BOOKS | Review: The Modern Faerie Tales:Tithe; Valiant; Ironside by Holly Black

Name: The Modern Faerie Tales:Tithe; Valiant; Ironside

Author: Holly Black

Publisher: Simon Schuster Children's UK

Date published: July 2019

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance, urban fantasy

Pages: 785

Rating: 5/5

 

In Tithe, sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she drifts from place to place with her mother’s rock band until an ominous attack forces Kaye back to her childhood home. There, amid the blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient and violent power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms - a struggle that could very well mean her death.
In Valiant, the companion to Tithe, seventeen-year-old Valerie runs away to New York City, trying to escape a life that has utterly betrayed her. Sporting a new identity, she takes up with a gang of squatters who live in the city’s labyrinthine subway system. But there’s something eerily beguiling about Val’s new friends. When one talks Val into tracking down the lair of a mysterious creature, Val finds herself torn between her affection for an honorable monster and her fear of what her new friends are becoming.
In Ironside, the sequel to Tithe, the time has come for Roiben’s coronation. Uneasy in the midst of the malevolent Unseelie Court, pixie Kaye is sure of only one thing - her love for Roiben. But when Kaye drunkenly declares herself to Roiben, he sends her on a seemingly impossible quest to find a faerie who can tell a lie. Unable to see Roiben until she has fulfilled his quest, Kaye finds herself in the center of the battle of wits and weapons being waged over his throne.

- From Goodreads.

Holly Black's style is always so enjoyable to read, she can write really thoughtfully and include really vivid descriptions, but also have a lot of short, sharp and fun narration and dialogue.

I love that the faeries and other magical creatures that she includes can be really dark and twisted, they are definitely not human and they really feel dangerous, sinister and unpredictable.

Tithe

I think this story really shows that Holly Black can pack a lot into a short story and make it immersive and have us get to know the characters and world well even when we do not have as much time as we would in a longer story. 

I really liked Kaye and Roiben, they both felt very unique, Kaye was so vibrant and full of charm and Roiben was so fascinating and mysterious, it was exciting to see them meet and come to know each other and see how they quickly became important to each other.

Valiant

I thought the characters in this story were very intriguing too, they all had a lot of personality and were fun to learn about. Even though Val and Ravus were both going through painful experiences, they both had good hearts underneath it all and slowly became able to trust and help each other and I loved how that was done. 

The plot was truly a rollercoaster and I really had no idea what was going to happen, it was thrilling to read and really kept me turning the pages.

I enjoyed how it linked back to Tithe and how it included little references to that story, it stood well on its own but it also worked well as a follow-on story.

Ironside

It was exciting to be back with Kaye and Roiben again and to see how their story continued, and how it all tied together with everything that had happened in Valiant. It was very fast-paced and intense and always kept me guessing about what the ending would be.

The Lament of Lutie-Loo

It was fun to read a story from Lutie's perspective, Holly Black wrote her voice in a great, light-hearted way that worked well even in the darker moments.

It was exciting to read plot that would lead into The Cruel Prince and to see characters from that trilogy, it was fun to have more insight into what led to the events of that book.

 

Overall, I really enjoyed all three of the stories, and the bonus story in this edition, they were all very captivating and full of energy. I can definitely see how Holly Black went on to write the Folk of the Air trilogy after this as she definitely started to create a fascinating world full of trickster faeries in these stories.

BOOKS | Review: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

 Name: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

Author: Holly Black

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Date published: First published 2013, this edition published 2014

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal, romance, dystopia, horror

Pages: 419

Rating: 5/5

 

Coldtown was dangerous, Tana knew. A glamorous cage, a prison for the damned and anyone who wanted to party with them.
Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. And once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave.
One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself. 

- From Goodreads.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a different and fresh take on vampires that I found intriguing and thrilling to read about, and at some points it was even quite scary and intense. Holly Black certainly made vampires her own in a complex and fascinating way.

I really enjoyed the writing style, it flowed smoothly and I found it easy to read, and it made the story quite addictive as I did not want to put it down. 

The plot was a wild rollercoaster with an incredible amount of twists and turns. Holly Black books are never predictable and this was no exception. I had no idea what was going to happen and was quite nervous to find out how it would all end.

As usual with Holly Black books, the characters are all complex and fascinating, even the characters you truly detest. Everyone was interesting and felt like you might find them in the real world. My favourite characters were Tana and Gavriel, who I felt were both very well written, had backstories that were compelling, and you could understand and root for them, even when they had to do awful and horrible things. Their romance was perfectly done and all of their moments together were captivating and I loved the way their relationship was built up.

Overall I would absolutely recommend this book if you are looking for a unique and modern vampire story with a riveting plot and engaging characters, and if you enjoyed Holly Black's other books, this still has her excellent writing style and unpredicatable twists, even though it is one of her earlier books.

BOOKS | Review: How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black and Rovina Cai

 Name: How the King of Elhame Learned to Hate Stories

Author: Holly Black and Rovina Cai

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Date published: November 2020

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance

Pages: 192

Rating: 5/5

Once upon a time, there was a boy with a wicked tongue...
Before Cardan was a cruel prince or a wicked king, he was a faerie child with a heart of stone. In this sumptuously illustrated tale, Holly Black reveals a deeper look into the dramatic life of Elfhame's enigmatic high king. This tale includes delicious details of life before The Cruel Prince, an adventure beyond The Queen of Nothing, and familiar but pivotal moments from The Folk of the Air trilogy, told wholly from Cardan's perspective.
This new instalment in the Folk of the Air series is a return to the heart-racing romance, danger, humour and drama that enchanted readers everywhere. Each chapter is paired with lavish and luminous full-colour art, making this the perfect collector's item to be enjoyed by audiences both new and old.
An irresistible return to the captivating world of Elfhame from bestselling Folk of the Air author Holly Black, with stunning full-colour illustrations by Rovina Cai. 

- From Goodreads. 

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories was a perfect addition to The Folk of the Air series and I adored every moment of reading it.

It was wonderful to read from Cardan's viewpoint and get his perspective on moments we previously saw from Jude's perspective, as well as moments that had only previously been alluded to, and learn about moments we did not know had happened at all. Although Cardan was already a very well developed character, it was great to get even more depth to his character and seem more of his backstory. His feelings were so understandable, and it was clear to see how he ended up the way that he did. I loved seeing him grow and change and learn, and I thought the way Holly Black weaved other stories into Cardan's was so clever. It was very tight and well-plotted, and I enjoyed how all the threads tied together at the end.

The illustrations fitted the atmosphere of the stories so perfectly and really added an extra dimension to the reading experience. They were so beautiful and had marvellous details that were lovely to look at. They really made it feel like an old book of fairy tales.

This is a wonderful book for anyone who enjoyed The Folk of the Air series and it was obviously made with love for the trilogy. It really adds to the original books in a fantastic way and it made me so happy to read.

UNBOXING | FairyLoot: The Queen of Nothing Collector's Edition

The Folk of the Air series has quickly become on of my favourite trilogies and I was so excited when I managed to get one of the Queen of Nothing collector's edition boxes when they sold them for a second time, especially since I'd unfortunately missed it on sale the first time round. I was so happy with everything in this box and the special edition of the book and thought it was definitely worth the wait.

Booksleeve, with artwork by Stella Bookish Art.

Elfhame enamel pin, designed by Dust and Pages.

Cardan and Jude mug, featuring artwork by Monolime.

Wooden bookmark, with artwork of Cardan by Monolime and lettering by Stella Bookish Art.

Art print, by Merwild and Co.

 

Blanket, designed by arz28.

Signed bookplate.

Special edition of The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black, with redesigned cover, stenciled sprayed edges and ribbon bookmark.

This was such a wonderful box, and it was just amazing to get such high quality and beautiful items related to a book series I love so much. I do not think I can even chose a favourite because I love all the items so much.
If you got this box let me know what you thought, and if you have read the Folk of the Air series, let me know what you thought of that too in the comments below!
If you want to find out more about FairyLoot, you can visit their website here.

BOOKS | Review: The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

Name: The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air #3)
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Date published: 19th November 2019
Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance
Pages: 320
Rating: 5/5
Note: This review contains very mild spoilers, for this book and the series as a whole.

After being pronounced Queen of Faerie and then abruptly exiled by the Wicked King Cardan, Jude finds herself unmoored, the queen of nothing. She spends her time with Vivi and Oak, watches her fair share of reality television, and does the odd job or two, including trying to convince a cannibalistic faerie from hunting her own in the mortal world.
When her twin sister Taryn shows up asking of a favour, Jude jumps at the chance to return to the Faerie world, even if it means facing Cardan, who she loves despite his betrayal.
When a dark curse is unveiled, Jude must become the first mortal Queen of Faerie and uncover how to break the curse, or risk upsetting the balance of the whole Faerie world.

- From Goodreads.

I completely adored The Queen of Nothing. Every moment I was absolutely enthralled and I thought it was a wonderful way to conclude the series. I thought it wrapped up all the story lines well in a satisfying way while also leaving a few things open-ended so you could imagine what might happen in the future for the characters. The plot was exciting and thrilling while leaving enough room for character development, and involved a really great twist that I do not think anyone saw coming. The plot kept me turning the pages because I really cared about the characters, especially Cardan and Jude, and I desperately needed to know what happened to them.
On the topic of Cardan and Jude, the development of their relationship and how their dynamic  evolved was incredible. They have definitely become some of my favourite characters in fiction and their relationship and the way it changes over the series is one of my favourites now too. I am really happy with the way their story ended and I was really happy reading all of their interactions throughout the book.
I also continued to enjoy the setting in this book, and how the magic worked and the use of legends and folk tales in the world building. There were so many little details that added to the story and really put me into the world and story and made it feel more real.
The writing was quite quick to read, but also used language in a very interesting and sometimes quite beautiful way. I especially enjoyed the writing during interactions between Jude and Cardan as they are both often very careful with what they say and yet have surprising moments of truthfulness between them.
I really liked how Jude was allowed to be angry at the people who had treated her badly, especially Taryn, and how she was able to express her feelings in general. It was really satisfying to see that she did not just let things go and made sure that other characters had earned it before she forgave them. In other books I often find things are not wrapped up well enough when the main character has been hurt, and they are not given the time to address how they feel, but I was glad this was not the case in this story.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this book and thought it was brilliant, and had a really great time reading the trilogy as a whole. There was a lot of intense action, fascinating settings and addictive romance, and I truly loved the main character, Jude. I think I will reread this series over and over and always find enjoyment in it.

UNBOXING | Illumicrate: The Cruel Prince Special Edition

As you probably already know from my reviews of the first two books in The Folk of the Air trilogy, this is a series I really adore, so when Illumicrate announced a special edition box for The Cruel Prince in celebration of the release of The Queen of Nothing, I knew I would love it. This was a wonderful box to open, and I found every item was incredibly beautiful!
I have listed each item that came in the box below, along with a link to the designer or shop that created it.

Jude and Cardan bookend set, designed by Noverantale

Character bookmark set, artwork by Coralie Jubénot

"Every part of me" enamel pin, designed by Fable & Black

A Sinister Tableau tote, artwork by Alice Duke

The brugh blanket, artwork by Yoshi Yoshitani

Folk of the Air decorative dust jackets, artwork by RosieThorns88

Special edition of The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, with sprayed edges and a signed book plate

Everything in this box was so absolutely gorgeous, I do not know how I could choose a favourite item. I will definitely be making use of the incredibly designed bookends and the super soft blanket, and the dust jackets are such beautiful creations. I am definitely planning on getting the other two books in the series when Illumicrate releases their special editions, especially now that I have recently read The Queen of Nothing and in finishing the series love it all even more!
Keep an eye out for my review of The Queen of Nothing, and if you received this box too, let me know what you thought in the comments below!

BOOKS | Review: The Wicked King by Holly Black

Name: The Wicked King
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Date published: 8th January 2019
Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance
Pages: 326
Rating: 5/5
Note: This review contains mild spoilers.

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 undermine 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.

- From Goodreads.

I already enjoyed Jude's character in The Cruel Prince, but The Wicked King made me like her even more. I always appreciate it in a book when an author can succesfully make the main character flawed but still loveable. Jude, despite everything, always tries hard to protect the people she cares about and wants desperately to do things for the right reasons. She worries so much about becoming an inhuman monster but she still has a good heart deep down and I think this is done in quite a subtle way and really showcases how well Holly Black writes complex characters.
We got to see more of the faerie world in this book and I really enjoyed all the details and descriptions of the places the story is set in. I really enjoy myths, fairy tales and other legends, and I think that this book continues to build on and be inspired by details and ideas from those kind of stories in such a fun and imaginative way.
The plot was really thrilling and full of some really exciting and surprising twists and turns. Even when I was distressed or worried for Jude, I was still enjoying reading the story and appreciating how well planned-out the storyline was.
I adored the chemistry between Jude and Cardan. I think Cardan is such an intriguing character and I find it so fascinating how most characters seem to underestimate him while he can actually be very clever, sly and truly powerful, and yet also capable of such deep emotion and feelings for others. I think the magic of his connection to the faerie realm and land is very fascinating and I hope to see that explored more in the next book.
Despite everything and all they have been through, I still found myself hoping for things to end well between Cardan and Jude. They have made mistakes with each other and treated each other pretty terribly at times, but Holly Black writes them in such a way that I can still believe they could come to terms with these things and be together in the future. And I hope they do because together they make such an incredible team and their interactions and dynamic are always such a joy to read. I think theirs has the potential to be such an epic love story, depending on what happens in The Queen of Nothing, the final book in the trilogy.

BOOKS ¦ Review: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Name: The Cruel Prince
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Date Published: 2018
Rating: 5/5

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.

- From Goodreads.

When I started The Cruel Prince I felt a little uncertain about how much I would like it, but by the time I finished it I really loved it, and the ending definitely made me eager to pick up the next book in the series, The Wicked King.
The setting was really interesting and made the story intriguing to read. Before I started the book I was not sure how I would feel about the combination of the modern world and the world of faerie, but despite how different the worlds were, the way they were put together in the story made sense and made the story feel quite unique and refreshing. I have not read so many stories where the faerie world is put next to the modern one as most books that I have read with faeries involve a historical setting rather than a modern one, and I do love fantasy stories set in a historical world, but it felt new to read one with a modern world and I liked that.
I also really liked the main character, Jude. Some people say she is an unlikeable character and that she is meant to be that way, but I found I genuinely liked her. I enjoyed that she took action rather than remaining passive, and even if she made mistakes, I understood why she had made the choices she had. It was some of the other characters, in fact, that I did not like and that annoyed me. But I felt satisfied because Jude would be annoyed and angry with them too and addressed it and expressed why and how they had made her feel that way. It felt enjoyable to read a character who wouldn't let people just get away with it when they hurt or affected her in some way.
From the beginning of the book, and in fact from the description of the book, we know that Jude and her sisters live with and were raised by the man who murdered their parents, and at first that did feel a little strange and I was not sure if I would like how they mostly accepted it. But I think Jude felt conflicted by it too and she was not always certain that her reaction to it was normal, so I think that helped make it feel like a less unrealistic plot point in the novel.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Cardan and Jude. It was very fascinating to slowly learn more about him and see Jude's changing perspective on him as he gradually became a more three-dimensional character. I definitely want to read more of the two of them and their dynamic which makes me really excited to read The Wicked King.