Starling House: A Reese's Book Club Pick

Written by Alix E. Harrow

Narrated by Natalie Naudus

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER | A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK

“This book has everything you could possibly want this fall...a cursed town, a haunted house, a vivid & eerie setting—plus, characters willing to risk everything.” —Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club October ’23 Pick)

“The moody prose and atmospheric setting are brought to vivid life by Naudus’ lyrical rendition. This gothic horror novel keeps listeners guessing whether the monsters are real or crafted from the depravities of the unequal power dynamics of class, gender, and race.” — Booklist

Starling House is a gorgeous, modern gothic fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January.

I dream sometimes about a house I’ve never seen….

Opal is a lot of things—orphan, high school dropout, full-time cynic and part-time cashier—but above all, she's determined to find a better life for her younger brother Jasper. One that gets them out of Eden, Kentucky, a town remarkable for only two things: bad luck and E. Starling, the reclusive nineteenth century author of The Underland, who disappeared over a hundred years ago.

All she left behind were dark rumors—and her home. Everyone agrees that it’s best to ignore the uncanny mansion and its misanthropic heir, Arthur. Almost everyone, anyway.

I should be scared, but in the dream I don’t hesitate.

Opal has been obsessed with The Underland since she was a child. When she gets the chance to step inside Starling House—and make some extra cash for her brother's escape fund—she can't resist.

But sinister forces are digging deeper into the buried secrets of Starling House, and Arthur’s own nightmares have become far too real. As Eden itself seems to be drowning in its own ghosts, Opal realizes that she might finally have found a reason to stick around.

In my dream, I’m home.

And now she’ll have to fight.

Welcome to Starling House: enter, if you dare.

A Book of the Month Club Pick
An October 2023 Indie Next Pick
A LibraryReads October 2023 Hall of Fame Pick
Apple, Best Books of October
EW.com, Fall Book Must Reads 2023
Washington Post, Noteworthy Books for October
Paste Magazine, The Must-Read Fantasy Books of Fall 2023
PopSugar Best New Fantasy Books of 2023
BookPage, Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2023
Observer, Must-Read Books of Fall 2023
Polygon, 12 Best New SFF for the Fall
LitHub, October’s Best Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books
Bookish, October’s Most-Anticipated Books
Gizmodo, October's Huge List of New Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror Books

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Oct 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9781250882783

Alix E. Harrow

Alix E. Harrow is the New York Times–bestselling and Hugo Award–winning author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January, The Once and Future Witches, Starling House, and various short fiction. A former Kentuckian, Harrow now lives in Virginia with her husband and their two semi-feral kids. Her latest novel is The Everlasting.

Reviews for Starling House

[ojjieneth.vaneeckaute · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well written if you are into gothic horror kind of fantasy vibe.

[marie21117 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read this and enjoyed it a lot. Good story!

[Carlyna Gray · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Frankly it was a really good book! Unfortunately, I had a hard time trying to like Opal as her pessimistic view of things made her a bit insufferable at times. Her angry monologue and descriptions took over the story a couple times. Also, I fell asleep twice in the last 3 chapters, but I really liked the ending!!

[debbaworks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I took too long to read this book through, as I was nervous about the horror aspect, for which I have a very low tolerance, but it was not that kind of horror and I was fine with what was written. Harrow writes beautifully and I liked her characters. I think the book went on longer than it needed to and a good 10% could have been cut. Aside from that, it was an engaging story with a good mystery to solve. And a lovely, unusual love story, as a subplot. Very good reader performance.

[kaylawinters · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I felt like the book was slow at points but the ending was great. It was an interesting story with a moral that I thought was unique and had me looking to reflect on how it is applicable to my life. It was a nice fall read. I love the way the author describes scenes throughout the story.

[amy · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Interesting concept with the house and how the story unfolds slowly. Opal is juggling a lot of responsibilities and her story speaks to how she has to be strong even when it’s hard to do so.

[Melanie Beaulieu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book. I didn’t know this author. Definitely worth the listen. The narrator also has a nice voice, so it’s fine as an audiobook too.

[Vickie Spain · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This story just didn’t leave me scared or really interested in this book.

[Peyton Tollett · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked the book, I just felt it wasn’t what I was expecting; it was a little childish and I never felt really invested in it. It might be someone’s cup of tea though, it just wasn’t mine, if you like a mythical spooky book that isn’t creepy or super quizzical then this is a really good book for you. :)

[Nancy Shanteau · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my favorite Alix Harrow books so far! The storytelling is excellent and well paced. Mostly not too scary, interesting historical elements and great character building!

[Sherri McLain · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Magical haunted house. Yes, please! I wish she would make a sequel. Or even a searies. I love this book!

[Diana Reese Puckett · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Excellent. Loved it! Great narrator. Ghostly, eerie, page turner. Really held my interest

[Kaity Goodwin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

if you want a book about the difference between wants and needs, about what's right and what's wrong and all the things that fall somewhere in between (and all the things that definitely do NOT fall in between), about home and family and legacy; and you want it all framed in fairy tales, folklore, and mythology, crafted by a master storyteller- then I have some fantastic news.

[Chandrika Karumanchi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A perfect blend of spooky and sweet! Kept me guessing till the very end:)

[Lisa Bork · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An interesting fantasy with fun twists and turns. For dreamers and those who are lost.

[nichole · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A story within a story that unfolds with whimsy, intrigue, mystery, and a pinch of gothic horror.

Reminiscent of Alice In Wonderland with tinges of Stephen King mind screw nature of a house that runs the story.

You need this magical realism in your life.

[Shruti · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This became quite meh at the end! quite a generic read.

[tyaglovanna · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great storytelling, well written. I loved it. An intersting plot and characters

[Lily Katherine Bommarito · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Unique story and magic system, pacing could have been a bit faster to keep the reader more engaged. Glad I listened instead of reading the ebook!

[Alicia Jardine · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved everything about this book!! Mysterious and wholesome. ❤️

[machado283 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed it! Good story! Very well written and also it has a spellbinding effect on you!

[Stephanie Ullman · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was more than I thought it would be at all fantasy/ thriller it’s unique not sure how to react

[kimberly · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautifully written. A little long in parts, but I enjoyed the whole thing.

[Aj squires · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Surreal and a little bit rambly, leading down rabbit holes that can be confusing. With that said, the story is very well written and character development makes them believable. I enjoyed that the main characters were not your typical beautiful ppl, but realistic, whose lives make them beautiful. ♥️

[Catalina · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Awful writing. No plot. This is not gothic nor horror.

[misty · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The story was something I enjoyed. Didn’t really care for the homosexual relationships.