Starling House

Starling House my beloved

Bewertet: Buch (Taschenbuch)

I have a tingling feeling Starling House is going to haunt me for a lot longer than I expected it to when I started the book, and God help me, I wish it would haunt me for evermore. The story follows Opal and her younger brother, two misfortunate orphans living in a town called Eden, where it seems luck has run dry for the townspeople for a long time. Opal, a ‘deadbeat’ who steals and lies to get by, has been obsessed with a haunted house on the edge of town, that is always locked behind its gates, for as long as she can remember - but when the opportunity arises and the gates open for her, the house seems to be more than just a big pile of old stone and even older rumours, a house with dark secrets underneath it – as well as all those strange tragedies that occur whenever the mist rises around it. Untangling the mystery behind the Starling House and its Wardens was probably the most fun I’ve had with a spooky fantasy stand-alone. The romance subplot was especially well done—rarely driving the plot; it instead felt like a beautiful, subtle layer woven into it. It was a refreshing break from the typical “romantasy” trend, which oftentimes drowns you in excessive romance and loses its fantasy appeal, offering moments of tension whenever something happens between them, which continuously built throughout the book. The most striking part for me, however, was Harrow's expressive, almost poetic writing. Every chapter felt like a piece of art, and the Midwest emo vibe was perfect (pro tip: listen to “Window” by Sundots while reading). Overall, ‘Starling House’ is easily in my top three reads of 2025 and if you love strange houses and even stranger men inside of them, this book is an absolute must!

One of my fall favs!

Bewertet: Buch (Gebundene Ausgabe)

Finally a new release from Alix E. Harrow! As her former novels "The Ten Thousand Doors of January" and "The Once And Future Witches" were huge successes, I was sure I would love this book even before I had read it. Did it live up to my high expectations? Absolutelly - and it even succeeded them. Harrow did a marvellous job with the overall vibe of this slow-burn gothic family drama, introducing us to characters that have been horribly scarred by life and are trying to do their best to get by. At the center of the story lies a somewhat odd and frightening children's book which was written by Eleanor Starling. Today, Arthur Starling is the last living member of his family, caring for the huge Starling mansion and its beautiful garden. However, Arthus seems to have his own kind of secrets, keeping to himself and talking to no one in town. Until he meets Opal. The story and setting of this book consumed me to the core of my being as I desperately tried to untangle gothic fantasy from reality, the scare of a seemingly innocent children's book from actual horrors. But where did Eleanor draw her inspiration from in order to write such an unusual work of fiction...? And why did she vanish without a trace after publishing it??There is only one way to find out, enjoy this book!