Written with lyrical prose, Wintersong vividly renders a coming-of-age tale inspired by fairy tale and classical music while giving a sly nod to Labyrinth, this is an exquisitely told tale of a heroine's journey.

Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell.

“Once there was a little girl who played her music for a little boy in the wood. She was small and dark, he was tall and fair, and the two of them made a fancy pair as they danced together, dancing to the music the little girl heard in her head.”

WINTERSONG is the story of a young woman who goes Underground to rescue her sister, only to find herself instead. What makes this story so compelling is all the wonderful elements entwined into Wintersong. There are echoes of Beauty and the Beast, Phantom of the Opera and Mozart. Poetry and myth, and the movie Labyrinth. 

Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti comes to mind first with its ominous tones and themes of temptation and, of course, those sly goblins. When Liesl makes a bargain with the Goblin King to rescue her sister from his Underground lair, the atmosphere and tone reminded me of Hades and Persephone. There, the Goblin King is so much more than it first seems and his relationship with Liesl is slowly and sensually revealed.
Many readers are going to find the nod to the 80’s cult classic movie Labyrinth vastly appealing with its dark and enchanting Underground world created by S. Jae-Jones and a Goblin King that is equal parts alluring, mysterious and dangerous. He is the epitome the wounded anti-hero who needs healing through a heroine’s love. 

“You are a man with music in his soul. You are capricious, contrary, contradictory. You delight in childish games, and delight even more in winning. For a man of such intense piety, you are surprisingly petty. You are a gentleman, a virtuoso, a scholar, and a martyr, and of those masks, I like the martyr least of all. You are austere, you are pompous, you are pretentious, you are foolish.”
The Goblin King did not reply.
“Well?” I asked. “Do I have the right of it?”
“Yes,” he said thickly. “Yes, you have the very soul of me, Elisabeth.”

Liesl is all sorts of complicated and the emotions she brings to the story simply drew me in making my connection to her real and heartfelt. The unbreakable bond of sisters, her love and loyalty to family, and her musical nature made her journey to the Underground something much more than a trip to save her sister but rather an awakening.

“I am,” I said slowly, “a girl with music in her soul. I am a sister, a daughter, a friend, who fiercely protects those dear to her. I am a girl who loves strawberries, chocolate torte, songs in a minor key, moments stolen from chores, and childish games. I am short-tempered yet disciplined. I am self-indulgent, selfish, yet selfless. I am compassion and hatred and contradiction. I am … me.”

Haunting, romantic, lyrical, hopeful and cruel, Wintersong should appeal to fans of dark fantasy and fairy tales. Written with a lush and sensual voice, Wintersong is recommended to readers who enjoyed The Star-Touched Queen, Cruel Beauty, A Thousand Nights and Stolen Songbird. I can’t wait for more and I’m crossing my fingers for a companion novel.

Wintersong swept me into old world Bavaria, in a haunting tale of music, love, family and moral consequence. This book was brimming with passion and expectations, and I could feel Elisabeth's hopes and dreams floating off the page like the strangely discordant and beautiful melodies she and her Goblin King composed.

When I first finished this book I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about it. There were times I was frustrated with the characters and the choices they made, frustrated with how the story was shaping, but in the end I realised that there were even more times where I was completely engrossed in the world of the Underground, and the magic of the folklore, which is always a particular favourite of mine. So overall, I did enjoy this book, it's darkness and mystery, and I would recommend it to others - the magic of the Goblin King is one I will always love!

To tell you the truth, I found this book a little slow. There was a lot to do with music, which was very interesting, but it didn't seem to move the story along fast enough for my taste. With that being said, I thought the story was excellent. The author came up with a unique story that captured me. It painted a picture of the goblin world, but yet I still found myself wanting more.

The love story was intriguing, but at times I felt like it came out of the blue and then hid away again.

The ending left me sad. I wanted more. I wanted the characters to finally find peace, but the story ended with me having lots of questions and no way to answer them.

I still gave the book three stars because it was very well written and the story line was well constructed. I would recommend this read to anyone who loves fantasy and fairytale style stories

I have mixed feelings about this book. I like the story line as a whole, but it feels forced and is too verbose for my taste. I got lost in trying to figure out musical terms and in trying to understand some of the language used throughout. A beautiful story is hidden in the writing, almost as if it's underground with the Goblin King. I didn't dislike it, but I found myself in the labyrinth of prose.

I think I'm going to call this a New Adult Fairytale. In the tradition of all proper fairytales it's dark, full of monsters and yet still somehow romantic. In the tradition of good New Adult books it's dark, features at least one alpha-arsehole, a whole lot of strife and a true love story.
Jae-Jones has created a world that is full of music and magic, and the two go hand-in-hand perfectly. More than that, they intertwine and become something special. Comparisons to the film Labyrinth have been made, and sure, the Goblin King, the stolen sibling, it does have parallels, but it's a much more grown up version, with classical music instead of cheesy Bowie songs, and much scarier goblins than Jim Henson's creations.
Wintersong is at once dazzling, dreamlike, sad, haunting, romantic and beautiful. I don't often give fairytales a chance, but I'm glad I picked this one up.

Liesl is the plain sister, the practical one. She works hard and takes care of her family. Her younger sister Kathe is prettier, more flamboyant, fond of dancing and pretty things and is highly sought after by boys. The two are opposites, but when Kathe is lured away by the Goblin King, Liesl is determined to rescue her. To do so she must enter the frightening land of goblins where she learns that the price for saving her sister is steep – a marriage to the Goblin King himself. As she spends time in the underground realm, Liesl learns there’s more to the Lord of Mischief than the stories of lore suggest. But the big question is whether she’s willing to die to be his wife. Jae-Jones has created a lyrical but dark world of goblins. Her imagery is luscious and rich. This re-telling of the movie Labyrinth has the moodiness and musicality of the film plus a Lord of Mischief (Goblin King) who’s alluring. The book starts strong but fails to maintain the momentum throughout. Still, an enjoyable tale that is rich in imagery.

Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .

wintersong (S. Jae-Jones)

Title: wintersong

Author: S. Jae-Jones

Publisher: St. Martin's Press / Thomas Dunne Books

Publication Date: February 7, 2017 (Hardcover/E-Book)

ISBN: 9781250079213

Source: NetGalley

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 fpund 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.

If ye want to read another take on this novel of a crew member that loved it check out this review from Lola @ Hit or Miss Books.

So lastly . . .

Thank you St. Martin's Press / Thomas Dunne Books!

Goodreads has this to say about the novel:

Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell.

All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns.

But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts.

Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.

To visit the author’s website go to:

S. Jae-Jones - Author

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wintersong - Book

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Yer Ports for Plunder List

I loved this book. Terrific visuals,wonderful character development,exquisite la Guage. I cared deeply about the characters and the plot was intriguing. Definitely did not expect the sexual tensions, but we'll done.

Wintersong
Dark and seductive. Beautiful and magical. I could go on and on but I fear words don't show how gorgeous the story truly was. The writing...my god, it was was everything and more. This is going to be one of those reviews that absolutely won't do Wintersong justice. It just won't. It's the type of book that you have to read an experience yourself. The world building, the characters, the story; all of it has come and brought the story to life.

Liesl is the one that's always been in the shadows to her siblings. The untalented one - the one who is plain and not very beautiful, if at all. The day her sister gets taken from our world to the underground world with the goblins, is the day that Liesl finds out what it truly means to sacrifice. The Goblin King is beautiful, mischievous, and has his eyes set on Liesl. But no matter which way she turns, she'll have to sacrifice what she holds dear to her heart.

Personally, I had no idea what I was getting into when the book was brought to my attention. I'll admit, I saw a pretty cover and instantly wanted to read it. Upon the first few pages, I wasn't yet sold. It took me a few chapters to truly get in the book. But once I passed that hump, I didn't want to stop. Wintersong is truly seductive and even more sexy. I, myself wanted to go and get lost in the underground with Mr. Goblin King. He's dark, mysterious and shows us his vulnerability at times. I liked that.

I wish I could properly tell her f**ckin' good this book was because I know for a fact I'm not doing a good job. But seriously, this book is so good! Don't let it pass you by and be prepared to fall madly in love. I've read that there's a companion novel coming out - obviously, I can't read to read it! (Is it too soon to demand the book now?)

<b>This is a beautifully written book</b> - the prose is eloquent with an almost classical sense to it and the world is exquisite without being too heavy in detail. While I was reading it I felt as though I were under Der Erlkönig's thrall myself. <b>It is compelling, dark and sensual; a riveting read full of poetry and a truly incredible atmosphere</b>.

There's a wonderful sense of values here and I enjoyed the fact the Liesl was not conventionally beautiful however she is brave, clever and a wonderful composer. There are plenty of faults to be found in our main character, but above all I felt that just made her more accessible. There's envy, bitterness, selfishness and selflessness. At the end of the day, for me, there was nothing that Liesl would not do for the love of her family and I find that incredibly courageous.

It's a journey of self discovery for so many of the characters. We get to know Käthe, Josef and Der Erlkönig through Liesl's POV and I was entranced for almost all of the story.

The romance was bittersweet with all the nuances of complex emotions and although somewhat foreign and odd, it was spellbinding all the same.

I'm not sure how I feel about the ending but I've heard rumours of a companion novel coming next so that is definitely something to look forward to.

<b>This book is eerie and ethereal, poignant and strange and geared toward a sophisticated audience</b>. If you get the opportunity to read this one, definitely take it. I can't wait to hear what you think.

<blockquote><b><i>“That one...burns like kindling. All flash, and no real heat. But you,” he said. “You smolder, mistress. There is a fire burning within you, but it is a slow burn. It shimmers with heat, waiting only for a breath to fan it to life. Most curious.” A slow grin spread over his mouth. “Most curious, indeed.”</i></b></blockquote>

<b>What Dazzled:</b> The cover is gorgeous! I just want a giant poster made out of this cover. S. Jae-Jones has a way with words like she herself is composing music, and she must know an awful lot about music since so much of the book is made up of musical words, musicians, and instruments.

<b>What Fizzled:</b> My biggest complain with the story is that it does not follow it’s own rules and that leads to confusion and frustration as a reader. The beginning of the story starts out strong and lead me to believe there would be more world building to help me understand why I should care about the Goblin King, but the rest of the story loses momentum and eventually just repeats itself paragraph after paragraph after paragraph. I asked myself several times: What does Elisabeth want? After answering it several times I found myself shaking my head, because she had what she wanted, so what’s the problem?

<b>Jots and Thoughts:</b> This book is compared to the movie <i>Labyrinth</i> with David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly, but that’s not accurate. There’s little action or adventure or world building, but a heavy dose of introspection and classical music. This is the author’s first book, and I am interested in seeing how her writing progresses.

I loved the writing of this novel, it was beautiful and completely captivating. Not a book to be missed.

A dark and poetic and dare I say sexy fantasy. Just an absolute magical and enchanting read that you'll enjoy from beginning to end. S. Jae-Jones is definitely an author readers should keep an eye for. She has what it takes to be a writer in this industry. With Wintersong not only does she give magnificent world building but also complex characters that don't feel flat. I highly recommend this beautiful stunning debut to all.

I am lost.

WINTERSONG is magical, with a fairy tale atmosphere that is heightened by the lovely, lyrical writing. Though there are echoes of Labyrinth (my favorite childhood movie!), the author took it beyond that to create a story and characters that are unforgettable and that will live in you long after you have finished reading the book. I can say definitely that WINTERSONG is a book that will go on my keeper shelf and that I will reread over and over until I have wrung the last bit of magic from it.

Told from the first person of view, Liesl or Elisabeth makes an engaging, self-aware narrator, and from her narration, we see how she grows from girl to woman, not just in terms of physical, but also in her emotional and mental maturity, in the self-actualization that she attains at the end. Her realization that she is "Elisabeth, entire". The author takes us on this strange, wondrous, compelling journey, and while more astute readers may guess there's only one outcome to this story, yet the journey to that end is filled with growth and realizations that both characters (Elisabeth and the Goblin King) would not have attained without these experiences.

The Goblin King (swoon swoon swoon) has so much potential, and it's too bad we can only see him through Elisabeth's eyes. And what we eventually come to know about his past is heartbreaking. The romance is dark and mysterious and sexy, and it is to the author's credit that she got me so invested in the characters that the poignant, bittersweet ending (not a spoiler) affected me a lot. (And I want more!)

Right now, I'm wishing for a sequel, though I'm not sure if a sequel would do this story justice. Maybe it's better to leave this as it is. But if ever--if ever--there's a sequel, you can bet I'll be first one to get it. Highly recommended!

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Oh dear. Well...let's see if I can break down my thoughts on Wintersong.

Pros:
-Gorgeous cover...I mean seriously, look at this thing! Sooo pretty!!!
-Use of folklore
-Creative premise. While I've never even seen Labryinth (which this is supposed to be based on), I'm guessing based on other reviews that this is a benefit rather than a detriment. Taken on it's own merits, this <i>could</i> have been an interesting story.
-Focus on a talented female who is not of her time
-The actual writing was well done and there are some beautiful phrases in the book.

Cons:
-Wishy-washy main character. She's smart and then she's not, she hates the Goblin King and then she doesn't. It was all just a little jerky and Jekyll/Hyde for me. I think it was supposed to giver her depth but instead it just made her come off as slightly bi-polar.
-Lack of world-building.
-Lack of both plot and strong characterization. The story could have easily been 150 pages short because there is not enough that happens to made this book plot driven but the characters are not developed enough to make this a character focused piece either. In my opinion, you've got to have at least one of these things and there wasn't enough of either for my liking.
-Excessive focus on music. Don't get me wrong, I love music. But <i>reading</i> about somebody writing/playing music for 50+ pages....didn't work for me. I also felt like it limited the character (see my previous point). We knew that Liesel loved music and was not a good looking girl. That's about it.
-The Romance. Didn't get it, couldn't ship it.

In summary:
High hopes for Wintersong but disappointed. While not a <i>bad</i> book, it falls short when compared to other recent YA fantasy books I've read.

This book is really musically amazing. The description everything is beautifully described. I had never felt such a desire for a goblin king than here. It is vibrant and full of melody.

It was a great effort by S. Jae-Jones. The author did a great job with the dark setting and vivid imagery. The premise is similar to Sarah Maas’ Court of Mist and Fury. It was hard not to compare the two books. They both had some great writing but I seemed Wintersong was a stronger effort.

I was a little disappointed in the ending. Not necessarily because our protagonists didn’t end up together, but because it felt like there was a lot of story left. Hopefully there would be a sequel. I left the novel seeing it more as a tragedy than a love story. How could you not feel for the Goblin King who was left alone with his responsibilities in the end?

The semi-graphic adult situations are too mature for my middle schoolers but I think high schoolers would enjoy it.

Thank you for the advanced copy.

"Wintersong" is a fairytale come to life, featuring Elisabeth (Liesl), the innkeeper's daughter, and the fabled Goblin King, Der Erlkonig. The Goblin King must steal a bride from the world above to maintain both the world above and the world below (of goblins and changelings and other magical creatures). The bride must die to fuel the spring and summer and take away the winter. This is the way it has always been. Liesl is a young composer at a time when it is impossible she should be anything other than a wife. She has been stifled and boxed, herself mostly hidden- as well as her memories of playing with the Goblin King as a child.

Liesl adores her brother, Josef, with whom she shares her music. She is jealous of her sister, Kathe, who is beautiful. Liesl is not blessed in terms of her appearance, and she is well aware of the fact. The Goblin King comes to choose a bride and takes Liesl's sister, Kathe. Everyone else seems to have forgotten Kathe ever existed, and the Goblin King challenges Liesl to a game for her sister's life. Will she choose the pretty lie or the ugly truth?

The story peels itself away in layers of lies and truths- what the bride means, what the king is, what Liesl and the King mean to each other. It evolves poetically and beautifully as does Liesl's music (oft a focus of the book). The prose is itself lyrical, and really elegantly written. The book is touching and harsh- it's a very emotional ride and impossible to put down or forget. Just like music, this story speaks to the soul.

I am surprised this is a YA book- it has some very adult content (in terms of consummating the marriage) and is much deeper than most YA books will go. This is also not a book which could or does finish with everything wrapped up with a pretty bow. I don't want to give spoilers, so I won't say much, but this is not a story which ends with an across-the-board happily ever after. I see the comparisons to "Labyrinth" but I think this is something else entirely, and it reminds me more of the older fairytales which contained ugliness amongst the beauty.

Overall, this was a beautiful and fantastic read- I am very curious to read more from this talented author. Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I really wanted to like this one. I am not sure if it was the fact that I started this novel in the middle of moving, but for some reason I could not really get into it. I put it down and just had no urge to get back to it.

Thanks Netgalley for this ARC. My review is entirely my own.

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.