I thought this was a bit of a slow burner, but did have an impact on me. I really liked the authors point of view and perspective of her experiences in life. This is a unique book in a lot of ways and definitely isn't for everyone but I still enjoyed most of it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love nature writing but something didn't quite land for me here. There was less about birds and more about the author's life, which is fine but I could have done with thise two subjects supporting eaxh other not detracting from each other. Some lovely moments though.

I unfortunately wasn’t a big fan of this. I was expecting the focus of the book to be on birds but the reality was much more about the authors life. It wasn’t uninteresting to listen to just not what I was after. I must say the narration was very relaxing and pleasant to listen to which is rare when it’s done by the author so that was a nice surprise.

Highly recommended for nay nature lover or outdoor enthusiast.

Thank you to NetGalley aan the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely read, that felt more like private journaling than a birder's collection book (which is what I was expecting). A surprise all around: thoroughly elegant, thoughtful and full of earnest concern and worry for the future even if changes are quickly implemented.

My favorite part of this read was the bright orange tanager who becomes the author's shoulder angel. We all need friends from nature to guide us through this world, and teach us ways to have ongoing conversations with the natural parts of this world of ours. . .I was utterly charmed by her sharing of that relationship with her readers.

*A sincere thank you to Priyanka Kumar, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

This book was great for a nature lover and animal enthusiast, like me. The topic of habitat loss and conservation is definitely something that needs pushing more. I enjoyed this book, however I don’t think audiobook was the right way for me personally to have read this - I would have enjoyed much more as an ebook or physical copy.

I was excited for the prospect of another perspective on the natural world of birds and was left feeling angsty. The narrator was not my favoite and a lot of the book felt dragged on when things could have been summarized a lot more concisely.

This book felt like meditation to me. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator's voice is so soothing, plus the topic of discussion is approached with such gentleness that I actually used this to calm myself when I felt overwhelmed by real life.

The author calls birds her "almanac" and that is truly reflected in the book. The book talks about the author's life through the lens of nature. Taking you with them into their lives and daily occurrences may feel prominent if one learns to pay more attention to their surrounding. Such as the bird that just came chirping on my balcony 😍.

Besides birds, the book also discusses a few other animals, racist behaviour, society's mindset of civilization leading to the destruction of several natural habitats and an overall sense of being more environmentally responsible. The concept of ecological consciousness is explained beautifully along with the pre-historic existence. There is also a constant cross reference of ancient Hindu texts (mostly in sanskrit) connecting to the world which was my favorite part about this book.

I recommend this book to people who one day dream of living close to nature and have an inkling of wildlife, not in a zoo, but in their very own free habitat. It is not for everyone, though if your chords align - don't let this pass.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook copy of Conversations with Birds by Priyanka Kumar in exchange for an honest review. This was a very interesting book with a lot of amazing information. It made me think back through my life and how much birds have been a part of it.

Conversations with Birds was an enjoyable listen for me, one which ties in nicely with birding, my other main interest besides reading. After moving from India to the US, the author increasingly felt alienated from the natural world and memories of her family. A chance encounter with a group of birders helped her find her way back. I enjoyed her many accounts of birding trips and other encounters with nature, especially when her two young daughters were involved. In our increasingly troubled world, nature walks, especially when birds feature, are a real balm for my soul. When I can't get out myself, soothing books like this make a great substitute. The author really captured the magic moment of finally spotting a bird you've been searching for, the special pleasure of watching a bird watching you and feeling a deep emotional connection, and the joy of simply watching a bird going about its regular life. I especially enjoyed her reflections on birding, particularly her wish that more birders would eskew ticks and lists, in favour of more direct conservation work to ensure that suitable habitat continues to exist to support the feathered creatures they purportedly love. Some good food for thought.

“Conversations with Birds” is a collection of essays that explores the author’s encounters with birds. While I initially wanted to like the book, I found that it didn’t focus as much on birds as I had hoped. The essays often veer off into tangents, making it challenging to discern a central theme throughout. One aspect is the narrator/author’s soft voice and unvarying tone. While this style may appeal to some readers, I personally found it difficult to listen to. A stronger, less muted voice might have made the content more engaging. I did appreciated the author's vivid imagery woven into the book and some of her interesting, wide-ranging experiences. “Conversations with Birds” offers glimpses of beauty and wonder, but its scattered focus and narrative style may not resonate with everyone.

Let me start this by saying in general, I do not give 5 star ratings unless I really love a book. This is my first NetGalley 5 star rating. This book was nothing like I expected - it was ten times better. The writing is lovely, let's get that out of the way first. But what I truly enjoyed most was the reminder that even though someone has one life, that is not their entire life. By that I mean when the author describes work she's doing on certain films/shows but also talks about how the birds shine through her life experiences. It was a much needed reminder that we are not one-faceted beings. It was also extremely refreshing to hear how the author and her husband embraced the nature around their home, and valued it in a way most of us do not. The representation of Indian culture throughout the book was beautiful, and seamless. As we know representation is so important, and I love hearing how certain birds (the owl, for example) are seen through a lens other than mine.

Because of the author's exquisite descriptions of the surrounding natural environment, we are not only drawn into the writer's thoughts but also into the actual world these birds live in. A bittersweet educational benefit is learning about many different bird species and the lessons they can teach us about their habitats and the regrettably diminishing climate in which they live.
Grateful for the opportunity to listen! Thank you to #NetGalley and the Author and Publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was SO excited to get an ARC of this book from NetGalley, but unfortunately, it didn’t meet my expectations. I was hoping to learn about birds, their unique characteristics and behaviors, but it was mostly just the author’s experiences over the years hoping to see birds and various wildlife. It felt repetitive and watered down. I did enjoy the portions about foxes and owls, as the writing easily conveyed the authors passion for those species.