#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

[chelsea-lat3ly]

[hey-brin]

I finished The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks today. I loved how unique the magic system was. So excited to start the next book ♡

[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...

[xxautumnivyxx]

I think I’ve done a lot to work on seeing myself as powerful no matter what the mean parts of my brain come up with. It’s a struggle, but I’m proud of my strength and navigating that to also improve in my mental healths strength is important too. We’ve got this. ❤️

[callmeurrbunny]

[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! 😊