by Holly Black

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publish Date: 2nd January 2018

Title: The Cruel Prince
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Book: #1 of The Folk of the Air
Genre: YA/Fantasy
Found: Netgalley
Rating: 5 Voodoos

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.

One terrible morning, Jude and her sisters see their parents murdered in front of them. The terrifying assassin abducts all three girls to the world of Faerie, where Jude is installed in the royal court but mocked and tormented by the Faerie royalty for being mortal.

As Jude grows older, she realises that she will need to take part in the dangerous deceptions of the fey to ever truly belong.

But the stairway to power is fraught with shadows and betrayal. And looming over all is the infuriating, arrogant and charismatic Prince Cardan . .

- Netgalley

If you haven’t seen or heard about this book yet then where the hell have you been?!! It’s everywhere…

See Instagram photos don’t lie. It really is everywhere!

I feel I was pretty late to this party so if you still haven’t arrived then get a wiggle on cos this is going to be one of those books you don’t want to have missed!

The Cruel Prince has everything you want in a YA Fantasy. It has a kick arse main character, a few gorgeous hunks, a few petty females, a twisted monarchy plot and a whole lot of angst. You may think this makes it like all the others out there at the moment but you’d be wrong. It’s some how so much more than you could ever imagine… there must be some faerie dust on the pages or something because I couldn’t put this book down.

Jude is a mortal who, at the age of seven, sees her parents murdered. She is then taken from the human world and into the dark but beautiful realm of the Fey. She and her two sisters learn everything there is to being Fey but for two of them, they will never truly belong. Jude and her twin, Taryn, may look the same but they are nothing a like. While Taryn tries so hard to blend in, Jude was made to always stand out and both must find a way to survive along side the Fey or be chewed up and spat out.

I loved that this story focused heavily on the age old debate of conform or risk everything to be yourself. There was a clear difference between Jude and Taryn and it was hard at times to watch Jude struggle to be herself and be punished for it. I think many of us would have chosen the easier path (me included) and yet at no point did I think, just give up! I wanted Jude to succeed so much and I hope, that eventually her struggle will be worth it. This book is definitely cruel and you will be thrown down the emotional rollercoaster but its all worth it I promise!

I’ll admit I saw a few things coming but WOWSERS that ending! I felt my heart rate rising and I found myself gripping my kindle tight! I haven’t felt that passionately about an ending in a long time. I see great things a head for this series and I now find myself lost and left floating with all those others who’ve read and loved this book. How we will survive a year till the next book I will never know. Please hurry up 2019!