Praise for Where the Sweet Bird Sings
Finalist in 15 Bytes Book Award for Fiction
Artists of Utah September 9, 2018
"Where the Sweet Bird Sings, whose title is a nod to family trees, built and prized by genealogists, delights the reader with its satisfying pace and gratifying conclusion"...read more
Ella Joy Olsen Returns to Salt lake City Setting for New Novel Exploring Family Secrets
The Salt Lake Tribune August 11, 2017
"Drawing on her interest in genealogy to craft the story of a disease passed down through generations via a family secret and how it might affect a marriage"...read more
Shelf Awareness for Readers
September 19, 2017
"Ella Joy Olsen (Root, Petal, Thorn) has created an absorbing novel. Emma's grief is vivid, and her quest to find out more about herself is universal. Avid genealogists are sure to enjoy reading about Emma's research, and even novices will be intrigued by the way Olsen slowly unfolds the story, connecting events from Emma's past with the fraught relationships of her present. A charming, interesting story, Where the Sweet Bird Sings is an excellent blend of history, mystery, loss and familial connection." -- Jessica Howard, bookseller at Bookmans...read more
BookTrib
August 25, 2017
"With elegant prose and vivid description, Olsen has created a story of loss and resilience, and the intricacies of what binds us" ...read more
Good Things Utah - What Secrets Lie in Your Family Tree
Television Segment September 5. 2017
Watch Here
Huffington Post
"In Where the Sweet Bird Sings, Olsen immerses us in the life and history of Emma as she struggles to find her place and new purpose in the world after the death of her infant to a rare genetic disorder. In a beautiful twist, Olsen links readers to her first novel Root, Petal, Thorn in a way that will delight."
RT Book Reviews
“With clearly drawn, authentic, and endearing characters, and a well-crafted plot filled with subtle tension, Olsen’s latest is a meaningful read. Her thought-provoking storytelling is filled with beautiful language and stark with honest, heartfelt emotion, and delicately navigates the world of Emma and Noah as they deal with the aftermath of loss and struggle through their marriage. A wonderfully tender story, readers will not be able to put this one down.”
Library Journal
"Olsen’s (Root, Petal, Thorn) protagonist Emma loses her beloved grandpa just a year after she and her husband, Noah, lost their baby boy to a rare genetic disease. Her grief and fear prevent her from considering having another child, and she’s not even sure if she should continue being married. Should she set Noah free so he can move on and have a biological child with someone else? Cleaning out her grandpa’s house is supposed to provide some distance and distraction, but secrets tucked away in a roll-top desk that’s no longer off limits catapult her into a searing quest to learn her family’s true history while she contemplates her future...An absorbing novel about a family’s yesterday, today, and tomorrow."
Artists of Utah September 9, 2018
"Where the Sweet Bird Sings, whose title is a nod to family trees, built and prized by genealogists, delights the reader with its satisfying pace and gratifying conclusion"...read more
Ella Joy Olsen Returns to Salt lake City Setting for New Novel Exploring Family Secrets
The Salt Lake Tribune August 11, 2017
"Drawing on her interest in genealogy to craft the story of a disease passed down through generations via a family secret and how it might affect a marriage"...read more
Shelf Awareness for Readers
September 19, 2017
"Ella Joy Olsen (Root, Petal, Thorn) has created an absorbing novel. Emma's grief is vivid, and her quest to find out more about herself is universal. Avid genealogists are sure to enjoy reading about Emma's research, and even novices will be intrigued by the way Olsen slowly unfolds the story, connecting events from Emma's past with the fraught relationships of her present. A charming, interesting story, Where the Sweet Bird Sings is an excellent blend of history, mystery, loss and familial connection." -- Jessica Howard, bookseller at Bookmans...read more
BookTrib
August 25, 2017
"With elegant prose and vivid description, Olsen has created a story of loss and resilience, and the intricacies of what binds us" ...read more
Good Things Utah - What Secrets Lie in Your Family Tree
Television Segment September 5. 2017
Watch Here
Huffington Post
"In Where the Sweet Bird Sings, Olsen immerses us in the life and history of Emma as she struggles to find her place and new purpose in the world after the death of her infant to a rare genetic disorder. In a beautiful twist, Olsen links readers to her first novel Root, Petal, Thorn in a way that will delight."
RT Book Reviews
“With clearly drawn, authentic, and endearing characters, and a well-crafted plot filled with subtle tension, Olsen’s latest is a meaningful read. Her thought-provoking storytelling is filled with beautiful language and stark with honest, heartfelt emotion, and delicately navigates the world of Emma and Noah as they deal with the aftermath of loss and struggle through their marriage. A wonderfully tender story, readers will not be able to put this one down.”
Library Journal
"Olsen’s (Root, Petal, Thorn) protagonist Emma loses her beloved grandpa just a year after she and her husband, Noah, lost their baby boy to a rare genetic disease. Her grief and fear prevent her from considering having another child, and she’s not even sure if she should continue being married. Should she set Noah free so he can move on and have a biological child with someone else? Cleaning out her grandpa’s house is supposed to provide some distance and distraction, but secrets tucked away in a roll-top desk that’s no longer off limits catapult her into a searing quest to learn her family’s true history while she contemplates her future...An absorbing novel about a family’s yesterday, today, and tomorrow."
Blurbs
"In Where the Sweet Bird Sings, Ella Joy Olsen explores loss, grief, and family secrets. And show us that although DNA may explain a great deal about the relationships between mothers and sons, sisters and brothers, grandchildren and grandparents, it is love, not genetics, that makes a family." - Julie Lawson Timmer, author of Five Days Left and Untethered
"With heart and skill, Ella Joy Olsen has created characters whose lives and stories will resonate with readers. Where the Sweet Bird Sings is a compelling story that will captivate lovers of vulnerable, bold fiction." - Marybeth Whalen, author of The Things We Wish Were True and When We Were Worthy, and co-founder of She Reads
"This beautifully written story takes a fresh look at grief, as a young mother searches for her identity and finds answers, solace, and healing in her family's past. Where the Sweet Bird Sings is a must-read for lovers of book club fiction." - Barbara Claypole White, bestselling author of Echoes of Family
"Filled with secrets spanning several generations, Where the Sweet Bird Sings is an exploration into what it means to be a family and how lies threaten the bonds between the people who are supposed to know each other best. Olsen's gorgeous prose draws you in from the first page and as the mystery unravels, you'll find yourself turning the pages faster and faster. A heartwarming read of love, letting go, and ultimately, finding yourself." - Jamie Raintree, author of Perfectly Undone
"With heart and skill, Ella Joy Olsen has created characters whose lives and stories will resonate with readers. Where the Sweet Bird Sings is a compelling story that will captivate lovers of vulnerable, bold fiction." - Marybeth Whalen, author of The Things We Wish Were True and When We Were Worthy, and co-founder of She Reads
"This beautifully written story takes a fresh look at grief, as a young mother searches for her identity and finds answers, solace, and healing in her family's past. Where the Sweet Bird Sings is a must-read for lovers of book club fiction." - Barbara Claypole White, bestselling author of Echoes of Family
"Filled with secrets spanning several generations, Where the Sweet Bird Sings is an exploration into what it means to be a family and how lies threaten the bonds between the people who are supposed to know each other best. Olsen's gorgeous prose draws you in from the first page and as the mystery unravels, you'll find yourself turning the pages faster and faster. A heartwarming read of love, letting go, and ultimately, finding yourself." - Jamie Raintree, author of Perfectly Undone