Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill is a YA fantasy set in a medieval-esq world of clashing kingdoms on the verge of war. Britta Flannery has been in mourning for her murdered father for two months and she is starving. Having nowhere to go and no one to turn to, she poaches on the kings land and is caught. In return for her life, Britta is sent with three guards to capture her fathers killer… her father’s apprentice and her best friend.
Britta and Cohen had been trained together since childhood to follow in her father’s footsteps as a royal hunter. Both can track, hunt and disappear better than anyone, which is why Britta is the only one who can hunt Cohen down. Torn but unable to deny the truth she feels in her gut, Britta agrees to track Cohen and revenge her father. But things aren’t as they seem and soon Britta is questioning everyone around her.
Will Britta trade her life for her only friends? And what truths will she uncover along the way?
This was such an easy read. It had a quick pace, a fairly simple plot and for the most part a nice flow. That being said, it also didn’t wow me. Fairly middle of the road for a YA fantasy.
Ever the Hunted holds no bars, the storyline gets right to the point and we are thrust into the meat of the story within the first two chapters. This can be a little off-putting because there really is no build up. Any background you get, you get as the story progresses. There isn’t really an introduction to the book. I really shouldn’t be bashing this because often a book will have too much build up, but still you had to catch the train running here.
There will be so many people who love flirtatious build-up of Britta and Cohen’s relationship–and yes, I am one of them–but I felt like the story came second to the two. Important plot points were rushed and happened out of nowhere and it was all colored by this budding love story. There are books that are about love stories and that’s fine, but this isn’t one of them; the love story is a parallel plot but it’s the clash of kingdoms, the black-mark and magic of being a channeler that is going to push this story onward.
I also have to say, as much as this story focuses on Britta and Cohen’s relationship (almost to the exclusion of all else), not much happened. We get this kinda slow burn, this inner conflict and hesitation, and not much else. We wait this whole story for some romance and all we get is a few kisses here and there. And then that hint at the end! Good grief.
This book was just missing something for me. It could have been great but it needed a little more depth in my opinion. That’s not to say I didn’t like it, I just didn’t think much of it either way. I do think the second book will be better as more things happen and the plot develops. Not a bad read if you are looking for something quick and easy.
That’s all for now!
-M-
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