I had my reservations going into Hunted since it appeared to be made out of everything I dislike when it comes to books. I tend to loathe books that take place historically and don't even get me started on the pile of garbage most Beauty and the Beast retellings are. However, I do adore Meagan Spooner so I threw caution to the wind and decided to give this a try. Now that I've finished reading all I can say is wow... this was much better than I thought it was going to be! 
 "It's the wanting that brought me here, to her. To another soul as empty as mine, and yet not empty at all, because it's so full of everything I thought only I ever felt. Her soul against mine feels like music, like a heartbeat, like magic. Like Beauty." 
 There's an undercurrent of wanderlust that drives the story along. These characters, Yeva and the Beast, feel like there is something they can't quite put their finger on that is missing from their lives. They always want more. It's not greediness in their hearts but more of a general sense of dissatisfaction. Like they believe that if they get the "thing" they desire most, it will make them happy. However, when they get the "thing" they realize they still aren't happy they look to the next "thing" to make them happy. For Yeva and the Beast, it's really the adventure they crave. They love the dream of the "thing" that will bring them happiness more than the actual "thing" they desire. It's a deep longing in both their hearts and it's what inevitably binds them together. It's a more powerful connection between the characters than you see in most Beauty and the Beast type stories. 
 Also, I'd like to address the obvious elephant in the room in any retelling of Beauty in the Beast: Stockholm Syndrome. Let's be real here for a minute: Right off the bat there was problems with the foundation of their relationship. He takes her prisoner and threatens her family's lives. She on the other hand tries to murder him several times. I mean... every relationship has its problems right? Actually... that's what I liked about the story. Yeva and the Beast were on equal footing in regard to being mean to each other. While the Beast's behavior is questionable he never physically harms Yeva on purpose. He's mean but not entirely cruel. Yeva also doesn't immediately see his point of view and sympathize with him. She isn't just some pretty girl dancing in ball gowns, she stands up for herself because she's a hunteress on a quest for vengeance. Also she's pretty smart because at one point Yeva even considers the idea that she may have Stockholm Syndrome. (You heard that right... there exists a retelling of Beauty and the Beast where they acknowledge the main problem with the entire romance!) However, throughout the story, there wasn't really anything romantic between the characters. But they did grow a certain companionship seeded in their mutual wandering spirits. Yeva realizes her love for the Beast and goes on to explain that she didn't fall in love with him because he hurt her but because they have similar souls. 
 "The prince's curse wasn't arrogance or cruelty, as it was so often in fairy tales. His curse was wanting, always wanting. And so was Yeva's." 
 Like I mentioned earlier, Hunted is a Beauty and the Beast retelling taking place in medieval, rural, Russia. While it does follow the generic Beauty and the Beast plot line, Hunted makes the story feel fresh again. The Russian winter setting provided a fabulous tapestry to weave the fantastical elements of the story. Here we get forest spirits and dragons rather than the talking candelabras we've all grown accustomed to. The magical nature of their environment added to the fairy tale and adventurous themes of the story. The end result is a lyrically written story where you can actually feel the permeating cold coming off the page and like Yeva and the Beast, you keep wanting something more.