I was in two minds when I saw that Wintersong had a sequel and whether to read it. I'm glad I did in the end, cause it gave me a sense of completion that the original book just didn't.

That said, the reason for that is that it is my belief that there is only one good book between these two novels. Shadowsong was even more repetitive in its themes and direct lines than the original book in the series, and needed a good hard edit. It explores Liesl's life after she leaves the Goblin Kingdom, renouncing her title as Goblin Queen.

We see some good hard consequences to that action, but there's really all in the last 10% of the novel. Up till that point, there's a lot about Liesl trying and failing to connect with Josef, her brother who is also a changeling.

In the introduction to the book, the author talks about this being a story about madness, an analog to bipolar, which is largely what got me over the line of the decision to read this book. It's a subject that interests me. I just really didn't like the way it was done.

I really enjoyed this series. The only thing I wish is this book had been broken up into 2 books. It felt like to much going on and wasn’t all the way fleshed out as they were trying to keep the word count down but also get it all major plot points and tie up lose ends.

This gorgeous book is full of such beauty, from its writing to the emotions that it brings to surface. I loved and hated the ever-present theme of madness in it, because I myself have suffered from depression and anxiety, and doubting reality and your sanity is a constant thing in a mentally ill person's mind... so I was at times upset at the constant use of the word "mad" for the mentally ill, and at the same time I understood it perfectly (especially in the context of the book) and wasn't upset at all. I believe it was more the feeling of madness that they feel, and that was quite fine. I have asked myself if I am mad many times, too...

The atmosphere is dark, lyrical and wild, lots of times using contradicting words to describe a feeling, and it felt perfectly understandable how the same thing could evoke such contradictory feelings... I have to say I was so entranced by this book that I even dreamed of the white-and-black ball one time. It was just to easy to lose yourself in this world.

I also love that this book has such an authentic German feeling to it, and was surprised to see the author wasn't half-German or so. It gives the story a more Grimm brothers feel to it.

I was less impressed with this book that I was the first one. It suffers from sophomore-syndrome. But it was a good book nonetheless. I honestly felt like the first book could have wrapped everything up if it wanted to. This is almost like a very long epilogue or a spin-off tv series.

I liked this book better than the first one. Obviously I liked Book 1 well enough, or I wouldn't have jumped right into this one, but Book 1 focused on the music a lot. In depth, very detailed accounts of Liesl composing and playing. And while the language was beautiful, it's not my area.

Overall the pacing for both books was slow. As for the overall vibe of the series, it felt more adult literary than YA. I think I would have liked the first book more if had been for the adult market. I would have liked more of the physical relationship on the page, but, shrugs, maybe that's just me.

Book 2 focuses more on Liesl's relationship with her brother, which I was okay with. Sure, I wanted more Liesl and the Goblin King, but we got a new location and a mystery, and pieces falling into place. I loved the way the ending came together. The last third of this book was perfection. Completely perfect. Breathtaking.

I loved the darkness of this story and the rich settings and the gorgeous language. I can't wait to see what S. Jae-Jones writes next. (I hope it's smutty) I'm definitely a fan.

I wanted to like this book because I loved wintersong but I could not even finish the book. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the book was slow and hard to read.

I can see why this book would be as polarising as it has been. This is not a continuation of Wintersong but it's counterpoint. The two weave together like a piece of music but they very definitely have their own directions and ultimately are separate entities even connected as they are by story. I am utter trash for Erlkonig inspired stories (it really irritates me that people keep calling this a Labyrinth retelling because they're clearly ignorant of the source material the inspired my favourite film of all time too...) That said, this is not the sequel to Wintersong I wanted, but maybe it was the sequel I needed. As S. Jae-Jones mentions in her foreword, this book represents the low, depressive episode of bipolar disorder, where as Wintersong represented the more manic, frenetic upswing of the mental illness. It's a really intelligent and poignant portrait taken that way. And Liesl is a wonderful character as interpreter in this world, as unloveable as she sometimes is. Jae-Jones writes the most exquisite prose. In Wintersong it was dreamlike and beautiful as well as eerie, here it's mostly dark, twisting and unsettling, though still beautiful. I'll admit I really wanted a continuation of the romance with the Erlkonig however perhaps the deep meditation on the MC becoming herself and her loving though troubled relationship with her brother, as well as her determination to further her own career against the odds - perhaps that is even more important than a finale to the romance? In short I loved these books, even when they didn't give me what I wanted.

Although I enjoyed Wintersong, I have really struggled to read this sequel and have actually given up on it now.

The second book in the Wintersong Book series. While this can be read as a stand-alone novel, you would understand more about the characters and overall story if you read the first book before this one. A remarkable read that I could not put down and did not want to end.

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for a review. This does not affect my rating in any way.
This book was an honest disappointment to me. I enjoyed the first one, and while it was slow, it did have a plot. This one seemed to be lacking one to me. There was also very little Goblin King at all in this one, and he is one of the main reasons people read these books. I think I expected a bit more out of this one since I enjoyed Wintersong so much. The overall story for this one made it a struggle to finish the book, and it could be because I thought the plot was too slow moving. For a sequel the world- building should be almost done, and this should have been where action and events happen, but it was definitely lacking.

I really adored Wintersong. I was so excite for Shadowsong, I was hoping that it would be as beautiful and musical as the first book but sadly, it was not. This book wasn't even in the same ballpark as Wintersong. Shadowsong was nothing but the main character wallowing in her own self-pity over the fact that she was no longer with the Goblin King and how much she wanted to go back. I feel like Shadowsong was everything Wintersong wasn't, in all the bad ways.

Published as 1/2 of a dual review on 2/6/2018:

Wintersong swept me away last year with its fractured retelling of Labyrinth. I loved the intricate, vividly-written tale, but it lacked an HEA. I craved more of the tension and chemistry that had permeated Liesl’s and The Goblin King’s bond. I had high hopes that Shadowsong by S. Jae-Jones would pick up where Wintersong left us and feature and provide a happy ending for the relationship of Liesl and the Goblin King. Instead, Shadowsong embarked in an utterly unforeseen direction. I’m still pondering how I feel about it, but confess to some disappointment – totally self-inflicted because of my presumptions.

Shadowsong focuses on Liesl's self-discovery journey with a bit of mystery and intrigue. Her journey is closely tied with her brother’s so the tale delves heavily into her relationship with her younger brother from the beginning. Her story waivers between madness and melancholy. Her story is intense, graphic, somber and dark as she searches for her entire self. There’s very little in the way of apearances of her austere young man aka The Goblin King from the previous installment though there’s much longing on Liesl’s part for the Goblin Queen she was and the closeness they had shared. Not that he’s not in this tale.

He’s there, but not there. We catch glimpses of him lasting seconds, if that; and then he’s gone leading us to wonder if we really did see him. He is depicted as being more monster than man as he leads the Wild Hunt, a scary spectacle that rides when there is an imbalance between the Underground and the land of the living. Liesl actually bears responsibility for the Hunt because she crossed the barrier between the two worlds when she walked away from her Goblin King and their vows at the end of Wintersong. Her leaving left a rip in the fabric of the world allowing the spirits, ghouls and denizens of the Underground to escape. Unfortunately, the Underworld, itself, is sparse in this sequel and reliving their romance is only via rehashed memories. The end result is not bad, just not what I’d wished for.

Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from Shadowsong:

Be thou, with me.
---

“Take me,” I whisper. “Take me back.”
The green and gray of the Goblin King’s eyes flash white and blue, white and blue, the pupils shrinking to a pinprick of black. The corners of his lips curl, close – so close – to mine.
“As you wish, my dear. As you wish.”
A breath, a sigh, a kiss, and we are met.
---

“You can be running toward something or running from something, but you cannot do both at once,” she said gently.
“But what’s the use of running” – she lifted her eyes to mine – “if you are on the wrong road.”
---

“It is not the wolves you need fear, but the sheep skins they wear.”
---

“Madness is not a gift,” I said angrily.
“Nor is it a curse,” the Count returned gently, “Madness simply is.”

Wintersong was passionate and full of fire. Shadowsong is maniacal and cuts to the quick. Wintersong focused on Liesel’s and The Goblin King’s relationship; Shadowsong focuses on Liesel’s relationship with herself and her brother. Both books are blessed by the author’s wonderfully romantic and descriptive prose and they are each uniquely poignant tales. Unfortunately, Shadowsong dragged for me once the setting moved to Vienna and remained slow until the last fifty-pages or so. However, those last few pages re-energized the story, as it spun topsy-turvy to its surprising conclusion.

I would mention that the author includes a note of warning regarding possible triggers of suicidal thoughts, addiction, self-harm and bipolar disorder while reading as this story is indeed emotionally heart-wrenching and teeming with raw emotion. If you require sunshine and rainbows in your books, please find them elsewhere as they do not reside in Shadowsong.

If you loved Wintersong, I’d highly encourage you to pick up Shadowsong. That said, do not try to jump into Shadowsong without reading Wintersong as these novels should be read in their proper order. Since I finished it, when I close my eyes, I get goose bumps, as I can still see the poppy flowers and hear the distant hooves of the Hunt. I am sad that the story of Liesl, her Goblin King, and her siblings has concluded. I look forward to reading more from S. Jae-Jones in the future.



Suggested Reading Order:
Wintersong (Book #1)
Shadowsong (Book #2)

Shadowsong, by S. Jae-Jones concludes the story begun in Wintersong. I was surprised how much I enjoyed Shadowsong, considering it was outside of my usual reading genres. (Although I do love books about magical worlds or folklore) However, I was disappointed with Shadowsong. I was expecting a continuation of the relationship between Liesl and the Goblin King (who was the most interesting character to me.) Instead the Goblin King took a backseat to Liesl's relationship with her brother, Josef. This story line didn't really grab me and I found Josef to be kind of annoying. I really wanted to like this, but the pacing was slow and it almost seemed like it was not written by the same writer.

A dark and maddening conclusion to the Wintersong duology. This book is very different from the previous one. Leisl is on a journey of finding who she is and dealing with the loss of her love. She promised to go on in life but has to figure out how to do that. Her brother sends word for her to come to Vienna where he is pursuing his musical career but this letter is unlike him. Yet she and her family do leave to join him and nothing is what they expected.

This story deals heavily with mental illness and the many cycles it can have. The author herself states her experience with this and why she wrote this book so darkly. I ached for Leisl as she tries to solve her own mysteries and convince herself she really experienced the events of Wintersong and that she isn't crazy. When reading both Shadowsong and Wintersong I felt like they belonged to the new adult genre more than the young adult one because of the content.

If you deal with depression I would go into this book understanding that most of it is very sad. If you are like me, the mood of a book can flow into the day. I'm not saying not to read this book, the conclusion was beautiful- just to be careful.

I was given this ARC by NetGalley and the publisher for a fair and honest review.

Shadowsong by S. Jae Jones is Winterson #2. As Liesl returns to the world above things have changed, her brother has changed and things are not all she had anticipated. When circumstances cause her to return Underground she has no idea the complications in front of her. Shadowsong, like Wintersong is a complex book with intricate details. The world building is rich and the characters are challenged. To be honest Shadowsong focused different from where I thought it would, but the dynamic between Liesl and Josef that S. Jae Jones explores gives it a focus all it's own.

More than anything the writing and imagery is what I enjoyed in this book. Complicated ideas are explored that make you think and it can be more than just a book to some. As you read Shadowsong, twist and turns will abound. I recommend Shadowsong by S. Jae Jones and hope to read more by her in the future.

(I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book I received for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my open and honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.)

LOVE! SHADOWSONG is a fantastically, addictive, and enchanting sequel to WINTERSONG. I was addicted from the start, and was unable to put it down for hours and hours. I'm excited for her future stories!

After the ending of Wintersong I was salivating to get my hands on Shadowsong and the author did not disappoint. Whereas the first book focused on the relationship between Liesl and The Goblin King this one focused more on the relationship between Liesl and her brother Josef. And this book was much darker than its predecessor. There isn't a lot of the Liesl and The goblin King together in this one (spoiler) no kissing happens and that might be a turn off for some of the readers who fell in love with their relationship and the tension they had in the first one. But this book deals with heavier themes than it ever did in the first one and her writing though still exceptional you can see the darker notes than in the first book. I really did enjoy Josef and Liesls as the focal point in Shadowsong especially when things started unraveling. Although the authors writing is exceptional there e=were a few lag moments that made it hard to push through but the last few chapters ended exceptionally and was totally worth the hard bits.
Overall this was an haunting and dark read that is just as amazing as its predecessor if not better.
P.S I love how the author in the finished book put in a trigger warning page for her fellow readers. It is very thoughtful.

<I>Shadowsong</I> by S. Jae-Jones

<b>Star Rating</b>: ★★★★★ 5/5 stars

<b>Format</b>: ebook galley

<b>Summary</b>: After returning home from the Underground, Liesl has a hard time adjusting to normal life once more. Her leaving the Underworld has upset the old laws and she finds she can't return to normal life.

<b>Review</b>: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

I wasn't sure how the sequel would go as I felt the first book wrapped itself up fairly well. But I really enjoyed the story of this book. I liked that this book mainly focused on he relationship between Liesl and her brother Josef. My only problem is they spend so much of the book not talking to each other and I was kind of confused most of the time what their issues with each other were. But I wasn't really bothered how little to Goblin King is actually in this because his relationship with Liesl is not the focus and I'm good with that.

As much as I like this book, I do feel there is a lot of the book where nothing really happens. The plot feels like it takes way too long to progress. There's just a good chunk of the book where Liesl just is not doing anything but we get to hear all about it in too much detail. The last few chapters of the book, more happens very quickly as far as plot than the whole rest of the book.

There are still questions I have about the book after reading it. How Liesl giving up her sanity effects her now. That part of the book wasn't very clear. She mostly just seemed to think everything was funny? I don't know. I wish there had been more about that. And how she ended up satisfying the old laws... It was weird and I wasn't sure what happened exactly. I also want to know more about how the goblins are taking the old laws changing their king. I would think they'd enjoy the chaos but it appears they're uncomfortable. But we don't get to hear really anything from there so there is no way to say for certain.

I think the ending was satisfying to me, overall. Didn't like the name, but you know if I ever write a book I'm sure some people won't like names I pick either. I wish the resolution could have taken up more of the book instead of Liesl wandering around, just to wander.

<b>Recommendation</b>: I like this book a lot but I do think the first is a stronger book. If you absolutely love the first book then I say give the second a try, but if it wasn't one of your favorite reads then I suggest thinking hard over this one. The plot is slow to move and there is a lot of just nothing happening, the Goblin King is hardly present and Liesl's issues with her brother are confusing and unclear why they're both upset.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this beautiful book.

Shadowsong starts out six months after Liesel departs from the Goblin King and the Underground. Liesel is working towards furthering both her brother's and her own musical careers but she's still having a hard time looking forward instead of back. A mysterious benefactor comes into the picture to pay the way Liesel and Kathe to live in Vienna and play music. The sisters are reunited with Josef, but now he is cold, distant, and withdrawn from everyone. As the story continues, Liesel realizes that the beliefs of the Underground reach farther than she imagined as Liesel faces the consequences of leaving the world in an imbalance, and she must unravel the mysteries of the Underground and the Goblin King himself in order to restore it.

This story was everything I didn't know I needed. I loved it. I know it’s easy to get swept up by romance, but this story was always Elisabeth’s, entire, and in turn, her siblings Kathë and Josef. It’s a stunning journey of self-discovery that I won’t forget... probably ever.

This is the most honest and raw portrayal of mental illness I’ve seen in a fantasy series. Wintersong scratched the surface with these themes, but Shadowsong is where you really see Liesel come to terms with herself and her bipolar disorder, which isn't a diagnosis people understood back then so it's called madness. And it’s altogether complex—messy, dark, and painful but flickering with hope and peace and beauty. S. Jae-Jones writes a heartfelt author’s note/trigger warning for self-harm, suicide, addiction, and reckless behaviors before the first chapter and I commend her for that, as well. (Sidenote: if you haven't read this yet, definitely check out the Author's Note and take care.) Here, we see her characters, and the author herself, down to their very cores.

In Shadowsong, the characters claim their monsters as their own. It’s SO powerful. I really can’t even write this without thinking about the book as a whole, and especially the last 50 or so pages, without tearing up. It’s a slow burn of a book, but oh so good. The character development is everything. It was needed for the emotional impact. Liesel deserved THIS story, this focus on her well-being and mental health. I truly cannot imagine a better follow-up to Wintersong. Especially THAT ENDING. I will be wrecked by that ending until the eND OF TIME. And let me tell you, the romance, while understated, is absolutely worthwhile. I've always much preferred plot and character development with more subdued romance and this installment provides that. But looking at the series as a whole, it's perfection. You get a LOT of Liesel and the Goblin King in the first book, Lisel's much-needed development in this one (and much-needed development with her family), and then it all comes together and it's so touching because of all that's happened. I truly respect S. Jae-Jones for going this direction when she possibly felt pressure to write a romance-heavy book. I'm SO GLAD that it's an undercurrent throughout this book. Subtly there, but always present, and always leading somewhere. It's just *chef's kiss*

What Jones writes in these books speaks to me on such a deep level, I can’t even begin to explain it to you. It’s so personal to me. I feel this story and these words in my bones. I guess it’s because I, too, am a child of the weird and wild and struggle being in my own mind. I just want to personally thank her for putting these books out there. I see it also as an act of bravery and vulnerability and I’m glad she decided to lay her soul out there for us to read. I cannot give this book anything other than 5/5 stars because it’s entirely worthy of all of them. This duology means quite a lot to me.

“It isn’t life that keeps the world turning; it is love.”

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Shadowsong by S. Jae-Jones
Book Two of the Wintersong series
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
Rating: 2 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Six months after the end of Wintersong, Liesl is working toward furthering both her brother’s and her own musical careers. Although she is determined to look forward and not behind, life in the world above is not as easy as Liesl had hoped. Her younger brother Josef is cold, distant, and withdrawn, while Liesl can’t forget the austere young man she left beneath the earth, and the music he inspired in her.

When troubling signs arise that the barrier between worlds is crumbling, Liesl must return to the Underground to unravel the mystery of life, death, and the Goblin King—who he was, who he is, and who he will be. What will it take to break the old laws once and for all? What is the true meaning of sacrifice when the fate of the world—or the ones Liesl loves—is in her hands?

What I Liked:

Shadowsong wasn't what I expected. Where Wintersong was focused on Liesl and the Goblin King's connection and relationship, Shadowsong was focused on Liesl and her relationship with her brother Josef. I thought this book would focus more on the Goblin King, from what I'd heard last year. Instead, the Goblin King was barely mentioned in this book. I was disappointed in that regard, and disappointed in the lack of music and whimsy in this book. It was a dark book, which I respect and admire, but it was nothing like Wintersong and nothing like my expectations following the announcement of this sequel.

This book takes place six months after Liesl leaves the Underground, and the Goblin King. She has been writing to her brother, desperate to hear how he is doing in Vienna, with his prestigious music instructor. One day he writes back, stating that the instructor is dead, and for her to come to Vienna. With the help of a mysterious benefactor, Liesl is able to travel to Vienna with her sister Kathe. They find Josef, but Josef is no longer who he wants was. He is distant and disinterested. And there is something strange about Liesl's benefactors. All the while, the Great Hunt is roaming the earth, and the barrier between worlds is thinning. Liesl must travel back to the Underground and make a final stand as the Goblin Queen, in order to save her world, or theirs.

The author's note talks about Liesl's bipolar disorder (or "madness", as bipolar disorder was not understand during this time period). Possibly the best/most well-written aspect of this book is the darkness and madness that Liesl struggles with. Liesl is constantly wrestling with herself - is she mad? Or is she lost in her sanity? She feels her loneliness acutely, just as she feels guilt and shame over her brother's distance from her. I may not have enjoyed this book or reading about this darkness in Liesl, but I have to admit that all of it was well-written.

The same can be said about Josef's "madness". This book is written mostly from Liesl's first-person POV, but with certain parts of a chapter written from Josef's third-person POV. There was another portion of certain chapters featuring a tale of old, which comes together at the end of the book. The story is significant though not immediately at first. This is also the case with Josef's state of mind.

I also liked the ending - it is an excellent ending and makes perfect sense to me. Any other ending would have been ruination to the series. I love how it wasn't all up to Liesl, and that other characters had important choices that made all the difference.

I didn't really care for this book, but there were aspects of the book that were very well-written and deserving of recognition. But for the most part, this book didn't work for me.

What I Did Not Like:

The first thing I will start with: this book is incredibly boring. I kid you not, I fell asleep around the 25% mark and woke up an hour later, and decided that I was done with the book. I ended up picking it up the next day and finishing it, but not without doing a little skimming here and there (which is something I hate doing and rarely do). I had such a hard time reading this book. It felt like nothing was happening, and even when things were happening, I just didn't care. There was a lot of self-introspection going on, and I wasn't all that interested.

Part of it definitely had to do with the writing. To me, the author's descriptiveness was excess and really hurt the story. There were paragraphs upon paragraphs describing this or that, in flowery writing and in my head I was thinking, get to the point! THOSE were the passages that I ended up skimming, as I mentioned above. I didn't need those fluffy descriptions. It was too much, and added to the rising boredom.

The story itself felt like it had no direction. What was the point? Find Josef... okay? Once she found Josef, I couldn't understand where the story was supposed to go. How was finding Josef significant to saving the world? The "saving the world" bit seemed so forced and cliche, especially when that exact phrase dropped in the story.

The other part was the lack of the Goblin King. I thought this sequel was pitched as readers getting to see more of the Goblin King and his journey above ground, or something like that? And yet... the Goblin King is present in literally the LAST SCENE of the book? I'm confused, fam. I feel deceived. And in any case, pitch or no pitch, the Goblin King wasn't in this book. HOW can you go from Wintersong, where the Goblin King was infused into every word of every page, to Shadowsong, where the Goblin King is an afterthought to everything?

Not that I was against Liesl trying to reach her brother and blah blah blah. It was interesting to see Liesl and Josef's relationship break down and come apart - they had a lot to work through. But for a series that is built on and around the Goblin King, how disappointing is it to find barely a trace of the "austere young man" - or even the wolf with no heart - within the pages of this installment.

So there is nothing about Liesl and the Goblin King's relationship - none of the burning, passionate, frantic romance, none of the thick, cloying emotions. In fact, there is barely any of the sweeping, living music that filled Wintersong. Yes, there is mention of music here and there, especially when Liesl catches up with Josef in Vienna - but just barely. All of the things that made Wintersong so intriguing - the Goblin King, the ruthless romance, the masterful music - was not present in Shadowsong.

In essence, I found Shadowsong to be a pale whisper following the crescendo that was Wintersong.

Would I Recommend It:

I can't say I recommend Shadowsong, or Wintersong. Shadowsong is a disappointing follow-up to Wintersong - it almost felt unnecessary, and wrong. Like the author went the wrong way when pushing the series in one direction or the other. I didn't really like Wintersong, but I liked Shadowsong even less. It paled in comparison to Wintersong, and I didn't even find Wintersong that great.

Rating:

2 stars. It's a shame I didn't enjoy this book (nor its predecessor) because the covers of the books are just so gorgeous. I'm tempted to buy them anyway just to have them on my shelf but I didn't enjoy the books enough to spend money on them. (Note: I received a review copy, for free, courtesy of the publisher. Nothing illegal/pirating involved here, in case anyone was thrown by my statement about money.)