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House of Earth and Blood: Crescent City, Book 1
Sarah J. Maas
4.7
Starling House: A Reese's Book Club Pick
by Alix E. Harrow
Categories
About this book
In the dying town of Eden, Kentucky, Opal is a cynical survivor determined to secure a future for her younger brother. She has spent her life haunted by dreams of Starling House, a decaying, sentient mansion that looms over the town as a monument to its reclusive, vanished author. While the locals avoid the estate, Opal’s obsession pulls her toward the property and its brooding, misanthropic heir, Arthur Starling.
When Opal takes a job at the mansion, she crosses the threshold into a world of buried secrets, shifting architecture, and ancient, encroaching monsters. The dynamic between the guarded, desperate Opal and the enigmatic Arthur evolves from wary antagonism into a fragile, high-stakes alliance. As the town’s dark history begins to claw its way to the surface, Opal realizes that Starling House is not just a relic of the past, but a living, breathing entity that demands a protector.
Caught between the town’s decay and the house’s supernatural malice, Opal must choose between fleeing for safety or standing her ground to defend the home that has haunted her dreams. This atmospheric gothic fantasy weaves a tale of class, sacrifice, and the dangerous, magnetic pull of a house that refuses to be ignored.
Available Formats
Kindle: $9.99 Audiobook: $0.00
What readers are saying
Witty&SarcasticBookClubYou’ll be drawn into a world and story unlike any other.
"I love Alix E. Harrow’s books. From the gorgeous prose found in The Ten Thousand Doors of January to anger that seethes and roils in The Once and Future Witches, her writing is full of emotion that will suck you in and command your attention. Starling House is sometimes vicious and dripping with tension, other times heartbreakingly sad. Once you open the book and read the first page, there is no going back. You’ll be drawn into a world and story unlike any other. The book follows Opal, a youngish woman who lives in a hotel with her younger brother in the sort of town that everyone wants to leave but no one can get away from. Her brother, who is solely her responsibility, is massively smart and Opal has been squirreling away every penny she can to get him into a fancy school and out of town. When a weird encounter at the gates of Starling House- the sort of house that has ghost stories and rumors spread about it, with people who usually know better half-believing what they hear- leads to a job offer that pays extravagantly, Opal can’t refuse. Not that she really wants to. She’s been dreaming of that house and its secrets. Little does she expect, the house’s secrets mirror her own. The story was so much deeper and more complex than I expected going in. Starling House was one of my most-anticipated books of the year with good reason. The mystery of the house and its connection to the town was not what I thought it would be. It was darker and much more unsettling. If anything was going to build a haunted house or invite monsters, a secret like that would do the trick. The house was a character in its own right, and I was enthralled watching it go from monster, to guardian, to friend based on Opal’s viewpoint throughout the book. Opal was a fascinating character, although she veered into angst territory on occasion, which is something I don’t love. She was prickly and sometimes a bit of a butt. However, she was also hurting and lonely. It made perfect sense and led to interesting character growth. Arthur was just as interesting, although he really did enjoy brooding. At times, his “tragic hero” complex made me giggle a little. I do wish that Opal’s brother was in the story a little more. He was equally affected by Starling House and I would have loved to have seen that develop a little more. The climax was surprising and so much more intense than I expected. The ending was perfect, leaving just enough mystery to keep a small town talking and just enough surety to keep a reader satisfied. Alix E. Harrow remains an author that I’ll stand in line for. Each of her books is massively different from the one before, but the one constant is outstanding writing. If you have yet to discover this author, you need to remedy that right now. ["
October 16, 2023 Verified Purchase
Olivia OpertiTruly a favorite!!!!
"I am not normally one to leave book reviews but this book is just too good not to! This is the first book I’ve read of this author and I was not disappointed!!! I got sucked into this book almost immediately and was disappointed when it ended! The only reason I’m giving it four stars is because I did not like the ending… I finished the book and mentally said “wait, that’s how it ends??” But I’ve read it twice now and love it a little more each time I read it. The character development and the detail/descriptions given throughout the story make you feel like you’re a part of the story and I truly wish more books were told like this. ["
March 4, 2026 Verified Purchase
Linda S.Corvette Backseat Anyone?
"As an adult, I'm not sure if I liked this book or not. First, I feel it should have been categorized as a fiction for young adults despite the fact that the main characters weren't teenagers (lots and lots of teenage angst though). Second, it was rather hard to follow, especially at the end. What's real, what's not? There were also loose ends. As an example, what happened with the Baine woman? Third, the book was rather long, especially when it didn't really feel finished or complete. Volume 2, perhaps? Last, and most importantly, there was a huge factual error -- Corvettes do NOT have backseats. Moving on, I did like the motel owner, the librarian and the cat. They all had a rather cute and endearing aspect. However, I didn't like the creatures because they didn't seem realistic enough. From the book's drawings, they could have been wolves or blobs. Who knows? To finish, I am giving credit for the dust cover and the drawings in the book. They added a little shot of interest. Therefore, I'm giving this book three stars. ["
January 1, 2026 Verified Purchase
DanielleRushed this book and Loved it SO MUCH
"I destroyed this book and enjoyed it way more than I thought I would. It was the perfect break from my Fantasy marathon I’ve been on. Absolutely amazing story and the characters were all so fun and genuine. I was so intrigued by the house and the hidden truths of Eden. This is definitely one of my favorite reads this year so far.. ["
April 28, 2026 Verified Purchase
