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Love fairy tales and mythology?
Fans of mermaids, dragons, unicorns, and other mythical creatures?
Enjoy when a beloved classic tale is retold?
A Twist in the Tail Thursdays features all this and more!
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A sneak peek now, a full review when the book releases!
(Basically, it's a feature to squee about books I really love that aren't coming out anytime soon.
It's way too early to review them, but not too early to tell you to start salivating and adding it to your TBR List!)
(Basically, it's a feature to squee about books I really love that aren't coming out anytime soon.
It's way too early to review them, but not too early to tell you to start salivating and adding it to your TBR List!)
Guys, guys, guys. For my birthday last month, I treated myself to a book that doesn't even come out until NEXT YEAR. Which means, of course, that it is way too early for a review. Or to chat about it. Or...well, anything, really!
BUT I want you to have it on your radar NOW. (Though I'll warn you now: It's definitely a book for older teens and adults! The publishers bounced it from YA to Adult before finally settling on YA as a genre. If A COURT OF MIST AND FURY by Sarah J. Maas can be YA, so can this. There may be more sexytime scenes, but they're also not as graphic!)
It's called WINTERSONG and it's by S. Jae-Jones. It reads like a fairy tale and is based on so many tales, but it is also completely it's on story--and so, so gorgeous!
SUMMARY:
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 cannot wait to tell you guys how much I enjoyed reading WINTERSONG when the book releases in February 2017 and I can give you a real review, but to get you excited now, it reminded me of some great stories in some really fantastic ways!!
In particular...
If you love Jim Henson's Labyrinth, you will ADORE this book. ADORE IT.
Um, especially because there is a Ballroom Scene?
Don't go in expecting something just like Labyrinth, though. Even though this is being toted as a retelling, it's really not. Liesl goes to the Underground in order to save her sister Käthe, and encounters the "imaginary friend" she had as a child....but they're both all grown up now...
And this absolutely brings us to our next retelling!
Christina Rossetti wrote a poem called "Goblin Market." A lot of people don't know the story, but the tale has found its way into so many novels and tales. I picked up on it right away in WINTERSONG. It works SO WELL for the story, and ties into the novel so well.
If you haven't read "Goblin Market," go check it out! And then come to me if you want some book suggestions. ^.~
S. Jae Jones was originially trying to re-tell The Magic Flute...and unable to make it work. But music plays a HUGE part in Liesl's life, and in fact, in the lives of her family members. There's a lot about music in this book, and the author finally found a way to bring her love to life.
There's the tale of Der Erlkönig, or The Erl-King, and, in fact, the setting itself is very German and brings a lot of vivid imagery to life for me.
Also--and maybe it was unintentional, but I also saw traces of two of my favorite Greek myths, the tales of both Hades and Persephone, as well as that of Orpheus and Eurydice.
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| Happy Birthday to me! Time for a sweet treat! |
BUT I want you to have it on your radar NOW. (Though I'll warn you now: It's definitely a book for older teens and adults! The publishers bounced it from YA to Adult before finally settling on YA as a genre. If A COURT OF MIST AND FURY by Sarah J. Maas can be YA, so can this. There may be more sexytime scenes, but they're also not as graphic!)
It's called WINTERSONG and it's by S. Jae-Jones. It reads like a fairy tale and is based on so many tales, but it is also completely it's on story--and so, so gorgeous!
Title: WINTERSONG
Author: S. Jae Jones
Release Date: Out February 7, 2017
Publisher: Thomas Dunne // Macmillan
Received: ARC for Review
SUMMARY:
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.
In particular...
LABYRINTH
If you love Jim Henson's Labyrinth, you will ADORE this book. ADORE IT.
Um, especially because there is a Ballroom Scene?
Don't go in expecting something just like Labyrinth, though. Even though this is being toted as a retelling, it's really not. Liesl goes to the Underground in order to save her sister Käthe, and encounters the "imaginary friend" she had as a child....but they're both all grown up now...
And this absolutely brings us to our next retelling!
GOBLIN MARKET
Christina Rossetti wrote a poem called "Goblin Market." A lot of people don't know the story, but the tale has found its way into so many novels and tales. I picked up on it right away in WINTERSONG. It works SO WELL for the story, and ties into the novel so well.
If you haven't read "Goblin Market," go check it out! And then come to me if you want some book suggestions. ^.~
MOZART
S. Jae Jones was originially trying to re-tell The Magic Flute...and unable to make it work. But music plays a HUGE part in Liesl's life, and in fact, in the lives of her family members. There's a lot about music in this book, and the author finally found a way to bring her love to life.
OTHER MYTHS
There's the tale of Der Erlkönig, or The Erl-King, and, in fact, the setting itself is very German and brings a lot of vivid imagery to life for me.
Also--and maybe it was unintentional, but I also saw traces of two of my favorite Greek myths, the tales of both Hades and Persephone, as well as that of Orpheus and Eurydice.
THAT COVER!!!
It's soooooo pretty. I wanted this book when it was a publishing deal. Then we had a summary. When I saw that cover? I was a goner! (The cover also made a LOT of other people sit up and take notice, and the build-up of buzz on this one has been great so far!)
ARE YOU HOOKED!?
One of these things has to have you interested in WINTERSONG now, right!?
I love tales full of lore, especially when they're also full of originality. Plus, there's a focus on family! And romance! And music! And...and...and....well, so many great things!
Annnnnnnnnnnnd.........that's my spoiler-free way of NOT talking about this book's plot just yet and still (hopefully!) making you intrigued enough to pick WINTERSONG up when it comes out!
Will you be reading this when it comes out!?
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