The Collector by Victoria ScottSeries: Dante Walker #1
Published by: Entangled Teen on April 2, 2013
Genre: Demons, Paranormal, Romance
Pages: 352
Source: Blog Tour
Buy on Amazon • Book Details
Rating: ★★★★½
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 collectorâ¦and uncover emotions deeply buried.
It needs to be said right now that Dante Walker is bad. Really bad. Like judgmental, douchebag, arrogant asshole bad. But for some reason, I was okay with it. Victoria Scott made me fall in love with an asshole.
I am Dante Walker. I am not merciful.
The Collector by Victoria Scott, Page 94
Steph from Cuddlebuggery actually made me draw a connection between Dante and Daemon from Obsidian. Both guys are complete and utter douchebags. They’re hot, but they’re both self-absorbed assholes. So why did I love Dante but hate Daemon? At first I gave Daemon a chance because I thought he would come out of his shell and be a nice guy… but he never ever did. And that’s why I hated him. But with Dante, it’s like I knew from the beginning that it was just a matter of time before he outgrew his shallow ways and proved that he was actually a great guy… and I was right. So, when he was acting like a womanizing asshat, I just rolled with it. Instead of being annoyed and disgusted, I laughed. It was almost so absurd that it was actually funny! I was able to deal with it because I knew he would change… and he did.
Ain’t no one do bad like I do.
The Collector by Victoria Scott, Page 94
Additionally, most of Dante’s asshole-ness was in his head. A large portion of the book is just listening to his hilarious (but insulting) thoughts. For the most part (there are a few exceptions), whenever he’s talking to Charlie or anyone else, he makes an effort to be nice. I think this also helped with me accepting the fact that he’s an asshole (unlike Daemon who was always a vocal asshole).
I know I’ve hurt her by implying she’s not beautiful, but we have to face facts to move forward.
The Collector by Victoria Scott, Page 97
In addition to being downright hilarious, The Collector has some of the best character development ever. Dante truly transforms. He starts out being a guy who really does deserve to be in Hell, but he slowly but surely realizes what an asshole he’s been. And that’s the thing—the slow progression makes it very believable, and I loved that! There isn’t really a sudden moment of supreme realization, it’s something that slowly develops piece by piece. I love that I can’t pinpoint exactly when Dante started to ‘see the light’, because it really happened gradually over time.
“So let’s get this rollin’. What’s your dealio, Fire Crotch?” I light my cigarette and drop down on the bed, crossing my red sneakers at the ankle. “You’ve obviously got something on your chest besides cheap silicone.”
The Collector by Victoria Scott, Page 210
Overall, I think there’s something really awesome about how in The Collector, the hot sex-on-a-stick boy from Hell ends up with the not-that-pretty, kind-of-dorky, innocent girl who loves to volunteer. And at the beginning, I actually found myself thinking, “Is this seriously who Dante is going to fall in love with?” I just couldn’t picture it. They are such an unlikely couple that I actually couldn’t believe it. I would have said they had no chemistry and that there was no way it was going to happen… but I was proven wrong. Because by the end of the book, it just worked. It totally clicked. Dante and Charlie really grew into each other, and it was done in a way that I could believe, despite all my doubts.
Second chances—they were never for me. But Charlie, she just gave me one. She just saw something in me.
The Collector by Victoria Scott, Page 202
My favourite thing about The Collector was just so darn funny. Mostly I was laughing at Dante’s hilarious bad boy fasçade. I highlighted so many lines in The Collector because they had me cracking up and giggling insanely! On more than one occasion, my boyfriend had to ask me if I was okay.. probably because he thought I’d gone insane with all the giggles.
The only thing I didn’t quite believe had to do with why Charlie was so special. I just couldn’t buy that her charity was going to change the world. There are so many charities out there and I just had a hard time accepting that her little part-time one was the charity that would make all the difference.
I think that if you can see past Dante’s asshole attitude at the beginning and find ways to laugh at it instead of being offended, then just about everyone will enjoy this book!
About Victoria Scott
Victoria Scott is a YA writer represented by Laurie McLean. Author of THE COLLECTOR (Entangled Teen, April 2013) and THE BRIMSTONE BLEED (Scholastic, 2014). She has a master’s degree in marketing, and lives in Dallas with her husband. When not writing, Victoria can be found munching cotton candy and snuggling obese cats.
Giveaway
Open internationally!
The Verdict
I gave it 3.5 stars. I totally agree with you on everything. I straight up fell in love with an asshole too. Dante is just awesome. I never hated him. I loved every douchy thing about him. I could always see the good in him despite what he put off. And when I finally started to see a possible relationship with him and Charlie, I was so giddy. I couldn’t picture them together at first but it worked.
But I did have trouble with some of the believability of this book. Some of the story just didn’t click for me. But just the humor alone saves this book.
Yeah that is a good point about the believability. I didn’t actually think about it much when reading the book, but when I heard other people like you start talking about it I totally know what you mean.
I’m excited to read this!
I agree…it sounds fabulous : )
EEEEP! DANTE.*yummy*Hehe. I’m gonna be reading it in the next couple days in time for my tour stop and I can’t wait!
Inkyyy!! You better like it! 😀
I’m sure I will. We tend to have similar tastes. And I do like me a HAWT boy. 😀
I know I say this all the time but here I go again: I freaking LOVE your banner!
I loved this book and I totally got Dante. He’s a freaking demon! Of course he’s not gonna be all flowers, unicorns and rainbows! And he was hilarious!
I didn’t know you hated Daemon! I guess I understand why you could like Dante and hate Daemon even though they are both asses. Dante has a reason for being a douche and Daemon is a douche because he just likes to be one, I guess…
Great review!
Thanks girl!! 😀 *hugs* I’m seriously glad you loved this book too! His badassness was deliciously awesome.
Dude. I agree with Nereyda. I love your banner so hardcore. x)
Thank you Momo! 😀
After reading so many great reviews from this book, I’ve finally added it to my to-read list. I can’t wait ’till it comes out!
“Victoria Scott made me fall in love with an asshole.” So true.
I gave this 3.5 stars. I expected something better and I wasn’t happy with the way Dante speaks. But the story was cute.
Bummer that you didn’t enjoy it more! I remember reading your review though so I get why you felt that way. I ended up being okay with how Dante acted but I COMPLETELY get how it could be a huge turn off. It’s definitely something that you’re either okay with or you totally hate.
This book intrigued me. Hopefully I could get the chance to read it ^^
Ah I loved Dante!!! Even though he was a total Jerk 🙂 But.. I also loved Daemon so I think I just have a thing for the real bad boys .. I mean of course, not in RL but in fiction I kind of love them!
I also loved Charlie!! She was cute and not the usual heroine we meet in YA fiction these days. I do understand your cautious reaction to the spoiler you mentioned. But sometimes also small things can change the world :))
I remember reading (and loving!) your review! I’m happy you loved Dante too! He was awesome. 😀 And yes, Charlie was adorable! I’m glad that they ended up fitting together nicely, because I honestly had so many doubts at the beginning!
I’m actually dying to read this one just because of all the glowing reviews I’ve read about it. I’m also really intrigued in the whole “hell and collector” aspect of this story because it seems intresting.
Great Review Ashley
Lily @ lilysbookblog
I really hope you like it Lily! 😀
This sounds highly entertaining, and I’ve been seeing it all over the blogosphere. I love a douche canoe who redeems himself. 🙂
It sounds like an awesome read!
I’ve heard so much about this book…I’m really curious and looking forward to reading it.
Thanks for the chance to win!!
I’ve been kinda wanting to read this book. I love a real bad boy. 🙂
I have heard great things about this book and just got an ARC so it’s next up as my next read. Great review Ashley.
really excited! 😀
I’m dying to read this book.
Thanks for the giveaway!
I want to read the collector!!
I want to dive in into this series soon!
I’ve been a number of reviews on this book and it seems that most people like it so fingers crossed for this giveaway.
I just received this book a couple of days ago and I can’t wait to read it. I’ve heard a lot of things about the plot so my expectations are high and I’m a little bit worried but what can I say, most of the bloggers I love enjoyed the book so much I think I’ll love it to 😀
Can’t wait to read this one! Heard it’s so good.
LOL MY GOSH! Is it bad i was laughing mostly through this book even though I seriously doubt it was a comedy novel?
“Great, ive come to collect Mother Teresa”
It was just that line, all alone in its own lil sentence that made me laugh ^.^ oooo and:
“I wonder why the slightest bit of booze turns chicks into lesbos” u had to laugh at that, and of course when he said that whole paragraph about hating cats made ‘roll on the floor laughing’
Now, about Dante. @ hole! Sorry i had to get that out, i mean come on! Ok at the end you see hes not an arrogant… thing, and yeah he has his ‘actually nice guy moment’ but at the beginning of the book? WOW classic Daemon! Grr if he wasnt a comedian I would have slapped him on sooooo many occasions! For example, when he said Charlie could be beautiful if she signed the contract! If I were her i’d have bitch slapped that idiot on the face!
Now thats all out overall I loved this book! I normally dont go for the ‘Guys point of veiw’ kind of book (some of the other ones ive read have been disappointing) but this book was great! I LOVED IT! It was actually your reveiw that made me think twice about over looking this book and im glad I did! Like you I have fallen in love with Dante (dispite his arrogance) and I hope to ‘the Big Guy’ that Victoria Scott writes another book like this and if she does I will for sure buy it as soon as it comes to the stores!!
This book is Laugh Out Loud hilarious and Ive already recommended to my friends ^.^
5 Stars!
LOL I’m so with you! This book had me cracking up! I just loved Dante’s lines. He was hilarious!! He was a bit of a jerk sometimes but I just laughed it off.
I’m so happy you loved this book too!!