Was skeptical to start this but I’m glad I did. Surprised with how much I enjoyed reading this little adventure. It has it’s problems, but it was on the cozier side of YA fantasy.

I think the thing I wish I could change the most is the map. Trying to follow along Britta’s journey with the timelines outlined in the text did NOT align with the drawing near the cover. Id the editor fixed that and some scene blocking within the story, I probably would’ve given this 5 stars. ( )

The writing in this is good—evocative, more show than tell, no info-dumping—but the characterization is all over the place. I've spent nearly 400 pages with Britta and her people, and while I could list a personality trait or preference here and there, I still don't feel as if I know them at all. (Well. I feel I know Siron, Cohen's horse, quite well, but I'm not sure he counts.)

And because I don't feel I know Britta, everything that connects to her character—her quest to avenge her father's murder, her attempt to avert war, her romance with Cohen—leaves me cold. None of it compels my interest or engages my emotions, and frankly, I can't understand how it manages to do so for Britta.

In addition, the worldbuilding baffled me most of the time. There's a Church...but beyond mention of services and "the devil," it doesn't seem to impact the way people live. There's a border that people are forbidden to cross...but everyone seems to cross it without effort. There are two countries whose ideological differences are apparently so profound they can't even understand why their respective people wear the clothing they do...and yet, they're neighbors with a clearly permeable border, so why aren't there any people who are more open-minded?

I think Erin Summerill has potential as a writer, but Ever the Hunted indicates she still has a lot of room to grow. ( )

Felt like I was so close to finally getting a YA novel that didn't have a love triangle. Nope. She jammed one in on the very last page. ( )

Expectations are a tricky thing. On the one hand, it is disappointing when the book seems to fall short of the story evoked by the synopsis. For me, the dramatic life of woodland survival, the past shattering of Britta's heart, even the legendary nature of her father's reputation - they all found more diluted counterparts in the actual plot.

On the other hand...it was cool. The highlight was the narrative descriptions. Vivid and immersive, the details devoted to the natural setting - most often, trees - was surprisingly beautiful, while also not distracting from the first person point of view. Britta, silly girl, has lots of dramatic Feelings, but perhaps she'll grow.

Moral of the story: Don't get attached to preconceptions. And the cover is gorgeous. ( )

There's a plot here, but the real draw is the fascinating and complex relationship between Britta and Cohen. In so many romances, you have ice and fire pairings like this: people who are drawn to each other and who love each other, but who also just seem bad for each other. But in Erin's book, I feel like the book actually acknowledges some of the problematic elements here. The book is about Britta struggling to accept her love for this guy who on one level claims to respect and value her (as few others in her country do), but who on the other hand doesn't really seem to trust her. It's a tough one, and there are no easy answers here (though maybe there will be in the sequels).

(I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review) ( )