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The Goblins of Bellwater
A contemporary romance inspired by Christina Rossetti's eerie, sensual poem, "Goblin Market." Four neighbors encounter sinister enchantments and a magical path to love in a small, modern-day Puget Sound town, where a fae realm hides in the woods and waters...
Most people have no idea goblins live in the woods around the small town of Bellwater, Washington. But some are about to find out.
Skye, a young barista and artist, falls victim to a goblin curse in the forest one winter night, rendering her depressed and silenced, unable to speak of what happened. Her older sister, Livy, is at wit’s end trying to understand what’s wrong with her. Local mechanic Kit would know, but he doesn’t talk of such things: he’s the human liaison for the goblin tribe, a job he keeps secret and never wanted, thrust on him by an ancient family contract.
Unaware of what’s happened to Skye, Kit starts dating Livy, trying to keep it casual to protect her from the attention of the goblins. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Kit, Skye draws his cousin Grady into the spell through an enchanted kiss in the woods, dooming Grady and Skye both to become goblins and disappear from humankind forever.
It’s a midwinter night’s enchantment as Livy, the only one untainted by a spell, sets out to save them on a dangerous magical path of her own.
Content warnings for the book: Magic used nonconsensually on people's minds, including a lust/attraction spell; some violence; facing fears including heights, deep water, fire, and being underground.
Most people have no idea goblins live in the woods around the small town of Bellwater, Washington. But some are about to find out.
Skye, a young barista and artist, falls victim to a goblin curse in the forest one winter night, rendering her depressed and silenced, unable to speak of what happened. Her older sister, Livy, is at wit’s end trying to understand what’s wrong with her. Local mechanic Kit would know, but he doesn’t talk of such things: he’s the human liaison for the goblin tribe, a job he keeps secret and never wanted, thrust on him by an ancient family contract.
Unaware of what’s happened to Skye, Kit starts dating Livy, trying to keep it casual to protect her from the attention of the goblins. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Kit, Skye draws his cousin Grady into the spell through an enchanted kiss in the woods, dooming Grady and Skye both to become goblins and disappear from humankind forever.
It’s a midwinter night’s enchantment as Livy, the only one untainted by a spell, sets out to save them on a dangerous magical path of her own.
Content warnings for the book: Magic used nonconsensually on people's minds, including a lust/attraction spell; some violence; facing fears including heights, deep water, fire, and being underground.
288 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2017
73 people are currently reading
3849 people want to read
About the author
Molly Ringle
16 books407 followers[Aug. 2022 note: I'm going dormant on Goodreads and moving over to Storygraph. Find me there! I'm under username mollyringle and would love to connect.]
Bio: Molly Ringle was one of the quiet, weird kids in school, and is now one of the quiet, weird writers of the world. She/her, demi, bi.
Bio: Molly Ringle was one of the quiet, weird kids in school, and is now one of the quiet, weird writers of the world. She/her, demi, bi.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 377 reviews
October 6, 2017
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and I think if I had fit into the target audience then maybe my star rating would have been a little higher. I truly love the concept behind the story, where it originated from, and how weird and quirky it was. The writing was beautiful and the setting was a dreamy type of atmospheric that was both fantasy fueled and modern meshed into one. I think my main hesitations came within some of the plot features themselves; maybe I'm just being nit-picky, but it felt as if these characters in their early to mid twenties had at least a decade on me in maturity and wisdom. Hey now.... Again, my issues were more "cosmetic" than anything else, and I feel like those who lean toward more romantic stories (again, not my go to) will eat this up. Recommended with caution as many people seem to think this is YA, but it is very much in the NA realm, and there is a good bit of graphic, erotic material. Again, not a problem, just hoping the disclaimer helps place this little novel in the right hands.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy via NetGalley.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my copy via NetGalley.
June 25, 2017
3.5ish stars
The Goblins of Bellwater was a book I was excited for! One of my favorite books ever, Wintersong was compared to it and I had incredibly high expectations. However, I am disappointed because it was nothing like I expected.Boi, there were no hot gobbie men.
The Story:
Most people have no idea goblins live in the woods around the small town of Bellwater, Washington. But some are about to find out. Skye, a young barista and artist, falls victim to a goblin curse in the forest one winter night, rendering her depressed and silenced, unable to speak of what happened. Her older sister, Livy, is at wit's end trying to understand what's wrong with her. Local mechanic Kit would know, but he doesn't talk of such things: he's the human liaison for the goblin tribe, a job he keeps secret and never wanted, thrust on him by an ancient family contract.
Then Kit starts dating Livy, and Skye draws Kit's cousin Grady into the spell through an enchanted kiss in the woods. Skye and Grady are doomed to become goblins and disappear from humankind forever, unless Livy, the only one untainted by enchantment, can unravel the spell by walking a dangerous magical path of her own.
My thoughts:
-I really didn't like the heavy focus on romance for the first 50% of this book. There is a few mentioning of the goblins and Kit's history with them, but it's mainly just horribly written romance. Livy and Kit's relationship was still bearable, but Skye and Grady's cringy insta love had me so grossed out and uninterested. I understand that Grady and Skye are under a spell, but couldn't there romance be written better? I've read many insta love stories where it is actually done well. Both romances felt very dull and underdeveloped. There was no chemistry and it was plain dull. Skye and Grady don't even bother getting to know each other and it just wasn't working out for me.
-The writing felt very YA for me. The character's are supposed to be in their 20's, but read as they are in their teen years. The sex scenes are also not that erotic and once again read as YA. I feel like this book could have just been categorized as YA without the not so explicit sex scenes. However, I did like how both girls were older than the guys. These relationships are so rare!
-The world building about the goblins was really lacking. I wanted to learn more about the asshole goblins, but as I've said before there was a huge focus on romance for the first 50%. The goblins origins and magic wasn't really explained. However the second half of this book did have a huge focus, but nonetheless still felt dull and underdeveloped.
Overall, despite all the issues, I enjoyed this a lot!
I recieved an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Buddy read with my fav goblin loving fangirl!!!!!
The Goblins of Bellwater was a book I was excited for! One of my favorite books ever, Wintersong was compared to it and I had incredibly high expectations. However, I am disappointed because it was nothing like I expected.
The Story:
Most people have no idea goblins live in the woods around the small town of Bellwater, Washington. But some are about to find out. Skye, a young barista and artist, falls victim to a goblin curse in the forest one winter night, rendering her depressed and silenced, unable to speak of what happened. Her older sister, Livy, is at wit's end trying to understand what's wrong with her. Local mechanic Kit would know, but he doesn't talk of such things: he's the human liaison for the goblin tribe, a job he keeps secret and never wanted, thrust on him by an ancient family contract.
Then Kit starts dating Livy, and Skye draws Kit's cousin Grady into the spell through an enchanted kiss in the woods. Skye and Grady are doomed to become goblins and disappear from humankind forever, unless Livy, the only one untainted by enchantment, can unravel the spell by walking a dangerous magical path of her own.
My thoughts:
-I really didn't like the heavy focus on romance for the first 50% of this book. There is a few mentioning of the goblins and Kit's history with them, but it's mainly just horribly written romance. Livy and Kit's relationship was still bearable, but Skye and Grady's cringy insta love had me so grossed out and uninterested. I understand that Grady and Skye are under a spell, but couldn't there romance be written better? I've read many insta love stories where it is actually done well. Both romances felt very dull and underdeveloped. There was no chemistry and it was plain dull. Skye and Grady don't even bother getting to know each other and it just wasn't working out for me.
-The writing felt very YA for me. The character's are supposed to be in their 20's, but read as they are in their teen years. The sex scenes are also not that erotic and once again read as YA. I feel like this book could have just been categorized as YA without the not so explicit sex scenes. However, I did like how both girls were older than the guys. These relationships are so rare!
-The world building about the goblins was really lacking. I wanted to learn more about the asshole goblins, but as I've said before there was a huge focus on romance for the first 50%. The goblins origins and magic wasn't really explained. However the second half of this book did have a huge focus, but nonetheless still felt dull and underdeveloped.
Overall, despite all the issues, I enjoyed this a lot!
I recieved an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Buddy read with my fav goblin loving fangirl!!!!!
November 28, 2017
Review note: I received a copy of the ARC from the publishers after the sexual content was removed, and the rushed "fade to black" scenes made much of the writing feel very blocky and awkward; however, as I've been told this was cleaned up substantially for the final release, I didn't count off for that problem.
That was what she hated most about this spell, sometimes. The goblins had taken her love of the forest and tainted it, bound it up with their magic.
Goblins starts off so strong; the goblins right from the beginning are reminiscent of actual folklore, being creepy, horrible little critters. They're greedy, grotesque, carnal, and violent. Reading their treatment of Skye is downright painful, as every move they make is laced with cruelty. Unfortunately, though, the book goes downhill fairly quickly beyond that point, and by the end, I think I was just ready for it to be over as quickly as possible.
"That's why the locals called them weeds." Livy sounded glum. "They actually are an invasive species."
This book is so incredibly atmospheric. The settings are described so beautifully that you find yourself feeling as though you actually are in a damp, dark forest at night, surrounded by mushrooms and critters. I've never even visited the PNW, yet even the daytime scenes had me feeling as though I could blink and find myself transported into a beautiful, wet, misty land of greenery and coziness. Not to mention, the descriptions of the goblins themselves are so creepy and perturbing!
Mental illness is handled beautifully in this book; Skye's silence is mistaken for a deep depression, and her sister is so loving and concerned. The Sylvain boys, despite hardly knowing Skye before the events of the story, are nothing but understanding and caring - especially Grady, which leads me to my next point.
This story has hardcore insta-lust, and I would say, even insta-love, but it's actually for a reason. The curse placed upon Skye has made it so whomever she chooses as her mate must want her back, so you're never left thinking, "How do two grown adults fall for each other so quickly?" The two of them even frequently consider the aspect that it's abnormal for them to be so attached. Oh, and did I mention that the men are younger than the woman in both 'ships? Yeah, that happens, and I never see that, so I couldn't help but love it.
"You sure? You want me here?" "Want you," she whispered. The way she said it, gazing at him, choosing those words to echo - an erotic thrill shivered through him.
The writing is quick and easy, but things are just too convenient and predictable, especially towards the end of the book. There is one small twist, and while it's a fun one, I definitely didn't find it even remotely surprising (you kind of guess it right at the beginning). Speaking of odd writing, there are a lot of mentions to sex, and most of them feel unnatural and a little bit forced. The discussions and scenes don't often feel natural to the story. (Speaking of the sex, if you're turned off by the fact that many reviewers are calling this book erotica, I wouldn't be too concerned - everything is only implied or done in a "fade to black" style.) EDIT: I've been informed that many people received an ARC that was much more explicit than mine was, for some reason? So YMMV.
Mostly, the ending was just such a disappointment; while the rest of the book hadn't been remarkable, I'd have given it 4 stars for fun's sake, but the ending is so rushed and predictable that it immediately lowered my rating to 3. I felt like there was this obvious desperation to tie up all of the loose ends, while so much of the book had been spent on descriptions of unimportant aspects, such as Grady's cooking, or Kit's frustrations over how nobody believed in the goblins' existence.
All in all, The Goblins of Bellwater is a quick, fun read, and given the fact that you can nab an ebook of it on the Kindle store for $3 or less right now, if you're interested in a new adult romance with fantasy and lore thrown in, I'd tell you to go for it. That said, I wouldn't expect anything overly intense or captivating.
CONTENT WARNINGS: trauma, physical assault, mentions of sexual assault, PTSD, depression.
All quotes are taken from an unfinished review copy and may differ from the final release. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
That was what she hated most about this spell, sometimes. The goblins had taken her love of the forest and tainted it, bound it up with their magic.
Goblins starts off so strong; the goblins right from the beginning are reminiscent of actual folklore, being creepy, horrible little critters. They're greedy, grotesque, carnal, and violent. Reading their treatment of Skye is downright painful, as every move they make is laced with cruelty. Unfortunately, though, the book goes downhill fairly quickly beyond that point, and by the end, I think I was just ready for it to be over as quickly as possible.
→ what i liked ←
"That's why the locals called them weeds." Livy sounded glum. "They actually are an invasive species."
This book is so incredibly atmospheric. The settings are described so beautifully that you find yourself feeling as though you actually are in a damp, dark forest at night, surrounded by mushrooms and critters. I've never even visited the PNW, yet even the daytime scenes had me feeling as though I could blink and find myself transported into a beautiful, wet, misty land of greenery and coziness. Not to mention, the descriptions of the goblins themselves are so creepy and perturbing!
Mental illness is handled beautifully in this book; Skye's silence is mistaken for a deep depression, and her sister is so loving and concerned. The Sylvain boys, despite hardly knowing Skye before the events of the story, are nothing but understanding and caring - especially Grady, which leads me to my next point.
This story has hardcore insta-lust, and I would say, even insta-love, but it's actually for a reason. The curse placed upon Skye has made it so whomever she chooses as her mate must want her back, so you're never left thinking, "How do two grown adults fall for each other so quickly?" The two of them even frequently consider the aspect that it's abnormal for them to be so attached. Oh, and did I mention that the men are younger than the woman in both 'ships? Yeah, that happens, and I never see that, so I couldn't help but love it.
→ what i didn't like ←
"You sure? You want me here?" "Want you," she whispered. The way she said it, gazing at him, choosing those words to echo - an erotic thrill shivered through him.
The writing is quick and easy, but things are just too convenient and predictable, especially towards the end of the book. There is one small twist, and while it's a fun one, I definitely didn't find it even remotely surprising (you kind of guess it right at the beginning). Speaking of odd writing, there are a lot of mentions to sex, and most of them feel unnatural and a little bit forced. The discussions and scenes don't often feel natural to the story. (Speaking of the sex, if you're turned off by the fact that many reviewers are calling this book erotica, I wouldn't be too concerned - everything is only implied or done in a "fade to black" style.) EDIT: I've been informed that many people received an ARC that was much more explicit than mine was, for some reason? So YMMV.
Mostly, the ending was just such a disappointment; while the rest of the book hadn't been remarkable, I'd have given it 4 stars for fun's sake, but the ending is so rushed and predictable that it immediately lowered my rating to 3. I felt like there was this obvious desperation to tie up all of the loose ends, while so much of the book had been spent on descriptions of unimportant aspects, such as Grady's cooking, or Kit's frustrations over how nobody believed in the goblins' existence.
→ final thoughts ←
All in all, The Goblins of Bellwater is a quick, fun read, and given the fact that you can nab an ebook of it on the Kindle store for $3 or less right now, if you're interested in a new adult romance with fantasy and lore thrown in, I'd tell you to go for it. That said, I wouldn't expect anything overly intense or captivating.
CONTENT WARNINGS: trauma, physical assault, mentions of sexual assault, PTSD, depression.
All quotes are taken from an unfinished review copy and may differ from the final release. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 25, 2017
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Molly Ringle, and the publisher, Central Avenue Publishing, for this opportunity.
This novel is based on Christina Rossetti's infamous poem, Goblin Market. The original is nebulous, haunting, and Gothic in nature, and has remained my favourite poem for many years. I was both excited and hesitant to see how a modern-day retelling would measure up.
I felt that Ringle brilliantly recreated the mingling of whimsy and dark, haunting beauty that made the original poem as renowned and continually loved as it is. I also felt that the cover expertly recreated this feeling into a visual format.
The tale initially featured goblins, like the original, and as such, much of the whimsy I was expecting. This quickly, however, transgressed into a love story that I wasn't as keen to focus on and didn't find wholly believable.
The goblins that have made their home in the woods, surrounding the small town of Bellwater, Washington, have also overtaken the life of local mechanic, Kit. As the human liaison for the secret goblin tribe, he provides them with treasures and gold to keep the occupied and out of mischief. This strain on both his finances and his guilt threatens to overwhelm him and one fateful week he is late with his expected payment. In retribution, the devious goblins decide to curse the next human to traverse their woods after sundown.
Skye, always at home in the dappled sunlight of the woods becomes, overnight it seems, silent and depressed. Livy can't fathom the sudden alteration in her normally sunny sister. Skye falls deeper into herself and her inability to speak of her woodland encounters threatens to drive her to madness. Will Kit make the connection in time? Or will his visiting cousin, Grady, be the knight in shining armour that will free her from her demons?
Whilst the goblins' presence and the curse they put on poor Skye were intriguing, the rest of the plot became less so, after these events. What was initially a fantastical and fairytale-esque story, turned into a typical love story for much of the narrative.
The dual relationships that transpired didn't stand out for me, in any way, and I didn't really care about their feelings for each other, because of this. They also, curse or no curse, fell into recreating the dreaded insta-love trope! Reasons were given for their immediate attraction but it still didn't allow me, as the reader, to care for emotions that were only created days ago!
I also struggled with reading of Skye's curse-created depression. The topic was handled sensitively but something also jarred with me, when reading it. I don't mean to call the author out for misrepresentation and am just, perhaps, overly sensitive when reading of characters who suffer from mental illness. It seemed the term 'depression' was continually used for her ailment long after I still needed to keep seeing the word. I can't quite place exactly why it bothered me, but it did.
If not for the middle, romance-heavy section, I would have loved this book as the ending provided the same dark atmospheric quality I so loved from the beginning. I was expecting a larger focus on the fantastical elements of the plot, throughout, and instead this was just used to frame a contemporary romance. Not bad, just not for me.
This novel is based on Christina Rossetti's infamous poem, Goblin Market. The original is nebulous, haunting, and Gothic in nature, and has remained my favourite poem for many years. I was both excited and hesitant to see how a modern-day retelling would measure up.
I felt that Ringle brilliantly recreated the mingling of whimsy and dark, haunting beauty that made the original poem as renowned and continually loved as it is. I also felt that the cover expertly recreated this feeling into a visual format.
The tale initially featured goblins, like the original, and as such, much of the whimsy I was expecting. This quickly, however, transgressed into a love story that I wasn't as keen to focus on and didn't find wholly believable.
The goblins that have made their home in the woods, surrounding the small town of Bellwater, Washington, have also overtaken the life of local mechanic, Kit. As the human liaison for the secret goblin tribe, he provides them with treasures and gold to keep the occupied and out of mischief. This strain on both his finances and his guilt threatens to overwhelm him and one fateful week he is late with his expected payment. In retribution, the devious goblins decide to curse the next human to traverse their woods after sundown.
Skye, always at home in the dappled sunlight of the woods becomes, overnight it seems, silent and depressed. Livy can't fathom the sudden alteration in her normally sunny sister. Skye falls deeper into herself and her inability to speak of her woodland encounters threatens to drive her to madness. Will Kit make the connection in time? Or will his visiting cousin, Grady, be the knight in shining armour that will free her from her demons?
Whilst the goblins' presence and the curse they put on poor Skye were intriguing, the rest of the plot became less so, after these events. What was initially a fantastical and fairytale-esque story, turned into a typical love story for much of the narrative.
The dual relationships that transpired didn't stand out for me, in any way, and I didn't really care about their feelings for each other, because of this. They also, curse or no curse, fell into recreating the dreaded insta-love trope! Reasons were given for their immediate attraction but it still didn't allow me, as the reader, to care for emotions that were only created days ago!
I also struggled with reading of Skye's curse-created depression. The topic was handled sensitively but something also jarred with me, when reading it. I don't mean to call the author out for misrepresentation and am just, perhaps, overly sensitive when reading of characters who suffer from mental illness. It seemed the term 'depression' was continually used for her ailment long after I still needed to keep seeing the word. I can't quite place exactly why it bothered me, but it did.
If not for the middle, romance-heavy section, I would have loved this book as the ending provided the same dark atmospheric quality I so loved from the beginning. I was expecting a larger focus on the fantastical elements of the plot, throughout, and instead this was just used to frame a contemporary romance. Not bad, just not for me.
Read
August 23, 2017DNF at 30%. I'm not rating this, but I couldn’t see myself giving this higher than 2 stars if I’d gone on with it.
This book wasn’t for me. I want to start off by saying that I rarely read contemporary, and although I love fantasy on the whole, the subgenre of urban fantasy can be kind of hit-or-miss for me. The Goblins of Bellwater had a unique premise—creepy goblins that lure people into the forest + mysterious kidnappings and quests—not to mention a GORGEOUS cover. Unfortunately, the story itself was a bit too heavily focused on the banalities of ordinary life in the town for my taste, and I struggled to connect to the characters. I think this book could be a great read for some, but I never really got into it.
I don’t have much to day about the plot or world or writing, because there was nothing about them that stood out to me, but I do have a few things to say about the characters.
Kit just wasn’t interesting or compelling to me in any way. Which I was frustrated about, because I really wanted to like him as a character. He’s a mechanic who makes driftwood sculptures on the side and also is the resident goblin-liaison of his town…..that sounds like a recipe for a fascinating character, right? Wrong. I just couldn’t get over how….ordinary and plain he was. Like pasta without any salt.
ALSO: let’s not forget the fact that from the very second he met Livy he immediately sexualized her in a way that I honestly found repulsive.
…she was an older babe with a nice rack and blondish hair that curled in a way he liked, and sweet pouty lips.
Have we not moved past the point where female characters must be grossly objectified every time they’re introduced to a man??? Up until that point the book had felt like a pretty standard urban fantasy, but when I read this line it felt like I’d been catapulted face-first into a skeevy, poorly-written romance novel. It was like “oh, wow, better go check off unnecessary overobjectification of women on the list of required douchey male character traits that I should have expected.” Maybe Kit has a character arc that allows him to grow past it, but I just didn’t care enough to keep going and find out.
Livy wasn’t much better, and I had a similar issue with the way she talked about her sister’s depression.
Why would Skye be depressed? She was a resilient, happy person, with so much going for her and plenty to look forward to. It made no sense.
I know this is only one line, and Skye isn’t actually depressed, just enchanted by goblins, but I think it’s important to point out that that isn’t how depression works. You don’t need to have a horrible life to be affected by depression, it isn’t brought on by a series of predictable causes. The idea that depression can’t happen to people with what appear to be perfect lives is ridiculous and even harmful. Livy also tells people that it probably has to do with Skye being an artist and having a “moody temperament.” I do know the author has stated that Livy was intentionally portrayed as somewhat ignorant of mental health issues. Since I haven’t finished the book, I can’t speak to how this ultimately treated. However, I’ve seen a few reviews since from readers who didn’t feel this was handled especially well. (If you’ve read the book and have an opinion on this matter, I’d be very interested to hear what you thought!)
I don’t really have anything to say about Skye or Grady. They seemed slightly better, but the developing romantic relationships were pretty meh as well. I didn’t feel any chemistry, and there was ultimately nothing to keep me reading past the first third.
I’d like to thank the publisher for providing an ARC via NetGalley.
Review also posted on my blog.
This book wasn’t for me. I want to start off by saying that I rarely read contemporary, and although I love fantasy on the whole, the subgenre of urban fantasy can be kind of hit-or-miss for me. The Goblins of Bellwater had a unique premise—creepy goblins that lure people into the forest + mysterious kidnappings and quests—not to mention a GORGEOUS cover. Unfortunately, the story itself was a bit too heavily focused on the banalities of ordinary life in the town for my taste, and I struggled to connect to the characters. I think this book could be a great read for some, but I never really got into it.
I don’t have much to day about the plot or world or writing, because there was nothing about them that stood out to me, but I do have a few things to say about the characters.
Kit just wasn’t interesting or compelling to me in any way. Which I was frustrated about, because I really wanted to like him as a character. He’s a mechanic who makes driftwood sculptures on the side and also is the resident goblin-liaison of his town…..that sounds like a recipe for a fascinating character, right? Wrong. I just couldn’t get over how….ordinary and plain he was. Like pasta without any salt.
ALSO: let’s not forget the fact that from the very second he met Livy he immediately sexualized her in a way that I honestly found repulsive.
…she was an older babe with a nice rack and blondish hair that curled in a way he liked, and sweet pouty lips.
Have we not moved past the point where female characters must be grossly objectified every time they’re introduced to a man??? Up until that point the book had felt like a pretty standard urban fantasy, but when I read this line it felt like I’d been catapulted face-first into a skeevy, poorly-written romance novel. It was like “oh, wow, better go check off unnecessary overobjectification of women on the list of required douchey male character traits that I should have expected.” Maybe Kit has a character arc that allows him to grow past it, but I just didn’t care enough to keep going and find out.
Livy wasn’t much better, and I had a similar issue with the way she talked about her sister’s depression.
Why would Skye be depressed? She was a resilient, happy person, with so much going for her and plenty to look forward to. It made no sense.
I know this is only one line, and Skye isn’t actually depressed, just enchanted by goblins, but I think it’s important to point out that that isn’t how depression works. You don’t need to have a horrible life to be affected by depression, it isn’t brought on by a series of predictable causes. The idea that depression can’t happen to people with what appear to be perfect lives is ridiculous and even harmful. Livy also tells people that it probably has to do with Skye being an artist and having a “moody temperament.” I do know the author has stated that Livy was intentionally portrayed as somewhat ignorant of mental health issues. Since I haven’t finished the book, I can’t speak to how this ultimately treated. However, I’ve seen a few reviews since from readers who didn’t feel this was handled especially well. (If you’ve read the book and have an opinion on this matter, I’d be very interested to hear what you thought!)
I don’t really have anything to say about Skye or Grady. They seemed slightly better, but the developing romantic relationships were pretty meh as well. I didn’t feel any chemistry, and there was ultimately nothing to keep me reading past the first third.
I’d like to thank the publisher for providing an ARC via NetGalley.
Review also posted on my blog.
November 20, 2017
What an amazingly creative and magical read!
Before I get into my thoughts on the novel as a whole, I have to relay my amazement on the use of Goblins within this story. Seriously, I am amazed and impressed in the way that the author integrated them within the story. They were not juvenile. They were scary (yet fascinating) creatures that were such a creative element of this novel. Not often are Goblins used in a fantasy and combined within the modern world. It was such a unique, refreshing, and creative concept that I had not read of before!
Now, on to my overall thoughts. In case you can't guess from my enthusiastic appreciation of Goblins above, I loved this novel. It was a new story that was not one of the same of many novels told in a different way. This story was magical, it was vastly creative, the setting and descriptions were visual, and the writing was incredible. In combination, all of this made for the perfect novel and I could not put the book down. I enjoyed each of the characters and each of them had their own individual yet identifiable personality. They were all likeable which made it easy to become invested in the story.
I'm going to be honest and say that typically I probably wouldn't pick up a novel with "Goblin" in the title because of preconceived notions. This is the perfect example of how I would have hugely missed out based on that personal judgement. This was an amazing read that I will definitely be recommending and I know for certain that I will be searching for some Molly Ringle reads in the future!
***Thank you to Goodreads as well as the author and publisher for supplying me with this novel via a giveaway***
Before I get into my thoughts on the novel as a whole, I have to relay my amazement on the use of Goblins within this story. Seriously, I am amazed and impressed in the way that the author integrated them within the story. They were not juvenile. They were scary (yet fascinating) creatures that were such a creative element of this novel. Not often are Goblins used in a fantasy and combined within the modern world. It was such a unique, refreshing, and creative concept that I had not read of before!
Now, on to my overall thoughts. In case you can't guess from my enthusiastic appreciation of Goblins above, I loved this novel. It was a new story that was not one of the same of many novels told in a different way. This story was magical, it was vastly creative, the setting and descriptions were visual, and the writing was incredible. In combination, all of this made for the perfect novel and I could not put the book down. I enjoyed each of the characters and each of them had their own individual yet identifiable personality. They were all likeable which made it easy to become invested in the story.
I'm going to be honest and say that typically I probably wouldn't pick up a novel with "Goblin" in the title because of preconceived notions. This is the perfect example of how I would have hugely missed out based on that personal judgement. This was an amazing read that I will definitely be recommending and I know for certain that I will be searching for some Molly Ringle reads in the future!
***Thank you to Goodreads as well as the author and publisher for supplying me with this novel via a giveaway***
October 12, 2017
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
Four twenty-somethings fall in love when they become mixed up with the local goblins.
Skye and Livvy are sisters who live adjacent to the Washington National Forest where they both have always dreamt of seeing the local fae. Nearby, Kit runs his auto repair shop while he secretly tries to keep the humans in the area safe. When Grady, his cousin, comes to stay with him Kit is unable to meet the goblins gold quota and so they find a human to curse...
So you're also attracted to the cover, right?!
I LOVE fae! So pair that fae rich title with an elegant and intriguing cover and I am sold! I found the cover simply gorgeous and while the vegetation has zero to do with the plot it created this atmosphere that was quite present in the story: a slightly creepy but lush vibe.
I don't know about goblins though...?
One of the things that attracted me to the premise was the idea of exploring just a tiny bit of the fae world. Most fantasy books touch on many different kinds of fae right from the start so I was intrigued that the author had enough story to write an entire book about mainly goblins. And I felt like the story delivered on the premise! We literally get to experience what it means to turn into a goblin! Woah! It was a wild ride... we got just enough information in the beginning to get a sense of the world, more explanation about the goblins later and a great climax that was somewhat unexpected. It's not the type of world building that gives you a wide sense of what other stories could come from it but it served the story well and wasn't shallow.
Okay, well I heard there are FOUR POVS... that can't be well written, can it?
Actually having never read Molly Ringle before I was pleasantly surprised at the superior writing!! Grady comes into the story a little later than the others but I really felt that all 4 POVs were different from one another and stood in well for each of the characters. I was never confused about who I was reading... THIS IS A FEAT!
Really its HARD to actually have 4 different narratives sound different and so this success eclipsed some of the small problems. For one there was too much telling in spots. Quite a good chunk was balanced well with telling through dialogue and then showing feelings through actions but this slipped in spots and became quite glaring a time or two. This is hard to be consistent in and probably bothered me more than it would a regular reader.
If Skye can't talk about what happened to her... how is there much of a story?!
Storycraft is something I harp on a lot on my blog and it's very important that characters are developed properly - this book did that decently well! I enjoyed the role that each character played in the story and that the typical trope of male saves female was turned on its head. When everything came out it was in the MOST NATURAL WAY POSSIBLE... I found this a brilliant bit of storycraft and development! FINALLY NOT A COINCIDENCE!
A LARGE part of the book was the developing relationships between the couples. This was the weakest part of the story. It wasn't insta-love and time passed between "dates" but there was NO OTHER PLOT through here. Their connections would have been more believable if there were other things happening with the fae that could give a real sense of time passing as well as take the focus off the quick advancement from a couple dates to friends with benefits.
WAIT, I'm still stuck on 4 POVs... how can I relate to that many characters?!
First you get to experience everything first hand from Skye's POV... this is a pretty messed up situation (and, sorry Skye, I'm liking it) though I felt for Skye through the entire experience! I can't imagine the feelings of helplessness she felt not being able to SAY anything... (feeling it for real I mean!) Grady though provided the anchor she needed, though he was too close to her to see the actual PROBLEM (that felt spot on to me!) Their relationship was strong and quite fascinating... I do wish MORE plot had been developed to explore love vs. compulsion but what WAS there was compelling for me.
Then we have Lizzy! Are you an older sister? I AM!! So I totally felt for Lizzy and wanted to be the champion and felt that disbelief! GAH!! I was a little skivvied out about her swift advancement with Kit but their one on one interactions were quite well developed and I wanted to SHIP them... Kit I think is the first one that I felt for... I CAN'T have done what he did... NO. NO, NO!! Sorry family... so if you put yourself in their shoes (which is AMAZINGLY easy to do...) then you'll FEEL it too!
Soooo, you're saying this book is perfect?! Well why only 4 stars then?!
Okay, you're right! It's not perfect... I've mentioned a few of the problems... I didn't particularly like Grady's response after everything was over. Such circumstances needed a tad more angst to be real for me... not that the FINAL OUTCOME was wrong but it was too fast. And the whole immunity thing was skirted around too easily... that felt contrived to me.
What I'm saying is YOU'VE GOT TO READ THIS BOOK...
If you love fae then you'll enjoy this book... there are stories within the story and some powerful goblin characters. I'm looking at you Redring and Flowerwatch!! (Okay yeah so if you're not convinced yet then Flowerwatch is my secret weapon... and the BEST character in the story... a minor character who is a HERO and so tragic but poignantly so... READ FOR HER!) There are the sisters relationship (okay, YES I kept this in my back pocket as a backup plan...!) which was so sweet and loving and supportive... I also really loved the "in-law" beginnings that started to form early on... I crave books with MORE relationships like these, rather than just those of lovers and this book delivered those!
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Premise & World Building
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Cover & Title
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Development & Storycraft
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing & Narrative
⋆⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Relationships
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Feelings
BOTTOM LINE: Becoming a Goblin is an easy thing to do but not so easy to accept!!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my special perspective at the bottom of my reviews under the typewriter...
Four twenty-somethings fall in love when they become mixed up with the local goblins.
Skye and Livvy are sisters who live adjacent to the Washington National Forest where they both have always dreamt of seeing the local fae. Nearby, Kit runs his auto repair shop while he secretly tries to keep the humans in the area safe. When Grady, his cousin, comes to stay with him Kit is unable to meet the goblins gold quota and so they find a human to curse...
So you're also attracted to the cover, right?!
I LOVE fae! So pair that fae rich title with an elegant and intriguing cover and I am sold! I found the cover simply gorgeous and while the vegetation has zero to do with the plot it created this atmosphere that was quite present in the story: a slightly creepy but lush vibe.
I don't know about goblins though...?
One of the things that attracted me to the premise was the idea of exploring just a tiny bit of the fae world. Most fantasy books touch on many different kinds of fae right from the start so I was intrigued that the author had enough story to write an entire book about mainly goblins. And I felt like the story delivered on the premise! We literally get to experience what it means to turn into a goblin! Woah! It was a wild ride... we got just enough information in the beginning to get a sense of the world, more explanation about the goblins later and a great climax that was somewhat unexpected. It's not the type of world building that gives you a wide sense of what other stories could come from it but it served the story well and wasn't shallow.
Okay, well I heard there are FOUR POVS... that can't be well written, can it?
Actually having never read Molly Ringle before I was pleasantly surprised at the superior writing!! Grady comes into the story a little later than the others but I really felt that all 4 POVs were different from one another and stood in well for each of the characters. I was never confused about who I was reading... THIS IS A FEAT!
Really its HARD to actually have 4 different narratives sound different and so this success eclipsed some of the small problems. For one there was too much telling in spots. Quite a good chunk was balanced well with telling through dialogue and then showing feelings through actions but this slipped in spots and became quite glaring a time or two. This is hard to be consistent in and probably bothered me more than it would a regular reader.
If Skye can't talk about what happened to her... how is there much of a story?!
Storycraft is something I harp on a lot on my blog and it's very important that characters are developed properly - this book did that decently well! I enjoyed the role that each character played in the story and that the typical trope of male saves female was turned on its head. When everything came out it was in the MOST NATURAL WAY POSSIBLE... I found this a brilliant bit of storycraft and development! FINALLY NOT A COINCIDENCE!
A LARGE part of the book was the developing relationships between the couples. This was the weakest part of the story. It wasn't insta-love and time passed between "dates" but there was NO OTHER PLOT through here. Their connections would have been more believable if there were other things happening with the fae that could give a real sense of time passing as well as take the focus off the quick advancement from a couple dates to friends with benefits.
WAIT, I'm still stuck on 4 POVs... how can I relate to that many characters?!
First you get to experience everything first hand from Skye's POV... this is a pretty messed up situation (and, sorry Skye, I'm liking it) though I felt for Skye through the entire experience! I can't imagine the feelings of helplessness she felt not being able to SAY anything... (feeling it for real I mean!) Grady though provided the anchor she needed, though he was too close to her to see the actual PROBLEM (that felt spot on to me!) Their relationship was strong and quite fascinating... I do wish MORE plot had been developed to explore love vs. compulsion but what WAS there was compelling for me.
Then we have Lizzy! Are you an older sister? I AM!! So I totally felt for Lizzy and wanted to be the champion and felt that disbelief! GAH!! I was a little skivvied out about her swift advancement with Kit but their one on one interactions were quite well developed and I wanted to SHIP them... Kit I think is the first one that I felt for... I CAN'T have done what he did... NO. NO, NO!! Sorry family... so if you put yourself in their shoes (which is AMAZINGLY easy to do...) then you'll FEEL it too!
Soooo, you're saying this book is perfect?! Well why only 4 stars then?!
Okay, you're right! It's not perfect... I've mentioned a few of the problems... I didn't particularly like Grady's response after everything was over. Such circumstances needed a tad more angst to be real for me... not that the FINAL OUTCOME was wrong but it was too fast. And the whole immunity thing was skirted around too easily... that felt contrived to me.
What I'm saying is YOU'VE GOT TO READ THIS BOOK...
If you love fae then you'll enjoy this book... there are stories within the story and some powerful goblin characters. I'm looking at you Redring and Flowerwatch!! (Okay yeah so if you're not convinced yet then Flowerwatch is my secret weapon... and the BEST character in the story... a minor character who is a HERO and so tragic but poignantly so... READ FOR HER!) There are the sisters relationship (okay, YES I kept this in my back pocket as a backup plan...!) which was so sweet and loving and supportive... I also really loved the "in-law" beginnings that started to form early on... I crave books with MORE relationships like these, rather than just those of lovers and this book delivered those!
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Premise & World Building
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Cover & Title
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Development & Storycraft
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing & Narrative
⋆⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Relationships
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Feelings
BOTTOM LINE: Becoming a Goblin is an easy thing to do but not so easy to accept!!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my special perspective at the bottom of my reviews under the typewriter...
March 4, 2018
““I cried out to the fae to appear for me. It was my ill fortune that it was a goblin who answered.”
This wasn’t really bad, but it wasn’t particularly good either?
Taking place in the small, Northwestern town of Bellwater, the story revolves around four friends as they try to escape the spell-work of the clan of mischievous Goblins that live in the woods. Overall, it was a fun, inventive story, but definitely felt more NA Romance-y than Paranormal Adventure.
All of the mystical elements are referred to in colloquial modern English and all the description very straight-forward making them instead feel commonplace. Maybe this is just personal taste, but when I read about twisted goblins and fantastic fae, I want it to feel magical? Not just see our main character haggle with them and tons of debating their evilness.
While the story is rater short, a large amount of it is dedicated to the two romances. Again, they weren’t bad but they weren’t particularly engaging either? I was left feeling very ‘meh,’ but this may be entirely because I was expecting more focus on the paranormal aspect.
In Conclusion:
- If you’re looking for a New Adult romance with urban-fantasy elements, this is the book for you.
- If you’re looking for a whimsical, magical story about devious goblin creatures… maybe look elsewhere.
I received an ARC of this through Netgalley, thanks to Central Avenue Publishing for the opportunity!
June 20, 2017
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this gem!
Review on the blog, you can check it out HERE
“Everyone knew you shouldn't go biting into fruit offered to you by magical creatures in the woods, even if you'd thought until just five minutes ago that such stories were, you know, only stories.”
Review on the blog, you can check it out HERE
November 15, 2017
There's something about stand alone books that always makes me nervous that the story won't be complete or fulfilling because its hard to trust that everything that will make this story a good one can possibly be contained in under 300 pages. In the midst of this book my thoughts were that this is going to be one of those books where I am left wanting more, because how could Ringle wrap up all this craziness by the end of the book. I am happy to say though, that the ending was great! The story wraps up without feeling rushed or cut short. I really enjoyed how it all played out in the end.
That being said, this was a really fast and interesting read! I loved the atmosphere of the National Forest and love love loved how Livy was in the Forest Service. This was a wonderful touch :) Her love for the four elements played in perfectly with the local fae, and her love for nature was evident. Livy was probably my favorite character for these reasons alone!
The goblins were truly terrifying and gave me the heebie jeebies!! I was glad that they weren't the love interests, but more to the original idea of what we think a goblin might be like. I really wished that at times I could see Skye's drawings of the goblins and their treehouse village!! AND her graphic novel!!! Maybe one day :)
I had to think if I wanted this to be a three or four star rating, and finally after really thinking about how enjoyable the book was I settled on 4 stars.. It really did capture my attention and was a fun and light and entertaining read. I would definitely recommend this to my fellow reader friends!
Happy Reading!
That being said, this was a really fast and interesting read! I loved the atmosphere of the National Forest and love love loved how Livy was in the Forest Service. This was a wonderful touch :) Her love for the four elements played in perfectly with the local fae, and her love for nature was evident. Livy was probably my favorite character for these reasons alone!
The goblins were truly terrifying and gave me the heebie jeebies!! I was glad that they weren't the love interests, but more to the original idea of what we think a goblin might be like. I really wished that at times I could see Skye's drawings of the goblins and their treehouse village!! AND her graphic novel!!! Maybe one day :)
I had to think if I wanted this to be a three or four star rating, and finally after really thinking about how enjoyable the book was I settled on 4 stars.. It really did capture my attention and was a fun and light and entertaining read. I would definitely recommend this to my fellow reader friends!
Happy Reading!
September 12, 2017
I’m giving The Goblins of Bellwater by author, Molly Ringle 4.5 stars. But wanna know a fun fact? About 35% through the book I was contemplating putting it down and walking away! But then I said to myself, “well I haven’t written a negative review in quite a while, so I’ll just read on and pick and choose why I don’t like this book and discuss it. But here I am telling y’all that I am rating it 4.5 stars. I am so glad I followed through a finished because this has been one of the greatest realistic fantasy (contradiction? Absolutely not!) titles I have read yet this year! This book is a fusion of realism and fantasy with a twist of romance and mental illness. This book is raw, real and somehow brings to the surface all the spirits and monsters that could be living in our very own world, but we will never be sure of it. Confused? Read on.
The Goblins of Bellwater is a tale of love, magic, and hopeless, or seemingly hopeless, betrayal and disaster. Deep within the forests of Bellwater, Washington, a wintry and seemingly melancholic town on the outskirts of the city, lives another world; society; species. It’s magical and dangerous, harming and even killing whomever it traps in it’s enticing path, and no one would know about it. No one, but one unfortunate young mechanic.
24-year-old Kit Sylvain is the victim of a long-withstanding family curse. He is the liaison between the morbid and enchanting goblin world and the real-to-the-eye “real” world. An unfortunate mistake of his great grandmother has been passed on through family generations and now consumes the lifestyle and fate Ki must endure. Just like his ancestors he has the ability to steal gold without ever being caught and must pay up a monthly sum to the goblins at the rise of the full moon. If not, the untrustworthy goblins reserve the right to harm or cause mischief to Bellwater and any unlucky human who chooses to wander into the forest come nightfall. Just is the case when, one night, Kit, very unwise of him, falls short in his monthly pay-up to the goblins. These creatures, many of whom were humans once themselves once upon a full moon are not to be trifled with. Their sneers and hearty giggles hardly mean well natured humor. Redring, the ring leader of the pack with her own dim history is evil and her her vileness spreads to the other goblins like a cancer. What she commands goes and what she promises, or what deals she makes never go without a disastrous trap. If any one goblin should turn against or disagree with Redring, well, rest in peace for them.
And just like his ancestors, Kit is doomed to die young. It’s inscribed in his curse and written in his future. As a result, Kit steers clear of long term romantic relationships and keeps his fatal secret to himself. Well, that is until the Darwen sisters…
Artist, Skye Darwen is a 23-year-old barista who is keeping her eyes peeled for a career as a graphic designer. Her imagination is vivid and is effortlessly illustrated in her sketches or fluid stencil and color. One evening after work she wanders into the forest with the teenie-tines on her mind. That is what she and her 26-year-old environmental scientist sister, Livy call the imaginary creatures they feel lurk in the forest. This is all a sort of game for the sisters as they have felt the goblins’ presence since childhood but have never managed to secure any discernible evidence. Not until this evening that Skye decides to follow the tasty path put in front of her by the goblins. Skye is lured into their world and her own life, as well as Kit, his 21-year old chef cousin, Grady, and Livy’s change forever, and are forever entwined.
A dark and powerful curse is placed on Skye as the goblin spirits make their way into her consciousness and manage to gain increasing power over her life as a human. Day by day, Skye loses touch with the human world and feels the pull of the goblin world as she struggles to fight against the temptation growing inside of her to make the depths of the forest her knew home. Thus no longer being a human and becoming a goblin forever. Days go by and Skye sinks away from the human world, loses all joy, and eventually all willingness to interact altogether. Livy is worried and thinks it to be depression. She fears for Skye, but with a magic so dark as goblin magic, little can be done, until Kit is willing to share his secret and even then, can the curse really be lifted in time, before Skye becomes full goblin?
Grady’s presence in the narrative is actually rather catastrophic. One day he discovers Skye in the forest and the first words that come out of her mouth are “help me.” This becomes the eventual erotic relationship between the two victims – Skye is the victim of the goblins and Grady is the victim of Skye. She chooses him as her mate and thus spreads her curse onto him. Their relationship is their fate and the permiscuousness that occurs between them throught the story is rather perplexing because the reader is constantly caused to wonder whether the attraction of the couple is due to the goblin curse or simply a passionate romance.
Meanwhile, Kit and Livy are having their own fun. Each has a teenie-tiny crush on the other, and neither admits it up until they must come together – mind, body, and soul – to confront the fae world.
Told in the third person, this book often alternates between the perspectives – sometimes Kit, other times Livy, a few times Grady, and lots of times Skye. I really liked this choice of the author because it allowed me, as a reader, to zero-in on the minds of each character and attempt to dissemble their tangled lives with hopes of making sense of the curse which brought the four protagonists together.
What caused me to contemplate not finishing this book at first was all the focus on the unraveling romances between Livy and Kit and later Skye and Grady. They initially seemed irrelevant to the story which I was expecting to be an enchanting fantasy. It wasn’t until I noticed the changes in Grady’s character and the events of him and Skye having sex in the forest under the watchful eye of the goblins that I finally understood.
There is realism fused with fantasy here. Many scenes take place in Bellwater and simply seem like an overly explicit erotica. And then there are all the thrilling events that happen as Livy tries to save her sister and break the goblin curse. I felt as though I was being pulled back and forth between reality and the author’s imagination. Her portrayal of the fae world was surreal and flawlessly illustrated. I really did, in the most figurative sense of the world, become a spirit floating between reality and fiction – sometimes I was laughing alongside the goblins, other times I was crawling under the earth with Livy, and often anticipating my transformation into a goblin within the mind of Skye.
This is such a unique read, and am so happy to have continued it despite my initial skepticism. The cover is as gorgeous as Ringle’s evocative writing. Her word choice and the dialogue between the characters is fluid and seems real. Their is little awkwardness or feelings of “eek, nobody would ever even say that.” I enjoyed this read tremendously and look forward to more from this author in the future.
If any of you have not yet noticed, in writing this review I was tremendously influenced by the relationship of realism and fantasy that I noticed. I was given the opportunity to ask the author about her inspiration and how she went about her descriptions of both worlds so well. A guest post from Molly Ringle in response to my wonder is coming soon so I hope everyone will enjoy this book and hold it as dear to their hearts as readers as I did.
The Goblins of Bellwater is a tale of love, magic, and hopeless, or seemingly hopeless, betrayal and disaster. Deep within the forests of Bellwater, Washington, a wintry and seemingly melancholic town on the outskirts of the city, lives another world; society; species. It’s magical and dangerous, harming and even killing whomever it traps in it’s enticing path, and no one would know about it. No one, but one unfortunate young mechanic.
24-year-old Kit Sylvain is the victim of a long-withstanding family curse. He is the liaison between the morbid and enchanting goblin world and the real-to-the-eye “real” world. An unfortunate mistake of his great grandmother has been passed on through family generations and now consumes the lifestyle and fate Ki must endure. Just like his ancestors he has the ability to steal gold without ever being caught and must pay up a monthly sum to the goblins at the rise of the full moon. If not, the untrustworthy goblins reserve the right to harm or cause mischief to Bellwater and any unlucky human who chooses to wander into the forest come nightfall. Just is the case when, one night, Kit, very unwise of him, falls short in his monthly pay-up to the goblins. These creatures, many of whom were humans once themselves once upon a full moon are not to be trifled with. Their sneers and hearty giggles hardly mean well natured humor. Redring, the ring leader of the pack with her own dim history is evil and her her vileness spreads to the other goblins like a cancer. What she commands goes and what she promises, or what deals she makes never go without a disastrous trap. If any one goblin should turn against or disagree with Redring, well, rest in peace for them.
And just like his ancestors, Kit is doomed to die young. It’s inscribed in his curse and written in his future. As a result, Kit steers clear of long term romantic relationships and keeps his fatal secret to himself. Well, that is until the Darwen sisters…
Artist, Skye Darwen is a 23-year-old barista who is keeping her eyes peeled for a career as a graphic designer. Her imagination is vivid and is effortlessly illustrated in her sketches or fluid stencil and color. One evening after work she wanders into the forest with the teenie-tines on her mind. That is what she and her 26-year-old environmental scientist sister, Livy call the imaginary creatures they feel lurk in the forest. This is all a sort of game for the sisters as they have felt the goblins’ presence since childhood but have never managed to secure any discernible evidence. Not until this evening that Skye decides to follow the tasty path put in front of her by the goblins. Skye is lured into their world and her own life, as well as Kit, his 21-year old chef cousin, Grady, and Livy’s change forever, and are forever entwined.
A dark and powerful curse is placed on Skye as the goblin spirits make their way into her consciousness and manage to gain increasing power over her life as a human. Day by day, Skye loses touch with the human world and feels the pull of the goblin world as she struggles to fight against the temptation growing inside of her to make the depths of the forest her knew home. Thus no longer being a human and becoming a goblin forever. Days go by and Skye sinks away from the human world, loses all joy, and eventually all willingness to interact altogether. Livy is worried and thinks it to be depression. She fears for Skye, but with a magic so dark as goblin magic, little can be done, until Kit is willing to share his secret and even then, can the curse really be lifted in time, before Skye becomes full goblin?
Grady’s presence in the narrative is actually rather catastrophic. One day he discovers Skye in the forest and the first words that come out of her mouth are “help me.” This becomes the eventual erotic relationship between the two victims – Skye is the victim of the goblins and Grady is the victim of Skye. She chooses him as her mate and thus spreads her curse onto him. Their relationship is their fate and the permiscuousness that occurs between them throught the story is rather perplexing because the reader is constantly caused to wonder whether the attraction of the couple is due to the goblin curse or simply a passionate romance.
Meanwhile, Kit and Livy are having their own fun. Each has a teenie-tiny crush on the other, and neither admits it up until they must come together – mind, body, and soul – to confront the fae world.
Told in the third person, this book often alternates between the perspectives – sometimes Kit, other times Livy, a few times Grady, and lots of times Skye. I really liked this choice of the author because it allowed me, as a reader, to zero-in on the minds of each character and attempt to dissemble their tangled lives with hopes of making sense of the curse which brought the four protagonists together.
What caused me to contemplate not finishing this book at first was all the focus on the unraveling romances between Livy and Kit and later Skye and Grady. They initially seemed irrelevant to the story which I was expecting to be an enchanting fantasy. It wasn’t until I noticed the changes in Grady’s character and the events of him and Skye having sex in the forest under the watchful eye of the goblins that I finally understood.
There is realism fused with fantasy here. Many scenes take place in Bellwater and simply seem like an overly explicit erotica. And then there are all the thrilling events that happen as Livy tries to save her sister and break the goblin curse. I felt as though I was being pulled back and forth between reality and the author’s imagination. Her portrayal of the fae world was surreal and flawlessly illustrated. I really did, in the most figurative sense of the world, become a spirit floating between reality and fiction – sometimes I was laughing alongside the goblins, other times I was crawling under the earth with Livy, and often anticipating my transformation into a goblin within the mind of Skye.
This is such a unique read, and am so happy to have continued it despite my initial skepticism. The cover is as gorgeous as Ringle’s evocative writing. Her word choice and the dialogue between the characters is fluid and seems real. Their is little awkwardness or feelings of “eek, nobody would ever even say that.” I enjoyed this read tremendously and look forward to more from this author in the future.
If any of you have not yet noticed, in writing this review I was tremendously influenced by the relationship of realism and fantasy that I noticed. I was given the opportunity to ask the author about her inspiration and how she went about her descriptions of both worlds so well. A guest post from Molly Ringle in response to my wonder is coming soon so I hope everyone will enjoy this book and hold it as dear to their hearts as readers as I did.
June 16, 2018
3.5 stars
First of all, I should say the cover is very attractive, which forced me to give a try.
The book is very beautifully written, specially the world building where I was mesmerized by the authors writing skills. But then again I lost my interest with the introduction of Skye and Grady’s relationship. It’s like a love at first sight. It didn’t get on well with me.
I really love the way how the sibling-love between the two sisters was shown throughout the story; Livy willing to do anything for her sister in order to get Skye free from the goblin curse.
My favorite character of this story is flowerwatch. Even though she was turned to be a goblin, she helped Livy and the others to be free from the curse.
Overall, the book is great.
I would recommend it for anyone who loves retellings and romance.
First of all, I should say the cover is very attractive, which forced me to give a try.
The book is very beautifully written, specially the world building where I was mesmerized by the authors writing skills. But then again I lost my interest with the introduction of Skye and Grady’s relationship. It’s like a love at first sight. It didn’t get on well with me.
I really love the way how the sibling-love between the two sisters was shown throughout the story; Livy willing to do anything for her sister in order to get Skye free from the goblin curse.
My favorite character of this story is flowerwatch. Even though she was turned to be a goblin, she helped Livy and the others to be free from the curse.
Overall, the book is great.
I would recommend it for anyone who loves retellings and romance.
Read
November 14, 2021Content warnings for the book: Magic used nonconsensually on people's minds, including an attraction spell (would get the "sex pollen" label if we were on AO3); some violence; facing fears including heights, deep water, fire, and being underground.
Beware! This is not Labyrinth, where you might fall in love with a hot goblin guy in awesomely tight pants. This is a modern reimagining of Rossetti's "Goblin Market," in which goblins are the nasty antagonists, and the (yes, weird and messed-up) love stories are only between humans. (As if Labyrinth's love story is not the least bit weird and messed-up, but I digress.)
Now, as for an origin story on this one, here is the tale straight from this book's afterword:
--
My original inspiration for this story was, of course, the poem “Goblin Market” by Christina Rossetti, published in 1862. I became aware of it in 2011 when a longtime online friend of mine named Aaron brought it up in a blog comment, in which he related a story from his high school years. In his words:
…an English Lit teacher (let's call her Judith) announced to her room full of sixteen-year-old charges, including me, that each of us would have to memorize and recite a poem to the class; she suggested "anything from the Oxford Book of English Verse." Some of my classmates raced to find the shortest and easiest to memorize. (Should you ever need to do this, it's "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.") Meanwhile I took a moment to make sure I was awake and had really been handed such a blank check, then sat down to memorize "Goblin Market." I was looking forward to my classmates' reactions to:
She cried 'Laura,' up the garden,
'Did you miss me?
Come and kiss me.
Never mind my bruises,
Hug me, kiss me, suck my juices
Squeezed from goblin fruits for you,
Goblin pulp and goblin dew.
Eat me, drink me, love me...'
Came the day, and alas I had got no farther than "Clearer than water flowed that juice/She never tasted such before" when Judith woke up, realized what was coming next, and stopped me in my tracks with a frosty "Thank you, that *WILL* be all."
Much amused by this story, I Googled the poem, read it, and commented back to Aaron:
Ooooh la la! This poem is gold to the paranormal romance writer! And um, yeah, surely even the Victorians noticed the overt biting and sucking going on. Still, I may actually have to stick this in my "story idea file" and use it sometime. For a modern paranormal romance, however, I'd need more nuance than "maiden good, goblin evil." This day and age, after all, it's "maiden conflicted, goblin sparkly and heartthrobby."
As it turned out, of course, I did more or less go with “maiden good, goblin evil.” By the time I got around to writing this novel, I had just come off a long, epic trilogy about Greek gods (Persephone’s Orchard and its sequels), and was tiring of immortality and special powers being the goal. Ordinary human life appealed to me this time around.
But I also didn’t want the fae to be only troublesome; that would imply forces of nature were inherently sinister, which isn’t my opinion at all. For that matter, it would be unfair to the larger body of faerie lore, in which the fae are all kinds of things, ranging from benevolent to lethal. So I invented some local fae, the native species, to balance out those invasive species, the goblins. All of them, in keeping with ancient faery tales, live by very different rules and morals than we humans, so their behavior is never going to make perfect sense to us.
--
The changes made from the ARC, for those who've been curious, consisted mostly just of condensing down some of the love scenes in the first half of the book (for both couples), for the sake of mood and pacing. I can put the longer versions up as extra scenes if you really want. ;)
Note from 2017:
We have gotten lots of advance reviews for this book, and I must sincerely thank those who have taken on the ARC for review, since we're now taking your views into consideration and making a few adjustments. As of June 16, we've posted a new ARC over on NetGalley. It's a new situation for us--like having another and very large group of beta readers--and in some ways it feels like cheating to change things based on prevailing opinions among them. However, when they're changes we agree with (which they are), we're happy to make them and improve the final edition of the work. So, thank you, intrepid ARC readers!
One of the extended-and-now-deleted scenes between Grady and Skye is here, if you're curious, and one between Livy and Kit is here.
P.S. If you aren't on NetGalley, you can still read a preview of the first two chapters here. Enjoy!
Beware! This is not Labyrinth, where you might fall in love with a hot goblin guy in awesomely tight pants. This is a modern reimagining of Rossetti's "Goblin Market," in which goblins are the nasty antagonists, and the (yes, weird and messed-up) love stories are only between humans. (As if Labyrinth's love story is not the least bit weird and messed-up, but I digress.)
Now, as for an origin story on this one, here is the tale straight from this book's afterword:
--
My original inspiration for this story was, of course, the poem “Goblin Market” by Christina Rossetti, published in 1862. I became aware of it in 2011 when a longtime online friend of mine named Aaron brought it up in a blog comment, in which he related a story from his high school years. In his words:
…an English Lit teacher (let's call her Judith) announced to her room full of sixteen-year-old charges, including me, that each of us would have to memorize and recite a poem to the class; she suggested "anything from the Oxford Book of English Verse." Some of my classmates raced to find the shortest and easiest to memorize. (Should you ever need to do this, it's "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.") Meanwhile I took a moment to make sure I was awake and had really been handed such a blank check, then sat down to memorize "Goblin Market." I was looking forward to my classmates' reactions to:
She cried 'Laura,' up the garden,
'Did you miss me?
Come and kiss me.
Never mind my bruises,
Hug me, kiss me, suck my juices
Squeezed from goblin fruits for you,
Goblin pulp and goblin dew.
Eat me, drink me, love me...'
Came the day, and alas I had got no farther than "Clearer than water flowed that juice/She never tasted such before" when Judith woke up, realized what was coming next, and stopped me in my tracks with a frosty "Thank you, that *WILL* be all."
Much amused by this story, I Googled the poem, read it, and commented back to Aaron:
Ooooh la la! This poem is gold to the paranormal romance writer! And um, yeah, surely even the Victorians noticed the overt biting and sucking going on. Still, I may actually have to stick this in my "story idea file" and use it sometime. For a modern paranormal romance, however, I'd need more nuance than "maiden good, goblin evil." This day and age, after all, it's "maiden conflicted, goblin sparkly and heartthrobby."
As it turned out, of course, I did more or less go with “maiden good, goblin evil.” By the time I got around to writing this novel, I had just come off a long, epic trilogy about Greek gods (Persephone’s Orchard and its sequels), and was tiring of immortality and special powers being the goal. Ordinary human life appealed to me this time around.
But I also didn’t want the fae to be only troublesome; that would imply forces of nature were inherently sinister, which isn’t my opinion at all. For that matter, it would be unfair to the larger body of faerie lore, in which the fae are all kinds of things, ranging from benevolent to lethal. So I invented some local fae, the native species, to balance out those invasive species, the goblins. All of them, in keeping with ancient faery tales, live by very different rules and morals than we humans, so their behavior is never going to make perfect sense to us.
--
The changes made from the ARC, for those who've been curious, consisted mostly just of condensing down some of the love scenes in the first half of the book (for both couples), for the sake of mood and pacing. I can put the longer versions up as extra scenes if you really want. ;)
Note from 2017:
We have gotten lots of advance reviews for this book, and I must sincerely thank those who have taken on the ARC for review, since we're now taking your views into consideration and making a few adjustments. As of June 16, we've posted a new ARC over on NetGalley. It's a new situation for us--like having another and very large group of beta readers--and in some ways it feels like cheating to change things based on prevailing opinions among them. However, when they're changes we agree with (which they are), we're happy to make them and improve the final edition of the work. So, thank you, intrepid ARC readers!
One of the extended-and-now-deleted scenes between Grady and Skye is here, if you're curious, and one between Livy and Kit is here.
P.S. If you aren't on NetGalley, you can still read a preview of the first two chapters here. Enjoy!
May 23, 2017
“Most people have no idea goblins live in the woods around the small town of Bellwater, Washington. But some are about to find out.”
Skye and her older sister Livy have lived in Bellwater, Washington all their lives, growing up telling stories to each other of encountering the "Teeny-tinies" that dwell in the forests. They live in a town where magic can be sinister and creatures can lead you astray from the path. While the sisters believe these to be the product of youthful imaginations, Kit, the human liaison for the goblins, knows the truth about the cunning creatures. The goblins in this world are not ethereal and magical, but repulsive, which is indeed their charm. The fae of Skye and Livy's childhood are not the benevolent creatures they once thought, and Skye finds herself coerced by their malignant magic. Cursed and rendered nearly mute, Skye struggles to resist the goblin compulsion to turn to the woods, even as she drags Kit's unsuspecting cousin Grady into the same spell that threatens to rob her of her humanity.
The Goblins of Bellwater was more romance heavy than I was expecting, with characters falling for each other at every turn, but the moody atmosphere and nods to Rossetti's classic haunting poem ‘Goblin Market’ made this an amazing read for me. What begins as a standard steamy romance (with the exception of an early goblin cameo), morphs into something more dark and chilling as the narrative progresses. This is a fast paced read with unexpected delights.
I rated this book a 4.5 out of 5 for its creativity and charm, and strongly recommend that you get lost in this magical world as fast as possible! I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Molly Ringle for the opportunity to expand my horizon and become immersed in this great read!
Skye and her older sister Livy have lived in Bellwater, Washington all their lives, growing up telling stories to each other of encountering the "Teeny-tinies" that dwell in the forests. They live in a town where magic can be sinister and creatures can lead you astray from the path. While the sisters believe these to be the product of youthful imaginations, Kit, the human liaison for the goblins, knows the truth about the cunning creatures. The goblins in this world are not ethereal and magical, but repulsive, which is indeed their charm. The fae of Skye and Livy's childhood are not the benevolent creatures they once thought, and Skye finds herself coerced by their malignant magic. Cursed and rendered nearly mute, Skye struggles to resist the goblin compulsion to turn to the woods, even as she drags Kit's unsuspecting cousin Grady into the same spell that threatens to rob her of her humanity.
The Goblins of Bellwater was more romance heavy than I was expecting, with characters falling for each other at every turn, but the moody atmosphere and nods to Rossetti's classic haunting poem ‘Goblin Market’ made this an amazing read for me. What begins as a standard steamy romance (with the exception of an early goblin cameo), morphs into something more dark and chilling as the narrative progresses. This is a fast paced read with unexpected delights.
I rated this book a 4.5 out of 5 for its creativity and charm, and strongly recommend that you get lost in this magical world as fast as possible! I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Molly Ringle for the opportunity to expand my horizon and become immersed in this great read!
dnf
September 27, 2017
DNF at 40%
A bit bummed about this one, but it just isn't holding my attention.
September 28, 2017
3.5 / 5 Fangs
I went into this book hoping for some hot goblin men, but this book gave me the exact opposite of that. This books goblins' were creepy and exactly what most people would associate goblins with. At first, I was disappointed by that, however, as the book went on, I was absorbed in the world the author created and forgot about the lack of sexy goblins. I felt like I was transported to the world of the characters due to the author's wonderfully descriptive writing. The Goblins of Bellwater was a sexy, adventurous, and unique story.
This book started with a huge emphasis on romance. I am a huge romance lover, but I was hoping for more fantasy and action elements presented earlier on in the book. The romance I didn't really like was the one between Skye and Grady. There were some supernatural elements involved with them forming a relationship, which was interesting, but it made their romance feel rushed and underdeveloped to me. Skye and Grady's relationship made me feel uncomfortable due to the forced nature of it. I really wasn't a fan of their relationship. I think if they would have gotten to know each other more, I would have been more on board with their relationship.
All that being said, I did enjoy the romance between Livy and Kit from the beginning. I thought they had a really sweet romance. I was shipping them right from the start! I really liked the way the author developed their relationship. I also liked the aged differences between the couples because both the women were older than the men, which I found very refreshing!
I thought the fantasy elements involving the goblins was extremely interesting. I really enjoyed the fantasy world the author created and how she really made the fantasy her own. I would have liked some more world-building regarding the goblins in the beginning of the book, but I was happy that later in the book there was more development and explanation of the goblins. I even started to grow attached to some of the goblins, which I was a delightful surprise!
The goblins caused some interesting plot development in the book, especially in the second half of the book. There were so many exciting elements introduced in the second half of the book and it was hard for me to put the book down! I was seriously on the edge of my seat during some of the scenes! The author is fantastic at creating high-stakes action sequences. I seriously loved the adventures that some of the characters in this book went on.
Overall, I enjoyed The Goblins of Bellwater a lot, even if I had some issues with the book! This book was a fast paced book that was very easy for me to devour. The world and characters the author created were both memorable and interesting. I am looking forward to seeing what the author comes out with next!
3.5 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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I went into this book hoping for some hot goblin men, but this book gave me the exact opposite of that. This books goblins' were creepy and exactly what most people would associate goblins with. At first, I was disappointed by that, however, as the book went on, I was absorbed in the world the author created and forgot about the lack of sexy goblins. I felt like I was transported to the world of the characters due to the author's wonderfully descriptive writing. The Goblins of Bellwater was a sexy, adventurous, and unique story.
This book started with a huge emphasis on romance. I am a huge romance lover, but I was hoping for more fantasy and action elements presented earlier on in the book. The romance I didn't really like was the one between Skye and Grady. There were some supernatural elements involved with them forming a relationship, which was interesting, but it made their romance feel rushed and underdeveloped to me. Skye and Grady's relationship made me feel uncomfortable due to the forced nature of it. I really wasn't a fan of their relationship. I think if they would have gotten to know each other more, I would have been more on board with their relationship.
All that being said, I did enjoy the romance between Livy and Kit from the beginning. I thought they had a really sweet romance. I was shipping them right from the start! I really liked the way the author developed their relationship. I also liked the aged differences between the couples because both the women were older than the men, which I found very refreshing!
I thought the fantasy elements involving the goblins was extremely interesting. I really enjoyed the fantasy world the author created and how she really made the fantasy her own. I would have liked some more world-building regarding the goblins in the beginning of the book, but I was happy that later in the book there was more development and explanation of the goblins. I even started to grow attached to some of the goblins, which I was a delightful surprise!
The goblins caused some interesting plot development in the book, especially in the second half of the book. There were so many exciting elements introduced in the second half of the book and it was hard for me to put the book down! I was seriously on the edge of my seat during some of the scenes! The author is fantastic at creating high-stakes action sequences. I seriously loved the adventures that some of the characters in this book went on.
Overall, I enjoyed The Goblins of Bellwater a lot, even if I had some issues with the book! This book was a fast paced book that was very easy for me to devour. The world and characters the author created were both memorable and interesting. I am looking forward to seeing what the author comes out with next!
3.5 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
did-not-finish
November 10, 2017I guess I'm in the minority with this one. I started this at least three times, but I can't get into it. I'm not fond of the writing style, mainly because it's not engaging enough for me. From the beginning, I don't feel the story moving forward or any encouragement to get me to continue reading it. Sorry, I tried my best.
Want to read
August 29, 2017I JUST GOT APPROVED FOR AN ARC OF 'THE GOBLINS OF BELLWATER' ON NETGALLEY! I AM SO EXCITED! YEEPEE!
August 5, 2018
I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher, Central Avenue Publishing, in exchange for an honest review. I’d like to apologise for my tardiness in giving them that review, sincerely.
🌟🌟🌟.5
This is a dark, paranormal romance with a fairy tale atmosphere and an actual non-pathetic heroine to boot.
The intertwining of the two worlds, both our real world and this dark magical one was well done and the ‘liaison’ role between the two forces was original and intriguing though I wished we’d got to see a little more of Kit as a character. The pacing was good and it was refreshing to have such a satisfying ending for a fantasy standalone.
The first scene with Grady and Skye actually really tugged at my heartstrings, something about the way he treated and communicated with her and her own, albeit limited, responses just gave me the feels in a big way. I mean, it got rapidly less cute and innocent as you’ll see but that scene stuck with me.
Oddly, what I took most from this book is a strange insight to mental illness and depression. Though Skye’s illness is really a magical spell/curse the frustration and depression she experiences, as a result, is most definitely less than magical and I thought it was eloquently expressed and I found it interesting to see through her eyes.
One of my peeves with all books of this genre is the tendency for the characters to substitute sex for dealing with their problems and there’s some of that here but it’s definitely not as problematic as other books I’ve read and certainly less vulgar.
Livy was a cool and I must say, unexpected female lead and as I said before, utterly non-pathetic which is great. She didn’t need anyone to come to save her, she just did what she had to and I respected her immensely for it. I did wish Kit had more of a role to play but he was still a good character.
This was a great read I demolished in one day but I’d have to emphasise it only stands this strongly alone – a sequel (unless it was mindblowing) would probably ruin it.
🌟🌟🌟.5
This is a dark, paranormal romance with a fairy tale atmosphere and an actual non-pathetic heroine to boot.
The intertwining of the two worlds, both our real world and this dark magical one was well done and the ‘liaison’ role between the two forces was original and intriguing though I wished we’d got to see a little more of Kit as a character. The pacing was good and it was refreshing to have such a satisfying ending for a fantasy standalone.
The first scene with Grady and Skye actually really tugged at my heartstrings, something about the way he treated and communicated with her and her own, albeit limited, responses just gave me the feels in a big way. I mean, it got rapidly less cute and innocent as you’ll see but that scene stuck with me.
Oddly, what I took most from this book is a strange insight to mental illness and depression. Though Skye’s illness is really a magical spell/curse the frustration and depression she experiences, as a result, is most definitely less than magical and I thought it was eloquently expressed and I found it interesting to see through her eyes.
One of my peeves with all books of this genre is the tendency for the characters to substitute sex for dealing with their problems and there’s some of that here but it’s definitely not as problematic as other books I’ve read and certainly less vulgar.
Livy was a cool and I must say, unexpected female lead and as I said before, utterly non-pathetic which is great. She didn’t need anyone to come to save her, she just did what she had to and I respected her immensely for it. I did wish Kit had more of a role to play but he was still a good character.
This was a great read I demolished in one day but I’d have to emphasise it only stands this strongly alone – a sequel (unless it was mindblowing) would probably ruin it.
Read
September 28, 2017See my full review on my blog along with others at: shesgoingbookcrazy.com
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Release date October 1st, 2017!
DNFing at 40%
This book is a great example as to why I normally don't pick up New Adult reads. I did anyways, because I thought I was getting a more fantasy-based story about goblins with a contemporary twist. Instead, I got a lust-filled contemporary novel, with a dash of goblin trickery.
The story shifts between the perspectives of four main characters: Kit, Livy, Grady, and Skye. Kit, a local mechanic has an unbelievable secret: he's a liaison to a goblin tribe occupying the forests surrounding Bellwater--a position passed down to him through a family contract. Kit knows that the goblins are spiteful creatures. When an exchange runs later than planned, he knows to expect the goblins to retaliate in some way or another, but never guesses that they would attack a human girl, and force her to become part of their tribe by feeding her goblin fruit and cursing her with their magic.
Livy has been trying to figure out what has happened to her normally outgoing sister, Skye. Recently falling into a suddenly severe depression, Skye has been rendered nearly unable to speak, eat, or live. The cursed magic the goblins cast over her in the woods has only left her with one desire: return to the forest and choose a goblin mate.
Grady is staying with his cousin Kit for a while. Looking for a steady job, he's been helping out Kit in the mechanic shop, and practicing his cooking skills. Not that Kit minds the good food, but Grady would like to do something more with his life. Walking through the woods one evening, he crosses paths with a mysterious girl. She says two things to him: Help me and I choose you. After sharing a kiss that left him dumbfounded, Grady knew he needed to find the mystery girl to figure out what she was talking about.
------------------------------
Honestly, I didn't mind how contemporary the read felt in first thirty percent. I thought Skye's condition made for a frustrating, yet engrossing twist to the story. I really wanted to find out how she was freed from the curse the goblins set on her!
But when the four main characters began pursuing sexual relationships with each other, it just became too distracting from the main plot of the book. It was one scene after the other, with little progression with the present issues. It's really too bad, because I was willing to give this a chance as a NA novel, and was actually enjoying the story until the point of DNFing.
Vulgarity: Quite a bit.
Sexual content: Obviously, with lots of detail.
Violence: None.
Since this is a DNF, I will not be assigning a star rating.
A big thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Release date October 1st, 2017!
DNFing at 40%
This book is a great example as to why I normally don't pick up New Adult reads. I did anyways, because I thought I was getting a more fantasy-based story about goblins with a contemporary twist. Instead, I got a lust-filled contemporary novel, with a dash of goblin trickery.
The story shifts between the perspectives of four main characters: Kit, Livy, Grady, and Skye. Kit, a local mechanic has an unbelievable secret: he's a liaison to a goblin tribe occupying the forests surrounding Bellwater--a position passed down to him through a family contract. Kit knows that the goblins are spiteful creatures. When an exchange runs later than planned, he knows to expect the goblins to retaliate in some way or another, but never guesses that they would attack a human girl, and force her to become part of their tribe by feeding her goblin fruit and cursing her with their magic.
Livy has been trying to figure out what has happened to her normally outgoing sister, Skye. Recently falling into a suddenly severe depression, Skye has been rendered nearly unable to speak, eat, or live. The cursed magic the goblins cast over her in the woods has only left her with one desire: return to the forest and choose a goblin mate.
Grady is staying with his cousin Kit for a while. Looking for a steady job, he's been helping out Kit in the mechanic shop, and practicing his cooking skills. Not that Kit minds the good food, but Grady would like to do something more with his life. Walking through the woods one evening, he crosses paths with a mysterious girl. She says two things to him: Help me and I choose you. After sharing a kiss that left him dumbfounded, Grady knew he needed to find the mystery girl to figure out what she was talking about.
------------------------------
Honestly, I didn't mind how contemporary the read felt in first thirty percent. I thought Skye's condition made for a frustrating, yet engrossing twist to the story. I really wanted to find out how she was freed from the curse the goblins set on her!
But when the four main characters began pursuing sexual relationships with each other, it just became too distracting from the main plot of the book. It was one scene after the other, with little progression with the present issues. It's really too bad, because I was willing to give this a chance as a NA novel, and was actually enjoying the story until the point of DNFing.
Vulgarity: Quite a bit.
Sexual content: Obviously, with lots of detail.
Violence: None.
Since this is a DNF, I will not be assigning a star rating.
A big thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!
September 29, 2017
Read this full review and more on my book blog!
Actual Rating: 4.5
TW: Fire, Depression, Sexual Assault, PTSD
The Synopsis on Goodreads is spot on and I don't really know any other way to say it. Goblins, Fae, Romance and Magic.
It started off slow but even from the very beginning I was interested and enjoying it. The first 1/2 I wanted to keep reading and was intrigued, but in no rush, then the second half really picked up the pace and intrigue and I couldn't put it down! I read the first 1/2 in 2 days, the second 1/2 in one and stayed up too late doing so! There was one thing I predicted but only maybe a couple pages in advance, and I still loved it!
The writing was very readable. I don't necessarily think it's the best writing but I personally enjoyed it. I loved the characters! I don't think I can pick a favorite character, I just loved them all! Kit has had it so rough with the curse on his family and he's truly caring of others, and an artist with a chainsaw (sculptures). Livy is smart, a scientist, strong and also very caring. Grady is a wonderful chef and Skye is also an artist (without a chainsaw) who sketches and makes art in peoples coffee as a barista. Truly they are all caring people with their own things going on.
I enjoyed the world-building, it's set in washington (the state) but in a fictional town and while the real world is in there, so is fairies, goblins and magic! I truly enjoyed the atmosphere of the place.
The TW for fire (I was in a house fire 5 years ago and have PTSD from it) is something I wouldn't have been able to get through 5 years ago, so I mention it for anyone else who needs the TW. If you want to brace yourself for it, it's after water (that'll make sense in the book). About the 75% mark. I had to stop a couple times while reading it even still. However i'm really glad I read I this book and continued on with it! I have nothing against it of course, it's just trauma event=ptsd=trigger warnings for well-being.
The PTSD I mention isn't stated directly as PTSD in the book but to myself, someone with PTSD, it was plainly obvious and felt very real to my own experiences with it, with nightmares in particular. I would have had a hard time believing it if some trauma wasn't experienced after all that, but there was and for me personally I thought it was well done for what it was.
If an entertaining fantasy read with evil goblins, some good fae, romance, curses and magic, that is pretty light and fast to read with a bit of depth (but not too much) sprinkled in sounds interesting to you i'd definitely recommend checking it out! Some things below I wanted to talk about but may be considered spoilers.
*minor spoilers*
My Booktube Channel
Actual Rating: 4.5
TW: Fire, Depression, Sexual Assault, PTSD
The Synopsis on Goodreads is spot on and I don't really know any other way to say it. Goblins, Fae, Romance and Magic.
It started off slow but even from the very beginning I was interested and enjoying it. The first 1/2 I wanted to keep reading and was intrigued, but in no rush, then the second half really picked up the pace and intrigue and I couldn't put it down! I read the first 1/2 in 2 days, the second 1/2 in one and stayed up too late doing so! There was one thing I predicted but only maybe a couple pages in advance, and I still loved it!
The writing was very readable. I don't necessarily think it's the best writing but I personally enjoyed it. I loved the characters! I don't think I can pick a favorite character, I just loved them all! Kit has had it so rough with the curse on his family and he's truly caring of others, and an artist with a chainsaw (sculptures). Livy is smart, a scientist, strong and also very caring. Grady is a wonderful chef and Skye is also an artist (without a chainsaw) who sketches and makes art in peoples coffee as a barista. Truly they are all caring people with their own things going on.
I enjoyed the world-building, it's set in washington (the state) but in a fictional town and while the real world is in there, so is fairies, goblins and magic! I truly enjoyed the atmosphere of the place.
The TW for fire (I was in a house fire 5 years ago and have PTSD from it) is something I wouldn't have been able to get through 5 years ago, so I mention it for anyone else who needs the TW. If you want to brace yourself for it, it's after water (that'll make sense in the book). About the 75% mark. I had to stop a couple times while reading it even still. However i'm really glad I read I this book and continued on with it! I have nothing against it of course, it's just trauma event=ptsd=trigger warnings for well-being.
The PTSD I mention isn't stated directly as PTSD in the book but to myself, someone with PTSD, it was plainly obvious and felt very real to my own experiences with it, with nightmares in particular. I would have had a hard time believing it if some trauma wasn't experienced after all that, but there was and for me personally I thought it was well done for what it was.
If an entertaining fantasy read with evil goblins, some good fae, romance, curses and magic, that is pretty light and fast to read with a bit of depth (but not too much) sprinkled in sounds interesting to you i'd definitely recommend checking it out! Some things below I wanted to talk about but may be considered spoilers.
*minor spoilers*
My Booktube Channel
June 29, 2017
DNF 45%
*I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.* Oh my oh my. Where shall I start. I really don't like to give a bad review on ARC copies but I'm going to be honest as always. I got interested in this book because I saw quite a few people excited about getting a ARC copy of this book. My overall description of this book is a book version of a low budget movie with bad graphics. I feel bad saying/writing this but it's true. Oh and don't get me started on how people/genders are talked/described in this book. I know I know. I'm probably making a fuss but it kinda bothered me. I just felt unimpressed with this book and I wish I could say the opposite. I can say that I thought the cover art was quite interesting but that's about it... I wouldn't recommend this book. 1 star.
*I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.* Oh my oh my. Where shall I start. I really don't like to give a bad review on ARC copies but I'm going to be honest as always. I got interested in this book because I saw quite a few people excited about getting a ARC copy of this book. My overall description of this book is a book version of a low budget movie with bad graphics. I feel bad saying/writing this but it's true. Oh and don't get me started on how people/genders are talked/described in this book. I know I know. I'm probably making a fuss but it kinda bothered me. I just felt unimpressed with this book and I wish I could say the opposite. I can say that I thought the cover art was quite interesting but that's about it... I wouldn't recommend this book. 1 star.
October 13, 2017
Here's my two cents about this book: I normally don't fall for a book that is being hyped; in fact I normally go the other way, because I'm stubborn and I don't like media telling me what I should read.
With this one, I guess that the title, add the cover, plus the fact that this seemed to be a stand alone (AND I DO LOVE STAND ALONE STORIES), made me decide to risk it and request it...
... not a good decision.
Going by the title, and with goblins to the mix, I was hoping for something dark, urban fantasy type.
Which I didn't get, because this is actually a new adult story with _poorly_ developed traces of paranormal.
Unfortunately once again it seems that the new adult genre is synonymous to very basic writing, stupid and underdeveloped characters and a plot that is only there to get the characters together.
Not my thing.
Like I said, the characters are so undeveloped that when the author decides to create two couples and having them perform sexual acts; the thing reads as awkward and uncomfortable as this phrase. They feel as puppets, and maybe that was what the author was reaching for, but she forgot their souls!
In forgetting that, the whole thing reads as an awkward and boring story about four _ really uninspired _ people.
January 10, 2018
I got approved for the arc of this!!! Lawd my list of arcs are getting long! I need to start reading!!
June 28, 2017
Molly Ringle’s writing is always a delicious combination – dark, seductive, alluring, sensual, chilling. The Goblins of Bellwater is no exception, a unique and splendidly-crafted story. What I loved most about this book, besides the detailed and intricate descriptions in a well-imagined fantastical world wrought with goblins, spells, and curses (even though it could very well be your own local woodland!!), was that the central and most powerful love is between two sisters.
I related most to Livy, the kind, ecologically-conscious older sister. I loved her compassion, bravery, and willingness to do whatever it takes to save Skye. Their connection is emotional and moving; I appreciated how Livy’s love for and devotion to Skye was the most important attachment. I also enjoyed Kit, a strongly-drawn character who becomes involved with Livy; he is a sexy, wounded, anti-hero type, whose unfortunate link to the goblins is beyond his control. Livy and Kit’s relationship unfolds throughout the novel as the curse and the world they both wish they could deny but absolutely cannot, pulls them deeper and deeper. They are each given a narrative viewpoint and so the reader knows more about what is truly happening with Kit long before Livy. Kit and Livy are similar in many ways but ultimately because their love for family members (Livy and Skye, and Kit with his cousin, Grady) drive their incredibly difficult decisions. Both are selfless, but not without flaws, making for very satisfying reading.
One of my favorite sequences is when Livy must face extreme challenges – but no spoilers! You have to read it for yourself. Ringle’s writing is so detailed and precise, the fantasy worlds exploded in my imagination; I was right there alongside Livy as she undertook her quest. All four of the lead characters are written with depth and sympathy; you root for them – and even find yourself rooting for the goblins a time or two. No detail, whether exciting, humorous, or grotesque, is left uncovered.
All in all, The Goblins of Bellwater is a fast-paced, exciting read with twists, turns, and wonderful dramatic and emotional tension. Grab a copy and get busy reading!
I related most to Livy, the kind, ecologically-conscious older sister. I loved her compassion, bravery, and willingness to do whatever it takes to save Skye. Their connection is emotional and moving; I appreciated how Livy’s love for and devotion to Skye was the most important attachment. I also enjoyed Kit, a strongly-drawn character who becomes involved with Livy; he is a sexy, wounded, anti-hero type, whose unfortunate link to the goblins is beyond his control. Livy and Kit’s relationship unfolds throughout the novel as the curse and the world they both wish they could deny but absolutely cannot, pulls them deeper and deeper. They are each given a narrative viewpoint and so the reader knows more about what is truly happening with Kit long before Livy. Kit and Livy are similar in many ways but ultimately because their love for family members (Livy and Skye, and Kit with his cousin, Grady) drive their incredibly difficult decisions. Both are selfless, but not without flaws, making for very satisfying reading.
One of my favorite sequences is when Livy must face extreme challenges – but no spoilers! You have to read it for yourself. Ringle’s writing is so detailed and precise, the fantasy worlds exploded in my imagination; I was right there alongside Livy as she undertook her quest. All four of the lead characters are written with depth and sympathy; you root for them – and even find yourself rooting for the goblins a time or two. No detail, whether exciting, humorous, or grotesque, is left uncovered.
All in all, The Goblins of Bellwater is a fast-paced, exciting read with twists, turns, and wonderful dramatic and emotional tension. Grab a copy and get busy reading!
August 16, 2017
I absolutely loved this book! It was so nice to read a book about fae who don’t play the nice guys for once. It was an enchanted world that took me with it from the first pages to the last. This is definitely one of my favourite books of 2017!
I kept looking at the cover. It is such a beautiful cover with the wild plants and flowers in beautiful colours. It captures the setting and the concept of the book very well.
I am a huge fan of those intriguing goblins. They’ve got some real character. They were funny, smart and they had wit. It also wasn’t just some bunch of mean goblins who were described as a group and nothing more. They had separate personalities and were descripted separately throughout the book wonderfully. The way they used their liaison Kit the whole time and where just laughing with everything, made it incredibly enjoyable to read those parts. I could probably enjoy reading a book about this group of goblins alone!
The story was so unique. It isn’t like anything you read before. The two worlds, the human and the fay world, are entwined beautifully. You can easily imagine this world to be real.
I loved how detailed the ending was. It didn’t just stop after the main story ended. But it showed the main characters in the next year or so.
Although the situation with the goblins isn’t something I would want to be in, the whole world that was described in this book was really welcoming. It felt as some place I would want to live in. At some points It made me feel warm and even a little bit fuzzy inside.
I kept looking at the cover. It is such a beautiful cover with the wild plants and flowers in beautiful colours. It captures the setting and the concept of the book very well.
I am a huge fan of those intriguing goblins. They’ve got some real character. They were funny, smart and they had wit. It also wasn’t just some bunch of mean goblins who were described as a group and nothing more. They had separate personalities and were descripted separately throughout the book wonderfully. The way they used their liaison Kit the whole time and where just laughing with everything, made it incredibly enjoyable to read those parts. I could probably enjoy reading a book about this group of goblins alone!
The story was so unique. It isn’t like anything you read before. The two worlds, the human and the fay world, are entwined beautifully. You can easily imagine this world to be real.
I loved how detailed the ending was. It didn’t just stop after the main story ended. But it showed the main characters in the next year or so.
Although the situation with the goblins isn’t something I would want to be in, the whole world that was described in this book was really welcoming. It felt as some place I would want to live in. At some points It made me feel warm and even a little bit fuzzy inside.
September 8, 2017
A haunting story of love, bewitchment, and what a human can do in the face of supernatural forces, The Goblins of Bellwater has the hallmarks of a classic faerie story and a modern darkness that will surely appeal to readers of such books as In the Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black.
Kit's family is cursed to serve a goblin clan that followed his great-grandmother over the Atlantic from France. He bears this burden as well as he can, but when a miscalculation in his tithe leads to the goblins acting out against someone close to him, it's more important than ever to find a way to break the curse and save not only himself, but his descendants and the residents of Bellwater, Washington.
The very start of the novel, involving what Kit's life is like and why he has to serve the goblins, reminded me of classic warnings against dealing with faeries of all kinds. Seeing them lure Skye in and how she tries to battle against the "deal" with nearly clever and yet devastating consequences for Grady was a tense time, knowing what's coming but unable to look away.
About halfway through I noticed that things felt like they were lagging a bit. A lot of scenes started feeling like they were being repeated: encounters between Livy and Kit, Skye and Grady, that sort of thing. There were enough variations in each one to make it seem like things were progressing, but upon reflection I don't think they really were. It was understood that Skye and Grady were now cursed, I knew from the beginning that Kit was (family obligation to the goblins), and these things kept happening: being reminded of these events, seeing little glimpses of connection, but not much development.
The story did pick back up shortly thereafter, though, and it became thrilling. The revelation of the good fae, the "locals", and how there's only one person to save everyone under really difficult conditions, might seem like a typical "good MC saves the world" but it didn't feel like a rehash. Livy's adventures, Skye and Grady's "relationship", and Kit's despair was fun to read to the end.
On the topic of relationships, Skye and Grady were a difficult situation and I wasn't sure how the author would handle it. They have a lot of really intimate moments, but there was the question in the back of my mind as to whether it was a true partnership considering they were under an enchantment the whole time. It did get addressed in parts throughout, with Skye's thoughts that she couldn't voice, and resolved at the end when she and Grady were finally able to vocalize what they'd been feeling for the past several weeks and what they'd do now. Was it love, was it real, etc...those were the questions I needed answered because they seemed like they could be great, except for the bewitchment.
With the goblin treachery, curses to be broken, and difficult interpersonal relationships, The Goblins of Bellwater was an enjoyable, well-paced read that reminded me not only of Holly Black stories, but of classic Grimm ones as well.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kit's family is cursed to serve a goblin clan that followed his great-grandmother over the Atlantic from France. He bears this burden as well as he can, but when a miscalculation in his tithe leads to the goblins acting out against someone close to him, it's more important than ever to find a way to break the curse and save not only himself, but his descendants and the residents of Bellwater, Washington.
The very start of the novel, involving what Kit's life is like and why he has to serve the goblins, reminded me of classic warnings against dealing with faeries of all kinds. Seeing them lure Skye in and how she tries to battle against the "deal" with nearly clever and yet devastating consequences for Grady was a tense time, knowing what's coming but unable to look away.
About halfway through I noticed that things felt like they were lagging a bit. A lot of scenes started feeling like they were being repeated: encounters between Livy and Kit, Skye and Grady, that sort of thing. There were enough variations in each one to make it seem like things were progressing, but upon reflection I don't think they really were. It was understood that Skye and Grady were now cursed, I knew from the beginning that Kit was (family obligation to the goblins), and these things kept happening: being reminded of these events, seeing little glimpses of connection, but not much development.
The story did pick back up shortly thereafter, though, and it became thrilling. The revelation of the good fae, the "locals", and how there's only one person to save everyone under really difficult conditions, might seem like a typical "good MC saves the world" but it didn't feel like a rehash. Livy's adventures, Skye and Grady's "relationship", and Kit's despair was fun to read to the end.
On the topic of relationships, Skye and Grady were a difficult situation and I wasn't sure how the author would handle it. They have a lot of really intimate moments, but there was the question in the back of my mind as to whether it was a true partnership considering they were under an enchantment the whole time. It did get addressed in parts throughout, with Skye's thoughts that she couldn't voice, and resolved at the end when she and Grady were finally able to vocalize what they'd been feeling for the past several weeks and what they'd do now. Was it love, was it real, etc...those were the questions I needed answered because they seemed like they could be great, except for the bewitchment.
With the goblin treachery, curses to be broken, and difficult interpersonal relationships, The Goblins of Bellwater was an enjoyable, well-paced read that reminded me not only of Holly Black stories, but of classic Grimm ones as well.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 1, 2018
Not bad, just underwhelming. I was really hoping for more fantasy than romance which is what it really became. I would categorize this as more New Adult romance than fantasy in the long run. The only character I was interested in reading about was Kit and while I liked what we got to see of him, but I think I would have preferred if the story were told completely from his perspective. Also I might have been hoping for something along the lines of this:
September 27, 2017
The Goblins of Bellwater
is a sinfully delicious read! This uncanny story follows four main characters and their unfortunate encounter with a tribe of otherworldly creatures.
Characters.
MCs: Kit, 24; Grady, 21; Livy, 26; Skye, 23.
I really appreciated the realistic portrayal the author gave each character! They all worked regular jobs, had down to earth personalities, and were just trying to deal with the daily struggles of being an adult. Unfortunately, I didn't feel a connection for Kit or Livy, but I did find myself gravitating towards Grady and Skye majority of the time. And while I also appreciated the absence of a love-triangle, the romance between two of the MCs felt very unconvincing, so the sexual encounters they had left me feeling a bit awkward.
Goblins & Magic.
The main leader of the goblin tribe is Redring—and holy guacamole—she is one badass goblin queen. I definitely got some lucifer vibes with that one.
The goblins of Bellwater are grossly obsessed with gold because they are able to use it with their magic to create almost anything they want ex) espresso machine (yup, not even joking). The goblins love tempting humans into unfair deals and luring them into the forest to rob them of their valuables. Kit, being the liaison, tries to prevent them from luring people as much he can by supplying the goblins with gold on a regular basis.
Most of the magic doesn't take place until about 75% in, so just be warned that this book doesn't contain much world-building of the goblin realm or provide a detailed explanation of how their magic system works.
Final Thoughts.
Overall, I did thoroughly enjoy the premise despite some issues and I would definitely recommend this book to readers looking for a light-hearted fantasy that is stand-alone and isn't heavy on the romance. Also, I'd like you all to join me in a moment of silence to thank the book gods for that stunning cover.
Rating: 3.5 starfruits
*Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. Please be advised that quotes are subject to change upon publication. 👹
LUST. GLUTTONY. GREED. SLOTH. WRATH. ENVY. PRIDE.
Characters.
MCs: Kit, 24; Grady, 21; Livy, 26; Skye, 23.
I really appreciated the realistic portrayal the author gave each character! They all worked regular jobs, had down to earth personalities, and were just trying to deal with the daily struggles of being an adult. Unfortunately, I didn't feel a connection for Kit or Livy, but I did find myself gravitating towards Grady and Skye majority of the time. And while I also appreciated the absence of a love-triangle, the romance between two of the MCs felt very unconvincing, so the sexual encounters they had left me feeling a bit awkward.
Goblins & Magic.
The main leader of the goblin tribe is Redring—and holy guacamole—she is one badass goblin queen. I definitely got some lucifer vibes with that one.
The goblins of Bellwater are grossly obsessed with gold because they are able to use it with their magic to create almost anything they want ex) espresso machine (yup, not even joking). The goblins love tempting humans into unfair deals and luring them into the forest to rob them of their valuables. Kit, being the liaison, tries to prevent them from luring people as much he can by supplying the goblins with gold on a regular basis.
Most of the magic doesn't take place until about 75% in, so just be warned that this book doesn't contain much world-building of the goblin realm or provide a detailed explanation of how their magic system works.
“…their voices were shackled. The silence wasn’t their choice”
Final Thoughts.
Overall, I did thoroughly enjoy the premise despite some issues and I would definitely recommend this book to readers looking for a light-hearted fantasy that is stand-alone and isn't heavy on the romance. Also, I'd like you all to join me in a moment of silence to thank the book gods for that stunning cover.
Rating: 3.5 starfruits
*Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. Please be advised that quotes are subject to change upon publication. 👹
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