Spirit Animals #2: Hunted product reviews

I loved the first book in the series so was very eagerly watching out for more so when the Book Fair came to school and parents were encouraged to buy books and support the child's reading and the school I had a look and was excited to see this book and the third book on offer so I bought both.

The children continue to learn and grow with their spirit animals, they learn about love and how to grow the bond with the animal and start to fight as a group. Glad that some of the minor characters from the first book came back in this one and had a part to play in the plot. Good doesn't always win and sometimes the kids are confused as to what is right and who was telling the truth and that is where trust and faith come into it. I'm hoping to see more of some of the "minor characters" as there are a lot of options as to how their characters can go, either follow what they have always been taught or go against all the family and do what they believe is right.

I have read a few of Maggie Stiefvater's other books so I was happy to see she had written this one and as usual it was up to her high standard.

I love this series and wonder how many more books are going to follow but I'm looking forward to the rest of the series and hope that there are a lot of books as it is great to have a book that makes you laugh, want to cry when things aren't going too well and shout to the heros to look out when you can sense a trap.

I was intrigued, when I looked at the cover, to notice that this book was written by a different author to the first book. But I was pleased to find that it was still written in a similar manner to the first. I was instantly impressed, with the storyline bringing back minor characters from the first book, and making them into major characters, creating an opposing force to the four characters that we have been following in the first book.

With the introduction of 'bile' which can force an animal connection, the wars begin to escalate and the 'Fallen Four' are pushed beyond their natural limits, and forced to improve under stressful situations.
I sincerely enjoyed the two competing sides; companionship versus servitude, and the notion that all animals have a strength that can be positive for a human being.

The characters continue to learn, to gain depth, and they each improve their relationships with their animals. every battle is not won, and even a won battle may be lost afterwards, but they continue to take heed and learn from the experiences. I am excited to see how the series turns out, but unfortunately am not able to review the third book in the series. Maybe I'll have to have a look in the store for it.

After the conclusion of the first book in this new series, I was very curious to see just how it would pick up in the next one, and I have to say, the result was rather interesting. The storyline was rather cool, it had the same basic structure as book 1, but there was less of the "getting the team together" which always occurs in the first book of a series. It was also interesting to see that the character Conor's old master's son, Devin, came into this story, it was also a great twist that there was a potion called the Bile which can create an artificial bond between a person and an animal.

I found that as the story moves on, the friendships between the characters develop, some become a little awkward, with quite a bit of distrust, for example, the character Abeke was previously working for the enemy, so while she is now a greencloak, the other characters are still cautious around her. Also, it was interesting to learn the powers of the character Meilin's spirit animal, who is a panda, and isn't good in a fight, so it's great to find out more about what Meilin's animal CAN do.

I enjoyed reading this book, it's storyline was quite moving, and it was very easy to read, there were no detectable anomalies, no plot-holes, it was well laid-out. I have to say that the longer this series goes on, I gain more and more anticipation for the series conclusion, as I am really wondering just how this series will end, but as with other series, I am sure that it will develop a darker side as it develops and becomes more vast and complex. I would recommend this book for people of multiple ages, but particularly those who enjoy fantasy revolving around a mystical theme.

I think that the price is highly reasonable, which allows a wider range of people to purchase this book, which means that less can be denied the enjoyment which can be obtained from reading this. Overall, I think that this book is one that shouldn't be missed.

From the moment my daughter seen the promotional posters for this series of books her attention had been grabbed, we were lucky to get a copy of the first book Wild Born to review and have been eagerly awaiting the second installment in the series. I think it is one of those series of books that captivates young readers straight from the start so they are left waiting and wondering what can happen next I know my own 12 year old found it really hard waiting for the release of this second book.

Now the great thing I found is that you don't even have to be a big fantasy fan to enjoy the books. I know this as I am more into real world contexts myself when reading but I have found myself hooked on the world of Erdas and the Spirit Animals all the same. For a fantasy mad person like my 12 year old it is even better and I think she dreams of having her own spirit animal like her favourite character Abbeke. She has always had a great imagination so the world of spirit animals and the way the books are written have brought this world to life in her mind.

In the first book we were introduced to the concept of children of age meeting their spirit animal and begining the bond. We met the four main characters Meilin, Rollan, Conor, and Abeke and their four amazing spirit animals who are very special as not only are they four of the great beasts but they are of the fallen four. In this story however we get to know these characters a bit better and we see the bonds with their spirit animals strengthen and become more powerful. It was enjoyable getting to learn some of the characters pasts and really getting to know their personalities and I hope we learn more in further installments.

In Hunted the Four must journey to retrieve a talisman believed to be important in helping them in their quest to save Erdas. It is an amazing journey full of all sorts of surprises and adventure that doesn't give you any time to get bored of reading. We see some of the different regions of Erdas and meet some of the characters that are going to cause trouble for the children so there really is a lot crammed into one short read. I for one loved and hated the way this installment ended all at the same time as it has left me aching for the next book to release.

I love the way it has left me hanging and wondering what is going to happen next but I hate that I now have to wait before I can even begin to find out. I like the character of Meilin and her Panda Spirit Animal Jhi so can't wait to find out if they are going to be okay and how they will get themselves out of trouble and back with the rest of the gang once more.

I don't think I've ever waited so impatiently for a sequel to become available as I did waiting for the second spirit animals book. My niece was also impatient and her excitement showed when I finally handed her the second one to read with a little happy dance. Now the wait till April starts, waiting for the 3rd to come out!

Once again the book is very well written and draws you straight back into the life of the four children who summoned the great beasts. The first few chapters reunites you with the characters you love in the first book as well as recapping where they came from. It touches back on the first book just enough that you would be able to pick up book two and follow it without reading book one first. I was very pleased with how well the books merged as being different authors I wasn't sure how well the story would flow. I was a little worried going from one author to the next some of the magic would have been lost. I'm happy to say this is not the case.

In book two the children embark on a journey to find a talisman which will help them save Erdas, however they are not the only one who is on the hunt. They have to make it to the talisman before those who want to use it for evil get their hands on it. To achieve their goal they have to not only work with their spirit animals but also each other!

The second book, just like the first, is well worth a read and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys losing themselves in fantasy worlds. The recommended age is 8-12 years but I'm enjoying the series just as much as my 11 year old niece is.