The first one was a lot better. This one wasn’t that bad.
*The Story Collector* by Evie Woods is an enchanting tale about the transformative power of books and storytelling. It follows Ana, who stumbles upon an old bookshop in a quaint town while her life is at a crossroads. The bookshop holds secrets, and as Ana unravels them, she finds connections to the past that change her own future. Evie Woods beautifully captures the charm of small towns, the magic of forgotten stories, and the joy of self-discovery. It's a heartwarming, uplifting read for book lovers who believe in the magic hidden within the pages of a good story.

I found The Story Collector by Evie Woods to be enjoyable. I liked the characters and the plot, as well as the writing.I found myself enthralled and wondering what was going to happen next. I really did like this book, all up until the ending. Not that it was a bad ending, but not the kind of ending I like in my books. If you enjoy a mystery with fantastical stories and a little bit of romance, I think you'll like this story.

4.5 stars

Irish folklore and superstitions - about fairies, witches, and the like - form the core of this charming novel.

****

In 1882, Anglo-Irish Lord Hawley decided to build a manor house for his new wife in a woodland in western Ireland. A gnarled old hawthorn tree, a fairy tree, grew in the middle of the woodland, and a seeress warned that "misfortune would befall any man who so much as scarred the twisted bark." Lord Hawley pooh-poohed these 'superstitions', cleared the land, and constructed a mansion called Thornwood House. A few years later Lord Hawley's wife had a difficult pregnancy and gave birth to twins - George and Olivia - whom Lady Hawley insisted weren't her children. The seeress knew this meant the Good People [fairies] "had exacted their revenge by taking the human children and replacing them with evil, sickly souls." Keep this in mind, because we'll meet George and Olivia again, when they're grown.

From here, the story proceeds in two alternating timelines, 2010 and 1910.

Towards the end of 2010, after a difficult period in their three-year marriage, New York residents Sarah and Jack Harper decide to divorce. Sarah sends her possessions ahead, and makes plans to fly to Boston, where her family lives.

Before Sarah boards her plane to Boston, she's browsing through an airport shop called 'The Emerald Isle Gift Store', where she buys a bottle of whiskey and an Irish newspaper. The Irish tabloid's headline reads: THE FAIRY TREE THAT MOVED A MOTORWAY. The accompanying story is about a motorway in a town called Thornwood, in Clare County, whose route was changed to protect a very beautiful hawthorn tree. (The Emerald Islanders apparently learned from Lord Hawley's mistake.) In any case, Sarah impulsively changes her plans and boards a plane for Ireland.

Sarah is embraced by the people of Clare County and soon finds herself ensconced in a cozy domicile, called Butler's Cottage, for her visit. During a brisk nighttime walk Sarah finds a diary in the hollow of a tree, whose cover reads 'The Diary of Anna Butler.' Anna's entries begins on Saint Stephen's Day (December 26), 1910, and reveal that she was an 18-year-old farm girl who lived in Butler's Cottage with her parents and three brothers. Sarah is VERY drawn to Anna's diary, and immerses herself in the entries. Sarah reads a few pages of the journal at a time, between her day to day activities.

Anna begins her 1910 journal with descriptions of Christmas festivities, then mentions meeting a young American scholar called Harold Griffin-Krauss. Harold's bicycle gets two flat tires near Butler's Cottage, and he comes to the door to request assistance. Anna's father helps fix the bicycle, then tea is served, and Harold explains that his mother is Irish, and he's an anthropology student at Oxford, studying Celtic folklore - particularly fairies. Harold has traveled around Scotland, Wales, Cornwall in the south of England, the Isle of Man, and Brittany in northern France, and Ireland is his last stop before returning to Oxford.

Harold goes on to explain, "Some people are happy to discuss their experiences, but many are wary of a foreigner asking questions. So, in each area I visit, I try to hire a local person to help me with my interviews." The upshot is that Anna is hired to accompany Harold on his interviews, and to translate Gaelic into English when necessary. As Anna and Harold work together, a strong friendship develops.

During Harold's interviews he records numerous fascinating tales about the fairy folk and other magical creatures, who are real to many people in County Clare, including Anna herself. Some of these tales are frightening, such as one about a man who thought his wife had been turned into a witch, so he burned her to death. The husband thought the witch would fly up the chimney, and his real wife would return. (She didn't.) Anna is appalled by tales like this.

On their perambulations, Anna and Harold come across Lord Hawley's (now grown) 'evil twins', George and Olivia, who live in luxurious Thornwood House, ride fine horses, wear elegant clothes, have handsome carriages, throw lavish parties, and so on. Anna is enthralled by handsome George, and though she knows it's impossible, Anna fantasizes about George being her beau. This leads to big trouble.

Interspersed with Anna's 1910 diary entries are chapters about modern Sarah's life in Thornwood. Sarah's activities include a lot of lone drinking, and grieving over a sad incident that haunts her. Though Sarah thinks about her Boston family and her estranged husband, she allows herself to be drawn out by some of the locals, including a hotel manager and his lady love; a kindly grandfather; and especially County Clare's conservation officer, Oran Sweeney and his teenage daughter Hazel, who also have a tragedy in their past. During one afternoon outing, Sarah and Oran even climb over a fence and break into Thornwood House, which is now a derelict structure where no one lives.

As things turn out, the fairy folk may have drawn Sarah to Clare Country, because Sarah, Oran, and Hazel help each other heal their wounds and move on.

For me, the 1910 timeline is more compelling, with tales of life in rural Ireland; Irish lads striving for Irish independence; and the Irish folklore recorded by Harold Griffin-Krauss. We learn that Harold later publishes his collection of Irish tales in a book called 'The Fairy Compendium', which is read by Sarah and Hazel.

In her acknowledgments, author Evie Woods notes that 'The Story Collector' was inspired by the 'real Harold', Walter Evans-Wentz, "who came to [Ireland] in search of the mystic and captured all of Ireland's beauty and mystery."

I enjoyed the novel, especially the Irish legends and fables, and highly recommend the book to readers interested in the subject.

Thanks to Netgalley, Evie Woods, and Harper 360 for a copy of the book.

The lost bookshop is on my TBR, so i was not familiar with Evies work. I think i was expecting more fae than fairy when i started reading it. I loved the first third of the book. I read it in a blink of an eye, the second third was neat, but kept freaking me out a little bit. The last third kinda fell off the rails, it felt very rushed. I also HATED Anna's ending, that was heart wrenching to read, I was really rooting for her.

We traveled to Ireland a year ago, and the descriptions were absolutely spot on. In reading about Ireland makes me desparately want to go back and look at everything with a new lense. I wonder what would happen if i asked them about the good people? The book was about two women with very similar parallels in their own lives. Sarah is set in the modern day present reading about Anna's life in the past through a diary. Anna helps an american fellow, Harold, write down stories about Irish folklore which includes the fairies or the good people. Sarah and Anna are both working through some guilt and grief that makes its appearance known in many ways. This book was about finding yourself through lifes trials and tribulations with the extreme of not wanting to be found out for talking to fairies incase you were tried for witchcraft.

Anyways I enjoyed the concept of making true to the unexpected, and working/sitting through your grief, i was just left with a few questions
-was the creepy lady who acosted sarah in the street a fairy, maggie, or olivia?
-why didn't Anna follow Harold? (This part felt unfinished and very rushed)
-did Sarah leave Oran and get back with Jack?... wasnt that the main reason she left for ireland in the first place because she wasnt feeling seen in the relationship

Any read that starts out with Robert Frost and a fairy tree is a hook in my book. Wholesome and warm hearted with a wee bit of mystery, this dual timeline takes you from America to Ireland chasing Celtic fairy stories and matters of the heart. A quick, engaging read! Love the sacred places and otherworldly tales. 🌲✨♥️🧚‍♂️

While other authors are writing of high fae, Woods writes of a different type of fairy! I love that the author incorporates magic into her stories, having read The Lost Bookshop immediately before this.

Ireland was a perfect setting. I loved that we were immediately immersed into the story. The characters were easy to love.

TW: child loss.

With a gorgeous Irish setting in County Clare, dual timelines set 100 years apart, and enchanting tales of fairy folk, this book ticked all the boxes for me. Picture the words coming up off the page, spiraling around me, and pulling me down into the book. My favorite part was the collecting of the stories, especially the spooky ones. I balked a little bit at first at the "diary" entries, since they were not really written that way (no one I know writes dialogue into their diary entries...), however, I was enthralled enough with the storytelling that I quickly found I didn't care about that little quirk. Overall, the pace was fast, the characters were well-developed for the most part, the writing was smooth, and the storyline was engaging.

This book was so cute!
Historical fiction- Irish beliefs, fairies and all of that in between. There is a little romance as well!
I always love a book that writes in past and present - it makes it feel even more magical!

4 stars!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!

Publish date: 08/13/2024

“The Story Collector” by Evie Woods follows two women whose timelines are 100 years apart and connects them through a lost but now found journal and a mystery of superstition surrounding a village in Ireland. This magical and heartwarming book is beautifully written and brings elements of historical fiction blended with magical elements of “fairy” tales and emotions such as heartbreak, loss, and love. Evie had me completely immersed from the beginning. The dual perspective via different timelines was a game-changer, allowing me to connect with both Sarah, Anna, and the American visitor from the past. I just wish the ending had been a bit more satisfying and I feel like Sarah’s character development could have been better. I feel Sarah’s story was a bit more rushed and not as focused on as Anna’s. Now Anna’s story had me completely drawn in and I found myself eagerly waiting for her chapters. Though it didn’t meet all my expectations, the story is beautifully written and I highly recommend. If you're looking for a captivating and heartwarming tale filled with magic, love, and loss, that you can cozy up with, this book is a must-read.

This book was a little bit of drama, a little bit of fantasy and a little bit of romance. It was altogether a very good book and I enjoyed it. A little unbelievable at times, but that is where the fantasy part definitely comes in. How many of us have wanted to escape from life, just jump a plane and go anywhere? Well, this is the book for you, as the main character does exactly that. The characters are very well developed, and at times bring out strong emotions.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this title. An interesting take on one of my favorite things, magical realism.

"The Story Collector" begins when Sarah Harper makes an unplanned trip to Ireland. Finding a hidden journal, Sarah finds herself immersed in a story written by Anna over 100 years ago. Anna had a mission; to assist an American scholar collecting folklore in her Western Irish countryside. The stories they collect were magical and sometimes mystical. As Anna's story is revealed amid the Irish landscapes, Sarah learns of the magical and sometimes sinister history of the area.

"The Story Collector" is a story inside a story which is always a joy to read. Blessed are the authors who can create 3 dimensional stories for their readers. It must be magic.

Irish folklore and historical fiction!? Yes please!!! I absolutely loved this book and the two main characters. Just such a beautiful story about the mysteries in life that can't be explained. Thank you so much to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!

I enjoyed The Lost Bookshop and The Story Collector was wonderful too! I enjoyed it's classic feel and the fairy elements added so much to this dual timeline story. It's the stories of Anna and Sarah and their grief and strength but it I love the lighter touches of the fairy lore and the found diary. It's a great escapist book!

A story with Sasha and Harold who are in Ireland learning all about the Irish folklore about Fairies and curses.
Drama, intrigue, fantasy
Voluntarily reviewed.

This book was absolutely amazing. I read The Lost Bookshop a while back and loved it so when I saw a new book by Evie Woods coming out, I knew I had to read it.

This book offers a beautifully written, dual timeline story that jumps from 2011 and 1911. In 2011, we get the story of Sarah Harper who spontaneously decides to get on a plane to Ireland instead of heading home to Boston after leaving her husband. In 1911, we get the story of Anna Butler who is hired to be the assistant to an anthropological scholar writing a thesis on local folklore. While these two perspectives come from very different times, the connections made between each point of view make you want to keep turning the page to see what happens next.

After reading two fascinating books by Evie Woods, I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for more in the future.

A sweet and magical story, following two timelines in Ireland, where faeries are real and romance is alive.

I had a bit of a hard time picking this book up because I felt like the story was a bit slow but once I got to the last quarter of the book, I couldn't put it down. the storyline was unique and nothing like anything I've ever read. I loved the dual timeline aspect and seeing how the author connected both main characters even though their hardships were hundreds of years apart. overall, I would still recommend.

Sarah is on her way home from NYC to Boston. Her marriage has broken up and she really doesn't want to go to her parents' home. After reading about a "magical" tree in Ireland that is being threatened with destruction and consuming a large amount of alcohol, she changes her plans and flies to Ireland. She settles in a small village and begins to assess her life. When she finds the diary of a former resident, she is drawn into a story of romance and fairies.

While I did enjoy reading this book,it's really pretty predictable and rather ordinary. The story flips back and forth between current day (Sarah) and 1911 (Anna's diary). Sometimes it's a bit confusing whose story is being told since only some of the chapters are labeled. Each story is compelling in and of itself -- Sarah is dealing with a breakup, but the whole story involves a tragedy that is revealed slowly, and even the predictable romance that develops is sweet and touching. Anna's story is rich with class distinctions and longing for a man she cannot have, and this story incorporates a lot of Irish folklore that is simply fascinating. Combining the stories, however, just creates a pedestrian romance worthy of the Hallmark channel. Not a bad book -- the writer really puts the reader into life in an Irish village, but it could be so much more. Worth the time, just not great.

This was a solid 3 stars for me. When I read the synopsis, it sounded like it would be right up my alley. But by the time I ended I was honestly a little bored. It took me SO long to finish this book. I kept putting it down and I had to force myself to finish it.

It takes place over two timelines and follows two characters. The main characters are Sarah who is just getting divorced. She is supposed to be flying to Boston to stay with her sister after her marriage ends, but ends up on a flight to Ireland and stays in the cottage where the other main character, Anna, lived many years prior.

I did not like how Anna’s story was supposedly told through diary entries but they read like full on scenes. No one writes in their diary like that. It would have been better if we just followed along on the two timelines and occasionally had a diary entry to gather Anna’s thoughts. I also really loved the Irish countryside setting.

In the end it was a lovely story about the growth of both of these women. If you love a historical fiction with some magical realism thrown in, then I think you will enjoy this book. Thank you to Netgalley and Harper 360 for this arc in exchange for an honest review.