The Story Hunter

The Weaver Trilogy #3

by Lindsay A. Franklin

Redeeming the past is a fatal quest.

In the wake of a deadly coup, the capital city of Urian has descended into chaos. Heartbreak and bloodshed await Tanwen and her friends as they discover the unlikeliest leader now rules Tir.

If they want to save the realm, Tannie and the Corsyth weavers must rescue Queen Braith and unmask the Master, ending the strife once and for all. But the success of their hunt depends upon an ally no one trusts.

The Master has a new target in sight: fragile, trauma-scarred Digwyn, whose unique weaving ability could turn the tide of any war. When the desire for vengeance proves too powerful for Digwyn to resist, Tanwen must face a terrifying truth: the fate of Tir rests in the hands of a volatile, shattered girl.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Christian, Christian Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Christian Fantasy

360 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2020

About the author

Lindsay A. Franklin is the Carol Award–winning author of The Story Peddler and ECPA best-selling author of Adored. By day, she wrangles chaos as Managing Editor of Enclave Publishing. By night, she spins whimsical tales fueled by hot drinks, rainy days, and the thunderous purrs of her spoiled cats. Lindsay lives with her family among the misty evergreens of the Pacific Northwest. She is currently on a quest to discover the sparkliest nail polish on the planet. You can find Lindsay on Instagram @LinzyAFranklin.

Reviews

[Lindsay Franklin]

Well, friends, we have reached the end of the road. At least for this trilogy. ;) If you have not yet read the previous books in the trilogy, The Story Peddler and The Story Raider, there be spoilers below. I'll block them out so you can read general content notes about the book, if you wish.

Some content notes about The Story Hunter:

The arc that began for Diggy in The Story Raider is continued in The Story Hunter. She is one of my new POV characters in Hunter, so we get to witness her thoughts and her inner life firsthand. Themes of trauma impact and recovery are examined, including some of the unhealthier coping mechanisms common to trauma survivors. Diggy is a character near to my heart, and I wanted to give her character and her story the space to be real--even if that looked a little less sparkly and optimistic than I wanted it to. When I sat down to plot out The Story Hunter, the number one question rolling through my mind was, "Is there a way back?"

If Hunter were a movie, it would be rated PG-13. I have recommended the previous two books for ages 12/13+, but I am upping that age to 14+ for Hunter. As it's the climax of the series, there is an uptick in fantasy violence (of the sword-fighting variety), as well as a physical attack that might be upsetting for some readers. In that attack and its aftermath, I'm again exploring the impact of trauma and the question of finding one's way home when the world has turned dark.

There's a lot of personal pain poured into this book, but I hope readers will see the other parts of me in these pages too--a soul who made it home through faith in Jesus when my world was darkest. I believe we must see the good and find the light, and I believe we all need a bit more magic and sparkle and hope in our lives, no matter what we've been through.

Happy adventuring, my friends, until we meet again. ♥

[Nadine Brandes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterful conclusion to an entrancing trilogy. I couldn’t put the book down. Couldn’t stop thinking about it after I’d finished. This is the type of story readers everywhere crave.

[R.F. Gammon · Rating 4 out of 5]

FINALLY I connected with these characters! Which feels like a BIG deal when you consider I didn't really register with any of them besides Braith in the earlier books. But the story finally came full circle and ACK everyone grew so much and yes. Big old yes.

[Kailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Just wow! I sat down to read this today after binge reading the rest of the series and I finished this in one sitting! It was that good! I didn’t want it to end. I ended up caring for Tanwen and all of the rebel weavers. This almost leaves me wishing for more books to continue their story. This was a great series and I plan on reading it again one day!



I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

[Jane Maree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a gripping, page-turning finale to an epic, all-time favourite trilogy. I had such high hopes for this book and it slayed every single one above and beyond what I could have imagined.

The sweet characters have come so far since the first book, and I've grown to love them so dearly. Their stories are so close to my heart, and I can't believe it's over. Hunter perfectly tied up all the character arcs, plot elements, and all the things, while still showing a beautiful open future of adventure for all the characters at the end. It's just so, so perfect.

I never wanted to put this down! This whole trilogy is masterfully written and lingers long in my heart and mind. I know it'll be one I revisit many times to come!

Overall, this series is so intense, heart-wrenching, funny, unique, vibrant, and absolutely adventurous. I can't recommend it enough. This whole trilogy comes with my highest recommendation.

Content:
- magic that's been twisted to evil
- a character has been sexually abused in the past
- character deaths
- fight scenes
- dead bodies in the aftermath of fights
- characters are badly injured
- one character is nearly sexually assaulted, but defends herself
- one or two good kiss scenes (so precious)


I received a complimentary copy from the author and was not required to write a positive review.

[Jacquelyn 💐 {This Rapunzel Reads} [Jesus Christ, my Living Hope] · Rating 4 out of 5]

⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️

WOW! What a finish to this fascinating trilogy! Finally, everything ended up the way it should have! Tannie grew so much as a character and in my heart! Mor was…I just love him! 😍 Braith is such a good character! I adore her! Okay, Kharn wormed his way into my heart and I admit I like him! Diggy was ruthless and honestly, I didn’t like her. Karlith was such a dear character with such a wonderful prospective on Heaven to come. I really enjoyed the stronger faith content! But there were SO many people who died. Left and right, people were being stabbed and murdered. Honestly, I became weary of it. My heart broke for how many characters died. Overall, it was a great trilogy with endearing and brave characters! I do recommend and would definitely read it again!

Quote that I liked:

⚡️ He smiled and pulled me in close. "Tannie girl, this life we live, this world that has been given to us, it's a wonderful thing. But believe me when I say this is just the beginning.”

⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️

[M Shen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well. It's finished.

And there couldn't have been a more satisfying conclusion! It's time for Tannie and the crew to win the day again and it ain't easy going. While I didn't enjoy this book as much as the other two, it was still wonderful!

This book lets us into a couple more characters' heads, each POV bringing along a unique new perspective and distinct voice. The villain finally comes to light and doesn't hesitate to play all the cards. The stakes get high in this one!

The characters, especially Braith and One That Shall Go Unnamed, really get to shine. I felt that Mor seemed to step into the background a little, just kinda making way for the others' drama, and that was sad. Diggy, even though her backstory is heartbreaking, is so cold and withdrawn that her chapters are just... numb. Not necessarily a bad thing, in fact it made sense and really makes the reader feel what she feels. Interesting. Tannie was a ray of sunshine, as usual, and I just love her relationship with her father!

There's a thread of tragedy that runs through this entire trilogy, through its themes, and it's moving. The best part is that despite it, there's still joy and forgiveness and redemption-- redemption/forgiveness playing a huge role in this novel. Loved that.

I'm happy with this finale and can't wait for whatever Lindsay Franklin is writing next!

*I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. A positive review was not required; all views and opinions expressed are my own.*

[Rose | Adventurous Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh!!!! What did I just read? Ok, seriously, this book was the perfect conclusion to the Weaver Trilogy and did not disappoint. All my favorite characters were back!
I thought I would have a little trouble starting this because it's been so long since I've read the first two but that was not to be. It was quite easy to get back into the story and it felt as if I never left and I was able to fly through the story. Lindsay's writing style is elegant yet very easy to comprehend, never bogging the reader down with unnecessary details.
The themes mentioned throughout the book were all very important and The Story Hunter did not gloss over hurt. It placed an emphasis on the fact that everyone has a chance to do good or bad and the person has to decide.
The ending was flawless. All the loose ends were wrapped up and I couldn't be happier with how everything turned out. I'd recommend this whole series to anyone who wants a touching, heartbreaking, and healing fantasy.
Rating: 5/5
Language: N/A
Romance: a couple kisses, mentions how one girl was abused in the past, one man tries to harm a girl
Spiritual: the characters referance the Source of their strands
Violence: sword fights, deaths, mentions where people were harmed during battle
*I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.

[Jess (Jessie’s World of Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚡️ 𝑭𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒌 ⚡️

(I’ll keep this short to avoid spoilers for books one and two)

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝑯𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓 was the perfect ending to a wonderful trilogy! I breezed through it at the speed of light and felt all the emotions while doing so. Everything about this story was captivating.

I also loved how this book was entirely unique—no generic last book here!

Honestly, at this point I had gotten very attached to Tannie, Mor, Braith, & the rest of the band of weavers, so turning the last page was bittersweet as I had come to the end of their journey.

Overall I very satisfied with the way the story was masterfully woven to a close, and would highly recommend to anyone who loves christian fantasy with very light magic and incredibly lovable and spunky characters!

𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: Christian YA Fantasy

𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔: The Weaver Trilogy | Book 3

𝑭𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒚 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕: Level 2 - Fantasy Gifts

𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕: Level 3 - Kissing

𝑽𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆: Light - Moderate

𝑺𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈: None

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm very upset that I read this so fast...

It was so wonderful to slip back into this world. The storyworld of The Weaver Trilogy is still probably my favorite fictional world. The third and final book for the trilogy did not disappoint. I knew it wouldn't. ;) All the same lovable characters (some not so lovable [I'm looking at you, Dray]) and high-stakes adventures. Hope, healing, and saving the world.
I'm SO GLAD Diggy got a POV in this book! I thought her story was so powerful and inspiring. And I just wanted to hug her the whole time. I love her spunk and independence. <3
And Tannie...ah, Tannie. I love this protagonist. I love how she grew from the farm girl in Pembrone to discovering what her storyweaving powers meant.
It's so sad to let some of these characters go. I mean, I can always reread the books, but there will never be any new adventures, you know? :( But I'm still so thankful to have these amazing stories to come back to. <3

And also many tears were shed...

[J.J. Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful! Loved the whole trilogy from start to finish. It was a lovely ending too :-)

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Has it really been three months since I read this book?

Yes.

Has it taken me this long to actually gather coherent thoughts other than YOU NEED TO READ THIS and various levels of screaming at the author?

Also yes.

Hooo boy. Here goes.
Tannie and our favorite gang of story pirates are back, and they’re on a mission. One that could get ALL of them killed. No pressure, right?
Braith is fighting for her throne, and there may also be some drama involving a boy...
And have I mentioned the crew on the mission includes a rather volatile weaver who has some PTSD issues?
(Lets put it this way, there was a lot of screaming of a particular name, followed by the word NO from me at the author, and it wasn’t always good screaming 😬)
There is a trigger warning in the beginning, and it’s very well said. There was definitely some content that was painful for me to read, even not having experienced such things, but they were handled very well in my opinion.
And of course, because we fangirls must have it, there was plenty #MoreMor. 😜
This series will always and forever be one of my favorites, and I’m sad to see it end, but I CAN’T WAIT for more from Lindsay Franklin.
GO READ THIS SERIES, PEOPLE. You won’t regret it. ❤️
(I received an advance copy from the publisher, all opinions are my own)

[Addy Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

To speak positively about the conclusion to this trilogy, WOW. Just WOW.

To speak negatively, there was quite some content that made me cringe a little. No, a lot.

First things first, the content:
-Language: n/a
-Romance: several kisses, hand holding, hugging, plenty of feelings, etc. [ALL CLEAN]
-Violence: people brutally killed, certain characters are beaten & severely mistreated, one character is almost sexually assaulted, a young character has a history of being mistreated & toyed around with by men, countless characters die
-Blood/Gore: plenty of details of the aftermath of injuries, details of people getting 'stitched up', a character is stabbed & the blood spills on a persons clothes.
-Other: Here is what I did not enjoy reading (mild spoilers ahead): If you read book 2, you know that Diggy, Mor's little sister, has a sad history of being used and harmed by many men. Basically, she was repeatedly sexually abused. I'll just be outright and say it, I didn't like reading it. I realize what Mrs. Lindsay was trying to do- paint a picture of what happens in real life all of the time. Paint a picture of redemption. I guess something about those details and parts made me squirm uncomfortably.
Also, [I'm going to be very distinct here] a certain female character was forced into a room by a former suitor, shoved upon a bed, and forcibly kissed multiple times. Along with other suggestive words said by the man, the reader can come to the conclusion what would have happened if she hadn't been able to defend herself in the end.

*breathes sigh of relief* Now that I got all of that off my chest, let me just say, I absolutely adore this trilogy. Lindsay did a phenomenal job weaving Tannie's story (pun intended), and I loved every character. I felt emotion at the proper places, and felt disgust and hatred at many others. I loveee Tannie and Mor, and of course, sweet Brac. I could have done with a few less characters ? but I feel in the end, each one had played an important part.

Overall, a great trilogy. Maybe not as good of an ending as I would've liked, but still a good book. I would recommend for ages 13+ due to content mentioned above.

Long live the Queen

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world was amazing yet again in the conclusion to The Weaver Trilogy! Lindsay has crafted a world that will absorb you into the story every time you read it, without fail. This is a world that I will not be forgetting any time soon.
I love how Lindsay has a beautiful writing style while not making it too hard to comprehend. I will never understand how she does it. The entire series was just so well written!
Overall I really enjoyed this series and the way she wrapped everything up. I gave this book four out of five stars!

[deborah o'carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a majestic conclusion to this fantasy trilogy! I'm not sure quite what I expected, but I quite enjoyed THE STORY HUNTER, for the most part!

It was somehow cozy and familiar to be back in this world for the finale of this series, even with my near-panicked uncertainty of AAHH WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? (You know, like coming into watching Endgame for the first time. XD) I was so curious to find out what was going to happen to these characters -- after waiting all this time for the last book to release -- and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would!

Which . . . sounds wrong, when I put it that way. But I was bracing myself for a lot more darkness and sadness, on par with the second book, and was pleasantly surprised with how things wrapped up. Don't get me wrong -- this book is definitely somewhat dark and grim, in some ways more than book two (although book two had all the middle-book-darkness-without-any-victory-to-offset-it feel which is, I suppose, why I enjoyed this one more). The stakes also ramped up a bit for the finale, and there were one or two darker parts that weren't my favorite. But there was also much hope and light sprinkled in, a lot of triumph and unexpected twists, and even a proper eucatastrophe moment, to use Tolkien's word. So I guess I would say it balanced itself out.

There's heartache and loss but also love and light, and it wrapped up everything in a mostly-satisfying way and made me pretty happy. ^_^ It did give me all the feels (laughing at banter, shedding a tear or two but in a good way at the beautiful legacies left behind) but it didn't tear my heart out like I was afraid it would, and overall, by the end, it left me . . . uplifted. Which is something that's good to feel at the end of a series. :)

I quite enjoy the unique world and it just felt cozy to be back in it, like I said. It's colorful and unique, even shrouded in the darkness that's fallen across it as of book two. All the caverns and strands were particularly cool! And I loved following the large cast of characters -- all well juggled, although I wanted more of Kharn but I suppose under the circumstances that wouldn't have worked out so well. XD

I'm not mentioning everyone by name because I don't want to give anything away (awk, trying to write book three reviews without spoilers is hard!) but I will say I was glad to see how several of the characters' arcs ended, and some of them make me smile. I also loved the beautiful tribute near the end to those lost along their journey, which made those sad parts a little more worth it, somehow.

There were one or two things and/or character actions that seemed to come totally out of the blue and left me kind of bewildered and going "wait, what?", but I rolled with it and things turned out better than I expected in some cases, so I'm cool with it, mostly. XD (And to be fair, it could just be the fact that I read the previous book a year ago, and the first book two years ago, and I may have just missed certain connections or not remembered seeing things before -- like Celyn, who I'm not complaining about AT ALL but had no memory of meeting before.) And, again, a couple of the darker parts I wasn't fond of, but there you are.

Still, on the whole, I absolutely LOVED how it drew so many elements from the previous two books and wove them together, all the strands weaving into a beautiful, if sometimes scary, tapestry. Everything connected for the finale, in a swirling crescendo of color and characters -- I absolutely loved how everything came together for the end! It made me so happy. The adventure definitely kept me on the edge of my seat, worried for everyone at every step, not able to put the book down and reading until midnight to finish.

Overall, I'm so glad I finally got to read the end of this saga, and while there were a few stumbles along the way (and I don't really recommend the second and third books to younger or sensitive readers), it's still been quite a journey -- an often-fun one, with laughter and tears and a reminder of the good and the light in the world, even amidst the darkness.

Because the light wins and "winter will not last forever." A magnificent, fitting end to the Weaver Trilogy. ^_^

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my lanta, I am so sad that this amazing trilogy has come to an end. I love these characters so much and I am super sad to be at the end of the road with them. I really want more books, but I know that all good things must come to an end. I really love how Ms. Franklin connected all three of these books. I really wish that I had re-read books 1 and 2 before reading this one, but it only took me a little while to get back into the world of Tir.

These characters are some of my all-time favorite characters. Their personalities and just the way that they interact with one another has me in love with them, especially Mor. He is fantastic! ;) I loved watching Tannie grow and mature more throughout this book and I really loved getting to know Diggy more. Her backstory is so heartbreaking but I loved watching her fight through it.

Oh man, I can't go very far into talking about the plot only because I would end up spoiling the previous book but y'all Lindsey Frankling sure knows how to write a majestic series. Like seriously this plot was clearly evident in books 1 and 2, but it was so well hidden that I was not expecting it at all. Another thing that made this book so amazing was that one of my top OTP's ship sailed off (which if you've ever read the first book you would know how funny and ironic it is that it's a ship....xD)!! Literally I was laying in bed squealing, I was so happy!!

If you have not read books 1 or 2 then I highly recommend doing so especially since this book just was released last month. I can't tell you how much I honest to goodness love this series. Like this is one of the G.O.A.T series!!

*FTC: I volunteered to read this book and received it from Just Reads through the author. All thoughts are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.*

[Alysha (For The Love of Christian Fiction) · Rating 5 out of 5]

How does one begin to describe this story ? This whole series? (Especially without spoilers...😜)

If you haven't gotten on 'the Weaver Trilogy' boat, I don't know what you're doing?! From the first page of book one, until the last word of book 3, this series will take you on adventures like you've never seen before.

SO much was packed into this last story!
Character growth. Heartache. Restoration. Healing.

The story came alive, just like the stories in the book. The words wove their way around until they crystallized into the masterpiece that can sit on our shelf forever!

I would LOVE to go into detail, but because spoilers are a REAL thing, I'll keep my thoughts and feelings slightly contained.

This series was glorious, but this story was beautiful! Definitely my favorite of the series.
I'm going to miss this world with my whole heart! My greatest wish is that a few novellas will be written, so we can get another glimpse into this place.

I cannot wait to see where Lindsay takes us next!
I rated it a 4.5/5 stars

*I received this book from the author**All opinions are my own*

[Nicki Chapelway · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, this whole series really, reads in such an easy conversational manner. It is probably due to the main POV's voice, but it is quite refreshing and light hearted as far as high fantasy goes. So much so that when something happens, like perhaps a character being maimed, or a whole host of people being slaughtered, it takes you quite by surprise. Because my goodness, I have spent so much time with this cast, they feel almost like a family (I'm less sure about Diggy). And the ships! While they don't get a lot of attention, the little attention they get. Well I ship it hard that's for sure.

Once again the world building and the plot were very well done and original. But definitely the main focus is the characters and with good reason.

For me this was a comfort read... with a few zingers.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, all opinions, however, are my own.

[MJSH · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I can't control what was done to me yesterday or last year or four years ago. But I can decide who I want to be tomorrow."

What an adrenaline-infused, action-packed conclusion to the Weaver Trilogy! This is a series that must be read in order because the books pick up right where the previous on left off in this epic saga of good versus evil in the fantasy kingdom of Tir. This world, poised in an era before modern conveniences, is incredibly detailed and delightful. The dialogue among the rebel weavers is fun, witty, and filled with brotherly affection. The plot moves at a fast pace in this story since all the groundwork of the plot has been laid down in the two earlier books and the readers even know the identity of the evil mastermind. So now Tanwen and Mor and their group of weavers just need to save the kingdom from evil, right? Yes.... but their journey is filled with setbacks, betrayals, surprises, twists and turns, plenty of swordfights, and so much grief. By far, this is the most emotional book out of the trilogy with sacrifices made in the name of goodness and justice and the characters realizing their purposes in life and the beauty of familial loyalty.

Told from Tanwen, Brac and Diggy's first person perspective and Braith's third person perspective, the guiding voice changes hands but the different voices add layers and richness to the plot and allow action to occur in multiple places. All the characters mature greatly and we learn more about Mor and Yestin (Tanwen's father) as they lead the group to find the evil Master for the last battle. Mor is an amazingly swoony hero - loyal, steadfast, protective, and tender. Though he often loses himself in a sea of regrets, Mor is a wonderful complement for Tanwen and their romance is quite sweet, even when constantly running from impending doom and death. Diggy, Mor's sister with a nebulous gift and power, is a relatively new addition to the crew and her perspective is unique in first person present tense and her backstory is heart-breaking but her strength and dignity are amazing.

If you enjoy a well-written fantasy set in a world that will pull you into the its beauty and heartache, you will absolutely love this book as well as the series. Fantastically done, Lindsay Franklin!

I received a copy of the book from the author/Enclave Publishing and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

[Maya Joelle]

Fun, fast-paced, a lot of info dumping, unclear magic system, really unfortunate naming system & nicknames, excessively violent including attempted assault & references to rape. But I think my strongest feeling was the fact that I would not wait a year to marry my boyfriend after we finally kissed & got together (I guess I'm not like other girls).

(^^This was me condensing my review almost 3 years after I wrote it)

[Amelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really stressed about this rating, so I'm just going with it: 3.5 stars

[Elizabeth Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

DIGGY.

A lovely end to this beautiful crafted series.

To be honest, I was a bit surprised at some very… uh… bloody scenes (so be aware of that if you’re sensitive to blood, dead bodies, wounds, etc.).

ABSOLUTELY LOVE EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER (the good ones, that is). (Except I couldn’t really connect with Braith, but oh well.)

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Thank you, Lindsay Franklin, for a paperback copy of the book!***

I've honestly not wanted to write this review. I loved both The Story Peddler and The Story Raider and had high expectations for the conclusion of the trilogy. Unfortunately, this book fell short of my expectations. First off, though, what I did like:

- Digwyn. What a fun character she is! I loved her sassy remarks. She has such a spunky personality, but she is also fighting a lot of demons in her life. She had some great quotes as well, "Your feelings are too big for your body, so sometimes they spill out of your face." I loved how this fully encompassed the feeling of crying!

- Dray. I was honestly *SPOILER* heartbroken that he wasn't redeemed. I loved his character and the conflict inside of him (so many characters with inner conflict!). I really wanted him to be redeemed; however, I did really appreciate how not everything turned out great in the end. How Lindsay showed that some people just are too stuck in their ways to change. So I also liked that he wasn't redeemed, if that makes sense.

- There were some absolutely fantastic quotes/descriptions! My favorites were:
"A place of healing--usually clean, white, crisp--was painted as if by a murderous child."

"What should have been a fortress has become a tomb."

What I felt was lacking (these are entirely my opinions):

- Tannie and Mor. Don't get me wrong, I totally ship Tannie and Mor. However, I felt like both of their fiery personalities were very muted in this book and overtaken by mushy gushy lovey feelings. Especially with so much evil happening around them, I felt like there was too much mushyness between them that detracted from the main plot. Their characters just didn't feel as strong in this book as in the other books.

- The villain. *SPOILER* I thought it was neat and surprising that the Master ended up being Braith's mother. I did not see that coming! However, I felt like she lapsed into a lot of cliches. Wearing all black, lust for power, disappointment in her "too good" child, thinking she can never be fooled,etc. After the plot twist of her being Braith’s mother, I wish she was more original as I think she would’ve been a more powerful villain then. As it was, because she slipped into many cliches, I didn’t feel very scared of her.

- The allies. Zel, Aeron, Karlith, etc. were all part of the cast of allies in this book. I wish there had been fewer of the allies and that, as a reader, I would get to know them more. Because there were so many, it felt like I couldn't really get to know the characters.

- Braith. I wish more had happened in Braith's POVs. They seemed to be utilized just so the reader could see what was happening behind the scenes with the villain, which was unnecessary in my opinion. She just seemed very helpless, and her POV chapters didn't really offer anything to me as a reader except reveal who the villain was.

I really wanted to love this book, like I said. I enjoyed the other two books in the trilogy, but I just felt like a lot was lacking in this last installment of the trilogy. I did still enjoy it, however, and would still highly recommend this entire trilogy to lovers of YA fantasy!

[C.F.E. Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a fun read. This book, the third in her Weaver Trilogy, does not disappoint. Franklin keeps you turning pages until you reach the explosive ending. Her world building and character development are strong and immerse you in the story. Tannie and her crew will stick with you long after you finish this series. A must-read series from beginning to end.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Story Hunter by Lindsay A. Franklin is an epic ending to an amazing fantasy series. The story picks up right where The Story Raider leaves off and once again brings readers into a captivating world of weavers and their magical strands. The story is thrillingly action packed and fast paced and will definitely keep readers on the edge of their seats wanting to know the ending of this exciting book and series. This original story of good versus evil is full of surprises, betrayals, and twists and turns that will leave readers guessing and wanting more. Readers will not want to miss this impressive series ending.

Series: The Weaver Trilogy
Genre: young adult, fantasy
Publisher: Enclave
Publication date: May 19, 2020
Number of pages: 368

Other books in the series:
1-The Story Peddler
2-The Story Raider

Disclosure statement: A complimentary review copy of this book was provided from tour groups, publishers, publicists, and authors, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, Or borrowed from Kindle Unlimited OR pre-ordered/purchased for review. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

[Kristiana Sfirlea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be the strongest third book of a trilogy I've ever read. Period.

The story is so balanced and perfectly paced! I've loved falling deeper in love with these characters with every installment of the Weaver trilogy, and The Story Hunter sealed my affection for them forever. Each character is so uniquely them! I adore Tanwen because she has such a different attitude than most YA protagonists. She's real and sweet and goofy and compassionate. There's this one section that sums up Tanwen's stereotype-breaking mindset, and it's this:

"A year passed...I probably would have insisted on being in the thick of the fighting. I would have balked at the idea of being kept out of it, left behind, assigned to protect and guard rather than charge ahead.

But now I've lost enough that I just want everyone to get across the city in one piece. If that meant I couldn't be in the middle of the action, that was fine as a fluff-hopper."

And then there's Digwyn...my dear, dear Diggy. Her character arc was FLAWLESS - so beautiful and twisty and powerful. There's this one scene near then end of the book where...oh, readers, you know the part I'm talking about. And it made me want to pump my fists in the air! Diggy is just the most fascinating character, and I'm so happy we got to spend quality time with her in The Story Hunter.

The perfectly fitting ending to a truly wonderful Christian fantasy trilogy!

[Erin Dydek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Ending!

I loved this series finale so much! With a mix of lessons learned, bittersweet moments, and happy triumphs I was very pleased with how this series ended. The things I was hoping to see came to fruition through character growth and perfect pacing. This was definitely the most gritty of the three books, with some heavier content as the final battle ensued. But the ending was fantastic: well-written, edge-of-your-seat climax followed by a smooth transition to a satisfying resolution.

[Ralene Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited to return to the Story Weaver trilogy and the wonders of the art-inspired powers and the characters we've come to love. Lindsay did not disappoint! Well-crafted with lots of emotions, the ending to Tannie's adventure is unexpected and fulfilling. I laughed. I cried. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

“Family is there to hold you together in the places you're weak. To let you know you belong somewhere in a world that might want to chew you up and spit you out.”

[Eunice Song · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this conclusion to the Weaver trilogy! As the story went along I became invested in it! I had to know who the master was and how it would all turn out. Lots of action and suspense! I really enjoyed it!