Official Review: The Hunt by Alainna MacPherson

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Miller56
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Official Review: The Hunt by Alainna MacPherson

Post by Miller56 »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Hunt" by Alainna MacPherson.]
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3 out of 4 stars
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Sometimes we do not fit in with those around us. Other times, we feel a strong bond to someone without really knowing them. Sometimes we enter a crowded room and are drawn to certain people. Sometimes we know what someone is thinking or going to say before the words come out. There does not really seem to be a reason for these feelings, so what is going on? The Hunt by Alainna MacPherson is the first book in a three-book fantasy series. The Hunt describes the story of Maeleigh. She has always been isolated, but when she enters a new school, she instantly makes friends with a group of kids that take her into a completely different world.

Maeleigh and Gearden are the main characters of this book. Maeleigh is a young, deaf girl who wants to fit in at her new school. Gearden is a popular leader of a large group of teens. I appreciated that Maeleigh did not let her handicap hinder her ability to join in and become part of the group. She seemed to be secure in who she was. Although she had not been to school before, she seemed confident. She also cared about her grades and looked forward to the learning process. All these qualities in Maeleigh are admirable. Gearden was a definite leader and often just signaled with his head or hand and people did what he wanted. It was apparent that the group he hung out with admired and respected him. His leadership and confidence at the school showed that he had many respectable character traits.

My biggest issue with this book was that it needs edited. There are many run-on sentences that make parts of the story hard to follow. Each chapter is told in first person by the name listed as the chapter title. This technique is used in many books, but I struggled following whose version of the story was being told. There were also several instances when Gearden was called Grayson in the book.

The story concept is one that is familiar to me from reading some of the books my teenager enjoys. The difference is that Maeleigh is deaf. Sometimes it was unclear if she could hear things or if she had just developed stronger senses due to her lack of hearing. Regardless, after discussing the story with my teen, it was obvious that this book had many similarities to others that she enjoys. Therefore, I would recommend it to young adult readers who enjoy the fantasy genre.

I found the book engaging and enjoyed reading it. However, the run-on sentences, grammar, and spelling errors took away from the story. Therefore, I sadly give the book 3 out of 4 stars. The book has a lot of potential and I am sure that the rest of the series is engaging, but the author needs to take the time to have the books edited.

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The Hunt
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prernarajput123
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Post by prernarajput123 »

I storyline seems to be quite fascinating. Since it's kind of high school stories but reading the character of the deaf girl(Maeleigh) will be interesting. I definitely going to give this book a try.
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Erin Dydek
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Post by Erin Dydek »

Thanks for the helpful review! I’d love to see what draws the group together and how Maeleigh navigates her new school. I enjoy ya fiction and the familiar aspects of this type of series so this book sounds pretty interesting.
Alheotuci
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Post by Alheotuci »

This sounds like a book that I would love to read. Thanks for an engaging review!
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Dimi1
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Post by Dimi1 »

This seems like an interesting book but the editing that needs work is a drawback. Hopefully the author will have a second look. Thanks for an interesting review!
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Sydney Lee
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Post by Sydney Lee »

It sounds like a great book; if only those errors weren't there. Some of the worst errors in my opinion are the ones in which you spell or get the name of your own character wrong. Thanks for the review, though! I'll have to keep this one in mind.
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