This is book 2 in The Dawning of Muirwood trilogy. I just could not get into “The Hunted” and so it is my first DNF in a while. The writing is not bad, but the story did not resonate and I could not stay interested. While reading I was easily distracted and nothing in the story had me wanting to stay.

My thanks to 47 North and the author via Netgalley. These are my thoughts given freely.

I was almost halfway through this book before I realised it’s the second book in the series, so I’ve decided to put it aside for now until I read book one.
My thoughts so far – I’ve been able to follow the story without difficulty and am enjoying it. However, I don’t feel any real connection to the main character (this is probably because I haven’t read book one). The story has enough complexity but the writing feels a little simplistic, like the author has written it for a younger audience (younger than true YA that is). For that reason I can’t imagine it earning higher than four stars, but I will update my rating appropriately if necessary (upon completion of the book).

Review

Some trilogies suffer from the curse of the middle book, where the second in the series feels more like a placeholder than a worthy successor to the first book. Fortunately, The Hunted, doesn’t fall into that category.
The action and tension begin not long into the first chapter and never really lets up.
I never read "druid" from the same author but will definitively give it a try.
I liked the epigraph at the beginning of the chapters

The Hunted is the second book in The Dawning of Muirwood series by Jeff Wheeler.
Follow the story of Eilean and Hoel.

The story it was a bit confusing at first because I'm not familiar with wheeler previous works so getting to know this world was definitely a bit challenging. That said I have to confess that I loved everything about it and I'm extremely intrigued for what the previous stories will reveal about it. Needless to say ill be pocking up all his previous books.

I honestly had high hopes for this book but I just kept on being bored by it. I DNF'd after about 30% of the way through. The writing and worldbuilding just did not click for me and I figured that if I didn't like 30+% of it then I probably won't like the rest. And at that point, it's just a waste of time. I know plenty of people enjoy Wheeler's books, but this one was just not my cup of tea.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The story of Eilean, a young girl abandoned in her childhood in an abbey and raised by the friars, continues in The Hunted, the second book in The Dawning of Muirwood series, where Captain Hoel Evnissyen will be in charge of bringing her back to Muirwood after that Eilean escaped to fulfill the mission entrusted to her by Mordaunt, the druid imprisoned in Muirwood.
As usual, we find easily recognizable historical situations in this book, in this case, the Arthurian Cycle, with direct allusions to the Round Table and Merlin.
An easy read that keeps the reader interested in Eilean's adventures and also serves to bridge the Muirwood and Kingfountain universes.
I loved this book and I thank Mr. Wheeler, 47tn North and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The opinion I have expressed above is based solely on what I think and feel about this book.

The Hunted is the sequel to The Druid. Jeff Wheeler never seems to disappoint! The story is well-written with fascinating characters! The world-building is very intricate and original! Thus, The Hunted is a solid epic fantasy!

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

THE HUNTED picks up right after THE DRUID and is fast-paced action. This is a series where you'll need to read them in order to make sense. And it's probably even better if you've read some of The Kingfountain series or Muirwood series. This background will make finding Easter eggs easier.

Eileen continues to try to serve the Medium, listening for direction. The tome she saved in the previous book is not exactly what she expected. Even though Captain Hoel chases her, she hopes he isn't harmed or caught. I felt like there would be a connection between them from the beginning, and it's nice to see it progressing. There are also little twists and turns. These will keep you reading.

If you've read other Wheeler books and enjoyed them, you're going to love this one too. This series also relies on a combination of myth, history, and religion for its inspiration.

I recommend this book.
Happy reading!

Jeff Wheeler is a master of world building. I’ve been looking forward to reading this second book in the Dawning of Muirwood series and now I cannot wait for the third book.

Book two continues with Eilean story of finding someone to help her translate the tome the Druid Mordaunt gave to her. Captain Hoel is still after Eileen and Celyn and the tome of creation and Eilean will find herself confronting the feelings that she has for the captain. Feelings she finds confusing as he is her enemy’s, or is he?

Several new characters are introduced and we also learn some of the backstory behind several characters. It is easy to find yourself sympathizing even with the enemy.

This series is nonstop action. The world is so vivid that I found myself nearly in a trance and full of anticipation. I look forward to reading the third in the series.

I absolutely loved it! I’ve been on a Jeff Wheeler binge and all of it has come together in this wonderfully written book!

I’m loving all the nods to the other series and seeing how they’re connecting!

So much is going on and yet Jeff does a wonderful job weaving it all together and not making it confusing or overwhelming. I’m definitely excited for book 3!

Just one week and you can continue on with Eilean's journey as The Hunted publishes September 20th. And boy, will you want to continue the journey. This is an excellent quest type of story where the characters are always on the move and meeting tons of new people--with a heavy splash of romance.

We are trekking through the land of Muirwood as Eilean escapes the only home she has ever known to get the tome entrusted by Mordaunt to safety. Fortunately, she doesn't have to go it alone as Celyn and Stright come along with her as Captain Hoel is right on their heels. Every step travelled strengthens Eilean's ability to share the power of the Medium. She learns the secrets of nature and the history of the world and deepens her love and trust in the ultimate power.

New lands brings a handful of colorful new characters. She meets princes, queens, Aldermastons, and supposed heretics. With each new person Eilean meets, she develops a bigger picture about the leadership she has always put her loyalty towards. Part of becoming an adult is discerning how to see the bigger picture without any guidance from those around you. I am absolutely in love with the character progression of Eilean and Hoel.

Meeting with several different varieties of heads of state, we are exposed to plenty of political intrigue. Spies are tailing spies. Secrets are piled on secrets and then dramatically exposed. What lies on the surface holds nothing to what is underneath. Plus, there is a love story. A very touching, mushy love story. It can be a bit over the top sometimes, but I have to say at least it is very realistic. Then, there is also the fact that it provides a good portion of the character momentum. I won't drop any stars for its existence.

All in all, plenty of plot devices to really keep those pages flowing. This is a book that will make the clock disappear in absolute emotional enjoyment.

I didn’t want the book to end! Book 3 doesn’t release until next year. 😩
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The Hunted is book 2 in the Dawning of Muirwood series. And this series is soo good! It’s a YA fantasy with an enemies to lovers trope that’s to die for.
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I won’t go too deep into the book to avoid spoilers but if you haven’t started this series, check out my review for book 1. And if you haven’t read any Jeff Wheeler books and you’re someone that prefers to read books in chronological order with zero spoilers (like me) then go read The Queen’s Poisoner first. You won’t regret it!
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The Hunted starts off with Eilean being chosen by the Medium to reveal the corruption in the Maston order. She is being pursued by Hoel who believes he is the good guy. The journey of self discovery and magic that Eilean is on is difficult and amazing. Along the way she develops a complicated and beautiful relationship with Hoel.
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The ending is perfection and I can’t believe I have to wait so long for the next book. 😅🙈

A brilliant, exciting second novel in a series that has so much going for it! It honestly has left me breathless. I'm in awe of it. An incredible world full of magic, intrigue, characters with so much depth, a darkness that must be beat back and the excitement of the journey to come has me giddy and desperate for more! I need it now!

Another fabulous story and series with Jeff Wheeler. This is the second installment in the Dawning of Muirwood series and tensions continue to be high as things continue to happen and evolve in this second book of this series.
This picks up right where the first book, The Druid, left off and continues on with Eilean figuring things out with her friends and having to face and find/see people for who they really are. She has to make some choices that aren't easy and resist temptation to fall or stay with the easiness of things and instead continue to forge her own path forward to find the answers and do the right thing. The relationship between Eilean and Captain Hoel is very intriguing and gets more interesting as things go on with the story. Eilean has to find her way to help an Aldermaston that has been sentenced to death and tasked with keeping an ancient tome safe, while translating and learning from it. Captain Hoel is sent to track Eilean to get the ancient tome of magic from her and finds himself in a strange position in regards to how their relationship is developing. There are also secrets and mystical, magical places and things as Muirwood is known for and it's amazing how things are woven together throughout to all come out to make sense with everyone and everything by the end of this book.
As per usual, I couldn't stop reading once I started and finished it all in one sitting or a few hours because I wanted to know what was going to happen and how it was all going to fit. This didn't disappoint and I can't wait to read the last installment of the series and see how everything turns out in the very end. Make sure to pick this one up - you don't want to miss it.
Thanks so much to Jeff Wheeler, 47 North, and NetGalley for letting me read and review this fantastic story. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own*

5/5 world building | 4/5 Plot | 5/5 Characters | 0.5/5 Romance | 0/5 Smut

This was a tricky review to write because generally I don't like to taint my opinion by looking up the book in advance or read other reviews that have been posted. I originally picked this book as an ARC because the plot sounded great but the description didn't mention that this was the second book in a trilogy, so I went into it blind. It was extremely difficult at first to event attempt to read as a stand alone ( I would not recommend it at all) because this is a huge world that Jeff Wheeler built with so many characters and plots already in motion. A quarter the way through , I had to give up to at least read up about the first book to fill in some holes. In the end, even with gaps in my knowledge, I managed to make it through this whole book and I definitely ended up enjoying it. Jeff Wheeler is phenomenal at world building. Also, I absolutely adore Eilean. She is my type of FMC, strong, independent and sure of herself. Hoel was also a strong, well rounded character. While I am not a huge fan of insta-romance and novels with religious undertones, it was easy to get over that with the dynamic and interesting plot that developed through this story. This was my first Jeff Wheeler novel and it didn't disappoint. If you are looking for a suspenseful and exciting fantasy novel with tremendous world building, this is the book for you. If having a strong romantic current is essential to your book enjoyment, just know that it isn't really here. And definitely read the books in order!

Jeff Wheeler has quickly become one of my favorite fantasy authors. This installment is in keeping with his exceptional story telling talents. As with his other books, the intrigue, mystery, suspense and fear is palatable. The constant “what comes next” kept me reading the first two books which I completed in just a couple of days. I can’t wait for book three, The Betrayed, to be released in February, 2023.

The story is well rounded and thought out, whilst the characters are both dynamic and compelling. The entire plot throughout the series is exceptional, and Jeff does a great job bringing the story to life in technocolor detail.

I really loved this book and the entire series so far. If you like fantasy, then you will love this series. Check out Jeff Wheelers other books; you will not be disappointed!

The information for the book provided did not make clear this was book 2 in a trilogy and I was not previously familiar with this author. The book does not work well as a stand-alone so I was lost on not knowing the back history of the plot, except where it was awkwardly provided in text. The story was quick-paced but many characters seemed one-dimensional and some character developments were unrealistic with how quickly they happened. There was also no solid ending to the story - it’s left hanging for book 3. Overall, an okay novel but will be preferred by people who like 3-book-long plot lines over people who like complete stories in a single book.

Want to start off by thanking Jeff Wheeler, 47North and NetGallery for the ARC to review.

My first Jeff Wheeler book was The Druid. I personally didn't feel "The Hunted" was as good. The first quarter of the book I felt was very slow and kinda boring. It finally picked up after that and became a very good read. I'm not sure it was good enough to make me want to pick up another series of Jeff Wheeler books but if you have read "The Druid", I'd at least recommend reading this one.

Overall I'd give the book a 4/5. Started slow but picked up speed and became a very good read.

Another great book in this series. I loved the character development and how many emotions you feel along with the main characters. It is fun, exciting, and very much in the vain of Jeff Wheelers other works.