The Goblins of Bellwater

Take this token and find yourself in a world of goblins, shady deals, plenty of gold, and a twisted love that keeps you turning the page for more. I am in complete awe of this book. Goblins. Who doesn't love goblins? I will admit that I am a huge fan of fae stories but not all of them speak to me on this level. I love the mischievous nature of the goblins that Molly Ringle created in this book and how I could vividly see them take form in my minds eye. They aren't pretty and they don't try to be anything else. No pretty packages tied up my bows and to be completely honest it was refreshing. I won't go into details because I just hate taking the magic away from reading a new book but I can honestly say you will fall in love with this book from the cover and to the last sentence. It truly is a remarkable read and I will be adding it to my rainy day book list.

The Goblins of Bellwater was one of the most unique stories I have ever read. I applaud the author for choosing to write a book about a supernatural creature that does not get featured in literature very much. The storyline was captivating and kept me hooked from the beginning until the end. Its dark magic crept into each of the characters lives, making this an eerie tale of forest fae, temptations, and sacrifice. There was a certain realism to the story and characters that makes me wonder if there aren’t goblins hiding in every forest around the world? I loved how the it took place in Washington state which is a lovely break from the traditional supernatural locations of London and New York. There was enough romance to satisfy supernatural romance lovers and enough of a background story of who the goblins were, that mythology readers would appreciate. Incorporating other mystical creatures aside from the Goblins was a lovely added touch- along with the nod to environmental protectionism. There are times when the story becomes a little vulgar which is needed in order to demonstrate the effects of the Goblin magic, but it seemed a little predictable and I would have liked to have seen a darker effect on the humans as opposed to eroticism. Overall this book was original, uncomfortable, and addictive. I know that fans of supernatural and fantasy genres will adore it and it will perhaps start a goblin trend in other books to come. I do hope there is a sequel and for some reason I can’t help but think that Bellwater is not quite done with the Goblins.

Thrilling and imaginative! Can't wait to read it again!

Overall this is 3.5* rounded up.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun, fast read with just enough hints of creepiness to keep me invested. The prose was clean and engaging and Ringle has a real knack for making her narrative atmospheric, whether it's a glimpse of the cold grey water of the Sound or the faint dripping of rain from pine needles in the muffled and isolated forest. I loved that aspect of the book.

The four main characters - forester and environmental scientist, Livy, her artist sister, Skye, part time mechanic, part time chain saw sculptor and full time goblin liaison, Kit and his rather innocent chef cousin, Grady, were all good characters. Very likeable even when they weren't perfect. I loved how Livy's science back ground and love of the forest gave her a connection wit nature. Skye, despite being a victim for 90% of the book, still had agency. You felt that she was still active and you rooted for her - this was skilfully done as she easily could have slid into being a damsel in distress. Kit was likeable enough although I got frustrated with his reluctance to talk about his goblin liaison issues. Also considering his relationship with the goblins, he's really blase about whether anyone is under a curse or not, assuming they aren't and then not investigating. Grady suffers a bit for being enspelled pretty much from the get go and therefore doesn't have a lot of personality, especially when held up next to Skye.

The goblins were everything you could wish for - greedy, pugnacious, tricksy, cunning, avaricious and physically strong. Do not expect any handsome goblin kings here though because it just doesn't happen. It's not that kind of goblin story. Redring is deliciouly nasty - so nice to see a female goblin as antagonist! - and Flowerwatch was wonderful in a different way. I feel like there could be an entire story just about those two and I'd love to read it.

There were a couple of minor blips in this book for me. The ages of the protagonists just didn't seem to fit. (And also why stress so much that the girls are a coupe of years older than the boys? Weird.) Mostly it feels like Kit and Livy could be much older than mid twenties. Another blip was the sex. I enjoy a good sex scene as much as the next mildly perverted person but these felt a bit out of place. As in I'm not sure they advanced the plot, it was more that they were there just to show that the two couples had sex. So it read a bit oddly and you were left with about three chapters early on where the MCs were all just getting it on.

The curse that Skye is caught in is especially nasty because it robs her completely of the power to communicate. Even to smile. There's something subtly awful about that and I really felt for her and Grady when she accidentally pulled him into it. The final battle was pretty satisfying but I would have liked Livy to win at the very last by using her wits since the goblins were so much more powerful.

Overall though this was a strong urban fantasy and one which will stay with me a long time just from the sheer feel and atmosphere. Highly recommend for all those who like Holly Black, Neil Gaiman or fairy tales in which the fae are bot the good guys.

Molly Ringle knows how to present a page so it’s more than ink on paper; it comes alive in your hands and tugs you into the story. Ringle creates a riveting and vivacious world full of relatable characters.

Her storylines are compelling with a pace that beg you to read another page even when you know you should be getting back to those pesky real life demands.

The mix of modern with the pagan and mystic was surprisingly realistic to the point you come away believing goblins could exist in the world.

Ringle has a way of creating the kind of experience you don’t want to leave and will find coming back to take over your thoughts at odd moments. It has this way of creating a magical spell over you drawing you further into this beautifully written world where reality bends to magic’s will.

The characters pull at your heart and the only negative I found was a love story angle that didn’t feel like it was realistic to the overall story. At some point it felt like the fantasy elements got lost in the quest to turn this into a romance story which was disappointing because the fantasy elements were the best part.

I didn’t end up loving this as much as I was hoping, but Ringle weaves an interesting story and her writing was good. The atmosphere of the books is gloomy and dark, matching the mood of the original poem. It feels haunting, like I would expect a book about goblins to feel. A large portion of the book is focused on romance, which did not bother me, but if others are looking for a more fantasy heavy book they may be disappointed. My only problem was that the ending dragged. I think the last few chapters could have definitely been condensed into less, or even one epilogue.

I've loved Rossetti's poem since I first read it in high school and was interested to see what Molly Ringle would do with it as an inspiration. Overall I really liked the book. The allusions to the poem are very slight, but the bond between two sisters that is the backbone of the poem is there and it works. I would have liked to know more about the goblins, although I liked that Flowerwatch and Redring's stories were wrapped up in the end. There's plenty of romance, which isn't really my thing, but to me this is really more of a good urban fantasy that reminded me a bit of Raymond Feist's underrated Faerie Tale.

This is going to be one of the most talked about books for the fall of 2017! I think young adult as well as adult readers would love this book!

Imaginative. Human characters nicely fleshed out. The local topography richly described. This felt like a book the author loved writing and because of that, gave it the detailed attention it deserved. A great book to read on a rainy afternoon.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. *

The Goblins of Bellwater by Molly Ringle is a quick, atmospheric read set in a small town in Washington. It tells the story of two families and the trouble they have with the local goblin tribe. Kit is the current liaison to the tribe. He brings them gold in exchange for them not hurting other local humans. His family has been cursed by the goblins for many years, and they have to always have a member of the family to serve the goblins.
Skye is a local artist who has always loved the woods near Bellwater. One evening while walking in the forest she follows a trail that leads her to the goblins. She is tricked into joining the goblin tribe and is told she must choose a mate. Trying to outsmart the goblins, she chooses a stranger in the forest. The stranger is Grady, Kit’s cousin, and by choosing him Skye dooms them both to becoming goblins.
Once the curse takes hold, neither Skye nor Grady can talk about what has happened to them. Part of the curse keeps them from telling anyone else about what is happening to them. Livy, Skye’s sister and current girlfriend to Kit, knows something is wrong with her sister. The two families come together to do their best to break the curse.
This was a very interesting read. It was just creepy enough, without being scary. Molly Ringle did a great job with the setting and atmosphere in this book. The characters were real enough, and definitely make you feel for them and their plight. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys books about fae and magical creatures.