Red Glove by Holly Black

Red Glove by Holly Black 
(Curse Workers #2)

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.

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Wonderful, wonderful book! For some reason these are the only series by Holly Black that I
really like. Exquisite writing, the story sucks you right in from the first sentence. If it's young adult, then it's more in line with Strange Angels by Lily St. Crow than Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot. It's dark and twisted and very adult.

I love Cassel's character. He was brought up in the family of con men working for a big mafia guy Zacharov. So in order to survive he has to live by the rules of their game, to say the things they expect him to say. He is flippant and sarcastic as hell, but Cassel is not your average teenager. He is extremely serious and his mind is as sharp as a razor blade.

The usual band of Scoobies is still helping him in this book: his roommate Sam, who dreams of being a special effects tech, Danika, Sam's girlfriend, activist for the equal rights for Workers, and of course there is cursed Lila, Zacharov's daughter, with whom Cassel just can't cope.

Because of his unique talent, Cassel is wanted by everyone, FBI agents, Zacharov, Sharpe's brother, but choosing who to work for will create a lot of powerful enemies for him. So Cassel does what he knows best, he cons them all.

How? You just have to read the book to find out.

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Не могу решить какая из обложек мне нравится больше. Но какая замечательная книга!
Это единственная серия у Холли Блак, что мне нравится и неспроста.
Замечательный язык, в описание погружаешься с головой с первого предложения, и вторая книга оказалась даже сильнее предыдущей.

Кассель Шарп - лукавый мошенник и юноша из мафиозной семьи магических работников в прошлой книге осознаёт в чём его дар, и как оказывается, он - единственный работник в мире, который может трансформировать вещи и живые существа. Теперь он пытается уберечь свою тайну, пока за ним бегают его предатель-брат, агенты ФБР и русский мафиози Захаров. Все хотят, чтобы он на них работал, но для Касселя, какую сторону не выбери, он окажется в проигрыше, поэтому Кассель делает то, что он может делать лучше всего - мошенничает, и надеется, что его афёра удастся.

Вся замечательная команда с прошлой книги в сборе. Сэм - друг Шарпа и сосед по комнате в частной школе, где они обучаются. Даника, озабоченная борьбой за права Работников. И конечно, Лила - дочка Захарова, над которой мама Касселя поработала в конце предыдущей книги.

Книга тёмная, взрослая и очень захватывает. Если это YA - то YA больше Лилит Сэнткроу, чем Мэг Кэбот со сложными характерами и очень сложными ситуациями.

10/10