Helpful Score: 5
Miu is on a dangerous mission to steal a precious necklace that is hidden somewhere in the temple of Amun Ra. The temple is overrun with Guardian warriors who can turn into feral cats at a moment's notice. Miu is so daring because she is a thief who is under control of Lierr who holds Miu's sister captive. Miu has a week to bring the necklace to Lierr or he will make her sister suffer. Miu is going to have a very difficult time because the only way for her to enter the temple is to participate in the bride hunt. For the hunt, virgin females are given a dowry and are hunted by the Guardians, and if caught they will be their mates. Miu is no virgin, but she's good at pretending to be something she's not. She thinks if she pretends to be a hapless virgin, she will have an easier time in locating the necklace.
Because Miu is too cocky for her own good, she catches the eye of Amun Ra who rules over the temple and the Guardians. He thinks Miu is up to no good and orders Jafar, a much skilled Guardian, to keep an eye on her. Jafar isn't too thrilled with the babysitting job. But as he stalks her in the shadows, his inner cat calls out for Miu, as it would if it spotted his mate. Jafar doesn't want Miu as his mate, even though he protects and helps her get out of scrapes as she roams the dangerous winding tunnels.
Miu mistakenly thinks Jafar is another thief Lierr sent in case she wasn't successful. She offers a compromise and Jafar goes along with her. But then Miu finds the necklace and if caught, her crime is punishable by death. Jafar has fallen hard for Miu and the only way he can keep her safe and alive is to make her his mate and bond with her for all eternity.
The Hunt takes place in an alternative universe that is very reminiscent of Dara Joy's past romances. The men here are very alpha and sex-driven and the women, such as Miu, are no-nonsense and prickly. I let out a few chuckles because Miu really does keep Jafar on his toes and annoys him so much that he doesn't know what to do with her because she is always outwitting him. These two are very strong-willed but also stubborn. Because of that they get into more problems than they could have ever imagined. Watching Miu try to talk her way out of things was one of the reasons to keep reading.
The lust Miu and Jafar act upon wasn't as heated as I thought it would be. The buildup between them has its moments, but when they finally quench their desire for one another, I found it to be a bit flat. There are more than a few sex scenes here but they just didn't excite. I was more interested in how Miu was going to rescue her sister and the banter she shares back and forth with Jafar.
Anne Marsh has some nice world building in The Hunt, but at times I couldn't figure out if she was trying for a dark, angsty read or a more lighthearted one. For a freshman novel I would say the author has done an acceptable job. I would be interested in seeing possible future books that take place in this world Ms. Marsh has created. I think Ms. Marsh has some great potential as a paranormal romance author who can build up a fan base.
The Hunt has some fun moments with a hero and heroine who make a great team, even though they drive each other crazy.
Because Miu is too cocky for her own good, she catches the eye of Amun Ra who rules over the temple and the Guardians. He thinks Miu is up to no good and orders Jafar, a much skilled Guardian, to keep an eye on her. Jafar isn't too thrilled with the babysitting job. But as he stalks her in the shadows, his inner cat calls out for Miu, as it would if it spotted his mate. Jafar doesn't want Miu as his mate, even though he protects and helps her get out of scrapes as she roams the dangerous winding tunnels.
Miu mistakenly thinks Jafar is another thief Lierr sent in case she wasn't successful. She offers a compromise and Jafar goes along with her. But then Miu finds the necklace and if caught, her crime is punishable by death. Jafar has fallen hard for Miu and the only way he can keep her safe and alive is to make her his mate and bond with her for all eternity.
The Hunt takes place in an alternative universe that is very reminiscent of Dara Joy's past romances. The men here are very alpha and sex-driven and the women, such as Miu, are no-nonsense and prickly. I let out a few chuckles because Miu really does keep Jafar on his toes and annoys him so much that he doesn't know what to do with her because she is always outwitting him. These two are very strong-willed but also stubborn. Because of that they get into more problems than they could have ever imagined. Watching Miu try to talk her way out of things was one of the reasons to keep reading.
The lust Miu and Jafar act upon wasn't as heated as I thought it would be. The buildup between them has its moments, but when they finally quench their desire for one another, I found it to be a bit flat. There are more than a few sex scenes here but they just didn't excite. I was more interested in how Miu was going to rescue her sister and the banter she shares back and forth with Jafar.
Anne Marsh has some nice world building in The Hunt, but at times I couldn't figure out if she was trying for a dark, angsty read or a more lighthearted one. For a freshman novel I would say the author has done an acceptable job. I would be interested in seeing possible future books that take place in this world Ms. Marsh has created. I think Ms. Marsh has some great potential as a paranormal romance author who can build up a fan base.
The Hunt has some fun moments with a hero and heroine who make a great team, even though they drive each other crazy.
Helpful Score: 2
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read: shifter novels, smokin' hot heroes and feisty heroines! Oh, my!!, September 29, 2009
By Bookaholics Reviewer (Bay Area, California) - See all my reviews
The Hunt by Anne Marsh
Paranormal Romance- Sept. 29th, 2009
5 stars
The Hunt is a thrilling story that leads the reader in directions that are surprisingly unexpected and absorbing. The cast of characters are intriguing and the imaginative world and culture the author has created are captivating.
Miu is a beautiful thief, her powers with the moon make her an ideal candidate to steal the prized moon necklace from the Cat Temple. This attempt is suicidal but Miu is determined because the price of failure is her sister's life. But the only way to enter the Cat Temple is to participate as a bride of the Hunt. In the Hunt virgin females are given a dowry and in exchange are hunted by the Cat men as potential mate. Miu decides to pretend she is one of the many brides, it is the perfect way to disguise herself, steal the necklace and escape. She definitely doesn't want any mate must less one of the fierce Cats.
But Mui's arrogance makes her stand out among the crowd. The leader of the temple orders Jafar, one of his most trusted Guardians to find out what mischief she is up to. And that is when trouble and passion collide! Jafar has already spotted Mui and although he is intensely attracted to her he doesn't want any female especially after the last female he picked endangered the temple. Jafar follows Mui but because he doesn't have the usual Cat men markings she mistakes him for a mercenary. (Jafar is a special Guardian that protects a hidden doorway to a dangerous world.) As the 2 become close Mui realizes Jafar has deceived her and although she has grown to enjoy his company she must finish her quest no matter the cost. But Mui doesn't count on Jafar's possessive nature and steely determination. Because he has other ideas and they all involve Mui!
I fell in love with this story and its characters! I loved the gutsy heroine and the very sexy, alpha male. The relationship between the main characters was much hotter than I expected. I really enjoyed how the hero stood by Miu. Miu is a tough character who is confident in herself and extremely focused. I liked her strong personality but as a consequence Miu has never had anyone who she could lean on before. I especially enjoyed the sections where Miu grows to trust and believe in Jafar. And readers, Jafar is irresistible! His protective and `animalistic' side which made me wish I was his mate instead of Mui! Jafar defends Mui but he is no one's fool. I liked how he recognized Miu's worth and believed in her even when she was unsure about herself. Miu never had a chance! As she slowly lets Jafar see her vulnerable side, their developing love and respect are a true joy to read. As a side note, Anne Marsh has written equally interesting secondary characters and I would especially like to know more about the darkly tormented Hebon. (Hint!)
The Hunt is: original, imaginative and surprisingly sensual. I am crossing my fingers that this is only the first in the series of Cat Guardian books. (I can't believe this is her first book!) This is a must read for paranormal fans especially those who love: shifter novels, smokin' hot heroes and feisty heroines!
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
By Bookaholics Reviewer (Bay Area, California) - See all my reviews
The Hunt by Anne Marsh
Paranormal Romance- Sept. 29th, 2009
5 stars
The Hunt is a thrilling story that leads the reader in directions that are surprisingly unexpected and absorbing. The cast of characters are intriguing and the imaginative world and culture the author has created are captivating.
Miu is a beautiful thief, her powers with the moon make her an ideal candidate to steal the prized moon necklace from the Cat Temple. This attempt is suicidal but Miu is determined because the price of failure is her sister's life. But the only way to enter the Cat Temple is to participate as a bride of the Hunt. In the Hunt virgin females are given a dowry and in exchange are hunted by the Cat men as potential mate. Miu decides to pretend she is one of the many brides, it is the perfect way to disguise herself, steal the necklace and escape. She definitely doesn't want any mate must less one of the fierce Cats.
But Mui's arrogance makes her stand out among the crowd. The leader of the temple orders Jafar, one of his most trusted Guardians to find out what mischief she is up to. And that is when trouble and passion collide! Jafar has already spotted Mui and although he is intensely attracted to her he doesn't want any female especially after the last female he picked endangered the temple. Jafar follows Mui but because he doesn't have the usual Cat men markings she mistakes him for a mercenary. (Jafar is a special Guardian that protects a hidden doorway to a dangerous world.) As the 2 become close Mui realizes Jafar has deceived her and although she has grown to enjoy his company she must finish her quest no matter the cost. But Mui doesn't count on Jafar's possessive nature and steely determination. Because he has other ideas and they all involve Mui!
I fell in love with this story and its characters! I loved the gutsy heroine and the very sexy, alpha male. The relationship between the main characters was much hotter than I expected. I really enjoyed how the hero stood by Miu. Miu is a tough character who is confident in herself and extremely focused. I liked her strong personality but as a consequence Miu has never had anyone who she could lean on before. I especially enjoyed the sections where Miu grows to trust and believe in Jafar. And readers, Jafar is irresistible! His protective and `animalistic' side which made me wish I was his mate instead of Mui! Jafar defends Mui but he is no one's fool. I liked how he recognized Miu's worth and believed in her even when she was unsure about herself. Miu never had a chance! As she slowly lets Jafar see her vulnerable side, their developing love and respect are a true joy to read. As a side note, Anne Marsh has written equally interesting secondary characters and I would especially like to know more about the darkly tormented Hebon. (Hint!)
The Hunt is: original, imaginative and surprisingly sensual. I am crossing my fingers that this is only the first in the series of Cat Guardian books. (I can't believe this is her first book!) This is a must read for paranormal fans especially those who love: shifter novels, smokin' hot heroes and feisty heroines!
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
Helpful Score: 2
Very slow and confusing. Characters never fully developed and no real background info.
