Saturday, May 25, 2013

Review of the Collector by Victoria Scott

The Collector (Dante Walker, #1) Goodreads Book Description: 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.


Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Review: 
I won this book from Keely of the wonderful blog Realms of an Open Mind. Honest disclosure: I've heard great things about this book on the internet, but the cover is not my favorite-- so I really wasn't sure I'd like it. Once I cracked open the cover and started the first few pages though, I was hooked.

The Collector by Victoria Scott stars Dante Walker who is the bad of the bad. He collects souls for the Big Boss (I think we all know who that is alluding to). To get the promotion he's been waiting for, he has to lure a girl, Charlie, to the dark side. Charlie is a teenaged girl-- but unlike a lot of our typical heroines these days, she's nerdy, unattractive, and gangly. Dante doesn't know why she is so special, and he has 10 days to get her soul. But a few days with Charlie shows him what he's been missing his whole life-- what will he risk for this girl he just met but strangely, starts to care about so deeply?

The Collector doesn't have a whole lot of unique ideas-- we get the good girl seeing the "good" in the bad guy and changing him slowly to the good. We have devils and angels. And yet... Dante is a very unique perspective. I've never heard anything like his voice, and he is truly what makes this book work and succeed. Dante is a hugely flawed character, but you can't help but like him (even when he is crazy full of himself and flaunting his assets). Usually, I don't like expletives in YA, but for Dante, it just fits his voice, and honestly, I didn't even notice it, I was so drawn to his character. OK, and yeah, he's a bit hot. I thought I was over the whole bad guy craze, but apparently, not so much. :-)

And don't even get me started on Charlie. She's the other unexpected surprise in this book. She is so atypical for a heroine but so honestly good that you can't help but love her. She reminds me a lot of myself when I was her age-- just very awkward and definitely not popular and sheltered, but at the same time, very firm in her beliefs.

Overall, The Collector is the first terrific entry in the Dante Walker series. The characters are truly what makes this book sing-- they are unique, fascinating, and above all, likeable. Victoria Scott is an author to watch.


What did you think about this book? Or if you haven't read it, who is your favorite YA bad boy? 

Enter this great giveaway to win a copy!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

34 comments:

  1. I totally agree! This book was just so much fun! Dante's voice definitely hooked me from the very beginning! :D

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  2. Funny, I posted my review of The Collector as well. Great review and so true Dante is really the thing that made the book.

    Reese's @Reese's Reviews: MA2F

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  3. Awesome review! Iv'e been wanting to read the book for weeks now, so thanks for the chance to win!
    Some of my favorite bad boys are the Noahs - from Pushing the Limits and from the Mara Dyer series :)

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  4. mmm, probably the Darkling from Shadow & Bone

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  5. My favorite would have to be Kaiden from Sweet Evil.
    Thanks for the giveaway, :D

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  6. I have to say that Daemon from Obsidian is my favorite YS bad boy. OMG he's sexy and has a bad side yet gentle and fun side too! Protective! Love him!!!


    Thanks so much for the amazing giveaway!!! I loved this post!!!!

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  7. I have to say definitely Darkling for the book Shadow and Bone.

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  8. I would say definitely Darkling from the book Shadow and Bone. Thanks for the great giveaway.

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  9. Thanks for the giveaway! My favorite bad boy besides Dante would be Will from Clockwork Angel. <3
    -Cali W.

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  10. This book sounds great. I hope I win!! Good luck everyone!

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  11. Great review. Thanks for running the Giveaway.

    Marilyn @ Marilyn's Mystery Blog

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  12. I won't enter the giveaway because I already own a copy, but loved the review Christina! Makes me want to hurry up and read it asap!

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  13. Love the review, this book sounds like fun! Can't wait to get my hands on a copy of it.

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  14. Also, favorite bad boy... hmmm.... Lucas from the Shadow Falls series by, C. C. Hunter

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  15. Thanks for the chance to win this book. My favourite YA bad boy -Noah from Pushing the Limits

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  16. Hades from Persephone by Kaitlin Bevis <3 and Damon Salvatore *-* <3333

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  17. I haven,t read the book.

    Does voldemort count as my favorite bad boy?

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  18. Right now it's probably Daemon from The Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout! He's awesome!! I'm also really starting to love Warner (Aaron) from Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

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  19. I'm torn between Kaidan from Sweet Evil/Peril or Warner from Shatter Me/Unravel Me but I'd have to put Kaidan in a close first:) Thanks for the chance to win! Dying to read this one!

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  20. Dante sound pretty hot so i'll go with him as being my fav.

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  21. I'm gonna have to go with Travis Maddox.

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  22. My favorite is Kaidan Rowe from Sweet Evil!!! thanks for the giveaway!!

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  23. My favorite would be Kaidan Rowe from Sweet Evil!!! Thanks for the giveaway!!!

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  24. Love The Darkling in Shadow and Bone and Warner in Unravel Me =)

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  25. I'm definitely going to have to go with The Darkling as well. I love him soooo much.

    Brynna

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  26. I'm not really into a bad boy, but if I was to pick I'd pick Adrian from Vampire Academy.

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  27. I like Valek from the Study Series by Mary V Snyder!

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  28. Noah from pushing the limits is my most recent favourite!

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  29. I really want to read this book. It kind of reminds me of hush,hush by becca Fitzpatrick. I frickin love that book! Patch is my all time favorite bad boy 😍

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  30. I've heard that a few times, thats he's what makes the book so good.

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