"Starling House" by Alix E Harrow is a Blend of Light Horror, Mystery-Thiller and Romance Fiction!

Welcome to Eden, Kentucky! The only thing missing from this washed up town is the tumbleweed rolling down the street...

Eden's only claim to fame is being where the reclusive 19th Century author-illustrator, E. Starling lived. She only wrote one book, a well-known and widely-read children's book titled The Underworld.

No one remembers when Starling House appeared, but it was before the author vanished. She left behind speculations about her disappearance and a house that's said to be haunted.

Now no one cares about the house. No one except Opal.

Opal loved reading The Underworld when she was a child and as curiosity continues to get the best of her, she trespasses onto the Starling property in the middle of the night. After meeting the reclusive owner and current resident Arthur Starling, getting a job offer for housekeeper of Starling House is like the dream come true she's been hoping for...

"Starling House" is beautifully written with characters that are ambiguous, yet interesting and creatively-drawn. This author certainly knows how to tell a dark story about things that go bump in the night. The atmosphere is foreboding but with unexpected splashes of humor that are appreciated by this reader.

I enjoyed the strength and resilience of the MC, Opal who's been raising her much younger brother, Jasper since their mother's death, a daunting responsibility. She's struggled between right and wrong in the past but seems determined to provide her brother with a better future than she's had. She has a plan, focused on her goal, and perhaps may even discover the person she wants to become in the process.

"Starling House" has less Horror than I expected and more Mystery-Thriller mixed with Romance Fiction and, as a result, it's feels character-driven rather than plot driven. I love character-driven stories but I was expecting most of the activity to encompass the house and, frankly, I have trouble buying into the romance. A friendship seems more likely based on the characters involved and how they're drawn by the author.

"Starling House" audiobook is a wonderful listen narrated by Natalie Naudus who has outstanding voicing skills and is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

"Starling House" is a story I very much enjoyed, especially the beautiful writing style of an author I've previously read. Based on this, I was also expecting a bigger wow-factor from her storytelling, which felt a bit subdued this time around.

I look forward to Harrow's next offering and I recommend "Starling House" to readers who have enjoyed reading her past work and to those who have yet to discover her writing talent!

4⭐

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Alix E. Harrow for an ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow is a gothic tale of two cursed families and the house at the center of it all. Starling House is an intriguing story full of sinister characters, both visible and invisible. This is a supernatural story with a little mix of horror. I enjoyed the characters in the book, especially the house. The main characters are flawed characters with big hearts. The whole book is very well rounded and detailed. I could really picture the town and the characters who lived there. This book has it all - friendships, complicated family dynamics, mystery, romance and the supernatural.

I received a copy of the audiobook thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio. The audiobook is narrated by Natalie Naudus. I enjoyed the audiobook, it was well done and kept my attention.

I 100% picked up this book because I saw that the audiobook was narrated by Natalie Naudus who is my favorite narrator. You know when a narrator's voice and style of narration just hits the spot every time? That's me and Natalie's narration style. And Starling House did not disappoint. Natalie was able to bring this whimsical, decadent, and gothic feeling to an already atmospheric story. 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. To feature a romance that has this almost fated "you need to leave to be safe" feeling to it. The love where you'd rather they stay away and be safe, than be at risk together.

This book is like a Hozier song come to life. It is haunting, beautiful, thoughtful, and atmospheric. The sentient house is always a favorite trope coupled with the nightmare underbelly of the result of corporate greed. I would not firmly put this book in the horror genre but more horror adjacent. There are haunting moments fore sure but this is not the type of book to scare the pants off of you.

Starling House is so much for than an eerie Halloween read--it's a tale of family and the lengths we go for them. I think this is perfect for fans of Alice Hoffman and Practical Magic. I wouldn't necessarily call this a southern gothic, but closer to a spooky magical realism. I am now a huge fan of the narrator! Recommended, 4/5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher--these opinions are my own.

This deeply captivating and atmospheric story kept me hooked from the first chapter. Just as I was thinking the story was slowing down, there'd be another twist or turn. The audiobook was absolutely excellent, and I would highly recommend that format.

Such a perfect fall read - spooky and hopeful, creepy and funny, cozy and consuming.

(4.5 stars rounded up)

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an advanced listener copy of this audiobook, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Of strange houses and the haunted people who can’t escape them—Starling House is a meld of folklore, mythology, and the dark children’s stories that have come before. There’s always a nugget of truth at the bottom, and some magic too.

Opal is our plucky rebellious heroine, and she’s been having weird dreams about the gothic mansion in the centre of her town Eden, Kentucky. Always struggling to provide for herself and her little brother after losing her mom in a car accident (was it an accident?) she lies, cons and steals when she has to. Living at a local motel she can’t help but be drawn to Starling House, despite its dark rumours and legends. The heirs that come and go, never interacting with the town. It’s the house built by E. Starling the author of a deeply strange children’s book The Underland with a cult following. When she’s offered an unexpected job at Starling House, of course she has to take it, and see where this path that’s been tugging at her for years leads. But, can she untangle the secrets of the house and her own life before something truly evil is unleashed?

This book started out a bit juvenile feeling to me, but as I sunk into it, I was completely drawn in. I loved the mix of storytelling Alix E Harrow uses to uncover the secrets of the house—told from different sources—and I love how it all came together in the end. I thought this was going to be a book about a haunted house but the reality of it is so much better than that—nicely crafted and pulling from so many different wells of inspiration but converging just right.

There’s a bit of a funny love story at its heart, found family and stories told and retold and the power in the reclaiming of it. The elements of magical fantasy in this are just the right amount of unnerving grounded in something possible, adhering to mythological stories and possibilities.

And this house. I loved the house.

I think this is a great story that can pull you in if you let it. With something terrible and rotting waiting to claw it’s way to the light. Well-narrated, dark, kinda funny, creepy, an adventure that goes deeper and deeper in the best way—down down down into the dark.

Alix E. Harrow is an auto-buy author for me and I love a spooky, sentient house, so this book was an easy yes for me. The timing of this book coming out is a stroke of genius as it is such a great October spooky season read. It is not a perfect story and felt a little unoriginal at times, but I was more than willing to overlook that for the mood and vibes simply rolling off this book. I loved the House and its manipulations and enjoyed the idea that much of the evil in the town had everything to do with just plain, bad people as that is often the truth of the matter. If you enjoyed Mexican Gothic and Rebecca this book is well worth reaching for. I recommend a cup of tea, a rainy day, and a cozy blanket for the ideal reading experience.

*Narration by Natalie Naudus was top-notch as always.

I found some aspects of this story enchanting, and others disappointing. The author does a great job creating a spooky atmosphere and setting up all the elements of a gothic fantasy. However, the story gets off to a slow start, and even once it picks up, it lags at times. I enjoyed the dreamy feel, but sometimes it was difficult to follow the plot, and I was often confused about what was happening. The ending seemed fitting, although I would have preferred less ambiguity. After suffering through so much with these characters, I would have liked to actually see them happy.

The characters are realistically flawed, and I appreciated that they were not described as being attractive. Our main character Opal is morally grey and can be frustrating, although I could usually understand why she made the choices she did, and I eventually grew to like her anyhow. I thought Arthur was sad but sweet. The house itself was probably my favorite character.

I loved the author’s writing style, with her vivid descriptions and sometimes-colorful dialog. I liked the way there are so many stories tucked within this story, the way the author plays with dreams and memory and changing perspectives. The author touches on many dark issues, such as poverty, child abuse, pollution, exploitation, slavery, racism, sexism, and homophobia, but the issues never overwhelm the story.

The audiobook production was excellent. I loved the narration by Natalie Naudus, which really brought the story to life. She has good pacing and pronunciation, distinctive voices and speech patterns to suit each character, and the ability to convey mood and emotion effectively. This moody story works very well as an audiobook.

I received a free advanced review copy of the audiobook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

STARLING HOUSE by Alix E. Harrow is already getting a lot of hype. While the beginning of this story was a bit of a struggle for me to get into, I’m glad I stuck with it. The second half was much more interesting and enjoyable. It’s gothic. It’s fantasy. It’s a great time of year to read this atmospheric book!

I enjoyed the characters including the house. I liked the story but felt nothing really was going on the first half which made it feel loooong. The back half answered a lot of questions regarding the family history and we got more of the house as a character. Obviously there was more action in the last half as well. I struggled with the amount of lies and hiding of the truth amongst all of the characters- made it a tad frustrating.

I listened to the audio and thought the narration was great! Not sure I would’ve kept going without the audio. If you like gothic fantasy horror with a little romance, you’ll like this one. It was good but didn’t blow my socks off.

I can always plan on Alix Harrow’s books to me incredibly atmospheric, and Starling House is no exception. The world building was spot on, I felt transported into this small Kentucky town every time I listened to the audiobook.

I always appreciate when authors don’t drop a character’s entire back story immediately, and Harrow does this perfectly in Starling House. Especially with Opal and Arthur - even if the lead up to the big reveal is very much a slow burn.I frequently found myself gasping at revelations. Or, rather than just pausing the book mid-chapter to start my work day, I would pop my earbuds in and keep listening, at least until the end of the chapter.

I definitely didn’t find the epilogue necessary, and in fact, wish I hadn’t read it. I loved the way the last chapter ended and the epilogue sort of ruined it for me.

Overall, this was perfectly spooky fantasy for October.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio production and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for a review!

I DNFed the audio of Starling House before I switched to the ebook and ultimately DNFed that one at 25%. I did not like the narrator's voice, and decided to give the book itself a try to see if I would like the story more. 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.

4.5 stars rounded up. I'm glad I picked up "Starling House" in October, which was the perfect read to cozy up to on a chilly fall night. First, can we talk about how gorgeous this cover is?! Aside from that, there is plenty to enjoy in this haunted house tale that goes from grim to crazytown in short order.

Opal is a young woman whose life was drastically changed when her mother was killed in a car accident, leaving her to care for herself and her younger brother Jasper. Living together in a motel in the small town of Eden, Kentucky, Opal jumps at the opportunity to take a job at the town's most mysterious residence, Starling House, currently inhabited by Arthur Starling. There, she begins to realize that the rumors of Starling House's dark side may in fact be an underestimation of the truth.

This book has a little bit of everything: small town life, long-held family secrets, haunted house vibes, and of course also a grump-and-sunshine low-key romance. Despite the romance thread, it's clean enough for even young teens to read, and isn't over the top with gore or frights.

Received this ARC courtesy of NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Alix Harrow. The perseverance of the main characters was the draw that made me finish this book because I found that it did not peak my interest from the very beginning... fairly interesting story, even if it seemed as though it was told in a disjointed manner. Would like to get an update on Opal and her brother in about 5 years to see if he's finished school and what she's made of her life in Eden (whether or not she ended up pregnant with Arthur's baby as I suspect)...

Omg I just finished the the perfect spooky season read!

Trick or treat? The new caretaker of this spooky Southern Gothic mansion may have to find out the hard way.

I’ve said this before but I love a spooky house. Add some southern gothic vibes and this book is perfection. I did not see the heavy family dynamics or the love story coming. This book checked all my boxes! Highly recommend this spooky house, ghost story with a bit of found family and love.

This was soo atmospheric and captivating! I listened to this audiobook in one day and never wanted it to end! I was a little confused about how everything came together at the end, but overall I absolutely loved this eerie, romantic story!

The imagery in this book was hands down the best I’ve ever read!! It was so good. Made the rest of the book so enjoyable. Just how the author explained things made seeing it in the mind’s eye so amazing and easy!
Read this if you love gothic, sentient house books! Loved this as an audiobook! I would have loved to do a hybrid read because I didn’t realize there were little pictures throughout the book but the audiobook did a great job with the footnotes and making them make sense!
I really enjoyed how the POVs were written. It was interesting to me how Opal, the FMC, was written in first-person and the MMC, Arthur, was written in third person. The first time it switched I was slightly confused but loved it once we got going! This definitely helped the voices be unique and distinguishable.
The narrator did a wonderful job. She was very linear with her tone of voice which meant that the subtle differences were so obvious which I loved! Also, her man voice… hot.
I enjoyed the romance plotline too! I’m always SO DOWN for Romance in books! But I really enjoyed the subtlety of their relationship. I’ve really been enjoying Fantasy books lately that include romance. Hearing their relationship build throughout the book was so stunning.

Here are my reviews for the book starling house by Alix e Harrow! I really enjoyed this book and I gave it 4 stars

I had a very slow go with this one. Which I’m still not sure why. I enjoyed the audio version and I did get it on my kindle as well. The narrator was fabulous and the way footnotes were done in the audio version were a nice touch. The writing was really impressive. Almost poetic and very descriptive.

Opal is hilarious. Even though she has almost the worst life possible, she is funny and sarcastic which I loved. Arthur really grew on me and I loved Jasper. There were a few twists that I didn’t see coming but really elevated the plot. The setting of a town cursed and a house that chooses its people was really unique. This definitely had the found family vibe that I love but also two outcasts coming together and really thriving together.

The only real reason this wasn’t a 5⭐️ for me was because it was such a slow burn in the beginning for me. But I did love the ending so it was worth it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Pub Date: October 3, 2023

4.5 stars rounded up. This is my first Harrow book but I am certainly excited to read more! I am generally a fantasy reader so, while this isn't 100% in my wheelhouse, it feels adjacent to my typical reads. I loved the descriptions and the character growth and the story telling; it all just kept me hooked and wanting to find out more.

The narrator was also excellent and really brought the characters, the emotions, and the setting to life. There were a ton of emotions and inflections that came with them and I thought it was all really well done.