Willa loves Aberlin, and Aberlin loves Willa, but they can’t be together. Willa has a secret. She is afraid of monsters. She is not afraid to face them, to stand up and fight – but what if she can’t win? Where would that leave the people she cares about? Enjoy this magical new tale about dark secrets and the power of love.
Lisa Hofmann is a European-based author of dark fairytale fantasy novels and short stories for adults.
She was born in 1975 and educated in Germany and Ireland. She has worked as an interpreter and as a translator for non-fiction books in her specialized field of education. Later, she went on to become a teacher.
Her books' settings are often similar to or based on historical places near her home town, where she lives with her husband, three children and a houseful of pets.
What I loved about this magical short story is that I felt as if I already knew the characters and the setting as soon as I started reading. The narrative pulled me in right away, and kept me hooked until the end.
A secret love that is destined to fail, a dragon terrorising the local villages, a young girl willing to sacrifice everything for the people she loves, and a magical twist at the end - this story has everything a great fantasy needs, and is a fantastic read. Highly recommend!