas, on a whim takes a plane to Ireland ending up in a small village called Thornwood, where Anna lived. Beautifully written and told at quite a meandering pace this is an evocative and haunting read.

Briefly, Sarah finds a cottage to rent and decides to stay a while. She befriends a young girl named Hazel and together they find and read a diary written by Anna. The diary tells of Anna meeting a student from America, Harold Griffin-Krauss, and her parents agreeing that she can help him in his search to find first hand stories about fairies, acting as his translator and guide. She takes him to meet a number of local people who recount their stories about the Good People, or fairies, one of which involves the owners of the nearby Manor House.

My partner is Irish so we’ve spent some time in Ireland and I’ve heard many tales of myth and folklore so I did enjoy the premise of the book. I enjoyed the past section of the book more than the present but they melded well together. An entertaining and engaging historical read, mystical and magical, I enjoyed the storytelling element a lot.

This was a lovely book incorporating Irish folklore, but unlike Evie Woods' first book, this one fell flat for me.

I couldn't connect to the main character and the romance to me felt pretty much non-existent. I did very much enjoy the parts of the book where we read about the past. That felt like I was reading a different book entirely.
I am certainly curious to see what Evie Woods comes up with next, but this one missed the mark for me.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I loved reading The Story Collector by Evie Woods, a dual timeline story.

The story is set in 1911 and 2011 with two brave women Anna and Sarah.

Both timelines do come together beautifully and the setting of the story brings a touch of magic.

The story reveals secrets that have been hidden and was so well written.

I highly recommend this book.

I absolutely ADORED the story! It was the perfect mix of folklore and reality. This was my second book I read from Evie and oh my, she is my new auto buy author!

The dual POV story follows Sarah in the present, an American who is trying to escape her reality. And follows Anna in the past, a young Irish girl looking for her purpose.

It tells the story of Sarah, an American, who decides to take a spontaneous trip to Ireland in the middle of winter. She finds herself making it up along the way in order to hide the real reason for her spontaneous travel. She ends up in a small country side town, where she uncovers its history through local tales and encouragement young girl named Hazel. Sarah discovers a hidden journal, written in 1911, by a girl named Anna. Through the reading of the journal, Sarah learns of a man named Harold, also an American, who visits the small town to interview the locals about “fairies” and the folklore.

I was so on the edge of my reading seat when the plot thickened because you got a real genuine feel of the Irish culture. We often read about fairies in other book genres, but we never think of their origin. I loved how the past intertwined with the present. Ultimately connecting right at the very end.

The BEST part of this story was the last line on the last page. I got the chills and cried. It was the story coming full circle.

While the beginning was a bit slow paced for me, it really picked up around 35% in. So much of it was building to the true heart and soul of the story; found family/friends, a little romance, and self discovery.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK/One More Chapter for this advanced copy.

Loved this one! Sarah Harper goes to Ireland to get away, she finds a book that was written a hundred years ago. Anna a farm girl was helping an American translate a book. Sarah is intrigued by Anna. I really enjoyed this story, Anna and Sarah are great characters, very strong women, Fully recommend

Switching between 1911 and present day, Story Collector tells the story of two women and their life changing secrets.
The Irish aspect and the fairy tales (the old timeline) and the length of this book were wonderful.
Magical realism crosses informative storytelling.
The overall plot and characterisation 3/5.
With the strong aspects of storytelling, a 4/5 review.