In The Warbler, Elisa’s story really pulls you in with its mix of magic and mystery. She and her mother had spent their whole life running from a strange family curse that would turn them into trees if they ever put down roots and made a real home somewhere. But after her mom dies, Elisa stumbles upon a quirky small town in Massachusetts, and things get even more interesting. The oddball town adds a lot of charm to the story. It kind of reminded me of Sara Addison Allen's books, but with a darker twist, which I enjoyed.

If you love novels with a bit of magic, heart and don't mind a thoughtful ending that doesn't tie up every single loose thread, "The Warbler" is definitely one to pick up.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

When I saw that Sarah Beth Durst was coming out with a new book, I immediately added it to my want list. When I was picked to read an ARC it immediately moved to the front of my "up next" list. And, this book didn't disappoint.

I knew it would be from the description - but this book is very different than The Spellshop - which I would categorize as "cozy fantasy" - this was much more rooted in magical realism, with more emotional tugs and deeper themes.

One of my favorite things about this book is the imagery that it builds. The descriptive terms made me *feel* things. Maybe things I wasn't sure I was ready to feel, but feelings none the less.

<i>"She didn’t have a real future. Just a kaleidoscope of days."</i>

<i>"I’m just passing through, a breeze barely noticed except for a few stirred leaves."</i>

I was immediately drawn in to the mystery, the magic and the story. Magical realism being one of my favorite genres, I loved how the different characters revealed different pieces of the curse, while keeping you rooted in one story - trying to determine what part of that was real.

I rooted for the relationships, felt the heartbreak and pain, and thought about the story every second I set it down. I read the last 2 hours with eyes damp with tears, late into the night.

A book I will think about for a long time to come.

This one started a little slow for me, but ultimately I ended up really enjoying it! As she learns more about her family, she discovers more about herself and how she can face the curse.

Before I get into the review, I will say that the publisher should probably be a bit more... present(?) marketing this book because I had no idea it was even a thing until I saw it on Netgalley.

Now, onto the review:

I'm honestly kind of torn about this one. On the one hand, I think the writing in this is just stunning. The descriptions and more intimate character moments were illustrated in a way that made the neurons in my brain activate like crazy. I also think the premise itself is an interesting mix of mystery and magical realism. I'd love to see more in this genre, to be honest.

On the other hand, however, I feel like this was a bit too short for my liking. I think the way the mystery was unraveled was well-done, there just wasn't enough time I think to sit with it and the addition of other POVs meant that, as the reader, we were way ahead of the main character in terms of figuring things out, so it did drag a bit and make Elisa feel a bit slow on the uptake in a way that frustrated me. That, and the ending felt a bit more abrupt than was warranted.

I think there were interesting discussions happening, too, about autonomy and doing the opposite of what's expected of you. Again, though, the length of the novel meant that those conversations didn't always feel like they hit in quite the way I wanted.

There were also a few minor things that kind of made me pause. There was one description of a Latina character that I wasn't quite sure of; mentioning THAT boy wizard book in a book slated for publishing in 2025 is.... a choice....

Overall, while the writing and premise really hit with me, there were too many other things that didn't.

At first this book kind of gave me The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (I don't normally compare books, but that's what it felt like) and then as I continued I started getting the vibe of be careful what you wish for. I love that Greenborough is this cursed town that you can't leave even if you want to. Cora is also a crazy, grief stricken mom who took the power into her own hands and didn't care what she had done because she thought she was truly doing a good thing. *spoilers* I feel for Allison not being able to move on because her mom wants to her to have a life even though she died. I think Cora was a little mad that Rose didn't want to conform to what society wanted her to, so when Rose's husband made the wish and I came true Cora thought she could do the same for everyone else by making them stay when they don't want to.

The message I got from this is "Your fate is what you make it"

I was delighted to receive this book because I adored the Spell Shop and I was not disappointed! A beautiful, rich story interlaced with magical elements yet grounded in the real world is my favourite kind of book. Durst absolutely delivered. I’ll be reading all her back catalogue and anything else she writes!

My mother is a willow. She stands by a stream that burbles like a toddler’s kisses, and her leaves dip into the water whenever the wind blows, to be nibbled by fish who don’t know any better.

How can you not be captivated by an introduction to a book like that? "The Warbler" is a terrific book about Elisa, a woman living with a curse—at least that's what her mother has told her. During the story, we get to know more about Elisa and her family's history. It's a magical story and hard to put down. I warmly recommend the book to anyone who enjoys a story with some magical realism in it.

Review coming soon!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Opinions are mine.

Elisa is a girl who can’t stay anywhere for longer than 10 months. The women in her family are cursed - they stay longer than 10 months and their skin turns into bark. They turn into trees. Elisa has just lost her mother Lori to the curse. She is alone traveling from place to place and then one day, she stumbles into a town that is also cursed. No one there can leave. But that’s not it. The townspeople are charming but maybe a little off? And maybe Elisa’s curse is also not what she thinks it is.

A few pages in and I saw a line - “I planned to visit the coffee shop first, but the bookstore has a cat.” And that’s when I knew Elisa was my girl and I would root for her forever. Books, cat, and coffee. Yup, you got me.

This book deals with some great themes: the need for inclusion, generational trauma, fear of letting go, miscommunication. I could feel Elisa’s yearning for connection. There is a moment about a green crayon that was short but so sad. I also felt terrible for Lori, Elisa’s mom.

There is a delightful cast of secondary characters and some Broadway/literary references that my nerd heart appreciated. Sarah Beth Durst has a writing style that is magical, compelling and wraps you into the narrative.

Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc. This is a wonderful read. Absolutely recommended.

This book. Wow. From page 1 I was drawn in. it’s a compelling read that keeps you hooked from beginning to end. Absolute recommended for anyone looking for a magical realism book with family secrets

Because of a curse, Elisa and her mom move every 10 months to a new geographic location so they don’t turn into trees. If they stay bark starts forming on their skin, their blood starts mingling with sap, and the change begins. When her mom dies, Elisa stumbles into the town where her grandmother and mom first lived looking for chance to rid the curse and learn her history. Told through the three women, Rose, Lori, and Elisa we learn how their fates came to be. Magic realism and family drama.
I throughly enjoyed this book, loving the magic realism, but I felt every part of it could have been fleshed out more. Everything is superficially covered but I would have loved more detail on each of their lives, as well as all the other cursed people in the town.

The blend of magical realism and deep family secrets makes this a compelling read, filled with emotion and wonder. An engaging and imaginative story that keeps you hooked from start to finish!