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Stolen Brides of the Fae #1
Stolen Goblin Bride
When a mortal girl steals a necklace from a Goblin, there will be a price to pay...
Esther knows the rules. Don't talk to the goblins. Don't look at the goblins. Above all else, don't buy or trade with the goblins.
Then, one day before market, she sees a young rat faced boy selling a necklace that looks eerily like her mother's, what's a young girl to do? Of course she tries to buy it, but he won't sell it to her. So she steals it because it's her mother's necklace.
Lux knows the rules. He's a jeweler and he can sell his wares to those who want to faithfully buy them. Something doesn't feel right about selling this particular piece to the beautiful young woman who immediately steals his heart. So he doesn't.
But when he realizes the mortal girl stole from him, he's forced to enact magic that can't be unwritten. Stealing from a goblin always has a price.
Esther knows the rules. Don't talk to the goblins. Don't look at the goblins. Above all else, don't buy or trade with the goblins.
Then, one day before market, she sees a young rat faced boy selling a necklace that looks eerily like her mother's, what's a young girl to do? Of course she tries to buy it, but he won't sell it to her. So she steals it because it's her mother's necklace.
Lux knows the rules. He's a jeweler and he can sell his wares to those who want to faithfully buy them. Something doesn't feel right about selling this particular piece to the beautiful young woman who immediately steals his heart. So he doesn't.
But when he realizes the mortal girl stole from him, he's forced to enact magic that can't be unwritten. Stealing from a goblin always has a price.
139 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 7, 2021
266 people are currently reading
2974 people want to read
About the author
Emma Hamm
75 books4,440 followers
We all know you don't really care about reading my background. Enjoy Cap instead.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 261 reviews
December 4, 2021
2.75
Light and fluffy romance read.
But um...the description of the books plot was not exactly what happened in the novel? The overview says that Ester wanted to buy the necklace but Lux wouldn't sell it to her so she stole it.
But....no. He offered it to her & she declined- then suddenly decided she needed it, and when he tried to offer it to her again free of charge she left him money for it secretly. Because of that their exchange was then a transaction, and she was now a Goblin Bride.
Also, how could she resist not going off into the night with a strange Goblin for the rest of her life with little to no information ~RiGhT~? le sigh.
So yeah, I will say honestly Ester wasn't my kinda character.
She talks about how her sister had strangeness beaten out of her, and had to give up on her dreams to protect her younger sister-but Ester was allowed to go where she wanted and do what she wished. However, she portrays her sisters sacrifices and protective nature as kind of crappy because she just wants to continue to do whatever she feels like, and can't stand her boring constrictive life.
She thinks her sister is sOoO unfair-and even though their parents disappeared she just can't understand why her sister is so weary of danger and wants to keep her close and safe.
Honestly I thought she was kind of self centered and naive. I guess I don't like people who are insistently carefree and think things will just work out just because they want them to-and have had things go their way all their lives so think nothing can harm them. And I guess the book did reaffirm this for Ester when she really didn't have consequences to her trudging headlong into whatever dangerous situation she found herself in. Like that whole kelpie scene.
Also, I don't think i'd mind her self centered actions and thirst for adventure if it wasn't at the expense of someone else. Ya got to live your own life- I get that- but she could have at least said something instead of disappearing in the middle of the night probably leaving your only family thinking you've been kidnapped or killed....
Light and fluffy romance read.
But um...the description of the books plot was not exactly what happened in the novel? The overview says that Ester wanted to buy the necklace but Lux wouldn't sell it to her so she stole it.
But....no. He offered it to her & she declined- then suddenly decided she needed it, and when he tried to offer it to her again free of charge she left him money for it secretly. Because of that their exchange was then a transaction, and she was now a Goblin Bride.
Also, how could she resist not going off into the night with a strange Goblin for the rest of her life with little to no information ~RiGhT~? le sigh.
So yeah, I will say honestly Ester wasn't my kinda character.
She talks about how her sister had strangeness beaten out of her, and had to give up on her dreams to protect her younger sister-but Ester was allowed to go where she wanted and do what she wished. However, she portrays her sisters sacrifices and protective nature as kind of crappy because she just wants to continue to do whatever she feels like, and can't stand her boring constrictive life.
She thinks her sister is sOoO unfair-and even though their parents disappeared she just can't understand why her sister is so weary of danger and wants to keep her close and safe.
Honestly I thought she was kind of self centered and naive. I guess I don't like people who are insistently carefree and think things will just work out just because they want them to-and have had things go their way all their lives so think nothing can harm them. And I guess the book did reaffirm this for Ester when she really didn't have consequences to her trudging headlong into whatever dangerous situation she found herself in. Like that whole kelpie scene.
"She hadn’t thought about the fear her sister must feel right now. She hadn’t expected to feel guilty for leaving without even letting Freya know where she’d gone, or that she wasn’t in any horrible danger. Esther had left without a word, swanning about her life without a care for anyone else’s feelings."
Also, I don't think i'd mind her self centered actions and thirst for adventure if it wasn't at the expense of someone else. Ya got to live your own life- I get that- but she could have at least said something instead of disappearing in the middle of the night probably leaving your only family thinking you've been kidnapped or killed....
June 2, 2021
i tried reading this and just... what?? i can't even explain what i hated but the characters were so bland and annoying and i absolutely did not give a fuck about any of them.
September 14, 2023
Huh?
I feel like I've been lied to. I didn't expect this to be great. It's a novella about marrying a goblin. However I've read fantasy books with goblins before where they were described like attractive fae, and I have read Emma Hamm's writing before and liked it, so I was shocked at how bad and weird this was. Not only did the plot meander around, but it wasn't like the book synopsis at all. The synopsis states that the main character steals a necklace and is then forced into marriage. She's actually gifted a necklace and when "kidnapped" by goblins goes along willingly. The synopsis also inplies that this will be dual POV, but it isn't. The plot is almost as nonsenscial and stupid as the main character. However, the weirdest part was Lux's description. It's okay if not all characters are hot, however not only is he described as unattractive, but he is also described like a child. He has a rat face and tail, unlike the brooding man on the cover of this book. The main character also refers to him as "the rat faced boy" a lot, making me think that he was literally a boy. I thought she would meet him and then he would take her to her love interest. Imagine my surprise when they ended up in love (which yes, was also very sudden). So yah, this was lazily written and weird. Again, I've liked this author's writing in the past. She's not a bad writer, but I do think she was just using this book to promote her adjacent series, Of Goblins and Gold, which is why this is so half-assed.
I feel like I've been lied to. I didn't expect this to be great. It's a novella about marrying a goblin. However I've read fantasy books with goblins before where they were described like attractive fae, and I have read Emma Hamm's writing before and liked it, so I was shocked at how bad and weird this was. Not only did the plot meander around, but it wasn't like the book synopsis at all. The synopsis states that the main character steals a necklace and is then forced into marriage. She's actually gifted a necklace and when "kidnapped" by goblins goes along willingly. The synopsis also inplies that this will be dual POV, but it isn't. The plot is almost as nonsenscial and stupid as the main character. However, the weirdest part was Lux's description. It's okay if not all characters are hot, however not only is he described as unattractive, but he is also described like a child. He has a rat face and tail, unlike the brooding man on the cover of this book. The main character also refers to him as "the rat faced boy" a lot, making me think that he was literally a boy. I thought she would meet him and then he would take her to her love interest. Imagine my surprise when they ended up in love (which yes, was also very sudden). So yah, this was lazily written and weird. Again, I've liked this author's writing in the past. She's not a bad writer, but I do think she was just using this book to promote her adjacent series, Of Goblins and Gold, which is why this is so half-assed.
May 28, 2021
Okay, the cover art of this makes the main character seem a lot better looking than I imagined him. I mean he is supposed to look like a rat...
But the guy on the cover is this hot goblin fae man with a chiseled jaw. Yeah, so I tried to just imagine him instead of Lux. But other than the whole rat face thing I really like Lux. You could tell that this was a side story to another series. Everything felt a little too fast paced for me and the relationship was a bit quick. But I loved the main character. I like that she was all, yeah kidnap me lets do it! She was definitely a fun character. The writing was good, not my favorite. I might try giving more of the author's books a try.
But the guy on the cover is this hot goblin fae man with a chiseled jaw. Yeah, so I tried to just imagine him instead of Lux. But other than the whole rat face thing I really like Lux. You could tell that this was a side story to another series. Everything felt a little too fast paced for me and the relationship was a bit quick. But I loved the main character. I like that she was all, yeah kidnap me lets do it! She was definitely a fun character. The writing was good, not my favorite. I might try giving more of the author's books a try.
May 22, 2021
While this starts out the multi-author "Stolen Brides of the Fae" series, it's more specifically a spin-off to the author's main series "Of Goblin Kings" which I'm not rather intrigued to read, as I did like this glimpse into the world.
Unfortunately, this book itself fell just a bit short. It's very sweet, and there's little in way of conflict to drive the story forward. It essentially takes place over the course of two days, with a lot of time happening between those days which is where I think the character development happened, but I didn't really feel it as that time is glossed over. The whole "steals a necklace" sequence was also very confusing and I'm still not sure how it happened.
But, basically, Esther acquired a necklace through means that necessitated Lux taking her as his bride. She's fine with it until she realizes this means they're now married, at which point she panics, runs off, nearly gets eaten by a kelpie, and then she decides she's fine with Lux and they go off to hand out food to the poor, provided by the king. Two months later, Esther decides that she wants to stay in this world permanently and that the hundred or so years that it takes to turn into a goblin will be too long for her, and so she talks Lux into helping her steal a wish from the well of magic. It does get dicey there for a bit, but ultimately, no consequences besides her now having a fluffy tail.
I think it could have done with Lux's POV, which the blurb seemed to indicate, but, sadly, the book lacked. It would have been interesting to see his conflict with accepting this girl who unwittingly foisted herself on him, but in turn, helped him to grow into a more confident version of himself.
So, as I said, a very saccharine story. Lovers of the main series may appreciate getting this glimpse into Esther's story, but I'm not sure it really holds up on its own. (Also, there was a moment with the Goblin King that was very much a "look at the other storyline that you've triggered, Esther! Reader! Doesn't it sound interesting????" moment. Not bad, but it was obvious.
Still, an intriguing premise, and I look forward to binging the main serious once it's fully released later this year.
Unfortunately, this book itself fell just a bit short. It's very sweet, and there's little in way of conflict to drive the story forward. It essentially takes place over the course of two days, with a lot of time happening between those days which is where I think the character development happened, but I didn't really feel it as that time is glossed over. The whole "steals a necklace" sequence was also very confusing and I'm still not sure how it happened.
But, basically, Esther acquired a necklace through means that necessitated Lux taking her as his bride. She's fine with it until she realizes this means they're now married, at which point she panics, runs off, nearly gets eaten by a kelpie, and then she decides she's fine with Lux and they go off to hand out food to the poor, provided by the king. Two months later, Esther decides that she wants to stay in this world permanently and that the hundred or so years that it takes to turn into a goblin will be too long for her, and so she talks Lux into helping her steal a wish from the well of magic. It does get dicey there for a bit, but ultimately, no consequences besides her now having a fluffy tail.
I think it could have done with Lux's POV, which the blurb seemed to indicate, but, sadly, the book lacked. It would have been interesting to see his conflict with accepting this girl who unwittingly foisted herself on him, but in turn, helped him to grow into a more confident version of himself.
So, as I said, a very saccharine story. Lovers of the main series may appreciate getting this glimpse into Esther's story, but I'm not sure it really holds up on its own. (Also, there was a moment with the Goblin King that was very much a "look at the other storyline that you've triggered, Esther! Reader! Doesn't it sound interesting????" moment. Not bad, but it was obvious.
Still, an intriguing premise, and I look forward to binging the main serious once it's fully released later this year.
May 28, 2021
2 STARS
Unfortunately, I ended up skimming over the last 40% of this book, in part because the story and characters werent really doing it for me but also because life got busy and I didn't come back to it for a while and completely lost interest as a result.
Side note: I don't usually comment on stuff like this but I do feel a liiiiittle bit lied to by the cover. though it's gorgeous, it depicts the characters as (at the very least) young adults, which they aren't in the book. They're teens and act as such. And the guy is described as a "rat boy" which was quite disturbing since I went in thinking the hero would be the hot man on the cover......
Unfortunately, I ended up skimming over the last 40% of this book, in part because the story and characters werent really doing it for me but also because life got busy and I didn't come back to it for a while and completely lost interest as a result.
Side note: I don't usually comment on stuff like this but I do feel a liiiiittle bit lied to by the cover. though it's gorgeous, it depicts the characters as (at the very least) young adults, which they aren't in the book. They're teens and act as such. And the guy is described as a "rat boy" which was quite disturbing since I went in thinking the hero would be the hot man on the cover......
December 21, 2022
I really enjoyed this book!
The characters were wonderful although I kept being confused on how old the rat boy was and I kept being confused about the guy on the cover, Lux doesn't look like that.
I highlighted quite a few passages from this book because even though I'm not like Esther I did understand where she was coming from and why she wanted to leave. Why she wanted to start a new life that would never make her go back to her old. One that would make her happy for once.
I wish there was more story though! I went away from this wanting to read more about Esther and Lux, even though I didn't like Freya I was willing to read some of her series Of Goblins and Gold except she came off just as harsh. I would love some kind of sequel though! I would just love to see Esther again!
I did NOT receive a complimentary copy. I read this on KU.
The characters were wonderful although I kept being confused on how old the rat boy was and I kept being confused about the guy on the cover, Lux doesn't look like that.
I highlighted quite a few passages from this book because even though I'm not like Esther I did understand where she was coming from and why she wanted to leave. Why she wanted to start a new life that would never make her go back to her old. One that would make her happy for once.
I wish there was more story though! I went away from this wanting to read more about Esther and Lux, even though I didn't like Freya I was willing to read some of her series Of Goblins and Gold except she came off just as harsh. I would love some kind of sequel though! I would just love to see Esther again!
I did NOT receive a complimentary copy. I read this on KU.
May 12, 2021
This book is absolutely ADORABLE!!!! Seriously, where can I get a Lux???? He's the sweetest goblin boy EVER!!! The romance in this is so sweet, and I loved seeing more of the Autumn Court. This book is a companion to the Of Goblin Kings series, though it isn't necessary to have read the others in the main series before reading this short companion novel. While the main series is a whirlwind tour through a variety of Fae Courts, this one lingers, which is nice to see the world in a bit more lush depth.
December 6, 2021
No, aspoň to bolo krátke.
June 29, 2021
Wow, thank goodness this is so short, if it were any longer it would be impossible to finish. This book asks the question what if a manic-pixie-dream-girl ran off with a rat/goblin hybrid to have an adventure and along the way experienced zero character growth. Esther, our main character, starts out obnoxious and finishes just as obnoxious. The love interest has very little personality, probably in an attempt to balance the over-the-topness of Ester.
Also, who is this book for? Amazon has it listed with adult books, some people on Goodreads have it in YA, but it reads like a middle grade book. I don't think the characters' ages are ever mentioned so maybe Ester is 16 or 18? But she really comes off as a 12 year old.
Ester's older sister Freya has her own book, which is a million times better then this mess. So, if you're looking for more goblin love stories check that out instead and pass on this one.
Also, who is this book for? Amazon has it listed with adult books, some people on Goodreads have it in YA, but it reads like a middle grade book. I don't think the characters' ages are ever mentioned so maybe Ester is 16 or 18? But she really comes off as a 12 year old.
Ester's older sister Freya has her own book, which is a million times better then this mess. So, if you're looking for more goblin love stories check that out instead and pass on this one.
April 14, 2023
This was…. A mess 😂 I skimmed the last half of the book and yeah… I don’t even know what to say.
The writing is middle grade level and the love story and plot are extremely basic, but then there are so many things that just don’t make sense? She loves her sister but sees the goblin king in their house like “attacking” her and then just sneaks out the window and leaves with some rat dude? What? Their mother put enchantments on the house to protect them from magical creatures but 2 seconds later the magical creatures are in the house and she doesn’t seem surprised? Sooooo many things like this where I was like ??????
I feel like this needed like 50 more pages at the beginning to actually make the story make sense 😂
Also I feel like the MC is so obnoxious and dumb I just couldn’t get past it 😂 and the love interest is a rat boy.
The writing is middle grade level and the love story and plot are extremely basic, but then there are so many things that just don’t make sense? She loves her sister but sees the goblin king in their house like “attacking” her and then just sneaks out the window and leaves with some rat dude? What? Their mother put enchantments on the house to protect them from magical creatures but 2 seconds later the magical creatures are in the house and she doesn’t seem surprised? Sooooo many things like this where I was like ??????
I feel like this needed like 50 more pages at the beginning to actually make the story make sense 😂
Also I feel like the MC is so obnoxious and dumb I just couldn’t get past it 😂 and the love interest is a rat boy.
Read
May 12, 2021A very sweet, fluffy, PG romance! I honestly expected something a bit darker from the premise, lol, but this was almost too cute for words. I've been meaning to check out Emma Hamm's writing for a while, and enjoyed the dip into her oevre with this short, diverting novella.
May 31, 2021
I didn’t love the main character, Esther. I couldn’t really connect with her because I felt like she was all over the place. She felt way too young so her story didn’t really resonate with me.
Fans of super quick novellas that was light fluffy fun may enjoy this short story.
Fans of super quick novellas that was light fluffy fun may enjoy this short story.
August 16, 2021
Let me start of by saying that this is a fun and easy read, however…
Some things didn’t add up or seem logic at all. Like the entire necklace exchange? The staying at home and not running? Acting like nothing happend and then just happily going with the goblins? Like… what? This MC was a tad annoying and I felt bad for her sister. It was just a fast - too fast - story and the building up (both characters- as plot-wise) should have been better for my personal taste.
Little heads-up; if you’re into the entire enemies to lovers trope… this does not have that. The love interest was kind and sweet. But calling the him ‘rat-faced boy’ and him having a rat tale… didn’t really do it for me.
Nonetheless I love the author- and hearing that she wrote a series on her sister, makes me want to read it. But this was definitely something different and I didn’t dislike it, it was just a little strange to be honest.
Some things didn’t add up or seem logic at all. Like the entire necklace exchange? The staying at home and not running? Acting like nothing happend and then just happily going with the goblins? Like… what? This MC was a tad annoying and I felt bad for her sister. It was just a fast - too fast - story and the building up (both characters- as plot-wise) should have been better for my personal taste.
Little heads-up; if you’re into the entire enemies to lovers trope… this does not have that. The love interest was kind and sweet. But calling the him ‘rat-faced boy’ and him having a rat tale… didn’t really do it for me.
Nonetheless I love the author- and hearing that she wrote a series on her sister, makes me want to read it. But this was definitely something different and I didn’t dislike it, it was just a little strange to be honest.
May 19, 2021
Interesting
I can’t say that I’ve ever read about Goblins in a romantic light before. The world building was interesting. Esther was a great heroine. I liked that she could see the world differently from other’s around her. She could see the beauty, where others only feared.
My only pet peeve was word choice when it came to her husband. She often referred to him as her goblin boy. Since no age was ever revealed, the continued references to a boy kept sending him back under the age of twelve in my head. I know he’s not that young, but if he’s going to be a romantic interest, and a husband, please don’t call him boy.
Content: clean (mild language-d word, making out)
I can’t say that I’ve ever read about Goblins in a romantic light before. The world building was interesting. Esther was a great heroine. I liked that she could see the world differently from other’s around her. She could see the beauty, where others only feared.
My only pet peeve was word choice when it came to her husband. She often referred to him as her goblin boy. Since no age was ever revealed, the continued references to a boy kept sending him back under the age of twelve in my head. I know he’s not that young, but if he’s going to be a romantic interest, and a husband, please don’t call him boy.
Content: clean (mild language-d word, making out)
Read
May 21, 2022This was the most nonsensical thing I think I’ve ever read. It’s like I was reading a fanfic of characters I had no context for. The character development was nowhere to be found. World building, where? Chemistry, GONE. Like I’m so confused. This was a 300 page book slammed into 100 pages and it showed 😅
Read
September 25, 2021*Note: I read this series however I do not personally recommend it due to magic.
Content wise the romance was quite clean.
Content wise the romance was quite clean.
January 30, 2022
Not Emma Hamm’s best.
This lacked any kind of plot.
This lacked any kind of plot.
June 6, 2021
All her life Esther has been told to stay away from goblins, but when she comes across them accidentally, she cannot help but engage with them. Lux finds himself attracted to Esther, but she is a mortal. But fate has different plans, when an exchange gone wrong ends up with Esther being kidnapped and taken as the Goblin Bride.
This was a lovely story about being yourself even though others do not like the way you are. I could connect to Esther on some level because all my life I've been told to be a certain way even though it didn't make much sense to me. And just like her, I've tried to stay true to myself as much as possible.
Lux was a sweetheart and I liked his vulnerability and carefree attitude, which is very different from the usual bad boys I see in books. I do like the brooding types, but the innocent ones have their own charm.
The plot was good even though there wasn't any major conflict. It's only at the end that I realized it's a spin-off of the main Goblin series by the author.
The best part about the book was the world the author created. It wasn't very elaborate, but still beautiful and I could picture it all in my head.
The romance felt a bit rushed, but since it's a novella I understand that taking it slow would have been difficult.
The description was misleading because Esther does not steal the necklace, she pays for it secretly even though it's offered for free, so the beginning confused me a little.
Though I wanted Esther to be happy, I felt very bad for Freya. She spent her whole life protecting her sister, but in the end, she was left alone to worry about her.
After reading this book, I'm very much interested in knowing how Freya's story turns out.
Overall, an entertaining book. It's something you can read between extremely intense stuff, to relax a little.
This was a lovely story about being yourself even though others do not like the way you are. I could connect to Esther on some level because all my life I've been told to be a certain way even though it didn't make much sense to me. And just like her, I've tried to stay true to myself as much as possible.
Lux was a sweetheart and I liked his vulnerability and carefree attitude, which is very different from the usual bad boys I see in books. I do like the brooding types, but the innocent ones have their own charm.
The plot was good even though there wasn't any major conflict. It's only at the end that I realized it's a spin-off of the main Goblin series by the author.
The best part about the book was the world the author created. It wasn't very elaborate, but still beautiful and I could picture it all in my head.
The romance felt a bit rushed, but since it's a novella I understand that taking it slow would have been difficult.
The description was misleading because Esther does not steal the necklace, she pays for it secretly even though it's offered for free, so the beginning confused me a little.
Though I wanted Esther to be happy, I felt very bad for Freya. She spent her whole life protecting her sister, but in the end, she was left alone to worry about her.
After reading this book, I'm very much interested in knowing how Freya's story turns out.
Overall, an entertaining book. It's something you can read between extremely intense stuff, to relax a little.
March 14, 2022
I had way too many notes and opinions about this book to not write a review, so here I am. I don't like giving bad reviews, but I try to do it with constructive criticism, but of course I rate subjective.
Let's start off with:
Do I recommend reading the book? No. Maybe if you are really set on it and got spare time, go for it, it's at least short.
The e-book is currently on CDN$3.74 and there are better books for less. The Paperback is CDN$12.09 and that is not worth it at all. The only way to pick this up is with Kindle Unlimited. If I had a loonie in my pocket, I might buy it, but not for more.
Would I read another book from the author? No. I don't like the style, I disliked this book a lot, I don't want to say it's bad became if I would publish a book it would be worse. But I read so many good books, and this one almost felt like a waste of time to me.
I played generic book bingo with this one as a joke, and I got my bingo way too quick.
I felt like if I would skip a page, I wouldn't really miss anything.
I read the whole book with that face: ._.
Characters:
Lux: He felt shallow, a nice guy for the sake of having one. I would guess his age to be 14. There wasn't much about him, we learned in the book that they treat him like a child in their Realm and underestimate him. I couldn't bring myself to like him, he wasn't unpleasant either on the other hand. The biggest problem with him being like that is because we only got three characters, and Ester's sister didn't appear that much. The only thing that I noticed about Lux was that he got the same name as my pet does. On page 95 there was a chance to make more with him, but I will come to character development later.
Freya: The sane sister, she felt mature and more realistic, but got constantly pictured as bad and wrong.
Ester: Now the fun can begin. She felt like a 12-year-old. Immature and unrealistic, I called her a Hoser while reading the book. She was insane and not the type that is interesting to read. She is a naive pixie dream girl. Not only that, but she felt selfish. She wasn't brave, she was naive and didn't understand danger at all. She contradicts herself a lot, but then sticks to the bad side.
Character Development: (spoiler in this part)
It just didn't happen, but there were moments and situations in which it could have happened, the characters just chose to go against personal growth.
On page 95 Lux got a real problem, the other goblins don't see him as useful, and he's called childish. But instead or resolving this and giving him a plot point where he earns himself respect he just married in the end, and then they deem him an adult. Because marriage fixes immaturity? I don't like this kind of dependency on a partner.
Ester just decided to stay stupid, the whole book is a missed opportunity for her to grow.
World building:
Wasn't there either. We have the Human village, Fae Realm, Goblin Realm with Autumn Court and Goblin Kingdom (where the King lives). The places didn't really hold any importance either, Ester said their Realm is nice but doesn't elaborate. (This one might be wrong: I got the impression that the surroundings were not described well, I wasn't able to grasp it, besides the temple and that just got me confused.) On page 115 I really wanted to learn about genetics, I wanted to learn how they inherit their features and animal parts.
Plot: (caution, spoiler ahead)
I want to look at the plot with the Three Act structure.
Act One: Exposition: We learn about the world and the characters, indeed we learn about the protagonist's family and the goblins and stuff.
Middle Act: Some kind of crisis should happen, something interesting. It didn't, they just did things? But hey, at least we are over 50% in the book, might as well finish at that point.
Act Three: There was a pre-climax with her turning into a goblin which was also the climax, the wind down was a happy family. (Note that all this happened from page 111 to 131)
Story: (caution, spoiler ahead)
I got a few notes left about specific parts. I am sorry it is long.
1. I wrote down: "So insta love I thought he bewitched her to be like that while reading, it felt so not genuine and when the only part of the book is the love between them that's bad." It got a bit better towards the end.
2. Page 75, she said the isn't afraid of the goblins like the others, but calls them monsters.
3. Then I wrote: "She said she could never fall in love with a rat boy (which is fine dislike to love trope is okay with me) but 5 pages (or so) later she fell instantly for him."
4. Ester can handle her emotions well and is able to get rid of the bad emotions, but her immature behaviour and childish character don't fit with that. Her not fearing a near-death experience is more childish naivety. (Page 82)
5. I wrote: "We learn that Freya doesn't want to understand that she wants to be herself (her being herself is more like a child that wants to eat 6 chocolate bars because they are old enough to decide what's good for them) and the massage gets over that Freya's mature behaviour in which she understands responsibility and danger (I mean their parents are dead, it's not like, nothing happened) is pictured as controlling and paranoid."
6. Ester complains about how they all misunderstand goblins and want her to think bad of them, but she actually does. (Page 84)
7. Then I got confused in my notes because she said something about herself with not being entirely human. I thought I missed something. And she said about Lux wanting to make a deal with her, but earlier they said he didn't want to, so the story contradicts itself. (Page 92)
8. Lux talks about 100 years being there will change a human. (Page 97) I saw an opportunity there to explain a bit about the world. How long is a human lifespan? Does being there lengthen their life somehow?
9. I wrote:"Leaving family behind? She just got her sister, and she complains about her non-stop and treats her fairly bad." (Page 100)
10. For Page 102 I noted down about the becoming a goblin part: "She acts like a spoiled child privileged kid that doesn't get what she wants." It felt a lot like cultural appropriation towards the goblins.
11. The last one.
In my opinion she made the situation worse, she could have helped, even being quiet would have been better. The only reason Lux lived after the guards caught him was because the author solved it unrealistically. Ester annoyed me, she acted like a child again who painted the walls and then goes "Look Mom I did art!"
Because I got 11 points to complain about on a surface level, it is only two stars. And usually I rate really generous because I don't have high standards.
Let's start off with:
Do I recommend reading the book? No. Maybe if you are really set on it and got spare time, go for it, it's at least short.
The e-book is currently on CDN$3.74 and there are better books for less. The Paperback is CDN$12.09 and that is not worth it at all. The only way to pick this up is with Kindle Unlimited. If I had a loonie in my pocket, I might buy it, but not for more.
Would I read another book from the author? No. I don't like the style, I disliked this book a lot, I don't want to say it's bad became if I would publish a book it would be worse. But I read so many good books, and this one almost felt like a waste of time to me.
I played generic book bingo with this one as a joke, and I got my bingo way too quick.
I felt like if I would skip a page, I wouldn't really miss anything.
I read the whole book with that face: ._.
Characters:
Lux: He felt shallow, a nice guy for the sake of having one. I would guess his age to be 14. There wasn't much about him, we learned in the book that they treat him like a child in their Realm and underestimate him. I couldn't bring myself to like him, he wasn't unpleasant either on the other hand. The biggest problem with him being like that is because we only got three characters, and Ester's sister didn't appear that much. The only thing that I noticed about Lux was that he got the same name as my pet does. On page 95 there was a chance to make more with him, but I will come to character development later.
Freya: The sane sister, she felt mature and more realistic, but got constantly pictured as bad and wrong.
Ester: Now the fun can begin. She felt like a 12-year-old. Immature and unrealistic, I called her a Hoser while reading the book. She was insane and not the type that is interesting to read. She is a naive pixie dream girl. Not only that, but she felt selfish. She wasn't brave, she was naive and didn't understand danger at all. She contradicts herself a lot, but then sticks to the bad side.
Character Development: (spoiler in this part)
It just didn't happen, but there were moments and situations in which it could have happened, the characters just chose to go against personal growth.
On page 95 Lux got a real problem, the other goblins don't see him as useful, and he's called childish. But instead or resolving this and giving him a plot point where he earns himself respect he just married in the end, and then they deem him an adult. Because marriage fixes immaturity? I don't like this kind of dependency on a partner.
Ester just decided to stay stupid, the whole book is a missed opportunity for her to grow.
World building:
Wasn't there either. We have the Human village, Fae Realm, Goblin Realm with Autumn Court and Goblin Kingdom (where the King lives). The places didn't really hold any importance either, Ester said their Realm is nice but doesn't elaborate. (This one might be wrong: I got the impression that the surroundings were not described well, I wasn't able to grasp it, besides the temple and that just got me confused.) On page 115 I really wanted to learn about genetics, I wanted to learn how they inherit their features and animal parts.
Plot: (caution, spoiler ahead)
I want to look at the plot with the Three Act structure.
Act One: Exposition: We learn about the world and the characters, indeed we learn about the protagonist's family and the goblins and stuff.
Middle Act: Some kind of crisis should happen, something interesting. It didn't, they just did things? But hey, at least we are over 50% in the book, might as well finish at that point.
Act Three: There was a pre-climax with her turning into a goblin which was also the climax, the wind down was a happy family. (Note that all this happened from page 111 to 131)
Story: (caution, spoiler ahead)
I got a few notes left about specific parts. I am sorry it is long.
1. I wrote down: "So insta love I thought he bewitched her to be like that while reading, it felt so not genuine and when the only part of the book is the love between them that's bad." It got a bit better towards the end.
2. Page 75, she said the isn't afraid of the goblins like the others, but calls them monsters.
3. Then I wrote: "She said she could never fall in love with a rat boy (which is fine dislike to love trope is okay with me) but 5 pages (or so) later she fell instantly for him."
4. Ester can handle her emotions well and is able to get rid of the bad emotions, but her immature behaviour and childish character don't fit with that. Her not fearing a near-death experience is more childish naivety. (Page 82)
5. I wrote: "We learn that Freya doesn't want to understand that she wants to be herself (her being herself is more like a child that wants to eat 6 chocolate bars because they are old enough to decide what's good for them) and the massage gets over that Freya's mature behaviour in which she understands responsibility and danger (I mean their parents are dead, it's not like, nothing happened) is pictured as controlling and paranoid."
6. Ester complains about how they all misunderstand goblins and want her to think bad of them, but she actually does. (Page 84)
7. Then I got confused in my notes because she said something about herself with not being entirely human. I thought I missed something. And she said about Lux wanting to make a deal with her, but earlier they said he didn't want to, so the story contradicts itself. (Page 92)
8. Lux talks about 100 years being there will change a human. (Page 97) I saw an opportunity there to explain a bit about the world. How long is a human lifespan? Does being there lengthen their life somehow?
9. I wrote:"Leaving family behind? She just got her sister, and she complains about her non-stop and treats her fairly bad." (Page 100)
10. For Page 102 I noted down about the becoming a goblin part: "She acts like a spoiled child privileged kid that doesn't get what she wants." It felt a lot like cultural appropriation towards the goblins.
11. The last one.
"Ester was the hero at this moment." (Page 123)
In my opinion she made the situation worse, she could have helped, even being quiet would have been better. The only reason Lux lived after the guards caught him was because the author solved it unrealistically. Ester annoyed me, she acted like a child again who painted the walls and then goes "Look Mom I did art!"
Because I got 11 points to complain about on a surface level, it is only two stars. And usually I rate really generous because I don't have high standards.
July 8, 2021
Actual rating 3.5⭐️
May 12, 2021
2 stars
Emma Hamm has these premises and ideas that play on myths, folklore, and the paranormal and she twists it with abductions and marriage of convenience. Which as a reader I can never get enough of and am absolute trash for but then there always comes a point in this case 75% the author just absolutely demolished my enjoyment in one go.
In this case, the main female wants to physically change herself so her husband finds her more beautiful. Like I don’t like that message. Also by changing she takes her option of ever going back and I understand but to me, the husband knowing that is an option and letting her know she can go back and trusting her to stay making himself vulnerable to loss is swoon-worthy and the author is taking that away.
I want her to feel autumn court and the goblins are home but I wish the main character after going to the well and the presence trying to tell her that her sister didn’t always want to be so simple more than likely still doesn’t she did it to protect her and the Esther doesn’t think to change her thoughts on her bland boring sister. She just assumes she knows how her sister thinks. That reasoning allows her to I don’t need to see her ever again because she doesn’t change. I don’t like that message either.
This book is a prequel to her book about the goblin king.
Emma Hamm has these premises and ideas that play on myths, folklore, and the paranormal and she twists it with abductions and marriage of convenience. Which as a reader I can never get enough of and am absolute trash for but then there always comes a point in this case 75% the author just absolutely demolished my enjoyment in one go.
In this case, the main female wants to physically change herself so her husband finds her more beautiful. Like I don’t like that message. Also by changing she takes her option of ever going back and I understand but to me, the husband knowing that is an option and letting her know she can go back and trusting her to stay making himself vulnerable to loss is swoon-worthy and the author is taking that away.
I want her to feel autumn court and the goblins are home but I wish the main character after going to the well and the presence trying to tell her that her sister didn’t always want to be so simple more than likely still doesn’t she did it to protect her and the Esther doesn’t think to change her thoughts on her bland boring sister. She just assumes she knows how her sister thinks. That reasoning allows her to I don’t need to see her ever again because she doesn’t change. I don’t like that message either.
This book is a prequel to her book about the goblin king.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2021
There were some interesting and sweet elements I enjoyed but this one was my least favorite of the series… overall the writing made me sad…
Lux was adorable though! He was the only reason I kept reading!
Lux was adorable though! He was the only reason I kept reading!
May 17, 2021
Cute short story!
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
November 29, 2021
Let me start by pointing out that the synopsis is wrong. Esther never stole the necklace: the goblin offered it as a gift, she refused it. Then she changed her mind, went looking for it and tried to buy it, but the goblin tried to give it as a gift again. She took the necklace and left some money covertly in the goblin's cart. That's it.
Esther is the kind of character I loath. She acts like a 13yo, I don't know what is her age but I bet she's not in her 20s yet. She's selfish, foolish, naive to the point of stupidity, doesn't admit her mistakes and blames them on someone else, ignores what she doesn't like and then is angry when the truth surfaces but all the time she would just never listen, she's self centered, thinks too highly of herself and she left her house in the middle of the night never telling her sister what had happened to her: she didn't speak with Freya or left a note, she just disappeared. She never thinks of anyone but herself and I can't stand her anymore. I read 6 chapters of this book, about to start the 7th but I can't anymore. I wish she had died in the first chapter.
Esther is the kind of character I loath. She acts like a 13yo, I don't know what is her age but I bet she's not in her 20s yet. She's selfish, foolish, naive to the point of stupidity, doesn't admit her mistakes and blames them on someone else, ignores what she doesn't like and then is angry when the truth surfaces but all the time she would just never listen, she's self centered, thinks too highly of herself and she left her house in the middle of the night never telling her sister what had happened to her: she didn't speak with Freya or left a note, she just disappeared. She never thinks of anyone but herself and I can't stand her anymore. I read 6 chapters of this book, about to start the 7th but I can't anymore. I wish she had died in the first chapter.
August 10, 2021
Well to be honest...ummm... I didn't finish it. I couldn't. It totally wasn't my type. And the plot of story was a little different from what was in its description.
Fine...Esther liked adventure( i got to know this from my ahmmm...jump reading😜) But why Change her species. Like in the end, she became a goblin bcz IT WAS FREAKIN' BORING BEING HUMAN....WTH (little offended being a human)
I started it bcz i had read the rest of books in this series. These are light & simple "FROM STRANGERS TO LOVERS" and "HAPPILY EVER AFTER" books without any serious plot twists and i kinda liked the books but this one.....nope
Excuse me for any mistakes as i m a newbie both at reading & writing reviews.
Fine...Esther liked adventure( i got to know this from my ahmmm...jump reading😜) But why Change her species. Like in the end, she became a goblin bcz IT WAS FREAKIN' BORING BEING HUMAN....WTH (little offended being a human)
I started it bcz i had read the rest of books in this series. These are light & simple "FROM STRANGERS TO LOVERS" and "HAPPILY EVER AFTER" books without any serious plot twists and i kinda liked the books but this one.....nope
Excuse me for any mistakes as i m a newbie both at reading & writing reviews.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2022
I have no idea what I just read. The plot is nonexistent, the writing is juvenile and the characters are bland/annoying/stupid (Esther). They’re also written like 12 year olds. I just lost way too many brain cells reading this.
Content: Clean, kissing
Content: Clean, kissing
May 9, 2021
Cute companion to the Goblin King series. The MCs acted.. maybe a little young for me but not to the point where it was too distracting. Worth the time spent reading for sure!
May 17, 2021
I’m not quite sure what Stolen Goblin Bride is trying to be. It’s billed as romance, but it read far more like YA to me. Lux and Esther come across as kids in their early teens. She is immature and irresponsible, deferring to her sister as the one making adult decisions (and also, her sister lets Esther behave the way she does, which implied that she was younger to me). Lux is referred to as small and slim, and Esther consistently calls him a “boy.” So the lasting romance between these two seemed farfetched.
This is also a kisses-only romance, which further sold the YA aspects to me. I struggled with the implications that these two were in a permanent relationship—Esther makes wide-ranging decisions based on it—when they appeared to be way too young for that. The book is told entirely from Esther’s POV, so I don’t feel I really came to understand Lux at all.
The goblin world that Hamm introduces seems interesting, but it needed a lot more detail to be robust. If it is a land of eternal summer or autumn, why is Lux spending so much time bringing food to the needy? If you can teleport anywhere, why not move people to where they can live better lives? Lux lives in a treehouse, a subject that appears and then disappears without any further information about whether other goblins live that way.
Hamm looks to be writing a book about Esther’s sister Freya. I hope that book fleshes out more details about the world of these goblins.
So I was confused by the world, confused by the protagonists, and confused by some of the action in the story. Maybe this will make more sense to other readers, but Stolen Goblin Bride ended up being a mediocre read for me.
This is also a kisses-only romance, which further sold the YA aspects to me. I struggled with the implications that these two were in a permanent relationship—Esther makes wide-ranging decisions based on it—when they appeared to be way too young for that. The book is told entirely from Esther’s POV, so I don’t feel I really came to understand Lux at all.
The goblin world that Hamm introduces seems interesting, but it needed a lot more detail to be robust. If it is a land of eternal summer or autumn, why is Lux spending so much time bringing food to the needy? If you can teleport anywhere, why not move people to where they can live better lives? Lux lives in a treehouse, a subject that appears and then disappears without any further information about whether other goblins live that way.
Hamm looks to be writing a book about Esther’s sister Freya. I hope that book fleshes out more details about the world of these goblins.
So I was confused by the world, confused by the protagonists, and confused by some of the action in the story. Maybe this will make more sense to other readers, but Stolen Goblin Bride ended up being a mediocre read for me.
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