one star ∗ :((

ugh. this book was kinda a disappointment for me??

honestly, i skimmed the last 100 pages or so because i just felt like nothing was happening and the plot was just being dragged out. s. jae-jones’ writing was the best thing about this book! i loved how lyrical the settings and the descriptions were. the downside was that i felt like nothing happened in this book! it was just a long, pointless novel that really had nothing to do with wintersong?

i feel like this could’ve been a really great sequel. all of the aspects were there: we were to learn more about how the goblin king became the goblin king ((which was what i was looking forward to most but the small excerpts that told the story just seemed odd and boring to me)), we were to see the consequences of liesl’s “escape” from the underground ((which i was also looking forward to but there was genuinely nothing??)), and the whole josef’s secret plotline could’ve been really interesting but i just felt like it was executed very poorly!

i’m honestly kinda mad about how this book went, even though i didn’t really enjoy the first book. i feel like, if executed well, this book would have been my favorite. another thing that bothered me:: the lack of the goblin king!!! those little one page scenes with him just did not cut it for me!! i wanted to see more of him and liesl, but sadly, that did not happen.

speaking of liesl, i was really upset with her character in this book. she underwent a fantastic character development in the first book, but the way she acted and how she thought just made it seem like that never happened. i know she’s supposed to be like this ‘plain jane’ whatever, but she was just really boring to read about.

other than the writing, i did enjoy the ending. i actually read the last 20 pages or so, and i thought that the ending was a good way to finish off the duology. despite all the things i did not like about this book, i definitely did not hate it! maybe in a few years i’ll reread this duology and see if i happen to like it better (or worse! who knows?) than i originally do.

I'm really torn between giving this 3 or 4 stars right now - so let's go with 3.5 then.

Shadowsong had a ton of twists, turns, and interesting scenes in this book. However, it also had a ton of boring shit in it. The beginning started off so freaking slow and then it sort of picked up about half way through... THEN it really picked up within the last 100 pages or so.

Shadowsong picks up right when Wintersong sort of left off. She get's a letter from her brother asking her to come to Vienna to bring him home. She leaves for Vienna a little while after getting the letter since her and the family have to work. Constanze also made me laugh so much, especially after the whole salt debacle. Yes, she's mad but I love her still.

Leisl was an okay character in this book. She wasn't my favorite but I also didn't really hate her either. Josef was a different story. It seemed like he had a stick shoved up into his ass because he was so freaking annoying. I get that he was mad at his sister for making the wrong decision.. but hot damn, he needed a swift kick in the balls from time to time. It's probably just me though but I just didn't end up liking him again until the end of the book.

Then there's the Goblin King and the other creepy shit happening in this book. The mirror shit was definitely messing with my mind. It also doesn't help that my contacts are DRY AF right now and I'd rather be in bed curled up with my many books that at work typing this review because I can't actually do my work. Yay for computers not working!!

Overall, I liked the book but I also feel a little bit disappointed. Again, it could just be but I felt a little underwhelmed by everything. It still kept me engaged and turning the page.. but I also wanted to take a nap or walk instead too. If you've read the first book than I definitely recommend this book.. but read it at your own pace.

I wanted, so badly, to love this book.

That didn't happen for me this time.

Shadowsong was slow, failed to engage me as a reader, and had me asking the same questions from the last book without answering them. The few answers I did get were mediocre at best.

4.5 stars I really loved this book. It was different from "Wintersong" especially in terms of setting. In the first book it was almost all Underground, while here Liesl is travels from her village to Vienna and other locations, so the world opens up. More focus is on the relationships between the siblings, and a major character is only seen in bits here and there for the first part of the book. I missed the Goblin King, but when he was there, even unknowingly to others, gah my heart. I adored the love story from the first book and while not always outright seen, it was still here as well.

That Count and Countess, I understand why they were there for the function of plot/story but I didn't like them. Too much time focused on them, not enough with others- and I felt that certain back storylines we were following got dropped, i.e. the wolf boy- I mean we know what happens, but I would have liked one more scene to tie it up.

Ultimately, this is Liesl's story and she grew as a character. I thought she grew a lot in the first book, but here we got to see how her new sense of self translated into the human world. She's flawed and can be selfish, but that's what makes an interesting character. I liked what she did in the end, without giving anything away she has to make a sacrifice, which I thought was huge given how she had been struggling in the story. The treatment of mental illness was handled very well and honestly in this book as well.

I kind of thought things would end the way it did, but I liked how it came about. I felt feelings and was left happy with the duology. I know there are mixed opinions out there, and I get it, but we all have different tastes. Also sometimes a story just resonates for whatever reason given our life cicumstances, I know for me it just clicked. I loved this story, entire.

I have not read the first book but I have eye balled it for a while. I know when it comes to this book I probably should have read the first book. However, I am not one of those readers that feels like I always have to read books in chronological order. In the case of this book, I honestly did not feel like I missed anything by not reading the first book. It was the opposite. I felt like was let down because there was nothing happening in this book.

I understood the concept of Liesl being the Goblin Queen and leaving behind her love, the Goblin King. Yet, there was just hints of mention of him in this book. I was kind of hoping that he would make an appearance in this book. There was just a lot of conversation that didn't really seem to always make a point. The only truly great parts about this book that I enjoyed was the musical aspects of this story. As much as I may not have liked this book, I do plan to check out the first book.

yes I gave this 2 start bc the name reveal pissed me the fuck off

I was very meh, about the first book (Wintersong), but I obviously had to continue because THE GOBLIN KING. Anything that is even remotely kind of like David Bowie in Labyrinth is worth at least one read through by me. I had to know! Unfortunately, this book was even slower and less exciting then the first in the series. Yes, it wrapped everything up, but no I didn't care. Especially since the goblin king played such a minor role in this. I needed more of him! A lot more! Also, Josef (Elizabeth's brother) is a whiny lil' bitch and I could care less what happened to him. The ending was predictable, and pretty much everything gets all wrapped up in a happy shiny bow. It was an alright attempt at a series, but not one I will ever re-visit. I would however, still want to read anything by this author, she has a way with words and one day I know she's going to write something that resonates with me and knocks the socks off me.

It was very long and hard to read and stay invested