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Beneath Sands #1
The Goblin Bride
In her debut novel, Emma Hamm brings us to a new world. The mining town of Silnarra is not an easy place to survive in. Convicts and the poor work alongside each other to gather gemstones sold to the rich and famous. Their lives are put on the line every day as they descend into tunnels that were built long before humans found them. Rumors of monsters lurking in the depths keep the miners wary of shadows. Disappearances frequently occur in the darkness.
Jane Penderghast has two younger siblings relying on her. She has to resort to desperate measures to keep them all alive. Women are not allowed to work in the mines but it is the only way to earn money in this cursed place. She will do anything to save her family, even lie and work in the belly of the earth.
In a moment of fear and confusion, she realizes that the rumors of goblins are true. These strange creatures that live far below her town bring her into their world. What she finds there is both astounding and heartbreaking. A goblin warrior, a dying race, and a chance at a life she never expected.
To become a Goblin Bride is no easy thing.
Jane Penderghast has two younger siblings relying on her. She has to resort to desperate measures to keep them all alive. Women are not allowed to work in the mines but it is the only way to earn money in this cursed place. She will do anything to save her family, even lie and work in the belly of the earth.
In a moment of fear and confusion, she realizes that the rumors of goblins are true. These strange creatures that live far below her town bring her into their world. What she finds there is both astounding and heartbreaking. A goblin warrior, a dying race, and a chance at a life she never expected.
To become a Goblin Bride is no easy thing.
220 pages, Paperback
First published April 17, 2015
12 people are currently reading
961 people want to read
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Emma Hamm
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 13, 2019
I feel lucky in this new era of variety in male heroes and races in romance/erotica. The challenge of breaking the barriers and making truly fantastic interracial romances.
We have Beauty and the beast to thank for that... And the greeks, celts and other pagan cultures.
Yet, there was a time in between, where these romances were few, tragic and horrific. Take the "Little Mermaid" and "Dracula", tragedy and horror. The concept of other races as a love interest was not as popular. Around the 1950s, Non-human Mc's started to appear more often, sometimes villanized and sometimes more animal. Stories and cinema had begun to install this idea that anything male non-human had to be a monster. A mindless beast, that was ugly and evil. This monster usually killed or abducted the heroine until she was saved by the male human protagonist. Anything magical or alien was included to cause terror. BORING!
They all MONSTERS!
Some more samples of humanity's manifestation of fear of the unknown.
Anything different from humans was... Threatening. Bigger and usually ugglier.
As years past by, fantasy and sci-fi introduced movies that began to change the concept of monsters or non-human sentient beings. Along with comics, role-playing games like D&D and novels began to explore stories of humans relating to other races. Allowing non-human heroes or heroines to start appearing more often. Many of them becoming the object of our desires. Our unique romantic fantasy.
The '70s and '80s were the golden decades that gave birth to gems in fantasy and sci-fi. And there were occasional romances between humans and other races.
And now... It's the rainbow age. In romance nowadays, we get a variety of male leads that include fantastic races and aliens.
And sometimes we see something like this...
Turn into this...
Cover is gorgeous! The artist who made this was Cristiana Leone-
aka Cru. She's in Deviantart if you want to check her out. Her drawings and character concepts are beautiful.
Back to what I was saying because I was trying to make a point.
Of course, non-human heroes aren't always handsome. And I'm seeing less human-like aliens and other races pop-up more often in romances. And if they're ugly or barely human, it's even more interesting! I love how writers challenge us to fall in love with them because they're not the usual perfect Disney "human" prince. It's truly a blessing!
I like my aliens to be alienish. And I love interracial romances!
Elves, orcs, gargoyles, aliens, gods, monsters... Bring it on baby!
Horns, tentacles, pointy ears... I can handle it.
This geek, craves these sort of heroes in romance.
The Goblin Bride is definitely a refreshing take on Goblins and the known lore from D&D, games, stories, legends, etc. And I have a lot to say about it... So here goes my verbal rainbow vomit.
Jane Penderghast has two younger siblings relying on her. She needs to survive and earn money to sustain her family and keep them alive. And although women are not allowed to work in the mines of Silnara, she decides to disguise herself and risk it all.
The environment of the mines and the work that needs to be done is harsh. Miners go deep into tunnels that existed even before humans arrived. The tunnels descend deep in the ground and hold special gems of great value. But debris and accident aren't the only dangers in the caverns...
There are rumors of monsters lurking in the depths like shadows and miners often dissapear
Humans are unaware that goblins exist. They just see them as monsters, shadows that haunt them while they work in the mines. And Jane is taken by one of them, thus our journey begins and our point of view changes.
We discover that these Goblins are an ancient race that live Below, their numbers are growing thin and they're desperate to survive. Extinction is at their doorstep. And in this equation humans might be the solution or a threat.
Good stuff
Jane is a relatable character. She's tough, empathetic and a smart survivor. I liked how she assesses things and relates to the Goblins. She has her own agenda and is reluctant when it comes to settling to her new life and relating to Ruric our male MC. But, she has her motives and its understandable that she has a hard time with priorities because of her internal struggles between what she has to do and what she wants.
Ruric is a great character. A little gruff, a bit of a brute and adorably curious. I liked him so much because he has a hard time expressing his emotions and tries very hard to please our heroine despite her circumstances. He indulges her whims, doesn't force Jane at any moment and is extremely considerate. I found him fascinating because although bonding with Jane was his duty he's clearly open-minded and interested in her. He looks big and menacing, but he's a softy and helplessly romantic. It's truly a great experience to read his complex mind. And I love how Emma turns this monster slowly into an endearing character as he tries to win Jane's heart and please his people at the same time.
The main plot and relationship between these two enslaved me. Their romance was slow torture.
Another thing I enjoyed was the setting, the magic, the underworld the goblins live in. How everything in their world is crumbling slowly and disappearing.
There's action, intrigue, romance and lots of feels.
Emma's take on goblins was very refreshing. She humanized these monsters and made their issues moving and relatable.
Her version esthetically is a mix between elves...
...and the trolls from World of Warcraft.
Ferally beautiful and intimidating. And the few aspects of their society and culture were eye candy to me.
What I loved most was the interactions between Jane and the Goblins. The way her view slowly changes and suddenly her world expands and something inside her changes forever. U truly saw the effort to create a not only a sweet love story... But an original world as well.
The bad stuff
This book needs serious editing. There were frequent mistakes that make it feel shaky from the beginning. Of course, you can ignore them because the story is good. But the grammatical stuff and narration distracted me way too much.
The world building and plot holes are all over the place! Unanswered questions, lack of accurate description and explanations. It made it hard to submerge me fully into this beautiful world with potential that Emma created. And two things that didn't help were the lack of sub-plots and the fact that it's a short read.
The romance has things I also didn't enjoy. As I said before, it's slow and it's a hot and cold kinda thing. Passionate yet innocent in some aspects which is fine, but I truly needed a little more love.
The dialogues between the two are a bit off and confusing at times. The consummation of their love is lightly described and it didn't move me at all. I had such high expectations which were suddenly ruined because the scenes got blurry censorship. It was a mood breaker for sure. So don't expect any smut or romantic humping.
The end was abrupt and the fact that it was a cliffhanger made it worse. It felt rushed and unsatisfying.
So to conclude, I enjoyed this read. I can't give it more than a 3.5 Star rating because the author's writing needs serious editing and improvement. I truly appreciate her imagination and the happy addition of Ruric to my mental list of book boyfriends who are awesome and not human. And I value her valor and talent to create this story and this world that were unique in the Fantasy Romance genre.
So I'll be looking forward to reading part II of this series. And I recommend this read not only because of its original world but because the book was good despite all the flaws I mentioned. All it needs is polishing and a little more grit.
There's always room for improvement and this author has my full support so far.
I bid farewell and may your next reads be fab!
We have Beauty and the beast to thank for that... And the greeks, celts and other pagan cultures.
Yet, there was a time in between, where these romances were few, tragic and horrific. Take the "Little Mermaid" and "Dracula", tragedy and horror. The concept of other races as a love interest was not as popular. Around the 1950s, Non-human Mc's started to appear more often, sometimes villanized and sometimes more animal. Stories and cinema had begun to install this idea that anything male non-human had to be a monster. A mindless beast, that was ugly and evil. This monster usually killed or abducted the heroine until she was saved by the male human protagonist. Anything magical or alien was included to cause terror. BORING!
They all MONSTERS!
Some more samples of humanity's manifestation of fear of the unknown.
Anything different from humans was... Threatening. Bigger and usually ugglier.
As years past by, fantasy and sci-fi introduced movies that began to change the concept of monsters or non-human sentient beings. Along with comics, role-playing games like D&D and novels began to explore stories of humans relating to other races. Allowing non-human heroes or heroines to start appearing more often. Many of them becoming the object of our desires. Our unique romantic fantasy.
The '70s and '80s were the golden decades that gave birth to gems in fantasy and sci-fi. And there were occasional romances between humans and other races.
And now... It's the rainbow age. In romance nowadays, we get a variety of male leads that include fantastic races and aliens.
And sometimes we see something like this...
Turn into this...
Cover is gorgeous! The artist who made this was Cristiana Leone-
aka Cru. She's in Deviantart if you want to check her out. Her drawings and character concepts are beautiful.
Back to what I was saying because I was trying to make a point.
Of course, non-human heroes aren't always handsome. And I'm seeing less human-like aliens and other races pop-up more often in romances. And if they're ugly or barely human, it's even more interesting! I love how writers challenge us to fall in love with them because they're not the usual perfect Disney "human" prince. It's truly a blessing!
I like my aliens to be alienish. And I love interracial romances!
Elves, orcs, gargoyles, aliens, gods, monsters... Bring it on baby!
Horns, tentacles, pointy ears... I can handle it.
This geek, craves these sort of heroes in romance.
The Goblin Bride is definitely a refreshing take on Goblins and the known lore from D&D, games, stories, legends, etc. And I have a lot to say about it... So here goes my verbal rainbow vomit.
Jane Penderghast has two younger siblings relying on her. She needs to survive and earn money to sustain her family and keep them alive. And although women are not allowed to work in the mines of Silnara, she decides to disguise herself and risk it all.
The environment of the mines and the work that needs to be done is harsh. Miners go deep into tunnels that existed even before humans arrived. The tunnels descend deep in the ground and hold special gems of great value. But debris and accident aren't the only dangers in the caverns...
There are rumors of monsters lurking in the depths like shadows and miners often dissapear
Humans are unaware that goblins exist. They just see them as monsters, shadows that haunt them while they work in the mines. And Jane is taken by one of them, thus our journey begins and our point of view changes.
We discover that these Goblins are an ancient race that live Below, their numbers are growing thin and they're desperate to survive. Extinction is at their doorstep. And in this equation humans might be the solution or a threat.
Good stuff
Jane is a relatable character. She's tough, empathetic and a smart survivor. I liked how she assesses things and relates to the Goblins. She has her own agenda and is reluctant when it comes to settling to her new life and relating to Ruric our male MC. But, she has her motives and its understandable that she has a hard time with priorities because of her internal struggles between what she has to do and what she wants.
Ruric is a great character. A little gruff, a bit of a brute and adorably curious. I liked him so much because he has a hard time expressing his emotions and tries very hard to please our heroine despite her circumstances. He indulges her whims, doesn't force Jane at any moment and is extremely considerate. I found him fascinating because although bonding with Jane was his duty he's clearly open-minded and interested in her. He looks big and menacing, but he's a softy and helplessly romantic. It's truly a great experience to read his complex mind. And I love how Emma turns this monster slowly into an endearing character as he tries to win Jane's heart and please his people at the same time.
The main plot and relationship between these two enslaved me. Their romance was slow torture.
Another thing I enjoyed was the setting, the magic, the underworld the goblins live in. How everything in their world is crumbling slowly and disappearing.
There's action, intrigue, romance and lots of feels.
Emma's take on goblins was very refreshing. She humanized these monsters and made their issues moving and relatable.
Her version esthetically is a mix between elves...
...and the trolls from World of Warcraft.
Ferally beautiful and intimidating. And the few aspects of their society and culture were eye candy to me.
What I loved most was the interactions between Jane and the Goblins. The way her view slowly changes and suddenly her world expands and something inside her changes forever. U truly saw the effort to create a not only a sweet love story... But an original world as well.
The bad stuff
This book needs serious editing. There were frequent mistakes that make it feel shaky from the beginning. Of course, you can ignore them because the story is good. But the grammatical stuff and narration distracted me way too much.
The world building and plot holes are all over the place! Unanswered questions, lack of accurate description and explanations. It made it hard to submerge me fully into this beautiful world with potential that Emma created. And two things that didn't help were the lack of sub-plots and the fact that it's a short read.
The romance has things I also didn't enjoy. As I said before, it's slow and it's a hot and cold kinda thing. Passionate yet innocent in some aspects which is fine, but I truly needed a little more love.
The dialogues between the two are a bit off and confusing at times. The consummation of their love is lightly described and it didn't move me at all. I had such high expectations which were suddenly ruined because the scenes got blurry censorship. It was a mood breaker for sure. So don't expect any smut or romantic humping.
The end was abrupt and the fact that it was a cliffhanger made it worse. It felt rushed and unsatisfying.
So to conclude, I enjoyed this read. I can't give it more than a 3.5 Star rating because the author's writing needs serious editing and improvement. I truly appreciate her imagination and the happy addition of Ruric to my mental list of book boyfriends who are awesome and not human. And I value her valor and talent to create this story and this world that were unique in the Fantasy Romance genre.
So I'll be looking forward to reading part II of this series. And I recommend this read not only because of its original world but because the book was good despite all the flaws I mentioned. All it needs is polishing and a little more grit.
There's always room for improvement and this author has my full support so far.
I bid farewell and may your next reads be fab!
April 8, 2017
"A Story of Brainwashing & Dehumanization that Ends on a Cliffhanger"
SPOILER ALERT!!
SPOILER ALERT!!!
I finished this book. It reminded me of the Hades and Persephone myth, which I usually like, but there was too much to turn me off. The heroine disguised herself as a man to go work in a mine to support her two younger siblings, a 17 year old boy and a 9 year old girl. The heroine was 26,and their parents had died. The younger siblings were literally at risk for starvation and all sorts of other horrible things to happen to them. However, the heroine's loyalties rather quickly switched to the goblins after she was captured and forcibly married to one. The goblin race is dying out, and after capturing her by accident, they wanted to see if she could breed and replenish their ranks.
Somehow, the heroine overcame her opposition to that role. Somehow, her familial loyalty faded away, apparently. She kept telling herself that she had no choice, but I didn't buy it. She still had tremendous power in the situation.
She became okay with the fact that the goblins kept male humans as slaves to work in the mines and do other labor, while the goblins focused on being "artisans." She became okay with the goblins killing those human slaves after they became unable or unwilling to do forced labor for the goblins. She felt sorry for the goblins, after all of that. She even tried to attack human slaves to prevent their escape. She asked herself, and I quote, "were they missing their homes so much?" This was immediately after she saw her husband kill humans who had been starved and worked almost to death. They were killed bc they couldn't work anymore. smh. Despicable. I have read many Stockholm Syndrome stories, but this was the worst.
She had no understanding of human self-defense or real familial bonds. She completely equated being a slave who worked in a mine to being a human who choose to work in a mine. She completely dismissed the fact that these men had families that they supported and cared about...families who needed them. Nope, the goblins were nice to her, in hopes that she'd breed from them, and that was good enough for everybody! She even apologized to the goblins, right after the goblins massacred the humans! unbelievable.
This book is really an illustration of brainwashing and dehumanization, and it ends on a cliffhanger.
I read the sample of book #2 to see if things changed, but it was no better. She'd been accused of leading a slave revolt that lead to the deaths of 17 goblins. The humans were being killed anyway, so who cares, right? She kept saying that she really didn't help the humans escape. The goblins didn't believe her, and she felt soooo bad about that. Why, the goblins had been kind to her, so they really weren't as awful as they seemed! *eyeroll* Such disappointment after such an interesting premise.
SPOILER ALERT!!
SPOILER ALERT!!!
I finished this book. It reminded me of the Hades and Persephone myth, which I usually like, but there was too much to turn me off. The heroine disguised herself as a man to go work in a mine to support her two younger siblings, a 17 year old boy and a 9 year old girl. The heroine was 26,and their parents had died. The younger siblings were literally at risk for starvation and all sorts of other horrible things to happen to them. However, the heroine's loyalties rather quickly switched to the goblins after she was captured and forcibly married to one. The goblin race is dying out, and after capturing her by accident, they wanted to see if she could breed and replenish their ranks.
Somehow, the heroine overcame her opposition to that role. Somehow, her familial loyalty faded away, apparently. She kept telling herself that she had no choice, but I didn't buy it. She still had tremendous power in the situation.
She became okay with the fact that the goblins kept male humans as slaves to work in the mines and do other labor, while the goblins focused on being "artisans." She became okay with the goblins killing those human slaves after they became unable or unwilling to do forced labor for the goblins. She felt sorry for the goblins, after all of that. She even tried to attack human slaves to prevent their escape. She asked herself, and I quote, "were they missing their homes so much?" This was immediately after she saw her husband kill humans who had been starved and worked almost to death. They were killed bc they couldn't work anymore. smh. Despicable. I have read many Stockholm Syndrome stories, but this was the worst.
She had no understanding of human self-defense or real familial bonds. She completely equated being a slave who worked in a mine to being a human who choose to work in a mine. She completely dismissed the fact that these men had families that they supported and cared about...families who needed them. Nope, the goblins were nice to her, in hopes that she'd breed from them, and that was good enough for everybody! She even apologized to the goblins, right after the goblins massacred the humans! unbelievable.
This book is really an illustration of brainwashing and dehumanization, and it ends on a cliffhanger.
I read the sample of book #2 to see if things changed, but it was no better. She'd been accused of leading a slave revolt that lead to the deaths of 17 goblins. The humans were being killed anyway, so who cares, right? She kept saying that she really didn't help the humans escape. The goblins didn't believe her, and she felt soooo bad about that. Why, the goblins had been kind to her, so they really weren't as awful as they seemed! *eyeroll* Such disappointment after such an interesting premise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2018
Review can be found on *Milky Way of Books*
Jane lives in a world where mining can offer you a chance to go and live in the City, but it comes with costs and danger. Desperate to feed and raise her two siblings, she will disguise as a man and go to work in the mines. An accident will lead her to the discovery of another race, the Goblins.
Beautiful and terrifying at the same time, the Goblins take her as a prisoner and a warrior, Ruric becomes her guardian. There is double POV so we know both their thoughts and the descriptions of this world are amazing.
I had read firstly the other books by Emma Hamm, "Heart of Fae" and "Veins of Magic", which were amazing, and in this book, I could see how the author's writing evolved. There is a slow pace, as Jane and Ruric try to learn each other. In some cases, they try to communicate and in others, Jane acts kind of stupid, since her growing feelings and fear of her family collide and she doesn't think in a logic way.
The first book concludes with a kind of cliffhanger which opens the way into the second book.
Jane lives in a world where mining can offer you a chance to go and live in the City, but it comes with costs and danger. Desperate to feed and raise her two siblings, she will disguise as a man and go to work in the mines. An accident will lead her to the discovery of another race, the Goblins.
Beautiful and terrifying at the same time, the Goblins take her as a prisoner and a warrior, Ruric becomes her guardian. There is double POV so we know both their thoughts and the descriptions of this world are amazing.
I had read firstly the other books by Emma Hamm, "Heart of Fae" and "Veins of Magic", which were amazing, and in this book, I could see how the author's writing evolved. There is a slow pace, as Jane and Ruric try to learn each other. In some cases, they try to communicate and in others, Jane acts kind of stupid, since her growing feelings and fear of her family collide and she doesn't think in a logic way.
The first book concludes with a kind of cliffhanger which opens the way into the second book.
August 21, 2016
When I read the description of this book, it was totally my crack and I had to get it. Loved the cover.
Things I liked: I loved the characters Jane and Ruric. Jane's determination to survive is a solid trait that endeared her to me. This determination drove her to action. This willingness to go to action every time gave her a strength I admired. The main plotline of their relationship was solid and an enjoyable read. Ruric's determination to win Jane over endeared him to me. While the plot was a little slow for the first couple of chapters, once Jane is taken by the goblins and she's bonded to Ruric, the pace picks up. Their story intrigued me so much I got the second book.
Even though she is early in her career, Hamm had a voice that spoke to me and made me forgive the story's rough spots.
Things I thought needed improving: This feels very much like a first book in that Hamm's handling of the craft is a bit clumsy in the beginning, with grammatical slips and filter phrases. These elements smooth out as the book goes along. The omniscient POV was a little difficult to follow at times as the head-hopping sometimes startled me. I wish there were more subplots and complex plot threads woven in. This would have made the world even richer as Jane's and Ruric's storylines interacted with others.
There are two books in the series and I can see how the two could have been combined into one, with delicious foreshadowing woven in. That said, I'm sorry there were only two books, as I would have gone on and read a third. Some planning in structure would have taken this book from good to great.
Things I liked: I loved the characters Jane and Ruric. Jane's determination to survive is a solid trait that endeared her to me. This determination drove her to action. This willingness to go to action every time gave her a strength I admired. The main plotline of their relationship was solid and an enjoyable read. Ruric's determination to win Jane over endeared him to me. While the plot was a little slow for the first couple of chapters, once Jane is taken by the goblins and she's bonded to Ruric, the pace picks up. Their story intrigued me so much I got the second book.
Even though she is early in her career, Hamm had a voice that spoke to me and made me forgive the story's rough spots.
Things I thought needed improving: This feels very much like a first book in that Hamm's handling of the craft is a bit clumsy in the beginning, with grammatical slips and filter phrases. These elements smooth out as the book goes along. The omniscient POV was a little difficult to follow at times as the head-hopping sometimes startled me. I wish there were more subplots and complex plot threads woven in. This would have made the world even richer as Jane's and Ruric's storylines interacted with others.
There are two books in the series and I can see how the two could have been combined into one, with delicious foreshadowing woven in. That said, I'm sorry there were only two books, as I would have gone on and read a third. Some planning in structure would have taken this book from good to great.
January 1, 2017
Needs editing
The plot was interesting but I almost quit in the beginning. The sentences were oddly put together and I had to reread many. The cave life was simple but grabbed my imagination. I want to see the relationship grow between the MCs and learn more about the world.
I felt that there were holes in the world building. Where did they get furs? Where is the mom of the goblin teen? The goblins used words and descriptions that were Above even though they had never been there (he describes the heroine as smelling of sunlight--how does he know that?!)
The ending does make me want to read more.
Cliffhanger
The plot was interesting but I almost quit in the beginning. The sentences were oddly put together and I had to reread many. The cave life was simple but grabbed my imagination. I want to see the relationship grow between the MCs and learn more about the world.
I felt that there were holes in the world building. Where did they get furs? Where is the mom of the goblin teen? The goblins used words and descriptions that were Above even though they had never been there (he describes the heroine as smelling of sunlight--how does he know that?!)
The ending does make me want to read more.
Cliffhanger
October 30, 2018
A quick read!
I wanted to read this book as soon I read the title and the blurb. It seemed so interesting and something new and wild to read on.
Humans and Goblins! Both leaving, breathing and having their own space and civilized yet bloodthirsty of each other. Not one species knew the other to be anything other than an animal.
But when it comes to save their kind from extinction, the goblins left with no other choice how to save their race in the future with their females number so scrace and near to death. Or maybe they haven't found all that they searched for before.
Then Jane, a human from above world suddenly left with the responsibility of both her siblings.is forced to work in the mines with other men while pretending to be a man as no woman can work in there
When a sudden accident in the mines brings Jane face to face with the creature she had only heard of and whom all the humans feared and then being abducted by them to the Below, to the world of goblins. But what she finds in the world Below, she could never have imagined.
A bargain. A bondage for life.
Will the goblins finally find a way to save them all from extinction? Or will Jane help them; the goblin species and to understand them as different from the animals she thought before of?
This book was short and took me less time to finish it. I liked the plot and story before I started reading it. But what I found was even better than what I thought. There were sometime when I was really annoyed with if all though. The story starts off with a good pace then it gets kinda slow in the middle with Jane's getting comfort with the surroundings and all. And her character also annoyed me a lot. I liked Ruric though, but still he proved to disappoint me further towards the end.
But even with all that the story got it's pace back after sometime and as it was a really short book I didn't mind it much. However the ending is one I had not really hoped for and now I'm a little more excited to read the next book.
Hope it doesn't disappoint me this time!!! I couldn't afford getting into another slump.
I wanted to read this book as soon I read the title and the blurb. It seemed so interesting and something new and wild to read on.
Humans and Goblins! Both leaving, breathing and having their own space and civilized yet bloodthirsty of each other. Not one species knew the other to be anything other than an animal.
But when it comes to save their kind from extinction, the goblins left with no other choice how to save their race in the future with their females number so scrace and near to death. Or maybe they haven't found all that they searched for before.
Then Jane, a human from above world suddenly left with the responsibility of both her siblings.is forced to work in the mines with other men while pretending to be a man as no woman can work in there
When a sudden accident in the mines brings Jane face to face with the creature she had only heard of and whom all the humans feared and then being abducted by them to the Below, to the world of goblins. But what she finds in the world Below, she could never have imagined.
A bargain. A bondage for life.
Will the goblins finally find a way to save them all from extinction? Or will Jane help them; the goblin species and to understand them as different from the animals she thought before of?
This book was short and took me less time to finish it. I liked the plot and story before I started reading it. But what I found was even better than what I thought. There were sometime when I was really annoyed with if all though. The story starts off with a good pace then it gets kinda slow in the middle with Jane's getting comfort with the surroundings and all. And her character also annoyed me a lot. I liked Ruric though, but still he proved to disappoint me further towards the end.
But even with all that the story got it's pace back after sometime and as it was a really short book I didn't mind it much. However the ending is one I had not really hoped for and now I'm a little more excited to read the next book.
Hope it doesn't disappoint me this time!!! I couldn't afford getting into another slump.
May 7, 2015
Writing was a bit rough at the start, but story captured and held my attention. Cliffhanger at the end which was a bit disappointing, but I'm happy there may be more books. Slavery is part of the story which put me off a bit, but there wasn't any cruelty or degradation to the imprisonment.
March 3, 2016
This book probably falls under a guilty pleasure read.
But I enjoyed it. If the romance worries you I'd give this a pg-13 rating.
Interesting new world. Strong, independent lady lead. Not sure how I feel about the ending, but will probably check out the sequel.
But I enjoyed it. If the romance worries you I'd give this a pg-13 rating.
Interesting new world. Strong, independent lady lead. Not sure how I feel about the ending, but will probably check out the sequel.
September 12, 2017
The Goblin Bride was a wonderfully told story with endearing characters in a world that truly felt magical. I discovered this author through other fantasy romance readers and writers, and am so happy I picked up this book. I don't give a book a 5 star rating unless I would go back and read it again. This story is both lovely and heart-wrenching.
Jane is a relatable, believable heroine who cares deeply for her family. With her parents gone, she takes responsibility for her two younger siblings and would do anything for them, including work in the mines. When she's taken by the creatures she thought to be the imaginings of scared children, her entire world turns upside down.
Ruric is a goblin warrior, one of the best in a dying breed. Though larger and stronger than most goblins, he has a soft spot for the human woman, Jane. He might not say much, but his feelings run deep, and he would do anything for Jane and his people.
I loved this book and I can't wait to read the next one!
Jane is a relatable, believable heroine who cares deeply for her family. With her parents gone, she takes responsibility for her two younger siblings and would do anything for them, including work in the mines. When she's taken by the creatures she thought to be the imaginings of scared children, her entire world turns upside down.
Ruric is a goblin warrior, one of the best in a dying breed. Though larger and stronger than most goblins, he has a soft spot for the human woman, Jane. He might not say much, but his feelings run deep, and he would do anything for Jane and his people.
I loved this book and I can't wait to read the next one!
January 19, 2020
4 stars,because I will definitely read this book again in the future.
Lets start with atmosphere of this book. I feels like listening to a retelling of story in the dark at bonfire. Little bit magical,little bit intriguing, little bit scary as you expect something bad to happen at unexpected turn,very addictive and yet,completely removed from audience. There is no immersing in characters or world,reader is merely watching in from outskirts while the story unfolds. It is story of accepting unacceptable, of hard choices and no choices at all,at slowly blooming trust and forming relationship that are extremely fragile. There are plenty of psychological problems presented and morality of actions questioned while author provides no clear answers leaving judgement to reader.
Good,intriguing read,but I both missed the chance to associate myself with characters and being thankful for a chance to see the same situation from different points of view. That said,I didn't particularly like any of characters, they are what they are.
Wish I have read it near fireplace listening to soft crackling of fire for fuller experience.
Lets start with atmosphere of this book. I feels like listening to a retelling of story in the dark at bonfire. Little bit magical,little bit intriguing, little bit scary as you expect something bad to happen at unexpected turn,very addictive and yet,completely removed from audience. There is no immersing in characters or world,reader is merely watching in from outskirts while the story unfolds. It is story of accepting unacceptable, of hard choices and no choices at all,at slowly blooming trust and forming relationship that are extremely fragile. There are plenty of psychological problems presented and morality of actions questioned while author provides no clear answers leaving judgement to reader.
Good,intriguing read,but I both missed the chance to associate myself with characters and being thankful for a chance to see the same situation from different points of view. That said,I didn't particularly like any of characters, they are what they are.
Wish I have read it near fireplace listening to soft crackling of fire for fuller experience.
July 31, 2018
Really enjoyed this story. The characters were complex and likeable and the world of Above and Below vividly portrayed. It needed some good editing though - many spelling errors and extraneous words and sentences. I would easily give it a fifth star if this was fixed.
Read
February 4, 2021Dnf-ing more than half way through.
This wasn't a bad book, however I couldn't connect to it.
Things are slow for quite some time and in a lot of instances repetitive.
If I may say, you can tell that this is the author's first work though it has good elements in it.
I intend to come back to this in the future at some point and try to continue but for now I have to put it down.
Having said the above though I will definitely pick up soon more of the author's books to read as they all sound so interesting and with great covers, some of the best fantasy covers I have seen out there 😊
This wasn't a bad book, however I couldn't connect to it.
Things are slow for quite some time and in a lot of instances repetitive.
If I may say, you can tell that this is the author's first work though it has good elements in it.
I intend to come back to this in the future at some point and try to continue but for now I have to put it down.
Having said the above though I will definitely pick up soon more of the author's books to read as they all sound so interesting and with great covers, some of the best fantasy covers I have seen out there 😊
March 16, 2020
I don't know. The premise is interesting enough, I have read other books like this so there's that.
The setting and the worldbuilding is amazing. Its done very well. Both worlds are unique and vivid. The conflict is there, the angst.
But I just can't get into it.
Maybe its the ship, maybe I'm in another book slump. I don't know.
The setting and the worldbuilding is amazing. Its done very well. Both worlds are unique and vivid. The conflict is there, the angst.
But I just can't get into it.
Maybe its the ship, maybe I'm in another book slump. I don't know.
August 18, 2017
3 stars! Sadly, this book is very badly in need of editing (many garbled sentences and a hell of a lot of typos!), and that's why it almost went down to 2 stars for me, despite a storyline that I enjoyed quite a lot. The descriptions of Above and Below are impressive, and as a beginner's work it is amazing: Beauty and the Beast in Avatar-like surroundings (a bit too much of glowing moss and too many globes, though), and a lovestory that moves slowly, but surely. Unfortunately, however, things get a bit hectic and rushed in the end, and I cannot always relate to Jane's inner musings or actions. The cliffhanger hints at more to come (volume two has already been published!), and I will surely read the sequel ...
April 19, 2015
This book was an entirely unique read. If you love paranormal romance books, you will definitely enjoy Emma Hamm's debut book. There is nothing I love more than a big strong terrifying male lead having the softest heart of anyone you've ever met and he's even a goblin, no less. The leading female, Jane, is strong and determined. It was fun to follow her as she discovers this goblin world she's only heard stories about. This is a book that just draws you in and you can't stop turning pages. I don't like to give away any spoilers but this book is certainly a must read. I can't wait to read the next book.
July 8, 2016
3.5 stars
This is a slow moving story. However the world building and character development keeps you reading because you want to found out what happens. I'm rating it a three because it did not hold my attention throughout the story and I skimmed some chapters. I may or may not purchase the next book.
This is a slow moving story. However the world building and character development keeps you reading because you want to found out what happens. I'm rating it a three because it did not hold my attention throughout the story and I skimmed some chapters. I may or may not purchase the next book.
November 6, 2018
I have read a lot of Fantasy/Urban Fantasy books that deal with a myriad of mythical creatures. After perusing my TBR list I noticed that many of the stories deal with the same paranormal folk. Which can get pretty stale! So I knocked my brain about trying to think of a critter that doesn't get much time in the spotlight. And strangely enough, goblin came to the forefront. They are such odd little boogers and I was very interested to see what an authors would do with them.
After searching for a bit I came upon The Goblin Bride. Now at first glance I can honestly say that I wasn't too enthused to read this book. It looks so hokey! I thought it was just some schmoozy erotica hiding under the guise of a fantasy novel. Turns out, I was wrong! Despite the cover art and it's 90's romance novel vibes, it does not contain graphic sexual content. Color me surprised!
So it begins with the heroine whose name is Jane. Since her parents are both gone, her two siblings rely on her for everything. Living in a very poor mining town, Jane isn't given much of a choice on what to do to provide for her family. Men are the only ones allowed to work in the mines as it's a dangerous place.
Throwing caution to the wind, Jane disguises herself as a man and goes to work in the dark tunnels in search of gems. If she can find one of those then she and her siblings can leave for the city and live a happier life. It all seems so simple. But it's not. Things lurk in the caves. Tales of old say there are nasty goblins that hide in the depths, preying on humans. Eating them if given the chance.
One day while toiling away, Jane encounters such a creatures. Her mining buddy defends her but is conked out by a very big goblin who does the same to her. Awakening later on, Jane learns that she has been taken down into the goblin city to have her fate decided by these odd creatures.
Anticipating the worst, our heroine is surprised to learn that she is spared any cruelty. The Queen of the goblins figures out that Jane is a female and females are precious in the Below. It doesn't matter that she is human, she is still a woman and will be treated well.
The large goblin who brought her here is to be her guardian. Ruric is his name and for one so large and frightening, he can be startling gentle. He can speak in the human tongue too even though it is quite difficult.
The circumstances are far from optimal but Jane and Ruric soon bond together and learn about each other and their homes. Unfortunately for Jane, now that she has seen the home of the goblins, she must stay there. She can never return to the surface, and it causes her great pain.
She misses her family and hopes they are well. For her safety she is bound to Ruric, and yes, that means a lot more that just for his protection. You see the goblins in this tribe have no more females. They are dying out and they all hope that perhaps a union of human and goblin could replenish the dwindling population. All eyes are turned toward Jane and Ruric. Perhaps there is a chance for them after all!
Love and affection blossoms between the human and the goblin, but things change as Jane witnesses how the inhabitants of the Below treat the captives of those from the Above. In an attempts to save some humans, things go wrong and change forever.
Jane's heart is in the right place, all she wants to do is make both sides see that they are decent and worth respect. It all backfires. This story ends on a rather sombre note. I can't say that this book was amazing as it does the whole 'We'll take yer womens!' sort of cringe worthy plot.
It's full of grammatical errors and yet there is still something that draws me to this tale. It's like a strange retelling of Beauty and the Beast but with goblins! The world building isn't awful, and some of the descriptions are lovely. The glowing moss and algae is such a unique idea! I just wish this little book had some more polish to it.
I will read the second story simply because I am quite curious to see how everything pans out. The ending to this novel made my heart hurt. I want there to be happiness and love! I hope that things get resolved and sets to rights. Above and Below as one.
After searching for a bit I came upon The Goblin Bride. Now at first glance I can honestly say that I wasn't too enthused to read this book. It looks so hokey! I thought it was just some schmoozy erotica hiding under the guise of a fantasy novel. Turns out, I was wrong! Despite the cover art and it's 90's romance novel vibes, it does not contain graphic sexual content. Color me surprised!
So it begins with the heroine whose name is Jane. Since her parents are both gone, her two siblings rely on her for everything. Living in a very poor mining town, Jane isn't given much of a choice on what to do to provide for her family. Men are the only ones allowed to work in the mines as it's a dangerous place.
Throwing caution to the wind, Jane disguises herself as a man and goes to work in the dark tunnels in search of gems. If she can find one of those then she and her siblings can leave for the city and live a happier life. It all seems so simple. But it's not. Things lurk in the caves. Tales of old say there are nasty goblins that hide in the depths, preying on humans. Eating them if given the chance.
One day while toiling away, Jane encounters such a creatures. Her mining buddy defends her but is conked out by a very big goblin who does the same to her. Awakening later on, Jane learns that she has been taken down into the goblin city to have her fate decided by these odd creatures.
Anticipating the worst, our heroine is surprised to learn that she is spared any cruelty. The Queen of the goblins figures out that Jane is a female and females are precious in the Below. It doesn't matter that she is human, she is still a woman and will be treated well.
The large goblin who brought her here is to be her guardian. Ruric is his name and for one so large and frightening, he can be startling gentle. He can speak in the human tongue too even though it is quite difficult.
The circumstances are far from optimal but Jane and Ruric soon bond together and learn about each other and their homes. Unfortunately for Jane, now that she has seen the home of the goblins, she must stay there. She can never return to the surface, and it causes her great pain.
She misses her family and hopes they are well. For her safety she is bound to Ruric, and yes, that means a lot more that just for his protection. You see the goblins in this tribe have no more females. They are dying out and they all hope that perhaps a union of human and goblin could replenish the dwindling population. All eyes are turned toward Jane and Ruric. Perhaps there is a chance for them after all!
Love and affection blossoms between the human and the goblin, but things change as Jane witnesses how the inhabitants of the Below treat the captives of those from the Above. In an attempts to save some humans, things go wrong and change forever.
Jane's heart is in the right place, all she wants to do is make both sides see that they are decent and worth respect. It all backfires. This story ends on a rather sombre note. I can't say that this book was amazing as it does the whole 'We'll take yer womens!' sort of cringe worthy plot.
It's full of grammatical errors and yet there is still something that draws me to this tale. It's like a strange retelling of Beauty and the Beast but with goblins! The world building isn't awful, and some of the descriptions are lovely. The glowing moss and algae is such a unique idea! I just wish this little book had some more polish to it.
I will read the second story simply because I am quite curious to see how everything pans out. The ending to this novel made my heart hurt. I want there to be happiness and love! I hope that things get resolved and sets to rights. Above and Below as one.
January 15, 2021
Aku yakin banyak dari kalian tidak akan tahu bahasaku, tapi selalu ada google translate jika kalian ingin tahu. Jadi aku salah satu penggemar Emma Hamm, buku-bukunya sangat mempesona, dan begitu unik sehingga aku hampir selalu menyukainya, tapi yang satu ini cukup mengecewakanku.
Sepanjang jalan aku tidak mendapatkan getaran pada Ruric meski jujur saja aku suka Jane yang kuat di awal, tapi saat dia mulai jatuh cinta pada Ruric yah aku merasa karakternya menjadi rapuh. Aku juga benci bahwa Jane terus dan terus berusaha membenarkan tindakan goblin. Andai kata benar manusia akan memperlakukan goblin dengan cara yang sama seperti goblin memperlakukan manusia, aku masih tidak setuju perbudakan di sini dianggap remeh. Aku juga cukup yakin sebaik apa pun kita diperlakukan oleh spesies lain, kita masih akan cenderung memihak spesies kita jika mereka terluka apa lagi diperbudak. Karena diperbudak benar-banar tingkat yang jauh mengerikan. Mengambil hak dari suatu makhluk adalah tak termaafkan. Jadi ketika Jane dirantai dalam akhir buku pertama aku sangat kecewa. Jujur, itu membuatku membenci Ruric dan memastikan aku tidak ingin melihat kelanjutan cerita ini. Aku berharap menemukan pahlawan wanita yang kuat dan minat cinta yang memihaknya. Aku tidak tahu, tapi aku pikir Ruric tidak melakukan banyak hal agar bisa dicintai. Di sisi lain Jane benar-benar hanya dimanfaatkan rahimnya. Meski Ruric tidak begitu, toh itulah yang dinginkan para goblin. Mereka hanya ingin menggunakan Jane untuk berkembang biak, mereka tidak benar-banar menerimanya. Dan untuk itu aku pikir adil untuk tetap membenci goblin dan ingin mereka semua mati. Itu mungkin membuatku picik, tapi aku tidak peduli. Jelas kali ini Emma gagal membuatku mencintai spesies asing, padalah biasanya aku sangat mudah jatuh cinta pada mereka
Sepanjang jalan aku tidak mendapatkan getaran pada Ruric meski jujur saja aku suka Jane yang kuat di awal, tapi saat dia mulai jatuh cinta pada Ruric yah aku merasa karakternya menjadi rapuh. Aku juga benci bahwa Jane terus dan terus berusaha membenarkan tindakan goblin. Andai kata benar manusia akan memperlakukan goblin dengan cara yang sama seperti goblin memperlakukan manusia, aku masih tidak setuju perbudakan di sini dianggap remeh. Aku juga cukup yakin sebaik apa pun kita diperlakukan oleh spesies lain, kita masih akan cenderung memihak spesies kita jika mereka terluka apa lagi diperbudak. Karena diperbudak benar-banar tingkat yang jauh mengerikan. Mengambil hak dari suatu makhluk adalah tak termaafkan. Jadi ketika Jane dirantai dalam akhir buku pertama aku sangat kecewa. Jujur, itu membuatku membenci Ruric dan memastikan aku tidak ingin melihat kelanjutan cerita ini. Aku berharap menemukan pahlawan wanita yang kuat dan minat cinta yang memihaknya. Aku tidak tahu, tapi aku pikir Ruric tidak melakukan banyak hal agar bisa dicintai. Di sisi lain Jane benar-benar hanya dimanfaatkan rahimnya. Meski Ruric tidak begitu, toh itulah yang dinginkan para goblin. Mereka hanya ingin menggunakan Jane untuk berkembang biak, mereka tidak benar-banar menerimanya. Dan untuk itu aku pikir adil untuk tetap membenci goblin dan ingin mereka semua mati. Itu mungkin membuatku picik, tapi aku tidak peduli. Jelas kali ini Emma gagal membuatku mencintai spesies asing, padalah biasanya aku sangat mudah jatuh cinta pada mereka
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2018
The story was fascinating. A fresh story that is so different from what I always read. This one had been a delightful read but BE WARNED that this is a series so I recommend everyone to buy it as a set and read it when they have both books to fully enjoy the whole fascinating world and story of the goblin and his bride.
This first book is all about the life in the cave, the cultural difference and the budding relationship. This was a really slow paced read and I guess not for those who get bored with mundane things in a book. I guess one could say that nothing really happens in this book. The real action would be in the next book where things would change and a future can be seen. I also do not recommend that you should skip this book and go to the next, you might find yourself with Jane and Ruric’s relationship. The problem start in this book so I advice everyone to read it in order as the second book is a continuation to this one.
I do find myself liking the world building and being able to read other people’s POV was a plus. Though I sometimes find myself frustrated with their relationship and language barrier, I find the book growing on me. It was a very refreshing read and was glad that I found this gem.
This first book is all about the life in the cave, the cultural difference and the budding relationship. This was a really slow paced read and I guess not for those who get bored with mundane things in a book. I guess one could say that nothing really happens in this book. The real action would be in the next book where things would change and a future can be seen. I also do not recommend that you should skip this book and go to the next, you might find yourself with Jane and Ruric’s relationship. The problem start in this book so I advice everyone to read it in order as the second book is a continuation to this one.
I do find myself liking the world building and being able to read other people’s POV was a plus. Though I sometimes find myself frustrated with their relationship and language barrier, I find the book growing on me. It was a very refreshing read and was glad that I found this gem.
August 14, 2018
SO GOOD !!!
It's not my first Emma Hamm's book so I knew what I was getting into, and even if its her very FIRST book I was not disappointed one bit !
the story is really good, the characters and the places are well described. The story isn't going too slow or too fast ... The Goblin's world is mesmerizing and after this ending I need book 2 in my life RIGHT NOW =)
It's not my first Emma Hamm's book so I knew what I was getting into, and even if its her very FIRST book I was not disappointed one bit !
the story is really good, the characters and the places are well described. The story isn't going too slow or too fast ... The Goblin's world is mesmerizing and after this ending I need book 2 in my life RIGHT NOW =)
Read
May 29, 2018Hated the heroine. Couldn't finish it.
February 5, 2018
Enjoyed this book. Liked the idea and the main character. I’ve got a thing for human and different species couples.
February 21, 2018
Another fantastic read, absolutely loved it.
January 6, 2019
4.5 stars
What the hell is wrong with me that I've waited so long to read this book?
What the hell is wrong with me that I've waited so long to read this book?
June 22, 2019
That ending...
September 30, 2021
Wow! A great, intense romance…left hanging…oh, my. Love, love.
Read
September 9, 2022One of my favourite books it has everything, action , adventure romance and in the end it leaves you cliff high
January 31, 2018
Title: The Goblin Bride (Beneath Sands #1)
Author: Emma Hamm
Format: Paperback (Bought)
[ Enjoyed ] Mostly yes.
[ Last Read ] Finished last night.
[ Reread ] Probably will.
[ Cover Lust ]
Kind of.
[ Intriguing Title ] Yes. (I blame Wintersong.)
[ Interesting Premise/Plot ] Yes, but only cause it's something I tend to like reading.
[ Preview Impressions ] Writing style seems okay with my attention span.
[ Kept My Attention ] Kind of.
[ Got Bored / Mind Wandering ] No.
[ Skimmed/Skipped Scenes/Chapters ] No.
[ Reread Past Scenes For Fun ] Ironically, no.
[ Reread Past ScenesCause My Memory Sucks To Clear Confusion ] Yes for occasional typos, some formatting issues, and sudden POV shifts.
[ Stayed Up Late ] Yes.
[ Took a Long Break Midway ] Nope.
[ Ending Left Me Feeling ] *stores on bookshelf and places bookmark into first page of sequel*
[ Easy Light Reading ] Yes, if I don't overthink.
[ Turn Brain Off ] Must. (Very little room for interpretation of characters thoughts.)
[ Guilty Pleasure ] Surprisingly no.
Other thoughts I'm throwing in: (Might contain spoilers; I fail at identifying them.)
Before starting the book, I predicted that I would rate The Goblin Bride four stars. Sadly, have to knock it down to three or else I mess up my own rating system. I forgive the occasional typo or formatting issues, but being very specific on what the characters were thinking took quite a bit of the enjoyment away for me. (Gonna assume that the Beneath Sand series is an earlier work.) If I read this years ago when I possessed extremely low level of reading comprehension, I think I would have loved being told every thought and emotion.
The general story and supposed setting are ones that tends to perk my interest. At times I questioned the characters' thoughts and even the setting whenever they happened to be something I wasn't expecting. (Electricity?!) Overall those didn't distract me that much from experiencing/learning with Jane of the goblin world. Character interactions didn't feel as deep/emotional as I preferred...gonna assume that has to do with the telling instead of showing. (Not a writer; don't really know what I'm talking about. >_< )
I appreciate that the ending wasn't something cheesy (to me) or predictable (like a HEA type). Since The Goblin Warrior book exists and I have it in my possession, can't really decide if The Goblin Bride's ending is suppose to feel open ended or like a cliff-hanger. But! At least, I'm finally able to ponder Ruric's decision before diving into The Goblin Warrior~
Author: Emma Hamm
Format: Paperback (Bought)
[ Enjoyed ] Mostly yes.
[ Last Read ] Finished last night.
[ Reread ] Probably will.
[ Cover Lust ]
Kind of.[ Intriguing Title ] Yes. (I blame Wintersong.)
[ Interesting Premise/Plot ] Yes, but only cause it's something I tend to like reading.
[ Preview Impressions ] Writing style seems okay with my attention span.
[ Kept My Attention ] Kind of.
[ Got Bored / Mind Wandering ] No.
[ Skimmed/Skipped Scenes/Chapters ] No.
[ Reread Past Scenes For Fun ] Ironically, no.
[ Reread Past Scenes
[ Stayed Up Late ] Yes.
[ Took a Long Break Midway ] Nope.
[ Ending Left Me Feeling ] *stores on bookshelf and places bookmark into first page of sequel*
[ Easy Light Reading ] Yes, if I don't overthink.
[ Turn Brain Off ] Must. (Very little room for interpretation of characters thoughts.)
[ Guilty Pleasure ] Surprisingly no.
Other thoughts I'm throwing in: (Might contain spoilers; I fail at identifying them.)
Before starting the book, I predicted that I would rate The Goblin Bride four stars. Sadly, have to knock it down to three or else I mess up my own rating system. I forgive the occasional typo or formatting issues, but being very specific on what the characters were thinking took quite a bit of the enjoyment away for me. (Gonna assume that the Beneath Sand series is an earlier work.) If I read this years ago when I possessed extremely low level of reading comprehension, I think I would have loved being told every thought and emotion.
The general story and supposed setting are ones that tends to perk my interest. At times I questioned the characters' thoughts and even the setting whenever they happened to be something I wasn't expecting. (Electricity?!) Overall those didn't distract me that much from experiencing/learning with Jane of the goblin world. Character interactions didn't feel as deep/emotional as I preferred...gonna assume that has to do with the telling instead of showing. (Not a writer; don't really know what I'm talking about. >_< )
I appreciate that the ending wasn't something cheesy (to me) or predictable (like a HEA type). Since The Goblin Warrior book exists and I have it in my possession, can't really decide if The Goblin Bride's ending is suppose to feel open ended or like a cliff-hanger. But! At least, I'm finally able to ponder Ruric's decision before diving into The Goblin Warrior~
September 10, 2016
When I started this novel, I knew that it was going to be good. The question was... how good was it going to be?
Turns out it was really fantastically amazing good! I was brought completely into the world that Emma Hamm created, and I was unable to put the book down!
It was filled with vibrant cultural aspects and a beautiful world Below that contrasted the harsh realities of Above. The characters were so real! There were too many details for me not to fall into the world and believe that it actually existed. I fell in love along side Jane, and I was torn apart throughout the heart wrenching plot. The beautiful pictures that were painted consumed everything around me until I was sitting in glowing moss among crystals. (Yikes... is that a spoiler? Should I check that box down there? Hmm... Deal with it.)
I loved every moment of this book and was definitely not expecting all the deep meanings that were littered throughout. It was a heartwarming romantasy that made me think. Otherwise, exactly what I've been searching for so hard without any results.
I'm so glad that there is a second book and that I have it, because I'm definitely not ready to say goodbye to Ruric and Jane! I can't wait to begin the continuation!
5/5 stars? Oh definitely!
Turns out it was really fantastically amazing good! I was brought completely into the world that Emma Hamm created, and I was unable to put the book down!
It was filled with vibrant cultural aspects and a beautiful world Below that contrasted the harsh realities of Above. The characters were so real! There were too many details for me not to fall into the world and believe that it actually existed. I fell in love along side Jane, and I was torn apart throughout the heart wrenching plot. The beautiful pictures that were painted consumed everything around me until I was sitting in glowing moss among crystals. (Yikes... is that a spoiler? Should I check that box down there? Hmm... Deal with it.)
I loved every moment of this book and was definitely not expecting all the deep meanings that were littered throughout. It was a heartwarming romantasy that made me think. Otherwise, exactly what I've been searching for so hard without any results.
I'm so glad that there is a second book and that I have it, because I'm definitely not ready to say goodbye to Ruric and Jane! I can't wait to begin the continuation!
5/5 stars? Oh definitely!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews