Review – Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber (4.5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Magical Realism
Length: 336 pages
Publisher: Forge Books
Release Date: July 16, 2019
ISBN-13: 978-1250198594
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Borrowed from Library
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

“Nestled in the mountain shadows of Alabama lies the little town of Wicklow. It is here that Anna Kate has returned to bury her beloved Granny Zee, owner of the Blackbird Café.

It was supposed to be a quick trip to close the café and settle her grandmother’s estate, but despite her best intentions to avoid forming ties or even getting to know her father’s side of the family, Anna Kate finds herself inexplicably drawn to the quirky Southern town her mother ran away from so many years ago, and the mysterious blackbird pie everybody can’t stop talking about.

As the truth about her past slowly becomes clear, Anna Kate will need to decide if this lone blackbird will finally be able to take her broken wings and fly.”

This was a great feel good type of read with a mystery and some magical realism. It reminded me a lot of Sarah Allen Addison’s books (“Garden Spells”). I enjoyed it and thought it was a comforting and intriguing read.

Anna Kate has come to the little town of Wicklow, Alabama to bury her grandmother and run a cafe. As part of her grandma’s will she has to run the Blackbird Cafe for a few months before being able to sell it. Anna Kate is determined to leave to go back to school and get her medical degree at the end of the summer, however she is unprepared for all the mysteries and wonders that await her in Wicklow.

This was one of those books that is part mystery, part soap opera, and part magic. The story alternates between two young women who are both dealing with traumatic pasts and life events. They end up having a painful history between their families and decide to work to combat this past to try and mend things between the families.

There is a love story entwined here as well, as both young women end up meeting young men who tie them back to the town. However, the bulk of the story is about these two families and healing them. Tied in with the above is the mystery of the blackbirds that appear only at midnight and the strange properties of the pie made in the Blackbird Cafe.

This was a beautiful and calming read, it leaves you feeling happy and was engaging. I read it very quickly and enjoyed it quite a bit.

Overall I really enjoyed this and plan on picking up future books by this author. This is one of those magical realism reads that blends themes of healing, family, and finding both new love and a place of belonging. If you are a fan of Sarah Allen Addison, I would definitely recommend…this book reminded me a lot of Addison’s novels.