Wildalone: A Novel (Wildalone Sagas) (2015)

by Krassi Zourkova

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Mentions
162	12	170,238	(3.1)	8
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.… (more)

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Showing 1-5 of 12 (next | show all)

Okay, I just quit this book at 50%. Our protagonist has been being stalked and controlled and repeatedly nearly raped but keeps going back like any screwed up relationship to the utter detriment of her friends and herself. I've been doing nothing but swearing at this book for the last hour, until she abandons her friend YET AGAIN for crazy guy. I see hoping this will turn around and back into the fantasy ride I signed up for, but it's just one screwed up move after another, and by god, YES I'M MAD ABOUT IT. (

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lyrrael | Aug 3, 2023 |

Okay look.
Look.

Love triangles? Over it.
Heroine who is kind of a limp noodle who is bossed around by the men who love her? Over it.
Mystery death intermingled with Greek and Bulgarian lore? Here. For. It.

3 stars because the writing was gorgeous, the audiobook narrator was impeccable, and for that third bullet point.

However, points deducted because I tried explaining the premise to my boyfriend and it increasingly sounded like the world’s most ridiculous soap opera.

--

Updated my rating because the more I think about this book, the more I hate it. Why did I say the audiobook narrator was impeccable? She tried so hard to have an Eastern European accent throughout the entire thing and would get monotonous and robotic. What was I thinking? (

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abhkolo | Apr 25, 2023 |

I came accross Zourkova's book while researching Bulgaria before we traveled there.
It presents an unbelieval but beautiful story. (

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mykl-s | Nov 27, 2022 |

I was initially intrigued by this novel, especially since the broad outlines of the narrator paralleled the author's life. However, this intriguing start quickly shifted into a somewhat predictable love triangle involving the narrator and two handsome brothers. The supernatural certainly plays a part and Greek mythology plays a staring role but I do wish the author had fleshed out the myths a bit more. Overall, the book was pretty good, but I had high expectations and was a little disappointed. (

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wagner.sarah35 | Dec 30, 2017 |

Thea Slavin does not understand her parents' resistance to her desire to attend Princeton. Sure it is a long way from home in Bulgaria, but her heart tells her it is where she needs to be to make her dreams a reality. Her determination quickly leads her on a journey that will dig up some dark family secrets that include an eerie amount of Bulgarian legend and Greek mythology. As Thea struggles with adapting to American life, she also finds herself swept up in mystery and intrigue. While she is pulled along on the whims of those around her, she is suddenly struck by a strong connection to a young stranger. Things get complicated when one foggy morning, she mistakes his more forward brother for him. It is only after Thea agrees to date Rhys that she realizes it was Jake who stole her heart. Struggling with her feelings for both men, Thea finds herself tangled in an inescapable web of magic and myth. This debut novel will keep you guessing as the plot twists and turns between extreme college party life and a surreal world where the impossible becomes reality.

Bettina P. / Marathon County Public Library
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mcpl.wausau | Sep 25, 2017 |

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2015

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Princeton, New Jersey, USA

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In 1802, at the Rila Monastery in Bulgaria, the monk Rafail carved the last of six hundred and fifty miniature figures on a wooden cross, allegedly losing his sight after twelve years of work on the piece.

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English

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▾Book descriptions

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.

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