I love an eccentric book. This was definitely one of those kinds of stories. I liked the themes overall and enjoyed reading. Warning: it will make you a little emotional if you can connect to the story!

Sadly I didn’t connect with this book at all. I didn’t like the main character or the plot. It was very boring.

The way it’s marketed, I was expecting a spooky book. Not a weird skeleton in the backyard trying to teach life lessons.

I received an advanced copy of LITTLE BIRD FROM netGalley in exchange for an honest review.

After reading the summary, I expected Josie’s story to be horror—but it ended up being a funky, bizarre fantasy. Josie, having been through a divorce, is super relatable and her way of coping with it is not ideal but definitely realistic. Her talking to her dog, Po, hit a bit close to home for me.

As Josie’s life twists with her new neighbor, Sue, and the talking skeleton that appeared in her yard, Skelly, the story explores grief an coming to terms with things you can’t change. It gets sad and realistic, but there is a spark of underlying hope that makes you keep reading even when it’s hard.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it to folks who like weird stories that unpack some heavy emotions.

Wow. Wow. Wow. What an absolutely beautiful read! Little Bird takes you on the ride of Josie waking up one day to find a talking skeleton named Skelly after being divorced and having her father pass away. But not to fret, because Josie just needs Po, and that makes everything right. It hard to explain this book to someone who hasn’t read it. It’s magical and full of life lessons. It’s labeled horror, but I don’t really see that. The cover and title are what drew me to it, and I will admit the first bit of the book I was wondering what was going on and when something was going to happen. I had a tough time getting through the writing at first. But once you dive into it, it’s perfect. It’s beautiful and intriguing. A must read for ‘22!

TW's: alcoholism, parental death (mentioned, post story), grief, animal neglect

[ SPOILER FREE REVIEW ]

I'll be perfectly honest; this book really isn't for everyone. If you've read titles like "Vassa in the Night" and "Star Daughter", then you'll be no stranger to the weird and fantastical on a new level. However, Meuret brings together the idea of a skeleton in the backyard and the magic that follows it with a lot of realism. Skelly the skeleton, who makes me laugh as much as Josie and her little puppy sidekick, Po, is a constant reminder of grief and the idea of life which we often take for granted. I often found myself reading this and thinking the manner of human nature and psychology as strange and individual in its fleeting moment.

"Little Bird" however, is a struggle to read. It's not because I considered it slow or boring, but extremely informative with only eight days' worth of chapters that are very, very long. It's also categorized as 'horror' but I really don't think it fits into that genre given its off-kilter tale. Psychological, yes, but not horror. There are a few things I think readers need to know before picking this up. First and foremost: That grief, which is something that I've experienced from a very young age to the present, does make one understand and sympathize with Josie's plight. Infuriation might be a common factor for readers towards our MC, but suffering comes in a lot of different forms and though we might not understand them all, suffering is one of many branches that come with grief.

This is definitely a book I won't forget. It's something that I finished almost two weeks ago, and have considered every day before sitting down to write this. I can't wait until its finally out, so I can see it in the bookstore and think: "Ah, thanks for keeping me company in the dark."

I just finished this and I got to say. I am stunned. This book was amazing and 100% percent my taste. I get how some people might not like it but I LOVED it!! I will definitely buy a physical copy!

The cover is really beautiful and I wanted to like the book . I thought the descriptions and dialogue were a bit boring. I didn't get invested in the characters. I was also expecting a little more from the book being that it’s in the Horror category.

Little Bird was a very wild, off kilter tale, like nothing I’ve read before. I did not really empathize with Josie or really cared what happened to her throughout the story.

While very interesting, I just couldn’t connect with the protagonist or story.

"Forgive me, which pile of dirt would you like me to restore?
F*** you, you... Okay, what is your name?
Now you want to know?
It's finally a pertinent question. You can call me Skelly. Skelly. Skelly the skeleton.
Are you screwing with me?
It has a nice flow.
And what are your pronouns? She? He? Them?
She is fine.
Good to know. Well, on that note, f*** you, Skelly.
Charming."

4 ⭐'s

Story circles around Josie - our protagonist, who drowns herself in alcohol and isolates herself from outside world. She has lost her father, ended her marriage and has a rocky relationship with her mother. Her only companion is Po - her dog.
Everything changes, when one day, a talking skeleton and intrusive vines appears in her backyard. And at the same time, her new neighbor - Sue, starts to get more and more nosy with Josies life.

I'm not sure how I feel about this novel. Puzzled? Yes.
Did I fully understand this book or at the end, it answered my questions? No.
Can I put this book in horror genre, as it's noted in description? Not sure. For me, nothing I read in this book suggested me horror. Some vivid imagination could give you some feeling, but not really.

This strange story is about loss, sadness, heartache and being lost. Although it's fiction, if we focus on emotions and one's questionable life choices / consequences - story is realistic. Cover is really beautiful. :)

This type of weird fiction is not for everyone. Although this story was well written and lyrical, I was not the right reader for it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Black Spot Books for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Little Bird by Tiffany Meuret is an enticing look into the spiral of self-destruction that could happen to anyone. A story of rejection, displacement, and self-inflicted isolation; this is what happens when you feel like no one understands the real you, and no one cares to. Meuret brings the pain, confusion, and exhaustion of "doing the emotional work" into stark focus with sarcastic wit and beautiful metaphor.

Critical Review: (each item on a 10-point scale)
Voice and theme consistent: 9
I enjoyed the raw feel of the narrative voice. It remained firm and stubborn like the MC and provided the tone for the reader’s expectations from the characters.
Fulfilment of promises: 7
While the MCs end arc felt correct, it lacked the gritty depth of detail that the rest of the story had.
Realistic and multi-dimensional characters: 9
It was clear that the MC had more than one issue going on to put them in this predicament and the timeline never waivered.
World building: 8
Our world was clear from the narrative; however, object permanence and placement could be more solid in the context of the MCs navigation through their environment.
Grammar/Editing: 6
The text needs another line edit pass. Not bad enough to pull the reader from the story but noticeable to a seasoned reader.
Narrative voice: 10
Excellent.
Stylistic/Feel (subjective): 8
While quite engaging, some areas of the narrative felt somewhat rushed. Unfortunately, this was more noticeable during the MCs transition in the end. Additionally, the use of the blackouts and unreliable narrator throughout, while effective, did result in a few areas that could cause the reader to stumble over the details while trying to follow the sequence of events in those areas. Not bad, just slightly rushed feeling.
Development: 9
It is clear the entirety of the story was well understood by the author. Start to finish, we understand that we are on a journey.
Character arc conclusions: 6
While we understand better the motivation of the antagonist by the end, the mystery is left somewhat shrouded where the reader expects to have it all come together. Additionally, the MCs choice is left somewhat ambiguous and is entangled in an emotional and physical upheaval. Some deeper exposition of the MCs cathartic transition could help.
Story arc conclusion: 9
Quite satisfactory. The future of the MC is clear, and the supporting characters (including the dog) clearly have an ongoing role to play.
Final thoughts:
Extra points for having a dog character. Giving the dog feelings and expectations and even motivations is brilliant. Especially given the MCs use of the dog for a surrogate to provide the kind of support and care and purpose that the MC seemed to lack from the people in their life. At one point near the conclusion, the dog’s own POV becomes more apparent. I would like to have seen a bit more focus on that as a progression from the MC having no empathetic recognition of the dog’s needs to full empathy slowly building as the MC becomes more acutely aware of themselves.
Extra points again for using the MCs job as a construct to mirror their emotional distancing from not only the world but from their own emotional neglect. I might have liked to see the MC make a final proactive change in that job dynamic; however, the current conclusion gives it a nice “this is less than important to the MC” feel.
The Mom character conclusion is not my favorite. Some readers may wonder if the mom ever gets that thing the MC was hiding. That little dynamic seemed slightly petulant on both character’s parts; however, if the MC has reached a cathartic breakthrough, and mom thinks they are dead in an earthquake, I feel like it would be reasonable and an act of character growth for the MC to retrieve the bank and get it to the mom. It would feel right to me if the MC is better able to understand and empathize with the mom’s emotional needs and perspective in the end.

Josie insists that she's fine. Her husband left and her father has died, heartbreaks that Josie refuses to acknowledge. She's content to stay at home and work remotely, not leaving the house even for groceries. Her main food group is vodka, and she doesn't have any friends other than her chihuahua, Po. Josie has essentially locked herself away, as that is easier than dealing with the real world, and her emotions. But she's fine.

Then one day, vines take over her backyard, and with it a skeleton who refuses to let Josie give up and a neighbor who doesn't seemed phased by Josie's new outdoor decor. The story follows Josie as she attempts to figure out (hide from) both of these new interruptions into her life, even when they refuse to leave.

Little Bird was strange, quick, and beautiful. The writing flows, the characters are compelling, and despite the weirdness of the story, I could not put it down. It's a unique exploration of grief, loneliness, and self-destruction that hit me harder than I thought a story about strange backyard skeletons would. There's also touches of humor which helps make the story not overwhelmingly heavy.

I recommend this to anyone who likes their stories a little bit bizarre yet thought-provoking. I will definitely be thinking of this one for quite some time.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's difficult to describe or categorize this book as it is just so different. Essentially falling in the science fiction/fantasy genre but really some combination of the two. The main character is her own worst enemy but I didn't dislike her. Her mystical nemesis should be annoying but again, I didn't dislike her. Nothing is predictable and the journey we are taken on is mesmerising. The author has a flair for descriptive language yet the telling of the story is not dry.

Probably not a book for everyone, but if you like a quirky read and are prepared to suspend reality, enjoy a few curveballs and don't mind the main character's life choices being questioned, then give this a try.

LOVE the title and front cover.

I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

What a delight to read something weird and enjoy it! I didn't know what to expect going in to the story other than a lonely, drunk woman, a skeleton in her backyard, and a mysterious neighbor. The author did a great job conveying real emotion and well thought out characters in a shorter than usual story.
I will recommend it to my customers who like speculative fiction.
P. S. Gorgeous cover!

Josie is an alcoholic, divorced woman who works from home and whose only companion is a chihuahua named Po. Her father passed away, husband left her and her relationship with her mother is bleak. Basically she lives a very dull, lonely life.

That is until a mysterious plant starts to grow in her barren back yard. Oh and the human skeleton that she can communicate with appears with it.

This book was not at all what I expected but I enjoyed it non the less. Its a very weird story that has you hooked.

I really liked the cover and wanted to like the book . I thought the descriptions and dialogue were a bit overkill. I didn't get invested in the characters.

Josie is going through a divorce and grieving her dad. She lives alone shutting everyone out but her dog Poe. She doesn’t leave her house and vodka is considered an essential food group for Josie. When the vines in the backyard begin to have a mind of there own and a skeleton shows up in the middle of her garden talking and moving Josie thinks she’s finally gone crazy.
This book was so unique. Josie is relatable in a way that made me want me to be there for her. Such a good read.

4.5 Stars

Wow! This book was a surprise! The cover is what originally grabbed my attention, but as soon as I started reading the book, I didn’t want to put it down. I will definitely be adding the physical copy to my collection.

The book is about Josie, Po, Skelly and Sue. I should say Po is a cute little dog, Skelly is a talking skeleton, Sue is the nosy neighbor and Josie has many issues. This book is very sad on so many levels. I’m not even sure if I totally understood all that was going on, but I still quite enjoyed it. I look forward to a slow reread and highlighting!

If you’re looking for something different, this book is the one. Some will like it some won’t. All I can say is, try the book!

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

*Thank you to Netgalley and Black Spot Books for a copy of this book.

This was a strange little novel which, pardon the pun, flew by with it’s fast pacing and interesting narrative. The main protagonist is an alcoholic who lives with her dog and is seeing something in her garden. Whilst this is marked as horror, I’m not sure it is. It’s more about heartache and loss, with a few fantastical elements. Who would I recommend this to? Y’know, I’m not sure - perhaps someone who enjoyed A Monster Calls or something like that, it’s certainly not what I went in expecting (but in a good way). So, yeah, check this one out if you’re in the mood for cathartic reading.

I'm not sure how I felt about this one. The writing was solid, not overly descriptive or flowery (despite what the cover might suggest). It didn't feel like a first offering. The main character was well-developed and believable. Not likable or sympathetic by any stretch, but certainly believable. The few secondary characters weren't quite so fleshed out (even Skelly, no pun intended) but it wasn't a huge issue for me.
The story, though, I don't know. I think it may have been a bit too ~literary~ for my taste. I'm more of a genre reader, and I was looking forward to something a bit spooky and weird. This was neither. No, really. Despite the sentient plants and the animate skeleton, it was a pretty straightforward story about loss and being lost and somehow finding a way out of it. It was ok, just, unlike the sentient vines, it didn't really grab me. Not much happened, we never received any real answers, and somehow, even though something big and scary was hinted at, the stakes always felt very low.
It was an interesting idea and the writing was good, I just wasn't the right reader.

Little Bird by Tiffany Meuret is an odd little read that twists what you think you know about life's hardships and makes you contemplate what a "likable" character is. Meuret's novel reads much like a short story which made it somewhat difficult to commit to the length of the text early on, but you certainly won't regret sticking with it! Josie's simple but sad life is entirely upended by the oddity that is Skelly and her nosy new neighbor, Sue. Before she knows it, Josie is pulled into making a deal that she doesn't even understand. What does Skelly want from her? What does Sue know? And why won't anyone just leave her alone? The realistic characterization of three unique characters and one lovable and opinionated dog urges readers to reflect inward before making snap judgments. The story is approachable enough for a teen audience, but the sophistication of the writing makes it more appropriate for adult readers. The line between right and wrong and good and bad is blurry. There is no black and white; Meuret's writing lives in the greys and ultimately this makes it a hard story to put down.