Thank you to Alix E. Harrow, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of Starling House.

My favorite quote: “With hands like boiled fish”
It made me chuckle.

This wasn’t a typical read for me so I was a little worried at first. It was a little slow. Especially for the first 40-45% of the book. It was really trying to emphasize how gloomy things are. Gloomy, somewhat negative vibes are usually really difficult for me to stick with because I often use reading as a form of escapism. However, it was very well written and Natalie Naudus does a fantastic job narrating. So, I was able to stay hooked. I really enjoyed the characters. The story came together really well. I enjoyed that this book wasn’t as creepy as I worried it would be. (Ha) I did kind of feel like they could have gone a little deeper into parts of the story though. For this book to be slower, and outside of my normal reading genre, I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net galley for an ARC of this book.
I Recommend this book without hesitation.
The Starling House was full of mystery and suspense. It is a story of hope and family with a misunderstood "haunted" house. I enjoyed this chilling story. I am not a fan of horror novels and this book was just the right amount of creepiness and eerieness. I enjoyed this gothic, atmospheric, story.

Starling House was an excellent start to spooky season reading! While I’ve only read a few haunted house books before, it started giving me vibes similar to The Last House on Needless Street, but the plot was much different. My favorite part was the personification of Starling house, both in its perception, built up by rumor and speculation, and its reality, as we discover more about its history throughout the book.

I really enjoyed the audiobook as well - the narrator really drove home a lot of the emotion in the story, and it was clear when we pulled out for a quick footnote or note insert.

Grateful for the opportunity to dive into the ARC of this book, though it didn't quite captivate me enough to reach the final page.

I absolutely loved the audio for this. I loved having both the physical and audio as an option. I loved this one. The atmosphere was so good. The mystery, the creepy factor, all of it. I loved the dark fantasy aspects of this one. Opal and Arther were such complex characters, I wanted to know ALL about them. I know a lot of people are huge fans of this author and I can see why, I will definitely be reading all of her work! This was perfect for spooky season.

<b><i>Starling House</i> is another wonderful, dark, twisty story from Alix E. Harrow, with imperfect characters, a noble, messy quest, layers of history, and a captivating end.</b>

<blockquote><b>I can see them all now, truths and lies, all lying one atop the other...the Gravely brothers...Eden, which was a good little town and a terrible little town, filled with good and terrible people...Eleanor. </blockquote></b>
Opal is desperate for cash, and her petty theft at her minimum-wage jobs isn't going to cut it. She's got to raise the money to send her bright younger brother Jacob to a private school where he can thrive--and have better prospects than Opal herself has had since the loss and disappearance of their single mother.

She's been cobbling together enough to get by, but when a mysterious draw to the spooky Starling House ends up in an overpaying job offer, she feels she can hardly say no.

Arthur, the young, haunted-seeming caretaker of the estate, seems resigned to her presence even as he advises her to stay far away from Starling House. He's caught up in solving some sort of puzzle related to the past. Which Opal promptly attempts to file under Not Her Problem.

Opal takes his envelopes of cash for her overpriced housekeeping, but she doesn't tell Arthur that she's been dreaming of the decrepit, rambling house for years, and that she has some eerie sense that she's finally home.

Harrow has crafted a rich, fully realized set of interconnected elements; families riddled with greed and betrayal, duty and disappointment, well-meaning and ineffectual passersby; and dreams of darkness, belonging, and taking up the mantle of an eerie, wonderful, terrible home and the predecessors who fought for it.

<i>Starling House</i> includes social commentary and judgments about privilege, corruption, and abuse at the hands of terrible, powerful men. The supporting characters are fantastically odd, fiercely loyal, and a heartwarming support for a girl who often feels without an anchor.

I adore Harrow's writing; her imperfect, faulted characters; the noble, messy quest; the hard-fought realizations and revenge. This was wonderful.

I received a prepublication edition of the audiobook of this title courtesy of NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.

Alix E. Harrow is also the author of the wonderful <a href="https://www.bossybookworm.com/post/review-of-the-once-and-future-witches-by-alix-e-harrow/"><b><i>The Once and Future Witches</a></i></b> and <a href="https://www.bossybookworm.com/post/review-of-the-ten-thousand-doors-of-january-by-alix-e-harrow/"><b><i>The Ten Thousand Doors of January,</a></i></b> as well as <i>A Spindle Splintered, A Mirror Mended, The Autobiography of a Traitor and a Half-Savage,</i> and <i>Fractured Fables.</i>

<b>To see my full review on The Bossy Bookworm, or to find out about Bossy reviews and Greedy Reading Lists as soon as they're posted, please see <a href="https://www.bossybookworm.com/post/review-of-starling-house-by-alix-e-harrow/"><i>Starling House.</a></i></b>

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.

Natalie Naudus narrates the audio book and she does a wonderful job capturing the complexities of Opal's personality and really emphasizing the Gothic fairy tale-like vibes of the story. It was a fantastic listen!

This was a creepy read and I am totally here for it. I am also a sucker for a happy ending and that is just what I got!! I love Alix E. Harrow's writing! Can't wait to read more by them!

Wow. I just finished this audiobook, so it’s fresh in my mind. I enjoyed the narrator, the story, the themes that could be pulled out about community, family, loyalty, all with this supernatural twist. I felt like I could imagine Eden, KY being many small towns and that readers could relate and understand the larger messages.

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow and Narrated by Natalie Naudus was an amazing read!
A crazy good gothic tale that captivated me from the very beginning.
Natalie told this story perfectly and executed Opal to a T!
An eerie, suspenseful and mysterious story.
This book was just perfect and I loved every second of it!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group and Macmillian Audio for this audio book arc!

Rating: 4 stars

The beginning of the book immediately sucks you in with the magical mysterious aspects of the cursed haunted house. I really loved Opal the main character as well as her older brother Jasper. Their relationship and Opals love for her brother is one of my favorite aspects of the book.

I really loved this audiobook and the narrator, Natalie Naudus, her performance was amazing and she really brought a lot of emotion into the story. Bringing it to life

Opal is a girl whose had the rough life but still fights to smile. After her mother dies, Opal is left to care and raise her younger brother. Only wanting the best for her brother, Opal takes a housekeeping job at the mysterious Starling house, even though everyone has told her to stay away, but something seems to draw her there. In this book nothing is what it seems.

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I listened to this book and LOVED it. I would recommend it to readers who want the spook without the goosebumps. It's eerie, and magical, has creepy beasts, and is sprinkled with tasteful romance.

Much gratitude to NetGalley, TOR, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced Audio copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Starling House was one of my most anticipated fall releases and it is a perfect fall/spooky season read. I listened to this audio and while I found the narrator to be great- I didn’t end up loving this story.

While the storyline was interesting, I spent the first few pages of this book confusing it with The Unmaking of June Farrow. Not because the storylines are similar but because the opening to both books are about a parentless 20/30-year-old women, in a small town that hates them. I just so happened to start both books within days of each other. I digress.

I didn’t find this to be much of a horror read, though there are some ‘gory’ depictions included in the story. In my opinion this was more a dark fantasy book, and I’d reset your expectations if you’re looking for something truly in the horror genre.\

While I think I did enjoy the book, especially the narration, there isn’t too much that is truly memorable. I thought we had some interesting characters, but I’ve grown weary of women’s characters, always thinking they can do everything themselves and need to protect everyone instead of just communicating. This is a qualm I have with all genres lately, not just this book. Arthur was an interesting character, and I did find the relationship between the two to be compelling. What this book lacked though for me, was an understanding of the ‘magic/fantasy’. We get a glimpse into where and how it’s found but I’m not 100% sure where it came from, how it works, or what exactly it is. Which took this down a star for me.

I am 100% a plot-based reader. I’m not a fan of endings open to interpretation and Gothic books are so hit or miss for me. Harrow is such a wonderful and imaginative writer, but the unanswered questions took away from the story. This is perfect for readers looking for an atmospheric ‘haunted’ house story. Ultimately for me, it was a 3-star read.

Starling House is out now. Huge thank you to Tor Books and Macmillan Audio for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.

A "haunted house" and a strong-willed female character taking care of her little brother. I love the setting and the characters. A perfect October read!

Fall is the perfect time to cozy up with a spooky read, and Alix Harrow’s southern gothic fantasy is an excellent choice if you’re craving some chills. Welcome to Eden, Kentucky, a town that has seen more than its fair share of tragedy and bad luck. Is it truly just a long streak of bad fortune, or are there more sinister forces at play?

Our tenacious protagonist, Opal, was orphaned at a young age, forced to grow up too quickly so that she can care for her younger brother Jasper and give him the opportunities she never had. When she gets the opportunity to earn some extra money working at Starling House, a local mansion shrouded in mystery and rumored to be haunted, Opal can’t resist.

Starling House's Victorian Gothic architecture is entirely out of place in Eden, and its citizens avoid even the mention of the house or its inhabitants. It was built by the reclusive author of The Underland, a woman who disappeared over a hundred years ago, leaving the home abandoned. Now, the mansion is occupied by the dark and broody Arthur. Opal quickly becomes obsessed with solving the mysteries held at Starling - an obsession partially driven (understandably) by the intrigue of the sexy misanthrope. The house calls to Opal in her dreams and though she should be scared, she can’t resist its pull. Opal has never had a home to call her own, so despite the house’s dark history, it starts to feel like hers. For the first time, Opal may have found a reason to stay in Eden, but she will have to fight for her happiness, and she fears it will be a fight against the forces of evil.

From the very first pages I was sucked in to this atmospheric novel. Starling House is so vividly depicted, you will feel the warmth of the sunlight through its gleaming panes, as Opal falls in love with the house, and when the house comes alive at night you’ll feel the chill in the air that sweeps through its halls.

At the heart of every great gothic novel, is a slow burn romance, and Harrow doesn’t disappoint us there. Arthur is a modern day tattooed Heathcliff, with the fate of an entire town on his shoulders, and Opal isn’t about to let him fight alone. Starling House was my favorite October read. It has mysteries, monsters, and romance (and of course a haunted house)! Cozy up next to a fire to read this one, and make sure to leave some extra lights on…
I rated this book five out of five stars!

Starling House follows Opal, who has been focused on raising and providing a better life for her brother since their mother died in a tragic car accident. Following an unexpected encounter, Opal takes a job cleaning the Starling House - the local spooky house - built long ago by a local reclusive author and inhabited by a series of mysterious caretakers. Everyone in the local town of Eden has a different version of the house’s history and its residents and the only ones that seem to think it's a good idea is a mysterious group looking into the house’s secrets.

Author Alix E. Harrow strikes a balance with a mysterious and occasionally spooky story that also builds on connections and community, especially in the face of trauma and hardships. Natalie Naudus is an outstanding narrator and once again does a great job with this story. Overall, Starling House is likely to appeal to those looking for stories of found families and community; or those looking for a bit of mild spookiness during spooky season or anytime.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an audio review copy of Starling House. Full review and discussion on episode #225 of Narrated podcast: https://narratedpodcast.com/225

✨ 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!

Opal has always had tough luck. She'd lied, stole, and cheated her way into the semblance of a life that she has and is focused on getting her younger brother out of the small town of Eden, KY. Opal has spent many years dreaming of the spooky mysterious Starling House. A house that sits apart from the town, is sinister, and those living there are equally as mysterious and also distrusted by the townsfolk. When Opal gets a job at Starling House, her life is set on a supernatural path she never expected.

I really enjoyed this one. While haunted house stories are not really my cup of tea, this was spooky without been too sinister. I really loved the back story and the changing relationship between Opal and Arthur. I also really loved all the side characters. Opal is super prickly but super focused on trying to protect her brother and she is not so hardened that we don't see her emotions. I also loved Arthur and his commitment. Overall, definitely enjoyed and would recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the gifted advanced copy of the audiobook!

3.5

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Alix E. Harrow, and NetGalley for this advance listeners copy!

Although this started out a little slow, I enjoyed the story overall. My favorite character was the definitely the house! Arthur was such a mystery for a good bit of the book, so I really enjoyed when we started getting his POV chapters, and actually enjoyed those more than Opal’s at times.

Opal was easily relatable as a snarky woman who takes on too much for her family’s sake (her brother) without even being asked. She’s very much a person who doesn’t take any crap from anyone. I also liked the townspeople that Opal got along with, and some of her interactions with ones she didn’t get along with.

I don’t know if this would be my personal level of horror, but I do think it had a bit of a haunting/eerie aesthetic to it.

As this was my first Alix E. Harrow novel, I'll definitely check out her other books! Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who likes fairytale-like stories with a gothic twist.

While this book starting off a bit slow, the way it unraveled was very much worth it! It was a very eerie, intriguing setting combined with relatable characters. I really enjoyed the twist of what the house actually was and the darkness it was covering, it was very cool. I feel like this was a perfect read for spooky season!