After the ending of Wintersong I was salivating to get my hands on Shadowsong and the author did not disappoint. Whereas the first book focused on the relationship between Liesl and The Goblin King this one focused more on the relationship between Liesl and her brother Josef. And this book was much darker than its predecessor. There isn't a lot of the Liesl and The goblin King together in this one (spoiler) no kissing happens and that might be a turn off for some of the readers who fell in love with their relationship and the tension they had in the first one. But this book deals with heavier themes than it ever did in the first one and her writing though still exceptional you can see the darker notes than in the first book. I really did enjoy Josef and Liesls as the focal point in Shadowsong especially when things started unraveling. Although the authors writing is exceptional there e=were a few lag moments that made it hard to push through but the last few chapters ended exceptionally and was totally worth the hard bits.
Overall this was an haunting and dark read that is just as amazing as its predecessor if not better.
P.S I love how the author in the finished book put in a trigger warning page for her fellow readers. It is very thoughtful.

<I>Shadowsong</I> by S. Jae-Jones

<b>Star Rating</b>: ★★★★★ 5/5 stars

<b>Format</b>: ebook galley

<b>Summary</b>: After returning home from the Underground, Liesl has a hard time adjusting to normal life once more. Her leaving the Underworld has upset the old laws and she finds she can't return to normal life.

<b>Review</b>: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

I wasn't sure how the sequel would go as I felt the first book wrapped itself up fairly well. But I really enjoyed the story of this book. I liked that this book mainly focused on he relationship between Liesl and her brother Josef. My only problem is they spend so much of the book not talking to each other and I was kind of confused most of the time what their issues with each other were. But I wasn't really bothered how little to Goblin King is actually in this because his relationship with Liesl is not the focus and I'm good with that.

As much as I like this book, I do feel there is a lot of the book where nothing really happens. The plot feels like it takes way too long to progress. There's just a good chunk of the book where Liesl just is not doing anything but we get to hear all about it in too much detail. The last few chapters of the book, more happens very quickly as far as plot than the whole rest of the book.

There are still questions I have about the book after reading it. How Liesl giving up her sanity effects her now. That part of the book wasn't very clear. She mostly just seemed to think everything was funny? I don't know. I wish there had been more about that. And how she ended up satisfying the old laws... It was weird and I wasn't sure what happened exactly. I also want to know more about how the goblins are taking the old laws changing their king. I would think they'd enjoy the chaos but it appears they're uncomfortable. But we don't get to hear really anything from there so there is no way to say for certain.

I think the ending was satisfying to me, overall. Didn't like the name, but you know if I ever write a book I'm sure some people won't like names I pick either. I wish the resolution could have taken up more of the book instead of Liesl wandering around, just to wander.

<b>Recommendation</b>: I like this book a lot but I do think the first is a stronger book. If you absolutely love the first book then I say give the second a try, but if it wasn't one of your favorite reads then I suggest thinking hard over this one. The plot is slow to move and there is a lot of just nothing happening, the Goblin King is hardly present and Liesl's issues with her brother are confusing and unclear why they're both upset.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this beautiful book.

Shadowsong starts out six months after Liesel departs from the Goblin King and the Underground. Liesel is working towards furthering both her brother's and her own musical careers but she's still having a hard time looking forward instead of back. A mysterious benefactor comes into the picture to pay the way Liesel and Kathe to live in Vienna and play music. The sisters are reunited with Josef, but now he is cold, distant, and withdrawn from everyone. As the story continues, Liesel realizes that the beliefs of the Underground reach farther than she imagined as Liesel faces the consequences of leaving the world in an imbalance, and she must unravel the mysteries of the Underground and the Goblin King himself in order to restore it.

This story was everything I didn't know I needed. I loved it. I know it’s easy to get swept up by romance, but this story was always Elisabeth’s, entire, and in turn, her siblings Kathë and Josef. It’s a stunning journey of self-discovery that I won’t forget... probably ever.

This is the most honest and raw portrayal of mental illness I’ve seen in a fantasy series. Wintersong scratched the surface with these themes, but Shadowsong is where you really see Liesel come to terms with herself and her bipolar disorder, which isn't a diagnosis people understood back then so it's called madness. And it’s altogether complex—messy, dark, and painful but flickering with hope and peace and beauty. S. Jae-Jones writes a heartfelt author’s note/trigger warning for self-harm, suicide, addiction, and reckless behaviors before the first chapter and I commend her for that, as well. (Sidenote: if you haven't read this yet, definitely check out the Author's Note and take care.) Here, we see her characters, and the author herself, down to their very cores.

In Shadowsong, the characters claim their monsters as their own. It’s SO powerful. I really can’t even write this without thinking about the book as a whole, and especially the last 50 or so pages, without tearing up. It’s a slow burn of a book, but oh so good. The character development is everything. It was needed for the emotional impact. Liesel deserved THIS story, this focus on her well-being and mental health. I truly cannot imagine a better follow-up to Wintersong. Especially THAT ENDING. I will be wrecked by that ending until the eND OF TIME. And let me tell you, the romance, while understated, is absolutely worthwhile. I've always much preferred plot and character development with more subdued romance and this installment provides that. But looking at the series as a whole, it's perfection. You get a LOT of Liesel and the Goblin King in the first book, Lisel's much-needed development in this one (and much-needed development with her family), and then it all comes together and it's so touching because of all that's happened. I truly respect S. Jae-Jones for going this direction when she possibly felt pressure to write a romance-heavy book. I'm SO GLAD that it's an undercurrent throughout this book. Subtly there, but always present, and always leading somewhere. It's just *chef's kiss*

What Jones writes in these books speaks to me on such a deep level, I can’t even begin to explain it to you. It’s so personal to me. I feel this story and these words in my bones. I guess it’s because I, too, am a child of the weird and wild and struggle being in my own mind. I just want to personally thank her for putting these books out there. I see it also as an act of bravery and vulnerability and I’m glad she decided to lay her soul out there for us to read. I cannot give this book anything other than 5/5 stars because it’s entirely worthy of all of them. This duology means quite a lot to me.

“It isn’t life that keeps the world turning; it is love.”

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Shadowsong by S. Jae-Jones
Book Two of the Wintersong series
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
Rating: 2 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Six months after the end of Wintersong, Liesl is working toward furthering both her brother’s and her own musical careers. Although she is determined to look forward and not behind, life in the world above is not as easy as Liesl had hoped. Her younger brother Josef is cold, distant, and withdrawn, while Liesl can’t forget the austere young man she left beneath the earth, and the music he inspired in her.

When troubling signs arise that the barrier between worlds is crumbling, Liesl must return to the Underground to unravel the mystery of life, death, and the Goblin King—who he was, who he is, and who he will be. What will it take to break the old laws once and for all? What is the true meaning of sacrifice when the fate of the world—or the ones Liesl loves—is in her hands?

What I Liked:

Shadowsong wasn't what I expected. Where Wintersong was focused on Liesl and the Goblin King's connection and relationship, Shadowsong was focused on Liesl and her relationship with her brother Josef. I thought this book would focus more on the Goblin King, from what I'd heard last year. Instead, the Goblin King was barely mentioned in this book. I was disappointed in that regard, and disappointed in the lack of music and whimsy in this book. It was a dark book, which I respect and admire, but it was nothing like Wintersong and nothing like my expectations following the announcement of this sequel.

This book takes place six months after Liesl leaves the Underground, and the Goblin King. She has been writing to her brother, desperate to hear how he is doing in Vienna, with his prestigious music instructor. One day he writes back, stating that the instructor is dead, and for her to come to Vienna. With the help of a mysterious benefactor, Liesl is able to travel to Vienna with her sister Kathe. They find Josef, but Josef is no longer who he wants was. He is distant and disinterested. And there is something strange about Liesl's benefactors. All the while, the Great Hunt is roaming the earth, and the barrier between worlds is thinning. Liesl must travel back to the Underground and make a final stand as the Goblin Queen, in order to save her world, or theirs.

The author's note talks about Liesl's bipolar disorder (or "madness", as bipolar disorder was not understand during this time period). Possibly the best/most well-written aspect of this book is the darkness and madness that Liesl struggles with. Liesl is constantly wrestling with herself - is she mad? Or is she lost in her sanity? She feels her loneliness acutely, just as she feels guilt and shame over her brother's distance from her. I may not have enjoyed this book or reading about this darkness in Liesl, but I have to admit that all of it was well-written.

The same can be said about Josef's "madness". This book is written mostly from Liesl's first-person POV, but with certain parts of a chapter written from Josef's third-person POV. There was another portion of certain chapters featuring a tale of old, which comes together at the end of the book. The story is significant though not immediately at first. This is also the case with Josef's state of mind.

I also liked the ending - it is an excellent ending and makes perfect sense to me. Any other ending would have been ruination to the series. I love how it wasn't all up to Liesl, and that other characters had important choices that made all the difference.

I didn't really care for this book, but there were aspects of the book that were very well-written and deserving of recognition. But for the most part, this book didn't work for me.

What I Did Not Like:

The first thing I will start with: this book is incredibly boring. I kid you not, I fell asleep around the 25% mark and woke up an hour later, and decided that I was done with the book. I ended up picking it up the next day and finishing it, but not without doing a little skimming here and there (which is something I hate doing and rarely do). I had such a hard time reading this book. It felt like nothing was happening, and even when things were happening, I just didn't care. There was a lot of self-introspection going on, and I wasn't all that interested.

Part of it definitely had to do with the writing. To me, the author's descriptiveness was excess and really hurt the story. There were paragraphs upon paragraphs describing this or that, in flowery writing and in my head I was thinking, get to the point! THOSE were the passages that I ended up skimming, as I mentioned above. I didn't need those fluffy descriptions. It was too much, and added to the rising boredom.

The story itself felt like it had no direction. What was the point? Find Josef... okay? Once she found Josef, I couldn't understand where the story was supposed to go. How was finding Josef significant to saving the world? The "saving the world" bit seemed so forced and cliche, especially when that exact phrase dropped in the story.

The other part was the lack of the Goblin King. I thought this sequel was pitched as readers getting to see more of the Goblin King and his journey above ground, or something like that? And yet... the Goblin King is present in literally the LAST SCENE of the book? I'm confused, fam. I feel deceived. And in any case, pitch or no pitch, the Goblin King wasn't in this book. HOW can you go from Wintersong, where the Goblin King was infused into every word of every page, to Shadowsong, where the Goblin King is an afterthought to everything?

Not that I was against Liesl trying to reach her brother and blah blah blah. It was interesting to see Liesl and Josef's relationship break down and come apart - they had a lot to work through. But for a series that is built on and around the Goblin King, how disappointing is it to find barely a trace of the "austere young man" - or even the wolf with no heart - within the pages of this installment.

So there is nothing about Liesl and the Goblin King's relationship - none of the burning, passionate, frantic romance, none of the thick, cloying emotions. In fact, there is barely any of the sweeping, living music that filled Wintersong. Yes, there is mention of music here and there, especially when Liesl catches up with Josef in Vienna - but just barely. All of the things that made Wintersong so intriguing - the Goblin King, the ruthless romance, the masterful music - was not present in Shadowsong.

In essence, I found Shadowsong to be a pale whisper following the crescendo that was Wintersong.

Would I Recommend It:

I can't say I recommend Shadowsong, or Wintersong. Shadowsong is a disappointing follow-up to Wintersong - it almost felt unnecessary, and wrong. Like the author went the wrong way when pushing the series in one direction or the other. I didn't really like Wintersong, but I liked Shadowsong even less. It paled in comparison to Wintersong, and I didn't even find Wintersong that great.

Rating:

2 stars. It's a shame I didn't enjoy this book (nor its predecessor) because the covers of the books are just so gorgeous. I'm tempted to buy them anyway just to have them on my shelf but I didn't enjoy the books enough to spend money on them. (Note: I received a review copy, for free, courtesy of the publisher. Nothing illegal/pirating involved here, in case anyone was thrown by my statement about money.)

I love the movie Labryinth, and I'm always up for a sequel, re-telling or anything in the kingdom of the Goblin King. Last year when I read the first book in this duology, Wintersong, I knew I would have a hard time waiting an entire year to find out how the story ends! I was so excited to read this book! After reading Shadowsong, I had to wait a few days to gather thoughts to write my review. I found this book both riveting and disappointing. The story was not what I expected. I felt a bit let down after such a long wait. But, despite the tale being different from what I expected and wanted....it is still a good story.

This second book has very little to do with the Goblin King, and more to do with Liesl's mental illness. The writing is excellent, with vivid descriptiveness. But, when compared with the first book, it just fell short of the mark for me. It's almost like it's a completely different story. I loved the fairy tale quality of the first book, the magic and darkness of the Goblin Kingdom and the excitement of the story. Shadowsong leaves all of that behind and delves deep into Liesl and her madness. It's darker and more realistic, but I wasn't looking for realism. I wanted Liesel and her Goblin King. I wanted Labyrinth.

The story is enjoyable. The writing is excellent. The cover is gorgeous! But I feel a bit let down. Just being honest. I'm rating this book based on the story and writing....and minimizing my disappointment that it lacked the fairy tale quality I really wanted. On it's own, it's an interesting story about a girl dealing with mental illness, amid memories of magic and real family issues. But I can't help but feel a bit disappointed that the character I love the most figured into this story very little.

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Just like Wintersong, the unique language, word choices, and writing style was stunning. I love the fine detail in the descriptions of everything. It was actually the most memorably part of Wintersong and made me want to read Shadowsong so I’m happy that didn’t change. Also I think the pacing was a lot more controlled in Shadowsong. However, I was upset there wasn’t more time spent with the Goblin King.

Great story, I enjoyed the characters and I need to read the 1st one now.

Back when I read Wintersong, I was enraptured by the melodic nature and the haunting appeal that was given through the Underground and the Goblin King himself. I hyped myself up for the release of Shadowsong because I needed my Goblin King back in my life with his austereness and his wicked ways. I wanted to go back to the Underground.

Shadowsong takes place a few months after the end of Wintersong and it focuses more on the lives of Lisel and her family, and the supernatural leaking into the world above. So for the lover’s of the Goblin King, he has a very small appearance in this book. For those who were looking for more of Lisel’s little family, this book is chock-full of them.

I thoroughly enjoyed the world of Shadowsong, were Lisel traverses around Europe to find her brother. It is still a dark and melodic novel, but there is more internal turmoil with Lisel and Josef having to live lives away from the Goblin Grove. It is a tough novel to get through because Shadowsong weaves tough emotions through it’s characters. S. Jae Jones even includes an author’s note regarding suicide at the beginning of the novel as to make awares of how the actions and emotions of these characters may strike a chord, yet there is always someone to call when those feelings wash over you. And i respect that, so much.

All in all, I found Shadowsong enjoyable as it ties up the duology nicely. The pacing was slow, yet steady. The characters made me smile, had me crying, and my heart was full by the end. I only wish there was MORE of the Goblin King in this book, but I guess I will just need to re-read the first one for that.

I am not sure where to begin with my love of this book! The writing is beautiful, the characters are full of life and passion, and the mixture of mystery and magic are perfect. I enjoyed Wintersong, but I believe Shadowsong surpasses it. About 3/4 through the book I was worried because I knew the end was coming, and yet, I felt there was still so much story to tell. Thankfully, as the story comes to a conclusion it did not feel rushed, but natural.

I applaud the author for dealing with depression and mania! These characters and their feelings come across very real, and make them more endearing to the reader.

The emotions, passion, and fiery lust of love is shown through both books. With that being said there is nothing vulgar or descriptive written, but be aware of some sexual content for younger YA readers. As an adult reader I felt it was very tame and mild. I look forward to more stories from this author!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me this ARC in return for an honest review.

*deep breath* *screams* S. JAE-JONES IS ONE OF THE BEST WRITERS *squeal* I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS STORY! I'LL LEAVE A FULL REVIEW ON GOODREADS

The duology was an enjoyable foray into folk tales. I think the first book was stronger than the second, the second book was a bit repetitive and slow. However, it was a nice conclusion to the first book.

As a huge fan of Wintersong, I completely fell in love with S. Jae-Jones writing and was so excited to begin reading the sequel. I read it slowly as I wanted to savour every word, The author has the most beautiful writing style but Unfortunately I found it slightly more difficult to read and I was a little disappointed as I was hoping it would be more focused on the relationship between Liesl and the goblin king. Having said that, the writing is just as beautiful and if you have read Wintersong I do recommend you read Shadowsong. Thank you to netgalley, the author and publisher for allowing me to read.

A vivid, engaging sequel that will keep readers guessing.

I finished Shadowsong a few weeks ago, but it's taken some time for me to gather my thoughts. This read was much different from Wintersong. There was less time spent Underground, and much less of The Goblin King. That did take some getting used to, because I'll admit it, that's what I absolutely LOVED about Wintersong. While it sounds drastically different because it was mainly set above ground, it was just as similar. The writing was the same beautiful prose. The story of Shadowsong is mainly focused on the relationship between Liesl and Josef. The brother/ sister bond was such a delight to read. The last 40 pages were just exquisite and bittersweet. They are what made the book for me. I'm very melancholy that the story is finished, but I absolutely love the journey.

I really enjoyed Wintersong, so I was super excited to read Shadowsong, I really tried hard to like this, however, I personally don't think it was as good as the first book.
I found the 1st half of the book to be really slow, I struggled to get into it, and I'm still not sure if it was actually relevant for the storyline. The 2nd half of the book picked up speed a bit and was slightly more interesting, despite being extremely confusing and complex. Once I finished the book I felt like the complexity was probably a good thing as I was learning and finding out information along with Liesl's character. I just feel it was unnecessarily complicated.
All that being said I enjoyed the end, even though I felt this was a little rushed compared to the rest of the book, it was an ending I had not considered and think it was a pretty good way to end this duology.

After returning from the Underground in Wintersong, Liesl has struggled with finding her place in the Above. Unable to talk about what happened to her and what it meant for her, she hasn't composed much since her return. When a patron offers to move her and Käthe to Vienna, Liesl thinks all of her dreams are finally coming to fruition, but nothing is as simple as it seems.

I loved how Shadowsong put Liesl's personal growth and struggles in the forefront of the novel. Shadowsong is far more interior than the first novel, putting the reader in Liesl's head as she tries to figure out what it means to be elf-touched. Madness and genius run in her family. Liesl just doesn't know where she lies on that spectrum.

S. Jae-Jones' second novel is just as intricate and lyrically beautiful as her first, but more streamlined as she finds her voice in the young adult fantasy community. I highly recommend this one.

Shadowsong is the sequel to Wintersong, and picks up shortly after the first book. A little time has passed, Liesl's brother Josef having risen to semi-stardom under the tutelage of his musical master in Vienna. Trying to outrun her small town, suffocating family, and heartbreak concerning the Goblin King, Liesl and her sister Kathe travel to him after the untimely and suspicious death of his master's death.

I enjoyed reading about the Underground and the wild magic infiltrating more civilized, urban life. The way that Liesl and Kathe function in a different world, with nobility and outside of their contained, rugged inn, is interesting and reveals more about the characters. I also enjoyed Josef and Francois and the relationship they have in the time period and society in which the story takes place. Liesl's conflict between wanting to do what's best for siblings and trying to ignore her own impulses to follow her heart is dark and grinding and pained. This isn't your normal fairytale, in the way that Wintersong wasn't your traditional fairytale.

There are moments, especially in the beginning, where I felt the plot lagged a little. So much of the struggles are internal, and while I appreciate that aspect of the story (for it is an integral part), I felt that it sometimes caused what is already a fairly slow moving plot stagnate a little. It wasn't until Leisl and Kathe were in Vienna, which doesn't happen until around 100 pages in. I was also annoyed with Josef, for he never really seems to understand everything Liesl has done to try and give him the best life, even at the cost of her own success and happiness.

Shadowsong is the story of what happens when what you thought you wanted is no longer an option and you do your best with what is left. It's hard but it's also beautiful and shows not only Liesl's but Kathe's and Josef's perseverance as well. While the writing style and the content might not be everyone's cup of tea, those who are looking for a twisty, complex, dark fairytale with a strong female character will like this book.

While I did like reading Wintersong, I expected Shadowsong to be far better from the description. The Goblin King was the major reason I loved Wintersong as he is such a complex and conflicted character. However, he was barely present in the book and that was disappointing for me. The middle part of the book was also pretty slow. What redeemed the book for me was the ending. I was nearly in tears as I read it and it did give me a great sense of closure when it came to all the characters of the book.

<b>Rating:</b> 4,5 stars

I absolutely LOVED this book, I really did but... There is a but. Maybe it was because of my waaaay too high expectations, but still. I could't help but feel a but.

First, let me tell you all the reasons that <i>Shadowsong</i> freaking rocks okay, because it does. The emotions in this book are so goddamn raw, I swear, my heart starts aching all over again just thinking about it and it's been weeks since I read this. This sequel kicks off about six months after <i>Wintersong</i> and it's a mess (in a good way).

Like I'm pretty sure every reviewer on GoodReads has already mentioned, this was absolutely nothing like its first installment. Honestly. This book is so much darker and twisted, and personally, I loved every single minute of it. S. Jae Jones did such an amazing job writing every dark and heavy thought and feeling, it mesmerised me. There are, however, some trigger warnings necessary, which the author included in the book as well. What I also loved was seeing more of Liesl's relationships with her family. Don't get me wrong, I loved the Goblin King, but the development and depth in this book was more than I could ever wish for.

BUT

This is also the point where I start whining about what I didn't like. In fear of spoilers, I'm gonna keep this short though. *takes a deep breath*
What kind of... Annoyed me, througout the book, was that it felt dragged out a little too much. There are some entrenched feelings between Joseph and Liesl, mainly because of the events that occurred in <i>Wintersong</i> I think. And however unjustified, they are kind of understandable. But I think that partly because the pace was so slow, that it came off as too much. They were stuck in those feelings for too long and it started feeling unnecessary to me. Seriously. There were moments where I felt like screaming: “JUST STOP BEING AN ASSHOLE” or “DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!!!!!” so yeah.

Those moments were kind of disappointing but don’t mind my whining ass because this book was still amazing and did I mention the amazing writing style????? Yeah that was something that definitely did NOT disappoint.

This is one of those books that is going to stay with me. I can't quite put my finger on how I feel about it quite yet but it definitely left me with A LOT of feelings.
I really enjoyed Wintersong and was very excited to see the continuation of the story in Shadowsong but felt like the book was a departure from what I had enjoyed in the first part of the story. If we're being honest, I wanted more Goblin King but that aside this installment of the story brought it to a whole other level.
This was a haunting, dark, rollercoaster ride of emotion for me. The author has hit that subtle balance of desire, want and need and it keeps you engaged throughout the book. I'm not used to seeing books that are so focused on sibling relationships but it was an element of this book that I really enjoyed. I am struggling to write this review without giving away spoilers but I will say that the ending is so worth the wait. Enjoy the slow build up, savor the writing (there are some many great pieces of quotable writing here) and let the book play with your emotions. It's heavy but worth it!