The Lure of Shapinsay by Krista Holle

The Lure of Shapinsay by Krista Holle
Published: Sweet River Romance, December 2011
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Source: Provided by author
Look for this at Amazon

What's a selkie?  Maybe you were like me and this creature product of myth was unknown to you.  A selkie is a creature part of Irish and and Scottish folklore and apparently a craziness and obsession provocateur in women and  men.   Many of these creatures inhabit the sea, but the one who will occupy our  interest is Eamon.

Eamon is a selkie living in the coast of Shapinsay.  By mistake, he believes Kait, an independent girl from this island committed a terrible crime against a half selkie pup.  Immediately, killing her to avenge this crime,  becomes his objective.  Little does he know about Kait, but once he sees her everything changes for him.  Kait becomes interested in him until became obsessed... or is she madly in love?  Kait and Eamon dream about a future that is inconceivable for everyone but only possible for them.

About the book:
A completely unexpected surprise! The Lure of Shapinsay surprised me. The summary is compelling and draws you to read it but once you start you are engulfed in the atmosphere of the book. I kept reading for long hours and couldn't put the book aside. I have to say, the book is pretty long. Read a kindle version, thought it was endless but worth it. From the beginning the author took time to create the island to a point you can picture it on your mind. Author Krista Holle took interest on her characters and developed them with complexity. The events were logical and dynamic. Two slow paced sections were the only moments were I got a little impatient, both involving Kait waiting obsessively for Eamon.

Characters have strong opinions. Kait presents herself as independent and is sad to see how she changes once the Lure grabs her. My favorite scene of her in the story is her naming the selkie, Eamon.

The use of a selkie brings something new. Usually the paranormal genre circumscribes to an specific set of commonly used creatures or phenomena and it is great to see a little folklore on this mix.

The cover:
For me, it is hard to see this man as Eamon. Cannot relate him to the character portrayed in the story.

I see The Lure of Shapinsay as a stand alone. This is a story that I considered is good as it is. It has a predictable ending but it is a satisfying one.

Do you know what is the Lure?  Have you found your own selkie?  Read The Lure of Shapinsay if you like Paranormal/ Romance.  Whether you are looking to expand your TBR or reading something different, it won't  be disappointing.

View all my reviews

Thanks to the author for providing this copy for review purposes.  This book was reviewed according to its merits.

Guest post: Author Jammie Kern

Yesterday we reviewed Ryann in the Sky, a YA short story inspired on Orion's myth.  It was  delightful to read this short.  Today we have the visit of the author of this story, Jammie Kern or as in other parts is known...Mama JK.  Welcome to Jessy's Bookends, Jammie.

From Publisher:
Author Jammie Kern tackles Orion’s tale in, “Ryann in the Sky,” a YA short about a very tall volleyball player having a very bad year. She’s grieving the loss of her father when a back-stabbing friend tries to dethrone her from the volleyball team heading into the championship. What makes a champion, and, moreover, what makes a friend? This story of overcoming loss and rising above the fray is a beautiful read from an amazing writer.

The Rise of Mama JK
Remember that emotional roller coaster we all rode in high school? That wicked ride is what’s inspired many scenes I've written for young adults. In “Ryann in the Sky,” my main character goes for a ride on an emotional roller coaster of her own where she learns that she can only depend on herself if she wants to achieve her goals. She’s come to understand that important people have left her life forever, and the rest are simply doing their best, (or doing their best to undermine her.)

This is the stuff of myths, where heroes rise from desperate situations. Most of us know what it’s like to become our own hero, to fully embrace responsibility. We watch teens struggle with that realization and we want to step in with the big here’s-what-you-need-to-do lecture. I’ve got gobs of nieces and nephews so I should have answers, right? Wrong.

Yapping my advice at teens has been one of my most embarrassing regrets. Believe me, they’ve shown me precisely how un-cool I am on so many levels. You’d think my words were teen repellant. (Lord, help us all when my young daughters get their tickets for the roller coaster.)

It’s only been in the past few years that I made an important discovery. Teens don’t care what I have to say, (unless I say it with a British accent, but that’s another story.) They only need to know that I’m there for them, consistently. As a camp counselor, I’ve seen kids go through some intense experiences and loss. When many of the key people in their lives have left, I show up (with many others at our camp,) when I’m supposed to. I’m there with hugs and a willingness to listen. I’m amazed at their resiliency, their strengths in the midst of vulnerability. I should take a lesson from them.

Just a few months ago, I had a van full of kids and teens. We were travelling for a few hours when I achieved the ultimate badge of honor from teenagers: a nickname! My daughters call me Mom, my nephews and nieces call me Aunt Jammie, and now I’m called “Mama JK.” That’s about as cool as I’ll ever be, and it’s plenty.

Jammie Kern is the author of the young adult short story, "Ryann in the Sky," in the Mythology High series by Buzz Books USA. The digital short is available where ebooks are sold for .99. Her next short story will release Labor Day weekend. Kern is raising daughters, raising chickens for fresh eggs, raising an organic vegetable garden in NE Oklahoma, and raising some eyebrows at www.jammiekern.com.

Review Ryann In The Sky :YA short

Author : Jammie Kern
Published: Buzz Books USA , July 2nd
Source: ARC from publisher
Available on Kindle Format: Amazon

I've enjoyed reading short stories since my childhood. I see short stories as microcosms of what a world created by an author is. We know characters for a brief time and we get to know them during a specific time on their lives.This time I read about Ryann. She is a character created by author Jammie Kern using Orion's myth as inspiration.

Ryann is a teen of the overachiever kind. She draws attention to herself by excelling at school and sports and also, because of her unusually tall figure (which I see as a plus for sports!). She is the leader on her school's volleyball team and her goal is to win and to be recognized. Her goal is her north, that way her father will be proud. She is experiencing a lot of pressure at school and at home while trying to cope with her father's death. Her father wanted her to be the best. Ryann was brought up with a sense of ethics where anything less than be a winner was unacceptable. Being the best is her only way to honor her father.

Her attention is divided between school, her leadership role in sports and her time helping her mother on the family's restaurant. Ryann is juggling many responsibilities and we see she gets overwhelmed by it all. After an incident with a classmate her role on her team is impacted. This scene drew empathy from me towards this girl. I think she felt betrayed and confused. This will make her reconsider her priorities. Ryann will struggle but soon will find all her answers within herself. There is an old man on the story who will give her words of wisdom. Like Orion was shown the way to the sun, this man will give her words of guidance.  Ryann decides to approach  her life in a different way, who knows she could also make her father proud in her own terms. She is empowered.

Do you want to know more about her? Look for this Mythology High short story.  Mythology High is a series that will take the myths we all have read about into a modern setting.

About the story:

The story is inspired in Orion's myth. The myth goes like this: Orion, son of Poseidon was a giant who excelled in hunting skills. He loses his sight and recovers it by receiving the light of the sun on his eyes. Finally he dies by a scorpion sting. After all the circumstances he confronted he and the scorpion become constellations.

We see how Ryann' s father is her role model to follow. She demanded the best from herself. She lost sight of her goals and decided that the best way to achieve her goals was to be her own person. Here, the scorpion sting is how she felt after her position on her team was affected. This story has a moral about how sometimes you have to be a teamplayer to be successful and achieve a common goal.

Kern reimagining of this myth is a smart one. She draws the story to a modern setting. The character has situations any teen could encounter. Ryann could be any young girl or boy.

One of my favorite things of this short is its cover.  The girl in the cover seems like she is looking towards the horizon, towards her future. It is well written and easily read. It grabbed my attention from the first sentence.

I recommend this story for middle school & up.

* I reviewed this ARC  according to its merits.  Thanks to Buzz Books USA for providing me with this short story for review purposes.