Shrilugh by Myndi Shafer - 5 stars

Shrilugh by Myndi Shafer

Nothing can explain to Aydan Fulbert how she survived the savage attack in the woods. Why her left eye, instead of being blinded by the injuries she’d sustained, had simply turned a shocking shade of silver. And nothing can explain the fact that she can hear the Stranger speaking in her mind - or that she can answer him back without using her mouth.

Nothing can explain it - unless he’s telling the truth. 

Nothing can explain the things the Stranger knows about her - things that she, until just a few hours ago, hadn’t known herself: that she’d healed faster from her injuries than was humanly possible. That the cruel family she’d been raised by isn’t biologically hers. That her stepfather is now hell-bent on bringing her to his own form of justice for a crime she didn’t commit. 

Nothing can explain it - unless he’s telling the truth. 

Nothing can explain why she so easily agreed to go with the Stranger. Why she didn’t find the notion of another world ludicrous and impossible. Why she didn’t cut and run the minute he explained where he wanted to take her. 

Nothing can explain it - unless she believes he’s telling the truth. 

Aydan knows she’s being intentionally naive. She knows her decision to follow the stranger is at best, reckless. At worst, deadly. ...unless he’s telling the truth.

 ~Published August 30th 2012 by Myndi Shafer at Smashwords

Food to eat while reading: (check back later, it will be something to do with water. Odd, I know, we shall see)

I love it when I find a gem of a book that is struggling to come to light. Shirlugh (Shree-lo) is one of those books that I'm thrilled to bring to your attention. With romance, adventure, danger, emotion and otherworldliness, this is just the kind of book I like to recommend. Put this one on your to read book, right now!  It's available on Smashwords and Amazon, among other places.

There is real danger here, with emotional impact. Aydan, the heroine of the story loses here eye in the first part of the book, by the hand of her sister, no less. And there are too men in her life, the loyal and cute Brig that I dare you to try not to fall in love with, and the secretive and edgy Rein, whose past binds him so tightly to Aydan that you will be routing for him before the end.

I love stories that make me feel deeply. There are plenty of dilemmas that have emotional impact in Shirlugh. I so hurt for Aydan when she left her world.

I love Rein's world, with it's glowing Shirlugh trees and unique ways. It is a blend of Victorian society and modern ways that give it a romantic, yet contemporary feel.

There were a few copy edit issues in the ebook, and passive writing scattered throughout. But I easily forgave these small imperfections as I was drawn into Ayden's world. 

Shafer has a talent for storytelling, creating a sense of place and evoking emotion. I'll definitely be watching for more from this author.

*note, the book was clean in language and sex, however, the preview for the second book had a scene in it that I cannot recommend to young readers.