A review by mj_james_writes
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

5.0

Starling House is a gothic fantasy story about a house and the people that come into its life. The main character, Opal, is a young adult trying to raise her brother and make ends meet in a small town. The town has never accepted her, or her brother. But all Opal cares about is getting her brother out and settled into a better life. 

 

Except she dreams of the Starling House, a house that is empty except for its mysterious heir. Her dreams combine with a children’s storybook. The author built Starling House and then mysteriously disappeared. But Opal can’t seem to resist the pull and takes a job as a housekeeper in the house that never seems to stay the same. 

 

Starling House is the perfect fall read. It is the right level of mystery and mysticism with a mild dose of romance that even I can get behind. I loved the writing and the solid characters. I was hooked from the moment that I picked up the book until the end. I’m not sure I liked the ending, but I do think it fit and was well written. The story really is more about the journey to reach the conclusion. 

 

This is a book that I see myself picking up to reread next fall.