Review: The Collector by K.R. Alexander

Title: The Collector

Author: K. R. Alexander

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publishing Date: August 28th, 2018

Pages: 224
Audio Length: N/A

Genre: Middle Grade Horror
TW: N/A

Series: Standalone

Source: Book

 

Josie always liked visiting her grandmother in the countryside. But when her mother loses her job in the city and they're forced to relocate along with Josie's sister, Annie, she realizes she doesn't like the country that much. Especially because Grandma Jeannie has some strange rules: Don't bring any dolls into the house. And never, ever go near the house in the woods behind their yard. Soon though, Josie manages to make friends with the most popular girl in the sixth grade, Vanessa. When Vanessa eventually invites Josie back to her house to hang out, Josie doesn't question it. Not even when Vanessa takes her into the woods, and down an old dirt road, toward the very house Grandma Jeannie had warned her about.
As Josie gets caught up in her illicit friendship with Vanessa, Annie is caught in the crossfire. What follows is a chilling tale of dark magic, friendship, and some verrrrrry creepy dolls.

What made me pick this book up:
I have been wanting to read a K.R. Alexander book for quite a while now. The covers are always so creepy. I guess that's what caught my eye on this one, it definitely looks creepy.
What did I like about the cover:
I love anything creepy and this one certainly is creepy. The creepy doll, the colors, everything. I actually sent a close up of the doll to a few of my friends on snapchat and they weren't very happy with me. 
What made me read this book:
Creepy dolls! I love to be scared and I've found out that middle grade horror books are some of the scariest I've read. 
What did I like the most:
Okay first of all the creep factor. It was seriously there. From the moment they got to their grandmothers house, she was talking about rules such as don't go out at night, don't leave your window open, etc. And that of course is a little odd. Immediately it makes me go "uhhh, why?" 

Then as soon as they go to their friends house and there are dolls everywhere, I got goosebumps. I don't like dolls, I'm not necessarily afraid of them, but they are pretty creepy. I sure as hell would not want to go into a room full of them. Nope nope nope.

The characters were okay, I kept being reminded of how young they were, and that's only a downfall because of how old I am. I think this book and author could easily become one of my favorites, if I was the correct age ground for this.

I feel that this book is written really well, especially considering I'm a grown ass adult and it gave me the willies. I found myself reading out loud to John, so I could freak him out too. And it worked, he kept telling me not to tell him anymore because it was freaking him out.

I may or may not have had doll dreams after reading this book.

I also read it in one night, which was nice. This book wasn't slow, it was a constant go go go and it was a quick read, which I feel like added to the creep factor. It didn't bore me. 

What didn't I like:
So the story did end up getting a little odd at the end. I figure that the author didn't want it to be too creepy because it is meant for kids. But it just kinda was like wait what. 
I feel like this story could have gone a different way and been better. Don't ask me what that way is... I'm not a writer lol.

I would like to read a more YA or adult version of this. Imagine the creep factor in that. 

Would I read the rest of the series/more from this author?
Absolutely!

Overall a very creepy middle grade book.

“There are three rules for living here. One, never leave your windows open after dark, even if it's hot. Two, no dolls in the house. And three, never, ever go by the house in the woods.”
― K. R. Alexander, The Collector

K.R. Alexander is the pseudonym for fantasy author Alex R. Kahler. Under this guise, K.R. writes creepy middle grade horror, perfect for young readers looking for a scare! His first book, The Collector, debuted from Scholastic in the Fall of '18.

Review: Trapped by Michael Northrop

Title: Trapped

Author: Michael Northrop

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publishing Date: February 1st, 2011

Pages: 232
Audio Length: 5 Hours and 48 Minutes

Genre: YA Survival Contemporary
TW: N/A

Series: Standalone

Source: Audio

 

The day the blizzard started, no one knew that it was going to keep snowing for a week. That for those in its path, it would become not just a matter of keeping warm, but of staying alive. . . .
Scotty and his friends Pete and Jason are among the last seven kids at their high school waiting to get picked up that day, and they soon realize that no one is coming for them. Still, it doesn't seem so bad to spend the night at school, especially when distractingly hot Krista and Julie are sleeping just down the hall. But then the power goes out, then the heat. The pipes freeze, and the roof shudders. As the days add up, the snow piles higher, and the empty halls grow colder and darker, the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision

What made me pick this book up:
I needed a book about winter and this was the best I could find.

What did I like about the cover:
I like the snow. I feel like it fits the book well.

What made me read this book:
I needed a book about winter for my January reading challenge and this one looked really good.

What did I like the most:
I really liked the idea. The premise was good. Teens stuck in a school. Alone with no adults. The idea that they have to survive presumably without electricity, food, or warmth. 
I felt like it could have been a really good survival story, it had so much potential. 

That's about it as far as what I like goes to be honest.

What didn't I like:
This wasn't at all what I was expecting. I was expecting a crazy edge of your seat survival thriller. With things at least kind of happening. 
But instead this was a very slow more contemporary book. Nothing REALLY happened until the end and then the end was just... not really much of an ending. At all. There was no resolution. 

I kept getting the characters mixed up and it didn't even feel very realistic to me. It was just kind of a clipped story. 

I was just very disappointed in this book. I expected a lot more.

Would I read the rest of the series/more from this
author?
Probably. I'd give him one more chance. The writing wasn't bad per say. Just not what I was expecting.

Disappointing. Not really a survival book.

“I was thinking: Is this what love is, feeling like you've been spun around underwater? Forgetting how cold you are, until she looks up and you look down and you're embarrassed and the world comes rushing back in? Or is love not being able to get that image out of your head, the image of the moment right before she looked up?”
― Michael Northrop, Trapped

Michael Northrop is the New York Times bestselling author of Scholastic's new multi-platform series, TombQuest. His first young adult novel, Gentlemen, earned him a Publishers Weekly Flying Start citation, and his second, Trapped, was an Indie Next List selection. His first middle-grade novel, Plunked, was named one of the best children's books of the year by the New York Public Library and was selected for NPR's Backseat Book Club. He is originally from Salisbury, Connecticut, a small town in the foothills of the Berkshire mountains, where he mastered the arts of BB gun shooting, tree climbing, and field goal kicking with only moderate injuries. After graduating from NYU, he worked at Sports Illustrated Kids magazine for 12 years, the last five of those as baseball editor.