Red Glove by Holly Black

Rating: 4.75/5.0
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Age Level: Young Adult 14+
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Pages: 336

Recommend? This is the second book in Holly Black's Curse Worker's series. Anyone who loves Holly Black will love this series!

Synopsis:

Curses 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 too dangerous to lose.

My Thoughts:

Red Glove is the fantastic continuation in Holly Black's Curse Worker's series. Not only did I love Red Glove even more then I loved White Cat, but now I feel as though I have to go out and buy all of Holly Black's books!

Cassel and Lila's relationship is complicated even further in Red Glove-- Cassel tries his best to stay away from Lila (which is hard due to something that happened at the end of the last book) but can't seem to push her too far away. I think Cassel must be a bit of a masochist. Some of the things he does seem like they would only hurt him in the long run, but Cassel seems to live more in the moment then most people. I really feel for him-- he's stuck and there is really no right way to go when it comes to his relationship with Lila.

Cassel's mom cracked me up throughout the whole novel. However, by the end of Red Glove, I got the feeling she is a lot more into everything then I gave her credit for. Red Glove completely changed my opinion of her. Also, I am eager to see how Cassel's relationship with his brother Barren changes with all the new developments. Will they still tolerate each other or will they be pushed even further a part?

The mystery of the lady with the red gloves was an interesting component, though I felt as though the character development was more captivating and found myself more eager to follow the characters through the story rather then having to know who the woman was.

I cannot wait for the third installment of Holly Black's Curse Workers! If you haven't read the first book in the series, White Cat, you should definitely check it out!

**Reviewed Copy was an ARC**

Details:

Cover: 5.0

Plot: 4.5

Characters: 5.0

Writing: 4.5

Source: Received from Publisher for Review.