Book Review-White Cat

By Holly Black

Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon and Schuster
To Be Released May 4, 2010

Source: From Simon and Schuster
5 stars

Cassel comes from a family of curse workers-people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters or con artists. Except for Cassel. He's the straight kid in a crocked family, if you ignore one small detail-he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Now Cassel is having nightmares, terrifying dreams about a white cat that seems to want to tell him something. He's tarting to notice other things , too-the strange behavior of his two brothers, who seem caught up in a secret plot. As Cassel starts to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he must unravel his past and his memories. To find out the truth, Cassel will have to outcon the conmen. (taken from the book's cover)

WOW! This is an amazing new series that will have Holly Black fans finding themselves enjoying her world of Curse Workers and mobsters. I think Holly really hit her mark for her YA fans and those who have yet to read her work, this is a MUST!

While it took me a few pages to really get into the book, once I did, I couldn't put it down. I absolutely love Cassel's character. I think he has such a great voice that I easily got wrapped up in. He starts off a little broken, and being the youngest in a family full of Curse Workers, he feels he's the outcast, as he doesn't have the Curse Worker ability. By the end of the book, Cassel not only finds out what he can do, but he out cons the best conman.

Cassel comes from a family whose Curse Worker abilities range from being able to kill someone with one touch of a finger, to erasing their memories, changing their emotions and more. Cassel's nightmares about a white cat, lead him to some surprising answers about what he can do, and what really happened the night he killed his best friend Lila.

The world in which Holly creates is twisted, unique and intriguing. Cassel's family is very flawed and broken. Through the course of the book, we discover why Cassel's family choose their course of actions. Even when you have ties to the mob, you'll do everything you can to protect your family.

I absolutely enjoyed reading this book. I have never read anything like it. I think those who haven't read Holly Black's work, will soon find themselves devouring White Cat. I would definitely recommend this book for those 14 yrs and up. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

*Cassandra Clare picked White Cat as our featured book of the month for May*. Be sure to pick it up and join in on our discussions about it.