I can honestly say I don’t know how to feel about this, other than I feel strongly. Wintersong by S Jae Jones is beautiful, with grand, sweeping descriptions that envelope the reader in a faerie new world. But it is also not enough at times. There are characters you come to love and grieve for, and others you grow to tolerate. It definitely bears the marking of an author trying to strike the right balance between all of the different elements needed to make a story truly amazing.

Jumping off of Christina Rossetti’s AMAZING Goblin Market poem, Jae Jones sets the bar high for her debut novel, perhaps unfairly so as it sets the readers aspirations aloft. You get a feeling that there’s danger and villainy abound. Yet, it never really feels that way, which was fine by me as I loved the Goblin King we did receive. But it sets up the expectation that things will be visceral, guttural, almost an assault upon the senses, yet still controlled and melodic. Instead, the senses are dulled, most probably because this is meant for a YA audience, therefore the mature scenes are skipped over or kept to a minimum, which is truly a shame because Jae Jones excelled at the small snippets that were there.

Jae Jones also does melancholic longing amazingly well. The prologue, aka Overture, broke my heart and it was just the short tiny prologue. She immediately is able to convey the dynamic between Liesl and the Goblin King, as well as their entire history and everything that would ever be. If the prologue were made into a book, I’m pretty sure it would destroy me. Yet, we jump in at the tail end of a romance with a character that is almost unrecognizable from the prologue.

And that’s where my main problem lies. What knocks the book down from what would otherwise have been an easy 5 stars, to 3 and a half. Liesl is so unbearably plain and passionless that it’s hard to care for her. She seems to lack a personality outside of music, outside of what she can do for others. This isn’t something that is remedied, even by the end of the book. I understand different heroines for different readers, but she just didn’t do it for me. She was too meek, too unlike the girl from the Overture. I can understand that life and responsibilities may have dulled her spark, but even while beside the Goblin King, she never truly seems to recover.

The Goblin King, on the other hand, is an amazing character that shines in all regards. He is well rounded, as light and fun as he is broody and melancholic. Compassionate and giving as he is cruel. Handsome and loving, readers love him before they even know him, which makes his pairing beside Liesl so uncomfortable for me.

Now, the reason I am overwhelmed with emotion, though which emotion I know not? THAT ENDING! It was expected and unexpected at once and just really makes you realize things about life and love and I want to talk more about it but spoilers and :(

Wintersong by S Jae Jones is a tremendous debut novel that has some real strengths. Even with the stumbles, it leaves you feeling emotional and way too invested. With a bit more direction and time on character progression in the future, Jae Jones is well on her way to becoming a five-star author, whether she chooses to remain in YA or delve out.

When I first heard about this Labyrinth/Persephone retelling I immediately began pestering the publicist for a copy. Eventually she relented and I was SO ecstatic. Wintersong was one of my most anticipated books of 2017…and it ended up being a massive disappointment.

Although I’m a big fan of the setting – 18th century Bavaria – there was so little character development, that I never got a feel for who these characters were. Leisl is plain and ugly. Her sister is gorgeous and charming. The Goblin King has pointy teeth and is tall. …that’s about all I can tell you. Initially Wintersong was a typical fantasy-esque quest (Käthe has been taken by the goblins and Leisl must go save her) and I was totally on board. Halfway through, however, it became more about Leisl’s own journey to find herself and, naturally, she does that by falling in love.

I wanted so much more from this book than what I got, but I’m admittedly in the minority. The ending left me incredibly frustrated and while there’s supposed to be a ‘companion’ book coming out, I’m not quite sure if I’m interested enough to read it.

ARC copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review



I can't remember the last time I felt so intensely conflicted about a book. Set in 19th C Bavaria, Wintersong tells the story of the Vogel siblings from Liesl's POV. Girls are warned by their provincial elders not to want too much, to be modest and hard working, to be chase or else Der Erlkonig will fetch them away. But to Liesl, who is genuinely plain (not plain in a 'I don't realise how gorgeous I am' kinda way) as well as strange, intense and musically gifted, the story is seductive. She does not remember the strange companion of her childhood, anymore than she lets herself think about the music she composes or the future she wishes she had - usurped by her adored younger brother - but Liesl has met the Goblin King; once upon a time they were friends...



This is a folktale, a historical fantast and a lush, tempestuous romance all rolled into one. And as unbiased as I try to be in my reviews, I am very conscious of the fact that this was exactly the story I wanted to read at exactly the time I wanted it, told in pretty much exactly the way I wanted. So this is not an unemotional appraisal. Not that I can't see the flaws in the book. The structure does have a few wobbly moments and the narrative is occasionally over-written. It feels as if it could have done with another pass but the author ran out of time. That said the prose is gorgeous, the characters are complicated and engaging, and the plot is twisting and slyly gets under your skin. There were times when Liesl was actually thoroughly unlikeable but I couldn't help rooting for her and wanting to know what happened all the same. If you know anything at all about musical theory, that's how this book reads - like a sonata scored in musical notation. I would go a step further and say that the push and pull of the MC interactions, the dark undertone and the bittersweet nature of the story actually mirror a number of pieces of classical music or even opera. (Think Shubert's Death and the Maiden or Der Erlkonig, or Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake) And opera never has an entirely happy ending... I would be surprised if other influences didn't include the Persephone/ Hades myth, Beauty and the Beast, East of the Sun West of the Moon and the 80s classic film - Labyrinth.



****SPOILER ALERT BELOW****



But where I really came unstuck was the ending, which is the sole reason this didn't get 5 stars. I had not realised quite how hard I shipped the MCs and I didn't like the way it resolved. In fact I actually felt punched - which is no mean feat because not much catches me by surprise in books anymore. And obviously this is where I am being emotional rather than reasonable because I was so upset and angry with the ending, I've knocked off a star. As I said, it's been a long time since a book has affected me so badly.



**** SPOILER END****



All in all this was utterly fabulous. I do appreciate a good standalone (even though I wish this one wasn't). This is mature fairy tale fantasy for those who like their YA fiction with a bit more complexity and strength. Highly recommend for fans of Claire B Dunckle's Hollow Kingdom series or anyone who loves Labyrinth. Will definitely read the author's next book.

First of all DROP DEAD GORGEOUS COVER!!!!

For fans of Cruel Beauty if you appreciated Nyx's slight darkness in her character then you'll definitely like Liesl as a character! She has a kind of selfishness that she is well aware of. Even though she loves her brother she still has this twinge of resentment for him because she's jealous that he gets all the attention when she is just as talented. She poured all her energy and talent into him and as a consequence he went into the limelight and she lingered in the shadows. It was totally realistic for her to want to break out and show everyone who she really was especially after she's always been told that she had no talent. It made her much more down to earth and humane.

I also liked that Liesl doesn't have a drop dead gogeous beauty that most YA MC's seem to have these days and she doesn't go through a makeover and put on a pretty dress to change either. We can tell she's kind of insecure about her looks but we see that her beauty lies in her music.

LOVED the plot!!!! It was simple but so interesting and gripping at the same time! I haven't watched Labyrinth so i didn't really know where the story was going. But i loved every second of it!

The writing was lyrical. The musical aspect of the story permeated the entire book making it rich in its background and incredibly unique. I'm not musical at all so there are things that didn't really ring a bell to me but it was like the writing itself was infused with music! It was melodious and flowed smoothly. Like the language of the book was music and the romantic connection between Liesl and the Goblin King stemmed from music!

The Goblin King was my favorite part of the book! Though i didn't fall in love with him as i thought i would he was by far the most interesting character! He was oozing mystery and you just wanted to dig deeper and deeper until you found out all his secrets! He had a truly beautiful character which shifted between vulnerability and malice!

I loved the connection between Liesl and the Goblin King. They pushed each other endlessly to the edge and they set each other free. They brought out the most passionate feelings in each other which helped fuel their music.

“There is music in your soul. A wild and untamed sort
of music that speaks to me. It defies all the rules and laws you humans set upon it. It grows from inside you, and I have a wish to set that music free.”

I have to mention that all the characters are extremely well developed! Every single character is unique. Liesl was just phenomenally written with all her flaws and it made her easier to connect to. Kathe was the vain sister but who always felt somehow alienated because she was the only one in her family with no musical talent and yet she loved her family, especially Liesl. All the characters had real depth, especially the Goblin King who was a whole can of mystery and intrigue!

Bittersweet ending!!! I don't know how i feel! But from reading the last line i think there's hope for a sequel because i need more of these characters!!!! But my favorite part was by far the writing-just beautiful!

I liked this book a lot more then I thought. It was beautiful, poetic, grotesque, infuriating, freeing, and all around lovely, but in a very raw way. I like the journey that Liesl goes on to really claim her own soul and life. I loved the magical goblin elements of the underworld, and the mystery behind the Goblin King. I wanted him to be a little more fleshed out. We see her whole process of discovering and remembering who she really is as her whole own entity, but we barely get to see any of his story or journey through any of this. If not in this book, I would love a second book delving deeper into the Goblin King and how he became what he is.

The Goblin King the Lord of Mischief and the ruler of underground has always been a part of Liesl's life even if she doesn’t remember him. She grew up and had to take on responsibilities of helping run the inn and give up her dreams as they are foolish desires of a child. Now her path will cross with the Goblin King and promises must be kept. Selfless sacrifices are made and where love is what sustains life.

I enjoyed the beauty and darkness of this story. Where music and art is woven into the tale. Where finding out who you truly are is giving in to wildness and desires. That you must be unraveled in order to find your true self. Where we live as long as someone remembers and loves us. I hope there is more to this story as I was left wanted to know what happened to the Goblin King and Liesl. If you love dark tales this won't disappoint. I definitely recommend this book.

For some reason this book did not capture my interest. I read about a third of the book before giving up and moving on to the next one.

After finishing this book, I had to take a few days to actually process what I had read and how I felt about it all, and this was not entirely due to the fact that I was very sick at the time. I will address all of the reasons behind this in the paragraphs below.

I would first like to point out that the writing was quite beautiful, and that although I am not musically educated, I was able to enjoy all of the musical theory and terminology used in this book. If someone had described this book in such a way to me, however, I am not sure whether I would have picked it up, because I would feel intimidated, and as if I would be unable to understand the book due to never having studied musical theory.

Jae-Jones integrated this musical terminology and theory in such a way that I found it enjoyable, and if anything, it made me wish that I had studied maybe just a little bit of music theory while in school, and also that I had a soundtrack to go along with this book!

The novel overall, was a magical experience, and I really loved the world which I was thrust into while reading Wintersong, the beautiful aspects as well as the horrific ones. Whenever it comes to books about the Fae, or goblins, or such things, I find that both sides (good and evil, beautiful and ugly) should be explored equally, and Jae-Jones did just that.

Wintersong‘s characters felt very real (the humans acting as one would expect them to, and the non-humans as one would expect non-humans to act). They also varied in the manner in which they made their choices, depending on whether they were more emotional, or rational characters. The relationships between characters was also believable; Liesl’s relationship with each of her family members varied, which I found great, and her relationship with the Goblin King also felt very much based on reality, despite the otherworldly setting in which their interactions played out.

Liesl and the Goblin King’s relationship did not feel forced, and was realistic in that there were ups and downs, as well as mixed feelings. Their chemistry was nearly tangible from the first moment they interact in the book. Some of the more heated scenes, however, felt a little cut short, and after finishing the book, I found out that this was due to the fact that Wintersong was initially meant to be an adult novel, containing quite a bit of sexual content. Although, while this explained why those scenes felt a off, it did not fix the scenes themselves, and I feel as if maybe they should have been more revised.

Lastly, without writing any spoilers, I would just like to say that this book did not end as I had expected, and that it left with a mix of feelings which I feel are now (days later, still unresolved). Perhaps if the book had been allowed to remain an adult novel, I would not have been as surprised by the ending as I was, and that my feelings toward Wintersong would have been more straightforward.

I would recommend this book for those looking for a darker fantasy read, and those who enjoy a dash of horror in a book which is a mix of both fairytale, and historical.

Who remembers reading Christina Rossetti's "Goblin Market" in high school/college? Well, take that poem and smush it together with a Hades and Persephone myth and you have the epic tale of Wintersong. It was magical, and it was slow-paced. And while that can be a bad thing, the slow pace of a novel, the captivating prose proved to be this story's number one selling point to me.

While the story arcs through the trials that Liesl fighting to return her sister from the clutches of the Goblin King, to throwing her life away to become the Goblin Queen, to understanding the real nature of the Underworld, the goblins, and her life down in this hellish kingdom, it does go through a slow churning cycle. I found myself checking my percentage counter at the bottom of my kindle screen just to see how far I progressed, and every time it didn't feel like enough. What made up for the molasses-slow plotline happened to be the elegant and magical prose rather than the characters themselves.

Now I liked Liesl when she wasn't throwing tantrums or falling for the goblin glamours, but I found myself more captivated by her when she was with the Goblin King in the end. She has a blind eye, and doesn't do as she is guided to do. Her grandmother told her to watch out for her sister and what does Liesl do? Not watch out for her sister. Sister of the year. As far as relationships are concerned in this book, and how Stockholm Syndrome goes, Liesl had it bad, in a steamy sort of way. And I dug it. Not condoning SS through. Had some tears in the eyes by the last page. I would definitely read a novel just on the Goblin King alone for his character was strange, but in a good way. Strange like multi-faceted/ multi-personality and I want to know more about the lore and tale of The Goblin King.

4.5 Wine Glass #Review for Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

Crystal's Thoughts:
S. Jae-Jones sweeps readers away on a enchanting journey through the court of the Goblin King where nothing is at it seems, and reality is but an illusion. Where time passes in years, not in hours, and a young woman must battle her way through the darkness in order to find the light within her, and the song that lives in her heart.

Liesl is a young woman who spent her childhood dreaming in the woods and entertaining a woodland boy with her music and her spirit. As Liesl grew though, the more burdened she became by her responsibilities to her family and each new load slowly whittled away at her soul. She soon forgot the woodland boy, and her promises to him. In time, she also forgot her music and those magical pieces of herself. That boy never forgot her though, he waited everyday for her to remember him until finally he could wait no more...

"Once there was a little girl who played music for a little boy in the wood."

A poetically beautiful tale full of magic, music, darkness, and light, Wintersong captivated me with that first sentence. Exquisitely written, S. Jae-Jones creates a rich and vibrant world set around enchanting characters that will capture you, heart and soul. While the first half of the story is fast and chaotic, a whirlwind of settings and emotions, the second half of the story is sedately paced, and more intimate as Liesl discovers all of those hidden facets of the Goblin King...and those within herself that she has kept buried for some many years. The Goblin King is a frightening, yet seductive creature with many layers to his persona. At first you hate him for his ruthlessness, his heartlessness...but then you begin to understand him and hate Liesl for her selfishness and intolerance. A riot of emotions encompass Liesl's trek through the Underground and above. Bursting with passion, and heartbreak, you can't help but empathize with Liesl as she falls down the rabbit hole, and the Goblin King with his centuries of loneliness and forced traditions.

While Liesl is not your typical sultry heroine, her beauty comes from within, once she allows it to shine. Like I mentioned already, my feelings for her tottered throughout the story, and while I enjoyed that her character was so different then most, it was laminated on quite a lot throughout. I pitied the poor girl for it. That doesn't stop the Goblin King from seeing the internal beauty that shines from within Liesl though, and this leads to some interesting adult situations. I say interesting, because not all of them gave you that happy, swoony feeling. However, it added a few tender and passionate aspects to the story-line.

The only thing keeping Wintersong from 5 stars is the ending. It's not one that you could call a, "Happily Ever After". It left me with an ache in my heart, and a yearning for so much more. I really hope that this is not the end of Liesl and the Goblin King. I will definitely be keeping an eye on this author for more stories in the future. If you loved the movie, Labyrinth, then you're going to fall in love with this enchanting retelling of the Goblin King. Though it is entirely different at it's core, it has enough magic and mayhem, as well as some of the alluring David Bowie in the Goblin King's character, that made that movie such a sensation. Young adult, new adult, and fans of fae inspired tales should not hesitate in picking up Wintersong today!

This book was absolutely beautiful and completely intoxicating; it left me feeling breathless, like I was spinning and dizzy and knew I should stop, but couldn’t put it down. It spoke to me in ways a book never has – and I’ve been a reader all my life, so that’s a LOT of books that never spoke to me such as this one did. I was completely absorbed in the world, writing and characters.

Liesl is passionate, rash and impulsive, prone to fits of rage, to highs and lows. To self-sabotage and self-doubt. The author said something about Liesl in her newsletter and I can 100% see it. I won’t say what it is for fear of spoilers, but it explains so much and I think it fits perfectly. This thing, it’s a part of her and makes her who she is.

The Goblin King. The Lord of Mischief. The Ruler Underground. He was a complete mystery, yet he was fascinating. I wanted to know everything about him and, though I finished this book ages ago, I still do. I can’t get him out of my head. One second, he was the Goblin King – distant, cold, foreboding. And the next, he was the boy Liesl used to know – kind, caring, passionate. He was also stubborn and his moods mirrored Liesl’s, causing them to butt heads quite often. Yet even when they were butting heads, there was undeniable chemistry between them.

The writing in this book is so gorgeous and elegant. It has an old-time feel to it that I love. It was described as being based on the movie Labyrinth, but it also seems to hint at a certain Greek Myth. I don’t know for sure if I’m right or not on this, but if I am, then I’m even more in love with this book than I originally thought I was. You guys know I love Greek mythology more than anything! (I also won’t say which Greek Myth I think it is to avoid spoilers – you’ll have to read the book and see for yourself!)

I can understand why some people didn’t enjoy this book – Again, it was described as being a Labyrinth retelling and I think many people expected something closer to the movie. But in my opinion, this book is loosely based on the movie and if you think too much of the movie while reading this, you might feel a bit let down. I urge you to go into this book knowing it’s not exactly the movie. It has hints of the movie, but it is its own thing entirely, as well. If you do that, I think you’ll really, really enjoy it.

So.. *Takes shuddering breath.* I really can’t even think what else to say. This book really just blew me away, more than I ever imagined a book could. More than I thought this book could. I expected to love it, but I didn’t expect it to speak to my soul. I never thought any book would ever do that. This is one I will cherish for many years to come. One that I have a feeling I’ll want to re-read often. I (obviously) absolutely can’t wait for the second book. For more interactions between Liesl and the Goblin King. For more background and history regarding the Goblin King. For the reveal of his true name. And for so much more than that, which I can’t even put into words.

Obviously, I MORE than recommend this book. It’s the one I’ll be telling EVERYONE they should read. It’s by far one of the most amazing books I’ve read in a long time. It’s up there with Harry Potter and with Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses series, of which I recently finished A Court of Mist and Fury – another book that I gushed about and highly recommend. These two were by far my favorite reads of 2016 (because even though Wintersong is a 2017 debut, I read it in 2016) and I will never stop recommending them, as you can see in my 2016 End of Year Book Survey, in which you can see how often I recommended these two books!

So… Go buy this book! Go read this book! Go LOVE this book! Seriously, I can’t recommend it enough!

Labyrinth and Legend(young Tom Cruise & unicorns) were two movies on my watch 500 times list as a kid. I’ve always loved that eerie, fantastical feeling those movies captured and likely when Bowie passed away I saw Labyrinth in the theater so it’s fresh in my mind.

Wintersong definitely captures so many things that I loved about Labyrinth itself. There were even parts in the book that reminded of particular scenes….

The peach
The Ball
The Chase

Even though I saw the similarities, I also felt like this story stood on it’s own. I loved the writing, it felt very lyrical. Being that so much of the story is rooted in music, it makes sense. Also the story continues on after the rescue. I started to see more stories interwoven in like Hades and Persephone or Beauty and the Beast. It really felt like it was multiple stories in one book even though they flowed into one another. The book felt rich, vivid and imaginative.

I loved the music tie-in. It really gave the story it’s uniqueness as the characters experience their emotions through their songs. I liked how it was the key to so many things.

Liesl is the daughter of a musician but often overlooked as she takes on the role of protective older sister. She has Josef, her brother who she considers the other half of her musical soul and who she has rested her hopes on that she herself has given up. Kathe, her younger sister, the beauty she wishes she had. She wants to make sure she marries well and again gives up the love she wishes she had so her sister can take it. So when Kathe is taken to the underground, it’s no question that Liesl will follow to save her. I really enjoyed her character the first two parts of the book but when it came to the third. I often found myself frustrated with her. She just kept tearing herself apart and taking everything that the Goblin King did as a negative. I understand that she is lost and trying to find her way in this new existence of putting herself first but sometimes I wanted to shake her and just be like. Play your music! The second part of the story is probably where she experiences the most growth.

I loved the Goblin King. I wanted to whisper...is your name Jareth? He was mysterious, clever and everything you would want from a Goblin King. It’s interesting to see Elisabeth peel back his layers to find what is actually underneath. As more and more of his lore comes to light you really see what he was before.

I really loved the story and even the bittersweet end, that felt like it was the only direction the story could go. Although Elisabeth mentions something that gives me hope. Her song is not finished.

This was very beautiful and magical! It reminded me of Holly Black's dark fairy tales but in like, Olden Mozart Times. There's a lot of beautiful description of music--playing, composing, listening--that would probably land even better on readers who aren't totally tone deaf like me, but I still appreciated them.

3.5 stars
As a fervent fan of the Labyrinth movie, I was very excited when I found this book and read it's description. My hopes for this book was that it would be the equivalent of a novel-length Labyrinth AU fanfic, and that was pretty accurate. If you're not a big Labyrinth fan, i'm sure this book would still be enjoyable. But the small allusions to the movie throughout the book were a treat to me. However, my feelings about this book overall are mixed. Sometimes i had trouble understanding the reasons behind things that were happening, or the importance of the situation that the author was trying to convey. I felt like she sacrificed some clarify for the sake of poetry or romance.
[
I also felt like most of the second half of the book was really melancholy, and I was particularly bummed by the ending. If the ending didn't make me so sad, I would probably give the book 4 stars. (hide spoiler)]

However, I take it as a good sign whenever I find myself thinking about a book the next day. I'll certainly keep an eye out for Jae-Jones work in the future.

I happen to have a thing for Goblin Kings...so no surprise that I would be drawn to this. I became enthralled with the Underground immediately and stayed in love with it until the end. I really enjoyed most of the characters and the story but I did get sick of all the musical metaphors. It was a bit much. Other than that, I really enjoyed this one. I have heard that there is going to be more...I hope so, I really really want more!

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas Dunne for the opportunity to read the book and review it honestly.

This marvellous tale is set at the turn of the 19th century. Liesl is known for being quite plain, she is overshadowed by her brother in music and sister in beauty. Their Grandmother follows the way of the old laws and has been telling Liesl and her siblings stories about goblins and fey ever since they were little. It was Liesl's duty to watch over her sister and make sure she wouldn`t be tempted by the Golbin King. Plans go astray when Kathe is taken by the Goblin King and Liesl knows that she must go after her. To retrieve her sister she has to travel to the Underground, but the Goblin King is also known as the Lord of Mischief and he will not make it easy for her.

After I finished this story I heard that it was inspired by the movie Labyrinth. It has been many years since I have seen that movie and it didn`t impact my enjoyment of this story at all. I flew through this book, it had me gripped from the beginning to the end. S. Jae-Jones writing is magical, the way she describes the Underground brings it to life. I feel like I just watched a movie, I could picture everything perfectly. Sometimes when stories have a lot of description it can be really overwhelming, but that wasn`t the case for this story. Liesl reminds me a bit of Sofi from Howls Moving Castle. Mainly because they both view themselves as plain and figure they will never amount to anything, but they go through a huge transformation and discover who they are. Liesl cares so much about her family and sacrifices a lot of herself for them. The main part of this story is Liesl taking the time to figure out who she is as her own person. I loved the relationship between Liesl and the Goblin King, though sometimes they did annoy me. There are a couple scenes between them that are pretty steamy and might not be fitting for a younger reader. There are so many things happening in this book and I don`t want to mention all of them, some should stay a surprise. I loved this book so much and I would highly recommend it. It was enchanting and dark, beautiful and ugly. It is a wonderfully written story and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did if you decide to read it.

A seductive, richly woven story. S. Jae-Jone's WINTERSONG is a book that will sweep you into a dark, enchanting story, and leave you wanting more. Jones's writing is mesmerizing. I love the poetic, and romantic tones to her storytelling. Together, these elements compliment the setting perfectly.

I am a sucker for a dark, romantic, and fantasy, and this book was just what I needed to break my reading slump. There are so many elements to this book that I thoroughly enjoyed. One of my favorites is the mystery of The Goblin King, and the history he and Liesel have. There's this romantic notion between the two, and a relationship that is complicated by the laws that govern The Goblin King's world. It's one that makes them at times friends, and then enemies, as they play a dangerous game that has all the odds stacked against Liesl.

This story has a love-hate relationship that I enjoyed. It worked. I loved what it grew into. It's a bittersweet one that makes you wish there more to come after this book ends, and leaves you feeling a little heartbroken for each character. I really liked how music ties into this story. It reminded me of another dark, romantic story I love, The Phantom of the Opera.

I really enjoyed the strength Liesl gains on her character journey. I also liked how she, and The Goblin King are able to see past the walls they both put up. It was interesting to see how vulnerable they both were in a few scenes together, and how each of them reacted to it. I fell in love with The Goblin King as much as Liesl does during those scenes. It was easy to feel compassion for him, and his situation. Something he's not able to control, but has to endure.

I loved this setting. It really set the mood for the story. This world is dark, mysterious, intriguing, and magical. It is as dangerous as it is enchanting. It's one I enjoyed being lost in right along side Liesl. I loved the way the real world, and the fae world are blurred. The Goblin King's world is definitely ruthless.

The slow pacing, something that often annoys me in books, worked great for this book. I loved that there was more showing vs telling. Had it been a fast paced book, it would have lost the showing this story needs. The showing is what pulled me into this book. I get that some readers won't enjoy it, but this book definitely wouldn't have worked had it had more telling.

While I did enjoy much of this book, there were a few things I wasn't a fan of. Towards the last 1/3 of the book Liesl becomes very hot, and cold. So much so I re-read part of the part just to make sure I didn't accidentally skip a page or two. Thankfully that confusion didn't last too long, but it was enough to pull me out of the story, and wonder what the heck was going on.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. From the writing to the setting, and everything in between. S. Jae-Jones gave me a story I hoped for, and one I look forward to re-reading again. I know this won't be a story everyone will like, but it's one I absolutely loved spending the afternoon reading.

New writer S. Jae-Jones makes an excellent impression with her dreamlike Wintersong. A gorgeously-written novel retelling of Christina Rosseti's famous Goblin Market poem, this debut is smooth, enticing, and darkly romantic. A deft mixing of the mundane and the magical worlds made for a layered, original, and interesting take on the myth of the unknowable, mischievous Goblin King. The atmosphere of Liesl's life is a rich one, and the plot surrounding her is creative and enterprising, tying together themes of love, duty, family, and independence.

Wintersong is an easy recommendation to make for any reader who appreciates ambitious storytelling, authorial sleight of hand, antihero love interests, eerie supernatural worlds and creatures, and/or multifaceted characters. There is a lot going on in these pages, all capably rendered in Jones' truly lovely prose. The romance itself is somewhat problematic given the fluctuating nature of Liesl's situation, but the author is persuasive, clever, and makes her Goblin King undeniably mysterious and alluring to both her heroine and her audience.

Somewhat similar in tone to Naomi Novik's Uprooted, S. Jae-Jones breathes new life into an old favorite and additionally creates several new story elements to make the resulting novel hers alone. Wintersong is the rare kind of debut that makes readers hope for a long-running series.

*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*

This author has a way with words, that much is clear when you read so many poetic lines throughout the story. I was drawn to read Wintersong and begged for a chance to be on this tour because I had to know what the hype was about. I mean really, I saw the cover and heard the mention of a Goblin King and goblins...and I was like, "sign me up". Such a unique story, I have never come across goblins in all my years of readings. This is not your typical YA, and disclaimer, there is no HEA in my opinion, and S. Jae-Jones is bringing something completely new to the genre.

I loathed Kathe for being such a selfish character. I also felt alot of sympathy for Liesl for having to bear the weight of her diminished hopes and dreams. The Goblin King is charming and still a mystery to me that I yearn to know more. Overall, up until the last 10%, the story had me hooked. I wanted to know more, I was curious as to how selfish or selfless these characters would be.

I had a few issues with the book, there were parts of the story that lacked fluidity, it seemed like I was jumping around at times. In addition, the last 10% of the story felt really rushed and I was kinda disappointed as I came to the end on my Kindle, because I still have unanswered questions. There were just a lot of gaps in the story about secondary characters and I wanted closure. I also really wished that there was an HEA...I could have totally seen that happening but the ending left me with alot to be desired.

Labyrinth is one amazingly weird, gorgeously seductive movie, and as its retelling, Wintersong stayed true to those elements while delivering a beautifully written tale with unforgettable characters. The book is a treat for those who love their stories full of imagery and lush writing, and combined with stellar world building, unexpected twists, and a plot that keeps you on edge, the end product is spectacular. Liesl—our protagonist, whom I’ll call a perfect antiheroine—is extremely flawed and totally relatable. The journey we go through with her is dynamic, just like herself. The Goblin King dazzled, seduced, confused, and made me cry. Their romance was so bittersweet and so real. The limited but well portrayed minor characters added harmony to the perfect song that was the story. A little darker and more sinister than your regular YA fantasy, Wintersong reminded me of a seductive symphony, which I’ll definitely recommend to everyone who loves to get lost in an enticing and beautiful fantasy.