Red Glove by Holly Black

Title: Red Glove (Curse Workers #2)

Author: Holly Black

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Release Date: April 5, 2011

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

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. He can transform anything--or anyone--into something else.

That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Now she’s back, but she’s been cursed to love him. 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 find his brother’s killer. But the mob wants 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. Where can he turn when he can’t trust anyone--least of all, himself?

I was extremely happy to have Red Glove close by when I finished reading White Cat. I loved that right away I was able to dive back in and get more of the characters that I loved so much the first time around. If I thought that White Cat was good, Red Glove definitely kicked it up a notch.

After spending the summer helping his mother con rich me, Cassel is back at school. Only this year, Lila is also present at Wallingford, making things even more difficult for Cassel. And much like everything else in his life, things once again don’t appear to be exactly as they seem. Now Cassel has a crime boss trying to use him as an assassin, federal agents wanting his help, and a mysterious murder that needs to be solved. Once again, Cassel finds himself in a world full of curses and cons an all around mystery. With the help of his friends, Cassel tries to solve all the mysteries all while trying to get through the beginning of his senior year of high school.

I’ll say it again, but Holly Black is simply an amazing writer and I just can’t seem to get enough. What I particularly love are the characters she creates. Even the characters that play only a minor role in the story appear to be fully developed. As for the main characters, I just can’t help but love Cassel. Despite his sometimes questionable behavior and decisions, Cassel’s heart is most definitely in the right place, he does whatever in needs in order to protect and help those he loves. Lila on the other hand is a bit of a puzzle to me, I can’t seem to tell when she’s being truthful or when she’s playing a role. Already in White Cat I really liked Sam and Daneca but we didn’t really see as much of them as I would have liked. This time around we find out a lot more about them and I loved seeing how the relationship between them and Cassel developed. One thing that didn’t change though was that no matter how crazy the idea, they were always ready to follow Cassel in the action.

The story is dark and mysterious without being overly heavy, if that makes any sense at all. While the action takes place in the present, it almost feels like it should be taking place in another time altogether. The Curse Workers’ world is dark and twister and I absolutely love it. Around every corner there is something or someone hiding, and it never seems to be what you expect it to be. Every twist in the plot is more twister than the last. The story is just one big puzzle that you can’t put together until the very last page, no matter how hard you try to put it all together sooner.

Red Glove was even better than White Cat if that is at all possible. Now, I can’t wait to get my hands on Black Heart, the third installment in the Curse Workers series. Holly Black once again writes an incredible story that will play with your mind from start to finish.