This is the best book I have read all year, by far!
Joyce Maynard is one of my favorite authors and she outdid herself with this lovingly told story of an American woman making a rewarding life for herself in Central America, after having lived through catastrophic loss.
The setting is magical and all the characters have depth - just wonderful writing!

Irene leaves the US with nothing but her passport, and finds herself in a small Central American town. She plans to stay only long enough to figure out her life, but she ends up loving the hotel and the eccentric owner, and the town. And then she inherits the hotel, and tries to find a way to make it work and make a living. The story takes us through her life, her successes and failures. The lakeside town is a character in itself. I haven't read a Joyce Maynard book in a while, I enjoyed this one. #thebirdhotel #joycemaynard #bookstagram #booklover #reader #bookblog #lovetoread #fictionreader #bookreview #bookrecommendation #readersofinstagram #bookloversofinstagram #takeapagefrommybook #readallthebooks #booksbooksbooks #booksofinstagram #bookwormproblems #bookaholic #booknerd #whattoread #readingtime #bookaddict #ilovetoread #ilovebooks

This is my first book by Joyce Maynard (I know, I know!) and I can'r wait to go read her backlist!

This is a sweeping saga with fascinating characters and lush locations so vividly described that you feel like you're there. Maynard's writing is immerse and moving and I could not put the book down. I was so invested in Irene's journey and every second of the adventure was worth the ride.

Thanks to Skyhorse Publishing and NetGalley for the copy to review.

I feel like I'm the only reader who didn't absolutely fall in love with this novel. But it just didn't press the right buttons for me. I had to force myself to pick it up and read a couple chapters every night and that reluctance never leads to a good reading experience.

Some of my issues can be chalked up to editing, and because I was reading an arc I'm hopeful these were fixed before the final version was released. But there were just so many issues. The character Chris is a woman on one page, five later now a man. The MC is on a road trip from San Francisco to Woodstock and somehow passes through New Hampshire. Sorry, that's two states past New York. She shows up to the hotel out of the blue because locals had led her there, having never heard of it. In later chapters she talks about the reservation she had made at the hotel. Reservations at a hotel she'd never heard of and didn't even know she was going to? Leila, the original owner of the hotel, had a brother named Timmy. He went on leave during WWII in Paris, prior to D-Day. That would be German occupied Paris, because the Americans and British haven't invaded yet, but an American soldier is there on leave? These are just a tasting of the errors in this book, and like I said before, I hope all of them were fixed prior to publication so anyone who actually paid for the book wasn't forced to read them.

Putting those quibbles aside, I didn't really like the writer's style either. She uses very short chapters that give us snapshots of the life is this sleepy Mexican village. Usually around four or five pages to describe whatever event is happening in the MC's life at the time. It felt too disconnected to me. There wasn't enough development of the plot points for me to really care about what was happening in such short chapters or get any real impression of the characters I was reading about. Conversely, I think the book itself was way too long. I think about half the events should have been cut from the book, making it shorter, but also expanding on those events and the people involved in them so that I actually felt a connection to the story.

Everything felt a little too neatly wrapped up for my tastes as well. There's this natural disaster, but everyone is fine. There's another natural disaster but everyone is fine again, except for the bad people. This person has a rough childhood, but then everything works out perfectly. Everything is bundled up and nicely wrapped for the reader, nice and perfect, which just seemed off to me.

This just wasn't the book for me. I couldn't connect to the writing style or the characters. I did enjoy the descriptions of the food and plant life, but that alone isn't enough to carry me through a 400+ page novel.

This is a perfect pre-vacation or vacation read. I just loved it! The story centers around a small hotel in Central America that is very much off the beaten path. In a way, the village consists of locals and misfits from other places.

Irene, the main character, has suffered a devastating loss and has a big secret from her past. She’s at the brink of suicide when she ends up getting on a bus, not knowing where the destination. Somehow, Irene ends up at La Llorona, meeting Leila, the owner of the establishment. Leila senses Irene’s need for healing and lets her stay free of charge.

Eventually Irene begins to heal and help the staff with the daily chores of the hotel. When Leila dies, she passes along a big surprise to Irene. Irene rises to the challenge and the rest of the story centers around her relationships with the employees, other local residents and the guests who come for a stay at La Llorona.

I recommend at comfy hammock with your favorite beverage and an afternoon spent reading this book. It’s a wonderful break from the routine of life.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing, Arcade for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to offer my review and recommend this to other readers.

What a fantastic story!!

I haven’t read all of Joyce Maynards books (yet!) but I’ve really enjoyed the ones I have read. The Bird Hotel is probably my favorite so far.

Irene has suffered a tremendous loss. A loss that would make many people want to give up on life. A last minute decision has her hopping into a green van filled with perfect strangers. It’s not long before she’s halfway across the world checking into a hotel called La Llorona which is located at the base of a volcano in a small Central American town.

With nothing but her passport and some money given to her by a kind fellow traveler, Irene’s not sure what she’s looking for. People come to La Llorona for a variety of reasons. Some come to start over and some come to hide. Many think they know what they are looking for.

"You may not find what you're looking for when you come to this lake. But you'll probably find what you need."

Will Irene find her way back from her unimaginable grief?

“The Bird Hotel” is a story about love, grief, loss, hope, survival, and more!

With it’s short chapters (and awesome titles) I kept saying “just a few more pages” until I found myself nearing the end of the book. The author ignited my imagination with beautiful descriptions, a great cast of characters, and a terrific story-line.

This emotional read has a bit of everything. Mystery, romance, drama, humour and some magical realism. It all comes together to tell a lovely and wonderful story.

There’s no doubt that Joyce Maynard will stay on my automatic read list. I can’t wait to read more from this very talented author.


I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

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

We meet Irene at 27 years old, ready to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge. After a childhood filled with heartbreak, Irene has a great life. She’s found love and family, but tragically it was all snatched from her in an instant. Standing on the bridge, there was just a part of her that wouldn’t let go of the world. Yet she can’t go home either, so she wanders through the city until she comes upon a bus painted to look like a turtle. When the driver asks if she’s joining them, Irene figures their destination–Arizona or Texas or Mexico–is as good as any for disappearing.

Irene ends up in La Esperanza in Central America, at a tiny lakefront hotel at the base of a volcano. While Hotel La Llorona may be falling apart and badly in need of repairs, it becomes home to Irene. It’s a magical place to its owner, Leila, and she assures Irene that she may not find what she’s looking for, but will probably find what she needs.

Irene stays much longer than she ever anticipated. The novel spans decades as Irene inherits and restores La Llorona, and we are introduced to guests that find the hotel just as magical a place as Leila and Irene thought. We are also introduced to the villagers, good and bad, as Irene begins her reentry into life, living to the fullest and loving again.

Maynard’s writing is beautiful! Her descriptions of places or things were illustrations which allowed me to create a clear picture in my mind of the old hotel, the beautiful gardens that surrounded it, the lake at sunrise and sunset, the volcano, and the village. There is depth to the characters, who come to life with a backstory, distinct personalities and emotions. There are a lot of chapters, each is a short story in its own right. The book touches on a lot of themes, but then again life is inherently messy at times. There is love and the grief that comes from loss, whether expected or not. There are secrets and betrayals, and what they do to relationships. There is poverty and alcoholism, and what that does to everyone touched by it. There is an underlying quality of sadness, but there is an overt expression of hope, which makes this book so optimistic, so uplifting, so hopeful.

“One day I’ll be gone. We all will. Why worry about that? In the meantime, let’s make sure the fish is cooked just right, and that the wine is French.”

https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/

What a lovely, unexpected book! The writing is lyrical and descriptive and the story just flows. There is a lot of sadness but in the backdrop of La Llorna it seems to just be, life. Theres healing and happiness as much as there is grief and despair. I didn't think a book that started with a woman on a bridge, would be so magical and life affirming without being preachy and unrealistic.

* Pls make sure you fix the timelines/ages at the end (it's either 7 years or 10 but it can't be both).

Recommended!

Beginning in 1970, Irene/Joan and her mother, Diana, are living a vagabond kind of life. They move from one temporary living situation (camping, their car, motels, etc.) and unstable relationship to another. The one constant in their lives is music - Diana has a beautiful voice and an impressive record collection. I did especially like the sections about their lives in the ‘70’s as they live in California and make their way to the east coast. In one smart and fateful move, Diana plops Irene into the care of her mother in NYC, where the older woman helps ensure a more stable upbringing, after the first major tragedy in her young life.
The book then fast forwards into Irene’s adulthood and life in San. Francisco. After suffering another unspeakable tragedy, Irene finds herself on a bus headed out of San Francisco, with only the clothes on her back and her passport. Through a twist of fate (there are many in this book), she ends up in La Esperanza and a run down hotel, La Llorona, owned by Leila, an older woman with an interesting history of her own.
The Bird Hotel brings to life the good, the bad, and the ugly of life in a small village, far away in Central America. The descriptions of La Esperanza, La Llorona, the fellow residents and their lives are very descriptive and often compelling. In case you’re thinking you want to visit, Ms. Maynard advises they’re fictional. She does, however, live part of the year in a small Mayan indigenous village in Guatemala, which I imagine contributes to the rich portrayals.
The Bird Hotel tells a lovely story, perhaps not as engrossing for me as some of Ms. Maynard’s earlier books. It spans more than four decades of Irene’s life and, along the way, you’ll need to suspend reality several times. Overall, an interesting book and I thank Netgalley and Arcade Publishing for the opportunity to read it.

This is a transcendent novel with a broad sweep: geographically, culturally and emotionally. Irene was born to a hippie mom with revolutionary impulses, and tragedy occurred early in her life. When as an adult she finds stability and love, tragedy revisits.

So Irene takes off from San Francisco, without a destination or roots or an identity, and finds herself in the Mayan village of La Esperanza, Guatemala. Not intending to settle, she is captured by the beauty and simplicity of a crumbling hotel, where she stats for decades.

This is a rich and colorful tapestry of the flora and fauna, food and people of the region, and the discoveries which the permanent inhabitants and the visitors make about themselves and each other.

Thanks to NetGalley and SkyHorse Publishing for an advance readers copy.

When Irene boards a green bus with only the clothes on her back, she has no idea where she’s going or what she will do next, but more to the point - she really doesn’t care.

We first meet Irene as a child, and watch with sadness the losses she suffers, but as time passes, some tragedies are just too much for a person to bear, which is how Irene came to be on that green bus taking her to who knows where!

After much travel and by various modes, Irene arrives in the little village of La Esperanza in Central America. She finds accommodation at the La Llorona or Bird Hotel. It’s a truly magical place, and it gives Irene much needed respite from the world, and in addition, the hotel owner Leila (though feisty, is an unobtrusive, wise, and caring woman), and is just what Irene needs right now, to allow herself to heal.

The Bird Hotel allows us to meet an abundance of fascinating characters, all with varying personality traits, which with great skill, the author brings to life, not only that, but she makes it impossible not to care about these characters - so many life stories, so many life lessons to be learnt, but it’s Irene’s story that stands out, and it’s not difficult to put oneself in her shoes.

Beautifully written, with vivid descriptions of the fictional La Esperanza, that made me want to jump on a green bus, followed by an arduous journey by both plane and boat in order to reach this magical place!

Wow, this book is quite a journey. There was so much going on that I was wondering if or how it would all come together, but it did. The book follows a woman's life from girlhood to adulthood and all of the trials and tribulations along the way until she ends up in as out of the way spot you can imagine, a unique hotel in a remote Central American village. Thus begins her decade plus love affair with the hotel. The building is in need of maintenance and repairs but the property, with the sprawling gardens leading to the lake and the volcano in the distance, makes the experience magical. As she settles in to life at the hotel, we learn about the various villagers she meets, including Amalia who puts the local children to work collecting trash when are then turned into building bricks with which she builds a school, Rosalina who runs the Italian restaurant married to Wade, owner of a nearby rabbit restaurant, who dies giving birth to twins, Raya, the older woman who helps Wade by taking in the baby daughter and raising her as her own, and Pablito, the fish harpooner who sells Irene his catch and teaches her how to swim. We also learn about the various hotel guests, including a woman from China searching for a special plant said to cure infertility, Sam and Harriet, young honeymooners who break up before the week is over since Sam's love of volcanos is greater than his love for his wife, Jerome, a bird watcher who falls in love with Irene but his feelings are not reciprocated, and a couple from America who are seeking a simpler life and want to find property to build on until she is sexually assaulted by a local astrology reader and they return home. These stories are woven though the novel like little vignettes and steep the reader in the culture of the village. There were a lot of people to keep track of and I was a little worried that I'd forget who they all were but I never did and I realized that all the characters were necessary to truly capture the essence of life for an ex-pat living in a foreign country and running a local hotel. I am unsure how I feel about the ending. It felt a little abrupt, but I loved the rest of the book and I cannot recommend it enough!

What is going on between the covers

Hiding from a past she doesn't understand, and trying to escape the pain from a tragedy, Irene finds herself at the beautiful but decaying hotel La Llorona. A place where a person can start off fresh, or anyone who wants to escape their life will find no better hotel than this one to check into. She develops a connection with the friendly woman who runs the place and sees her need to find a way to survive her pain.

"You may not find what you're looking for when you come to this lake," she'd told me. "But you'll probably find what you need."

The story spans four decades, and along the way, we meet a rich assortment of characters who live in the village or come to stay at the hotel, searching for something or a place to escape.

Themes include loss/grief, reinventing yourself, self-discovery, searching for the truth, finding peace for the past, having the courage to heal and love again while making sense of the present, and seeing where the future is going.

The Bird Hotel makes for a great Summer Read, as one of the story's strengths is how Joyce Maynard creates a vivid sense of place for a charming exotic setting that allows us to travel there ourselves and share the character's experiences. The story is set at a lakefront hotel in a fictional area in Central America near La Esperanza. Joyce Maynard draws from her knowledge and experience from her own property in paradise in a similar location. The story's description of the lake, flowers, birds, volcano, and area creates an atmosphere, tone, and mood, and it's hard not to fall in love with the hotel and the memorable characters who live there or come and go.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing Arcade for gifting me a copy of the beautiful new book by Joyce Maynard - 5 stars!

Irene is living in San Francisco when tragedy strikes. In desperation, she runs away from her life and finds herself in Central America. She happens onto a hotel named La Llorona, by a lake and volcano. The owner welcomes Irene into the hotel and offers her a chance to heal and renew. She finds new friends who become family and a purpose.

What a gorgeous novel - I didn't want it to end. The setting is so beautiful and comes to life in these pages. The characters are so rich and full - it was such a pleasure to get to know them and experience all these events through their eyes. The story spans four decades - from Irene's childhood to the present. There are themes of childhood trauma, loss, acceptance, forgiveness, hope - and especially of opening our hurt hearts to new beginnings. Highly recommended - another fabulous book by Joyce Maynard. Don't miss reading the author's note at the end as well.

More than one tragedy has befallen Irene in her young life, but when she feels like she has nothing left to live for, she boards a green bus with only the clothes on her back and not a penny to her name. Not knowing or caring where she ended up, when the bus trip was finished, she boarded a small plane (with the money given to her by another passenger) and ended up in the town of La Esperanza (the Spanish word for hope). Making her way to La Llorona a small hotel that seemed straight out of a fairy tale, Irene meets and bonds quickly with the owner Leila. When Irene boarded the green bus all she wanted was to get away from where she was, never dreaming that things might be better somewhere else. La Esperanza was beautiful surrounded by Lake La Paz and a volcano on the hill. Leila knew that each visitor was meant to be there and each had a story and had no doubts that Irene was exactly where she was meant to be. Never planning to stay for long, eventually Irene is running and restoring La Llorona. Nothing that happened at La Llorona surprised Irene. The things that happened there seldom happened anywhere else. The Bird Hotel is a beautifully written, atmospheric story of loss, love, betrayal and forgiveness that at times left me wanting more, but in the end was just enough! Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Lovely book!
"Everyone I ever met who came here was on some kind of quest. They didn't always find wha tthey were looking for. But they usually find what they need."

This is a sweeping saga, the story of Irene and the journey her life takes from growing up in New York in the 1970s, to the losses she experiences that lead her to the small Central American village of La Esperanza, to owning and running the hotel La Llorona. There are vignettes about her life and the people she comes into contact with over her years of learning and growing.

There were times I honestly forgot that this was a fictional tale. The people and situations seem so real and vividly drawn, it is definitely obvious that the author has lived in Central America as the culture and the experiences of an American expat seem to flow naturally.

The descriptions of La Esperanza made me feel as if I was there. I got a clear picture in my head of the setting and it felt like such a real place I really wish I could visit. But alas, it doesn't exist outside of Maynard's imagination.

There are many astute observations about people and their motivations, about friendship, love, loss, betrayal, and found family. This is a book that can be slowly savored with its chapters each delivering a kind of short story that melds together in the end to present a whole picture. Maynard has a beautiful way with words that captivates the reader and draws a person into the immersive tale.

It's not a perfect book, there are some really convenient things that happen (especially toward the end) and those kind of made me roll my eyes a bit. Yet overall, it's completely worth reading and a wonderful adventure for those who want to go on a journey in a book.

The wonderfully magical world of the jungles of Guatemala come to life in Joyce Maynard's latest novel. This fast paced story of one woman's trials and errors through life will have you riveted to your favorite reading spot. You may not even be able to put it down. It's wonderfully paced and I fell in love with the characters right away.

A born-gifted master storyteller and long-time favorite author Joyce Maynard returns with her best yet— THE BIRD HOTEL. An eloquently written and fully immersive literary tale of the power of love and the magical world of La Llorona.

Set at a lakefront hotel in the beautiful fictional Central America area of La Esperanza at the edge of the lake and the base of a volcano, an extraordinary place of beauty and magic—Maynard's characters come alive on the page.

As the book opens, we meet a twenty-seven-year-old American female artist, Irene, about to jump from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. She has encountered many tragedies, from her mother's horrific background, causing them to change their identities, moving in with her grandmother, her death, and finally, the loss of her beloved husband and son due to a tragic accident. Everyone near her seems to die and leave her.

However, as fate would have it, she stepped away from the railing. She could not do it. But she could not go home again either. With a long journey, the help of strangers, and extensive travel, she winds up at La Llorona, later called The Bird Hotel.

From flashbacks to the 1970s, we learn of Irene's past. Her tragic childhood, teens, and her marriage and beyond. She was told at age ten no one must ever know her former identity. All she knew of death was to keep it a secret and soldier on. Her old name was Joan, and then her name was Irene.

It was paradise when she arrived at La Llorona, the most beautiful village and sight to behold, from the botanical gardens, magical plants, fireflies, and exotic birds. She wished she had brought her drawing pencils to capture this wild and fantastical garden.

She gets to know Leila, the owner, around sixty to seventy-five, with white hair, a fascinating woman, and a survivor. They become dear friends. She opens her home to Irene, and she begins to heal.

There is delicious food, wine, fresh fruits and vegetables, beautiful scenery, and great conversations and stories from this wise woman, the guests, and her staff. Even though the property was falling apart, beauty was everywhere among the decay.

We also learn more about Leila, her fascinating story, and how she came to own this slice of heaven.

However, things have not always been perfect, and money is lacking. Like the Garden of Eve, this beautiful paradise also had serpents and scorpions. People were greedy and dishonest, and both Leila and Irene witnessed this firsthand.

As time passes, to Irene's surprise, the hotel is willed to her by Leila. She keeps the staff and uses the insurance money to renovate and restore the hotel. Along the way, there are many obstacles.

We meet many intriguing characters arriving at the hotel, all with their own stories as they come and go along with the staff. The author keeps you glued to the pages with delicious food and wine, humor, pop culture, drama, warm-hearted stories, and some wise life lessons.

Some to trust and some not. One special guest has secrets, but there is more to the story, and Irene's life comes full circle.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! Magical, transporting, heartfelt, and atmospheric. I want to go there now!

A captivating exploration of how relationships grow and adapt to time and trauma makes for a poignant meditation on the bonds of friendship. We cannot run from our problems, but time can heal our wounds through the kindness of others.

THE BIRD HOTEL is an ode to storytelling, fairy tales, and healing that can come while searching on the journey to happily ever after. From themes of grief, loss, survival, kindness, and friendship. When family may not always be blood-related.

Joyce Maynard is a highly gifted and lyrical novelist with a talent like no other. Thank you for sharing this story and your author's note/acknowledgments. I cannot imagine this story not being out in the world. It will touch so many lives. I learned much and found every page full of knowledge and energy.

Joyce's stories transport you to another time and place. The vivid descriptions, the lush descriptive, poetic writing, elegant storytelling, and her well-developed characters weave in and out of each vignette with their own stories of tragedy, loss, love, and second chances. I loved the titles of each section. A charming story that weaves mystery, intrigue, history, and fairy tales with a bit of romance.

THE BIRD HOTEL is a magical rare gem that is unforgettable. The characters linger long after the book is closed. Maynard is a master of tales, and her talent is fully displayed in this delightful story. A bittersweet story of loss, destiny, and the strings of love that bind us together across the years.

AUDIOBOOK: Joyce Maynard is an auto-audiobook pre-order/buy! Her narration is spellbinding. I wish she would come up with sleep meditation audios for my insomnia! I could listen to this audiobook over and over again. It will sweep you away.

Even though I had the e-book for bookmarking the many beautiful quotes, the audio is a must-buy and listen. I also purchased the hardcover copy for my home library. If you only read one book this year, THE BIRD HOTEL would be my top recommendation.

Listening/reading this book is like a wise woman or grandmother telling you a story sitting on the porch swing.

THE BIRD HOTEL is a powerful, emotionally moving, compelling, satisfying, and memorable tale of strong women survivors spanning four decades. I am a baby boomer and a year older than the author, so I love her stories and can appreciate this era. I immensely loved Leila's macaroon story; Mirabel, and Tom/Irene's story was the best. You care about the characters, and the ending was priceless.

While the world New York Times bestselling author Joyce Maynard brings to life on the page is rendered from her imagination, it's one informed by the more than twenty years of which she has spent a significant amount of her time in a small Mayan indigenous village in Guatemala.


Thank you to #Skyhorse Publishing #Arcade for an ARC via #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Also purchased the audiobook and hardcover.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: May 2, 2023
My Rating: 5 Stars +++
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An amazing story by one of my favorite authors! So many emotions here. Sorrow for the young girl without a mother, happiness for the new bride and mother, despondence for the loss of life, hope for the future, and much more. So much beautiful scenery. A lot of foreshadowing which compels you to keep reading. We meet many interesting characters. A truly rich story with many layers. I will recommend this book to everyone I meet. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Joyce Maynard writes exquisitely beautiful stories. Since I read her lyrical family saga, Count the Ways, I've been a fan. The Bird Hotel is another heartwarming beautiful Joyce Maynard story. Suffering from terrible grief, Irene finds herself at the doorstep of the La Llorona or The Bird Hotel in the quaint quiet town of La Esperanza at the foot of huge volcano. There she meets the feisty owner of the hotel, Leila who starts her out on the path to recovery. Sometimes all we need to get our lives back on track is a break, a new beginning somewhere far away and a few good friends. This is the central theme of this heartwarming story. Read it to find out how Irene gets her life back and more.

The first and third parts of the novel are extremely engrossing. The middle part is filled with the connected stories of various interesting people who cross paths with Irene either as hotel guests or in the adjoining village. I must admit I skimmed over some of those. The novel at 400 plus pages is easy but a longish read, however it will definitely lift your spirits and fill your heart with hope. I was surprised to read the author's note about her apprehensions in getting this beautiful piece published and definitely commend the publisher for going ahead.

Thank you Net Galley, Skyhorse Publishing and Joyce Maynard for the ARC