Let me start off by saying I was OBSESSED with "White Stag." It's sequel, "Goblin King," sets out to explore the complex world of fey politics and romance, delivering a high-stakes fantasy where power, betrayal, and a reluctant romance take center stage. The plot is built around Fenn, a girl swept into the mysterious and perilous realm of the goblins, where she finds herself caught between her desires and the cruel manipulations of the Goblin King.

The world-building in Goblin King is rich, with a chilling atmosphere that captures the harshness of the Permafrost, the kingdom ruled by the enigmatic Goblin King. The setting itself is vivid, evoking a sense of danger and beauty that permeates every chapter. Barbieri’s descriptions of the cold, barren landscape are immersive and well-crafted, and they give the novel a distinct mood.

However, the book falters in pacing and character development. Fenn, though sympathetic, is at times frustratingly passive, and her decisions often feel more reactive than proactive. The romance between her and the Goblin King, while having some steamy moments, feels rushed and somewhat forced, lacking the depth that could have made it truly compelling. The dynamic between them doesn't evolve as organically as one might hope, which detracts from the emotional weight of their relationship.

Ultimately, "Goblin King" is a solid, if imperfect, sequel. It has its moments, but it doesn't quite live up to its full potential. If you’re looking for a fantasy with a touch of romance and political intrigue, it may be worth picking up—though be prepared for a story that feels at times a bit underdeveloped.*

This was another DNF for me, I’m not the type to DNF books but lately I feel like I have to. While reading this I felt a huge slump coming in. Wish I would have loved it but just couldn’t get into it.

True rating: 2.5
What I had previously fallen in with in book 1 (in my opinion) was completely missing in book 2. Janeke spent a lot of time explaining and repeating things over and over again. I had previously thought of her as a strong and persevering MC but that strength and grit, I felt was lacking in this book. She...seemed almost whiny. Seppo, who had previously been one of my favorites, also felt lacking... it's almost like his personality was erased. The dry humor/deadpan sarcasm was indeed....dry. and also felt like the story itself dragged a bit. I'm waiting for the end of the world ( I read this on Kindle so physical page-wise I'm not quite sure about but) when I realized I was 98% done with the book and felt like nothing was really happening until ¡BAM! end of world as *just* avoided....but not quite, according to the epilogue. Idk maybe this book just wasn't for me ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

I’m so late to leaving this because I got this title when I first started using NetGalley and not fully understanding the process.

I really loved this book and actually seeing this again makes me want to go back and do another read through.

Kara Barbieri did fantastic with this second installment to their debut series. This was a fun read to get into and a wonderful sequel to the fantastic world that had been crafted.

While I liked this book better than the first, the ending really stole some of the enjoyment for me.

I liked Janneke in this book. She's really showing how much progress she's made healing from the horrors of her past. This especially is shown when Sorren is permanently injured and she has to be for him what he was when she was first healing.

I really enjoyed this role reversal. I also liked the quest these characters were on.

Janneke is hearing Lydian in her head and he's warning her that the world may end unless she stops it. So, Janneke and her friends, plus Sorren go off to complete an impossible task.

But the synopsis made it sound like this was the final book. It wasn't. The epilogue made it clear that there has to be another book, but there's no information about this next book.

There's just something that changes for me when I'm thinking this will wrap everything up and that doesn't happen.

I definitely would still recommend this series to those that like darker fantasy.

I also loved the Norse mythology that the world is based on.

Overall, I liked it. It was entertaining while also covering tough topics.

Somehow I missed that rhis was book 2 in this series. And that put me a little behind on it. I got a good ways through before realizing. And it definitely impacted my understanding of the world.
It was a well written book though. And I enjoyed thebsyorybitself. I just wish I had been more aware when requesting. So I could have enjoyed the series as it should have been.

So start this one from book one. And ypu will definitely enjoy it

A great follow-up that really raises the stakes to Janneke and Soren's relationship and the world. Especially loved the Lydian angle. That he was not given forgiveness and his acts were still monstrous but simultaneously was humanized.

It had been a while since I finished the White Stag, so when I jumped into this book I was happy to see the way the author refreshed my memory without it feeling clunky or like a major info dump. Since the hunt for the stag was finished, we get to see what comes next. Which, I was curious about. I mean yes there was some loose ends to tie up but was surprised to see just how much Kara brought back to the story and expanded on it. What a treat!

I actually liked this one better than the first one! There was a lot more like history and backstory of the goblins and that was really interesting.

WHY COULDNT I LOVE THIS BOOK. This story had all the things that I could love but I just couldnt get passed 50 pages. The cover is gorgeous and it hurts that I couldn't love this.

I received this free eARC novel from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

This has been on my TBR pile for so long, and I'm glad I finally got around to it. I really enjoyed the storyline and seeing the characters change throughout the story was a great character development. The plot was great and kept my attention. I'm glad I got the chance to read this and will be on the lookout for more in the future!

This was a very worthy sequel to White Stag! I love the immense world-building from the first two novels! The characters are very complex! I also love the romance! Thus, this is a perfect novel for fans of Sarah J. Mass!

This is more a case of it was me and not the book. I just couldn't get into this one unfortunately, as it didn't secure my attention enough.

In this sequel, we follow Janneke and Soren as they try to find their footing as the new Erl King and Stag. however, Janneke is plagued by Lydian's spirit, and comes to find out she and Soren are destined to destroy the world.

I still love this world and its connection to Norse mythology. However, I thought there was just so much thrown into this novel. Janneke's growth as the Stag is fantastic, and meeting new characters was exciting. But I would have loved Janneke's connection to the Permafrost and to her powers to have been more fleshed out. By the end of the novel it felt more like a deus ex machina at the end.

The plot surrounding her and Soren being destined to destroy the world kept me hooked. I was so invested in their party breaking that destiny. But again, it felt like it needed to be fleshed out more. There were many Norse mythological beings mentioned, but not much of an explanation about them.

Readers are left on a bit of a cliffhanger, and I am interested on where the story will go.

I loved the first book in this series and I loved this book too. The book was just so good and I don't think it gets recommendations. I never see it on Bookstagram or BookTok and i think it needs to be. It is pretty dark but that's why I think its so good. No character is perfect and they are trying to work through their issues. I really enjoyed it and I think I would read anything this author writes.

3.5 stars
So I liked this book a little bit more than the first one, but it still didn't really grab my attention. I enjoyed getting to know the characters more, but still didn't feel super connected to them. I liked Jenneke and Soren's growing relationship and how neither of them were perfect, but they managed to work through their issues.
The pacing was a little bit slow at points, but there were some good action scenes too. The second half was more exciting and memorable than the first half.
There were a few things that were a little confusing, we had a lot of flashbacks and if you weren't paying close attention (to the audiobook), it was a little hard to remember where in time we were at times. Jenneke's stag powers I feel like could have been more extended upon and explained more.
There was really nothing I can point to that I disliked exactly, so if you are looking for a darker fantasy with goblins, give this duology a try!

GOBLIN KING is the second Permafrost Novel I have read. Though I still think that WHITE STAG is the better of the two, getting to read about Janneke again was a delight.

Title: Goblin King
Author: Kara Barbieri
Release Date: November 17th, 2020
Page Count: 309
Start Date: November 28th, 2021
Finish Date: December 7th, 2021

Review:

Story: I was very impressed with this book. I was so worried that I wasn't going to like it very much. I thought the story would fall flat. The first book was so good. Where do you go from there? I was wrong. It was intense. It was action-packed. I can't wait to see more happening in this!
Characters: I really loved to see the progression in all of the characters in this one. They maintain their stubborn ways, but they have grown on each other. They have formed a dynamic. You just have to see it for yourself.
Critiques: None
Narration: No words can describe how amazing it was.
Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book very much. I really need a book three in my life very soon! Or maybe many more books by this author! I fully recommend this book to anybody who likes dark fantasy. However!!!! You really need to read to read White Stag first. It's very important.

Goblin King by Kara Barbieri is the follow-up to her debut, White Stag. It follows Janneke’s story after the events of the first book, because as we all know, just because the big fight is won doesn’t mean the war itself is over. These books are very loosely inspired by Norse mythology, though it’s more of a vague setting and references to beliefs and concepts rather than heavy-handed cultural influence. I really enjoyed reading this one, even if it has been rather too long since I read the first book and I definitely ended up missing out on quite a bit of the nuance just because I didn’t remember many of the details from the last arc. But this crossover fantasy series – I’d say it’s probably closer to new adult than proper YA – is a lot of fun and has some great characters. I loved how mature Janneke and Soren’s relationship is, and how they actually talk through issues (persistent problems that can easily be solved by communicating are one of my pet peeves). This series is more on the romantic end, but if you like that and epic-ish fantasy, it might be a good one to check out!