Posted on  21/08/2024 12:36:23

My rating: 5 twisted stars for a delightfully engaging tale!

ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Sarah!! This was AMAZING!

fan art by The Magic Book Corner

Allie Hunter is the girl that no one sees. Or better said, they see and avoid. Not only because her twin sister Hulanna outshines her everywhere. Allie's prickly nature, combined with a hawk nose, too bright red hair, sharp features and a less than perfect figure make for the perfect combination for people to avoid.

Until Hulanna steps through a magic circle into the Faerie realm and opens the door to deadly fae, bent on causing havoc and harm to Allie's village. And that makes everyone take note of Allie.

Now she is not only seen as even more pathetic than before, because she had been rendered blind on the day her sister disappeared; but she is also accused of being the root cause for the troubles now plaguing her village. It is her fault the fae have come. It is her fault they harm the village.

But Allie is not so helpless as it seems. Because even though her normal sight is gone, she can now see the spirit world. Determined to convince everyone she is not as useless as they believe her to be, Allie sets forth on a hunt for a secret artifact hidden long ago by her mother's ancestors. Three of them to be more exact. Three things to help people drive back the fae. And despite her blindeness she finds one, discovering at the same time a way to sort of see again. But her search has disastrous consequences for the village and Allie must confront the rage of her whole town.

Will she back down now and bow to the wishes of those who call her changeling and blame her for her very existence?
"No."And my words were iron. The iron of a hunter on her homeland.
"No." Harder iron. The iron of being one with the bones of the land.

Allie hardens her heart and lets anger fuel her. She follows her father's advice and lets fear burn inside her until it makes her strong and fiery. And she is determined to help her people even if they refuse to be helped. Because she is the village Hunter. And that is her duty.

After trapping Scouvrel the fae, with the help of the artifact she had found, Allie starts on a journey that can either save her people or doom every single one of them. Shunned and going against the wishes of almost everyone around her, she relies only on the wisdom of nursery rhymes and faerie stories and on a few bargains with her captive fae. If that is enough for her to succeed, that will be left for you to see. I will tell you this though. Her journey is enthralling.

In an easy to follow narrative with a fabulous wordbuilding, this fast-paced tale is one of the most captivating I have ever read. I loved Allie as a character and rooted for her from the very first page. And the way her inner struggles are portrayed, her fears, her anger and disappointment, as well as that longing for acceptance... masterfully done.

The fae themselves are delightfully twisted and spellbinding. I love the way the author wrote them. And the Allie - Scouvrel interaction... FABULOUS!

This little tale grabbed me from the very first page and I couldn't set it down till I reached the end. And now I'm eagerly waiting for the sequel. Especially after that end! It's a huge cliffhanger people - that will have you itching for more.

Adventure, angst and action - Fae Hunter delivers on all counts.
Dark, twisted and yet so very beautiful; violent and deadly but also full of gentleness and enchanting; Fae Hunter is a must read for fans of all things Faerie!

Check out this book and more of Sarah K.L. Wilson here