Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages: 352pgs
The Story
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.
The Review
A big thanks to the publisher on netGalley for accepting my request in reading this book early!
A big thanks to the publisher on netGalley for accepting my request in reading this book early!
I was very eager to start this book. At least I thought I was in the beginning. I mean, every single review I've came across so far in regards to this book have been really positive and it sounded like a great storyline too. But unfortunately for this book and my own better judgement, as hard as I tried to like this book and as hard as I tried to like the characters inside the book, I just couldn't like . . . well . . . anything really. I hate when this happens but it's the truth. I couldn't connect to anything nor anyone at all.
Let me start off by saying our main character, Dante, has a really hot name. I've always loved that name . . . Dante. It sounds dangerous and bad-ass. I totally love it! But with this particular Dante is by no means bad-ass in any way and I have to say he is one of the most conceited, selfish, irritating, sarcastic little idiots I have ever come across in fiction. Honestly, if I had to compare him to any other character he would most likely resemble Harry Potter's own self-absorbed character, Gilderoy Lockhart. I kid you not. He was exactly like him ego-wise. I get Dante is supposed to be this very good-looking guy but once you think you're the top-boss of the joint . . . all I see is red. And Dante I see red when it comes to you. He basically calls out on girl's beauty and that's pretty much all he's obsesses over, and then once he finally begins to think, 'Oh I am a self-absorbed freak', it's all running a little too late for me. Argh. Plus the way Dante talks gangsta-style . . . I can't decide whether to take him seriously or not. People get beat up for talking like that so I'm sorry Dante but you were not my cup of tea. I really tried to like you . . . I really did but it's my loss I guess.
Then of course, there's Charlie. A girl and the main target who Dante is supposed to collect a soul from. Now just when I thought Charlie was going to be my redemption for this entire book, she too was an utter disappointment. It makes me sad too. Trust me, I thought she had a lot of potential. But much like with Dante's character, I couldn't connect to her (at all) either. She was bland, irritating, naive and a plain old simpleton who can't see the good in things she already has in her life. To me, she was a beauty on the inside because she was being herself all the time but once she meets this guy geez . . . I mean, boo-whoo if you're not beautiful enough like the other girls to score an idiot like Dante. I say accept and embrace who you are instead of allowing the likes of Dante-what's-his-name to put you into an ugly stereotype of being not good-looking enough. It ain't Zoolander here. I mean, Dante is nothing special himself. Good-looking or not. Ugh. I hate when guys are like that. And honestly Charlie . . .
Overall, THE COLLECTOR is a solid book if you like an interesting read. But as for me, while I was really looking forward to this book, unfortunately I was really disappointed. All in all, it's worth taking a risk when it comes to this book because you might end up liking it - more with the storyline than with its characters themselves - but I'm going to take a miss with the sequel.
The Rating
1/5 stars
Oh no, Erin! I've seriously been seeing too many amazing things for this book as well, but I guessthus one just didn't live up to your expectations at all! The way you describe Dante, I don't know how people even managed to like him. As for Charlie, she seems kind of like a weak puppy. :/ I'm still giving it a shot just to see what I think, but thanks for the heads up! Awesome review. :)
ReplyDeleteI have NO IDEA why people like Dante. No idea at all. But I guess I'm one of those girls that cannot be impressed by him (obviously) hehe. Ah well. Thanks Jen! I hope you have better luck with this book than I did.
DeleteOh, wow! Only 1 star, huh? That doesn't bode well. I haven't read the first book in this series yet and after your review for the second.....hmmm. Not sure what to think now :/
ReplyDeleteI just . . . didn't get this book from the get-go. It really depends on the reader with this book. A 50/50 thing, you know? Of liking it or hating it straight up.
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