REVIEW: There wasnt really much being 'hunted'...

Hunted by P.C. and Kristin Cast
House of Night #5
Page count: 439
Star rating: 4 stars

One word review: ineffective

'It's all happening, though Zoey Redbird wishes it wasn't. She has her friends back, which is great. But a dark angel has taken over the House of Night, supported by the High Priestess Neferet. Not so great. This leaves Zoey hiding out with the (supposedly friendly) red fledglings in Tulsa's prohibition era tunnels. The not greatness continues.

 

Naturally, Zoey also has boy issues to stress her out, with a change to make up with super-hot-ex Eric. But thoughts of the archer that, semi-permanently, in her arms keep distracting her. The he shows up as Neferet's newest minion. Well, hell. Zoey and friends will need a plan to put things right, and soon, if she can just keep her head and her heart intact.'

 

So this wasn't my favourite instalment of the House of Night Series, but it definitely wasn't my least favourite, hence the 4 stars. This book is definitely worth the read, however the title is misleading, there isn't really much of a hunt within the book and previously the titles have managed to sum up with what happens in the books quite nicely, 'Marked' being where she gets turned into a vampire fledgling, 'Betrayed' where the bad stuff starts happening and she learns that those she trust are actually against her, 'Chosen' where she develops into a High Priestess in the making and 'Untamed' where her raw power starts to develop and the exposure of a dangerous fallen angel is thrown into the mix!- So I wonder why suddenly the name just doesn't seem to fit... however the names are forming a story of their own.

 

Now there are several reasons why I didn't give this book a 5 star... even though I thoroughly enjoyed it. Firstly it was really repetitive again; I mean like cummon, Zoey thinks of something, realises what it means and tells whoever just so happens to be with her (usually Aphrodite), then another person turns up (usually Darius) and she has to tell them all over again, then she has to tell the rest of the gang and then finally two or three chapters later she recaps it all over again in her mind... it gets a little patronizing when as a reader you can follow a plot but the authors don't seem to understand that we can?

 

Secondly, Zoey's relationships follow no realistic pattern; she fights to get Erik back, but she accepts Heath as her human consort and then throws Stark into the mix. The way Zoey's love interests jump around is extremely confusing, especially when she persuades one that they are a monster but then in the next breath tells them to take their shoes off and climb into bed... to just sleep. And then you have Kalona to concern yourselves with... who clearly has a strange infatuation with Zoey and even though she has persuaded herself that she doesn't like him her dreams and emotions say otherwise... which gets really confusing.

 

'Fast paced, funny and exciting'- Trashionista Review

 

Now only one aspect of this review can be classed as accurate, the book definitely has a comical aspect of it but the first three quarters of the book are spent in tunnels with very slow and sluggish development. I mean things happen of course, but nothing really gets moving until they are driven back to the House of Night. But I must admit that once the action starts it really is crazy good; I love the application of classes you learnt in the first few books suddenly becoming useful.

 

Now talking about good things in this book I have found some excellent aspects; firstly there is not a single element of religion trashing! Not anywhere... I mean they don't even mention other religions apart from the repetition that there is a nun that is helping them out! Which really was a breath of fresh air!

 

Secondly there was a lot of development of the characters you only briefly get to see before, Darius especially goes through an enormous change as a character; becoming closer to the action and having more page time! Now you also get to see a deeper side to the teachers at the House of Night, especially Dragon (whom we have briefly met before- and is slowly becoming one of my favourite sub-characters), Anastasia and Lebonia; together help Zoey in ways I can't begin to explain *well without ruining the entire book! Boo to that!*

 

And finally, the ending of the book was beautiful, you go from high intensity to a surreal moment where peace can conquer instead of brute force. I also loved the way that it could almost end the entire series right there... the evil has *supposedly* been conquered, and everyone is happy... except you know that they are not and now we just need to know what's going to happen next!

 

Okay so technically I wasn't even meant to start this book until next month, but I left 'Starcrossed' at my friends house and was desperate to read so I just wanted to carry on. So my plan is that now I am almost half way through the series I am aiming to complete it this month! I will also attempt to fit in a few more standalones; I have started Steel Heart and I am having mixed feelings at the moment but hopefully it will pick up. :-) I also have a few smaller standalones that I plan on completing this month *if I can... University deadline suck!*

 

So revised march TBR:

- the rest of the House of Night series

- Steel heart

- any additional standalones once steel heart is complete!

 

Another review from my guest blogger will be up today... so keep an eye out!

 

Don't forget to follow my blog and leave a comment!