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Red Glove: The Curse Workers, Book 2
Unavailable
Red Glove: The Curse Workers, Book 2
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Red Glove: The Curse Workers, Book 2
Audiobook7 hours

Red Glove: The Curse Workers, Book 2

Written by Holly Black

Narrated by Jesse Eisenberg

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

Curses and Cons. Magic and the Mob.

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. 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.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateApr 12, 2011
ISBN9780307711861
Unavailable
Red Glove: The Curse Workers, Book 2
Author

Holly Black

Holly Black is the #1 New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of speculative and fantasy novels, short stories, and comics. She has been a finalist for an Eisner and a Lodestar Award, and the recipient of the Mythopoeic and Nebula Awards and a Newbery Honor. She has sold over twenty-six million books worldwide, and her work has been translated into over thirty languages and adapted for film. She currently lives in New England with her husband and son in a house with a secret library. Visit her at BlackHolly.com.

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Reviews for Red Glove

Rating: 4.05180731566265 out of 5 stars
4/5

415 ratings58 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Find this review and more at On The Shelf!I enjoyed White Cat a lot more than I thought I was going to and I am really glad that I decided to pick this series up. This is a great sequel and I really enjoyed it as well. You learn a bit more about Cassel and their are great descriptions, especially concerning blow back from when he transforms things.I like Cassel and I really feel for him at points when it comes to things, especially Lila. Sometimes though, I just want to bonk him over his head and ask what he was thinking. He is fun and quite sarcastic with funny quips, and he is definitely quite clever when it comes to getting things done, though somewhat reckless, but that’s part of what makes him fun. I like all of the secondary characters, especially Sam since he is very loyal to Cassel and keeps all of his secrets.I was surprised by a couple of things in this story, Cassel’s brother being murdered and even who murdered him. The author did a good job not being obvious about who the murder was and really, I never suspected, so kudos there! There wasn’t a whole lot of action, but it was still a good read and kept me interested. I look forward to the third book and how things will be wrapping up.Great descriptions, good characters, not much action, surprising.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I so wanted Cassel to have it all... I'm unsure of how things will end up now.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A fierce, intelligent, complex follow-up. The stakes get higher, the world grows larger, and Cassel more and more desperate to hold on to the humanity he's not even sure he has anymore. If only the romance wasn't so terribly hard to like!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really wanted to give this 3.5. My main issue was the plot. It was a too all over the place and there wasn't the same sense of peril as in the 1st book. The tension wasn't there like it was in the 1st book. I'm also feeling its suffering from the 2nd book syndrome of being a placeholder for later books than it's own stand alone story. Middle child, always gettting the shaft.
    Still love Cassel and his messed up organized crime family life.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Engrossing sequel to White Cat with plenty of mystery and suspense.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I want Jesse Eisenberg to read me more books.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    High expectations are often a hard thing for books, especially anticipated sequels, to live up to, especially when I basically fangirled all over myself for the first book in this series, White Cat. I have to think that, after the whirlwind bundles of fun and originality that was the first novel, Holly Black stumbles just a bit with the second outing of the Curse Workers series. Set just months after the events of the first, pacing issues, much less action and adventure and other problems begin to accumulate early on, but don't mar the entire novel too badly. My main complaint about this is that the "mystery" at the heart of everything, just wasn't. I wasn't intrigued or confused - it felt transparent and obvious, but I still managed to have a mostly great time with this and Cassel, who continues to be a thoroughly entertaining main character and narrator.Let's get the good about Red Glove out first - Cassel remains one of my favorite male YA POVs in the entire genre. Though this series is written by a mature woman, Cassel's voice, attitude and life read completely authentically - well, as authentically as can be for a super-rare Transformation worker in a series about magic-infused crime families. I'm hard-pressed to think of other authors that pull off such a feat so well. He's the same sneering bastard with a heart of gold, but he's evolved, grown up and more mature this second go-round. And while I am super, super tired of the cliched love triangle, it is somewhat interesting to read one that is male-centric - it also doesn't hurt that both girls (Lila, Audrey) are out of bounds, so it's more wishful thinking on Cassel's part than anything else. The only bad thing is about the characterization here in Red Glove is that Cassel can occasionally be as naiive as he was throughout White Cat. I know that there are maybe four people he can absolutely trust, but I wish that he would wake up and realize that hard fact as well.Holly Black mosst certainly can't be faulted for her imagination and incorporation of her unique version of the supernatural. Her alternate universe full of ideas "hyperbathygammic" abilities and the concept of magical blowback that is truly freaky (see: anything that happens to Cassel), as well as the hierarchy of magical mafia families. Though the foreshadowing still leaves something to be desired, this is a fertile field for these characters to spin tales and deceptions, betrayals and magic. While I felt the novel diverted from the main track too often to include more about the Workers Rights platform, it is a nice addition to the social framework of the book's setting. Much like any feared and uncontrolled faction, the Workers feel persecuted as the government vacillates between forcing HBG testing or not upon its citizens. Undertones from real world racism and bigotry are obviously paralleled in Black's world and the fight for equality/anonymity is personal to many of the characters - I just wish the author had used a little more restraint when it came to getting her message across.Red Glove simply isn't as immersive as its predecessor; a slower beginning, a more gradual pace, and an overfocus on a side plotline (Workers Rights), that while important and relevant, isn't nearly as awesome as magic-enhanced Mafia families. Compared to how awesome and unpredictable the antagonists of book one were (Anton/Barron/Philip), the duo of Agents Hunt and Jones aren't nearly as compelling. Less action-tastic than part one, I needed either the antagonists or the mystery itself to up the ante, and sadly neither thing happened for me in these 350 pages. Though the fucked-up family dynamic is still much in play in this, it's not to the same level as the first. Cassel's mom and brother Barron are more tertiary characters than before as the novel's main plot focuses on Cassel/Sam/Daneca/Lilah and the murders at the heart of everything.All in all, there's a lot more to love about Red Glove than anything else. While it didn't take me by complete surprise or inspire the levels of fangirling that White Cat did upon completion, this was a more than rewarding read. It's original and entertaining, voiced by a compelling and truly funny main character. I'm eager to see what cons and girl problems Cassel gets up into in the third and final installment in the clever Curse Workers series, Black Heart.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A good sequel to White Cat. It's a different sort of YA and I really like it. It's sort of like X-Men, in that there are some people who have special abilities and using those abilities is illegal.But it's focussed on crime families. And one son of criminals who's a con artist himself. And he goes to a boarding school, but he doesn't seem to spend much time there in this book!The really cool bit is that everyone has to wear gloves, since a bare hand can be a dangerous weapon. Hence the title of this book.But... Holly Black doesn't seem to have fully considered the implications of everyone wearing gloves most of the time. Dusting for fingerprints is suddenly far less useful (though still of some use in some circumstances). And she doesn't address the issue of wearing gloves while using a touchpad or a touchscreen. Though no touchpads or touchscreens are explicitly mentioned, laptops and smartphones are. I just would've liked to have seen it addressed.I'm ready to read the next book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book did not disappoint. Everything I loved about White Cat made it's appearance in the sequel. All the complex characters, his crime family, more con artist stuff, etc. I do eat that stuff up about marks and cons.I love that Cassel isn't black or white. His struggles with himself felt very real without taking a step back or just repeating what he went through in White Cat. He made very genuine movements in his friendships with Sam and Daneca. I love his grandfather. Anyone with less than perfect family members know it's still possible to crave a relationship with them even if it can't happen [his brothers]. Black got those dynamics right.Plus all the wonderful social activism. Daneca is a girl I could've been best buds with in highschool and have avoided just like Cassel did his first two years in school. She's a lot like Hermione. Cassel would be Harry and Sam would be the Ron of the group. I'm not sure if I'm shipping him with Lila though. She makes him work too hard for it. I don't trust her at all. I get that's what he liked about her but my personal preference is to dislike bullies. I'm not sure if she was even worked by his mother for that long or if she was messing with him to get off on him suffering.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    *This review is for both White Cat and Red Glove*In short: Holly Black masterfully creates clever mysteries and an effortless and fascinating alternate universe in the first two books of the Curse Workers Trilogy, White Cat and Red Glove.I read White Cat and Red Glove right after a string of serious and sad books and it couldn't have been a better balm for my hurt psyche. They were exactly the right books to read at exactly the right time. Thoroughly entertaining, fascinating, and clever, White Cat and Red Glove were completely fun to read. Not a mindless type of fun, mind you - Holly Black crafts very intelligent mysteries in these books that force you to put some serious thought into figuring out what's going on.Speaking of Holly Black, can you believe these are the first books of hers that I have ever read? I have to say, my first impression is extremely positive. Her writing and world building was simply effortless. She was able to weave an entire alternate universe, in which magic exists and everyone wears gloves to avoid getting "worked" by people who wield this magic, with skillful proficiency. The story was never bogged down by too many details involving the backstory of curse working, and yet I still feel like I got a good background of the history anyway.I adored Cassel, just like everyone else seems to love him. A bit surprising really, because as a con man, he is not the most moral character ever - his first instinct upon entering an expensive home is to think about the various ways he could steal the silver candlesticks, for instance - but he really is a good guy at heart. Even growing up in a mob family full of con artists and crooks, he feels compassion for victims and remorse for people he has played.My only quibbles are related to a few plot holes and questionable character motivations, but they seem too minor to mention in detail. All I know is that the first two books in the Curse Workers Trilogy were brilliant, fast-paced, and enjoyable, and I have no doubt that the final book, Black Heart (to be published April 3, 2012), will be as well!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Cassel Sharpe, son of a criminal family and a con man, is back in this sequel to White Cat. His mother is now out of jail, and she and Cassel have been traveling Atlantic City looking for a rich man for his mother, an emotion worker, to use to get money. When Cassel goes back to school, he expects some relief but federal agents show up with a proposition for him.Like the first book in the series, this story has a really interesting idea behind it, and having the first-person narration be that of a con man who's generally a good guy but who also doesn't want to betray his family, is a brilliant choice. I could really feel for Cassel and understand the way in which he's pulled in several directions as he tries to stay on the straight and narrow (sort of). The mystery aspect of the story held a lot of surprises for me, and if I probably wouldn't reread it just because it wouldn't have the same tension now that I know what happens, I will eagerly look for the next book in the series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Fun, exciting and charming! Cassel grew up in a cruse-worker family, meaning all his family is able to cast spells - memory, emotional, luck - on others via skin-to-skin contact. This also means that curse-working is illegal, and as his family embraces their skills, they are criminals, and his brothers work for a prominent crime family.Having grown up thinking he had no curse-working ability, Cassel is now adjusting to the knowledge that not only is he a rare and extremely powerful (and sought-after) transformation worker, but his brothers used him for years to kill people for their crime family. His guilt over those unremembered deaths plagues him, even more once he learns of his older brother's death, which leads to an investigation in a series of disappearances that Cassel begins to think he may have had a 'hand' in...Black's world-building is fantastic! She effortlessly tells the reader so much about Cassel's world: a world where everyone wears gloves to reassure everyone that they're safe from the 'terrible' curse-workers. Where Cassel easily cons others, as he was raised to (his mother's been jailed for her extensive con work), yet as he's a much better person than his family, he feels really guilty about it.He's a great character - smart, tough, funny, flawed and worried - yet Black surrounds him with almost equally appealing supporting characters. Sam, Cassel's roommate and non-curse-worker best friend is fun and interesting, as are Cassel's family. His mother, at least, is one of those rascally bad guys you can't help but like a bit.As with White Cat, Black twists the plot around and back, and the resolution is surprising and believable. I cannot wait to read more about Cassel and his world!!Highly Recommended.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Cassel is back being his gorgeous good boy/bad boy self along with all the other well drawn characters. The same nice twists, angst and darkness along with schoolboy levity as the previous book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Continuing on from where White Cat left off, this book actually focuses some on the politics of being a curse worker. Basically, it comes off as a metaphor for racism, much like mutant abilities are viewed within the x-men. Within the backdrop of political change, Cassel is finding that knowing he is a curse worker has opened a lot of doors for him... opportunities he's not sure he wants and doesn't know how to refuse.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Cassel now knows the truth about his abilities and is trying to decide if resisting a life as a Worker is worth it, or if he should just give in and join one of the crime families. His brother has been killed and the Feds want his help solving the crime. To complicate matters, the girl he loves has been worked by his own mother and he can't trust Lila's feelings for him because of it. Cassel has to decide between the normal life his heart yearns for and a life in the mob. Can he figure out a way to play both sides and get everything he wants?Red Glove was just as strong as White Cat. Cassel's life becomes even more complicated and he is still trying desperately to preserve the small bits or normalcy he was able to carve out at boarding school. His two worlds start to blend dangerously as Lila enrolls at his school and he has to stay away from her until the curse wears off. He is forced to hear the girl he loves finally say 'I love you' knowing that the emotions aren't real. The stress, the longing and the confusion of his life weigh heavily on his mind.I was once again blown away by the world that Holly Black created. I loved the social and political conflicts between workers and non-workers and the prejudice that would certainly arise in an environment of fear. It makes Cassel's existence in two worlds seem that much more complicated and painful. In Cassel's life, curses leave no one untouched, even the girl he loves.I could write on and on about this book, but I don't want to give too much away. Instead, I will just say that Red Glove is as wonderful and filled with internal conflict as White Cat. Another 5 stars for Holly Black.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I love Holly Black. I finished this book last night, and wanted more. This is the second book in the curse workers series, and I'm more hooked on this series than when I read the first book.This book picks up a few months after the end of book 1, with Cassel and his mother enjoying life in Atlantic City... a life full of cons and calculated risks. It seems that since Cassel has found out that he's a worker, something he always wished for, that he's now out of sorts on what he's supposed to do with his life. Shortly after the school year starts, Cassel learns that his brother Philip has been murdered, and everyone now wants something from him. The Feds want Cassel to help them discovery who the hit man for the mob is, and who killed Philip, while the mob wants Cassel to come and work for them, taking his brother's place. Then there's the situation with his Mother, and her desire to have a rich powerful husband, his other Barron who's still involved in dubious activities.. and Lila, the girl he loves. Holly Black weaves such an interesting story, that leaves the reader guessing what really happened, how is it all going to work out, and who is really good and who is really evil. I love that Holly Black is not afraid to get dangerously dark with her writing and story telling, and that even some of the most evil of characters have a redeeming quality.. like they know they are not good people, and will try to get you involved with them but warn you to stay away at the same time. The internal struggles of her characters keep me interested throughout the entire book. I can not wait for the next book!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I have been thinking about my rating of this book and going back and forth between 3 and 4 stars. I really liked the first one, White Cat, but Red Glove falls a little short for me. The plot was slower and the characters seemed to loose a little bit of their charm and appeal. However, I must say that I am happy to read a YA novel that does not really drive into the fact that there may be a romance...maybe it's because it is from a males POV but still, refreshing.Cassel Sharpe is the main character here and he still isn't your average teenage boy, not only is he not obsessed with sex and the opposite sex but he is coming to terms with being a curseworker and trying to figure out his place in his family, school, and life overall.Interesting story line in this 2nd book, Cassel's brother is murdered and the Feds want Cassel's help solving it...only problem is that White Cat was such a stronger plot with more mystery and appeal.Character wise...I think Cassel needs to suck it up and find a place for himself rather than follow his deranged family...
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Unfortunately, did not like this one as much as I did the first. The plot seemed to simultaneously drag more and be less inspiring. Still will read the last book in the series, but now I'm worried that the incredibleness of the first book was just an anomaly...
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I just finish Red Glove (Curse Workers #2) by Holly Black and I have to say that Read Glove is an Amazing sequel!!! Recommended to everyone! Holly Black is a great writer; I'm in love with the Curse Workers series. I can't wait to read Black Heart.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    My Summary: It's been months since Cassel discovered the truth about himself and foiled his brother's plan to overthrow the biggest crime-boss in the city; it's also been months since his mother worked Lila, the girl Cassel loves, into loving him, forever destroying any chance he had with her.Now Cassel is living with his mother, moving from hotel room to hotel room and doing his best to forget about Lila. He thinks he'll be home-free once he goes back to school, but once he arrives, his worst nightmare comes true: Lila followed him, enrolling in the same school - ensuring Cassel wouldn't be able to escape the guilt of what his mother did.And to top it all off, Cassel is picked up by the Feds, who try to recruit him to help find a killer that leaves behind no bodies ... a killer that Cassel's brother was supposed to lead them to before he was killed.My Thoughts: Another awesome read from Holly Black! I gotta say, I loved being back in Cassel's world - there's something about the mobster/worker thing that fascinates me. And of course, Holly's writing is always amazing, making this a novel you could breeze through with no problem. I, for one, read it all in one sitting (2am - 5am... I know, I have a problem), needing to find out who the killer was before I could put the book down. I really liked the way Holly showed Cassel's struggle to stay away from Lila - it made him seem more human and relatable. And I seriously laughed out loud when I read the mention of Jace (from The Mortal Instruments series, which you should definitely check out as well!).Final Thoughts: I recommend this series to anyone who loves paranormal YA but is a little sick of the usual vampire/werewolf/faerie stuff (or fairy, or faery, or fayrie or however else you wish to spell it, because I have no idea which is correct). There are a few scenes that probably aren't appropriate for anyone under 16 (some cases of drinking, plus some more mature topics), but they're not too bad - if you're a parent are are worried about this stuff, I recommend reading it before giving it to your child. Check it out! It really is a great series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Amazing sequel. Holly Black is brilliant, as usual. Recommended to everyone ( seriously, everyone should read at least one book by Holly Black)
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was amazing. I love the series so much. Last year, the first book in the series, "White Cat", was my favorite new release of 2010. I anxiously awaited the release of this one, which I absolutely had to have on audio for Jesse Eisenberg's narration, and it did not disappoint. Now I have to wait another year for the conclusion in "Black Heart"?! Okay. What began as a very, very loose retelling of the French fairy tale "The White Cat" has become a very, very rich urban fantasy with a completely realized and complex world. A world, I may add, that warms this Jersey girl's heart as it is totally geographically correct - despite how fantastical a lot of the story elements are. And these elements are pretty darn original, because we're talking Curse Workers. They are the people who can control others which a touch of their hand. These books are fearless, vivid, full of twists and turns, and unexpectedly dark. There's no overblown/undying/passionate love story or even a love triangle anywhere in sight. Despite how much Cassel deserves to whine, he is not an angsty teen in the least. The story is just Cassel dealing with his whacked-out family, while trying to get by in a world peopled with curse-working criminals (and non-criminals, too), and solving his brother's murder - all while trying to get a passing grade in his ceramics class and taking some time to help defend Workers' Rights as well. Total, unabashed love shining through my computer right now.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A continuation of Holly Black's Curse Workers series, Red Glove follows Cassel Sharp and his friends and family through another year of high school. The story is once again interesting, focusing on what Cassel does in the midst of a tangle of crime, politics, law enforcement, other teenagers, and school, but just as much on how to trust when all your life you've been lied to and put in situations where the smartest thing to do is to never, ever trust anyone. Black does a great job of telling this story and making it meaningful, and showing us more and more about Cassel's world through his clever eyes. An enjoyable read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    You will not believe how happy I was to get my hands on this ebook thanks to my gooreads friend Suzy :) for sending it to me. I really appreciate it! Even though this book wasn't as stunningly amazing as the first book, I still loved it. Holly Black is just one of those writers who writes her stories, characters, and plot almost effortlessly. She could be writing about dirt and I would still be crazy about it. Thats how much I love her.Cassel is so wonderful. I absolutely love him. There's just something so raw about him throughout this story that keeps me interested through and through and of course I love his curse. If I could choose, I would want the transformation curse, even if it means my body goes haywire. We also got to learn so much more about the curse, like what he could specifically transform and how the backlash would hurt him.And Sam! Oh my gosh, what a great friend. Seriously, he's funny, he's adorable and he's always got Cassel's back which I love. Those two make a crazy pair. I also like Daneca a lot more in this book, and her love hate relationship with Cassel. It was kind of obvious that she was a curse worker, although I would have thought she was a luck worker not an emotion worker.Lila is back...she's a little better in this book but I'm still not crazy about her. Seeing her through Cassel's eyes affects my overall opinion of her but who knows, maybe I'll love her by the third book. Most likely not because Cassel deserves so much better than her, especially with how she treats him. I mean, yes he did transform her into a cat but he did everything he could to save her.Overall, I loved this book! The plot was exciting, a little predictable but with a perfect Holly Black twist that I just love! I am DYING to get my hands on Black Heart because I know its going to be an amazing finale to this series! :DRating: 5 out of 5 Stars
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Cassel Sharpe recently discovered that he is a rare type of curse worker that has the power of transformation. Of course, he needs to keep this from other people because he would be a powerful asset to however can get control of him. After his brother is murdered by a woman only identifying by her red gloves, the Feds come after him demanding information. The two opposing factions Mob are also after him for his power. Whichever side controls him will destroy the other. On top of all this, Lila, the girl Cassel loves, is turned back into a human from being a cat. His mother thought it was a nice present to make her feel like she loved him, so he is resolved to stay away from her until the magic wears off. Can Cassel avoid being owned by the Feds and the Mob and still be with the girl he loves without the enchantment?The first Curse Workers novel is the best urban fantasy I have ever read. The gritty reality of the underground crime world and the fantastical curse worker magic together make a wonderful and unexpected novel. This one is steeped in the same world, but focuses on slightly different aspects. The Mob is still a central part, but the law is a new focus. The Feds are shown to be almost as corrupt and horrible as organized crime. Cassel is more bullied, coerced, and threatened by law enforcers than by the Mob. Even though they want to solve crimes and put deserving people behind bars, harassing and intimidating a teenage boy is a horrible way to accomplish the task. There is also a scene where Cassel and Lila are involved in a protest where everyone takes off their gloves. This is forbidden because touching is they way the curse workers influence people with their magic. It was a beautiful, shocking moment that took a lot of trust. Then the moment was interrupted by police violence and brutality. These scenes provided a larger view of the world that revealed the corruption that is rampant not only in the Mob, but also the police force.The other amazing thing about this novel is the characters. Cassel is a boy raised in a crime family that struggles to be a good person. He is incredibly clever and solves his problems in the most unexpected ways. I sympathize with Cassel and fiercely want things to turn out well for him. Black writes clearly and convincingly in his voice. Lila is another character that is intriguing, but she's very mysterious. She was raised by the head of a faction of the Mob and spent many years as a cat. She is fiery and unpredictable with a mysterious past. To get a better view of her personality, I would recommend reading Lila Zacharov in 13 Pieces, which is a series of vignettes taking place at different times in Lila's life presented in a random order. I really like this experimental series of short stories and would love to read a book narrated by Lila.Red Glove's only shortcoming is being not as good as White Cat by a very small margin. I think it's the symptom of being the second book in a series. I still highly recommend this crime adventure and mystery. I can't wait for the next book and I really hope the series extends past a trilogy.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved it! It was even better than the first! You know it's good when the sequel out wits its predecessor! Cassel is back with more trouble nipping at his heels. Now that he knows what he's capable of, he has a whole new set of issues to face. Like, who killed his brother or the other men missing from the mom? Let's not forget that the love of his life has been cursed to love him back by his mom. AWKWARD! And then there's the small issue of the mob and the Feds fighting over him. Yeah, senior year is going to be a crazy one.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Cassel Sharpe can't help it that his mind is full of schemes. He can't help it that his life is full of them either. When his brother, Phillip, gets murdered, he finds himself on the other side of the law. The right side... almost. Once again, Holly Black writes a blood-pounding thriller, with an incredible, swoon-worthy main character. You have to love Cassel, no matter how many crimes he may have committed. You have to love a criminal who wishes he didn't have to be a criminal. And his almost best friends too - Sam and Daneca, who has a secret she's been hiding from Sam and Cassel. And Cassel thought he was the one hiding things. Like White Cat, I wasn't sure what was going on until the end, and even then, I thought I had it all figured out, but I was wrong - by a long-shot. I found myself deeply engrossed in Holly Black's latest release. The characters, the settings, the plot, everything was incredible and hooked my interest from the very first few pages. More than anything, I loved Cassel's voice - always edgy and totally unique. Red Glove is irresistable. From the blood-red leather glove on the front to the talk of mobs, crime families, and cons in the back, the second book in Holly Black's Curse Workers series is dangerously good.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I have really loved Black's previous book but to be honest I wasn't a huge fan of White Cat. Still, since I have loved everything she has done previously I decided that I should give the second book in this series a try. It was better than the first but I still had some problems with it.Cassel's mom is out of jail and he is going back to school. When he arrives at school he finds that Lila is there too; this complicates things since Cassel has loved her forever but she has been cursed to love him so he doesn't want to take advantage of her. Then the Feds contact Cassel to let him know his brother's been killed and they want Cassel to help find who did it; the only clue they have is a lady with a red glove was seen exiting the scene of the crime. Cassel is being pulled in a number of directions: the Feds want his help, the crime boss his brothers are involved with wants him to join, one of his brothers wants him to join another crime organization, he is trying to protect his mother, trying to avoid Lila, and trying to get his school work done. Will he be able to solve the mystery of his brother's murder? What will he decide to do with his life in the end?Black has created a very creative world. I love the idea of curse workers and the blow-back they suffer when they use a curse. It is interesting to tie all of this into the mob. Black's writing style is very readable. I also enjoyed that this book spent some time talking about how the presence of curse workers affects society as a whole; there is a lot of time spent on discussing curse worker rights, etc.That being said I was still not crazy about this book. Cassel is an intriguing character, but not a likable one. He is still making a lot of bad decisions and bumbling through situations. I enjoyed his friends more (mainly Sam and Sam's girlfriend). Lila is a confusing character for me; we never really get to understand her or learn much about her. Cassel spends the majority of the book trying to avoid her and she was a cat for most of White Cat so that's probably why the reader doesn't know her well. I have trouble finding Lila interesting or even seeing what Cassel sees in her. I was hoping this book would give more insight into her personality, but by the end of the book she was still pretty undefined for me.The plot is twisty turny and definitely has some surprises in store for the reader. Most of this is still a lot of Cassel dealing with the mob. As I mentioned in my review of White Cat, I am not a fan of plots that revolve around a mob mentality; I just don't enjoy reading about it. This book was no exception. Cassel hates his family but continually makes poor decisions that keep him deeply entangled with the mob. As the book went on that improved, but I still didn't really enjoy the story or plot all that much. The book ended well and should have to readers looking forward to the next book Black Heart.This is definitely more of a mystery/thriller than an urban fantasy. You do have the curse working, but that's the only really fantastical element. I honestly prefer more magic and other twists in my stories; the lack of fantastical elements makes this story a bit drab at times.Overall this book was an easy read and somewhat engaging. I am still having trouble enjoying any of the characters and, the mob-based plot isn't my favorite. Cassel is an interesting but hard to like character for me and Lila still seems a bit vague as a character. If you really liked White Cat, I think you will like this book. If you were on the fence about White Cat, this book is similar. Will I read Black Heart? I don't know. I honestly prefer Black's Spiderwick Chronicles and Modern Faerie Tales series over this series; but I am such a huge fan of her previous books that despite my feelings on this series I might go ahead and read Black Heart just to see if I start to enjoy it more.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved it! Even better than White Cat!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Seriously, Ms. Black I love your writing! Red Glove is a great sequel I really enjoyed. I found myself at the edge of my seat bouncing with joy as I read this book. So many betrayals, secrets, murders that has left me with practically no finger nails!So this book picked right where it has left off with Cassel trying to fix things from the first book. Now I won't tell what it is, in case you have not read it, but he deals with a lot. Cassel's character has grown up from the first book. Where as he was ignorant, now he knows better and is smarter. Cassel has now become the guy you don't want to mess with. This time Cassel thinks about everything not because he wants to but he has to. He is put into a very hard place and needs to find a way out. The plot twists were amazing! As I was reading this book, I kept wondering how Ms. Black would pull it off for Cassel. When I finally got to the end and saw how it fit together, genius. That's all I thought. The plot came off beautifully. I like how well Ms. Black leaves her endings. There not cliff hangers, but not finished as well. They leave you with just enough to know that there is more. The ending definitely left an open door to know that there is going to be much more!Red Glove is a fantastic sequel that I could not get enough of. Written beautifully, Red Glove takes you on a ride that you won't forget!