“Guard Your Mortal Heart.”
HOLLY BLACK DID THAT. I am dead, I did not guard my mortal heart against this book, and I demand book 2 NOW.
Holly Black gave me everything I ever wanted in a book and more—a luxe and dangerous world, drama, political intrigue, magic, spies, bloodshed, twists, nastiness, and just the right amount of romance.
The Cruel Prince opens with 7 year old Jude watching her parents murders, and then being swept away to the High Court of Faerie by her parents’ murderer along with her twin sister, Taryn, and her older, Vivienne. Flash forward 10 years and Jude lives amongst the fey, is bullied by her fey classmates, and despite everything she has seen of their world, wants to be them.
No, she wants to be better than them.
“Because you’re like a story that hasn’t happened yet. Because I want to see what you will do. I want to be part of the unfolding of the tale.”
Everything about this book kept me on my toes—the world, the characters, the political games— and I loved every dark, sexy, gut-wrenching, horrific moment of it. All of our characters are sinfully flawed, and Jude may be the darkest and most flawed of them all. Although perhaps Cardan, our titular “Cruel Prince”—who might be more than what he seems and who has certainly stolen my heart—could be nastier and cleverer than Jude.
If you aren’t convinced by now that Holly Black is the queen of all things fae, then go read The Cruel Prince while I not-so-patiently wait for book 2.
“If I cannot be better than them, I will become so much worse.”
Unseelie Queen of Crows 
One thought on “The Cruel Prince by Holly Black”