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The Malediction Trilogy #2
Hidden Huntress
Beneath the mountain, the king’s reign of tyranny is absolute; the one troll with the capacity to challenge him is imprisoned for treason. Cécile has escaped the darkness of Trollus, but she learns all too quickly that she is not beyond the reach of the king’s power. Or his manipulation.
Recovered from her injuries, she now lives with her mother in Trianon and graces the opera stage every night. But by day she searches for the witch who has eluded the trolls for five hundred years. Whether she succeeds or fails, the costs to those she cares about will be high.
To find Anushka, she must delve into magic that is both dark and deadly. But the witch is a clever creature. And Cécile might not just be the hunter. She might also be the hunted…
Recovered from her injuries, she now lives with her mother in Trianon and graces the opera stage every night. But by day she searches for the witch who has eluded the trolls for five hundred years. Whether she succeeds or fails, the costs to those she cares about will be high.
To find Anushka, she must delve into magic that is both dark and deadly. But the witch is a clever creature. And Cécile might not just be the hunter. She might also be the hunted…
470 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2015
741 people are currently reading
14534 people want to read
About the author
Danielle L. Jensen
35 books21k followersJoin Danielle's mailing list for exclusive content, giveaways, and new release alerts: https://danielleljensen.com/newslette...
Danielle L. Jensen is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Fate Inked in Blood, A Curse Carved in Bone, and the Bridge Kingdom, Dark Shores, and Malediction series. Her novels are published internationally in twenty-one languages. She lives in Calgary, Alberta, with her family and guinea pigs.
Danielle L. Jensen is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Fate Inked in Blood, A Curse Carved in Bone, and the Bridge Kingdom, Dark Shores, and Malediction series. Her novels are published internationally in twenty-one languages. She lives in Calgary, Alberta, with her family and guinea pigs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,368 reviews
September 16, 2025
Its like the author realized that Tristan is the more interesting character and decided to really play up his fan base
And I have zero fucking complaints.
So essentially all the book things I have to say about this book... it about Tristan
We get some in DEPTH look into Tristan character: with sneak into his past, his desires for his future, and how shitty his present is
Character development!
Tristan is so much more than the smug prick we all thought he was in the beginning !!
“All that mattered was that he thought they followed me. That he, in discovering that I knew the half-bloods’ ability to lie, had become so wrapped up in his own web of duplicity that the probable became improbable, the truth a lie.”
Everything we knew about Tristan in the first book was really just a mask. The persona of the prince to keep everyone at bay and do what needed to be done for his people.
Except once the mask of the prince fell off, the need for a king was revealed.. And he was not sure if he could do it
“His eyes met mine. “They say nothing worth having comes easily, Tristan. If you want the crown, you’re going to have to take it.”
The golden circlet still lay at my feet.
I wanted to snatch it up.
I wanted to run as far away from it as possible.”
Tristan is an anxiety-motivated sassy chameleon that desperately wants to be free and isn't ready for all the power responsibility of the crown.
I loved that both Tristan and Cecile are strong enough to stand alone -- each with their own unique plotline in this book. But at same time, i hated that we lost the great group dynamic that made me love the series in the first place
Honestly, my main takeaway and favorite part of this series is that. I love Trolls.
I adore how the author flipped the entire cliches -ugly -stupid -bridge -trolls into dangerous fae that use their tricky mischievous magic to get what they want.
There was so much background and worldbuilding with the Curse of the Trolls, their magic hierarchy, the power of names, and how fucked up the royales are.
Seriously, in this book, we finally learn just how fucking insane the king, Tristan's father, is.
“His expression terrified me. He knew I had tricked him, knew that I was plotting against him. But he looked pleased.”
The king is legit Satan like what the fuck dude you are creeping me out and I read psychokiller books
So yes while the sequel focused on Tristan, it honestly didn’t bother me at all because the singing human was starting to get annoying and a little Mary-sue.
Cecile She has a pretty great story in her own front: Leaving the human world, discovering magic, learning her own abilities, returning to her home, and facing the ultimate decision of whether to unleash the trolls
But at the same time. She seemed to always make irrational emotional decisions that only seem motivated by self-preservation.
And ultimately her POV just didn't really captivate my interest compared to the Troll Prince manipulating his father's court to take control who undergoes major character development
But fear not! We still have more books for everyone to get more bloodthirsty and violent or at least I hope so hehe
Side note looking back I notice similar character dynamics as Cruel Prince with Cardan and Tristan as sassy fey princes so if you enjoyed Cruel Prince, I would definitely recommend giving this troll setting book a try!
Where the first book had amazing witty banter that built the chemistry between our devious Troll Prince and Songbird girl
The second book, the two characters were separated for most of the book with their own storylines that intertwined.
Where the first book took a creative twist on a troll world being underground and trapped -- with new mysteries just waiting to be discovered
The second book stayed mostly in the stupid human village that even the main character had wanted to escape from
Where the first book had danger and adventure woven within the main book plot
The second book worked on developing the established storylines to work towards the big conclusion
All in all, we still got lots of action, intrigue, character development that I enjoyed to find out what happened next to these characters that I would definitely recommend giving a try while acknowledging that the first book's danger and mystical vibes aren't as evident in the developing sequel.
And I have zero fucking complaints.
So essentially all the book things I have to say about this book... it about Tristan
We get some in DEPTH look into Tristan character: with sneak into his past, his desires for his future, and how shitty his present is
Character development!
Tristan is so much more than the smug prick we all thought he was in the beginning !!
“All that mattered was that he thought they followed me. That he, in discovering that I knew the half-bloods’ ability to lie, had become so wrapped up in his own web of duplicity that the probable became improbable, the truth a lie.”
Everything we knew about Tristan in the first book was really just a mask. The persona of the prince to keep everyone at bay and do what needed to be done for his people.
Except once the mask of the prince fell off, the need for a king was revealed.. And he was not sure if he could do it
“His eyes met mine. “They say nothing worth having comes easily, Tristan. If you want the crown, you’re going to have to take it.”
The golden circlet still lay at my feet.
I wanted to snatch it up.
I wanted to run as far away from it as possible.”
Tristan is an anxiety-motivated sassy chameleon that desperately wants to be free and isn't ready for all the power responsibility of the crown.
I loved that both Tristan and Cecile are strong enough to stand alone -- each with their own unique plotline in this book. But at same time, i hated that we lost the great group dynamic that made me love the series in the first place
Honestly, my main takeaway and favorite part of this series is that. I love Trolls.
I adore how the author flipped the entire cliches -ugly -stupid -bridge -trolls into dangerous fae that use their tricky mischievous magic to get what they want.
There was so much background and worldbuilding with the Curse of the Trolls, their magic hierarchy, the power of names, and how fucked up the royales are.
Seriously, in this book, we finally learn just how fucking insane the king, Tristan's father, is.
“His expression terrified me. He knew I had tricked him, knew that I was plotting against him. But he looked pleased.”
The king is legit Satan like what the fuck dude you are creeping me out and I read psychokiller books
So yes while the sequel focused on Tristan, it honestly didn’t bother me at all because the singing human was starting to get annoying and a little Mary-sue.
Cecile She has a pretty great story in her own front: Leaving the human world, discovering magic, learning her own abilities, returning to her home, and facing the ultimate decision of whether to unleash the trolls
But at the same time. She seemed to always make irrational emotional decisions that only seem motivated by self-preservation.
And ultimately her POV just didn't really captivate my interest compared to the Troll Prince manipulating his father's court to take control who undergoes major character development
But fear not! We still have more books for everyone to get more bloodthirsty and violent or at least I hope so hehe
Side note looking back I notice similar character dynamics as Cruel Prince with Cardan and Tristan as sassy fey princes so if you enjoyed Cruel Prince, I would definitely recommend giving this troll setting book a try!
Where the first book had amazing witty banter that built the chemistry between our devious Troll Prince and Songbird girl
The second book, the two characters were separated for most of the book with their own storylines that intertwined.
Where the first book took a creative twist on a troll world being underground and trapped -- with new mysteries just waiting to be discovered
The second book stayed mostly in the stupid human village that even the main character had wanted to escape from
Where the first book had danger and adventure woven within the main book plot
The second book worked on developing the established storylines to work towards the big conclusion
All in all, we still got lots of action, intrigue, character development that I enjoyed to find out what happened next to these characters that I would definitely recommend giving a try while acknowledging that the first book's danger and mystical vibes aren't as evident in the developing sequel.
July 6, 2023
07/05/2023: Re-read so I can finally finish the series. :-) I couldn't remember a lot about this book, so it felt like a fresh read for me. Other than the twist-that-wasn't-really-twisting, still fantastic.
Remember that time I cried for ages when Stolen Songbird ended? Good times, good times. Now I'm here to proudly inform you that Danielle L. Jensen has managed to make me curl up into a ball and bawl like a baby. Again. Repeatedly.
That being said, I didn't love this one as much as the first. Don't get me wrong--it was still entertaining and engaging, but I didn't really feel like I was incredibly invested in the story this time around. Let me explain...
Hidden Huntress only less-than-half takes part in Trollus. Most of the book took place in Trianon, and honestly the human world isn't as gorgeous as the world of the Trolls. I read fantasy to get out of the human world, and sadly Cécile was only in Trollus for maybe 2% of the book. Most of Tristan's story was set in Trollus, but there was more plotting (Tristan trying to fix problems) then exploring.
Another thing I wasn't too fond of was Cécile and Tristan themselves (individually--romantic assessment later), which is a shame because I adored them both in the first book. They both were just really hot and cold in this book and you couldn't really tell what they really wanted half of the time.
I still LOVE the romance, though. Cécile and Tristan have such a strong bond, and when they're together I just want to chain them to each other so that they'd never separate again. Their scenes together made me swoon, cry, and want to find my own man (preferably Logan Lerman) to smooch. Unfortunately I'm too young to do that.
I know Danielle left a few clues for us to guess things early on, but for some strange reason I wasn't able to pick up on any of those and was actually quite shocked when the big reveal came on. Forgive me for my ignorance. Other people might find the twist easier to guess, though. Also, bonus points for giving the villain in this book a fabulous backstory. I love it when we get to know the bad guys, too.
What really made this still an enjoyable read for me was Danielle's writing. It was so easy to read and everything flowed really nicely. POVs were easily distinguishable. The writing also had that fantasy vibe that I love so much.
OH, and the ending! Jesus, that was a glorious ending. It was full of action and much intrigue... There's so much space for what could go on in book three (which I totally need RIGHT NOW PLEASE).
Overall, if you enjoyed Stolen Songbird, I highly recommend reading ASAP this book because lots of your questions will be answered. If you're not too keen on it, maybe wait around for book three, but still read this eventually.
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
--
05/30
I finished this book at 2:30 am, so excuse my incoherency. Anyway, I didn't love this as much as the first book, but it still managed to make my heart stop, cry and swoon!
Full review to come!
---
Stolen Songbird made me laugh, cry and swoon hard. I seriously cannot wait for whatever Danielle L. Jensen has in store for us and for both Tristan and Cecile. (Hopefully they're good things, yes?)
So, there are just 2 I would like to happen in book 2:
1.) (We all want this, right?)
2.) Marc and Anais find some sort of peace or happiness. I love them both to bits.
Anyway. One year to go.
Remember that time I cried for ages when Stolen Songbird ended? Good times, good times. Now I'm here to proudly inform you that Danielle L. Jensen has managed to make me curl up into a ball and bawl like a baby. Again. Repeatedly.
That being said, I didn't love this one as much as the first. Don't get me wrong--it was still entertaining and engaging, but I didn't really feel like I was incredibly invested in the story this time around. Let me explain...
Hidden Huntress only less-than-half takes part in Trollus. Most of the book took place in Trianon, and honestly the human world isn't as gorgeous as the world of the Trolls. I read fantasy to get out of the human world, and sadly Cécile was only in Trollus for maybe 2% of the book. Most of Tristan's story was set in Trollus, but there was more plotting (Tristan trying to fix problems) then exploring.
Another thing I wasn't too fond of was Cécile and Tristan themselves (individually--romantic assessment later), which is a shame because I adored them both in the first book. They both were just really hot and cold in this book and you couldn't really tell what they really wanted half of the time.
I still LOVE the romance, though. Cécile and Tristan have such a strong bond, and when they're together I just want to chain them to each other so that they'd never separate again. Their scenes together made me swoon, cry, and want to find my own man (preferably Logan Lerman) to smooch. Unfortunately I'm too young to do that.
I know Danielle left a few clues for us to guess things early on, but for some strange reason I wasn't able to pick up on any of those and was actually quite shocked when the big reveal came on. Forgive me for my ignorance. Other people might find the twist easier to guess, though. Also, bonus points for giving the villain in this book a fabulous backstory. I love it when we get to know the bad guys, too.
What really made this still an enjoyable read for me was Danielle's writing. It was so easy to read and everything flowed really nicely. POVs were easily distinguishable. The writing also had that fantasy vibe that I love so much.
OH, and the ending! Jesus, that was a glorious ending. It was full of action and much intrigue... There's so much space for what could go on in book three (which I totally need RIGHT NOW PLEASE).
Overall, if you enjoyed Stolen Songbird, I highly recommend reading ASAP this book because lots of your questions will be answered. If you're not too keen on it, maybe wait around for book three, but still read this eventually.
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
--
05/30
I finished this book at 2:30 am, so excuse my incoherency. Anyway, I didn't love this as much as the first book, but it still managed to make my heart stop, cry and swoon!
Full review to come!
---
Stolen Songbird made me laugh, cry and swoon hard. I seriously cannot wait for whatever Danielle L. Jensen has in store for us and for both Tristan and Cecile. (Hopefully they're good things, yes?)
So, there are just 2 I would like to happen in book 2:
1.) (We all want this, right?)
2.) Marc and Anais find some sort of peace or happiness. I love them both to bits.
Anyway. One year to go.
April 23, 2015
Buddy Read with Chelsea( Click for her review)
Stolen Songbird Review
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
You can't even begin to imagine how ridiculously excited I was for this to come out. I had stalked this book to no end after I had read the beauty that was Stolen Songbird. I mean, seriously, who could read that book and not fall for Tristan or be intrigued by these beautiful trolls(yup, they are hot as heck *shrugs*) or be bewitched by the awesome banter and witty dialogue? So to read Hidden Huntress and barely find anything of what you loved from the first book is quite heartbreaking.
Sadly this reads like millions out there. Second book syndrome overpowers every single detail. Instead of witty and fun dialogue it turns tedious and snore-worthy and instead of an enticing and growing plot, it drags up until the very end leaving us with that recognizable twist and unnecessary cliffhanger. And the worst part it was ridiculously predictable. I personally think the foreshadowing could have used outside help or at least a little editing, it's too telling to the point of spoiler-ish.
Now, I understand that sometimes these books are used to open up for the third and final book but I also believe it doesn't have to freakin suck. It felt like a complete waste of time. I was constantly at battle with myself for I found everything under the sun more entertaining than sitting down and reading this. And we all know the second reading becomes a chore, something is wrong . Hurts to say it was Hidden Huntress.
But on a serious note, I do believe-cause I'm nothing if not optimistic, you know?- that the best is yet to come. I mean we're in for a hell of a finale and shit is about to go down dude and I am so ready from it.
Stolen Songbird Review
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
I'm not even mad...I'm just...disappointed.
You can't even begin to imagine how ridiculously excited I was for this to come out. I had stalked this book to no end after I had read the beauty that was Stolen Songbird. I mean, seriously, who could read that book and not fall for Tristan or be intrigued by these beautiful trolls(yup, they are hot as heck *shrugs*) or be bewitched by the awesome banter and witty dialogue? So to read Hidden Huntress and barely find anything of what you loved from the first book is quite heartbreaking.
Sadly this reads like millions out there. Second book syndrome overpowers every single detail. Instead of witty and fun dialogue it turns tedious and snore-worthy and instead of an enticing and growing plot, it drags up until the very end leaving us with that recognizable twist and unnecessary cliffhanger. And the worst part it was ridiculously predictable. I personally think the foreshadowing could have used outside help or at least a little editing, it's too telling to the point of spoiler-ish.
Now, I understand that sometimes these books are used to open up for the third and final book but I also believe it doesn't have to freakin suck. It felt like a complete waste of time. I was constantly at battle with myself for I found everything under the sun more entertaining than sitting down and reading this. And we all know the second reading becomes a chore, something is wrong . Hurts to say it was Hidden Huntress.
Now with all that said, will I read the finale?
I refuse to live without my bae, Tristan.
But on a serious note, I do believe-cause I'm nothing if not optimistic, you know?- that the best is yet to come. I mean we're in for a hell of a finale and shit is about to go down dude and I am so ready from it.
May 15, 2024
Better than the last one and I could see moments where Danielle wrote some of the best stuff but as compared to her other works it did fall short at part.
I enjoyed it nonetheless!
I enjoyed it nonetheless!
March 24, 2015
*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I'm not going to lie...this rating HURTS. While there was nothing wrong with this book per se, it just dragged. I do understand the need to bridge the gap between this book and the final in the trilogy, but I do feel like it lost my attention more than once trying to do just that.
Nothing can take away the giddy excitement I felt every time Tristan would become a part of this story-I was like a kid in a candy store. But more often than not, I felt myself literally ONLY thinking about the next time the dark, sexy, protective hero would come back into the story.
Numerous beautiful, powerful moments between Cecile and Tristan, many instances where I lost my breath, and more than one occasion where I choked on butterflies...this story will still make you very happy if you loved the first book at all-just know that there is a lot of deceit, lies, searching, and planning that takes place in this book. It is nothing like the first in the sense that everyone is in danger of dying and it's not all about the forbidden romance anymore-lives are at stake and there isn't much time for all the moments I so dearly cherished in the first. I realize that, but it doesn't change the fact that I was desperate for more.
Full review to come a few weeks before the release date.
PS-I SUCK AT MINI-REVIEWS (My fingers are itching to keep typing ARGH)
For more of my reviews, please visit:
***********************************
ARC provided by Netgalley!!!!!
I'm ECSTATIC <<<< See all the caps???
Buddy read with me Favorite Pea!!!!
(And now my new friend, Melissa (Ever So Mela), as well :D)
I'm not going to lie...this rating HURTS. While there was nothing wrong with this book per se, it just dragged. I do understand the need to bridge the gap between this book and the final in the trilogy, but I do feel like it lost my attention more than once trying to do just that.
Nothing can take away the giddy excitement I felt every time Tristan would become a part of this story-I was like a kid in a candy store. But more often than not, I felt myself literally ONLY thinking about the next time the dark, sexy, protective hero would come back into the story.
Numerous beautiful, powerful moments between Cecile and Tristan, many instances where I lost my breath, and more than one occasion where I choked on butterflies...this story will still make you very happy if you loved the first book at all-just know that there is a lot of deceit, lies, searching, and planning that takes place in this book. It is nothing like the first in the sense that everyone is in danger of dying and it's not all about the forbidden romance anymore-lives are at stake and there isn't much time for all the moments I so dearly cherished in the first. I realize that, but it doesn't change the fact that I was desperate for more.
Full review to come a few weeks before the release date.
PS-I SUCK AT MINI-REVIEWS (My fingers are itching to keep typing ARGH)
For more of my reviews, please visit:
***********************************
ARC provided by Netgalley!!!!!
I'm ECSTATIC <<<< See all the caps???
Buddy read with me Favorite Pea!!!!
(And now my new friend, Melissa (Ever So Mela), as well :D)
June 28, 2018
DNF at 75%
I have 4 hours and 13 minutes left to listen, out of over 16 hours of audiobook.
I just couldn't continue. It really put me to sleep, all the interest I had for the story after the first book was drained right out of this one.
The heroine took a down turn in this second installment. Her relationship with her mother makes little sense. Why she obeys her or even listen to her escapes my understanding. The way she is going about her life is pointless and passive in reference to what the real problem is. Cécile is basically a doormat for most of the book, well, an annoying one at that.
All the characters in general make their minds abruptly and with little convincing needed.
The story advances in such slow terms that looking back, all the those hours spent listening come to a summary of no longer than a sentence. Most of the book is trivial.
Lastly, where is the romance? Can Cécile and Tristan have less chemistry, or even less feelings of love towards each other? Ugh...
I am obviously done with this series.
I have 4 hours and 13 minutes left to listen, out of over 16 hours of audiobook.
I just couldn't continue. It really put me to sleep, all the interest I had for the story after the first book was drained right out of this one.
The heroine took a down turn in this second installment. Her relationship with her mother makes little sense. Why she obeys her or even listen to her escapes my understanding. The way she is going about her life is pointless and passive in reference to what the real problem is. Cécile is basically a doormat for most of the book, well, an annoying one at that.
All the characters in general make their minds abruptly and with little convincing needed.
The story advances in such slow terms that looking back, all the those hours spent listening come to a summary of no longer than a sentence. Most of the book is trivial.
Lastly, where is the romance? Can Cécile and Tristan have less chemistry, or even less feelings of love towards each other? Ugh...
I am obviously done with this series.
March 25, 2015
ACTUAL RATING: 3.5/5 stars
Ahh hell. Why do I submit myself to the torture of waiting? I need the third book NOW. Why the hell.
On the other hand, this one felt painfully long. I thought some pages and parts could've been removed and it would still work alright. But even though I didn't loved this like I did the first book, Hidden Huntress was somehow a worthy to be read installment. Expect major character developments, more surprises, many unexpected turn of events... If you loved Stolen Songbird, you'll surely don't want to miss this sequel.
Full review to come closer to release date. (Rating might still change once I finalized my review.)
Deadly Darlings | Her Book Thoughts | Twitter
Ahh hell. Why do I submit myself to the torture of waiting? I need the third book NOW. Why the hell.
On the other hand, this one felt painfully long. I thought some pages and parts could've been removed and it would still work alright. But even though I didn't loved this like I did the first book, Hidden Huntress was somehow a worthy to be read installment. Expect major character developments, more surprises, many unexpected turn of events... If you loved Stolen Songbird, you'll surely don't want to miss this sequel.
Full review to come closer to release date. (Rating might still change once I finalized my review.)
Deadly Darlings | Her Book Thoughts | Twitter
February 5, 2018
I thought Stolen Songbird, the first book in The Malediction Trilogy, was a light fun fantasy romance who's only real flaw was that it was a little predictable. Hidden Huntress caught me by surprise as it felt like the series went in a whole new direction in this instalment. There was only a minimal focus on the romance that drove the first book and the happenings and the tone of the story were a lot darker!
The new direction of the series was both a strength and a weakness. I missed the romance and lighter tone of the first book but did feel like the story in this one had a more original feel to it. Yeah, the main mystery was a bit predictable but the rest of the mysteries and happenings managed to throw up a few surprises and the story was always engaging enough to hold my attention.
With Cecile having escaped the Trolls at the end of the first book this one focuses on her settling down in to hunt the identity of Anushka. With Cecile gone Tristan was left on his own to face the consequences of his failed coup against his evil father! I felt like both storylines were enjoyable enough though I probably preferred Tristan's in the first half of the book.
The biggest flaw in this one was Cecile herself. I liked her in the first book as she was likeable and easy to root for as she had to try and outwit the devious Trolls in order to survive. Sadly, she must have taken a severe bash to the head at some point during her flight from Trollus as any good sense she had was gone in this instalment. She was pretty passive and just caught up in events a lot of the time but the moments when she did act were actually even worse as she always seemed to make the wrong choices and ended up looking like she was out of her depth at dealing with the situations she found herself in. It was a little frustrating but I guess it makes a change from the overly adept lead characters we encounter in a lot of YA books!
All in all I though Hidden Huntress was a decent follow up to Stolen Songbird but not its equal. I liked the romance and lighter tone of the first book more than this darker and more brutal sequel.
Rating: 3.5 stars. A stronger ending would have landed this an extra half-star!
Audio Note: Erin Moon and Eric Michael Summerer were back and both did just as well with this sequel as they did with the first book.
The new direction of the series was both a strength and a weakness. I missed the romance and lighter tone of the first book but did feel like the story in this one had a more original feel to it. Yeah, the main mystery was a bit predictable but the rest of the mysteries and happenings managed to throw up a few surprises and the story was always engaging enough to hold my attention.
With Cecile having escaped the Trolls at the end of the first book this one focuses on her settling down in to hunt the identity of Anushka. With Cecile gone Tristan was left on his own to face the consequences of his failed coup against his evil father! I felt like both storylines were enjoyable enough though I probably preferred Tristan's in the first half of the book.
The biggest flaw in this one was Cecile herself. I liked her in the first book as she was likeable and easy to root for as she had to try and outwit the devious Trolls in order to survive. Sadly, she must have taken a severe bash to the head at some point during her flight from Trollus as any good sense she had was gone in this instalment. She was pretty passive and just caught up in events a lot of the time but the moments when she did act were actually even worse as she always seemed to make the wrong choices and ended up looking like she was out of her depth at dealing with the situations she found herself in. It was a little frustrating but I guess it makes a change from the overly adept lead characters we encounter in a lot of YA books!
All in all I though Hidden Huntress was a decent follow up to Stolen Songbird but not its equal. I liked the romance and lighter tone of the first book more than this darker and more brutal sequel.
Rating: 3.5 stars. A stronger ending would have landed this an extra half-star!
Audio Note: Erin Moon and Eric Michael Summerer were back and both did just as well with this sequel as they did with the first book.
Want to read
June 27, 2014I really loved the first book. So here's to hoping that the second will be just as good, if not better, than the first.
And uh... I'd like some more Tristan and Cécile goodness, if you know what I mean.
And uh... I'd like some more Tristan and Cécile goodness, if you know what I mean.
Read
July 23, 2021If you'd like to read the first three chapters of Hidden Huntress, they are posted here: http://fantasy-faction.com/2015/extra...
May 31, 2022
“Sometimes, one must do the unthinkable," I said, "for it is the only way to accomplish the impossible.”
So, I began this book as soon as I finished Stolen Songbird, and unfortunately, it appears that this trilogy will turn into another The Girl at Midnight-case. What I mean by this, is that this instalment was quite a bit of a let-down in comparison with the strong début of the first. The witty humour and adorable romance was nowhere to be seen here, which, I think, is why my reading pace eventually slowed down to a crawl by the time that I reached the middle of the novel.
While I did enjoy this novel very much, as I’m very attached to the characters and invested in their fates, I was rather disappointed with the plot progression (the “big twist” was hilariously obvious) and the lack of sassy dialogue. While it makes sense that the trilogy will get darker in tone as we go through the books, I prefer to have some comedy to offset the emotional heaviness of the plot.
Regardless, I’m halfway through the finale, Warrior Witch, and can’t wait to see what the future holds for Tristan and Cécile! <3
So, I began this book as soon as I finished Stolen Songbird, and unfortunately, it appears that this trilogy will turn into another The Girl at Midnight-case. What I mean by this, is that this instalment was quite a bit of a let-down in comparison with the strong début of the first. The witty humour and adorable romance was nowhere to be seen here, which, I think, is why my reading pace eventually slowed down to a crawl by the time that I reached the middle of the novel.
While I did enjoy this novel very much, as I’m very attached to the characters and invested in their fates, I was rather disappointed with the plot progression (the “big twist” was hilariously obvious) and the lack of sassy dialogue. While it makes sense that the trilogy will get darker in tone as we go through the books, I prefer to have some comedy to offset the emotional heaviness of the plot.
Regardless, I’m halfway through the finale, Warrior Witch, and can’t wait to see what the future holds for Tristan and Cécile! <3
November 13, 2017
I had the honor of receiving an ARC of Hidden Huntress from the publisher and author.
What you can expect:
Tristan’s POV and Cécile’s POV
Extensive character growth in Tristan
Cécile remains loyal and stubborn to a fault as always
A lot of twists and turns (even though many of them are rather predictable)
Politics and social battles
Witches
Characters you want to slap
Characters you want to kill, but don't die
Character deaths
Heart pains
And a little something else to make the fans very, very, very happy (;
Recap:
“Here lay the gateway between worlds, the divide between reality and fantasy. A dream or, depending on who waited, a nightmare.”
Who are the real monsters? The trolls? The humans? Both? Which monstrous nightmare would you prefer?
Danielle L. Jensen does a fantastic job of debunking the ugliness and stupidity of trolls and turning them into her own fey creatures that are refreshing for me to read about. I won’t go into any particulars because you MUST read Stolen Songbird and Hidden Huntress for yourself, but I will lay out a few details:
The trolls in this fantasy world aren’t all ugly and deformed creatures. Plenty of them look perfectly human.
The trolls are cursed. Forever trapped in the mountains until the curse can be broken.
Trolls have magic.
Trolls can’t lie. However they can twist their words to evade the truth. They are cunning.
A name can give you power. You can have complete control over a troll if you know his or her full name.
Trolls can be a nightmare. Or a dream. They’re either monsters or they’re not. Depending on one’s perspective and experience.
Cécile’s story isn’t a fairytale, even though it is easily dismissed as one. She knows what she went through isn’t made up— where she was, who she met, who and what she left behind. It’s real.
It’s been three months since she returned home from the underground troll kingdom Trollus, three months since her husband Crown Prince Tristan was imprisoned for treason, three months spent looking for the witch, three months in which schemes and secrets are finally emerging to the surface.
She resides with her estranged mother in Trianon, using her fame as a rising opera singer to infiltrate diverse social circles and hunt down her prey. She unsuccessfully searches for the only person who can free the trolls, the very witch who cursed them in the first place. With no progress, her desperation will drive her further into the dark arts and oblivion. She is, after all, a witch herself.
Cécile is also constantly at war with her decisions: Why unleashed the trolls on humans? Is her troll friends’ freedom worth it? Trolls have a rich history of slaying and enslaving humans and the King has dangerous motives to conquer the world. Is she selfish enough to free evil and see the world burn?
Cécile is one of the most emotional and irrational fantasy protagonist I’ve ever read about and I don’t know if that’s a good thing or bad thing. She is still the same person she was in Stolen Songbird, and yet, she’s worse. She carries on the behavior I’m familiar with: She lets her emotions get the worst of her. She acts rashly and impulsively when her feelings are in chaos. On occasions, she throws fits like a child. She sucks at following orders so she might as well be deaf. Then there are times she does listen against all logic. Bottom fact is you never what she’ll do, but you do know it’ll lead to disaster because she makes stupid, selfish, human decisions.
Can you completely blame the girl for acting rash during hard times? Everybody wants to use her as a political and/or social maneuver. Her mother, for one, doesn’t want to fall from her social status and continues to groom Cécile to use her looks, her voice, and her charms to maintain their positions in society. The woman pulls the “mother card” when it suits her to manipulate Cécile’s emotions. Cécile, being Cécile,, is too pathetic for her own self-preservation and desperation to save her husband. Then there is the King of Trollus who will go beyond the highest measures to see the witch dead and sees no shame in using his son Tristan to influence Cécile’s search. Oh, and let’s not forget the insane and murderous youngest prince and the young boy’s guardian, both trolls who are bent on ruling the kingdom. There are more and new players plotting for the throne of Trollus and I won’t ruin it for readers by revealing all of them.
Like Cécile, Tristan can be selfish and foolish. They make reckless decisions when it comes to each other and their choices, more often than not, have deadly consequences. And I mean “dead.” However, Tristan goes through some major character development. You see, I realize that with trilogies, the first book is all for laying down a solid ground for a character. Once that’s dealt with, authors continue the second book without much character development. Tristan is a different story because he grows from an arrogant and controlling leader to a trustworthy and honest comrade. An equal to his supporters. He learns the hard way that he isn’t untouchable and he accepts his treatment and punishments. Also, the past Tristan would have never easily admit his weaknesses. With or without him, he will make certain the fight is won against the king’s tyranny because he still holds onto the hope that one day equality will be real and trolls won’t be separated by blood ties.
The Negatives:
1) TSTL. I love Cécile. I do. But she is a stupid and annoying MC and still manages to piss me off. And what’s worse? She’s always getting people killed. ALWAYS. Have you read Stolen Songbird?
2) The predictability. One of my biggest pet peeves is when a story is too predictable. Predictably dissolves the plot of its element of surprise and enjoyment. For example, it’s obvious who the witch is. . . . All the facts are staring the readers’ in the faces the entire time, especially since there are mixed stories and opinions about this character and I find Cécile incredibly stupid for not figuring it out or even considering that this person can be the witch. Yet, at the same time, I can’t blame her because she’s blinded by misguided devotion and love. But it remains that I stick by my opinion that Cécile is thoughtless and irresponsible.
3) Dragging much? There are repetitive facts, discoveries, and details that drag out the story. When the pieces are finally put together, it’s like “I read all of this for this? Really? What was the point?” In other words: The pace is slow and the book extremely irritates me by reaching a conclusion in an unreasonable amount time through an amount of unnecessary pages that could be reasonably cut down to a smaller number. Now that I think about it, the experience of reading Hidden Huntress surprisingly felt like Cinder all over again. I was weary— impatient—for the book to get the drama over with because the characters were going around in circles. Maybe it was me, maybe it was the speed I was reading at, maybe it was the information held back in order to “shock” me. What do I know for certain is that it made the characters appeared idiotic, especially Cécile and her brother Fred. It’s infuriating how dense and difficult they both are.
Okay, who made it this far in my review?
No, no, no, stay with me. Hear me out. I’m not done yet.
The witch’s identity is a huge giveaway. That’s a given. Nonetheless, no matter how irritated I am and how much I complained, know this: The real mystery doesn’t lie in who the witch is; it’s how the witch is achieving immortality. This is probably only one of the few reasons I finished the book and I hope it fuels your curiosity to get you to the end. So remember this when you’re reading because if you’re like me, you might lose your patience and skimmed a few pages— at least I did towards the end because I was rolling my eyes at everything.
Conclusion:
Honestly, I have mixed feelings about this second installment. Personally, I feel like a four stars rating is generous because I find it hard to be objective when it comes to an author and series I love. There’s a chance I will lower my 3 star rating as time passes.
What you can expect:
Tristan’s POV and Cécile’s POV
Extensive character growth in Tristan
Cécile remains loyal and stubborn to a fault as always
A lot of twists and turns (even though many of them are rather predictable)
Politics and social battles
Witches
Characters you want to slap
Characters you want to kill, but don't die
Character deaths
Heart pains
And a little something else to make the fans very, very, very happy (;
Recap:
“Here lay the gateway between worlds, the divide between reality and fantasy. A dream or, depending on who waited, a nightmare.”
Who are the real monsters? The trolls? The humans? Both? Which monstrous nightmare would you prefer?
Danielle L. Jensen does a fantastic job of debunking the ugliness and stupidity of trolls and turning them into her own fey creatures that are refreshing for me to read about. I won’t go into any particulars because you MUST read Stolen Songbird and Hidden Huntress for yourself, but I will lay out a few details:
The trolls in this fantasy world aren’t all ugly and deformed creatures. Plenty of them look perfectly human.
The trolls are cursed. Forever trapped in the mountains until the curse can be broken.
Trolls have magic.
Trolls can’t lie. However they can twist their words to evade the truth. They are cunning.
A name can give you power. You can have complete control over a troll if you know his or her full name.
Trolls can be a nightmare. Or a dream. They’re either monsters or they’re not. Depending on one’s perspective and experience.
Cécile’s story isn’t a fairytale, even though it is easily dismissed as one. She knows what she went through isn’t made up— where she was, who she met, who and what she left behind. It’s real.
It’s been three months since she returned home from the underground troll kingdom Trollus, three months since her husband Crown Prince Tristan was imprisoned for treason, three months spent looking for the witch, three months in which schemes and secrets are finally emerging to the surface.
She resides with her estranged mother in Trianon, using her fame as a rising opera singer to infiltrate diverse social circles and hunt down her prey. She unsuccessfully searches for the only person who can free the trolls, the very witch who cursed them in the first place. With no progress, her desperation will drive her further into the dark arts and oblivion. She is, after all, a witch herself.
Cécile is also constantly at war with her decisions: Why unleashed the trolls on humans? Is her troll friends’ freedom worth it? Trolls have a rich history of slaying and enslaving humans and the King has dangerous motives to conquer the world. Is she selfish enough to free evil and see the world burn?
Cécile is one of the most emotional and irrational fantasy protagonist I’ve ever read about and I don’t know if that’s a good thing or bad thing. She is still the same person she was in Stolen Songbird, and yet, she’s worse. She carries on the behavior I’m familiar with: She lets her emotions get the worst of her. She acts rashly and impulsively when her feelings are in chaos. On occasions, she throws fits like a child. She sucks at following orders so she might as well be deaf. Then there are times she does listen against all logic. Bottom fact is you never what she’ll do, but you do know it’ll lead to disaster because she makes stupid, selfish, human decisions.
Can you completely blame the girl for acting rash during hard times? Everybody wants to use her as a political and/or social maneuver. Her mother, for one, doesn’t want to fall from her social status and continues to groom Cécile to use her looks, her voice, and her charms to maintain their positions in society. The woman pulls the “mother card” when it suits her to manipulate Cécile’s emotions. Cécile, being Cécile,, is too pathetic for her own self-preservation and desperation to save her husband. Then there is the King of Trollus who will go beyond the highest measures to see the witch dead and sees no shame in using his son Tristan to influence Cécile’s search. Oh, and let’s not forget the insane and murderous youngest prince and the young boy’s guardian, both trolls who are bent on ruling the kingdom. There are more and new players plotting for the throne of Trollus and I won’t ruin it for readers by revealing all of them.
Like Cécile, Tristan can be selfish and foolish. They make reckless decisions when it comes to each other and their choices, more often than not, have deadly consequences. And I mean “dead.” However, Tristan goes through some major character development. You see, I realize that with trilogies, the first book is all for laying down a solid ground for a character. Once that’s dealt with, authors continue the second book without much character development. Tristan is a different story because he grows from an arrogant and controlling leader to a trustworthy and honest comrade. An equal to his supporters. He learns the hard way that he isn’t untouchable and he accepts his treatment and punishments. Also, the past Tristan would have never easily admit his weaknesses. With or without him, he will make certain the fight is won against the king’s tyranny because he still holds onto the hope that one day equality will be real and trolls won’t be separated by blood ties.
The Negatives:
1) TSTL. I love Cécile. I do. But she is a stupid and annoying MC and still manages to piss me off. And what’s worse? She’s always getting people killed. ALWAYS. Have you read Stolen Songbird?
2) The predictability. One of my biggest pet peeves is when a story is too predictable. Predictably dissolves the plot of its element of surprise and enjoyment. For example, it’s obvious who the witch is. . . . All the facts are staring the readers’ in the faces the entire time, especially since there are mixed stories and opinions about this character and I find Cécile incredibly stupid for not figuring it out or even considering that this person can be the witch. Yet, at the same time, I can’t blame her because she’s blinded by misguided devotion and love. But it remains that I stick by my opinion that Cécile is thoughtless and irresponsible.
3) Dragging much? There are repetitive facts, discoveries, and details that drag out the story. When the pieces are finally put together, it’s like “I read all of this for this? Really? What was the point?” In other words: The pace is slow and the book extremely irritates me by reaching a conclusion in an unreasonable amount time through an amount of unnecessary pages that could be reasonably cut down to a smaller number. Now that I think about it, the experience of reading Hidden Huntress surprisingly felt like Cinder all over again. I was weary— impatient—for the book to get the drama over with because the characters were going around in circles. Maybe it was me, maybe it was the speed I was reading at, maybe it was the information held back in order to “shock” me. What do I know for certain is that it made the characters appeared idiotic, especially Cécile and her brother Fred. It’s infuriating how dense and difficult they both are.
Okay, who made it this far in my review?
No, no, no, stay with me. Hear me out. I’m not done yet.
The witch’s identity is a huge giveaway. That’s a given. Nonetheless, no matter how irritated I am and how much I complained, know this: The real mystery doesn’t lie in who the witch is; it’s how the witch is achieving immortality. This is probably only one of the few reasons I finished the book and I hope it fuels your curiosity to get you to the end. So remember this when you’re reading because if you’re like me, you might lose your patience and skimmed a few pages— at least I did towards the end because I was rolling my eyes at everything.
Conclusion:
Honestly, I have mixed feelings about this second installment. Personally, I feel like a four stars rating is generous because I find it hard to be objective when it comes to an author and series I love. There’s a chance I will lower my 3 star rating as time passes.
May 3, 2016
***I did NOT like the final book in this series. It was missing everything that I had previously fallen in love with. And that's not even the worst part. Worst of all was that ending. That ending left me completely unsatisfied and utterly depressed. You can see my review of Warrior Witch here - Warrior Witch: 1/5 Stars***
*Spoilers for Stolen Songbird
*
Hidden Huntress was mysteriously intriguing, and it was entertaining trying to unravel the questions that surrounded Tristan and Cecile. There is so much more at stake, and it felt as though their trials were insurmountable. But at times, I found myself distracted. Because honestly, I was desperately racking my head as each page passed trying to figure out how in the world they were going to find their way back together again. While I whole-heartily love Tristan ad Cecile separately, I desperately missed their chemistry. The way they were capable of making my heart clench and then become elated on a single page, sigh. Together they were intoxicating. So while I struggled in the middle of the book, I was without a doubt happy to be drawn back into their world!
Upon escaping from Trollus and healing, Cecile has taken residence with her mother in Trianon. By night she performs and by day she hunts for the witch who has cursed the trolls. While she knew it would be a near impossible search, what she doesn’t count on is that she is still within the grasp of the King. And his incessant need to be freed from Trollus. But Tristan isn’t able to protect or help her, because he is being held captive within his own city that he was once destined to rule. With their lives continually piling up with obstacles, how can they ever start to dig themselves out?
Even though situations were changed, Tristan and Cecile still contained all of the same attributes that made me love them in Stolen Songbird. Cecile was still daring and brave. The decisions she had to make were difficult and at times selfless. And I love that no matter how hard or dark times got, she still pushed ahead. She still searched and never gave up trying to find a way to be with Tristan again. I was rooting for her on every single page!
Oh, and Tristan, how I love you! This time we got to be in his head so much more! His thoughts, agony and suffering were ours to behold. Nothing was held back and we got to understand every single tiny part of him. How he wanted to be a better person, err troll, for not only Cecile but everyone else in Trollus that is counting on him. I did miss his witty, sarcastic side, but circumstances definitely wouldn’t have allowed that to happen.
So yeah, I did struggle in the middle. I started to ache for Tristan and Cecile to be back together again because I desperately needed their chemistry to be on the pages I was reading. Yes I know that I am being whiny but my goodness, the way they were written in Stolen Songbird together was phenomenal. It was impossible not to miss that feature while starting this book. But, and this is a big but….the characters are strong enough to stand on their own and the mystery was still a lot of fun! Ohhhhh, and the way this book ends?!?! It looks as though we will get to experience the peril that elated yet terrified me in Stolen Songbird! I am counting down until the final book is released next year! I. Can’t. Wait!
*ARC kindly provided by Angry Robot Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
For more of my reviews, please visit:
*Spoilers for Stolen Songbird
*Hidden Huntress was mysteriously intriguing, and it was entertaining trying to unravel the questions that surrounded Tristan and Cecile. There is so much more at stake, and it felt as though their trials were insurmountable. But at times, I found myself distracted. Because honestly, I was desperately racking my head as each page passed trying to figure out how in the world they were going to find their way back together again. While I whole-heartily love Tristan ad Cecile separately, I desperately missed their chemistry. The way they were capable of making my heart clench and then become elated on a single page, sigh. Together they were intoxicating. So while I struggled in the middle of the book, I was without a doubt happy to be drawn back into their world!
Upon escaping from Trollus and healing, Cecile has taken residence with her mother in Trianon. By night she performs and by day she hunts for the witch who has cursed the trolls. While she knew it would be a near impossible search, what she doesn’t count on is that she is still within the grasp of the King. And his incessant need to be freed from Trollus. But Tristan isn’t able to protect or help her, because he is being held captive within his own city that he was once destined to rule. With their lives continually piling up with obstacles, how can they ever start to dig themselves out?
Even though situations were changed, Tristan and Cecile still contained all of the same attributes that made me love them in Stolen Songbird. Cecile was still daring and brave. The decisions she had to make were difficult and at times selfless. And I love that no matter how hard or dark times got, she still pushed ahead. She still searched and never gave up trying to find a way to be with Tristan again. I was rooting for her on every single page!
Oh, and Tristan, how I love you! This time we got to be in his head so much more! His thoughts, agony and suffering were ours to behold. Nothing was held back and we got to understand every single tiny part of him. How he wanted to be a better person, err troll, for not only Cecile but everyone else in Trollus that is counting on him. I did miss his witty, sarcastic side, but circumstances definitely wouldn’t have allowed that to happen.
So yeah, I did struggle in the middle. I started to ache for Tristan and Cecile to be back together again because I desperately needed their chemistry to be on the pages I was reading. Yes I know that I am being whiny but my goodness, the way they were written in Stolen Songbird together was phenomenal. It was impossible not to miss that feature while starting this book. But, and this is a big but….the characters are strong enough to stand on their own and the mystery was still a lot of fun! Ohhhhh, and the way this book ends?!?! It looks as though we will get to experience the peril that elated yet terrified me in Stolen Songbird! I am counting down until the final book is released next year! I. Can’t. Wait!
*ARC kindly provided by Angry Robot Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
For more of my reviews, please visit:
August 25, 2016
Just like the first book it was a challenge not reading this book front to back in one day. I could live in this world forever.
November 5, 2018
Full Review
I was looking forward to reading this and it ended up kinda disappointing. I had to audiobook (for the first time) the later half of the book because that was the only way I could get myself to finish the story! Although the audiobook was more convenient, the readers read slower than how I read which was kinda annoying.
The problem with this book was the obvious plot twists . Like honestly, I could have sworn they revealed one of the plot-twists here in the previous book so I didn’t understand why everyone was acting so surprised. Another problem was how anti-climatic a major plot point was
I did love Tristan’s chapters!
I won’t be reading the last book though
I was looking forward to reading this and it ended up kinda disappointing. I had to audiobook (for the first time) the later half of the book because that was the only way I could get myself to finish the story! Although the audiobook was more convenient, the readers read slower than how I read which was kinda annoying.
The problem with this book was the obvious plot twists . Like honestly, I could have sworn they revealed one of the plot-twists here in the previous book so I didn’t understand why everyone was acting so surprised. Another problem was how anti-climatic a major plot point was
I did love Tristan’s chapters!
I won’t be reading the last book though
April 25, 2015
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Hidden Huntress by Danielle L. Jensen
Book Two of the Malediction Trilogy
Publisher: Angry Robot
Publication Date: June 2, 2015
Rating: 2 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley
Summary (from Goodreads):
Sometimes, one must accomplish the impossible.
Beneath the mountain, the king’s reign of tyranny is absolute; the one troll with the capacity to challenge him is imprisoned for treason. Cécile has escaped the darkness of Trollus, but she learns all too quickly that she is not beyond the reach of the king’s power. Or his manipulation.
Recovered from her injuries, she now lives with her mother in Trianon and graces the opera stage every night. But by day she searches for the witch who has eluded the trolls for five hundred years. Whether she succeeds or fails, the costs to those she cares about will be high.
To find Anushka, she must delve into magic that is both dark and deadly. But the witch is a clever creature. And Cécile might not just be the hunter. She might also be the hunted…
What I Liked:
Well, that was disappointing. I didn't completely dislike this book, but I was very, very disappointed, to be honest. A lot of factors were at play - I think my expectations were very high after reading Stolen Songbird, but this book in general was just all over the place. And kind of bad. I can't even say that this book suffer from sequel slump because it's not like this book is boring or slow or could have been skipped altogether. No no - there were serious problems with this book (for me) that went beyond your typical "sequel slump" symptoms.
In any case, this book is my Pili-Pushed recommendation for the month of April. To see all of the Pili-Pushed recommendations, like on the "Pili-Pushed" tag! It's unfortunate that I didn't like this book more, because I loved Stolen Songbird - it's my favorite Pili-Pushed recommendation to date!
It's been two months since Cécile left Trollus, since she and Tristan have been separated. Tristan is a prisoner for conspiring against the king, and Cécile is trying to have somewhat of a normal life in Triannon as a singer. But she is not content with singing anymore - she wants to find Anushka and put an end to the curse. Separated but bound together, Tristan and Cécile must work from each of their worlds to find a way out, a way through, and a way back to each other, to find Anushka. But nothing is simple or easy, and Cécile and Tristan are in much more danger than they realize.
I will say that I was never really bored while reading this book. It's loooooong, and there are times when I really felt the length, but for the most part, I thought the story had decent pacing and interesting events. The twists and turns were predictable (see below). But I couldn't not keep reading, as I wanted to know if my intuitions were correct (they were all correct, because the plot twists were obvious).
That was really the only thing that I really *liked* about this book - it kept me reading, I kept going. Oh and no love triangle. That's always a good thing. We get Cécile AND Tristan's first-person points-of-view, which is pretty cool, and different from book one. But most of my feelings towards this book aren't all that positive. Read on!
What I Did Not Like:
Seriously, what in the world happened to this book?! Stolen Songbird blew me away! This book lacked the spark and flare that its predecessor had. I'm honestly confused by the huge difference in quality of story, between Stolen Songbird and this book. Things I didn't like: Cécile's seriously passive attitude, the constant guilt-trip-woe-is-me-martyr episodes, the predictability, certain plot arcs in general, the lack of romance. The last one isn't a sticking point, but it didn't exactly help that the romance is pretty much nonexistent in this book.
I'll start with Cécile. I really did NOT like her in this book. I liked her a lot in Stolen Songbird! But in this book, she complains a lot. She lets people boss her around, tell her what to do, tell her what's best for her. The very first few scenes features her mother harassing her into performing this or that. Or there was Chris, physically trying to prevent her from doing something, speaking over her, making decisions for her. This goes on throughout the book. Cécile's mother never stops controlling Cécile, and Cécile never stops her. Cécile goes along with it, though we know internally she gets irritated sometimes. Other times, she's all, I-love-my-mother-la-la-la-everything-is-fine.
I have so many problems with this attitude! Cécile lets everyone tell her what to do, how to act, how to run her life. Does Cécile even WANT to be a singer in Triannon? It sure does NOT feel like that from the beginning of this book, yet Cécile doesn't try to do anything different. She doesn't stand up for herself at all. Sometimes, she gets mad internally (but does nothing), but most of the time, she doesn't even know that someone is owning her like that. SO WRONG.
And tell me why she is blindly following her mother? A woman who hasn't been in her life for years? A woman who only cares about projecting her career goals on her daughter? It's obvious that Genevieve doesn't are about Cécile. Yet Cécile is constantly trying to please her, obey her, cater to her every whim. If this were MY estranged mother... please. That lady would have been shown the door. I don't tolerate people dictating my life.
Not to mention the whole martyr thing got old real quick. Both Tristan and Cécile went through some serious guilt trips throughout the book. Tristan, I was more forgiving towards him, because his guilt made sense. With Cécile, I felt like her guilt was more misplaced, and it was more of her feeling sorry for herself. She did A LOT of moping and whining and complaining and feeling sorry for herself in this book. Lots of pity parties.
This book was totally predictable. There were so many twists that you could spot from a mile away. There was a big one with Anushka that I knew from the beginning. FROM THE BEGINNING. Really obvious. This is the case with most of the "twists".
There were a lot of plot arcs that I really just didn't agree with. To begin with, separating the two protagonists for 75% of the book? I'm not okay with that. But let's pretend that one is okay. The author does certain things to Tristan, and to Cécile, and involving Cécile's brother Fred, and a lot of these events got eye rolls from me, or pissed me off. Like, OF COURSE Fred is going to do this, because he feels this guilt about this and that. It's so frustrating! There are so many plot cliches! I can't say things specifically without giving things away, but you'll have to take my word for it.
Last thing I'm going to talk about (there's more, but I'm tired) - the romance. It's basically not there. There's no romance, no chemistry, and little interactions. I don't want to spoil anything, but I was not happy with the romance.
I was also not happy with the ending, but that had nothing to do with the romance. It's a bit of a cliffhanger, but that's not what is bothering. What's bothering me is Cécile's idiot brain that tells her to do stupid and to not do smart things. Ugh. No spoilers, but... ugh.
Would I Recommend It:
Eh. If you liked Stolen Songbird (like me), then you should give this book a chance. But if you haven't read Stolen Songbird, then don't bother. Not yet, at least. Stolen Songbird was AMAZING. This book? Not so much.
Rating:
2 stars. This book could have been so much better. I had expectations, but this book didn't even come close to meeting any of my expectations... this book was such a disappointment for me. I've seen others enjoy it though, so perhaps I'm just too picky!
Hidden Huntress by Danielle L. Jensen
Book Two of the Malediction Trilogy
Publisher: Angry Robot
Publication Date: June 2, 2015
Rating: 2 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley
Summary (from Goodreads):
Sometimes, one must accomplish the impossible.
Beneath the mountain, the king’s reign of tyranny is absolute; the one troll with the capacity to challenge him is imprisoned for treason. Cécile has escaped the darkness of Trollus, but she learns all too quickly that she is not beyond the reach of the king’s power. Or his manipulation.
Recovered from her injuries, she now lives with her mother in Trianon and graces the opera stage every night. But by day she searches for the witch who has eluded the trolls for five hundred years. Whether she succeeds or fails, the costs to those she cares about will be high.
To find Anushka, she must delve into magic that is both dark and deadly. But the witch is a clever creature. And Cécile might not just be the hunter. She might also be the hunted…
What I Liked:
Well, that was disappointing. I didn't completely dislike this book, but I was very, very disappointed, to be honest. A lot of factors were at play - I think my expectations were very high after reading Stolen Songbird, but this book in general was just all over the place. And kind of bad. I can't even say that this book suffer from sequel slump because it's not like this book is boring or slow or could have been skipped altogether. No no - there were serious problems with this book (for me) that went beyond your typical "sequel slump" symptoms.
In any case, this book is my Pili-Pushed recommendation for the month of April. To see all of the Pili-Pushed recommendations, like on the "Pili-Pushed" tag! It's unfortunate that I didn't like this book more, because I loved Stolen Songbird - it's my favorite Pili-Pushed recommendation to date!
It's been two months since Cécile left Trollus, since she and Tristan have been separated. Tristan is a prisoner for conspiring against the king, and Cécile is trying to have somewhat of a normal life in Triannon as a singer. But she is not content with singing anymore - she wants to find Anushka and put an end to the curse. Separated but bound together, Tristan and Cécile must work from each of their worlds to find a way out, a way through, and a way back to each other, to find Anushka. But nothing is simple or easy, and Cécile and Tristan are in much more danger than they realize.
I will say that I was never really bored while reading this book. It's loooooong, and there are times when I really felt the length, but for the most part, I thought the story had decent pacing and interesting events. The twists and turns were predictable (see below). But I couldn't not keep reading, as I wanted to know if my intuitions were correct (they were all correct, because the plot twists were obvious).
That was really the only thing that I really *liked* about this book - it kept me reading, I kept going. Oh and no love triangle. That's always a good thing. We get Cécile AND Tristan's first-person points-of-view, which is pretty cool, and different from book one. But most of my feelings towards this book aren't all that positive. Read on!
What I Did Not Like:
Seriously, what in the world happened to this book?! Stolen Songbird blew me away! This book lacked the spark and flare that its predecessor had. I'm honestly confused by the huge difference in quality of story, between Stolen Songbird and this book. Things I didn't like: Cécile's seriously passive attitude, the constant guilt-trip-woe-is-me-martyr episodes, the predictability, certain plot arcs in general, the lack of romance. The last one isn't a sticking point, but it didn't exactly help that the romance is pretty much nonexistent in this book.
I'll start with Cécile. I really did NOT like her in this book. I liked her a lot in Stolen Songbird! But in this book, she complains a lot. She lets people boss her around, tell her what to do, tell her what's best for her. The very first few scenes features her mother harassing her into performing this or that. Or there was Chris, physically trying to prevent her from doing something, speaking over her, making decisions for her. This goes on throughout the book. Cécile's mother never stops controlling Cécile, and Cécile never stops her. Cécile goes along with it, though we know internally she gets irritated sometimes. Other times, she's all, I-love-my-mother-la-la-la-everything-is-fine.
I have so many problems with this attitude! Cécile lets everyone tell her what to do, how to act, how to run her life. Does Cécile even WANT to be a singer in Triannon? It sure does NOT feel like that from the beginning of this book, yet Cécile doesn't try to do anything different. She doesn't stand up for herself at all. Sometimes, she gets mad internally (but does nothing), but most of the time, she doesn't even know that someone is owning her like that. SO WRONG.
And tell me why she is blindly following her mother? A woman who hasn't been in her life for years? A woman who only cares about projecting her career goals on her daughter? It's obvious that Genevieve doesn't are about Cécile. Yet Cécile is constantly trying to please her, obey her, cater to her every whim. If this were MY estranged mother... please. That lady would have been shown the door. I don't tolerate people dictating my life.
Not to mention the whole martyr thing got old real quick. Both Tristan and Cécile went through some serious guilt trips throughout the book. Tristan, I was more forgiving towards him, because his guilt made sense. With Cécile, I felt like her guilt was more misplaced, and it was more of her feeling sorry for herself. She did A LOT of moping and whining and complaining and feeling sorry for herself in this book. Lots of pity parties.
This book was totally predictable. There were so many twists that you could spot from a mile away. There was a big one with Anushka that I knew from the beginning. FROM THE BEGINNING. Really obvious. This is the case with most of the "twists".
There were a lot of plot arcs that I really just didn't agree with. To begin with, separating the two protagonists for 75% of the book? I'm not okay with that. But let's pretend that one is okay. The author does certain things to Tristan, and to Cécile, and involving Cécile's brother Fred, and a lot of these events got eye rolls from me, or pissed me off. Like, OF COURSE Fred is going to do this, because he feels this guilt about this and that. It's so frustrating! There are so many plot cliches! I can't say things specifically without giving things away, but you'll have to take my word for it.
Last thing I'm going to talk about (there's more, but I'm tired) - the romance. It's basically not there. There's no romance, no chemistry, and little interactions. I don't want to spoil anything, but I was not happy with the romance.
I was also not happy with the ending, but that had nothing to do with the romance. It's a bit of a cliffhanger, but that's not what is bothering. What's bothering me is Cécile's idiot brain that tells her to do stupid and to not do smart things. Ugh. No spoilers, but... ugh.
Would I Recommend It:
Eh. If you liked Stolen Songbird (like me), then you should give this book a chance. But if you haven't read Stolen Songbird, then don't bother. Not yet, at least. Stolen Songbird was AMAZING. This book? Not so much.
Rating:
2 stars. This book could have been so much better. I had expectations, but this book didn't even come close to meeting any of my expectations... this book was such a disappointment for me. I've seen others enjoy it though, so perhaps I'm just too picky!
April 23, 2015
2.5 Stars
*sigh*
I don't know guys.
Saw the big "twist" coming from a mile away.
Seriously. It was just way to obvious.
~~~~~~~
Updated & may contain spoilers.You have been warned.
Very very brief summary(because that is all I remember from the book): Cécile is trying to save Tristan from his father. She made a bet with him that if she found Anushka, he has to let his son be free. Thing is that she has no clue where Anushka is.Yup, definitely thinking things through. [big predictable revelation happens about here] End.
Sorry if I'm really being a total creep here, but I definitely wanted a lot more of Tristan's father. He was, in my opinion, the most complicated character in the book and there was just not enough of him.
Also, I wouldn't have thought that Tristan was only 17. Did you guys even know that this guy was 17? He must be a genius then. I’m sorry, but at that age, I wouldn't know how to build a statue or to design complicated monuments and fight like a pro. Honestly, if Jensen didn't write his age, I would've thought that he was at least 20.
Anyways, I wanted more intensity between Cécile and Tristan. Yes they did have sex once, but I wanted more than just sex. I wanted to feel the love and I just didn't. It was as if a bunch of shit was going on and I was just a robot watching it behind a screen you know?
Didn't feel a single thing.
A little disappointed, but then again, I kind of expected it too considering the fact that the first one wasn't exactly my cup of tea.
*sigh*
I don't know guys.
Saw the big "twist" coming from a mile away.
Seriously. It was just way to obvious.
~~~~~~~
Updated & may contain spoilers.You have been warned.
Very very brief summary(because that is all I remember from the book): Cécile is trying to save Tristan from his father. She made a bet with him that if she found Anushka, he has to let his son be free. Thing is that she has no clue where Anushka is.Yup, definitely thinking things through. [big predictable revelation happens about here] End.
Sorry if I'm really being a total creep here, but I definitely wanted a lot more of Tristan's father. He was, in my opinion, the most complicated character in the book and there was just not enough of him.
Also, I wouldn't have thought that Tristan was only 17. Did you guys even know that this guy was 17? He must be a genius then. I’m sorry, but at that age, I wouldn't know how to build a statue or to design complicated monuments and fight like a pro. Honestly, if Jensen didn't write his age, I would've thought that he was at least 20.
Anyways, I wanted more intensity between Cécile and Tristan. Yes they did have sex once, but I wanted more than just sex. I wanted to feel the love and I just didn't. It was as if a bunch of shit was going on and I was just a robot watching it behind a screen you know?
Didn't feel a single thing.
A little disappointed, but then again, I kind of expected it too considering the fact that the first one wasn't exactly my cup of tea.
January 24, 2018
3.75
When I saw a few bad reviews for this, I really lowered my expectations. I was expecting beyond terrible, but, I was pleasantly surprised.
Did I love this as much as Stolen Songbird? no
BUT, I didn't think it was terrible either. It was much different than the first one though. I would say that the first one was incredibly quoteable and this one was not. I liked it, it was nice seeing Cecile and Tristan in a new light [haha, did you see what I did there? ugh, lame jokes], but certainly wasn't my favorite.
The beginning was slow, Cecile's chapters kind of dragged on, Tristan's were much more entertaining, and they are what kept me going. The last half of the book was pretty great, it brought a lot of things together and the cliffhanger really left me needing book 3 immediately.
When I saw a few bad reviews for this, I really lowered my expectations. I was expecting beyond terrible, but, I was pleasantly surprised.
Did I love this as much as Stolen Songbird? no
BUT, I didn't think it was terrible either. It was much different than the first one though. I would say that the first one was incredibly quoteable and this one was not. I liked it, it was nice seeing Cecile and Tristan in a new light [haha, did you see what I did there? ugh, lame jokes], but certainly wasn't my favorite.
The beginning was slow, Cecile's chapters kind of dragged on, Tristan's were much more entertaining, and they are what kept me going. The last half of the book was pretty great, it brought a lot of things together and the cliffhanger really left me needing book 3 immediately.
July 3, 2015
I loved this book as much as I loved the first book!
Check out my full review here:
http://awesomebooknuts.blogspot.com/2...
Check out my full review here:
http://awesomebooknuts.blogspot.com/2...
February 21, 2016
3.5 stars
Hello, my name is Danielle L. Jensen and I like to sharpen my cliffhangers by introducing some yet to be explained magical element and leave my readers dangling in disbelief until the release of the next installment.I'm dying here, people.
➽ While I liked Cécile for the better part of Stolen Songbird, I didn't hold much love for her towards the end where she made a really stupid decision (plot device, I know, but still). For the first couple of chapters in Hidden Huntress, her stupidity picks up where it left off. My head ached from all the eye-rolls. As the plot progresses, she seems to gather her wits again which pleased me to no end, because stupid Cécile was simply insufferable compared to scheming Cécile. There's not a lot of character development to speak of but it was interesting to see her struggle with adapting to the human world again after having spent 3 months in Trollus. She's also experimenting with her witchcraft on the hunt for the witch who trapped the trolls under the mountain.
➽ Now Tristan's chapters were delightful and a welcome alternation to Cécile's POV. Whereas she's off singing on the stages of Trianon while engaging in a fruitless hunt for the whicked witch, Tristan is in chains, battered, tortured. An event frees him from his chains and he's all scheme-and-intrigue from there. Of course, he has flaws but he's also observant, cunning, and kind-hearted, which makes him a much more intriguing protagonist than the main character, if I may say so. He's weakened but he gathers his friends and play the cards in his sleeves against his father. I loved reading about the little workings in his mind.
➽ The supporting characters were a wonderful addition once again. I'm very fond of Cécile's human friends, Sabine and Chris. Sabine is snarky af and Chris is such a loyal companion (although there might be reason to doubt his loyalty but we'll see). Underground, Marc was not as present as in Stolen Songbird which was disappointing because I absolutely adore his character. Tristan's aunt, however, played an intriguing role, as did (once again) Angoulême and King Thibault.
➽ The plot held my attention but it's inferior to Stolen Songbird's. However, it picks up towards the end. The climax in Hidden Huntress is quieter than the fighting in the first installment. Nonetheless, it held a lot of tension, having be at the edge of my seat. While the first installment evolved more around the growing love between Cécile and Tristan, the sequel offered more information. And after that cliffhanger, I predict there'll be need for swords and daggers in Warrior Witch again (the title provides further indication).
➽ While I sometimes doubt Cécile's worthiness of Tristan, I still love them together. To answer a question some readers will have after the ending of th first installment: Yes, they will be interacting closely at some point. Cécile did not show a lot of individual growth (compared to Tristan anyways).Their relationship, however, grew in many ways! They've always had chemistry but it becomes clearer why they are made for each other. And yes, the chemistry...
In a nutshell, Hidden Huntress was not as good as its predecessor but it certainly had its familiar charm and held promise for an action-packed finale.
Hello, my name is Danielle L. Jensen and I like to sharpen my cliffhangers by introducing some yet to be explained magical element and leave my readers dangling in disbelief until the release of the next installment.
➽ While I liked Cécile for the better part of Stolen Songbird, I didn't hold much love for her towards the end where she made a really stupid decision (plot device, I know, but still). For the first couple of chapters in Hidden Huntress, her stupidity picks up where it left off. My head ached from all the eye-rolls. As the plot progresses, she seems to gather her wits again which pleased me to no end, because stupid Cécile was simply insufferable compared to scheming Cécile. There's not a lot of character development to speak of but it was interesting to see her struggle with adapting to the human world again after having spent 3 months in Trollus. She's also experimenting with her witchcraft on the hunt for the witch who trapped the trolls under the mountain.
➽ Now Tristan's chapters were delightful and a welcome alternation to Cécile's POV. Whereas she's off singing on the stages of Trianon while engaging in a fruitless hunt for the whicked witch, Tristan is in chains, battered, tortured. An event frees him from his chains and he's all scheme-and-intrigue from there. Of course, he has flaws but he's also observant, cunning, and kind-hearted, which makes him a much more intriguing protagonist than the main character, if I may say so. He's weakened but he gathers his friends and play the cards in his sleeves against his father. I loved reading about the little workings in his mind.
➽ The supporting characters were a wonderful addition once again. I'm very fond of Cécile's human friends, Sabine and Chris. Sabine is snarky af and Chris is such a loyal companion (although there might be reason to doubt his loyalty but we'll see). Underground, Marc was not as present as in Stolen Songbird which was disappointing because I absolutely adore his character. Tristan's aunt, however, played an intriguing role, as did (once again) Angoulême and King Thibault.
➽ The plot held my attention but it's inferior to Stolen Songbird's. However, it picks up towards the end. The climax in Hidden Huntress is quieter than the fighting in the first installment. Nonetheless, it held a lot of tension, having be at the edge of my seat. While the first installment evolved more around the growing love between Cécile and Tristan, the sequel offered more information. And after that cliffhanger, I predict there'll be need for swords and daggers in Warrior Witch again (the title provides further indication).
➽ While I sometimes doubt Cécile's worthiness of Tristan, I still love them together. To answer a question some readers will have after the ending of th first installment: Yes, they will be interacting closely at some point. Cécile did not show a lot of individual growth (compared to Tristan anyways).Their relationship, however, grew in many ways! They've always had chemistry but it becomes clearer why they are made for each other. And yes, the chemistry...
"If I am distracted, it is your fault. You have been my undoing since the day we met."
In a nutshell, Hidden Huntress was not as good as its predecessor but it certainly had its familiar charm and held promise for an action-packed finale.
May 21, 2015
If you liked Stolen Songbird, Hidden Huntress will probably be on your list of enjoyable books as well.
Maybe it is not as excellent as Stolen Songbird was, but it is really, really, really, really good read.
In the next installment of The Malediction Triology Danielle L. Jensen is taking us outside of Trollus and the things we are about to witness are getting serious. We'll get to see our dear Cecile in Opera as she works on her singing career and in her free time, she'll take us on a little fun adventure called witch hunt.
Of course, the story would be empty without knowing what happens in the world of trolls so Jensen took a good care to inform us by writting Tristan's POV.
In this book Tristan has way more chapters then he had in the first book and that makes sense because that is the only way for us to have the best reading experience as possible.
While reading, I was full of emotions. I didn't swoon as much as I tought I would, but I was screaming in my mind a lot. At some point, I wanted to transfer myself into the story to shake some characters. Especially Cecile at one particular scene.
As for the other characters, I have to say my favorite was Sabine. I think she is the best friend anyone could ever have.
I still do like Chris but I have to admit I am not looking at him the same way I was in the first book. Then, I wanted for Cecile to fall in love with him and forget about Tristan. Now, I think Cecile is lucky to have him as a friend.
I am still not in love with Tristan.
I don't know if I'm in minority here, but I am really fond of Anushka. I was kind of fond of her in the Stolen Songbird as well, but now, when we get to see more of her and get to know her reasons, I can say: if I was there, in that world, I would probably be the one who tries to help her achive her goal.
There's only one thing to emphasise: The End.
Oh My God!
That End!
That end takes this story we've read about in two books to whole another level, and it leaves us desperate for the next book, the last one in the series.
There's so many things I want to say, I even want to scream, but I would spoil everyone who haven't read this book yet.
I am still emotional when I think about some character's choices and I just want to scream at them "What have you done??!! Now eat what you cooked! I am still mad at you!"
I got an arc of this book for free via Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review. Thank you Angry Robot Publishing.
Before reading:
This cover is GORGEOUS!!!
I can't wait to read the book because I am sure it will be stunning as well!
To me, this is the second most anticipating sequel of the year.
Maybe it is not as excellent as Stolen Songbird was, but it is really, really, really, really good read.
In the next installment of The Malediction Triology Danielle L. Jensen is taking us outside of Trollus and the things we are about to witness are getting serious. We'll get to see our dear Cecile in Opera as she works on her singing career and in her free time, she'll take us on a little fun adventure called witch hunt.
Of course, the story would be empty without knowing what happens in the world of trolls so Jensen took a good care to inform us by writting Tristan's POV.
In this book Tristan has way more chapters then he had in the first book and that makes sense because that is the only way for us to have the best reading experience as possible.
While reading, I was full of emotions. I didn't swoon as much as I tought I would, but I was screaming in my mind a lot. At some point, I wanted to transfer myself into the story to shake some characters. Especially Cecile at one particular scene.
As for the other characters, I have to say my favorite was Sabine. I think she is the best friend anyone could ever have.
I still do like Chris but I have to admit I am not looking at him the same way I was in the first book. Then, I wanted for Cecile to fall in love with him and forget about Tristan. Now, I think Cecile is lucky to have him as a friend.
I am still not in love with Tristan.
I don't know if I'm in minority here, but I am really fond of Anushka. I was kind of fond of her in the Stolen Songbird as well, but now, when we get to see more of her and get to know her reasons, I can say: if I was there, in that world, I would probably be the one who tries to help her achive her goal.
There's only one thing to emphasise: The End.
Oh My God!
That End!
That end takes this story we've read about in two books to whole another level, and it leaves us desperate for the next book, the last one in the series.
There's so many things I want to say, I even want to scream, but I would spoil everyone who haven't read this book yet.
I am still emotional when I think about some character's choices and I just want to scream at them "What have you done??!! Now eat what you cooked! I am still mad at you!"
I got an arc of this book for free via Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review. Thank you Angry Robot Publishing.
Before reading:
This cover is GORGEOUS!!!
I can't wait to read the book because I am sure it will be stunning as well!
To me, this is the second most anticipating sequel of the year.
Want to read
May 29, 2014NEXT YEAR!!?? I really need to start reading books that already have their entire series released...
August 21, 2015
4 STARS
Well, that was certainly interesting! My feelings are all conflicted and discombobulated. On one hand I absolutely adored this book, but on the other, I had quite a few problems with it that just wouldn't settle. My love for these characters and this series runs deep from the first book, but this book lacked a lot of what I fell in love with from the beginning. But nevertheless, I still loved HIDDEN HUNTRESS for it's own reasons, and so excited to continue this series and finally see how it all ends.
THE POSITIVE:
The magic! I've always enjoyed the fierce magic of this world. The Troll magic is my favorite, it's raw and fierce, and a force not to be reckoned with. And I loved watching that magic be used and all the fun little things that could be done with it. I also liked the witches magic too, but that wasn't as strong or desirable as the trolls magic was. The witches magic was used through the earth, spells, and worst of all, blood magic. And that magic can get to be very dark, and it was almost as fun as the Trolls magic, almost.
I still love my two favorite characters Cécile and Tristan, even if the romance lacked, which I will get into below. They were both broken and desperate, and riding the line of extreme. And that was a new side of both Cécile and Tristan, but also an interesting side of their characters vulnerability. Watching them endure and fight through each obstacles as it was thrown at them, just reminded me of why I loved them both so much from the very beginning.
THE NEGATIVE:
The romance! That was a HUGE let down for me in this highly anticipated sequel. I was expecting full blown chemistry and affection and a deep adoration between our main characters Cécile and Tristan. But they were separated for most of the book, and when they were finally reunited, it was like they were strangers.
Let me explain...
In the first book I absolutely loved Cécile and Tristan. I adored them both together and apart for their own different reasons. From the start they had bad blood between them for what the king was forcing upon them. But they found that they weren't really that different, and that they were stronger as allies then enemies. And then their pull became too strong and they ultimately became lovers. The bond that united them allowed them to be in-tune with each others desires and needs, so they were connected in away that not too many others were, unless you where bonded. But it was also more then that, they had a chemistry and love so sweet, that it literally broke my heart. But in this book their was none of that, and when they finally did reunite, they had hardly any emotions or sexual interactions. They were distant, and had this gap between them that couldn't be filled no matter what they did. Tristan went through his own struggles with his time in captivity, and his betrayal to his people, so he was hurting, I understand that. But I hoped when he and Cécile finally got back together, it would be different and they would become like they were. But nope that was not the case and it was a heartbreaking let down!!
Another issue was the way Cécile let her mother treat her. She let her mother walk all over her like she was a dog. Her mother was nonexistent for most of her life, yet Cécile runs off to join her mother at the opera house when she returns from her life threatening experience in Trollus. And her mother treats her like dirt, and most of the time Cécile does nothing about it. Their was that rare moment when Cécile grows some balls and tries to put her mother in her place, but even then, she doesn't try very hard. It was just the opposite of the Cécile I've grown to love in STOLEN SONGBIRD!
Another issue was the predictability of HIDDEN HUNTRESS. I seen most of the twist coming miles away! I knew from one of the first chapters who Anushka was. Something happens in the beginning that Cécile doesn't remember that gave Anushka's true identity away. And that was not fun at all knowing the big twist as soon as the books starts. I wanted it to be a big surprise and have my opinion waver throughout the book. But it didn't, and I also figured out other twists too. But nevertheless, even with all these negative things, I still able to REALLY enjoyed this book, a lot!
THE PLOT
CÉCILE:
Cécile has had her world ripped apart so many times, but this time the fate of both Trollus and the human world depend on what she does. She is destine to break a 500 year old curse, but is it really the right thing to do, and is she willing to subject both humans and trolls to the evil that's bound to be unleashed if the trolls are ever freed?
Cécile now lives in Trianon with her overly stern mother. Singing in the opera has always been a dream for Cécile, but now it's nothing more then an interference with her goal. A goal that is now an obligation, a compelling thought in the back of her mind, forcing her to find Anushka no matter the circumstance. But Cécile will have more surprises and struggles then she's ever anticipated, and the path to finding the witch may just bring her back to where and why it all started, and ultimately, change her in ways she never thought possible...
TRISTAN:
Deep below the rock mountain, the Trolls remain cursed to their eternal resting place, where they're destined to stay until the ancient curse can finally be broken.
The prophecy has been foretold...
"Bring forth and bind the Prince of Night and Daughter of Day, and together the witch they will slay...
Then and only then, will the curse be broken, forever...
But after 500 years there is still no sign of Anushka, the witch who cursed them to their eternal doom. But the time has come for her to finally come out of hiding, because Anushka has just met her match, Cécile...
Tristan is still living with the repercussions of defying his father, the king of all Trollus, for saving his wife Cécile from dying at the hands of his wickedly insane brother. He has lived with iron shackles for two months in a prison cell binded by magic. He has been striped bare and endured much for his deceit. So when his father releases him from his imprisoned hell, picking himself up after betraying the people he was suppose to be protecting, and killing so many who entrusted their lives in his hands, is no easy feat. Because he is now the despicable fallen prince of all of Trollus...
No longer heir to the Trollus throne, Tristan has reluctantly been let out of his cage, only to have a different kinda of hell thrust upon him. No one trust him, everyone hates him, his friends have been punished for their loyalty and assistance to him, his best friend was murdered, only to find that she wasn't actually murdered like he thought. His mother is going insane, his brother is now the new heir, and will bring is wrath down upon all he chooses when he wears the crown. And his wife and love of his life, is a world away going through her own kinda pain, and their is nothing he can do about any of it. But Tristan has not come this far and inflicted and endured all this pain for nothing. He will keep fighting, he will find a way to save his people, his wife, and hopefully humanity before all is lost to them all....
Overall, even with all my ups and downs, I still highly enjoyed this book, a lot. At times I found myself fully immersed and addicted, but other times I found myself rolling my eye and saying okay, enough of that lets move on to something else already. But my overall feeling when I closed this book was where is book three, I NEED it in my life NOW! So though the beginning and some of the middle were a little rough, the ending was amazing and fully sucked my into it's addicting story. So I was left feeling satisfied and overly confident that book three will give book one a run for it's money, and I can't WAIT!!
NOTE: I received an eBook from Angry Robot for reviewing purposes. All opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced in any way!
April 26, 2024
3 stars
Short spoiler-free review (short because this book didn't inspire me much)
I'm both disappointed and satisfied with this book.
Disappointed because it was far below the first book (which was pure perfection) but satisfied because, considering all the negative reviews I've read about Hidden Huntress, it was better than expected. I was pleased to go back into the troll's universe and to go back to this great writing style that Danielle has. The story doesn't reach the expectations I had once I finished the first book, but it definitely reaches those I had once I started the second one.
This book starts shortly after the end of the first one, Cecile de Troyes went to Trianon to become a singer like her mother, Genevieve de Troyes. At the end of Stolen Songbird, she flees the troll's mountain, but her husband, Tristan de Montigny is still locked inside by a spell casted by Anushka, a powerful witch, 500 years ago.
At first, I thought that Cecile was not taking care of the process to liberate Tristan (because I read reviews that said that he was M.I.A for most of the book), but the action starts rather quickly and it caught me more than I thought it would. Nonetheless, there were still some very slow parts.
The side characters were kind of useless/pointless. Cecile's friends weren't developed enough so that we could understand their agenda, and those in Trollus were almost non-existent unless they were needed for a specific task. That disappointed me because I loved Mark and the twins and Anaïs in the first book, and seeing more of the side characters (even Chris and Sabine) could have brought more to the book, in my opinion.
I didn't get the feel (I disliked Cecile and felt nothing for Tristan), I didn't get surprised (not even once), but it stayed a pleasant read overall.
Short spoiler-free review (short because this book didn't inspire me much)
I'm both disappointed and satisfied with this book.
Disappointed because it was far below the first book (which was pure perfection) but satisfied because, considering all the negative reviews I've read about Hidden Huntress, it was better than expected. I was pleased to go back into the troll's universe and to go back to this great writing style that Danielle has. The story doesn't reach the expectations I had once I finished the first book, but it definitely reaches those I had once I started the second one.
This book starts shortly after the end of the first one, Cecile de Troyes went to Trianon to become a singer like her mother, Genevieve de Troyes. At the end of Stolen Songbird, she flees the troll's mountain, but her husband, Tristan de Montigny is still locked inside by a spell casted by Anushka, a powerful witch, 500 years ago.
At first, I thought that Cecile was not taking care of the process to liberate Tristan (because I read reviews that said that he was M.I.A for most of the book), but the action starts rather quickly and it caught me more than I thought it would. Nonetheless, there were still some very slow parts.
The side characters were kind of useless/pointless. Cecile's friends weren't developed enough so that we could understand their agenda, and those in Trollus were almost non-existent unless they were needed for a specific task. That disappointed me because I loved Mark and the twins and Anaïs in the first book, and seeing more of the side characters (even Chris and Sabine) could have brought more to the book, in my opinion.
I didn't get the feel (I disliked Cecile and felt nothing for Tristan), I didn't get surprised (not even once), but it stayed a pleasant read overall.
lost-interest
June 19, 2016July 2015?!
It's a joke right?
Wait....it's not a joke?
Okay...I'll just wait until july 2015,I can't guarantee that my sanity will wait with me.
It's a joke right?
Wait....it's not a joke?
Okay...I'll just wait until july 2015,I can't guarantee that my sanity will wait with me.
December 26, 2016
Not gonna lie, I guessed the twist within the first few chapters. Strangely, that didn't hinder my overall enjoyment of the novel. But why do I remember Stolen Songbird being far more engrossing?
___________________
Stolen Songbird was one of my favorite reads of 2014.
In other words, I NEED THIS IN MY LIFE.
___________________
Stolen Songbird was one of my favorite reads of 2014.
In other words, I NEED THIS IN MY LIFE.
July 6, 2015
What a mess.
I spent 70% of the book half asleep, wondering, who the hell is this? Who the hell are you? And you??? and the next 30% scratching my head, not knowing where to look and thoroughly confused.
Everybody who has read this book scream "I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT FROM PAGE 2!" while I'm just sitting there and unsure if I'm the one with the slow brain, or just that others are exceptionally fast. I go with what I know; I wasn't even mentally present for the first half or so and didn't bother enough to think much about the 'mystery'. Its either that or I'm slow to figure out stuff. Which is true so moving on.
Cecile, I liked you so much in The Stolen Songbird. What in the world happened to you? The Cecile from the first book was strong, funny and interesting. This Cecile bored me with her long, ramblings passages of utter nothingness (is that even a word?). She kept jumping from place to place, scene to scene, with nothing concrete. It was all, "Oh my, we didnt find anything here. LETS GO TO 100 MORE PLACES AND CHECK THAT OUT!"
Uh, no. After the first three times, it gets pretty damn annoying.
Then we have Tristan, whose narrative was so boring, I skimmed a lot of it. He was even more boring than Cecile. CECILE!
I gave up when he went on and on about that Magic Tree thing (I dont remember it, I dont care and it didnt matter anyway, so there) and nodded as though it all made perfect sense while I just sat there trying to make sense of what he was saying and if it was there in the first book (and yes, it was, but I dont remember it being this complicated)
So I had about 30% of the book left and at that point, I was way beyond caring and just wanted to get over with it when BAM! The pace increased, things actually happened and Cecile and Tristan got their heads out of their asses and did something. About time.
I will be reading the next book, because my love for the first book still overshadows the disappointment I faced while reading this.
I spent 70% of the book half asleep, wondering, who the hell is this? Who the hell are you? And you??? and the next 30% scratching my head, not knowing where to look and thoroughly confused.
Everybody who has read this book scream "I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT FROM PAGE 2!" while I'm just sitting there and unsure if I'm the one with the slow brain, or just that others are exceptionally fast. I go with what I know; I wasn't even mentally present for the first half or so and didn't bother enough to think much about the 'mystery'. Its either that or I'm slow to figure out stuff. Which is true so moving on.
Cecile, I liked you so much in The Stolen Songbird. What in the world happened to you? The Cecile from the first book was strong, funny and interesting. This Cecile bored me with her long, ramblings passages of utter nothingness (is that even a word?). She kept jumping from place to place, scene to scene, with nothing concrete. It was all, "Oh my, we didnt find anything here. LETS GO TO 100 MORE PLACES AND CHECK THAT OUT!"
Uh, no. After the first three times, it gets pretty damn annoying.
Then we have Tristan, whose narrative was so boring, I skimmed a lot of it. He was even more boring than Cecile. CECILE!
I gave up when he went on and on about that Magic Tree thing (I dont remember it, I dont care and it didnt matter anyway, so there) and nodded as though it all made perfect sense while I just sat there trying to make sense of what he was saying and if it was there in the first book (and yes, it was, but I dont remember it being this complicated)
So I had about 30% of the book left and at that point, I was way beyond caring and just wanted to get over with it when BAM! The pace increased, things actually happened and Cecile and Tristan got their heads out of their asses and did something. About time.
I will be reading the next book, because my love for the first book still overshadows the disappointment I faced while reading this.
November 10, 2015
Me right now:
Why, you ask? Because I have to wait. A year. YES, a whole ENTIRE year for this book to come out.
Will Cécile and Tristan find a way back to each other? Will they find a way to destroy the curse? Will the witch be killed?
I dunno. BUT I NEED THIS BOOK
Why, you ask? Because I have to wait. A year. YES, a whole ENTIRE year for this book to come out.
Will Cécile and Tristan find a way back to each other? Will they find a way to destroy the curse? Will the witch be killed?
I dunno. BUT I NEED THIS BOOK
July 8, 2015
3.5
I enjoyed it, but unfortunately it wasn't as good as the first one..
I enjoyed it, but unfortunately it wasn't as good as the first one..
June 13, 2015
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/06/13/y...
When Angry Robot announced in the summer of 2014 that they were shutting down their Young Adult imprint Strange Chemistry, I was among the many readers saddened by the cancellation of their books and series. But thank goodness for at least the small mercies, like Danielle L. Jensen’s Malediction Trilogy being picked up by the parent company. Stolen Songbird was one of the best YA titles I read last year, and I was looking forward to continuing Cécile’s story in Hidden Huntress.
The sequel picks up shortly after the events of the first book. Cécile has recovered from her harrowing escape from Trollus, but it also means being separated from her love, the troll prince Tristan who is still trapped in the city beneath a mountain, sealed in by a witch’s curse. Determined to save Tristan, Cécile is willing to do anything – even if it means entering into a magically binding deal with the tyrant troll king, who tasks her to break them free by hunting down the elusive Anushka, the one who cast the original curse so long ago.
Meanwhile, Tristan is at his lowest point. He is shunned by his people, and only has few remaining loyal followers at his side. His power-hungry father will stop at nothing to escape their mountain prison and unleash the power of the trolls on the outside world, but Tristan is just as resolved to do all he can to stop him. Neither Tristan nor Cécile were prepared for the extent of the king’s Machiavellian cunning though, or just how far he would go with his manipulations.
On the whole, I actually thought Hidden Huntress was an even better book than its predecessor. This surprised me somewhat, considering some reviewer opinions I’ve seen expressing disappointment that Cécile and Tristan were separated for most of the story, and I thought for sure I would feel the same way. In fact, the opposite turned out to be true. In a case like this, distance apparently does make the heart grow fonder. Because of their magical bond, Cécile and Tristan are able to feel each other’s emotions more deeply than most couples even when they are far apart, creating a very intriguing dynamic. I felt too that the opportunity gave each protagonist the time they needed to fully develop as individuals, something that might not have occurred if they had been together. Tristan, for example, got his chance to really shine, occupying almost if not just as much page time as Cécile. Though I personally didn’t find his chapters as interesting as hers, his mission in Trollus was no less important, and I really appreciated how much of his personality we were able to glean from his perspective.
As much as Cécile and Tristan’s separation pained me, ultimately I believe the decision was worth the benefits to the plot. Sometimes, I find physical romance can take a back seat but the resulting novel ends up being just as satisfying. The story of Hidden Huntress is more sophisticated and even more entertaining than Stolen Songbird, placing a stronger emphasis on the bigger picture and also allowing supporting characters to play larger roles. The city of Trianon is a whole other world, but as a rising opera star following in her mother’s footsteps, Cécile has to tread just as carefully. Genevieve de Troyes was mentioned in the first book and I was very curious to finally meet this woman who has made such an impact on her daughter’s life. Let’s just say she was not what I expected.
I wouldn’t surprise me though, if readers are divided on Hidden Huntress. Danielle L. Jensen made a bold move, and it’ll pay off for some but perhaps not for others. It worked well for me for many reasons, some of which I’ve outlined above, but I also found it important that Ms. Jensen showed what would happen to her characters if they were placed under terrible pressure. Many will probably find some of Cécile’s decisions in this book frustrating, but to me they were an extension of the determined young woman we met in the first book who is loath to give up on something she believes in even if it drives her to extremes. We already had the chance to see the romance spark and develop between her and Tristan in the first book; I was glad to see that this book went further beyond giving readers more of the same, deciding instead to explore the greater mysteries. The page count is probably just a tad higher than I would have been comfortable with, but I got a lot out of it in the end, so I can’t bring myself to complain too much.
Hidden Huntress opens up the world, simply put. It felt bigger and more encompassing, upping the ante for all involved. The pull of the story was irresistible, given how so much more now rests on the success of our protagonists. Everything that the first book set us up for comes to fruition, complete with welcome twists and unexpected surprises. If nothing else, that incredible ending sure has me eager for book three.
When Angry Robot announced in the summer of 2014 that they were shutting down their Young Adult imprint Strange Chemistry, I was among the many readers saddened by the cancellation of their books and series. But thank goodness for at least the small mercies, like Danielle L. Jensen’s Malediction Trilogy being picked up by the parent company. Stolen Songbird was one of the best YA titles I read last year, and I was looking forward to continuing Cécile’s story in Hidden Huntress.
The sequel picks up shortly after the events of the first book. Cécile has recovered from her harrowing escape from Trollus, but it also means being separated from her love, the troll prince Tristan who is still trapped in the city beneath a mountain, sealed in by a witch’s curse. Determined to save Tristan, Cécile is willing to do anything – even if it means entering into a magically binding deal with the tyrant troll king, who tasks her to break them free by hunting down the elusive Anushka, the one who cast the original curse so long ago.
Meanwhile, Tristan is at his lowest point. He is shunned by his people, and only has few remaining loyal followers at his side. His power-hungry father will stop at nothing to escape their mountain prison and unleash the power of the trolls on the outside world, but Tristan is just as resolved to do all he can to stop him. Neither Tristan nor Cécile were prepared for the extent of the king’s Machiavellian cunning though, or just how far he would go with his manipulations.
On the whole, I actually thought Hidden Huntress was an even better book than its predecessor. This surprised me somewhat, considering some reviewer opinions I’ve seen expressing disappointment that Cécile and Tristan were separated for most of the story, and I thought for sure I would feel the same way. In fact, the opposite turned out to be true. In a case like this, distance apparently does make the heart grow fonder. Because of their magical bond, Cécile and Tristan are able to feel each other’s emotions more deeply than most couples even when they are far apart, creating a very intriguing dynamic. I felt too that the opportunity gave each protagonist the time they needed to fully develop as individuals, something that might not have occurred if they had been together. Tristan, for example, got his chance to really shine, occupying almost if not just as much page time as Cécile. Though I personally didn’t find his chapters as interesting as hers, his mission in Trollus was no less important, and I really appreciated how much of his personality we were able to glean from his perspective.
As much as Cécile and Tristan’s separation pained me, ultimately I believe the decision was worth the benefits to the plot. Sometimes, I find physical romance can take a back seat but the resulting novel ends up being just as satisfying. The story of Hidden Huntress is more sophisticated and even more entertaining than Stolen Songbird, placing a stronger emphasis on the bigger picture and also allowing supporting characters to play larger roles. The city of Trianon is a whole other world, but as a rising opera star following in her mother’s footsteps, Cécile has to tread just as carefully. Genevieve de Troyes was mentioned in the first book and I was very curious to finally meet this woman who has made such an impact on her daughter’s life. Let’s just say she was not what I expected.
I wouldn’t surprise me though, if readers are divided on Hidden Huntress. Danielle L. Jensen made a bold move, and it’ll pay off for some but perhaps not for others. It worked well for me for many reasons, some of which I’ve outlined above, but I also found it important that Ms. Jensen showed what would happen to her characters if they were placed under terrible pressure. Many will probably find some of Cécile’s decisions in this book frustrating, but to me they were an extension of the determined young woman we met in the first book who is loath to give up on something she believes in even if it drives her to extremes. We already had the chance to see the romance spark and develop between her and Tristan in the first book; I was glad to see that this book went further beyond giving readers more of the same, deciding instead to explore the greater mysteries. The page count is probably just a tad higher than I would have been comfortable with, but I got a lot out of it in the end, so I can’t bring myself to complain too much.
Hidden Huntress opens up the world, simply put. It felt bigger and more encompassing, upping the ante for all involved. The pull of the story was irresistible, given how so much more now rests on the success of our protagonists. Everything that the first book set us up for comes to fruition, complete with welcome twists and unexpected surprises. If nothing else, that incredible ending sure has me eager for book three.
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