👀 is gothic horror romance my new thing?! 👀🙊
Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an early read of this one!
Starling House should be on your list to read this spooky season if you’re into southern gothic horror! These characters were well developed & interesting, even the side characters were great. The house? Also a character…and my personal favorite one too 😂 Another very atmospheric read, which is something I NEED in my horror books! Lots of stories within this story, and a whole mystery that unfolds. I loved the pacing and the way this read. It’s a bit on the slower side but still kept my interest the entire way to the end!

Starling House is a southern gothic fairy tale that is somehow both romantic and eerie. One of my favorite parts of the book is the footnotes sprinkled throughout that both give the reader more information, and more questions. The writing itself was beautiful and vivid, and I definitely laughed at some of Opal’s thoughts. I finished the book in a day because it kept me so engaged. My only regret with this book is that I didn’t read it on a rainy fall day!

[Review to be published on Nerds of a Feather on 27 July]

Let’s get this out of the way first: I loved this book---I loved it so, so much. I stayed up well after 3am to finish it, and I can’t remember the last time I did that. This book is great: moody, tender, dark, touching, and fierce. There is a sentient house. There are monsters. And, crucially, it ends well. To be honest, that’s really all I feel you need in order to know whether you want to read it. If the moods and features I just listed strike your fancy, then quite readin gthis review and just go read the book.

If, however, you want to know more about why I loved it so much, well, I won’t object to your continued attention. It’s about Opal, a high school dropout in her mid-twenties who’s spent the last decade looking after her little brother Jasper after the death of her mother. She is smart and unscrupulous and fiercely loyal to her family---her dead mother's memory, Jasper’s future---and she's not above lying, stealing, and cheating to make sure that the miserable town of Eden where she was born and where her mother died does not get the best of her. She dropped out of high school to work dead-end jobs, and she's not above shoplifting school supplies or sticking her hand in the cash register in times of need. Her goals are clear: to get Jasper a spot at a boarding school up north, a wealthy place for wealthy people, where his whip-smart intellect will have the opportunity to build him a future outside of Eden.

Because no one has a future in Eden. The town is blighted, cursed. Economically it is oppressed by the wealthy Gravely family, who own all the industry that poisons the town and employs the people, without ever actually spending more than a day or two within the town limits. But beyond the mundane, it seems to suffer incredible bad luck: people die in freak accidents, like the one that killed Opal and Jasper's mother; buildings catch fire; floods and catastrophic environmental disasters crop up at much higher rates than seem plausible by chance alone.

This bad luck is somehow tied up with the history of Starling House, a mysterious looming hulk that holds itself apart from the rest of Eden. Arthur Starling, the current Warden of Starling House, knows its secrets, but has no interest in telling them to anyone---least of all the reader---because he also works for a single goal: to be the last Warden of Starling House. Whatever responsibility that position entails, he wants to end it forever, not for his own good, but to spare whoever would hold the role after him from that terrible burden. His goal, although more shadowy, mirrors Opal’s: They are both fixated on building a future that will benefit someone else, and they will burn themselves out doing it.

Naturally, these two cross paths. Starling House—which, by the way, is sentient, and has strong opinions, and so immediately won my heart because I am a complete sucker for sentient inanimate objects—decides that it rather likes Opal, and would like to have her around. It pulls her in, attracts her magneticaly to its gates, somehow arranges for Arthur to meet her there, and because Arthur is not quite as strong, brooding, and solitary a hero as he would like to be, he offers Opal a job as housekeeper. Starling House is a wreck, Arthur has money, and Opal needs, so she takes the job. And thus, the pieces are in place for Opal to discover the secrets of Starling House, the reasons for Eden’s blighted luck, the skullduggery at the heart of it all, and what she and Arthur can do to make it better.

I’m being deliberately vague about the details here, because part of the brilliance of this book relates to the way the themes and revelations wind around each other like smoke. Stories and legends about the history of Starling House appear in multiple forms: in the official history propagated by the Gravely family, in the unofficial oral histories uncovered by the town librarian, in a picture book that was a formative part of Opal’s childhood, and in the records kept in Starling house itself. Each time we hear the story, we get spiral a little closer to the truth underlying it all, and the truth resonates with the modern day events in deft, elegant details. The name of the school where Opal wants to send Jasper is the same as the name of a founding Gravely’s horse; a Gravely who died under mysterious circumstances fell off a bridge into the river in the same way Opal’s mother did the night she died. The weave of past with present is beautifully done.

Opal, too, is a wonderful main character. Life is hard in Eden, and Opal has become hard in turn: she keeps a clear bright line in her head between needs and wants; she knows how to smile and charm people when that is the only tool in her toolkit; she is keenly aware to the details of self-presentation that make her seem harmless, or trustworthy, or frivolous, or whatever characteristic will get her what she needs from an interaction. She lies freely and easily to everyone---even to Jasper. He says to her, at one point, ‘[Lying] is for everybody else. Not for family.’ And Opal reflects

The innocence of it makes me want to laugh, or maybe cry. The biggest lies are always for the ones you love the most. I’ll take care of you. It’ll be fine. Everything’s okay.

Her narrative is full of these sharp observations. Because she is so skilled at manipulation herself, she recognizes it when people try to pull it on her: [Baine] smiles some more. It’s a well-practiced expression, an efficient arrangement of muscles meant to make me smile back. It’s alright, this smile says. You can trust me. The hair prickles on the backs of my hands. That bright line between want and need falters sometimes, and she finds herself wishing for things with a hunger that surprises her: ‘Dreams are just like stray cats. If you don’t feed them they get lean and clever and sharp-clawed, and come for the jugular when you least expect it.’

Despite its starting point in such a grim place, this book's emotional trajectory is a rather heartening journey to show how Opal can, in fact, begin to start giving her trust and loyalty to people other than Jasper. It starts with Starling House, which responds so eagerly to her attention that she finds herself looking for tasks to continue her employment, unwilling to desert it after she’s cleaned and repaired the most pressing deficits. Perhaps because he is such an extension of Starling House, she also grows closer to Arthur, recognizing in him an outsider who shares a crushing burden, even if—for all her snooping---she can’t quite figure out what it is.

But as the book progresses, we see Opal realizing that there are other people in her life that she can trust. The proprietor of the motel where she lives, the town librarian, the family of Jasper’s best friend—they all turn out to have hidden kindness to them that Opal could not see, single-minded and hardened as she has been by her single-minded, hard life. She begins to open up, to discover that she doesn’t always need to protect herself, to lie, to project an image of self-sufficiency when she is not, truly, self-sufficient. On any other night I’d lie to her, Opal thinks at one point, when the librarian offers her a chance to leave Eden, tell her I’m saving up money, dreaming up some grand future. But maybe telling the truth is like any other bad habit, which getes harder to quite the more you do it.

The mood of this book is bleak, but the journey is about finding trust, and warmth, building a home for yourself, and lessening burdens by sharing them. It is beautiful, and comforting. Please give yourself the gift of reading it.

Alix Harrow is one of my favorite authors and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Starling House.

Starling House was an atmospheric gothic tale that I will be thinking about for a long time. I loved the mystery surrounding Starling House and how it all unfolds.

Opal was such an amazing and resilient character. I loved her relentless determination to do whatever she could to make sure her brother had a better life.
I also loved the side characters! Arthur, Bev, Charlotte and Jasper! And how their relationships with Opal grow throughout the book.

Same as with the audiobook - love, love, love. I really enjoyed this book. This gets a solid 5 star from me. I LOVED the "Once and Future Witches" by Harrow, but I have read other books of hers that just missed the mark for me. I wasn't sure where this one would land, but I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The characters are flawed, but still endearing. I love when an author is able to do that: give me flawed characters that I still really love and am rooting for. I really loved Opal and her brother, and while Arthur was *meh* to me, the siblings really sold the book. I loved Opal's love for her brother and her commitment to taking care of him. The townies were also delightful.

The atmosphere and intrigue were 100% what I am looking for when you tell me "Gothic Fairytale." Harrow nailed it. The creepy old house with a mysterious past? check. The ominous goings on about town? check. The intensely private and brooding homeowner? check. I LOVE a good gothic tale, and this one was absolutely a good gothic tale. No complaints from me!

Loved it! Perfect for a spooky October release. There is a lovely Gothic tension to the writing but great story and characterization. I couldn't put it down.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

It’s hard to think of something that’s less “my jam” than very Gothic, very Southern fantasy. (Is it Southern Gothic if it’s Gothic in the sense of a doomed romance between a girl and a creepy house, and also is Southern? I am not clear on that part. It’s sure got the decay and the poverty and–fantastic nightmares, they say? Yes, it has those. Okay. Southern Gothic turned up to eleven.) And yet this is so beautifully done. I kept running around telling people, “I have never seen a better use of Tractor Supply in a fantasy novel.”

Opal has been raising her brother Jasper the best she knows how, out of a shabby motel room in a town that has seen better days but honestly not that much better. She manages to get a job cleaning the enigmatic Starling House, which is beyond filthy and beyond mysterious. Its sole inhabitant, Arthur Starling, is a little bit Byronic hero, a little bit college junior living in way more squalor than he wants to admit to. The rumors about him are intense, the rumors about the house even more so. And rightly so, because this house wants Opal. What Opal wants is tuition to get Jasper to school somewhere far away and better than this. This is the town that killed their mother, and she doesn’t want it to eat her brother too.

She’s not paying a lot of attention to whether it gets her.

Luckily, Jasper and Arthur are. And they’re not the only ones. Over the course of the book, the secrets of Starling House reveal themselves a little at a time, and so does the siblings’ place in the community, which is not quite what Opal had always assumed–except for the places where she’s absolutely, belligerently right. This is acutely observed about small town relationships, families, and the ways we sometimes take care of each other better than we take care of ourselves. Its squalor is purposeful, its decay sure-handed. If ever you want a creepy magic house story from the near South, oh, this is the one. If you think you don’t…you still might.

4.5 stars, rounded up.

"Starling House" is an immersive dark fairytale that brilliantly intertwines haunting imagery with an emotional narrative. This novel beautifully combines the essence of a classic gothic fairytale with contemporary elements, making it one of those books that I didn't want to put down, and couldn't wait to pick back up again.

The vivid descriptions and atmosphere building are truly the stars of this book. They not only transport you directly into the heart of the mysterious Starling House and the bedraggled Eden, Kentucky but also manage to turn the house itself into a breathing, sentient character. The town, under the unfortunate influence of the greedy coal-mining Gravely family, embodies a desolate and hopeless landscape that feels all too real.

Our two protagonists, Opal and Arthur, are drawn with such depth and complexity that it's hard not to become invested in their journeys. Opal is portrayed as fiercely protective, fuelled by an unyielding desire to provide a better life for her younger brother, Jasper. Her resilience against the grim realities of Eden is commendable, and you can feel her determination and resolve. Arthur, the forlorn and isolated solitary warden of Starling House, embodies a solemnity that makes him equally as intriguing. The interaction between these two strong yet lonely characters builds an intense dynamic that adds a palpable layer to the story.

This tale is powerful, poignant, and perfectly paced. Yet, it's the atmosphere that truly stands out. Harrow has created a world that's eerily beautiful and unsettling, a world that you find yourself lost in long after you've turned the last page. It's a beautifully crafted novel that offers an engaging mix of dark fantasy, familial bonds, and forsaken romance. Highly recommended for fans of gothic fairytales!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59426445-starling-house?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=EHoObSFTNx&rank=1

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Publishing for an early copy on exchange for an honest review.

This was a very atmospheric Gothic read that read like a horror fairy tale. Each character was unique and the house to be given its own character was intriguing and made the story even better than expected. The town of Eden carried its own weight of mystery and made the story come to life. The overall story was great, although I found at times getting a bit boring and almost predictable, but it was still interesting enough to hold my attention. I would definitely recommend this during a chilly night in fall curled up on the couch with a good cuppa!

"Starling House" is presented as a gothic horror, and it is, sort of: while it isn't frightening in the monstrous way, its chills brush up against the frightening topics of generational trauma, poverty in late-stage capitalism, and the worst of Southern culture. Opal is an opportunistic thief trying to pay for her brilliant little brother's education; when she is offered a job cleaning the mysterious Starling House by a caretaker described as "intense" and "ugly", you know exactly where this is going: a love story, skeletons in the closet brought to the light, and catastrophic danger. And yes, this story isn't particularly original, and that's okay. I loved it because it reminded me of all my favorite gothic tropes: the mysterious and tortured gentleman, the canny and terrified woman with a secret, the house that looms like a menacing character all of its own. The characters were all well-realized and while this wasn't frightening as the plot summary would have you believe, I'd classify this readily as "cozy horror": it brushes along the aesthetic without actually descending into them. Four stars; I very much enjoyed this one.

Alix didn't disappoint. This book is the perfect spooky fall read. A mysterious house, an attractive man living in it. 100% a must-read.

I am convinced that Alix E. Harrow wrote this book specifically for me. Scrappy protagonist! Brooding emo bisexual love interest! Magical, slightly ominous house! Footnotes!!!! Harrow has once again blessed us with incredible world-building, amazing characters, and gorgeous prose. It's a story I wanted to live inside, even at its grizzliest. This is basically a contemporary gothic romance and I really could not be more here for it.

Once again, Alix E. Harrow wrote a magnificent book. The ambiance, the gothic vibes, the mystery, the tension between the characters, I loved it all. I like how their flaws were not hidden but played along in the plot, and how the house itself is a character of its own. I cannot wait to get my hands on that gorgeous cover once it is out !

If you're the type of person to make two lists, Wants and Needs, I think you should put Starling House on the Needs list. I’m calling it now, it will be the book of the Fall.

It exists in all grey tones and misty fogs, it's angry and raw, it taps into the ugly truths of a small town’s history, and flips the script on the chosen-one trope! This story isn't your average gothic thriller house book and while it may be fiction, its realness is dynamic. (It's also littered with footnotes, ha!)

From the grief, the mystery, the man who tries everything to get rid of Opal for her own protection, the haunting history, and the dash of fantastical house-book shenanigans, Starling House has easily become one of my favorite reads of 2023, maybe even ever.

I've been putting off writing this review for over a month now because I am still at a loss for words. This gothic low fantasy is riveting to say the least. I was sitting in an airport terminal awaiting my flight when the email came through that I received an ARC of Starling House. Let me tell you, there is no better author to fill any weird liminal spaces with than Alix E. Harrow. I dove straight into Starling House and met its immoral girl that dreams of a haunted house and fell instantly in love.

Let me preface though before I get too far into this review that yes, Alix is my favorite author. And yes, I have been waiting for this book since the moment she posted the words "house book" somewhere on the internets' many social sites. So my review is absolutely swayed by my utter excitement to hold two of my favorite things in one tiny kindle copy -- Harrow and a sentient house.

If you know me, you know The Ten Thousand Doors of January is my favorite book. Starling House rivals it. Yes, it is that good!

If Ten Thousand Doors was meant for my inner child, Starling House was meant for whatever my 20's is called. Its thorns and mists, anger and desire. It will live nestled between my ribs forever (a book like this isn't meant for the heart, I think you'll understand once you read it too). Sometimes I feel like Alix writes books that were comprised of my inner thoughts and dreams, the ones I'm too scared to share with others. From the first line of Starling House I knew this book would be no different.


I enjoyed reading a character as rough and resilient as Opal, as determined as Jasper, as wounded as Arthur, and as compassionate as Bev and Charlotte (although I'm sure compassion is not the first word used to describe Bev).

I am grateful to Alix for writing a story with a true undertone of American history and not shying away from the god-awful ugliness. I'm also grateful for the representation of LGBTQ+ characters who were written in such a normal every-day kind of way.

With all this in mind, I give Starling House a resounding five star review if you believe in such a thing. I hope that many others fall in love with this book this October.

Alix E. Harrow has written the Southern Gothic of my dreams. Rich and complicated and full of empathy for complicated people stuck in a rotten place, Starling House is exactly what I want to read when the leaves are turning and the wind is raging against the windows. It might just also be the best Beauty and the Beast retelling I've encountered. I would die for every single one of these feral idiots.

Arguably Alix E. Harrow's best work yet. I could almost feel the muggy air on my face and the dust on my skin. Creepy without being heavyhanded. A true masterpiece.

“I dream sometimes of a house I have never seen” what a first line! As soon as I heard Alix E. Harrow had written a contemporary dark fantasy, I had to get my hands on it and I was not disappointed. Opal is a young woman just trying to make the best out of some bad circumstances. She's doing her best to take care of her brother when she comes across a house and the strange, alluring man living inside it. The house is sentient and adds a lot of charm to the book. The problem is, Opal is not the only one interested in the house and she has to fight and lie for this strange place she wants to call home. Good thing she’s used to tough circumstances. This was such a good read. I sighed, gasped, and laughed out loud and thoroughly enjoyed this gem. Special thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC.

"When you've spent too long in the dark, you'll melt your own wings just to feel the sun on your skin."

Eden, Kentucky is not a lucky town for anyone. It's even unluckier for Opal, a cynical orphan who works part-time as a cashier and attempts to raise her baby brother Jasper. But Eden, Kentucky has more than just bad luck, it has the Starling House. Former home of morbid children's author E. Starling, the Starling house is far more than just an imposing Southern Mansion. It's a current resident Arthur is a mystery into himself. Opal has dreamed of the Starling House for most of her life, and when given the opportunity to work at it, she jumps at the chance to see inside, and the money it will provide. Unbeknownst to Opal, Starling House is far more than a vaguely decrepit mansion and has its own host of nightmares seeking the light.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Starling House, it's the southern gothic fairytale that I have been craving. Filled with complicated and often morally grey characters. Opal is a fantastically complicated character, filled with an incredible amount of sarcasm, and a surprising amount of compassion. Compared to Arthur who is mysterious to his core, and makes for a brilliant gothic romance companion. Bonus points for having a Hellcat in the story too. And I would be remiss if I did not mention Starling House itself, no good Gothic story is complete without a mansion. This one just happens to be sentient. The whole story oozes with atmosphere, and I can almost smell the hot summer nights in Eden, Kentucky. Nights filled with an eerie, unexplainable mist with hints of honeysuckle. An excellent read for the spooky season. Filled with the perfect combination of the unearthly and moments of coziness, the Starling House should immediately go on your TBR for October. Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for providing me with an E-ARC.

I'm a big fan of Alix E. Harrow's writing and have loved following their career -- which made my general dislike of Starling House extremely disappointing. Though the writing is there, the story lacked the level of substance I'm used to from Harrow.