Howdy Readers!

It’s time for another book review! With grad school coming up very soon I’ve been desperate to complete any kind of series that I started because my free time is going to be very limited. From here on out it’s basically going to be quick standalone reads through December, probably of the MG and YA variety.

This time I read The Collected (The Collector #2) by K.R. Alexander. 

I really loved the first book of this series, so I had very high hopes for this one. Let’s see how it went!

Series Review Links

Book Review: The Collector (The Collector #1) 

Blurb

From horror superstar K.R. Alexander . . . Something horrible happened to Josie — something so horrible she won’t talk about it. But when the horror returns for her little sister, Anna, she’s back in the battle against a fearsome force that manifests in diabolically deadly dolls.

It’s been five years since Josie squared off against the evil Beryl and her killer haunted dolls. She hasn’t talked about it since, and likes to pretend it didn’t happen. Too bad she didn’t tell her younger sister, Anna. Because Anna is now the one being drawn in to the evil — and the evil has some new tricks this time.

GoodReads

Amazon

***Brief disclosure***

I am an Amazon affiliate and earn a tiny commission for purchases made through the Amazon links in this post at no cost to you. It’s a great way to help me keep things running on my blog if you’re already intrigued enough to make a purchase. 

The Review

I didn’t have quite as much fun with this one as the first, but it was still a fun and fantastical journey.

This time around Anna is our MC, Josie’s little sister. Some time has passed since the events of the first book, and the family finds themselves back in the small town after Grandma Jeannie passes away. Anna can’t seem to remember what happened in this strange town, but as she tries to sort out her missing memories it sets her on a collision course with the same evil force they defeated with disastrous consequences.

This book had more of a fantasy element to it. Grandma Jeannie’s magic is explored in more detail, and though I would’ve preferred more time in that vein, it was really exciting.

Anna is different from Josie in her spiritual sensitivities, and she may have some of Jeannie’s magic coursing through her. I liked the theme of trauma that was explored. It felt real and gave Anna some depth. It also helped explain her curiosity about the town and how things start up again. Josie was much more abrasive, maybe a little bit too much. She berates Anna at every turn, but given what they’d already been through together I would’ve thought she would be more understanding.

The creepy tone in this book is just as thrilling as the first. Each chapter was ominous and spooky, and the action and adventure didn’t let up for a second. Overall, this is another great middle grade adventure, so if you liked the first book you should definitely give this one a try too!

That’s A Wrap!

Well that’s it for this book review. I hope you enjoyed it!

Have you read this book? Are there other similar books you’ve read that you simply have to gush about? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to start a conversation!

Have a great day!

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