Level: YA
Recommended Age: 15+
Genres: Fantasy, Drama
Tags: Adoption, Fairy tale, Magic, Romance, Royalty, Sisters
Mature Content:

  - Moderate language: Threats to life, verbal abuse.

  - Moderate sexuality: Multiple kissing scenes, allusions to sex.

  - Moderate violence: Physical attacks and threats, kidnapping, self-harm.

Mortals aren’t known for surviving in the faerie realm, but Jude and her twin sister Taryn have the fortune (or misfortune) of being half sisters with the daughter of the Fae’s general. As they grow up adjusting to life full of lessons on how to resist enchantments and avoid promises, they must resign themselves to a world where they will always be weaker and uglier and insignificant. But Jude isn’t one to back down from a fight. As she goes toe to toe with the Fae’s youngest prince, she has to discover what skills she can offer this beautiful Fae realm and what it takes to become more dangerous than powerful immortal creatures.

Review:

“That’s what comes of hungering for something; you forget to check if it’s rotten before you gobble it down”

Holly Black always writes such fun dark fairy tales, full of adventure and romance and plot twists. This book focuses on two human sisters who are stolen away to fairyland with their half human half Fae sister. Being human among immortals is no small feat, and Jude barely makes it through each day alive. While her twin is content to simply survive, Jude is determined to beat the fairies at their own game, no matter who she destroys in the process.

Jude has that pit-bull personality of setting her teeth in something and refusing to let go, even if she’s shaken to death. She’s here to win, and not even her mortality will stop her. She makes me completely exasperated with her stubbornness and pride, but I’m also riveted by her potential. I never know what she’ll do or say next, or how that will affect the story. She’s as achingly human as you can get, and a mesmerizing opposite to this beautiful, seemingly perfect, fairyland with all of its rules and formalities.

Prince Carden is easy to hate and an absolutely delightful character. His progression and depth add such tension to the story, and he’s the perfect trigger for Jude’s most explosive personality traits. They set each other off in alarming, but wildly entertaining, ways that push the story in all sorts of fun directions.

This author doesn’t shy away from the darker shades of life, and lets her characters be flawed and destructive and messy. They’re angry and self-sabotaging, with petty revenge and selfishness. That said, there’s something so deeply passionate about them. And, despite the fact that Holly Black often writes about supernatural creatures, they are so very human. Everyone can relate to mistakes and anger and regret. It’s easy to feel the pain and injustice of these characters, especially as Jude and her sister are treated so poorly merely for being different. They are more vulnerable, so they must find other ways to be strong. If that’s not a song for humanity, I don’t know what is.