5 *****

This was delightful. Dual timeline, set in Ireland, anthropology and faerie history / legend (you choose). One timeline’s protagonist is a young local girl; the other is a more mature woman, an American visiting the area on a whim. As a bonus, it’s a story about stories and their value in our lives. We’re all readers here, so of course that resonates with us – we already understand and appreciate the power of story!

I assume everyone reads the provided synopsis before looking at reviews so I won’t repeat the plot outline. I really enjoyed this peek into the simpler farming life from a century ago, and how mutually supportive all the neighbors were.

The stories developed naturally and the characters emerged in more depth as events transpired. I was immediately drawn into both timelines and rooted for the protagonists in both. The story of the past occupies more of the book than the present storyline. Especially toward the end of the book I appreciated how the present-day character learns from the past and finds her own personal way to contribute to the anthropological / local lore work done a century earlier. It was all very nicely wrapped up at the end.

I greatly enjoyed this book. I largely read for escapism, and this book in particular gave me a pleasant escape without the stress of a thriller or murder mystery (of which I read many). I will definitely seek out more from this author.

My appreciation to the publisher and NetGalley for this advance review copy; my opinions are my own, and freely given.

5 ⭐️

This imaginative book sparked all my childhood dreams. If you were ever a little girl (or adult woman) that believed in faeries and love, then this book is worth checking out. It hit home for me on so many levels - an adult woman that lost her identity during a marriage, seeking her independence after a split, making decisions on a whim, a glimmer of hope that faeries are real, and a love story that we’re all just dying to hear the ending of. Throw in a splash of faeries and you have yourself a winning book!

The main story collector reminds me of W.Y. Evans-Wentz who collected reports and encounters with faeries in the Celtic Countries and published his work in 1911, which is still regarded as scholarly and culturally important today.

Do you believe in faeries? 🧚🏼‍♀️ 🧚‍♂️ 🧚🏼

The Story Collector by Evie Woods

Summary:
An evocative and charming novel full of secrets and mystery, from the million-copy bestselling author of The Lost Bookshop
In a quiet village in Ireland, a mysterious local myth is about to change everything…
One hundred years ago, Anna, a young farm girl, volunteers to help an intriguing American visitor translate fairy stories from Irish to English. But all is not as it seems and Anna soon finds herself at the heart of a mystery that threatens her very way of life.
In New York in the present day, Sarah Harper boards a plane bound for the West Coast of Ireland. But once there, she finds she has unearthed dark secrets – secrets that tread the line between the everyday and the otherworldly, the seen and the unseen.

Review: 3-Star
I had high hopes for this story when I read the description, but to me the story feels dry and does flow flawlessly. It was easy to put down for days at a time and then I would remember that I needed to finish it so I could do my review. While I did enjoy it, it didn’t catch me up like I thought it would. The Editing is great I didn’t find errors that I find so often nowadays, but to me a book should engage me to where I don’t want to put it down and this didn’t do it at all.

Conclusion:

Would I recommend this book to others NO
Would I buy this book for another NO
Would I read other books by this Author Maybe

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
This is a dual timeline story about Sarah in present time and Anna in the early 1900s. There is a lot of information about the fairy folklore in Ireland which I find fascinating. I didn't necessarily love the romance part of it, but it tied together into the magical setting.

I loved how this story was told. The back and forth of the times and how each story kind of intertwined in a way made it so much more interesting. This book was a great breather for me as I was reading a lot of dark romance and heavier fantasy. This was perfect and a nice light read that gave the reader some insights to the thoughts and beliefs of the Irish back in the day. This is a great story with a sad and happy ending! I highly recommend reading this book!

I finished this book and instantly put down her other book on my tbr! Very atmospheric and the perfect amount of faerie, whilst still seeming to be in the same vein as the real world. I also liked the dual timelines.

I really enjoyed this book. It takes place in Ireland in a small village and is two stories in one. In 2010 Sarah Harper has decided to divorce her husband. She is supposed to be spending Christmas with her family, but on a spur of the moment decision she books a flight to Ireland - she has read about a tree the town has fought to save if they cut it down - it will upset the "fairies". As she has no reservation she finds lodging in a small Irish village Thornwood where the tree is. Sarah ends up in Butler Cottage where in 1910 Anna Butler, a farmer's daughter, helps an American Harold Griffin-Krauss who is researching folklore for a thesis. Sarah finds Anna's diary and the story that it tells makes the book more interesting as you get to know the Butler family. As you know more about Sarah's life, you really begin to care about the characters-both Sarah and the entire Butler family as well as Harold. The 2 timelines work very well. All in all this was a very enjoyable read. I look forward to reading other books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

Sarah’s marriage has fallen apart and she is heading back to her family in Boston. In the airport, she impulsively (and drunkenly) decides to go to Ireland. Once there, she ends up in a storybook village and begins to heal from the painful event that led to the end of her marriage and her drinking. She meets a man and his daughter who are suffering from their own pain.
Sarah finds a diary of a woman who lived in the village years before and is drawn into the woman’s life and their belief in the faeries. In this quiet time in a small Irish village, Sarah heals enough to return to America and finds a new purpose in life.
The Story Collector is set in a beautiful location and full of interesting characters. The story drew me in and I was transported to another world.
Thanks to Harper 360 and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you Net galley and Harper for the opportunity to read The Storytellers. My opinions are my own. I did find myself enjoying the past timeline more than the current. The past storyline is set in 1910-1911 with Anna's diary and the present 2010-2011 revolves around Sarah, a character I really didn't care for. I felt her Sarah's romance was not necessary and somewhat forced. Her connection with the diary did not feel genuine. That being said, I did enjoy reading Anna's diary though it did not read like a diary entry. I love the magical storytelling of Irish folklore. It is the best part of the story.

This was a super sweet, magical story that would find a good home in an advanced high school classroom. All the folklore was absolutely wonderful!!

Fun story told in 2 time frames. A man comes to an Irish town looking for stories about supposed fairies, and a woman helps him. She of course falls for him. Later in time, a woman finds a diary, and reads it.

This book was objectively very good. I just don’t think it was the book for me. It was written very well, and I my interest in it did peak at some points but ultimately I was just bored most of the time. I did thoroughly cry though when we found out Anna and Harold never saw each other again… I wish it was just left to our imagination😂 I would’ve imagined them happily married. Good book just not my thing! I really do think others can really enjoy it though.

I was so excited to read another book by Evie Woods, having just finished The Lost Bookshop. First, I love the magical realism and the folklore about fairies. Having been to Ireland, it is a magical place so this story was just waiting to be told. This story is rich in character development and has such beautiful language that I paused often just to write a phrase or two down to remember later. "His face was well used like an old leather shoe that had seen many roads," Isn't that a wonderful way to describe an older person, wise in what they've experienced in the world? Told in a dual timeline with present day Sarah, an artist seeking to find herself and lost in her grief so she flees to Ireland, and that of the past with Anna, a young Irish maiden helping Harold collect stories about the fairy world, both in the small village of Thornwood at the Butler cottage. It seems as if both storylines are connected somehow. Fast paced, this story engages you and will keep you reading. A bit of romance, a bit of mysticism, along with redemption, renewal, and hope for second chances. A most enjoyable book. Another 5/5 for Evie Woods. Many thanks to #netgalley #eviewoods #thestorycollector for the opportunity to read and review this book.

3.75/5 ⭐️
This was such an intriguing setup and very prettily written. However, I think it could’ve baked a little more. Like I saw its potential but didn’t quite hit what I would hope it would. Like I loved the story in the past and the romance there, but really wasn’t a fan of the present day storyline. That one felt more rushed and half baked. But I think the final nail in the coffin for me was the ending. It hurt me. And not in the good way. Although, I will say it is written well enough to have me gobbling the story up and intrigued to keep reading and not put it down. I think people could really like this story. For me, I’m slightly disappointed cause I think it could’ve been executed better.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

This was a story of hope, friendship, and discovery. It is set in two different time lines, I enjoyed Anna's story better! The story itself moves at a slower pace than I am used to, and took a bit to get into. Well worth the read thought!
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

My thanks for the ARC go to NetGalley and Harper360. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Books About Books, Fantasy, Mythology
Subgenre: Romance
Format: Dual timeline, 2 main POVs, a third slipped in rather unobtrusively

Dual timelines are my catnip! *THE STORY COLLECTOR* has all of the best aspects of a Susanna Kearsley novel with the added twist of Irish fairies and secrets.

In the early 1900s, Anna has a secret—her family knows part of it, but not the entirety. And when she meets this American scholar, she volunteers to help him collect stories. She struggles to decide if she should share hers with him. But then her life completely changes.

During the more modern time period (I'm not quite sure why it's also set in the past except for the parallelism of the year), Sarah's life is in the dumpster. She ends up in Ireland. Sarah also holds a secret—again her family knows part of it, but not the depth. Her path converges with the past through a diary written by Anna.

This is a lovely story. I enjoyed the entire ride. It has the sense of found family, being lost and finding yourself, love, friendship, and hope.

The interplay with the Hawthorn tree is wonderful—do fairies exist? Do people still follow the superstitions? Is it worth believing?

*THE STORY COLLECTOR* is going among my favorite books of the year.

Happy reading!

*Spoiler alert in the content warnings: Some readers may be upset from incidents of assault, child loss, death, and excessive drinking.

Evie Woods' "The Story Collector" is a lovely tale that beautifully weaves together folklore, romance, and the intertwined fates of two women separated by a century. Set in a quaint Irish village, the novel transports readers through vivid imagery and rich descriptions, making the village feel alive with history and myth.

The story begins with Sarah Harper, a modern-day artist from New York, who's struggling to cope with a profound trauma. Her life is unraveling, and her reliance on alcohol to numb her pain only deepens her despair. On Christmas Eve, Sarah dreads the thought of facing her family and their concern for her emotional state. At the airport, a whimsical sheep figurine and a peculiar newspaper story about a centuries-old Harthorne tree that halted a freeway construction catch her attention. In a twist of fate, Sarah finds herself landing in Shannon, Ireland, instead of Boston.

In Ireland, Sarah stumbles upon Anna Butler's diary. Anna, a young farm girl from a hundred years ago, had volunteered to assist an American scholar in his quest to find proof of fairies. Through Anna's diary, Sarah learns about Anna’s own struggles with loss and her journey of healing and love.

The narrative alternates between Sarah and Anna's stories, drawing parallels between their lives and the magical elements they encounter. Sarah's journey of facing her trauma and finding love again mirrors Anna's own experiences, creating a poignant and heartwarming connection between the two characters.

Woods’ writing shines in its ability to blend the everyday with the otherworldly. The secrets that Sarah uncovers and the myths she explores tread the delicate line between reality and fantasy, adding an enchanting layer to the narrative. The village and its inhabitants, both past and present, are vividly brought to life, making the reader feel the magic and mystery that surrounds them.

"The Story Collector" is a tale of healing, love, and the enduring power of stories. Woods’ deft storytelling and rich character development make this novel a delightful read for those who enjoy a blend of history, romance, and a touch of magic.

i’m not sure if this book was for me. the idea was interesting and sweet, but i just couldn’t get into it. i was bored 90% of the time, sometimes i couldn’t figure out what was going on. the switch between past and present was done perfectly though, i really enjoyed that aspect. i just think this isn’t the right book for me

Set in both Ireland and the USA in dual timeline, this book wasn't like any I've read before. Anna and Harold are an unlikely pair that meet when Anna is asked to be his assistant as he is writing stories of the fairies often present in Irish folklore. Meanwhile Sarah is fighting her own demons and ends up in Ireland and comes across a book — the one Harold wrote about the fairies. Are they real or representative of things unseen? Sarah does some healing of her own as she reads the fairy stories.
This book was given to me by the publisher but all of my opinions are my own.

A delightfully charming, quaint & cozy story with deep roots in the fairy lore of Ireland, this book captures the story of both present day Sarah as she attempts to escape from her grief and failed relationship, as well as a young girl 100 years in the past - Anna - as she grows up and navigates life. The parallels between them, exactly 100 years apart, is stunning, and the gorgeously written and often times spooky tales of the beyond through the fairies makes for a fascinating read!

I loved The Lost Bookshop by the same author and was delighted to be gifted this ARC of her new novel coming out later this summer!