This was a great book and I thoroughly enjoyed the back and forth of two narrators. Also the difference in the time zones. The ending did feel rushed though. This manuscript had a few errors in spelling.

The Story Collector by Evie Woods is a captivating tale with a hint of magical realism set in a small Irish village in the dual timelines of 1911 and 2011.
In 2011 we meet Sarah, a young woman who has made the difficult decision to end her marriage. Instead of travelling to her parent's home as planned she gets on a plane bound for Ireland on an alcohol fuelled whim. Once she arrives she quickly settles in, but while exploring she finds an old diary hidden in a hollow tree.
This diary belonged to Anna, a young local farmgirl, and tells of how in 1911 she meets an American student and agrees to help him record local folklore and fairy tales as he interviews members of the community for his studies. In her diary she recounts tales of changeling children and curses, as well as stories about her family and her crush on the son of the local lord.
As both timelines unfold we see the similarities in the women and their circumstances, and while I liked both stories it was Anna who really caught my imagination. I felt like some of the story threads that seemed interesting when we first met Sarah were ignored and instead there was a shift towards giving her a romantic storyline which I didn't think was necessary. I wish instead that she had been given the chance to grow and develop independently ,it would have made for a more interesting ending to her story.
I think my favourite thing about the book overall was its exploration of Ireland's rich history of folklore surrounding the Good People, and I really liked how effectively the author used it in her storytelling.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

In this dual timeline novel, the magic of rural Ireland sweeps across generations as two women from different worlds find where they’re meant to be. In 1910, farm girl Anna is living a simple life when an American scholar comes to town researching local fairy folklore. Anna helps translate the residents’ tales for Harold, but when a mysterious death occurs, how will the small town change?

In 2010, Sarah is reeling from a loss and a divorce. On her way to convalesce with her sister, Sarah goes rogue and hops on a flight to Ireland. At the cozy home Sarah is staying at, she finds Anna’s diary from a century ago and learns her story. Between Anna’s tale and her own experiences in a new country, the line between the fairy world and real world collide.

What I really liked about this book is the development of the female protagonists. They grow from confused and lonely to comfortable in their own skin with hope for the future. The intertwining of fairy folklore brings a magical element to the story. The jumping back and forth between timelines keeps you flipping through the pages to find out what happens next. A heartwarming book that will break your heart and give you hope.

I liked the book a lot, that’s for sure. I liked the idea of the story and the past of the two timelines. I had some difficulty with some of the choices Sarah makes and her way of thinking, but I enjoyed the story of Anna very much in exchange. I particularly loved reading about the stories of The Good People, as the fairies are called. This was a new to me topic and it was great to learn some of the beliefs and stories around the fairies in Ireland.

For the characters, als I already said, Sarah was a difficult character for me. I didn’t particularly like her, but she did develop and open up during the book and that was good. That showed intention of the author to have her grow with all the things she experiences. On the other hand, Anna was interesting and I enjoyed reading her story. I’d have appreciated to learn more about her later life. She was young, but had her own mind and knew how to stand up for what she believes in.

All in all, if you like historical fiction that’s not about one of the wars for a change I can recommend this book.

(A review will be posted on my instagram & Goodreads around publication date.)

The Story Collector is another wonderful read by Evie Woods, this time set in the village of Thornwood, Ireland.
The story jumps between 1911 and 2011, featuring two strong women. In 1911, Anna and in 2011, Sarah. The two timelines are smoothly connected, and the Irish setting adds a magical touch. The story is about love, loss, and discovering hidden truths. Anna and Sarah’s stories are equally engaging

This book is great for fans of historical fiction and magical realism, especially if you love Irish folklore. The writing is once again beautiful and I'm really looking forward to reading more by this author in the future 📚

Dual timeline The Story Collector by Evie Woods is an atmospheric story chock full of Irish fairies (The Good People), folklore, and second chance romance.

During the Christmas season in 2010, Sarah not only decides to leave her failed marriage but follows through. At the last moment at the airport she is inspired by ceramic sheep to go to Ireland and once there stays in a cozy thatched roof cottage. She knew very little of the Emerald Isle but quickly became besotted with the charm, traditions, mysteries and people. She makes a discovery which changes the course of her life.

One hundred years earlier, Anna, an Irish farm girl, also translates fairy stories into English. There is a quirky seeress, changelings and a hawthorn tree which holds secrets. Little does Anna know that decades later her writing would find its way into the hands and heart of an American woman.

I was not enamoured with the present day romance as it felt too rushed after a marriage breakdown. Though I liked the story, it didn't captivate my heart like I hoped it would. But the writing is beautiful with snippets of whimsy and lore. And Ireland is purely evocative.

My sincere thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this magical novel.

In a quiet village in Ireland, a mysterious local myth is about to change everything.... One hundred years ago. Anna, a young farm girl, volunteers to help an intriguing American visitor to translate fairy stories from Irish to English, But all is not as it seems and Anna soon finds herself at the heart of a mystery that threatens her way of life.

In New York in the present day, Sarah Harper boards a plane bound for the West Coast of Ireland, But once there, she finds she has unearthed dark secrets - secrets that tread the line between the everyday and the otherworldly, the seen and the unseen.

With a taste of the magical in the everyday life, Evie Woods latest novel is full of everyday characters with extraordinary tales to tell.

This story has a dual timeline that's set one hundred years ago and the present day. It starts in 2011 when Sarah boards a plane to Ireland. She ends up in a cabin for New Year and finds an old diary that was written in 1911 belonging to Anna. Anna was helping an American to translate a book of fairy stories from Irish to English.

With two strong female characters with similar strengths, characteristics, and a common bond. I loved Anna and Harold as they worked together gathering stories from the locals. The two timelines are woven together seamlessly. This is one of those stories that make you feel good after you've finished reading. It takes us back in time. A lovely written story of love, life, death, folklore, and myth.

Published 18th July 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter and the author #EvieWoods for my ARC of #TheStoryCollector in exchange for an honest review.

Over a hundred years ago, Anna, is asked to help a young American understand and translate the fairy stories, myths and legends into English. At that time everything that happened was deemed to be connected to these stories.

Present time and Sarah Harper is running away from a failed marriage and makes a split decision to head to Ireland after reading about the power of belief of a fairy tree.

She finds a diary and is soon immersed in the past but there are secrets everywhere.

4.5 Stars

This was such a magical read. It’s about a woman named Sara going on an impromptu trip to Ireland and she ends up healing herself from “the terrible thing”. The story takes place in two different timelines one is Sara in 2011 and she finds Anna’s diary written in 1911. Even though they’re a hundred years apart they have a lot in common and the two timelines flowed seamlessly.

As is usual with me and my preferences I liked the older timeline much more. I think part of the reason was because I didn’t like Sara. And even though she went through something awful I felt no sympathy for her. Anna on the other hand grabbed my heart. What a hard thing she went through, things were so very different back then, especially for women and the underclass. I enjoyed being on the adventure of learning about the faeries with Anna and Harold. I loved being in Ireland, back in the very early twentieth century, with these characters.

This would have been a five-star read for me but I didn’t like that Sara had a romance. The last thing Sara should be doing is getting into a new relationship. She’s an alcoholic and has just left her husband the day before she arrived in Ireland. Why couldn’t she have just found herself and become a strong woman who finally finds her passion? Why did romance have to be in the equation at all? Do we need a man to be happy and move forward?

All in all, I really enjoyed this read and could have read an entire book on Anna and Harold alone. I have The Lost Bookshop by this author on my TBR, I’ll have to bump it up the list.

Do you believe in fairies or the possibility that they exist? I think this story will make you believe or at least make you "want" to believe.

The story is told with a duel timeline, which to be honest is not my favorite type, but sometimes the story needs to be told this way. I soon forgot my aversion to being in a duel book and was totally captured by both tales being told.

This book has a very unique plot and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I definitely recommend it.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for allowing me to read the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is written freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.

Absolutely loved this book! Perfect escapism - fairies and folklore with a sprinkle of romance and mystery. Highly recommend!

This gentle, luminous story by the author of The Lost Library does not disappoint. The storyline alternates between Anna Butler, a farm girl in the Irish village of Thornwood in 1911, and Sarah Harper, an American from Boston visiting the village in 2010. After a picture of a hawthorn tree in the village strangely captivates Sarah, she boards a flight for Boston but sleeps through the stop, awaking to find herself in Ireland. Impulsively, she decides to stay, and finds herself in Thornwood, where she discovers Anna's diary in a hollow of a tree in the nearby woods. The action of the story keeps its tension by alternating between the two characters and timelines, and the main characters, as well as several secondary characters, are nuanced and well-depicted. Once I started, I wanted to keep reading to find out Anna's fate, set against the background of Irish Republican resistance to Anglo-Irish domination, and also how things would develop for Sarah. How Anna and Sarah each navigate grief, loss, and love, and find their second chances in life, makes an emotional and thoughtful story. Understated supernatural elements (or are they?) are woven into the story, too. The Irish setting, both present-day and past, in Thornwood village, is almost a character in itself.

Evie Woods has done it again! I absolutely loved this book just as much if not more than The Lost Bookshop! This is a cozy historical fiction set in Ireland and I'm so here for it!

Enjoyable read, interesting storyline. Liked the main characters and how the story was told. Would recommend this book.

I had previously read, and loved, The Lost Bookshop, so when this new book from Evie Woods became available I jumped at the chance to read it. This book is equally good, but had a different feel. Not quite so fantasy magic, as the magic found in the heart of Ireland - fairies and their meddling, and small village stories. Set in 1910 and 2010, connected by a cottage, we have Anna coming of age and Sarah escaping hurt. Both searching but not really knowing for what. The searches may bring pain or happiness. Find a quite, comfortable spot, open the book, and give yourself a well earned treat. Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

This book should have been for me. Sadly it was not …
I didn’t like the pace of the story, it was way too slow to draw me in and the characters weren’t interesting enough for me to care about them. I found the whole beginning of the story quite unbelievable, the main characters choices were just too stupid to make sense in my opinion, even if she was drunk.
The book has a lot of great reviews, so maybe it just wasn’t my cup of tea…

Lovely tale of healing, magic and hope set in Ireland with a cast of little people and a couple of Americans. Dual timelines, warmth and some real events woven through. Enjoyable, gentle read.

Sarah has suffered some trauma and is heading home to Boston. In the airport, Anna's drinking problem gets the best of her, and she wakes up on a plane heading for Ireland with only a slight memory of how she got there. She decides that time away in a small Irish town may be best for her and decides to stay for a bit. She finds an old diary hidden away, telling the story of Anna Butler, a young Irish girl, and the American student she is helping to collect stories of the fairies in Ireland. Through Anna's diary and Sarah's own experiences, Sarah begins to understand the need to share and soften in order to move forward with her life.
I'm a big fan of magical realism and stories of mythical creatures, so this was a pleasant surprise for me. The novel is full of Irish folklore and history, with a bit of romance added in for fun and drama. It's an engaging read and I very much enjoyed it.

Sarah Harper leaves New York and heads for the West Coast of Ireland. With a lot of heartache to contend with, she somehow knows that this is where she needs to be.

Anna is a farm girl, from one hundred years ago. When Sarah finds her hidden diary, she starts to read it, and is regaled with tales from when she offered to help an American called Henry, translate fairy stories from Irish to English.

This is a wonderful tale, full of secrets and mysteries about the fairies ( The Good People). The author weaves a magical story that held my attention from the very start.

I felt the relationship between Anna and Henry became something rather special, very much a will they, wont they part of the book.

The writing is beautifully descriptive and I felt as though I was there, in Ireland too.

I must finally comment on the cover, it is stunning. I loved the cover for the first book by the author, The Lost Bookshop, and I fell in love with this one too.

My thanks to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I’m quickly becoming a fan of magical realism - something I never thought I would enjoy. This book was so fun. I really appreciated the Irish location as we have a lot of Irish heritage in my family. Thanks for the opportunity to read this. Great book!