“The Cruel Prince” by Holly Black
Descrption: “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 years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten 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.
In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war 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.”
Review: This book was a quick read but for all the right reasons. I couldn’t put it down! I loved the writing style, was intrigued by the characters and the plot kept me hooked. I finished this book in 2 days and am so sad that I have to wait a year for the second one! This book pulls you in right from the start (how could it not when it starts off with murder?). The plot is one giant twist and really leaves you on your toes wanting to know what happens next. I felt that there was no lag or slow spots in the book, it moves at a quick and beautiful pace. I love that it is set in Faerie and not in the mortal world. Holly Black magically writes about Faerie using a great mix of folk lore (don’t eat anything) and her own imagination (tails??). Another aspect I liked it that all of the characters are so complex and no one is stereotypical. Even the characters that come off as your standard bully actually have a lot more depth to them. Another plus – there’s no instalove! Yes the book has romantic aspects but it is never the main focus. I often get frustrated by YA books that focus too much on the love story and not enough on everything else that is going on. This book had a great mix of adventure, murder, love and relationships. All I can say is go read it if you like fey fantasy and don’t mind a little gore. This is definitely one of my favorite books of 2018!