This book was honestly a little bit all over the place for me, with some parts I enjoyed and others that I didn’t enjoy as much. Let’s start with the positive things. The premise of the goblin market was what intrigued me to read the book, and I would say that it was the best part of the book. The writing was very immersive and really made the place come alive for the reader. I would have loved to see it actually take up more space in the story, but maybe it was for the best that it wasn’t as it was also the scariest part of the book. It’s the gory and really detailed descriptions of said gore that is the horror aspect, and it freaked me out a bit. It was just really brutal, so this isn’t a book for younger YA readers. Another thing the book did well was it’s queer representation, with multiple LGBTQ+ characters. I also liked the resolution and ending.

Now onto the negatives. There were some disappointing story choices that did drag down my enjoyment of the book. This has mostly to do with the characters. The present day mc Lou is just annoying and quite whining, she doesn’t seem to have much more to her character than that, being mad at her mom and being the “chosen one”. I actually prefer past Mays story over this. She was just a more complex character, with more interesting side characters. The book has a dual perspective between these two, and May didn’t get the time to shine in her limited space. Also the whole “they’re witches” thing was not explored nearly as much as it could have. Another big issue was the pacing, and the timelines. It just made it hard to get really into the story.

So to summaries: it’s a queer YA dark fantasy/ horror book with an interesting premise, but the characters, pacing and lots of little issues just brought down the enjoyment for me.

This book hits all the vibes I was looking for to start off spooky season!

A Goblin Market retelling, the story follows Lou in the present day as she ventures into the Goblin Market to save her aunt Neela. There are also flashbacks to the past which give you context for the present day story & flesh out the market world.

Overall I enjoyed this book, the market setting was just horrific enough for it to be interesting, but not so gross that I was put off! The main characters were generally engaging & I appreciated the rep included.

I personally preferred the flashback scenes more than the present day ones. The story felt more interesting with higher stakes & I ended the book wanting more of that story.

Thank you to Titan & Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

Not Good for Maidens was okay.
Sadly it wasn't as good as I hoped it would be as while it did sound amazing.
I just don't think it was as good as it could've been and it had a lot of issues that was also in the authors previous book The Devil Makes Three.
I would still recommend this book as I do think other people would enjoy it.
I just think this authors work is not for me.
Though I may try again in the future.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

To say I am obsessed with this book is an understatement.

I loved everything about this book. It's magical and angsty and chilling and thrilling and oh my god what can I even say to describe how much I loved it?

The two timelines worked really well, intertwining the story and coming full circle in the present. The characters were so well brought to life and engaging, the market was vibrantly described and just jumped off the page. The magic and goblins, and market were equal parts intriguing, fantastical, and disturbing (in the best way).

I honestly cannot fault a single thing in this book.

A really fascinating premise, I've never read a book centring on goblins before or a retelling of the Goblin Market, and it was so interesting to read about. It was incredibly atmospheric - absolutely perfect for spooky season! It was chilling and tense, and I was constantly wondering what was going to happen next.

I loved that we went back and forth between present day, following Lou as she tries to save her aunt/best friend Neela from the market, and 18 years before, following May as she navigates the lure of the market versus her duty as a witch. Both point of views are quite harrowing, with lots of really horrible things happening to these characters, especially to May; it was a gory book to say the least, and definitely fits more into horror than into fantasy.

However, the pacing was a little uneven at times, and I didn't feel that the stakes in the present day chapters were quite as high as in the past, which might have been fine if we hadn't had the past chapters to compare to. It also felt a bit unrealistic that Lou, who had no idea that the goblin market even existed up until like 3 days before she went in, was somehow the best choice to go and save Neela? The whole witch side of the story also felt kind of underdeveloped - it was never really properly explained at all, which it easily could have been because the book isn't that long.

Overall, I did enjoy this book a lot, but there were some elements which lowered my opinion of the book, and I definitely preferred the flashbacks to the past way more than the present day perspective.

I enjoyed this book so much , a great autumn read .
• exciting
• like nothing else I’ve ever read
• twists and lots of drama
• amazing world building
• leaves you constantly guessing
• lots of great characters
•witches , covens , goblins …duh amazing.

An all round great read that you can get your teeth into . There was a small section in the middle that seemed to go on a bit, but then it picks right back up until the very last page .
So pick this beauty up on the 13th September when it’s released !

The nights are beginning to draw in, we’ve hit September, everything smells of pumpkin spice… it’s spooky season. Here’s a fantastic new book to get you in the mood.

Not good for Maidens is based on the poem Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti which is a fantastic poem with themes of sexuality, temptation and mystery. As well as seduction and betrayal.

These themes are evident in this retelling where witches meet goblins in the Goblin Market of York. It’s a supernatural horror where blood thirsty goblins are desperate to claim revenge against Lou’s family. It’s dark and twisted, a fantastic tale of both familial love and romance. The Goblin Market is ready to capture you, you’d better hurry up and find the way out before it disappears.

Firstly, I would like to thank Titan Books and NetGalley for an eArc of this title.

To begin, I am not particularly familiar with the story of the Goblin Market and after completing this book - I don't believe you need to have read it beforehand. However, I was still intrigued by the concept of this book and after reading The Devil Makes Three in 2021 by the same author, I was open to reading more.

Also, before we get into it can we take a moment to appreciate how beautiful the cover of this book is!

Ultimately, I didn't love this book. It wasn't disappointing so much as it felt very average. There wasn't anything groundbreaking within the story, the characters were interesting despite being slightly underdeveloped and the end felt slightly underwhelming but did well to wrap up and conclude the overall story. I will say that I do like the authors writing style - I feel it is easy to consume, well written and flows nicely.

One thing that the book does do well is it has an atmospheric air of hauntingness to it that even borders on a little horror at times. There are intricate descriptions of the market and the different goblins found within it. Some aspects even could be argued to be quite gruesome in the descriptions. However, I appreciated this as I don't tend to read horror so to get a little scared and creeped out is a nice change of pace from what I typically read.

The book also does have a diverse LGBTQ+ rep with asexual, pansexual and bisexual characters. The overall characterisation was done quite well and the story even included two separate timelines and POVs. However, to potentially contribute to its underdevelopment, neither of the POVs seemed to contain too much depth. I did personally wonder halfway through reading whether the author included two separate storylines to flesh out and reach the word count of the novel itself. I don't believe both POVs were necessary and the book may have benefited from focusing on a single POV only.

Despite everything said above, I do believe it was a fun read. I don't think readers should be put off by mine and other potentially negative reviews of this book. If a slightly darker fantasy that involves witchcraft and goblins sounds appealing - I would still recommend this book.

I should note that other reviews have mentioned potential antisemitism with the descriptions of the Goblins. I can't speak to this personally, as I am unfamiliar with the historic descriptions and comparisons but have heard arguments for other pieces of works with Goblins being referred to as antisemitic. So please listen to any own voice reviewers that may speak to this more accurately than I can.

Last year I read The Devil Makes Three and throughly enjoyed. So I preordered this book at the earliest opportunity, then was also very lucky to get an early review copy from NetGalley.

I loved this creepy magical world. It is set in the world we know but also one where a coven of witches are trained to uphold a treaty with the goblins of the market. The witches also help cover up and deal with the mess from the market, and the goblins limit the damage... provided a strict set of rules are followed.

The way this world is described makes you feel like you are right there (which is a little yuk at times given what goes on in the Market) but it really immerses you in the story.

We follow Lou as she finds her feet in the new world she has been thrust into, and we also skip back 18 years through the story of her aunt May and discover when it all changed before.

Throughly enjoyable read and especially during the upcoming spooky season!

— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Not Good For Maidens
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Tori Bovalino
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: LGBT+ Horror/Fantasy
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 13th September 2022
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3.75/5

“They come every summer and they sing at the windows; you can hear them on every street, if you’re one of the girls they want, one of the girls they’re looking for. They sing and they call and they cry and it gets to you. It worms its way inside of you and you want, and you hear them until you’re so full of wanting that it’s all you can think of. And you go, and they take you, and you never ever come back.”

This is a gruesome and bewitching retelling of the goblin market. It doesn’t shy away from brutal descriptions of dismembered bodies, magically destructive diseases, and the general horror of being lured somewhere and captured for death.

I freakin’ love goblin market retellings. Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti is one of my favourite poems ever. It’s equal parts spooky and beautiful. And you can definitely feel those qualities in this retelling.

This retelling is told by two points of view over a dual timeline. Lou being the present day main character, and her aunt May being the other POV, telling her story from eighteen years ago. Both stories interweave in a satisfying, logical way, with a lovely twist.

Lou as a main character was alright. She identifies as asexual at the beginning of the story, which is wonderful for diverse representation, and touches on her experience finding out she was ace. I just wish I knew more about her personality, she was so wrapped up in worry or frustration for everyone else that I think it stopped me getting to know Lou as an MC as much as I would have liked.

May’s love story was one of my favourite parts of the story as a whole. As much as I found her frustrating with her foolishness, I guess that the phrase ‘blinded by love’ can be applied here to both May and her love interest.

I loved the descriptions of the actual market itself, and I loved the way the goblins lure in the characters. It felt like they knew the characters’ greatest hearts desires and manipulated them with the promise of answers, fun, goodwill and safety.

“This is not something you can be protected from, Louisa. It’s something you must choose to avoid. You’re here; you have our blood. There is no avoiding the market. There is no protecting you. The market knows you’re here, just as certainly as I do. If the market chooses you, then you must not choose the market.”

I feel like when Lou finds out about the fact her family are witches it should have been more of a big deal—rather than Lou asking if she’s a witch and the response being ‘you might be, but it takes too long to find out’. It felt like Lou was struggling her whole life with who she is and who she is meant to be and although her character does grow, I think something should have really slotted into place for her knowing she’s actually descended from a coven of witches!

It does have the potential to develop into a series, especially with that ominous ending, I sincerely hope it does.

🧚🏻‍♀️

2.5

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me an eARC to review!

After thoroughly enjoying The Devil Makes Three, I was excited to pick up something else from Bovalino despite the whole goblin thing not really being up my alley. Unfortunately this didn't really grip me, and I found it pretty boring :/

I'm not familiar with the Goblin Market story originally, but I'm aware of the discourse around goblins and their lore and I think it would have been nice to see Bovalino engage with this a bit more. The description of the goblins did avoid the usual stereotypes, but I felt that otherwise our interaction with the idea of goblins boiled down to a romance plot line and a conversation that ended with "we shouldn't generalise goblins not all of them are bloodthirsty" which seemed a little strange. I agree with other reviews that where subject matter is engaged with that is known to be problematic (goblins and the Goblin Market story are both heavily criticised for anti-Semitism) that steps need to be taken to clearly define what side you're on (which is hopefully that anti-Semitism is bad). I feel the same thing happened with the Wicked Saints drama, and while I think that Bovalino did make steps to distance her goblins from the original story, it would have been nice to see the story go that extra step or even have an author note or something addressing it.

Otherwise, I feel this was a pretty stock-standard coming-of-age story that skirts the line between Adult and Young Adult fiction. Yes it was gory and gross, but didn't quite ever get fully into horror, and the themes felt very YA. I didn't feel very connected to the characters or the story, and felt like I needed a bit more world building to understand the importance of the witches and the history between them and the goblins. I found that towards the end it got a bit repetitive, and I was confused cause I thought there were things we had already been told which were then treated like reveals later on. Part of this is the result of the dual timelines which I found difficult to distinguish at times, and Lou's timeline felt like it reduced all stakes from May's one and at times spoilt things. The end was also particularly anticlimactic and the herb magic in particular felt super convenient and underdeveloped.

I think with a bit more fleshing out this could have been great, but unfortunately it just didn't pull me in. I'm interested to see Bovalino's contribution to The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horror cause Devil Makes Three was truly spooky!

We’ve all followed a pretty goblin girl into an extremely life threatening situation or two, right? 🫣

Not Good For Maidens by Tori Bovalino is a dual POV (one present, one past) following Lou as she tries to rescue her cousin from the notorious goblin market of York. It also follows May, 18 years earlier, who entered the market and suffered for it. Will Lou make it out of the market alive? Will her cousin still be in one piece if and when she finds her? What happened to May 18 years before?

These are the questions you’ll have for most of the book. And finding the answers if definitely worth the read. I really enjoyed this one! I liked the pacing of the story, the atmosphere, the history and world building. 10/10. I was thinking about this book when I was busy doing other things, which is how you know there’s a compelling story being told.

There’s a massive emphasis on family, and I was particularly fond of how the family dynamic wasn’t perfect. There were secrets and feelings of being left out or put to the side. Sometimes families suck, but you’d still run headfirst into a fight with man-eating goblins for them.

There was sometimes a little bit of repetition, like about which herbs get you in and out of the market, or how goblins aren’t trustworthy. It didn’t ruin the story at all, just something I noticed along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley, Titan Books and Tori Bovalino for giving me the eARC for Not Good For Maidens. The book releases September 13th, and you should definitely give it a read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not Good for Maidens is a modern take on The Goblin Market, focusing on the family of witches in charge of keeping the humans as safe as possible. It follows two timelines: the present, where Lou attempts to save her beloved cousin Neela from a situation Lou is also extremely vulnerable to and simultaneously had no idea existed and the past, where Lou's Mother saves her sister, May, from a similar one. Cue a story of love that defies borders and beliefs, fear and anger. A story of self-discovery and tragedy. And horror.

I loved every single character in this book. Every. Single. One. Lou's mother, in her stubborn protectiveness, May, the hidden adventurer. Neela, the dazzling, kind cousin. Eitra, an extremely complex character whose storyline centers loyalty, love and defiance. And Lou, who feels the need to take the world on her shoulders, even if she doesn't feel like there's a place for her in it. They were all multi-dimensional, beautifully written characters.
The book was very atmospheric, which is a huge plus in my opinion (the description of the way a place smells just takes world-building to a whole other level). And the queerness! Asexual, Pansexual, Bisexual, Sapphic. YES.

The gore inherent to the story was balanced beautifully with Lou's internal struggle and also her growing knowledge about the unknown that surrounds her.

Now, the thing that must be said: Goblins. Before I read this book, I was worried, but hopeful. I hadn't even heard of the original poem. While reading this book, I was pleasantly surprised. I was worried about depictions of goblins as creatures who wear only loincloths, are indescribably hideous and greedy, and have hooked noses. That would be the most overtly antisemitic version, after all. What we got were slightly inhuman creatures closer to modern depictions of fae, who showed single inhuman features and became slightly less human in the market. That being said, in the course of writing this review, I noticed that the more subtle notes of antisemitism hadn't been removed. Creatures that drag teens underground to drink their blood and eat their body parts? Green skin and sharp teeth? Goblins as evil salesmen and it taking the shape of an actual market? I am not Jewish, but this seems icky, even to me. While I don't think this connection would have been made if not for the history of goblins in folk tales, that connection in and of itself was not severed in any way (No name changes, the market was a literal market, fixation on blood and rituals)
To me it seems as if the author removed the obvious bits of antisemitism in an effort to tell her (marvelously written) story and simply couldn't part with the bits that made the story what it was and also inherently antisemitic.

This is a shame, because I loved literally everything else about it and had I written this review directly after reading it instead of leaving it to marinade in my brain, it would have been 5 stars.
(The second star is solely because of how beautifully written this story is, I'm not kidding. What a shame.)

This is always why we think before we review, ladies!

Thank you NetGallery for this e-ARC!

2.5/5 stars

There was nothing actually fundamentally wrong with this book, however, I do not think it was to my personal liking. It is said to be an adaptation of the goblin market, and though I had not previously read the stories, the book's blurb sounded like something that would interest me. Although many of the characters seemed likeable and the writing was also good, I felt a bit bored while reading the book and thought it lacked overall depth. It was interesting to read the dual pov timeline, but it felt like there was only one plot throughout this whole novel and although they were witches dealing with goblins, there were hardly any magical elements except the market appearing. I would understand why other readers may enjoy this novel, however, for me personally, it didn't hit the mark which is a shame.

Although I liked 'Not Good for Maidens' significantly more than the authors debut, I couldn't finish it.
It is quite intriguing from the beginning and I liked the family relationships, but the friendship was non-existing on page, as well as character personalities.
We also have dual perspectives, of which I preferred the one set in the past. It is grittier and witchy, but there's way too little time for proper world building and exploration of the witch society.
A third through there was still no plot (or goblin market) in sight. Lacking an interesting plot and engaging characters, there was nothing for me to keep going.

I love dark and gothic book and I also love retellings so this was a great read for me. It was chillingly haunting and I loved every second of it. It has made me want to annotate the poem that the book is based on and use it in my gothic literature portfoliio for university.

I thought a long time about what to write in this review. Admittedly, I was not familiar with the Goblin Market poem (of which this book is a retelling), although it seems that other reviewers are. However, only hearing the word 'goblin' sets of the alarm sirens in my head, and, well ... Instead of saying anything more, let me cite the wikipedia article on the poem, specifically, the section on interpretations: "Some critics believe that some feminist interpretations of the work leave out an anti-semitic nature within the poem. The critic Cynthia Scheinberg believes the Goblins to be "Hebraic", anti-semitic and anti-Judaic characters that the tested Christian sisters Laura and Lizzie must face in order to transition into wholesome and complete young women." Now, we all know wikipedia is not the end-all-be-all of scientific research, but it does feel like a lot of reviewers on here seem to think of the original poem to be some kind of sexy coming-of-age story.

And ... yeah. An underground race of sub-human creatures who lure humans away to kill and eat them? Oh, that's a big yikes. A really big one. And if a portion of these creatures are described as having green skin? Hm. An even bigger yikes. And then their main area of existance is a market, where they trade in blood and tears and locks of hair for cursed fruit? Oh. That's ... I mean, that's not great.

Now, from other reviews on this book, it seems that Goblin Market retellings are ... a thing? And I'm not sure how retelling such a deeply antisemitic could ever work.

It doesn't work in this book.

I'm not sure if the author was aware of the antisemitic background of the poem, but honestly, it kind of feels hard to miss. The goblins in this book are not like the H*rry P*tter ones, but more akin to fairie creatures, built on trickery and brutality. However, they do still very much lure human teenagers underground and kill them. So, in my personal opinion, there wasn't much done to subvert the antisemitic tropes in the source material.

In addition to the antisemitic nature of the goblins, the rest of the novel just felt jumbled together. It's dual perspective, dual timelines: In the past, May falls in love with a goblin and disregards the treaty with the goblins to see her. In the present, Lou (May's niece) tries to save her other aunt Neela (May's sister) after Neela is captured in the market. It is said many times that Lou doesn't believe in goblins, but she sure as hell accepts her reality soon enough. It's weird, because at points it seems like the narrative can't decide whether Lou believes in the market or not? Additionally, we know exactly what happens to May because she tells Lou before we get to read things from her POV, so there's no suspense at all during her chapters. We already know she's gonna get captured. We already know she's gonna kill the market prince.

Also, what was the whole witch subplot about? Felt like a totally separate book, a totally separate story, and honestly, if it would've been left out, the story wouldn't have been altered at all. Same with May's pregnancy. None of these things had an impact on the story at all, nor were they necessary.

Now, to round this review out with: I liked that the author explicitly stated the sexualities of Lou, May, and Neela. It feels like it's too rarely that we actually read the words asexual and bisexual in books. Sure, there's asexual and bisexual characters, but how often do we actually read those words? That was a nice surprise. I just wish Lou's asexuality would've been more integrated into the story and not just used as an explanation as to why she feels alienated from other people her age. For example, the market works a lot on sexual temptation, and I think an asexual character in that environment could've made for interesting interactions. But alas, it was not to be.

Not Good for Maidens is a hauntingly enticing and bloody spectacle of a book. It’s the type of story that sits heavy on your bones after reading and haunts your nightmares.

This book is one that you will not forget in a hurry. It is chilling and spectacular, with the terror building and the chill on your spine only ever getting more intense. This feels like the whisper in the dark that promises you everything you have ever wanted, but at an unimaginable cost. It is genuinely tantalising. Right from that atmospheric opening, you will be hooked. Instantly the scene of intertwining timelines and the legacy of that traumatic experience is established. You know this is going to be a book that does not hold back and grapples with inter-generational trauma. Bovalino constantly keeps you wanting more, drawing you into this blood-drenched world where every action has consequences and everything has its price. Her writing is stunning in every way. It is evocative, descriptive and endlessly gorgeous, but tinged with such darkness. It resembles the market in the way it shines, but that shine is a veneer of bright promises to conceal the horrific underbelly. The pacing is immaculate, keeping the pages flowing past you. For me, the reading experience was transportative, compelling and utterly enrapturing. Time flew past as the pages flowed and the blood spilt.

This is the sort of retelling that honours the essence of the original but spins it into something entirely new. The Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti is an impactful poem warning of the dangers of temptation and damnation, particularly periodical taboos surrounding sexuality and desire. Bovalino brings these moral panics into the modern day, interrogating societal assumptions and the underlying judgement of female sexuality. It is a deeply feminist and empowering book, complicating Rossetti’s original challenges to society. The way Bovalino brings the original tale into the timelines is excellent and a creative way of merging these two worlds. Her reinterpretation is a brutal, blood-drenched one, but also one that maintains hope.

Lou was such a fantastic protagonist and really acted as the audience’s eyes, as she enters this darkly magical world. Her spirit and determination is admirable, but she is not entirely immune to temptation. The way she wavers is so human and the conflicts she encounters are both mental and physical. I loved the way Bovalino explores family ties, heritage and intergenerational trauma. In fact, the entire central cast of characters is so fractured and fascinating to read about. The representation was so amazing, particularly the speech about being asexual. This representation is not something you see too often in books and Bovalino brings sensitivity and authenticity to it. Also, the choice of setting is perfect. Aside from some Northern representation, Bovalino really taps into that environment of small town superstitions. It is claustrophobic and suffocating. At the same time, it speaks to folklore of old and the knowledge of something beyond. It pays homage to the history embedded in these small towns and the way that traditions are upheld. At its core, this is a book about temptation and damnation in a way that examines societal pressures and judgements. It asks why society deems certain values and people as forever unsullied and others as above judgement.

Not Good For Maidens is one of those books you cannot get out of your brain. It is a gory, complex and emotionally fraught book centering on trauma, family and temptation.

2*


Thank you Titan Books and NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own and not influenced by others.

The Devil makes three written by the same author is a book that I love, the humor, the darkness, the romance, it is still one of my favorite books. So I was looking forward to read this book by the same author.

I’ve read others books about goblins that I liked so that combined with the writing style of Tori Bovalino made me decide to read this e-arc as soon as possible.
However, it didn’t work out for me. The idea is good and her writing style is something I like a lot, but I found this book boring to be honest. The superstition didn’t work for me for example and I couldn't feel any connection to the characters, for me it was a disappointment after reading The devil makes three. But I think other readers will like it a lot.

The story centers around a family of witches and the renowned Goblin Market that can only be entered safely before the witches turn into full witches.
The story has two timelines which merge well together.
I loved the queer and asexual characters and it is high time more fantasy books have queer people in it.
The book started off really well paced, but I found it lagging in some bits. It's a cute and fun read.