Evie Gaughan’s The Story Collector is a beautifully crafted novel that intertwines love, grief, and the enchanting world of Irish folklore. Before diving into this book, I had limited knowledge of Irish myths, but Gaughan's vivid storytelling has sparked a genuine curiosity in me to explore them further. The dual narratives are skillfully woven, creating a rich tapestry of emotion and magic.

I found myself deeply engrossed in the storyline of Anna and Harold. Their journey is poignant and compelling, though I must admit the ending was so surprising and somewhat unsatisfying that it cost the book a star in my rating. On the other hand, Sarah's story had a slower pace, but it offered some truly memorable moments. Her conclusion was a satisfying payoff, and I appreciated how it resolved her narrative.

One minor disappointment was the lack of a more direct connection between the two storylines. I had hoped for a more integrated conclusion that would tie everything together more cohesively. Nonetheless, Gaughan’s writing is enchanting and her ability to blend folklore with personal stories is impressive. This book is a recommended read for those who enjoy stories that explore the intersection of myth and reality.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Lovely interlocutors the stories of Anna in 1910 and Sarah in 2010. The first few chapters were completely engrossing to me. This book crosses genres of historical fiction and fantasy. Based on the reviews, I thought there would be more fairies in it. These are not Tinkerbell fairies, they could be anyone, passing as humans. Sarah has left her husband Jack after suffering great tragedy. Abandoning her plans to fly home to Boston, on a whim she goes to Ireland. Shortly after arriving she uncovers the 100 year old diary of Anna. Their stories go back and forth, a mystery unfolds as does the setting.

This book has absolutely beautiful descriptions. While it is short on dialogue and plot, it is stronger with internal conflict and capturing the culture of rural Ireland. There was also a small romance, which seemed a bit extraneous.

Overall if you like magical stories and historical fiction, and if you enjoy Irish folklore, you will enjoy this book.

Thanks to #netgalley and @harpercollins360 for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a warm and cozy story about the parallel lives of two women, a century apart. And about the folklore and Good People of Ireland. Once I got past Sarah "accidentally" ending up in Ireland, I really got into the book and had trouble putting it down.

Sarah wanders through the airport waiting for departure of her Boston-bound plane. It is Christmas Eve and she is divorcing Jack. Too much wine and reluctance to return home brings her to a ticket swap for a plane to Ireland. Fascinated by a small village in Clare that defended a beloved old hawthorn tree, she heads there upon arrival. In the weeks to come she meets new friends and most importantly finds a diary written 100 years before by the daughter of a farmer, Anna Butler. Her story is the catalyst that moves Evie Woods’ storyline and keeps the pages turning. Anna is hired by Harold Krause, an American scholar who is studying anthropology and wants to learn about “The Good People,” the fairy community that dwells below ground on a local hill and any possible encounters. Anna introduces and translates for her companion, growing fond of him. Not, however, fonder than the son of the local lord, George Hawley. The story is magical and frightening for both Anna and Sarah. This novel is my second experience with Evie Woods; I look forward to my third.

A love letter to old Ireland, our ancient beliefs, traditions and folklore. Two stories over a hundred years apart. Sarah current day who is suffering a great loss and her marriage is falling apart. After viewing an Hawthorn tree in ann airport and she impulsively takes a fight to Ireland instead of flying to Boston to be with her sister. There she stubbles upon a story from the past about a young Irish girl and an American scholar researching information on three “Good People” aks fairies. There is much emotional healing in this story.

This was a charming, heartwarming, delectable story in which I truly savored. What's not to love about a story told in two time periods in the knolly countryside of Ireland - both in 2011 and in 1911?
Sarah, a woman going through a difficult time in her life who makes the questionable decision to hop a flight to Ireland instead of to her sister's house on the West Coast, while grieving the loss of a child. There she finds a diary that one hundred years ago belonged to another young woman named Anna, who was helping translate Irish folklore about fairies to English. Through the power of storytelling and the beautiful mystical land, magic happens. And that's all I'll say. Read the book. Read it now. Then tell your friends.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for gifting me this arc to read. I'll be making sure to purchase a hard copy for myself when it hits shelves on August 13th, 2024!

This book is about a woman who is looking to find a better way to manage her grief. She ends up in Ireland and finds the change to be just what she was looking for. I wanted to keep reading to see where things would go in this book. It's a dual time line and that added to some of the suspense. There is grief and healing in this book and I enjoyed reading it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for the advanced reader copy.

This was a very sweet story set in a small village in Ireland in 1911. I enjoyed reading the folklore and tales of fairies so prevalent in Irish history. I enjoyed reading about the people and their lifestyle in that place and time.

What an excellent job our writer did characterizing the main characters. All of it rang true to me. I particularly liked the kindness and gentleness she showed. It was refreshing.

Incidentally, I did not enjoy the flip flopping with the modern story at all. I felt that that detracted from the sweet story of 1911. Also the modern story was just nothing. At best, boring.

I’ve already enjoyed The Lost Bookshop, but will look forward to other books written by this author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

After reading the last bookshop, I was so excited to read another Evie Woods novel. 'The Story Collector' was an absolute treat of a novel that captivates from the very first page. Set against the backdrop of a quaint Irish village, the story unfolds with rich, lyrical prose that effortlessly transports readers into a world where folklore and reality intertwine. The protagonist, Sarah, discovers an old manuscript filled with tales of love and loss, sparking a journey that not only unravels the mysteries of the manuscript but also delves deep into her own heart. Woods masterfully weaves together past and present, infusing the narrative with a sense of nostalgia and wonder that keeps you eagerly turning pages.

I loved The Story Collector!
Two stories are told, one in present day and the other a hundred years earlier. In 1911 Harold came to Ireland to collect fairies stories experienced by the local people and was assisted by Anna. In 2011, Sarah ‘escaped’ to Ireland from NYC to get her life in order after dealing with a tragedy; she discovered Anna’s diary.
Both storylines are compelling with likable characters and convincing happenings; both are page-turners. The author did a great job jumping back and forth from one century to the other with details appropriate to each.
In the end I wonder, are fairies real? Hmmm … I wonder.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Story Collector. I enjoyed it immensely.

A beautiful book about love, stories, family, Ireland, and magic. A wonderful read. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced read!

I was super excited for this book since I loved The Lost Bookshop. It was good, however, The Story Collector wasn’t nearly as intriguing or beguiling as The Lost Bookshop was for me, unfortunately. In true Evie Woods style we get the dual timelines in the same setting, the magical whimsy, a sprinkle of romance, again it was good, I guess my expectations were just too high for this one. I enjoyed the story, picturing the beautiful landscape that is Irish countryside, and I was actually pleased with the ending, but I feel that for a while there in the middle of the book I sort of lost interest until things picked up again at the end. All in all, I would still recommend it to those who enjoy this author and genre, and I will still be inclined to pick up any of her future books.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins 360 for this ARC.

The Story Collector is a cozy sentimental story following Sarah as she struggles to find herself during life's unexpected plot twists. Hopping a plane set for Ireland she learns about herself and what path she may follow now with the help of Anne Butler from 1911. This dual POV and dual timeline novel had me hooked from the first chapter; not only did I love reading Anna's timeline bur Sarah's pulled at my heartstring as I have felt many of the emotions Sarah has. Incredibly touching, heartbreaking , comforting The Story Collector reminds us that we all have an incredible story to tell no matter our lives. I would say be aware of tigger warnings I was caught off guard by a few however I feel the lend to being a slight spoiler so I won't mention them here.

I absolutely love this story! There is a bit of the supernatural and a lot of finding your way back when you're lost in grief. The characters, both past and present, are well-developed and interesting so I became invested in their outcomes.

I'll start by saying Evie Woods prior book, "The Lost Bookshop" was an incredible book. I love the way Evie flows multiple timelines together and keeps you on your toes for both sets of characters.

With that, I was so excited to read The Story Collector. Taking place in Ireland in 2011 and 1911, we run into two women, Sarah and Anne, who live completely different lives, but lives that will be forever changed by the faeries of Ireland. In 1911, Anna is brought on by an American, Harold, who is researching local tales about faeries and needs a local guide and translator. It's the perfect job for Anna, a local farm girl, who has her own personal connection to the local faeries. Fast forward to 2011 and we have Sarah, who on Christmas Day drunkenly decides to fly to Ireland in search of connecting back to her roots. The two stories connect when Sarah finds Anna's old diary and begins to unravel what really happened back in 1911, all while learning how to be "Sarah" again after breaking up with her husband.

Overall, I really enjoyed the characters and the dual timelines were written beautifully. I do think the book ended very abruptly and was expecting more of a resolution, I'd love to see a sequel or even another book based on Anna's life after the events of her 1911 diary. I also appreciate a bittersweet ending, but this one made me more than a little sad after getting so invested in the lives of these characters. At the crux of this book, it's about how we carry our stories and how sometimes the supernatural exists, even if we don't see it everyday. I would give this a solid 4/5 stars and I can't wait for her next book.

Thank you to Evie Woods, NetGalley and Harper 360 for this ARC.

The Story Collector is a beautifully written fantasy-romance-mystery novel that encompasses stories from two centuries intermingled with fantastic fairies that make the action more exciting and remind us of how important folklore and stories are in our lives. I loved the book

This book is a departure for me. Folklore, fairies and historical fiction isn’t typically my genre, however from the first sentence (yes, the first 6 words on the page) I was hooked. This book also takes place in Ireland which will always have a special place in my heart. I loved the mystery, the intrigue and the dual pov this book gave. It’s a perfect book to break up a streak, or get you out of a reading rut!

It's a grown-up's fairy tale! Wonderful story of two women's lives and fairies! Evie Woods paints such a picture of her characters world that you feel as though you are there right along with the characters. Loved it.

4.5 stars

I found myself drawn in tightly to this dual-timeline story set in both Ireland and America, staying up WAY too late to read. I found both Sarah and Anna's stories compelling and deeply moving. They are well-written main characters, flaws, dreams, and hopes all relatable.

Definitely some adult themes, but certainly appropriate for mid- to late-teens and up.

I received an ARC; this is my honest review.

This is my first read by Evie Woods and I was not disappointed.

The story is essentially told in two POVs; two women separated by a century, but connected by their time in Ireland. Sarah, a woman struggling with her new divorce and trying to find herself in the 2000s, and Anna, a young woman also trying to find herself and her own voice in the 1900s.

I really enjoyed how Evie weaves the fabric of their stories from a century apart. It's filled with folklore, which I loved, mystery, love, family, friends, and books. Gotta love a book about books! It was a truly magical read.