Wintersong: A Novel

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.

// I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this title. //

Let’s start with how beautiful this cover is! Gorgeous! Or perhaps I just got lucky with a personal love for winter, snow globes and music.

The Meat: Elisabeth, a 19 year old Hungarian girl feels nothing but low expectations for her average self compared to her sisters radiance and shine. After ignoring her grandmothers warnings of mythical dangers, Elisabeth travels a labyrinth of games to save her sister from an underground Lord. Only to, in the end (but really the book’s middle), learn that she was the ultimate target. How she handles things from there is really when all the ‘feels’ come into plot.

This book was unlike any other that I have read. Such unusual writing style paired with a much higher lexicon than I am used to in the young adult genre. So unique, I will have to read the second/final to this duology (Shadowsong, released Feb. 2018)

I experienced an array of feels while finishing this story. Everything between happiness and laughter to heart-wrenching, teary-eyed sadness.

Things that might attract your attentions towards this book: #labyrinth, #fiction, #fairytale, #goblins, #germanlanguage, #music, #violins, #persephone, #youngadult, #ya, #love.

Oh my gosh. I've been wanting to read this book since I read the summary of it last year and I just now got to it and it is such an amazing read. I heard it was a Labyrinth retelling, but I've never watched the movie all the way through. I've seen the beginning and I know the general gist of the story. I started this story not really knowing what was going on but I was excited to see the labyrinth aspect of the story.

The world and character building is a little slow because you are learning what is going on in Leisel's world and the dynamic in the family.

Leisel is an interesting character. I like how she is so selfless and does everything for her siblings. She whole-heartedly loves her sister and brother and will give up the world for them. When she finally gets the chance to do something for herself she isn't content. She gets anxious and worried about her siblings. When she sees the Goblin King again she starts to let go of Leisel and become Elisabeth again. The free spirited Elisabeth that got locked away to care for her siblings.

The Goblin King! He is what I was here for the whole time. I loved the Goblin King. I wanted to trust him throughout the whole story. There are still some parts of him that I wanted to know more about and fell a little flat in my opinion, but I absolutely loved him. He is a mysterious, sneaky, and stubborn character. He loves Elisabeth and really wanted to have the old girl that he fell in love with back. He tries to trick her into loving him and being his old friend, but in the process she found herself again and fell in love with him.

There were so many things that Elisabeth realized about herself and her family. The story arcs were really strange in this book. It was like an uphill curve then down then up then down. Each time it went up and the story was resolved I assumed that was all, it would build up to this big thing and the buildup would be so much, but after it was resolved there would be something else. There was so much drama in the first parts of the book that made the reader so emotionally invested in the story. By the end of the book I was so invested that I didn't know what to do with myself.

The descriptions were so easy to follow and beautifully written. The musical elements that were added were a nice touch and I loved all the parts with the music and compositions. The songs were little pieces of Elisabeth's heart. The end just broke me.

Liesl has always been fascinated by the tales her grandmother told of the Goblin King. She has dreamed of playing with him in the woods when she was a child. Not beautiful like her sister, or talented like her brother, she has always been hidden in her siblings’ shadows. When her grandmother’s stories turned out to be true and Käthe is taken by the Lord of Mischief, it’s up to her to save her sister. But it will require a sacrifice that she’s not prepared for, and force her to search for the truth within herself.

This was a captivating and twisted tale of love, loss and sacrifice. It definitely wasn’t what I first expected when I saw this beautiful cover and absolutely wanted to read the story behind. It was sometimes confusing and often chaotic, but it fit the plot and the atmosphere perfectly.

One of my favorite aspects of this novel was the music. It had such an important role in the story and in the characters’ lives, and the author gave it a life of its own. She managed to convey the feelings and intentions behind the music with a lyrical kind of writing.

The last few chapters were rushed and slow at the same time for me. It seemed like everything was happening too quickly, but I was also impatiently waiting for the story to reach its climax. I wasn’t completely satisfied with how it ended, but I still very much enjoyed reading this. I heard that there will be a companion novel set in the same world, and I’m curious to see how it will turn out.

I must preface this with a call to action: if you have not watched the movie The Labyrinth with David Bowie from the 80s, watch it BEFORE you read this book. Not because this is about the movie or the same story or even fan fiction (though some will call it that) but rather it will get you in the right mindset to dive into this dark, poetic, and strangely beautiful world.

Now this book will NOT be for everyone. I highly enjoyed it because it reminded me so much of the movie The Labyrinth and that is one of my all time favorites. The first half of the book is very similar: girl’s sibling is taken by the Goblin King and she must travel a dark and tedious path to his domain to retrieve them. But this book takes it so many steps further! It played beautiful homage to the movie (whether intential or unintenial I do not know) and I feel like having seen the movie over a billion times really helped me grasp all the fantasical, magical elements to this story.

I had problems with the main character and felt her motivations and her personality shift throughout the book. But then I began reading an ARC of the sequel Shadowsong where the author explains a few trigger warnings of the book as well as getting into more detail about the main character’s mindset. You see, she is bipolar. After learning that fact, much more of what I precieve as writing flaws with this character felt much more intentional and explained. I wish that that would have been explained before the first book but I really appreciated the author’s note in the beginning of the second.

This book read fast. I mean really fast! I sat down a few nights ago to read *a few* chapters before bed and very quickly I realized it was 1 in the morning and I had read over 75 percent of it. I was so immersed in this world and could not stop reading.

Many other reviews complained about the aspect of composing and musical elements in this book (main character writes and plays classical music) The biggest complaint I’ve read is that it was unnrelatable. Although I am not a composer or even a lover of classical music, I really enjoyed these aspects. I don’t know the author personally but if I had to venture a guess I’d say she’s a musician herself, has a deep love of music , or someone close to her does because she writes about music with such intensity and such passion. She writes about it in a way only a person with a true passion for it could write. I love reading writing like that. Even if I don’t share the author’s passion for whatever the subject is, just hearing that kind of passion and intensity that can only come from someone with a true, devout love of something makes it fun to read.

Bottom line: does this book have problems? Yes. Is it a perfect story? No. Is it for everyone? Probably not. But speaking for no one other than myself, I highly enjoyed this book. It was different. It was weird. And I ate. Up.

I received this free digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Beautiful Writing
The writing is beautiful. The work is eloquent and offers a variety of descriptions for the world. There is an aesthetic quality to the diction that adds a very elegant feel to the writing and the story.

Abstract Concepts
I love music, and to have this story so very rooted in music thrilled me. I felt I could relate to the story because I played music and understood music and… knew absolutely nothing about what was going on in this book. *sigh* The problem with music is that it is a sound. Sure the notes are written on paper, but at the end of the day, it’s a sound and how one feels about said sound. Thus, it doesn’t translate well into literature. For that reason, much of the basis of this book just felt very abstract and unattainable, making it difficult to really get a feel for what was going on in the story.

Lack of Character Interaction
I was quite disappointed with this book in the regard that there was a severe lack of character interaction between our MC, Liesl, and the Goblin King. Yes, they interacted, but the interactions were either so subtle that I must be completely oblivious to them or non-existent in the story. Thus, the story kind of boiled down to little more than world-building and abstract musical qualities.

Even with Wintersong’s official release date in February of 2017, this novel was one of the most beautiful stories I have read this year. It was within the first opening lines, that I was instantly grabbed by S. Jae-Jones writing and never let go. It may seem like an exaggeration, but when I read this story, I felt its power and beauty. I was truly captivated by Liesl and the Goblin King. Their relationship built me up and broke me down. Wintersong is dark, poetic, and other worldly.

Liesl is a talented composer and feels music within her soul. She longs to play for others to hear, but she places her dreams second to her family. She is a fierce protector of her beautiful sister Käthe and a solid foundation for her brother. However, when Käthe is taken, we see the difference between an ugly truth and a pretty lie. In the Underground, those lines are blurred even further. I adored the romance between Liesl and Goblin King. It felt so different and real. There are wild and passionate relationships out there in the world and we are deserving of them, even if it is with the Goblin King.

The musical theme throughout also brought warmth and sentiment to the story. It was a thread that kept Liesl connected to the world above. To her brother and sister. Love is also another theme that brings light to this dark tale. It’s not just the romantic kind of love, but love for yourself and your family. S. Jae-Jones explores depths and corners through the use of music and love to make us feel human when others are immortal. For not all feel as we do. If you have not added this novel to your TBR yet, please do! I am still under Wintersong’s dark spell of love and sacrifice.

Whimsical, poetic, and sexy, Wintersong will entrance you as surely as though under the spell of the Goblin King.

The story is really divided into two parts, neither of which I can truly spell out for fear of spoiling the plot, but both have their individual strengths. The first is a journey of sacrifice, and the second is a journey of self-love and freedom. Both parts are riveting and magical in entirely different ways, and in both Liesl is completely different person. While some may be put off by Liesl's character, I actually admired her much more than most MC's we see today, if only because she was REALISTIC. She had flaws! She made mistakes! And I found myself admiring her even more for it. While I did tend to skim over the moments she mulled in self-loathing, they were usually easy to forgive.

Overall, prepare yourself for a whimsical, mysterious, magical ride.

3.5 stars

This book is a riddled tale that is both intriguing and convoluted. It is like climbing a mountain where you see the peak and when you get there, it isn't the summit and it is only the final pages where questions are answered and things mostly make sense.

The man without a name, Der Erlkönig, the Goblin King, is the star of this show. He's elusive, inviting, mean-spirited and a lost soul. The timelessness of his nature is rather confusing and I suspect my own words in this review are slightly confusing as a result. However, I constantly wanted to know more about him, how he came to be, why he wanted Elizabeth and what his role in the underworld and the world above was.

Elizabeth, Leisl was also a great character. The sensible young woman within her family, understated and brushed-over. Yet, she had caught the eye of Der Erlkönig. I longed for a life of satisfaction and blossoming for Elizabeth.

This book left me a little unsatisfied with a sense of lack of completion even when there is completion and I had many questions about what could have been and what could happen later. The story was a little too elusive in narrative but the characters were so well developed. I enjoyed this book but I wanted more.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through netgalley in return for an honest review.

Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.

S. Jae-Jones's debut may indeed be the first fantasy novel that kept me grounded in deep thought instead of tumbling through a wild sea of adventure. Wintersong is a marvelous read that extends beyond romance and adventure to bring readers a magical coming of age tale set in the 19th century.

The story takes an old familiar tale and weaves it into a brilliant, relatable novel. Liesl keeps her dreams of composing locked deep inside of her while putting her family's needs before her own. Until her encounter with the Goblin King she puts all her energy into making sure her sister marries a good man and her dear brother becomes the greatest violinist in the world. Traveling to the Underground brings her into a world that she's not quite prepared for, despite her grandmother's dedication to the old laws. What I love about her journey is that she realizes her own potential and builds confidence around her insecurities. It's a touching story for young women weighing the balance between reaching out for their dreams or taking a more practical path.

While the story is not overly adventurous Liesl does find herself in precarious situations. The Goblin King is a mischievous adversary that becomes a lifeline for Liesl in her darkest moment. It balances out the literary aspects of the story. Wintersong invokes very powerful imagery for the reader that is due mostly in part to Jones's writing style. She doesn't cut corners when it comes to bold, vivid descriptions and accurate depictions. She managed to write a dark fantasy with hope straining along the edges of the plot. I can't imagine who could pick up Wintersong and not enjoy every word of it!

*ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Aside from the feeling that you have seen or read this before, aside from some moving parts, and aside from hating the way the second half felt like it was not part of the first half of the book, it still had poignant parts. However, it failed in the areas of an almost forced rape and turned from a romantic love story or fairytale into a sad thing to read when having or not having had S** is all that defines the main character. This was a tragedy and a travesty too. I so wanted to like this book! I so wanted to give it more than the stars I have to give it because this ruined the story. So aside from some good prose and good emotional scenes, this book isn't my favorite.

My copy came from Net Galley. My thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is left of my own free volition.

This will most definitely have spoilers.

While yes it is not a exact copy of the movie Labyrinth, it is extremely similar in so many aspects that more than a few words of "fellow fans of Labyrinth" is not enough acknowledgment. For one, this book is so similar that a nod should have been given to Jim Henson for the inspiration (I will go into the similarities farther down).

Secondly, there are at least two Labyrinth Fanfics "The Thirteenth Rider" and "Goblin Market" the author ripped off parts of. (Check them out as they are far more worth the read than this book.) I wasn't even looking for similarities to other fanfics but these two are obvious. Also there is a third I can no longer remember the name that the Goblin King has two faces, which is definitely in this book. While it's not as blatant, it is there and as a self proclaimed fellow fan of Labyrinth in her own acknowledgments, she most likely would've read these three as they've been around long before her book. Not to mention she "decided to write 50 shades of Labyrinth" by her own admission on good reads. Yeah ok.

*Similarities*

Goblin King appearance - sharp teeth (by the way, mentioned way more times than was necessary. What was the editor thinking? I edit my own fics way better than this.)

Mismatched eyes.

Pale, feathery hair.

Slim but with slight honed muscle. (This I didn't take word for word from the book but same idea.)

Oubliette.

The hobgoblin is definitely Hoggle...cackle laugh and all.

"He's so generous yet can be cruel."

""Everything he had done, he had done for me." My my, doesn't that sound familiar?

He kicks goblins around and I love this tidbit, "I'm tired of living up to your expectations."

"I always did say you had power over me." another very familiar line, slightly tweaked.

She even has the younger sibling stolen by the Goblin King - except it's a sister not a brother. Though she does have a younger brother that is found out to be a changeling.

Also towards the end we even have hands forming a face - not helping but hurting. Deja vu for what?, the 20th time.

Not to mention the whole "I wish."

I could overlook a couple of these similarities and say bravo. But there is just too friggin much! You can say I'm reaching, but I was posting on a Labyrinth group as I went along and I am not the only one who agrees this is blatant copyright.

Shame on the publishing company, how they're not getting sued for copyright, I don't know. (Though I heard it's cause somehow they have the rights to publish Henson stuff. How convenient. How do I get hold of them? Cause myself and many other better writers deserve a shot.)

This book was ok. I was actually intrigued for most of it and if it weren't a rip off of a movie as well as at least two fanfics, I could give it props. It's double edged. If this were credited and was outright a fanfic like on Fanfiction.net I'd enjoy it to an extent, and it's cause of the similarities to Labyrinth that I do. I could even be happy for a fellow fanfic writer, but because the author isn't giving credit where it's due, that's what makes me so against it. The fact she's passing this whole idea off as her own is rude and very disrespectful. If this fanfic can be published, then there are a lot better fanfics that should be able to get around copyright and be published.

The first little over half the book is not bad, I even was drawn in - despite my fury at the rip offs. But she got so lost in technical music descriptions that wasted pages not needed that it bogged it down (surprised she didn't have the Bog by the way.) Also the "sex" scenes. No. You can write tasteful, glossy scenes. This was not the way to go about it.

There also was barely a connection between the Goblin King and main character. The main character was too busy feeling sorry for herself, poor weak non-heroine.

By the way, for those thinking I'm writing this in not the right state of mind. I took time to calm down and gather my thoughts. This is a review that is clear headed.

So if you are a Labyrinth fan, read at your own peril of state of mind. Better yet, message me. I can recommend better fanfics that are free to read online. No money wasted.

By the way, I rarely write reviews, so the fact this moved me to do so, think about that. Is this really worth your time?

Okay, I tried with this book. I made it to 67% and just couldn't go on. The relationship between Elisabeth and the Goblin king just goes round and round without any kind of out. Frankly, I enjoyed the first part of it for the mystery behind Der Erlkonig and his dark magic manipulations were intriguing, but then the illusion falls apart when their relationship goes nowhere and frankly, I got bored. This rarely happens to me this far into a book. I'm exhausted. Plus, if there was one more mention that the guy was Der Erlkonig, I was going to scream.

Save your time and watch the Labyrinth movie, this is a blatant fan fiction rip off of that movie if the goblin king were younger and Sarah had been an ugly duckling talented musician who intrigued him. No amount of fancy music language saved it for me. Sorry!

Actual rating 4.5

Wintersong is an enchanting book written beautifully.

I loved each and every word of it. But what I loved the most was The Goblin King . Even though he was stated as a king of Mischief, he was the most romantic one I read so far. As for Elizabeth, first I didn't liked her. Book started with her ranting about how her sister was beautiful but she not, how talented her brother was but she not and she didn't liked that- jealous of them but still didn't resent/hate them. Things became a little delusional there.

This book apart from being a fantasy genre also a master piece for music lovers. I guess author did a lot of research while writing this book. Every sonata was described beautifully as if you can actually listen to it while reading.

I hated that ending. Well I'm not that fan of happy ending but wished it had. Though author confirmed about the sequel that is coming in 2018 I can go with it. :)

I bought this book as soon as it was released, as it was being compared to a combination of Labyrinth and Beauty and the Beast, I could not wait to get my hands on it. Sadly, it did not live up to the storytelling of either of those. In fact, it was all I could do to make myself finish the book once I had started it. I kept waiting on it to get better, but the words never captivated me, it was like the story-line couldn't figure out what direction it was going, and the reader got lost along the way. Nor could I get a good handle on any of the characters, or feel emotionally vested in them. I finished it still unsure of exactly what happened. A huge disappointment for sure. I did not even bother with the second in the series.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book but I enjoyed it. It does pay homage to Jim Henson's Labyrinth and, more specifically, David Bowie's portrayal of the Goblin King. While I can actually quote Labyrinth word for word, the referencing of Jim Henson's Labyrinth was fan girl cool but in some aspects a tad distracting from the actual tale being told (I think maybe because I went fan girl a lot in this book). With that said, I really did enjoy this book. The tale was full of passion, music, relationships and more. I am really looking forward to reading book two as I loved this ending and am hoping for a positive conclusion to their love story in book two. Highly recommend if you are a Labyrinth and/or David Bowie fan. If you love fairy tales I think you will love this book too.

"Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell."

S. Jae Jones' debut novel, Wintersong, is a treat that will leave readers wanting more. You've heard this story before. No doubt it's happened to you. You pick up a book intending only to read a chapter or two and before you know it hours and hours have gone by. That's what happened to me with Wintersong.

Liesl is the eldest daughter. She's always put others ahead of herself, but she's wished for more. She grew up listening to tales of the Goblin King from her grandmother. Thinking the tales were just an old lady's fanciful and superstitious ways, Liesl dismisses them. That is until a strange trip on the last night of the year, when the Goblin King searches for a bride. Liesl's sister is the unfortunate victim and Liesl has to risk everything to rescue her sister before it's too late.

Wintersong is a cross between Labyrinth and Beauty and the Beast. The story has suspense, mystery, and romance. I didn't want Leisl's story to end nor did I want to leave the world that Jones' created. I'm not sure what's next for the author, but I can't wait to find out.

In many ways, this book was beautifully written. In many ways, it was over the top heavy on adjectives. It was a precarious balance that failed at times, and over powered the plot and character development. However, it did set the tone for how Liesl (Elisabeth) hid. She was always thinking in sets of three, hiding her talent, and putting her family before her. Especially her younger brother, Josef. So at the root, its a story about love and family.
The weakest part of the story were the romantic inclinations and character development therein. It seemed that it focused more on lust and being sexually free, rather than letting one's guard down, sharing your true self, and growing and changing together. Truly becoming lovers, not physically, but more intimately. The Goblin King even tells Elisabeth she has his soul. As well as Elisabeth becoming free to compose--to allow herself to risk rejection.
In the end, The Goblin King's actions pulls everything together. However, we are left hanging with a big question: What happens next?

Wintersong was one of those books that had me hooked from the moment I read the synopsis. Fantasy, Labyrinth and the Goblin King? Yes, yes and yes. It released a couple of months ago, but it took awhile for my library to get a copy. But once it did, I was so on that and devoured the book in a couple of days.

So, if you're not familiar with Wintersong and what it's about, it is the story of a young girl named Liesl, who grew up on stories of the Goblin King and let those stories inspire her musical compositions. But soon Liesl's older sister will be married, and her younger brother off to train as a musician. Liesl starts to feel trapped and that her childhood dreams of music are fading. \

A twist of fate has Liesl's sister captured by the Goblin King, and it's up to Liesl to journey underground to save her. Complete with goblins, balls, and tricky magic.

Now, in my opinion, the Goblin King steals the show. He's mysterious and brooding, but with enough fragility exposed that you start to wonder about him, and his story slowly becomes unraveled as you read through the novel.

The writing throughout Wintersong is very lyrical and poetic, and I do agree with what some others have said in that there were a few pages I had to re-read a few times to make sure what I thought had happened actually occurred. There are places where you need to read between the lines a little to stay on top of the story.

As far as the pacing, I did enjoy the first half of the novel more than the second half. Not that there was anything wrong with the second half, it's just the first half was so perfect!

I really enjoyed Wintersong. It’s a tale about the Goblin King. It also felt like a Hades/Persephone retelling and I loved it.

There is excellent character development. The Goblin King grows from his initial selfish motivations, and Liesl grows from being in the background of her life to finding her own music.

I’m not musically inclined so some of the descriptions were lost on me. I appreciated the author not writing in explanations of the musical terms, it would have slowed to plot down.

The plot did drag after the first half, but I loved the slow world building once Liesl was underground.

The ending was bitter sweet and left it open for a sequel.

I’d recommend this books for fans of Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen.

I really wanted to like this. By 25% I was recommending this book to EVERYONE, but then, quite suddenly, everything went downhill. The whole book began to revolve around the romance, which was kinda creepy, rape-y, and kidnap-y. It was just altogether bizarre and I couldn't tell you why the MCs like each other. Also, Liesl constantly complaining about how fugly she is got on my nerves. That trope needs to end yesterday. The pacing of the book became so slow and circular. As someone who plays the piano, the way the author described the writing and playing of music was also incredibly irritating. I think she used the same descriptions over and over and over again. The end did not make much sense nor was it very satisfying. Last, this book has a lot of S.E.X.... In my romance books that's a-ok, but in this is was jarring and honestly super boring. I think I skimmed 25% of the book that was made up purely of Liesl having the hots for the Goblin King (and kinda being rape-y toward him, because he kept saying no to sex). Ugh.

I’ve been very disappointed with the books I’ve been reading lately, mainly because my expectations got too high and then the books just fell short. I had high expectations with Winterson but I tried not to get my hopes up, but man this book was AMAZING!! This book is such a beautiful read and very transportive. This book felt incredibly unique and was very dark and eerie, which I loved.

Nineteen-year-old Liesl has always felt overshadowed by her siblings. Her younger sister, Kathe, is the beautiful one, set up for a well-to-do marriage. Her younger brother is a talented musician preparing for a prestigious apprenticeship. Lisel helps her mother with their family run Inn and fusses over her siblings while taking almost no time for herself. What Lisel truly loves is composing, but she feels she can never truly get the recognition she deserves when people only have eye’s for her younger brother’s talent.

Lisel’s best memories are from when she and her brother danced and played music with the Goblin King when they were children. But as Lisel grew up, she turned away from the Goblin King, forgetting a promise she made to him as a girl, and she puts goblins and magic from her mind, trying to focus on the life she has now. But the Goblin King is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. He cannot be easily forgotten.

But when Kathe is taken by the goblins, Liesl travels to the Underground, land of the goblins, to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Kathe go, if Liesl can win the game he has in place. If Liesl wins, Kathe returns to the world above. If not, he will claim Liesl as his wife.

Liesl soon learns that there is much more at stake than just her or her sister’s life-- the whole world could be forfit. Liesl has to choose what she is willing to give up, her life, her music, the Goblin King, or the entire world.

The writing in this novel is GORGEOUS and just so prosey/flowy which is my favorite kind of writing. I also loved the element of music, and not just playing music! I’ve never come across a main character that composes music instead of playing the violin or piano, and I found it very refreshing.

I also really enjoyed reading from Liesl’s perspective. She definitely was not a generic YA heroine! She’s not beautiful (and her main love interest actually admits that she is not beautiful, but is so much more than just her physical appearance, and I thought that was really interesting/unique. Most YA heroines feel ugly but are actually beautiful, and just need a male character to “validate” them and call them beautiful which gets SO old and just bleh. Like first of all you don’t need a man’s validation and second not all ya heroines need to be pretty?) AND THERE IS NO MAGICAL MAKEOVER. PRAISE. Also, Liesl is far from a perfect narrator or character. I thought she had a lot of flaws, but I was blown away by how open the author was about it. Usually I find female characters to be “too perfect” and I liked that Liesl got angry, and made bad decisions, and thought that she really wanted to have sex (when actually she probably didn’t and she just thought it would solve all her problems) and I just really enjoyed her.
Just a sidenote here, a character can be flawed and it doesn’t necessarily mean the author is a bad writer. Maybe the author wanted their character to have flaws?? Maybe they wanted the reader to pick up on those bad decisions?? Just a thought.

Can we just talk about the fact that there are hot goblins in this book? Not creepy ugly goblins? I’m 1000% for hot goblin fey creatures.

However, I did find the Goblin King and Liesl’s relationship to be a bit off... Like it made me uncomfortable that they both were having sex to release their frustration and not because they loved each other. I also thought they were kind of toxic for each other, though they did understand each other “musically” if that makes sense. I felt like they were only together because they both understood each others love for music. I was not invested in their romantic relationship at all, and I kind of wish they had been friends. Or if not friends at least had a more healthy relationship. I saw one review on goodreads that said “It was confusing to me that this married couple has “partial sex” a few times but always in a negative connotation. I have heard that this was originally intended as an adult standalone fantasy that was heavily graphic in the romance department, but that all those scenes were removed to make this a YA novel, which may explain the awkward flow here.” and that clears things up for me a bit. This book did NOT seem YA to me at all, and I wish the author had kept it adult, kept the sex scenes and gone a bit darker into the story. But it still killed the YA game.

This book is really sinister and I loved the darker elements. It’s creepy! The goblins are hot but actually are covering themselves with glamour, their are changlings who want to trick humans, and wishes that have incredible power. I also want to know more about the goblin king (and his name??? UGH killing me!!) This book was just full of twists and trickery and I loved loved loved it. Again, the characters are flawed, but that’s the point. This book is dark, the characters are dark, and again, it was such a unique read! I cannot WAIT for the second one and hope it’s even better than the first!!

I did enjoy this book. It is different and set in Germany around the turn of the 19th Century. Liesl has heard about the stories of the Goblin King all her life. Her sister gets kidnapped from the Goblin King and Liesl knows she has to save her. Liesl has also been told all her life that the music she creates is not good. With her love of music buried deep inside her will she be able to let it out to save her sister. In some ways you actually root for the Goblin King and other times you want Liesl and her sister to run from him. I have already started the second book as I really want to see where this story ends.

*Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this for my honest opinion*

I loved Labyrinth when I was younger and that was one of my main reasons for being interested in this book.

Elisabeth is a decent MC. She's loyal to her family and adores her brother and sister. The passion she has for the music is one of the best things about her and this story. I was captivated at every scene she was composing. The Goblin King is quite interesting and I'll just leave it at that because maybe it's spoilery.

I loved the overall mystery and slow burn, yet I would get quite bored at the same time. I wanted more between Elisabeth and the Goblin King. Even the explanations we got didn't seem like enough. And by the time I got to the ending {which I absolutely hated}, I wasn't clear on anything.

Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy this book, but there was definitely something keeping me from being able to love it.

**Huge thanks to Thomas Dunne and NetGalley for providing the arc free of charge**

Forbidden passion, hearts locked their own cages, and music is only a part of the key! I stumbled across this gem while browsing a book store, and as soon as I read the book insert I was hooked.
I normally read pretty fast and can get through books quick, but this book I savored, I did not want it to end and I wanted to stay in the underground.
With many "hints" from the beloved movie Labyrinth, this author took you inside the Goblin Kingdom, with incredible words and tangible details, you get transported into the underground facing and dancing with goblins and a few more creatures you never thought existed. All the while you can feel the mix matched eyes of the goblin king ever watching!
This is a must read ! Just when your senses return and your heart is recovering from loss and sadness, its instantly infused by passion and lust and longing, with adventure lurking in every corner.
Take a seat, and enter the underground with an experience you will never forget.

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.

I mean, the villain/hearthrob has mismatched eyes and the author even uses a contrived event to pop in the word "oubliette". The plot also had almost no point. After falling for the goblin king, marrying him, having sex to renew the earth (eye-roll), the heroine is wasting away and has to go home. Except all through the book they've said she can't. But somehow, magically she can. It makes very little sense, and it's basically a way for fans of Labyrinth to fantasize about encounters with Bowie (and I actually enjoy that film, but not this weird knock-off story)

I voluntarily received an ARC of Wintersong by S. Jae Jones in exchange for an honest review.

I was very hesitant when I started reading Wintersong, because the idea of a book surrounding goblins did not sound appealing to me. I'm glad I kept an open mind about Wintersong because this book is mesmerizing. Jones's prose has an elegant feeling to it and really brings the story to life.

The story was a little confusing in the beginning, but all of my questions were answered as the story progressed and more details were revealed. I became frustrated with Elisabeth at times, but I understood her fierce desire to protect her family and take care of them at all costs.
Even though Wintersong has a magical and fairy tale like feeling to it, I would say this story is suited for readers on the older end of the young adult spectrum and older.

Long and boring. Had a great premise-but didn't pull thru on the execution. I love stories based on ancient myths, however this was not well done. I didn't know anything about the legend of the Goblin King. And I don't feel like I know anything new after reading this. Too many long-winded descriptions. Of everything. The herione was awful. God I couldn't stand her. I couldn't understand how the Goblin King could stand her. He could have been an interesting character--if there had been ANY character development. Heard the sequel is worse. Don't know how that's possible. So even tho I have it-I may not read it.

I loved and hated this book. It is dark and mysterious story with a fairytale-like quality that is irresistible. Who is Goblin King and what is his history?

Liesl's love for her sister and her own music pulled me into the book. Then as her relationship with the Goblin King developed, I found myself becoming more and more invested in Liesl's (and the Goblin King's) fate.

I finished this book with more questions than answers and with a feeling of deep sadness. The fact that Shadowsong has just been released, makes me curious to see where Jae-Jones goes with the conclusion of this duology.

The old countries are full of stories; ones that warn of trickery, vanity, and those that lead to morals and sometimes to love.
The ancient ways teach the young. Be careful what you wish for. Be brave enough to see inside of yourself and trust in what you find.
"Wintersong" is a story of evils, fantasy, love, and always of music-the kind of music that lives within. What is the truth and what is a lie? Liesel grows to womanhood but struggles to understand her worthiness. The Goblin King understands what she does not, a true and strong love. He cannot make her understand something that she must do for herself.

This was a beautifully, very well written love story. Fantasy-romance, my favorite genre. YA but advanced. I would call this New Adult Fantasy-Romance which is a category I covet! So immediately right up my alley.
I was feeling the goosebumps as soon as I cracked this open and began the first pages. The lyrical and poetic writing sang to me and lured me into its embrace.
The mystery and the intrigue of this elusive Goblin King held my attention and left me hungering for page after page.
The romance was a slow burning ember that warmed me. Excited me.
The darkness haunted me. Wounded me. Lingered throughout my day.
The ending broke me. Stole my heart and replaced it shattered and broken.
Someone please tell me this is not a stand alone!

I loved this book! This gets compared to Labyrinth a lot, and I did see the inspiration the author took from it, but I wasn't a fan of the movie and I still loved this book. The inspiration from The Goblin Market poem was also very clear and I enjoyed the way that inspiration was executed. I'm a fan of fantasy telling of myths, so this book was right up my alley. Yeah there is a slow pacing at times, but I still got interested in the characters enough for it to not ruin my experience. The Germany setting gave it a Grimm fairy tale feeling and the mentions of composers help date the story without putting it too much in the real world and ruining the fantasy feel.

You'll like this book if you enjoy tragic fairy tales, myth retellings, and forbidden romance.

As soon as I finished it I went searching for information on whether or not there will be a sequel and there will be.

I enjoyed this book and I am fairly sure that if it were a series i'd read the next book, however I don't see myself re-reading and if i'd purchased a copy it probably would have gone into my donate pile rather than on my shelf to keep. Really for no other reason than it was a rough start and the attempt at being ephemeral or fantastic really hampered the actual story.

The composition and pacing were odd, the relationship between Elisabeth and the Goblin king was frustrating for more than just your typical ~fairy tale~ reasons and I don't think you can really attribute the lack of development to it being a retold myth/fairy/folk tale. It just wasn't as clear as it could have been and it really hampered the involvement in the story. Lots of great ideas but just never really took off. It really suffered from obscurantism. I know it was attempting to be ethereal and mythical and romantic but in my opinion that lack of clarity and imposed romanticism felt forced and took away.

Interesting ideas, lots of possibilities, just never much satisfaction.

Lisel has spent the majority of her life in the shadow of her beautiful younger sister Käthe and her musically inclined brother Josef. Focusing on her family and their Inn, her own musical dreams of composing are set aside.

When her sister is taken by The Goblin King, Lisel must travel to to the underground to save her. Down below not everything is as it seems and she must fight not only to save her sister, but to remember- to remain aware of who she is.

Set in 19th century Germany, the story begins fairly quickly, with the action peeking within the first half of the novel. The story is semi-slow, some scenes particularly drawn out, while others are simply told in passing.

The novel focuses more on the relationship between Lisel and The Goblin King. The chemistry between the two characters is physical, making this story more appropriate for older teens. Drawn to each other from the beginning, the relationship slowly, but steadily builds. The reactions/motivations of the characters are sometimes guessable (Goblin King) and occasionally confusing (Lisel), with some scenes feeling as if the should be taken more seriously.

The story S. Jae-Jones weaves is musically and magically told, and despite the sometimes drawn out scenes, Wintersong is an interesting read for historical and fantasy readers alike.

This story was everything I thought it would have, but in so many layers. It was perfect at sucking me in and making me not want to put it down.

It is amazing to me how some people don't realize how twisted love can be and these characters are trapped in a whole world of darkness and pain with the hope of light and love just on the other side.

Liesl's world is her family and this young girl ends up doing everything in her power to protect them from the Goblin King that is playing one of his games with them. A magical journey for any lover of fantasy.

Completely caught off guard with this story. I went right into it with no expectations since I have never seen Labyrinth and everyone says this is a retelling of that. But wow did I ever love this more than I thought I would!! It captivated my heart from the very beginning to end. A book I didn't know my heart has been desiring for a while since my reading slump.

Liesl is a character I just admired for always putting her family first before herself. Willing to even sacrifice herself. I really pitied her though. I felt like her family just used her and always left her behind. Not to mention the fact that she composes songs her younger brother plays and gets the attention for. And she gets no credit like she's some puppet behind the stage curtains.

The Goblin King is such mysterious person who we don't know much about. We get to see the fragile and kind side of him but we see a cunning and villainous side as well. His backstory is something that intrigued me a great deal and I feel like there's still much more I don't know about him. I'm oddly attracted to him.

I have to say that the music is a big central part of the story but I just had trouble connecting with it. I had trouble just getting past it even though I did really enjoy the story.

I really loved how this felt reminiscent of Hades and Persephone's retelling with a darker atmosphere (it is the Underworld after all) and I'm all for that type of romance!! It was hard waiting though because I just wanted Liesl to get herself straight to the underworld and share some swoony scenes with the goblin king!! I really appreciated all those not so PG-13 scenes they shared. And I may have tabbed them and reread them.

Those particular parts aren't exactly explicit but this is more mature than your usual YA book.

The writing was just so breathtakingly beautiful. This book is centered on the main character's passion for music so it makes sense that it sounded so lyrical. The author just has a way with words. I loved that it wasn't too complex and I could follow along without getting lost.

I think the way the story started was very solid and easy to jump into. Most of the times, I have trouble with the start of any novel but not this one. The middle is where it started to drag a little for me. But the pacing at the end was so quick and that's when I could no longer put the book down.

I stayed up late at night just to finish it and once I did, I had trouble falling asleep. How does someone move on after such an ending?! I need the next book NOW!!

Don't mind me while I go cry in a corner (literally crying here). I'm a little broken inside but I'm sure I'll live and dying to get my hands on the sequel.

Wintersong is definitely worth your while and you need to check it out. It is beautiful. It is enchanting. And you'll be left wanting more!! Especially with the way things ended.

I would highly recommend this!! S. Jae-Jones is definitely one to watch out for. I can't wait for any future novels she has in store for us.

Labyrinth fan fiction with splashes of Rosetti's Goblin Market and Der Erlkonig (likely inspired by an existing piece of fan fiction of the same name published many years ago).

The problem begin: Goblin Market is about being raped and Wintersong fails to distance itself from the idea of nonconsent and drugged rape. See the Goblin King's ball, where Leisl watches her drugged and withering sister eat handfuls of eyeballs under a glamour spell and physically engages with a crowd of goblins.

This brings us to the tonal issue, marked boldly by Leisl turning away from this to dance with the King, because she's smitten for purely physical reasons.

There is a spinkling of checkbox diversity inclusions that feels unfelt and artificial. I wish they were good inclusions. I wish they were meaningful. They aren't.

I don't know what to say. I'm 100 pages in. I will finish the book if I can and add more if relevant.

I bought this book yesterday down the street from my house. I wanted to read a new fantasy book and i liked the synopsis of it. Plain girl must rescue her sister from the Goblin King. I had no idea this was suppose to be like the movie the labyrinth, and no it was not which is why I was surprised to see that in reviews. I made it to the three quarter mark of the book when I stopped and decided to page through looking for incentive to keep reading....I found none. The main character I found to be very selfish and unlikable, and all of the sex to be unnecessary and over the top. I mean, plain Jane becomes insatiable...really? Over all the book had potential till we reached the bonfire part of the book after her marriage then it was all downhill from there. In fact I'm shocked their will be a squeal, will it be about the main character trying to write for another 400 pages, oh and her falling in love with her brother? I'm done, and I want my money back.

Ahoy there me mateys! Upon reading the synopsis and the author blurbs, I thought this novel would float me boat. But I just could not finish it and had to abandon ship at 31%. Why ye ask? Well for a myriad of reasons:

- I kept comparing it to the bear and the nightingale which I loved. This book kept coming up short. While this is not the author’s fault, I just found this one similar but lacking.

- I could not connect to the main character, Liesl. She continued to make bad choices throughout the part I read, even when forewarned. I like me heroines to be intelligent and to learn from their mistakes. Liesl seemed to jump feet first into everything without thinking about any consequences. She also seemed to be a rather selfish character who whined about how woeful her life was.

- The contest between Liesl and the Goblin King was so odd. Part one was over before it really began and part two was predictable and rather annoying. I didn’t stick around for part three.

- This book deals with music. A lot. I have no musical ability whatsoever and so these parts went over me head or were just kinda boring. Liesl spend pretty much the whole portion of what I read lamenting that girls cannot be composers in the turn of the 19th century. This may be a selling point for someone else but not me.

- I didn’t like the Goblin King or the goblin world at all. For some reason, I thought that the Goblin King and goblins would prove to be different then the usual versions in this retelling. I was wrong. I really didn’t understand why Liesel had anything to do with the Goblin King as a child and why she ever found him fascinating or called him a friend.

- The pacing was slow. I was not engaged in the story and just wanted something interesting to happen.

With so many books on the horizon, I just gave up. I want me reading to make time seem to disappear, not to accentuate every second passing. I am sad, but I couldn’t fight the tide.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the atmosphere in Wintersong. The writing and descriptions were lovely. One aspect I found especially fascinating was Christianity existing alongside old beliefs. The side characters Josef and Francois were some of my favorites, and the Goblin King was intriguing. The romance element is very strong, but it didn't quite pull me in like I would have hoped. I'd still recommend the book though – and keep an eye out for Easter eggs from The Sound of Music, Battlestar Galactica, The Princess Bride, and of course, Labyrinth.

As a longtime fan of Jim Henson’s “The Labyrinth” I was excited by the prospect of this book. I waited AGES for it to become available at the local library and was very excited to finally get my hands on it.

It fell hugely, massively, unbelievably flat for me.

There were far too many blatant ripoffs of both the movie and some of the best fanfics I’ve seen. As a fanfic, I might have been a little more forgiving, but in a published work, the copyright issues are glaring. At the very least, the author could have given more of a nod to her source material than she did. Worse, the story captured none of the magic of the original movie that supposedly inspired her to write.

While the writing beautifully shows off the extent of the authors vocabulary, it feels unnecessary and forced in places. The overly flowery language and excessive musical terminology made large portions of the book a very slow read… and I’ve played piano since I was 11! (In other words, a long time)

I feel that this story suffered from something that many Fanfic’s do. A lack of world building. As a fanfic, it’s not such a big deal to leave something like that out. Your readers are all highly likely to be familiar with the world you are writing in. The author seems to have forgotten this when she adapted the story. Either that, or she was deliberately vague because she wanted the story to be “timeless”. Regardless, I feel like the she just threw the reader into the deep end when it came to the world she was expecting us all to live in with her characters.

Like many others who have reviewed, I feel like the latter ½ to ⅔ of the book could have been summed up in a few paragraphs. Honestly, I was hoping for character development, but what the author delivered was dull, whiny, and in some places... downright disturbing. There was so much potential there for Elisabeth to grow and change (and maybe stop whining) but I feel as though the author failed to deliver. I was also rather disturbed by the preoccupation the main character had with sex, as though it would end all of her problems. Having the main character absolutely destroy a room because she isn’t getting any might even have been forgivable (maybe) if she had learned something from it... but she didn’t! There were also places where I feel that Elizabeth was crossing the boundary between trying to entice and outright sexual assault. How many times does the Goblin King have to say no? For a protagonist, I found this to be a very disturbing trend.

But all that -ALL of it- MIGHT have been forgiven if there hadn’t been such glaring plot holes and contrived conflicts. I know, it’s set up for a sequel, but honestly- I don’t feel like the story needed a sequel. It could have been told, in its entirety, in a single volume. I won’t ruin the end for you, but suffice it to say that it is far from satisfying and leaves several unanswered questions.

To sum up - I wouldn't read it again. I only made it through once on pure determination. I certainly wouldn’t recommend. Very disappointed.

So sometime in 2015, I think this author did a mad scramble to pull down all of her Labyrinth fan fic so she could publish this.

It's not bad. Too prose-y for me. She doesn't go off the deep end with it, I suppose, which is good, but it's trying to be poetic and doesn't quite get there. It's a bit pretentious, which is probably why it was rated so highly by the NYT. It's not bad overall, but I can tell it's basically Labyrinth fan fic. However... she's not P.D. James, you know? I read about half of it before I got bored because nothing was really happening.

This book started with a great idea, and definitely started strong. The setting is wholly original, the characters and their skill sets interesting, and the teased similarities with the film 'Labyrinth' were intriguing (especially if the film left you wanting more). However, as soon as the excitement of opening a new book wore off, so did my enjoyment of this book.

The pace of this book is what I think did the most damage, as the author truly was on to something great (and I can definitely see potential for the future). The book is broken down into parts, and with the setting and characters provided each part could easily be its own story. However, we jump from plot point to plot point without flushing out any of them. For example, the main character is tasked with finding her sister, which is presented as a Herculean task that includes going against those around her who don't remember her sister and finding the entrance to this mythological goblin kingdom. She manages to accomplish this in almost no time at all, whereas this could have been a good opportunity to build the world, the mysticism, and the characters.

This brings me to my next frustration. The plot's breakneck speed doesn't offer the reader any time to appreciate the characters, which definitely have potential. Outside of the occasional outburst, the characters aren't given enough time to react to what's around them. Because of this speed, we normally have to rely on explicit descriptions of the characters' traits and features. For example, I am still not sure why the main character feels any attraction to the Goblin King outside of the fact that he is very handsome. We are not given a reason to care about him, or his relationship with the main character. We are told this, not shown.

Finally, this book chokes itself with metaphors. The author certainly has a way with words, but the language is so flowery that occasionally the plot and characters are overshadowed, and otherwise serious situations can become comical. I noticed that this increased as the book went on, which I found disappointing because I really felt this book had a lot of promise.

Despite my issues with this book, I will be following the author with great interest. She clearly has some great ideas, and I'm interested to see where they take her. There is definitely a solid, good story in here and it is worth it if you are looking for a very light read.

This book is beautifully written and I really wanted to love it. Sadly, I didn't. I never connected to any of the characters, at all, and the plot was very, very slow. I was interested enough to finish it, but I don't think I will continue in the series. I loved music as a child, growing up playing piano, but even to me, the endless descriptions of music were a little much. I honestly skimmed most of them and that was a good 50% of the story. Also, the romantic relationship was really awkward. Sadly, this just wasn't for me.

DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THE AUDIO BOOK IF IT IS NARRATED BY EVA KAMINSKY! TERRIBBLE! If this audiobook hadn't been a gift, I'd return it for a full refund. Kaminsky is so distracting trying to be dramitic and interesting, that it is just annoying and takes away from the story. 30 minutes in and I just can't continue. Maybe if I find the book in the bargain bin or someone else narrates, I'll read it. Extremely disappointing!

I've been a Labyrinth/David Bowie fan ever since the movie premiered, so this book (think Labyrinth meets the Hades/Persephone myth) was a no-brainer automatic buy for me. I loved it; particularly the 2nd half, that focused more consistently on the relationship between the Goblin King and Elisabeth, the protagonist who fights her way to the Underworld to save her sister from the clutches of the Goblin King, trading her life for her sister's as his bride. As the Goblin King is a bit of a hottie (again, think David Bowie), this is not *quite* such a terrible sacrifice...or maybe that's just me! Very fun, nostalgic read.

Naturally, I picked up this book due to my love of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth. I was sure that this book was going to have way too many similarities to the movie and that at some point I was going to want to throw it across the room. Well… there was a point where it was about to fly, but not for the reasons I thought it would be. This book is dark and captivating and has traces of the German culture weaved throughout.

Liesl, or Elizabeth, is a character who is used to living in the shadows. Her younger sister is beautiful and her younger brother is a talented and gifted musician. Liesl also loves music, but due to her gender, is not afforded the same regards as her sibling. There were times when I pitied Liesl, who describes herself as someone who is unlovely. The way she describes herself and the way she is treated by her family and those around her was something that I resonated with as I have had the same feelings at many points in my life.

I was happy with the ending of the first half of the book. It’s expected and not a surprise, and it made me wonder what the need was for the second half. And oh, boy. Now, I am fully aware that YA novels contain content that is for older teens, but I felt that the direction of the novels was focused on one thing, instead of trying to build a relationship or solve the issue at hand.

The ending. That's when I wanted to yell and scream and throw the book. But it was a library book, so I didn’t.

Overall, I loved the setting and the Goblin King’s ever-changing personality. 4 Stars.

I started Wintersong with the intention of reading one chapter and then studying for my exam.

Six hours later, at 4 AM, I finished the book.

I was sucked into Liesl's world of magic, excitement, and tragedy. The Goblin King, though dangerous and mischevious, was entirely lovable. While almost all of the book takes place within the Underground, I felt the pace never slowed. This isn't a book with pages upon pages of guns-blazing action, but Liesl's emotional journey was intriguing and relatable.

I now eagerly await the sequel, which better be a legit sequel and not a companion novel. My heart was crushed by the ending and needs more!

I can't remember ever being so angered by a book. Not only was the writing incredibly slow and difficult to follow, the messages this book sends are despicable. It is antifeminist and no one, particularly young girls, should read the unhealthy ideals this book promotes.

I read this book in under 24hrs in 2 seperate sittings only because at 3am I fell asleep reading it. So I finished upon waking. This book is well written unlike so many titles in this genre it’s not the same old story over told and played out though the plot is one I’ve read before the way the author tells the story is fresh and new. The wording is eloquent and descriptive. I actually could see this book playing out like a movie in my head as I was reading it. It would be great if they made this into a movie.

I just could not bring myself to like this book, and believe me, I tried! I very rarely quit a book before its finished, but I couldn't bring myself to finish this one. The story began in a promising way, but very quickly lost me. It dragged on and on, and was annoyingly repetitive. I cannot recommend this to anyone, ever.

Unfortunately, this book bored me after 30% mark. The beginning was sort of interesting. I had to figure out that its not set in modern times, but the writing felt cold after the 30% mark. I didnt feel the relationship between the goblin king and Liesl that I wanted to. This book is a dark fairytale that felt like a Grimm fairytale story in that way that it way written. I think something was missing from this story.

It is very rare that I reread books within a year. I finished this on Thursday and picked it back up to reread the following Tuesday. I went into it thinking it was a retelling a Labyrinth and there are scenes familiar to the movie and familiar to Beauty and the Beast but as a whole the book is like none I've ever read. It is romantic, exhilarating, frustrating and heartbreaking all at the same time. My biggest frustration is the amount of questions left unanswered but a sequel is supposes to be out early 2018. The book is for YA and while the sexual undertones are throughout the book, there is nothing explicit. This book is definitely my top to recommend. I absolutely love it!!!!

I was able to listen to this as an audiobook on road trips. While I really enjoyed the amazing narrator, the first half of the story for me was extremely slow. The second half picked up and was extremely enjoyable but I found myself extremely disappointed with the ending. I realize there are more in this series but at this moment I’m not sure if I will continue the series.

I have the feeling that Jae-Jones grew up watching Jim Henson's Labyrinth, and used that as a springboard into the legends and fairytales about goblins and fairies. The research eventually yielded this book.

Thank god. I love fairy tale-inspired novels, and this book is one of the better ones I've come across over the years. While it plays with the stories, it isn't a direct retelling of one tale. So while you can guess where the story is heading, there are surprises. Best yet, the story hits the point where you expect it to stop, takes a hard turn, and keeps going in a new and interesting direction.

My only problem with the book is this: because the film Labyrinth did influence the author, there were one or two points where the similarity to the films imagery was jarring and took me out of the flow of the story for the moment.

Overall, this book was just the right blend of familiar tale and edge-of-your-seat adventure. I can't wait for Shadowsong!

The writing and the story was really good. The whole goblin king story was interesting.

This is the bummer, I had trouble getting into the story because it was based in German speaking European countries with all German names.

If you have a lot of exposure to Europe and or German speaking culture, you will probably love this!

Wintersong was an interesting read and I wholeheartedly agree that fans of Labyrinth would be drawn to this tale. I was actually not a fan of the movie but this tale of the Goblin King was far more enticing. The musical aspect of the story was a twist I have not encountered in other books and as someone that reads music and plays the violin I could totally appreciate it. The Underground is haunting and beautiful and its Goblin King the most enthralling character. I found myself drawn to his character more than any other wanting to know his true story and wishing for him to find a way to escape the trap of being the Goblin King. My one complaint is that in a few places it feels as though the story is moving at a painfully slow pace. Bottomline I recommend picking this up and giving it a read.

Such a fascinating story bringing in a dark fairy tale of the goblin king. I enjoyed Elizabeth as the main voice of the story. I love how music is incorporated into the story. The German language blends in to give authenticity to the fairytale and places you in the Bavaria forest. I loved this book and can't wait to read the next.

I went into this book with high hopes but was really disappointed when I realized it was packed with pointless love triangles and an Edward Cullen/Bella Swan-esque romance. If that's your thing maybe try your hand with this, but if not steer clear. Besides that I had a hard time relating to the main character's constant jealousy fits and incredibly low self-esteem. Though what really threw me off was her not being able to take no for an answer when the Goblin King didnt wan't to 'take her' right away. It really rubbed me the wrong way.

While I was involved enough in this book to want to finish it and see what happens next, this book was at times confusing and lacked the attention-grabbing excitement I look for in these types of tales. The Goblin King was the best part of the book, and his character is a mystery that I would be willing to read the second book to solve. I may wait until it's on sale though.

I was given a free copy of this book, but all opinions and thoughts are my own.

I reached page 89 and shut the book. SO DULL. I couldn't relate to anything or anyone. The author tries much too hard to create a spooky, mysterious mood and she does not succeed. From the two selfish, shallow sisters, to the abnormally shy white brother who couldn't take his eyes off the music maestro's black quasi-assistant, I will just say, "Yuck!'

I next went to read reviews: How many say they forced themselves to finish the book or found the middle (or beginning) (or ending) the worst part? Why, I wonder, are we wasting time we'll never get back? There are thousands of books better than this one... just sayin'....

Wintersong is a gorgeously-written, evocative, emotional fantasy. S. Jae-Jones is an extremely talented new voice, infusing her lush tale with vivid description and complex characters you can't help but root for. Her knowledge of music is clear, and I loved the callbacks to the poems of Christina Rossetti. I look forward to her next book and recommend this for older teens and adults who love a dark romantic fantasy.

At 60% into this book, it hit me: this story is remarkably similar to The Star-Touched Queen but with a thousand references to classical music thrown in. While neither of these things are inherently bad, I have to say I never had any intention of rereading The Star-Touched Queen, nor do I have much interest in music. I found the plot to be slow moving, and I struggled to keep focus. This book was simply a bad fit for me.

LOVED everything about this book. It's one of those that makes you slow down to soak up every drop of the incredible prose. I cannot believe this is the authors first novel. Love the way she writes, the insane tension and chemistry between the main characters, and it might be my favorite coming of age story. Leisl fights to find herself, to define herself, to explore her sexuality, to find love, and then to see herself as more than that. It's incredible. Read it.

2.5 Stars

WINTERSONG is a story of the Goblin King and the woman he seeks as his bride. It's based on the German folklore of the Erlkönig, but told in such a way to make this tale uniquely the author's own. Full of history and a dark fantastical underworld, readers who enjoy faeries, retellings, and similar stories of death taking a bride may enjoy this one.

This story started off so well. I loved the way I felt immersed in the culture and historical setting. I liked the characters and the mystery surrounding Der Erlkönig (the Goblin King) and the traditions passed down by Liesl's grandmother. I also liked parts of the story, which felt very faeish and the bond between Liesl and her siblings, even though parts were strained. The writing was well done overall and very beautiful in places. I also liked the sweet moments between the Goblin King and Liesl. You get these glimpses throughout the story of the relationship they could have. Music was weaved through this story everywhere. Music has been a part of my life for a long time and so I loved that about this story.

Unfortunately, I had some issues as well. Parts were hard to follow. Other parts seemed overly difficult or too easy for the heroine, making it drag in places and making me feel like the story was longer than needed. I also felt like Liesl was an unreliable character, or maybe just inconsistent. There were times when I thought she would do as she should and then other times were she was cruel or did things she shouldn't and I didn't like her (or when she throws tantrums). It's hard to love a story if you don't love the protagonist. She did eventually mellow out a little and I liked both her and Erlkönig in the end, although I wasn't too sure about the twist. It felt a little like musical sacrilege.

Then there was the content. It completely crossed a line for me about half-way through where the author was overly descriptive and the characters almost slept together. I just didn't expect that type of content. I already didn't like some of the descriptions and so coupled with the scene... Just not what I needed to know or read and I didn't feel the author needed to go that far when she could have easily conveyed what happened with far less. From that point on there was almost constant innuendo, suggestive references, and then fade-to-black scenes. Add to that a gay relationship (just not my thing) and conversations that went in circles and it made it tough to be invested. There were sweet moments mixed in among all of this, but not the most enjoyable reading.

In the end, the story frustrated me. I began it with such hope. I liked parts of it, but equally disliked others.

Content: Recommended for 18+. Innuendo and descriptive scenes that felt more like adult romance or erotica. Some violence and grotesque scenes.
Source: Received an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley and the tour host, which did not require a review nor affect it in any way.

I loved this book and couldn't put it down. There was just the right amount of historic folk tale woven in to ground the hero's and heroine's turbulent character arcs. Their emotional upheavals played amazingly well off of each other, reminding me of the book's frequent references to the interwoven nature of musical scores. The fantasy settings of the underground were delightful. The magical system was highly imaginative and satisfying. The book ended with the tease of a cliff hanger, and I will definitely continue reading if the author writes more.

Songs from Labyrinth played in my head the entire time spent reading this book. It was obvious the movie was a big influence on the writer and I enjoyed reading what felt like another story in that world. I was, however, a bit disappointed in the ending. The story seemed to be leading up to a different resolution.

Wow. What an incredible, magical debut. WINTERSONG is an absolutely spellbinding fantasy, and I was completely immersed from beginning to end. It's dark, romantic, and enchanting, not to mention beautifully written. The characters have so much depth, and this rich, glittering world is full of music, magic, and fairytales. I didn't want it to end!

** spoiler alert ** This book was like Labyrinth for adults! I really did like it! I could find myself falling for the Goblin King like Elisabeth did. I'm actually very excited to read Shadowsong. I want to go back into the world that S. Jae-Jones wrote about!

Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. Its been a very long time since I was so invested in a book its borders on addiction. The imagery, the words, it envelops you and devours until finally you turn the page only to find it blank and that you have finished the novel. Honestly, I preordered the sequel less than ten minutes after finishing Wintersong. Its dark, honest, alluring and slightly cruel. It's a glorious read, one that I will enjoy re-reading time and time again.

Fantastic read. Well written, with a great plot and characters. I was engrossed through the entirety of the book. I will definitely be reading book 2. I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Netgalley.

3.5 stars? I may need more time to absorb this story. It was not the ending I wanted but thankfully there is a sequel. This retelling was as Ugly as it was beautiful. It was as confusing as it it was poetic. I just don't know

This book came to me as part of the Build Your Library Monthly Book crate. I am so glad it did. It is not a book I would ever have picked up myself, but I loved it. Like the music the main character composes, it starts quietly and builds to a crescendo, it binds you to the characters. It might be my favorite book ever, and I read a lot. I highly recommend it.

A fantastic young adult novel that takes German folk lore to a whole new level. A amazing blend of several different folk tales and fairy stories. I'm really hoping for a squeal of some kind, because I want to read about these characters again.

A beautiful symphony of writing. I loved the mystical and dark feel that lingered on every page. The writing style is new and not like anything I've read in years.
As beautifully written as it was I was most often lost on the highly technical musical terms used throughout the book. But when I stumble across such a driven heroine and a mysterious man such as are in the book I can ignore all the extravagant terms.

I loved this book and mourned when it was over. The ending was unexpected and sad and left me wanting more. I listened to this book on Audio and felt the reader did a wonderful job at portraying the emotions and feelings.

"Goblin king goblin king, wherever he may be, take this child far away from me"
Elements of folklore and fantasy. A beautiful blend and so Labyrinth. As a fan of the Jim Hensen movie this is great.

For a YA novel, there are very real themes going on in this book. The overall tone is very dark- darker than I expected. This made it feel a bit more serious. Young ladies, STAY AWAY from the Goblin King. I LOVED this book.

This novel was beautifully written and so fascinating! Of all the books I've read I haven't come across one like this. The cover is beautiful, it's recommend hardback. If you are a fan of dark romance this would be the book for you.

the first quarter of the story had me liked YES, Goblin King all the way and the writing style was totally decent. Then it got totally weird with like religious stuff and was super discordant. Why? just why?

Wintersong was a haunting, vivid, heartbreaking read. S. Jae-Jones' writing is gorgeous and dark, and she paints a compelling world that is sure to draw you in. Her characters are unforgettable, and the romance was breathtaking. This book was a surprise, but has become one of my all time favorites, and I cannot wait for Shadowsong!

I loved the way the author develop Liesl as a character, strong and oh so beautiful inside. I would like to see the Goblin King more developed, although he is whispered, not shouted. Will read the Shadowsong for sure

I really liked this book. I wish the ending was different though, I would have liked her to save her goblin king and live out her life composing with him. All in all a good book and would recommend it to others.

This book was phenomenal. It literally moved me. I read it's entirety in one day. I couldn't put it down. The immense amount of sacrifice, love, and pain touched me on a personal level. I recommend this novel to anyone who loves a well written fantasy romance.