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The Hunter Saga #1
Hunter
Sixteen-year-old Hunter belongs to the Telepathic Alliance for the Latent or Newly manifested, otherwise known as Talon, a bounty hunter community known for their ruthless tactics. Her latest mission in San Diego was supposed to be a piece of cake, but when the job takes a treacherous and deadly turn, not even her telepathic abilities could have warned her of the dangers lurking around the corner.
There's only one place for Hunter to go, and that's straight into the hands of the government and their Psychic Intelligence Team, but even the “normal” world isn’t safe. With each passing hour throwing her deeper into the game of life and death, Hunter must decide who to trust before this mission becomes her last.
There's only one place for Hunter to go, and that's straight into the hands of the government and their Psychic Intelligence Team, but even the “normal” world isn’t safe. With each passing hour throwing her deeper into the game of life and death, Hunter must decide who to trust before this mission becomes her last.
191 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 7, 2016
6 people are currently reading
526 people want to read
About the author
Sarai Henderson
4 books64 followersHey there! I’m Sarai, a lifelong reader with a love for stories that stick with you long after the last page. From heart wrenching dramas to thrilling adventures and swoon worthy romances, I’m always on the hunt for my next favorite book. When I’m not lost in a story, I’m sharing reviews, reading tips, and a peek into my bookish life here. Expect honest thoughts, occasional rants, and lots of love for characters who feel like friends. Let’s explore new worlds together!
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To follow more of my life beyond book reviews, check out my many social media spots. www.exballerina.com and Instagram @exballerina.
Join me on Instagram @sara_reads_things
To follow more of my life beyond book reviews, check out my many social media spots. www.exballerina.com and Instagram @exballerina.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
August 26, 2016
Can there really be a fresh YA fantasy? You bet there can! Sarai Henderson’s Hunter is a fast-paced and completely entertaining read! The secret could be in her main character, Hunter, 16, who has telepathic abilities that can be an asset or a pain in the, um, head, literally.
Hunter has become an agent for the government in a group called TALON, along with her mentor, boyfriend, Bear, they track down their “marks” with her abilities to read minds and emotions. But that last job? What should have been a piece of cake becomes the beginning of a life and death run for Hunter as it feels the world has turned against her and the good guys seem bad and the bad guys appear to be her greatest allies. Confused, hurt and terrified, who can Hunter trust? Even Bear seems different, cold and well, deadly.
When she is out of options as to how to stay alive in a world gone mad, her enemies may be her safest bet to survive. But at what cost? How is a teen supposed to cope in a world that has lied to her about her past, her father and who she really is?
Hang on tight, as we follow Hunter down the rabbit hole to danger and death. Sarai Henderson has created excellent scenes, filled them with detailed action that I could feel, as if I were Hunter and these things were happening to me! And Hunter? What a true to life character, pure teen, with all of the insecurities and limited coping mechanisms of a girl caught up in a deadly and political game of cat and mouse. Brilliant dialogue peppers each page, as the lines between good and evil are blurred and smudged. Where will Hunter end up? Who will she owe her life to if she survives?
Highly recommended, get it, read it and you’ll want more Hunter!
I received this copy from Sarai Henderson in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Evernight Teen (July 7, 2016)
Publication Date: July 7, 2016
Genre: Fantasy YA | Mystery
Print Length: 155 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Hunter has become an agent for the government in a group called TALON, along with her mentor, boyfriend, Bear, they track down their “marks” with her abilities to read minds and emotions. But that last job? What should have been a piece of cake becomes the beginning of a life and death run for Hunter as it feels the world has turned against her and the good guys seem bad and the bad guys appear to be her greatest allies. Confused, hurt and terrified, who can Hunter trust? Even Bear seems different, cold and well, deadly.
When she is out of options as to how to stay alive in a world gone mad, her enemies may be her safest bet to survive. But at what cost? How is a teen supposed to cope in a world that has lied to her about her past, her father and who she really is?
Hang on tight, as we follow Hunter down the rabbit hole to danger and death. Sarai Henderson has created excellent scenes, filled them with detailed action that I could feel, as if I were Hunter and these things were happening to me! And Hunter? What a true to life character, pure teen, with all of the insecurities and limited coping mechanisms of a girl caught up in a deadly and political game of cat and mouse. Brilliant dialogue peppers each page, as the lines between good and evil are blurred and smudged. Where will Hunter end up? Who will she owe her life to if she survives?
Highly recommended, get it, read it and you’ll want more Hunter!
I received this copy from Sarai Henderson in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Evernight Teen (July 7, 2016)
Publication Date: July 7, 2016
Genre: Fantasy YA | Mystery
Print Length: 155 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
April 4, 2017
“Hunter” by Sarai Henderson was a fun, short read. While it took me quite a while to finish the book, it’s only because I’ve been so busy. I have a few complaints about the book that I’ll get into in a moment but I prefer to open with more positivity in my reviews.
First, I enjoyed the characters that were thought up for this book.
Seeker was adorable, lovable, and heroic.
Hunter was sarcastic and spunky.
I also enjoyed the plot of the book. There was a great idea here that had so much potential.
This is where I’m gonna go a little off the tracks of positivity and onto critique mountain.
While the idea behind the book was great I wasn’t totally in love with the writing. I think a part of it was that Henderson tried to include way too much information into way too small of a book. This would’ve been carried out so much better if she got into more detail and didn’t rush things so much.
On a brighter side though it made the book good for a nice afternoon read.
There was also an instance where there was not enough information relating to a certain topic and that was Hunter’s back story. The book dips into it for a moment but there wasn’t enough personalization for me to truly fall in love with Hunter throughout the book. She was just a little too cliché.
Also, the ending was just…. TOO happy. Everything basically worked out like perfect (except for a death which I’m not going to spoil). I just didn’t like how unrealistic it was.
There were moments that I was totally into the book though and hooked on getting to the next chapter, so there is that.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book Via NetGalley.
First, I enjoyed the characters that were thought up for this book.
Seeker was adorable, lovable, and heroic.
Hunter was sarcastic and spunky.
I also enjoyed the plot of the book. There was a great idea here that had so much potential.
This is where I’m gonna go a little off the tracks of positivity and onto critique mountain.
While the idea behind the book was great I wasn’t totally in love with the writing. I think a part of it was that Henderson tried to include way too much information into way too small of a book. This would’ve been carried out so much better if she got into more detail and didn’t rush things so much.
On a brighter side though it made the book good for a nice afternoon read.
There was also an instance where there was not enough information relating to a certain topic and that was Hunter’s back story. The book dips into it for a moment but there wasn’t enough personalization for me to truly fall in love with Hunter throughout the book. She was just a little too cliché.
Also, the ending was just…. TOO happy. Everything basically worked out like perfect (except for a death which I’m not going to spoil). I just didn’t like how unrealistic it was.
There were moments that I was totally into the book though and hooked on getting to the next chapter, so there is that.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book Via NetGalley.
February 7, 2017
I loved this book because it kept me on the edge of the seat...
Usually when I read something I can figure out who the real villains are... But in this book everyone has the possibility of being one. Everyone can betray and act baced on their own agenda... No one is truly bad or good...
I liked this aspect so much...
Sometimes although it frustrated me that Hunter was a pawn in the system, I felt like she wasn't strong enough to change her future and just went with the flow... She didn't make things happen, she didn't affect the story and I hoped she did that.
Usually when I read something I can figure out who the real villains are... But in this book everyone has the possibility of being one. Everyone can betray and act baced on their own agenda... No one is truly bad or good...
I liked this aspect so much...
Sometimes although it frustrated me that Hunter was a pawn in the system, I felt like she wasn't strong enough to change her future and just went with the flow... She didn't make things happen, she didn't affect the story and I hoped she did that.
December 29, 2016
Oh, umm.... that ending came abruptly. I've still got so many questions!
This is supposed to be a standalone, right? It certainly read and ended like one, so I'm going to think of it as one.
I believe that this book's biggest problem was its length. The premise was promising, I really enjoyed the story, even the writing was decent, but there just wasn't enough room for elaborate explanations, world building and character development. So now I feel really unsatisfied with how everything was wrapped up and some of the plot threads were just left loose in the end.
Also, I wouldn't shelve this as YA Urban Fantasy but as YA Paranormal Thriller.
Something I really did like, though: Sarai Henderson sure knows how to write a captivating action scene!
So while I didn't love this, and I've certainly read better books, I can see myself giving the author another shot some day.
[Trigger warning: ]
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2016
Hunter is an intriguing read, and will set you on a thrilling ride from the very first page until the end!
"I had blood on my hands and the world was falling apart."
The story begins as we are discovering that Hunter is not only a bounty hunter, but she is also a type one telepathy. She can read people's minds, feel their emotions, know all about their past through their memories. Hunter, along with her partner Bear, is looking for her current mark. I really liked Hunter because we can tell how well she does her job, and yet she is still compassionate underneath it all (I mean she is only 16).
After barely catching their mark, thanks to another group of bounty hunters, Hunter and Bear return to their home base. This is when we learn more about the people Hunter works for. Talon is more than just a job to Hunter, and we see this as more of Hunter's past is revealed and how she became to be with the people she now calls family. I appreciated how many layers there was to Hunter's character, and her powers are just awesome.
As the story progresses, Hunter and Bear are sent on a new job that sounds suspicious from the moment their Captain first mentioned it to them. Of course everything that goes wrong does, and I have to admit that this whole scene was so intense! I couldn't stop reading! I always appreciate when a book keeps me on my toes.. Hunter runs into trouble and ends up with the other bounty hunter group. . . And this is when her whole world flips upside down.
As Hunter enters the world of this new group there are a few new characters introduced. I enjoyed all of them, especially Seeker. The two of them work together really well and run into more trouble as she is discovering the truth behind the life she has been living. I can't say too much without spoiling it for you, but I thought the overall plot stayed strong and unique. There were revelations that I never saw coming. We also get to see more of a softer side to Hunter as she is finding out some new information, and I appreciated this because it helped make her feel human/relatable.
The story wraps up nicely. I felt all of the emotions that Hunter did at the end.. I felt all of her sadness and loneliness, but then I also felt her strength and hope. I think Sarai Henderson did a wonderful job capturing the voices of her characters. You guys know how much I love character driven stories, and Hunter was definitely the strongest element to this story. Henderson's writing helped me connect to the characters and feel for them in a short amount of time.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The only downfall would be that the ending felt very abrupt. I would've loved to see and FEEL the emotional ride.. But we get a lot of "telling" us of what actually happened. It all just progressed too quickly for my liking and I wanted just a bit more. It set up the next book in a great way though! I look forward to reading it! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers, paranormal/fantasy stories.
* I was given a review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my thoughts in any way.
"I had blood on my hands and the world was falling apart."
The story begins as we are discovering that Hunter is not only a bounty hunter, but she is also a type one telepathy. She can read people's minds, feel their emotions, know all about their past through their memories. Hunter, along with her partner Bear, is looking for her current mark. I really liked Hunter because we can tell how well she does her job, and yet she is still compassionate underneath it all (I mean she is only 16).
After barely catching their mark, thanks to another group of bounty hunters, Hunter and Bear return to their home base. This is when we learn more about the people Hunter works for. Talon is more than just a job to Hunter, and we see this as more of Hunter's past is revealed and how she became to be with the people she now calls family. I appreciated how many layers there was to Hunter's character, and her powers are just awesome.
As the story progresses, Hunter and Bear are sent on a new job that sounds suspicious from the moment their Captain first mentioned it to them. Of course everything that goes wrong does, and I have to admit that this whole scene was so intense! I couldn't stop reading! I always appreciate when a book keeps me on my toes.. Hunter runs into trouble and ends up with the other bounty hunter group. . . And this is when her whole world flips upside down.
As Hunter enters the world of this new group there are a few new characters introduced. I enjoyed all of them, especially Seeker. The two of them work together really well and run into more trouble as she is discovering the truth behind the life she has been living. I can't say too much without spoiling it for you, but I thought the overall plot stayed strong and unique. There were revelations that I never saw coming. We also get to see more of a softer side to Hunter as she is finding out some new information, and I appreciated this because it helped make her feel human/relatable.
The story wraps up nicely. I felt all of the emotions that Hunter did at the end.. I felt all of her sadness and loneliness, but then I also felt her strength and hope. I think Sarai Henderson did a wonderful job capturing the voices of her characters. You guys know how much I love character driven stories, and Hunter was definitely the strongest element to this story. Henderson's writing helped me connect to the characters and feel for them in a short amount of time.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The only downfall would be that the ending felt very abrupt. I would've loved to see and FEEL the emotional ride.. But we get a lot of "telling" us of what actually happened. It all just progressed too quickly for my liking and I wanted just a bit more. It set up the next book in a great way though! I look forward to reading it! I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers, paranormal/fantasy stories.
* I was given a review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my thoughts in any way.
March 27, 2017
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
"You need to stay out of the mark's head. They will think of anything when they're in trouble."
This was a medium book. Fast-paced, action-heavy, but quite lacking in terms of making you connect with the characters properly. The story is interesting enough that you can look past that, but I have to admit that when there were characters dying I merely shrugged. Like it didn't matter. I would have liked to feel more than that, honestly.
But as I said; the basics of the story are interesting and I would like to read more set in this kind of world where telepaths walk among us and act as assassins. That is a very interesting idea. But the story needs further development in order to engage the reader fully.
"You need to stay out of the mark's head. They will think of anything when they're in trouble."
This was a medium book. Fast-paced, action-heavy, but quite lacking in terms of making you connect with the characters properly. The story is interesting enough that you can look past that, but I have to admit that when there were characters dying I merely shrugged. Like it didn't matter. I would have liked to feel more than that, honestly.
But as I said; the basics of the story are interesting and I would like to read more set in this kind of world where telepaths walk among us and act as assassins. That is a very interesting idea. But the story needs further development in order to engage the reader fully.
November 12, 2016
Full review to come tomorrow on Books Are My Fandom.
Man, I had so many issues with this one. They started early and continued the whole way through, but I would say my main issues were all the plot holes. Some things were done Very Conveniently and some things just didn't make sense. I will just talk about one or two things instead of everything because that would take too much time and I feel like I have already spent too much time on this book.
So one thing: Hunter's dad. We learn at the beginning of the book that he "left to get a pack of smokes" because that is what her mother thinks about all the time. Also, her mother HATES her so at 13, Hunter runs away from home, but that's a whole other issue. So her dad is gone, Hunter laments that he never cared about her or loved her, blah blah blah. When she gets captured, the person across from her just HAPPENS to know her father and tells her all about how he was SO AWESOME and loved her SO MUCH and all I could think was how did this dude know who she was because 1. she goes by a call signal, not her real name; 2. would he know her by sight? because EVEN IF her dad carried her picture around, chances are it would be an old one since it has been like 8 years since she's seen him, and; 3. even if he did know her, why the fuck would he tell her all this stuff? Oh right, plot. It just doesn't quite make sense to me.
On top of that, it isn't quite clear to me how these telepaths appeared or where or why or any of that and I just felt like I was running blind the whole time. Things got progressively worse for me, like the fucking safety, and I just couldn't enjoy it. I really hate when I dislike a book but I cannot in good faith tell people to read this book.
Man, I had so many issues with this one. They started early and continued the whole way through, but I would say my main issues were all the plot holes. Some things were done Very Conveniently and some things just didn't make sense. I will just talk about one or two things instead of everything because that would take too much time and I feel like I have already spent too much time on this book.
So one thing: Hunter's dad. We learn at the beginning of the book that he "left to get a pack of smokes" because that is what her mother thinks about all the time. Also, her mother HATES her so at 13, Hunter runs away from home, but that's a whole other issue. So her dad is gone, Hunter laments that he never cared about her or loved her, blah blah blah. When she gets captured, the person across from her just HAPPENS to know her father and tells her all about how he was SO AWESOME and loved her SO MUCH and all I could think was how did this dude know who she was because 1. she goes by a call signal, not her real name; 2. would he know her by sight? because EVEN IF her dad carried her picture around, chances are it would be an old one since it has been like 8 years since she's seen him, and; 3. even if he did know her, why the fuck would he tell her all this stuff? Oh right, plot. It just doesn't quite make sense to me.
On top of that, it isn't quite clear to me how these telepaths appeared or where or why or any of that and I just felt like I was running blind the whole time. Things got progressively worse for me, like the fucking safety, and I just couldn't enjoy it. I really hate when I dislike a book but I cannot in good faith tell people to read this book.
August 26, 2016
A thrilling new urban fantasy story full of twists and turns, secrets and betrayals, there was a lot to enjoy in HUNTER. The story was complex and the characters were interesting. Hunter was a great lead for the reader to follow, but Seeker was my favourite. I liked how the paranormal element was used, and almost wished we'd known more about the conspiracies behind each group. Not that I'm complaining. I've said many times that it's usually a good sign when a book leaves you wanting something more. I can't say I was entirely happy with the ending, but the action was pretty good and I was glad to see Hunter grow while she debated her choices. I understood her motivations and while I didn't agree with everything she did, I couldn't help but sympathize. I definitely want to know more about her. She seemed older than her age suggests and I would love to know more about her and her new adventures. The writing was solid, and the whole story almost felt more like a thriller than urban fantasy. This is definitely an author to watch out for, and I recommend this book to anyone looking for a new and unexpected read.
November 30, 2016
After being abandon by her father and running away from her hateful mother, Hunter was recruited at 13 by a group of telepath bounty hunters known as Talon. When a job goes wrong the main character gets thrown into this deadly action packed chase. With no where left to turn Hunter has no choice but to befriend another telepath named Seeker if she wants to survive the people trying to kill her.
Hunters life has left her with some emotional issues that gave her character some depth. I liked how her issues and decisions were realistic. The headaches from being a telepath made this story more believable. I was invested in Hunters safety but some scenes didnt grip me as much as I would have wanted to. Some dangerous situations felt threatening but others didnt have that same intensity for me. The story did have a few compelling antagonists and the betrayal was intriguing.
I enjoyed Seekers and Trolls character but I wish we would have gotten their backstory and a lot more character developpement. I also liked that the author didnt feel the need to add a romance. I appreciated the fact that I wasnt able to predict much of the plot. My predictions for her missing father and the ending were totally inaccurate. The ending was sad but satisfying. Overall this is a easy short standalone with a lot of fast pace action and interesting characters.
*Received copy in exchange for an honest review*
Hunters life has left her with some emotional issues that gave her character some depth. I liked how her issues and decisions were realistic. The headaches from being a telepath made this story more believable. I was invested in Hunters safety but some scenes didnt grip me as much as I would have wanted to. Some dangerous situations felt threatening but others didnt have that same intensity for me. The story did have a few compelling antagonists and the betrayal was intriguing.
I enjoyed Seekers and Trolls character but I wish we would have gotten their backstory and a lot more character developpement. I also liked that the author didnt feel the need to add a romance. I appreciated the fact that I wasnt able to predict much of the plot. My predictions for her missing father and the ending were totally inaccurate. The ending was sad but satisfying. Overall this is a easy short standalone with a lot of fast pace action and interesting characters.
*Received copy in exchange for an honest review*
September 3, 2016
Sarai Henderson weaves a story that will both entice you and draw you towards this truly unique novel, Hunter.
Hunter was quite enjoyable to read. It was different and unique on many levels, from telepathy to paranormals, Sarai was able to take fantasy and spin it on its axis. The action was breathtaking to read, it wasn't rushed over or slowed to the point where I would have wanted to throw it, it was just purely amazing. Full of twists and turns, you find yourself unable to put this book down for a single minute.
Despite the fact that this novel was fairly short and light read, it was an entertaining. The pace was perfect, the characters were fascinating and likeable (especially Hunter), the writing is solid, the plot was well thought-out, and the whole story was created beautifully.
I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys reading fantasy and paranormal, or for those that are currently going through the "mourning period" (when you finish an amazingly good book and feel like you are going through a reading slump).
Review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
For this review and more, check out my blog.
Hunter was quite enjoyable to read. It was different and unique on many levels, from telepathy to paranormals, Sarai was able to take fantasy and spin it on its axis. The action was breathtaking to read, it wasn't rushed over or slowed to the point where I would have wanted to throw it, it was just purely amazing. Full of twists and turns, you find yourself unable to put this book down for a single minute.
Despite the fact that this novel was fairly short and light read, it was an entertaining. The pace was perfect, the characters were fascinating and likeable (especially Hunter), the writing is solid, the plot was well thought-out, and the whole story was created beautifully.
I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys reading fantasy and paranormal, or for those that are currently going through the "mourning period" (when you finish an amazingly good book and feel like you are going through a reading slump).
Review copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
For this review and more, check out my blog.
August 1, 2016
Although this is a new author for me I really enjoyed this book. The writing painted a wonderful world that was so full of depth and color. I loved how each character had a code name that fit their personality and the fact that they are telepaths living in a "normal" world is awesome. I would recommend this book to all my friends.
February 8, 2018
I hope you enjoy HUNTER as much as I loved writing it... please keep in touch.
July 31, 2016
Kept me on the hook from the beginning to end. Character development and progression is good, I really enjoyed reading this book. I hope to read the sequel soon.
June 30, 2018
***Anyone that reads any of my reviews starting with this one, please take note that I'm a critical reader. I don't know when my critical reading skills became what they are now. to where I notice any little issues and can't just "enjoy the story" as my husband likes to say, but it's happened and there's no going back.***
Moving on, it's funny the story I read before this one also took place in Seattle, Washington. That was a bad story though!
Anyways, I asked for a copy of this story for an honest review. Yeah...I wasn't a big fan of this one. It was interesting overall, but there was something missing that I can't quite put my finger on.
Besides the punctuational errors I found throughout the story, I had a lot of questions/comments regarding areas of the story that didn't make sense or inconsistencies.
Overall, the writing was pretty good. There were a few issues, for example: "This was beginning to look more and more like a MAN cave than a bat cave." Yet, instead of commenting more in relation to it being a man cave, the writer goes on to talk about bats, "There were even white streaks on the walls that had a distinct smell of guano."
Questions/Comments:
How did Hunter think she could taze Dawn Miles in front of a bunch of people with no repercussions? Not that there were any, strangely.
Right at the beginning, "There are a lot of minds to sift through." So, Hunter is looking for some thought relating to where Dawn Miles might be, in a random place full of people. And she just happens to find Dawn there, out of all of Seattle?
If Bear was waiting for Hunter to let him know when the target was located, what had he been doing in the meantime? Obviously, they had no vehicle, which sounded questionable. So they're basically walking through crowds, along a bunch of streets with Miles in handcuffs. How would no one comment about that? And neither character seemed to fear any repercussions.
Shadow and Captain both end up saying that Bear and Hunter need to be debriefed after catching Miles, yet that never happens.
Strange that given Hunter has been finding people, she only asked Bear what happened to them after capturing Miles. Yes, she's young, but she never wondered prior? For example, both Miles and Wallace take/spill information about someone else/a group of someones, and it's those someones that pay for them to be found. Yeah, I can't imagine anything bad happening to them once they're given over to those "someones."
Funny how Hunter ended up falling into a fish stand when chasing Miles, thinks multiple times that she can't stand the smell of fish, yet when she gets home doesn't bother to clean up/shower.
Why would Hunter have turned the bed lamp on, if she was going back to sleep?
Hunter and Bear are trying to get away from the guy that had been smoking outside the Shade Hotel. Somehow, Hunter can still smell the smoke from the cigarette the guy had been smoking a while before. "I knew we were still being followed because of the smoky air that floated near when the breeze picked up." Why does that not seem likely?
Kenneth shoves the pain pill into Hunter's mouth. How did him clasping his hand around her jaw cause her mouth to open though?
Hunter thinks Kenneth wants to kill, hence she's subconsciously trying to get out of the wrist restraints. "...they were red and bruised." Depending on how long she'd been wearing them (didn't seem very long), I doubt they would have been bruised already.
She couldn't move her legs behind the seat...in an SUV (lots of space)...when she has a petite build? Couldn't she have kicked him?
Hunter sees a picture of Miles after she was killed. "...her eyes rolled back in her head, blood pouring from her slightly parted lips, and her skin white and bloated with almost a blue tone to it." If she's already bloated from having been in the water, where was the blood coming from? Had she recently died and someone cut where the blood had pooled within the body, then the corpse would bleed. But after a certain point, the corpse isn't going to bleed.
I couldn't help but think of the "Cigarette Man" from X-Files whenever the smoking guy in this story was mentioned.
She could actually count down from her fall when she was between the first and second floors?
Hunter had been picked up in San Fran and driven at least an hour to the hotel, then they drove several more hours to get to the San Fran airport. I'm curious as to where the hotel was that Hunter, Seeker, and crew were staying at to where it took them several hours to get to the airport?
Again, I get Hunter is young, but why at the airport did she think Seeker was going to kill her? Hadn't he just saved her from Talon at the hotel?
About the airport lady: "She didn't show any signs...that she knew what we were." She didn't have to know anything that was going on. Just seemed like a strange comment.
How did Duke know who she was? That baffled my mind!
She scratched the skin on her arm until it bled...Considering the metal bed leg was laying right beside her, how did Evans not think she was tricking him? I mean, how much blood did this wound she made make for him to think she had really hurt herself?
"If they could track me down, couldn't they find Captain too?" Yes, because Hunter is in the same league as the men whose in charge of Talon.
"I wasn’t going to go down without a fight. Seeker had taught me that over the short time I had known him." Not someone from Talon?
I realized between Hunter and Bear getting back after capturing Miles to when she ends up telling Smith the Big Red's location, that she hadn't eaten anything in all that time. Strange. Has she even showered yet?
Hunter takes out a "cold" coin for the payphone. It wouldn't be cold (neither would the cold steel of the gun she carried). The fact that she only has to use a single coin, well I can't help but wonder what year this story took place in? 1. Since there aren't many pay phones around anymore. 2. When was the last year that a payphone accepted a single coin? Like a quarter?
So Hunter shoots Bear. Mess-up! She never took the safety off.
Troll works for Smith. Both had no problem putting Hunter on the target block for the Captain. Yet, she didn't hesitate when he showed up after she killed Bear?
After killing Bear, Hunter puts the gun back into the back part of her waistband. Yet, when she's in the van with Troll, she's holding it and decides she no longer wants to hold it...
When heading back to Big Red with Troll, Hunter thinks to herself how she knows the ship like the back of her hand. Yet, when she's going over the layout of the ship with PIT, she thinks to herself about how she doesn't know all the parts/rooms in the ship. Contradiction there.
Hunter shot Ghost and Trunks in the shoulders. And, surprise! Seeker had also been shot in the shoulder!
"Everything Seeker had shown me about my weapon came flooding back..." He hadn't shown her anything though! He didn't even show her where the safety was. He just gave her the gun and told her to hide it from Smith.
I swear by the way this story was written that Hunter and Seeker had a closer relationship (did more together) than what's written. Besides the above comment, Hunter going back into the central command and thinking about all the memories her and Seeker had there. Huh? She'd only been in that area twice.
Hunter refers to a lady in a green jumpsuit that is waiting on the other side of the elevator after Troll takes her back to command as a human. Why? I ask since no ones said anything about them (telepaths) not being human. This was a first.
I wasn't a fan of the ending, it was just wrapped up too nicely in a box with a bright red ribbon for my liking.
Moving on, it's funny the story I read before this one also took place in Seattle, Washington. That was a bad story though!
Anyways, I asked for a copy of this story for an honest review. Yeah...I wasn't a big fan of this one. It was interesting overall, but there was something missing that I can't quite put my finger on.
Besides the punctuational errors I found throughout the story, I had a lot of questions/comments regarding areas of the story that didn't make sense or inconsistencies.
Overall, the writing was pretty good. There were a few issues, for example: "This was beginning to look more and more like a MAN cave than a bat cave." Yet, instead of commenting more in relation to it being a man cave, the writer goes on to talk about bats, "There were even white streaks on the walls that had a distinct smell of guano."
Questions/Comments:
How did Hunter think she could taze Dawn Miles in front of a bunch of people with no repercussions? Not that there were any, strangely.
Right at the beginning, "There are a lot of minds to sift through." So, Hunter is looking for some thought relating to where Dawn Miles might be, in a random place full of people. And she just happens to find Dawn there, out of all of Seattle?
If Bear was waiting for Hunter to let him know when the target was located, what had he been doing in the meantime? Obviously, they had no vehicle, which sounded questionable. So they're basically walking through crowds, along a bunch of streets with Miles in handcuffs. How would no one comment about that? And neither character seemed to fear any repercussions.
Shadow and Captain both end up saying that Bear and Hunter need to be debriefed after catching Miles, yet that never happens.
Strange that given Hunter has been finding people, she only asked Bear what happened to them after capturing Miles. Yes, she's young, but she never wondered prior? For example, both Miles and Wallace take/spill information about someone else/a group of someones, and it's those someones that pay for them to be found. Yeah, I can't imagine anything bad happening to them once they're given over to those "someones."
Funny how Hunter ended up falling into a fish stand when chasing Miles, thinks multiple times that she can't stand the smell of fish, yet when she gets home doesn't bother to clean up/shower.
Why would Hunter have turned the bed lamp on, if she was going back to sleep?
Hunter and Bear are trying to get away from the guy that had been smoking outside the Shade Hotel. Somehow, Hunter can still smell the smoke from the cigarette the guy had been smoking a while before. "I knew we were still being followed because of the smoky air that floated near when the breeze picked up." Why does that not seem likely?
Kenneth shoves the pain pill into Hunter's mouth. How did him clasping his hand around her jaw cause her mouth to open though?
Hunter thinks Kenneth wants to kill, hence she's subconsciously trying to get out of the wrist restraints. "...they were red and bruised." Depending on how long she'd been wearing them (didn't seem very long), I doubt they would have been bruised already.
She couldn't move her legs behind the seat...in an SUV (lots of space)...when she has a petite build? Couldn't she have kicked him?
Hunter sees a picture of Miles after she was killed. "...her eyes rolled back in her head, blood pouring from her slightly parted lips, and her skin white and bloated with almost a blue tone to it." If she's already bloated from having been in the water, where was the blood coming from? Had she recently died and someone cut where the blood had pooled within the body, then the corpse would bleed. But after a certain point, the corpse isn't going to bleed.
I couldn't help but think of the "Cigarette Man" from X-Files whenever the smoking guy in this story was mentioned.
She could actually count down from her fall when she was between the first and second floors?
Hunter had been picked up in San Fran and driven at least an hour to the hotel, then they drove several more hours to get to the San Fran airport. I'm curious as to where the hotel was that Hunter, Seeker, and crew were staying at to where it took them several hours to get to the airport?
Again, I get Hunter is young, but why at the airport did she think Seeker was going to kill her? Hadn't he just saved her from Talon at the hotel?
About the airport lady: "She didn't show any signs...that she knew what we were." She didn't have to know anything that was going on. Just seemed like a strange comment.
How did Duke know who she was? That baffled my mind!
She scratched the skin on her arm until it bled...Considering the metal bed leg was laying right beside her, how did Evans not think she was tricking him? I mean, how much blood did this wound she made make for him to think she had really hurt herself?
"If they could track me down, couldn't they find Captain too?" Yes, because Hunter is in the same league as the men whose in charge of Talon.
"I wasn’t going to go down without a fight. Seeker had taught me that over the short time I had known him." Not someone from Talon?
I realized between Hunter and Bear getting back after capturing Miles to when she ends up telling Smith the Big Red's location, that she hadn't eaten anything in all that time. Strange. Has she even showered yet?
Hunter takes out a "cold" coin for the payphone. It wouldn't be cold (neither would the cold steel of the gun she carried). The fact that she only has to use a single coin, well I can't help but wonder what year this story took place in? 1. Since there aren't many pay phones around anymore. 2. When was the last year that a payphone accepted a single coin? Like a quarter?
So Hunter shoots Bear. Mess-up! She never took the safety off.
Troll works for Smith. Both had no problem putting Hunter on the target block for the Captain. Yet, she didn't hesitate when he showed up after she killed Bear?
After killing Bear, Hunter puts the gun back into the back part of her waistband. Yet, when she's in the van with Troll, she's holding it and decides she no longer wants to hold it...
When heading back to Big Red with Troll, Hunter thinks to herself how she knows the ship like the back of her hand. Yet, when she's going over the layout of the ship with PIT, she thinks to herself about how she doesn't know all the parts/rooms in the ship. Contradiction there.
Hunter shot Ghost and Trunks in the shoulders. And, surprise! Seeker had also been shot in the shoulder!
"Everything Seeker had shown me about my weapon came flooding back..." He hadn't shown her anything though! He didn't even show her where the safety was. He just gave her the gun and told her to hide it from Smith.
I swear by the way this story was written that Hunter and Seeker had a closer relationship (did more together) than what's written. Besides the above comment, Hunter going back into the central command and thinking about all the memories her and Seeker had there. Huh? She'd only been in that area twice.
Hunter refers to a lady in a green jumpsuit that is waiting on the other side of the elevator after Troll takes her back to command as a human. Why? I ask since no ones said anything about them (telepaths) not being human. This was a first.
I wasn't a fan of the ending, it was just wrapped up too nicely in a box with a bright red ribbon for my liking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2016
Absolutely amazing!
Hunter's telepathy has put her on the run for most of her life. At the young age of 16, she has hooked up with a group of telepaths to track down wanted people but her life still feels empty. It doesn't help that the voices she hears all day give her wicked headaches.
All of the sudden the tables turn on her and she is hunted down by the people she thought she could trust. Now she doesn't know who to trust or where to turn but she is determined to survive.
I loved all of it! I couldn't put it down. Hunter's story is so bittersweet that you cannot help but fall in love with her. My only issue with the book is that I wish there was more - there was a set up about her father, about some of the people around her... I wanted more backstories. Actually, I just wanted more of everything; it was so full of nonstop action and shocking twists and turns. Beautifully done!
Hunter's telepathy has put her on the run for most of her life. At the young age of 16, she has hooked up with a group of telepaths to track down wanted people but her life still feels empty. It doesn't help that the voices she hears all day give her wicked headaches.
All of the sudden the tables turn on her and she is hunted down by the people she thought she could trust. Now she doesn't know who to trust or where to turn but she is determined to survive.
I loved all of it! I couldn't put it down. Hunter's story is so bittersweet that you cannot help but fall in love with her. My only issue with the book is that I wish there was more - there was a set up about her father, about some of the people around her... I wanted more backstories. Actually, I just wanted more of everything; it was so full of nonstop action and shocking twists and turns. Beautifully done!
August 16, 2016
Sarai is a master of her craft. She skillfully weaves her plot around the main characters, leading you beautifully. This book is different in many ways covering telepaths and paranormals of that sort in a new angle. It is difficult to put this book down and you blast right through it. The pace is perfect, packed with action but not too fast paced to leave you breathless.
Hunter is an adorable character you can't help but like. Seeker seems to match her well and their relationship develops beautifully throughout the story. It is not clear yet who the enemy is, which makes this even more enjoyable. Could both sides possible be the enemy?
I am definitely going to read the next one since I really want to know how the story continues.
I have received this book from the author for an honest review. (LoP, Lovers of Paranormal)
Hunter is an adorable character you can't help but like. Seeker seems to match her well and their relationship develops beautifully throughout the story. It is not clear yet who the enemy is, which makes this even more enjoyable. Could both sides possible be the enemy?
I am definitely going to read the next one since I really want to know how the story continues.
I have received this book from the author for an honest review. (LoP, Lovers of Paranormal)
November 29, 2016
~ ~ I was given this book by the publisher via netgalley for an honest review ~ ~
Hunter will peak your interest right from the start. It is a very interesting Urban Fantasy story with characters that will either love or love to hate depending on who they are. I found that I had trouble putting the book down even when I really had to because I just really had to find out what was going to happen next. The only thing that had me sulking a little was that it was over too quickly and left me wanting more and to find out what else could have happened to the characters. No matter what this is a highly recommended read that is a great way to spend an afternoon or a few days depending on the time you have. It was an intriguing and action filled read that comes with a big two thumbs up from this reader.
Hunter will peak your interest right from the start. It is a very interesting Urban Fantasy story with characters that will either love or love to hate depending on who they are. I found that I had trouble putting the book down even when I really had to because I just really had to find out what was going to happen next. The only thing that had me sulking a little was that it was over too quickly and left me wanting more and to find out what else could have happened to the characters. No matter what this is a highly recommended read that is a great way to spend an afternoon or a few days depending on the time you have. It was an intriguing and action filled read that comes with a big two thumbs up from this reader.
September 14, 2016
***I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review, from Lovers of Paranormal and the author.***
This was a great read by Sarai Henderson, about young sixteen year old Hunter who has strong telepathic abilities. She ran away from home at the age of thirteen as was found by a telepathic group called the Talons, she was used on specific missions due to her abilities.
We see Hunter dealing with betrayal and her journey to find freedom.
I enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the next book by Sarai Henderson
This was a great read by Sarai Henderson, about young sixteen year old Hunter who has strong telepathic abilities. She ran away from home at the age of thirteen as was found by a telepathic group called the Talons, she was used on specific missions due to her abilities.
We see Hunter dealing with betrayal and her journey to find freedom.
I enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the next book by Sarai Henderson
December 26, 2016
I'll have a detailed version of this review later but this book was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. I had a fun time enjoying this read, and I highly recommend this. It was so unlike any fantasy story I have read, it's unique and fresh. I loved/adored Hunter. I loved the dialogue. I loved the characters. I am so excited for the next book!
February 2, 2017
Hunter and her work partner Bear are bounty hunters and Hunter is the best at the job, she is the first one that Captain picks when it comes to the hard cases, the main problem is as a part of their deal she is supposed to get 3 days off between cases but he hasn’t given her time off in a while, so when Hunter and Bear get back after a case she expects to have at least three days off but Captain has other plans, he is sending Hunter and Bear to San Diego on an important job to find someone who seems to be off the grid.
Once Hunter and Bear get to San Diego things go wrong and Bear turns on Hunter and Seeker the guy that their supposed to be taking down helps Hunter and her explains that Captain has put a hit out on her and he tells her that he can help and send her into a sort of witness protection programme.
When they get to the ‘bat cave’ she gets locked in a cell where there’s a guy in another cell called Duke who tells Hunter he’s been there for years and that he knew her father. He somehow convinces Hunter to escape from the cell and take him with her because he know how to escape the ‘bat cave’.
After climbing up an elevator shaft and through an air duct to be stopped by Seeker, after refusing to let Duke and Hunter leave, Duke pulls a pun and points it at Hunter and she finds out that Duke was the one who killed her father, in the end Seeker ends up shooting Hunter in the shoulder to kill Duke.
After being shot and fixed up Hunter gets to meet the man in charge ‘Smith’ and he makes a deal with Hunter that if she joins them she will be safe, once she agrees to join him he uses her as bait to get to Captain and to take down her old family.
After being used as bait Hunter tries to run but the PIT agent catches up to her and Bear shoots him just to get shot by Hunter. After the shooting Hunter gets picked up by a PIT member who takes her to her old home to help out Seeker who is in trouble trying to take down Captain.
The ending was horrible it made me sad, I was really hoping that Seeker would be able to save the day instead it is Hunter who helps to save the day, luckily for Hunter Smith gets taken by the CIA and she gets to become in charge of the telepaths while cruising around in her old home helping to locate and help other telepaths.
Once Hunter and Bear get to San Diego things go wrong and Bear turns on Hunter and Seeker the guy that their supposed to be taking down helps Hunter and her explains that Captain has put a hit out on her and he tells her that he can help and send her into a sort of witness protection programme.
When they get to the ‘bat cave’ she gets locked in a cell where there’s a guy in another cell called Duke who tells Hunter he’s been there for years and that he knew her father. He somehow convinces Hunter to escape from the cell and take him with her because he know how to escape the ‘bat cave’.
After climbing up an elevator shaft and through an air duct to be stopped by Seeker, after refusing to let Duke and Hunter leave, Duke pulls a pun and points it at Hunter and she finds out that Duke was the one who killed her father, in the end Seeker ends up shooting Hunter in the shoulder to kill Duke.
After being shot and fixed up Hunter gets to meet the man in charge ‘Smith’ and he makes a deal with Hunter that if she joins them she will be safe, once she agrees to join him he uses her as bait to get to Captain and to take down her old family.
After being used as bait Hunter tries to run but the PIT agent catches up to her and Bear shoots him just to get shot by Hunter. After the shooting Hunter gets picked up by a PIT member who takes her to her old home to help out Seeker who is in trouble trying to take down Captain.
The ending was horrible it made me sad, I was really hoping that Seeker would be able to save the day instead it is Hunter who helps to save the day, luckily for Hunter Smith gets taken by the CIA and she gets to become in charge of the telepaths while cruising around in her old home helping to locate and help other telepaths.
November 7, 2017
I loved it. That is the first point i'll make.
It's hard to come into YA with something entirely unheard of but i think this novel definitely brings in it's own edge to a very overworked genre, saturated with layers of repetition. There are elements in this novel that are pretty scarce out in the world of YA novels, that I was practically giddy to find - like easter eggs in movies.
Hunter is a telepath on the wrong side of the beaten track, when she finds herself in the middle of a war, she has to learn who she can and can't trust before whoever is out to get her, succeeds.
(Which apparently, was pretty much nobody in this entire novel.)
I looooooooooved the characters, I loved Seeker who I began by loathing in the first part of this book - I was surprised that I didn't trust him straight away, there were events that made me distrust his character and I did 180's at every turn on how I felt about him. Which is also why he ended up being an incredible character.
Hunter was likeable, witty and incredibly sarcastic. Unlike a few novels i have read, the main character in her teen years did not (I REPEAT: DID NOT) know absolutely everything about life and therefore she made a lot of mistakes. This = a realistic and relatable character.
For me, this book was an easy read in that I was so enthralled I had to keep reading until i'd finished the entire thing - that would be in one night, just by the way.
Now it wasn't perfect, a few things I guess i could pick on was one; the lack of character development for minor characters.
Troll - ugh, this dude is my favourite character and he got barely any development and i wanted more of him. Rose too, this chick was fire and i wanted to learn about her nitty gritty that made her badass to anyone who crossed her path.
Abrupt resolution best describes my other issue with this, it was too short, i wanted to see more behind the finale, more sass, more gore, more drama like I got with the rest of the novel - i suppose you could say i wanted - no, NEEDED more.
All in all, i couldn't recommend this book enough to anyone. If you want something that is going to keep you up at night with excuses like "just one more chapter" then look no further, you will not be disappointed!
It's hard to come into YA with something entirely unheard of but i think this novel definitely brings in it's own edge to a very overworked genre, saturated with layers of repetition. There are elements in this novel that are pretty scarce out in the world of YA novels, that I was practically giddy to find - like easter eggs in movies.
Hunter is a telepath on the wrong side of the beaten track, when she finds herself in the middle of a war, she has to learn who she can and can't trust before whoever is out to get her, succeeds.
(Which apparently, was pretty much nobody in this entire novel.)
I looooooooooved the characters, I loved Seeker who I began by loathing in the first part of this book - I was surprised that I didn't trust him straight away, there were events that made me distrust his character and I did 180's at every turn on how I felt about him. Which is also why he ended up being an incredible character.
Hunter was likeable, witty and incredibly sarcastic. Unlike a few novels i have read, the main character in her teen years did not (I REPEAT: DID NOT) know absolutely everything about life and therefore she made a lot of mistakes. This = a realistic and relatable character.
For me, this book was an easy read in that I was so enthralled I had to keep reading until i'd finished the entire thing - that would be in one night, just by the way.
Now it wasn't perfect, a few things I guess i could pick on was one; the lack of character development for minor characters.
Troll - ugh, this dude is my favourite character and he got barely any development and i wanted more of him. Rose too, this chick was fire and i wanted to learn about her nitty gritty that made her badass to anyone who crossed her path.
Abrupt resolution best describes my other issue with this, it was too short, i wanted to see more behind the finale, more sass, more gore, more drama like I got with the rest of the novel - i suppose you could say i wanted - no, NEEDED more.
All in all, i couldn't recommend this book enough to anyone. If you want something that is going to keep you up at night with excuses like "just one more chapter" then look no further, you will not be disappointed!
November 27, 2016
**3.75 stars**
"Hunter" is a YA thriller with supernatural undertones. Our main character, codename Hunter, is a type one psychic, who can read minds. A type two psychic can block them. She works for Talon, an agency of bounty hunters. Her life changes when her own agency puts out a hit on her, and her boyfriend accepts the mission to take her out. She's rescued by a man called Seeker, who works for an opposing agency called PIT.
The story is fast-paced and chock full of action, twists, and turns. I like the concept of "types" of psychics, and how the types can directly oppose each other. Hunter also happens to be a dreamer, someone who can catch glimpses of future or past events through their dreams. It sets her up for misunderstandings in a pretty clever way, all while keeping the story tight-knit and exciting.
Unfortunately, my biggest problem was the lack of emotion. Not that it wasn't there, just that I didn't really feel like I got well enough into Hunter's head to actually FEEL them. Considering this is written in first-person, that's a little problematic. It IS a thriller, so they can be pretty dry, so I could excuse quite a bit of it since it came across in a very "Bourne Identity for teens" kind of way. But it did make it difficult for me to believe that Hunter and Bear had ever dated--I just never got that sense. They didn't act close, they were at arm's length for the majority of the story, even before the betrayal.
I do love the ending, though. Ms. Henderson does not pull any punches. It's gritty, dark, and realistic. To find YA that does that is rarer than I like, so I always have to give props where they're due.
A recommended read for sure.
"Hunter" is a YA thriller with supernatural undertones. Our main character, codename Hunter, is a type one psychic, who can read minds. A type two psychic can block them. She works for Talon, an agency of bounty hunters. Her life changes when her own agency puts out a hit on her, and her boyfriend accepts the mission to take her out. She's rescued by a man called Seeker, who works for an opposing agency called PIT.
The story is fast-paced and chock full of action, twists, and turns. I like the concept of "types" of psychics, and how the types can directly oppose each other. Hunter also happens to be a dreamer, someone who can catch glimpses of future or past events through their dreams. It sets her up for misunderstandings in a pretty clever way, all while keeping the story tight-knit and exciting.
Unfortunately, my biggest problem was the lack of emotion. Not that it wasn't there, just that I didn't really feel like I got well enough into Hunter's head to actually FEEL them. Considering this is written in first-person, that's a little problematic. It IS a thriller, so they can be pretty dry, so I could excuse quite a bit of it since it came across in a very "Bourne Identity for teens" kind of way. But it did make it difficult for me to believe that Hunter and Bear had ever dated--I just never got that sense. They didn't act close, they were at arm's length for the majority of the story, even before the betrayal.
I do love the ending, though. Ms. Henderson does not pull any punches. It's gritty, dark, and realistic. To find YA that does that is rarer than I like, so I always have to give props where they're due.
A recommended read for sure.
August 12, 2016
Sixteen-year-old Hunter belongs to the Telepathic Alliance for the Latent or Newly manifested, otherwise known as Talon, a bounty hunter community known for their ruthless tactics. Her latest mission in San Diego was supposed to be a piece of cake, but when the job takes a treacherous and deadly turn, not even her telepathic abilities could have warned her of the dangers lurking around the corner.
There is only one place for Hunter to go, and that is straight into the hands of the government and their Psychic Intelligence Team, but even the “normal” world isn’t safe. With each passing hour throwing her deeper into the game of life and death, Hunter must decide who to trust before this mission becomes her last.
Rating: 3/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: super major special snowflake character; confusing, limited amount of world-building; some pretty epic, snarky moments; I didn't connect very well with the characters or their relationships/reactions, which weakened my investment in the story; very contrived, quickly wrapped-up ending
A HUGE thank you to Sarai Henderson and Evernight Teen Publishing for sending me a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.
Kenneth stood in front of me, a scowl on his face and his hood over his head. "It wasn't smart of you to run."
I stopped in my tracks, unsure of what to do next. There was no place to escape, not quickly enough at least. A smile was all I could muster in the irony of it all. "Well, if you haven't noticed everybody seems to be out to kill me today."
Kenneth snickered and shook his head. "I'm glad to see that you haven't lost your sarcasm, even in the face of death."
"I'm glad I amuse you."
This was a super quick and overall entertaining read. I really enjoyed that the MC is a bounty hunter....who, in the end, gets a bounty put out on her. Her struggles to come to terms with the situation, and the idea that even her "family" can betray her in the end, were relatable and heart-wrenching. The snark was on-point; I could tell, even early on, that Hunter was a fighter, not a runner...and she fought hard throughout this read. The action was fast-paced, nail-biting, and filled with tension; I was enthralled from page one, a heavy need to rush to the ending, to figure out what was going on, to know what happened next.
The plot was super quick--sometimes a little TOO much, honestly. I felt like certain scenes were rushed through. Details were missed, the writing became a slew of "tell" instead of "show"... the ending, in particular, felt a bit stiff and contrived. It also effectively turned Hunter from an intriguing, stubborn, strong-willed character...into something of a special snowflake, which I don't agree with. I felt as if the ending was, in a sense, just blotted onto the page--a Rorschach ink test meant to fill space and be taken at face value. It didn't work for me.
There was also a LOT of unnecessary death throughout this book. Hunter herself kills several key characters, and while I understand that in her situation it was a necessity--kill or be killed--there were a few other character deaths that I don't feel added anything to the story line except a "stronger" will power in Hunter. I would have preferred the bigger character death to be written a different way--or not at all. It would have been much more interesting--and made a MUCH different ending--than the way things actually turned out.
Smith placed his palms down on the table in front of him. He wore a smile like he knew a really good secret and was about to tell it. "He wants Hunter."
Rose laughed.
My heart stopped beating. My stomach churned. He was going to give me back to Talon.
Overall, this was a quick and entertaining read...but not one of my top favorites from this year so far. The characters felt a bit stiff, I couldn't really invest myself in the story because I felt like I didn't KNOW the characters well--even Hunter was a bit of a vague mystery for me. And while the prose was filled with action and snark, in the end, this book disappointed me a bit. Still, I'd recommend to readers of urban fantasy, bounty hunters, and the paranormal. This was a fun book to lose myself in for a few hours; I'll be keeping an eye out for future works from Sarai Henderson, for sure!
April 15, 2017
Hunter by Sarai Henderson * 3.5 Stars*
I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review and this does not affect my opinion on this review.
When I started reading Hunter I had a lot of expectations. The synopsis caught my attention right away. I love books related to paranormal and telepathy is one of my favorite subjects. I loved the idea portrayed on this plot and the pace was great. On the beginning I was liking Hunter, the main female character, very much. She was tough and everyone around her were always pointing out that she was the best of the agents Talon (the organization she worked with) had. However, that was not what I saw. The first half of the book everything was okay in my opinion, then I started to feel like Hunter wasn't all that I was sold. For a “best agent” she seemed pretty lost and scared. She was caught easily by the “enemy” many times. It looked like she didn't have any training, and that was not how it was supposed to be. I also had problems with my connection with the characters after a while. I loved one of the main male characters, Seeker. But even though he saved Hunter many times, I didn't really understand her trusting on him coming so strong on a very small amount of time. She said many times Seeker was the only person she could trust, but she seemed to forget that she trusted other characters the same way before. This bothered me because it contradicted her own words from the beginning of the book. Also, big part of what I liked on this book, the ability to read minds or block them, was not really present on huge part of the story. I felt some details missing and the end rushed ( which I didn't like). I also think some deaths were not necessary. On the other hand, it was a very easy read, the story per se very interesting and a certain mystery was kept around all the time. I was on edge waiting for a twist all the time. I was not sure who could I trust or who was telling the truth. I think I was more skeptical than the main character, and maybe that was what I expecting from her and didn't see. Even having pointing out some things that could have been better on my opinion, I definitely enjoyed this book. Overall 3.5 stars.”
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I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review and this does not affect my opinion on this review.
When I started reading Hunter I had a lot of expectations. The synopsis caught my attention right away. I love books related to paranormal and telepathy is one of my favorite subjects. I loved the idea portrayed on this plot and the pace was great. On the beginning I was liking Hunter, the main female character, very much. She was tough and everyone around her were always pointing out that she was the best of the agents Talon (the organization she worked with) had. However, that was not what I saw. The first half of the book everything was okay in my opinion, then I started to feel like Hunter wasn't all that I was sold. For a “best agent” she seemed pretty lost and scared. She was caught easily by the “enemy” many times. It looked like she didn't have any training, and that was not how it was supposed to be. I also had problems with my connection with the characters after a while. I loved one of the main male characters, Seeker. But even though he saved Hunter many times, I didn't really understand her trusting on him coming so strong on a very small amount of time. She said many times Seeker was the only person she could trust, but she seemed to forget that she trusted other characters the same way before. This bothered me because it contradicted her own words from the beginning of the book. Also, big part of what I liked on this book, the ability to read minds or block them, was not really present on huge part of the story. I felt some details missing and the end rushed ( which I didn't like). I also think some deaths were not necessary. On the other hand, it was a very easy read, the story per se very interesting and a certain mystery was kept around all the time. I was on edge waiting for a twist all the time. I was not sure who could I trust or who was telling the truth. I think I was more skeptical than the main character, and maybe that was what I expecting from her and didn't see. Even having pointing out some things that could have been better on my opinion, I definitely enjoyed this book. Overall 3.5 stars.”
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January 11, 2017
I received a free e-copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
I’ll get straight to the point-I didn’t really like this book. It was okay in most parts, but now that I’ve finished reading and look back, I can pick out so many things I disliked.
--Somehow, in the beginning, I thought Hunter was a guy. I didn’t read the synopsis right before diving into the book and there was no defining statement about it, and a while later it’s a she and I got so confused. My fault, but it shouldn’t be that easy to assume wrongly, right? Also, I thought Hunter was her real name, and therefore that she was a boy. The writing and view point suited more to a boy than a girl anyway.
--I didn’t like Hunter. Many times, she is just this girl who begs to not be killed and is afraid and doesn’t take charge. She’s been a bounty hunter for three years, yet she acted like a total amateur who does not have any skills. I hated reading those parts especially.
--All the side characters. Literally, I did not like ANY of them. Many times, side characters make up some in return for the main character being a disaster, but no such luck here.
--The romance was non-existent until the very last bit where suddenly out of nowhere, she and the guy exchange real names and she carves their initials on a surface later. Can I point out the things that was wrong here, please?
--There was absolutely no romance and after a while, I started appreciating that and accepted it. The story was totally on the mission and her running for her life etc.
--I might have got vibes about her and one guy but nothing happened, they didn’t even look at each other with romantic affection so I discarded that.
--In the middle of a huge scene, they suddenly have a moment (they don’t kiss) and suddenly, it’s as if he’s always been her lover. This is where I was all confused and scrunched up my face.
--In the end, there’s “S+J” and all I can say is what??? From where??
Everyone is an enemy. While I might like that as a plot normally, not when a third party steps in from nowhere and ends all of it like nothing.
Overall, no, I didn’t like it. I wasn’t sure when I was offered the copy whether this would be my cup of tea, but I was willing to give it a try. When I went over to Goodreads to mark it read, I saw that most reviews were 5/4 stars. I totally don’t get why. It’s not a whole new genre that I hate/never read, but I disliked it. I’m giving it a two because for a lot of parts, it was kinda okay. But all-in-all, not a book I would want to pick up later.
More book reviews on my blog
I’ll get straight to the point-I didn’t really like this book. It was okay in most parts, but now that I’ve finished reading and look back, I can pick out so many things I disliked.
--Somehow, in the beginning, I thought Hunter was a guy. I didn’t read the synopsis right before diving into the book and there was no defining statement about it, and a while later it’s a she and I got so confused. My fault, but it shouldn’t be that easy to assume wrongly, right? Also, I thought Hunter was her real name, and therefore that she was a boy. The writing and view point suited more to a boy than a girl anyway.
--I didn’t like Hunter. Many times, she is just this girl who begs to not be killed and is afraid and doesn’t take charge. She’s been a bounty hunter for three years, yet she acted like a total amateur who does not have any skills. I hated reading those parts especially.
--All the side characters. Literally, I did not like ANY of them. Many times, side characters make up some in return for the main character being a disaster, but no such luck here.
--The romance was non-existent until the very last bit where suddenly out of nowhere, she and the guy exchange real names and she carves their initials on a surface later. Can I point out the things that was wrong here, please?
--There was absolutely no romance and after a while, I started appreciating that and accepted it. The story was totally on the mission and her running for her life etc.
--I might have got vibes about her and one guy but nothing happened, they didn’t even look at each other with romantic affection so I discarded that.
--In the middle of a huge scene, they suddenly have a moment (they don’t kiss) and suddenly, it’s as if he’s always been her lover. This is where I was all confused and scrunched up my face.
--In the end, there’s “S+J” and all I can say is what??? From where??
Everyone is an enemy. While I might like that as a plot normally, not when a third party steps in from nowhere and ends all of it like nothing.
Overall, no, I didn’t like it. I wasn’t sure when I was offered the copy whether this would be my cup of tea, but I was willing to give it a try. When I went over to Goodreads to mark it read, I saw that most reviews were 5/4 stars. I totally don’t get why. It’s not a whole new genre that I hate/never read, but I disliked it. I’m giving it a two because for a lot of parts, it was kinda okay. But all-in-all, not a book I would want to pick up later.
More book reviews on my blog
November 17, 2016
Thank you to the author for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review!
My review can also be found on our blog Paein and Ms4Tune
I have started and put down so many books this month. All of the books had high recommendations and great ratings but for some reason, I just couldn’t find anything to sink my teeth into or anything that captured my, currently, very limited attention span. Until I picked up Hunter! Hunter was the only one that caught my attention and the only book I’ve read, and am likely to read, for the whole of October 2016. Bravo to Hunter, booo to reading slumps.
Hunter is a sixteen-year-old with telepathic powers. She can hear what regular people are thinking, which sounds awesome but has it’s down sides. For example hearing what your mother really thinks about you or endless nights of not sleeping because you can hear every inner voice around you!
Hunter left home years ago to escape her mothers thoughts and found herself taken in by a group named Talon, a group of telepaths who work together to collect bounties. It’s hard work but Hunter is good at finding the thoughts of the ones she hunts and making quick work of rounding them up. What she doesn’t expect is to become the target herself! Another group, part of the FBI, are tracking down these talented bounty hunters and now Hunter becomes the Hunted.
Hunter was full of twists and turns. I can’t believe a story that’s only 155 pages long could pack such a punch! I didn’t know who to trust, what would happen next, whether Hunter would survive even! It was an exciting fast paced urban fantasy that I hope gets a sequel!
I really enjoyed Hunter as a character. She was feisty and cocky but there was always a vulnerability about her which made her believable and lovable. I felt a real connection to her, and that helped make it all the more emotional as we watched relationships get destroyed and new relationships get tentatively born.
The ending was explosive and emotional, just what you want from a story like this and we’re left with no real loose ends which means this acts as a nice standalone but I really hope Sarai Henderson considers returning to these characters at some point because I want to know what they decide to do next!
All in all a great new addition to the Urban Fantasy genre and I can’t wait to see what else Sarai Henderson has to offer.
My review can also be found on our blog Paein and Ms4Tune
I have started and put down so many books this month. All of the books had high recommendations and great ratings but for some reason, I just couldn’t find anything to sink my teeth into or anything that captured my, currently, very limited attention span. Until I picked up Hunter! Hunter was the only one that caught my attention and the only book I’ve read, and am likely to read, for the whole of October 2016. Bravo to Hunter, booo to reading slumps.
Hunter is a sixteen-year-old with telepathic powers. She can hear what regular people are thinking, which sounds awesome but has it’s down sides. For example hearing what your mother really thinks about you or endless nights of not sleeping because you can hear every inner voice around you!
Hunter left home years ago to escape her mothers thoughts and found herself taken in by a group named Talon, a group of telepaths who work together to collect bounties. It’s hard work but Hunter is good at finding the thoughts of the ones she hunts and making quick work of rounding them up. What she doesn’t expect is to become the target herself! Another group, part of the FBI, are tracking down these talented bounty hunters and now Hunter becomes the Hunted.
Hunter was full of twists and turns. I can’t believe a story that’s only 155 pages long could pack such a punch! I didn’t know who to trust, what would happen next, whether Hunter would survive even! It was an exciting fast paced urban fantasy that I hope gets a sequel!
I really enjoyed Hunter as a character. She was feisty and cocky but there was always a vulnerability about her which made her believable and lovable. I felt a real connection to her, and that helped make it all the more emotional as we watched relationships get destroyed and new relationships get tentatively born.
The ending was explosive and emotional, just what you want from a story like this and we’re left with no real loose ends which means this acts as a nice standalone but I really hope Sarai Henderson considers returning to these characters at some point because I want to know what they decide to do next!
All in all a great new addition to the Urban Fantasy genre and I can’t wait to see what else Sarai Henderson has to offer.
February 7, 2018
3 stars. A very short spy story involving telepaths. Those were the downfalls of this book. It read more like a novella to me. There was hardly any time for character growth, and when growth did happen, it felt like it came out of the blue. There just wasn't enough time in the story.
The MC, a girl who goes by Hunter, works for Talon company with her boyfriend Bear. They're basically bounty hunters. To be traditional with its spy roots, there's backstabbing. Betrayal. Double-crossing. People are not who you think they are. Really, it read more like a movie than a book. There was hardly any backstory, and all we're given about the telepaths are things like this: "She's a type one telepath. She can read minds." "He's a type two telepath. He can only block." Not really descriptive. How did telepaths come about? Does the general public know about them or just the super secret agencies?
We don't know.
There was a death at the end. If you've seen a lot of stuff like this you can probably guess who will bite the dust. Usually I'm all for deaths, but this one...since the story felt so short and I didn't have time to really connect with the characters, I just felt...meh.
It was very action-packed and was very easy to read. However, it did take me about an hour and a half, which like I said, I think was its downfall. If it had been longer and included more downtime scenes with the characters, I think I would have rated it higher because it was enjoyable.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The MC, a girl who goes by Hunter, works for Talon company with her boyfriend Bear. They're basically bounty hunters. To be traditional with its spy roots, there's backstabbing. Betrayal. Double-crossing. People are not who you think they are. Really, it read more like a movie than a book. There was hardly any backstory, and all we're given about the telepaths are things like this: "She's a type one telepath. She can read minds." "He's a type two telepath. He can only block." Not really descriptive. How did telepaths come about? Does the general public know about them or just the super secret agencies?
We don't know.
There was a death at the end. If you've seen a lot of stuff like this you can probably guess who will bite the dust. Usually I'm all for deaths, but this one...since the story felt so short and I didn't have time to really connect with the characters, I just felt...meh.
It was very action-packed and was very easy to read. However, it did take me about an hour and a half, which like I said, I think was its downfall. If it had been longer and included more downtime scenes with the characters, I think I would have rated it higher because it was enjoyable.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 5, 2016
***I read this book in exchange for an honest review from Lovers of Paranormal and the author.***
So I read this book while I've been on vacation for the past week and although I hardly had any time to read this whole trip within the two days I had time to, I devoured this book. I would say I was absolutely into it for the first 80% of the book, then Henderson took the dramatic route and I must, say I wasn't a fan of the outcome. Mostly because I was a BIG Jesse fan (if you've finished the book, you'll understand the reference).
Hunter was a great and entertaining character until that point and I loved the idea of a paranormal agency for telepaths. There were great surprises that kept me on my toes and interesting characters to keep me interested. I like the idea of Talon and what it became throughout the book and PIT's role in it's transformation.
If it weren't for the way it ended, I would have 5 starred it. As it happened though, I had to drop it down because that is definitely NOT my cup of tea, regardless of the point the author was trying to make, I just prefer it differently.
3 stars :)
So I read this book while I've been on vacation for the past week and although I hardly had any time to read this whole trip within the two days I had time to, I devoured this book. I would say I was absolutely into it for the first 80% of the book, then Henderson took the dramatic route and I must, say I wasn't a fan of the outcome. Mostly because I was a BIG Jesse fan (if you've finished the book, you'll understand the reference).
Hunter was a great and entertaining character until that point and I loved the idea of a paranormal agency for telepaths. There were great surprises that kept me on my toes and interesting characters to keep me interested. I like the idea of Talon and what it became throughout the book and PIT's role in it's transformation.
If it weren't for the way it ended, I would have 5 starred it. As it happened though, I had to drop it down because that is definitely NOT my cup of tea, regardless of the point the author was trying to make, I just prefer it differently.
3 stars :)
November 15, 2016
I received a free copy of this from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Protagonist/s: 3/5
Love Interest/s: 2/5
World Building: 3/5
Plot: 3/5
Overall score 11/20 which is 3 stars.
Hunter is a short and decent novel about 16 year old Hunter who was a telepath working for a bounty agency. When things take a turn for the worse she then winds up having to switch sides.
The world building was good, there was some stuff you wonder about but nothing that confuses you. The characters were mostly good though Bear and Hunters supposed relationship could have been made clearer but you root for Hunter at least.
The main problem I had though was the pacing. It could have been a much longer book but because it wasn't the ending was rushed and you're told, not shown what happens. Plus the whole dream aspect is picked up early on and then pretty much discarded as the author didn't need to mention it this book. It was a good read but I really wish it had been longer so it could have reached its true potential.
Protagonist/s: 3/5
Love Interest/s: 2/5
World Building: 3/5
Plot: 3/5
Overall score 11/20 which is 3 stars.
Hunter is a short and decent novel about 16 year old Hunter who was a telepath working for a bounty agency. When things take a turn for the worse she then winds up having to switch sides.
The world building was good, there was some stuff you wonder about but nothing that confuses you. The characters were mostly good though Bear and Hunters supposed relationship could have been made clearer but you root for Hunter at least.
The main problem I had though was the pacing. It could have been a much longer book but because it wasn't the ending was rushed and you're told, not shown what happens. Plus the whole dream aspect is picked up early on and then pretty much discarded as the author didn't need to mention it this book. It was a good read but I really wish it had been longer so it could have reached its true potential.
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