This book does not disappoint! I adored it from start to finish, I only put it down to go to work! The Dul-Timeline was amazing and it honestly was so very captivating!

A cozy fantasy in the vein of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.

In this dual-timeline story, Sarah flees her marriage to grieve in Ireland, a last-minute decision that changes her world forever. In addition to befriending the local inhabitants-including a handsome-yet-grumpy Irish conservation officer- and learning the local fairy legends, she discovers a diary kept by teenage Anna Butler, a local farmer's daughter, in 1910.

My favorite part of the story was Anna's perspective. In pre-World War 1 Ireland, Anna's chosen as a local guide and research assistant for a professor interested in the local fairy legends. Anna's a believer who thinks her sister who died of consumption now lives with the fairies. She's also sweet, naive and protective of the professor. When Anna attracts the attention of a rich lord - rumored to have been a changeling - she finds herself in danger she doesn't see coming.

I enjoyed this charming introduction to several generations of an Irish town and its local legends. The magic and romance reverberates through the years, providing a delightful escape that will make you long for some lazy weeks in an Irish village.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Story Collector was a delight. I enjoy books about Ireland and I believe in the magic that land holds. This novel wove the story of Harold and Anna seamlessly with the story of Sarah as she searches finds herself after a great loss. Good books are impossible to put down and this novel was a very quick read as I was eager to have the stories unfold. Wonderful setting, believable characters, and satisfying ending. Who could ask for anything more? I will be recommending this book to my book club and all my reading friends.

🧚📚 The Story Collector 📚🧚
By Evie Woods
✨ Thank you to @harpercollins360 and @netgalley for a copy of this eARC - which is available August 13th! ✨

📚 Folklore
🧚 Fairies
📚 Dual POV
🧚 Dual timeline

📚 The atmosphere is cozy and felt like I had stepped right into this little Irish village.
I liked the mix between modern and historical.
✨ Just when I would find myself drawn more to one character/time period it would completely change in the next chapter.
🧚 This was a short read which felt a little dark and morbid at times which I wasn’t expecting but found myself enjoying.
📚 There was a bit of a sweet, tender romance happening within both storylines which added a little extra besides the main plot.
🧚 Sarah has a bit of a traumatic relationship past that makes her more relatable. Whereas Anna is young and naive making her story feel a little tragic. Their stories are different but also have some parallels.
📚 At times it felt a bit tedious and seemed to just meander and then pick up and then back again - the pacing was a bit all over the place.
✨ In the end I thought it wrapped up nicely and was happy with the way the two stories tied together.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

One hundred years ago, Anna, a young farm girl, volunteers to help an 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.

This was an interesting book full of colorful characters and was very well written. Evie Woods is an excellent author and always throws a little whimsy and magic in the books she writes. The books also introduces you to Ireland and its history. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting my request to read this book.

A story about grieving, the journey to healing, and allowing others into your life despite their beliefs and differences. Sarah, an American, finds herself leaving her husband in New York on Christmas Day with every intention of going to stay with her sister in Boston. After her husband drops her off at the airport, she makes an unexpected decision to head to Ireland where she ends up staying in a cottage in a little village.

I really enjoyed this book. A slower paced story, it gave me the chance to get to know and connect to the main characters. I relate to them closing themselves up after the passing of a loved one. Struggling to grieve, the idea of Sarah finding the diary of a young lady named Anna who lived over 100 years ago was a great concept. I enjoyed how the book toggled between the two women’s stories and how Irish Folklore brought them together. Through Anna’s belief in the Good People and Sarah’s vested interest in the topic, I felt like they were the perfect pair for each other. I found myself wanting them both to find peace in their grief.

An amazing book that I highly recommend.

The story Collector :

This book was great! I loved how it intertwined magic with grief and Good/Evil.

I was rooting for Anna and Harold...

It was a bit slow at first but it got me losing sleep as soon as it got me hooked.

Having someone experiencing the story with me was great since I felt Sarah was having my same thoughts/feelings.

To enjoy this book, you will need to embrace the magical weirdness of it all. It’s a creative story, albeit heavy themes, told from a triple point of view. You have Opaline’s story starting in the 1920’s and leading to her bookshop over the next 30ish years. Her story is very sad and heavy. The other two povs are in modern times. Henry is a phd candidate researching Opaline’s shop. Martha is the new housekeeper in the home where the shop used to be. She is escaping an abusive husband so there are abuse themes too. Henry and Martha team up to investigate. Then the story gets weird and magical. I appreciate the creativeness of the story and it had me guessing to the end.

Thank you Harper360 for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to @netgalley and Harper360 for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to see Evie Woods writing another dual-timeline Irish novel after the Lost Bookshop, and they did not disappoint. I don’t think I’ve ever read dual timelines written so beautifully. They are subtly linked in little ways beyond the obvious which I adore. All of the characters are well written and lovable. The plots are interesting and move at a great pace without being overly intense giving nice cozy vibes. And I love that the 1911 plotline doesn’t end the way you’d assume.

The author is masterful at winding real historical places and events into a charming book laced with just a hint of magic. And I’m desperate to return to Ireland with ever page. So yes, I’m in love with this book.

3.5 star rating, rounded up to a 4 star.

Thank you so much NetGalley & the publisher for a free copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’d seen this authors previous works out and about & it seemed perfect for me. I’m so glad I request this ARC! This is a short read at under 350 pages & reminded me of the atmospheric vibes & mystery with a touch of darkness from the classic fairy lore from Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries, but with a duel timeline POV.

Sarah is recently divorced and plans a truly last minute trip to Ireland to escape her problems. She finds Anna’s diary from exactly 100 years ago as they uncover the secrets of Thornwood (and their hearts), while we learn the secrets of their past in the Irish countryside. I was skeptical the first chapter or two but fell into the countryside and duel timeline.

Very rarely do I think books should be longer; this is the exception. I truly longed for more here & thought this book could have been drawn out more with explanation & exploration of both Sarah & Anna’s POV, especially toward the end of the book. The ending felt a bit rushed and sudden & left me wanting more, and not just because it was over. Regardless, I truly enjoyed this read! If you want a short atmospheric & location based read set in Ireland with classic fae folklore, I’d recommend!

✨ The Story Collector - Evie Gaughan(Woods) ✨
ARC E-Book Review

“The moon had grown tired of her antics and pulled the clouds back over its face, leaving Sarah in total darkness once more.”

What a delightful surprising read! Would definitely recommend this book if you like dual timelines, magical realism, folklore and romanticize the Irish countryside.

The story provides two timelines with Anna in 1911 and Sarah in 2011. Both women work through grief and finding themselves in the backdrop of lush Irish countryside and faerie lore, working the magic within themselves and nature into their healing. I had a good time reading this, and especially liked Anna’s story. This would be a great read around the holidays!

🧚🏻🌳❤️✍️

Thank you @Harpercollins360 & @netgalley for letting me read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Books that take place in Ireland are always like a cozy blanket for me. And then you add in some folklore; fairies and whatnot--and it's like crack.
This book wasn't all rainbows and unicorns, however. It did deal with some sensitive subject matter as the main character, Sarah, deals with some painful memories.
Told in dual timelines, The Story Collector, uses two different main characters to tell a remarkable story of magic, folklore, and mystery.
I loved the characters and setting. I felt truly transported and have fallen in love with this author.

Thank you to Harper for the opportunity to read and review this lovely book!

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

Drunk and escaping a failing marriage, Sara changes her holiday plans in the airport, leaving America for Ireland. Resentful, lost, she fumbles around the countryside and finds the hidden diary of teenaged Anna from a century before. Anna assisted an American scholar as he investigating the persistent belief in fairy lore across Celtic countries. As Sara fights an instant attraction to a handsome widower in Ireland, Anna struggles with her own interests in men in the past, to a dire result.

I struggled with this book. Anna's story is so much more interesting than Sara's. Sara isn't even likeable from the start--she's careless, drunk, and the book is frustratingly reluctant to share the reason why she and her husband split. However, Anna's plot isn't without a major issue, as her so-called diary entries read nothing like a diary, but like a straight-up novel. She explains way too many things that wouldn't be explained if she was writing to herself. Honestly, the lack proper structure baffled me. The only climax is in Anna's plot. Sara's storyline is predictable and bland.

Really, read for Anna's story and an escape to beautiful Ireland.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Story Collector by Evie Woods.

Come on guys, let's run away to Ireland together!

That's exactly what Sarah does, completely unplanned, after her marriage comes to a heartbreaking end. She's staying at a charming and quaint getaway where she comes across a journal. In that journal is more lore, whimsy, and romance than she could have ever bargained for. And will perhaps lead her to some of her own.

This was so sweet and cathartic to read. It has a very quiet tempo, and admittedly does drag a bit, but is perfect for a cozy winter read.

This is my second novel by Evie Woods so I was delighted at the chance to read this.

This involves dual timelines, 100 years apart, in a small town in Ireland.

I like how the author did manage to connect the two FMCs very nicely by the very end. The two FMCs are two ladies you do want to root for.

However, for a book said to explore Irish Fairy Folklore.. i felt this didn’t really touch on that too much. It felt like an afterthought for the most part.

Regardless, solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I did enjoy this and would recommend to someone looking for a historical fiction with some fantasy elements woven in (even if very loosely).

4 ⭐️ Set in Ireland with two timelines , 1911 and 2011, this story focuses on two women Anna and Sarah.
Sarah goes to Ireland on a whim after her divorce and finds Anna’s diary from 1911 in an old tree. Anna is a 17 year old farm girl who is enlisted to help Harold, a professor from America to document the local Fairy Faith. I really liked Anna’s story in 1911 the best. The ending tied everything together very well.

I was totally immersed in this tale steeped in Irish tales of Fairies and the two different stories and lives of Anna and Sarah. Great characters and fast moving plot. Quick read! Well written, loved it!

Thanks NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Harper 360 in exchange for my honest opinion.

I originally gave this 4 stars because after the first chapter it seemed to be slow going for a bit. Upon reflection I think that was necessary to fill in the story and round out the characters. Some of it was my own life getting in the way of delicious, unspoiled reading time. I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I've always wanted to visit Ireland and I felt as though of all of the books I've read about the country I probably learned the most from this one. The author created a world that I could envision in my mind as I read. She portrayed the people as realistic with their gifts as well as faults included.
The story begins with the main character Sarah making a life altering decision to travel home after her marriage has fallen apart. During a layover she suddenly decides to impulsively buy a ticket for Ireland with absolutely no plans for once she arrives. Perhaps it was the alcohol making the decision for her but I saw it as a courageous move. She was listening to that inner voice telling her that going home to stay with family while she sorts her life out was just going to be an extension of the same life she was trying to leave behind. She would be stuck in the same cycle of depression and despair which is something I can relate to. Life isn't going to happen to you, you have to go out and find it! Sarah finds a diary written 100 years earlier to the date that she discovers it. The rest of the book winds in and out of the story lines of the two women, one living a complicated life that seems out of her control in 2011 and one living in 1911 who doesn't have a lot of control over her life due to economical and cultural circumstances but mainly due to the accident of being born a female. I love historical fiction because I find it fascinating to read about characters who lived lives long before my own however, in this case I found myself often anxious to get back to Sarah's present.
I loved the dual timelines and the magical aspect of the fairy faith in western Ireland. I also loved the use of the Irish language throughout. Unless I missed it (which is possible) not all of the phrases, names and words were translated which was a little frustrating to me as I'm someone who likes to learn how to properly pronounce so I can get a feel for the language of the characters. I highly recommend this book. I'm looking forward to going back to read more from this author.

This was a story about Sarah Harper, a woman struggling with a life that has not gone the way she had planned. En route to her sister's to be with family for the holidays, she ends up traveling to Ireland instead. Near her rental cottage, she finds an old diary with a few mysteries of it's own. While reading the diary, meeting the locals, and learning about Ireland, Sarah thinks about her own life and what she wants to do differently.

I didn't love this story. It had good bones, the characters were likeable, and their stories were relateable. I wanted to love it, but it felt rushed and disconnected. People don't fall in love with little to no interaction (Sarah and Oran and Anne and Harold). I wanted more for Oran and Sarah's story. Instead, after little interaction, they were just in love. At least with Anne and Harold, they spent a good amount of time together, but there were never any signs that Harold liked Anne in that way until he wrote the letter. I'm still not sure what exactly happened between Jack and Sarah, there was no mention of a divorce, but obviously there had to have been one to move on with Oran.

The story was still ok, but it could have been great with some better details and attention to critical relationships. Thank you to NeGalley and Harper 360 for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Any story set in Ireland with ties to myths and folklore is a win in my opinion. This one is quite unique in that it takes a 100-year-old diary, mixes it with a present-day woman running from a failed marriage and trying to forget her grief and loosely weaves them together. It sort of works. If I'm being brutally honest, I actually think this might have been better as two separate stories; but, to be fair, they do come together in the very last chapter in a satisfying way. I think some of the other parallels that the author tries to draw between the two throughout the book are a stretch though. Having said that, I did enjoy this book. The premise of the 100-year-old story was especially intriguing, and I enjoyed Anna as a character. I also loved the myths and fairy stories woven throughout the story and the bit of mystery surrounding some key events. I would definitely recommend this to those looking for a walk through the Irish countryside with the possibility of one or two of "the good folk" along for the journey.

I really enjoyed this book!
The alternating view points were easy to follow.
I loved Sarah's spontaneous travel and the subsequent places she managed to go.
I love that SHE found HERSELF. ♡
I really enjoyed the journal she found and the way the story flowed.

Great book! Thanks #netgalley!