Australian author Shona Husk is an author who does not just write in one genre, but multiple. She has written contemporary romance, fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal. Shona has written over forty stories, whether they be short stories, novellas, or novels. No matter what genre she writes, however, she always includes romance somewhere in her stories. When she isn’t writing, she’s spending time with her husband and kids in Perth, Australia.
“The Goblin King”, the first book in the Shadowlands series was released in 2011. This series has some romance, fairy tales, and Celtic mythology; it features something rare in this style of fiction, a goblin hero. Her main character in this series, Roan was once a Celtic king, but is cursed by a Druid, and is transformed into the Goblin King. Involved in this series, are threads that connect a person either to another person or to another place. Multiple threads can be attached to certain things; the threads are like physical expressions of emotions that someone has towards something. He is made to live in the desolate place known as the Shadowlands; he is not alone, his brother Dai is there with him. While living there, he tries not to become like all the other goblins. The only way to break the spell, is for him to find a queen. He has the ability to travel to the world of humans, the Fixed Realm, one of two ways, he can be summoned by a human or he can enter through a humans’ nightmare. Roan has been alive for about two thousand years. He is called by a teenager named Eliza, she called because she needs his help. Eliza has heard stories about the Goblin King, but does not realize that they are true. Roan has never felt such a connection with any of his other summoners until he meets her. Many years later, she needs his help again, and calls him again. She has grown up and is now a legal secretary. He wonders if she will be the one to end his curse and become his queen. She has her own problems, her and her fiance cannot seem to keep from fighting with each other. Steven is blackmailing her and at the same time, cheating on her.
Fans of this book have stated that they like the world building that Husk does to bring her story to life, they also like when Eliza is able to stand up to Steve, her fiance, and her ability to feel the struggle that Dai and Roan go through while being trapped in the Shadowlands. Husk’s writing has been described as beautiful, with words that are rich and resonate. People who didn’t like the book criticized the fact that there is some back and forth that does not really add to much of the story. Another reader thought there was too much drama in the book, and that it was really quite an ordinary book without much of a romance and not a lot of chemistry with the pair of people involved in the romance part. Some readers who did not like the book, found the book to be similar to Beauty and the Beast. Another reviewer was more mixed in their review, they liked the male characters in the book, but did not like Eliza, who they found to not be as developed as the males. This reviewer was not the only one who thought the main female character was not as developed as the men. Another one said the same thing about Eliza, but did not comment on the males in the book.
“Kiss of the Goblin Prince”, the second book in the Shadowlands series was released in 2012. This book has a bit of a darker tone than “The Goblin King” and focuses more on the character’s and is not as reliant on the fantasy elements. This book features Dai, a supporting character in “The Goblin King”, as the lead character. Dai suffered at the hands of Roman General Claudius, in an attempt to keep his sister from suffering at Claudius’ hands. This book takes place after the events at the end of “The Goblin King”; both Dai and Roan are adjusting to living as humans again. He meets a woman named Amanda; they both fall for each other, but they have a lot to let go of before they can decide if they want a future with each other. They meet at Roan and Eliza’s wedding; Amanda is Eliza’s sister-in-law. Amanda gets Dai to open up to her in a way that allows Dai to be comfortable with what he has to say, in a dead language. The scars that Dai has from his attack from Claudius’ makes him self-conscious and believes that they are so hideous that once Amanda sees them, that she will reject him. Amanda is a widower who got married to a man who died four months later, while she was still pregnant, leaving her all alone to raise their child, Brigit. Brigit has chronic asthma that will eventually kill her. They both try to avoid getting together with one another because of their past, as different as it is. Both Dai and Amanda realize that they have a short time on the planet and they need to fill it with as much enjoyment as they can. It’s okay to be happy.
People who liked the book praised that it was better than “The Goblin King”. They liked Dai’s character and story, that Husk creates a new character, in Amanda, and develops Dai to be very likable, and they liked that these two characters have to let things go before they can move on, that they do have the ability to get another chance in life. Other readers enjoyed that this was a page turner, and gave readers an exceptional story through creating a strong world and solid characters. One reader liked that this was a soul-based romance, not a sex one. People who were critical of this book did not like that there was more history than romance, they found the plot was weak, and they found that the ending did not clear up any questions that the readers had.
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