From the TBR Pile: Blog Tour: Wildalone by Krassi Zourkova

Author: Krassi Zourkova

Publisher: William Morrow

Date of publication: January 2015

In this enchanting and darkly imaginative debut novel full of myth, magic, romance, and mystery, a Princeton freshman is drawn into a love triangle with two enigmatic brothers, and discovers terrifying secrets about her family and herself—a bewitching blend of Twilight, The Secret History, Jane Eyre, and A Discovery of Witches.

Arriving at Princeton for her freshman year, Thea Slavin finds herself alone, a stranger in a strange land. Away from her family and her Eastern European homeland for the first time, she struggles to adapt to unfamiliar American ways and the challenges of college life—including an enigmatic young man whose brooding good looks and murky past intrigue her. Falling into a romantic entanglement with Rhys and his equally handsome and mysterious brother, Jake, soon draws Thea into a sensual mythic underworld as irresistible as it is dangerous.

In this shadow world that seems to mimic Greek mythology and the Bulgarian legends of the Samodivi or “wildalones”—forest witches who beguile and entrap men—she will discover a shocking secret that threatens everything she holds dear. And when the terrifying truth about her own family is revealed, it will transform her forever . . . if she falls under its spell.

Mesmerizing and addictive, The Wildalone is a thrilling blend of the modern and the fantastic. Krassi Zourkova creates an atmospheric world filled with rich characters as fascinating and compelling as those of Diana Gabaldon, Deborah Harkness, and Stephenie Meyer.

I have to be honest, I really did not like Wildalone. I did finish it, but I'm really not sure why. I think I kept hoping it would get better. There were a few things that didn't work for me. I was into the book until Rhys showed up. Then I was completely turned off through out the entire rest of the book. Thea's RA kept jokingly calling him a stalker and I have to agree with her. He had major stalker and abusive tendencies. Even in the end, I wasn't sure how Thea could claim to love him. Why? He treated her like garbage. I also didn't get why she would love Jake as well. She barely spoke to him.

I'm not too up on my Greek mythology, so I did think that the myths included in the book were well explained. What I didn't like was how they were used as an excuse for the characters behavior. Don't even get me started in what Rhys has to do once a month. How anyone would be OK with that is beyond me. I just didn't buy any of it. The ending was unsatisfying and I'm not even sure I understood it.

I have to wonder at the number of good reviews and 5 stars that the book has received. I think that book had great potential, but it just didn't live up to my expectations. I guess I'll have to be in the minority here.

About the author:

Krassi Zourkova grew up in Bulgaria and came to the United States to study art history at Princeton. Wildalone is her first novel.

After college, she graduated from Harvard Law School, and she has practiced finance law in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, where she currently lives. Her poems have appeared in various literary journals.

Follow Krassi on Twitter, @zourkova.

Purchase Links

Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

Krassi’s Tour Stops

Tuesday, January 6th: No More Grumpy Bookseller

Wednesday, January 7th: Kahakai Kitchen