I was introduced to the Author when I read her first novel “The Lost Bookshop.” I couldn’t wait for her second novel to be released and I wasn’t disappointed.

This book involves two timelines and two different women, Sarah and Anna. It did take me a bit to get into the flow of this book compared to her first novel. However, it was definitely worth it and I was hooked until the end. Each time I started reading a part of her novel, I felt like I was transported into a beautiful world filled with curiosity and wonder.

Some of my favorite quotes were:

“It felt oddly satisfying to be frightened by something real, instead of the fears inside her own head.”

“Adults never think their children are listening when they whisper, but that’s the exact time we are listening!”

“He was like a different person, without that cloak of grief that he wore. Was he trying to keep the painful memories in or keep happiness out?”

“He has made me feel like I am worth listening to.”

“Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”


If this book is not on your TBR list- it needs to be.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Author, Evie Woods, for allowing me to read the Advanced Reader’s Copy.

This was such a delight to read. It was cozy, and filled with tons of Irish folklore. I loved the dual timelines and was enraptured by both Sarah and Anna's stories. I wish we would have gotten more of a conclusion for Anna. I felt the ending was rather abrupt. It left me wanting more. I did love Sarah's coming to herself story with her grief and the love story was super sweet.

I was captivated by a beautifully woven narrative that delves into the transformative power of stories. Set against the backdrop of a charming, aging library, the book explores the lives of its quirky patrons and their intertwined tales, highlighting how each story can shape one’s identity and connections. Woods’ writing is both lyrical and evocative, drawing me into the very essence of each character’s journey. I particularly loved the way she balanced heartwarming moments with poignant reflections on loss and hope.
However, there were instances where the pacing dipped, particularly during extended backstories that could feel a bit drawn out, hindering the overall momentum. Additionally, while most characters were richly developed, a few felt underexplored, leaving me curious about their deeper motivations.
Overall, The Story Collector is a delightful celebration of storytelling that resonated with me long after I turned the last page.

"The Story Collector" by Evie Woods is an enchanting Irish tale with one foot in our current century and the other in the last. With its entwined storyline taking the reader back and forth between 1911 and 2011, the reader will encounter two stories of chance connections between strangers that will bind both characters and readers in the magic and mischief that is Ireland!

There was a nicely paced story to be enjoyed in this pleasant novel. Part historical fiction, part family drama, and to be sure, a bit of Irish folklore and a wee visit here and there from the Good People who lend their magic and mayhem to many an Irish story!

My thanks to the author, Evie Woods and to her publisher and NetGalley for the galley copy. It has been recently published on August 13, 2024.

#TheStoryCollector
#EvieWoods
#NetGalley
#IrishFolklore
#TheGoodPeople

Ebook received for free through NetGalley

I absolutely loved this book and had troubles putting it down. The perfect story as is though I’d love to follow along on their adventures if I could.

The Story Collector is a delightful read that will appeal to anyone who loves books, history, and tales of personal growth. Evie Woods has crafted a novel that is both a love letter to the art of storytelling and a reminder of the importance of understanding our roots. It's a book that invites readers to curl up with a cup of tea and lose themselves in its pages, much like Ellie does in her grandmother's bookshop.

This is a beautifully told story. The story takes place in two time periods, easily distinguished with a cast of wonderful characters. A great read for book lovers.

The Story Collector by Evie Woods is such a cozy story; it is a book that should be read by a fire, bundled in a blanket if at all possible. As the title suggests, The Story Collector explores the stories of people, both as they unfold and as memories recounted. This book is perfect for readers who love stories that are ultimately about the nature of people, and the folklore that ties communities together.

Loved this sweet story. It toggles back and for the between two time periods. Both stories had some depth to them. A little bit of mystery, love and grief all put together in one book.

Utilizing the dual timeline narratives, the author alternates Anna in 1910, and Sarah in 2010. When Harold, an American, comes to Ireland to research the fairies, he employs Anna to assist him. Anna is from a farming family, but is deeply enmeshed in believing in the fairies. Flip to 2010, and Sarah finds herself in the same town in Ireland, escaping a traumatic event. Sarah finds Anna’s diary, and that is how we learn of the events in 1910. There is magical realism, especially related to the stories of the fairies, but it was a good distraction from everyday reality. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a DNF for me. I'm at 40% and have no interest to continue.

I loved the prologue. It pulled me in right away! I also enjoyed the story from 1911. I didnt care for the journal entries, though. I wouldn't even consider it a "journal". What teenager journals like that?

I didn't like the main character from 2011 or her story. At 40%, her and a male character were suddenly buddies? After an unpleasant first encounter, the sudden friendship felt forced and I didn't feel any chemistry between them.

I still find the premise interesting, but this book just isn't for me.

Evie Woods has crafted another really good read! I thoroughly enjoyed The Story Collector from beginning to end-the characters, premise, plot and twists. I especially enjoyed the old Irish tales that formed the backbone of the title.

Thanks to #netgalley, #onemorechapter and the author for this ebook to read. Review opinions are solely my own.

Sarah and Anna lead ordinary lives, one hundred years apart. The secrets they find shed light on the magic around them and threaten the lives they think they know. A heartwarming story with mystery, discovery, trusting your instincts and a little magic along the way, make for a cozy read, that I could not put down!

I have been dipping my toes into the waters of cozy stories a bit more and liked the atmosphere of this. More so in the past but I did enjoy the back and forth between past and present.

I kept waiting for a little bit more to happen. But it’s more just about grief than fairies, I guess.

What a fun book! I loved The Lost Bookshop so I was really looking forward to this read, following following Sarah around on her adventures. Makes me want to jump on a plane, go to somewhere random, and live there for a while...

A book about Irish folklore, romance and mystery sounds ideal to me. However, it started slowly for me. It finally turned into a good dual timeline story about 45% into the book. It takes place 100 years apart. Sarah in 2010 travels to Ireland after leaving her husband where she finds Anna's diary from 1910. I enjoyed Anna's story more than Sarah's.
Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers and to NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.

An interesting read and perfect for lovers of books. I enjoyed how Anna’s story unfolded through Sarah’s reading of her diary 100 years later. I would have liked to see Anna end up with Harold rather than the trying experience she had with George, but appreciated that she felt duty first to her family. I enjoyed the relationship between Sarah and Oran and was happy to see Sarah find herself and happiness again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was a lovely historical fiction read with a bit of Irish fairy magic for good measure. Dual story line following two female leads - Sarah in 2010 and Anna in the early 1900s.

Sarah, grieving the loss of her marriage, decides to take a spontaneous trip to Ireland. She ends up in a small Irish town, lands in a tiny cottage owned by a local family and stumbles upon a diary which belonged to Anna (1910). Sarah is fascinated by Anna’s story and befriends the family who owns the cottage where she is staying. Ultimately she falls in love with the village, the lore of the Good People, and with Orran, her widowed landlord.

It's 1910 and Anna's simple farm life is becomes much more exciting when an American visits her farm. Harold attends Oxford and has come to Ireland to work on a paper about the fairies and the Irish folklore surrounding them. Harold chooses Anna as his assistant to interview townspeople in order to collect these stories. As they spend time together a friendship and then a romantic relationship develop, but their relationship is threatened by Anna’s secret and a threatening local.

I struggled a bit getting in to this story and definitely was more engaged in Anna’s storyline. Sarah’s character and storyline felt less developed and I wanted to know more. Overall, I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading “The Lost Bookshop” by the same author.

Trigger warnings: cruelty to an animal, attempted rape, alcohol abuse, death/grief, and miscarriage.

This was a very intriguing historical fiction/ mystery with magic. It definitely is a slow burn but I enjoyed the ride!!! What I loved the must was that books were involved!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper360 for the Arc

3.5 - This was a really unique story set in two timelines in Ireland. The historical time is a man coming to document stories about local "fairies" and the woman who helps him. The modern has a woman running away from her life in America. Both have people in need to healing.