This is one of my favorites of the year! It was such an intricate story done in so few pages. The characters were so well written and the plot made it so hard to put it down. One of the first 5 star reviews of the year

In "Starling House," Alix E. Harrow ventures into the realm of Gothic fiction with a tale centered on a haunted house and its inhabitants. However, while the novel promises intrigue and mystery, it falls short of delivering a satisfying reading experience for some. The book's pacing feels drawn out, with moments where readers anticipate the end only to find more story left to unravel. Moreover, the use of dual perspectives reveals information to readers well ahead of the characters, leading to a sense of frustration rather than anticipation as events unfold.

Protagonist Opal's character is a point of contention, with her choices and lack of communication feeling contrived at times. The novel's transition into horror territory may further alienate readers expecting a more traditional fantasy experience. Despite Harrow's skill in crafting evocative prose and striking metaphors, the execution of "Starling House" leaves much to be desired. With its blend of horror and Gothic elements, this novel may find a niche audience among fans of the genre, but for readers seeking a traditional fantasy tale, it may not hit the mark. Ultimately, "Starling House" may not be the entry point for those unfamiliar with Harrow's work, and its flaws may leave some readers hesitant to explore her other novels.

3.5/5 Stars

Opal lives in the town of Eden, Kentucky known for the home of the reclusive E. Starling, a 19th century author and illustrator of 'The Underland', who mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind her estate Starling House. Opal spends her days caring for her younger brother, after the unexpected death of her mother. She feels drawn to Starling house, and ends up getting a job as a house keeper from the latest heir to the estate, Arthur Starling. As she begins working there, she begins uncovering the secrets behind these closed doors.

This book started off very slow, as we're learning the history of the house, but it did pick up around the mid-way point. I can't say I particularly cared for the history aspect, and was bored at times, but once the story picked up I was pretty invested in where it was going. I was not a fan of the footnotes, and definitely wish they had been left out. The story also features a slow burn romance, which I enjoyed as it didn't overshadow the story. I think that Opal and Arthur balanced each other out nicely. Opal was an unlikeable main character, she was supposed to be in her late 20's but acted more like she was 17. Arthur's POV was great to read from, and I liked learning more about him as the story progressed. I really liked how the house felt like its own being, and I loved the concept of the beasts that came from the house.

I do think this would be a great Fall, atmospheric read around Halloween!

A beautiful, gothic story that I loved getting lost in. Alix E. Harrow is a master of the modern fairy tale, and Starling House exceeded my expectations.

Starling house is the perfect example of magical realism beautifully written in a gothic horror which will please readers of fantasy and horror alike. I devoured this book in two sittings and

If you like books featuring…
Magical house as a character
Gothic fantasy
Light horror

Great for fans of…
Naomi Novik
Weyward by Emilia Hart
Black Mirror (Netflix)

I will read everything that Alix E. Harrow writes, and I loved the creepy setting and story. It's well set up to be an eerie work, but I wish we had spent more time there and less with the people trying to buy the place. Too much blackmail, not enough creepy house time.

I am obsessed with this book. It's part southern gothic part horror part romance part mystery and all around wonderful. I will forever read anything Alix Harrow writes.

I honestly was weirdly disappointed after all the hype for this books. I went into this not knowing much about it other than gothic house vibes and as I read, I slowly realized it was kind of a “Beauty and the Beast” reimagining. I honestly wish it wasn’t like that. I love the non-traditional looking characters who just look like average people, but I just really didn’t want a romance. I kind of wanted a story about a girl and the house. Arthur didn’t really need to exist in the book and I would have loved it more. I wanted the house to be a main character, but it was more of a cute little menace.

I think my high expectations really hurt my overall reading experience, but I still just wanted more girl meets sentient gothic mansion vibes over girl meets beastly boy vibes.

Overall though I did like the characters for the most part (minus the annoying miscommunication) and I adored the house and the beastly aspects of it. It was fine, but just not very memorable.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC.

This was a miss for me. The quality of the writing was great but I have finally come to the realization that creepy house stories are ones I can only manage in small doses if I want to sleep at night. Call me chicken little...

This is only my second book by Alix E. Harrow (I know, I"m ridiculously behind), with the first book being A Spindle Splintered, which is a retelling of a fairy tale and a great novella. First off, the cover. Amazing. Ridiculously gorgeous. I have the e-book, but I want to buy a hardback just to display for that cover. Right off the bat, we're introduced to Opal, a truly bad ass heroine just doing her freaking best and take care of her brother, living in a run down room in a run down town working at a boring job, barely able to make ends meet. Her brother is a fantastic character on his own, and she loves him fiercely. But then we meet Arthur. I love that neither Opal nor Arthur are these gorgeous fairy tale royalty characters. Arthur is not cute. Opal is is prickly. But it doesn't matter because they are busy fighting monsters and trying to figure out how to not get everyone killed and that's way more important, okay?! The ending was strange and I don't know if it was necessarily the best, but I still give it 5/5 stars for the character development and the the scene setting.

DNF - could not get into this story at this time. Was expecting it to be more like a thriller and couldn't keep my interest. May try again in the future.

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's been out for ages, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

In a small town that reeks of bad luck, there’s an orphan doing her best to take care of her little brother after her mother was found dead tragically, and there’s a big mysterious house constantly calling for her. It’s been widely known that weird incidents happened in Eden since who knows when, though no one could ever put their finger to them besides mere rumors. It’s just sort of urban lore. But everyone agreed that it links to the Starling House somehow, thus they leave it alone. Not Opal, tho. Instead, she keeps drawn to that house.

An intense gothic fantasy involving land dispute, ruthless lawyer, a house that has a mind of its own, house warden who not only has to look after the house but also keep the monsters that lie under it away from everyone’s harm. I love Opal’s fiery determined character, while still having a hint of sass. The romance dynamics were good. I think the story resolution was too confusing–with all the concept and the backstory, but it’s fine. I enjoyed it.

I'm so happy that Harrow is bouncing back from the Fractured Fables series because that genre is saturated.

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this but I ended up being completely enthralled from the start. Opal's obsession with the Starling House along with the external pressures to support her brother and keep herself afloat were compelling enough to drive the plot along when it could've easily started dragging. I loved the characters and the setting and seeing how all the different versions of Eden's history came together. Loved it!

Eerie, engaging story. The romance at the center was a bit surprising, and characters' actions are sometimes frustrating.

(Duplicate entry due to approval for eARC and audiobook)

"Starling House" invites readers into a world where mystery and intrigue lurk around every corner. With its compelling characters and intricate plot, this novel takes readers on a thrilling journey filled with unexpected twists and turns. As secrets unravel and tensions rise, the true nature of the characters is revealed, leading to a gripping conclusion that will leave readers eager for more. With its blend of suspense, drama, and intricate storytelling, "Starling House" is sure to captivate fans of mystery and suspense alike.

I honestly was not impressed with this book. As much as I hate to say it, it would have been right up my alley. BUT the 200 pages of historical information dump on the house/wardens left much to be desired. Things were barely happening, and I was expecting full-out action and portals and really neat things. Everything happened in the last 80 pages of the book.

If we had taken the last 80 pages of the book and made the rest of the book like that, it would have been an easy 4 star read for me.

Instead, the format with the extra information read so much like a collegiate history paper that I struggled to read this without feeling such boredom and falling asleep while trying to read. I wanted to like it so much, because I heard raving reviews.

I would have ADORED to read the concept that was in the 80 pages were explored more in depth and woven together in the first 2/3rd of the book.

Starling House is a gothic fantasy romance set in a small town of Eden, Kentucky. The story follows Opal. Opal lives in a motel room with her younger brother, Jasper. Opal spends her days working to save money to send Jasper away from run down Eden, to give him a better future. Starling House is the town's mysterious residence surrounded by lore and legend. Opal is drawn to Starling House and one day, when she is walking passed it's gates, she runs into Starling House's enigmatic owner, Arthur Starling. Arthur ends up giving Opal a job as a housekeeper for Starling House. This new position gives a level of access to Starling House and its inner workings that no one else in town has ever had. Opal learns about Starling House's past and unexpectedly starts having a hand in it's future.

I am not that biggest fan of cotemporary fantasy, but Starling House is the perfect mixture of magic, gothic, and romance. Harrow's writing is exquisite. She has a way of writing characters and overall story arcs that you can easily get lost in. Starling House is written as a character of its own, like most gothic stories. I loved spending time in Starling House and discovering its secrets alongside Opal and Arthur. I also loved Starling House's focus on the ideas of family, home, and ecological degradation. The romance was slow burn and so so sweet. I also loved most of the side characters in Opal's life, especially Hellcat.

Fantasy, gothic fiction, or romance readers will all find something to love in Starling House. If a dark, small town story filled with history and magic intrigues you, pick Starling House up!