Red Glove By: Holly Black

Curses And Cons. Magic And The Mob.

     
Book blurb: 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 be cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion-working 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.


Review: It took me a few months to battle through this book. Not because it wasn't interesting, but I made the major mistake of putting it down to read the Hunger Games Trilogy, HUGE mistake on my behalf. I had to basically let my mind wander a few days with Katniss Everdeen before I was able to give Red Glove the attention it deserved, and let me tell you...it totally deserved it.


Holly Black has outdone herself AGAIN! I was instantly reconnected with my favorite usual suspects, Cassel, Sam, Daneca, Lila, Barron, Shandra, Zacharov and a few new unsavory characters that captivated me just the same as the old one's. 
As soon as I began reading, I remembered exactly where White Cat left off, keeping me in the loop so as not to have to back track. The cons are the same, the stakes are higher, and Cassel is a now senior at Wallingford Prep...but this changes nothing, he is still tormented by what the future holds for him, a life of crime and guilt. Soon after his arrival back to school,  A new student emerges at Wallingford, throwing a huge wrench in Cassel's plan to lay low, and soon after all hell breaks loose. Love, Murder, mayhem, lost memories, nightmares and seduction are just some of the plots that occur during the unfolding of the on going mystery and yet the questions stay the same, who is the murderer? how did they do it? and why? during Cassel's (along with Sam and Daneca) investigation of the mystery murderer, the Zacharov crime family are attempting to recruit Cassel for assassination purposes, while the FBI wants him for their own personal agenda. Either way, Cassel can't catch a break, and he's beginning to realize, that when it rains...it REALLY rains. This story reminds me of The Godfather (if the Corleones could kill you by touching you, or make you forget your life with the brush of a finger tip against your skin.) the betrayals, and victims, and the unraveling of lies, makes Red Glove deliciously wicked. I've never rooted for the villian in a book until now...is it wrong I have a soft spot for Lila's dad? especially when you finally get a small glimpse into his back story. It made me sympathize with him...at least a little bit. 
I don't want to give away too much of the story for those of you who haven't read it yet. I loved it, at times it got steamy, and definitely left me wanting more, no doubt. Can't wait for the next book, ESPECIALLY, with an ending like that :)


4/5