Princeton is a long way from Bulgaria, but Thea Slavin is determined to follow her dream. Her talented skills with the piano have opened doors for her but the differences in the two cultures are a bit overwhelming. However, her focus changes when an enigmatic stranger shows up at her first piano performance and now Thea finds herself delving into the mythical world of the samodivi (also known as wildalones) and her own past history. What secrets will Thea find lurking beneath the surface of the Princeton college campus?

WILDALONE is the first book in a new series that delves into Bulgarian and Greek mythology. I love the way Krassi Zourkova combines the mythologies and makes the story of Orpheus seem fresh and new while introducing us to the Bulgarian tales of the Samodivi. The brooding atmosphere of WILDALONE is perfect for the storyline as Krassi Zourkova has a gift at crafting an eerie, haunting ambiance.

However, the romantic angle of WILDALONE is for a far different audience than me. I found myself getting frustrated with Thea and her determination to always make the more dangerous choices. There is a romantic triangle and I commend Krassi Zourkova for putting an interesting twist on it. Unfortunately, as a social worker I kept fussing at Thea for all the "red flags" I saw in the relationship and therefore wasn't able to enjoy the romance. Fortunately, her friend and residential college advisor, Rita, also points out the red flags and this kept me reading as I hoped against hope that Thea would listen to Rita.

WILDALONE is a lush, beautifully written tale that weaves together Greek and Bulgarian mythology. Krassi Zourkova's eloquent use of language evokes all of the senses as she crafts a tale that haunts the reader. I will probably read the second book in hopes that we will see Thea maturing and learning to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy relationships.