I loved the first book so much, especially the retelling part, that I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy this one has much as I have the first…LET ME TELL YOU: I LOVED IT EVEN MORE.
2021 cannot come enough because I NEED the third book as soon as possible.
Title: The Hunter and the Mage (The Raven and The Dove #2)
Author: Kaitlyn Davis
Synopsis (Goodreads): Return to the world of The Raven and the Dove, where winged people rule the skies, a lost kingdom lives at sea, and two star-crossed lovers hold the fate of each in their palms. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!
A mage written in prophecy…When Lyana wakes in the Sea of Mist, adventure is the first thing on her mind. But between her unruly new magic and an unyielding young king, the world below comes with more responsibility than she ever dreamed. An entire civilization exists within the fog, and its survival depends entirely on her.
A hunter forged in blood…Adrift at sea on a ship full of strangers, Rafe fights to cope with his new reality. He’ll do anything to return to the sky and the people he left behind. When a surprising offer comes his way, he instantly accepts, sparing no time to consider the consequences.
Loyalties are tested and an ancient war begins anew…With rebellion in her heart, Cassi defies her king and befriends the prince she’s been ordered to kill. Oblivious to the threat, Xander welcomes her into his inner circle, determined to rescue his mate. As one works to help and the other to hinder, an ancient enemy stirs, forcing Cassi to choose between trusting the man who broke her heart and turning her back on everything she’s ever known.
4 stars: Aphrodite – Goddess of love and beauty. That means that I really liked the book, whether it was the writing style, plot or characters. It means it was an amazing book that I would completely recommend for the beautiful piece of art it is. However the book is not a Persephone because something keeps it from making it one of my favourite book ever.
Iris– Goddess of rainbows. Nothing new here, we all know that rainbows represent the LGBTQ+ community so this Goddess will be featured whenever a queer relationship or character appears.
Athena– Goddess of wisdom, poetry, art, and the strategic side of war. I will feature the goddess whenever there is a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour) because they are a symbol of resilience, strength and wisdom to me. I also want to put forth African folkore, myths and gods and since Athena is the goddess of poetry and art I thought it was fitting.
I would like to thank the author and the BookFunnel Team for providing me an ARC of The Hunter and the Mage
The retelling of Tristan and Isolde in the first book was based on deceit and I liked how the author still manages to weave that theme into the story. I have a sweet spot for morally grey but lovable characters and I had my fill with this book.
The ending of the last book was chaotic to say the least and it picked up right where we left of. I really thought the beginning was a little slow because all of the characters were adjusting to their new fates. These moments were filled with so much angst and my poor heart couldn’t take it. In a good way. I love angst. This allowed us to discover the world below the mist and it was fascinating. I am in awe of the impeccable world-building. I think it was the strongest asset of this book. Everything was so well-thought, both in the different Houses in the world above and in the World below the mist with all the different kinds of magic.
I also liked all the new characters and especially the ship’s crew on The Wanderer. Brighty is my new favourite and I really hope we will get more chapters in her point of view. The multiple point of view is really working with this story and it was nice to connect the dots with every little clues we were given; I really enjoyed that.
Now on to my favorite part: the new romance between some of the characters! I did not see that coming and I honestly loved it. My heart is full and warm and I really hope we get to see more of their undeniable chemistry.
I also really like how well the character development was made in the sense that the characters became more mature but still have their essence. Often with second books in a series the characters change so much that you barely recognize them but thankfully that was not the case here. It was wonderful to see them all grow and becoming confident. I’m really attached to all of the characters (the good ones and the bad ones) and I really can’t wait for the next books.
Also this is a spoiler-free review but DAMN that revelation in the last chapters! Can’t wait to find out more!
I really would have liked a page at the beginning which introduces, categorizes and explains the different types of magic. It would have been really helpful because it was easy to get lost.
GIVEAWAY
Anyone who pre-orders a copy of The Hunter and the Mage is elligible to receive two gorgeous character cards (drawn by the artist Dominique Wesson) as a thank you – one of Xander, and one of Cassi. All the information, including the sign up sheet, can be found on the author’s website: https://www.kaitlyndavisbooks.com/p/pre-order-giveaway.html There’s also an additional giveaway for exclusive character art on the page. I wouldn’t miss it if I were you!
I hope you enjoyed this review! Have you read the first book? What is your favourite retelling? Let me know in the comments!
Anotherbookworm 