4.5

“I know that part of the story must be made up, because there's no such thing as curses or cracks in the world, but maybe that's all a good ghost story is: a way of handing out consequences to the people who never got them in real life.”

I love when a book defies genres or mixes several of them up in a single book. When trying to come up with what subgenre I’d place it in, “medium spooky modern gothic” is what I came up with. I feel like the author’s own words on this sum it up better than I ever could, though: “a horror novel and a paperback romance, a contemporary comedy, a tragic historical, a classic coming-of-age story, a mystery, a memoir, and a pulpy gothic.”

I have loved all of Harrow’s full length novels and short stories, and this one was no exception. Excellent writing, unique plot lines, compelling characters, and social commentary that perfectly balances being strong enough without feeling like it’s being shoved into the reader’s face. I loved the sibling relationship and the found family, the desire to finally call a place home, and the value of a chosen name.

There were a few elements at the end that I felt didn’t get the resolution I was hoping for, but otherwise I absolutely loved it and will definitely revisit it in the past. I also really appreciated that the author’s newsletter had information on the real town and events that inspired this story.

I’d also like to give a shout out to the narration of this book! I had both the eBook and audio, and I loved being able to utilize both of them as I read. Natalie Naudus is one of my absolute favorite narrators, and she’s never let me down in terms of excellent narration!

Rating: 4.5/5

This is definitely not a typical genre I read, but I actually really enjoyed this one! It is the perfect book to read if you want something during the fall season that is a little spooky without being scary.

Opal and Arthur were both interesting characters who held secrets and were misunderstood. I liked how their relationship developed throughout the story and their histories collided.

The mystery surrounding the sentient house and past accidents in town created a very dark atmospheric feel to the story. I was hooked the entire time.

The audiobook was very well done!

Content: One short open door scene (very vague descriptions), moderate amount of strong language

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

4 1/2 stars

Wow! I really enjoyed the inventiveness of Alix Harrow's writing. This book was such a wonderful blend of gothic romance, mystery, mysticism, horror and more. It was a fantastically written story with so many facets that it truly was like a diamond.

Starling House itself is sitting on top of what some might believe are the gates of the underworld. The house seems to have a life all its own and the way it interacts with its guardians is intriguing. When Opal is continually drawn to the house, she can't help but wonder if there's a deeper meaning to why. As time goes on, she discovers there are more and deeper reasons for her attachment.

I have to say that even when I knew what might be coming next in the story, there was usually still a little twist to it that made it original and fun. It was such a marvelous read.

I was gifted with an early copy of the audiobook and I have to say that the narration was stellar. It really pulled me into the story and kept me completely engrossed. Thank you to NetGalley for this early listening copy. I chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Harrow does a great job of wrapping you up in this story and keeping you completely invested in Opal and Jasper's life. I would have liked to see more of Jasper's side but over all is was well written and fun to listen to.
Natalie Naudus does a stellar job of narrating!

The perfect spooky season read! Haunting gothic vibes, a mystery linked to a children’s book, and a sentient house - what more could you want?!

Opal has spent her life saying that one day she’ll leave Eden, Kentucky, but ever since her mother died she’s been left responsible for her brother and his future. She would do anything for him, so when an unexpected job offer comes her way working at Starling House - a place everyone in town avoids - for the mysterious Arthur Starling, she tells herself she’s taking it for the money for his schooling. But Starling House and Arthur are more than they appear.

The story started off fairly slowly as we are introduced to Opal, Arthur, and the town - which has a very small town, single minded feel. However, once it gets going there are so many intricate threads wound together to create this truly haunting narrative.

I felt so much for Opal and Arthur. Their lives and trauma to that point, the way they both just want to do their very best even when it is entirely to their detriment. They felt very real to me throughout the story.

The atmosphere was absolutely perfect: spooky, gothic, creepy, mysterious, secretive small town. And the sentient house! I love a sentient house.

Overall, I loved Starling House. If you’re looking for a spooky autumn read I cannot recommend it enough, and I’m very much looking forward to the special edition I’m pretty sure is heading my way.

A ghost story. A southern Gothic novel. I listened to the audiobook and really loved the narrator, Natalie Naudus. She did a fantastic job bringing me to Eden, Kentucky. The author also does a wonderful job creating such a dark ghost story. I loved the symbolism.

The Starling House has its own personality and becomes a protector for those who need a home. This book can be slow at times. It felt like I had been listening to the book forever. Like I won a marathon finishing this book. I loved it but I'm glad that it's done. The characters are constantly keeping secrets from those they love and it's a tad annoying.

The secret of the house isn’t much of a secret, but the how to deal with it was what I wanted to discover. The way the secrets are unveiled and the layers are pulled back kept me listening to the audiobook. The sense of gothic darkness around the house definitely came through the audiobook as well. It is a great creepy book, but not as scary as I had hoped.

First line: I dream sometimes about a house I’ve never seen.

My thoughts: Starling House begins as a mystery leaving me wondering what lies within Starling House?

There are the footnotes! This is a first for me as I have never seen them used in a fictional story. It was like having a narrator (or librarian) fact checking, researching and documenting the story.

Starling House is vividly described as unsettling. It's a character within itself - a creepy eerie mansion. I found themes of grief and loneliness, dreams, nightmares, protective wards and spiritualism throughout.

While the mood of this book is bleak, throughout journey I also found trust, and building a home for yourself. It is beautiful atmospheric read perfect for fall.

Lastly I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I enjoyed the book as an audio read.
Natalie Naudus was perfect for this gothic/urban fantasy.

Many thanks to Netgalley and McMillan Audio for introducing me to Alix Harrow.

When I read the blurb of Starling House and requested an ARC on Netgalley, I knew this was going to be a book I either loved or hated. I’m glad it is the former. Well, I did love it, just not as much as I thought I would. That said, this was definitely a good read.
Starling House is the story of Opal. It is the story of Arthur. It is the story of Eden—the town where Starling House is located and a town that’s crumbling under the weight of the evil that dwells in the lakes and the mist that rise from it. It is the story and a history of the House.
Opal is an orphan and a high school dropout. She spends most of her time thinking or dreaming about the Starling House. As a part-time cashier and a full-time cynic of the town and its people, Opal will do anything to find a better life outside of Eden, Kentucky for her brother, Jasper.
Eden is known for only two things—bad luck and the dark rumors left behind by E. Starling, the 19th century author of ‘The Underland’ a popular childrens book. Opal has always been obsessed by the book and the house. She knows there’s something in the house that calls to her, especially in her dreams or rather nightmares. While it should scare her, it doesn’t. It only drives deeper into her obsession. When an opportunity to work in the house comes, Opal grabs it with both hands. She convinces herself it’s for the money, but it’s the house. Calling to her.
Meet Arthur the reclusive warden of the house who’s a little too protective of it. He does everything he can to keep Opal out of Starling House, but eventually invites her in with a job offer.
The setting for the book is pure gothic style and it stayed in theme throughout. I didn’t care much for the romance because I think there were more important elements to the story than a weak romance sub-plot. Eleanor Starling’s back story could’ve come forward in the storyline instead of being told in the last couple of chapters. This might have avoided the lag in the story where nothing much was happening for long periods of time. The climax and epilogue was written very well. Alix E. Harrow is a strong writer and she knows how to pull you back into the book even if you may have strayed a bit. The characters and their growth arc was fine but I didn’t really “feel” for them and that is why this is not a 5-star read for me.
This book was an amalgamation of gothic horror, romance, and historical fiction. The foot notes were a bit of a distraction when listening to the audio but when reading the book itself, it didn’t bother me as much. The narrator did an excellent job!
Did I love the book? Mostly. Will I recommend it? Absolutely!
4 stars from me for Starling House.
Thanks to Netgalley & MacMillon Audio for the Audio ARC of the book. I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

I applied for the Starling House ALC in July when I saw it come available on NetGalley. This book has been on a wild ride since then! Published on October 3rd and picked up by both Book of the Month Club and Reese’s Book Club, this book is everywhere right now!

This was a fun book to escape into. Starling House is a gothic fiction with dark magical realism set in a categorically tragic small town in Kentucky. Did you love Ninth House? Starling House is like that but with fewer* pretentious white men and a smaller scaled magic system.

Although I did really like this book, I would recommend reading it on a Kindle or grabbing the physical copy of this one, because of some formatting choices like footnotes with extra content, and section breaks within chapters. If you are listening, be sure to listen closely as there is a lot of information to catch. I am FAR from a literary snob (literally look at my low quality content) but fair warning that if you are the type of reader who dislikes 1st-3rd POV switches, that may bother you while reading this book.

All of that said, I still liked this book and recommend it to gothic & magical realism readers, or anyone interested in this buzzy book. Content wise, I would say its appropriate for older teenagers and up. Thank you to MacMillan Audio for the ALC of Starling House, which is available now.

*Footnote: there are still pretentious white men in Starling House, but there are numerically fewer of them than in Ninth House.

This is a FANTASTIC FREAKING BOOK! I am officially obsessed with this author. I adored the world that she built in her previous book with January and she really knocked this new one out of the park! So original and creative. I loved the characters. I loved the couple. I loved it!

Starling House is a dark and atmospheric gothic fantasy novel by Alix E. Harrow. The story follows Opal, a young woman who is forced to return to her hometown of Eden, Kentucky, after her mother's death.

Eden is a dying town, haunted by the legacy of E. Starling, a reclusive nineteenth-century author who disappeared over a hundred years ago. Starling House, Starling's former home, is now a decrepit ruin, but it still casts a long shadow over the town.

When Opal's brother, Jasper, goes missing, she begins to suspect that he has been drawn into the mysteries of Starling House. Determined to find him, Opal ventures into the house, where she soon discovers that it is more than just a haunted ruin.

Starling House is a beautifully written and atmospheric novel. Harrow's prose is evocative and lyrical, and she does a masterful job of creating a sense of dread and suspense. The characters are complex and well-developed, and the plot is full of twists and turns.

I particularly enjoyed the way that Harrow incorporates the history of Eden and Starling House into the story. The novel is full of rich symbolism and mythology, and it explores themes such as family, legacy, and the power of storytelling.

Overall, I highly recommend Starling House to fans of gothic fantasy and dark atmospheric fiction.

Alix E. Harrow is one of those authors that truly writes magic. The way she words things, the way the reader can picture and feel exactly what is going on. I kept getting lost in the book, in the good way, and a few times to even breathe! She writes about secret doorways and passages that only open for the right person.

I love a good feral FMC and Opal did not disappoint. She is ruthless but oh wait, has a secret soft side she will do anything to hide.

And our MMC is our dark and broody book boyfriend that is not toxic but actually super sweet!

This is a urban fantasy? Magical Realism? Maybe just dark fantasy? It is like if you took Stranger Things and mixed it with Alice in Wonderland. It was kind of trippy but I loved it. Literally perfect for October!

I felt very mixed about this book. Admittedly this is not my typical kind of book, but I had heard so many people loving it that I wanted to check it out. I enjoyed the first half quite a bit and the second half kind of lost me. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was excellent.

Opal has grown up in the small town of Eden, and been intrigued by The Starling House. Opal gets hired by Arthur to clean it as she researches the history of it and the family that has lived there, and also uncovers more about herself and her mother.

Opal lives in a hotel with her brother. Their mother died in a car accident and their fathers are not in the picture. I found Opal to be a sympathetic character, I know she really wanted to do the right thing and take care of Jasper - but she also made quite a few choices that frustrated me.

I didn't love the supernatural elements of the book, or the love plot line -- I didn't feel much chemistry between them and didn't really get or see the attraction.

I did enjoy how the house is one of the main characters, and one of the most interesting. I liked the descriptions of it and the background on it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

I was super excited to read Starling House after loving The Ten Thousand Doors of January. Starling House started out really strong for me and I was completely engrossed in the story. Unfortunately after the 50% mark the story started to lose me. I think some of the fantasy elements were just not for me and made me less interested in the story. I started to not care and it felt a bit repetitive. There was also not a lot of suspense considering the storyline. It felt slow.

In addition, would have liked more backstory on Opal and Jasper- the parts included I found very interesting and would have liked more of that. I think it could have made the story a lot richer.

Overall this story was lacking something I can’t quite pinpoint. It came across as more of a YA book to me and I felt the execution was lackluster. I also didn’t get the point of the romance. It felt underwhelming and underdeveloped.

I listened to the audiobook and I did really
Like the narrator!

4 stars for the first 50% and 2 for the last 50% so I’m going to average it at a 3 star rating although it might be closer to a 2 in reality.

Thanks Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Described as fantasy/horror, I was excited to listen to Starling House. I read The Once and Future Witches back in 2022 and I was very impressed with the author’s writing. I definitely recommend checking that out if you haven’t!

I don’t read much fantasy because those books are usually parts of series and I prefer standalone. I like that this grazes the surface of fantasy without going so deep that you are drowning in it. It would be a good beginner book for someone looking to read fantasy.

Now because I’m more into horror than fantasy, this book could have been cut in half. But with fantasy there is a lot of world building. I really like the storyline of Opal and Jasper. Opal working so hard to take care of her little brother. Arthur of Starling House also had a good storyline. For me the book could’ve just been about a sister struggling to make ends meet and get her brother out of the small town where they have no one. And a mysterious guy living in an even more mysterious house. No magic or fantasy necessary. But I understand why some people would want more.

The narrator has an amazing voice. You are immediately invested in what she is saying but also relaxed.

Overall a good story with a little bit of fantasy/magic to make it unique. Thanks to NetGalley, Alix E Harrow, and Macmillan Audio. I have written this review voluntarily.

Opal's hopes and dreams died with her mother. She put everything on hold to work toward a better life for her younger brother, Jasper, who is smart and deserves to attend college and mold his own future. Even if she has to work at the Starling House, said to be haunted and that strange beast roam the property it sits on. The owner is excentric, he never leaves the house and is very rarely ever seen. Opal has had dreams filled with images of the house since childhood and is drawn to its gates. This is one of the best books I've read this year.

They’ve been telling stories about Starling House and the woman who built it, Eleanor Starling, since Eleanor first came to Eden over a century and a half ago. Some of those stories are even halfway true – but it doesn’t matter because no one in Eden has ever cared about the truth if that truth made them the least bit uncomfortable.

They’ve been telling stories about Opal and her mother Jewel since the day they came to town, too. And even though her mother drowned a decade ago, they’re still telling stories about her too. But mostly, they tell stories about Opal, and most of those are halfway true, too.

One of the stories that no one tells about Opal, because she never reveals truths about herself to anyone at all if she can help it, is that she’s more haunted by Starling House than anyone else in town – because the rest of them just complain about the eyesore, and the bad luck it brings to Eden. While Opal has been dreaming that Starling House was HERS, and has been dreaming those dreams since she was a little girl whose only even somewhat permanent address has been Room 12 at the Garden of Eden Motel since her mom brought her and her little brother Jasper to Eden.

Opal never knew that her mother brought them back to the only home that Jewel had ever known. At least, not until Opal lied, cheated, and inveigled her way into a job at the broken down and dilapidated Starling House. A job that looked to rival Hercules’ task of cleaning the Augean stables.

But Opal doesn’t care. Because Starling House seems to want her there – even if the current Starling, Arthur, claims that he doesn’t. But the house is true because it needs her, and Arthur is lying because of the same damn reason.

While the vultures that have always circled Starling House see Opal’s lies and secrets as a lever they can use to finally pry their way into a place where their dreams will come true.

Someone should have been careful what they wished for, because they’re about to get it.

Escape Rating A-: Starling House sits at the confluence of the River of Dreams and the Stuff of Nightmares, at the four-way stop between the darkest of dark fantasy, outright horror, the angstiest of angsty romance and power corrupts, catty-corner to the Inn of No One Believes the Truths that Women Tell because it’s inconvenient for their wallets, their consciences or even just their privilege.

At first, it’s Opal’s story, a story that is considerably more honest from the confines of her own head than it appears to anyone on the outside, but Opal lies like she breathes – especially to herself. Sometimes she even does as good a job of convincing herself as she does everyone else, but there are always cracks in the facade in her own head. Even if she can’t admit it.

The only love and the only weakness that Opal will admit to is her younger brother Jasper. She will do anything – and everything – to get him safely out of Eden. Because he’s been the only sunlight in her world since their mother drove her car into the river and drowned. And Eden is slowly killing him. Not just his spirit, although probably that too, but literally. Jasper has asthma, they have no health insurance and sometimes not enough for groceries, and the power plant has never met an environmental regulation that they haven’t bribed someone to let them off the hook for. The air is toxic and the whole place is a cancer cluster and Jasper needs to be somewhere else – even if Opal can’t make herself go with him

But Opal also has a weakness for Starling House and the children’s classic, The Underland, that the house’s first owner wrote from within its walls. Starling House captures her dreams, and she can’t resist following those dreams in waking life.

Which is where this story catches her and drags us all down to Underland with her.

Starling House takes all the elements of a gothic romance; the dark and creepy house concealing secret rooms and family secrets, an uber angsty romance between star-crossed would-be lovers both believing they’re not worthy of redemption, adds in myths and monsters from the depths of the imagination, sets it in a hard-scrabble, hard-luck town and then takes the whole story through a metamorphosis when the truth quite literally sets everyone – or at least everyone worthy – free.

Even if more of those people than would ever have imagined at the beginning of this descent into dreams choose to take their hard-won freedom and spend it in that same hard-luck town that might just have won a freedom of its own.

So, even though the angst of the romance sometimes goes way over the top, described in overblown language of desire and denial – at least within the confines of Opal’s head – and if the monsters and the myths turn out to be relics of bad choices and just desserts, the story of Opal, and Arthur and Eleanor descending down into Underland takes the reader along for the wildest of wild rides. Often in the wake of the Wild Hunt itself.

And even if some of both Opal’s and Eleanor’s secrets become obvious to the reader very early on, the journey is still well worth taking with them.

I took this journey in audio, with Natalie Naudus as the most excellent narrator. As a narrator, she seems to specialize in heroines who think that everything is all their fault and that they have to do it all alone, and her voice made me think of her other characters, Emiko Soong in Ebony Gate, Zelda in Last Exit, and Vivian Liao in Empress of Forever. Opal is a fine addition to that illustrious company of women who stand on their own two feet but ultimately get by with a little help from their awesome, kickass friends.

I loved the author’s Fractured Fables, A Spindle Splintered and A Mirror Mended, so I’m looking forward to her next book whenever it appears. I already have Natalie Naudus’ next narration in my TBR/TBL (To Be Read/To Be Listened) pile in The Dead Take the A Train.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this AudioARC!

I absolutely loved Starling House. I think Alix Harrow did an excellent job with the writing in this story. The atmosphere was fantastic, the characters felt well developed, and the plot was unique! It is hard to do a unique haunted house story but Alix did a fantastic job with the spin on Starling house. I found myself drawn to listening to the story whenever I could- I found it incredibly compelling! I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a haunted house story and will be picking up any future books by Alix Harrow.

The narrator: I liked this narrator and her embodiment of the characters. I think she added a depth to the characters and the dialogue that really drew the listener in. I would listen to other books read by this narrator.

DNF @ 53%

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

I was really excited about another novel from Alix E Harrow. I fell in love with her debut, and was hoping this would give me those same feelings. Unfortunately it just wasn't the story I was expecting.

This was pitched and described as a gothic fantasy. Using words like 'sinister' and 'horrors' and 'haunted'. But in reality this book is more fairytale meets monsters in a battle of good versus evil.

I think if I had gone into this book with the right expectations, this could have been something I loved. But I picked this up for a creepy Halloween vlog, and it just wasn't at all what I was looking for.

Rather than sinister & haunted small town nowhere, I got a sentient house a la Beauty and the Beast mixed with Alice in Wonderland. Topped off with a white knight battling evil.

I think if you go into this with the right expectations, this could be a really beautiful fantasy. It's less flowery than some of other Alix E Harrow books while still being atmospheric. But it's not horror in sense of traditional horror. It's horror in the mistreatment and damage done to middle America.

I think the DNF is wholly on me and my personal expectations and not a commentary on the actual quality of the story. If you've loved this authors other fairytale inspired stories, I think you will love this just as much!