YA Book Review: Ever The Hunted by Erin Summermill

Title: Ever The Hunted

Author: Erin Summerill

Series: Clash of Kingdoms #1

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Pub Date: 12-27-2016

Pages: 400

My Copy: Courtesy of Edelweiss and HMH Books For Young Adults

Book Summary:

Seventeen year-old Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow. She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, the legendary bounty hunter for the King of Malam—that is, until her father is murdered. Now outcast and alone and having no rights to her father’s land or inheritance, she seeks refuge where she feels most safe: the Ever Woods. When Britta is caught poaching by the royal guard, instead of facing the noose she is offered a deal: her freedom in exchange for her father’s killer.

However, it’s not so simple.

The alleged killer is none other than Cohen McKay, her father’s former apprentice. The only friend she’s ever known. The boy she once loved who broke her heart. She must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has always made her different will make her a daunting and dangerous force. 

Book Review:

Britta is a heroine who steals your heart. Right from the star we have a heroine who finds herself in a situation she could have never imagined. Britta finds herself going on a journey that challenges a lot about herself and everything she ever knew about her life.

I totally found myself liking our heroine Britta right from the start. Britta. is living in a forest and is trying to make a living since her father has been killed and she is doing what is necessary to survive. She killed a deer and is trying to sell it so she can have money to get through the next few days, weeks or months. Her father has been murdered, so she is grieving for her father’s death. Britt learns that her father was murdered by Cohen, her father’s apprentice and this to her makes no sense. So she makes a deal with these guards or garrison to help catch Cohen and bring him to justice or her life is forfeit. I thought that this was a good way to start her quest to find her father’s killer.

What happens next is a series of interesting and crazy things happening while she is with the Kings Men or representatives trying to catch him. Cohen happens to be a lot smarter than anyone could have guessed or tried to figure out. He leads them on quite the chase and manages to take Britta from them and Britta wakes up. Britta& Cohen have a discussion and he tells this woman that he loves the truth. Cohen believes he is being framed for Saul’s mother and tells Britta that he can prove he is not guilty.

This leads to another bit of a journey for the two of them. They have to evade a lot of people and find out things that neither of them expect.

Britta also learns that she has abilities and is a Channeler. Channelers are people who have abilities and do things. They can heal or kill people, animals with their abilities and what they choose to do with their abilities based on their morals. A long time ago, Channelers were banished or thought to be banished. Things happen where Britta heals a dog that has been poisoned and she doesn’t realize that when she does it about her abilities.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this book. We also learn that Britta’s mother was a Channeler and had to leave Britta when she didn’t want to, because she was afraid of what could have happened. Britta, learns that she has a grandmother, Enat who was a great character who helps Britta learn what she could do with her abilities. We learn that there’s another Channeler who is controlling the king. So now they have to catch the murderer and the Channeler  because both of these individuals are dangerous.

I also found out who the murderer was very interesting. I like the deductive reasoning of Britta and how she figured out who the murderer was. The romance between Britta and Cohen was okay. The scenes were good, but I felt like it was more Cohen wanting the relationship, than her. She is focused on getting justice and then learning about her powers. The relationship becomes complicated when Britta learns more about her family, especially her mother. So of course, the twist at the end seems really good about the connection she had with Cohen being gone. Thought it made sense after they freed the King. Their also seems to be something in Britta that she gets a connection with the King. Nice way to bridge into Book 2, I personally think of this series. 

A great YA fantasy book even though the pacing was a bit slow in the beginning. I really enjoyed this book a lot. Looking forward to Book 2 of this series.

Rating:

Four Hearts