This grim and gothic fairytale was perfect for me. I loved it!

Alix Harrow is an amazing writer and I have enjoyed everything she has written.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced listening copy.

One thing that will always get me is a haunted house book. Thankfully Harrow does not disappoint in Starling House. The book is beautifully written and the story perfectly told. I am not usually a fan of gothic novels but something in this kept me going until the very end!

4/5 Stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with access to this audio-arc.

Young adult fiction
Gothic fiction
Ecological horror
Romance


This modern Gothic horror fiction book was an enjoyable read and an interesting take on the haunted house trope and dilapidated mansion that are synonymous with the genre. The addition of ecological horror elements was my favourite part about this narrative but I found that it was an under explored area of the storyline and more could have been fleshed out more rather than the heavy focus on the capitalist corporation. That being said it did add interesting social commentary embedded into and underlying the main narrative that is easy for young adults to grasp.

However, overall I just found the story to be nothing extraordinary or surprising. It didn’t truly add anything new to the genre as a whole and wasn’t a book I’d personally buy for my collection or plan to read again. However, it is a great modern gothic for younger audiences and as a whole a good read. The pace is that of a traditional gothic narrative, so more than half the book is spent leisurely building up the setting , characters, background, atmosphere and then around mid-point the story begins to spews up in pace and action. I did find the ending to almost feel a bit like it was grooming relationship and that was strange.
I got this book as an ebook copy from edelweiss plus and an audiobook copy from netgalley. I actually would rate the audiobook a bit higher 71/5 out of ten because the narrator did such a wonderful job and it was very enjoyable for me to listen to them

5 out of 5 stars

This is an absolutely beautiful gothic/fairytale/horror novel. I loved Opal who is living in a motel with her asthmatic teenage brother who is struggling to take care of him and give him the best future that she can. Opal has this overwhelming attachment to Starling House. She finds herself drawn to the house as if it were calling her name. When she meets the young and mysterious owner of the house and he offers her a job cleaning the house her life is change forever. This is a lovely haunted house novel with much more than you would ever expect.

Starling House was such a wonderful book! I love Harrow's ability to make the house itself come alive. Spooky but not too scary

What an absolute fever dream this was. The amount of times our protagonist complained of a headache was starting to give me one

This book was whimsical and enthralling. This was my botm pick too. Really enjoyed this and didn't want to put it down. Such a unique story and loved the house that became embued with a personality over time due to all the energy around it.
So many stories to keep track of and some where false gossipy stories passed around until we found out the true stories. Def recommend but its pretty dark and twisty.

Loved the narrator and the setting. I really enjoyed the beginning when she had her first experience with Starling House and the pacing of the story felt spot on from that point on. Very enjoyable book and a fast faced read!

I wanted to like this audiobook but I think the plot was a little too dark and twisty for me. I had a hard time staying engaged despite the awesome gothic haunting premise. Perhaps Harrow storytelling style is just not fo rme. The voice actors did a great job despite my difficulty with the content!

5 ⭐️ Book Review 📚

Welcome to Starling House. The home of nineteenth century author E. Starling and the only interesting thing in the small town of Eden, Kentucky. With its dark history and mysterious owners throughout the years, the population of Eden steer clear of the bad luck that coats the land that the house was built on.

Opal has been having dreams of the haunted house since she was a child and has finally gained the courage (or insanity) to knock on the door. The owner of the house, Arthur Starling, is hiding secrets that only occur in nightmares. Now that Opal is around, he has exactly what he needs in order to make the house a home again.

Review:

This book was unexpectedly a beautiful story of a rebellious foster kid who finds a place that feels like home. That was between the pages, though. What was actually written was a nightmare full of haunted houses, dark history, and monsters.

What pushed the story was the relationships between all of the characters. I was fully invested in the lives of these characters and the small town that they lived in. One of my favorite themes in the book was that no one ever seemed to know the true history of the house. When I finally found out the real history of everything that happened on that property, it was so much darker than I thought, and I applaud.

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

Starling House was a captivating, atmospheric book that I highly recommend for fans of gothic fiction. As someone who isn't a huge horror/thriller fan, this was a perfect amount of creepy/gothic for me to enjoy without being overwhelmed. That said, if you are a big fan of horror, this novel might be a little too tame for you.

Another thing I really appreciated about this novel was the way it addressed racism, prejudice and classism. Alix took a unique approach to these topics that really portrays the importance of recognizing and addressing the institutions we see within our own reality.

Read for:
- Haunted house vibes
- Gothic atmosphere
- Romance subplot
- Relateable MC

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of my favorite books that I have read this year. I could not put it down. You had me at creepy house. I had to know what was going on with the house and Arthur. I love Opal. She has had a hard life but has made the best of it for herself and her brother, Jasper. The house calls to Opal and she has no idea why. She dreams of it. When Arthur hires her to clean the house, she sees this as her chance to find out more about the house. She might be surprised by what she finds. Arthur is kind of a mystery. First he pushes Opal away but then he tries to help her at every turn. He sees her for what she is underneath her tough exterior. I just loved this story. I was on the edge of my seat for so much of it and had to know what was going on. I loved the twists. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

"AN ABSOLUTE GEM AND A FAVORITE OF THE YEAR!

This book took me by surprise and quickly became one of my all-time favorites. Initially uncertain, I decided to give it another chance, and I'm thrilled that I did. The atmospheric brilliance remains consistent throughout, casting a captivating light on the entire story. One of the standout features is the immersive quality—the reader always knows where they are in the book, and the characters' emotions are palpable, making you an integral part of the narrative.

The story follows Opal, a determined individual juggling various roles in life, driven by a desire for a better future for her brother. The backdrop of Eden, Kentucky, with its dual reputation for bad luck and the mysterious E. Starling, sets the stage for a captivating tale. Opal's obsession with Starling's work leads her to Starling House, a decision that unravels dark secrets and introduces her to Arthur, the heir to the mansion.

The dreamlike quality of the writing draws readers into a hauntingly beautiful world, and the sinister forces at play add layers of intrigue. As the mysteries of Starling House and Eden deepen, Opal finds herself entwined in a fight against ghosts, both literal and metaphorical.

This is mysterious and just the right amount of creepy to keep my attention. The tension between the two MC's is satisfying. Very entertaining.

I was provided an audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This was a strange, dark fairy tale come to life. I feel like every small town has a creepy house with a creepy backstory. This town is no different, Starling House is strange and everyone steers clear of it. The house's namesake was a recluse and she wrote a strange children's book that only became popular after her disappearance. Her family and the house are surrounded by rumors and stories, but no one knows the truth. The current resident, Arthur is also strange and reclusive and no one knows much about him. Opal has had strange dreams about Starling House for as long she can remember. She and her younger brother have not had an easy go at things since their mother died. Opal will do anything to keep her brother safe and give him a better life. She approaches Arthur for a housekeeping job, and while everyone else in town fears the house it strangely feels like the one place she belongs.

The longer Opal spends at the house, the more she discovers about it, the Starlings, and Arthur. There are some truth to the rumors, but there is so much more happening on the Starling property and Opal and Arthur have to figure out how to protect the town from the monsters both real and imagined.

This is one of those books that you finish and you go "What did I just read?" I feel like I need to read it again. Harrow's prose is beautiful and the story is well written, but it isn't going to be for everyone. I was at about the 70% mark and I was unsure of how things were all going to come together, but they eventually did towards the end. I have to admit I was confused as to what was going on through most of the book. The author uses metaphor throughout, and it isn't until the very end that we find out what the main message is.

There is a mild romance between the two main characters, however I didn't feel the chemistry between them at all. The romance fell short for me. I also found the main characters to be unlikable and in a story where there is a good vs evil plot I want to root for someone. The character development also missed the mark for me. I really liked the concept of the house being sentient, but I wanted more of the house and less of Opal acting out and having tantrums. I did appreciate the atmosphere and the descriptive nature of the writing.

Overall, this book was OK for me. I feel like this book is either a you absolutely love it or you don't kind of book. It was lacking in the horror elements I wanted to see from a book with a gothic haunted house with terrible monsters. The pacing and characters didn't appeal to me personally but I think there are others out there who are going to love this book. The author tackles some important messages, but the way the story is told didn't appeal to me.

I had a difficult time staying engaged with the storytelling style in Starling House, but I think the voice acting was fantastic!

This story has the feeling of a retelling, but it’s also one of the most unique stories I’ve ever read. It feels like modern day folklore and I loved it! I think one of my favorite things about this book is the vibes, specifically the idea that the evil will get their justice, even in a supernatural matter.

I really liked both Opal and Arthur. I liked that neither of them were supposed to be seen as likable, which honestly made them more likable. I like how Opal was unapologetically a thief, doing whatever she needed to survive. Her story was really sad, but moving in how she dealt with her lot in life. I’m also a sucker for a grump, so that’s why I was going to love both of them, but especially Arthur. I think his use of being a grump to hide himself from the world and his pain made his journey throughout the book a lot sweeter.

I also really liked how the book was written in both first and third person, for Opal and Arthur respectively. I also liked how Arthur’s POVs, especially at the beginning, felt like he was representing the house in the narrative. I thought it was a creative way of capturing the story.

I think the only thing I didn’t totally love about the book was how the first half was really confusing, but I also think that that was on purpose, because Opal was just as confused as we were, so it made us closer to her as a character.

I also really liked the narrator! Her voice is one of the most soothing narrators I’ve listened to and I’d love to listen to another book narrated by her.

What a wild ride! This is an absolutely perfect book for when you’re in the mood for something with Stranger Things vibes. When you pick this up expect a mysterious house, intense dreamlike feelings, romance, and other worldly elements. It was definitely unlike any other book I’ve read!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the alc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The more Alix E. Harrow I read, the more of a fan I am becoming.

This is a slightly gritty tale of a young woman trying to scrape together enough money to keep her and her high school-aged brother afloat. She is ostracized in her small community both due to her family and her own otherness. She manages to get a cushy, well-paying job in a Starling House that I picture just like the one in the Aadams family, complete with creepy, gothic vibes, with a bit of sentience thrown in. She gets to know the resistant and standoffish owner, Arthur, and is drawn into his struggles with the house and his family's legacy. I loved this book and nominated it for everything the was to nominate it for.

Natalie Naudus is perfection as always.