Title: The Great Hunt (Eurona Duology #1)Author: Wendy Higgins
Pub. Date: March 8, 2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 416
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Retellings
Rating: 4/5 stars
Synopsis:
“Aerity…” Her father paused as if the words he was forming pained him. “I must ask you to sacrifice the promise of love for the sake of our kingdom.”
She could only stare back, frozen.
When a strange beast terrorizes the kingdom of Lochlanach, fear stirs revolt. In an act of desperation, a proclamation is sent to all of Eurona—kill the creature and win the ultimate prize: the daughter of King Lochson’s hand in marriage.
Princess Aerity knows her duty to the kingdom but cannot bear the idea of marrying a stranger…until a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention. There’s no denying the unspoken lure between them…or his mysterious resentment.
Paxton is not the marrying type. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He’s determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast—but the princess continues to surprise him, and the perilous secrets he’s buried begin to surface.
Inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ tale “The Singing Bone,” New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins delivers a dark fantasy filled with rugged hunters, romantic tension, and a princess willing to risk all to save her kingdom.
She could only stare back, frozen.
When a strange beast terrorizes the kingdom of Lochlanach, fear stirs revolt. In an act of desperation, a proclamation is sent to all of Eurona—kill the creature and win the ultimate prize: the daughter of King Lochson’s hand in marriage.
Princess Aerity knows her duty to the kingdom but cannot bear the idea of marrying a stranger…until a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention. There’s no denying the unspoken lure between them…or his mysterious resentment.
Paxton is not the marrying type. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He’s determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast—but the princess continues to surprise him, and the perilous secrets he’s buried begin to surface.
Inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ tale “The Singing Bone,” New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins delivers a dark fantasy filled with rugged hunters, romantic tension, and a princess willing to risk all to save her kingdom.
Review:
While this book wasn't exactly what I was expecting, I still absolutely loved this new book by Wendy Higgins! Wendy Higgins takes us on yet another exciting adventure that is filled with thrilling moments and a slow-burn romance that will leave you begging for more. I will tell you now that this books might not be for everyone. This is a major set up book, but there is still plenty of action and excitement to please the reader. However, the ending is killer and with the cliffhanger is MAJOR. I am so excited to see where Ms. Higgins takes the next (and final) book!
As I mentioned, this book is definitely a set up book. I think there will be a lot more action and (hopefully) romance in the next book. Because of this, the first part of this book was a bit slow. It took me a little while to get into the characters, and really enjoy the story. However, this is mostly before the Hunt actually began. After the Hunt started though, this book took off and I never wanted to stop reading. I will admit that I have never read The Singing Bone so I don't know how it compares as a retelling, but I am definitely interested in reading it to see! The romance in this book is also very slow and gradual, but that made it feel more realistic. I actually really enjoyed this aspect of the book because it made me want Aerity and Paxton together that much more!!
This book was written in the 3rd person, so we are able to see the story from not only Aerity's perspective, but also Paxton's. This made the book more well-rounded in general as we were able to experience all sides of the story. We understood what made Paxton his broody, mysterious self. Aerity was a great female lead. She was kind, selfless, and strong. I admired her courage and bravery, and I am interested to see how she grows in the next novel as well. The romance between the two is very sweet. There's no love triangle, which was very nice, and it's pretty straightforward. The one aspect of this book though that really stood out to me was the focus on family. This was not only between Aerity and her sister, brother, and parents, but also between Paxton and his brother. You could feel the love they all have for each other, and the lengths they are willing to go to ensure their safety. The bonds that exist between every character are so strong and amazing!
Overall, this was an interesting start to this duology, and I can't wait to see where the story goes. The world-building was fantastic, and Wendy Higgins has created such a unique world! I am very intrigued with the Lashed Ones, as they will play a very large role in the next part of this series. I would definitely recommend this if you're a fan of Wendy Higgins, but seeing as this is a duology, you could also wait until the next book comes out so that you could just read these back to back. That way you don't have to deal with the terribleness that is the cliffhanger!
As I mentioned, this book is definitely a set up book. I think there will be a lot more action and (hopefully) romance in the next book. Because of this, the first part of this book was a bit slow. It took me a little while to get into the characters, and really enjoy the story. However, this is mostly before the Hunt actually began. After the Hunt started though, this book took off and I never wanted to stop reading. I will admit that I have never read The Singing Bone so I don't know how it compares as a retelling, but I am definitely interested in reading it to see! The romance in this book is also very slow and gradual, but that made it feel more realistic. I actually really enjoyed this aspect of the book because it made me want Aerity and Paxton together that much more!!
This book was written in the 3rd person, so we are able to see the story from not only Aerity's perspective, but also Paxton's. This made the book more well-rounded in general as we were able to experience all sides of the story. We understood what made Paxton his broody, mysterious self. Aerity was a great female lead. She was kind, selfless, and strong. I admired her courage and bravery, and I am interested to see how she grows in the next novel as well. The romance between the two is very sweet. There's no love triangle, which was very nice, and it's pretty straightforward. The one aspect of this book though that really stood out to me was the focus on family. This was not only between Aerity and her sister, brother, and parents, but also between Paxton and his brother. You could feel the love they all have for each other, and the lengths they are willing to go to ensure their safety. The bonds that exist between every character are so strong and amazing!
Overall, this was an interesting start to this duology, and I can't wait to see where the story goes. The world-building was fantastic, and Wendy Higgins has created such a unique world! I am very intrigued with the Lashed Ones, as they will play a very large role in the next part of this series. I would definitely recommend this if you're a fan of Wendy Higgins, but seeing as this is a duology, you could also wait until the next book comes out so that you could just read these back to back. That way you don't have to deal with the terribleness that is the cliffhanger!
Happy reading :)
~Cassie
Oooh nice! I love fairy tale retellings and this one sounds like one I would love! I did buy it, but haven't read it yet. Mostly when I started reading reviews for it and everyone crying in agony over the cliffhanger. Or maybe I'm exaggerating a tad! Lol! But I am hearing about the killer cliffhanger and I wanted to save myself some tears and agony, so I've decided to wait until the next book comes out and binge the two! Glad to hear it was enjoyable!! Great review!
ReplyDelete