The Cephalopod Coffee House - Red Glove

A while back I read the first book in this series, White Cat, by Holly Black, which I absolutely LOVED. Today, I want to tell you about Red Glove, the second book in Black's Curse Workers series.

In White Cat readers are introduced to Cassel Sharpe, whose family are not only curse workers - people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands - but grifters as well. His brothers both work for the Zhakarov crime family and his mother funds her lifestyle by conning and cursing wealthy men, all with a touch of her hand. Cassel meanwhile (who believes himself to be without any worker abilities), is mourning the death of his best friend Lila (daughter of said crime boss), attends a private high school, and runs a betting operation on the side for extra cash. He also has strange dreams about a white cat which soon leads to his discovery that he's been worked by his own brothers in the biggest con game ever.

Red Glove continues from where White Cat left off, with Cassel having discovered what really happened to Lila, as well as his own ability, which just happens to be the the most powerful and rare. He's back at school for his senior year but before he can settle in one of his brother's is killed, Zhakarov offers him a job, and the Feds grab him and try to blackmail him into helping them solve his brother's murder.

I loved Cassel and the way he manages to con everyone. I also loved the world Black creates, where everyone wears gloves, curse working is a crime, and no one - not even your own family - can be trusted. I highly recommend both books in this series and can't wait to read the third, Black Heart.

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Much thanks to The Cephalopod Coffeehouse for hosting this monthly event :)