TW: Rape, Violence, Abuse

I had to sit on this review for quite a while, because my feelings about this book were all over the place when I finished it. I absolutely adore modern fairy tales. Anything that even hints at a world beyond the veil of our own, instantly goes onto my reading list. I don't shy away from books that are dark and gritty, and I actually often praise stories that aren't full of insta-love and wilting women. So, by all rights, this book should have been an instant five star read for me. It wasn't though, and that took me a while to unpack.

First off, praise where praise is due. Barbieri does a stellar job of dropping the reader right into the fray from page one, and doling out just enough information to really keep things intriguing. From the moment I met Janneke, and realized her plight, I was completely sold on this story line. The idea of a human servant in a world of goblins, a character who is slowly losing her humanness with every decision she makes to survive, was just fascinating. I found myself rooting for Janneke and her inner fire. Here was a character who, despite all the odds stacked against her, was surviving. I wanted to see her burn everything around her, and walk valiantly through the flames.

When I finally got an opportunity to really know Soren, my heart was pretty much given to this book. I loved how he was so at odds with those around him. Any character who is equal parts compassionate and brutal pretty much instantly has my heart. I like to believe that we're all a little bit in the gray area, and Soren definitely fits that bill. As he and Janneke bantered and fought together, I couldn't help but smile that their relationship. There's no insta-love here at all. This is a relationship built on a foundation of trust, and it shows. You would think that these two paragraphs were more than enough to explain why this would be a five star read for me, but here comes the difficult part of this review.

First off, this book relies heavily on flashbacks to Janneke's repeated rape and torture at the hands of our villain, Lydian. I completely understand that the goal was to elicit sympathy for Janneke, and explain the quirks her character displays. However I also believe, strongly, that this could have been achieved by giving a one time rundown of her backstory, and moving on. The repeated flashbacks get really uncomfortable after a while. As I mentioned above, I am not squeamish in the least. I think that gritty and dark Fantasy books are the best. In this case though, I felt like it was really overdone. In fact, it started to chip away at the fierce woman who I originally fell in love with. I think the idea was a fair one, to create a back story to show Janneke rise from the ashes. Instead it almost made her seem broken to the point that Soren was her savior, and I wasn't a fan.

My other big issue with this story lies with Lydian. There's no denying that he's an absolutely loathsome character. If anything, Barbieri should be given credit for creating a character who has not a single redeemable trait. That's fairly impressive. However there is never any explanation for Lydian's madness. There is a prophecy hinted at, and talk of visions, but Lydian never really gets the backstory that he really deserves. Instead he's just a character built of madness and hatred, a completely dark individual. It almost made him feel less scary to me, simply because he didn't feel like a real person. Like I said before, the grayness of the world is what makes it fascinating. Think of the scariest villain you know of, and they probably have at least a shred of humanity in them. Lydian definitely does not.

Well, so there you have it. I apologize that this review is so long but there's even more I could discuss about this book. It really sat on that line for me, where I wanted to love it more but had to be honest about how I felt overall. Perhaps the next book, which I will very much be ready to read, will bring back the Janneke that I loved. Perhaps the next book will have a little more polish, and a little more fairy tale feel to it. If so, that will be a five star read. I can't wait.

It took me awhile to process this book and finally review that and for that I am sorry. I at least have it up before publishing date. I don't mean it was bad and that's why it took awhile I mean that I had so much left from the book filling me up I wasn't sure where to start at. This is a raw and gritty dark fantasy. It will leave you with feelings and questions about so many things in life and of this world that she has created. Janneke's story and the things she goes through are gut wrenching. Her character is strong and powerful and her story itself makes her who she is and is what makes the story what it is. This is an amazing read but I suggest you be prepared for the emotions that it may stir up within you.

The publisher provided me with the opportunity to read this in exchange for providing feedback. (via NetGalley)

Well written and engaging and I was swept up in this from the beginning. I enjoyed this and would read more from this author.

I was a bit worried about reading this book after seeing friends of mine DNF the book on Goodreads. However, I'm glad to say that the book did work for me. Up to a point. Yes, I have some issues with the book, but that has nothing to do with the rape or any abuse Janneke had to deal with. I know that it's a trigger for some readers. But, in this case (unlike some other books I've read that really got to me), did it not bother me. And, that's because the characters were not developed enough for me to feel for them. And, that is one of the big issues with the big. It has so much potential. it's such an interesting book. And yet, I just wish that we, the readers had gotten a better understanding of the world. Instead, it feels like we are dumped in the middle of a story and now we have to puzzle together where the characters are, who they are and what they are doing through snippets of information. Janneke has been held captive for 100 years? It doesn't feel like it to be honest, especially when it comes to her and Soren. Seriously they have spent 100 years together and now they go from hate to love? What have they been doing for the last 100 years? Not talking?

Anyhow, as I read the book did I reflect over the fact that if the story had begun with Janneke as a child and the events that occurred. Perhaps also from Soren's POV would it have been easier to get to know the characters. I can't even say for sure if I liked Janneke or not. One thing for sure this romance between Soren and Janneke definitely didn't help the matter. It felt so ... off. If it had been shown through the years if we had gotten glimpses of it through the years. Then, it would have been a different matter.

The story has potentials. The writing is good. However, this is a story that could have been more developed. Especially the characters. And, I wanted to know more about this world. Odin was mentioned now and then, so I guess it takes place in a parallel world or something? The interesting thing is this the first book in a new series could have easily been at last a trilogy if the history of the characters had been more explored. When I read fantasy series do I expect to get to know a whole new world and species. There is no need to rush the story.

This has turned out to be quite a long review, but I found that I have a lot of thoughts concerning the story. I liked the book, I had issues with the story. Would I read the next book? Yes, I would, despite all my issues do I want to know what happens next.

White Stag is an action packed YA high fantasy story that sucked me in the first couple of pages and left me wanting more. It is the story of rebuilding a life in a way you may not expect or want at the time and letting go of old prejudices and abuse in order to move forward and not only survive but live.

Kara Barbieri has begin to create the beautiful and brutal world of Permafrost as we follow Janneke through "The Hunt". We get backflashes of the life she had with her family and the time she spent with her captor before she finally ended with Soren. There is so much world building happening in this novel but it does not interfere with character development.

I cant wait to finish the sequel, Goblin King, I have become a true fan of this series.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

White Stag is a brutally beautiful book about Janneke, whose family was slain and has been imprisoned in the Permafrost by goblins for over one hundred years. When the Goblin King is killed, the hunt for the white stag begins to find a new successor to the throne, and Janneke is forced to consider her place on the border of the worlds.
I am so amazed that this book is coming from an author so young! Kara Barbieri is 22 years old and I can't wait to see what else she comes up with! I was on the edge of my seat reading White Stag! There is so much action in this book, with battle scenes between the goblins, with mythical creatures, and in dreams and flashbacks. Also, I honestly didn't know what path Janneka would take for herself. I couldn't tell if she would turn back to the human world, or choose the pull of her powers and vengeance in the goblin world. And then the ending! The ending was what sealed the deal for me. This was a completely different spin on an old trope and I am not upset in the least. I loved how it was written, how it was crafted, and how everything fit together. Honestly, I am so excited that there is a second book coming and I can't wait to see how things play out. Thank you so much for letting me read this amazing book.

This pretty cover, along with the synopsis, caught my eye while browsing NetGalley.
Something which seems to happen with me, a lot! : D


Immediately, we meet Janneke, the main character of White Stag.
A human living in the goblin world, and not by choice, she's a thrall.
Janneke accompanied her master, Soren, to the Erlking's palace for an event.
At this stage, Soren seemed a bit cold and aloof. I could easily imagine his appearance to be more Elven LOTR.
Upon introduction, one could only have a strong dislike for Lydian, former master/tormentor of Janneke. It was no wonder she thought goblins were monsters. Ugh... he was a piece of work!

The first chapter was action packed and kept my attention.
During said time, the Erlking met his demise. {seemed a rather easy task, in my opinion}
{Did this palace have no guards?}
Though without his death... there wouldn't have been The Hunt, etc.


Within the pages of Part I, we learn more about Janneke and her history.
Bits she discovered from Soren, who kept this knowledge to himself up to this point.
As well as how she had grown into a vicious fighter, herself.
She faced many difficulties, over the years, and overcame a lot.
Lots of hard decisions came her way.

It felt like Janneke hadn't spent any time with Soren versus being his thrall for 100 plus years.
Even with the mention he treated her far better than any other thrall, she remained a jerk toward him.
When details are revealed about her past... she began to realize he might not be such a bad guy.
Granted, 100 years should make for a slow burn romance ~ it felt more like she hated him then *poof* he was fabulous. I enjoyed watching them grow closer, even when it felt odd.
They had a few funny bantering moments, until Janneke spouted off with “Go eat your young” {not exact wording}. This appeared, a second time, as something she said to Lydian in the past.
That being said, it felt a bit odd she used the same phrase to Soren...


Moving on and keeping the review spoiler free...

There were several challenges as the hunt for the white stag continued.
Foes and friends were added.

The battles were action packed!
Sometimes, I wondered if there would be any survivors... especially as the story wrapped up.

To be honest, I had mixed feelings about the final chapter.
Was it a good thing? {no spoilers here}

Overall, I enjoyed White Stag.
I wish more of the world and magical beings were fleshed out.
Where was Permafrost? When did this happen?
The story held my attention, which was what mattered most.

After finishing White Stag, I read the blurb for the second book, Goblin King...
meh... I'm not feeling the urge to continue the story {no spoilers}


I received this electronic book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this opportunity!

(3.5 stars)

I’d like to thank Wednesday Books and Fierce Reads for allowing me to be a part of the White Stag blog tour. My review is spoiler free. Early copy provided by the publisher!

I think what hooked me first with this book was the cover. It’s incredibly stunning and I love seeing new debuts and authors reaching that long-awaited goal of having their own book out in the world. So, I was very excited to get the offer to be a part of the blog tour for this one.

The story is about Janneke. She may be a teenager, but she really isn’t. For the past 100 years, she has been living in the goblin world after her entire family had been destroyed. She doesn’t age physically, but it doesn’t mean she is safe in this world. She has a “friend” in Soren, a goblin. When a new goblin king needs to be chosen, Soren believes this is the moment for Janneke to take advantage of her destiny with the Permafrost and to go deeper into his world.

First of all, a major trigger warning for rape. It’s pretty much implied early on, which definitely did surprise me. It was kind of like a slap in the face that had me like: oh, ok? It’s not a bad element to have, but it might have been a bit too much for my initial taste. Just because I didn’t really expect it to be mentioned more often than I wanted it to.

Janneke’s character was kind of hard to get into. She has her likable moments, but at times, she was kind of weakly written. At the end of it all, it feels like I don’t know much about her as much as I had hoped to. I’m glad this is a series, though, so I hope that her character development and background can grow more. It’s the same with Soren. It just felt like something was missing. There is definitely a hint of romance between the two of them, but the way it builds up is something strange. They have been “friends” for a hundred years and, according to Janneke, nothing has ever really happened. So, it just happens now? It felt like it was out of the blue, but at the end, the potential is there and I’m all for it. I would have liked some more back story with their relationship. Not too much, but just enough details about the previous years.

The storyline itself has great potential. I love dark fantasy just because I find it very beautiful in my mind. I thought the world itself was well created and, I won’t lie. I thought the gruesome scenes were pretty well written, too. Some details were confusing or just a bit too much, like they weren’t really necessary. However, I think the overall best part about this book is the storyline itself.

I understand what Kara is trying to create here and the last time I read a good goblin story was the Wintersong duology. Instantly, when I saw the word Erlking, I got excited. Kara has a unique voice and I do have high hopes for the rest of the series. I’ll definitely be picking up book two when it releases.

So think about how Maas loves Fae. Now instead of Fae, you've got a kingdom of goblins (who are similar, but infinitely more vicious), magical permafrost, and an actual enjoyable protagonist. There is where you'll find White Stag.

It's been a long time since I've been able to sit down and just straight up read for an extended period of time. And wanting to see exactly how this story played out!

I'm just gonna go ahead and throw some trigger warnings out for: rape, physical abuse, emotional abuse, animal death, body dysmorphia...I think that's all.

Janneke has lived with the goblins for almost a century after Lydian, an insane goblin lord, burnt her village to the ground. She spent four months with him, where she was abused in every possible way. Soren was supposed to be the end of her, but instead he brought her back from the brink.

Janneke's PTSD presents itself in a lot of overly realistic ways. She pushes herself hard to be an incredible fighter, she barely sleeps, she barely eats. She starts acting more goblin than human. To the point where she starts adapting to their powers.

I honestly loved this debut. Barbieri created this terrifying world where we so want our heroine to win, to learn how to be human again. And Soren is truly one of those antiheroes who you know you want to hate, but it's also very clear that you can't. Bless his heart, he doesn't even begin to understand jokes or sarcasm.

There are so many discussion points within the story, as well. Ranging from the aforementioned abuse and PTSD to gender roles and expectations (as the seventh daughter, Janneke was raised by her human family to take over the male heir's role).

I’m echoing several reviewers here and most of what I want to say has already been said. I did enjoy the premise of this book (Norse Mythology? Sign me up!) but it fell flat for me. I guess I could sum up this novel by calling it “so-so”. I do believe that it has a ton of potential but it felt as if I’ve read this kind of story hundreds of times before. However, instead of fae it’s goblins, and I just couldn’t imagine a goblin as sexy. It just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Disclaimer:

I was asked to read and review White Stag as part of the promotional tour for the book, and I received my review copy for free in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated by the author or publisher in any other way, and my opinions are entirely my own.

This book is set to release a week from now so I will keep my review as spoiler free as possible. My short, one sentence review of it? Interesting premise, poor execution, bland characters and an author who is trying to hard to the straddle the line between brutality and a romantic story.

Let’s dive in and unpack things. The world building in this novel needs serious work, and the novel suffers for it. The bones are there, but that is about it. This is in part exacerbated by the fact that the author takes the writing advice of throw out your first few chapters and dive into the action a little too literally. We begin the story thrust into a world we know nothing about. That would normally be okay, as long as the protagonist is learning alongside us like Harry Potter learns about the wizarding world, but that is not, in fact, the case here. Janneke has already been in this world for a hundred years, so I found the opening very confusing, and by the end, I still had way too many questions about the setting. What is the name of the human kingdom? Why does the society Janneke come from need a male heir if the role can simply be filled by giving a girl child a masculine name and dressing her as a boy? How do the Goblins actually live, are there cities, is their society just the main palace of the Erlking and then a collection of keeps ruled over by the lords? How many lords are there? What is life like for the average Goblin?

I really think this story would have benefitted from having its timeline altered, and allowed the first few chapters to be about Janneke being taken by the Goblins, and introduced into her new life and this new world slowly. We know equally as little about the human world she came from. Without this background info, I felt like I had to emotionally rush to catch up and actually care about her circumstances. I was left feeling distant and ambivalent through most of the book, because I didn’t care about the world or the characters, so the stakes behind the plot failed to land with me.

The characters in White Stag are very wooden and barely developed. Personalities blended together, hardly any stuck around the whole book, and even the main three- the protagonist, the love interest and the villain were all pretty bland and uninteresting. The side characters usually die before much can be learned about them, and they don’t affect the plot in any meaningful ways. The dialogue between Janneke and Soren is stilted and clunky, and pretty much every line out of Lydian’s mouth is eye-roll inducing, over the top, and dramatic.

The story at the heart of all of this is weak and anemic. The author never shows us why we should care, or what will really happen if the villain wins. We know as readers our sympathetic characters don’t want him to gain more power because of the horrific violence he inflicted on their lives, but this is watered down and weakened by the fact that ALL Goblin society is supposedly brutal, violent and cruel. Yes, he did horrible things to Janneke and Soren’s family, but all the other contenders for this throne are shone to be just as willing to murder, rape, pillage and scheme their way to the seat of power. I suppose we are supposed to want Soren on the throne, but so little is said about him as a ruler that I don’t know if he’d be any better. Sure, he’s kind to Janneke, but he’s in love with her, so I can’t say one way or another how he’d treat someone he didn’t love, because he’s never really shown interacting with anyone other than allies of convenience. Kindness for the person you love is not indicative of the kindness you would show for the average Goblin of the Permafrost.

I’m not even sure what the Erlking does anyway. The old one is killed off within the opening pages of the book, so as a reader I never got a sense of the role, whether the last one was a good King who should be mourned, and what qualities the next king should have. To decide on the next king, the Goblins hunt the White Stag, who we later learn is not only a symbol of the crown but holds the power. What Goblin magic entails is left ambiguous. From what we’ve seen, some can heal, most can track magically, especially the trail left by the stag, but beyond that, I have no idea how magic works in this world, and what having access to the power of the stag would do for a king. When a Goblin kills something, he absorbs its powers, but this doesn’t seem to have any real effect in the story other than the author telling us the character becomes more powerful.

Now to get into the hard stuff. I’m disappointed that like Damsel, another book I read this year, the female protagonist is sexually and physically abused, and this is played as “Traumatic Backstory Trauma” and not in a sensitive, thoughtful way, no, it is played to manipulate the reader into sympathizing with a character that has little personality outside of being tragically haunted by her past abuse. Janneke’s inner monologues are full and plentiful of her having flashbacks to the rape and torture she suffered before the beginning of the book, as well as the gender dysphoria forced upon her by her family raising her as a boy to fill the need for a male heir. She struggles with letting the Goblin characters see her as female, even though that’s clearly how she identifies inside.

There is nothing inherently wrong about including difficult subjects such as these in YA books. I think it’s important for young readers to read and explore these topics, but also these things need to be handled carefully, and not played for the shock. The rape and torture are included to show how bad of a character Lydian is in the quickest amount of time, and that is lazy poor writing in my opinion. Having Janneke being at the same time mentally broken and fragile, but constantly asserting her physical power and will/desire is a little whiplash-inducing. Every time the action slows down in the story, instead of developing the characters or the setting, we get more inner monologues about all the people who have hurt or failed Janneke in her life. It’s repetitive, unnecessary, and it doesn’t serve the narrative.

Most of this book is just a parade of hurdles, challenges meant to slow the characters down but ultimately play as a little boring and they begin to blend into each other. Tension is lacking from the interactions with the groups of various adversaries, and the non-Goblin monster challenges play like a who’s who of Norse mythology, but lacking any unique spin or interest. By the time we get to the end, the actual heart of the plot is barely there, and I can’t really see any reason to keep reading the next book or books in the series.

Overall, this is a 2.5 star read for me simply because it feels unfinished. Everything from the setting to the characters to the magic to the dialogue and the plot feels half-baked. In the past, I’ve rated books that I personally didn’t like 3-4 stars, simply because even though it wasn’t to my personal taste I could see what audience would like it, but with this book I can’t really recommend it to anyone, as there are similar dark fairytale series that do a much better job than this, as well as better fantasy books based on Norse mythology out now in YA fantasy.

Goblins, an epic journey, a world of eternal winter AND a hate to love story? Sign me up! I loved this adventure into the world of permafrost, survival and strength. Watching Jenneke's will to endure propel her through countless obstacles and a changing way of life was exciting, exhilarating and at times heart breaking, but totally worth it. I loved the endearing supporting characters and enjoyed learning the true sides of Soren. If you like books filled with European folklore (with a focus on characters not usually taking the starring role) and stories about what truly guides one heart and actions, then this is the perfect book for you. Barbieri drew me in with her debut, and I will absolutely be looking for the sequel when it comes out!

*** A big thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. ***

I loved the premise of this. It has a fairy tale feel with some Norse mythology mixed in. It is very dark and violent. I would caution anyone with a weak constitution and if you are triggered by mentions of rape, violence or torture this may not be for you. THis is also placed in the YA genre, but it is fairly violent. Just because the main character is 17, doesn't make this YA. This is for mature readers. Overall I did enjoy this, but I did have some issues with the information development and delivery throughout the story. Having received an ARC, this is something that may be resolved by the time the book is published and this is a good start for such a young author.

While there is a great deal of potential with this story, there are almost too many fantasy elements that don't have enough details. I was often confused about what was going on and felt like I missed something. I went back several times to see if I missed information and it just isn't there. Often times things just aren't explained well in terms of what information the characters are seeking or why they are doing the actions they are doing. There are times of great detail and action which is commendable, I just think there are parts that need flushed out a bit more. For example there is a ritual that one character wants to perform and other characters want to stop, we never actual find out what that ritual entails. There are entire scenes devoted to finding out about this ritual but we never actually learn what it is. This type of unresolved information happens several time in the book with the plot and the character development. Having read an early release, this may be resolved by the time the final publication is out. The author has already done the hard part in coming up with the ideas, a couple sentences here and there would have done a lot to clear things up for me.

Our main character Janneke, is the 7th daughter and being raised as her father's heir. She is taught to hunt and track and pretty much her identity as a woman is taken from her because she is being raised as a boy. Janneke is 17 when goblins burn her village to the ground, and she is captured by Lydian who is pretty much awful and insane. Janneke is tortured by Lydian until the brink of death until he gives her to another goblin, Soren. Soren is kind and while Janneke is technically his slave, he treats her with respect and doesn't hurt her.

Janneke is tormented by the horrors she suffered during her time under Lydian's hands, but she has become stronger and more skilled in the 100 years she's spent with Soren. As the goblin's gather to pay their respects to the current king in his last days and begin the hunt to determine who will become the new king, Janneke learns that she is much more powerful than she ever knew both physically and mentally. She overcomes some very tough battles within herself, in her relationship with Soren, and they have some pretty epic battles on their hunt for the stag.

I did really enjoy Soren and Janneke's relationship. He never pushes her to hard to or too far, he lets her decide what she wants to do. Janneke has had a pretty traumatic life and this journey to find the stag really comes into herself. I feel like her character developed well throughout the story. There were also some really good side characters that complimented the main characters nicely.

What an amazing start for a new series!
It's dark, atmospheric and gripping, one of those book you cannot put down making it lasts as long as possible.
You will find yourself attracted and repulsed by the characters but you will root for them regardless of your feeling.
It's well written and the world building is amazing.
I look forward to reading the next instalment.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this ARC

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.

Content Warning: Slavery, Violence/Gore, Rape, Profanity

BLURB: An exhilarating story of one girl’s journey to finding her place in a world of monsters.

"Cursed with pain upon doing any action that did not in someway fit into the power the Permafrost gave them, the goblins fittingly had the submission of the stag as the symbol of their king’s ultimate power.

Until it runs."

What a delightful debut novel this was! Encounters with goblins, dragons, deities, and other magical beings leaves the reader filled with strong sentiments of otherworldliness! My first reaction upon finishing WHITE STAG was: I cannot wait to read what happens next! I definitely experienced some book hangover. The ending provides such an unusual twist in the protagonist’s journey and I am eager to know now how her new-found...situation...will pan out.

Janneka, more often referred to as Janneke, is no stranger to the Hall of Monsters. Having lived amongst terrifying goblins for one hundred years has given her an insight unlike any other. When she was seventeen, Janneka’s town was attacked by goblins. As the only survivor, she was taken across the magical border separating human and creature--into the Permafrost.

Janneke’s upbringing luckily aided her misfortune. Having been born into a family with only girls, she assumed the role of the “son” and was raised as such in order to protect and provide for the family. The burden of her family’s demise all those years ago weighs heavily upon her conscience, as she was the only one spared.

Spared is a relative term. For she was found by the evil goblin lord Lydian, who made it his duty to miserably humiliate and assault Janneka for years. More for his amusement than anything, Janneka suffered greatly--a pain quite tangible when she recalls her memories of the past.

As the years pass, Janekka’s ability to survive in the Permafrost poses a challenge. Through this, she is forced to face truths about herself, and who she is to become. No matter which path she decides, there is ugliness, but also potential for beauty.

Throughout this entire read, symbolism is intertwined with Janekka’s story. Meaning and deep introspection on one’s identity and self-worth poses more to unpack than words found on the page. The balance of good vs evil, man vs. monster, power vs. submission, and freedom vs. captivity are all strongly represented throughout.

"You are balance and chaos. You are light and dark. It churns inside you, forcing you to choose..."

Most are represented by the White Stag itself. At first, it seems that the White Stag is merely a symbol (which in lore, it has many symbols). However, as the plot thickens, this creature’s purpose poses to be much more important than anyone realizes.

Both positions on an issue are always present, and working against one another. Janekka experiences this intimately as she wars with herself both internally and externally. I really appreciated how the author depicted Janekka’s turmoil, and made her feelings tangible to the reader.

There is a romance. While I’m not big on romances, I found elements between these two characters really interesting due to their situation. I’m actually quite curious to see how this will play out in the coming sequel…

Speaking of “relationships,” (this was NOT a relationship, mind you) Janekka (as I briefly mentioned earlier) goes through some very unpleasant things at the hand of Lydian, the antagonist. This is just another warning to keep this in mind when heading into this read, as it can be rather unpleasant. This is where I would say that this book is meant for mature readers, who can separate what is healthy and unhealthy in relationships. These awful experiences really help to reveal the goblins’ true nature, which cements the difficulty of the romance that does happen to flourish.

I found the overall premise to be a refreshing mix on lore, with some contemplative takeaways. The only issues I had with this book, were:
1) It could be pretty graphic and unsettling.
2) The second half felt rather rushed. I really wanted more information of the Permafrost itself, and the pace to slow down so I could enjoy more. Besides that, I’m really looking forward to the sequel, GOBLIN KING.

Vulgarity: Moderate. I came across 48 words total in the ARC provided to me.
Sexual content: Moderate. There are a few scenes which focus on the topic more, but they are not overly graphic or descriptive. It leans more towards the New Adult genre or is better suited for mature Young Adult readers.
Violence: Quite a bit.

My Rating: ★★★★½

I found this book was really odd and not at all relatable. I think it was a take on fey novels but with goblins instead. However, I don't find goblins sexy or similar to humans at all, which is what made it hard for me to read this.

I am sorry to say that this review was hard for me this time around. I was not a huge fan of this book. The story line and the characters were just so-so. This book definitely needs a lot more work. I was supposed to do a review for the blog tour however since I didn't like the book at all, I did an excerpt post instead.

I am so torn about this book. On the one hand, it's well written: the style is lovely and I slipped into the story well enough. The story about coming to terms with your identity and embracing yourself was powerful. But there was so much that just... bugged me about it. And it was only after I finished the book and took a step back that I realized what it was.

Let's start with the good. As I said, it's well written. There's a massive effort in the worldbuilding and the plot itself is really creative. I liked how it all tied together in the end, and it makes for a strong standalone (even if a series is planned, so this is a good sign since the author isn't leading us on). There was a lot that came together making it a strong fantasy novel.

But there were a few things that irked me. For starters, GOBLINS. They're not goblins. They're fae or whatever, "unearthly beautiful" and wildly dangerous. They have nothing to do with anything goblin! Where's the thievery? The enticing food that traps the eater? Not Goblins, and no matter how many times the author insists they are, you can't just take a mythos and slap another name on them to make it sexy.

The book is dark, violent, psychological. Which is good. But the rape component is just this character abuse that isn't necessary for the story. The book would have read the same if she was just tortured without the rape. The disfigurement makes for an interesting character, making her thoroughly more complex, but we didn't need the extra shock value. It is not handled with the care something so horrible deserves: it's just there to make us feel worse for her.

Now for the romance. I really liked Soren and thought he was a really great character, complex and unique. But their relationship is really weak for two people who have fought side by side for the past 100 years! Jenneke sometimes acts like she's only known him a few weeks, which makes Soren's "sudden" interest in her really weird. It picked up towards the end, and I was happy to see them together, but for the first few chapters, it was like they barely knew each other at all.

All in all, I'll probably read the next book, but I can't get the image of a three-foot-tall pimply goblin out of my head.

What if you are not what you think you are? This book is kinda dark but delves into that issue with a strong fantasy theme - Goblins. Word of caution, this book has major life issues, like rape. I can always do without that one yet some books it's crucial to. I didn't feel that it was critical to this story and could have been left out. The MC is full of conflicting emotions and the writing can be choppy at times. I do have a lot of unanswered questions, that might resolve in a future book. I would read the sequel to see if I found out the answers that I'm currently lacking.

My copy came from Net Galley. My review is my own, left voluntarily.

DNF @ 48%
*I received an ARC to promote a blog tour for this book. I received this from the publisher for review. All thoughts are my own*
I wanted to enjoy this, but as I read more, this was way too surface level and heavy handed for me. I do like the tale of the Great Hunt and the erlking and that will be of interest to many readers. But I think this needed a lot more work. The magic wasn't explained at all, the world was okay but built enough and the heavy subject matter surrounding the protagonist felt too heavy handed and overly referenced that it lost its power for me. This wasn't terrible at all; but the bland, surface level story and too pretty goblins wasn't for me.