Member Reviews

Not for me but I definitely likes the authors righting style. Would recommend because just because I didn’t enjoy it doesn’t mean you won’t.

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Alexandra Christo does not disappoint! The Night Hunt is a bit darker and more gritty than her previous novels, and with current trends I think teens will love this one. It reminded me of some of my favorite books where main characters fall in love with demons or have demon friends. It'll highly appeal to that audience in my opinion. This was a fun read that I think a lot of people will enjoy

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I was given an ARC of The Night Hunt in exchange for an honest review.
This story is well written and very fast paced. The entire story spans what feels like one week. This is not a bad thing in itself. However, it did make the romantic aspect less believable. It was an enjoyable read. The concept was interesting. I enjoyed the depiction of monsters as well as fallible gods. The romance is “closed door” and there are a few curse words included. I would not call this story spicy in any way and I don’t believe this was the authors intention. I didn’t feel terribly attached to any of the characters but it was a nice time.

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Atia is a Nefas, a monster who feeds off of people’s fear. Silas is a Herald, a godlike creature who acts as a messenger and also ferries the dead. When Atia commits a crime against the gods’ laws, she is forced to team up with Silas to save herself from their punishment. Silas offers this deal to her because he longs to be human again and Atia might just be he’s key to humanity. Together, they have to kill a vampire, a banshee and a god.

I enjoyed this book! I found it easy to follow and loved its fast pace. Our main characters are super likeable and I loved that this was a dual POV! I did find Atia and Silas’ relationship to be a tad rushed- it didn’t flow seamlessly. It felt like all of a sudden it escalated. However, I did find myself smiling at them and enjoying their relationship.

One of my favorite parts of the book was the friendships we see formed between Atia and her other companions. I loved that they found something in each other that the world had stripped them of- love and family. They all gave each other something to fight for and they were all better for it.

I did find the book to be a little predictable. Though, there was one thing that took me by surprise (no spoilers)! Otherwise, it was fairly easy to predict.

Overall. I was entertained while reading this book and that’s all I’m usually looking for!

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Thank you so much for the opportunity to read The Night Hunt as an ARC! Although the cover was what initially drew me in to this book, I was so pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed the story. I mean, I've never been one to shy away from the monster/monster-hunter/forced-alliance trope, and this absolutely did not disappoint (it also has the found family trope, so... huge fan). Additionally, the humor and the characterization in this book made it that much more enjoyable- plus, there's a plot twist like 80% in that I ABSOLUTELY did not see coming. The voice in this story was so consistent and was a pleasure to read, and I could vividly picture it as an audiobook in my head as I was reading! Overall, I fully expect to purchase a physical copy of this book once it's released this coming October.

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This was a very entertaining book. I liked it and thought that the pace was good and I liked the original story line.
I just reviewed The Night Hunt by Alexandra Christo. #NetGalley
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Alexandra Christo has become an auto-buy author for me, and I love that feeling! I love finding an author whose writing just works so well for me. Moving on to the actual book - I could not be more obsessed with the characters in this story. I loved that is was dual POV, Silas and Atia were both great characters and getting to read their thoughts and feelings in each situation really helps me adore them even more.

Found family is one of my favourite tropes, and I thought that it was done really well in this book. Tristan and Cillian were absolute joys, and so important to this story in so many ways. I also really liked Pythia, and even somehow Thentos, but Cillian especially has my heart.

It did take me a little bit of time to get into the story and understand the world, but once everything clicked into place, I couldn’t get enough of this. I devoured it, and did not want to put it down until I had finished the entire book. It was such an interesting, unique story that surprised me multiple times. I don’t mind when a book is predictable, but it’s just so much more fun when a story takes twists and turns (in ways that make sense, of course) to lead to a really satisfying ending.

I already wish it was October just so I could pick up a physical copy for my shelf, because I definitely will reread this and the cover is stunning. It definitely needs a spot on my shelf. I think if you read and enjoy this, I would recommend picking up Master of Iron by Tricia Levenseller next for found family / travel together vibes, with a loveable scholar.

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book! I voluntarily read this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Thank you so much netgalley and Macmillan for the Arc!

The world build was truly lovely! Every bit of lore that was dropped, I needed more of. The flow of information and speed of the story was very well paced. Plus this book has all the monsters you could ever want, in every form. From vampires and banshees to human monsters.
The characters are all so easy to sympathize with and love as well. Atia is such a heartbreaking character, I really loved her from page one and wanted to bundle her in a blanket. But I will say the found family seemed very odd at first. When Cillian and Tristan join the journey it was kind of forced, they gave their reasons for going but it just wasn’t that smooth or a sound decision from my view. But wow are Cillian and Tristan’s banter and friendship so fun and humorous! They are almost the stars of the book in that aspect.
Overall this was a very enjoyable story!

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Scrolling through netgalley I came across this beauty. The cover alone drew me in and I decided to apply for it. And I'm so glad I did. The first book of hers I've read and what a great way to start. This story takes you on an adventure of mythical creatures. Love and grief. The last of her kind, Atia, lives carefully always making sure to not upset the God's. But when protecting a human from a bad man turns south, Atia makes a grave error. Cursed for her choice, she loses the one thing that makes her, her. Her powers. With a proposition from a Herald, she must travel the world of humans to accomplish impossible tasks with the help of her unique friends. Will her friends and determination be enough to get her powers back, or will the God's end it before she can? It is beautifully written, gripping moments that keep you on your toes! I loved every moment!!

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The Night Hunt by Alexandra Christo is a beautifully written young adult fantasy novel.

Atia is the last of her kind. She is a Nefas, a monster who feeds on fear. Ever since the night when her parents were murdered she has stuck to the shadows, feeding when she needs but above all remaining apart from the world. That is, until she meets Silas.

Silas is a Herald, a messenger for the Gods. For the sins he committed in life, he is cursed to clean up after the monsters of the world, ferrying the souls of the humans to the realm of the dead and generally acting as the Gods' errand boy. Oh, and one more thing - his memory was stripped from him for the duration of his service, a fact which Silas resents.

When Atia finds herself cursed for breaking the Gods' cardinal rule, Silas will offer an irresistible bargain. In exchange for helping him break the curse that keeps his memories at bay, he will help her avenge her family and break her curse. They merely have to hunt and killing a vampire, a banshee, and one of the very Gods who have cursed them both before drinking from the sacred River of Eternity. How hard could that be?

As Atia and Silas set out on their quest, making allies and learning more about the Gods who have cursed them both, truths will come to light that are impossible to ignore. Do they have the power together to take that knowledge and break the curses that plague them?

I found this novel very enjoyable. It is very much a young adult novel. The writing seems to pretty clearly target a younger audience. That being said, this did not detract from the story for me. Atia and Silas make the perfect narrators for this tale of discovery, justice, and finding oneself. Their motivations throughout the story were clear and I don't feel like I ever doubted what the characters wanted. I enjoyed the way they interacted with the other characters. Their banter was light and teasing and felt very age appropriate. I do wish there had been a little more depth to the characters but with a shorter novel some shallowness is expected.

The mythology the author created is both enjoyable and familiar with its clear inspiration in Greek mythology. There were enough differences that the mythology didn't feel unoriginal and enough similarities that a massive lore dump wasn't needed in order to explain what was going on. The setting of the world felt a little ambiguous, there were times when I could not tell if the world was meant to be more of a medieval fantasy world or a modern one but I enjoyed that. It felt to me like the genres were blended and you had little aspects of both throughout.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this read. It was fast and easy and would be something I would pick up and read again.

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Introduction:

Atia is a Nefas, the last of her kind, a monster that feeds on nightmares and fear, hiding from the gods who brutally murdered her parents and the rest of her kind. Silas is a Herald, a messenger to the gods and a carrier of dead souls to the underworld who is bored with his monotonous daily routine and struggling to figure out his identity before he became a Herald.

Although Atia would never consider partnering with someone like Silas, circumstances change when she breaks a sacred law and the Gods dispatch monsters to pursue her. Silas proposes an irresistible agreement: if Atia assists him in breaking his curse and recovering his humanity, he will help avenge her family and confront the deities now on her tail. To achieve their goals, they must eliminate three formidable entities: a vampire, a banshee, and one of the Gods who ruined their lives.

Thoughts:

The Night Hunt by Alexandra Christo is a stand alone YA fantasy novel that’s told in dual povs. Mostly influenced by Greek mythology, overall, it was a fun and fast read. There were a lot of good things about this book. The characters were well thought out and the banter among them was well written. The plot had it’s intrigue and suspense.

However I don’t feel there was anything novel or awe inspiring about it for a well seasoned reader. Same recycled mythological creatures/gods with different names and a few add ons, same elemental realms, heaven and hell, same found family and enemies to lovers tropes. Nothing new that I hadn’t read in a hundred books before. Same goes for the plot. If this was the first book I’ve ever read, then I assume I would have been impressed but sadly it is not. Personally I found the world building lacking and the storyline dull. Don’t get me wrong. It had it’s moments but it was very difficult for me to connect with the story or any of the characters. I saw the plot twist at the end coming from the very first few chapters.

Neither Atia or Silas were bad protagonists but I don’t think there was anything substantial in their story arcs for me to actually root for them. Also their romance wasn’t that convincing. I honestly didn’t understand Tristan’s and Cillian’s motive to join Atia and Silas on their journey either. While the author tried to give some depth to the ‘found family’ situation, in my personal opinion she didn’t succeed. I can go on but I never take pleasure in downgrading an author’s hard work because I know she tried her best.

Concluding my review, The Night Hunt isn’t a bad book. It’s just that there are so many books very similar to it out there and unfortunately I seem to have read all of them.

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Honestly, not really feeling this one. YA is hard for me to get into but the writing in this felt more directed for younger teens and it didn't hold my interest. The premise sounds interesting but it was just okay.

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I will update the review with the link to on our blog closer to publication date.

I'd like to thank the publisher Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Thank you Alexandra Christo & Macmillan Children Publishing Group/Feiwel & Friends for providing me this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Night Hunt is a story about a monster (a Nefas) named Atia who is cursed by a Herald, a servant to the gods, and the journey to getting her immortality back. Some common themes are: found family and enemies to love interests.


I would like to start by making it clear that I feel this story fell more on the TEEN age range rather than YA. The writing is definitely less mature than what I am used to, making this read rather difficult for me to get through.

While the intrigue was there, I found the characters lacking depth and personality. The characters were enjoyable on a surface level but there was no sense of connection with any character at any point.


However, I did enjoy the quick read and the journey the story took me on. The world is relatively unique, as are the creatures and gods. The mythological aspects of the story were sound and the witty side characters provided comedic relief.

I think many young readers will find this enjoyable.


My review can be found on Goodreads.

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"You must have faith in which you are today and not think so much of who you were or who you think you need to be."

The Night Hunt is a story about a monster named Atia who is cursed by a Herald, a messenger and transporter for the gods, and the journey to getting her immortality back. I enjoyed the lore and the mythology of this story and the combination of multiple mythological elements to create an expansive setting and story. I also really enjoyed the journey aspect of this story and the specific tasks of the quest and the pacing of such. My favorite aspect of this entire book was the sarcastic side characters, I feel as if these two made the story.

However, I did have some issues with this story. First of all, I did not feel like we got enough of an explanation of the "found family" trope. I think the beginning was rushed in the sense that I don't understand where the side characters got the motivation to go on this journey. I understand where Silas and Atia would want to work together but there was no good explanation for the other two. Also, I thought the monsters and the gods were interesting in their powers and abilities, however, there were a few times I was lost during the story because I didn't get enough context overall.

In conclusion, I found this book to be an enjoyable fast read. I loved the mythology and the elements of different culture's mythology included in the story. I loved the quest aspect and the journey was so fun to follow. Cillian and Tristan were my favorite characters by far, they are so sarcastic and I laughed out loud at some of their comments. Overall, a super fun and engaging young adult fantasy.

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