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.

Two women live in the same cottage in a small Irish village one hundred years apart.
Anna is an innocent young woman living with her family on their farm. She milks the cow, tends her youngest brother, and adds to the family finances by making Irish lace at home. Like all of her neighbors, Anna is a Roman Catholic, but she also believes in fairies. When an American scholar arrives to collect local stories about The Good People, Anna accompanies him as a translator and guide.
Sarah is an American artist who has left her husband two years after what she calls The Bad Thing destroyed their marriage. After getting drunk at the airport on Christmas Eve, she hops a plane for Ireland and rents the cottage that once belonged to Anna's family. When she finds Anna's diary in a hollow tree, Sarah becomes enthralled with the events of one hundred years ago.
The Story Collector is a charming tale of historical fiction and magical realism. I found myself absorbed the narrative despite severral flaws.
When I started reading this book, I knew nothing about its author and because the book starts with Sarah as a narrator, assumed she was American. This made it jarring when a character who has supposedly lived her whole life in Massachusetts and New York refers to cookies as "biscuits" and uses other expressions more appropriate to a person from the British Isles. (Even if the author couldn't be bothered, an editor should have fixed this.) Making Sarah a drunk without explaining the secret reason for her unhappiness detracted from her appeal as a narrator.
Some reviewers complained that Anna's diary did not read like one. I was willing to suspend my disbelief because a fictional diary would be pretty dull if it stuck to the random musings of an unsophisticated farm girl. I did find myself wondering how a young woman who was up doing chores before dawn, spent most of the day traveling around the countryside, and then returned home to help prepare supper and do enough lacework to earn her living could possibly find the time to write such detailed accounts of her experiences.
Both Sarah and Anna have secrets that they only reveal near the end of the book. I found the broad hints about "Milly" and the "Bad Thing" a bit annoying as there is no real reason they could not have included details in their private narratives.
Although I enjoyed reading The Story Collector, I thought it ended a bit abruptly, as if the author ran out of steam and had to wind things up quickly. With a bit more effort, this could have been a much better book.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a free advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was instantly drawn into the story because anyone that makes an uncharacteristic, life-altering decision such as Sarah's flight commands my attention. In The Story Collector, Woods has crafted a two for one bargain: we get the story of Anna's life as told through her diary, and Sarah's life in the present day. I felt connected to Anna and was excited to 'read' her diary entries. In the past, Anna lived a puritan lifestyle in a culture of folklore and superstition. Current day, a mystical force seems to be guiding Sarah, and even the manner in which she finds Anna's diary is magical. As Sarah learns more of Anna, we see a shimmer of the past still touching on Ireland of today. The tale is magical and romantic and full of gumption and resolve. I was just a titch surprised at the endings, though. Why did Anna make that decision (no spoilers)? And I felt that Sarah's ending was a little too Hallmark for me. Regardless, it is a feel-good story with a lot of magical character!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper 360, and Evie Gaughan for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Again, just like The Lost Bookshop, I love the idea of this book. I find it to be so interesting and magical. This magical realism story is fascinating and follows two different timelines, one set in 1911 and one in 2011. We follow the lives and stories of Anna (1911) and Sarah (2011).

It is an interesting tale that may just surprise you - with that, I did not personally connect with the story like I was expecting too. However, I loved the nods to old Ireland, the beliefs, traditions, and folklore. I think this story did a beautiful job at diving into the beauty of this country and the magic found within it.

Publishes August 13, 2024!
#TheStoryCollector #NetGalley

I struggled with this book. I loved Woods’ other novel, The Lost Bookshop. This one; however, was confusing and hard to get into. Based on other reviews, I must’ve missed something. Not for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper360 for the ARC of this book.

“If we lose our stories,’ he wrote, ‘we lose ourselves.”

This was an amazing book about growth, love, grief and finding the magic in the world. I couldn’t put it down and it was a 5 star read for me. I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t enjoy this book if they like romantic fiction / historical fiction genres. The only thing I could possibly say I would change is while the author is Irish and the majority of the book is based in Ireland the main character is American so it is a bit odd when she randomly uses slang that isn’t American, but this only happens a couple of times.

This book has Sarah who on a whim after too many drinks at the airport and a random newspaper article finds herself in Ireland. As she struggles with the issues that brought her there she makes friends with the locals and finds a diary from 100 years ago written by a girl who lived in the cottage she is staying in.

Evie does a great job of having the story flow with the time jumps, with the past being revealed as the diary is read it helps to immerse you in the story. I loved the way she made magic seem to come alive in the story that is based in reality. Showing how important everyday magic is in life. I have already bought the other book she has written and look forward to seeing what she writes in the future.

Only warning I would give (please stop reading here if you don’t want a spoiler about a theme) …..










Ok if you are still reading this book does deal with the aftermath of miscarriage / child loss which if you have trauma around that please make sure you are emotionally and mentally ready to read about it.

I love the symmetry of the past with the present and how they intertwine. There was romance, mystery, magic, legacy, tradition, and so much more! I was hooked following both lives. This wasn't the twisty thriller I am accustomed to but I was invested nonetheless. The writing style was meticulous and well thought out and the inclusion of Irish culture was beautifully meshed. You dont have to believe in faeries to relate to this book, you just have to respect the stories. Im only deducting a star because I was far more engaged in the past with Anne than in the present with Sarah. She came off as too much of an alcoholic jumping into a relationship far too soon after her divorce. But I understand the author needed to give her a reason to jump ship and stay there.