DNF`d at 37%

When I first started reading I was intrigued by the story and was very curious as to what would happen. Unfortunately, this book is not what I want to read right now and that disappoints me a lot. When I read the positive reviews, I am wondering what I am missing by choosing to put this book down. It frustrates me that I am not invested in the story, it sounded very interesting.

The main thing that really threw me off of this story was the writing when the romance was introduced. I loved the story beforehand, but to me, the writing quality went down when anything romantic came about. It became simplistic and very corny at times. Just so everyone is aware this book is New Adult, not Young Adult. If you like romance novels and are in the mood for one, you would probably like this story more. I`m not the biggest fan of NA, so that`s probably why I didn`t connect with this story.

I`m not sure what else to say. Sad I didn`t like this story, but I am not going to waste time reading it when I have so many other books to read.

WOW! I really liked this book! It was clever and well written and the way nature was used in the story was just lovely.

First off, this book started out pretty creepy. Like lil creepy goblins running around a dark forest with their even more creepy singing and sweets.

One of the most interesting aspects of this book included the diverse point-of-views we get to read. The main focus of the book surrounds a girl believed to be sunken in some sort of mysterious depressed state, but then it is her POV that allows us to see more into the depth of where this book focuses from. Each character has a part of the story that allows us to piece the puzzle together into a more suspenseful story. This isn’t to say that it is predictable. Overall, we do get hints into the general direction of the story, but I think it’s Skye’s world that drew me into the book entirely.

Since this is a New Adult book, there is romance scattered into the plot. I liked how the idea of a spell motivates part of the story, and not including an all-in, typical insta-love connection. So if you[re worried about insta-love, this book does have the qualities, but doesn’t overpower the story.

It was also fun to read the drive of the story involving the creepy, disturbing goblins. If you are looking for a subtle fall read which captures off-set romance and that October-windy nights vibe, I highly recommend this book.

Overall, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. I finished this book within one night. It was fast-paced and I couldn’t put it down until I knew just what was going to happen. The writing blended YA-aspects into a more adult setting. I didn’t expect too much going into it, but I am glad that I picked it up.

The cover of this book is seriously one of the most beautiful I have ever seen! I fell in love with this being set in Washington and involved the forest and the wildflowers-so atmospheric and beautifully described.

While this was an enjoyable read; I don't think I was the intended audience to read this one. While this was an extremely unique-mixing of fantasy with a more modern twist, the romance felt at times a little forced and could not get on board with the "insta-love" relationship and were these characters supposed to be in their 30's because at times I felt they were/acted a lot more mature then early 20 years old?

However, I would most certainly recommend this book to someone looking for a dark and gripping story about romance with hints of magic and fantasy. I will be on the lookout for Ringle's next piece of work and look forward to seeing what she has in store for us next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Central Avenue Publishing, and Molly Ringle for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication.

The Goblins of Bellwater is a unique, light, and fun read perfect for fantasy lovers everywhere. I have never read a book that was quite like this, but I loved it from its magically forestry beginnings to its ghoulish ending.


This a love story where the couples initial coming together happens in disaster till a point comes where no one knows what to believe and what not to. The first couple Livy and Kit have a more lighthearted and quick burning romance that they don’t know how to balance with the rest of their lives. Then there is Skye and Grady whose romance starts with a animalistic curse that draws them to each other like starving magnets. Their dive into romance is dipped in very real and very spooky magic till they don’t know if their love is just from a spell or if they were truly meant to be.

A love story like this one is another one of my guilty favorites. It isn’t strictly fantasy or romance, nor are the genres mixed in the usual way. It’s something that teases out a wilder part of your heart. The Goblins of Bellwater will try their best to entrance you just beware of taking the Goblins magical paths lest you be stuck in their world forever.

When I saw that this was based on The Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti, I knew I had to read it. (If you are unfamiliar with this poem, you should definitely check it out.) Also, I haven't read many books that involve Goblins. so that was another thing that really pulled me to this book.

The story is told from 4 perspectives, the sisters of course, Livy and Skye, and Kit and his cousin Grady. Kit is the only one who is actually familiar with the existence of the goblins at all, and due to a familiar curse is forced to be their lackey. The description of the goblins, and then later on the other local fae, was very interesting to me, as I have not read anything similar before. We do get glimpses into the past and how they came to be what they are, which is always nice. But aside from Kit, there isn't much backstory to any of our characters, but I don't find that a necessary thing.

The whole vibe of the book is kind of eerie. I would say the feeling the book puts off is what I imagine Skye might have felt like at first... a bit of dread. Uneasiness. Like a huge gray cloud was hovering over the entire story. But I LOVE that in books. It provides some atmosphere, which is just wonderful in my opinion.

I have seen some reviews that stated that everything seemed to be a perfect plot device. And I get that. I really do, and I even kind of agree. But books are set up that way more often than not, providing a convenience to the characters to help them get through a situation. So I will not fault the book for that. I also saw a few that stated there is no world building, and I have to agree with that as well. The town could be empty for all we know, aside from these 4 and the woman that runs the restaurant. Which is weird, but at the same time, what do I care? I can't see how meeting a bunch of townspeople would have progressed or added to the story. I can think of like, one way that could have been useful, but I wont even go into detail on it because I am not here to rewrite this authors work.

In a way, this book reminded me of Roses and Rot by Kat Howard. It also had that eerie, ominous feeling throughout the book, and a hidden world of fae, characters of similar ages, and is borderline YA/New Adult. So maybe my love of that book is why I enjoyed this so much as well. Either way, I hope to see this book do well, and I hope this author continues to write stories of a similar fashion.

Kit is the local mechanic in tiny Bellwater, Washington and an artist. He’s also the liaison to the goblins who live in the woods. But Kit doesn’t talk about that. Most people have no idea the goblins even exist, much less that Kit does his best to keep them protected from the goblins and their twisted temptations.

When Sky, a barista and an artist, falls victim to a goblin curse one winter’s night, she is rendered almost mute and in danger of drifting away. Her sister Livy is desperate to find out what’s wrong with her sister, but has no idea where to turn. When she starts dating Kit, the two of them are soon drawn into a web of magic that has ensnared everyone they love. Livy is the only one with a prayer of freeing them, but she’ll have to travel a magical path of her own to do so.

Ms. Ringle wrote The Goblins of Bellwater inspired by Christina Rossetti’s poem, Goblin Market. The novel has the same spooky, sensual feel as the poem does. The setting is magical and almost dreamy, but brimming with life. Readers who ever imagined that there was something else out there—like Sky and Livy’s “Teeny-tinies”—will understand the lure of magic in the woods. This story is full of magic and mystery, wonder and love, and tinged with darkness. A must-read for anyone looking for a story about the unseen things hovering at the edge of your vision.

Molly Ringle writes novels that mix half-familiar stories from legend and fairy tales with the real word. The Goblins of Bellwater is her newest novel.

(Galley provided by Central Avenue Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

I was really excited to read this book because of the fantasy/fairy tale sounding elements. I wouldn't say it totally disappointed me but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting either. The overall story itself was pretty good. The magic was interesting although - and this may be a spoiler - I thought the fact that when you get cursed and you sort of lose your ability to speak (although think properly) was a little ridiculous. The curse wasn't consistent it seemed. I can understand you not being able to speak about your curse...but to kind of lose the ability to communicate altogether? Just, why? Also, how come this didn't affect her ability to text message? And why couldn't you talk normally to other cursed people? Besides all of that, I felt the relationships in this book to be a bit odd. They seemed overly sexualized and I didn't care about the actual relationships between people. Despite these negative things I have to say, I think the overall story was decent and entertaining enough to give it a 3/5. The goblins themselves were unique and their background was a nice touch.

The small town of Bellwater, Washington is surrounded by a primeval forest, and few of its citizens know that goblins live in it. They have their own rules and are practically immortal. Kit is the human go between because of an ancient contract. Skye is drawn into the woods and fed goblin fruit, ensorcelling her into depression and silence so that she will eventually become a goblin. Her sister Livy is determined to help her sister, and as one of the few that is not tainted by goblin magic, she is the only one that can.

I have never read a book that was based off of Christina Rosetti's "Goblin Market" like this before, and the spirit of the poem resonates throughout this story.

The goblins are eerie and otherworldly, with a moral code all their own. They're not really sympathetic at first, but then finding out the history of the goblins almost does. The fae are disguised as whispers, shadows, animal shapes and forces of nature, so it gives the entire town a grounded yet spooky feeling at times.

Skye's predicament is especially frightening because as a reader we know what truly happened, and can see logically why no one else would realize it. We have scenes told from different characters' perspectives, so we feel their thoughts and emotions.

Livy's fight for those she loves in the final third of the book is realistically done, and walking the path of the elements is vividly described. Small details really give a sense of the small town nature and the characters, making them feel real. I was a little disappointed there wasn't more to the book!

See the link!

Imaginative. Human characters nicely fleshed out. The local topography richly described. This felt like a book the author loved writing and because of that, gave it the detailed attention it deserved. A great book to read on a rainy afternoon.

I give this 3.5 stars. I did enjoy this book but it wasn't mind blowing kind of book, it was a good read but just okay. I did like the whole Goblin aspect, it was different then what you normally see. You get 2 romance stories in this book along with the fantasy aspect with the Goblins and Fae. I did read this book quickly and as I am going to repeat myself, did enjoy it.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. *

The Goblins of Bellwater by Molly Ringle is a quick, atmospheric read set in a small town in Washington. It tells the story of two families and the trouble they have with the local goblin tribe. Kit is the current liaison to the tribe. He brings them gold in exchange for them not hurting other local humans. His family has been cursed by the goblins for many years, and they have to always have a member of the family to serve the goblins.
Skye is a local artist who has always loved the woods near Bellwater. One evening while walking in the forest she follows a trail that leads her to the goblins. She is tricked into joining the goblin tribe and is told she must choose a mate. Trying to outsmart the goblins, she chooses a stranger in the forest. The stranger is Grady, Kit’s cousin, and by choosing him Skye dooms them both to becoming goblins.
Once the curse takes hold, neither Skye nor Grady can talk about what has happened to them. Part of the curse keeps them from telling anyone else about what is happening to them. Livy, Skye’s sister and current girlfriend to Kit, knows something is wrong with her sister. The two families come together to do their best to break the curse.
This was a very interesting read. It was just creepy enough, without being scary. Molly Ringle did a great job with the setting and atmosphere in this book. The characters were real enough, and definitely make you feel for them and their plight. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys books about fae and magical creatures.

The Goblins of Bellwater is a magical (literally) romance set in a small town near Puget Sound. The Sylvain cousins and the Darwen sisters are all drawn to the forest, and they end up getting more than they bargained for in the process. One way or another, a goblin curse will change the course of their lives forever - will they prevail or will the course destroy them?
It is refreshing to read books featuring twenty-somethings amidst a seeming dichotomy of either teens or thirty-to-forty-somethings in existing literature. Fans of the new adult genre will enjoy the relatable relationships in Ringle's book. It's also a great read for the fantasy crowd, with a well-developed magical creature plotline. A fun story that kept me turning the pages to the end!

I was really excited about this book, as I really haven't read any books about goblins. Plus, I am a fan of the new adult and romance genres, so I figured it would be an interesting combination of genres. I have to say, I found the story to be a bit odd, but I think that is the author's intention with the book. And like I said, I really haven't read any other fantasy books involving goblins before. The author did focus more on the romance aspect on the book and less on the fantasy/goblin aspect in my opinion. I also just never really became too invested in any of the characters, which in turn usually makes me not really connect with the story. I also am not the biggest fan of "insta love" so that also didn't help me not connecting with any of the characters. And the world building surrounding the goblin aspect of the story just wasn't that in depth either. Overall, it was an interesting story, I just didn't find myself connecting with the characters that much.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this one! Fans of Windersong or Stolen Songbird would love this title! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and the pot and pace was great, It was engaging all the way through, and the characters are very well developed!

2,5 stars

The first half of the book was interesting and entertaining but then the plot couldn't hold my attention any longer. The rest of the story was boring which is a shame as the book started out strong.

I was so excited for this book because the story had such promise. I just could not get into it. The descriptions and dialogue left a lot to be desired. They just felt juvenile to me. The story was far too grown up for teen fiction.

The Goblins of Bellwater is a great example of the new adult genre, it would make a nice transition for readers still interested in young adult style romance, but wanting something more grown up. Goblins has excellent pacing and I read most of it within a few days. Some of the dialogue tends to lean toward the mundane, but overall there is excellent character and relationship development tied up in the conversations. The latter half of the book dragged as Livy set out on her elemental quests, I would have liked this part of the book more if those trials been incorporated into the plot rather than being straightforward follow-the-path type quest. The atmosphere was very creepy and the writing shined when describing the goblin environment and world, it would have been interesting to spend more time with the goblins and the dark forest. I loved that the fae and goblins are incorporated into the natural world, the fae experience imbalances and invasive species along with natural ecosystems.

This is a haunting tale of power, of bewitchment, of the capabilities of humans against the supernatural forces of Bellwater. It's quite possibly the first contemporary book I have read with goblins, and that makes it unique in itself. The novel takes inspiration Christina Rossetti's eerie, sensual poem, "Goblin Market", and it definitely translated as a dark and beautiful faerie tale on the pages. Molly Ringle is a fantastic storyteller, and The Goblins of Bellwater delivers on showcasing a town living in unison with magic, fables, and an ancient curse that haunts our four protagonists.

From the very beginning, the atmosphere of the novel is set as Ringle effortlessly slips Washington into the picture. I imagined clouded skies, enchanted forests, things that go bump in the night (it lowkey gave me Twilight vibes, but let's pretend I didn't say that). There's a vibrancy in the setting that will easily immerse you in the story.

Then we meet Kit, forced into a curse following his great grandmother, appeasing the goblins until he slips up and they retaliate, dragging local artist Skye and her environmentalist sister Livy into the story. Upon reading the first few pages, Kit's encounter with the goblins bore all signs of the classic warnings against dealing with faeries and creatures of the forest. It's cleverly done and sets the tone for the tale.

From there, it's a tough balance between bewitched and reality, but through the perspective of Skye - the victim of the goblin curse - you become intrigued as Skye slowly unravels, goblin magic taking over her body. As Livy attempts to bring Skye back to her normal self, Kit's visiting cousin, Grady, is dragged into the conflict through an enchanted kiss from Skye.

Considering the novel is split between four perspectives, the character development is realistic for such a short novel. I personally enjoyed Livy's perspective and journey much more than the others; her rational thinking keeps us grounded, and it's even more compelling to read her side as she develops the courage to overcome an ancient curse she thought only existed in fairy tales.

With that said and done, why didn't I love it as much as I wanted to?

The pace of the novel started to slow down. Encounters between Grady and Skye were repetitive, and despite their situation, a bit frustrating. While they were cursed, it was ambiguous whether they were both on the same page or were simply rolling with it because, you know, they're both bewitched. In all honesty, it was an uncomfortable scenario and I felt that some scenes between them didn't impact their relationship at all. On the other hand, Kit and Livy's relationship, while much more normal, also stagnated and there didn't feel like there was much progress in the story until the last third when everything suddenly became more thrilling.

Overall, The Goblins of Bellwater is an enjoyable tale, filled with dark forest encounters, magic, and folklore reminiscent of the classic, gritty feeling of the Grimm Brothers.

Actual rating: 3.5/5.