The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks is a fast-paced fantasy that I devoured, and I’m writing this review to gush about it. It will be released on November 2nd by City Owl Press. If you love young-adult books bordering on new adult dedicated to the enemies-to-lovers trope, then The Witch Collector MUST BE on your shelf. ASAP.
I was lucky to get a free copy of the book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, and that’s what you’ll get. Major thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC. I LOVED the damn book to bits. You know that feeling when you keep reading YA fantasy, and it’s just the same thing over and over and over again. Well, buckle up for an adventure that’s as crisp and fresh as the wintery hole The Witch Collector is set in.
The Witch Collector: The Plot
Welcome to Silver Hollow – a small village in the Northlands, where Raina Bloodgood plots her revenge against the Frost King ruling these lands. Eight years prior, his so-called Witch Collector took her sister. Today, she intends to capture the Collector and reach the Frost King in order to kill him. Kill them both. But life (in this case – Charissa Weaks) has other plans.
Collecting day is upon Silver Hollow. The hours tick by, and the knowledge that the Witch Collector is coming for another witch to claim is weighing on everyone. But when he’s late, they all think it’s time to celebrate – maybe no witch will be claimed this year.
What Raina and the people at Silver Hollow don’t know is that the vicious Prince of the East is marching on the Northlands, sweeping through its villages, murdering everyone. All with one goal in mind – get through the ominous Frostwater Wood and capture the Frost King.
But if the Prince of the East gets what he wants, everyone’s doomed. Raina has to discard bloody revenge and join forces with the man she hates in order to save the life of a man she despises. They set out on a perilous journey that will either bring them close or destroy them forever.
The Witch Collector: The Characters & World
Probably my most favorite male character ever in the history of books is Aragorn. And let me tell you – the Witch Collector, a.k.a. Alexus Thibault gives off MAJOR Aragorn vibes. Strong, yet gentle, badass, but kind, fierce and powerful, with a heart of gold.
*SWOONS INTO THE SUN*
He’s a weird Geralt x Aragorn combo, and his dreamy persona only gets better with each page. I feel like he was the most fleshed-out character of the bunch. I very much liked Raina’s development as a character. From the headstrong tunnel-vision girl to the headstrong and powerful woman ready to fight for the bigger picture.
The Witch Collector offers a host of other characters. We have Finn, the former flame, Helena, the fierce sidekick/best friend, Nephele, the lost and found sister, etc. They all felt like they belonged to the story, no one was unnecessary.
As for the world… Ah, what a treat. Not that lore-heavy, but still filled with gods and monsters and high stakes. Given that Charissa Weaks has set her story into a winter-clad land, it’s a perfect read for the coming months. Promise, you won’t regret it.
My only beef with the book was the start of the whole enemies-to-lovers romance. It was a bit forced, in the beginning, with constant nagging about how hot and sexy Alexus is. In times when Raina had just lost every bit of her former life, suffered trauma, and is forced to cooperate with the man she hates. Every other paragraph contained something like:
“…how perfectly and powerfully built he feels.”
We got it. That being said, the romance was indeed mouth-watering and swoon-worthy. I honestly can’t wait for the sequel, though the ending was a bit predictable and is an overused trope. I’m still quite excited to see what happens.
Should You Read It?
I mean, you’d be foolish not to. Especially if you’re into swoon-worthy fantasy books with bloody encounters… And, okay, fine, hot male leads. I read The Witch Collector in one sitting, and I firmly believe Charissa Weaks did a great job.
Those 5* are inevitable. To reiterate – the book lands on November 2nd, prepare yourselves! I don’t know if my review of The Witch Collector does it justice, but I hope you get to experience it for yourself. Some trigger warnings include death of a family member, mind control, blood and violence, sex.
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The Witch Collector Book 2 [Update 2022]
We have a date. And a cover, and everything is exciting. The Witch Collector book 2 lands on September 27th and goes by the name City of Ruin. So far, the Witch Walker series shapes up to be a duology, but who knows? I’d love to read more stories set in the world Charissa Weaks created. Head to the comments and share with me did you get the chance to read the book yet and are you excited for The Witch Collector book 2 release?
