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An Elemental Tail
Four hundred years ago, Nik was tricked by his lover and left stranded as a powerless, but immortal, human. Now he craves only one thing: to reclaim the book that was once his tail and become a water Elemental again. Unfortunately, he can only locate the book when someone touches the pages. This time he won't be left high and dry.
Isla is left a beautiful leather-bound book in her great-aunt's will, perfect for using during her life drawing classes. However, she can't bring herself to mark the translucent pages until a compelling crimson-haired stranger strips for art.
Nik is torn. Years of enforced humanity have given him a conscience. Despite his best efforts at remaining a heartless water Elemental, he is failing. He is falling for Isla, who has no idea she holds the power of the oceans, and his heart, in her hands.
Isla is left a beautiful leather-bound book in her great-aunt's will, perfect for using during her life drawing classes. However, she can't bring herself to mark the translucent pages until a compelling crimson-haired stranger strips for art.
Nik is torn. Years of enforced humanity have given him a conscience. Despite his best efforts at remaining a heartless water Elemental, he is failing. He is falling for Isla, who has no idea she holds the power of the oceans, and his heart, in her hands.
60 pages, ebook
First published May 18, 2010
About the author
Shona Husk
94 books625 followersShona Husk lives in Western Australia at the edge of the Indian Ocean. Blessed with a lively imagination she spent most of her childhood making up stories.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 22, 2017
Oh! Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!
How I loved this one!
A sweet and engaging story of a merman who's tail has been stolen by a woman a very long time ago.
4 Stars!
He's determined to get back his life in the sea...
And the only way is to get back the book that holds his skin attached to its covers.
Now that he's tracked and spotted the new holder of the book he will do anything to retrieve it...
Or will he?
Will not spoil! But I'll let you know that for such a short story, it was alluring and beautiful. Gives you all the feels and fuzzies! You will enjoy this.
Shona Husk has an obvious talent to tell short stories and convey small amounts of ingredients that make the reading journey just wonderful.
What made this a 4 and not a five was that the ending while good feels a little less rounded.
Recommended though!
How I loved this one!
A sweet and engaging story of a merman who's tail has been stolen by a woman a very long time ago.
4 Stars!
He's determined to get back his life in the sea...
And the only way is to get back the book that holds his skin attached to its covers.
Now that he's tracked and spotted the new holder of the book he will do anything to retrieve it...
Or will he?
Will not spoil! But I'll let you know that for such a short story, it was alluring and beautiful. Gives you all the feels and fuzzies! You will enjoy this.
Shona Husk has an obvious talent to tell short stories and convey small amounts of ingredients that make the reading journey just wonderful.
What made this a 4 and not a five was that the ending while good feels a little less rounded.
Recommended though!
January 13, 2013
Review to come but.. I liked the story a lot a former lover stole a water elemental's tail and he has the opportunity for the first time in centuries to get it back, but gets involved with the new owner and wars with himself over stealing it back from her. The only wierd thing about the story is that the tail is now in the form of a book, but I went with that. I've like a lot of what I've read by Husk - other books by her that I've enjoyed were her Goblin Warrior series and Brightwater Blood
April 4, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed this novella - great writing by Husk, and loved the premise. Some secondary characters that are just nasty, and wounded hero and heroine. Great seeing their story.
December 5, 2015
Cute novella.
March 10, 2013
A delightful tale of a water elemental and a human woman who find more than they'd set out to find. He was only looking to regain his full identity, and she was only looking for an experience to satisfy her curiosity and her desire, but love creeps up on them even though they both have other things they need to do, other wants and desires to fulfill.
Isla is an art student with a troubled past. The eldest of several siblings by different fathers, her single mother was never a nurturing presence in her life, rather, a grasping, selfish person to be avoided and escaped. Isla's one solace was a great aunt whom she'd lived with for a few years when she was a child, until her mother reclaimed her. The aunt had continued to care for her as best she could, including providing the airfare that she needed to travel to the college where she'd been granted a scholarship, which was the ticket to escaping her mother's control and avarice and to being able to realize her dreams of a better life and one of her own choosing. The leatherbound book that she later inherits from her aunt proves to be her ticket to even more. Isla is an admirable character because she takes nothing for granted and is willing to work hard for what she wants in life.
Nik is a water elemental who has been trapped in human form for over 400 years after being betrayed by a human lover. He has spent the centuries trying to track the book that was his tail and which is his only way to reclaim his former and full identity. He comes to Isla's college because he has sensed that the book has ended up there, and in due time he learns that it is in Isla's possession, the unique leatherbound book that her aunt had bequeathed her. While he initially intends only to get his hands on the book and leave, he inadvertently learns more about Isla than he'd intended to, and the conscience that he'd developed during his time as a human won't let him simply abandon her to a likely cruel fate by taking what is his and leaving. And so he stays and gets to know her a bit, and once he has, he finds himself reluctant to leave.
This story isn't long, but it's rich in emotion and imagery. Isla's desperation at the situation she finds herself in with an unscrupulous teacher is palpable, as is her fascination with Nik, and his with her. It's an attraction that seems doomed to failure, and yet you can't help hoping that they'll find a way around the forces that seem to be aligned against them. Not many stories of this length manage to evoke such depth of emotion.
I'd definitely recommend this to anyone fond of shapeshifter stories, or of paranormal romance stories in general. Though for reasons I can't quite put my finger on, this doesn't feel like quite a 5 star story to me, it's certainly a 4½ star story at the least. If stories of this sort are at all your kind of thing, do yourself a favor and take an hour or two to read this one.
Isla is an art student with a troubled past. The eldest of several siblings by different fathers, her single mother was never a nurturing presence in her life, rather, a grasping, selfish person to be avoided and escaped. Isla's one solace was a great aunt whom she'd lived with for a few years when she was a child, until her mother reclaimed her. The aunt had continued to care for her as best she could, including providing the airfare that she needed to travel to the college where she'd been granted a scholarship, which was the ticket to escaping her mother's control and avarice and to being able to realize her dreams of a better life and one of her own choosing. The leatherbound book that she later inherits from her aunt proves to be her ticket to even more. Isla is an admirable character because she takes nothing for granted and is willing to work hard for what she wants in life.
Nik is a water elemental who has been trapped in human form for over 400 years after being betrayed by a human lover. He has spent the centuries trying to track the book that was his tail and which is his only way to reclaim his former and full identity. He comes to Isla's college because he has sensed that the book has ended up there, and in due time he learns that it is in Isla's possession, the unique leatherbound book that her aunt had bequeathed her. While he initially intends only to get his hands on the book and leave, he inadvertently learns more about Isla than he'd intended to, and the conscience that he'd developed during his time as a human won't let him simply abandon her to a likely cruel fate by taking what is his and leaving. And so he stays and gets to know her a bit, and once he has, he finds himself reluctant to leave.
This story isn't long, but it's rich in emotion and imagery. Isla's desperation at the situation she finds herself in with an unscrupulous teacher is palpable, as is her fascination with Nik, and his with her. It's an attraction that seems doomed to failure, and yet you can't help hoping that they'll find a way around the forces that seem to be aligned against them. Not many stories of this length manage to evoke such depth of emotion.
I'd definitely recommend this to anyone fond of shapeshifter stories, or of paranormal romance stories in general. Though for reasons I can't quite put my finger on, this doesn't feel like quite a 5 star story to me, it's certainly a 4½ star story at the least. If stories of this sort are at all your kind of thing, do yourself a favor and take an hour or two to read this one.
July 29, 2014
Whoa! This was such a pleasant surprise! I have an eternal weakness for mermaids/mermen (blame too many rewatches of The Little Mermaid as a child), but even with how disappointed I am with mermaid books, I still always want more.
Also, sexy merman. Hello.
To be honest, I wasn't expecting much out of this one. But it surprised me! And, yeah, he's not really a merman, he's a water Elemental. But close enough. And he spends 90% of the book human. But still. It's a total win!
The writing was lovely, and the emotions there for such a short book. Really pleased with how it was written, and how it ended. So glad I picked this one up.
Also, sexy merman. Hello.
To be honest, I wasn't expecting much out of this one. But it surprised me! And, yeah, he's not really a merman, he's a water Elemental. But close enough. And he spends 90% of the book human. But still. It's a total win!
The writing was lovely, and the emotions there for such a short book. Really pleased with how it was written, and how it ended. So glad I picked this one up.
July 11, 2014
Beautiful romantic short story perfect for summer
I really regret having read this while not yet on vacation, since it would have been such a great story to read on the beach. Still I loved it anyway even if I had to read it while commuting and had a hard time putting my ereader back on my bag when I had to get down from the train.
I liked how the water elemental factor was treated, I liked the characters, I liked the romance and how it develops, I LOVED the ending...I really just liked it all!
Totally recommende if you enjoy paranormal romance...or even if you just enjoy romance!
I really regret having read this while not yet on vacation, since it would have been such a great story to read on the beach. Still I loved it anyway even if I had to read it while commuting and had a hard time putting my ereader back on my bag when I had to get down from the train.
I liked how the water elemental factor was treated, I liked the characters, I liked the romance and how it develops, I LOVED the ending...I really just liked it all!
Totally recommende if you enjoy paranormal romance...or even if you just enjoy romance!
January 31, 2013
was a nice lil short novella .. but still long enough to have a story and a lil bit of a romance ....
though I was a lil disappointed at the end (and no spoilers I promise) when isla didnt seem to find out about his secret ... maybe there is another book that explored their relationship further idk ......
but was rather disappointed in that ... I like reveals In books :)
though I was a lil disappointed at the end (and no spoilers I promise) when isla didnt seem to find out about his secret ... maybe there is another book that explored their relationship further idk ......
but was rather disappointed in that ... I like reveals In books :)
July 22, 2014
This was actually quite good. I enjoyed the fresh take. The writing was marvelous!
July 23, 2014
A fun, supernatural novella about true love and what it can accomplish.
December 29, 2014
Meh. Interesting concept never fully expanded. Also, random sex?
February 10, 2018
Abrupt ending
I enjoyed the story while I was reading it, but the ending feels very abrupt and like the author left the story unfinished.
I enjoyed the story while I was reading it, but the ending feels very abrupt and like the author left the story unfinished.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews