Starchild Saga – Cassandra Shield 

The idea of the Starchild Saga first popped up into Cassandra Shield ‘s head when she said goodbye to her luxury home in Germany to start a new, more simple life in Croatia with her beloved dogs. The first pages of the book were born on a rustic wooden table, written on a pad of paper.

Her adventure to move abroad didn’t start out smoothly, but at the end she managed to create her own happy end. In the first months, one disaster stroke after another, which let her tremble for days at a time. She struggled to find a house where the landlord allowed dogs. Her first rental home was a complete mess, the second a proper dump. With no other option in sight, she ended up renting a place that had neither a kitchen nor a bathroom or a toilet. Living without central heating meant she had to survive the harsh Croatian winter with minus 20°C outside. On top of that came the pandemic, which no one in their wildest dreams thought would happen. She was caught in two lockdowns all alone with only her furry family by her side.

After finding an ideal location for her next project, Cassie headed to Hungary. She felt in her guts that now was the time to make her dream finally come true and become a professional dog breeder. She didn’t give much thought to what it meant in real life though. She had to discover all the difficulties, sadness, happiness and weird situations that occur in this business on the way.

The gloomy reality weighted on her like a heavy blanket, so Cassie found an escape in the fantasy world. There are many dog stories out there, modern and new. Ones that have never been told before. Action-packed, a la James Bond, yet profound and meaningful.

Cassie’s books are about human decency and today’s values, which are often subject to debate. Some stories may even seem familiar to the readers as they may have experienced similar events.

The Saga is not only tense and enthralling but also thought-provoking. Some unpublished chapters talk about personal ordeals and the author’s emotional carrousel, which will likely leave some reader in tears.

Critics of the book all agree in its professionalism that covers all details, but they also highlight the pure authenticity that brings the characters to life. The book is a real hard-to-put-down that will keep you awake all night, thanks to its captivating story and the immense love for dogs that oozes out of the pages.

The loveable protagonist will instantly capture the readers’ hearts for her braveness to break out of the often mundane everyday cycle and venture into the unknown. It’s not an easy decision, especially for someone who is in the prime of her life without an immediate family by her side.

Little did she imagine the arrival of a worldwide pandemic, its hard-hitting economical consequences, the outbreak of the Ukrainian war, the changing animal laws and all the difficulties that come with setting up a business in a foreign country, when she made the first tentative steps towards her new life. All these challenges were coupled with the facts that she didn’t speak the local language nor was she familiar with the Hungarian law. On top of all that, she had the responsibility to care for over six dozens of dogs.

The story revolves around Cassie’s challenging and joyful experiences as a dog breeder, which will be fascinating not only for other breeders and dog owners but to everyone who wants to get a glimpse into this little-known world. As you turn the pages, you’ll find out that Cassie unintentionally got involved with one of the most corrupt businesses out there, one that doesn’t abstain from illegal practises or animal exploitation.

Will the main character manage to navigate through all the hardship and ultimately achieve her goals despite all odds? You have to read the book till the end to find out. Real life stories often differ from fairy tales..