Other Birds
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- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-09-01 04:19:56
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Sarah Addison Allen
- ISBN：B09NTK17XL
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Summary
An enchanting tale filled with magical realism and moments of pure love that won’t let you go。
Between the real and the imaginary， there are stories that take flight in the most extraordinary ways。
Right off the coast of South Carolina， on Mallow Island， The Dellawisp sits—a stunning old cobblestone building shaped like a horseshoe， and named after the tiny turquoise birds who， alongside its human tenants， inhabit an air of magical secrecy。
When Zoey comes to claim her deceased mother’s apartment on an island outside of Charleston she meets her quirky and secretive neighbors， including a girl on the run， two estranged middle-aged sisters， a lonely chef， a legendary writer， and three ghosts。 Each with their own story。 Each with their own longings。 Each whose ending isn’t yet written。
Between the real and the imaginary， there are stories that take flight in the most extraordinary ways。
Right off the coast of South Carolina， on Mallow Island， The Dellawisp sits—a stunning old cobblestone building shaped like a horseshoe， and named after the tiny turquoise birds who， alongside its human tenants， inhabit an air of magical secrecy。
When Zoey comes to claim her deceased mother’s apartment on an island outside of Charleston she meets her quirky and secretive neighbors， including a girl on the run， two estranged middle-aged sisters， a lonely chef， a legendary writer， and three ghosts。 Each with their own story。 Each with their own longings。 Each whose ending isn’t yet written。
Reviews
Lauren
，
I love Sarah Addison Allen's writing。 Her books always feel full of thoughtful， understated whimsy， and this book is no exception。 Other Birds has an underlying bittersweet layer to it as well。I usually don't like books with multiple POVs， but I love how seamlessly Allen weaves the narratives of all the characters （including the "bonus" characters） throughout the story。This is a very readable， very sweet story- definitely recommend！ Thanks to NetGalley for this review copy！ I love Sarah Addison Allen's writing。 Her books always feel full of thoughtful， understated whimsy， and this book is no exception。 Other Birds has an underlying bittersweet layer to it as well。I usually don't like books with multiple POVs， but I love how seamlessly Allen weaves the narratives of all the characters （including the "bonus" characters） throughout the story。This is a very readable， very sweet story- definitely recommend！ Thanks to NetGalley for this review copy！ 。。。more
Allyson Abu-Hajar
，
I enjoyed this story and found it enthralling！ Zoey Hennessey heads to Mallow Island， where she will stay in her deceased mother's studio until she begins her first year of college。 The studio is in a building called The Dellawisps， after the turquoise birds that live there。Alongside Zoey live the other tenants， Lizabeth Lime， Lucy Lime， Mac Garrett， & Charlotte Lungren。 Lizabeth and Lucy are estranged sisters， while Lucy keeps to herself and avoids people， Lizabeth wages war on all those who di I enjoyed this story and found it enthralling！ Zoey Hennessey heads to Mallow Island， where she will stay in her deceased mother's studio until she begins her first year of college。 The studio is in a building called The Dellawisps， after the turquoise birds that live there。Alongside Zoey live the other tenants， Lizabeth Lime， Lucy Lime， Mac Garrett， & Charlotte Lungren。 Lizabeth and Lucy are estranged sisters， while Lucy keeps to herself and avoids people， Lizabeth wages war on all those who disturb her in any way。 Mac is a chef and Charlotte is an artist。 Frasier the management who has an unusual talent passed down from his grandfather。 Along side the living are the ghosts that are unable to leave， a few have unfinished business and another remains due to the fact one particular human can't let go。After one of the tenants dies unexpectedly， Fraiser offers Zoey the job of cleaning out the apartment。 Zoey shifts through all the items she starts a box of what she feels are personal items to save。 Little does Zoey realize the importance of what's in the box。 It isn't long before Zoey befriends two of the other tenants， except Lucy who remains aloof。 The ghosts add an interesting take on the story where their lives are revealed in pieces until the reader has a better understanding of the human characters' relationship to them。All the tenants have been wounded in some way from their past and searching for a better life。 I think out of all the characters， Zoey was the one not as tainted by the hurt she endured， which lead her to help break everyone else out of their shells。 Characters who have been broken and yet rally around others to lift them up！ They can become the family they always wanted。 There are a few surprises in the story！ Wonderful read！I received an ARC from NetGalley via St。 Martin's Press and I have voluntarily reviewed this book。 。。。more
Christine
，
“Stories aren’t fiction。 Stories are fabric。 They’re the white sheets we drape over our ghosts so we can see them。”Thus begins Sarah Addison Allen’s latest release， the one waited for patiently by legions of loyal fans。 From the first sentence on， every reader can rest assured– it was absolutely worth the wait。I’ve never been able to pick a favorite Sarah Addison Allen book– they’re all so wonderful！ But Other Birds may just be her best book yet， and my new favorite。Zoey has just inherited her m “Stories aren’t fiction。 Stories are fabric。 They’re the white sheets we drape over our ghosts so we can see them。”Thus begins Sarah Addison Allen’s latest release， the one waited for patiently by legions of loyal fans。 From the first sentence on， every reader can rest assured– it was absolutely worth the wait。I’ve never been able to pick a favorite Sarah Addison Allen book– they’re all so wonderful！ But Other Birds may just be her best book yet， and my new favorite。Zoey has just inherited her mother’s condo in the tourist town of Mallow Island， South Carolina。 She escapes her unhappy childhood by moving there the summer before she begins college， intending to make this unknown place her true home， and perhaps finding some of her mother’s belongings and healing for herself along the way。 She finds the magical Dellawisp tucked behind the main boulevard， a horseshoe shaped building with a garden full of strange turquoise birds and even quiet residents。 Life becomes much less quiet for all the residents when the neighborhood busybody unexpectedly dies， ushering in all kinds of change。 Charlotte keeps to herself， Mac is hiding something， and Lucy– well， no one sees Lucy。 These neighbors may just have to confront mysterious circumstances， ghosts， and possibly discover that not all stories need to be told。All of Allen’s titles sweep me up into the story so fully I’m reluctant to put them down， but none so much as Other Birds。 The way these characters lives intersect， the secrets they keep and the stories they share， weave together in such a compelling way。 But there’s more to it than just that– this story has such heart， made all the more heart-piercing with magical realism。This cast of characters is intriguing， relatable， and intricately developed。 Perhaps it is the little nuances， their histories， and their resilience that make them endearing and unforgettable， or perhaps it is the way they help each other grow。 Regardless， the result is that whether the last chapter ended on a cliffhanger or not， I was equally enthused about each perspective shift and character。As always， Allen’s settings are unique and lean towards the magical themselves。 The storied history of Mallow Island made me wish it was a real place （I’m only half certain it isn’t– this world is so well crafted I can’t tell what is true and what is invention！）。 The island， the Dellawisp， and the individual condos are all so well developed that the imagery jumps off the page to form a mental film reel so real it feels as though you could reach out and touch it。There is something inherently magical about Allen’s writing。 The writing itself is gorgeous and engaging， made all the better by the equally engaging story。 The integration of magical realism adds an air of whimsy to a story that certainly has its heavier moments， but also suspends the reader fully in the story。Honestly， I’m a reader and a writer， and I’m having the hardest time pinpointing what exactly it is that makes this particular novel so engrossing and wonderful。 I couldn’t put it down– I read it in just a few sittings， and I was thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it。 Reading this book– it felt like more than reading， somehow。 It felt like an experience。Even though you may want to devour it， read it slow the first time。 It’s worth it。 Personally， I can’t wait to re-read it。After all， the heart of every one of Allen’s stories is the promise of hope and magic in everyday life。And as she says herself in Other Birds， “Not everything has to be real to be true。”Thank you to Sarah Addison Allen， St。 Martin’s Press， and NetGalley for an advanced e-galley such that I could share my honest opinions。 。。。more
Ileen
，
Sarah Addison Allen's Other Birds is a magical， beautiful and beautifully written story of loss and redeeming love of some different and wonderful people who come together in a rental community and become a "family"。 through their experiences on a little island near Charleston， South Carolina。 I've read all of this author's books and this is truly one of her best。 You won't be disappointed！ Remember， there are birds and there are other birds。 You'll have to read this intriguing story to find the Sarah Addison Allen's Other Birds is a magical， beautiful and beautifully written story of loss and redeeming love of some different and wonderful people who come together in a rental community and become a "family"。 through their experiences on a little island near Charleston， South Carolina。 I've read all of this author's books and this is truly one of her best。 You won't be disappointed！ Remember， there are birds and there are other birds。 You'll have to read this intriguing story to find the explanation for those birds。 And meandering through the story to find that answer will be an adventure you won't want to miss。 。。。more
Sharon May
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Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Sarah Addison Allen - 5 stars！Zoey arrives on Mallow Island SC after leaving her father's home in Tulsa OK with not much more than her imaginary bird， Pigeon。 She is going to reclaim her deceased mother's apartment and go to college in Charleston。 Zoey doesn't have many friends and her family left much to be desired。 She's disappointed when she sees there isn't anything personal left in the apartmen Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Sarah Addison Allen - 5 stars！Zoey arrives on Mallow Island SC after leaving her father's home in Tulsa OK with not much more than her imaginary bird， Pigeon。 She is going to reclaim her deceased mother's apartment and go to college in Charleston。 Zoey doesn't have many friends and her family left much to be desired。 She's disappointed when she sees there isn't anything personal left in the apartment but she's determined to make friends with her new neighbors。 And they are quite the bunch - both those that can be seen and those that can't。Oh， I loved spending time in this place with these characters。 The author has created a magical world filled with birds， interesting characters， and so much heart。 This book is all about the family we make， finding those who love us just the way we are。 It's also a good reminder that everyone has a story and is struggling in some way。 I loved all the life lessons here wrapped up in a beautiful but not overly sentimental way。 I didn't want this book to end！ 。。。more
Vicki
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“Other Birds，” by Sarah Addison Allen， tSt。 Martin's Press， 304 pages， Aug。 30， 2022。Right off the coast of South Carolina， on Mallow Island， is an old cobblestone building shaped like a horseshoe。 The Dellawisp is named after the tiny turquoise birds that are native to the island。 A century ago， Mallow Island was famous for making marshmallow candy。Zoey Hennessey arrives on the Island to claim her deceased mother， Paloma’s， apartment。 Paloma immigrated from Cuba。 Frasier is the building manager “Other Birds，” by Sarah Addison Allen， tSt。 Martin's Press， 304 pages， Aug。 30， 2022。Right off the coast of South Carolina， on Mallow Island， is an old cobblestone building shaped like a horseshoe。 The Dellawisp is named after the tiny turquoise birds that are native to the island。 A century ago， Mallow Island was famous for making marshmallow candy。Zoey Hennessey arrives on the Island to claim her deceased mother， Paloma’s， apartment。 Paloma immigrated from Cuba。 Frasier is the building manager。 Paloma died when Zoey was 7， but she was already divorced from Zoey’s father。Her new neighbors are Lizbeth Lime， who hoards paper; her sister， Lucy Lime; Charlotte Lungren， a henna artist; and Mac Garrett， an executive chef。 Mac was raised by Camille Hyatt， who cooked cornmeal dishes for a local restaurant。 She taught him that food is story-telling。Lizbeth dies in an accident the night that Zoey arrives。 Lizbeth used to work for Roscoe Avanger， who wrote a well-known book about the island。 Avanger is the executor of her estate。 Frasier hires Joey to clean out Lizbeth’s apartment。One day， Frasier tells Joey， “There are birds， and then there are other birds。 Maybe they don’t sing。 Maybe they don’t fly。 Maybe they don’t fit in。 I don’t know about you， but I’d much rather be an other bird than just the same old thing。”Sarah Addison Allen’s books have magical realism in them。 Zoey came with what appeared to be an empty birdcage。 But it’s not。 Her bird， Pigeon， is invisible。 Cornmeal appears on Max when he isn’t cooking。 It’s happened for five years since the death of Camille， his foster mother。 Ghosts talk to Frasier。 This is Sarah Addison Allen’s seventh book。 There is a good， magical escape with a Southern flair in each book。 They are calming， cozy reads。In accordance with FTC guidelines， the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for a review。 。。。more
Minna
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Thank you to Netgalley， St。 Martin’s Press， and Ms。 Allen for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title。 An honest review was requested but not required。Ms。 Allen’s books are always a treat。 Gentle， sweet， a little magical， they remind me of a vanilla ice cream cone: just right on a warm summer day。 I will be honest， the book blurb for this title didn’t excite me as much as some of her others have done， but the book itself ended up working magic on me just like all its predecessors。The main c Thank you to Netgalley， St。 Martin’s Press， and Ms。 Allen for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title。 An honest review was requested but not required。Ms。 Allen’s books are always a treat。 Gentle， sweet， a little magical， they remind me of a vanilla ice cream cone: just right on a warm summer day。 I will be honest， the book blurb for this title didn’t excite me as much as some of her others have done， but the book itself ended up working magic on me just like all its predecessors。The main character is Zoey， a lonely， neglected girl who moves to Mallow Island off the Carolina coast because her late mother bequeathed her an apartment there。 She intends to go to college in the fall and spend the summer in her mother’s apartment， reliving memories and looking for things that might remind her of her mother。 She is accompanied by an invisible bird named Pigeon。Of course the apartment building， which isn’t very large， hosts a small collection of various misfit residents who make up a sort of quirky， miniature found family for Zoey。 Every one of them comes from a troubled childhood and each one of them had parents who ranged from lousy to downright criminal。 There’s also， as in all of the author’s books， a healthy dose of magic and a few ghosts。 Overall the book was charming and a smooth， easy read。 The writing flow gently from one character to another。 I liked Charlotte the best – she had more layers and was slightly darker， as opposed to Zoey’s youthful effervescence – but I suspect that had Lucy gotten more page time she would have been my favorite。 If you like the author’s books， you’ll love this one。 I walked away afterwards feeling refreshed and charmed。 Maybe Ms。 Allen really does work magic！ 。。。more
Bobbi Radford
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 I received an advanced copy from NetGalley awhile ago and just let it sit there。 I was thinking this isn’t the type of book I normally read so maybe I’ll skip it。 However about 2 weeks ago I started reading it， just a few chapters at night and I actually started to like it。 It is beautifully written and has so much meaning behind it。 All these people meet in the DellaWisps and together they form their own family。 Towards the end I didn’t want the book to be over。 I have to admit I’m more of an a I received an advanced copy from NetGalley awhile ago and just let it sit there。 I was thinking this isn’t the type of book I normally read so maybe I’ll skip it。 However about 2 weeks ago I started reading it， just a few chapters at night and I actually started to like it。 It is beautifully written and has so much meaning behind it。 All these people meet in the DellaWisps and together they form their own family。 Towards the end I didn’t want the book to be over。 I have to admit I’m more of an audio person and this is the first full length book I’ve read on my kindle。 It kept me interested from the get go and never wavered。 It would be amazing to have a follow up to see how Zoey gets on at college。 Does Oliver ever move in or does he stay with Fraser。 How about Charlotte and Mac getting married and having children？ I am now going to check out this author for more of her books。 Her writing is spectacular， some of the best I’ve ever read。 Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this beautiful book。 I LOVED it。 。。。more
Rebecca
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Thanks to the publisher， via Edelweiss， for an advance e-galley for honest review。I've been anticipating a new Sarah Addison Allen book for so long， and it's such a bittersweet feeling to have read and loved it， knowing that now I'll have to wait again。 But it's worth it for books like these， a story of found family， of the ghosts we carry。 There's Allen's signature hint of magic， making this story slightly ethereal， and the southern island setting is the perfect atmosphere for the book。 You can Thanks to the publisher， via Edelweiss， for an advance e-galley for honest review。I've been anticipating a new Sarah Addison Allen book for so long， and it's such a bittersweet feeling to have read and loved it， knowing that now I'll have to wait again。 But it's worth it for books like these， a story of found family， of the ghosts we carry。 There's Allen's signature hint of magic， making this story slightly ethereal， and the southern island setting is the perfect atmosphere for the book。 You can't go wrong with a book by this author， and this is a fine place to start if you haven't had the pleasure yet。 。。。more
Suzy
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I think this is my new favorite Sarah Addison Allen！ I feel in love with these characters and this setting。 I loved that Zoey was a bright light that came in and brought them all together。 But I liked that she also had demons she was facing and not afraid to work on them。 I liked the relationship between Mac & Charlotte too。 This is such a feel good novel。 With some mysterious ghosts joining the cast too。 I liked the ghosts and the background they brought to the story。 I can't wait to share this I think this is my new favorite Sarah Addison Allen！ I feel in love with these characters and this setting。 I loved that Zoey was a bright light that came in and brought them all together。 But I liked that she also had demons she was facing and not afraid to work on them。 I liked the relationship between Mac & Charlotte too。 This is such a feel good novel。 With some mysterious ghosts joining the cast too。 I liked the ghosts and the background they brought to the story。 I can't wait to share this with everyone I know when it comes out later this year。 Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC！ 。。。more
Brianna
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This was a beautiful book！ There was multiple POV which was beautifully done and didn’t leave me feeling confused or lost in the story。 You could feel the real life loss and healing Sarah was bringing into this writing with her famous dusting of happy magic。 Definitely recommending to those who enjoy her writing， and anyone who is dealing with grief and ready to feel a little happiness and warmth again。
Kimberly
，
"Other Birds" by Sarah Addison Allen is an absolutely delightful read！ Ms。 Allen is one of my favorite authors。 Her books are like a warm hug， comforting and enveloping。 I was captivated by the quirky， well developed characters and the touch of magical realism made this book a charming read。 The setting for the story， an island whose history is built on marshmallows， is absolutely perfect for this sweet story。 There were twists and turns that I didn't see coming， keeping me interested and engros "Other Birds" by Sarah Addison Allen is an absolutely delightful read！ Ms。 Allen is one of my favorite authors。 Her books are like a warm hug， comforting and enveloping。 I was captivated by the quirky， well developed characters and the touch of magical realism made this book a charming read。 The setting for the story， an island whose history is built on marshmallows， is absolutely perfect for this sweet story。 There were twists and turns that I didn't see coming， keeping me interested and engrossed in the story and the large cast of characters。 At its core， this book is about overcoming trauma and letting go so one can move forward， happy and healed。 It's not as light of a read as some of Ms。 Allen's other works， but it is a beautiful one nonetheless。I'm only subtracting a star because of a glaring continuity error in the plot that should have been caught by an editor。 Though it didn't take away from the story， it bothered me！Many thanks to NetGalley， the author， and the publisher for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this fabulous book， in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more
Michelle
，
Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me an ARC copy of this delightful book to review。 Sarah Addison Allen has done it again！ She has delivered another enchanting story sparkling with hints of magical realism。 Eighteen-year-old Zoe arrives at Marrow Island， South Carolina。 She moves into the studio apartment left to her by her mother Paloma。 Paloma died when Zoe was young， and Zoe is hoping to feel closer to her mother by living in a place that they were both happy。 The apar Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me an ARC copy of this delightful book to review。 Sarah Addison Allen has done it again！ She has delivered another enchanting story sparkling with hints of magical realism。 Eighteen-year-old Zoe arrives at Marrow Island， South Carolina。 She moves into the studio apartment left to her by her mother Paloma。 Paloma died when Zoe was young， and Zoe is hoping to feel closer to her mother by living in a place that they were both happy。 The apartment is in the Dellawisp， named for the enchanting turquoise birds that inhabit the gardens there。Family is at the heart of this story。 Sometimes our given families fail us， and we need to build our own family。 This was such a touching story filled with eccentric characters， a few ghosts and a whole lot of heart。 。。。more
Sharon Dene
，
Very well written book II like how it's a structure in this book。 I like when she was telling the stories about these people in the book and then you find out what happens with these people who are of the ghost in this book and their own chapters but it all seems to be tied together。 Everybody has a story to tell Zoe came back to marshmallow island。 She moved back to her mother's old apartment DELLLL ACAWS P。 Zoe gets accepted into account in Charleston。 When she gets there there's a lady called Very well written book II like how it's a structure in this book。 I like when she was telling the stories about these people in the book and then you find out what happens with these people who are of the ghost in this book and their own chapters but it all seems to be tied together。 Everybody has a story to tell Zoe came back to marshmallow island。 She moved back to her mother's old apartment DELLLL ACAWS P。 Zoe gets accepted into account in Charleston。 When she gets there there's a lady called Lacey who never leaves the apartment Call LI ZB ETH。 There's the girl named Charlotte who's running through something for the past as well And then you're h Mac who would get cornmeal all over every night。 This was tied to a woman called Cam ILL And then you had the guy who lived there as a property manager。。 You find out who Oliver is related to it also in the book This book reads like a murder mystery and people helping each other out。 Everybody had a very hard life and they seemed to triumph。 Mac who lived on the island since he was a child And Lucy and her sister as well。 Zoe had A pet called pigeon who was Is Hebrew And there were other birds around there area as well。 There's a lot of history in this book as well about about The property Manager Who turns out to be somebody in the book to find this out there。 It's the same thing with pigeon the bird to find out who this bird really was。 Oliver has a story behind it as well and you find out what really happened between Lucy and her sister。 Charlotte also has a pass as well and she did believe in the ghost And she kept running away from things because she's always afraid she's c O Let's Colt and find her from Vermont。 Mac was very dedicated to CA MILLE who raised him。 She was really good because his mother abandoned him as a child。 The story I like because there's a lot of happy endings and everybody got what they wanted in the en Even Pamela Who was Zoe's Mother who died when she was very young Every time something would happen in the book The next chapter would be about these people who were no longer around。 This is how you found out about them and how they were Type to the living person。 。。。more
Stephanie Cooke
，
A beautiful multi-POV that mixes the ordinary with fantastical。 While the larger story revolves around the tenants of a small， whimsical building called The Dellawisp， it weaves in the supernatural as well。 The multi-POV incorporates that of the dearly （and not-so-dearly） departed as we find out about the lives of those who carry on， even after death。 It’s a breezy read and reminds me a slightly less dark Her Fearful Symmetry。
Debbie
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Other BirdsSara Addison AllenOther Birds is Southern Fried Fiction meets Magical Realism， a poignant and a bit otherworldly coming of age story， a love story and a story that tells readers families aren’t always blood related。 Beautifully set on a touristy fictional South Carolina barrier island this master storyteller will have her audience entranced as she weaves her multilayered tale about love， loss， starting over and letting go。 Readers will be mesmerized by Sara’s fluid narrative， whimsica Other BirdsSara Addison AllenOther Birds is Southern Fried Fiction meets Magical Realism， a poignant and a bit otherworldly coming of age story， a love story and a story that tells readers families aren’t always blood related。 Beautifully set on a touristy fictional South Carolina barrier island this master storyteller will have her audience entranced as she weaves her multilayered tale about love， loss， starting over and letting go。 Readers will be mesmerized by Sara’s fluid narrative， whimsical dialogue and exceptional quirky characters both corporeal and spectral， especially Zoey who is simply enchanting， a misfit who just wants to belong who just so happens to move into a condo complex full of other misfits who just want to belong and as Sara fills in all the blanks of her story readers will find themselves totally hooked。 Fans of Karen White， MJ Rose， Beatriz Williams and Lauren Willig will find this extraordinary novel absolutely unputdownable。Zoey Hennessey hasn’t had it easy growing up in a family who always made her feel like an outsider but now she’s ready to make a fresh start， start living， ready to start college in the fall but first she’s ready to come home to Mallow Island and move into the condo at the Dellawisp she inherited from her late mother。 So armed with all her earthly belongings and her invisible pet pigeon she takes her first baby steps into adulthood。 Her neighbors， including the tiny pesky turquoise birds the condo complex is named for， a henna artist， a chef， two sisters， plus the condo manager are a quirky bunch and all seem to be ships that pass in the night。 When one of the sisters dies accidentally at home， Zoey takes on the job of cleaning out the woman’s apartment because she needs something to do until school stars and decides it’s also the perfect way to meet her neighbors， learn their stories and hopefully be able to share hers as well。 。。。more
Margaret
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goodreads rec
Alice
，
Oh， wow。 I didn’t know what I would think， reading a new Sarah Addison Allen book after so many years。 I fell in love with her books when I was fresh from college and still new to the south。 I hadn’t quite found my way to the genres I love today， but I aches for the little magics she wrote into her stories， the romance， and above all， her characters。 In the end， I haven’t changed that much。 While it took me a little time to sink into her prose， Other Birds is a gorgeous southern gothic， short on Oh， wow。 I didn’t know what I would think， reading a new Sarah Addison Allen book after so many years。 I fell in love with her books when I was fresh from college and still new to the south。 I hadn’t quite found my way to the genres I love today， but I aches for the little magics she wrote into her stories， the romance， and above all， her characters。 In the end， I haven’t changed that much。 While it took me a little time to sink into her prose， Other Birds is a gorgeous southern gothic， short on horror but brimming with care。 It’s about trauma and the ghosts we carry with us， so fully realized in Sarah Addison Allen‘s trademark style。 Just don’t read this book while hungry， or you might find yourself craving soul food！ A beautiful， mysterious， and twisty gothic for those who love sprawling southern fiction。 Romantic and magical， this story is cozy and caring rather than creepy。 Read with a plate of biscuits！ 。。。more
Arielle
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RTC。 ---2022 BOTM Selections:September 2022: Other BirdsAugust 2022: When We Were Bright and BeautifulJuly 2022: Tomorrow， and Tomorrow， and TomorrowJune 2022: Things We Do in the DarkMay 2022: Part of Your WorldApril 2022: True BizMarch 2022 （2。0）: The Unsinkable Greta JamesMarch 2022: Dating Dr。 Dil February 2022: Vladimir January 2022: Fiona and Jane* These were my 2021 BOTM reads。 RTC。 ---2022 BOTM Selections:September 2022: Other BirdsAugust 2022: When We Were Bright and BeautifulJuly 2022: Tomorrow， and Tomorrow， and TomorrowJune 2022: Things We Do in the DarkMay 2022: Part of Your WorldApril 2022: True BizMarch 2022 （2。0）: The Unsinkable Greta JamesMarch 2022: Dating Dr。 Dil February 2022: Vladimir January 2022: Fiona and Jane* These were my 2021 BOTM reads。 。。。more
Lyra
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A lovely gem from that combines the southern setting with magical realism， ghosts， and found family。 So much of my catnip in one book。 Nice balance of the familiar and surprises。
Kim
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Sarah Addison Allen is one of my go to authors for Magical Realism and she did not disappoint with her book， Other Birds。Allen’s books are always filled with family （found or actual） and friends that are going through troubled times， but with a bit of magic and romance are able to overcome。 In Other Birds there is a bit less magic then in her previous books， but it was still a wonderful read。Each of the characters （including the ghosts） get their moments to shine in the story and Allen is able t Sarah Addison Allen is one of my go to authors for Magical Realism and she did not disappoint with her book， Other Birds。Allen’s books are always filled with family （found or actual） and friends that are going through troubled times， but with a bit of magic and romance are able to overcome。 In Other Birds there is a bit less magic then in her previous books， but it was still a wonderful read。Each of the characters （including the ghosts） get their moments to shine in the story and Allen is able to develop them very well in such a short time。 There are some surprises that show themselves towards the end， and I had to grab a tissue to get me through a few of the spots。The visuals and lessons in this book are still floating around in my head a week after reading it… that’s how I know I’ve read a great book！ 。。。more
Sarah
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My rating: 2 of 5 stars， it was okay。I've enjoyed every book by Sarah Addison Allen， but this one was absolutely my least favorite of the bunch。It just didn't connect with me the way previous books have。 It didn't enjoy the characters in this book nearly as much。 Maybe because there were so many of them， shoe horned into the story。 And so many issues in there as well。 From hoarding and mental health issues， to past sexual assault and growing up in a cult， to child neglect。 And of course， they al My rating: 2 of 5 stars， it was okay。I've enjoyed every book by Sarah Addison Allen， but this one was absolutely my least favorite of the bunch。It just didn't connect with me the way previous books have。 It didn't enjoy the characters in this book nearly as much。 Maybe because there were so many of them， shoe horned into the story。 And so many issues in there as well。 From hoarding and mental health issues， to past sexual assault and growing up in a cult， to child neglect。 And of course， they all come together in the Dellawisp， and help each other heal？ As multiple other reviewers have said， I felt like this book meandered from character to character， while never really fully developing each one or really combining them all in to one complete story， and then BAM！ The last few chapters suddenly things start happening and everyone comes together and it all just fell flat for me。All in all， it had a few lovely moments and Allen is fantastic at description。 I hope this book marks her return to writing and that there will be more from her soon。*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher， via NetGalley。* 。。。more
Phyllis Krall
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Other Birds is a beautiful story that is filled with magical realism and love， and unforgettable characters。 It takes place on Mallow Island， South Carolina at an apartment complex called The Dellawisp。Dellawisps are little turquoise birds which live on the island and are magical with minds of their own。 Zooey comes to Mallow Island to learn more about her deceased mother who had an apartment in the Dellawisp。 When she moves into her mother’s studio Zooey becomes close with the other tenants and Other Birds is a beautiful story that is filled with magical realism and love， and unforgettable characters。 It takes place on Mallow Island， South Carolina at an apartment complex called The Dellawisp。Dellawisps are little turquoise birds which live on the island and are magical with minds of their own。 Zooey comes to Mallow Island to learn more about her deceased mother who had an apartment in the Dellawisp。 When she moves into her mother’s studio Zooey becomes close with the other tenants and learns of their many secrets。 She also meets some ghosts who inhabit the building。 Each character has a story about their past ， which keeps them from moving forward with their lives 。 Zooey not only helps her new friends but also learns to conquer her own fears and open her heart to love。This page turner touched my heart and I felt as if I was actually on Mallow Island。 It was hard to leave this magical journey。 Highly recommend！ 。。。more
Colleen
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Really enjoyed this book！ A large cast of unique characters。 I wasn’t sure what to expect with Other Birds but so glad that I had an opportunity to review the advance read copy in exchange for an honest review。I had not realized that another book by Sarah Addison Allen has been on my TBR list， this is my first read by this author （although she has published many books）。 Once again I thank NetGalley for introducing me to a new-to-me-author。Other Birds is making me reconsider how I rate books。 Thi Really enjoyed this book！ A large cast of unique characters。 I wasn’t sure what to expect with Other Birds but so glad that I had an opportunity to review the advance read copy in exchange for an honest review。I had not realized that another book by Sarah Addison Allen has been on my TBR list， this is my first read by this author （although she has published many books）。 Once again I thank NetGalley for introducing me to a new-to-me-author。Other Birds is making me reconsider how I rate books。 This one is 5 stars， in the future other books will have a bit of a more difficult time getting to 5 stars。Thank you to NetGalley， the author and publisher for this opportunity。 。。。more
Natasha's Reads
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“There are birds， and then there are other birds。 Maybe they don’t sing。 Maybe they don’t fly。 Maybe they don’t fit in。 I don’t know about you， but I’d much rather be an other bird than just the same old thing。”I have always loved Sarah Addison Allen's stories。 I was delighted to recieve an ARC from Netgalley for Other Birds。The story started slow and it took a bit to start。 Sarah weaves a whimsical， ghostly tale of a small group of people living in a community together。 Secrets unfold and there “There are birds， and then there are other birds。 Maybe they don’t sing。 Maybe they don’t fly。 Maybe they don’t fit in。 I don’t know about you， but I’d much rather be an other bird than just the same old thing。”I have always loved Sarah Addison Allen's stories。 I was delighted to recieve an ARC from Netgalley for Other Birds。The story started slow and it took a bit to start。 Sarah weaves a whimsical， ghostly tale of a small group of people living in a community together。 Secrets unfold and there are quite a few twists。 The characters were intriguing and the story kept me entertained。 。。。more
Kathy
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What a magical， endearing， and memorable book Sarah Addison Allen has given us in Other Birds！ The book opens with Zoey Hennessey， 19， moving into the studio apartment her mother willed her in the well-hidden Dellawisp Condos on Mallow Island， off the coast of Charleston， SC。 The complex， consisting of five apartments， was named after the small turquoise birds who inhabit the courtyard of the beautiful cobblesone building shaped like a horseshoe。 Zoey will start college in Charleston in the fall What a magical， endearing， and memorable book Sarah Addison Allen has given us in Other Birds！ The book opens with Zoey Hennessey， 19， moving into the studio apartment her mother willed her in the well-hidden Dellawisp Condos on Mallow Island， off the coast of Charleston， SC。 The complex， consisting of five apartments， was named after the small turquoise birds who inhabit the courtyard of the beautiful cobblesone building shaped like a horseshoe。 Zoey will start college in Charleston in the fall。Zoey's mother died when she was quite young。 Her father and his new family have always treated her as an outsider and made it plain that when she turns eighteen， they expect her to move out on her own。 Her step-mother already has well thought out plans for Zoey's room。 It's no surprise， given her background that Zoey is a very lonely and quirky girl， used to being on the outside looking in， and longing to find a place where she feels she belongs。 As she meets， or is told about， each of her new neighbors， she finds them to be unique and quirky as well。 Not only are there people living in the Dellawisp Condos， but three ghosts as well！The author does a wonderful job of painting each of these colorful and secretive characters vividly and bringing each of their stories to light so beautifully。 I love her writing！！ It is wonderful to watch as the characters bond and become a found-family to each other。 YAY！！！！！This is a magical， heart-warming read that I won't soon forget。 I highly recommend it！My thanks to St。 Martin's Press for allowing me to read an e-ARC of the book via NetGalley。 All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given。 。。。more
Jill
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Mallow Island is right off the coast of South Carolina and on it sits The Dellawisp， a historic building that’s shaped like a horseshoe。 It’s named after the tiny fluttery birds who live there with the select humans who are lucky enough to live in its condos。 There is magic in the air as Zoey， who inherits her mothers studio sized condo， comes to spend the summer before beginning college。 We read about the tenants and the ghosts who live there in alternating chapters。 The residents are quirky an Mallow Island is right off the coast of South Carolina and on it sits The Dellawisp， a historic building that’s shaped like a horseshoe。 It’s named after the tiny fluttery birds who live there with the select humans who are lucky enough to live in its condos。 There is magic in the air as Zoey， who inherits her mothers studio sized condo， comes to spend the summer before beginning college。 We read about the tenants and the ghosts who live there in alternating chapters。 The residents are quirky and endearing and I loved uncovering the secrets they each had that seemed to keep the ghosts around for support。 I loved this book and I will miss the residents at Dellawsip。 Can’t wait to read another book by Sarah Addison Allen。 。。。more
Kat
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What a sweet story！Sarah Addison Allen has reminded me once again why I love Magical Realism so much。 How can I not love a book whose main character has an invisible bird named Pigeon and who resides in a condo complex with several ghosts and some curious little turquoise birds called dellawisps？ It’s not really a question， because of course I’m going to love that！！ Like TJ Klune， Allen captures the human spirit so well in a way that both charms and makes you feel for all the characters， while g What a sweet story！Sarah Addison Allen has reminded me once again why I love Magical Realism so much。 How can I not love a book whose main character has an invisible bird named Pigeon and who resides in a condo complex with several ghosts and some curious little turquoise birds called dellawisps？ It’s not really a question， because of course I’m going to love that！！ Like TJ Klune， Allen captures the human spirit so well in a way that both charms and makes you feel for all the characters， while gently giving focus to some pretty heavy topics - in this case childhood trauma and healing old wounds。Nineteen-year-old college student Zoe Hennessy has just inherited her late mother’s Mallow Island condo off the coast of South Carolina， managed by friendly but mysterious， Frasier， and is a new neighbor to four other residents of The Dellawisp: executive chef Mac， henna artist Charlotte， resident busybody/hoarder Lizbeth Lime， and Lizbeth’s estranged and reclusive sister， Lucy Lime。 At first glance， they’re a rag-tag group with little in common， but after an event happens that slowly draws these residents closer together， you see just how similar they really are。 It’s the newly formed friendships and each character’s gradually revealed backstory that give this book its heart and depth， and by the end I loved all these characters。Zoe is an energetic ball of charm who’s determined to bring these virtual strangers together， if she can get her often petulant invisible bird， Pigeon， to stop interfering。 It’s sweet to watch her friendship with Charlotte grow and， in turn， their friendships with Mac， though the Lime sisters are another issue。 I cheered for each character as they confronted the traumas of their past and opened their guarded hearts to each other。 The budding romances were also handled with a light hand， so they felt very pure and sweet！My main difficulty with the story was that it was a bit heavy-handed on the bad parenting theme， which made it a little less believable， but then again， Frasier did say the residents were picked for a reason， so I guess the similar backgrounds were intentional？ The ending went a teeny bit OTT for me as well。 Overall， though， I really enjoyed this， I love her writing， and there were some fabulous unexpected twists that I didn’t see coming！ I highly recommend this lovely story and I’ll definitely watch for more from this author！★★★★ ½ Thanks to St。 Martin’s Press， NetGalley and author Sarah Addison Allen for this ARC to honestly review。 It’s due for publication on August 30th， 2022。 。。。more
Coffee&Books
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 The first book from Sarah Addison Allen following monumental losses was well worth the wait。 Her work hasn’t changed， except to get deeper and better， steeped with whimsy and magic and a charming story。 I feel like this should be a series- there’s so many more stories to tell。 I love the idea that our loved ones don’t leave… they linger with us and watch over us until we don’t need their guidance。 The author’s note at the end？ Yes you sure did。
Linda Hutchinson
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen is pure joy， and I predict this will be a big hit in the book world。 The story centers around our lead protagonist， 19 year old Zoey Hennessey， who is looking for a place to belong and memories of her dead Mother。 Zoey’s father has remarried， and she is no longer welcome in his new life。 Hence， she travels to Mallow Island off the coast of South Carolina and moves into her mother’s empty studio condo in a small enclave of eclectic characters。 Most imp ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen is pure joy， and I predict this will be a big hit in the book world。 The story centers around our lead protagonist， 19 year old Zoey Hennessey， who is looking for a place to belong and memories of her dead Mother。 Zoey’s father has remarried， and she is no longer welcome in his new life。 Hence， she travels to Mallow Island off the coast of South Carolina and moves into her mother’s empty studio condo in a small enclave of eclectic characters。 Most importantly， Zoey’s new home is also the home to a flock of rare Dellawisps， turquoise-colored birds with many quirks。 Added to this is Zoey’s unusual “bird”， called Pigeon。 This small group of characters in Zoey’s new condo forms a home of sorts for each other and a place to belong。 When looking for love and security， ghosts， fellow weary travelers， and misfits can become significant。 They help Zoey to fly。 There is magical realism， coming-of-age plotlines， family， birds and ghosts。 I won’t reveal more details because this book is magical and reminds us that we are not alone。 It is a book of hope。 #birds #love #family #life #comingofage #secrets #sweet #OtherBirds @sarahaddisonallen #netgalley @netgally #hope #SouthCarolina #mystery #future #life #purpose #belonging @stmartinspress #arc🐦I received a complimentary copy of this book。 The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own。 Thank you to NetGalley， and St。 Martins Press for the opportunity to read this book。 Pub Date: Aug。 30， 2022。 #bookaddict #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookshelf #booksbooksbooks #readersofinstagram #reader #booklove #bookreader #beautifulcover 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Other Birds
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Other Birds&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Other Birds&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0