Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

79 reviews

browniebby's review

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

0.75

This book was not good. I went in expecting something completely different from what I got. The main character seemed much younger than her age, the love interest was really just boring (oh he gave her a coat and over payed her must be true love)and the side characters just felt like they were there because the author needed more people.

Also...the author kept mentioning how people treated the brother due to his race, which is vaguely implied to be Latino although it's never said from where. And she had a whole section about slavery told from the perspective of a descendant, but...it had a very magical negro type ending so any credit I might have given was immediately lost. It felt like she wanted YOU to know that she's aware of Kentuckys racism but she's not gong to delve too deep into it.

As an aside that audiobook narrator was a poor choice. This book is supposed to be set in small town Kentucky but from the narrator you'd never know that. Even the characters born and bred in the areas don't really have an accent. It was very odd because the location is a HUGE part of the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Classism

Moderate: Cursing, Racism, Slavery, and Death of parent

Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual content

persephonefoxx's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It occurs to me that this lonely, beastly, bleeding boy is the only person who has ever fought for me, ever stood between me and the dark and told me to save myself.

Modern gothic is a genre that I just want to wrap myself in forever. What more can you ask for? A stubborn and bold main character. A brooding love interest. An asshole cat and a brazen sentient house falling into disrepair. All  tied up with Alix E. Harrow’s beautiful prose. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Slavery, Car accident, and Death of parent

Moderate: Mental illness, Racism, and Blood

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Incest

maisie_leigh27's review against another edition

dark inspiring mysterious

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual content

story_goblin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I didn’t really know what to expect from this book, but can you really know what to expect out of any Alix E. Harrow book? I loved her first two novels, so I picked this up automatically. It’s difficult to describe Harrow’s writing… it’s dark and creepy and heavy and so full of love and hope at the same time. If you’re looking for something unique and complex, this is for you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident and Death of parent

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Incest, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Classism

doahdancer's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Incest, Sexual content, and Slavery

katievallin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Mental illness, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Vomit, Stalking, and Classism

Minor: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Drug use, Incest, Sexual content, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Outing

ilaxaria's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Incest, Slavery, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child death, Sexual content, Blood, and Vomit

Minor: Alcohol

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

bookswithbethx's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

dianaschmidty's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Alix E. Harrow for providing me access to this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Grief

Moderate: Gore, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Sexual content