Actual Rating: 3.5

3.75 stars

3,5 stars
i had this on hold since march and i FINALLY finished this pffff. the first half o the book was boring but it the second half of the book got better and i didn't expect the plotwist in the end.

I loved the first book and I am happy to say that I loved this one even more. It was everything that you hoped a sequel would be. Of course, it ended on a huge cliffhanger. Is it 2016 yet?

3.5 stars!

I really didn’t enjoy this. It started off slow, and then got increasingly even more boring. It’s sad because i enjoyed book 1, so no idea why this was so bad. Cecile was completely one dimensional and a Mary Sue; Tristan was bland and so whingy. I can’t cope. I won’t be reading book 3 now.

How on Earth do I get across my feelings about finally reading this book? It's been SO long since I read 'Stolen Songbird', and it's ENTIRELY my own fault. I feel terrible. But I've read it now and I have to say it was very much worth the wait. It wasn't as good as the first book I have to say, I find that's often the case with the second books in various series. It felt a bit too much of a filler book at times. That being said, it still had the charm, the world-building and the loveable characters that I remember and adore from book one and I liked it a lot.

It's difficult to believe that I remember most of the characters from 'Stolen Songbird' considering how long it has been since I read the book. But I actually did! From Cécile and Tristan who, as a couple, I adored in book one, to smaller characters like Victoria and Vincent (the best twins ever). I liked recognising everyone as I re-encountered them all, especially those in Trollus. This book has some great villains as well as heroes (Tristan's Father for one, Cécile's overbearing Mother for another). I liked that the characters were unique too. In book one, Trollus was my favourite place to be. I liked the look at Trianon that we got from Cécile's viewpoint, though comparatively it was far less interesting. One more thing to note: Jensen sure knows how to write! The plot was good despite the extended build and involved plenty of action.

One thing that cost the book the 5 star rating I gave it's predecessor however was the OBVIOUS twist that the whole thing was building towards. I actually figured out Anushka's identity while reading 'Stolen Songbird'. The physical descriptors made it pretty obvious who she was I thought, and I thought it would be an early-ish reveal for this book. Imagine my frustration as I read Cecile overlook and ignore the GLARINGLY OBVIOUS. I have to say that while my love for Cécile and Tristan as a couple was not in any way compromised (I LOVE them) as individual characters I found them a little less likeable. ESPECIALLY Cécile. And that's probably due to the fact that that twist was not in anyway a surprising one. Still a great sequel and worthy of it's four star rating, but I'm definitely hoping for an AWESOME finale to make up for this one's slow pace.

4 Stars.

For a full review, see here: http://chasedbymyimagination.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/book-review-hidden-huntress-danielle-l.html

Hidden Huntress steps up what happened in Stolen Songbird. It's pretty fast-paced and constantly moving, integrating various plot threads as Cecile, Tristan, Chris, and Sabine work towards solving the many problems they face, from the issue of the finding the witch Annushka to stopping the king and duke from succeeding in their nefarious schemes.

In hindsight, there are a lot of clues to the identity of the witch, but during my first read, I was none the wiser and found it a very worthwhile twist that I hadn't seen coming. Overall, the way the plot is constructed is interesting and engaging. There are very few slow moments.

Like book #1, this book does have split POVs between Cecile and Tristan, which allows us a wider scope of story when the two of them aren't together. I honestly do like alternating POVs because it feels like it adds more layers to the tale without making it incredibly complex, you know? It's a simple way to add something more without weighing down the story and it's easy to connect to first person story telling (at least it is for me).

As usual, I found the characters engaging and I did see a bit of growth amongst them after all their ordeals in book one and the things they face in this one, though I think character based stuff takes a more backseat role to the plot-driven narrative, since there's so much to get done.

I will also say that this book does sort of end on a cliffhanger, but in a way it makes sense since it stops right before we enter the next arc (which is dealing with the trolls now they're free and unleashed upon the world, if you've read the blurb for Warrior Witch).

I did notice a few errors in the paperback copy I have, which is a little irksome, but overall I found the second installment of the trilogy very engaging and I read it all in one sitting. Still pretty teen friendly, though there is a "fade to black" sex scene wherein the reader is lead to believe Cecile and Tristan slept together but it doesn't outright say it nor is it discussed afterwards. There might be some cussing but nothing serious.

Overall very enjoyable! I'm looking forward to book #3.

This was my first audible+kindle experience and that was pretty sweet aside from hating the audible voices.. I think I need a break from audible books. I enjoyed Hidden Huntress but not nearly as much as the first book. The big reveal I figured out very early, so much of the book I was just frustrated with Cecile for being ridiculous. However I still got through it very quickly. The ending was good and I plan to read the next one. Another thing I really enjoyed was the continued world building and history of the trolls. I’m excited to see where the author goes with that :)