The Witch Collector

  

The Witch Collector

(Witch Walker, #1)
by Charissa Weaks

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Publication Date: Nov 2 2021
Publisher: City Owl Press
Pages: 343
ISBN: 9781648980442
Genre: Fantasy | Young Adult
Source: ARC eBook

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Available for Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Synopsis: Every harvest moon, the Witch Collector rides into the valley and takes on the witches back to Winterhold to protect the immortal Frost King. Collection day is a day many families fear because the witches never return from Winterhold and their families never hear from them again. 

For 24 years the Witch Collector has passed Raina by, but not this year. Raina has one desire - to kill the Front King and the Witch Collector for taking her sister 8 years ago. But before Raina can kill the Witch Collector, an unexpected enemy sets fire to Raina's world, and the only way for Raina to save her sister and their empire is to help the Witch Collector save the Frost King. 

Raina sets out with the Witch Collector on a harrowing journey that tests her strength and determination but what Raina learns along the way is that sometimes the lines blur between good and evil and that people are not always as they seem and sometimes the villain is a hero in disguise - including the Witch Collector.

Review: This book!! Once I started it, I couldn't put it down. It was so captivating and Charissa instantly drew me into her worldbuilding. Initially, I came across this book and fell in love with the cover, knowing that I had to have it. I wasn't sure if the story would be good or not because at the time there weren't very many reviews about it and I've never read anything by Charissa Weaks. I am so glad that I decided to take a chance on this story.

I love how well everything is explained and that the backstory with the Gods and Kings/Queens is laid out throughout the story and not a huge info dump at the beginning - because oftentimes that is confusing for me and hard to follow. This book is so detailed that it is easy to imagine the world and the unbearable cold and ice.

Let's talk about the characters for a second - there are so many strong females in this story. So many!! Raina is such a strong powerful character and her best friend Helena- also strong and amazing! Huge shout to the author for having the main character be mute. Also - so many people of color and diversity and it's very subtle - the author doesn't obsess over talking about their skin color - it's just casually mentioned like no big deal and then on to the next thing. Can we also just swoon for a minute over the Witch Collector (Alexus)? Seriously, that man is legit boyfriend goals. He is the perfect companion for such a strong female and the way he pushes her and admires her instead of holding her back is just perfection.

“In another life, I would've tried to know her. I would've admired her and read her poems written by my own hand. I would've walked with her through fields of stardrops, danced with her in the stream.” - Alexus
― Charissa Weaks, The Witch Collector

Seriously, I am so glad this is a series because I need to know what happens next with Raina and Alexus! I'm just sad that I have to wait so long for the next one.

Overall I give this book 4.5 stars because the story is so powerful, the characters are complex and dynamic, and the cover art is beautiful.

Special thanks to City Owl Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Eight Days of Christmas

Eight Days of Christmas

(Pineridge, #1)
by Starla DeKruyf

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Publication Date: Oct 19 2021
Publisher: City Owl Press
Pages: 308
ISBN: 9781648980992
Genre: Adult | Contemporary | Romance | Holiday
Source: Own

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Available for Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Synopsis: Isabella Whitley hasn't been back home to Pineridge, Colorado in over ten years, but must return to celebrate the family's Eight Days of Christmas tradition along and her younger sister's Christmas day wedding.  But when a snowstorm grounds Isabella's flight, her only options are to wait out the storm until the morning or to get a rental car. That's when Isabella's high school sweetheart, Leo, enters the picture. Turns out Leo is also on his way back to Colorado because his younger brother Landon, is the groom in the upcoming wedding. By the time Leo and Isabella get to the car rental, there is only one car left so they reluctantly agree to share the ride to Colorado.

Being in close proximity to each other brings up a lot of past feelings and resentment and both Isabella and Leo must learn to navigate those feelings if they are going to survive the Whitley's Eight Days of Christmas, Norah and Landon's wedding, and then go on their separate ways once again.

Review: This book is legit holiday magic! Right from the beginning I couldn't help but get Hallmark movie vibes. Can I also just swoon over how absolutely perfect the cover is? It's definitely in the top 10 of all-time favorite covers - shoutout to whoever did the cover art! Also, can I please be a member of the Whitley family? A family that does the eight days of Christmas, every single year? Yes, please! I want to make gingerbread houses, go sledding, bake sugar cookies, and string popcorn. The Whitley family is the quintessential holiday family that everyone wants to be and reading about them doing all those adorable holiday traditions just makes readers want to celebrate the holidays that way as well.

I will admit that bits of the story are a bit cheesy and at times I wanted to smack both Izzy and Leo and tell them to get over themselves. However, that's what I love about romcoms and Hallmark movies, they are all so cheesy but in the most delicious way possible. Everybody loves a feel-good story and I enjoy reading about characters that aren't perfect, that make mistakes, that say or do stupid things because that's what makes it more realistic. 

“Shouldn't all of this be easier? If two people love each other, shouldn't that be enough?”
― Starla DeKruyf, Eight Days of Christmas

Overall I give this book 4 stars because the story is adorable, the characters are fun, and the cover art is charming.

Special thanks to City Owl Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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