This book was billed as a cross between the film Labyrinth and Naomi Novik's Uprooted and yeah, that's a pretty spot-on comparison. Throw in a little bit of Beauty and the Beast and lots of classical music and German folklore and you've got Wintersong.

The author states on this Goodreads page that she wrote this for her 16-year-old self and I think that is exactly the age group for this book. I rated it 4 stars because my adult self would give it a 3, but I know my 16-year-old self would have given this a solid 5 stars.

The Plot: Elisabeth is the daughter of a washed-up musician living in a small village way out in the woods. She grew up playing music and games in the woods with a mysterious boy who said he was the Goblin King. Now as an adult, she has dismissed those as childhood fantasy and settled into a life of drudgery taking care of her family, while secretly pursuing her passion of writing music. Then the Goblin King shows up looking for a bride and everything changes. Elisabeth faces the biggest decision of her life, choosing between the family she loves and the chance to truly be herself and pursue her passion.

The Pros: I really love the detail that went into this story. The author creates a realistic setting. This could easily have been a shallow retelling of other stories, but Jae-Jones makes it her own by building a world that feels real. I also like the character of Elisabeth - she's got a strong personality and she's not a perfect protagonist. She's difficult and prickly and doesn't always act like a stereotypical heroine, but all of that makes her seem more like a real person than an archetype and it makes her sacrifices more meaningful in the end.

The Cons: I thought the story could have been tightened up a tad. The first half is beautifully paced, with lots of mystery and adventure, and the relationship between Elisabeth and her sister is fascinating. Then in the second half, it turns into an angsty paranormal romance and following the characters as their issues get in the way of their relationship feels like a drag at times. They rehash the same conflicts repeatedly, and when they finally open up to each other, their "secrets" don't really seem worthy of all that drama. I also never quite got the Goblin King's characters. It's clear there are two aspects to him that are in conflict, but I didn't feel like the "human" side was ever fleshed out enough for me to understand who he was or become invested in him as a love interest for a heroine who is so vivid in her personality.

The Takeaway: Although it dragged a bit in the end, I enjoyed the human characters and the setting enough that I will most likely read the second book in this duology. I'm optimistic that with Elisabeth out of the Underground and back in the world, with a new mystery to solve, the story will return to more engaging plotlines and pacing.

I liked this story. I’m so glad the sequel is out, so I can read it right away.

I liked the references to Christina Rossetti’s poetry throughout the book. The story is based on her poem “The Goblin Market.” But it also has a lot of the themes from Beauty and the Beast as well.

Liesl’s music was a great backdrop to the story. It was realistic that she was a great composer but her brother was the one to get the credit, just because he was a boy. I loved that music was able to unite people of all different backgrounds.

One thing that frustrated me was Liesl’s relationship with the Goblin King. They did a lot of pointless bickering. They had the same arguments over and over. It was annoying because I was rooting for Liesl to be happy, either with him or without him.

I liked this story, and I recommend it for YA fantasy fans.

Wasn't sure if I was going to actually like this one or not but surprisingly I do actually like it, the entire time I was reading it I kept seen David Bowie as the Goblin king himself, it was easy to just full into the story .can't wait to read book 2, With that said thinks Netgalley for letting me read and review Wintersong and for letting me fell all over again in love with the one and only Goblin king himself David Bowie.

I've been reading this for damn near two months and I just can't get invested in the characters. The prose is beautiful and all the chapters set before Liesl went to the Underground had me interested (God, did I love her and her brother's performance), but over time, that interest just kinda waned. I got to page 203 and decided I was done. My heart absolutely wasn't in it.

I received a copy of Wintersong by S. Jae Jones thru Net Galley for an honest review. I truly, truly enjoyed this tale woven by S. Jae Jones. Wintersong weaves a tale of family bonds, strong among siblings, and bonds that a forged thru curiosity and love. How far and what will Leisl do in order to keep her sister Käthe safe? The Goblin King or Der Erlkönig only asks one thing of her, to which the spell that her sister is under will be over and she, Leisl, her entire being over to the Goblin King. Wintersong in itself is a wondrous novel. I loved that the music played such an important part because music is a passion of Liesl’s and one she cannot share with the world. When the Goblin King takes her to his underground, it (music) becomes a bigger part of her. The way S. Jae incorporates music thru out the novel makes it stand out, along with the world building. I felt as if I was watching a movie rather than reading a book. I cried for Leisl as she truly and finally understood what was going on. I cried for the Goblin King, for he tried to distance himself from her, but he couldn’t and within him, gave her a wondrous gift.
Thank you S. Jae Jones for writing a unique story, one that incorporates the love of music in such a way, I swear, I heard the melodies in my head.

This book is the movie Labyrinth meets Beauty and the Beast, set in Germany where the heroine loves music instead of books. The characters were well developed and the world beautifully built. I liked Liesel and the Goblin King. I was also annoyed and endeared by her siblings. And the craziness of the Underground was intriguing. The problem was it should’ve been at least a hundred pages shorter. There was an immense amount of repetition. We got right away, Kathe is the pretty one, the father was a alcoholic abusive jerk, Josef is “different”, and the grandmother is not senile but knowing. It’s not like there was so much going on one could forget. Also Liesel’s life was dull both above and below ground. Life is monotonous, but I personally don’t need to experience the daily routine of any character when it doesn’t seem to change. That is what montages are for. Also, and this may seem nitpicky, but the word queer was so overused. I’m just saying if so many things and instances are labeled queer, then don’t they instead become common place? Synonyms would’ve been nice.

That being said I did enjoy the book overall, and I will be reading the next book. I do want to know what happens to everyone. Since it is a duology the next book will be the end so even if I do find myself trapped in repetitiveness it will be easier to get through with that knowledge.

This was a really fun folk tale story about a woman who falls in love with the Goblin King. It was a quick read, very enchanting and the characters were well drawn. Some themes were a little overdone, but it was still an enjoyable read.

Before being offered a chance to download and read this from Netgalley, I was intrigued by the many posts in my GR news feed about this enchanting book with the beautiful and mysterious cover. PURE COVER LOVE! I did not request it as it is quite a long book and wanted to stick with shorter books. Then...(recently) I got a note in my email to read and download it if I would like. I could not resist!!! I am so glad I did take advantage of the offer. It's quite an adventure full of surprises.

This is a love story between 19 year old Liesl and the Lord of the Underground. It's dark, haunting, obsessive, and twisted. Those adjectives don't always go together I know. Not in a good way that is. Wintersong is not the type of novel I usually seek out, tho I do love gothics...and it has many of those elements. But...mostly it has so much depth and emotion; it draws you in and holds you tight. It's hard to think of anything else but these characters. A strong and kind goblin queen, a legend...a goblin king, goblin lore, magic, enchantment, sacrifice; Fantasy at it's best!

This is a great escape. I highly recommend it for those who enjoy dark fantasy. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy to read in exchange for a review. I will read the second book. I am very invested in these characters. I admit I wanted a different ending...but after a few days to think about it, I realize it is the best ending. I hope to pick up the next book soon.

*I received a free copy of this ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

3.5 stars.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, the writing is rich and imaginative. The musical elements added much to the story and the characters. It plays a little bit on the Hades/Persephone myth (which I always love). But there's something about it that just . . . I don't know. It's like it would pull me in for a while and then kind of lose me to another book that I'm reading for a little while. Certain elements of the story felt somewhat circular, like they were almost repeating.

The characters themselves were all right. Wow, I suddenly can't remember the protagonist's name. Ah, Elizabeth. That's right. I liked her, and I didn't. I can't quite put my finger on why that is, though. Prior to this, my only exposure to Der Erlkönig is the piece by Franz Schubert, which I've always liked. And I can sort of see how they tie together. I'd like to read more about the mythology now, though. I think my biggest problem with the relationship between Elizabeth and the Goblin King is that they seemed to have two connections: music and sex. They spent the book alternating between those two and basically sulking separately. (Recall what I said about the circular elements of the story.) At the end of the book, we have a protagonist who is more confident of herself and her abilities, and we have a Goblin King who has become more humanized in the reader's view.

The end of the book left me wondering what happens in the sequel (so I do plan to read it), but at least I'm not on the edge of my seat. I have some suspicions; we'll see what happens.

Note: I can't recall if there was swearing. A few sex scenes, but none of them were particularly graphic. Mostly things like thoughts, emotions, and music were described rather than physical action. I'm pretty sure this is marketed as young adult, but I would have been uncomfortable reading this as a teenager.

Wintersong starts out strong but ends in a whimper.
Liesl has grown from the young girl who played in The Goblin Grove when she was a child. She no longer believes the stories her grandmother told her about the Goblin King and instead focusing on helping her brother with her music. But when her sister disappears, she must realize that all those old tales were true and the only way to save her family is to marry the Goblin King. Liesl plays his games but will the King play fair?
The first third of the novel is compelling. The scenery is beautiful and the Goblin King is mysterious. But as the story drags on the world is just more and more description of the Underworld and less action. The two main characters talk about the same things over and over circling around. Even when action springs up again it is short lived and back to the circular love theme. The ending was predictable but not well explained. While there is a sequel that may answer some of my questions, I have no interest in reading another book in the series.
Wintersong has lovely wrapping but nothing solid at it's heart.

Liesl has taken care of her talented violinist brother and her beautiful younger sister and helped her mother run the inn. When her sister disappears, she knows that the Goblin King has her. Liesl decides to go underground to save her sister. She is willing to do anything to free her sister. She ends up trading her life for her sister. She will marry the Goblin King and become the Goblin Queen. This frees her to be her true self. Liesl will go on to finding much she did not know about herself on this path to life underground. What happens to Liesl and the Goblin King?

As I read this novel, I found myself falling into Liesl's life. The descriptions were done so well, I felt as if I was seeing through Liesl.'S eyes. The story however ends without knowing what I wanted to find out. I found that there is a second book to do that. I will have to read it!

Love this one. I kept seeing David Bowie as the Goblin King. I'm anxious for the next one.

Beautiful writing, unique premise and characters. There is a sequel which we will definitely purchase. Should be a hit.

I didn't have time to get to this one, so I won't be reviewing it.

[Warning: May contain spoilers]


I enjoyed this book. It is very much like "Labyrinth" meets "Beauty and the Beast." The premise is a bit too much like "Labyrinth" for me to be entirely comfortable calling this a "unique" book. Goblin King -- thin, blonde, mischievous Goblin King nonetheless -- comes to earth for a bride. A game ensues in which the stakes are as follows: the girl wins, she gets to take her sister and go home, leaving the Goblin King behind forever. The Goblin King wins, he gets to marry the girl. Sound familiar? Yeah. I thought it might.

I was a little turned off by this at first, but the author quickly adds in enough individuality to make the book her own and separate from the "Labyrinth." I don't want to give away any key plot points, so I am not going to go much further in the description of the book.

I will say, however, that the book is very prettily written, and that music is prominently featured throughout. Thankfully, the author writes music well, and it makes the book quite lovely to read, image-wise.

It is listed as a Young Adult fiction book, but I'd say that is not quite the right categorization for this book. The sex scenes are a little too descriptive for YA, and I worry about the poor librarian who is going to get chewed out because a religious mother catches her thirteen year old daughter reading it. Ha.

The plot was okay, if a little overdone, and the pacing was nice; it flowed well. There were no draggy bits, and nothing seemed too rushed. I'm not sure how I feel about the relationship between Liesl (the girl) and the Goblin King, which is, at times, very Beauty and the Beast and at other times, more Joker and Harley Quinn. :-/ I wouldn't say it was the healthiest of young marriages.

Still, overall, it is a solid 3.25-3.5 star book. I recommend it to lovers of romantic fantasy. Not ideal for hardcore fantasy geeks, though.

I really disliked this book to the point of regretting time spent reading it. I thought there would be more goblin-specific description but the author basically substituted “fae” with “goblin.” The grandmother/goblin king relationship was never explained. The main character is practically despised by her father just because she’s a female, and I hated how love and affection were had a dark sinful tint to it even though most of the descriptions were between husband and wife. The story went too slowly and it was hard to get through it.

[Disclaimer: I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley for review purposes.]

I enjoyed this enough to want to read the sequel, but not enough to buy copies of my own. I'll probably pick it up from the library so that I can at least get some closure.

This book was well-written, lyrical, and emotional. I loved how the story unfolded, but I do wish there had been a little more ... explanation? It seems like everything is still a mystery to me, but it was still a good read.

My only qualm is that the Goblin King essentially kidnapped Elisabeth. He kidnaps her sister first, then manipulates her into staying in the Underground with him as his wife. She loves him but she doesn't, but she does? I felt like she was manipulated into loving him, like Stockholm syndrome. It kind of bothered me and got in the way of my liking the romance.

There were also a few passages that were lifted directly from Labyrinth. And yes, the book was heavily inspired by Christina Rosetti's The Goblin Market (which I just read for the first time today). I minded but I didn't. If that makes sense.

Overall an interesting romantic fantasy. I wish I could have pictured the Goblin King as someone other than David Bowie, but oh well.

Stunning. For pretty much the entire book I was thinking, 4-stars. Then I reached the last portion of the story and it stripped my breath from me. So enchanting, so beautiful, so heartbreaking. I will admit that the first 50 to 70 pages of the book, I really wasn't sure what to think; if I liked it, didn't like it, what was going on, how the heck do I pronounce these names...but eventually, with a little patience, it started to weave together the most intricate, spellbinding story of forbidden love I have ever read. Perhaps one could view it much like a musical composition, timid at first as the story begins to unfold, solid and constant thorough the middle then a crescendo as we rush towards our ultimate conclusion. I do not read a lot of books with a strong romance element, and this story is definitely all about the romance, but this one touched me deeply. I was surprised by how quickly it turned steamy actually and believe I even blushed once or twice! The love between Elisabeth and her Goblin King is somehow fractious, violent and childish all at the same time. Their connection is so tangible, I felt it in my heart; the ups and downs of their lustful and rough coming together. The musical elements of the story were beautiful - they bring it alive - if this were to be turned into a movie, I believe it would have an absolutely revolutionary soundtrack! Overall, I felt drawn into the story, slowly but surely and once I was in, I was in, entire. I cannot wait to read the next book of the series!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of Wintersong, in exchange for an honest review.

Wintersong had some really great imagery, eerie qualities and other moments of intrigue in the story. By the end, I felt betrayed because I expected more. I hate not giving a book a glowing review.

The initial premise was interesting. I loved how the grandmother was pushed aside like she was crazy, but she knew the danger present in not observing the rituals to protect the family from the goblin king. The grandmother was also the most insightful person into the family dynamic. I actually wish there had been another couple of scenes with her just because I liked the cantankerous old woman. The grandmother had known the Goblin King just like Liesl had as a child, however the old woman had not forgotten him or his power. 

The characters had a nice contrast. Käthe was driven to get away from her home and the people in her life. She didn't identify with music like her other siblings and father. Consequently, she was dismissed. Being pretty just wasn't enough. Liesl was the dependable older sibling, not known for her beauty or even her musical talent, because she wasn't a son. She held the family together, and created an environment where her brother's talent could shine because she understood him. Her father and mother were also a reflection of the wanton, misbehaving Käthe and the dependable, solid Liesl.  The boy in the family, Josef, is expected to be a shining star but is crippled by shyness. I thought it was very sudden for him to be able to move forward when he met the maestros assistant. This turns into a gay love affair between the two young men, though there is nothing explicit.

The tone of the story is magical as the sister walk through the town market. The reader can feel the danger dripping off the page, while Käthe is oblivious. Much like fate, it seems there is nothing to be done. Käthe has to be kidnapped, because Liesl cannot or refuses to remember.

In the underworld, I liked the idea of how the goblin servants were less human and more tree-like. I also liked how a door was unnecessary for them to enter Liesl's room/prison. The banquet where Liesl observes Käthe wilting from the wanton nature of the beasts is poignant. She desperately wants to save her sister, even though she is the sacrifice required to do so.

The love between Liesl and the Goblin King is where the story fell apart. I never felt like they actually experience love. Liesl feels lust for the Goblin King, while he feels he must resist her advances because her fire will be gobbled up more quickly. The sex scenes were very uncomfortable to read because the characters didn't have a connection. It just didn't make sense. Liesl became someone who she wasn't when she married the Goblin King. She was a decent person, but once she tried to save her sister she lost all her values and qualities that I liked. Liesl became the wanton sister, the one whose lack of morals always results in disaster (just like her father and Käthe). She seemed to draw her identity from the Goblin King, which seems like a weak female character to have to be defined solely upon a relationship with a man. (I know that sounds like feminist tripe, but really women are so much more than one relationship.) Even though Liesl became a different person than who she had been as a child, the Goblin King values her and his former humanity is touched to allow/help her to escape. With centuries of background the Goblin King could have had many facets to learn and explore as a reader. With his long life I found it hard to believe he wanted Liesl as a mortal wife. He should have wanted something more. I felt like I was short-changed on his character. 

As one final complaint. There were moments in the writing when the tense changed from past tense to present for one sentence. I found the tense change highly disconcerting. 

I've hesitated on the rating. I wanted to give it two stars based on how it fell apart in the second half, but settled on 2.5 stars because there were some great parts in the beginning. Overall I was dissatisfied and will not read the next book.

First of all, I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for recently sending me a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

This was a very personal story for me. I have vivid memories of middle school where we had to memorize and discuss Goethe's poem 'Erlkönig'. For anyone not familiar with it, get on that. It's beautiful and haunting and dark and romantic; as much as human suffering can be romantic. I loved reading this poem in school and I recited it with gusto. Goethe to me is a genius when it comes to taking scary things and making them feel attainable, relatable, and even something I would want in my life (I'm looking at you, Faust!). The author had a lot to live up to choosing the story of the Erlkönig as her topic.

Well, Jae-Jones took those same sentiments I felt in middle school and put them in this story. And she did it amazingly well! I am very critical of everything related to Germany and I have a soft spot for folklore, especially dark and mystical tales. So, my expectations were high and she met them! Liesl's character was complex, weird, and so very human. Der Erlkönig was everything an antihero should be - brooding, stubborn, handsome, scheming, yet so lovable. I really enjoyed their relationship, driven by music and mutual understanding. It is so special when you meet someone who just gets you for who you are!

Jae-Jones also showed a deep appreciation of weird German stereotypes, random pagan believes, and historically relevant events weaving them in perfectly into the story without it coming off as pretentious. I also have to assume she knows music - playing music, composing music, or just greatly appreciating it. I am probably the opposite of that (so not musical at all!) but yet I could follow Liesl's and her family's passion for it. I was able to understand the process of making music, drawing your inspirations from your surroundings, digging deep to give it emotion and meaning as well as the pain when the one thing you love gets taken away from you. The author really portrayed that beautifully.

Some reviews liken this novel to Labyrinth and don't get me wrong I love David Bowie like the next peculiar girl but I believe this book was truly inspired by Goethe's poem. There was too much German in the story to deny that. Plus, so what, even if the author wrote the story with Labyrinth in mind, she made it her own, and that's what counts.

P.S.: I am most impressed that Jae-Jones was able to believably use many variations of people's first names (Josef, Sep, Sepperl etc - something that is especially common in Bavaria) and many German sayings without it being disruptive to the story.