Review: “How The King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories” by Holly Black

Title: How The King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories
Series: The Folk of the Air, #3.5
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: HBG Canada
Publication Date: November 24th, 2020
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 192
Rating: ★★★★

Add it on Goodreads
Buy it on: Indigo | Your Local Independent Bookstore | Barnes & Noble

Plot Summary: Return to the captivating world of Elfhame with this illustrated addition to the New York Times bestselling Folk of Air trilogy that began with The Cruel Prince, from award-winning author Holly Black.

Once upon a time, there was a boy with a wicked tongue.

Before he was a cruel prince or a wicked king, he was a faerie child with a heart of stone. #1 New York Times bestselling author, Holly Black reveals a deeper look into the dramatic life of Elfhame’s enigmatic high king, Cardan. This tale includes delicious details of life before The Cruel Prince, an adventure beyond The Queen of Nothing, and familiar moments from The Folk of the Air trilogy, told wholly from Cardan’s perspective.

This new installment in the Folk of the Air series is a return to the heart-racing romance, danger, humor, and drama that enchanted readers everywhere. Each chapter is paired with lavish and luminous full-color art, making this the perfect collector’s item to be enjoyed by both new audiences and old.

..

_________________________________________________________________________________

..

I received a finished copy from HBG Canada in exchange for an honest review.

Review: “The Queen of Nothing” by Holly Black

Title: The Queen of Nothing
Series: The Folk of the Air, #3
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: HBG Canada
Publication Date: November 19th, 2019
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 308
My rating: ★★★.5

Add it on Goodreads
Buy it on: Chapters Indigo | Amazon CA

Plot Summary: After being pronounced Queen of Faerie and then abruptly exiled by the Wicked King Cardan, Jude finds herself unmoored, the queen of nothing. She spends her time with Vivi and Oak, watches her fair share of reality television, and does the odd job or two, including trying to convince a cannibalistic faerie from hunting her own in the mortal world.

When her twin sister Taryn shows up asking of a favor, Jude jumps at the chance to return to the Faerie world, even if it means facing Cardan, who she loves despite his betrayal.

When a dark curse is unveiled, Jude must become the first mortal Queen of Faerie and uncover how to break the curse, or risk upsetting the balance of the whole Faerie world.

 

_________________________________________________________________________________

 

I received a finished copy from Hachette Book Group Canada in exchange for an honest review.

ARC Review: “The Wicked King” by Holly Black

Title: The Wicked King
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher
Publication Date: January 8th, 2019
Format: ARC
Page count: 336 (hardcover edition)
Rating: ★★★★.5

Add it on Goodreads
Buy it on Chapters Indigo | Amazon CA

Plot summary: You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

 

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.