Happy Friday, My Lovelies! As our daughters have gotten older, I'm not reading as many YA novels. The reason I've read so much YA is because I enjoyed discussing books with my girls, and that's what they were reading. Now they're reading more "new adult" and sometimes I read along with them, but they're so busy with their studies it leaves little time for them to read for fun.
I read The Cruel Prince by Holly Black during the winter, but I keep forgetting to write about it here on the blog. Both of our daughters love Holly Black, but each loved a different series, so I've read many of her books. ;D I enjoyed The Cruel Prince so much because it's so well-written, and it's understandable why Holly Black is one of the best YA writers. The photo above is the first entry in my new reading journal, and as you can see from the date, I'm a wee bit behind on blogging about my reading, but I'll catch up, no worries!
According to Goodreads:
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.
My Review:
If you enjoy books about the fae, then you will love the kingdom Holly Black has built in this book. I also love that mortal Jude wants to be recognized at the High Court of Faeire for her skills in the hopes that she will be chosen as a knight. She diligently trains, and she makes a few daring choices to get noticed by powerful members of The Court. This is shocking to me especially in light of the circumstances of her parents' brutal murders.
As interesting as the characters are, the plot is what totally kept me entranced. There are many plot points I was not expecting, and I read this book quickly over a couple of days. If I hadn't had life interfere, I probably would've read it in one sitting. Jude's relationship with Prince Cardan and how each views the other is interesting to say the least, and the book ends with many more questions than answers. I'm already very impatient waiting for Book Two in what promises to be the best YA series I've ever read. The Cruel Prince is Book One in The Folk of the Air series.
This is the beautiful cover of book two in the series, scheduled for release January 8, 2019.
Sidenote: I'm trying to read more stand alone novels than series because the older I get the less patient I am in between installments! ;D
Below is an IndieBound affiliate link for purchasing The Cruel Prince.
Ricki Jill
