Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

26 reviews

maryellen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Death, Alcohol, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Body horror, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief

Minor: Vomit

gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

Thank you to Black Crow PR for granting me a physical copy of this title and to join in on the book tour. All opinions remain 100% genuine.

This oozed rich, gothic atmosphere from the start. It felt like a dark and twisty fairytale, with fantastic similies that brought the writing ever more to life.

I was pleasantly surprised to see some illustrations were included, especially when learning about E. Starlings uncomfortable and eery art.

I like that when reading from Arthur's perspective, it switches from first person narrative to third person, which I found greatly emphasised this detached, recluse lifestyle he had.

This was reminiscent of Melissa Albert's The Hazel Wood, with the theme of a reclusive author, that wrote one book, mysteriously disappeared and has sinister fairytale that may be steeped in truth. There were moments between Opal and Arthur that reminded me also of The Secret Society for Irregular Witches. 

It was quite nice to read this alongside Heroes by Stephen Fry, as Starling House has some beauty symmetry and mention to the Greek myths.

The character growth of Opal, Jasper and Arthur was beautifully depicted as were the details on their desires and nightmares and how trapped they felt in Eden. You really got a strong sense of how deep the rot of the town was; despite the citizens believing they were good in every way that counted, they were often complicit in so much corruption, cruelty and neglect of those vulnerable.

The mirroring and rewriting of stories, lonliness, homelessness and desperation for vengence were such strong themes in this. They were so harrowing and devastating, but it swept me away perfectly into another world whenever I picked Starling House back up.

This was such a moving tale, of lies woven into truth and truth woven into lies and begs you to ask yourself what your story will be. Where will you choose to burrow your roots down and make a home? 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Addiction, Blood, Torture, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Death, Abandonment, Bullying, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Racism, Slavery, and War

Minor: Child abuse, Mental illness, Child death, Death of parent, Pedophilia, Car accident, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Incest, Misogyny, and Death

kaitplusbooks's review against another edition

emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Gore, Grief, Misogyny, Racism, Classism, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Grief, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, Cursing, Death of parent, Abandonment, Car accident, and Sexism

Minor: Alcohol, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Incest, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia

booksbeyondthebinary's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Car accident, and Blood

Moderate: Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

Minor: Incest, Racism, and Slavery

bi_n_large's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense slow-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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent

Moderate: Slavery, Racism, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Grief, Incest, Religious bigotry, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Child abuse

Minor: Sexual violence, Police brutality, Homophobia, Biphobia, and Lesbophobia

demi_sewell's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was simply amazing and so well written, I had such a hard time putting it down. The beasts were so alive that I could feel them in the room with me, breathing and the nails clicking. The end was so great as well. Definitely will read again. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Blood

Minor: Death of parent, Slavery, Alcohol, and Car accident

cyberhavok's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Car accident, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Alcohol, and Blood

Minor: Cursing, Death, Incest, and Grief

eleanor_r's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

As an Alix E. Harrow fan I had high expectations for this release, and it still blew me away!

Built on the skeleton of Beauty and the Beast, but told slant, Starling House has everything I've loved in Harrow's past books: dark fairy tale power, rich resonant writing, and twists that feel both unexpected and inevitable. But Starling House also feels more taut and focused than 10K Doors of January or Once and Future Witches, with the plot centering on two main characters and one cursed house in a bad-luck town.

I really felt Opal's struggles to suppress her wants and dreams so she has a chance at what she needs, and how her drive for survival has blinded her to truths around her. The layers of story surrounding Starling House were so satisfying to peel away, like a folklorist comparing variants of an oft-told tale.

I also loved the slow-burn romance

between Opal and Arthur, and how we get insight into Arthur's motivations and Opal's attraction drip by drip

. This felt like a new element from Harrow, and I love what she did with it! 

As a midwesterner, I appreciated the Kentucky history that peeked through the story at times, and the real sense of desperation in a town where all the jobs are precarious. 

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Violence, Slavery, Alcohol, Chronic illness, and Racism

Minor: Sexual content and Vomit

sustainably_lucia'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

4.5

Perfect October read.  It is a dark, mysterious, and strangely sweet story about a haunted house, its brooding, reclusive warden, and a young woman who will do almost anything to get her younger brother out of this nightmare town.

This is not the type of book that I typically read but I really enjoyed it. The beginning was a bit slow, but then it took off and I really got sucked in. I loved the layers that were slowly uncovered throughout the story about the House, the town, and the main characters. The truth is nuanced and complicated but also very simple. I was satisfied with how it ended (although I was on the edge of my seat for most of the last 100 pages). Not everyone gets what they want, but they do get what they need. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Blood, and Car accident

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Slavery and Sexual content

yilliun's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

An excellent cozy southern gothic fall read. Slow to start and some of the plot points felt a little too predictable. I did love how the House becomes a character in its own right.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, and Car accident

Moderate: Alcohol and Death of parent