๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐ฉ๐๐๐ช:
Not Good For Maidens by Tori Bovalino is a creepy crawly frustrating read with reckless teenaged girls, magical violence and many body parts in The Goblin Market. A book that may horrify or delight with the casual violence of goblin creatures who gladly feast on human marrow.
This is a story about family, loyalty, forbidden love and protection. Of breaking rules and paying the price (somewhat ๐), of loss and sacrifice. Of dangerous beings ready to feast on stupidly unaware humans.
๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐ง๐ถ๐๐น๐ฒ: Not Good For Maidens
๐ ๐ ๐ง๐ถ๐๐น๐ฒ: Falling For a Murderous Bastard
๐๐๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ: Tori Bovalino
๐ฃ๐๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ: RB Media |Page Street Kids
๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ: Audra
๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐: Easy
๐ง๐๐ฝ๐ฒ: Audiobook
4.6/5
๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฅ๐
Seventeen years ago, May and Laura Wickett fought their way out of the goblin market but the scars will never fade from Mayโs heart. After all, the market was more than the sum of the bodies it left behind: it was also the home of her first love. But when the price of freedom is blood and marrow, some heartbreaks are better left buried.
In present-day Boston, Louisa Wickett-Stevens does not believe in magic, despite Momโs and Aunt Mayโs superstitions. But after Louโs teenage aunt, Neela, goes missing, Lou realizes that their superstitions have been handed down to protect them from Yorkโs bloodthirsty goblin market. Itโs up to Lou, Mom, and May to infiltrate the market and steal Neela back before the goblins disappear. But the market has its fair share of secrets, and this time, the goblins do not only want death: they seek vengeance.
๐ Content Warnings
Blood/gore, explicit violence, death
๐ฆ๐จ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ
Enter this at once recognizable, yet foreign, creepy, crawly world where Wickett girls are plagued by goblins of the Goblin Market. Vicious and tricky goblins who tempt, cajole, seduce and lie; who take, drug, beat and kill; who crack human bones and feast on human marrow; who are somewhat held in check by a set of rules that keep some safe. Rules two of the Wickett girls will break as one seeks her heartโs desire; rules a Wickett girl will keep as she attempts to escape the horrors of the Goblin Market. Rules, curses and traps that will take this family to the brink as their coven seeks to protect their city from more than the occasional torso, head and leg that wash up. When a sister is taken, what will you do and become to save her? The Wicketts become MORE.
Louisa has always wanted to know more about her mother and aunt. The two women who raised her across the ocean and far from the grandmother and younger aunt she loves. The two women who have kept themselves from her for 17 years. The two women whose eyes go wide with fear when Lou receives a voice message from her dear aunt begging to be saved, speaking of the Market and then cutting to an eerie voice that calls her to the market. A market she knows nothing about.
While her mother forbids her to follow as she crosses the ocean back to York, Louisa will follow on her heels and watch as her mother, aunt and grandmother transform before her eyes. Watch as they open up about a centuries long legacy that has seen the Wickett Witches and their coven as the protectors of the city from a vicious goblin market. A market that follows specific rules, but that waits in heavy anticipation for the blood of witches and their TERRIBLE/poor choices. A market that 18 years ago feasted on the blood of a Wickett witch who barely made it out. This time the market will demand more and will offer surprises to the witches who never wanted to choose it, but were fated to.
๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ง
~ Compelling mystery with family and goblins
~ LGBTQIA+ representation โจ
~ Unnerving teenage silliness
~ While I disliked the choices made by the teens, the storytelling was excellent
~ I would read a book 2 ๐๐
๐๐ข๐ก๐ก๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐ฆ:
โช๏ธFolk Of Air (All three)
โช๏ธThe Stolen Heir
๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ:
~ Family & Loyalty
~ Mistakes & Consequences
~ Caution of Appearances
๐๐จ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐:
~ Mature YA
~ Adults
๐ง๐๐ ๐ ๐๐:
~ Really stupid stupid teens – like, cannot think keep me safe while I act as a jackass please ๐ถ TEENS
~ The let me get myself killed because โloveโ is worth it and I shall never be betrayed trope ๐ถ
๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ง:
Not Good For Maidens, has very vivid descriptions of attacks and violence. If you are squeamish or easily unsettled by violence in books, it may be best to read this with caution. Otherwise, read it! It was the story that stayed with me the most from 2022.
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๐๐ซ๐ง๐ฅ๐๐ฆ
Other views on this piece:
~ Blog 1
~ Blog 2
~ Blog 3
Author links:
~ Website
Pages: –
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Year: 2022
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