Wintersong

I'm obsessed! I glutted myself on this book and read it in an evening in pretty much a single sitting. What a beautiful, beautiful riff on der Erlkönig and Rossetti's Goblin Market and the death-and-the-maiden archetype and, obviously, Labyrinth. Rich and atmospheric and beautifully, lushly written. Super sexy, too. I had such high hopes for this novel from the promo materials and I was absolutely blown away by the final product. I'll pick up just about anything the author writes in the future.

From the moment I glimpsed the gorgeous cover I was curious. From the second I read that this had a Labyrinth feel I was all in. And from the first time I met the elegant stranger I felt he would be this book's Jareth, the Goblin King, and I read his parts automatically in David Bowie's voice.

There is no doubt in my mind that the author S. Jae-Jones is a Labyrinth fan. From the way the characters were crafted, to the way they interacted, to the underground world and dialogue. This book took this Sarah and Jareth FanGirl on an incredible ride. It was rife with throwbacks to Labyrinth, and even though it is a completely separate entity it felt somehow like a tie in. The storyline is similar in many ways... Instead of a teenage girl fighting the Goblin King and his goblins to rescue her baby brother, here we have a teenaged girl fighting the Goblin King and his goblins to free her sister and herself. But between the pages of this book readers will find themselves overcome with emotions ranging from one end of the spectrum to the other as Liesl and the Goblin King find themselves wrapped up in a timeless, beautiful, yet wretched love story.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the review copy and opportunity. I loved every minute of this dark and twisted romance- every word on every page. It was incredible.

This book is beautiful; it sings you the most heartbreaking yet wonderful song you've ever heard. When two worlds not meant to be collide into a sea of music it's fascinating.

Beautifully written S. Jae-Jones delivers a gripping novel full of desperation, longing and soulful contentment.

The Goblin King was given a depth that made him more than he appeared to be. All of the characters had an amazing presence in the book. It's hard to make all of them well rounded while still focusing on the main characters. Liesl, she was so much and yet nothing at the same time. She simply was. Her growth throughout the book was wonderful to watch.

I can't wait until the second book releases. So much potential for their story. It isn't over, I can feel it.