#the witch collector

[theinquisitxor]

May 2024 Reading Wrap Up

I read 8 books in May and fully got through all the books I wanted to read this month, which makes me happy. My enjoyment was a big up and down throughout the month, but I'm overall happy with what I finished in May. I read mostly fantasy, with 3 nonfiction. I wrapped up 1 series and read a few new releases I have been excited about.

Let's get into it!

1.The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo 4/5 stars. This was an enjoyable new historical fantasy standalone, and I'm liking her adult works quite a bit. I enjoyed the early-modern Spain setting, including all the societal upheavals that Spain was going through during this time period. This novel feels like a Leigh Bardugo book, with characters, themes, and plots that appear in her other books. In general, if you consistently like Bardugo's works, then you'll probably like this one! Adult Historical Fantasy.

2.Brave the Wild River: The Untold Story of Two Women Who Mapped the Botany of the Grand Canyon by Melissa L. Sevigny. I read this on audio, and this was an enjoyable nonfiction about the first women to raft down the Colorado River in the late 1930s. Nonfiction.

3.The Winners (Beartown 3) by Fredrik Backman, 5/5 stars. This gave me such a satisfying but emotionally devastating conclusion 😭. I knew from page 1 that things were going to hurt, but I really couldn't have asked for a better series about a small hockey town. Fiction.

4.Song of the Huntress by Lucy Holland 2/5 stars. I read Sistersong when it was released a few years ago and loved it. I was disappointed with this however, I never really connected to the plot or characters at all. I felt like our main character never went through any sort of growth, and I was bored or frustrated throughout.Shoutout for having an ace main character, but other than that I would have dnf'd this book if it wasn't for how much I deeply enjoyed Sistersong. Adult Historical fantasy

5.The Language of Trees: A Rewilding of Literature and Landscape by Katie Holton. This was a lovely collection of short essays, musings, passages, and poetry about trees and forests.

6.The Hedgewitch of Foxhall by Anna Bright, 3/5 stars. I'd been interested in this novel since the title and fantastic cover caught my attention. Young Adult is generally not my favorite genre anymore, and this definitely had a YA feel to it, a bit more than I find I enjoy anymore. The ending felt cobbled together and rushed, but I thought this novel had some good reflections and critiques on nature and society that apply well today. Young Adult Historical Fantasy

7. Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness by Edward Abbey. I can see why this is a foundational piece of North American Nature Literature, and I did enjoy my time reading it. Edward Abbey was certainly a man with opinions, and a man of this time. I thought his prose, reflections on the landscape and nature were beautiful and apt. However sometimes he will randomly spout some nonsense. I did really enjoy reading this collection of essays and he makes me want to visit this region, and to really get to know, understand, and appreciate the land. Nature Literature

8.The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks 3/5 stars. This was my Random TBR Pick for the month of May. I'm not the biggest Fantasy Romance person, but I was willing to give this a try. This was fine. It was entertaining and I kept wanting to turn the page and find out what happens next. I didn't connect with the characters as much as I wanted to, and I did not enjoy the Insta-love that happened. The worldbuildng felt weak, but the magic system interests me. This book definitely steered in a direction I wasn't fully expecting, and I don't think I have any interested in continuing the series. It's not necessarily bad, just not my cup of tea. Adult Fantasy Romance.

that's all the books I read in May!

My June TBR:

The Magician's Daughter by HG Parry

The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh (TBR pick)

River Horse: A Voyage Across America by William Least Heat-Moon

1177 BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed by Eric H Cline

[euphoric-melancholyy]

Romantic Fantasy & Fantasy Romance Book Recs

I recently made a post looking for the book/reader community on Tumblr and I found a lot of you! A couple people asked for book recommendations so here they are. All of these have varying levels of spice unless otherwise mentioned. I do recommend going into all of these blind and just see if you like them with zero expectations. I find it makes the reading experience better if you aren’t expecting something to be the greatest thing ever. Then you can only be surprised if you like it (or hopefully love it!) All of these are fantasy romance!!

Tagging some peeps who said they also love fantasy romance or seemed like they would like to know about some book recs: @imhilien @raven-reads87 @accidentalspaceexplorer @the-dust-jacket @melindacopp @taylorsversion213 @siruisreader @faerie-smut-merchant @gwelwynn @hitchhikerbooks @astrid162 @arewedancer99 @bookwyrmtaz @sourpatchkid99 @caffeinated-bibliophile @books-and-cookies @eaterofbooks @franticvampirereads @carissabroadbent - sorry if I forgot anyone or if you did not want to be tagged. Happy reading!

- Daughter of No Worlds, the first book in The War of Lost Hearts trilogy by Carissa Broadbent. You’ve got grumpy/sunshine, badass female protagonist, a “who did this to you?” scene, and so much more!! It’s dark but still has so much love and is just. So, so good. I will never shut up about how much I adore this criminally underrated series. There is absolutely nothing I disliked about this book. This is my favorite trilogy ever, up there tied with my favorite series ever. There’s no miscommunication and the characters handle hard situations maturely. It’s dark at times and deals with slavery, torture, and the injustices that entails, but it’s also empowering and full of hope and funny quips. The characters are lovable and complex. The pacing is the best pacing of any book. The romance is sweet yet still full of tension. The plot is incredible. I cannot recommend this book enough. It flawlessly balances the mundanity of living with the largeness of this universe and literal world ending stakes. She balances joy and grief, laughter and sorrow, trauma and healing. It’s a true feat when your heart aches with all of it at the same time. Each book is incredible. The character I was hesitant to love in the first book had me sobbing with the realism and heartache that I felt for her in the last book. If you listen to the audiobook, the narrators were perfectly cast as well. Tisaanah, the FMC has a language barrier and it’s done so incredibly well, especially when listening to the audiobook. It remains one of my favorite things about Daughter of No Worlds. This series is criminally underrated and I will never understand how it isn’t at the top of booktok. 12/10, move this up to the top of your TBR. Each book is just as good as the one before it. I’m obsessed with this series. This series is on KU!! It’s a completed trilogy!!

- The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L Jenson. And it’s included in your Audible Plus subscription if you have one. The tension, the conflict, the romance. I love a morally grey mc as much as the next gal, but Aren is the equivalent of a golden retriever and I would die for him and Laura. Enemy kingdoms. Marriage. A perfect Enemies to lovers!! Also on KU!! Completed duology, with a third book focusing on a different couple.

- The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks. This is one of the best fantasy romances I’ve read! The FMC is a mute witch!! The plot, the tension, the characters, all of it is amazing. I fell in love with these characters and this world. Not to mention the ✨sexual tension✨ is some of the best I’ve ever read. It’s well earned too! Alexus and Raina have made my list of favorite ships. The sequel, City of Ruin, introduced a bunch of new characters and POVs (including the villains!) is a lot spicier, and just overall expands the world and the characters!! It’s action packed and made me look at the series in a new light! It does end on a major cliffhanger though, so be aware! Still read it. But it’s not tied up with a bow (yet!) I cannot express how excited I am for the third book and the direction this story is going. Highly, highly recommend! She also has signed copies on her Etsy!

- The Scribe by Elizabeth Hunter! This is a completed urban fantasy with romance series with 7 books. The first 3 books follow the same couple and can be read as a completed series - the other books focus on different couples and are just an extension. A race of beings ascended from angels are at war. Our main protagonist Ava is a human photojournalist who has heard voices in a nonexistent language her whole life and has always been told and believed she’s just crazy…but is she?? I love when we get a character thrown into a fantasy world who has no knowledge of it (like the reader!) it’s so fun. The romance is 🔥🔥🔥 and I love them. Ava is smart and savvy but not otherworldly strong like a lot of protagonists. She’s learning. And MAGIC! I love magic. I love the magic in this universe. The pacing is great and it’s a great balance of romance and plot. It’s a super interesting premise and I just think more people should read this series. I do not recommend the audiobook through - I hated the narrator. Book is great though! Also on KU!!

- I’ve found that whichever SJM series you start with is your favorite but Throne of Glass is next level. It was her first series and she spent half of her life writing it. You can see some of the groundwork for ACOTAR in it. But where ACOTAR is about the romance, ToG is about the plot. The romances are secondary to the plot. But for ACOTAR, the plot is secondary to the relationships and romance. ToG is so expertly planned out and it’s a slow burn into fantasy. It’s my number 1, favorite series. It’s definitely more YA but grows into what I would consider more New Adult towards the end of the series. Do not go into this series expecting spice. There is romance, but there are not any spicy scenes until the later books. The journey you go on with Celaena from Assassin’s Blade to Kingdom of Ash is unparalleled. It feels so special and epic. BUT I will say I went into the series completely blind with no expectations. So I suggest doing the same. And the first few books might seem slow. But KEEP GOING it’s worth it, I swear. And start with the prequel Assassin’s Blade!! It’s broken up into interconnected short novellas for the prequel only. The series has a more full circle feeling when you start with the prequel, and you don’t know things that you might otherwise know if you read Throne of Glass first. Starting with the prequel also made me love Celaena more. If you are just starting fantasy, start with Throne of Glass because it is a slow burn into fantasy. This is a completed series

- The Song of the Marked by S.M. Gaither. I was told this book would cure my Throne of Glass hangover. I’d agree! It also gives me major From Blood and Ash vibes, but with better characters. It’s got a great magic system, fun friendship dynamics and banter, a slow burn enemies to lovers, and some good ol’ fashion mystery surrounding the protagonist. I’m really enjoying it so far and if you like fantasy, I highly recommend!!

- Hollow Heathens (Tales of Weeping Hollow) by Nicole Fiorina - it’s like if Halloweentown met Storybrooke from Once Upon a Time, and had a child. It’s a gothic romance and is just so different from everything I’ve read. Also on KU!! This is a standalone.

- The North Wind by Alexandria Warwick. It’s a fun enemies to lovers Beauty and the Beast and Hades and Persephone retelling. Mix elements of those stories together and you have The North Wind. Also on KU!! Can be read as a stand-alone. The next book, which isn’t out yet, focuses on a different couple.

- An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. You’ve got a spy posing as a slave to save her brother. A trained assassin brought up in a merciless, brutal school where he wants to escape. There’s a love triangle of sorts, which I usually hate but I didn’t mind it in this! It’s action packed and has made me love YA again. Dark, with themes of generational trauma, the importance of storytelling, the ✨power of love✨, breaking generational cycles, mercy, and tragedy of war. Lots of character growth for everyone!! Inspired by the gladiator times in the Roman Empire. Young Adult but very violent. No spice, all fade to black.

- The Serpent and The Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent!! I had high expectations for this book. Carissa’s other series, The War of Lost Hearts, is my favorite series ever. And now with one book out so far, Crown of Nyaxia is making that list too. The world building. The characters. The complexity and emotions and just everything about it. It’s a masterpiece. I love the relationships!! And the last quarter of the book had me on an emotional rollercoaster through the end. I wanted to reread this book the moment I finished it. If a dark, gritty, high stakes fantasy romance with Hunger Games meets vampires and swoon worthy, epic romance (and some spice!!) sounds like your thing, drop everything else your reading and start this. This is the first book in a series and was just released. Carissa is my favorite author and one thing that she does really well is write strong, healthy relationships. Her characters don’t fall into lust and then in love - it’s a buildup of respect, trust, friendship, and then love. (And 🌶️🌶️ of course, but the relationships are more than that.) Raihn is my new #1 book boyfriend!!

- The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen is a new comfort read for me. but if you want a super fun, quirky, romance with You’ve Got Mail vibes set in a fantasy universe that also has zombie like creatures, this is it. I know that sounds weird af, but it is so cute and I can’t stop smiling as I read it!! It’s a new favorite and is just SO CUTE! And I cried!!

- A Deal With the Elf King by Elise Kova! This is a standalone, enemies to lovers, arranged marriage fantasy romance!! I love all the characters in this, especially the growth of the MMC! The FMC feels a lot of responsibility to take care of everyone around her and she doesn’t allow others to disrespect her (especially the MMC!) There are lots of swoon worthy lines that had me smiling and blushing and some spice! Highly recommend!!

- The High Mountain Court by A.K. Mulford. It has witches, fae, a fun magic system, mates, natural LGBTQIA+ and POC representation, spicy, enemies to lovers, touch her and die (and the opposite touch him and die!), a truly wonderful and swoon worthy romance, and is just a great NA fantasy romance! Each book focuses on a different couple and follows a cohesive storyline!

- Between Wrath and Mercy by Jess Wisecup. You’ve got a mom hellbent on getting her kidnapped teenage daughter back. She needs the help of the Crown Prince - her first love - to do it. A spicy fantasy romance that is both character driven and plot driven. It’s so refreshing to read “older” (ie not 16 - 25 years old) characters in a fantasy romance!! The tension is high and the grief and love that intermingle to form the emotional backbone of these characters is so poignant and beautifully done. It’s also nice to see a mom who has an identity outside of being a mom! But she’s still a great mom! It was so refreshing to read and the second book is even better than the first! Very dark and yet also sweet and romantic and intense.

- The Cruel Prince by Holly Black! Also known as The Folk of the Air trilogy. If you’re looking for a spicy fantasy series, this isn’t it. There’s no spice. But if you’re looking for an AMAZING YA fantasy villain arc with enemies to lovers, fantastic storytelling, plot twists, and just an overall faerie adventure, read this series. I was hesitant to read it because of its YA rating/audience. But it’s easily one of my favorite series of all time! I love the characters, the plot, the arc, and the writing style! I read each book in less than two days. Highly, highly recommend. I also read them on audiobook and the narration is fantastic!

[chelsea-lat3ly]

[bookishbethanyerin]

• books i need to hurry up and read •

A hodge-podge of books outside of my usual genres, things that people rave about but I, for some reaaon, haven’t prioritized, and things that I’m suddenly feeling impatient about, here are the books I need to hurry up and read!

Are there any books you’ve been meaning to pick up for forever, and just haven’t yet?

[in-dire-read]

[cassiesbookishcorner]

•March 31, 2023•

It's here! It's here! It's here!!

The Wolf and the Witch by @charissaweaksauthor has made it to my doorstep!

I am beyond excited about getting into this!

The cover is stunning!

Just from the little teasers I have seen, I know the main characters are going to become my favorite.

▪︎

If you haven't read this series yet, please do asap. It's so so good.

And the author is wonderful.

▪︎

Alright alright. Enough gushing... for now. It's time to read!!

▪︎

•

▪︎

[floriumm]

Book mail! 📚

[kopfkino-o]

Just fished The Witch Collector during a long distance train and let me say it’s a 10/10. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing, the magic system, the characters, the romance, it’s amazing.

Hoping to finish the next book during my time in Berlin!

[songedunenuitdete]

Witch Walker Livre 1 – Le faucheur de sorcières de Charissa Weaks

[talesfromthemidnightride]

The Witch Collector ★★★☆☆

Synopsis: Raina Bloodgood sets out with a mission -- to kill the Frost King who took her sister from her. A threat from another rival kingdom throws off her quest and brings her closer to her unwilling ally -- the Witch Collector, Alexus Thibault. The man she was supposed to kill is now the only one who can help save her sister and capture her heart.

Genre: New Adult, High Fantasy

Quick Takeaway:

I don't connect with the main character and her struggles due to the fast-paced nature of the story.

Raina is mute, which adds a unique and interesting layer to the story.

Magic and necessary worldbuilding are not elaborated on or properly fleshed out.

Interesting character development is info-dumped onto the reader, or it's left in offhanded marks.

There isn't enough mystery or intrigue given to pull the reader in.

I gave it a 3 out of 5 as I rounded up from a 2.5 rating on Goodreads. While this story didn't hit the mark with me, please feel free to check this out yourself and support the author if a high fantasy, enemy to lovers sounds interesting to you. Keep in mind this story is intended for mature audiences!

In-depth spoiler review under the cut!

I was genuinely interested in this story by the blurb. A high fantasy new adult involving enemies to lovers? Yes, please. But, it, unfortunately, failed to live up to what I wanted.

I feel like it would be a crime to not talk about the one thing I did love about this story. The mute character. I enjoyed delving into Raina's perspective and seeing how she may choose to overcome situations where she may not be able to sign. It was a sweet gesture reading that her sister managed to teach other witches her sign language.

The first arc of the story comes and goes in a whirlwind. You're still trying to understand the lore and world and find a connection to each of the characters around Raina when everything comes crashing down. How can you feel Raina's pain when a) you just met all of these characters in name only, and b) Raina herself is more focused on how handsome her alleged enemy looks.

This leads to another weak point I encountered as I read further into the story. Everyone is flat or two-dimensional. Raina changes her goals far too fast with little build-up for the reader. Helena, Raina's closest friend, was possessed, but it was quickly brushed under. Nephele, the sister Raina wanted to save, lost her lover but that was not addressed. She remained the calm sister even while Raina had a breakdown because she may lose Alexus, the Witch Collector.

You finally get a more in-depth look at the lore of the world around the 3/4 mark of the book. But it's all in a monologue from Alexus. Maybe this is a personal preference, but I don't appreciate lore being handed to the reader in monologues. It's not very engaging as a reader.

The world needed more careful touches. The author fell too heavily on 'tell not show.' She told us Raina wanted her sister, and that she had an issue with the way things are. But show us why she wanted her sister. Give Nepehele depth, and emphasize the heartache the separation can cause. It was so much harder to fall into the story when everyone seemed to agree or be fine with the way things are.

The magick was also confusing to grasp. It was vaguely addressed. I would have loved more discussion about the witch markings, their meaning, and how exactly it functions. It's a bit confusing at times. You must sing to use your magick, but I still struggle to understand how Raina can use her magick. Everything is mainly handed to the reader with the understanding we will know, or it's vaguely addressed.

Lastly, it was very interesting to see a story where the good guys lost, but the emotional impact of it all was swept under the rug. Instead, the story focused on the romance between Raina and Alexus, so the full impact was never felt. This was very disappointing and added to the characters feeling so two-dimensional.

[reviewsthatburn]

DNF 118 pages in (32%).

In retrospect I should’ve realized a book whose blurb mentions three authors I don’t like reading (as a positive comparison) was not going to be a book I would probably enjoy. 

I like the main character (Raina). I appreciate the way a story-specific version of sign language is used for her to communicate and others to communicate with her, and I like that the book has a list of author supplied contact warnings available at a link. That’s basically where the stuff that I like ends, and most of those ultimately aren’t about the actual story. 

I have enjoyed other books where two people that are from groups that hate each other for various reasons end up in a romance. I often do like those... when the two individuals involved haven’t already hated each other specifically in this context. But I’m having trouble relating to this story where part of the main premise is that Raina specifically hates the Witch Collector, and then has to travel with him, and the book seems to be heading towards a romantic/sexual relationship between them. I am not in favor of this trajectory, and the rate at which she is softening to him does not, to me, line up with what he’s actually doing. Ultimately, it’s just not a story that I care to read and so I'm stopping.

[animezinglife]

I feel like The Witch Collector has a very similar vibe and even what you think will be a pretty similar beginning. It's the first in the Witchwalker trilogy.

It's a different story, but they could take place in the same fictional world.

It's not YA though and is a little more graphic though in more ways than one, so that's something to keep in mind.

I need more books like Uprooted guys...

[callmeurrbunny]

[xxautumnivyxx]

One day at a time boss, but we’re doing it. 💪🏼

[in-dire-read]

The Wolf and The Witch - Review

Written by: Charissa Weaks

5 stars/5 stars

*Spoilers ahead*

The story starts with Nephele and Neri in the Summerlands, and they must head back North to warn and protect the Northlanders of what lies ahead. Now bonded through this new curse, readers are privy to a different budding romance.

Readers get a deeper understanding of the eldest Bloodgood’s personality and her overall perspective of the situation unfolding before the group. Weaks’s male characters are phenomenal because they respect and value women as their equals. Typically in fantasy/mythical stories, readers often see the patriarchy within the construct of said book’s world.  Even though City of Ruins is probably my favourite thus far, Weaks did not disappoint with her third book. If you’re looking for a fantasy story to switch elements of George Martin’s “Game of Thrones” but from the female gaze, I highly recommend you try the Witch Walker series!

[floriumm]

I ordered two new books from Amazon that should be here Thursday or Friday! Any book that I buy that’s not available on Kindle Unlimited, I prefer to buy the physical copy. Idk I just feel like if I’m spending money, I’d rather have the physical version. I ordered the hardcover of Serpent & Dove because it was only $12 but The Witch Collector I got paperback because the hardcover is $30 and idk how I’ll like it lol.

I’m excited to read both! 😊