Charissa was an ordinary young girl living in the small town of Willowbrook. She had always been fascinated by stories of witches and magic, often losing herself in books filled with whimsical tales of enchantment. Her favorite story of all was about the great Witch Collector. Legend had it that the Witch Collector was a powerful sorceress who roamed the land, using her magic to trap and capture dangerous witches. It was said that she had an uncanny ability to sense their presence and would stop at nothing to ensure their capture. One fateful day, Charissa stumbled upon an ancient book hidden deep within the recesses of her local library.
that they can’t keep going,
When the lines begin to blur, Margrete must make a choice between a fiery love, and saving the realm from the dangerous magic awakening inside of her soul. I was also aghast at how willing Raina was to trust and divulge super secret information to people who had very a high likelihood of being untrustworthy with that information.
One fateful day, Charissa stumbled upon an ancient book hidden deep within the recesses of her local library. As she explored its dusty pages, she discovered a long-forgotten incantation that supposedly had the power to summon the Witch Collector. Spellbound by the chance to meet her idol, Charissa quickly memorized the incantation and prepared to put it to use.
Book Review: The Witch Collector, by Charissa Weaks
Charissa Weaks‘ The Witch Collector was featured over on Sadie’s Spotlight. You can hop over there for an author interview, excerpt, and a chance to win a copy of the book, if you’d like. I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the book as part of the tour material. So, I decided to give it a read here on See Sadie Read.
Every harvest moon, the Witch Collector rides into our valley and leads one of us to the home of the immortal Frost King, to remain forever.
Today is that day—Collecting Day.
But he will not come for me. I, Raina Bloodgood, have lived in this village for twenty-four years, and for all that time he has passed me by.
His mistake.
Raina Bloodgood has one desire: kill the Frost King and the Witch Collector who stole her sister. On Collecting Day, she means to exact murderous revenge, but a more sinister threat sets fire to her world. Rising from the ashes is the Collector, Alexus Thibault, the man she vowed to slay and the only person who can help save her sister.
Thrust into an age-old story of ice, fire, and ancient gods, Raina must abandon vengeance and aid the Witch Collector or let their empire—and her sister—fall into enemy hands. But the lines between good and evil blur, and Raina has more to lose than she imagined. What is she to do when the Witch Collector is no longer the villain who stole her sister, but the hero who’s stealing her heart?
In some ways, I really enjoyed this book. In others, I was disappointed. I enjoyed the story and the writing style. The overarching plot looks like it will be a really interesting one. I adored Alexus. He had all the makings and potential to be an alpha a-hole, but he just wasn’t. He was very sweet and marvelously willing to let Raina take the lead. I liked Raina too. She was strong and determined to succeed on her own and I loved the use of sign language. I liked the side characters too. (Though there’s a bit of an age-gap, I’m hoping for a pairing there.)
However, I also thought the book felt a little bit like this was an extended prologue (all 400+ pages of it). So much of the book is spent traveling to the place where the reader expects things to happen and I felt like the middle lagged because of it. And then once they finally reach it, the book ends. I was also aghast at how willing Raina was to trust and divulge super secret information to people who had very a high likelihood of being untrustworthy with that information.
All in all, I think the book just wasn’t what I expected but I enjoyed what it turned out to be instead and I’ll be looking for book two when it comes out.
Other Reviews:
His mistake.
Under the cover of darkness, Charissa made her way to a secluded spot at the edge of town. With a mixture of nervousness and excitement, she began reciting the incantation. As she chanted the ancient words, a sudden gust of wind rustled the leaves around her, and a blinding light appeared before her. When the light dissipated, Charissa found herself face to face with the Witch Collector. The Witch Collector, clad in a flowing robe and holding a majestic staff, surveyed Charissa with piercing blue eyes. Charissa couldn't help but feel a mix of awe and fear in the presence of her idol. However, the Witch Collector's gaze softened, and she spoke in a calm and melodious voice. "Child, what brings you here seeking me?" the Witch Collector inquired. Charissa, overcome with emotion, explained her lifelong fascination with witches and her desire to learn from the legendary sorceress herself. She shared her dreams of becoming a great witch hunter like the Witch Collector. To Charissa's surprise, the Witch Collector smiled warmly and praised her determination and passion. She agreed to take Charissa under her wing, teaching her the ways of magic and the art of witch collection. Over the following months, Charissa became the Witch Collector's apprentice, learning invaluable skills and gaining a deeper understanding of magic and its connection to the world. With each passing day, Charissa grew more confident in her abilities. She accompanied the Witch Collector on numerous missions, capturing dangerous witches and protecting innocent people from their harmful spells. Charissa proved to be an exceptional student, impressing the Witch Collector with her quick thinking and unwavering determination. As the years went by, Charissa established herself as a talented witch collector in her own right. She traveled far and wide, using her skills to bring justice to those plagued by malicious witches. Charissa's journey had come full circle, from an ordinary girl with a dream to a skilled sorceress working alongside her childhood idol. Charissa's story serves as a reminder that with determination and a little bit of magic, dreams can become reality. She proved that even the most extraordinary legends can be brought to life with enough passion and dedication. So the next time you find yourself enthralled by a story, like Charissa, remember that you have the power to turn fiction into reality..
Reviews for "The Witch Collector Chronicles: A Closer Look at Charissa"
1. Sarah - 1 star
I found "Charissa weakd the witch colector" to be incredibly boring and poorly written. The story lacked depth and the characters were one-dimensional. The plot was predictable and didn't offer any surprises or twists. The writing style was also subpar, with awkward sentence structure and repetitive use of phrases. Overall, I was very disappointed with this book and would not recommend it.
2. Mike - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "Charissa weakd the witch colector" but was ultimately let down. The storyline was promising, but the execution fell flat. The pacing was incredibly slow, and it took too long for anything interesting to happen. Additionally, the characters were not well-developed, and I found it hard to connect with them. The writing style was also mediocre, lacking the descriptive details and vivid language that a fantasy book should have. While it wasn't the worst book I've ever read, it was far from enjoyable.
3. Emily - 2 stars
"Charissa weakd the witch colector" was a letdown for me. The premise seemed intriguing, but the writing didn't live up to my expectations. The world-building was lacking, leaving me with many unanswered questions and a lack of immersion in the story. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it hard to connect with the characters and their emotions. The plot also dragged in several places, making it a struggle to maintain interest. Overall, I was not impressed with this book and would not recommend it to others.