Everyone in town knows to stay away from the Starling House. Rumored to be haunted and with only reclusive Arthur Starling living there, Opal knows to stay far away. Yet strange dreams draw her to the house and soon she is working for Arthur. If Opal can earn enough money, she can afford to send her younger brother to a better school. Yet as strange people from the power company start sniffing around Starling House, it soon becomes clear that they want something from it. Opal and Arthur must uncover the secrets below Starling House before the vultures close in. 

Alix E. Harrow has the gift of telling a story in a sentence and somehow also making it hilarious. She excels at witty banter between Opal and Arthur as they struggle to understand the intricacies of Starling House. The House itself felt like a character to me! Opal and Arthur are one of my favorite duos and I really enjoyed how their relationship developed. I enjoyed that Arthur wasn’t the stereotypical love interest and instead described as a gargoyle! Amazing. I loved the sibling relationship between Opal and Jasper. Opal will do absolutely anything for her little brother and their bond was very strong. 

Starling House is another excellent example of Harrow’s immersive and witty writing style. Along with the fantasy elements, Harrow raises real issues of a power-hungry company, pollution, cancer, asthma etc. Yet even when dealing with serious issues, Harrow’s humor and wit shine through. Opal is such an incredible heroine. She is strong, loyal, and willing to do anything for her brother. Most of all, whether she knows it or not, Opal wants a home. In Starling House, Harrow muses on what home means and what the cost of one is. I can already tell that this is a book I’ll be rereading over and over again. I’m excited to see what Alix E. Harrow writes next! 

I would highly recommend Starling House to anyone! I think readers who enjoyed Roshani Chokshi’s Last Tale of the Flower Bride will especially enjoy this one. I listened to the audiobook, which was beautifully narrated by Natalie Naudus. Readers who seek haunted houses with dark secrets, fantastic characters, and hilarious writing will love Starling House. 

Thank you so much to Alix E. Harrow, Macmillan Audio, Tor Books, and Netgalley for a free ALC in exchange for an honest review.