Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.
And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.
Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.
To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.
In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.
modern-typewriter says: This is a popular fairly recent release, so you may have heard of it. If you have heard it and are debating whether or not you want to read, or haven’t heard of it but like stories about fey/faeries – read it! I loved this book. I think it balanced the danger and the beauty of faeries well, and every character felt like they had their solid motivations. The antagonists were good. I admit, I am skeptical of magical bad boy set ups, but this one actually worked for me. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series to see how everything develops! May always seems like a fairy time of year for me, so have at as the weather warms!
If you liked this try/you might like this if you liked: “The Darkest Part of The Forest” also by Holly Black, The Shades of Magic series by V.E Schwab, numerous other fairy tale feeling stories.
1) Until the fairy said their name, they hadn’t realised that they’d never been addressed before in their life. Not properly. They had never had someone speak right to the heart and soul of them. Their breath caught in their throat and the fairy’s eyes sparked. The fairy said their name again, softer, delighting in the way the human’s knees turned puddled at the sound and a shudder of heat run down their spine. Foolishly, they’d introduced themselves – thought it only polite. “Such a lovely name,” the fairy crooned.
2) “Don’t do that, [name].” The human jerked to a stop, unable to help it. Unable to physically continue the action, however much their mind strained to make their muscles move. To pick up the knife. “Names are fickle things,” the fairy murmured. “You think you control your name, but you don’t really. The name you are born with will always control you, shape you. It’s fascinating. Do you ever think how different your life would be if you were born a Boris? It take’s a certain type of person to be a Boris. On your knees, [name.]” The human’s legs folded beneath them without thought.
3) “You gave me your name, now I’m going to give you a new one and it will become you as you become mine. The names we give the world define it, shape it.” The fairy watched them for a moment, considering as the human’s name as their breath turned shallow with anticipation. They had surrendered to this after all. Offer a name, offer yourself, and be born anew in the Immortal Court. The fairy reached its decision. “Loyalty. You are Loyalty, and Loyalty you shall endless be.”
Monsters and Villains 