Really different take on goblins, it must be read…

As recently I fell in love with “Wintersong” by S. Jae-Jones, I decided to read more books, which feature goblins and are inspired by them. Luckily, I’ve been approved to receive an ARC and I was so happy, I started it almost immediately.

So, in the synopsis it is said, that this book is inspired by the poem “Goblin Market” by by Christina Rossetti, which I never read and I had no expectation when I started reading the book, which I always prefer to be the way I read books. I don’t like to compare. Anyway, let’s continue with the book. I have so much to say.

As I started the review, this book have a different take on goblins. In here, they are evil creatures, which lure innocent people in their realm in order to kill them or make them likewise. And, as they’re ever, they bind a certain family with a magic spell, so one of them is their liaison. And here comes Kit, which is our first protagonist. Our next protagonists are Skye, Livvy and Grady and the story may begin.

So, in order to not spoil anything important to you, I’m going to write why I liked the book and what I disliked. First of all, I liked the whole idea – it’s interesting and these days goblins are not usually chosen to be main magical creature in books. Second, trivial, I love the cover – it’s absolutely awesome and now when I finished the book, I can say that it’s very accurate one. Good job to whoever done it.

Next, I really loved that the author use the nature. I like all the explanations and that it had huge impact on the story. There is so much things randomly mentioned in the beginning and turned to be so important.

Also, the relationship between the two sisters and the two cousins. It was awesome and it was written very well. I usually seek good sibling relationships and this one feature lots of it. And mostly because of it, I don’t have a single favorite character – I just love them all.

What I also liked is that in both pairings the woman is older than the man. Of course, not much, just 2 years or so, but I think it not usually happens in books.

The things that I don’t like in the books are very few.

The length – this book is just too short. I think I needed more. It would’ve been very awesome if we have long explanations about the goblin tribe and especially about Redring. We’ve had a short explanation, but more chapters about why she became that evil, especially with humans, would add lot more to the story, or at least in my opinion. I would also like to know more about Flowerwatch – yes, we know how she became goblin, but I want to know more about the years she spent with the tribe. But anyways, I’m glad with how her future will be.

And most of all, insta love. Usually, I don’t have anything against it, but here I wasn’t able to feel it. Especially during the ending.

Anyways, I really enjoyed the book. It made me stay during the night and read, because I wasn’t able to put it down. I really will enjoy if the author write a short novella about the Goblin tribe and their history – it really will be awesome.

In fact, I absolutely recommend the book to everyone. I’ll just add a little warning about some sexual content, but it’s not that much, so just have it in mind. The book will be released in 1st October, so definitely check the date on your calendars.

First off, I love love love the cover of this book. It is just beautiful and was one of the reasons I chose to read it. Fantasy books are not usually my genre of choice. However, I was drawn into this story much like the characters were drawn towards the goblins in the woods. The author does a great job of weaving the tendrils of magic throughout the book describing the haunting world of the fae.

Prior to reading my review, I'd just like to say that I devoured this book in one evening, just 4 hours is all it took to gobble this up!

A whimsical, fantastical and witty read, one that will have you questioning your love of fruit.

I'll be honest here, the cover drew me in first and then that synopsis... A twenty-something-year-old named Kit is the liaison for Goblins and per a deal made hundreds of years ago by his ancestors he must bring a certain weight of gold to the goblin tribe every month. But it doesn't stop there, this isn't a story wholly based off of Kit, there are three other individuals that get roped into this wonderful nonsense. Grady, Kit's cousin has come to stay with him, and there are two local girls, sisters Skye and Livy, that are drawn into the Goblins devious ways.

This all takes place in Puget Sound, Washington, which is written in such a way that I could almost smell the forest. I thoroughly enjoyed the creeptastic world that was depicted by the author, because inside of the forest there is another realm which belongs to the fae. Not all are sinister but the Goblinfolk are. I enjoyed the history of the goblinkind and where they came from, who they used to be.

Each character was unique, with their own plight. Did I overly connect with them? No, I don't think so. I was never really invested in them so much as what I was with the actual story, the core of the plot and I wanted to know what happened. There was something about the writing that seemed to serve as a disconnect for me and I can't quite place my finger on it, but don't take this as an "I didn't enjoy it," because I obviously did! I mean, I read it in FOUR hours. I ate it.

To sum it all up, it's a kooky goblin story that showcases just how important friends and family are and what they're willing to do to ensure their safety.

3.5 Savvy Crowns!

I enjoy fantasy and was looking forward reading about the goblins but the story was more about humans and less goblins. I admit that I could feel Skye' s frustration The he characters were well written.

Book: The Goblins of Bellwater
Author: Molly Ringle
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank Netgalley and Central Avenue Publishing for providing me with this ARC.

I was actually surprised about this one. It has been coming across my Goodreads feed as a book recommendation. I checked it out and saw it was on Netgalley. I figured that I wouldn’t be a big fan of it, but I was wrong. I was quickly drawn into Molly’s amazing world and simply could not get out of it.

The book follows Kit, Livy, Skye, and Grady. They are all in their early twenties. I thought they were going to be younger, but don’t the characters’ ages make you think that this isn’t a young adult book. All the characters are well written and, yes, they do end up coupling up. It’s not a really lovely story and their romance is not the main focus.

The goblins are the main focus of the story. You will get swept into their magical world. They live in the woods of Washington State and are not very nice creatures. They are very capable of doing horrible things from their treetop village, which they do. The only way to keep them happy is by giving them gold to melt, which is Kit’s main job. If the goblins aren’t happy, then terrible things tend to happen to the locals, as Skye quickly finds out.


Okay, I know, I know...The plot line may not be the most attention getting, but there was just something about this one that I rather liked. Molly’s writing style and world building skills are just amazing. There was just something about her writing that made me feel as if I was a part of the world. It was very smooth and elegant with just the right mixture of adventure. Add in a rather magical world and you get an incredible world.

I am giving it a four star rating. I loved the creative nature of the book and its charm. It is a rather quick and easy read.

The Goblins of Bellwater will out October 1, 2017.

I received a free e-copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the Publisher!

The Goblins of Bellwater is a fantasy story about four young people, in their twenties, who all come to be entangled in a Goblin curse in Bellwater, Washington. However, these are not your typical Goblins from The Labyrinth - there is no sexy David Bowie as a Goblin King. These are cunning, nasty, scary and despicable creatures, who lure people into their lair and do unspeakable things to them. This book is also nothing like Wintersong - while it has romance in it (and really sweet romance) it is not between a supernatural and a human.

It all begins one twilight evening, when Skye decides to call upon the magical creatures (disbelieving they actually exist) and they lure her into their lair and put an enchantment on her, as a retaliation for Kit (their human liaison) not bringing enough gold for them that month. Soon we find out that Kit's family has been under the goblin's curse for 3 generations and he has no idea how to break it. Meanwhile, Skye is becoming worse and worse, unable to speak, uninterested in painting, eating, taking care of herself. Her sister Livy is doing her best to take care of Skye, even getting Grady (Kit's cousin) to cook for Skye during the day. However, it will take all four of them to break the curse.

The book actually caught me unawares. I LOVED the descriptions and the lusciousness of the whole world. Miss Ringle stays true to the Victorian horror genre. The book is dark, suspenseful, still full of romance (as many Victorian novels are) and disturbing. The only difference in between Miss Ringle's book and those of the Victorian Horror genre, is that we have a female hero here, which I quite enjoyed. I also loved the fact that the characters were older, not your typical teenagers pouting at you the whole book.

Overall I think it is a clever book, full of lessons such as what it is to love and loose and how to take care of the environment. Furthermore, the older you get the harder it becomes to believe in the supernatural, and Miss Ringle did the supernatural so masterfully that it made me really think.

I will definitely be on the lookout for anything else she writes.

In all honesty, I would say this is more of a 3.5 rating. The beginning of the book captured my interest immediately. I totally enjoyed the descriptions of nature and the sleepy town of Bellwater. At first I really liked the characters I was introduced to too. But then as the main character, Skye, hooked up with Kit and then Kit's cousin, Grady, hooked up with Skye's sister, Olivia, I became a little annoyed. The dual relationships seemed kind of sophomoric, even though the characters were in their early twenties. In fact, I kept thinking that my 9th grade female students would really enjoy this book. I constantly see them reading paranormal romances. But the target audience is not necessarily high school teens because of the sex and profanity. Although I would say there is just a few f-bombs here and there and the sex is very ----responsible? If I had teenagers at home I would allow them to read this book after they were 16, I know I would have enjoyed it way more at that age then I did this past week as a forty something year old woman.

I would categorize this as New Adult. Interesting premise, although the Goblin Market tie-in was a bit of a stretch for me. I like the characters though, and thought the glimpses of the other fae were the most interesting part. I would recommend it to older teens and adults.

I really didn't like Wintersong, but I did very much like this.

Seeing as many have been comparing the two, I thought I'd join the party. Honestly, I really think it comes down to a few basic points:

- If YA is your thing, you will prefer Wintersong.
- If you want to read a Labyrinth fanfic, you will prefer Wintersong.
- If you are in your 20s and not into YA, you will prefer The Goblins of Bellwater.
- If you like a slightly darker story, I think you will prefer Goblins.
- If you are into more believable/kind of true to life romances and sex scenes, Goblins takes the trophy.

The Goblins of Bellwether follows a group of twenty-somethings in a small town in Washington. There's Livy, the eldest and an avid protector of the environment; Skye, her sister, who is enchanted by goblins; Kit, their neighbour, who is the liaison between goblin and human and keeps them sated with gifts of gold; and Grady, Kit's cousin.

The story begins when Skye wanders off the beaten path and is accosted by the local goblins, who promptly curse her with a future fate of transforming into one of them. Grady gets tangled up in the whole messy business when Skye kisses him in the woods, and Kit and Livy find out soon after. Together, they try to break the curse.

The writing was very atmospheric and I was immediately drawn into the depiction of a small town where everyone knew each other. It seemed familiar to me, almost, and the descriptions of town life as well as the nature surrounding it were well done. The goblins were fun, maniacal characters that were as cruel and malicious as I think goblins would rightly be, which was effective and made for a great sense of jeopardy in the second half of the novel.

Contradictory to some other readers, I really enjoyed the depictions of romance and relationships in this novel. For me, the characters were all the right ages. They seemed fairly settled but still a little unsure of their futures, they approached sex casually, and they were sometimes immature. Does that not sound like a twenty something? Yes, it bloody does! There are two pairings in this novel, one of which is a slow, casual, realistic (I thought) adult relationship, and one of which is a little more on the insta-love side of things, but is wracked with some young adult angst. I almost always DESPISE insta-love, but perhaps because of the likeable, relatable characters, or perhaps because of the magical enchantment upon them, I was super un-offended.

As well as all this, the pace is good, the story is fun and weird and the wrap up is entirely satisfying. It's an exciting, magical and reasonably short novel that hit just the right spot.

<i>ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

This book was perfect. I was not entirely sure what to expect, but it delivered beautifully. It was everything it should have been.

If you grew up adoring poems like Christina Rosetti's "The Goblin Market," or identifying with Cecil Frances Alexander's "Dreams," or re-reading <i>A Midsummer's Night Dream</i>, this book is for you. If you grew up waiting for those fleeting movements from the corner of your eye to materialize into something faerie, but knowing never to accept something to eat, then you must read this book!

Kit knows all about the goblins in the forest. His carries the family curse, forced to steal and deliver gold for them to keep them in line. Skye and her sister Livy heard whispers in the forest growing up, but never believed. Until they were forced to. Kit's innocent bystander cousin, Grady, gets embroiled in the mess, too. This story focuses exclusively on these four characters and their travails with the goblins.

Despite, or perhaps because of, only having a cast of four character, Ringle creates very organic (and magically propelled) relationships between the four. This IS a romance, so be forewarned. However, the way she told this romance story was such a breath of fresh air compared with the insta-love, doesn't-make-any-sense romances of the YA books I've been reading lately. The romance in this story was... perfect. I could completely see it going down exactly that way in the real world. Thank you for that Ms. Ringle.

Nevertheless, the romance was not the central point of the story. It was perfectly balanced with the magic, which she also handled brilliantly. Ringle used an imaginary setting that could very well be any number of real towns and made it feel both real and magical at the same time. That same feeling you used to get walking through a quiet wood, affected by Nature.

The fae were wonderfully depicted. The magical rules were both familiar and internally consistent. <i>Beware of sudden paths that lead away from the main one.</i>

I only have one tiny little complaint: <spoiler>When Livy stepped off the fire path, she should not have been able to get back on. Those are the rules. Don't step off the path. If you do, its over. But, even though she burned herself, which I suppose was maybe a loophole the faeries were using to help her, she managed to just jump right back on the path.</spoiler> Other than that, I loved this book immensely, including all the paths these four characters had to travel.

Bonus: It is a standalone story (I think), which is just lovely in today's age of series after series.

If you are a fairy tale lover - tales of real faeries, not Disney fairies - then you MUST READ THIS BOOK.

<p>By Molly Ringle</p>

<p>A fascinating and compelling novel based off of Christina Rossetti&rsquo;s &ldquo;Goblin Market&rdquo; which is being rediscovered in several new forms and I love it. </p>

<p>Rating: 4/5</p>

<p>This urban-magical realism is perfectly done. The fae folk are all around us, including Bellwater, a small town off of Puget Sound. There, a goblin tribe frequently sets off magical trails to lure unsuspecting humans traipsing through the forest.
Kit's family has been cursed to serve as the liaison for the goblin and he begrudgingly hands over gold every month to try to placate them from hurting another human. He's been worn down from keeping the secret for so long. When he mets Livy, a local park ranger and fellow nature-lover, they immediately hit it off. It seems like the beginning of a romance novel except that Livy's younger sister is under a goblin spell and has accidentally brought Kit's younger cousin in it too. Now all four of them will have to fight to get free from the goblin's magic. </p>

<p> <b> What I Liked: </b> </p>
<p> -The magical realism. It's so odd to read about magical realism in a setting that is not the (US) South, but it works. There are elements of nature and fae folk and humans living alongside them without even knowing. </p>
<p> -The romance. I really enjoyed reading about Livy and Kit fall for each other based on mutual interests and genuinely liking each other. It was a great contrast to Skye and Grady's enchanted romance. I'm not a fan of insta-love, but enchanted insta-love is fascinating. I think their relationship was handled pretty well considering the spell and the consequences of their actions were talked over instead of pretending that falling in love (and sleeping with each other) under a spell wasn't exactly consensual. [PS I also liked that both Livy and Skye were older than their dates because it's addressed and is also not a big deal, even though we never see relationships with older women] </p>
<p> -I really enjoyed the gray morality of this book. The goblins weren't truly evil, they were much more complex. None of this is used to excuse their horrific behavior, but it's nice to read about how they came to be how they are instead of letting them become the archetype evil monster. I like that to an extent the goblins have agency in their actions and reactions, but from much of what we were able to gather, being terrible comes with being a goblin. </p>

In the Pacific Northwest, Kit works as an auto mechanic by day and tries to pacify the goblin tribe with gold on full moon nights. Despite all his efforts, they still lure humans into the forest and play their (sometimes deadly) tricks on them. When local resident Skye becomes mixed up in a goblin curse, then Kit, his cousin Grady, and Skye's sister Livy are also pulled into the conflict. Can four humans find a way to outwit a goblin leader who has been playing her tricks for centuries?

Unlike many urban fantasies, Ringle's tale does not have humans yearning to enter the other world. Instead, these humans want to hold onto their humanity, even though they are not sure how to do so. Mixing elements of tales about goblins, other fae, the flora and fauna of the Pacific Northwest, and a family curse, the story also deals with human problems like job hunting, dating, and pursuing dreams. The details of the setting are worked in cleverly through Livy's job with the Forest Service, as well as part of the trials the characters must go through to try and gain their freedom. Creatures from the treetops to the depths of Puget Sound make appearances, and sometime serve as the bodies of the fae.

It's not all despair and fighting against an unwanted fate. There are elements of humor sprinkled along the way to lighten the mood. Just imagine goblins demanding their own milk steamer so they can make fancy coffee, or a chain saw artist carrying off driftwood illegally while rangers look the other way because the artist is a part of the local color. What about the goblin tradition of being named for the first item they steal? In a modern world that could be real trouble for an immortal being. Imagine being called iPad forever. Eww!

Readers who enjoy urban fantasy and new takes on the traditional fairy dwellers of old tales should find plenty to enjoy in this original story of lovers, curses, and the strength of mortals when battling for those dearest to them.

A magical tale about supernatural creatures in a forest in Bellwater, Washington. A generations old family curse forces Kit to appease the local Goblin miscreants. If he doesn't keep them happy they are likely to get stroppy and cause trouble for the townsfolk. When Kit is unable to make his monthly tribute of gold the Goblins curse a local woman and chaos ensues.

After a strong beginning with the Goblin thugs the romance really takes over the story and you almost forget there were any Goblins. For me the romance was not very romantic and the sex was very unsexy, mainly consisting of clumsy groping and fumbling. It was slightly more believable regarding the Skye and Grady relationship but only because of the whole magic thing that was going on with them. However, once you get over the halfway point in the book the story picks up again and the romance is bearable.

Overall it is an entertaining read.

The woods around Bellwater are strange. Skye and her sister Livy live by the woods and ever since they were children, they talked of the magical creatures living within the trees. However Kit knows the truth, there are goblins living in the woods, filled with bad intentions and he has a life long pact to serve them. One day the goblin succeed by enticing Skye into their realm and she has not been the same since.

Expectations are a terrible thing. When I saw this book was a retelling of The Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti, I was super excited. I created a set of expectations in my head for a lush and evocative tale, but not the urban fantasy/romance which comprises most of this book. (I'm not a romance fan but if you like romance, this could be more for you). However when the story did focus on the magical world and the forest, the story was rich and imaginative, I just wished there was more of this and less romance. The story was fast paced and an effortless read and if you like goblins, curses, romances and feisty sisters, this could be more up your alley.

The Goblins of Bellwater is the first book of Molly Ringle's that I have read; it definitely won't be the last! In the fictional town of Bellwater, Washington, there are are fae folk in the forest. Most people never see them, but Skye, Livy, Kit, and Grady aren't so lucky. Skye is cursed by Goblins, Grady is enchanted by Skye, Kit is trapped by a generations old deal, and Livy becomes a reluctant hero.
The Goblins of Bellwater is a well written new adult novel. The characters speak and act as you would expect adults in their twenties to. There is a little cursing and a little sex. This adds to the fun and realism of the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, and will happily recommend it far and wide.

Can we just take a minute to appreciate that cover...gorgeous.

Anyway. I thought this was an interesting concept, mixing contemporary fiction with fantasy. I know the author has done this previously with Greek mythology, so I was looking forward to a good blend of fae and magic in a modern setting. From the start I liked the goblins, they're just on the right side on sinister. However, I wished Kit was more engaging. He wasn't particularly charismatic enough to carry the story. I found the first part of the story quite whimsical and entertaining, and just on the right side of creepy. This soon decended into a more traditional romance however. I'm not a romance novel fan.

It felt a bit like instalove with Skye and Grady. I know it's suppose to be explained by this goblin mating pull, but I thought it was an easy way out of giving them a history or some sort of reason as to why they should just suddenly be kissing in the forest. I never did quite find the love story believable.

I guess I was expecting a bit more of the fantasy and less of the romance, which unfortunately didn't really materialise. I think if this was marketed more as a contemporary romance novel instead of fantasy it may gain the right readers.

Title: The Goblins of Bellwether
Author: Molly Ringle
Publisher: Central Avenue Publishing
Release Date: October 1, 2017
Rating: 3.5/5
*Review copy read via Netgalley

First of all, the cover for this book is fantastic and very catching, as is the name The Goblins of Bellwether. A very intriguing title and summary. Baristas who are artists falling in love and getting cursed by goblins sounds like a fun time right?

I was first pulled into the description of this book not just at the draw of an urban fantasy with goblins and magic, but the multiple character points-of-view. That can be hard to pull of but I really enjoyed the four main characters and their distinct voices.

I haven’t read an urban fantasy novel in a while, so it was really nice to experience that kind of world again. As a fan of Holly Black’s work, I was immediately captivated by that kind of magical fantasy involving fae and forest creatures.

I did feel like there could have been a little more world building, but that being said, I really enjoyed the human setting of Puget Sound, the little island, and small town atmosphere. I also liked how this seems to be a standalone fantasy, which is always a pleasure to see.

The Goblins of Bellwater was inspired by Christina Rossetti's powerful poem, "Goblin Market." Long a favorite of many a fantasy writer, one of the things that always struck me about this poem was that one sister saved the other. In an era in which men were usually called upon to save women, Christina Rosetta's poem was unusual for sisters saving themselves, so to speak. And so I came to feel in this book as if the waters were muddied in that the sisters had to have relationships and those relationships had to be neatly tied in a bow by the end of the book. Rather than focusing on the magic of the goblins, and the fae in general, making the book a YA fantasy novel, I felt this was a YA Romance novel with a splash of magic. Some of the descriptive aspects of the local fae magic were nicely done but were lost in the midst of the sisters working out relationship issues with their boyfriends. The romances themselves were awkwardly developed, especially Kit and Olivia's, and yet were like a fait accompli from the first few chapters. Some of the sexual aspects were oddly pragmatic and lacking in emotional range.

In this book I wanted to learn more about the goblins and the local fae, see more of Livy the scientist dealing with the magical overlay in her forest. I wanted to understand Skye more as a person. I wanted to feel more love rather than duty from Livy toward Skye. In short, I wanted to feel the power of the love that Rossetti gave us. I just didn't feel it.

I also feel that the book might have benefitted from pencil or charcoal illustrations of the goblins, since illustrating is one of Skye's only modes of communication. It would have allowed us to see and engage more with what Livy, Grady and Kit saw from her perspective.

The Goblins of Bellwater is a sinfully delicious read! This uncanny story follows four main characters and their unfortunate encounter with a tribe of otherworldly creatures.

LUST. GLUTTONY. GREED. SLOTH. WRATH. ENVY. PRIDE.

Characters.
MCs: Kit, 24; Grady, 21; Livy, 26; Skye, 23.
I really appreciated the realistic portrayal the author gave each character! They all worked regular jobs, had down to earth personalities, and were just trying to deal with the daily struggles of being an adult. Unfortunately, I didn't feel a connection for Kit or Livy, but I did find myself gravitating towards Grady and Skye majority of the time. And while I also appreciated the absence of a love-triangle, the romance between two of the MCs felt very unconvincing, so the sexual encounters they had left me feeling a bit awkward.

Goblins & Magic.
The main leader of the goblin tribe is Redring—and holy guacamole—she is one badass goblin queen. I definitely got some lucifer vibes with that one.

The goblins of Bellwater are grossly obsessed with gold because they are able to use it with their magic to create almost anything they want ex) espresso machine (yup, not even joking). The goblins love tempting humans into unfair deals and luring them into the forest to rob them of their valuables. Kit, being the liaison, tries to prevent them from luring people as much he can by supplying the goblins with gold on a regular basis.

Most of the magic doesn't take place until about 75% in, so just be warned that this book doesn't contain much world-building of the goblin realm or provide a detailed explanation of how their magic system works.

“…their voices were shackled. The silence wasn’t their choice”

Final Thoughts.
Overall, I did thoroughly enjoy the premise despite some issues and I would definitely recommend this book to readers looking for a light-hearted fantasy that is stand-alone and isn't heavy on the romance. Also, I'd like you all to join me in a moment of silence to thank the book gods for that stunning cover!

I received this via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

1 star - did not like it.

I think expectations were unrealistically high for this as it has such an excellent cover - which oversells it.

I just didn't enjoy this at all. I found it very hard to remain interested and at 50% through I couldn't believe how little had happened. One of the biggest issues for me was the "relationship" between Skye and Grady - I know this is meant to be a magical infatuation but it was just so creepy how he fancied her even though she was clearly so troubled. The other problem is that, for me, this did not successfully blend a contemporary romance with fantasy - it just felt really off.

I can't recommend this - I don't know who it is aimed at? If you read & enjoy contemporary romance, the goblins and romance are going to be really wtf. If you read & enjoy fantasy, the romance and the goblins are going to be wtf. Lose lose....