The Shepherd and the Horned Girl

The Tales of the Shepherd

by Breanna Bright

Ivas Sbarg has seen a monster…

In the quaint seaside town of Loch Lomond, an ominous fog descends, shrouding the landscape in mystery and fear. As the locals whisper of lurking terrors within its depths, the fog thickens, casting an eerie pall over the town.

When a girl goes missing, simple shepherd Ivas Sbarg has the only clue to what happened, and he ventures into the mist to find her. He stumbles upon a chilling revelation: something far more sinister than the monstrous fog is on the horizon, and it hungers for the souls of all who dwell in Loch Lomond.

In a desperate bid to unravel the mystery and save their town from impending doom, Ivas, a girl with horns, and an incredible cast of villagers, must navigate the treacherous fog and confront otherworldly forces. But as they delve deeper into the heart of darkness, they soon realize that the true enemy may lie closer than they ever imagined.

A gripping tale of unlikely alliances and unwavering courage, The Shepherd and the Horned Girl plunges readers into a world of ancient legends and supernatural horrors. With its richly developed characters and palpable sense of dread, this haunting narrative explores themes of grief, resilience, and the unbreakable bonds of friendship.

Prepare to be ensnared by the chilling atmosphere and heart-pounding suspense of The Shepherd and the Horned Girl—a mesmerizing journey that will leave you hooked until the very last page.

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

256 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 1, 2022

Reviews

[Anneloes · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars! It took a little bit before it got going, but once it did I was pretty much hooked.

Props to the aromantic protag!

There's a scene near the end with themes of sexual assault. It caught me off guard.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

(hoopla)

May 2023

[Deepika · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me some serious fairytale-folktale vibes, and I loved the whole atmosphere of it. The small, port town where everyone seems to know everyone, with its own little myths and superstitions. I especially loved the legend about the Messenger.

There was also a small scene from the dog’s POV which has my heart.

It was a great, feel good, short, easy read. Perfect for a winter night cozied up in your bed with a blanket and hot cocoa, perhaps.

One of the winning factors for this book for me was the complete lack of a romantic plotline. I absolutely loved the way it portrayed friendships and mentor-ward relationships, especially platonic male-female friendship. It had some sort of implied aro-ace representation, which was great! It’s so easy to do that, to represent aro-aspec people, even if it’s not explicit or explored in detail.

I fell in love with Ivas’ character quite early on, his love for animals, his easy acceptance of Ruby, his protective nature. Tess, too, had my heart right from the start. Sailor lady my beloved.

I also loved the portrayal of grief in it, and how sometimes it manifests in strange, unlikely ways. The concept of Ruby, the horned girl, a ‘monstrous’ girl growing horns and claws and things in her rage and grief and desire to protect herself, was amazing, and felt quite real. And it’s true, the lengths one might go to try and bring their loved ones back.

I did feel like the writing was slightly off or stilted in places, but mostly it kept me engaged.

The ending was super satisfying, gave me closure, tied up most strings neatly. It’s amazing what the author managed to do in such a short book. It’s a book about childhood magic, where everything is wonderful and the colourful sea glass you find on the shore can store sunlight in it.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started this book I had already been reading other books so it took its place on the back burner. However, when I picked it back up again I was immediately pulled into this eerie tale. The atmosphere of this book is written so well that at times I could feel the goosebumps because it felt like I was there. Let’s just say that if I find myself in fog anytime soon it might give me the heebie-jeebies. Lol. The characters were well written. I enjoyed the friendship that Ivas, Ruby, and Tess shared.

There are parts throughout the book that talk about grief and I related a lot to them. Here is a quote that resonated with me. “There I was in the worst pain of my life and everyone else was just going about their days like nothing had happened.
Like the whole world hadn’t gone dark and shattered like a window, cutting me all the way.”
I like when a book that mentions grief can truly convey what it feels like.

This was a fascinating read. If you like books that are on the weird and slightly spooky side then this might be the book for you. A trigger warning for this book. A part in the book deals with an attempted SA and I personally wish it wasn’t in the book. I know the author was trying to convey something (I can’t go into details because I don’t want to spoil anything) but I think it could have been something else and not that. So if that is something that might trigger you please be aware. From what I can tell there is no trigger warning in the book for this either. That’s honestly the only thing I can think of that I wasn’t fond of. I wish I could express everything I enjoyed about this one but I don’t want to spoil the book.

* I received this ebook in return for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.*

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an intriguing read that pulled me in from the first page. Full of magic and eerie atmosphere, the plot follows Ivas and Ruby as they try to stop the destruction of their town. The fog hides monsters large and small, creeping into the minds of people that live there and taking others never to be seen again. I really liked the ideas of what makes the fog and how it impacts people differently- some see monsters, some become them, some see nothing at all. How people see and respond to the fog depends on their personality and experiences.
I feel like The Shepherd and the Horned Girl is a bit like a diamond in the rough. There’s so much there, it just needs a little polishing to really shine. Overall it was a really enjoyable read. I know I’ll be thinking of the Messenger the next time a fog rolls in.

I received an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review. I was glad I saw a content warning in another review that prepared me for a few scenes. Trigger warnings include attempted sexual assault, grief and loss, physical assault (as the result of a mob), and mild memory manipulation.

[Shane Eric · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

The Shepherd and the Horned Girl follows a genetic premise of a fog surrounds a town and monstrous beings live within the fog, so be careful not to wander into it. The book follows the two protagonists Ruby and Ivas and their relationships with the creatures in the fog.

I made it a little further than 60% of the way through this book before I could longer go on.

Despite some of the creatures having interesting designs and purpose (especially the messenger), their mystery is instantly ruined by the author's innate ability to reveal their intent almost instantly.

I understand this book is YA fantasy, but even then the writing style is juvenile, mostly due to awkward sentence structure and literal descriptions. Bright often attempts to be profound, but typically her quotes come across as forced. "Witchcraft is not magic, but magic can be witchcraft." The characters become less interesting the more you learn of them. These reasons, among others, broke any immersion that I may have gained at any point in the book.

[Brenda Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

When an unsettling fog surrounds the quaint seaside town of Loch Lomond, the locals are warned to stay away. But when a girl goes missing, shepherd Ivas Sbarg goes in search of her, despite the rumors of mysterious terrors lurking within. What he discovers isn’t at all what he expected, beginning his mission to save this small town from destruction.

While this is definitely an eerie tale of monsters and the unknown, at its heart is a story of grief and fear and how it can take hold of people in entirely unexpected ways. Weaving the supernatural and superstitions beautifully, Bright tackles loss in a magical way.

The friendship that develops between Ivas and Ruby, the horned girl, was so lovely. His protective nature shines through as he embraces her for who she truly is. And I love the aro-ace representation here. Props to the author for bringing it into this story. While this was a quick read, it was a fascinating and unique tale.

Thank you Breanna Bright and RR Book Tours for the ARC.

[amanda_coffee_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can get lost in the fog (amazing read)

I want to start off by saying that I had no idea what this book is about. I just knew that I love this cover. And need to read this book. This is the first book that I have read from this author. And it won’t be last book. Definitely can’t wait to dive into book 2. Yes this book did take a me a bit longer to finish. I don’t want to rush and miss something during reading. I honestly felt like I was watching a remake of the fog movie. This book definitely a page turner. Something happening with each turn and each chapter. This book is told in multiple POV. I really enjoyed the characters and the world this author created. I also love small town stories. This books touches a lot on grief and losing someone to the fog.
I connected with Ruby so much. I recently connected back with my dad. And the feelings and the lost of she felt I couldn’t imagine those feelings now. I did end up purchasing my own ebook copy. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you the author and rrbooktours for the opportunity to read such amazing book.

[Jan Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love old folk tales, and The Shepherd and the Horned Girl reads like a modern-day folk tale to me. While evil lurking fog and monsters host the surface of this book, The Shepherd and the Horned Girl holds a deeper meaning in dealing with death, grief, and fear. On how it can consume us if we don’t deal with it. Bright weaves this intelligently in her tale, which is wrapped in ominous supernatural and superstitions.

This book has so many layers I would definitely recommend this to a book club because you are going to want to talk about this book so much after reading.

The Shepherd and the Horned Girl is book 1 in “The Shepard Tales,” which I love because it feels like the seaside town of Loch Lamond has a lot more stories to tell, and once you’ve been touched by the supernatural, you are never quite the same.

[Maggie's Nook · Rating 4 out of 5]

˗ˏˋ3.5 ★ ˎˊ˗

The Shepherd and the Horned Girl is a little spooky but I did not find it that scary to be horror. It was a quick and entertaining read about a folklore in a small town. I enjoyed reading the relationships being developed in the book. The dynamics between the the characters were great.

Read trigger warnings before indulging yourself with reading this book

Thank you for the digital copy. Everything in this review has been written willing fully.

Since I read a proof copy of the book any grammatical errors did not impact the rating.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

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𝘐𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘵! 𝘔𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯. 𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥.🥰

[deidra · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shepherd and the Horned Girl by Breanna Bright is a gentle tale that speaks to the fears that we had growing up, the fears of loss and the unknown and perhaps the fear of losing ourselves in the day-to-day struggle that life takes from us.
i enjoyed this book so much. i loved the friendships, the easy camaraderie between them and the quiet acceptable that only comes from the decades of time spent together. and the magic that seemed so real, Ms. Bright has created a wonderful world where monsters aren't quite as monstrous as we fear them to be and one might find a mystical solution to a problem if one only knows where to look.
The Shepherd and the Horned Girl is one of those special finds that i predict may become a classic. it surely deserves to be.
5 stars out of 5.

[Sharon Gillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a lovely 4.5 star horror story with a definite folklore vibe to it. It was very atmospheric in its story telling. I just couldn't get enough and that is saying something as this was not some little novella.

Both the characters and plot were always revolving around each other which always kept me as a reader deeply engaged. I became completely immersed in the story that I really hated to put it down. With that being said, I did take a half star off do to some "wrong word/name switching" which confused things in a few spots, proving the story could use some proofing/editing. I still would highly recommend this book. I look forward to more books by this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Encanto Atelier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a unique story based around a man who is a shepherd and his neighbor girl. It’s about how they overcome the mystery of the fog in their town. Not to bring up any spoilers but I think it’s so funny that the shepherd who deals with horned animals befriending the girl with horns. I love how both the main characters dealt with similar things but due to their personalities they went about them completely differently. I also love the description of the messenger.
There is some curse words in this book and an attempt r*pe.
But overall this is a clean read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW this book pulls you in from the start because its so eerie and well written.
This small town folk tale should have a goosebumps warning as I had them with the turn of every page.
Don’t wander into the fog because you don’t know what is lurking here, and I wanted to know what was there with every turn of the page.
An interesting view on greif and how we deal with it, this book weaves superstition, supernatural and what we believe together and pulls you into the world where monsters might not be as scary as we make them out to be.

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlikely friendships, well-developed characters and an eerie sense of doom are what make this book different and fun. I was pulled in from the first few pages. Breanna gives the reader little tidbits to keep you interested but the full brunt of what is happening is not realized for quite some time. Every chapter will have you wondering where exactly the story will go and who isn't going to make it. It's a very unique read, and I highly recommend it!

[Sarah ⟡ Tea & Tomes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you R&R Book Tours for the gifted book.

An engrossing work of fiction set in a port town, rich with local myths and focused on platonic friendships and mentor-ward relationships. The well-developed characters, particularly Ivas and Tess, are relatable, and the depiction of grief is poignant and authentic. Despite its brevity, the narrative is vivid and meaningful, with a satisfying ending that provides closure.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this, it reminded me of an old fashioned fairy tale that had the horror that old fairy tales did. The writing was what I wanted from this type of book. The characters were great and I enjoyed the plot of the book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read! Such a whirlwind of intrigue etc. The cover is amazing and the plot sucks you in from the first page. Superb

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mich Devinity · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect amount of detail to set the scene and natural dialogue. An enchanting world and magical storyline that had me from the beginning. The characters feel real despite the fantasy elements. Whimsically spooky and a great adventure. Could easily make it to Netflix one day.

[Jen Ramsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set by Loch Lomond, this folk horror weaves a creepy atmosphere as fog descends on the town and monsters lurk within. The only people who can help are a shepherd and a teenager, who need to work together to stop the evil. Fun and eerie, with enjoyable characters and a good story.

[haiqa]

Dnf at 30 percent. The book was good but I lost interest in it merely because I didn't feel invested in it..

[Hanna Belle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good horror book for the YA reader! A quick read which I liked but it needed to be scarier for me.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Horror Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great mix of fantasy, horror, and drama with a feeling of an adult fairytale.

It's set in a small port town and, as you know if you've ever read horror, that's where the good stuff happens! This town is very superstitious and people there know not to go out in the fog because there are monsters in the fog. Although it sounds like old wives tales, it's very true.

A shepherd finds this out after losing a sheep one day and risking the fog to find it. But what he encounters is terrifying and monstrous and results in a missing girl.

This sets up the rest of the novel as we get to know our characters and reveal things about each one that will have an effect as they attempt to find out exactly where this girl is.

The creatures we'll meet and the terrors lurking within the fog are fantastic. They are not all necessarily evil but they're not exactly nice either. So which one's to trust is important. And once the fog gets into you, people change, they receive certain powers. And some might not be using them for good.

I loved this first book in a series. There's a strong fantasy element mixed with the horrors living in the fog and a fast paced engaging narrative. I highly recommend it.

[Ehryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Finding words to describe this book is hard for me, but it was so fascinating. The story pulls you in from the first chapter and you’re immediately hooked on the dynamics of the characters. The writing of emotions was so well-done. Terror felt like terror.
The only reason it’s not 5 stars for me is because I put it down for a bit and I forgot about it, but I was happy to pick it up again to finish! The ending really pulls it together!