This book is absolutely beautiful, I just couldn't get into it. I might have to try it again later, but it's a DNF for now.

Definitely not what I expected! Just the right amount of creepy and intriguing. I was blindsided by the twist and on the edge of my seat until the very end!

This was requested when I first found out about NetGalley and I had requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before they were archived. I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting.  If I can find this somewhere for a reasonable price, I will try to get it! I am giving this book three stars, as I don't want to give it a good or bad rating, since I did not get to it.

I adore all things dark and gothic, including this. Very atmospheric and consuming. House of Hollow is one of my all time favorites and an apt comp for this.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacourt Press for the e-arc to this in exchange for my honest review. 

If you loved House of Hollow or Small Favors, you will love Starlings. The tale of Kit Starling, a young woman searching for answers about her family. 

Ms. Linsmeier  does an amazing job weaving the tale about Rosemont, the town where father grew up with the grandmother Kit never knew existed. She is hesitant to trust, skeptical of the interest of Bear, her “guide,” entrusted to escort her around town. 

Definitely a novel you can finish in one sitting, and you will not regret it. The suspense, the tension, the eloquent imagery that provides the allure of the work and the mysteries within, are worth every page.

This didn't catch my attention but I am not the target audience. I wouldn't suggest it for libraries though because there are better books in this genre. The cover is eye catching though so it might be a good addition for larger collections if there was interest in horror.

Welcome Back!

It has been a rainy fall weekend/start to the week where I live and I used a lot of that time over the weekend to do some reading! I read a handful of mangas as well as finished an audiobook and started another! Low-key fall days are some of the best reading days. I wanted to start the week out by talking about a book I pre-ordered and was super excited about. It came out not all that long ago and I really enjoyed my time with this story. So today, we are going to talk about Starlings!

SPOILERS AHEAD

Kit is going to meet her paternal grandmother for the first time ever. Kit’s father recently passed away and her entire life she has been told that he has no living family but himself. He told Kit and her mother that both his parents and sister had passed. But since his passing, Kit and her mom learned that was not entirely true. Now they find themselves in the car on a very early morning drive, headed towards her grandmother. When they get there she is very nice and things look interesting in the town but stuff gets super weird super fast. First Kit’s mom starts not feeling well nearly daily. Then she leaves and just leaves Kit a note saying she needs space. Kit refuses to believe her mother would ever do that to her but if that is true, that means something awful happened to her.

I really enjoyed this book. I listened to most of it on audio and the narrator was amazing. They were able to make the setting seem eerie at times and a bit lighter at others. Without spoiling too much of the story, I was thrown off by a few things that happened along the way but in the context of the overarching story they made sense (it just was not what I thought was going to happen). Outside of the story, I absolutely loved the cover. This cover is absolutely gorgeous and will be a display book on my shelves! Let me know down below if you have read this one or are thinking about picking it up!

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

This book was great! Starlings follows Kit as she truly goes through it (I couldn't help myself). It's the perfect slightly spooky YA for this season.

Starlings is a beautifully atmospheric story, filled with mystery and betrayal that will keep readers turning page after page until the very end! It's what envisioned Stars Hollow could be if the town had a haunting secret. The characters are well written, & memorable. I would highly recommend this book to others!

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

Starlings is a wonderful story! I highly recommend this book. would honestly love a sequel. I hope the author continues!

I loved Starlings so much! It was a fun fantasy with an eerie and creepy undertone yet never crossed the line to keep you up at night scary. The world building was wonderful and I loved the characters.

On the one hand, this is a solid example of the familial curse in narrative. It fails to make us understand the villain, the primordial evil. He is not especially charming, so while we get some exploration of assorted members of the family and their relationship with the curse, we are left with little doubt about the right way forward. The ending is rather abrupt with little closure in the character side.

I loved this book! My favorite kinda book is the edge of creepy without over all full on scary. I loved the main character and thought the story building was amazing! I would highly recommend this book!

The first half of the novel was extremely engaging: we are constantly learning new information, secrets are revealed, and a creepy town setting is explored. The big twist is pretty solid, and there were enough breadcrumbs to make it believable, but after that it drags just a bit. 

The writing style is pretty solidly YA and well done, very engaging.  The MC was written pretty realistically: someone's always attractive, and she makes decisions that make sense for her age.

If you ever wished Stars Hollow had more things that went bump in the night, STARLINGS is for you! Linsmeier’s haunting mystery held me captive, eager to learn all of Rosemont’s dark secrets.

A hauntingly beautiful debut! I was enthralled from the very beginning and this creepy, twisty book did not disappoint. Linsmeier is one to watch!

Such a creepy little fantasy/mystery combo. I loved the eerie vibes of this book. In the wake of her beloved father’s death, Kit just discovered that she has a grandmother that her father hid from her. A road trip with her mother to meet the grandmother brings her to Rosemont, a small forgotten town with stepford wives undercurrents and eternal roses that bloom perfectly year round. Kit loves fantasy stories but never imagined she’d find herself living out a dark fantasy. This would be a perfect read for spooky season (Halloween). 

Thank you to NetGalley & Delacorte Press for the e-arc. The contents of this review represent my own honest opinions.

Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐
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This book had me hanging on to every last word 😍 it was another one of those books I just didn't want to put down!
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The setting feels cozy but also very dark at the same time. It has a chilling and just "off" atmosphere that I loved. There are some deep and intense themes that are handled well and written in a way that is still enjoyable in a sense.
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The characters are well fleshed out and show great character development by the end of the book. I loved learning about them and watching their secrets unfold for a stunning conclusion that made me emotional.
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I like that it feels like there are elements from multiple genres (fantasy, horror and mystery specifically). It kept things interesting and made this a very fast paced read.
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Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. 
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***Trigger warnings include but may not be limited to, grief, loss of loved one, manipulation, depictions of anxiety, death/murder, talk of cannibalism, and depictions of drowning.***

Kit Starling never knew her grandparents, in fact her father told her they were dead. When her father passes, imagine her shock to find out that not only was her grandmother alive but she was rich and influential. Kit and her mom decide to go to Rosemont to meet this new found grandmother.
Starlings by Amanda Linsmaier is an intriguing YA fantasy story. You feel the grief of the characters. You feel the tension between Kit and her grandmother Agatha. You read to find out what the townspeople are hiding and what it has to do with Kit. 
Kit is a strong willed teen who has been hit with tragedy and now faces a decision that is being forced upon her. She feels betrayed and yet at the same time, she feels like she can save the town in her own way. 
I enjoyed the story, even though it was based on several familiar YA tropes. Kit is an outsider who doesn't fit in, her parent is dead, she doesn't realize how special she is, and she is the chosen one.  Despite all the clichés, the story is an interesting read and doesn't get boring. You do feel for Kit and root for her to succeed.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.