6/5 stars if I could! This book combines a lush literary voice with well-worn fantasy tropes that are sure to capture new and old fantasy readers alike, but still is grounded enough to appeal to the wide masses. The romance was tender and had me screaming, the mystery a bit obvious (but that's okay), and above all else, Alix Harrow's writing is just utterly enchanting and visceral. I never knew I needed to compare people to "unsalted butter"!

This is a perfect fall read - spooky setting, monster house, fantastical creatures, and a tortured romance. What else can you ask for?

Starling House is perfect for anyone who ever wondered what it was like to live in a haunted house. Definitely not me, but if that was you, then you'll want to check it out. From the beginning, it's clear that you have a sense of who Opal is. She's fierce, used to having to take care of everyone else, and loves her brother. With footnotes, Starling House is a story about the ways a house draws us back. There's an immediate sense of atmosphere, the ways a setting won't let go of us. You can feel the weight of the shadows, the screeching of claws, and the smell of sacrifice. But even more so, Starling House also manages to be romantic.

Where do I even start with Starling House?

It was so beautifully balanced and easy to enjoy. The characters were well defined and the visuals were supreme. I absolutely loved the Mirror Mended series from Harrow, so I went in with high expectations and it far exceeded them.

It maintained mystery without feeling forced, the little things added up to just enough payoff- all ingredients of a well rounded thriller.

For lovers of the southern gothic genre, this will bend the genre stereotypes while paying homage to what is long-beloved about it.

I DNFed Starling House at 25% because I was really bored. Nothing of interest was happening. The book started out promising, with the creepy (but not too creepy) atmosphere I was craving during my spooky season reading, but I quickly got bogged down in all the extra details and descriptions that just didn't matter and that took away from the atmosphere. This is just not the Gothic novel I was hoping it would be. It wasn't creepy, the romantic intrigue left much to be desired, and I didn't like any of the characters.

“Starling House” by Alix E. Harrow immediately grabs your attention and never lets go, creating a haunting and rich gothic novel in the process. Both Opal and Arthur are compelling and captivating voices, with rich language and an eerie creepy vibe that threads throughout the story, making your imagination run wild. The author, Alix E. Harrow creates an inviting world, one that is both authentic but also deeply imaginative and touches on what it means to be different from those around you, either because of the color of your skin, your money, your interests, or sexuality. 

In “Starling House”, she delves into mysteries that patiently unfold and creates a story that is about both sacrifice and pain but also love and the willingness to dream, especially for those things that will make you happy. And the message of the book is do you embrace your dreams or do you stick to survival?  I love the message but also the way that the author explores this in a beautiful, haunting and rich gothic story that will resonate with me for a very long time.

If you like haunting and rich gothic novels, this is one I especially suggest you consider. It is rich in imagery, beautiful in the depth of thought and messages that it explores and has wonderfully compelling characters that are a delight to read with language that is sometimes as sharp as a knife. Read it because you believe in dreams and love.

Starling House is a perfect autumn read as it is full of atmospheric gothic vibes (complete with a sentient/possibly haunted house) and magical mysteries. I would best describe it as a "contemporary southern gothic fairy tale" with elements reminiscent of other stories (A Study in Drowning, Stranger Things, Beauty and the Beast all came to mind while reading) but it very much feels like its own distinctive and unique story.

It's a difficult book to describe without giving too much away - there were quite a few unexpected twists for me since I didn't know much about the plot making the reading experience even more enjoyable. In addition, I loved how tightly plotted this book felt - every little detail seemed to have importance and I can see it being one that I'll love to reread in the future.

Starling House is a very character-driven story so our protagonist, Opal, shines the most - she's layered, flawed, and easy to root for. I loved the focus on her relationship with her brother, Jasper, as well as the slow romance that grows between her and the other main character, Arthur. They're two characters that fit together so well that it was one of my favorite romances I've ever read despite this not being a super romance heavy book. The side characters are also quite memorable but I think outside of Opal and Arthur my other favorite character was Starling House itself.

Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys gothic fantasy stories and is looking for a fall read that is slightly dark and spooky but is ultimately hopeful (and not super scary).

With a beautiful cover and an excellent plot, I must highly recommend Starling House by Alix E. Harrow. Set in the town of Eden, Kentucky, this gothic tale involves a haunted house and the choices that must be made to make a house a home. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another beautiful read from Alix E. Harrow! I think I wasn't 100% in the right mood to be reading this and it may have been a 4.5-5 star at another time, but today it was still great.

The vibes of Starling House were great, and I loved reading from our main character, she was very scrappy and admirable.

I loved the idea of this book. It did drag on a little in the beginning. It became really good about fifty percent of the way through it. I can see how some people will love all the background stories in the first half, but I did not find it relatable. The second half starts to pick up with intensity and pulls you in. I love the idea that not all beasts are bad. They are how you make them out to be. I would read another book by this author!

This book took me sooooooo long to read.

Is there a plot? Not really

Is it well written? Well yeah, but that no plot thing was problematic for me.

Cool characters? Absolutely. Love that Opal, the female lead, is so complex (dealing with trauma surrounding her mother’s death, poverty, family history) Poor Arthur, the male lead and resident of the house, is a cypher for soooo long that I still don’t feel I know him?

Creepy setting? Oh, absolutely - that house is a rock star and lead character, and completely scary.

But story didn’t get its hooks in me until the last 25% - just not soon enough. I have read and loved all her previous books but this one was just not for me.

The story is set in Kentucky in a town that has seen better days. I found Opal to be a fascinating character. She's tough and sometimes a bit prickly, but at her core, she's a mama bear who will do anything to protect her younger brother, Jasper, whom she has practically raised. They've had some rough times, including being homeless, and Opal is desperate to secure a better future for her brother, so when the opportunity to earn some cash presents itself, Opal jumps at it, even if it means spying on the lone resident of the mysterious Starling House. Opal has felt herself drawn to this house for years so the opportunity to finally go inside is also irresistible.

A huge highlight for me is the house itself, which has had a haunting presence in this town for as long as Opal can remember. The house's presence is so strong that it actually feels like a character in the story. I was thoroughly engrossed as the secrets of the house and its previous owners are slowly revealed. The story takes on a fairy tale quality with a Gothic twist as we are taken through the folklore, myths, and curses that make up the house's history. It was fascinating!

Lastly, there's also a bit of a romance. I'm a romance fan so this was a plus for me, although I wasn't really expecting it when I first started reading. It works well with the rest of the story though so it was a welcome surprise.

This wasn't my favorite book from Alix E. Harrow, that honor goes to The Once and Future Witches, but it was still a beautifully written atmospheric story that is perfect for spooky season.

I will always love Alix Harrow's work, ever since stumbling across TEN THOUSAND DOORS on the recommendation of a kind bookseller at Northshire Books in VT right after it was published. Now, I'm thrilled to see that every single Harrow joint has been a knockout -- and STARLING HOUSE is no exception. It's a beautiful book, a fierce one, one that wears its righteous anger on its sleeve while also telling a tender and open-hearted story about love and hope and, well, story. It's a deeply American slice of folklore and we are so lucky to have Alix Harrow writing for all of us.

✨ Review ✨ Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

You know that moment when you realize a book is almost perfectly tailored to you? This was it!
⭕️ history vibes: footnotes and a fake bibliography (lol!) ✅
⭕️ gothic horror and an animate house ✅
⭕️ a sense of humor ✅
⭕️ some kind of mysterious magic happening ✅
⭕️ off-beat romance with a mysterious self-tattooed man ✅
⭕️ incredible multi-layered illustrations ✅
⭕️ smart commentary on class, race, gender, poverty, etc. ✅
⭕️ a hellcat, a lovable librarian, a stubborn teen brother, and a HILARiOUS motel owner always bringing comic relief

The brilliant match I found in this book also makes it hard to review 😂

Opal's living in a motel with her brother Jasper in a run-down Kentucky mining town, trying to scrape enough money by to get him out. She regularly dreams about the Starling House, a creepy house in the town, surrounded by gates and the lore about her favorite author E. Starling. When the opportunity to enter the old mansion and make some money comes about, she can't avoid the chance to explore this place that's haunted her.

As she gets to know the house, she digs deeper into the mysteries of Starling House, E. Starling, and the family who owns the local mining industry and has single-handedly ruined the town for their own gain. As Opal starts to piece together the story, she also provides a really poignant reflection on history, and how many perspectives come together (the first page of ch 17 is one of my all-time favorite book pages - I want to frame it and put it on my office wall!)

This book is quirky and beautiful and spooky and clever and so so many things. I know it won't be quite as perfect of a mix of components for everyone, but my goodness, it nailed it for me!

PS: the print copy is WORTH IT for the illustrations! :)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: fantasy
Setting: rural Kentucky
Pub Date: 03 Oct 2023

Thanks to Tor Books, Macmillan Audio, and #netgalley for the advanced copies of this book!

My new favorite book? Um, yes. This is a scary book, without the descriptions that usually leave me skimming words due to grossness. I adore haunted house books, and this delivers a town-wide mystery as well.

This book was perfection. I loved how dark it was, the moments of humor and delight, and our snarky main character, I love how Alix Harrow has clearly done the work and quite consciously but gently works diversity into her stories. She is who all white cis authors should aspire to emulate.

4 stars

This is my first book by Harrow and man with this BEAUTIFUL cover and haunting promise of a gothic tale - I was hooked. It started a little slow for me, but I was intrigued once Opal was in that house.

It has an interesting take on a seemingly haunted house in a small town. Opal and Arthur have a slight enemies-to-lovers thing that makes this tale all the more fascinating. I loved how the house had a life of its own - it was kind of like Monster House but was good and just wanted to be taken care of.

There's a lot going on in this book surrounding the house, the families who have lived there, and the myths surrounding what is really going on. All the secrets unfolded slowly so you get little glimpses as you go instead of one big reveal. I actually prefer this because it keeps you interested in the story as it goes on. It's a dual POV between Arthur and Opal - which I might add I love how they fell for each other.

Overall, it was a great gothic tale with some fantasy and romance elements in it along with a big mystery. It will make a GREAT Halloween read or even just a great fall read. I highly recommend this if you love a gothic tale.

Big thanks to Tor Publishing, Alix E. Harrow & NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions!

I've really enjoyed all of Alix Harrow's work, but this might be in the running for my new favorite. A gothic horror (though the horror elements are quite light, more spooky than gruesome) set in a dying Kentucky mine town, centered on a young woman named Opal trying her best to both survive and get her little brother. I loved Opal as a character; it's rare that SFF features true, particularly contemporary, working class voices and characters and her struggles cut deeper for how reflective they are for so many in America right now. As usual, Harrow's prose sings, somehow both sparse and incredibly evocative. I couldn't put this book down and kept stealing any minute I could to read.

I absolutely love this book. Themes of class structures, socioeconomic disparities, and generational storytelling consume the pages of literary fiction. Still, Alix E Harrow proves that gothic lit can also be their perfect vehicle. Hauntingly beautiful prose mixed with equally hauntingly beautiful illustrations (thanks @that.one.for for sending me pictures of your final copy) makes Starling House an excellent selection for October.

What I loved (spoilers in my bullet points - so stop reading if on your TBR):
✨Female rage: Starling House was built by Eleanor Starling, who, as the legend goes, murdered her husband and used his money to build the house that seemingly haunts the town. However, Eleanor’s emotional and physical trauma controls the land and Starling House to the point that Starling House feels like a female character. Brilliant!
✨Magical world: dreams, folklore, and legendary curses create real and imagined monsters. Atmospheric is an understatement.
✨Unexpected love story & found family: Both these tropes weirdly wormed their way into my heart. I couldn't help but cheer for some of these morally gray characters.

I paired the physical with the audio, which Natalie Naudus narrated. Her narration adds to the dream-like quality of the story. As a reader, you can’t go wrong with either format.

Excuse me while I rush out to buy a finished copy. I need the illustrations. But I’m forever keeping my ARC for all the well-placed f-bombs. @alixeharrow - I understand why you deleted them, but they provided the best-unexpected humor for me. I’ll cherish both copies.

Starling House gives you a gothic and spooky vibe that is intriguing and shrouded in mystery. You have a small cursed town with a haunted house that Opal cannot ignore. The slow-burn romance was beautifully done and progressed in a way that left you flipping the pages into the late hours of the night for more.

The world-building was vivid and creative to the point I felt transported into their world full of mystery and darkness. There were so many twists and turns that I would not have expected. The characters were realistic and unique with interesting family dynamics. Opal was the FMC with a feisty attitude who didn’t know how to get out of the survival mode she constantly had on. I fell in love with her character and Arthurs as they were complex and beautifully written.

Overall, if you love a good cozy spooky read I recommend picking up this book!