I had a really hard time enjoying the plot of this book, it just did not hook me nor did it make me want more. However, the author's writing was absolutely suberb in every way!

The book itself was very short and divided not into chapter but into days (8 days to be precise). Over the course of the 8 days our main character Josie seems to be in the middle of a life crisis where she drinks and basically does nothing but work when vines start to grow outside and she is visited by a skeleton called Skelly. Josie can control the vines and Skelly likes to dispel really confusing life knowledge. In addition her new neighbour Sue also knows Skelly and can also control foliage to some degree. And so the story goes, mostly following Josie in her mundane life tasks, narrating her emails, her weird conversations with Skelly, tea with Sue, exploration of her relationship with her mother and just general boring activities with her dog.

This is not the sort of book I would usually read and truly I struggled greatly with it. Thankfully it was short and sweet.

I recommend this book if you like reading how characters experiencing extensional life crises deal with it it rather odd ways. For the me writer's exquisite command of the English language saved this book because the plot did not resonate with me at all.

„She was either crazy or she was talking to the dead. Either way, she was utterly fucked.”

welp, that was disappointing…
It started off good. I sympathized with the mc and her dog and then the skeleton but then they talked about some stories and i was so uninterested that the entire thing seemed boring to me. i was waiting the entire time for something interesting to happen but nothing…
i also dont really get how its supposed to be horror when legit nothing happens except for a skeleton being in the backyard and since the first description of it was “halloween decoration“, i pictured it so uncreepy the entire time (which wasnt very helpful in such a boring story)
non of the relationships or the “character development” made sense to me. they all just seemed to act best fit for what the author wanted instead of actually making sense to the characters.
it was such a small book but still i felt like it took me ages to finish cuz nothing was going on😭 wish i would’ve just dnfed this at 25% when i wanted to…

(thanks netgalley for the book tho!!)

This book was strange. Even now, after having read the book and letting myself think for a week or two before writing this review, I’m really not sure how I feel about it entirely. It’s the type of book you will either love or hate.

The ending, and many things that happen in the story are up for interpretation. Many of the fantasy elements within the book are not well explained, through it is purposeful. This is one of those books where the reader is meant to come up with their own meaning. Some people like that, others don’t, so take that as you will.

The writing within the book is phenomenal, and wholly unique. I can genuinely say I’ve never read a book like this in my life. The writing was poetic and darkly humorous while dealing with tough topics. The main character deals with grief, alcoholism, and agoraphobia. All of these topics are written in an honest an truthful manner. As the main character starts to descend into her madness, so does the story. The plot becomes more and more abnormal as the main character spirals further into her alcoholism and agoraphobia. The settings become more atmospheric as scenes were described in ways both eerie and beautiful.

The ending was the most confusing part about the book. We are set up for major character development, but that never really happens. Instead, the main character seems to evolve into someone else entirely. For me, the ending represents the main character overcome by her mental illness, and her eventual passing into the afterlife where she serves to help others in need. I would really like to hear other reader’s interpretations of what exactly the book (and ending) represented, as I believe it would be a bit different for everyone.

Overall, this book was odd, but entirely unique. It was eerie, atmospheric, and thought-provoking.

I would recommend this to: Anyone looking for a book dealing with tough topics that contains a lot of depth.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was very strange...but not in a bad way. Just strange.

Little Bird is about middle aged Josie, a white woman who owns a freelance company that settles customer disputes. Josie has been hit hard by the death of her father and dissolution of her marriage. To cope, Josie spends most her time working, playing with her dog and drinks copious amounts of vodka. One day, Josie notices a new vine plant has sprouted in her yard and a new neighbor has moved in. Then a magical skull comes with it as the plant continues to grow. Josie knows something big is about to happen, but she's not sure what it is or why it's picked her.

This was a very atmospheric story. The creepy element of the menacing and magical skull/skeleton was done so well. I liked how there was always tension in the scenes. Josie was an interesting character, though her alcoholism didn't really endear her to me. I didn't hate her either, I just felt like she was letting her life spin out of control because she didn't know how to do anything else. Really, she probably needed some therapy.

The ending was not something I guessed would happen, but it made a lot of sense. I liked that Josie eventually befriends her nosy neighbor, Sue. Sue was such a sweetheart and tries to take care of everyone. I liked the dynamic between these two even when Josie was a huge grump to her.

Overall, this was interesting but strange. I would recommend this to people who enjoy character driven stories.

Rep: white alcoholic female MC, female skeleton side character (like literally a skeleton), white female side character.

CWs: Alcohol consumption, alcoholism, grief. Moderate: death, death of parent, terminal illness (all happened before start of book, mentioned as flashbacks).

The cover for this book is beautiful, and so is the story! You could put yourself in the Mc shoes. Fab story, I really recommend

Little Bird
by Tiffany Meuret
This is another amazing NetGalley book! I want to thank them and the publisher for letting me read this terrific fantasy! Wow!

A gal with her little dog Po keeps to the house and she works from there. She doesn't venture out. She drinks, a lot. Her father died and she just couldn't cope. She drove away everyone with her drinking, mother, husband, and friends.

She doesn't even keep up with her yard. Dry and barren. Until it wasn't.
A vine popped up. Then more. Along with it came a skeleton. Then it began to talk with her. About the same time, a nosy neighbor moved in.
She knows what is happening.

This book reveals itself like the flowers on the vines. Slowly, beautifully, and tantalizing the reader! A true delight!

This book was a cover request for me but I was not disappointed. It was intriguing from page one. The writing was beautiful but not too over the top and has one of the best relatable main characters I’ve ever read. You can easily place yourself in the main characters shoes. This was a beautiful yet stinging story about grief, loss, and self destruction. The fantasy element was well done and kept me guessing. This was a delightful read & I look forward to more by this author.

Josie is freshly divorced and grieving the death of her beloved father. Little by little, she shuts herself off to the outside world by working from home via her online business, ordering her groceries online, and ignoring anyone within a 50 block radius. Josie is convinced that the only companions she needs in this world is her little dog, Po and vodka. However, when a nosey neighbor and mysterious talking skeleton show up on her doorstep, they are determined to break through her barriers and get Josie to open up about a past that she much prefers to stay buried.
Little Bird is a captivating, twisted and dark tragedy that seems simple on the surface. In all actuality, it has a complex and unique plot and sub-plot that weave together beautifully. This book is difficult to categorize because while it does have clear elements of fantasy and sci-fi, it also tells a tale that anyone who has dealt with true grief and tragedy will immediately recognize. This is not a story for everyone. It evokes real emotions and could potentially be triggering for those struggling with deep loss or depression. I would have liked more clarity in regards to the ending, but I would definitely still recommend to a friend. If you are looking for depth, tragedy, and intrigue, this is your book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Black Spot Books for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Little Bird will be released June 7, 2022!
My review will be posted on my blog on instagram at http://instagram.com/bumbling.bibliophile/ and Amazon in the near future.

What an odd but interesting book. It was not at all what I expected but take nothing at face value and enjoy the story as it unfolds. The writing felt a bit like Gaiman mixed with Robbins on a way I can't quite put a finger on but that fanatical quality around it.

2,5✨

I must say that I was attracted by the cover, it is exquisite! And it adds nicely to the atmosphere created by the author.
I started this book with no expectations so I can't say that it disappointed me. The thing with this book is that I wasn't interested in Josie's life story at all. I couldn't make me care for her. Instead I was drawn to Skelly's story. If at the beginning I saw this being just as a sarcastic and an interesting one, at the end I saw in the depths of this character and I could sense its sadness and loneliness. Her stories and her thoughts kept me reading this book.
I also liked the thing that the book surprised me at the end.

”You think of yourself quite a patron of it, but in reality, you loathe darkness. The shadows do not suit you any more than they suit me. Many can, and do, thrive in such gloom, but you and I are not it.”

Thank you for the chance to read this story!

This book is a quirky, paranormal urban fantasy tale about Josie and her dog Po. It’s reads as a sort of dark fairytale, which I loved a lot.

Josie is struggling with lots of things in her life: a recently failed marriage, losing her father who she was very close with, working in a job she hates and a strained relationship with her mother. She’s a functioning alcoholic and sort of hits rock bottom throughout the story. Her garden gets taken over by sentient plants and a talking skeleton who forces her to confront her problems and make a choice: to continue on with life the way she has been or to accept change and strive for something better.

This book was such a surprise. It’s funny, quirky and also tackles some pretty heavy themes. Josie is a relatable protagonist. It gets quite dark and bleak as the story goes on, but is also emotional and insightful. I found the story overall to be quite sad, but the ending does hold it’s own kind of hope depending on how you look at things. I liked the way the story is told and I found it very interesting that there are lots of ways the ending could be interpreted.

Overall, I loved this book and I would definitely recommend it to others who like fantasy with a quirky, dark twist.

Trigger warnings for this book around alcoholism and depression.

Thank you to Netgalley and Black Spot Books for an eARC of this book.

Firstly, The cover of this book is very beautiful. I really love the skeleton, flowers, and little dog against the black background. If I saw this at the library or bookstore I would definitely pick it up to read the synopsis based on the cover.
When I read the description of this book, I was expecting something a bit more horrifying in content since the plot summary mentioned a talking skeleton. However, in a lot of ways this story is charming and reminds me more of “The House by The Cerulean Sea”; the fantasy genre. It’s more about a found family and it’s quite sad.
For me, I wish some things had been more explained, like Skelly, and the ending, but overall enjoyed this book.
Thank you Black Spot Books and NetGalley for my ARC.

Little Bird is a quirky little paranormal urban fantasy tale. From the cover art to the plot I feel like this was very aggressively marketed toward me and it did not disappoint.

We follow Josie, a girl approaching rock bottom after the loss of her father/best friend and subsequent failed marriage. As Josie tries to process her grief, she cuts herself off from the outside world, only finding comfort in her chihuahua Po and her stash of vodka. When a nosy neighbor and sentient back yard skeleton force their way into Josie’s life, she’s forced to make a choice; continue to allow her life to collapse in on itself or accept change and find a way to move forward?

Possibly an acquired taste, bleak and evocative, charming and insightful, with a sprinkle of humor and a deluge of weird, Little Bird, while short, is meant to be savored. I wouldn’t be surprised if I came back to this one again.

“Little Bird” is a strange and yet profound tale about grief, loss and the struggle of just existing as a human being..

Josie is a functioning alcoholic and has burned many bridges in her life. The only things she has left are her job and her dog Po. One day, strange vines start to appear in her yard, and a weird talking skeleton (aptly named Skelly). A new nosy neighbor also moves into the neighborhood, and is taking an interest in Josie. In just a few short days, Josie’s life changes in unexpected ways and she will have to make a decision: stay where she is or move on with her life.

The first 50% of this novel were a bit confusing for me, but around halfway through I started to really connect to Josie and her struggles. Everyone who has ever struggled with mental illness will understand some of the things she struggles with and is going through, and Tiffany Meuret has a poetic yet straight to the point style of writing about it.

I cried a few times during my read of “Little Bird”, mainly at parts that involved Josie’s relationship with her dog Po. As a dog owner myself, the talks with Po and the feelings about him really hit close to home. He is Josie’s lifeline and it really shows.

I’m not sure I would call this story exactly hopeful, but it is something akin to that. I have many ideas and interpretations about the ending and the general plot, but these are of course spoiler territory so I won’t talk about them in this review. I’m excited for this book to come out so that I will be able to talk to other readers about all my theories!

The cover is truly beautiful and stunning and perfectly fits the vibe of the book.

This book was a lot darker and more realistic than I expected, and I think you need to be in the right state of mind to read it. If you are currently struggling with depression or similar mental health issues, I would wait to pick up this book until you are in a better place mentally, because some of the things in here could be triggering.

All in all, I really enjoyed this story and would definitely recommend it to people who enjoy weirdly poetic and absurd stories about sad things.

(Thank you to NetGalley, Tiffany Meuret and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for this book in exchange for my honest feedback. All opinions in this review are my own.)

This story won't be for everyone but that's alright. It's not supposed to be. I have maybe (definitely) been scrolling through TikTok too much lately but "the girls that get it, get it... and the girls that don't, don't." It was a strange, eclectic story and I loved it. I didn't know what to expect or where this tale was going. I found myself reading all night to learn more about Skelly, about Josie, Sue, sweet Po, and what their fates would be.

I can relate to Josie so much. I've been there. The self isolation, the irritability, the moments of salvation that come in the bond with ones dog, ooof. It was a bit of a gut punch, but not in a bad way. Instead, it gave me a sense of connection. Not unlike the interconnectedness of the siren network. And I found that to be comforting and beautiful. Little Bird was a winner for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Tiffany Meuret for this ARC.

I am really having a hard time putting into words on how much I enjoyed this story. Josie was a very relatable character and I really could see myself in her. From her not wanting to leave the house to her mental issues. There are days I don't want to leave the house and deal with people.. I really don't know how much I can say without spoiling it. I don't know if this was Tiffany Meuret intent but I felt like this was showing how dark and alone mental illness can make you feel. Like the vines closing in on you in your brain. I will be buying a physical copy of this book once it comes out, I can see myself rereading this over and over again. I will also recommend this book to all my friends and family. Thank you Black Spot Books, , Netgalley and Tiffany Meuret letting read and review this book.

Read through netgalley. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. It’s the story of josie and her little dog po. Josie has quite a few problems and including drinking herself into oblivion. One morning she finds a vine and talking skeleton which sounds ridiculous but actually is very good. I wasn’t sure about the ending though. I don’t know what I would have wanted differently but it wasn’t what I had wanted (if that makes sense). Overall a good book though and would definitely find more from this author

(I've recieved a copy from Netgalley. All opinions are honest and my own)

Little Bird by Tiffany Meuret is a phenomenal read. The plot follows alcoholic and social recluse Josie Lauer as she copes with her grief, her dog Poe and the strange ass skeleton that's popped up in her back yard, alongside some vines straight out of a horror movie. Oh and there's Sue, a neighbour who knows more than they let on about the vine apocalypse going on in Josie's own back garden.

Honestly I loved all the characters, each one was unqie and had their own idiosyncracies. Skelly, Josie and Sue make up for a wonderful cast of an unlikely trio. The plot was somewhat easy to follow, I feel like it could need some ironing out. The pacing was good and didn't lag or move too fast for comfort, with details being given at the perfect time. The emotional beats really resonated within me and dare I say I related very well to Josie at her lowest points, more so that I would like to admit.

My only nitpick with this were the inclusion of secondary characters and the roles they played seemed to be more passive than active in the narrative.. The book is perfect for anyone expecting a light read with heavy messages relating to grief, moving on and finding purpose.

A good read that'll be sure to take you on a journey you never knew was worth taking.

On first view, this book looks like a light read, but actually beneath all the humour, is a sad little tale. Josie is in a bad space at the start of this book: grieving the death of her dad, smarting from the break up of her marriage, a functioning alcoholic who works at home on a computer and is happy to talk to no one. She does have a little dog Po however to keep her company. Thereafter the story shifts into urban fantasy in a unique and original way. Jodie’s life will never be the same again! Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

"This was going to be a nightmare. Which was certainly true, but not for any of the reasons she expected"
"The skeleton was not gone"
"Skelly. Skelly the skeleton. Are you screwing with me?"
This book was amazing.
It truly felt like an awakening... I bet that around the world, there are so many Josie who should find the time to read this book!
Truth is , it wasn't at all what I was expecting!
The title and the initial synopsis had given me the idea of a perfect halloween-vibes book with fantasy and mystery and maybe some fun time in the middle... but I wasn't prepared for the emotional and the psychological lesson it tried to teach me.
After feeling lost and alone and lonely, after hiding so much, for so long and pretending it's all fine, a final peace is more than you think you deserve.
"What you think you deserve and what you actually deserve often don't align, Little Bird"
I can't shake the feeling that this book was way more than a weird skeleton named Skelly, some crazy vines and an uncommon neighbour, disturbing the quite usual and boring life of a drunk woman and her dog.
This story was about freedom. This book was about giving some sort of rest to someone who left it all behind with more than a little regret.
It cut deeper into something personal that everyone can relate to but maybe we're not ready to face yet.
But it gives you also perspective when it comes to valuing what and who is really important in your life... who's gonna stay there at the end.
"Not every cry begs a response. Some people just need to scream"
"That's where you are wrong, Josie dear. For your Skill, as she's named herself, never goes where she's not invited"
"(about stories) They never mean what you think they mean. They're puzzles, constantly scattering against the breath that births them"