Hunted by Meagan Spooner - Restarting August 23rd 2020

[HeatherH]

ch 7

(view spoiler)[ I do love how dark this retelling is.

Beauty's father raising her "like a son" has made her such a strong female lead who can hold her own and I appreciate that so much in YA.

I like how the Beast has presented himself in a way that let her belief he was an ally not her captor. I'm anxious to watch their interactions and how their relationship progresses.

I'm listening to the audio version and really like the narrators. But the early chapters were a little confusing honestly. There are a decent amount of characters with weird names and not seeing them written makes it harder for me to retain them so I'm slower on getting a good feel on characters aside from our MC. (hide spoiler)]

[Laura]

Chapter 12 (view spoiler)[ I am enjoying Hunted. It is very dark tale. I am curious about what she is meant to hunt. I wish there was more description of the Beast. I am finding him hard to imagine from what the author described. (hide spoiler)]

[HeatherH]

got through ch 11, will get 12 done on the drive home in the morning

(view spoiler)[ I adored her reunion with her dog, Doe Eyes, and also how the Beast jumped in out of instinct to try to protect her when she screamed. Also, its fun watching her discover his castle and take in this side of his life. (hide spoiler)]

[Laura]

HeatherH wrote: "got through ch 11, will get 12 done on the drive home in the morning

[spoilers removed]"

I really like Doe-eyes, she is adorable.

[Laura]

Chapter 15 (view spoiler)[ I reckon her question was answered by Borovoi. Her death may be the destruction of the Beast. (hide spoiler)]

[HeatherH]

Laura wrote: "Chapter 12 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I agree that he's hard to picture from the limited descriptions we have gotten. Also would love more description of other creatures in the woods. So much potential magical world-building that I'd love to see.. Otherwise, very much enjoying how dark and un-fairytale like this is. (hide spoiler)]

[HeatherH]

Laura wrote: "Chapter 15 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I wonder if it's because shes the last hunter who can help or if its because Borovoi knows what she will come to mean to the beast or exactly how her death will cause it.

I adore that we still got the grand library in this rendition of the story!! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[HeatherH]

Through ch 21

(view spoiler)[ It was sweet seeing Beauty reunited with her family and to see how well her sisters are doing but it looks like she is making the decision rather quickly to return to the Beast's castle and I'm glad for that. She's discovered her sister and Solmir are in love and realizes she doesn't love him in the way she should to spend her life with him. But man, talk about devotion - her sister was willing to give up her love and happiness to keep her there with them <3 (hide spoiler)]

[HeatherH]

Finished!

(view spoiler)[ I liked the ending and how both had to realize that the thing they felt they wanted wasn't right. I adored seeing Beauty making sure her sisters were happy and her hunt to find the firebird to try to save the beast. Also her telling the Beast the story when the human part of him had disappeared and that bringing him back to her. This retelling was much darker than many that I've read but still held the happiness in the ending and I really liked that! (hide spoiler)]

[Laura]

HeatherH wrote: "Through ch 21

[spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[ I really enjoy the relationship between Asenka and Yeva. Her sister really is the most selfless person in the world! (hide spoiler)]

[Laura]

Finished (view spoiler)[ I just knew the Beast was Ivan from the first time Yeva told the story. Mind you everyone probably knew that from the original story, but I am not that familiar with it. I only watched the musical about three years ago and maybe watched the animated when I was a kid. So I only know the very, very basics! Did Beauty's father die in the original story? I thought he lived. Or maybe not...I don't know! :)

Hunted was enjoyable, but I didn't like it all that much. It was ok but not great. I will probably give it three stars. (hide spoiler)]

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

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Date changed. Restarting May 23rd 2020. Happy Reading ☺

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[Simone]

Maria and I will be reading around 3 chapters per day (meaning the chapters with numbers as the titles). Feel free to join in! Can't wait to discuss this book!

[Maria]

So excited to start!! I’m almost a chapter in but I’m a little behind because I didn’t have time to read today. I’ll catch up tmr!!

[Simone]

Chapters 1-3

Still trying to catch up, but I like the premise so far. I'm also reading another BatB retelling, A Curse So Dark and Lonely, so I have that to compare this to (they are indeed very different).

(view spoiler)[We start off with a vague chapter from the perspective of "Beast." We are also introduced to the characters, Yeva (AKA Beauty), her sisters lena and askenka, and her father Tvertko. Their father is a rich merchant, and they live in comfort, until a caravan into which their father had invested all of their money was lost. They are forced to sell pretty much everything and move to a house near the woods, where Tvertko will make a living hunting.

Solmir comes and proposes to Yeva, Yeva rejects him, Yeva takes up hunting again, and they have a relatively good life. However, after a week, Tvertko returns crazed, talking about a "beast" (most likely the same one from the Beast chapters). (hide spoiler)]

[Maria]

Yeah I’m kinda behind too 😂 haha I’ve been enjoying the warm weather and keeping busy. Also is that book good? I’ve been wanting to try that book out really badly!!

Chapters 1-3
(view spoiler)[ I really like this so far. The first chapter was alright, and similar to many other books set back in the day. I also just finished a book set farther back (A Great and Terrible Beauty) and it had literally the same begging. It talks about marriage and how she doesn’t want to become a lady. Anyways, I really like Yevas character. I feel like I can relate to her because I’m more tomboyish and I love nature, I’m the youngest of three sisters. I just really feel like I can connect to her. I also am very intrigued by this beast. I hope nothing happens to the father because that would be very tragic and I’m not ready for that. Also I’m sad to see that he’s gone borderline mad over this beast. I was hoping things would go back to how they used to be when Yeva was younger.(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Simone]

Maria wrote: "Yeah I’m kinda behind too 😂 haha I’ve been enjoying the warm weather and keeping busy. Also is that book good? I’ve been wanting to try that book out really badly!!

Chapters 1-3
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I find that I don't really relate to Yeva that much. I am an only child, and while I like nature, I'm not a huge fan of hunting. But I'm enjoying her character so far anyway.

I'm also interested by the Beast. So far, this curse seems like a unique take on the original curse.

I don't think that the father will die. I mean, I can see this book sticking to the original tale, where the father doesn't die. But, then again, I can also see this book being pretty dark, so who knows? (hide spoiler)]

[Maria]

Simone wrote: "Maria wrote: "Yeah I’m kinda behind too 😂 haha I’ve been enjoying the warm weather and keeping busy. Also is that book good? I’ve been wanting to try that book out really badly!!

Chapters 1-3
[spo..."
(view spoiler)[ Yeah i agree with the unique twist on the curse. I’m interested to see how Meagan Spooner creates the Beast. Haha yeah I haven’t read any of her other books so I’m not quite sure what to expect from this book!! :) (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Simone]

Chapters 4-6

(view spoiler)[Yeva's father leaves again. Yeva accepts Solomir's proposal. Pelei returns without Tvertko, Yeva goes after him. She finds his dead body, tries to kill the Beast that killed him, and is kidnapped by the Beast (though she does not know that it's the Beast). She is imprisoned, and is helped by a mysterious person (who I assume is also the Beast).

From the Beast chapters, we find out that her father was killed because he was no longer of use to them in his maddened state. It's interesting that these chapters are in first person plural (not a POV that you see often). Are there multiple beasts? I'm quite intrigued. (hide spoiler)]

[Maria]

Sorry I’m so behind, I’ve been keeping busy with work and homework for school.

Chapters4-6
(view spoiler)[ I’m really sad that the daughters lost their father. That is something that I can’t imagine how hard that would be. Especially the way in which she found out he was dead. I’m kinda happy that Yeva excepted Solimirs proposal... while she doesn’t seem that into it, I personally like Solimir. He seems nice and sweet to her. Also like you said Simone, I’m very interested to see if there are more than one beast, because it does keep mentioning “us” and “our” in the beasts chapter. I’ve also found that the further into the book the more similarities I see with Beiaty and the Beasts Disney film. Like obviously her father didn’t die in that movie, but I see how Solimir is compared to Guston and such. While it’s sad that her father died, I do feel like it’s made the story more interesting. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Simone]

Maria wrote: "Sorry I’m so behind, I’ve been keeping busy with work and homework for school.

Chapters4-6
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Yeah, seeing your father's bloody remains...that would be rough, to say the least. And I also agree with you about Solomir. While I doubt that the marriage will actually go through, I think that she could do a lot worse.

Knowing the story, at one point the Beast will set her free to go back to her home, where, after she returns to the beast, she'll fall in love with him. In the Disney film, I believe Beauty goes home because her father is being locked up for accused insanity by Gaston, and she sees this through a magic mirror??? (I cannot remember the details for the life of me, and I'm too lazy to look it up.) Considering the fact that her father is dead, and Solomir/Gaston is both kind and engaged to her, I wonder why she'd want to go home. (hide spoiler)]

[Simone]

Chapters 7-9

(view spoiler)[Yeva becomes friends with the Beast, naming him Ivan (love the references to Slavic folklore!). She takes off her blindfold, angering the Beast, is thrown back into the cell, and is forced to train for something, under the pain of her and her family's deaths. She finds out she is there in the first place because the Beast needs something to be hunted. One day, instead of shooting arrows, she must hunt in the woods. While there, Doe-Eyes comes, attacks the Beast, is thrown off the Beast, hits a tree, and is now unmoving (please don't let the dog be dead). (hide spoiler)]

[Simone]

Chapters 10-12

Nearly caught up. Will hopefully be caught up by tomorrow.

(view spoiler)[Thankfully, Doe-Eyes is alive, and Yeva brings her back to the Beast's home. She sees that the Beast lives in a castle in major disrepair. She is no longer locked in a cell, and she explores the castle. The Beast appears to be growing fond of her (as evidenced by his chapters). (hide spoiler)]

[Maria]

Chapters 7-9
(view spoiler)[ so I’m confused as to why the beast is keeping her. I figure the reason he’s keeping her is different from why he was keeping her in the original movie. But what does he need to be hunted that a human has to get? I’m interested to see how that plays out. Also I hope the dog doesn’t die either, I love Doe Eyes. This book is kinda addicting right now, like I should go to bed but I just want to keep reading 😂 (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Simone]

Maria wrote: "Chapters 7-9
[spoilers removed]"

Haha same, it's past midnight and I'm still up.

(view spoiler)[I think that the reason the Beast needs to use Yeva is that he's probably prevented from doing so through magic. It's probably a part of the curse. (hide spoiler)]

[Maria]

Chapters 10-12
(view spoiler)[ I’m so happy Doe Eyes is alive! It’s nice that Yeva has someone besides the Beast now. Also I think Beast is liking her more more throughout the book like you said Simone. He seems to have a soft side to him that Yeva brings out. I just remember, in the movie the curse affected the servants by turning them into objects around the castle, so I wonder if it’ll be similar in the book too... (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Maria]

Chapters 13-15
(view spoiler)[ I’ve always wondered since Solomir proposed to Yeva and she left, that Solomir might fall in love with Asenka? I don’t know it’s just a thought. Also I wonder if the beast is half creature and half human that we’re joined by a curse or something and the creature part is what killed her father... there’s so many things I want to find out!! I’m also interested to see if the Firebird comes up later again. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Simone]

Maria wrote: "Chapters 10-12
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I'm not sure if the servants as objects is likely. I enjoyed that part a lot in the movie, but this doesn't seem like the type of book to do that. I honestly have no idea what "we" could mean. Maybe he's talking about his beast form and human form? That's my best guess. (hide spoiler)]

[Maria]

Chapters 16-18
(view spoiler)[ woah baby, those were prob the most intense chapters of the book so far. I feel bad for Beast. He obviously wants Beauty and she leaves. And then when she returns home to find that everything is back to normal 😭 ahh that was very sad. I could physically feel her sadness!! Hahah I still am wondering if Solomir married Asenka or something because they’re back in their normal house... (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Maria]

Chapters 19-21
(view spoiler)[ yasss I knew it!!! I knew that Asenka and Solomir had feelings for each other!!! I’m so happy for them!! I’m glad that it’s them and not Yeva with Solomir because though it wouldn’t be an aweigh relationship, Yeva obviously doesn’t love him that way. I really want Yeva to go back to the beast but I think now that the animal part of him has taken over it’ll be hard for Yeva to get the human side back again if she does go back for him (which I’m pretty sure is going to happen) (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Maria]

I’m sorry that I might be ahead... I couldn’t help myself but binge read to the end!! Haha 😂

chapters 22-24
(view spoiler)[ I’m glad she left finally because I was starting to get a little tired of hearing about the townsfolk and all of the nothingness going on there 😂 haha. I know the firebird would come into play somehow with the ending and I’m surprised that she has to kill it out of all things. I was kinda hoping there would be a twist and like the Beast would h are another form which is the Firebird, and that he was the thing she’d been wanting in her life... however that didn’t happen 😂 but I still find the fact that she has to give up the thing she most desires for Beast which is sweet and sad. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Maria]

Chapters 25-27
(view spoiler)[ I thought it was neat how she overcame her desire to kill the Firebird. I don’t know if you have a hard time visualizing what the bird looked like but I kind of did. I mean I thought it to be a large bird with fire coming off of it but I wasn’t sure how else to imagine it. Anyways that was pretty cool how she killed it. Also I hope Beast transforms back. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Maria]

I’ll make sure to check in to see what your thoughts are about the book too!! I really enjoyed this buddy read!!! Thank you for reading with me!!

Chapters 28-end
(view spoiler)[ woah baby!! That was the kind of ending that gives me the happy chills! I’m so happy with how the Beast came back into Eovens form!! I love Yevas character all together! I strive for her determination, strength, and courage that she had. I am kinda confused on how to take the one comment from the beast “you are the Firebird”... like was she literally the Firebird and the whole scene Yeva witnessed with the bird was all just an illusion, or like did he mean metaphorically that she was his Firebird? Like meaning that she was his desire an all? I don’t know anyways I thought that was pretty cool and I loved this book! This is the first retelling if a Disney movie that I’ve read and I actually enjoyed it because I wasn’t sure if I would at first. Also I never read the authors notes in the ends of the book but I skimmed the first bit of it and thought it was sweet that she kind of had the story line set since she was little! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Simone]

You're welcome!! I'm still a little behind but hopefully I can catch up, too. I enjoyed reading with you a lot, too!

[Simone]

I finished the book already, but I'll post the notes I took for each part.

Chapters 13-15

(view spoiler)[Yeva learns of the Beast's world of magic, and is nearly killed, but the Beast rescues her. She discovers a library, is distraught by its disrepair, and the Beast shows her his quarters that have many books. Yeva realizes that this will allow her to kill the Beast. (hide spoiler)]

[Simone]

Chapters 16-18

(view spoiler)[Yeva attempts to kill the Beast, but he comes back alive, and reveals that he has been a prisoner of the curse for an extremely long time. He also reveals that he didn't kill her father. Yeva leaves, finds that her sisters have moved back into their old home, and meets Solomir (who I agree with you in saying that he's fallen in love with Asenka). (hide spoiler)]

[Simone]

Chapters 19-21

(view spoiler)[Yeva explains what happened, confirms her marriage with Solomir, and confides in Galina her fondness for the Beast, who believes that it may be Stockholm Syndrome. Yeva finds out that Solomir and Asenka are in love (which I predicted woohoo), and that Asenka wants her to marry Solomir to prevent her from going back to the Beast.

Speaking of the Beast, the man side of him attempted to regain control, but the animal side overpowered him, Also, the fact that the divider pages have started to have blood splatters and scratches is super cool. (hide spoiler)]

[Simone]

Chapters 22-24

(view spoiler)[Lol I feel the same about her finally leaving the town; it was getting dull.

Yeva dreams about the Beast, Solomir and Asenka get married, Yeva returns to find the Beast, only to discover that he's not there. She realizes that she must kill the Firebird. (hide spoiler)]

[Simone]

Chapter 25-27

(view spoiler)[Yeva find the Firebird and kills it. She was trapped in the cave behind a wall of ice when the Beast finds her, though he has no humanity left. She will tell him a story (most likely a story of he and the Firebird) (hide spoiler)]

[Maria]

@Simone chapters 19-21
(view spoiler)[ yeah! Every time I saw one of those pages I was like “ohhh no!!” With the whole animal taking over thing 😂 but I thought it was very cool as well!! (hide spoiler)]

[Simone]

Chapter 28-Epilogue

(view spoiler)[Yeva did indeed tell the story of Ivan and the Firebird, only with a few changes. They break the curse, the Beast changes back into Eoven, and they go back to the town, living out the rest of their days in happiness (woohoo!) (hide spoiler)]

[Simone]

Maria wrote: "I’ll make sure to check in to see what your thoughts are about the book too!! I really enjoyed this buddy read!!! Thank you for reading with me!!

Chapters 28-end
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I believe that the Firebird said that they were the "goal" of the story, so I think that's what Eoven meant. So yeah, definitely metaphorical. (hide spoiler)]

[Maria]

@Simone ok!! That’s what I figured with how it was worded but it was kinda confusing for me 😂

[Evelyn]

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Date changed. Restarting August 23rd 2021. Happy Reading ☺

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[Krystal]

Starting this today!