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The Warbler: A Novel
From the
New York Times
bestselling author of
The Lies Among Us
comes a magical tale about mothers and daughters, choices and consequences, and the real meaning of home when every place feels like a cage.
Ten months. That’s the longest Elisa has stayed anyplace, constantly propelled by her fear that if she puts down roots, a family curse will turn her into a tree.
But she’s grown tired of flitting from town to town and in and out of relationships. When she discovers a small town in Massachusetts where mysterious forces make it impossible for the residents to leave, she hopes she can change her fate.
As Elisa learns about the town’s history, she understands more about the women in her family, who seem doomed to never get what they want. Now she believes she’s stuck, too—is that a patch of bark on her arm? But her neighbor’s collection of pet birds sings secrets that Elisa can almost understand—secrets she must unravel in order to be truly alive.
Ten months. That’s the longest Elisa has stayed anyplace, constantly propelled by her fear that if she puts down roots, a family curse will turn her into a tree.
But she’s grown tired of flitting from town to town and in and out of relationships. When she discovers a small town in Massachusetts where mysterious forces make it impossible for the residents to leave, she hopes she can change her fate.
As Elisa learns about the town’s history, she understands more about the women in her family, who seem doomed to never get what they want. Now she believes she’s stuck, too—is that a patch of bark on her arm? But her neighbor’s collection of pet birds sings secrets that Elisa can almost understand—secrets she must unravel in order to be truly alive.
Audible Audio
First published March 1, 2025
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About the author
Sarah Beth Durst
42 books6,993 followersSarah Beth Durst is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty-five books for adults, teens, and kids, including cozy fantasy The Spellshop. She's been awarded an American Library Association Alex Award, as well as a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. Several of her books have been optioned for film/television, including Drink Slay Love, which was made into a TV movie and was a question on Jeopardy! She lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband, her children, and her ill-mannered cat. Visit her at sarahbethdurst.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 666 reviews
May 11, 2025
In a Nutshell: A contemporary fantasy about mothers and daughters and curses and choices. More drama (but not melodrama), less magic. Compelling but complicated characters. Slowpaced but interesting. Not at all like ‘The Spellshop’, so don’t expect the same kind of vibes! I like this one better, though I am not so happy with the ending.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
PSA: The Goodreads blurb reveals too much. WAY TOO MUCH!
First things first. Don't compare this book with ‘The Spellshop’, arguably the author's most popular title so far. That was a cozy fantasy with magical creatures and cutesy romance. This is darker in tone, has only human characters, and though there's a magical curse, the magic itself is barely present in the story.
Bookish Yays:
🌳 Elisa and the other two characters whose perspectives we hear. I love how each of them has a complex personality that isn’t always likeable but is true to life with human feelings and flaws.
🌳 The multi-timeline narration. I enjoy plots unfurling over multiple character and time perspectives, and this book handled this aspect of the storytelling quite well. The connection across the three narrators isn't difficult to figure out, so it is more about the how than the who.
🌳 The focus on mother-and-daughter relationships, leading to an exploration of intergenerational trauma and mental wellbeing and even possessiveness and control. The story explores the varied facets of parental love.
🌳 The sharp comment on how societal expectations influence women’s life choices, with the many compromises they need to constantly make being considered a necessary part of womanhood. This is especially felt in the POVs coming from the historical timelines.
🌳 A bookstore and a bookstore cat named Charlie – what reader wouldn’t like these additions!
🌳 Good utilisation of small-town ethos.
🌳 Excellent atmospheric description of the ambience, especially in the woods.
🌳 No romance despite the potential for such a subplot!
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌱 The curses - actual and imagined. Loved them! But I do wish there had been more clarification on certain aspects connected to the curse. The mystery adds to the allure but it also frustrates.
🌱 The male characters have a relatively minor role to play in this woman-dominated plot. But even in their limited roles, there are a couple of interesting characters with good potential.
🌱 It’s not that difficult to guess where (or with whom) the resolution of the mystery lies. However, the straightforwardness of this doesn’t make the story less compelling.
🌱 The pacing is somewhat slowburn. The start is good but it soon begins to slow down. However, the second half is quite strong and I wasn’t bored at any point.
Bookish Nays:
🍂 Not much magic and too many unexplained scenes.
🍂 The ending is especially disappointing as it leaves many things unattended.
🍂 The title doesn’t suit the story for the most part, and once you realise the significance of the label through the plot, you will also realise (or at least, I hope so!) why it is such a poor title for this story.
All in all, I did like this story a lot. While the plot wasn’t a novel one, the characters and the multi-timeline narrative kept my attention throughout. Had the ending been better and more sealed, I might even have crossed 4 stars.
I think this contemporary fantasy works much better as a drama than as a fantasy. Though there are fantastical elements, the lack of detailing makes them feel more like a background to the reality-oriented plot.
Recommended to those who enjoy complicated character-driven stories with just a hint of magic. Not for those who are looking to recreate ’The Spellshop’ experience as the two books are very dissimilar.
3.75 stars. (Which would have been upwards of 4 stars had the ending been better.)
My thanks to Lake Union Publishing for providing the DRC of “The Warbler” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
The digital version of this book is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Threads || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Elisa’s mother has drilled into her that if she starts considering any place her home, a family curse will turn her into a tree. As such, Elisa cannot stay longer than ten months in any place, no matter how much she wants to. She is tired of running around and hence always looks for answers about a past that’s little known to her.
When she reaches a small town in Massachusetts that has some strange anomalies, she hopes to finally find a resolution to her quandary. Will her stay in this town give her the answers she has yearned for? Will her endless journey finally come to a close?
The story comes to us over three timelines: Elisa’s first-person POV in the contemporary time, and two more POVs from two separate historical timelines.
PSA: The Goodreads blurb reveals too much. WAY TOO MUCH!
First things first. Don't compare this book with ‘The Spellshop’, arguably the author's most popular title so far. That was a cozy fantasy with magical creatures and cutesy romance. This is darker in tone, has only human characters, and though there's a magical curse, the magic itself is barely present in the story.
Bookish Yays:
🌳 Elisa and the other two characters whose perspectives we hear. I love how each of them has a complex personality that isn’t always likeable but is true to life with human feelings and flaws.
🌳 The multi-timeline narration. I enjoy plots unfurling over multiple character and time perspectives, and this book handled this aspect of the storytelling quite well. The connection across the three narrators isn't difficult to figure out, so it is more about the how than the who.
🌳 The focus on mother-and-daughter relationships, leading to an exploration of intergenerational trauma and mental wellbeing and even possessiveness and control. The story explores the varied facets of parental love.
🌳 The sharp comment on how societal expectations influence women’s life choices, with the many compromises they need to constantly make being considered a necessary part of womanhood. This is especially felt in the POVs coming from the historical timelines.
🌳 A bookstore and a bookstore cat named Charlie – what reader wouldn’t like these additions!
🌳 Good utilisation of small-town ethos.
🌳 Excellent atmospheric description of the ambience, especially in the woods.
🌳 No romance despite the potential for such a subplot!
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌱 The curses - actual and imagined. Loved them! But I do wish there had been more clarification on certain aspects connected to the curse. The mystery adds to the allure but it also frustrates.
🌱 The male characters have a relatively minor role to play in this woman-dominated plot. But even in their limited roles, there are a couple of interesting characters with good potential.
🌱 It’s not that difficult to guess where (or with whom) the resolution of the mystery lies. However, the straightforwardness of this doesn’t make the story less compelling.
🌱 The pacing is somewhat slowburn. The start is good but it soon begins to slow down. However, the second half is quite strong and I wasn’t bored at any point.
Bookish Nays:
🍂 Not much magic and too many unexplained scenes.
🍂 The ending is especially disappointing as it leaves many things unattended.
🍂 The title doesn’t suit the story for the most part, and once you realise the significance of the label through the plot, you will also realise (or at least, I hope so!) why it is such a poor title for this story.
All in all, I did like this story a lot. While the plot wasn’t a novel one, the characters and the multi-timeline narrative kept my attention throughout. Had the ending been better and more sealed, I might even have crossed 4 stars.
I think this contemporary fantasy works much better as a drama than as a fantasy. Though there are fantastical elements, the lack of detailing makes them feel more like a background to the reality-oriented plot.
Recommended to those who enjoy complicated character-driven stories with just a hint of magic. Not for those who are looking to recreate ’The Spellshop’ experience as the two books are very dissimilar.
3.75 stars. (Which would have been upwards of 4 stars had the ending been better.)
My thanks to Lake Union Publishing for providing the DRC of “The Warbler” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
The digital version of this book is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Threads || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
February 10, 2025
Whimsical. Magical. Perfection. This was such a fascinating premise, and I truly loved everything about it.
🌳✨
_____________________
Very thankful this was available to read pre-release thanks to Amazon First Reads.
Publication Day: March 01, 2025
If you love magical realism like I do, you’ll want to add this to your tbr. 🖤✨
🌳✨
_____________________
Very thankful this was available to read pre-release thanks to Amazon First Reads.
Publication Day: March 01, 2025
If you love magical realism like I do, you’ll want to add this to your tbr. 🖤✨
March 19, 2025
3.7 Stars
One Liner: An engaging read despite the flaws
Elisa cannot stay in one place for longer than ten months. If she does, she’ll turn into a tree. It’s a curse that made her mother and her travel all over the US, taking new identities and leaving without a backward glance.
After yet another move, Elisa is tired. She has been trying to break the curse but the first step is to find out more about her family. When she makes an impulsive decision to stay in Greensborough for the next ten months, Elisa is hopeful yet hesitant. After all, this small town in Massachusetts is a place where people cannot leave!
As Elisa stays back and might be turning into a tree, she desperately needs to uncover the secrets of the past and break free of the curse.
The story comes in Elisa’s first-person POV and third-person POVs of Rose and Lori.
My Thoughts:
Did you think I could resist a premise like that? No chance!
Well, the beginning is strong but then we get into a sort of uncertainty where the FMC seems to be repetitive. The chapters from the past helped a lot by providing backstories and preventing the current track from dragging (it still did).
The writing is pretty good even if the narration tends to go on and on at times. I didn’t need it to be that lyrical but okay. I was interested to know more, so it’s not too bad. Another round of editing would have sorted the issue and removed the repetition (especially about those kohl-rimmed eyes).
I think the issue is that the reader knows a few things before the FMC and has to wait for her to catch up. This works in some plotlines. Here, I don’t think it fully helped. When the reader wants Elisa to catch up fast and it doesn’t happen, we are bound to be a bit irritated.
Magic realism is an integral part of the storyline but I admit to being disappointed in this aspect. There’s a good atmosphere but the surreal part could have been stronger and a bit more prominent. Another scene with the three blue-haired ladies would have also helped.
The side characters, though not fully developed, are interesting and add their share of intrigue and drama to the plot. I do wish the men were a little more developed to match the women, but this is quite common in this genre (women’s fiction).
Since there is no romance as such, we have only one main lead, the FMC. This keeps the story within the required frame instead of adding unwanted tangents. That said, there are love and relationships and some of them play important roles. The focus is not on ‘lovey-dovey romance’.
The book deals with many themes but the central one is choice. It shows various facets of choice and how giving someone a choice should not result in disregarding their choice. The book also deals with mother-daughter relationships, female friendships, expectations and acceptance.
I guessed a good portion of the mystery at 45%. However, the author managed to give it a few twists in the last quarter. These align with the plotline and fit neatly, even if we don’t get detailed explanations for every question.
There’s an epilogue of sorts, and I’d have liked it to be longer. Still, I can see why it ended at that point. It works for the book’s vibe.
To summarize, The Warbler is a thoughtful read about choices, freedom, and mother-daughter relationships with a touch of magical realism. It has its flaws but it is still an engaging book.
Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheWarbler
One Liner: An engaging read despite the flaws
Elisa cannot stay in one place for longer than ten months. If she does, she’ll turn into a tree. It’s a curse that made her mother and her travel all over the US, taking new identities and leaving without a backward glance.
After yet another move, Elisa is tired. She has been trying to break the curse but the first step is to find out more about her family. When she makes an impulsive decision to stay in Greensborough for the next ten months, Elisa is hopeful yet hesitant. After all, this small town in Massachusetts is a place where people cannot leave!
As Elisa stays back and might be turning into a tree, she desperately needs to uncover the secrets of the past and break free of the curse.
The story comes in Elisa’s first-person POV and third-person POVs of Rose and Lori.
My Thoughts:
Did you think I could resist a premise like that? No chance!
Well, the beginning is strong but then we get into a sort of uncertainty where the FMC seems to be repetitive. The chapters from the past helped a lot by providing backstories and preventing the current track from dragging (it still did).
The writing is pretty good even if the narration tends to go on and on at times. I didn’t need it to be that lyrical but okay. I was interested to know more, so it’s not too bad. Another round of editing would have sorted the issue and removed the repetition (especially about those kohl-rimmed eyes).
I think the issue is that the reader knows a few things before the FMC and has to wait for her to catch up. This works in some plotlines. Here, I don’t think it fully helped. When the reader wants Elisa to catch up fast and it doesn’t happen, we are bound to be a bit irritated.
Magic realism is an integral part of the storyline but I admit to being disappointed in this aspect. There’s a good atmosphere but the surreal part could have been stronger and a bit more prominent. Another scene with the three blue-haired ladies would have also helped.
The side characters, though not fully developed, are interesting and add their share of intrigue and drama to the plot. I do wish the men were a little more developed to match the women, but this is quite common in this genre (women’s fiction).
Since there is no romance as such, we have only one main lead, the FMC. This keeps the story within the required frame instead of adding unwanted tangents. That said, there are love and relationships and some of them play important roles. The focus is not on ‘lovey-dovey romance’.
The book deals with many themes but the central one is choice. It shows various facets of choice and how giving someone a choice should not result in disregarding their choice. The book also deals with mother-daughter relationships, female friendships, expectations and acceptance.
I guessed a good portion of the mystery at 45%. However, the author managed to give it a few twists in the last quarter. These align with the plotline and fit neatly, even if we don’t get detailed explanations for every question.
There’s an epilogue of sorts, and I’d have liked it to be longer. Still, I can see why it ended at that point. It works for the book’s vibe.
To summarize, The Warbler is a thoughtful read about choices, freedom, and mother-daughter relationships with a touch of magical realism. It has its flaws but it is still an engaging book.
Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheWarbler
February 28, 2025
The best fantasy/magic realism pulls the reader into a magical, yet believable world. This book didn’t do that for me. There was so little effort put into world building that I never bought the idea of the cursed women of the town, and suggesting that they turned into trees just didn’t work for me. Coupled with unlikable and tiresome characters, a slow moving plot, and chapters that jumped around between people and decades, I was very disappointed, since I enjoyed the author’s previous novel, Spellshop.
March 1, 2025
I fell in love with Ms. Durst’s writing years ago when I read “The Queen of Blood” and its sequels. She really knows how to build believable worlds. This was another of her books that I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s 4.5 stars, easy.
I found myself feeling all the feels for Elisa and rooting (get it?) for her to find out about her past.
I felt sorrow for the lives that could have been, as well as anger for what caused irreparable harm to others.
It’s a beautiful tale that will haunt you and make you think about the cages we sometimes walk right into, and we don’t even notice the door closing and latching behind us. I will definitely be rereading this.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ecopy. All opinions are mine.
I found myself feeling all the feels for Elisa and rooting (get it?) for her to find out about her past.
I felt sorrow for the lives that could have been, as well as anger for what caused irreparable harm to others.
It’s a beautiful tale that will haunt you and make you think about the cages we sometimes walk right into, and we don’t even notice the door closing and latching behind us. I will definitely be rereading this.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ecopy. All opinions are mine.
August 25, 2024
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.
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.
March 27, 2025
3-1/2 Stars!
“With my backpack and an unwarranted dose of hope, I step off the bus into a new life.”
In The Warbler, our main character, Elisa, is constantly moving and starting a “new” life over and over. Seemingly, she does this not by choice but due to some type of curse. Just once, Elisa would like to know what it feels like to stay in one place instead of always saying goodbye to people she becomes attached to. The story moves along mainly through Elisa’s point of few but also rotates through Lori and Rose who are Elisa’s mother and grandmother. Through Lori and Rose’s chapters we get little clues that help push the story along as we try to make sense of Elisa’s curse.
The book Spellshop is what put Sarah Beth Durst on my radar. The Warbler, however, is a very different book. They are both magical realism but The Warbler is more subtle about it. You won’t run across any unicorns, centaurs or talking plants here in The Warbler. The writing is good but I was hoping for more of the magical prose I found in Spellshop. Nonetheless, The Warbler is a very unique story and I had a good time reading this book. I found the ending to be satisfying for the most part but I wanted a few more answers than what was provided.
“With my backpack and an unwarranted dose of hope, I step off the bus into a new life.”
In The Warbler, our main character, Elisa, is constantly moving and starting a “new” life over and over. Seemingly, she does this not by choice but due to some type of curse. Just once, Elisa would like to know what it feels like to stay in one place instead of always saying goodbye to people she becomes attached to. The story moves along mainly through Elisa’s point of few but also rotates through Lori and Rose who are Elisa’s mother and grandmother. Through Lori and Rose’s chapters we get little clues that help push the story along as we try to make sense of Elisa’s curse.
The book Spellshop is what put Sarah Beth Durst on my radar. The Warbler, however, is a very different book. They are both magical realism but The Warbler is more subtle about it. You won’t run across any unicorns, centaurs or talking plants here in The Warbler. The writing is good but I was hoping for more of the magical prose I found in Spellshop. Nonetheless, The Warbler is a very unique story and I had a good time reading this book. I found the ending to be satisfying for the most part but I wanted a few more answers than what was provided.
March 11, 2025
This is different from other things I've read from Sarah Beth Durst, but I ended up really enjoying it. The Warbler is an inter-generational magical realism story about the constraints placed on women, what we pass on to the next generation, what home means, and how freedom might not look the same for everyone.
Elisa is cursed. If she stays anwhere longer than 10 months, she will turn into a tree. That's what happened to her mother after a lifetime of living on the run. But she never stops hoping that she might find a way to break the curse. When she comes to a strange small-town in Massachusetts, she finally begins to uncover the truth...
This follows three interweaving perspectives-Elisa's, her mothers, and her grandmothers. At some point you kind of figure out what's going on, but I found it to be a compelling narrative. It does have magic in it, but in many ways it's more contemporary fiction exploring intergenerational trauma and the ways we find and create home. I don't think it's going to be everyone's cup of tea, but I thought it was good. The audio narration is excellent with different vibes for each perspective. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Elisa is cursed. If she stays anwhere longer than 10 months, she will turn into a tree. That's what happened to her mother after a lifetime of living on the run. But she never stops hoping that she might find a way to break the curse. When she comes to a strange small-town in Massachusetts, she finally begins to uncover the truth...
This follows three interweaving perspectives-Elisa's, her mothers, and her grandmothers. At some point you kind of figure out what's going on, but I found it to be a compelling narrative. It does have magic in it, but in many ways it's more contemporary fiction exploring intergenerational trauma and the ways we find and create home. I don't think it's going to be everyone's cup of tea, but I thought it was good. The audio narration is excellent with different vibes for each perspective. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
March 5, 2025
The Warbler by Sarah Beth Dunst
Contemporary mystical magic. Gothic.
The women in her family are cursed. Elisa had the time limit drilled into from a young age. Ten months is the longest they can stay in one place. They can never return, leave anything behind, or take anything with when they leave. Putting down roots means turning into a tree. Literally.
Elisa leaves the man that just proposed and ends up in a small town in Massachusetts. She is warned not to stay in the town but there is something pulling her there. She notices usual people and happenings around town. Like the man playing a guitar with no strings. She stays, hoping someone will recognize the photo of her grandmother. As she gets to know the people and their history, she also learns some of her own family history. She realizes there is something wrong here. But she can’t leave.
Curse or simply habit? Perception or believe?
These gothic novels always leave me asking questions. What’s true vs. twisted half truths?
I found myself listening and reading closely to figure out the truth. You get answers but there are also more questions.
Well written and intriguing. For me, disturbing. I like straight answers.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
Contemporary mystical magic. Gothic.
The women in her family are cursed. Elisa had the time limit drilled into from a young age. Ten months is the longest they can stay in one place. They can never return, leave anything behind, or take anything with when they leave. Putting down roots means turning into a tree. Literally.
Elisa leaves the man that just proposed and ends up in a small town in Massachusetts. She is warned not to stay in the town but there is something pulling her there. She notices usual people and happenings around town. Like the man playing a guitar with no strings. She stays, hoping someone will recognize the photo of her grandmother. As she gets to know the people and their history, she also learns some of her own family history. She realizes there is something wrong here. But she can’t leave.
Curse or simply habit? Perception or believe?
These gothic novels always leave me asking questions. What’s true vs. twisted half truths?
I found myself listening and reading closely to figure out the truth. You get answers but there are also more questions.
Well written and intriguing. For me, disturbing. I like straight answers.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
March 21, 2025
I usually enjoy magical realism books but this one left me with more questions than answers and feeling really unsatisfied.
Were the blue haired ladies the ones from the library? I feel like another few pages could have fleshed out that story more instead of repetitive paragraphs about how Elisa needed answers, or Rose wanted to leave and her friend convinced her that she wanted to stay.
There’s no romance between she and Owen, are they just friends or are we supposed to believe there’s something more? Romance isn’t the focus of Elisa’s story but her mother and grandmother’s lives are so sad and Elisa’s life is so dull to read about.
Most importantly— Elisa’s curse doesn’t get broken?!?! What?? And then it just ends. There’s no “lesson” except maybe not to let other people tell you what you want. And Elisa will still turn into a tree?? And can’t have bio kids, presumably because they’d be doomed to constantly move around or be trees too.
The ending felt so incomplete, rushed, and, again, unsatisfying- it didn’t do justice to the sacrifices that Rose and Lori made.
Were the blue haired ladies the ones from the library? I feel like another few pages could have fleshed out that story more instead of repetitive paragraphs about how Elisa needed answers, or Rose wanted to leave and her friend convinced her that she wanted to stay.
There’s no romance between she and Owen, are they just friends or are we supposed to believe there’s something more? Romance isn’t the focus of Elisa’s story but her mother and grandmother’s lives are so sad and Elisa’s life is so dull to read about.
Most importantly— Elisa’s curse doesn’t get broken?!?! What?? And then it just ends. There’s no “lesson” except maybe not to let other people tell you what you want. And Elisa will still turn into a tree?? And can’t have bio kids, presumably because they’d be doomed to constantly move around or be trees too.
The ending felt so incomplete, rushed, and, again, unsatisfying- it didn’t do justice to the sacrifices that Rose and Lori made.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2025
“Our lives were shaped by other people’s expectations, other people’s dreams, other people’s choices. We are constrained by love—granted, it was misguided love, a belief that they knew best how our lives should take form. That doesn’t make it better or forgivable, but it’s an explanation, understandable.”
★★★★ 4.5 Stars (If the ending was more satisfying, it would’ve been a 5)
ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ
Elisa is cursed - she cannot stay in one place for more than 10 months, she cannot return to a place she’s been, or she will start to turn into a tree. Forever on the move with her mother, she is unable to take root and make connections anywhere. When her mother passes, she finds herself in Greensborough - and that’s where everything is different.
*That’s all you need to know going into this book - DO NOT read the blurb!! It kind of spoils the book.
We get:
ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ
🐦⬛ Magical realism (this is NOT a fantasy book)
🐦⬛ Unexplained curses
🐦⬛ A local bookstore with a cat
🐦⬛ A small town with odd characters
🐦⬛ Deep emotions and troubling ideas around the action of choice
🐦⬛ Semblance of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Characters:
𓅆 Elisa: Elisa is such an interesting character, and we get to really know her throughout the story. I wouldn’t say we really see much character development, because the premise of her character is to find out why she is cursed and how to stop it. However, she learns throughout the story why her mother and grandmother acted how they did, and she comes to realize the full capacity around making choices.
𓅆 Owen: Our cutie who runs the local bookstore! Owen is a soft-spoken character who is always willing to drop whatever he is doing and help Elisa. He is probably the most unproblematic man in a book, ever.
Romance: Don’t come into this story expecting a great romance! Or much romance at all for this matter. While it is there in the background, that is not the focus of the story.
ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ
This story focuses on choices we get in our lives, and how what we desire can be pushed onto others and force them to make certain actions. One mother’s decision for her daughter based on what she wanted for her own life but couldn’t have ruined the next two generations because of her selfishness of not realizing that everyone wants different things.
I’ve never quite read a story like this? It does give me hints of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, but at the same time it is a very different premise. It’s a book that has ominous undertones throughout but will keep you thinking.
I’m not going to lie - I didn’t know who was fully behind the curse. We get lots of hints throughout leading us to piece some of it together, but I did not piece it all together until it was explained. I was left a little let down by the ending? It happened very quickly, and I felt like I was still in lack of answers when I closed the book. We never really get a true explanation around the curses, or why the person involved did what they did other than “because I wanted to”. I think the ending to the story had the potential to be very satisfying and poignant, but it was not. However, I still highly encourage this read!
*Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this arc.
★★★★ 4.5 Stars (If the ending was more satisfying, it would’ve been a 5)
ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ
Elisa is cursed - she cannot stay in one place for more than 10 months, she cannot return to a place she’s been, or she will start to turn into a tree. Forever on the move with her mother, she is unable to take root and make connections anywhere. When her mother passes, she finds herself in Greensborough - and that’s where everything is different.
*That’s all you need to know going into this book - DO NOT read the blurb!! It kind of spoils the book.
We get:
ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ
🐦⬛ Magical realism (this is NOT a fantasy book)
🐦⬛ Unexplained curses
🐦⬛ A local bookstore with a cat
🐦⬛ A small town with odd characters
🐦⬛ Deep emotions and troubling ideas around the action of choice
🐦⬛ Semblance of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Characters:
𓅆 Elisa: Elisa is such an interesting character, and we get to really know her throughout the story. I wouldn’t say we really see much character development, because the premise of her character is to find out why she is cursed and how to stop it. However, she learns throughout the story why her mother and grandmother acted how they did, and she comes to realize the full capacity around making choices.
𓅆 Owen: Our cutie who runs the local bookstore! Owen is a soft-spoken character who is always willing to drop whatever he is doing and help Elisa. He is probably the most unproblematic man in a book, ever.
Romance: Don’t come into this story expecting a great romance! Or much romance at all for this matter. While it is there in the background, that is not the focus of the story.
ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ ོ
This story focuses on choices we get in our lives, and how what we desire can be pushed onto others and force them to make certain actions. One mother’s decision for her daughter based on what she wanted for her own life but couldn’t have ruined the next two generations because of her selfishness of not realizing that everyone wants different things.
I’ve never quite read a story like this? It does give me hints of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, but at the same time it is a very different premise. It’s a book that has ominous undertones throughout but will keep you thinking.
I’m not going to lie - I didn’t know who was fully behind the curse. We get lots of hints throughout leading us to piece some of it together, but I did not piece it all together until it was explained. I was left a little let down by the ending? It happened very quickly, and I felt like I was still in lack of answers when I closed the book. We never really get a true explanation around the curses, or why the person involved did what they did other than “because I wanted to”. I think the ending to the story had the potential to be very satisfying and poignant, but it was not. However, I still highly encourage this read!
*Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this arc.
March 13, 2025
5/5 glowing stars
"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."
That knowledge is at the root of Elisa involuntary nomadic lifestyle for as long as she can remember. Since she was a child, the women in her family have been on the run for a generational curse that prevents them from ever settling down. Whenever they stay longer than 10 months at a time, or attempt to make a place their home, their bodies will transform to trees, and they will be rooted there for eternity.
After her mother’s death, Elisa reaches a breaking-point. Tired of constant goodbyes, she sets out to get to the origin of their curse, in hopes of breaking it. Her journey brings her to a small Massachusetts town, seemingly cursed with the opposite faith; its inhabitants being unable to leave. As Elisa learns about the town’s history, she understands more about the women in her family, who seem doomed to never get what they want.
The premise of The Warbler reminded me a lot of two other recent popular novels - A Short Walk Through a Wide World and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue – and I was interested to see how Sarah Beth Durst would make this her own. Straight out of the gate, I loved this book by far the most out of the aforementioned ones. If you're in the market for a great magical realism story along those lines, but with a more mature (less YA-) feel: don’t pass this one up!
What I loved:
Sarah Beth Durst weaves a beautiful generational tale about familial bonds, expectations, regrets and what it means to be free. Through the perspectives of 3 generations of women (Elisa, her mother and her grandmother), we uncover the origins of their curse and the way it intertwines with the towns history. It can be difficult to craft equally compelling protagonists and their storylines, but the SBD does it with ease. I didn’t expect to be this emotionally invested in such a short amount of time, and yet…
On a surface level, there’s already a lot to love. The mysteries do a great job of pulling you in, and keeping you hooked. Then SBD does slightly magical small-town settings incredibly well – just look at The Spellshop. She also introduces her romantic- and friendship-subplots in such a gentle way that I really appreciate. Romance is not the main focus of this story, and Durst knows this. The romance never tries to steal the spotlight away from the rest of the story - which was one of my problems with Addie LaRue and A Short Walk - but supports and adds to what its truly about.
At its heart, this story is about family and these three women’s yearning for freedom, for themselves and their daughters. Tragically though, they all have a different image of freedom, and the hammers they use to smash their own cages are the same that forge the bars of their daughters’.
Inheritance in all its forms plays a big role in this story. A trigger warning might be in order for (genetic) cancer, which is at least part of the metaphor. This made it a hard hitter for me personally, but I really loved the way the story explored all its different aspects. Especially the way these three women all dealt with the dilemma between full commitment and self-preservation in loneliness, all in different- but relatable ways… Let me just say: there were tears in my eyes, which is so rare that it almost guarantees a favourite-of-the-year-spot when it does happen.
What I didn’t love:
If I had to mention a single downside, it would be its timeline. The story takes place over the course of a couple of days, which feels like far too short of a timeframe for the development that is being made. I’d have kept the story exactly as is, but made it so a little more time would pass between chapters, making the developing relationships and insights a bit less insta-lovy and a bit more realistic.
Overall, can’t recommend this one enough. If you want an outrageous blurb to take out of context, here you go: In my opinion, this was like The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue but better.
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
"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."
That knowledge is at the root of Elisa involuntary nomadic lifestyle for as long as she can remember. Since she was a child, the women in her family have been on the run for a generational curse that prevents them from ever settling down. Whenever they stay longer than 10 months at a time, or attempt to make a place their home, their bodies will transform to trees, and they will be rooted there for eternity.
After her mother’s death, Elisa reaches a breaking-point. Tired of constant goodbyes, she sets out to get to the origin of their curse, in hopes of breaking it. Her journey brings her to a small Massachusetts town, seemingly cursed with the opposite faith; its inhabitants being unable to leave. As Elisa learns about the town’s history, she understands more about the women in her family, who seem doomed to never get what they want.
The premise of The Warbler reminded me a lot of two other recent popular novels - A Short Walk Through a Wide World and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue – and I was interested to see how Sarah Beth Durst would make this her own. Straight out of the gate, I loved this book by far the most out of the aforementioned ones. If you're in the market for a great magical realism story along those lines, but with a more mature (less YA-) feel: don’t pass this one up!
What I loved:
Sarah Beth Durst weaves a beautiful generational tale about familial bonds, expectations, regrets and what it means to be free. Through the perspectives of 3 generations of women (Elisa, her mother and her grandmother), we uncover the origins of their curse and the way it intertwines with the towns history. It can be difficult to craft equally compelling protagonists and their storylines, but the SBD does it with ease. I didn’t expect to be this emotionally invested in such a short amount of time, and yet…
On a surface level, there’s already a lot to love. The mysteries do a great job of pulling you in, and keeping you hooked. Then SBD does slightly magical small-town settings incredibly well – just look at The Spellshop. She also introduces her romantic- and friendship-subplots in such a gentle way that I really appreciate. Romance is not the main focus of this story, and Durst knows this. The romance never tries to steal the spotlight away from the rest of the story - which was one of my problems with Addie LaRue and A Short Walk - but supports and adds to what its truly about.
At its heart, this story is about family and these three women’s yearning for freedom, for themselves and their daughters. Tragically though, they all have a different image of freedom, and the hammers they use to smash their own cages are the same that forge the bars of their daughters’.
Inheritance in all its forms plays a big role in this story. A trigger warning might be in order for (genetic) cancer, which is at least part of the metaphor. This made it a hard hitter for me personally, but I really loved the way the story explored all its different aspects. Especially the way these three women all dealt with the dilemma between full commitment and self-preservation in loneliness, all in different- but relatable ways… Let me just say: there were tears in my eyes, which is so rare that it almost guarantees a favourite-of-the-year-spot when it does happen.
What I didn’t love:
If I had to mention a single downside, it would be its timeline. The story takes place over the course of a couple of days, which feels like far too short of a timeframe for the development that is being made. I’d have kept the story exactly as is, but made it so a little more time would pass between chapters, making the developing relationships and insights a bit less insta-lovy and a bit more realistic.
Overall, can’t recommend this one enough. If you want an outrageous blurb to take out of context, here you go: In my opinion, this was like The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue but better.
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
March 6, 2025
I read The Spellshop last year and absolutely loved every second of it, so when I saw she had a new book coming out, I had to read it. (Also saw she has a huge backlist I’ll start making my way through!)
This story was so whimsical, magical and addictive. I loved how it told the story of Elisa, but also her mother and grandmother. Trekking across a curse of three generations, I was hooked to the mystery. The different perspectives told us so much and helped add more and more details to the story. This was such a successful mystery that almost doesn’t feel like a mystery because it deals so much with different aspects of life, such as what “home” is and how one decision can change everything.
The setting was such a cute and homey town, especially the café and bookstore. Also, a bookstore cat??? Yes please.
This generational story wowed me and I love every second. The characters were all so likable and I was really hoping they could all get out of this mess. Linking all the pieces together with Elissa was such a journey, but I’m thankful we got to see her mother’s and grandmother’s perspective so that we had a better understanding of why this curse truly came to be.
Another strong story from Sarah Beth Durst and I cannot wait for more.
This story was so whimsical, magical and addictive. I loved how it told the story of Elisa, but also her mother and grandmother. Trekking across a curse of three generations, I was hooked to the mystery. The different perspectives told us so much and helped add more and more details to the story. This was such a successful mystery that almost doesn’t feel like a mystery because it deals so much with different aspects of life, such as what “home” is and how one decision can change everything.
The setting was such a cute and homey town, especially the café and bookstore. Also, a bookstore cat??? Yes please.
This generational story wowed me and I love every second. The characters were all so likable and I was really hoping they could all get out of this mess. Linking all the pieces together with Elissa was such a journey, but I’m thankful we got to see her mother’s and grandmother’s perspective so that we had a better understanding of why this curse truly came to be.
Another strong story from Sarah Beth Durst and I cannot wait for more.
April 16, 2025
3.75 stars, rounded
The newest novel from Sarah Beth Durst (author of The Spellshop) is magical realism about a young woman looking for answers about her family's curse.
Her entire life, Elisa and her mother had to move from place to place, never calling a single place home, never leaving pieces of themselves behind or taking any mementos with them. For if they were to start to put roots down somewhere, they would begin to actually turn into trees themselves. This forces them into a nomadic lifestyle that requires them to appreciate each day for itself and to truly live in the moment, knowing that nothing will last. It's not as easy life to grow up with, when everyone else around you seems to have much more stability and security, even if this means their lives are more predictable and less adventurous.
Now, without her mother around anymore, Elisa chooses each destination based on her family's history and whether or not she might learn about the origin of the curse, or the answer of how to break it. In this book she winds up in a quaint village with a bookstore complete with its very own resident cat, a stately old home with a porch hung with dozens of cages housing a diverse collection of birds, and a cafe frequented by three blue-haired old women who dispense cryptic wisdom. Could this be her final stop?
Chapters alternate telling Elisa's story with those of her grandmother, Rose, and her mother, Lori. Each woman wants something different from life, and each faces obstacles in living the life that they want, either because of societal expectations, the consequences of actions (either their own, or someone else's)...or because of the curse.
The pacing in this book does suffer at times, with the same points being driven home again and again; this occasionally wore on my patience. But overall I enjoyed this lovely and curious story.
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The newest novel from Sarah Beth Durst (author of The Spellshop) is magical realism about a young woman looking for answers about her family's curse.
Her entire life, Elisa and her mother had to move from place to place, never calling a single place home, never leaving pieces of themselves behind or taking any mementos with them. For if they were to start to put roots down somewhere, they would begin to actually turn into trees themselves. This forces them into a nomadic lifestyle that requires them to appreciate each day for itself and to truly live in the moment, knowing that nothing will last. It's not as easy life to grow up with, when everyone else around you seems to have much more stability and security, even if this means their lives are more predictable and less adventurous.
“Regrets aren’t a thing you can avoid,” Mom said. “They’re just a part of life. Every time you say yes, you’re saying no to a dozen other things you could be doing.”
Now, without her mother around anymore, Elisa chooses each destination based on her family's history and whether or not she might learn about the origin of the curse, or the answer of how to break it. In this book she winds up in a quaint village with a bookstore complete with its very own resident cat, a stately old home with a porch hung with dozens of cages housing a diverse collection of birds, and a cafe frequented by three blue-haired old women who dispense cryptic wisdom. Could this be her final stop?
Chapters alternate telling Elisa's story with those of her grandmother, Rose, and her mother, Lori. Each woman wants something different from life, and each faces obstacles in living the life that they want, either because of societal expectations, the consequences of actions (either their own, or someone else's)...or because of the curse.
The pacing in this book does suffer at times, with the same points being driven home again and again; this occasionally wore on my patience. But overall I enjoyed this lovely and curious story.
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August 26, 2025
I enjoyed this book to an extent. The characterizations were done very well, but the plot line seemed a little weird and didn’t pull together at the end, but I’m still scratching my head.
February 28, 2025
This book is a mess. It started out intriguing- a mom and her daughter must not settle down or they will turn into a tree. But instead of exploring the psychological implications of this or making the plot deeper, it devolves into a confusing soup of magical realism. The plot was silly, and it made zero sense. The characters were basic and strange. I gave it two stars because at least I finished it but this one gets a big “please pass on it” from me
March 2, 2025
A good story of finding home and figuring out where you belong and how to break a curse. 5 ⭐
August 30, 2024
*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review*
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.
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.
March 22, 2025
I’m not really sure what I just read. The magical realism that was meant to carry this book left it more in heaping piles of questions and unanswered plot points. Even the title being The Warbler is a giant question mark. The bird obsession ran too off the deep end. Not a lot made sense here, and I’m just as confused as someone who has bark growing out of their arm.
I thought the story would be a metaphor for being scared to put down one’s roots or not feeling like you’ve ever truly belonged somewhere before; a sort of “finding your home” story. But it just felt like Rose and Lori and Elisa were always questioning their decisions but never doing anything about them. There were way too many “what ifs” but no actions behind them. The curse of them potentially turning into trees if they don’t leave after 10 months was bizarre and unexplained. Why trees? Is it as obvious as the symbolism of a tree? I was in a constant state of perplexity.
I wish the ending offered more of a story rather than Cora simply being a greedy, selfish know-it-all who ruined the lives of those around her. I felt it would’ve made more sense if all these people had gone to the Fates statue themselves. Plus, I hate when narrators have a moment of perfect reflection at the end (think “I can be whomever I want. No one holds me back, I can make my own destiny!”). To me, that’s just lazy storytelling, and I’m always left rolling my eyes. In the end, this book was just too confusing and needed time for its plot to put down strong roots.
I thought the story would be a metaphor for being scared to put down one’s roots or not feeling like you’ve ever truly belonged somewhere before; a sort of “finding your home” story. But it just felt like Rose and Lori and Elisa were always questioning their decisions but never doing anything about them. There were way too many “what ifs” but no actions behind them. The curse of them potentially turning into trees if they don’t leave after 10 months was bizarre and unexplained. Why trees? Is it as obvious as the symbolism of a tree? I was in a constant state of perplexity.
I wish the ending offered more of a story rather than Cora simply being a greedy, selfish know-it-all who ruined the lives of those around her. I felt it would’ve made more sense if all these people had gone to the Fates statue themselves. Plus, I hate when narrators have a moment of perfect reflection at the end (think “I can be whomever I want. No one holds me back, I can make my own destiny!”). To me, that’s just lazy storytelling, and I’m always left rolling my eyes. In the end, this book was just too confusing and needed time for its plot to put down strong roots.
May 14, 2025
2.5, i found myself really annoyed by the ending of this book. there wasn't an explanation on the main characters' curse (the entire plot of the book)?? there was no explanation on who the three women with blue hair were?? did her mom die of cancer or become a tree, or both?? elisa and owen knew each other for 5 min and they were in love?? ugh, also, i just found pretty much all of the main characters a bit unlikeable
January 3, 2025
This was a fantastic read. I’m genuinely speechless. If you enjoy magical realism & thinking about the choices we make in life then I think this book will be right up your alley.
February 27, 2025
An interesting if silly premise: a woman who is cursed to keep moving from place to place, because if anywhere starts to feel like home she will...turn into a tree. I don't think the tree angle added much, but the curse itself was a nicely simple yet imaginative angle and early on I liked reading the various interlinking stories, and was genuinely interested in where it was going. I also liked the early indications and questions that the curse might not be what it seems, and wish the book had more genuinely lingered on the mother/daughter relationship and questions about whether the curse was real. There was some nice early creepiness when she gets to Greenborough as well.
But a few things really let this book down for me, especially by the end. Firstly, the idiot plot - she is constantly not asking people obvious questions or putting 2 and 2 together. A lot of weirdness just seems to get accepted when it would be very easy to ask about it. The characters become increasingly thin as the plot goes on, as does the relationships between them. There are some very intense falling in loves from people that do not know each other very well. And, possibly the biggest irk for me, is that its hard to avoid how badly the narrator has treated people - exes in particular - and yet this is presented as showing that she's a brave, strong person because that's what she had to do to survive. But she didn't actually HAVE to get into relationships that she knew couldn't last, and there isn't enough investigation of the guilt she might carry, or the complicated feelings that it would lead to - there are some hints of it but it feels surface level enough to be a bit flippant. I was quite checked out by the end and the payoff didn't feel satisfying.
But a few things really let this book down for me, especially by the end. Firstly, the idiot plot - she is constantly not asking people obvious questions or putting 2 and 2 together. A lot of weirdness just seems to get accepted when it would be very easy to ask about it. The characters become increasingly thin as the plot goes on, as does the relationships between them. There are some very intense falling in loves from people that do not know each other very well. And, possibly the biggest irk for me, is that its hard to avoid how badly the narrator has treated people - exes in particular - and yet this is presented as showing that she's a brave, strong person because that's what she had to do to survive. But she didn't actually HAVE to get into relationships that she knew couldn't last, and there isn't enough investigation of the guilt she might carry, or the complicated feelings that it would lead to - there are some hints of it but it feels surface level enough to be a bit flippant. I was quite checked out by the end and the payoff didn't feel satisfying.
December 16, 2024
I enjoyed The Spellshop so I was curious to read this ARC. So I couldn't decide how to write this review without giving things away and then I read the blurb and everything is given away in the blurb so I guess I can spoil some things. I like to go into books blind and I liked that those things were surprises for me. So just stay with me here but Elisa has been told all of her life from her mother that they cannot set down roots anywhere or they will turn into a tree. The women have all been cursed. So Elisa and her mom have moved usually about every ten months. After her mother's death Elisa has a mission to try to find the source of the curse and break it. She arrives in a town in Massachusetts and finds out her mother and grandmother lived there so she feels she is on the right track. But how did they live there and not have to move? Has her mom been lying to her? People in the town are very strange. But how do you bring up that you are cursed to a bunch of strangers? I enjoyed the book. I don't know if it will be for everyone but I liked all of the twists and such in it.
-"You want too much, Rose. It worries me."
"I don't think it's too much to want the world."
-"Also, if you hear voices in the stacks, don't be alarmed. We've been having a problem with that."
With that odd statement, she sweeps back to toward the circulation desk.
-How can anyone move on when you carry your past with you?
-"You want too much, Rose. It worries me."
"I don't think it's too much to want the world."
-"Also, if you hear voices in the stacks, don't be alarmed. We've been having a problem with that."
With that odd statement, she sweeps back to toward the circulation desk.
-How can anyone move on when you carry your past with you?
February 18, 2025
I usually enjoy magical realism but this was lacking a bit. Also didn’t enjoy the ending - the fact that her curse didn’t get broken (and confused about how her mom’s curse applied to her too?).
TW: Cancer
TW: Cancer
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2025
4.5 stars
This was a really nice acquaintance! Magical realism done in a way that just works really well - something I honestly don't stumble upon very often, quite the opposite.
I rarely, if ever, feel like revising books, but this one... This one I might actually visit again, not in an all too distant future.
This was a really nice acquaintance! Magical realism done in a way that just works really well - something I honestly don't stumble upon very often, quite the opposite.
I rarely, if ever, feel like revising books, but this one... This one I might actually visit again, not in an all too distant future.
March 31, 2025
I really enjoyed this book!!! A little magical, a little contemplative, and overall an interesting premise. It gave me Addie LaRue vibes. Be warned: I would caution against reading the Goodreads blurb because I think it unnecessarily reveals a lot.
February 20, 2025
This was pure cosy magical realism with a lovely premise about finding family, home and belonging. I love that there's not really a romance storyline to this, instead it's about finding truth and breaking a curse to be able to create a future. There are a few repetitive elements and I would love to have had more in the story about the periphery characters of the town but when I finished it I immediately said "well that was lovely" and I think that's just the most apt way to sum up this story. Gentle storytelling that moves quickly and makes for an easy, relaxing read.
Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this digital review copy of "The Warbler" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this digital review copy of "The Warbler" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
September 21, 2025
While the premise of the story appeared to be intriguing, the pacing was slow and quite boring. The book is not magical or mysterious as described, nothing really ever happens while the story unfolds over three different timelines. I was never pulled back to this book and pretty much forced myself to finish it.
I went in to this book thinking it would have an atmosphere and a mood and some mystery but no, it’s just a simple feel good story with nothing that seems magical, no mood and a shallow message.
Spoiler alert: The whole story and mystery of Elisa, her mother and grandmother turned out to be nothing more than a woman making a wish over a statue and simultaneously trapping a bird and determining the outcome of that person’s life for them, and for others in that town. Then smashing the statue and freeing the bird frees that person. That’s it.
The story and the characters are very simple and the setting lacks descriptive details, while the mystery of the so called “curse” lacks complexity and depth. The rushed ending was a disappointment and couldn’t have been any more bland. I know there was a message here and deeper meaning but it’s not that profound.
So much was left unfinished and at odds it seems. Elisa really wanted to leave with Tyler her old love but couldn’t. She told him to leave and poof he was gone just like that. How could she want to be with him and then just write him off in an instant? Allison gave Elisa a dour warning about Owen but nothing ever happened with that. Why did she warn her about Owen? That’s left unanswered. The three blue-haired ladies and the guitarist pop in and out of the story but we never really learn much about them. Elisa supposedly ends the curse and even though she’s always longed to stay in one place without becoming a tree, she never could do it. Once released she takes off again living the nomad life with Owen. So what does she really want, roots or to be free as a bird? Why not go back to her first love Tyler once she’s free to go?
The book title The Warbler appears to just be a random name for the book. The book cover depicts a tree with roots but the title is the name of a bird. Odd. There was no main character development related to a warbler. I kept waiting for the tie in of a warbler but that never happened. I think the author described the color of a warbler once and then again later when Elisa set a warbler free. Was Elisa supposed to have characteristics of a warbler? Where was warbler symbolism? Is Elisa supposed to be a warbler flying off rather than putting down roots? The book could have easily been named after one of the other caged birds that were set free because a warbler seems insignificant to the story, just as the other bird types are. Or, why not give the book a name related to trees? Anyway the name of the book and the cover seem at odds.
I bought this Kindle book, a February First Reads selection, and it says it’s not yet published. My thought is that it is a bit of a mess and needs more work.
I went in to this book thinking it would have an atmosphere and a mood and some mystery but no, it’s just a simple feel good story with nothing that seems magical, no mood and a shallow message.
Spoiler alert: The whole story and mystery of Elisa, her mother and grandmother turned out to be nothing more than a woman making a wish over a statue and simultaneously trapping a bird and determining the outcome of that person’s life for them, and for others in that town. Then smashing the statue and freeing the bird frees that person. That’s it.
The story and the characters are very simple and the setting lacks descriptive details, while the mystery of the so called “curse” lacks complexity and depth. The rushed ending was a disappointment and couldn’t have been any more bland. I know there was a message here and deeper meaning but it’s not that profound.
So much was left unfinished and at odds it seems. Elisa really wanted to leave with Tyler her old love but couldn’t. She told him to leave and poof he was gone just like that. How could she want to be with him and then just write him off in an instant? Allison gave Elisa a dour warning about Owen but nothing ever happened with that. Why did she warn her about Owen? That’s left unanswered. The three blue-haired ladies and the guitarist pop in and out of the story but we never really learn much about them. Elisa supposedly ends the curse and even though she’s always longed to stay in one place without becoming a tree, she never could do it. Once released she takes off again living the nomad life with Owen. So what does she really want, roots or to be free as a bird? Why not go back to her first love Tyler once she’s free to go?
The book title The Warbler appears to just be a random name for the book. The book cover depicts a tree with roots but the title is the name of a bird. Odd. There was no main character development related to a warbler. I kept waiting for the tie in of a warbler but that never happened. I think the author described the color of a warbler once and then again later when Elisa set a warbler free. Was Elisa supposed to have characteristics of a warbler? Where was warbler symbolism? Is Elisa supposed to be a warbler flying off rather than putting down roots? The book could have easily been named after one of the other caged birds that were set free because a warbler seems insignificant to the story, just as the other bird types are. Or, why not give the book a name related to trees? Anyway the name of the book and the cover seem at odds.
I bought this Kindle book, a February First Reads selection, and it says it’s not yet published. My thought is that it is a bit of a mess and needs more work.
September 25, 2024
The Warbler by Sarah Beth Durst
☀️☀️☀️⛅ (3.5 rounded down)
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
A mysterious tale of magical realism that was an enjoyable, albeit predictable, journey of womanhood across generations.
This book had a strong premise which I had no problems jumping on board with despite its oddity. The first act was relatively slow but informative; the second act was significantly better, though it does get bogged down by the ever-changing POVs; the third act was unfortunately where things fell apart for me. I can buy into the vague curse logic but the resolution of it in this form felt contradictory. I don't mind having unanswered questions but when many other aspects of the plot are heavy-handed and signposted a mile away, it is unsatisfying.
I liked Elisa as the main narrator, and her perspective is beautifully written - Durst's prose is generally very nice throughout. Being given Lori and Rose's context was helpful too, but it did slow down the pace significantly and left me ahead of Elisa by a long way in the final stretch. I struggled more with the male characters who all felt a bit underdeveloped in comparison to the women, though it's obviously a story focused on womanhood.
Overall I found this to be an enjoyable read but the predictability of the reveals and the odd logic of the magical realism elements left me a bit underwhelmed.
"I am a rock skimming the surface of a pond, wanting to make ripples but afraid I'll sink."
☀️☀️☀️⛅ (3.5 rounded down)
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
A mysterious tale of magical realism that was an enjoyable, albeit predictable, journey of womanhood across generations.
This book had a strong premise which I had no problems jumping on board with despite its oddity. The first act was relatively slow but informative; the second act was significantly better, though it does get bogged down by the ever-changing POVs; the third act was unfortunately where things fell apart for me. I can buy into the vague curse logic but the resolution of it in this form felt contradictory. I don't mind having unanswered questions but when many other aspects of the plot are heavy-handed and signposted a mile away, it is unsatisfying.
I liked Elisa as the main narrator, and her perspective is beautifully written - Durst's prose is generally very nice throughout. Being given Lori and Rose's context was helpful too, but it did slow down the pace significantly and left me ahead of Elisa by a long way in the final stretch. I struggled more with the male characters who all felt a bit underdeveloped in comparison to the women, though it's obviously a story focused on womanhood.
Overall I found this to be an enjoyable read but the predictability of the reveals and the odd logic of the magical realism elements left me a bit underwhelmed.
"I am a rock skimming the surface of a pond, wanting to make ripples but afraid I'll sink."
December 27, 2024
Starts slow then can't be put down! I loved the story and the magic which may or may not exist. Mystery, small town, magic. Characters get to tell their stories from where they are, but it all comes down to a woman who believes she cannot live in any one place for more than ten months or she will turn into a tree. Sounds wild, doesn't it? But she starts by telling us that her mother turned into a tree, a willow. She is on a mission to find the beginning of this curse, unraveling family secrets along the way. Great!
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