An absolutely charming Irish tale!
Ireland✓
Alternate timeline✓
Discovery✓
Romance✓
Magickal realism✓
Destined to be a best seller✓✓
I loved Everything about this book!

The Story Collector by Evie Woods is a beautifully crafted novel that effortlessly transports readers to a quaint village in Ireland, where the past and present intertwine through the lives of two women separated by a century. The narrative follows Sarah Harper, a recently divorced woman from New York, and Anna Butler, a young farm girl from the early 1900s, as they navigate their own personal grief and discover the healing power of stories.

When Sarah makes a spontaneous (drunken) decision to spend Christmas in Ireland, she stumbles upon an old diary belonging to Anna, who once assisted an American scholar in collecting local fairy tales. Through Anna’s diary, Sarah becomes engrossed in a world where folklore and reality blur, unraveling secrets that challenge her understanding of love, loss, and belief.

Evie Woods masterfully blends elements of romance, mystery, and folklore, creating a narrative that is both enchanting and grounded in the charm of everyday life. The dual timelines are skillfully woven together, with Anna’s story offering a rich exploration of Irish myths and legends, while Sarah’s journey provides a poignant reflection on grief and self-discovery.

The Story Collector is a delightful literary escape that captures the transformative power of stories and the magic they hold. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves historical fiction, Irish folklore, and the enchanting allure of books. Evie Woods has once again proven her ability to create a world where the ordinary becomes extraordinary, making this novel a perfect addition to any bookshelf.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360 for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The bones of this book are great. I love a dual timeline, one in the past and one in the present. I love exploring magic and faeries. I adore seeing old Ireland through Anna's eyes and exploring grief through Sarah's. However, this one did not hit home for me. I wasn't a huge fan of Sarah. I really hoped we would have a recovery moment for her, but the added romance felt unnecessary, especially considering how she left America. A lot of her storyline felt not wrapped up. I didn't really feel like she progressed much as a character. I really loved reading Anna's parts, but the ending left me wanting more. I enjoyed reading about her family and following along with her and Harold. Magic and faeries are always incredibly fascinating. Quite frankly, I'm not entirely sure how these two storylines overlap at all. I guess they brought Sarah the peace and distraction she needed to allow herself to begin to heal?
There is a lot about this that could be wonderful, but unfortunately it did not hit home for me.

Thank you to Harper360 and Evie Woods for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Told through dual timelines, the story comes from two main characters’ points of view.

2011, after leaving her failed marriage and a tragedy behind, Sarah Harper impulsively ends up in Ireland rather than Boston, unable to tolerate her family at that particular point in time. She finds a diary written by a young girl who had lived in the same cottage she was now renting, only 100 years before.

Anna is the young girl that lived in the cottage in 1911. She’s helping an American who was traveling to various locations collecting stories about fairies, the myths, and the legends, hoping to one day write a book about his findings and help preserve the magical history. He falls in love with Anna while working with her, but a tragic event prevents him from remaining in Ireland.

A story of new beginnings, hope, healing, finding true love, and more.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Such a beautiful, magical read! I love anything written by Evie Woods so I knew instantly what to expect. And, of course, it was right on que! Fun, magical, love,

An interesting story. Unfortunately, not my favorite and not very engaging to myself, but it definitely has its audience. The time jumping was not my favorite and I often forgot who was what and what time we were talking about. But it was still a nice cozy story of finding oneself, and learning to move on from the trauma of your past, without leaving it behind.

I loved Evie Woods book The Lost Bookshop, so when I received an ARC from NetGalley for The Story Collector, I was thrilled. I loved this book too! For anyone who loves magical realism and a great story, this is a must read. I look forward to more books from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Not my favorite I found the main character and the plot far fetched and the fairy angle was a no go for me
Thanks to Netgalley for letting me review the book and the publisher

I really enjoyed this magical read, after reading The Lost BookShop I just knew that I had to read this next book by Evie Woods. This is a historical fiction novel and it mainly revolves around two women in different timeframes but also about the Irish belief in fairies and other magical superstitions. There is some romance in this book but it is not the main focus of this book and the stories that you will learn about as you read it. I think that I just love how Evie Woods writes her books and how she beautifully writes her characters that really make you fall in love with them as you go through the chapters. There are some triggers with this book that those who wish to read it should check out before deciding to pick this one up, but overall a great book! Thank you NetGalley, Harper360 and Evie Woods for the ARC of this book!

This one did not wow me. I didn't much care for the main character and didn't have much empathy for her; however, I did enjoy the contrasting story of Harold and Anna and felt their story was more compelling. All in all, a middle of the road book for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a copy.

So good! Love the two different timelines and the women in both. The struggles, the trials, the wisdom they find. Interesting for this Irish girl (me) to read some of the folklore and also the creative descriptions of the landscape. I really enjoyed this lovely book!

This beautiful story of growing through grief, belief in the mystical, and healing is a lovely homage to the fairy culture of Ireland and the people who live there. It is set in dual timelines 100 years apart, with dual POV's from our female main characters who are both finding their way through grief, connected by fairy lore and a thatched-roof cottage. TW: infant loss

The Story Collector looked interesting, and Evie Woods has a good reputation as a writer, so I thought why not? I really enjoyed reading this story and am so glad that I took a chance
Fairies, Ireland, collecting stories. The story bounces back and forth from 1911 to 2011, but is easy to follow. Anna and Sarah are likeable characters, whose stories follow along with each other. A bit of drama, heartache, loss, but followed by heartwarming moments. The story ends well, tying up neatly, which is always enjoyable! I would definitely recommend and look forward to reading more by Ms Woods.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper360 & Ms Woods for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This book really put me in my feels! The author told a great tale about the preservation of Irish Folklore. We get to experience Fairies through her book in a more culturally appropriate way by the stories Harold, The Story Collector, collected. A new understanding of The Good People that as an American I didn’t have. We also get to see how several characters are faced with grief and then how the magic of Ireland helps them heal. I highly recommend picking this book up and reading it!

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is an engaging read – split between 2011 and 1911, we learn about the lives of Sarah, an American, who on a whim (and possibly after a few too many drinks at the airport) ends up flying to Ireland rather than returning to her parents for Christmas, and Anna, whose diary is found by Sarah.

A clever way of telling us many stories, which of course fits the title really well too – from the present day sadness, redemption, and chemistry to the simpler, but just as confusing events of 1911. And in amongst it all are the 'Good People' and their mischief-making.

I did wonder at one point whether it was all going to be tied up in a very neat bow, but the author did a fabulous job of changing things up a bit and giving us a few twists and turns. Very satisfying read, thank you.

After two years of living in a house filled with unspoken needs and muffled emotions, Sarah and Jack finally decide to part ways. Sarah, now at Newark Airport, is waiting to board a flight to Boston to spend Christmas with her sister. While wandering through gift shops, she stumbles upon an Irish store where she buys an Irish newspaper and a bottle of Irish whiskey. In a drunken haze, inspired by an article about a "fairy tree," she impulsively books a flight to Ireland.
When she lands in a small Irish town, she finds a charming, quaint cottage for rent and, despite the town not being what she expected, she begins to find solace in the peaceful Irish countryside and its people.
In the middle of one night, during a panic attack-induced walk, Sarah discovers a century-old diary buried in a tree trunk. The diary belonged to an 18-year-old named Anna Butler, and Sarah becomes irresistibly drawn to Anna's story, wanting to learn everything about her life.

The book starts with a middle aged woman running away from her life, but it quickly becomes much more than that. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Irish countryside, the book immerses readers in the lives of both women, skillfully weaving in Irish folklore and elements of magical realism. The writing vividly captures the setting and the connection between the two time periods. However, the prose in Anna’s sections can feel somewhat forced, as though the author is trying too hard to evoke the historical period.

The characters are well-developed and distinct. Sarah, dealing with a mid-life crisis and recovering from alcoholism, contrasts sharply with the naive, sheltered Anna, whose youthful innocence is vividly portrayed.

Despite its many strengths, the book’s pacing is uneven. The first 75% of the story builds almost too slowly, while the final quarter feels rushed, leading to a climax that lacks impact. Also, I personally felt that the romantic elements in both timelines, especially Anna’s, lacked chemistry and felt contrived.

Overall, this is a decent read for those interested in a light-hearted exploration of Irish folklore and magical realism. Thanks to NetGalley, Harper 360 and Evie Woods for this ARC!

I… could not get past the writing of this book and I can’t say why. I don’t think it was “bad” necessarily but it didn’t people me forward or reel me in. I was skimming within the first few chapters and pushed through because the premise sounds so fantastical and fun and magical - which are all things/themes that really work for me.

I’m going to blame myself for this one, because as an English major I do find myself having a much higher standard for the writing of books and it is something that can really take me out of a read and make me not enjoy an otherwise well developed story/plot. SO if the description and the themes of this book sound like they’re up your alley, I wouldn’t let MY review deter you. But if you care a lot about the writing itself and struggle if it’s not up to a certain standard this mayyyy not work for you.

I love books set in Ireland so this was a great choice for me. And it did not disappoint. Lots of info about Ireland and Irish lore and a good storyline to boot. I would definitely recommend this book.

This was a fun read that focused on the lives of two different women from present and past timelines. I enjoyed the Irish folklore but was also very surprised with the heartfelt content in this story . I loved how the author used a journal to connect the two storylines and kept you engaged in both women's stories.

I did think the dialogue between the present day characters sounded a little immature at times and could have been more in depth. But I absolutely loved Harold and Anna's story! I would recommend this to anyone who wants a little bit of a different take on fantasy and is interested in Irish customs.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a magical story! This book is actually 2 stories. The present day story of Sarah who suddenly ends up on Ireland on a whim. When she gets there, she finds the diary of Anna. As you read the book, you will hear the diary entries of Anna and her life long ago. This is a book about fairies, love and learning to live with the loss of a loved one. I enjoyed this book and I would love to read other books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy to read in exchange for my honest opinion.