White Stag
Kara Barbieri
Wednesday Books & St. Martin’s Press
356 Pages
Trigger Warnings: Mentions of rape, violence, abuse, eating disorder, body dysmorphia
About the Author: Kara Barbieri is a 22-year-old author with a love for mythology. She lives in Hayward, Wisconsin, and started writing White Stag at 18, which she was then publishing on Wattpad. Her next book is set to be released next year.
“I rose and stood at the mirror, wincing as the icy air assaulted my limbs. Despite the slowly fading ache in my chest, my body looked fine. Or, well, as fine as it could’ve been. Three once-deep gashes joined the mass of scar tissue decorating my chest, and the slash marks from Lydian’s claws were ugly pink lines on my cheek. But I was alive. That was enough”
White Stag is the story of Janneke, a human girl who was kidnapped by goblins a century ago after her town was destroyed. After suffering abuse at the hands of the goblin Lydian, she has been recovering under the eye of his nephew, Soren. When it’s time to choose the next Erlking, Janneke is caught between the two powerful goblins, and will need to keep her wits about her in order to survive.
This book is not for everyone. It deals with dark and disturbing themes, but does them well. It’s a twisting tale of violence and power, with quite elegant writing. This is a good book for a mature reader (more for 17+ than 13-year-olds).
Pine Reads Writer: Michelle LeBar
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