Review: The Lure of Shapinsay by Krista Holle

The Lure of Shapinsay by Krista Holle


Good Reads Book Blurb:
Ever since Kait Swanney could remember, the old crones of the village have been warning her to stay away from the selkies. They claim that like sirens of old, the seal men creep from the inky waters, shed their skins, and entice women to their deaths beneath the North Sea. But avoiding an encounter becomes impossible when Kait is spotted at the water’s edge, moments after the murder of a half-selkie infant. 

Unexpectedly, Kait is awoken by a beautiful, naked selkie man seeking revenge. After she declares her innocence, the intruder darts into the night, but not before inadvertently bewitching her with an overpowering lure. 

Kait obsesses over a reunion deep beneath the bay and risks her own life to be reunited with her selkie. But when she lands the dangerous lover, the chaos that follows leaves Kait little time to wonder—is it love setting her on fire or has she simply been lured?


My thoughts:
     This was my first Krista Holle story as well as my first selkie story.  I am a fan of paranormal and was excited about it.  Krista Holle did not disappoint.  This story is clever and intriguing, bitter and sweet.  

     

     The author has built a world that is both realistic and fantastic.  The old-world, historic feel paints the perfect setting for the story and she has created a colorful and mysterious legendary background for the selkies.  The writing is vivid and detailed, assuring that the reader can visualize both the characters and the setting.  It has romance, but not a lot of sexuality; the intimate moments in the story are left to the imagination of the reader.

    

     The characters captured me and the creativeness and uniqueness of the story held me.  Eamon is a selkie whose ideals and sense of self are seeped in his belief in honor.  He is young and reckless.  At the start he is out for revenge, but then falls in love.  He believes that to be true to Kait he must give up the sea.  Kait is bewitched at the start by Eamon's lure, but falls in love with him.  This is their story, of their love and willingness to do whatever it takes to prove that love.  


     This story is carefully created, nicely paced and well-written.  I would easily recommend it to others.   I read purely for the entertainment and enjoyment of the story and I was thrilled to have had the opportunity to discover what this book had to offer.