WINTERSONG: Inspired by LABYRINTH, a Story & a T-Shirt

Title: Wintersong
Author: S. Jae-Jones
Series: Wintersong, book #1
Publisher: Thomas Dunne
Publication Date: February 7, 2017
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell.

All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns.

But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts.

Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.

I'm going to keep this review short and sweet because (Sorry, I tried.) I feel like if you already love the movie Labyrinth, you'll really enjoy this book, which is semi-based on it. Maybe. Probably. I did. But I've seen others struggle with it. Mostly because of length and how long it takes for the plot to really get going. And it does. But...it's also totally worth it?

I really wish I'd written this review immediately after I finished reading the book back in October. I had such eloquent and though-provoking things to say about it then. They would undoubtedly be no less true now, but I can't remember them. Probably should have re-read the book first. But time is of the essence and I have oh-so-little of it as it is. I will definitely re-read this story in the future, especially if it becomes available on audio -- oh, please, please let that become a thing because I can only imagine how enticing the Goblin King would sound -- and as the release of the second book nears.

I still remember my older sister coming home from the video store with a copy of Labyrinth on VHS when I was just a youngling. And I remember the intense and immediate love I felt for Sarah and her plight...and Jareth, the Goblin King. I was raised a David Bowie fan from the cradle, and so seeing him in this role was tantamount to all of my wildest dreams coming true. And then to find out recently that an author was furthering my dreams by writing a story set in that world? Be. Still. My. Heart.

It was difficult, at first, not to picture Jareth as Jones' Goblin King. But she does a great job of reminding the reader what he looks like, how different he is from that other character, and how very nameless he is, and it works well to help you separate the two entities. Yes, the same magnetism exists between Liesl and the Goblin King, but in this story, he's actually able to reach the heroine in a way that Jareth never was able to.

I went into this story expecting it to be heavy on the romance. But it doesn't really start out that way. In fact, it takes a very long while to reach that point. Instead, I felt that the story was more heavily influenced by music and sacrifice...and how inexorable sacrifice seems when love is involved.

I've discussed this book at great lengths with friends, and whatever issues they've had, I've been able to overcome them. I don't know if it's my loyalty to the original story or just that I absolutely loved the writing and atmosphere of this book -- probably a little from Column A and a little from Column B, if I had to guess -- but I found this novel exquisitely lovely. So much so that I was inspired to create a t-shirt based on it, when given the opportunity.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

S. Jae-Jones, called JJ, is a voracious and indiscriminate reader, an avid traveller, and something of an adrenaline junkie.

Born and raised in sunny Los Angeles, she lived in New York City for 10 years before relocating down to Dixie, where she is comfortably growing fat on grits and barbecue. When not writing, she can be find rock-climbing, skydiving, taking photographs, drawing pictures, and dragging her dog on ridiculously long hikes.

Find JJ:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Pinterest | Tumblr

So, in my review, I alluded to a t-shirt design inspired by Labyrinth. And you got a peek of it in my Instagram pic above. The wonderful people at UberPrints offered to collaborate with me on a custom t-shirt of my own design, and this was the result:

I absolutely love my Labyrinth-inspired tee! It's so soft and comfy and the design came out exactly as I pictured it! And the best part was how easy it was to navigate their site to design it myself. I definitely anticipate using their service again. I've already got so many ideas for more bookish tees!

Check out UberPrints and design something awesome for yourself: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook. They have a wide array of shirt styles, sizes, and colors, so you're sure to find something to fit your needs!

Happy reading...and designing! :D

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Labels: beautiful covers, fantasy, favorites, goblins, historical fiction, labyrinth, macmillan, promotions, retellings, s. jae-jones, wintersong

What I've Been Reading Lately {1.26.17}

My first mini-review post of the year, and I've got some good -- and not-so-good -- stuff to share with you. I wasn't going to post this today, but if I don't, I'll just keep adding to it and then it'll be this behemoth of a post that no one wants to read.

The young adult titles I've been reading recently just haven't been cutting it for me for the most part, so I've been making my way through some historical romance by way of the Maiden Lane series. It's been fun. And steamy. :) What's weird to me, though, is that I only did one re-read this month. But I've been eyeing the Rephaim series again by Paula Weston, so I'm sure that'll change soon. =)

More on why I've gone to this format here. And without further ado, here's what I've been reading lately...

Y O U N G   A D U L T

Bad Blood - What a fantastic, edge of your seat ride this series has been! So many twists and turns and life-altering developments leading up to that insane ending. I just love how everything tied together, too...how interwoven these characters' lives are and what it means for all of them. I'm sad that it's over, but I am sooo glad I picked up that ARC of The Naturals a few years ago. This is by far one of my favorite series. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Air Awakens - I am most undoubtedly in the minority on this one, which leads me to believe I read a completely different book than everyone else because WHAT IS THAT WRITING?!? And yet. And yet...I feel compelled to continue the series. I imagine this can only end in pain and suffering, and yet I am already completely addicted. Hoping the subsequent books succumbed to a bit more editing and that the plot overcomes most of the writing issues, but I'm not holding my breath. 🌟🌟

Ever the Hunted - I read an ARC of this one last summer and promptly forgot to review it. I obviously didn't have much to say at that point because it seemed a very middle of the barrel YA fantasy. After re-reading via audio, I think I found it even less thrilling than on my first read. There's nothing essentially wrong with it; it's just predictable and brings nothing new to the table. And though the romance was solid throughout this first book, I feel like the thing that happened at the end is going to cause waves and force the romance onto less stable ground in the sequel. 🌟🌟🌟

Fire Falling - You can't hear me, but I'm currently cursing the author. I was prepared to finish this one and leave the series behind. I just had to make it to the end. That was going to be my penance for putting the entire series on hold at the library before I'd even read the first book. But now, NOW I may have to find out what happens after that ending. This is a form of cruel and unusual punishment. Because the writing is horrendous. And yet the plot has potential. I could see this being a pretty decent tv series. I could even see enjoying audiobooks if they existed because then the writing and editing mistakes wouldn't be so glaringly obvious. Gah, why did I do this to myself?!? (ETA: I changed my mind. Other - better - books are calling to me.) 🌟🌟🌟



By Your Side - This was kind of freaking adorable. Maybe not as substantial as I'd have liked but definitely better than I'd expected based on a few reviews from trusted friends/Kasie West fans. And being a fan myself, I wanted to love this. Trapped in a library with a total hottie? I couldn't have dreamed a more perfect escape. Dax is not a bad boy, just a misunderstood one. And I loved how much Autumn wanted to understand him, to be his friend. Even when it made her question her feelings for the boy she thought she should be with. This isn't a love triangle, though, because she and the should-be guy have only flirted off and on up to the point that Autumn "meets" Dax. It's not nearly as messy as it could have been, but it's not perfect either. Which is how I like my Kasie West romances, tbh. And the way anxiety is handled...maybe not perfect, either, but it felt authentic. I have mild anxiety and I could relate. I'm glad it was addressed and how it was tackled, though there was definitely room for improvement. Another cute Kasie West novel to add to the collection. And I am amassing QUITE the collection because hers are some of my favorite fluffy books to decompress with. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Resisting the Rebel - This was cuter in some parts than in others, but overall, it was a fun read. I definitely preferred the banter between Disco and the demon when it was just them and no one else was around. ;0) Plus, all of those almost-kisses were pretty dang hot. And the friendships in this book made the story...I might not have liked Mandy at all, if not for them. And while I've always loved the fake boyfriend trope, I might like it even more because of Caleb. =) 🌟🌟🌟

Doon - Hmmm. I'm going to have to re-think my strategy of downloading an entire series from the library in hopes that when I inevitably love the first book, I don't have to wait ages for holds to come in on subsequent books. Because the last two times I've done that -- with this series and with Air Awakens -- it's totally backfired on me. Doon wasn't terrible, per se, but it wasn't great either. Also, I did not realize it was Christian fiction. I liked the premise. I liked the setting. But maybe all of my recent forays into a more adult Scotland made this one seem a little...tame? Also, it was entirely too predictable. Perhaps if I'd read this when it first released, I'd have enjoyed it more, but as it stands, I've read too many much more awesome fantasy series to give this one any more of my time. 🌟🌟

R E - R E A D S

A Curious Beginning - I've been eagerly anticipating the sequel to this lovely, forthright novel since I finished it last year. And now that the release of A Perilous Undertaking is upon us, I had to re-read this first installment in preparation. I must admit that I was slightly less taken with the novel the second time around, but that's because the mystery is not so mysterious for me anymore. That's the way with these types of novels, I suppose. But I loved Veronica and Stoker just as much and I cannot wait to see what's to come of them in the next book. Which I will be reading post-haste...you know, as soon as my library gets a copy. ;0) 🌟🌟🌟🌟

A D U L T

Lady Pirate - So, I didn't like this one quite as much as An English Bride in Scotland, but it was still fun, if not a bit long-winded for all the loose ends that needed tying up.Speaking of being tied up, the sex scenes aren't intensely graphic as they are often wont to be in this type of story, but they still manage to be steamy. I enjoyed the romantic pairing in this novel, most especially because their situations were so similar...as were their personalities. I'm definitely going to continue perusing Lynsay Sands' backlist, though I can't promise I'll venture into her vampire stories. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Breath of Fire - I think I enjoyed this sequel slightly less than A Promise of Fire. Like 4 1/2 stars versus a full five stars for APoF. There was just too little banter and not nearly enough antagonism between Cat and Griffin. Cat wasn't nearly as snarky and self-assured as she was in the previous book. And I missed the sense of camaraderie among Beta Team. The only thing there was more of in this sequel was sex, and even that got to be a little much. I think the first book just had a better balance. However, this book had an awesome Odyssey-like quest, a gladiator-style battle royale and some serious swoons to boot. So, my overall enjoyment was pretty similar to how I felt at the end of the previous installment, only now I have to wait forever for the next book, whereas I only had to wait a month or so after reading A Promise of Fire to continue the story. *cries* 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Highlander Takes a Bride - Since I liked An English Bride in Scotland so much, I decided to give another one of Lynsay Sands' Highlander books a try. When I checked this audio out from the library, I wasn't aware it was actually a part of the series, and that AEBiS was the first book and that I'd totally skipped the second one. But it didn't hinder my reading experience any. I think what I probably like best about these books is that it doesn't take most of the book for the couple to fall for each other. That might be because they tend to marry early in the book for one reason or another, but I like that rather than spending time ignoring their feelings or trying to win each other's hearts, they are together from almost the beginning and instead work toward some other common goal or solving some mystery or some such thing. There was a yucky occurrence at the beginning of this story that could have kept me from enjoying it as much, but times being what they were, and the hero being who he was, I'm glad I kept reading. I think it was pretty obvious from the moment Greer met Saidh that he would be having no more dalliances with lightskirts. And Saidh, being who she was, would have handed his arse to him had he chanced it. :) 🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Bear and the Nightingale - This fairy tale-esque story set in medieval Russia was just lovely, possibly more so because of the gorgeous audiobook. I wish it hadn't been nearly 80 degrees outside while I was reading it because it's one of those comfy stories best read near a fire. It's also one of those rare books that doesn't really have a place: not YA but not wholly adult either. In fact, it felt very reminiscent of Naomi Novik's Uprooted in that respect. But I couldn't care less because it was so atmospheric and magical and the perfect read for this time of year...assuming you live in a place that has an actual winter. *sighs* 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Fate of the Tearling - I think I really should have done a re-read before picking this one up. Even though I felt like I really remembered the important aspects of both the previous books, I just felt...lost. I didn't connect with Kelsea at all in this book, which was hard because I liked her character immensely in the previous books. After the overlap of two worlds in the second book, I guess I should have expected the turn the story took in this final book, but I didn't. And I really, really could never have predicted that ending. 🌟🌟🌟

Maiden Lane series (books 1-9, at least)

Wicked Intentions - I erroneously read Lord of Darkness, the 5th book in the Maiden Lane series, first not knowing it was part of a series. It didn't impede my enjoyment any, though. On the contrary, it only caused me to want to read the rest of the books even more. So, here I am, starting at the beginning. And what a sensual, exciting beginning it was! I had no idea the entire series would revolve - at least loosely - around the Ghost of St. Giles, but I am immensely pleased that it does, especially knowing what I do about some of these characters from later in the series, thanks to my untimely reading of book five. I tittered delightfully when one of the characters suggests that it might be impossible for a certain character to be in the same place as the Ghost at the same time. :) Lord Caire and Temperance were lovely characters who became a balm to the other's tortured soul, but I have to admit, I can't wait to see how Silence, Winter, and Hero fare in the coming books. I'd include Godric in that list, but well, I already know his sad tale... 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Notorious Pleasures - I just love a good rake. Or a bad one, if you know what I mean. ;) And I adore them even more when they find themselves falling for paragons of virtue. I loved the glimpses of the Ghost of St. Giles and I love what I already know about said Ghost. Almost as much as I love the Ghost and what he means for St. Giles, I love how this series focuses around that darling Home for Foundlings. I'm also super glad I already had the next book downloaded when I finished this one so that I wouldn't have to wait to see more of Charming Mickey, as well, though that's another matter altogether. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Scandalous Desires - Oh, Charming Mickey lived up to his reputation in this one...and then some. Talk about swooning! I was glad to finally have Silence's story, as hers has seemed the most sad of the St. Giles characters...and also maybe the most hinted at. But I also love how previous characters make cameos and how all of their stories tie together. And though I knew who the Ghost was a long time ago, I was still excited to get that peek there at the end of this installment. Eep! Now I'm even more excited to get to the fourth book...and the only one remaining before book five, which is the one I read first and out of turn. Oops. :P 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thief of Shadows - Finally, FINALLY we get Winter's story. And it was oh-so-delicious. Especially one particular detail that I would not have guessed, though maybe I should have. ;0) I was here for Winter Makepeace and only Winter Makepeace, so maybe that's why I didn't particularly love his love interest in this book. I didn't dislike her and she had an interesting enough backstory on her own, but like I said: here for Winter and that is all. I liked seeing him embrace his feelings, come out from behind the mask (hehe) and live a little. But now that I finally have the reserved Winter's story, I find myself needing another Makepeace brother's tale...specifically, the dodgy Asa Makepeace. Unfortunately, that story is still a few books out. Guess it's a good thing I'm making excellent time working my way through this series! :D
🌟🌟🌟🌟

Lord of Darkness - book #5 previously read out of turn, you can check out that review here

Duke of Midnight - Please tell me it ain't so. The Ghosts of St. Giles have all gone legit, and so where does that leave me with the masked man love interest in this series?!? And to end it with Maximus, who was probably my least favorite of the masked vigilantes. Sigh. He was just so pompous and arrogant and sooo unwilling to change for his lady love. Until it was nearly the end of them. And Artemis...she went into this knowing what it would cost her, bravely faced that and him, and yet she wasn't my favorite heroine either. I enjoyed this installment, but it was probably my least favorite in the series so far. 🌟🌟🌟

Darling Beast - I liked Artemis' brother Apollo's story more than I enjoyed her own, unfortunately. I enjoyed the mystery of it. And the fact that he was so aware of what he wanted and what he could lose, should he be caught and sent back to Bedlam. The fact that he cared naught for his aristocratic standing and only for his lady love, well...he may not have been the prettiest of the Maiden Lane heroes, but he stole my heart. I also appreciated his love interest's back story and what she'd sacrificed. It was kind of a whirlwind Beauty and the Beast story and I enjoyed it immensely. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Dearest Rogue - Oh, gosh, I've just loved Captain Trevillion from the first, even when he was just a hard-assed dragoon in search of the Ghost of St. Giles. But now...now he's an ex-soldier besotted with his young charge and that is way more fun. And poor Phoebe, struggling with adversity and the kid gloves everyone treats her with -- everyone but her bodyguard, that is. I didn't expect this pairing, but I kind of loved it. And now I'm more curious about the villain in this story because I vaguely remember looking ahead to other installments in this series and I believe he's a love interest at some point? Very curious... 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Sweetest Scoundrel - I've been waiting pretty much since the beginning of the series to get Asa Makepeace's story, and now that I've read it, I'm a tiny bit disappointed. He was always the outcast brother who only showed up when things really got hairy for his family - namely his sisters - but now I know that that was partially his own doing, that they never pushed him away, and that makes me all the more sad. And even angrier at the way he treated Eve when they first met. Basically, he never gave anyone a chance to be on his side, he's kind of a jackass, and it takes nearly till the end of this book for that to change. Winter shall remain my favorite of the Makepeace brothers. I found Eve just meh as a love interest, but I like that her character introduced us to the Lords of Chaos because it was getting kind of boring without any pirates or Ghosts of St. Giles around. ;) 🌟🌟🌟




Have you read any of these? What did you think? Find any new titles to check out? ;0)

Until next time! Happy reading!

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Labels: discussion, mini reviews, reviews, what i've been reading lately

2016 End of Year Check In

I love doing stat posts based on my reading for the year. So, if you don't like charts and graphs or analysis of any kind, you can probably skip this post. :) I did one of these posts about midway through the year, too, because I just love playing with the graphics. Er, and also reviewing my reading progress. Yeah, that.

I'm a little behind, seeing as how it's been 2017 for nearly a month now, but better late than never, right? But all of a sudden, I have the urge -- and the time -- to blog again, so here I am. I'm not going to list all of the books I read in 2016 or even my favorites since I already did the 2016 End of Year Book Survey with April, but I am going to point you to my 2016 Goodreads challenge, which does list all the books I read:

2016 Reading Challenge

Jen (The Starry-Eyed Revue) has read 139 books toward her goal of 225 books.

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139 of 225 (61%)

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I know a lot of people have stopped participating in this challenge for one reason or another, but it's the only one I participate in, and I've never had a problem reaching my goal. But that's because I listen to a shit ton of audio. ;0)

See? I hardly read a physical book last year, unless it was an ARC. Most everything is audio these days because it's sometimes impossible to find the time to sit down and read. Even so, I guarantee that nearly half of those audiobooks listened to were for re-reading purposes.

And a lot of the audiobooks I read come from the library because audiobooks are hella expensive. I do purchase some with my Audible subscription, but let's see where the rest of my reading material comes from...

Hmm...that's quite a bit different from the last time I did this end-of-year post full of charts and graphs. I didn't even use the library then!

I used to care to see which publishers I reviewed more for, but as I did a lot less reviewing this year than in years past, I'm not going to worry over that. Instead, I want to see which genres I read the most from:

As I suspected. =) And here's how the ratings break down:

So, it would seem I've gotten a bit pickier with my reading, giving out a few more 2 stars and DNFing a bit more than I have in the past. I'm kind of proud of that fact.

All in all, a pretty good reading year, if I do say so myself. :D So, how did your 2016 reading year stack up? Any stats I should include next time that you don't see here?

As always, happy reading!

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Labels: 2016, analysis, end-of-year check-in, reading goals, reading habits, reading schedules, stats

Things 2016 Taught Me

I haven't really been in the mindset to blog lately, and so all of my end-of-year posts are coming at you nearly a month into 2017. I'm surprisingly okay with that. I'm still not entirely sure I'm ready for 2017, either, but there's really nothing I can do about that.

In lieu of the usual resolutions post, which I always fail at anyway, I thought I'd look back at my 2016 reading year and what I've learned or maybe only just realized about myself. Because I am definitely a different reader/reviewer than I was when I started this blog almost six years ago, but I'm also a different reader just from the start of the year. There were times -- especially toward the end of the year -- where I just wanted to give up and go off the grid, but I basically took a two-month hiatus and I'm feeling refreshed and ready to reflect -- and embrace! -- some of the changes I made this year. It's honestly kind of liberating.

1. First and foremost, I no longer love young adult the best.

I've been reading a lot of adult novels lately: historical romance, fantasy, chick lit. And I'm loving it. That's not to say that I don't still enjoy young adult, but I'm branching out and it's been fun.


2. I no longer read by a schedule.

I used to keep a detailed spreadsheet of all the review books I needed to read and when they released so I knew when to read them. But that left no room for books that I didn't receive for review or promotion. I've decided it's way more fun just reading book after book without a break to post a review. And I am just SO much happier when I don't read by a schedule.


3. Putting books on hold at the library tends to make me apathetic toward reading them.

If I have to wait very long for a hold to come through at the library, it's more likely that I'm not going to be in the mood to read it once my hold comes through. Sad, but true. So, I'm trying to only put highly anticipated reads on hold so I'm not keeping others from the books they want to read.


4. Re-reading can sometimes be detrimental.

I re-read. A lot. Especially when the next installment in a series is set to release. I re-read/listen to the previous book in a series to be prepared for the next/final book when it releases...and sometimes I end up not reading the next installment because I discover my love for the series has waned upon re-reading the preceding book. (Ex: Court of Fives, Ten Thousand Skies Above You)


5. I find it way easier to DNF or give up on a series midway now.

Temptation is a fickle bitch. I've warred with myself a lot over the years as to whether I should continue a book or series, and I usually cave because I just have to know how it ends. Not so much these days. I can make an educated guess and leave it at that.


6. My drafts folder is legit full of discussion posts I started but never posted. 

I always feel like talking about stuff but then reconsider, figuring no one else wants to hear about it. But sometimes, we just like to hear ourselves talk, yeah? So I'm going to start posting some of these, I think. The ones where I actually sound coherent, anyway.


7. Social media sucks the life out of me.

I haven't missed social media all that much during my hiatus, except maybe Instagram. I don't really think I'll be on Twitter anytime soon, and I've never really been a fan of Facebook. Everything's still set to cross-post to those sites, but I'm mainly here for the books, so I'll stick to Goodreads and Instagram for bookish goodness.

I'm sure I learned some other stuff, but these are the really important points. What, if anything, did 2016 teach you about yourself?

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Labels: 2016, blogging, discussion, reading habits