Hunters and Secrets by Amanda Cashure – A Book Review

Posted May 26, 2020 by Booksandblurbs in Fantasy, Reverse Harem, Reviews / 0 Comments

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Hunters and Secrets

(Book 1)

by Amanda Cashure
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fantasy Slow Burn RH
Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited

Down & Dirty

Into the Rich worlds of Aquila and Trand, comes a new tale woven by Amanda Cashure. Exciting, a touch dark and fully magical, it’s an amazing journey and free on Kindle Unlimited.

What is it about?

(Blurb from GoodReads)

All Hunter has ever known is a life on the edge of society. The daughter of an outlaw father and a mother with forbidden magic, she’s lived for years in the mountains – away from the rest of the world and the rules that would see her mother executed.

When a band of hunting slave traders force her hand, she becomes their unwilling captive, headed to the Trand market as their newest, and least cooperative, product.

As she struggles to stay alive and escape the traders, she gets more and more entangled with Leon Swiftsight, a mysterious mage with ulterior motives and magic that both frightens her and draws her in. The closer they become, the more something hidden and dangerous wakes inside of Hunter.

With more at stake than she could have ever known, can her secrets keep her safe?

This is the first of a slow-burn series where Hunter will meet each of her men throughout the series and have her HEA with all of her partners.

Note:

Though it’s related to the Shadows & Shade world/series, Hunters and Secrets can be read on its own.

Trigger warnings for scenes of violence involving the FMC as well as chapters exploring non/dub con, abuse against women and story elements revolving around being held captive.

Thoughts on Hunters and Secrets

After a reread Of the Shadow/Shade Sage, I decided that it is one of my favorite collections currently out. Knowing that Cashure is expanding that complex world? SIGN ME UP! This one features Leon and Hunter, a pair of mortals on the ‘other side’ of the border… and if you have read the Shadow/Shade Saga, you MIGHT recognize the names, at least Leon’s. If not, don’t worry, there is no prior reading experience required in order to enjoy this tale.

Here, we discover a woman who is determined to protect her family and a man determined to protect his realm… unfortunately, those two seemingly cohesive goals do not always jive, at least not when events fall out like they do.

There are trigger warnings in the beginning of the book and numbers for those that may need help at the end, which is a kindness offered by the author. That said, let me shine a bit of light here – the concept of rape as a punishment is put forth, as Hunter is, quite literally, a captured slave among Slave Traders who want to break her. There is also physical abuse, beatings and change. So if you have triggers, pay attention to what the author has said – those warnings are there for a reason. Mind you, this book (at least in my mind) is only a little dark, but if you’ve read Dust by the same author and loved it – you’ll be more than fine.

In an amongst this narrative, the world is put into stark clarity, showcasing just how differently people think. Our hero, Leon, though a good and possibly an honorable man, has been raised in world that understands survival can come with costs…. and sometimes those tolls need to be paid. It’s a lesson Hunter learned young as well, and is accepting of, but it’s the way the scenes are crafted by Cashure that makes it clear how normal this type of thinking is in this world, and how unique protecting another really is. It’s a fascinating dynamic that I quite enjoyed exploring

Overall, Hunters and Secrets is a fantastic story that hints at a possible Reverse Harem future (Dustin anyone?). Following the clues, this takes place a few years, if not slightly more, than the events in Shadow & Shade.

Pros:

The Shadow & Shade world! But the OTHER side!
Hunter is a fantastic, flat out badass heroine.
The way Leon thinks, it’s so unique!
Hints and foreshadowing, I need more.
I literally squealed when I read Leon’s name, though it took a brief chapter reread of Book 3 in Kitten & Allure to remember where I had heard Hunter’s name before.
No previous world experience needed, it helps, but only in clarity – this is a stand apart story.

Cons:

Sometimes the way the characters think and feel in this world is chilling…. because it’s all so NORMAL to them.

Perspective

First Person, Multiple POV

Ending Type

Cliffhanger

Rating

Mature

Romantic Dynamic

M/F for now, but hints of more in the future.

Character Age Range

27+

My Final Verdict on Hunters and Secrets

A fantastic read that flows well with plot and character development. It’s a bit dark, a touch sexy and completely captivating – and it’s free on Kindle Unlimited.

Published May 16th, 2020
288 Pages