Wow, wow, wow. I really enjoyed this book. This gets a solid 5 star from me. I LOVED the "Once and Future Witches" by Harrow, but I have read other books of hers that just missed the mark for me. I wasn't sure where this one would land, but I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The characters are flawed, but still endearing. I love when an author is able to do that: give me flawed characters that I still really love and am rooting for. I really loved Opal and her brother, and while Arthur was *meh* to me, the siblings really sold the book. I loved Opal's love for her brother and her commitment to taking care of him. The townies were also delightful.

The atmosphere and intrigue were 100% what I am looking for when you tell me "Gothic Fairytale." Harrow nailed it. The creepy old house with a mysterious past? check. The ominous goings on about town? check. The intensely private and brooding homeowner? check. I LOVE a good gothic tale, and this one was absolutely a good gothic tale. No complaints from me!

Excellent audiobook. The narrator conveys the story well while giving good character inflection and pacing. This highlight the already stellar narrative and writing.

Opal is determined to find a way out of Eden, Kentucky, a town that has seen more than its fair share of tragedy. She wants a better life for herself and her little brother, Jasper. There’s only one thing in Eden that Opal wants to see, despite her own misgivings, and that’s Starling House, home of a reclusive author who disappeared long ago. So when she gets a chance to see the inside of the purportedly haunted mansion, she can’t resist. Eden finds herself drawn into the world of the house’s reclusive heir, Arthur, even though she should know better. Escape into a world of magic and treachery, romance and despair, in this lush gothic novel