I went into this book completely blind and I am glad I did. I enjoyed the writing style and the characters. I think the author did a fantastic job at building the story and I would definitely read another book of hers. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book!

I had my library book club read this book and I believe they all really enjoyed it. I would recommend this title.

A beautiful tale of loss, redemption, and how we all have ghosts of the past that we must let go of in order to embrace new beginnings. Sweet & hopeful, that had me weeping by the end. A hug of a book! Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.

I have been enchanted by Sarah Addison Allen books for a long time but this one didn't hit the mark for me. It was so short and still seemed to drag and just be slow.

A lonely, isolated young woman looking for remnants of her mother’s life, a place to belong, moves to a quiet island off the coast of South Carolina. Magical realism is not for everyone. I do enjoy it of not too overpowering. I loved that this book had such quirky characters, but I never felt like I really got to know any of them that well.

I'm always on the lookout for Southern authors, and while I'd heard of Sarah Addison Allen, I hadn't read any of her books. The premise of Other Birds intrigued me and happily I've found a new-to-me Southern author to catch up with. I really enjoyed this book, full of quirky characters who live on the margins of life for different reasons, and who are all living (or have lived) at the small 5-unit Dellawisp apartment building. At the heart is the story of Zoey, who has come to South Carolina to live in her deceased mother's apartment on a charming little island while she starts attending a college nearby. Gradually we learn the stories of her new neighbors, and the invisible strings that connect them. There's some magical realism here and a touch of the supernatural, but not in a scary or off-putting sense (at least not for me - YMMV!). I found myself looking up some of places and birds in the story to see if they were real or borne of Allen's imagination. It's a lovely book, tragic and hopeful and atmospheric and full of colorful characters that kept me interested in learning more about each of them.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

Many perspectives and one dimensional characters weaken her latest book. While less magical than her previous novels, it will still manage to keep dedicated fans reading.

What a sweet story of love, family of choice and belonging. The magical realism was enchanting. Thanks #NetGalley

Another beautiful story woven by Sarah Addison Allen; This time with a more mysterious vibe. The reader follows Zoey as she moves into her (deceased) mother's Dellawisp Condos, and meets the various quirky characters that live there. Zoey finds herself trying to uncover untold stories and possibly solve a mystery as well. As is typical of Magical Realism, there's just a touch of otherworldliness to the story, which I absolutely love. At this point, I think it's safe to say I'll read anything that Sarah Addison Allen writes!

Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This story really spoke to me! I loved the concept of found family and the connections these people who all lived in these apartments on Mallow Island found. There’s a very magical feel to this story and I can’t stop thinking about it. It will be a book I reread many times. My first by Sarah Addison Allen and definitely not my last.

Anything by Sarah Addison Allen is a win for me. The slightly magical elements in her stories are always the perfect touch, and her books tend to inspire a homey, loving family feeling, even absent the character's own loving family (as in Other Birds). I find myself always rooting for them to find their place of belonging.

An interesting paranormal flavored magical realism tale from Sarah Addison Allen. Charming and cute with fun characters who each have their own individual struggles and a great development of a found family. Some very sad family circumstances are presented in the narrative that just had me aching for a few of the characters. The mild twists were well-written and though I could somewhat see them coming, were not obvious. The soft magic of Allen's writing is soothing and just lulled me along as I read. The story was comforting despite some of the more heartbreaking and serious situations. I didn't want to put this read down and stayed up quite late to finish it in a two day binge. Emotionally wonderful and beautifully written. Allen has definitely not lost her touch.

I received an advanced digital copy of this novel from the author, publisher and NetGalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Sarah Addison Allen is a master storyteller. Other Birds is a wonderful example of this mastery. A tale of the family we find, what we're haunted by as well as what we hide from others.

5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.

The magical realism in this book was such a great surprise. Zoey is such a free positive spirted person. she inherits a condo and meets some interesting people. There is a troubled, reclusive author, two estranged sisters who share a secret past, a henna artist on the run from something or someone, an amazing, lonesome chef and eventually a troubled young man who will return home. I hoped for more from the ending but still the book was really good.

Top read of 2022 for me! Gorgeous writing with quirky characters and twists and turns all mixed with a beautiful foundation of a plot. This made me smile and tear up and at the end I just sat and held the book to just sit with the beauty of the words and story. Top notch. And the cover! Beautiful - fitting for the content. Thanks to St Martin Press for the copy - what a gift.

Quick Take: As always, Sarah Addison Allen's story had me feeling every emotion, and at the end, happy, smiling and feeling warm inside.

From day one, I have ADORED everything that SAA has written. I know that she had some very sad family issues over the years that kept her from writing her much beloved books. So when Other Birds came out, I was over the moon!

While this may not be one of her best, it was still filled with her signature storytelling, love of family, and magic.

Solid 4.5 Stars

How can you not love Sarah Addison Allen. With her bravery for approaching magic in the context of believable lives, she navigates grief with grace and sets the stage for an unsolved mystery full of surprises and discoveries. Her writing is unbeatable and lyrical - without ever being overdone.

I have read all of Sarah Addison Allen's books and have never been disappointed. I was so excited to read this one and Sarah Addison Allen has out done herself again. I will wait on pins and needles for her next book to come out. Thank you for sharing your words with us.

This is one of the best character-driven books I've read in a while. There are several points of view used to move the story,, and these characters are unique and interesting. Some may perceived this as a "slow" book because a lot of the action is really emotional rather than physical. I absolutely loved Zoey and Charlotte!

This is the first book I have read from this author and I was really drawn to the premise of this book. I found the location of the book to be enchanting. however I felt that this book was really just work to read. I felt that the characters were glazed over and did not really come out in the stories. I liked how each of them had a story though and something that has a hold on them though. I really liked the idea of the characters creating their own little family and felt the ending was well written. This book just ended up all right for me with the way the characters were lacking. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.