January 2025 First in a Series BOTM - The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks

[Jamie]

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?

The Witch Collector is book one in a thrilling romantic fantasy series, perfect for fans of Naomi Novik, Sarah J. Maas, and Jennifer L. Armentrout.

**This BOTM thread will be open until February 5th @ Midnight (in your time zone)**

[Kim]

Started this audio for my drive home

[Kim]

Part 1 no real spoilers but just in case (view spoiler)[ wow Raina is angry lol. I am excited to have an MC that signs and am so interested to see how this is going to work with the drama. I enjoyed the moon ceremony that Raina and her town did but Finn has been a bit frustrating. So far im intrigued (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

Ch.18 (view spoiler)[ Hel is obviously not herself. Why is she ignoring all of these signs?! Also what is the deal with Alexus and his magic… (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

61% Raina is a bit of a brat if I’m being kind.

[Kim]

Through Ch.30 (view spoiler)[ wow ok that's a lot to unpack. Hel had a wraith in her, so I guess that's good because she's "alive" and maybe a chance of future reuniting. as for the 2 MC, very steamy and curious to see what their connection is. not sure how Alexus's bond with the knife will help but as the creator shouldn't he be able to wield it differently and destroy a lot more? creepy prince in her head makes more sense now though, that there is some connection between them...(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

Through ch.35 do much has happened in 5 chapters! (view spoiler)[ 2 faked deaths, Alexus is floating around somewhere, Raina captured and stuck in a wagon with the ice king. So strange! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

If you enjoy a feisty FMC and dual POV, I highly recommend. (view spoiler)[ it get very spicy in the last few chapters so that shocked me because not only was it slow burn but it then became bonfire lol. I enjoy their bond and I like that Alexus was like yea you don't want me ok *sarcasm* try and avoid me. 😂 It's a great setup for the next book and I will definitely be getting into it. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

Starting this now!

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

End of chapter 14 (view spoiler)[ So it appears her sister is with the king now but I don’t understand why word wouldn’t have been sent that she was ok and they didn’t have anything to fear from The Witch Collector. It doesn’t make sense. (hide spoiler)]

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

End of chapter 18 (view spoiler)[ I don’t trust Helena. I think she’s been bewitched of something and that’s why they let her go (hide spoiler)]

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

End of chapter 25 (view spoiler)[ So I’m guessing the god knife is Alexis’s? (hide spoiler)]

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

End of chapter 26 (view spoiler)[ So I’m assuming Alexis is the sorcerer Un Drallag? (hide spoiler)]

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

End of chapter 32 (view spoiler)[ Seems kind of hard to come back from that god blade to the heart. I wonder if it can’t hurt him since he made it maybe. (hide spoiler)]

[Shannon The Co-Captain]

End of chapter 37 (view spoiler)[ I figured the knife couldn’t kill him since he made it. I mean, if you were going to make a weapon you should make yourself exempt from damage. Since that’s the case, it would have been better for her to have tried to kill him with it and then learn later why it didn’t work. I haven’t been a big fan of this book. (hide spoiler)]

[Brittni]

Started today - Chapter 9

(view spoiler)[So far I'm a little bored and thinking what the fuck is happening. I started with the audio and for whatever reason, it isn't my favourite and it may be contributing to these feelings.

I listen to a lot of books and typically the audio doesn't make or break a book for me. I'm going to pretend that may be it for now and hope it gets better. Switching over to kindle this evening.

It's just not capturing me the way I hoped it would. Hoping I get more into it. (hide spoiler)]

[Brittni]

Chapter 18 - I had to pause for a little because I just wasn't into it. However, once I restarted I think I was in the right mood.

(view spoiler)[It's odd to me that her sister didn't communicate with Raina that she can trust Alexus as it seems they are quite close. However, perhaps she's not allowed to send letters?

Not sure if it feels more obvious because of the writing but clearly Helena isn't ok. She lost all of her witch marks and Raina has mentioned several times that she's not acting as her usual self. I understand that she is assuming this is trauma based but it seems odd. Especially since Raina thought everyone had died and Helena had just shown up in the forest. Is there some sort of spell on her? Is she not actually herself anymore? I need to understand more about the capabilities of the magic in this world to guess. (hide spoiler)]

Unfortunately, I need to take a brief break again because a certain book has come out. We all know which one that is I'm sure haha. I'll be back.

[Jessie (Saffity)]

Just picked this one up, it's in ebook form so I'm hoping I can blast through it before the end of the month. If the first chapter is anything to go by, I'll probably blast through it.

(view spoiler)[The prologue and chapter 1 gave enough info to get me hooked, set up the world and the conflict, and gave a good introduction to our FL. I'm excited to see where this will go. (hide spoiler)]

[Jessie (Saffity)]

Chapter 5

(view spoiler)[Hmm, methinks the first scry was misinterpreted. So far this book is doing a very good job of setting up the world and tension for what's coming. (hide spoiler)]

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

I'm starting the audio tomorrow! I'm hoping to fly through it really quickly this week. Time has gotten away from me this month.

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

To Ch 10: Oooooooo, I really am enjoying this so far. (view spoiler)[Poor Raina, now her Mother is dead and she lost her sis to the Witch Collector 8-years ago. Now Finn's place burned down, hoping he is still alive somewhere. Witch's Marks appearing on her Mother's hands as died and the Raina's makes me think maybe her Mom had placed an enchantment on them so the marks wouldn't show. This Prince of the East or whoever is a real bastard. Hoping to find out more of his history, seems like him and Alexei know each other somehow? (hide spoiler)] Apologies for misspelling any names, I am listening to audio, so just guessing.

[Brittni]

Wow, I stumbled into the Onyx Storm cave with the rest of the world and have just resurfaced. I went back to The Witch Collector and finished!

(view spoiler)[It got WAY better. I was just not in at the beginning for some reason.

Some people seemed to have an issue with the instant love factor between Raina and Alexus but honestly, it didn't bother me. It's not something I typically love, an immediate obsession, but I was ok with this.

I'm a little confused about Helena, what in the world happened there? I thought it was pretty obvious that she was possessed by something and I'm glad she's good now but I thought she was dead for sure. I guess the thing left her and she was able to live? Maybe I missed the specifics or just assumed that this thing had taken her forever.

Seemed fairly obvious that Alexus was the friend in that story. I thought he was going to tell her when he was first telling the story but I guess not haha.

Interesting that his life is attached to Colden's. So if Colden dies Alexus dies?

I think this was a fun first book for the series and I'm definitely interested in reading the others I think! (hide spoiler)]

[Jessie (Saffity)]

Had a sick kid yesterday so got a little reading done, but not as much as I wanted.

(view spoiler)[I'm just at the point that the Eastern Prince is about to kill Raina's mother. The surprise and then build up of the attack was intense. I found it interesting that the book started with Raina and really set up the Collector and the Frost King to be the villains, only for chapter 2 to do a complete role reversal and show things from their point of view. I felt that was really neat and gave depth to the whole story. I'm looking forward to finding out more. (hide spoiler)]

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

To Ch 19: I am glad they ended up (view spoiler)[finding a survivor from Raina's village, Helena. At least she's not completely alone and maybe others got away as well. (hide spoiler)]

The cold is making me colder than I already am 🥶

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

To Ch 22: I guess I spoke too soon 😝🤣 (view spoiler)[Poor Helena, possessed by a wraith! That sounds terrifying! (hide spoiler)]

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

To Ch 30: Mehhh, not sure I am retaining as much of this as I should be. Like if I was quizzed on (view spoiler)[the history that Alexus explained to Raina about his own origins, the Frost King and the God Sword, I would fail. (hide spoiler)] 😝

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

Done! Ummm, this was okay. I feel like it's one of those series that the farther along you get, the more invested you become. I could take it or leave it at this point, but I have already checked out the second book on audio from my library so I will be checking it out.

That final (view spoiler)[sex scene was probably a 5-star, (hide spoiler)] the rest is about a 3-star for me. I found some of it a little convoluted and like it wasn't built-out in the most accessible way, but nevertheless, compelling enough to continue, sure.

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

Kim wrote: "If you enjoy a feisty FMC and dual POV, I highly recommend"

Agree about (view spoiler)[the bonfire at the end. OMW, that last sexy scene between Alexus and Raina -- that was lit for sure! LOL (hide spoiler)]

[Jessie (Saffity)]

Just about to start Part II

(view spoiler)[I get that they're supposed to be attracted to each other, but must we be told every paragraph how much they sense how close they are, the breath across lips, heaving chests and such?

Other than that I think part 1 was a strong introduction to the plot, giving us the two sides of the story, introducing the main villain, and giving us the first taste of action. Hoping to get some more time to dig into this one tonight. (hide spoiler)]

[Brittni]

megs_bookrack wrote: "To Ch 30: Mehhh, not sure I am retaining as much of this as I should be. Like if I was quizzed on [spoilers removed] 😝"

Haha. I get it! In the first portion of the book I felt completely lost and as if I was retaining nothing. It got better for me the further I got.

[Jessie (Saffity)]

So.... (view spoiler)[They're about to go on the ice pond and the Eastlander clearly making a hollow to hide in and attacking at the right time barely registered as 'hmm that might be weird' along with the flowers dying, and the fact that Raina is seeing the Prince's face?

Ok, I'll give the benefit of the doubt that she's tired, a lot's happened, and she's not really a warrior, but the fact that she had more of a though about the Eastlander's appearance than Alexus did? Seems off to me.

Still a comment every other paragraph to remind us 'hey these two are totally attracted to each other' just in case we forget.

For all my complaining I am enjoying it, I haven't read any fantasy in a while and I'm reminded why it's a fun genre. (hide spoiler)]

[Jessie (Saffity)]

I did my best but I only hit 50% by last night so I doubt I'll finish this in time. I'm very much enjoying it though.