Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe: A Novel Kindle Edition

This book is everything I want my writing to be. Immersively descriptive. Emotional. I even teared up over the death of some zucchini plants.The protagonist is Anna Kate Callow who came to Wicklow when her grandmother Zee passed away and left her the Blackbird Cafe. Anna Kate inherits only if she spends two months running the cafe. She has help in Len and Bow, two mysterious people who showed up over 20 years before and never left.Despite being Zee's granddaughter, Anna Kate has never stepped foot in Wicklow. Her pregnant mother left after Anna Kate's father died in a car crash and she was accused of murder. Her mother wouldn't talk about Anna Kate's father, what happened, or anything to do with Wicklow and its denizens. But Anna Kate learned about the town and the cafe through her grandmother's fantastic stories about blackbirds and magical pies that enable people to get messages from loved ones who have passed on.Anna Kate's father was the son of the town doctor. His wife Seelie believes Anna Kate's mother murdered her son. Fearing they would try to get custody of Anna Kate, no one ever told them that Anna Kate's mother was pregnant when she left town.Now Anna Kate is taking over the cafe, and the whole town is talking. Long-buried secrets are unearthed, families and friendships are forged, and Anna Kate gradually uncovers the mystery behind the pies and the blackbirds, discovers a new family, and makes peace with her life.I unabashedly loved this novel. It's set in a fictional Alabama town, and every page oozes with the sights, sounds, smells, and even the textures of the south. I grew up in small town west Tennesse, and this book evoked the best of those years.My own novels are set in the South, but I have a lot to learn to make them as immersive and evocative as this amazing novel.The novel isn't perfect. I struggled with the multiple First Person POV, a POV I, personally, do not like. I understood why she made the POV choices she made, and at one level I could appreciate her technique. I simply don't like First Person Multiple. I honestly didn't see anything here that would have been lost if the novel had been in close Third Limited.That was, overall, just a personal preference and not really a weakness of the book, so I gave it a solid 5 stars. Beautiful-but-still-accessible writing, deeply drawn characters, and a seamless injection of magic. I definitely recommend the novel and hope someday I can write something equally amazing.

This novel is a delightful story of forgiveness and discovery. Protagonist Anna Kate Callow must return to her mother's hometown according to the terms of her grandmother's will. Anna Kate is obligated to spend two months operating her grandmother Zee's Blackbird Café before she heads off to medical school. But this isn't just any little café. Zee has served special pies called "Blackbird" Pies for years. Although the pies are actually fruit pies (no birds in the recipe), they have a special ingredient and magical power that, according to local legend in the small Alabama town, will cause anyone who eats a piece of the pie to receive special messages from their deceased loved ones in the form of dreams on the nights they have consumed the pies. Supposedly, blackbirds will arrive at midnight to sing the songs that are translated into dreams. Not everyone in the town believes in the messages, but others swear by them. What makes the homecoming hard for Anna Kate is that her father, AJ, died in a car wreck before she was born. Her grandmother on her father's side blames Anna Kate's mother Eden for AJ's death, even claiming that Eden had the wreck on purpose because AJ was going to break up with her at his mother's request. Eden was so mad about these accusations that she left town without even telling AJ's parents that she was pregnant, so they have never even seen their granddaughter until the action picks up in this book. With that bit of the initial conflicts shared, I'll say what I enjoyed reading the most were Anna Kate's interactions, connections, and growing attachment to the town, its inhabitants, the blackbirds and the pies. There is even a big surprise about the long-ago fatal wreck. Author Heather Webber did an outstanding job of making the characters jump off the pages. It's a fun read, whether you believe in the magical blackbirds or not.

This book was an easy read. It flowed well. The story was delightful. Great ending, follow your heart. But it

I could not put this book down! The author has magically woven together characters and the town of Wicklow, describing everything so vividly that you can "see" the town and want to be there as the story unfolds. The plot is not like any other story I have read, and I loved reading how the characters grew, learned to forgive, and love each other. It is one of the best books I have ever read.

Anna Kate has returned to her Granny's hometown when her Grandmother dies. In order to get her inheritance she must run her Granny's cafe for a little while.Anna Kate get sucked into the town and rekindles old relationships and unearths some secrets that lead to more questions. Some secrets should just stay buried.The blackbird pies served at the cafe are special and Anna Kate has to figure out the secret to the pies in order to keep people happy but she does not have her Granny to help her and she never learned the family secret to the pies.A good story about family and what is important.

A nice read with a feel good vibe with a big fantasy ingredient thrown in. A quick read and interesting characters flesh out the plot.

This was the perfect summer read when you want to feel something summery but also a little bit witchy. It was a perfectly woven story on family secrets, healing, and a little bit of sugary magic.

Relatable characters trying to make it through some hard times. Honesty dealing with grief but humor as well. I would recommend for a clean read.

Such a tender and sweet little tale of mystical birds and folklore. Of grief , secrets and forgiveness all woven together with the threads of family, friendship and good old nature.

Un regalo Quindi non saprei

A different tack for the author who used to write as Heather Blake. Very much enjoyed this book and have re-read it more than once and it doesn't pall. Clever twists in the plot, as usual. She never disappoints!

Absolutely loved this novel. Made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Such a feel good story.

Heather Webber spins a tale about pies, 24 blackbirds and a midnight chorus that when threaded together have, it is suggested, the ability to brings messages from the dead to those who mourn their passing.The premise is a good one, the characters reasonably well-crafted, but I struggled to find little to either engage or keep my interest. There are few surprises and in fact little imagination is needed to see how things will shake out in the end.A pleasant read that filled a few hours, but it’s unlikely I’ll be in the market for any of her other books.