Book Review: Black Heart

Cassel Sharpe knows he’s been used as an assassin, but he’s trying to put all that behind him. He’s trying to be good, even though he grew up in a family of con artists and cheating comes as easily as breathing to him. He’s trying to do the right thing, even though the girl he loves is inextricably connected with crime. And he’s trying to convince himself that working for the Feds is smart, even though he’s been raised to believe the government is the enemy.

But with a mother on the lam, the girl he loves about to take her place in the Mob, and new secrets coming to light, the line between what’s right and what’s wrong becomes increasingly blurred. When the Feds ask Cassel to do the one thing he said he would never do again, he needs to sort out what’s a con and what’s truth. In a dangerous game and with his life on the line, Cassel may have to make his biggest gamble yet—this time on love.

I’ve been a fan of Holly Black’s since I read Tithe in 2007. And her Curse Workers series is by far my favorite thing she’s written. So imagine my excitement when I got my hands on an arc of Black Heart.

Sadly, Black Heart is the final book in this series. And I needed this book to be great. However, considering how much I’ve loved Holly Black’s other books, I had hope that it would reach my high expectations. And it did! I read this book in two days and didn't want to put it down.

This will be a short review because I don't want to spoil anyone. But trust me when I say you want to read this series. Cassel and Lila are amazing characters. And I really enjoyed Daneca, Sam, and the rest of the supporting cast. The curse work and the mob is new, fresh, and interesting. And something different in YA is so great. Because so often I feel like I'm rereading because so many books are so similar. It tied up all the loose ends left over from books one and two and wrapped up the series very nicely.

I can't wait for Holly's next book: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown.

Book Review: Red Glove

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?

Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose.

Holly Black’s latest novel, Red Glove, is even more amazing than White Cat, (book one in The Curse Workers series). Cassel Sharpe is back at Wallingford Preparatory for his senior year with his best friend Sam, and Sam’s girlfriend, Daneca. Lila Zacharov, the mob boss’ daughter, has also enrolled. The harder Cassel tries to stay away from her, the harder it gets.

Red Glove dives right into the story, back into the world I fell in love with in White Cat. A place where people are born with the ability to curse, but since no one knows who’s a curse worker and who isn’t, everyone is forced to wear gloves. A bare hand elicits terror from those who fear being cursed… which seems to be pretty much everyone.

Cassel Sharpe is one of my favorite male characters in any YA series. He’s also the narrator. That’s another thing I love about this series: first person, male point of view. It’s something we don’t get a lot of in young adult literature. Personally, I like most of the characters in this series. The characters all interact and respond in a way that is completely believable. They stay true to themselves. Despite this being a world where magic exists, it feels very real. It’s a world I’m glad I don’t live in, to be honest.

The curse working makes this book stand out against the other young adult urban fantasy, where we get a lot of vampires, witches, faeries, etc… It’s a nice way to shake things up, read something different. And another thing I love about this series is the “blowback”. Blowback is what happens to a curse worker after working a curse. It’s retribution for what they’ve done… Karma… And I love that it’s worked in here because I think it doesn’t happen often enough that people have direct consequences for their actions.

Amazing novel, Holly! I seriously can’t wait until book three, Black Heart, hits shelves.

Be sure to check out The Curse Worker’s site for a short story called Lila Zacharov in 13 Pieces, a fantastic book trailer, and extras!

April Fools Books!

Less than a week ago, a few authors got in on the antics! See the book covers below

Green Money by Holly Black

http://blackholly.livejournal.com/152133.html

Litter by Maggie Stiefvater

http://maggiestiefvater.blogspot.com/2011/04/fourth-shiver-book-revealed.html

Holly and Maggie are two of my favorite authors, so I’d read them. What about you?

Did you see any other April Fools covers? Share the links below.

Book Review: White Cat

WHITE CAT is the first novel in The Curse Workers series by Holly Black, and it came out this past Tuesday. I bought it as soon as I could and finished it today. I loved it. I've met Holly numerous times, and a few years ago she told me she was working on this novel. She said it was based on "The White Cat" one of her favorite fairytales. I've been waiting for this novel ever since. I'm a big fan of Holly's other works as well. With some of her novels I've had a hard time getting hooked. Not because it isn't good, because I love her stories. But I've had trouble identifying with the main characters. This book, however, sucked me in from page one.

First of all, it's very different from any other novel I've read. The idea is very unique. Secondly, it's written from Cassel's POV, a male POV, something we don't get a lot of. And third, there were so many twists and turns that just when you think you have it figured out, you find out you're wrong. I hate when you figure out the ending in the beginning, and that was definitely not the case with this one. You don't know who to like or who's doing what. And even Cassel, our narrator, keeps things from us.

I can't wait until book two comes out. Unfortunately, it's probably at least a year away.


Synopsis:

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 hi best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Eer 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 out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.