Black Heart (Curse Workers #3) by Holly Black

Book Summery (Via Goodreads):
In a world where Magic is illegal.
Cassel Sharpe has the most deadly ability of all. With one touch, he can transform any object - including a person - into something else entirely. And that makes him a wanted man. The Feds are willing to forgive all his past crimes if he'll only leave his con artist family behind and go straight. But why does going straight feel so crooked?
For one thing, it means being on the opposite side of the law from Lila, the girl he loves. She's the daughter of a mob boss and getting ready to join the family business herself. Though Cassel is pretty sure she can never love him back, he can't stop obsessing over her. Which would be bad enough, even if her father wasn't keeping Cassel's mother prisoner in a posh apartment and threatening not to let her leave until she returns the priceless diamond she scammed off him years ago. Too bad she can't remember where she put it.
The Feds say they need Cassel to get rid of a powerful man who is spinning dangerously out of control. But if they want Cassel to use his unique talent to hurt people, what separates the good guys from the bad ones? Or is everyone just out to con him?
Time is running out, and all Cassel's magic and cleverness might not be enough to save him. With no easy answers and no one he can trust, love might be the most dangerous gamble of all.

Book Review:
I bought this sucker as soon as it was released. I vividly remember picking it up at the bookstore because I had to ask one of the employees to get a copy from the back because they hadn't even put them out yet. That was a little over 3 years ago...so what the heck kept me from reading this? Do you ever have a series that you love so much that hate to see it end? That is the case with the Curse Workers trilogy and I. I hated to see the story end, so I put off the ending...for a good long while. Finally, I gave in and listened to the audio book, which was not only excellent because it was written by Holly Black, but also because it was read by Jesse Eisenberg, who made an amazing Cassel!

Ok...so on to the review. It was just as good as I had imagined it to be all those years, if not better. There's a lot going on, but Cassel mainly runs into three separate issues that dominate the story line. Each one has its own arc and conclusion, but all fit nicely into the overall story. The characters are just as vivid, flawed, and intriguing as ever. I fell in love with the whole "curse worker" world all over again. There's tension between Cassel and several of the other characters, which adds drama and suspense. Black ended the whole trilogy nicely and tied up loose ends, but I can't help it! I want more! The Curse Worker series is probably my favorite work from Black. I highly, highly recommend the entire series!

Cover Art Commentary:
Why oh why did they change the covers of this series mid-series? I have all three books, and this one doesn't match the other two. Annoying. I might like it if that wasn't such an issue.

Rating:

The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black

Book Summery (Via Goodreads): Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.
Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.
At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.
Until one day, he does…
As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough?

Book Review:
Let me start by saying Holly Black is one of my most favorite authors. Ever. It all started with her Tithe series. If you are ever looking for a gritty tale of the fae, look no further. Then I fell in love with her Curse Workers series (though, admittidly, I need to read the final book in the series, which I own, I just don't want it to end!). Now I am adoring her stand alone books, such as The Darkest Part of the Forest and The Coldest Girl in Coldtown.

I was shocked when I found this book on goodreads to discover that my bookish friends reviews were split. It seems that people either love or hate this book. I absolutely adored it. This brought me back to the Tithe series, but with a little more polish. Hazel makes an amazing, flawed, beautiful narrator and main character. I enjoyed discovering her secrets right along side of her. I also enjoyed Jack's character immensely. He was a great counterpoint to Hazel. Ben helped to ground Hazel and give the reader a glimpse into Hazel's childhood and upbringing, which is a valuable part of the story. I loved the integration of fae into a modern day setting. Very refreshing. Overall, if you're looking for a story filled with mystery, action, secrets, and magic, look no further! I anxiously await Black's next book!

Cover Art Commentary:
To be honest, this isn't my favorite cover. I understand the natural feel to be akin to the faerie folk, but it just doesn't do it for me. I see them making a different cover for when the paperback comes out.

Rating:

Red Glove by Holly Black

Book Summery (via Goodreads):
Curses and cons. Magic and the mob. In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth—he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything—or anyone—into something else.

That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she's human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila's been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion worker mom. And if Lila's love is as phony as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does.

When Cassel's oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue—crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too—they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can't trust anyone—least of all, himself?

Book Review:
Well Ms. Black, you've done it again! Another perfectly blended tale of love, deception, corruption, and adventure. Really, what more could one ask for? Just like White Cat, Red Glove is character-driven. Cassel and his crew are back again. This time, Cassel is in the know, but that doesn't necessarily make things easier on him. Cassel is a wild card that could go either way, good or bad. Which makes his character so fascinating. I love his interactions with Lila. What I adore about Lila is that under her beautiful and playful exterior, lies a dark, mysterious interior. She seems so innocent when she is around Cassel, but he knows better and is able to clue the reader in to her seedy underbelly. We get to learn more about Cassel's mother, as well as his friends, Sam and Daneca. Overall, just a wonderfully told tale, unlike anything I've ever read before. If you haven't already read this series, you really ought to give it a try! For more information, check out Holly Black's website!

Favorite Quote:

"I take my time walking across the green. I think about my new car, gleaming in the sun. I think of the sophomore-year production of Macbeth, and Amanda Kerwick as Lady Macbeth, holding up her bare hands, looking for blood.

But there is no mere spot on me. As her husband says, 'I am in the blood/Stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more,/Returning were as tedious as go o'er.'

I shake my head. I'm just looking for excuses to keep the car." (p. 225)

Cover Art Commentary:
I love the continuation of the black, white, and red theme. Very White Stripes-ish! :)

Overall Rating:

White Cat (The Curse Workers #1) by HollyBlack

Book Summery:
Cassel comes from a family of curse workers -- people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail -- he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.
Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a facade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his facade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the con-men. -goodreads.com
Book Trailer:

Book Review:
I had my first taste of Holly Black when I read her series of Modern Faerie Tales: Tithe, Valiant, and Ironside. They were fun, enjoyable books. However, I must say that Ms. Black has really evolved with her release of White Cat. I was completely hooked from the first page, and read the first 250 pages in one sitting.

Cassel is a multidimensional character. Even though he is not considered a "worker," he still is a conman at heart. He is the local bookie at school, an expert pickpocket, and he has been known to pick a few locks or two. Despite his shady tendencies, you want to love Cassel, to root him on. He seems to be the product of his surroundings. His mother is in jail, father dead, and both brothers work for a major mobster. Despite being handed a lousy hand in life, Cassel makes the best of what he can and does his best to treat people kind and as fair as he can. ;) This is what makes you want to give him the benefit of the doubt. There is definitely some good there, and a lot of untapped potential.

I feel like I can't really talk much more about this book without giving too much away. Believe me, this book is well worth your time. The plot is beautifully woven and full of action and suspense. The characters are flawed and believable. I absolutely adored the interactions between them. I honestly can't wait until the next book in the series is released. After some thought, I gave this book a 5 rating. I really did love it! Make sure to check out Holly Black's website!

Favorite Quote:
"'I have no idea what you think you know,' Philip says. 'But you have to understand that all I've been trying to do-all I've ever tried to do is protect you. I want you to be safe.'

What a line. I shake my head, but don't contradict him. 'Okay, then. What are you protecting me from?'

'Yourself,' he says and now he looks me in the eye." (p. 174) 

Cover Art Commentary:
I really like the cover of this one. The colors juxtapose nicely! :) I will admit that it does slightly bother me that we can't see the main character's eyes, but I think that's just me being picky. :P

Overall Rating:

Valiant by Holly Black

Feeling betrayed by those closest to her, seventeen year old Val flees to the streets of New York City. There she finds a band of homeless teens who share a secret of a supernatural world of of faeries, trolls, as well as other mythical creatures. Her new-found friendship and discovery not only changes Val's perspective on life, but her future as well.

I originally skipped over this second installment of Black's "Modern Faerie Tales" intending to polish off Kaye and Roiben's story. I am not sorry I did so, as this book is notably different than the other two in the series. I was, however, pleased and surprised to cross path's with characters from the other books as well as certain events. A very interesting read and a refreshing escape from reality.

On a side note, this "YA" novel is much more mature than her other 2 books in the series. Thinking about my reaction to the first book, now makes me giggle as the first book was much less graphic. (See previous review here.) I guess it goes to show what I know about the "YA" genre.

Ironside by Holly Black

In the sequel to Tithe, Black continues Kaye's journey into the land of the faery. Her once-knight-now-king of the dark faery court has given an impossible quest to complete when she declares herself to him. A good read for those who enjoyed Black's first book in the series, Tithe.

Tithe by Holly Black

Kaye is not like other teenage girls. Her mother, Ellen, is a guitarist in a rock band. Kaye often spends her nights at hole-in-the-wall bars where her mother plays. She often lives in run-down apartments with her mother and whatever loser boyfriend Ellen is with at the moment. Eventually things turn sour and they end up moving in with Kaye's grandmother, where Kaye spent most of her youth. As a child, Kaye distinctly remembers seeing and playing with faeries, despite everyone's claim that her perception of "faeries" are actually imaginary friends. As fate would have it, one night, Kaye ends up saving a faerie knight Roiben. After which, Kaye discovers that there are more than just faeries roaming the earth. In fact there is an entire enchanted realm, which Kaye has stronger ties too than she realizes...

I rather enjoyed Tithe. I read it several days ago in just a few short sittings. I enjoy Black's use of various supernatural creatures other than vampires and witches. It seems a little strange to me that this is considered a YA novel. It seems a bit more mature than that to me, but that is just my opinion. There is nothing specifically graphic of anything, it's just more of the language and the smoking. Black could have made it a bit more explicit I suppose and targeted a more general audience, but again, that is just my opinion. I am sure she had a reason for targeting a more specific age group, which didn't keep me from reading it. :P A good read for anyone looking for a fun escape from reality.