Other Birds

I just finished Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen and this is my review.

Zoey didn't know what to expect when the cab pulled up to the apartment her mother had left her after she died. The building, full of South Carolina charm comes with the interesting name of The Dellawisp. Named after the little turquoise birds who reside there.

Zoey yearning to belong, sets out to befriend her neighbors. Charlotte, the girl who is always running away. The chef who isn't over the loss of his surrogate mother and 2 estranged sisters.... Everyone has their skeletons and they all seem to have a ghost too.

When one of the neighbors dies unexpectedly, Zoey is tasked with cleaning out the apartment and discovers the secrets hidden there. Can all the lost souls, dead and alive, make their way into the light?

This book exceeded my expectations. I found the book delightfully quirky with a hint of magical possibilities that really stretched the imagination on a realistic level. I really enjoyed how all the characters came together and became this little mismatched family. Every single character had something they needed to let go of in their pasts and I loved watching it all unfold.

I loved the setting of mallow island and I wanted to know more. I could just feel the vibe of the island, how it looked and smelled. I actually enjoyed the pace of this read, it wasn't super fast but just kind of hit it stride and stayed there. It was a novel take to have POV from the ghosts. I actually thought that was kind of clever. Loved the twist at the end too, it was very unexpected and I felt it was a smart way to end the book.

If you are looking for a beautiful women's fiction read with magical realism and a whole lot of love... This has to be your next book!

4.5 stars Thank you to netgalley and St Martin's Press