Showing posts with label Holly Black. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holly Black. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Book Review: The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black


44428899
Title: The Queen of Nothing
Author: Holly Black
Series/Standalone: The Folk of Air Series (Book #3)
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 308
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Year Published: 2019
Format: Audiobook

"He will be the destruction of the crown and the ruination of the throne.

Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold on to. Jude learned that lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power.

Now, as an exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is left reeling from Cardan's betrayal. She bides her time, determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril.

Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines, she becomes ensnared in the conflict's bloody politics.

And when a terrible curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity...."

My Rating: 3.75/5

I know that for lovers of this series this book was not a lot of people's favourites. But I really enjoyed it. I felt more connected to the characters and although there were plot lines that I wished had been further developed, I enjoyed the story overall. I think that this cast of characters goes through so much growth and there is such a great plot that it was a good series. That being said, I don't think that I will be purchasing the whole series for my personal collection, I've read it once and that was enough for me. I loved the angsty aspects of the story especially and look forward to perhaps reading more by Holly Black in the future. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Book Review: The Wicked King by Holly Black


38237340
Title: The Wicked King
Author: Holly Black
Series/Standalone: The Folk of the Air (Book #2)
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 336
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Year Published: 2019
Format: Audiobook

"You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself that strong.

Jude has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were biddable. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermines her, even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a faerie world. "

My Rating: 4.5/5

I was not hopeful when I picked up this book. I thought that the first book was mediocre at best and didn't quite understand why it had gained such a fandom. But this instalment made me understand some of the feelings people had for certain characters. I really enjoyed the change of pace in this story. We got to explore some different areas of the story as well as see the Fae in a different light. Not only as dangerous but as plotters and schemers. I enjoyed the political aspects of this story and the twists and turns. That being said, near the middle of this story, I felt a slight bit of drag and was concerned about where the plot was going. By the end, I had been entertained, surprised and curious about where the third book would continue. Overall enjoyed this book in the series and look forward to continuing via audiobook.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Book Review: The Lost Sisters by Holly Black


40772063. sx318
Title: The Lost Sisters
Author: Holly Black
Series/Standalone: The Folk of the Air (Book 1.5)
Genre: Novella, Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 50
Publisher: NOVL
Year Published: 2018
Format: Audiobook

"When Jude fought for power in the Court of Elfhame against the cruel Prince Cardan, her sister Taryn began to fall in love with the trickster, Locke.

Half-apology and half-explanation, it turns out that Taryn has some secrets of her own to reveal.

The Lost Sisters is a companion e-novella to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince by master writer Holly Black."

My Rating: 3.5/5

This is such a great novella. I always seem to love them more when I don't even care that much about the main story. What I will say is that I don't agree with anything that Taryn has done but at least we are better able to understand why she has done something. I'm super concerned about where this series is going to take Taryn and Locke. I'm curious but worried.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Book Review: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black


26032825. sy475
Title: The Cruel Prince
Author: Holly Black
Series/Standalone: The Folk of the Air Series (Book #1)
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 370
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Year Published: 2018
Format: Hardcover Copy (Own it)
First Line: "On a drowsy Sunday afternoon, a man in a long dark coat hesitated in front of a house on a tree-lined street."

"Of course I want to be like them. They're beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Teen years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him- and face the consequences.

As Jude comes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself."

My Rating: 3.5/5

  I'd like to start this off by saying that I'm using a new rating system that helps me determine the rating that I give a book. It is pretty much CAWPILE used by Bookroast on youtube but instead of putting 10 stars into the system I'm only putting 5 stars into it because that's what I prefer. So far I've found it fairly accurate. That's one of my 2020 reading goals to look more carefully at what I'm rating things and why they are getting ratings. 
  On another note here is why this book got this rating. I really enjoyed the characters I thought they were interesting and unique. I loved that aspect of the story. I didn't love Jude's perspective but it was an interesting one to read from. The atmosphere was ok. I was interested in it. Here is the part that really brought it down for me. I didn't really enjoy Holly Black's writing style. It felt to slow for the vast majority of the book. For some reason, it also put me to sleep. I'd read 20 pages and be zonked for the night.
 Overall I think that it was pretty good, not great. Kinda just ok. This might be due to the hype around the series. I'm hoping that as I continue on I'll begin to enjoy it more. Only time will tell!

Thanks for reading,
 Sidny


Book Roast URL: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsIJyv-pQSrKP4Ogj6WYIdg

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Book Review: Black Heart by Holly Black



Title: Black Heart
Author: Holly Black
Series: The Curseworkers (Book #3)
Pages: 296
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Year Published: 2012
First Line: “My brother Barron sits next to me, sucking the last dregs of milk tea slush noisily through a wide yellow straw.”

“In a world where magic is illegal, Cassel Sharpe has the most dangerous ability of all. And that makes him a wanted man. The Feds will forgive his past crimes if he leaves them all behind and goes straight. But that 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 sure she can never love him back, he can’t stop obsessing over her. And now the Feds need Cassel to get rid of a powerful man who is out of control. But if they want Cassel to hurt people, what separates the good guys from the bad? With no easy answers and no one he can trust, love might be the most dangerous gamble of all.”

My Rating: 4.5/5

I’ve really gotten into third series instalments lately, haven’t I? Sorry readers who haven’t read the first two books, soon I’ll be with a novel that you can easily follow without having to read past posts. Back to the topic. This book really dig deeps into the world that Holly Black has created in which there are curseworkers who roam among everyday people. I loved that the characters expanded to the point that I felt like I knew them and was able to picture them. It was interesting to jump into the idea that politics would play with these extraordinary skills and those who were given them.
On another note, I thought this was the last book in the series, but the ending has me questioning that. Think they’ll be another one? Tell me what you think.
THANK YOU HOLLY BLACK FOR QUESTIONING WHETHER THERE IS A GOOD AND EVIL!

Thanks for reading,
Love,

Sidny xoxo

Spoiler: Black Heart by Holly Black

As I mentioned above, this is the third book in the curseworkers series. I really enjoyed this book. It has expanded so much since the first one. White Cat seems like it was read so long ago, and I can’t imagine not getting to this point, so I’m happy I didn’t give up on them. This book really goes in depth as to what the government treats the curseworkers as. I think that in many cases as soon as they find out someone is a worker, if they’re not useful for some other reason (assassination anyone?) then they are treated as though they have already done something wrong, which may be true but what if it’s not? I especially was interested in the….

♥Characters♥:
♥Cassel: Wow, has he ever grown up since the first book we’ve read. I actually like him a lot more now. I can think of him as an adult, instead of a kid stuck in a tough situation. I loved that he found away around the government and managed to get Patton out of office. Smart choice sir, I tip my figurative hat to you. I never even thought of that as an option. As well, I applaud you for getting Lila, took you long enough, but such things make a good series. I do wonder about how things will go if they make another book, I would be impressed if there was one. Hint, hint. I wonder how the rest of the characters are gonna cope with his disappearance especially. Like things weren’t already confusing between Barron, Sam and Daneca what happens when Cassel just *poof* disappears.
Lila: I wasn’t sure if she was still cursed or not when she got together with Cassel, but it seems like it was love from the start. And I like that she’s a woman who gets to call the shots in a relationship. You go girl, even if you are a criminal. Ps. Totally supporting the fact that you took Cassel into hiding with you. Even though I saw it coming.
Sam: He really went through stuff with this whole breakup with Daneca thing. Not to mention getting shot in the leg, but I love this big teddy bear.
Daneca: Dating Barron seemed like a dick move, let’s be honest here. But I almost liked them. Because….
Barron: seemed to change around her. Is it possible that he did? I really do wonder though. What do you think?
Zacharov: I think that Cassel’s Mom and this dude would make a great couple. Maybe if she finds him the resurrection diamond that she urm… borrowed.
Yulikova: Hard to believe that I would think someone from this alternate universes FBI would be more evil than the mob boss but surprise. She is just wrong in her ways of thinking, Cassel is a human, not a weapon. So there!


♥Moments To Remember♥
♥Pg. 78
“’Your family is badass,’ Sam says ‘They set a high bar of badassery.’”

♥Pg. 90
“’No, no. Sit down, Cassel. I’m fine.’
  I grab a chair. ‘I don’t mean to pry,’ I say, ‘but we’re in a hospital. You sure you’re fine?’
 She sighs heavily. ‘No getting anything past you, huh?’”

♥Pg. 185
“’Cassel Sharpe: boy assassin.’ He shakes his head. ‘You should have your own comic book.’
  I grin. ‘Only if you’ll be my runty spandex-wearing sidekick.’”

♥Pg. 278
“Barron hands me a cup of coffee.
 ‘Black, like your soul,’ he says with a grin.”

♥Final Line: "The big score." 

Thanks for reading,
Love,

Sidny xoxo

Friday, September 13, 2013

Book Review: Red Glove by Holly Black



Title: Red Glove
Author: Holly Black
Series:  The Curse Workers (Book #2)
Pages: 325
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Year Published: 2011
First Line: “I don’t know whether it’s day or night when the girl gets up to leave.”

“Curse 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 to dangerous to lose.”

My Rating:  5/5

This book really stepped up from the first one. I feel like I could relate to the characters a lot more, and there was enough suspense that I didn’t know quite what was gonna happen next. That’s always a good thing for me to find in a book. And lately I haven’t  read a whole lot of it, so this was a pleasant surprise. I also feel that Holly Black really dived into the details of the way society works in this scenario. I felt like I actually knew what was going on, and what it was like to be a worker. That’s a really important factor. I loved that the diction had changed from simple to more complex. Using all simple words makes a book boring, not to mention makes me feel slightly stupid. I can understand why she did that, but I’m happy she changed it for the second book. Finally, I loved the twist at the end of the book. I hope to go pick up the third book sometime this week, or at least order it. Can’t wait.
THANK YOU HOLLY BLACK FOR SHOWING THAT STEREOTYPES CAN REALLY HURT, MORE THAN WE’D THINK!

Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny xoxo


Spoiler: Red Glove by Holly Black

I was really impressed with how this second book played out. It was a sure step up from the first book. As readers we get to explore the world that the workers live in, and  exploring the characters. I loved that we got to see what Proposition 2 would really mean to the worker community. How law enforcement treats these people just because they were born a certain way. It almost reminded me of how people were treated before a genocide. And when Zacharov talks about how his father was raised and how the crime families started it makes me think that really that could happen to everyone. Its happened to people who feel like an underdog. Its an uprising that could really happen. People are scared of the unknown.

♥Character♥ :
♥Cassel: I feel that he really grew up in this book. He had to think about how to deal with his brothers death, high school, dealing with the Feds as well as a major crime boss, and his brother, Barron. I’d say he’s having quite the senior year. I feel like Phillip’s death was not only a huge surprise to him, but as well the fact that he’d been working with the Feds was another shock. I was surprised as well that Cassel went so far with Lila. I was disappointed that at the end she didn’t understand why he tried to rework her into feeling nothing for him, but now she just hates him. Damn it!  As well, I was surprised that he turned himself in, but what else was he gonna do? He was stuck, but it does make you wonder what Zacharov’s going to do about this whole situation.
♥Cassel’s Mother: She isn’t careful about who she works, she just does what she wants and doesn’t seem to care about if it gets her in trouble. Why would she work a famous politician into backing out of Proposition 2, his main point during a campaign. That looks more suspicious than you can ever guess it to be.
♥Sam: I was disappointed that Sam acted out so much when he found out what Daneca was a worker, I do understand that she should have told him, but how do you even tell someone that? It’s not really first date conversation, is it? But he didn’t shy away from Cassel, although he didn’t know that he had killed people (or helped kill them) before. Hopefully he and Daneca work things out and he continues to support Cassel.
♥Daneca: I didn’t see her being a worker. Especially not an emotional worker. But when you look back it does make sense. I wonder why she didn’t bring that up when Cassel came out.
♥Lila: Its awful that she was cursed to love someone. But I think that she liked Cassel to begin with and they could have made it work. I wish they would have just been together even though she was cursed, but no Cassel had to be the good guy and try to change things back.  Hopefully she doesn’t hate Cassel forever, and understands why he tried to change things back for her.
♥Barron: I can’t believe he figured it out, but I suppose that was bound to happen.
♥Maura: I do understand why she felt that she had to kill Phillip. It’s like being forced to get back into an abusive relationship. Really she was saving herself and Aaron. I wish her the best, but hopefully she doesn’t feel the need to come after Cassel.
♥The Feds: Are they workers? I don’t really know. The way they look at Barron and Cassel, I’d assume not but maybe they consider themselves good workers, instead of bad.
♥Zacharov: The way he explains how and why the crime families became who they are, actually makes sense to me. If you were treated horribly, would you want to go with the flow of a nation that abused you? Or would you fight back?


♥Moments to Remember♥:
♥Pg. 26
“’Whoa,’ I say, holding up my hand. ‘I want more detail. Like does this mean we have to make our own signs? How about ‘Worker Rights for Everyone Except People Who Don’t Need Them’ or ‘Legalize Death Work Today. Solve Overpopulation Tomorrow!’”

♥Pg. 29
“Seriously, this guy-one of the counsellors, I guess- makes it sound like in college they make you write all your essays in blood, your lab partners might shank you if you bring down their grade point averages, and evening classes last all night long. He clearly misses it.’”

♥Pg.  109
“’I’ve seen the way you look at her,’ Audrey says. ‘I know you, Cassel. So that brings me to asking you again- what are you doing?’
 ‘Screwing up,’ I say.
 ‘Good answer.’ She smiles a little, almost despite herself, and leans in to pat me on the cheek. ‘Stop it.’”

♥Pg. 116
“Doesn’t she know that muggers don’t wear ties?’
 I straighten my collar. ‘I’m a better class of criminal. A gentleman thief, if you will.’”

♥Pg.  123
“’You know how Mr. Knight is getting a little bit on the senile side? Like walking past the classroom and having to double back, or putting on his sweater over a winter coat?’
 I nod, although I haven’t had Mr. Knight for anything. I’ve just seen him in the halls. He looks like a typical ancient English professor- tweedy, with leather elbow pads and white nose hair.
 ‘Well, today he came into class, and not only had he forgotten to zip up after a trip to the bathroom, he forgot to tuck his junk back in.’”

♥Pg. 165
“She’s got on long silver earrings that dangle like daggers, and a white dress that rides up her thighs when she sits down. I try not to notice. Okay, I try not to stare, because that would make me crash the car and kill us both.”

♥Pg. 175
“’Besides, you know what’s creepier than walking around your dead brother’s apartment? Sitting alone in a hearse in front of his apartment.’”

Last Line: “After all, hell is supposed to be hot.”

Thanks for reading,
Love,

Sidny xoxo

Friday, August 30, 2013

Book Review: White Cat by Holly Black



Title: White Cat
Author: Holly Black
Series: The Curse Workers
Pages: 310
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Year Published: 2010
First Line: “I wake up barefoot, standing on cold slate tiles.”

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 criminals. Many become mobsters and con artists. But not Cassel. He hasn’t go magic, 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.
Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade start to crumble when he finds himself 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 behaviour of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him. As Cassel begins to suspect he’s part of a huge con game, he must unravel his past and his memories. To find the truth, Cassel will have to outcon the conmen.”

My Rating:4/5

When I first started reading this book I was intrigued by the idea of knowing that we had “workers” everyone, it does bring up an interesting image of what if. Someone out there is going to hate this comparison, but I think this book reminded me a lot of Xmen. The idea that it is illegal to be yourself is a terrifying thought. You can’t change who you are anymore than you can change the color of your eyes or who your parents are. It’s just a part of you. I think the reason that I couldn’t make this book a 5 is because of the lack of suspense. I can’t stress the importance of suspense in a book, I saw parts of this story coming and felt like I was only reading the first half to make sure I was right, the second half was a bit better though so luckily it wasn’t a waste. All in all, I’m glad that I picked this book up off the shelf, if only because it shows a great fantasy world that I couldn’t have imagined on my own.
THANK YOU HOLLY BLACK FOR HELPING PEOPLE REALIZE THAT IT ISN’T WHAT YOURE GIVEN THAT’S THE PROBLEM, IT’S HOW YOU CHOOSE TO USE IT!

Thanks for reading,
Love,

Sidny xoxo

Spoiler: White Cat by Holly Black

This isn’t a book I expected to read, I try not to review books that other book reviewing friends have, but I couldn’t stop wondering what it was about and so I picked it up. Honestly, it wasn’t all I hoped it to be. I think that the idea of curse work is amazing and I love the idea of how the twenty first century would look with it, but I don’t think Holly Black expanded on these ideas as much as she could have. I was surprised at how much I guessed correctly by half way through the book (Lila being the cat, Cassel being a worker, even down to knowing what type of worker.) and so I can’t say that there was a time a was fully in suspense. It just wasn’t there for me. As well, the characters weren’t that in depth. I felt close to Cassel, Barron and Lila but other than that Phillip and the others were more of a mystery to me.

♥Characters♥:
♥Cassel: Our main character is interesting enough. I like that he goes around in the first half of the book trying to convince everyone he’s not a worker because he truly believes it but after he finds out he all but races to tell Sam and Daneca. Kind of odd.Mainly I was happy that he got Lila back and that he doesn’t have to feel regret about killing her because he didn’t! Yay! I do think the end is an interesting twist. The fact that his mom went and worked Lila to love him is awful, but maybe she had feelings for him before so it would work out. If not there’s always what’s her name from the school. Hopefully we learn more about what’s going on with the whole cursework laws as well in Book 2.
♥Barron: I was interested that he would sell out his brother so easily for money, that was a huge shock and the fact that the blow back from his memory work is that his own memory goes missing hopefully if he stops using he’ll be able to retain information again. I don’t think he’s a bad guy at heart, I think maybe he’s jealous of Cassel, or wishes that he didn’t have to take care of him because of their mother being locked up. I am interested to see how the whole notebook thing plays out should be interesting.
♥Phillip: Ok by the end of the book he hates Cassel. He thinks that he’s the reason that Maura and the baby left, but I do wonder how involved he was. She deserved the chance to get out, but at what cost. Will Phillip hunt them down? Oh the questions.
♥Lila: Seems like a brat. But after being a cat I can’t say I judge her. I would act a little cranky to if someone who you thought was your friend transformed you into an animal and never helped again. Damn! Hopefully when Cassel’s mother’s curse work wears off, Lila will stick with Cassel, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
♥Sam: My visual of this guy, hilarious. I love him and Daneca though.
♥Daneca: I think she pushes the whole HEX thing a little hard, but she’s a good person at heart.
♥Desi/ Cassel’s Grandfather: Seems like a good guy even though his job for a while was killing people off. I imagine he’s just lucky to loose use of his fingers instead of his heart. Hopefully he takes care of the whole Lila issue.
♥Zacharov: All powerful mob boss, do tell what kind of worker are you? He scares the living poop out of me, but at the same time I want to learn more about his past and such.


Moments to Remember:
♥Pg. 53
“Once someone’s hurt you, it’s harder to relax around them, harder to think of them as safe to love. But it doesn’t stop you from wanting them. Sometimes I actually think it makes the wanting worse.”

♥Pg. 61
“’I had a weird dream.’
 ‘Let me guess. You got tied up by lady ninjas. With big hooters.’
 ‘Uh, no.’ I take a sip of coffee and wince. Grandad made it ridiculously strong.
 My grandfather shoves a strip of bacon in his mouth with a grin. ‘Guess it would have been kind of weird if we’d had the same dream.’”
♥Pg. 200
“’You think the government is going to roll over because you’ve murdered your way to the top of a crime family? You think Zacharov could have the world by the balls, but he’s all ‘No, thanks’?’”

♥Pg. 255
“My fellow students look at me like I’m a dangerous lunatic with two heads and a nasty communicable disease. I keep my head down, eat my Tater Tots at lunch, and try to look interested in my classes.”

♥Pg. 299
“’Do you know when her actual release happens?’
 ‘They say Friday,’ he says. ‘But they’ve already changed the date twice, so I don’t know how seriously to take it. But I guess we should get a cake or something, in case. Worst case scenario: We eat the cake anyway.’”

Last Line: “Marks forget that whenever something’s to o good to be true, that’s because it’s a con.”

Thanks for reading,
Love,
Sidny xoxo