I just knew that I had to read this book when I first saw it. I read WINTERSONG, the first book in this duology last year and I absolutely loved it. The story, the writing was top-notch. So, I was pretty eager to read SHADOWSONG and to find out if Liesl will get her happy ending.

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I think I would've enjoyed this a great deal more if I hadn't read the author's note at the beginning. That made it impossible to view Elisabeth's and Josef's struggles as anything other than marionette-like expressions of their author's challenges. Once that distance crept into the story, it was difficult to stay invested in the rest of it.

Still, I very much enjoyed the way Jae-Jones wrapped up Elisabeth's story...even if I did ugly cry at the Coda. But I, too, have a younger brother whom I love very much. And the notion of my love reaching into his eternal loneliness like starlight long after I'm gone deserved at least an ugly cry. ...So...anyone have any Labyrinth fanfic recommendations to cheer me up? ( )

At the conclusion of the previous book Liesl had reluctantly left the realm of her husband the Goblin King and returned to her Bavarian village. Now, at the behest of a mysterious benefactor, she and her sister Käthe are headed to join her brother in Vienna, where she hopes finally to realize her lifelong dreams of composing music. When they arrive, however, Josef is but a mere shadow of his former self, and Liesl's generous patron proves to be uncomfortably peculiar.

This sequel was a disappointment and so unsatisfying, and I say that having loved Wintersong. I was expecting something as equally compelling, sweeping and sexy. Following the plot was a challenge since it was both boring and confusing — all the scenes just felt like filler. Jae-Jones writes beautifully, but it just was not the story I was hoping for. In hindsight I think the first book would have been served better as a standalone with additional content/resolution added, as 75% of what this book contained could have been edited out. ( )

I think I thought to myself, “Wow, I don’t care,” at least 20 times while reading this. It was just very okay. It should’ve been half the size that it was, it didn’t have the heart and passion that the first book had. ( )

I love the movie Labryinth, and I'm always up for a sequel, re-telling or anything in the kingdom of the Goblin King. Last year when I read the first book in this duology, Wintersong, I knew I would have a hard time waiting an entire year to find out how the story ends! I was so excited to read this book! After reading Shadowsong, I had to wait a few days to gather thoughts to write my review. I found this book both riveting and disappointing. The story was not what I expected. I felt a bit let down after such a long wait. But, despite the tale being different from what I expected and wanted....it is still a good story.

This second book has very little to do with the Goblin King, and more to do with Liesl's mental illness. The writing is excellent, with vivid descriptiveness. But, when compared with the first book, it just fell short of the mark for me. It's almost like it's a completely different story. I loved the fairy tale quality of the first book, the magic and darkness of the Goblin Kingdom and the excitement of the story. Shadowsong leaves all of that behind and delves deep into Liesl and her madness. It's darker and more realistic, but I wasn't looking for realism. I wanted Liesel and her Goblin King. I wanted Labyrinth.

The story is enjoyable. The writing is excellent. The cover is gorgeous! But I feel a bit let down. Just being honest. I'm rating this book based on the story and writing....and minimizing my disappointment that it lacked the fairy tale quality I really wanted. On it's own, it's an interesting story about a girl dealing with mental illness, amid memories of magic and real family issues. But I can't help but feel a bit disappointed that the character I love the most figured into this story very little.

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** ( )