ARC Review: The Hunt by Megan Shepherd

Title: The Hunt (The Cage #2)
Author: Megan Shepherd
Genre: Science Fiction, Romance
Source: Edelweiss
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: May 24th 2016

Summary:

They’ve left the cage—but they’re not free yet. After their failed escape attempt, Cora, Lucky, and Mali have been demoted to the lowest level of human captives and placed in a safari-themed environment called the Hunt, along with wild animals and other human outcasts. They must serve new Kindred masters—Cora as a lounge singer, Lucky as an animal wrangler, and Mali as a safari guide—and follow new rules or face dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, Nok and Rolf have been moved into an enormous dollhouse, observed around the clock by Kindred scientists interested in Nok’s pregnancy. And Leon, the only one who successfully escaped, has teamed up with villainous Mosca black-market traders. The former inhabitants of the Cage are threatened on all fronts—and maybe worst of all, one of the Hunt’s Kindred safari guests begins to play a twisted game of cat and mouse with Cora. Separated and constantly under watch, she and the others must struggle to stay alive, never mind find a way back to each other. When Cassian secretly offers to train Cora to develop her psychic abilities—to prove the worthiness of humanity in a series of tests called the Gauntlet—she’ll have to decide fast if she dares to trust the Kindred who betrayed her, or if she can forge her own way to freedom.

I simply adore Megan Shepherd's writing. I loved her The Madman's Daughter trilogy and I am loving The Cage trilogy so far. Packed full of action, suspense, the unexpected and sacrificing the things you love the most to save yourself. Just when you thought the stakes couldn't get and higher, they do.

After Cora's failed escape attempt and the shocking reveal that Cassian is the mysterious Warden. Instead of being locked away in a prison cell for the rest of her life she is put to work in a safari menagerie (a hang out for the Kindred to uncloaked and enjoy human pleasures) but Cora isn't done fighting yet. With a chance of freeing humanity only days away Cora trains and strains her minds to do the impossible. (Levitate objects, reads mind and more.)But with the sizzling tension between Cassian and Cora things more complicated then they both expected. With the help of Leon, Lucky and a few others locked away with her Cora hopes she can gain her freedom and the rest of humanity's. *This is a spoiler free run down of the book*

The book is told in alternating point of views, Cora, Lucky, Mali, Rolf, Leon and Nok. Each going through a different experience or a different view point on what would happen next.

Cora- A majority of the book is told in Cora's point of view, so I have more to say about her then other characters. Cora is fierce. I found a lot of character growth in her this book then I did previously. Though she made stupid choices that did work out in the end, and some that failed she stayed true to what she believed in. I also think her feelings for Cassian and the ones she battled played a huge role and in what she sacrificed. I'm excited to see how she will lead the others and save humanity in final book of the series.

Lucky- At the end of the The Cage I believed Lucky to be a bad guy, but it was their enclosure that made him like that. I loved seeing the character he developed into through out The Hunt. I liked that Shepherd kept most of her characters together on the safari instead of separating them like she did to Nok and Rolf. But the ending made me tear up a bit. I won't spoil it for you all but you will see what I mean.

Mali- I really love Mali. We learn a little more about her in this book, but I don't have much to say about her. I liked that she is developing feelings for Leon and questioning all the things that she believed the Kindred have told her.

Rolf and Nok- I put them together for one reason: they finally grew on me. I despised them in the first book, and I guess I still do a little but they are stuck in a research facility for the Kindred to study the human customs when a couple is expecting a child. Both are doing everything in their power not to loose their baby to the Kindred who plan to take it away once Sparrow is able to live outside utero.

There wasn't much romance in this book, but the scenes there were I found a little heavy (which I like a lot) but I wish there were more Cora and Cassian kissing scenes to be honest. But I am hoping in the next book! Although this isn't what I was expecting the turn the the series would take I enjoyed it all the same. Characters I didn't expect to grow on me (Nok and Rolf) did, and I have a new appreciation for the romance that I hope will work out in the end.