412 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Mira
Source: The Library
Purchase: Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository | Amazon
Goodreads Summary: Choose: A quick death…Or slow poison...
About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.
And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.
As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear...
My Very Mini Review: I liked it. I liked it a lot. Yelena's story captured me from the beginning, but my favorite person was the very complex, very skilled, Valek. Both of these characters are worth meeting. This is a well written fantasy novel, it may not be as good as Throne of Glass, but it was good. It had its unique moments and I do plan on reading the next book.
The Collector by: Victoria Scott (Dante Walker #1) (2013)
352 pages
Genre: Romance/Supernatural/New Adult
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Source: The Library
Goodreads Summary: He makes good girls...bad.
Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple: weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.
Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal-opportunity collector and doesn't want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within ten days.
Dante doesn't know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect, he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector…and uncover emotions deeply buried.
My Very Mini Review: The way Dante talks, his word choices, just wasn't my thing. It did grow on me a tiny bit, but for some reason it made it hard for me to take him seriously. I did find the book quirky and it had its moments. I just felt very hot and then cold toward the whole book. It just wasn't for me, but I can see why many others enjoy Dante and Charlie's story. I don't think I will be reading any more of these books, but I will continue to love and read Scott's Fire & Flood series.
I read Poison Study, I think when it first came out, and I remember really liking the heroine, and being intrigued by the unique world, and of course Valek comes to mind as well. I've read great reviews on the series, so I can't wait to see what you think as well.
ReplyDeleteI think I liked The Collector a little more than you did, probably at the time it was the perfect escape book and Dante just tickled me pink, lol. Glad you tried it as well and enjoyed it for the most part Kay! :)
I need to find the next book!
DeleteThanks! I liked The Collector it just wasn't my favorite.
I liked The Collector too, but I definitely think Dante could be polarizing. He grew on me as the series went on. I'm interested by The Poison Study since I've heard great things about the author!
ReplyDeleteThe Poison Study was a nice surprise treat for me! :)
DeleteValek <3 I actually have Fire Study out from the library right now! It took me until now to get to it but just in time for Shadow Study (ps Shadow Study is supposed to have Valek's point of view).
ReplyDeleteAnd yeahh Dante... I haven't though about the Liberator much even though I know it is out. Maybe some day I will pick it up. I'm interested in seeing him as an angel (I think that's the plotline)
Valek was just such a cool and interesting character! I'm now looking more forward to the next books!!!
DeleteI liked Dante I just didn't love him like everyone else. I'm still glad I read it. :) I do think it would be interesting to read about him as an angel.
Short and sweet! the Study series is one of my favourite series of all time! I picked Poison Study up with no expectations of any and it blew me way. I ended up reading all three books back to back and loving them! Hurray for more Yelena and Valek in Shadow Study~ Can't wait for Feb 2015!
ReplyDeleteEileen @ BookCatPin
I need to get the next book from the library ASAP!
DeleteI loved Poison Study. I actually read it before I read Throne of Glass so it took me a while to understand why people were comparing them so much. I think Throne of Glass is better in some ways but that shady romance was not to my liking... (I've only read the first one) while so far in Poison Study it was very sweet and unexpected (I know I'm like the only one who was surprised).
ReplyDeleteI can tell just by the summary of The Collector what you mean. If that was any indicator the writing wouldn't be for me either.
I can't wait to read the next book in the Poison Study series. I can't believe I waited so long to read it. :) I'm glad you enjoyed it as well.
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