“This fantasy quest delivers . . . Give to fans of Kristin Cashore’s Graceling trilogy and E.K. Johnston’s A Thousand Nights.”–School Library Journal The sequel to Ever the Hunted, which Sarah J. Maas, New York Times bestselling author of the Court of Thorns and Roses series called “absolutely marvelous.” After saving King Aodren with her newfound Channeler powers, Britta only wants to live … Aodren with her newfound Channeler powers, Britta only wants to live a peaceful life in her childhood home. Unfortunately, saving the King has created a tether between them she cannot sever, no matter how much she’d like to, and now he’s insisting on making her a noble lady. And there are those who want to use Britta’s power for evil designs. If Britta cannot find a way to harness her new magical ability, her life–as well as her country–may be lost. The stakes are higher than ever in the sequel to Ever the Hunted, as Britta struggles to protect her kingdom and her heart.
“This will appeal to audiences who enjoy fantasy, themes of good versus evil, and romantic conflicts.”–VOYA
“Those thrilled by the simmering (yet fairly chaste) romance between Britta and Cohen will be immensely satisfied by the cliff hanger-free ending.”–Booklist
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4.5/5 Stars
This review MAY contain spoilers.
This book was delightful! I enjoyed the first book of this series, but I enjoyed this book even more so. The author’s writing skill has only improved with this follow-up novel.
I think that what pulled me into this series was the author’s fluid writing style. The story flows very nicely. It is fast-paced with a compelling plot. I couldn’t read this book fast enough to find out what was going to happen next.
The best thing about this book is the characters. They have their own depth and growth as the story progresses. I felt myself instantly liking most of the characters and their interactions with one another. The chemistry between the characters was written well. This book is told from three perspectives, which I also enjoyed. I was able to get to know the three main characters, and without feeling overpowered by their personalities. In some books with multiple POVs, gravitating towards one voice can be easy. I loved how all three voices were equally balanced in this. I didn’t love one more than the others. All three voices spoke to me.
I liked the romance in this book. There was a love triangle in this book. I know that there are many people that will not read a book with this trope, but I can honestly say that it was done well in this book. It wasn’t forced for the sake of having a love triangle. It flowed with the story and made the characters stronger because of it.
While the plot was complete and easy to follow, I would have loved to have more details about this world. This is one of those stories that is fast-paced but would be so much better if it was drawn out a bit more. More details and going even deeper into the characters. It felt more like a light read to me, but I admit that I am a sucker for gobs of details and huge tomes. Don’t get me wrong though. Even though I think that this would make the story better, it does not make the book any less enjoyable.
I felt that the ending of the book was a little rushed. The fight scene with the villains was anticlimactic. Though the book ended on a high note and everything was wrapped up fairly well, I still would have liked a little more conflict. A little more pow at the end.
Overall, the author’s writing style is a pleasure to read. If you love fast-paced young adult fantasy then you will enjoy this series. The story will suck you in and leave you in the clouds. I can’t wait to read more by this author! I would absolutely recommend this book!
At the end of Ever the Hunted, Britta uses her Channeler powers to save King Aodren which breaks the tether between she and Cohen and establishes one with the King. Despite the tether, her feelings for Cohen haven’t changed, but she is starting to care for the king as well. With the kingdom in turmoil Aodren wants to overrule ill feelings his people have had for the Channelers since his fathers rule and the first thing they have to do is find the woman who had kept his mind captive. As I wrote the above paragraph I realized how if you hadn’t read the first book, this synopsis would be so confusing! To simplify, Britta is a Channeler, she saved the king. The King doesn’t want to kill off all of the Channelers anymore in large part due to his feelings for Britta and well, that’s genocide. As the Bounty Hunter to the king, Cohen gets sent after the evil woman giving Aodren the chance to get to know Britta without Cohen around to remind Britta of her feelings for him. Yes, this story is based around a love triangle, and if Britta weren’t such a strong character this would’ve bothered me a lot more than it actually did. I enjoyed the characters just as much as I did when I read Ever the Hunted. Britta is a strong, independent woman who can hunt and track just as well as the king’s Bounty Hunter, Cohen. Cohen should actually get used to Britta coming to his rescue but for some reason is always trying to protect her and keep her safe. Cohen, this is a girl that can keep herself safe! I do think he came to realize that by the end of the book, but that one trait was a little frustrating. Otherwise, he was a totally likable character. Ever the Brave was the first time that we got to know an Aodren that was not under mind control. What we did get to know, I liked and I look forward to the next installment of this series, Once a King, which is his story. I think his character may be a little more fleshed out which will make him more of a hero, I hope. If you enjoyed Ever the Hunted and haven’t gotten around to reading Ever the Brave, have no fear! This book is a fun second installment. Read it