Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of <i>The Goblins of Bellwater</i> in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

<h4 style="margin-top: 84px;">The Gist</h4>

While <i>The Goblins of Bellwater</i> by Molly Ringle has its merits, it may not be everyone's cup of tea, earning it a 3-star review.

<h4>The Details</h4>

One aspect that may contribute to a middling rating is the predictable nature of the plot. The storyline, while engaging, follows some well-trodden paths in the fantasy romance genre. Readers who are familiar with common tropes in these types of stories might find certain plot developments foreseeable, which can impact the overall enjoyment for those seeking a more surprising narrative.

Also, some readers might feel that the characters, while well-developed, lack a certain depth or complexity. The dynamics between the protagonists follow a conventional romantic trajectory and the characters don’t all undergo significant personal growth or face unexpected challenges that elevate the narrative.

The pacing, though generally well-maintained, could be a point of contention for some readers. If the balance between romance and fantasy elements is not to one's taste, it can lead to moments where the story feels either rushed or overly prolonged.

Despite all this, the novel does offer a charming and enchanting world, with its magical elements and vivid descriptions. Ringle's writing style creates a captivating atmosphere, making it an enjoyable read for those who appreciate a blend of romance and fantasy.

<h4>The Verdict</h4>

Overall, <i>The Goblins of Bellwater</i> earns a 3-star rating due to its adherence to genre conventions, potentially predictable plot points, and character development that may not resonate with all readers. However, if you are a fan of fairy-tale-inspired romance with a touch of magic, this book still provides an entertaining escape.

Love the tie-in with the Goblin Market. See a new take on a beloved idea that had threaded its way into different novel is lovely.

This one wasn’t for me. Not enough excitement for me to recommend - might just not be my genre. Too much sex

At the time I requested this book I was very interested in it. Obviously, it has been a few years since I requested this and I am no longer interested in it now. It doesn't match my current reading tastes and I apologize that I didn't read it and thank you for the kindness you showed offering it to me.

I wanted so much to love this, especially after it was compared to Wintersong. Unfortunately there was more romance than Goblins which is what I was after. I wish the author had put more into her world building.

I really wanted to enjoy this one, but sadly it didn't do it for me. The atmosphere was great and the writing was amazing....but somewhere it just felt flat.

Atmospheric and a really interesting magic system! I wanted a little more from the storytelling but the world building and ambience was great

I really, really liked this book. The characters were interesting, the story moved right along, and I thought the ending was just right. I have recommended this book to many people.

This is based on such a wonderful poem, Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti, and so I was excited to read. Sadly, I think I hyped it up a bit too much in my head. That isn’t to say it was bad. I liked that it was set in a modern world instead of a more historical or fantasy type world. It made in interesting and gave this book an original take on this kind of story, but I think my hype meant that I was expecting far more than we are given. I think it was the romance (a phrase I definitely didn’t expect to say) but whilst I appreciated the romance I just didn’t feel invested in the couples as much as I might have liked. To be honest the character I was most interested in was Kit, so maybe it was a character thing.

It began a bit slowly but I did get caught up in the book eventually. I just didn’t get totally hooked and that could simply be a me issue because I liked the writing so maybe it’s my bad reading mood casting a shadow on a book. It just missed out on something for me.

Imagery abounds in this fascinating fantasy. The setting is amazing, and the story is dark. It might be a bit much for some YA readers, but overall the story engages and piques the imagination.

The Goblins of Bellwater is one of those stories that sounded perfect for me on the surface yet ended up being a very different read to what I had anticipated. I can certainly see lots of people enjoying this one, but it wasn’t what I had expected from the read.

I went into The Goblins of Bellwater with the expectation of creepy goblins and dark magic. Quickly, however, the story started to focus on the everyday life of the characters and the things I wanted seemed to fall into the background. The goblins and magic remained, yet they were not what I had expected. These things felt rather flat, I never much cared for the characters, and my interest in them faded as I found myself unable to connect with the other aspects of the story.

In this case, I think the main issue was the fact I went into the story with the expectation of something vastly different.

Fast paced and I loved how creepy the goblins were! I didn't need all of the romance, but I really like different takes on fairy tales so I appreciated this.

As a fan of fantasy/sci-fi/paranormal fiction, I was keen on the underlying premise of the book.; the idea of a novel based upon the Christina Rossetti poem "Goblin Market" piqued my interest and, overall, the author managed to mix the magical and the mundane well throughout the book. However, I found that it was pretty slow to get going and had way too much of a focus on sexual relationships without adequate character development to effectively support these elements of the storyline. As a result, I feel that this book missed the mark for me.

Summarizing my feelings for this book in one word: Underwhelming. I was really excited to read this because Goblins are cool creatures and severely underutilized in fantasys. Sadly, the book failed to leave an impact on me and became pretty forgettable. It was really easy to read and I liked the world building but the romance was really insta-lovey (which the story justifies by the curse trope) and the first half of the book was just tedious, easy to read but boring. I also didn't connect with the characters at all. Overall, not the biggest fan!

This was such a fun and unqiue read. I love New Adult , and mix in fae creatures? And located in the Pacific North West?? How could I say no?

Overall it was very enjoyable. I read it in on sitting, which is always an indicator of a good book for me, and it was fast paced and engaging.

I do recommend for a quick read!

THE GOBLINS OF BELLWATER certainly snuck up on me. I wasn't quite sure what to expect going in, but Ringle's urban fantasy positively blew me away with it's dark whimsy and atmosphere! The portrayal of the goblins and fae folk felt reminiscent of Holly Black (which coming from me is incredibly high praise), and I'm so glad I was able to get lost in this world!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The world building and the character development where exactly what the dr ordered!

Overall an enjoyable read, it is fast paced, atmospheric and a relatively short book that I am happy I read. Would recommend it to fans of slower paced fantasy stories.

*This arc was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I dont have much to say about this book. I felt like I was lured in by the synopsis and promise of it being based off Goblin Market plus I usually love books about goblins. This book was poorly written. The characters were boring and had no chemistry. The plot was drab and most of it had nothing to do with goblins. The goblins weren't scary or jnteresting or enticing and it didnt have anything to do with Goblin Market. Around 80% I just skimmed through the rest of the book because it was so boring, and Im glad I did because the ending is even more boring. Im really glad I didnt buy this book.

It's not everyday that you read books with goblins especially in an urban fantasy setting. And as someone whose always down for a good retelling, one of the Goblin Market, was sure to be one that peaked my interest. This book was atmospheric and managed to be just the right levels of creepy. But, overall, it was the sexual content in this one didn't work for me as they felt oddly placed within the story.